Exterminate Trick or Treaters! Exterminate!

The day was spent wielding sharp pointy things, in preparation for the hordes that will descend demanding treats tomorrow evening. I decided this year to do something a little different. It's funny, because practically the instant after I thought this would be fun, I saw two pictures flash by on my facebook page from friends of similar pumpkins. But hey, I will soldier on!

This year, I decided to do a Dalek pumpkin. I found this page on making a robotic Dalek pumpkin, but that was a little too ambitious for me. I loved the idea of using a melon baller to make the balls for the body, but I cheated and found an easier method. They instruct you to dig out the balls from the inside of the top of the pumpkin, and then stick the balls to the front with toothpicks. I found a better method, I think.



After cutting out the body lines, I used the melon baller to scoop directly out from the surface of the pumpkin.





Shave off the rind on the back and shove the scooped out bits back in:



And voila!





The munchkin remembered my pumpkin from last year and decided she wanted a spider on hers this time.



Now to go dig through the closet and find out what still fits in the costumes so I can scare the wee goblins tomorrow.



~

Friday Favorites

9ct Yellow Gold Gargoyle and Cathedral Ring with Garnet Stone, by MetalCoutureJewelry:



Ghost Bat Stuffed Animal, Coffee Cozy, Cup Sleeve, by batgirl93:



Steampunk Candy Stripe Victorian Style Waistcoat, Bustled Skirts and matching Mini Top Hat. Steampink., by ProfMaelstromme:



Robot PIN embossed metal of BOILERPLATE the steampunk automaton, by Boilerplate:



Dress / WEAR ART / Van Gogh, by VintageFashionRetro:

It's pumpkin time again!

Saturday we made our annual pilgrimage to Jubilee Farm, to get our pumpkins.




Pumpkins and Squash by *dbvictoria on deviantART

The main draw for us is the trebuchet on site, from which they launch pumpkins throughout the day.



The launch that morning was beautiful, with the pumpkin landing *sploosh* right in the middle of a huge mud puddle.




I picked out an odd looking specimen, but I think it'll be perfect for this year's carving plans.



Next weekend will be the carving. Will need a few supplies in the meantime.



~

Steamcon III

This year's theme was 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, so I went nautical for Friday.



As usual, I was stuck in the Grand Mercantile for most of the weekend, but I did sneak away for a pint or two of pumpkin cider in the Steampunk Exhibition Ball suite both Friday and Saturday evenings, and got some excellent quality time with friends after hours.

We started setup Thursday night. What to put out?!?





I've increased my stock of parasols mightily in the last year.



Armaments this year were geared towards hunting the monsters of the deep.



Even though I hardly left the vending area, I still had fine company throughout the weekend.





And this year, I was delighted by the riot of color that passed by my booth.











(Well, that one? We helped out in the color department a bit. "Here! This ascot matches your corset! Oh, and look at this parasol too!")



I assisted, of course, in colorizing the day.

My husband had scored a blue wool trenchcoat at a thrift store a few months ago, and got into the theme himself.



All the munchkin could talk about Thursday and Friday was getting the next Girl Genius graphic novel.



Sunday somehow managed to be military day, with an abundance of well-cut jackets, epaulets, and medals. I unwittingly participated.



The ribbon fad continues to grow, with more people having their own personal ribbons this year. My Steamcon III collection:



And there was, of course, post-con silliness on Sunday evening.







Now we take a couple of months off, and then start prepping to do it all over again for Steamcon IV!



~

The Cat Macro Alphabet of Phobias

I stumbled across this site this evening, and on a wild hair I decided we needed an alphabet of phobias, and of course, this being the internet, it had to involve cats. I am a sick, sick woman. (By the way, there were no Q or Y phobias on the list. We need to work on that)