Last Monday, after having wanted to be a cowgirl for two weeks, Millie decided upon a woodland fairy. Annika, having wanted to be everything under the sun, immediately followed her big sister's leading. Susannah stuck to "Papa Butterfly" even when Millie tried to convince her to be a catfish. Is she crazy?! Who wouldn't want to be a catfish?
On Tuesday, I found flimsy lining fabric in fall shades, and I designed an elaborate costume in my head. On Wednesday, I folded the fabric. On Thursday, I looked at the fabric. On Friday, I decided I should probably do something with it, only to find that my sewing machines that have been on the fritz ever since I sewed the monsters are, indeed, still on the fritz. It was too late to go to Nanticoke to use my mom's machine, and it was certainly too late to go to the repair shop to get an estimate for fixing my dears (the machines, not my girls). I cajoled, wheedled, raged, and battled; around 2 o'clock, I waved the white flag and borrowed Becky's.
So, Millie's costume is much different than the elaborate one I had envisioned (and that I never would have been able to put together in one day, anyway, if at all), and Annika became a woodland pixie. I ripped apart last year's bear costume (which she has requested I put back together again), made crowns out of grapevine my dad had brought down for that purpose, and gave them cattail wands. There was even time for a few snapshots before dusk fell. Who would've thought...
Millie's costume cost under three dollars to make, Annie's cost pennies, and I still have that pile of unused fabric for the next batch of woodland costumes ('cause this one ain't gonna hold out long). In case you were wondering, I persuaded Susannah to be a princess instead of a Papa Butterfly. (Q: "Do you want to be a princess instead?" A: "Yes.") She was easily convinced that her Alice in Wonderland dress was a princess dress, but she kept telling people she was a butterfly, anyway. Whatever works.
In the light, Annie made it snow with her magic, puffed-open-cattail-wand powers.
Millie merely examined her faulty wand.
In the shade, five steps to the right. Annie continued to make it snow.
Millie continued to examine and improve her wand.
She did not appreciate the paparazzi.
Even this butterfly stood still for a few.
They're all a bit bemused. Where's the candy, already?!
John drove us to the neighborhood we usually visit on Hallowe'en. Millie drummed a pumpkin on the way.
They knocked on doors, danced, and sang a few songs in exchange for candy. The funniest moment was when a man asked, "Can you say 'pumpkin?'" and stood expectantly while all three girls replied simply, "Yes." He chuckled and handed out the loot.
Just so you all know, I've subsisted on candy for four days now and can barely see through the sugar-haze enough to type this.
Thank you, pumpkin buckets.
Now THIS is more like it!! ;-)
ReplyDeleteThey are GREAT! (Girls AND costumes) I love the contrast of Susannah's with the rest of them-it's so funny in the lineup.
I think you were very clever and the costumes turned out awesome. My silly owl wings and mask wasted most of the day away, I don't know how you managed full-fledged costumes! PS- The cattail wands were PERFECT!
again, abigail, you amaze me. the costumes are adorable (I like lil' Alice in... I mean, the princess!)
ReplyDeleteI also like the barn (?)- wood background for your photos.
you're a genius. wish you lived next door.
So cute! :)
ReplyDeleteI also love the comment about the man asking if they could say "pumpkin" and the girls saying "yes". That is so like my boys-very literal!
Their costumes are perfection. Well done!
ReplyDeleteI, too, have been living on the pumpkin buckets! I dig through them to find the chocolate pieces and when they are gone, I crash from sugar withdrawls.
ReplyDeleteI love the costumes! I made a toy for my girls with thick furry fabric and it broke my sewing machine too! $50 later I had a sewing machine with the timing set back to right and proper. The sewing machine fixer man told me the thick furry fabric will sometimes throw off the timing. I wonder how you're supposed to sew that stuff??
Torie
Rebecca,
ReplyDeleteIt"s very sloppily sewn, and it did take me all day!
Liana,
It's the barn behind our neighbors' house. They're never outside, so I've never even met them, but I sometimes sneak over there to use it as a background, guiltily looking over my shoulder as I go.
Torie,
I'd like to make Susannah a monster for her February birthday. If I get the timing repaired before then, I think I'll ask the repair man if there's any sort of warranty I can purchase! That, or make her monster our of cotton-- blecch.
If one has the patience of a saint (I certainly don't), hand-sewing would bypass this dilemma, but, really, now...
Abby,
ReplyDeleteSmart smart smart. Duh! I didn't even think of a warranty. A cotton monster is so not the same!! I agree about the hand-sewing. Really, now.
I have opened my blog to the public if you care to see who has been perusing your pages all these years!!
Your girls are the envy of Lilee with those flowing locks. We just can't seem to grow much hair in this family (I took comfort from your comments to know that I have company in my post-birth-hair-loss. So goes the old adage...)
ReplyDeleteThis looks like fun fun. We missed halloween this year. I mourn still mourn the loss...
So so darling! I love the costumes and that there are too woodland little ones and an Alice on the side! darling!
ReplyDeleteI love all 3, but I LOVE little Alice...SO SO cute!! The headband, the white stockings, the black shoes...just perfect! (can you tell I watched that a lot as a kid...yes, watched, not read, sorry abigail. ;)
ReplyDelete-Michelle Parker
And by the way, I was so glad to see all the posts...I've been checking every once in a while...glad to see you made it back! :)
ReplyDeleteMichelle,
ReplyDeleteNah. You're perfectly justified in not reading it. I tried reading it to the girls two years ago, and even though Annie liked it, Millie and I were bored stiff. Susannah's not read it OR seen the movie, but it's on our shelf. I bet the girls would like it, but they don't watch movies very often, and when they do, Millie's consuming (read: obsessive) love for Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind usually trumps other choices.
(And she wants to be Nausicaa for Hallowe'en next year. Go figure.)
p.s. Where are YOU, hm?!
trawlerman, schmawlerman.
ReplyDeletethat's from me, Abby.
I'm with my sister, I ADORED the costumes, Especially the cattail wands..And Susannah made a perfect Alice in Wonderland :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for ALL The post and pictures, I LOVED THEM SO MUCH :)
Oh and THANK YOU for all the books- Samuel and I owe you one gigantic thank you card!!! :)
it's great seeing the inner pixies come out. you didn't have to scratch very far from the surface, did you? you're all so grand. you meet some of my needs for knowing the world is full of beauty and magic.
ReplyDelete