Halloween approacheth...

And while there are many things you can buy for which you do not be able to sew/design to achieve, you do have to plan.  Know what you want to do by October 1st, and you should be okay.

(Now reposting this, by the way, as I have changed my plan for what my Halloween costume will be, AND I have updated the links for the best Halloween sources in the district for real-life and online shoppers!)

Great resources for costume ideas?  Learning from my own past mistakes, I say, I have to make a decision before October begins, and stick to it!  Halloween has no build-up, so I never care until people start really talking about it.  Trick-or-treating has fallen out of favor, and there aren't too many appealing events, so I think I have learned my lesson about how to manage it.

So, I share with you what I've found:

Here is what has long been my favorite NYC idea for a family costume, where we are all different sizes of the same creature.  Creepy, scary, and HILARIOUS!  I've made some for a client years ago, when buying one was not an option yet.

My pinterest Halloween page is also full of ideas.

But here's the thing - there are so many things you can make and put your own spin on, using supplies from the district. There is so much sameness out there, in both the costume stores and the DIY-sphere, that it is absolutely  amazing how much sameness I'm seeing. 

This year, I'm loving the rain cloud costume idea... worn with a raincoat, and I could trail it with a rainbow fluttering behind me.  

However, the more I think about it... the more I want to go in a completely different direction, and make my own statement.


I hate that I'm even putting this idea out there, because I am now FLOODED with related ideas, but this one inspired me to know exactly what I MUST do!

Here is is, folks:

So, where can you shop to find interesting, costumey fabrics or wild inspiration?

Try these:

Mood Fabrics

Truemart

Lauren Trimming

Evermax

Spandex House

Bead Max

Joyce Trimming

East Coast Trimming

Fabrics World USA

Manhattan Wardrobe Supply

and, of course, ALL the rest of the stores!!!!

Overcoming my bead fear... something for me, and a great creative teen gift idea!

If you have been following the blog for a while, you may remember that I have mentioned, on several occasions, my nervous, irrational fear of beads, bead stores, and the process of beading.

So, what made me step into Toho Shoji today?

On 6th Avenue
between 36th and 37th street 

Well, I needed a certain type of bead to use for a client project - a teardrop shape, really... just a thought, but I'll tell you about that one later... The store was quiet, with only a few customers, so it was easy to navigate and peaceful inside.  I started looking at things... all kinds of things, to get creative ideas for some things I'm working on... and then I saw this sign.

Really?  You'll show me?  Hey, I think it's Tuesday!  I think it's noon!

There was a loom on the table, and some completed projects.  Although I have wildly different ideas of my own, I watched the friendly and engaging store expert work, and beautifully explain this simple technique and the variables and uses one could consider.  She explained that the loom, which is OUTRAGEOUSLY affordable (less than $10!) comes with a grid for design planning, and what type of threads, needles and bead sizes would be appropriate (all of those things are wonderfully affordable, too!).  Within about 10 minutes, I completely understood, and knew I could do this myself, and that it is something my teenager would probably LOVE to try!