After toil and tears, here they are. For the most part I'm pleased. What I don't like I'm hoping the digital wizard asarotte will be able to fix.

( Bless the Maker and all His Water; Bless the coming and going of Him; May His passing cleanse the world. May He keep the world for his people. )

Tomorrow is costume photograph day. Eek. I've been toiling away at these things for several months. Now they get put all together. I think what I like the most about them is their simplicity which I think captures the essence of the Fremen. I didn't have a 10 million dollar budget that allowed these things to be all Sci-fi-like. I had simple fabrics, simple decorations, and simple ideas. I'm hoping that they appear primitive; tribal. It's going to be the details that make them come I alive, I think. We had to figure out what to do with Greg's water rings. I wanted to put them across his chest attached to his leather brace. Greg rejected it saying that to show off water rings in that fashion would be to flaunt wealth, something a Fremen wouldn't do. So we adjusted the plan. The water rings are along his waist belt, but almost hidden from view. You might get a glimpse of them, but they won't be the focal point of his costume. Tomorrow I'll draw on his facial tattoos, plait his beard, and sew the water rings into Meghan's hair. We had plaits put in her hair and she's going to crimp what's hanging long. She'll carry a tea service because that is what a good Fremen woman would do. Maddie and I will be under Hajibs so you won't see our hair at all (that's two less heads I have to worry about...phew).

The costumes for the Halloween party are just about finished. Just have to get Greg's helmet and leg armor. He'll work on his shield this week. I found great little plastic snakies for my hair (whoo hoo!). I think next year for the family pics we're just going to do an homage to Homer and go with these costumes. Atalanta, a Spartan warrior, Medusa and a tiny little Hebe. Mucho easy so I won't go insane right about this time next year.

I'm tired. I've got tons of reading for classes. I actually slept today. I had to get up at 6 to gas up the car before taking Meghan to early bird class. Came home, got the baby up, dressed her, took her to school, came home and collapsed...for three hours. Unusual but very necessary. I usually come home and do school work, meet with professors, get tutored, whatever. Today I crawled back into bed and went to sleep the minute I came home.

Got reading to do. I'm done for the night.

I've started cutting and sewing. The first pictures of Maddie's Alia costume should be up this coming week. I've made some new friends on LJ and wanted to give them the opportunity to go on the Dune Costume filter if they want. Some of you have no choice (unless you scream, kick and call me names) because I'll need your opinion and suggestions on my designs (xvfui, that means you Dune buddy).

My family does their portraits in costume every year. We usually pick a theme (last year was Alice in Wonderland). This year is Dune. If you want to be on the special filter where I talk about the costumes as I make them and show pictures, comment and I'll add you. If you are already in from the formal post I made about a month ago, you can ignore this post completely.

That is all.

Hey all. I decided to make a Dune Costume filter. I figured there are some out there that really don't care and would prefer not to see pics. I will post the final portraits for everyone so if that's the extent of what you want to see, you probably won't want to be on this filter.

I promise if you are on this filter I won't post a tremendous amount. It won't be a step by step journal. I'll probably post when I finish a piece, costume or prop. I'll post when I need suggestions or the advice of sewers or Dune-a-tics. That's probably it.

Comment and let me know if you want to go on this filter. :)

The Spice must flow!

"A man's flesh is his own and his water belongs to the tribe--and the mystery of life isn't a problem to solve but a reality to experience."

We are Desert Power.

Yes friends, I'm starting the Halloween costumes for the party and the family portrait. As most of you know we do a theme each year. Last year was Alice in Wonderland...

http://friggasgirl.livejournal.com/22716.html#cutid1

This year we're doing Dune. Greg keeps saying, "No one will understand the costumes!" I keep saying, "We will so who cares! It's our family portrait!" So, we've decided that Greg will do a desert clad Fremen warrior (his props will be a thumper, rope and maker hook and a crysknife). Meg is going as a Fremen woman in Sietch sans stilsuit. I found a hair dresser that will do awesome full head braids and weave metal rings in her hair. Her props will include a tea service and a crysknife. Her pattern is the upper right hand corner. I'll use a good sand color muslin.

http://www.mccallpattern.com/item/M4954.htm

Maddie...duh. Alia as a child. I'm going to try and make her a little tiny gom jabbar.I might even make her a little crysknife! hehe The costume I'm using is the little girl with the blue head scarf...

http://www.mccallpattern.com/item/M2340.htm

And I'm going as the Fremen Reverand Mother. I'm inclined to use the costume of the Mother Ramallo from Frank Herbert's Dune:

http://www.duneinfo.com/miniseries/costumes/popup.asp?image=fremen_rm

I never really liked the David Lynch Reverand Mother costumes. This was a desert society. The costumes should reflect that. I think Greg's stillsuit should be a cross between both. I thought the Lynch stillsuits were too dark to camoflague in the desert and they looked crappy without the full face mask, hood, and cloaks. The Sci-Fi version were a little too froo-froo. Somewhere in between. I'll be designing them myself I think. I want them to look like this:

http://www.duneinfo.com/miniseries/costumes/popup.asp?image=fremen

I'll use Greg's brown Jedi cloak. It's an awesome brown color and will work very well with this costume.

I did talk to the photographer Matt and he said he will do head shots of us and is able to digitize our eyes blue for the Eyes of Ibad. He's a big Dune fan himself and is jazzed to be able to do this. I think we'll probably forgo the Halloweenie backdrop and go with the plain reddish one they have. It'll look fabulous. HOW FREAKIN' COOL ARE THESE THOUGH...Too bad I don't have the money I need to buy them..

http://www.lensmart.com/la/product/default.asp?pid=90947&catid=11044&aid=337023&aparam=df5628

I'll post pics as I finish costumes.

EDIT: After this year I'm shit out of ideas for themes. I wanted to do Narnia but Greg FLATLY refused to be Mr. Tumnus. ::shrugs:: I thought he'd look cute with fur pants...grumble.