Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween from Princess Peach and Mario! Drew decided their costumes this year and wouldn't be swayed. I would have rather done something really original and unique, but hey I guess Halloween isn't all about me. So even though I saw ten other little Marios running around our church party last Saturday, I love how the costumes turned out.

Especially Princess Peach's dress...



The bodice is a basic pattern I use all the time for her that I know fits perfectly. The skirt piece is a circle skirt with a strip of hot pink sewn along the bottom. I took a basic sleeve pattern and about tripled it's width to get the poofy sleeves. The scalloped collar uses heavy interfacing to get it to stand up straight. And I used this tutorial to figure out how to make the side poofy things.She also wore a tutu underneath to give the dress more oomph. I did a tutorial for the treat bags here.

And then there is Mario.



Awe man. This little guy will forever get whatever he wants from me. I am powerless to him. I kept his costume as simple as possible since I knew it wouldn't get worn for dress up or anything.  His overalls I made by drafting a quick pattern from a pair of his pants. The hat was made using this tutorial. And his shirt is his big sister's size 4 tee that of course fits my 18-month-old. He's a man-child, expecially with that mustache.

Now let's see if I can get geared up for some more trick-or-treating tonight!


Also, thanks to those who voted in our pumpkin contest! Jason's Headless Halfback pumpkin won by two votes. Yay.

Cast Your Vote!

We were up until 2am carving, gutting, pizza-eating, sculpting, Mountain Dew-drinking, laughing, helmet-wearing, and picture-taking. Patterson Pumpkin Carving Contest 2012. It was a perfect night. Now is your time to vote! (super quick survey at bottom of post)

Meet the contestants...



Prior to suffering his season-ending decapitation in 1991, Joe Smith (aka the Headless Halfback) ended more players careers with his vicious hits than anyone. Since, however, nobody has done more to promote safety in football with his "scared-straight" seminars. The audience really responds to a talking body-less head in a helmet. After the seminars, his handler Hans Reiser will carry Joe to the local pub where he enjoys an appletini prior to embracing the ladies of the night.




And his worthy opponent...



Cast your eyes on Gourdusa, the stone cold pumpkin killer, but men it may be your last look. However this beautiful seductress ain't all that bad. She volunteers most of her time between the local pet shop (where all the small mice seem to go missing) and the male school for the blind. Despite her obvious feminine charm, she is no pampered princess: her main hobbies include masonry and stone sculpting.



Here they are together one last time...


Now VOTE!

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Thanks for voting! We have a little too much fun with this...

PPCC

Although we do not share many of the same hobbies, Jason and I have always shared a love and excitement for pumpkin carving. Every year of our marriage we have held an annual Patterson Pumpkin Carving Contest, mainly just between him and I, and sometimes others have joined in as well. Our creations (especially mine) started off pretty basic in the beginning and got more serious and more competitive as the years went on. Until last year when Jason was working trauma and we barely saw him. We both agree that our 2011 pumpkins were pretty lame and half-hearted. This year though the competitive smack-talking has begun and we are back in action.

 

See our PPCC pumpkins through the years...



 

me: lame spider web
J: pumpkin carriage, with working hinge door

me: HP
J: the sghoul bus, complete with head and tail lights

me: Witchy
J: Do Not Pass Go, jailed monopoly man

me: The Black Pearl
J: Pumpkin King Castle, with working hinge door

me: Skeletor
J: Mariachi Miguel

me: The Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
J: Meet-Your-Maker-Go-Round

Me: Pimpkin
J: Pumpkin Smasher monster truck

Me: Two-Face (left)
J: Early Bird Gets the Worm (3rd from left)


My birthday is this week and all I want is a good ole' fashioned up-all-night carving party with me and my man. Check back later this week to see our designs!

Totally 80s

I'm sewing along with KCWC this week, dedicating at least an hour of sewing each day for my children. By children, I mean Drew.

This look was never meant to go 80s. I had this little top in mind with the contrasting shoulders, which I ended up using a neon shoelace trim on the shoulder pieces.

The top demands a pair of leggings. I picked out the bright blue knit and brass metal zippers in the late hours of the night, and when I awoke to it all this morning, it transported me back to my 80s childhood. It didn't help that when my mom saw the pants she mentioned she had owned a pair exactly like them with the zippers and everything. "So that I could zip my pants over my shoes," she said. Of course to zip your pants over your shoes! That's how we rolled.

But despite the 80s vibe, I think it is a totally modern take. I love it.

If I can keep up the sewing this week, my next look will have a touch of neon in it too.