Halloween 2013

Did you all have a spooktacular Halloween? Mine was pretty good! We started the festivities a couple nights before with a door decorating and pumpkin carving party. Our apartment complex was having a "decorate your door contest" so of course we participated. Although we didn't win, I think our door is pretty fantastic.

I carved my pumpkin into a snarky vampire and Brendon carved his into a Cyberman. Kudos to you if you get that reference! Carving pumpkins is so fun, we ended up skipping it last year because I was in Dallas for a week, so I was very ready to get my carve on this year!

And now, dun dun dun... the costumes!

Brendon was Hugh Hefner. This was definitely a last minute thing. I was supposed to make him a different costume, but I ran out of time. Although I did make that smoking jacket. For our company Christmas card we take crazy photos every year, and this year we all dressed in smoking jackets. And of course I made mine. That jacket he's wearing was made for me, it is an extra small! Yet it is HUGE! I used a bathrobe pattern and just shortened it to smoking jacket length. Brendon added the hat and walked around school all day with a stuffed bunny. Classy.

I was Glinda the Good Witch for Halloween! This costume was a challenge for sure. I had a decent pattern to start with, but I changed quite a bit. I completely re-did the sleeves and ended up drafting my own pattern for the pale pink undersleeve. Their sleeves didn't stick out quite enough and Glinda rocks some killer sleeves. I shortened the whole dress, lowered the neckline (always), and instead of sewing the bodice with facings, I fully lined the whole thing and altered the collar as well.

I hand sewed all those star sequins on the collar, and then said eff that and glued the rest on. There are sequins on the collar, sleeves, and skirt. And I hand placed every single one. Because I'm insane.

The hat was the crucial piece. The hat is what makes this Glinda and not just some princess dress. It was fun to make, although the mylar I used for it was hard to track down. Luckily detective Brendon found some at a blueprinting company downtown. (Shout out to Miller Blueprint! You guys are the nicest!) I got wild with glitter glue and sequins and am very happy with how it turned out! And it actually stayed on my head all day (I wore this ridiculous getup all day at work).

I am pretty satisfied with how the whole thing turned out. There is a lot more I wanted to do (never enough sparkles!) but unfortunately Halloween snuck up on me this year and I ran out of time. It also doesn't fit me as well as I'd like. The bodice could use taking in a few inches, but since I'm crazy and fully lined it, it is not a simple fix so I just rolled with it. It was comfy anyway!

And for your viewing pleasure, here's a couple Halloween Hogan's.

It was a very good Halloween. And because we're nutzo, I think we've already got our costumes planned for next year. Maybe if I start now, I'll get Brendon's done in time. He was supposed to be the Wizard of Oz this year. OH WELL!

Halloween mystery number three

It's that time of year again. Time for the third annual "here's a picture of some fabric, guess what I'm going to be for Halloween" shindig. The first year my sister-in-law guessed that I was going to be Marie Antoinette right away and last year my best friend guessed Snow White correctly, but only after seeing all the fabric together (cheating! ;)). This year? Any guesses? I'll give you a hint, it's not something scary. Or Dolores Umbridge. Although that would be a fantastic costume.

I am incredibly stoked to make this costume. This fabric you guys. I've got tulle, chiffon, shantung, and taffeta happening here. I mean, a kid at Christmas or what? Picking these fabrics out was so much fun. I love picking out fabric. Can I do that for a living? And I have been waiting my whole life for an excuse to use taffeta. It's just not practical for normal clothing, but a costume? Heck yeah. I am in love with the way the light hits it and this dusty rose color is perfection. I paid out the nose for it, but gosh it's so pretty.

I'm winging it big time with this baby. I have a pattern but I am altering it, a lot. I guessed my way through the fabric lengths and am planning on drafting my own pattern pieces for some of it. The pattern will be a good starting point, but I plan on my costume looking quite different. Or I hope so at least. Wish me luck you guys. This fabric is real pretty and I'd hate to ruin it.

Happy Halloween from Snow White

 

Surprise y'all, I was Snow White for Halloween! Didn't that blue velvet make a pretty addition to the dress? I think I made a fairly decent Snow. I am pale as heck, dark haired, and can fake red lips like a champ. It has been a good year for Snow White, homegirl had two movies come out this year and is a star in our favorite TV show.

I will probably take better photos of the costume later, since I am stranded in Dallas without my photographer/husband. But here's a quick run down of the sewing deets: I used this Simplicity pattern and only altered it slightly. It was a pretty perfect Snow White pattern as it was and I'm really happy with my version. I lowered the neckline a tad and ditched the suggestions of using cotton/broadcloth for everything. I used a stretch velvet for the bodice and satin for the sleeves. Had to make it fancy! Although that velvet was a bee-otch to sew. It slid and stretched everywhere and it was terrible. I also ditched the cape because, um, no. I'm not trying to wear a cape.

I worked up at the store in Dallas today and in true Coffee Bean style (almost) everyone dressed up! It was a blast! I had so much fun seeing what everyone was dressed up as (and getting text updates from my store in Austin!). Halloween is the best.

Recognize the girl in that big ol' photo on the wall above my head?

Tomorrow is my last day with the Dallas team and although I am very ready to get home to my husband, my home, and my store, I am sad to be leaving! This is a great group and they have been so welcoming. Coffee Bean seriously knows how to pick them, everyone was so nice! 

Me and the extremely awesome Darrius, who is just slightly taller than me. He gave me the best compliment on my costume, he said, "if anyone could have just popped out of that cartoon, it would be you. You are Snow White." So sweet! The second best compliment came from a toddler who screamed from the back seat of a car in drive thru, "THAT'S MY FAVORITE PRINCESS!".

So a huuuuge thanks to the wonderful Dallas team for being so awesome, fun, and making me feel so at home. You guys are going to rock the DFW coffee world. And thanks for making one of my favorite days of the year so much fun y'all! Come visit me in Austin!!

Happy Halloween from Ace Ventura!

Happy Halloween internet! Unfortunately I am still in the far off land of Dallas for work. There will, of course, be pictures of my costume soon, but until then, here is my sweet husband's. We snapped this pictures last week when he was dressed up for a costume contest at work. He's sporting it today too of course!

Yes, he is Ace Ventura. And a damn good one I think. This boy has loved the Ace Ventura movies since they came out. Brendon knows pretty much every line and does a real good Jim Carrey. When we first started dating I declared that from what I could remember from my young years the movies were stupid and I was not a fan. And I refused to watch them. But of course, somehow I was coerced into watching them sometime in the last couple years by you know who. Not Voldemort, but my husband. I think I lost a bet or something. Regardless, turns out the movies are hilarious and I beg Brendon to say "liiiike a glove!" all the time. So when Brendon told me he wanted to be Ace Ventura for Halloween, I was on board.

The costume was super easy. He had pretty much everything but the pants, boots, and shades. I whipped up the pants one night from some random pattern I had laying around and we found those crazy boots for a steal at our favorite thrift store. He picked up the shades one day at work for a few bucks. The whole costume probably cost $10-$20.

An important element of course, was the hair. He's been growing it out for a couple of months. We (I) gelled and hair sprayed the crap out of it, and I think it looks pretty good! Unfortunately you can't see a whole lot of it because his hair is naturally black as night. Just take my word for it, it's legit.

 

ALLLLRIGHTY THEN, happy Halloween, y'all! I hope you're dressed up and having a grand old time doing so! I'm very sad that I am not down in Austin celebrating with my husband and friends, but I am also very excited to be in Dallas.

And because I miss them dearly, here are our cats, confused as to why we would ever want to be outside instead of indoors with them:

Big D

Sorry for my absence! I swear I have not fallen off the face of the earth. I am in Dallas for a week, on my first ever "business trip"! Fun stuff. While not working, I have been enjoying the wonderful company of my favorite Dallas residents, the Chasaks! And I'm getting spoiled since I just saw Kristy and Kennedy a couple weeks ago. This needs to continue to occur frequently!

They've been sooooo nice and have been entertaining me in my off time for the past couple days. Today I accompanied (and documented) them while they ran a 5k at the Hexter Howl Halloween festival. It was a lot of fun, although very cold! I also got to hang out with Kristy's dad Greg and step momma Roxanne, who I think of as family as well and always love to see!

It was just a little chilly.

 Congrats Kristy, you are the next "ridiculously photogenic running girl", so not fair. I'm sure you'll have a meme soon.

Kennedy was not sure about that crazy owl.

Ryan was 2nd in his age group and Kristy was 3rd in hers, while pushing a stroller! I was originally going to try to run it with them but I assumed I would be working during the morning so I left my running gear at home. Whomp, whomp bad idea. But I made an excellent spectator and even walked the kids 1k and received a ribbon. Booya.

Kennedy was hilarious, she was wrapped up like a burrito to stay warm but she really wanted access to her chocolate croissant. So Kristy propped it up by her face. She was a happy camper, but I don't think she ate any. She just wanted to smell it.

After the 5k we headed over to the little festival they were holding at the local school and Kennedy competed in a costume contest! She won it last year, so she was defending her title. She was an extra cute little sailor, and even had her granddaddy's dog tags and a couple of his medals on.

Alas, the baby in the dalmatian costume stole first (cheaters, babies always win) but she rocked the pants off of 2nd place! Which is saying something because that is an extraordinarily cute group of kids.

It was a super fun morning, even if it was a little chilly, and it had me ready to go run! Brendon and I are running an obstacle course again in November, and I need to whoop my butt into shape a little before then. Also, we are probably going to freeze to death.

I am so glad to have so much time with these wonderful people, but I am a little home (husband) sick. We haven't been apart for this long since like... 5+ years ago. It's no bueno being away from Brendon, but I've been keeping busy and time is flying. I've had tons of fun so far and I'm excited to see what the rest of the week brings!

Greg presents a guessing game

Sweet little Greg, you are the cutest thing in the world sometimes. Thank goodness, because you are also the most annoying thing in the world sometimes.

Halloween is quickly coming up! And you know what that means, time to make a costume! As it was last year, it's a secret until the day of Halloween. But because I'm terrible at keeping secrets, Greg and I are giving you one little hint, this beautiful blue velvet. It's a smallish part of my costume, but also my favorite part. Last year I think I gave my costume away a little too easily, so you only get a little hint this year. If you guess correctly, I will make (and ship, for all you far away friends) you a little sewing prize!

Isn't it beautiful? I love love love the color. I've never made anything with velvet, so wish me luck! If I mess it up too badly, I guess I'll just donate it to Greg to sleep on.