Fancy Bows

Well it's that time where we begin decorating for the next 3 months (at least in the States). Every year my mom gets pretty serious and has me help her with window boxes. Usually only for Christmas do I need to make fancy bows, but this year I will be doing so for Halloween as well (she got some pretty neat ribbon).

The first time I ever had to make these bows, I was a bit at a loss and had to google my way through the process. This is the first bow I made in this style:

and a picture of the entire window box n_n

In order to help anyone else that may be stumbling their way through the same process, I have decided to share this tutorial by Chica and Jo. The written part is very detailed and accompanied by a ton of helpful photos.

I also I found this youtube video by craftsdotcupcake that shows the process really well. She has a blog too full of other crafty ideas and tutorials.

I will make a small note...sometimes the ribbon you want to use doesn't lend itself to this specific design of bow. The ribbon I am using for the Halloween bows for instance is much to wide. I could make a bow in this style but it would be ridiculously wide. It also lacks wire, which I find lends itself to this bow style the best. Because of this, we had to settle for a different bow for the Halloween window boxes:

My mom's display in the front garden

For this bow I just looped the ribbon in an S instead of an O as in the tutorials, and because there was no wire edging the loops only spread a little bit which created a more "normal" style of bow.

Happy Halloween

Halloween is the best holiday there is. I just love it. In fact, my whole family loves it. We love it so much that every year we do a haunted house in our garage. Now this is not a cheap thrill that we do in a little space. We have a 3.5 car garage, and we use it all. Our props are high quality, either bought from Halloween specialty shops or handmade. It is a huge project, and has become a bit of a neighborhood spectacle. It is also quite popular amongst our friends (and there are 6 of us, so that’s quite a few people). We simply do it for the enjoyment, and I must say we are rather proud of our work.

Read more about the details and our favorite rooms!

Our favorite room, which is also a constant, is the Hell Room. This room is our ultimate favorite, and perhaps one of the most involved. You enter and are confronted with what appears to be hot lava coals across which you must walk to make it to the next room, Satan is popping out of a hole to the darker depths of Hell, and of course you are surrounded by the bones and bodies of the tortured. Another big room for us is the Bat Cave, which is complete with rocky walls and a dripping ceiling. Other recurring set-ups include a large spider web which you must work your way through in order to exit, various twisting hallways, and may spooky beings. Our newest room includes a guillotine, complete with victim and executioner (both real!). Some past rooms include and alien autopsy lab, a cannibal feast, a fortune teller, catacombs, a funeral parlor (vampires), and an endless hallway. Just wait until next year, we already have some great ideas brewing and are bound to get more. Can’t wait until I’m allowed to tell---tune in next year! 

We don’t only do the haunted house. We go all-out for the entire outside of our house and yard. We put spider webs in the trees and on the house. Bats hang from the porch and attack you when the wind picks up. Our front garden turns into a grave yard, complete with tombstones, dying roses, and bones. There is even a dead man sitting on our porch. What makes this even better is that, not only do trick-or-treaters and visitors get to see all of this walking up to the house, the haunted house guests line up on the front porch and get to take it all in, setting the mood for their upcoming experience. 

Unfortunately, we were not able to build one this year and partake in out typical Halloween parties and festivities because of my dad’s accident ;_; This summer he fell off a roof (he’s a construction worker), and has been pretty much out of commission since: 

Read more about my dad's accident

He fell 20ft (2 stories), and he landed on his hands and feet. He was going over to do a final check on a job for our neighbor. He went through the company instead of doing it on the side, so workman’s comp is taking care of him. On his way down from the roof, the ladder slid out form under him and he fell. Luckily, he was able to grab the edge of the roof and swing himself over to land on solid ground, instead of the pile of rubble that was beneath him. He landed on his feet and fell back into a tripod-type stance on his right hand. All three were broken (shattered right heel and wrist, and broken left tibia and fibula right above the ankle). We actually found out about a week or so later that he had fractured two of his lower vertebrae. He spent about a month total in the hospital on bed rest. Multiple surgeries later, he was able to come home in a wheelchair. By August he was using a modified walker, as he could not put weight on his wrist or left leg yet. He is now up on crutches, using both feet and his hand. He is also able to go out to physical therapy, instead of having them come to the house. We are very proud of his progress and cannot wait until he is fully recovered. Unfortunately, once he’s completely mobile he will need to go in for one more surgery on his wrist, but after that it should all be behind us. 

We actually might have been able to pull of the haunted house this year, but then last month our basement flooded. Our neighbor, who is a usual participant within the haunted house, was very adamant about it going through. He even offered to help build it! It might have been doable, but the basement not only held all out equipment for the haunted house, it is a sort of hub for the parties and haunted house guests. People, especially kids, typically hang out down there, so we would have had to do some thorough cleaning. Not to mention all the time needed to check and sort all of our equipment. That was a lot of work to get done in a month. As it is, it usually take s 1 whole month just to build the thing (And that’s with the primary builder and creator in full working order). Oh well, I guess we’ll have to wait until next year.

What makes me really sad is that (on top of no family, haunted house, or party), I don’t get to dress up. 1.) With the festivities being cancelled, there is no costume party at home. 2.) My costume is at home, as that is where everything happens, so I can’t dress up at school. I wish I wasn’t too old to go trick-or treating (who decides this stuff anyway? 24 should not be too old to dress up and get candy!), because then I would have brought it to school and I would be all dressed up right now. Even though I’m not dressed up, I’m still filling my belly on candy, though ^_^ And at least I have a costume for next year, which means I won't need to worry about it.

However, in the spirit of dressing up and Halloween, I thought I would share some of my past costumes, which I am rather pleased with:

See some old costume pictures ^_^

(picture forthcoming)
1996 (6th grade)—Princess Leia; made by daddy

(picture forthcoming)     
2000 (10th grade)—Serving wench; made by daddy
     **used many times since**

(picture forthcoming)     
2001 (11th grade)—Daemon; made by daddy
     **used again in the past and future; still needs wings and red contacts**

     
2004 (College, yr 2)—French Maid; made by me!
     **made as part of a group CLUE costume**

     
2005 (College, yr 3)—Rainbow Brite; made and designed by me!
     **will be used again; still needs white trim around skirt and proper boots**


     2006 (College, yr 4)—Strawberry Shortcake; bought 

I'm in: Macomb ;_;

Feeling: restless

Listening to: Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas" soundtrack ^_^