Maleficent Doll Costume

Here's an update with a project I've been working on: transforming Elphaba into Maleficent.

This tutorial for a Maleficent cosplay was helpful: http://www.breannacooke.com/how-to-make-maleficent-horns/

I still had a lot of fabric from about a year and a half ago, when I got this sparkly, scaly black cloth for Elphie’s Gamora costume. 

I thought it suited Maleficent nicely.

I made a robe that fastens in the front with Velcro. For the ragged purple trim, I cut up strips of fabric and touched the edges with FrayCheck.

The more challenging part was the headdress. The route I took was a helmet. Here I followed the lead of Evil Ted Smith's video "How to Make a Foam Helmet Tutorial." Here's Elphaba in the midst of having her template constructed.

After getting that template, I put together a simple helmet of craft foam and tape. The horns were made of foam.

One of the tutorials I looked at used electrical tape to cover the horns and get that textured look of the lines on Maleficent's horns in the Disney cartoon. However, I wasn’t able to get good electrical tape and so I decided to go for papier mache.

I was not sure if the soft, floppy foam helmet would hold its shape while I was applying the paper strips, so I pressed Elphaba into service as a model.

Very carefully. With layers of a towel, cling wrap, and tinfoil.

She survived.

While all that was going on, I thought of adding a felt inner layer to the helmet. I used the helmet patterns to quickly sew up an inner cap.

Since Elphie was busy, Larkin modeled it.

Once the paint was complete, I glued the inner cap to the inside of the helmet. And voila.

 She is the mistress of all evil!

As a result of the stiff papier-mache and the skullcap, the helmet is a little tight, but that snugness also means that it stays well on Elphie's head.

All she needs now is a staff and possibly a raven. As we're going towards Halloween, I'm hoping to see some little ravens I can pick up at a dollar store or craft store. I also want to find a stone or bead that will look perfect for her staff.

A doll for Elphaba

I don't have a proper camera at the moment and have had to borrow a family member's iPad when I want to take pictures, so that has put a damper on the blog. I will continue to try to post every now and then, though.

First: I found another producer of miniature books. This is Ariel Books' "Tiny Tomes." They have a variety of different subjects.

I ordered a little Life of St. Francis and I'm very pleased with it.

Yesterday I went by a doll show, which was a lot of fun. I snagged some American Girl sets I'd been wanting. One of my favorite finds, though, was a Happy Meal Madame Alexander.

Elphaba got a lookalike doll of her very own!

It's hard to tell from this photo, but this doll's skin is significantly lighter than Elphaba's. 

I also got a Dorothy and a Tin Man.

 I think Elphaba would have liked to take Little Dorothy's ruby slippers, but unfortunately they're molded on.

There was a lot of amazing stuff at the doll show. One lady had hand-knitted sweaters, coats, socks and mittens for 18" dolls. I couldn't resist those mittens! Here's Nanea trying a set on for the first time.

Picnic

"All right everybody, let's unpack!"

"Do you guys want soda, juice, or water?"

"I'll just play some music while I wait for the food to be ready."

"Be patient!"

"Pass me some of those condiments!"

"Grilling sure is thirsty work."

"Make sure to put on some sunscreen!"

"Guys, wait! We can't start eating yet. We're waiting for someone."

 

"Hey, everybody! Sorry I'm late!"

"NANEA!!"

The Egg Hunt

Happy early Easter!

"Everybody ready? Good luck!"

"I wonder how everyone else is doing."

"ORANGES!"

Meanwhile, Karol and Elphaba follow a trail of eggs...

"Hey... this one's big."

"That would hold a lot of candy!"

They find another one, but it's open. That's strange.

Something about this place feels off. Maybe they should get going.

"VELOCIRAPTOR!"

I found the plastic eggs at Hobby Lobby in the Easter section. They came in 24-piece bags, with generic labels. 

Merry Christmas from the Doll Family

All the dolls get to gather around the tree for their gifts. There's plenty of stuffed wrapped up . . . and is that a Radio Flyer wagon?

 The angel on top of the tree is tipping a little. (Have to work on a better rig for next year.)

"A pair of French-to-English dictionaries! Merci!"

Elphaba got an tablet.

 Jocelyn unwraps a present...

It's from Tonka Tinys! The bin even tips up like a real truck.
Molly got a smartwatch. It's anachronistic, but hey.

I guess it's time to put away the Advent wreath and get out the Nativity set... and some hot cocoa and candy canes.

The candy canes are Christmas ornaments - they came with glitter but it strips off easily. The tablet and watch are from the My Life As line. The tablet comes with several cardboard inserts that can be swapped out.

My brother got the dictionaries for me at a yard sale and I love them. They're from 1961 and are part of a pretty extensive line. "Langenscheidt's Lilliput Dictionary." THEY'RE PERFECT.

The wagon was my own yard sale find. It came new in box and had to be assembled. And there's someone on the box who looks a little familiar...

 So Karol got one new shirt for that photoshoot, and then for Christmas he got another new outfit - from, again, the My Life As line.

It velcros open at the back, with a hole in the hood. You have to slide it over the doll's head. If the doll has long hair, it can either stick out through the bottom of the hood, or be pulled out to go over the shoulders.

Looks pretty good on Karol. I was a little afraid I couldn't get it on since his head's so big. He does look a little silly with the hood up, but it fits!