The Costuming - Halloween 2010

I've already started my and Igor's costumes for Halloween this year, partially because I want to try and make as much of them as possible, and partially because I don't want to wait 'till the last minute and then spend a whole bunch of time and money on the things I need to complete the costumes at the last minute. So, I'm doing them gradually and I'm doing them cheap (as possible).

The costumes: Quasi-Late Victorian Big Bad Wolf and Little Red Riding Hood - after she gets out of his stomach (this means lots o' blood and scratches on me and for Igor his guts falling out of a slit across the stomach of his vest)

So far I have
- Patterns for everything I need to sew
- Fake fur for Igor's ears
- Fangs
- Liquid Latex (because of zombie related activities I always have a supply on hand)
- A jacket to modify into Igor's frock coat
- Shoes for both of us (from past costumes)

What I need
- Fabric for my dress, my vest and Igor's pants
- Fabric for my hood (can't forget that)
- Make-up for Igor's wolf face
- Flower for my hair (properly wilted and perhaps half digested)

First, I'm making a test vest for myself out of Simplicity "sewstylish" #2862. I'm going to have to adjust the vest to give it a more Victorian look, but nothing too drastic. My friend Sara, who also happens to be a sewing genius, is helping with the fitting.

I just bought a vest I can use for Igor.

So far I've already removed the zippers and plan on adding pocket flaps and perhaps trimming the edge with black silk or velvet - on the other hand I may not do too much with the vest since I am just going to slit it open in the end and the main feature of it will be Igor's wolfy guts hanging out of it. I chose a double breasted vest so there will be more fabric available to attach the guts to. In the past I've had trouble getting the guts to stay in place and/or the backing I've put in to support them slipping out and showing.

Well, it has begun.

Next step: getting fabric for my dress and Igor's pants.

Halloween in December! (I actually wrote this post Dec. 3rd but am just posting it!)

Of course I'm posting about Halloween costumes over a month late and of course I don't have any really good pics from the night. What I do have are a few pictures of the most impressive parts of mine and Igor's costumes - plus a couple great shots of Igor in full regalia. Enjoy!

His Helmet:


My Cape:






I got really excited and made Igor pose with this short Adam West-style Batman.

The Painted Pair



P.S. This was last year

The Winter Snail Has Sallied Forth!

This is him in his stencil form


His skin in nubblier (or more knobbly?) and his colors are different, but it's so much easier to create the little fellow this way!


My Tiny Tabletop Winter Snail Factory



(It's hard to tell, but on my tiny tv is a mayoral Christopher Walken fleeing the infamous Red Triangle Gang. Oh no! Run!)

And this is what I have in my ears these days


What I watched today:
Fashions of the future!


High-pitched costumed diva


And this to wash the taste of "Avatar" out of my mouth

The First Framed Frankenstien Flower

I actually completed this project back in November (when I was still being marginally productive) for a friend's birthday present.

It's all felt and thread and a hand painted watercolor background in a secondhand wood frame.





And now, some things I distracted myself with during my mostly unproductive December:

Painted People:
Artistic Makeup Photo Pool

Teddy Boys:


My New Favorite Thing:
Coilhouse

And finally, I wish someone had read me the 3 Little Pigs like this when I was a kid.

That time of year . . .

So, for now I've given up trying to wrangle all my Halloween costume pictures into any kind of worthwhile post and have decided it's time I got into the current holiday season.

Last year I was lazy about making cards for loved ones, but this year I've come up with something really grand. For Halloween it was all about the zombie girl scouts, now I give you The Winter Snail!


He represents those of us who move a little slower this time of year and who wish we could carry our own cozy shells with us everywhere we go. He has sharp icicle teeth with which to crunch candy canes, toffee and other treats.


And,yes, the candles on his back could be used to set multiple and untraceable fires, but I like to think he just uses them to light the long winter nights so people don't have to drink their rum and eggnog in darkness - and we all know there's nothing so depressing as sitting in the dark, drinking rum and eggnog.


He'll be on all the cards I send out this year, mostly as a painted stencil. The pics above are from a special delux one-off card, so I'll post pictures of the stencil version a bit later.

Well, 'tis the season and all that!

And now . . .

In their full glory, here are the zombie girl scout badges:








Originally there were six badges


but only four were fully made. Igor drew all of them, he also drew a fifth one and I think I'll take my sweet time finishing it so that it's nice and detailed.

Next: Halloween Costumes!

I'm making zombie girl scout badges!

More pics coming soon!