Condo Blues: theater
Showing posts with label theater. Show all posts
Showing posts with label theater. Show all posts

Thursday, April 1, 2021

DIY Harlequin Jester Costume and Friday Favorites Week 575

Happy April Fool's Day!!!

As a professional jester in the Before Times, I consider April 1st to be My Day.  I don't play tricks or jokes on people, I just walk around extra happy and foolish. See?

how to make a harlequin jester costume
This costume is my first and probably last quilting project because it took four months to build!

Time to link up your favorite projects, recipes, and posts! 

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

How to Mount a Big Flat Screen TV in a Small TV Niche

The thing that has been holding my husband and I back from upgrading to a larger TV is trying to figure out where to put it. We maxed out the TV hole in the wall above our fireplace with a 30 inch flat panel. We honestly don’t have any other place in our small living room for an entertainment center or to hang a TV but in our wall niche.

how to hang big flat panel tv in a small over the fireplace tv nook
Pin this tutorial to your Pinterest boards for later! Share it with your friends!

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

A Non Toxic Cleanser for Challenging Skin: Block Island Organic Purifying Facial Cleanser

Recreating history for your entertainment can be a dirty business.

We try to stay as authentic to the period as possible but sometimes we have to make allowances for  climate (there is no way anyone can wear 15 petticoats or more during the summer in the US and not get heatstroke.) So while I build my costumes and do my hair and makeup with attention to historical detail, I will not be achieving the pale white skin of a noblewoman according to the period by washing my face with mercury for a period – and poisonous – Elizabethan face wash.  No thanks.

 But I do have to wash my face at the end of a long fair day with something. It has to be something that contains ingredients that are not harsh which makes my rosacea flare. My cleanser also has to be strong enough to remove makeup mixed with sunscreen, sweat, and grime and clean my skin.  I told you living history is a dirty business!

I clean up pretty good, don't I?


Tuesday, August 11, 2015

How to Add Weights and Tape to a Color Guard Flag

After getting such a positive response from my How to Pad and Tape a Color Guard Rifle and How to Make Color Guard Swing Flags tutorials I decided to make it a series. The last piece of equipment in my DIY Color Guard series is also my first love since my newbie flag corps days in middle school –  the flag!
 
Do you want to toss a color guard  flag so high it touches the sky?

You can if add weights to each end of the flag pole.


Pin this post for reference!

 While we are at it, let’s add Cheaters (also called Thirds, or Cheater Tape) to the pole too. Adding Cheaters to the flag pole is an excellent cleaning tool to ensure the guard members’ hands are in the same position. Keep reading and I'll give you some of the pros and cons of using Cheaters with your guard.

Sunday, August 9, 2015

How to Make Color Guard Swing Flags

This year, one of my band association’s members choreographed an epic swing flag routine to Pompeii (a song I like to begin with) for a group exhibition performance at the Drum Corps International World Championships. DCI asked our community band association to perform to let the corps kids know they don't have to give up music once they age out of drum corps at 21. Bucket List moment!

Our color guard choreographer put an instructional video up on YouTube so the guard members can rehearse on our own in our respective states before we meet for the performance later this year.


Pin this post for reference! 
I feel stronger and more graceful than I really am when I spin. It is good exercise too.


This way we won't have much work to clean when we meet two days before the show to rehearse together. Yes, it is as crazy and insane as it sounds to put together a pep band show of  5 routines with only 8 hours of rehearsal but luckily we’re all disciplined adults so it works when the umbrella organization has a country wide group performance made from performers from our member bands.

Rehearsing at home is no big deal except the group with the practice swing flags are using theirs this season and lives in New York. The group with the performance swing flags are using theirs and lives in Florida.

I better get a pair of swing flags for me in Ohio then, huh?



What is a Swing Flag?

Thursday, August 6, 2015

How to Appear Confident When You Don't Feel Confident


When I need a boost of confidence or a push out of my comfort zone in an unfamiliar situation music is my secret weapon.  For example, a power ballad running through my head is all I need to change my mindset and body language to become a confident pack leader in a dog training situation.

When I doubted my ability to relearn how to play my high school instrument, my community band mates pushed me to try playing what I can and wouldn't let me give up on myself. Many of them are teachers and it just goes to show teachers never turn Teacher Mode off. Thank you teacher friends!




Spinning double swing flag routine makes me feel like I'm flying.
! I'll teach you how to make swing flags in a later post.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

How to Get Rid of the Rubber Smell from Latex Halloween Masks

Husband and I couldn’t wait for the Guardians of the Galaxy movie to come out last summer. Of all of the Guardians, it is no surprise that our favorite is the smart aleck little guy Rocket. (I am including affiliate links in this post for your convenience)

It was decided long before the movie came out that Husband and I would be Rocket Raccoon and Groot for Halloween. We only waited until this year because we hoped Marvel would release costume pieces because I didn’t know how to fabricate the character heads.



How to Get Rid of the Rubber Smell from Stinky Latex Halloween Masks
 Pin this post on Pinterest for later! Share it with your friends!

Sunday, October 12, 2014

How to Make a Mini Top Hat

I made a super simple fluffy tutu (read my no sew tutu tutorial here) for a costume. I’m going for a kooky Dresden Dolls, Steampunk, Katy Perry, retro, vaudeville kind of vibe. I need one more thing so I can pull off the look: a little top hat fascinator.



 Tiny top hats make Halloween costumes more fun!

Instead of running to the store to buy top hat making supplies, I bought the materials by treating myself to a cup of take out coffee. That’s right!  I made my ring leader’s hat from a disposable cup.

The steps in this tutorial are very forgiving. You don’t necessarily need to do the steps in the order I have them listed in this tutorial with the exception of assembling the hat pieces.


How to Make a Top Hat Out of a Paper Cup


Thursday, October 31, 2013

Highball Halloween Party!

Happy Halloween!

Today is one our favorite holidays because it is all about frivolous fun. I got my costumer on and made a rare set of matching costumes for Husband and I to wear to this year’s Highball Halloween party. We were Raving Rabbids!


RavingRabbidscostumes
BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!

I’m glad I made our full length Rabbid suits from fleece. It was freezing that night!

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Tank Girl and Captain Hammer Costumes

My inner costumer came out to play last year when Husband and I went to a comic convention. I took a ton of pictures of the cosplayers (the people who dress up in comic book character costumes) while Husband met and talked to some of the comic book artists he collected as a kid.

I'll admit it. I'm a costume geek. I have a Pinterest costume board to prove it. Give me a follow, won't you?

This year, Husband wanted to go to the Ohio Comic Con because his childhood hero, Stan Lee, was going to be there. For those of you who did not spend all of your paper route money on comic books, Stan Lee created Spiderman, Iron Man, Thor, The Hulk, and most of The Avengers. I had to learn this to stay married.

Since Husband took the opportunity to do something he's wanted to do since we was a kid, I took the opportunity to do something I wanted to do too. I gingerly dipped my toe into the cosplay water.

I pulled last year's Halloween costume out and went as Tank Girl!

Apparently good poses are part of the cosplay gig.


Monday, October 22, 2012

Schoolhouse Rock Costumes

Around here Halloween is ALL about the costume. I keep a running Halloween costume idea list in my head of unique and slightly out there costume ideas.

Last Halloween Husband and I went a Halloween party. The theme was Childhood. After mulling over the costume possibilities, I realized I had the perfect costume on my Halloween costume idea list. It’s something I’ve been wanted to build for a long time School House Rock's Bill from Capital Hill!    Husband got in on the School Rock costume action too. He was the Engineer from Conjunction Conjunction.


 Pin this costume idea to your Pinterest boards for later! Share it with your friends!

Friday, January 15, 2010

Could Blitzkrieg Be Bissell’s Most Valuable Pet?

I’m entering Blitzkrieg in the Bissell Most Valuable Pet (MVP) contest . Blitzkrieg LOVES to have his picture taken. When I’m taking photos for Condo Blues, Blitzkrieg runs over and barks at me until I snap a few photos of him.

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No one really cares about Lisa’s totebag.
You’d rather see my innocent come hither look wouldn’t you?

Movies? Oh yes, Blitzkrieg's an actor too. We wrote a little part for him when we competed in the 48 Hour Film Project. Here he is during his big high five scene.

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Blitzkrieg nailed it. Every. Single. Take.
Which was a lot better I did. I’m in the silver dress.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Recycled Buttons? Oh Yes Please!

I was shopping at Joann’s for fabric for Christmas gifts. I found myself in the button section, not that I needed new buttons for my project; I planned on reusing some buttons from my grandmother’s button box because of course using what you already have is the greenest practice of all.

Well, that, and I have a ton of buttons in that box. They have sat largely unused because while I was in a costume sewing frenzy during our Renaissance festival performing years, I couldn’t use those buttons because they were plastic*.


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Yes, I designed, drafted patterns for most, and made everything from the skin out and hats on down for Husband and I with the except of the shawl (a gift from Mother-in-Law) and the vintage muff.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Help Me Pick a Halloween Costume!

I love dressing up for Halloween. It's the one time of year that I can please my inner child and play dress up. Because if you're an adult and if you don't have a kid, playing dress up at any other time of the year could be all shades of creepy, scary, fetishy or all three (your choice - you pick!)

Husband and I are going to a Halloween party. The theme is Scary. After rooting around what costume pieces we had around the house (not only a budget conscious costume but environmentally friendly too), I put together three options. I'm not sure which one I should do. Will you help me decide?

Option 1: Witch
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These costume pieces have evolved into what you see now. Originally I bought the vest at Rag O Rama (hands down the best thrift store in the city!) and wore it with black boots and leggings for a couple of sword fighting shows. Later I needed an Elizabethan gown to do a hand to hand stage combat show and made the black skirt. A few years later I developed an on-line training course and needed a photo of an 1898 woman. I added sleeves to the vest and a walking bustle to the skirt. Then after seeing Wicked and channeling the latest Harry Potter film I added the conical hat. It’s not as good as Professor McGonagall’s (oh how I love the hats they built for the character in the Harry Potter movies!) but I didn't have to time to beef up the store bought hat with feathers et al. at the time) and was a witch. I use the broom as a decoration on my front porch. I like the texture of the bamboo handle and that it's beat up a bit. Like it's defied gravity and flown many, many miles into the night.

Friday, May 2, 2008

Haiku Friday: Celebrate May Day and Beltane!

Haiku Friday


Beltane marks spring
jesters dance round May Pole ribbons
flower baskets bloom

May Day makes me feel nostalgic. Not for the coffee filter flowers I made for May Day baskets when I was a child but for the May Pole dances and brightly colored clothes of Beltane. My inner child loves Beltane. Why? Because once upon a time I was a professional jester.

Need Proof?

I designed and drafted the pattern for my favorite jester costume, hat, and props. I appliqued blue ribbon in a Celtic knot pattern at the bottom of the top skirt. The top skirt are overlapping panels that fly straight out when I turn.