My under the sea costume headdress is almost done. I finished it yesterday, but it wouldn’t stay upright on my head. I slept on it (the problem, not the headdress) and once again the answer became clear. Instead of using an elasticized headband, I need one that grips the hair and sits upright. I’ll probably cut the elastic off of the band I’m using, and then resew the entire piece on to another headband. Does that make sense?

Scrap of packaging plastic, festooned with glitter, beads and moss. Sparkle branches, elasticized headband and the secret garden key with a glass heart, once attached to a very special gift.

I started small, then added layers,careful to keep the piece light in weight. Using a piece of plastic from a disposable container, I cut a half-moon shape following the curve of my head. I spritzed it with glue, then added bits of moss, leftover beads from Mike’s helmet, a plastic fish from an earring and lots of sparkle. Once the plastic was dry, I encased it in a pocket of tulle, sewing the edges together after wrapping it around the headband. I added a snippet of blue sparkled branches along the band’s curve. It still needed some volume, so I added more tulle, gathered into a fan shape and sewn to the back. One more piece of glitter branch, also sewn on the back gave it more height. With glitter in my hair, on my face, and down the front of my jeans, I declared the head-piece sufficiently blinged!

Under the Sea Headdress

Gloves/Arm Wraps

Using the sleeves of a thrifted gauze shirt, I made a pair of arm covers to emulate gloves. After fitting them to my arms, I added a piece of elastic to keep them in place over my ring fingers. I made a shank style button, joining two buttons together with elastic, then covering them with a scrap of glitter material left over from the top half of the dress.

My son announced that they just ‘look like sleeves and not gloves’ taking the wind right out of my sails. He didn’t mean to be unkind, just passing on his honest opinion. I’ll try them on with the dress this weekend, and if they work well together I’ll use them.

Under the sea ‘gloves”

No-Candy Countdown:

Instead of giving out candy this year, I’ve decided to give little bags of pretzels. Pauline suggested bookmarks to go with them, another great idea. I have about nine more days till the wee ghosts and goblins grace my doorstep, so once the costume is a wrap, I’ll come up with a bookmark prototype. This will be another fun way to promote the Little Free Library. Still candy free.

Pumpkins on Parade:

Sad news on the pumpkin front. Like me, their once firm flesh is now soft and wrinkled. I fear one over-zealous costume change may put them out of business for good. A visit to a pumpkin patch is probably in order. Mike will need a bigger canvas for carving next week. For now, I give you Ghoulish Pumpkin.

Dark! Dark! The horror of darkness, like a shroud wraps me and bears me on through mist and cloud.

– Sophocles