Quick creative low/no sew costume year

Due to our week away not long ago, my budget was smacked for Halloween costumes. As in NO money. (I had $9 left on a Joann fabric gift card & that is all we spent plus 50 cents at the thrift store.) Broke thanks to the rental being $200 more then what we thought it would be due to the quote (hidden insurance & stuff) given when it was picked up. Normally all of October is spent making costumes for our little ones. This year, I had to do something different. BUT in no way was I going to just slap something together without getting creative. Making costumes is what I find this time of year so much more exciting.

First up, The beautiful raven haired girl whom fell in love with the young local Glass makers son. Unbeknownst to her, an evil witch that lived just outside the village, had a daughter that secretly admired this boy from afar.
One day, as the young boy & this beautiful young girl walked along the deer trails, not far from the witch's cottage, the evil daughter was out gathering wood for the fire. She soon spotted the two lovers amongst the trees. She became enraged when she saw the young boy holding the hand of this dark haired beauty. The jealous outcast girl could see they were smiling at each other and laughing. Then, the young boy stopped walking. He reached into his pocket, bringing out a cloth covered item he held so delicately.
He slipped this beautiful glass heart he made for her, attached only by a thin ribbon. The rays of the sun glitter along the edges, making the red glass shine as though a thousand lightening bugs danced inside. This gift made the girl so happy.

Her smile beaming up to the young boy as he stared deep into her eyes. She hugged him with delight over such an amazing gift.
The evil daughter stomped back to her cottage, intent of ridding herself of this girl. She carefully selected herbs, roots & other magical ingredients for what she hoped would seal the fate of that village girl.
The evil daughter was able to slip unseen to the girls house. Offering her this "special tea" saying it would ensure a lifetime of happiness with the man of her dreams. The girl quickly made the tea for she so deeply wanted to ensure a happy lifetime with her young love. As the last drop fell from her cup, she began to feel odd. Her skin tingled and her hair began to thicken. She fainted from fear. She knew she had been tricked. All she could think of was her one true love.
When she awoke, she found herself in the form of a crow. The glass heart still dangling from her neck. She tried to call out but the only words she could say was the last word she had thought of during the transformation. "Carl". "Carl". And to this day, as the black crow flies amongst the sky, you will hear the young girls cry as she searches for her lost love.
(Get it? Caw caw as in Carl Carl with a twist). I made this story up when I brainstormed Panda's costume. She did laugh at me and say "You totally made that up mom". Yes. Yes I did. Now go put this on...


Her costume was made with a black long sleeve tshirt under a more dressy style sun dress, given to her from a friend who had outgrown it. Same with the boots. The white capri tights were perfect with the color scheme. The only items purchased were the glass heart & black feathers attached with diluted liquid glue to the basic face mask. I paper matched the beak on before the feathers were applied. Finishing it with a yellow paint. I cut an old bed sheet to make the wings, attached them to her shirt with simple hand sewing of 1 stitch & a few knots. A few feathers added for more emphasis on what they are. Took 3 hours total.
My Little man wanted to be Hobo. Why? I truly do not know. But it worked for me and nothing was bought for his outfit. A raid into the closet brought tattered play jeans, daddy's shirt & a bandanna. The stick had somehow founds it way into our house but that's not unusual. You would be amazed at the things I find from my little Nature freaks, bringing tokens of their day in with them. It may well have served as a sword as they climbed the trees, fighting off pirates. Or as a stick to move a lone garter snake out of their path. Between the rocks in pockets of dirty clothes & leaves under pillows, I am not at all surprised to have found that stick in one of my cupboards.
A little bit of brown face paint diluted, for the scruffy dirty face as well as some old eye liner I had.

Now he fits the part of a railroad traveling hobo, sitting here at an abandoned saw mill not far from our home.

And as for frog, she wanted to be the typical Fairy princess. A few flowers left from another project, 50 cent wings from the thrift store and $4 dollars of fabric during the big moonlight madness 60% off sale at Joanns. The tulle is from a different old skirt of hers. I used a jumper dress of hers as a pattern for the outline and had just the straight side seams & shoulder straps to sew. VERY basic. I left the rest unsewn. I attached the leaf bottom with simple straight stitch, cut to fit around her midsection & freehand cut some leave strips to overlay.

A headband of her sisters holds a lone flower as her crown. Looped on with thread & needle. Voila! Fit for her imaginative play. A wand, made & given to me from a friend, was the accessory she so insisted for her costume.

As for me, I used that old bed sheet to make a hooded cloak & witch hat.I sprayed clear coat krylon (again from another project) onto the finished hat after scrunching it up a bit. This helped harden the fabric & to hold the shape better.

A broom was made from an apple tree branch, stripped of its bark while I watched Frog riding her bike in the yard. The overgrown field just South of us, supplied the straw. All free hand and it came out just fine.


Now to add a ribbon & buckle (made from an antique dresser that was falling apart-I clipped off the handle, using the back plate & pounded holes in it for the ribbon). This will hide the seam of the hats brim to the upper portion. I am using my black bridesmaid dress from my little brothers wedding, as well as a Victorian inspired white top I used in previous photos from my Gypsy tea pictures. Bell sleeves, bunched up bodice peeking from the strapless gown top. PLUS a pair of black combat boots given to me by my much loved Sister in law. Gotta look through the winter clothes bin for some socks. Panda cant find her red & white striped stockings so more creativity is in order.

I hope these inspire you to get creative & not fear a low or no budget for this wonderfully magic holiday. It is the 1 day a year you can dress up however you want (and get away with it).

Happy Halloween!

and as always...

Sweetest dreams,
~Tammie

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Film Interiors: Penelope

When I'm watching a movie, I pay as much attention to what is taking place behind the actors as what they are saying to each other. I'll watch a mediocre film over and over if the set design has captured my imagination. This is the first in what I hope will be many posts on inspiring film sets. Not satisfied to appreciate the handiwork of talented designers and cinematographers, I will focus on specific elements of the eye candy on screen and suggest places to buy similar items or pieces that invoke the general aesthetic of a space. 

The first film on my agenda is Penelope. This is a modern day fable about an affluent girl living with a family curse that has saddled her with a pig snout (played as beautifully as possible by Christina Ricci). Penelope spends her childhood hidden away in her room, but prejudice and heartache find her there nonetheless. So she ventures out into the world in hopes of making peace with her fate. Along the way she discovers her own worth and the love of a man named Johnny (James McAvoy). There are two spaces that beg to be given the microscope treatment: Penelope's bedroom--which operates more like an apartment because she spends so much of her time in it--and Johnny's loft.


Given her overwhelming solitude, Penelope has created a small wonderland of her own that reflects her passions. She dreams of becoming a horticulturist, which is evident from this army of terrariums on porcelain pedestals and the black paper butterflies on the wall. Because she never leaves the house, she must handcraft all of her artifacts of nature.

Her room is her backyard and playground. Saturated greens and reds accompany her throughout the film--a nod both to her longing for the outdoors and to the overall mood of the film that location manager Pat Karam calls "Victorian Gothic". 

A framed chalkboard captures Penelope's thoughts and sketches. It is one of the elements of her childhood room that remains. What doesn't seem to make the cut into her adult room is an extraordinary industrial desk that is propped on vintage wallpaper printer rolls. Covered as it is in art supplies, I imagine the young Penelope spread out on her hardwood floors with the creative project of the moment and its accompanying supplies camouflaging the floor around her.

Here are a few items from Etsy and beyond that channel some of the fun and whimsy of Penelope's living space.

The Masses Guest Book Butterfly Pack from Jaime Mancilla.

Lovebirds Made-to-Order Birdcage Chandelier from Meggancolleen.

Bell Jar Dome from The Wallflower Company.

Vintage Chalkboard Long White Frame from Revived Vintage.

Tree Swing made of Reclaimed Wood from Peg and Awl.

Vintage Wood and Brass Wallpaper Roll Lamps from Shandell's as seen on Rural Intelligence (left). I made and sold one myself last August at The West End Garage in Cape May (right).

When Penelope leaves the stifling comfort of home and makes her place in the world, she carries her own unique aesthetic with her into her new life as a horticulturist and school teacher.

Terrariums and black cutout paper garlands are perfectly suited to Penelope's classroom. Her school books are color coordinated just as her own books are at home.

A Vintage Pedestal Steel Tanker Desk and Chair from Daily Memorandum would be right at home at her school.

Johnny's loft is a stark contrast to the warmth of Penelope's digs. As a formerly successful musician who has gambled away much of his earnings, his apartment suggests a once thriving creative space that has been slowly stripped of its furnishings so that only a few choice pieces remain.

A few of the standouts: Tripod spotlight lamps, a vintage leather car seat sofa, a simple wood folding tray table  and vintage metal lockers with old suitcases stored on top.

Photographer's Tripod Floor Lamp at Pottery Barn.

Industrial Metal School Locker from Hudson Goods.

Antique Striped Luggage Set from Bright Wall Vintage.

Butler's Tray on Stand from Ernest Johnson Antiques.

(Film images are the property of Summit Entertainment and Stone Village Pictures. Production Designer: Amanda McArthur. Set Decorator: Bridget Menzies.)

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