December is one of the special months that span two seasons. Also, it includes mine and my mother’s birthdays: lots of fun to be had! Most of us are familiar with Hanukkah and Christmas; here are a few other holidays of note.

December 6: Saint Nicholas Day. Saint ‘Nick’ used to visit the local children and leave coins for them. His legend inspired the modern day Santa Claus. Saint Nicholas Day is a great day to visit shelters or sponsor gift drives. Dress in helper elf attire or Saint Nick robes.

December 7: International Civil Aviation Day. The International Civil Aviation Organization and the U.N. work to increase awareness of the social and economic influences of civil aviation. Each year has promotes a theme: 2005 green aviation, 2006 safety and security, and 2007 transport around the world. Learn about air traffic controllers, airports, transporters, and ground crews. Maybe plan a field trip to the local small craft airport.

December 16: National Chocolate Covered Anything Day. I have no idea how to suggest dressing up for this one, but who really cares about costumes when you can cover everything in chocolate! Dip pretzels and fruit in dark chocolate. Drizzle pound cake and candy canes with chocolate glaze. I think I’m going to like this day.

December 20: Go Caroling Day. Gather your friends and family and sing your favorite seasonal carols. Dress in warm coats, mittens, and fluffy scarves. Hit the thrift shops for velvet jackets and unusual hats. My friends and I would walk the neighborhood with our instrument and play carols instead of sing them. Be creative and have fun.

December 31: New Year’s Eve. The great tradition of counting down the end of another year. I recommend a party and costumes; themed of course (I’ll discuss this more another day). Add a bit of an international flavor to your bash by incorporating traditions from around the world.

December also holds notable days to remember like Pearl Harbor Day (Dec 7), World Aids Awareness Day (Dec 1), and Human Rights Day (Dec 10). Take the time to talk with your children about these special days.

We wanted to have a special post today for Thanksgiving. I fired up the iSight and made a little video to spread the good thanks and cheer.

We collected a couple of paper bags to make turkey costumes and sing “Super Turkey.” The children decided they did not want to be in a video. It can be a little scary to be in a video on the internet. Instead of becoming turkeys, we made turkeys.

I hope your Thanksgiving Day was filled with warm hearts, yummy food, and people you love.

Let’s talk wigs. Wigs can be a lot of fun. They can change your identity for your secret agent work. They can complete a groovy costume. They can let you play with a new hair color or cut.

I own several wigs. Most are good quality, but not high quality. All are synthetic fiber which means they hold their original style (no curling irons or dyes). Price tags are the quickest way to determine quality. You can find wigs ranging for less than ten dollars all the way up to several hundred dollars.

If you’re paying $10 for a costume wig, don’t expect it to last long. Costume wigs are for one to two time uses. The fibers (plastic or hair) are typically coarse plastic and they may not be securely attached to the scalp cap. Handle them carefully if you want multiple uses out of them. Use your fingers or a pick with a very light touch as a brush will pull the hair off the wig. There’s nothing wrong with purchasing costume or party wigs. I have an inexpensive blue one for emergency fun.

My wigs are mid-range purchases. They’re still plastic fibers, but they’re thinner and very securely tied or glued to the scalp cap. These were between $30-50, but I would spend more if I felt the wig was worth it. The wigs in this range have a full body and are well suited to styling and repeated wearings.

The next level of wigs is for those that want to get a lot of use out of them. Here you’re going to spend at least $50 and maybe as much as $100. Long hair styles will cost more. These are still likely to be a made with plastic fibers. Remember, always wash wigs in cool water with a mild shampoo. Hot water releases the style can leave your wig flat.

If you want to invest in a great wig be prepared to plunk down more than $100. This wig is an everyday wig, one worn for more than special occasions. Good quality real hair wigs will run you a couple hundred dollars. They are desirable for their limitless styling possibilities. These are the only wigs that can be dyed. You will still want to be gentle with the wig since it must be styled each time it’s worn.

Once you’ve decided what you can afford, head to a few local wig shops to get an idea of what wigs look and feel like. See the difference in quality first hand. A good wig shop will allow you to try on a wig or two as long as you wear a wig cap. They’re sort of like salons with mirrors and an assortment of brushes and picks. Don’t feel forced to buy one if you’re just looking. Like a anything else, if you’re unsure in the store you’ll hate it when you get home.

Use the internet to your advantage. Check costume sellers and wig retailers for variety and price. If you properly care for your wigs, they’ll play nice for you.

Autumn is my favorite time of year. I love the warm oranges and reds contrasting with the dark greens. The cooler weather is pleasant and perfect for star gazing with a thermos of hot chocolate. Autumn has inspired me to create a seasonal costume. I call it “Autumn Spirit.” I was going to go with Sprite but I don’t have ear points to complete the fae look. Spirit it shall be.

Materials:
Lots of silk leaves assorted autumn colors
Brown leggings
Brown scarf or remnant fabric
Tank top or sports bra
Autumn notions like berries and twigs
Autumn candle ring (optional)
Method:
Safety pins, glue, or sewing machine

This is a good time of year for Autumn crafts as many stores have them reduced going into the Holiday season. My supplies were 66% off. Silk leaves come as both stems and vines. Pick out the colors and shapes you like. I went with the reddish and orange brown maple leaves. I also have a few olive green leaves for accent.

Lucky for me, my fabric store had seasonal material at 60% off. I found a brown and orange netting remnant that I thought would work nicely. I wrapped tied the material around my neck and let it drape down. I assembled the costume as I put it on. A leaf here…a leaf there. You may find it easier to arrange the leaves on your clothes before donning them. If you’d like a more permanent costume, sew the leaves to your outfit.

The hair should be wild. I made large rings and pinned the hair. Some of the hair is simply twisted and banded to have wild spiky ends. I added Autumn notions in a sort of crown effect. A seasonal candle ring can be a ready-made crown. Bobby pin the ring or notions in place. Then get ready for some crazy makeup.

Bronze, gold, and brown were the main colors used to achieve this look. I started with a sweep of bronze color under the cheek bone. Then blended it with a light brown blusher on the cheek bone. I lined my lips in a neutral flesh color. Then filled them with a bronze lipstick. The eyes are were the trickiest part. Deep brown, almost coffee colored, lines the upper and lower lash line. Brick in turn lines the dark brown. The eyes are finished with a healthy dusting of gold. I used raisin mascara on the lashes, but fake eyelashes would be great here. Then I went a little kooky. I applied eyelash glue and small feathers to the browline. I thought it would be more whimsical. It’s fun. A little strange looking, but spirits aren’t supposed to look normal.

That’s it. If I were performing or attending a fall festival I would add some bronze body shimmer. Hopefully this will inspire you create a seasonal costume. Winter is only a month away, why don’t you start thinking about a snow or ice themed design. Maybe a white poinsettia in your hair like a Flamenco dancer or a maribou scarf around your neck. It can be a lot of fun.

She-Hulk is a formidable character. She’s a strong, intelligent, capable woman. I like She-Hulk. I could never be She-Hulk though as I’m too short. That doesn’t mean I can’t do a little research for you so you can be She-Hulk.

The first step is to decide which version of She-Hulk you want to be. You can be the big green hero or the big green lawyer. If you want to be the hero you need to pick a costume. When I think of She-Hulk, I picture the white and purple leotard. Jennifer at Becoming She-Hulk chose the Fantastic Four version. It’s up to you.

Let’s start with the lawyer as this is doable without body paint (your choice). You’ll need a business suit, green gloves and green tights, green wig, and green makeup. So that the greens will be similar, I suggest buying them a company that specializes in colored accessories. If you opt to dye them yourself, be aware that different fabrics take the dye at different intensities. Next apply the green makeup to your face and neck. This can be accomplished with standard cream makeup. Blend the green with another color, like white, to match the color of your gloves and tights. Use a sponge applicator and set the makeup with translucent powder. The last step is putting on your wig. You need a long hair green wig. Wigs cannot be dyed. However, they can be sprayed with temporary hair color. Doing so will make the fibers stiff. If a wig is outside your budget, use the spray color on your own hair.

All other forms of She-Hulk require body paint or a full body unitard. Body paint requires another set of hands to apply it to the hard-to-reach areas. I’ve searched the Cosplay forums looking for the best body paint. Reading everyone’s opinions and looking at their costume results, I’m going to recommend Aquacolor. I have no first hand knowledge of body paint, but this seems to have consistent results and easy application. There are liquid paints for use in air brush guns if you’d prefer. Also consider using a setting spray.

Her costume is a purple and white leotard. She wears purple fingerless gloves and purple and white athletic shoes. The no-sew option is to buy a zipper front leotard then paint it the appropriate colors. Spandex cannot be dyed at home so paint must be used. Look for paints that won’t crack with the stretch of the spandex. Otherwise you can use a bathing suit or dance pattern to sew a purple and white leotard. Buy a pair of $1 purple gloves and cut out the fingers. Some costumers wear colored gloves instead of paint on their hands. Test the makeup on your arm or leg to get the application down and to find out how well it holds up to movement.

If you’re adventurous, you can use liquid latex. A few costumers at Cosplay use latex instead of body paint. Research which method fits your budget. She-Hulk will be an impressive costume. Good luck!