The 1984 David Lynch film Dune gets a lot of play around here. While the plot may be overblown and some of the major parts of the book are kind of glossed over, you can’t argue that serious money wasn’t pumped into the costume budget. While almost every costume in the movie is a feast for the eyes, of particular importance are the stillsuits worn by the desert-centric Fremen. The suits in both the movie and the books are designed to recycle all the water produced by the human body, giving a normal person the ability to survive in the harsh, waterless environment of the planet Arrakis.
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This year is a big Alice in Wonderland year. You or your little ones may want a costume that’s different form all the other little Alice’s. You won’t need a needle or thread for this one: Alice stuck in the White Rabbit’s house.

I’ve been waiting to make this costume for a few months. If you follow my Twitter feed, you’ve probably noticed I’ve been searching for a box. All I needed was a box. One box. Here’s a short material list and run down of the first steps.

Materials:
Box, at least torso size
Paint and/or contact paper
Hot glue
Duct tape
Remnant fabric in yellow or blue
Remnant 4-6 inch ruffle in white
Tights/knee highs in white
Black shoes/ankle boots
Moss, straw, or model house roofing tiles
Box knife or scissors

Ideally, the box should hit mid-thigh. The box I found is knee-length but it will do. The box will become the White Rabbit’s house. Remove the lid flaps. Cut out windows on the second floor for your arms. Paint it and decorate as you see fit. You can use contact paper or paint. I hot glued on some painted poster board shutters. I used white duct tape as trim for the windows and door because I didn’t want to mess with painting that kind of detail.

Let dry for a day or two and make touch ups if needed. I’ll add the fake dress in a couple of days…see you then.

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Teachers, they give us the tools to become the people we want to be. Often times they can feel like it’s them against the world. As the school year runs to a close, we honor the hard work and thankless hours of our teachers. Take some time to say, “Thanks, Teach!” on Teacher’s Day, May 4th. Let’s take a look at some of my most memorable fictional teachers. (more…)

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Thursday’s party idea comes straight from the streets of New Orleans. Many of the parade Krewes borrow their names from mythology. There’s Orpheus and Endymion and the Muses. Egyptian and Norse myths also add to the festivities with Thoth, Isis, and Thor to name a few. Reread a bit of the Odyssey for ideas. Even a little Xandadu might be good for some brainstorming. (more…)

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I’ve become addicted to the silly, sinful, and salacious show True Blood. The show is based on the Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris. The story is peppered with over-the-top characters. The barmaids wear fitted white t-shirts. The Fangtasia staff wears black leather and chains. The county road crew sometimes goes shirtless.

I’ve taken to Vampire Pam. She’s a delight. Pam’s role is larger in the novels, but you can get the gist of her from the show. She likes to be tidy and preppy. She wears only the best clothes and has a penchant for twinsets. She likes Sookie. They have in-jokes and an easiness about their friendship.

I found a clearance dress at The Limited that is similar to the shirt dress Pam wears during the last few episodes of season one. Here’s a sneak peak at the dress as is. I’ll change the buttons and maybe the buckle. The breast pockets may a bit harder to add without a fabric match.

By the way, she doesn’t glitter.

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I hope your New Year celebrations were costumed and fun.

I rang in the new year with a little help from Slytherin House. My tree is decorated with silver, green, and black. It’s very pretty. I wore my house sweater; perfect for Quidditch matches or weekends in Hogsmeade. Oh, and celebrations! My parents gave me a house scarf for Christmas. Every Hogwarts student and alum needs a house scarf. I enjoyed the Slytherin House theme for the holidays. My tree sparkled. The silver ribbon made the tree look like a giant green present. It was fun.

It just wouldn’t be a New Year’s countdown if someone didn’t have something on their head. There wasn’t a lampshade handy so a bow would have to do. Here’s to another year of costumes! Happy New Year!

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