Introducing our entry – Wilf the Wolf!

Last Loughton Scarecrow Trail in 2022, we created Jack Sparrow sitting in his pirate ship – and we were delighted to win an Organiser’s Choice rosette, which is still very proudly displayed on my kitchen cork board.

This year, we want to do just as well – if not better.

There are several judging criteria to meet, including interpretation of the Bedtime Stories theme. So the official title of our entry is ‘What Big Stories You Have, Grandmama’ – and we’ve done our best to keep Wilf the Wolf, and his props and accessories, in keeping with the theme!

The Big Bad Wolf has tricked Little Red Riding Hood, and got to Grandmama’s house before her – dressed in a nightgown, cap and even Grandmama’s glasses, he’s hopped into bed and is waiting the girl to arrive!

The Build

The bed’s base is a coffee table, and with a cut out, spray-painted  headboard. Wilf’s body is a mixture of cushions inners, old pillows and straw – straw is a required element of the build – and the bedside table is a covered and decorated box.

The books were made with a combination of boxes, cardboard, and my beloved Cricut machine for the lettering. The boys lent their talents to the front cover illustrations, and the re-told fairy tales within.

Wilf’s head took a bit of careful sourcing, as most wolf head effigies on the market are seriously scary – but we feel we found the right one!

Selfie Spot

These always go down well on the trail, and we wanted our visitors to put themselves in the scene at ours too – so you can take a seat, and read a bedtime story to Wilf “Grandmama” Wolf while you’re here. If you share your selfies, we’ve even got our own hashtag: #WhatBigStories – we’d love to see them!

The stories were a proper family effort. Illustrated and retold in 50 words each by the RLC boys, there is a choice of three classic tales to read: Rapunzel, the Three Little Pigs, and Little Red Riding Hood, of course.

A little sweetener…

And if you dare, you can help yourself to a tasty treat that Little Red Riding Hood bought for Grandmama, in her little basket. Wilf very kindly offered to bring the basket on ahead for her when he met her in the woods, but soon discovered that wolves don’t like toffees very much.

So feel free to help him gobble them up – but be careful, because you might just hear from Wilf himself when you do! There is a visitor vote, but Wilf isn’t trying to bribe you in any way, we promise…