Halloween in April?

Most people think I am pretty insane for planning Halloween in April, and even crazier when I tell them that I am already behind schedule!

Today I am torn between designing halloween stuff, and actually going in to work and doing the business taxes for the year and my normal work...  it's 9am, and I'm still sitting here at home.  Can you see my lack of motivation yet?

Yesterday my mom asked me what I wanted for my birthday.  Oddly enough I answered "a sewing machine"... Cuz frankly she can't get me what I REALLY want, which is pink or blue foamboard that is 2in thick.  I know that sounds like an odd gift request, but here's why:

Pink and Blue Foamboard can be cut, shaped, painted, decorated, and turned into all kinds of halloween things, especially Gravestones.  I am desperate for some heavyduty awesome new gravestones this year.  It Can also be used to create just about ANYTHING else you need for Halloween decor.  I already have my fencing, but I was thinking of adding another 6-7 sections and enclosing the ENTIRE front yard at my parents, so the ToT's won't be able to go the wrong way.  I also want to use the fencing to go all the way to the front door, so the ToT's don't think its ok to walk across the bushes and the neighbors plants (the neighbors REALLY don't like kids, halloween, Christmas, or any holiday for that matter.  They never turn on their lights for halloween, and any kid brave enough to knock on their door anyways gets no answer from within.). 

Anyways.  The pink and blue foamboard is apparently not available period in Southern California because there is no "practical" use for it here being that it is supposed to be used as heavy duty insulation in houses.  Frankly that irritates me a bit... No. A LOT.  Why not carry at least a few pieces at lowes or Home Depot.  So THAT is why I want a sewing machine for my birthday instead.  I am actually pretty good at sewing, and totally fixed/changed the horrendous skirt that Nancy Skolota had made me for halloween last year and turned it into something actually wearable!  Imagine That.  The funny thing is She supposedly went to school for Costume Design, but her sewing on everyone but her own costumes sucks. Especially Mine.  I think having a costume last year that didn't work at ALL.  She created me this shirt that she initially made like 8 sizes too small, and then tried to fix it with a weird ass addon across the front.  Needless to say I took one look at it, and threw it in the trash.  I paid like $5 for the fabric for it, and frankly I would have been better off just buying a shirt like I ended up doing the morning of the Party.  As for the Jacket she made, apparently she has an inability to listen to what people want when creating costumes.  She made me a WEIRD jacket that only goes to the sides of my waste.  It doesn't close, and she had PLENTY of Fabric.  I bought like 5 yds of the Jacket Fabric.  I tried it on, and aside from only going to the sides of my waste, it fit perfect.  But again, totally unwearable.  And finally there was the Bodice.  The DAY OF THE PARTY she hands me a completely unfinished bodice, and says "you'll have to do the gromets to wear it"....  It was 2 hrs before the party.  What was she thinking?  I think she honestly thought she was going to sabotage my costume and I would just not show up to my own party.  Fortunately for me, I had a bodice from Frederick's of Hollywood stashed away for just this purpose.  When I asked her 7 days before the party and she told me she hadn't started my bodice, I decided to go spend real money and get one.

So this is why I want a sewing Machine.  I am a better seamstress than THAT, and managed to salvage and fix the ONE thing in my entire costume she made me, that I actually wore on Halloween.  I'll probably wear it again too. 

What you can't see in this picture is that the skirt has about 3 yds of fabric on my ass making it look twice as big.  This pic was taken later in the evening, after several drinks, thus why my rifle is down my bodice, and the bottom 3 snaps on my bodice are undone...  But the skirt fabric was SO AWESOME.  It was such a great find, so I had to save the skirt.  Btw, Guy in the Picture with me is named Tim, but he came as Les Grossman from Tropic Thunder (Tom Cruise).  He played the part so well and hit on everyone there.  It was awesome, and why I love him so much.  He's truly one of my best friends, and this pic kinda shows how we are together.  It's ALWAYS fun when we get together.  Ask Greg.  LOL.

Anywho.  That's it for today's Blog... Maybe I'll post a tutorial this weekend on something I created last year.  =)