.: November 2013

"Since you are so into Halloween"...

This is a phrase most commonly said to me when it comes to my yearly Halloween costumes. I usually respond with a bright smile and really not a whole lot else, because frankly, I just don't know what to say!

This year though, I actually took the time to think about it.

Am I *really* that into Halloween? Why DO I dress up?

Do I do it for attention?

I've dressed up in costume on Halloween almost every year of my life.

Some costumes of mine are great, some are just "OK", but all share a similar theme; they are creative. I admit, I'm not a very original person, I tend to pull ideas from things I've seen before. But I take those simple ideas, and turn them into something more. Like the time I dressed up as a simple Fairy. Instead of just the wings and the dress, I decided to cover myself from head to toe in glitter. LOTS of glitter. Enough glitter to make Edward Cullin in the sunlight look like child's play. I had SO much glitter on that night, I probably sparkled in the dark! Or there was the time I dressed as a simple scarecrow, I decided to wire a 20" tall crow to the top of my head! One of my costumes even had a real working, 13 loop, heavy rope, hangman's noose that I had made incorporated into it! Not to mention you'all saw my Medusa costume! I could go on and on...

To me, dressing in costume is fun!

First, as a side note, I must set the record straight! I only dress up for the Halloween season (and a 5k once!). I am NOT into the "Adult" version of "dress up". Anyway, I like costumes because it's a way to change people's perception of reality. (That's probably why I'm so good with Make-Up!) It's a chance to play on folly, or to strike a nerve on someone's irrational fear.

Next I thought about the attention aspect of it. Do I do it for attention? I would have to say that 20% of me does it for the "Look at me!" type of attention. If I didn't say that, i'd be lying. Because I don't dress up in costume just to sit alone in the house, then later take it all off! I know it's not a higher percentage based on the fact that I am truly shy. Though most would never suspect, I get very uncomfortable being the center of any kind of attention. Because of that, I never choose costumes that require "acting".

I dance to the beat of my own drum and like to stand out in a non standing out kind of way!

(cause that made absolutely NO sense! lol!)

The remaining 80% of the attention aspect comes from "Look what I've accomplished". I like the challenge of costumes. I'm always trying to outdo what I've done before. I live for the challenge of trying to take what's in my head, and to then make it a reality. (and if you've spent any time inside my head- you would realize how challenging that truly is!!) Even though I have good intentions on starting my costumes far enough in advance, I find that I do the best work (and have the best costumes!) on the ones that I put together in a very short period of time. I proved that theory the year I made Insane Asylum Escapees costumes. I spent the day of, sewing & assembling straight jackets, finishing with just enough time to do make-up, to end the night by taking first place in a costume contest. I LOVE to do my costumes on the cheap! Making what I can, trying to think outside of the box using stuff that wouldn't necessarily be meant for that use.

So in conclusion, am I really THAT into the Halloween holiday?

My answer would have to be; No! Not at all!

- It's so much more

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(OK, that was kinda winded. I better get on with this Fish Hook "How To"!...)

Easy to apply, & Inexpensive

FISH HOOK MAKE UP

Total application time, less than 1 hour.

Start with:

A couple fishing lures.

Use wire cutters to cut off all barb (hook) points, leaving as much hook on as you can without getting yourself impaled if someone bumps into you!

Small container of Liquid Latex.

Toilet Paper

Ladies Foundation that matches your skin tone

"Witch" Creme Color Make-up

aka: Deep purple, Dark Red, Sage Green, Mustard Yellow

Coagulated Blood

Cheap Paint Brush

A Brown or Black Eyeliner Pencil

And if you are a female that wears make-up, your normal everyday make-up.

Decide where on face you want your skin flapped. Clean that area with facial astringent. Take paint brush and dip into liquid latex. Paint the part of face you want to look like skin that's been skinned back. (I used a "V" shape) Rip off small sheets of toilet paper (single ply). Rip those to size of painted strip. Crumple, stick onto wet Liquid Latex. Dip paint brush in L.L, paint over newly applied toilet paper. Put on more paper... repeat until you have your desired effect. When finished, give final coat with L.L and let dry.

Oh yeah! And DUH, don't get it in your eyes! If you do that, you're on your own! No clue what to tell you to get out of that jam!

As you are building, it will look similar to this:

Mine looked like this when done. Yours will look like your own creation!

Next check the placement to make sure you are on the right path for effect.

Lightly balance fish hook off of dried L.L (I'm already sick of writing "liquid latex") If good so far, remove lure.

When you got it where you want it, apply L.L and a single sheet of paper in middle of triangle by eye. This will give the skin a more "raw" texture when the make-up is on. After dry, blend L.L with skin tone matching Ladies foundation. Use eyeliner pencil to color the water line on bottom lid -of the eye with the "V" (and if you're a dude, don't poke yourself in the eye!) If you are a make-up wearer, apply the rest of your make-up as normal. I chose to add a little white in my base make-up to give me a more pale look.

Apply dark purple creme make-up as shown below.

TIP: Wash/dry the brush you just used for the L.L and use it to apply the color (from here on out). SUPER TIP: Use the back of your off hand as a make-up palette. In other words; dip brush in make-up, wipe make-up on back of hand. Use that make-up to apply to face. It eliminates gobbing your make-up on, and is a great place to mix colors!

To give it a more "real" effect, vary how much color you put on in certain spots. Next, take the eye liner pencil and color a small spot onto the back of your hand (palette) and mix a little of some other color (doesn't matter) to not make it SO black. Wipe brush dry by using some toilet paper that you have kicking around - cause I'm sure if you're like me, you have one Hell of a mess going on -so there will be lots of it! Use dry brush to apply just a little of that black"ish" color softly under the fake flapped skin pieces (as shading to give depth)

Apply dark red creme make-up over purple and up around eye. Here's an important tip: DON'T cover the purple completely! Leave some areas showing to give it depth. Oh! And if you don't want your make-up to SUCK, spend the time to take your time! Blend! Blend! Blend! You can take the cheapest clown make-up and make it look great just by improving your blending skills. NO hard edges! :)

Next I carefully balanced the Fish Hook on to see if I liked where this was going.

I also highlighted the flapped skin with a bit of that mustard yellow. Even though the color didn't match my skin per say, it helped make the pieces "pop" Plus it gave that skin a not "alive" but yet not "dead" look too. I also added some yellow to the corner (by nose) to my bad eye to make it look more 3 dimensional.

LASTLY

If all is right with the world, and you feel it is close to being finished, carefully poke fishing lures down through the edge of your latex and nestle the hook between skin and prosthetic. Even though they dangle, they won't fall out. As a final touch, carefully open the coagulated blood. Use the non brush end of your paint brush and dip the stick tip in the blood. This stuff is beyond sticky so watch out!! Carefully dab C.Blood onto the the red areas. Don't go above your lower eyelid. I don't think it would hurt you- it would just feel NASTY sticky! How much blood is a personal preference. TIP: Coagulated blood holds really well and doesn't run. It just starts to look dull after 4 hours, losing it's wet look. Save this step for the very end, or if need be, carry it along for touch up.

As for the rest of the costume?

The obvious idea would be to dress up as a Fisherman.

Now take that idea one step further (and increase your chances of being best costume!) by tying the line from a fishing pole onto one of the lures, and carrying around the attached pole all night.

THAT would be COOL!

Or if you are the FUN type,

Stop into your local sporting goods store and visit the fishing department. Tell them that you tried your hand at fishing, but it just wasn't working out all that well for you!

As for me?

I did the "I'm Hooked!" Make-up for nothing more than to take my boy outside Trick or Treating. Unfortunately, in my part of the world it was raining pretty solid that night, so I just chucked on my Fedora and a Rain Jacket.

Either way,

I still ROCKED it!