RSS Feed
  1. Musicals

    September 12, 2011 by Amy Hansford

    Off to another fancy dress party this weekend! For Dave’s 50th, he’s having a musicals themed party – ‘come as a musical or character from a musical’ was the instruction. Cue another list for me to help me choose what to go as!

    Annie – Annie in her red dress with red hair, Daddy Warbucks in his expensive suit and bald head.
    Annie Get Your Gun – Think tan leather and tassles.
    Anything Goes – Reno Sweeney in a daring fiery red number, Moonface Martin the gangster.
    Avenue Q – Wear all black and grab a puppet!
    Batboy
    Batman the Musical – Batman, Joker.
    Beauty and the Beast – Belle in her blue dress with white pinafore, Belle in her famous golden ballgown, Beast, Lumiere the animated candelabra.
    Billy Elliot
    Bugsy Malone – Think pinstripes sharp suit with a tommy gun or flappertastic.
    Cats – lycra unitard with shaggy fur around the collar and matching headpiece.
    Chicago – All black but not much of it!
    Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – Caractacus Potts Snr in his safari suit and pith helmet, or Jnr with his waistcoat and neckerchief, or the evil Childcatcher!
    Dr Doolittle
    Evil Dead
    Evita
    Fame – Legwarmers agogo!
    Fiddler On The Roof
    Godspell
    Grease – T-Birds, Pink Ladies, nice Sandy, bad Sandy, the Coach, the dance off…!
    Guys and Dolls – Loud suit for the men, Sally Army for the gals
    Gypsy – Baby June in her white frilly dress, grown up Gypsy Rose Lee in a revealing dress, Miss Mazeppa, Dressy Tessy Tura.
    Hairspray – Tracy Turnblad, Edna Turnblad, Link Larkin.
    Honk
    Legally Blonde – Pink skirt suit ready for court plus a toy dog.
    Les Miserables
    Lion King
    Little Shop of Horrors – Seymour with his tank top and a little Audrey 2 plant (Sock puppet through a plant pot), Audrey in her leopard prints, Orin the dentist
    Mamma Mia
    Mary Poppins – Mary in any of her guises, same for Burt.
    Michael Jackson Experience – Seriously?
    Oklahoma
    Oliver! – Fagin, Nancy, Oliver, Artful Dodger.
    Phantom of the Opera – The Phantom.
    Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
    Producers – Granny with a zimmerframe!
    Rent
    Return to the Forbidden Planet
    Rocky Horror Show – Frank, Janet, Brad, Magenta, Columbia, Riff Raff, Rocky, Eddie.
    Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens – All silver and sexy.
    Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
    Shrek – Shrek, Princess Fiona (green or otherwise), Donkey, Lord Farquaad.
    Singing In The Rain – Souwesters
    Snoopy/You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown – Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Woodstock, Peppermint Patti, Lucy.
    South Pacific – Hawaiian skirt and coconut bra for the men!
    Spamalot – Knight of the Round Table
    Spiderman the Musical – Spiderman, Green Goblin.
    Starlight Express
    Stomp – Tie dustbin lids to your shoes.
    Sweeney Todd – Sweeney Todd, Mrs Lovett.
    Taboo – Boy George in any of his guises, Leigh Bowery in any of his guises, Marilyn in any of his guises.
    Thoroughly Modern Millie – Red flapper dress and bob hair.
    We Will Rock You – The Bohemians, Gaga kids, Scaramouche.
    West Side Story
    Wicked – Elphaba, Galinda.
    Wizard of Oz – Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, Glinda, Wicked Witch


  2. It’s another day

    September 12, 2011 by Amy Hansford

    Dear victims of 9/11,

    I’m sorry that the media has been replaying graphic images of your horrible deaths continually the past fortnight.
    I’m sorry that your familes are surrounded by horrific reminders of what happened.
    I’m sorry that, for some, it’s not enough for your families and friends to have to deal with the grief of their loss – that the media feels the need to remind them, in intricate detail, exactly how you died, via every possible outlet, worldwide.
    I’m sorry that your unnecessary deaths have been glorified to an extent where people who had absolutely no link whatsoever with you feel the need to dig up the past declaring ‘never forget’.

    One day, they might actually let you rest in peace.

    Yours,

    An unrelated onlooker.


  3. Coupons

    August 24, 2011 by Amy Hansford

    I get a lot of coupons through the post, mainly through having subscribed to various store baby clubs. Most of it is pretty standard, but sometimes there’s something that catches my eye. Today, a revelation.

    BOOTS HAS MAGICS!!!


  4. How to: Knightmare shield and helmet

    August 23, 2011 by Amy Hansford

    For my 30th birthday we had a Kids TV themed party. I chose to go as a character out of Thundercats while Alex opted for going as a generic kid from the programme Knightmare. Huge credit to this kid for making us realise it was possible to make this outfit. I couldn’t find any pictures of the actual shield, so ours is based on his. While the photos don’t start until halfway through, I thought it might be helpful to post a guide on how to make such an outfit.

    The only item bought in advance was a viking helmet to use as a base.

    You will need:
    Cardboard (I used the one the helmet came in)
    Viking helmet
    Black pen
    Balloon
    A4 card
    Newspaper (I used the free ones, collected over a fortnight)
    Sellotape
    PVA glue (school glue) (We could only find it in Hobbycraft)
    Strong adhesive
    Kitchen roll

    Step 1: Making shapes
    For the shield, I found a cardboard box big enough and drew on a basic shield shape before cutting it out. At this stage it looked like a giant guitar pick.
    For the helmet, I blew a balloon up bigger than Alex’s head, then sellotaped A4 paper around from the middle downwards to extend into a helmet shape. Note – you should use card as it’ll give it more strength!

    The plain shield with built up edges and central piece

    The plain shield with built up edges and central piece

    Step 2: Building up
    For the shield, I twisted newspaper and taped it around the front edge of the template. I also used more scrunched paper to build up the middle area of the shield where the raised eye would be. Both areas were built up around an inch high from the base.
    For the helmet, I used a mix of 1/3 PVA glue 2/3 water and pasted strips of newspaper all over the balloon and attached paper. I probably did around 4 layers before moving on to the next stage. It takes a long time, so be prepared to do this over several days to allow each layer to dry.

    Step 3: More of the same
    For the shield, I pasted newspaper all over the front. Once dried, I took some more cardboard and taped it on the back to make a handle, followed by – you guessed it – more newspaper pasting!
    For the helmet, it was time for the embellishment at the top. I taped a larger, pointed scrunch on newspaper at the front, three rounded scrunches to form a cross behind it, then two smaller scrunches inbetween the left/rear and right/rear. I then took a piece of card cut in the same shape and taped this on top – I also used strong adhesive to help. Once settled, I pasted with newspaper.

    Sticking the viking helmet (minus horns) inside the cropped popped balloon

    Sticking the viking helmet (minus horns) inside the cropped popped balloon

    Step 4: Shield 80% Helmet 60%
    With the shape of the shield now complete, it was time for the final top layer – kitchen roll. I used the PVA mix from before and pasted this on to give a strong and single colour base on which to paint later.
    The balloon still inside the helmet was burst. Make sure you have scissors on hand to quickly cut away from the sides of the helmet to avoid it collapsing in on itself. Having been cut down to a point where Alex could see his feet, I took the plastic viking helmet (minus horns) and glued it inside the paper helmet. This would ensure it sat comfortably on Alex’s head.

    Step 5: Helmet 70%
    At this point, the kitchen roll was still drying – while it’s stronger and a better base, it takes longer to set.
    I glued the horns to either side of the helmet using sellotape to secure the position and to fill in the gaps, then papered it.

    Before the paper...

    Before the paper…

    Before and after the paper

    …and after the paper

    Step 6: Helmet 80%
    I taped thick string (doubled up) around in the pattern seen on the original helmet, then kitchen rolled over this.

    Lots of lovely string

    Lots of lovely string

    Lots of lovely kitchen roll

    Lots of lovely kitchen roll


    Step 7: Finish
    Finally, I painted the shield and helmet. No pics of the process due to mysteriously vanishing from my phone.
    The shield was painted grey on both sides with a red iris on a white eye. The eye was outlined with black paint to make it stand out more.
    The helmet was painted white/grey for the horns, black for the ‘top’ piece, brown for the main helmet and black for the front centre drop. Gold paint was used for the stringed areas. Do note I was guessing at the majority of the colours. I was going for it looking good rather than being completely accurate.
    Alex used a pin to put several dozen holes in the front in patches to allow him to see. Visibility was still limited, but you couldn’t see any holes from the front at all.

    Finished Knightmare helmet

    The completed helmet!

    And so, the finished product!

    If you make your own Knightmare helmet or shield, do let me know. It’d be interesting to have a bit of a gallery!


  5. Happy Birthday to me

    August 22, 2011 by Amy Hansford

    I turned 30 this month, or as the good Sara Cox taught me, 21 9. I had a cracking joint birthday party with a friend – Kids TV fancy dress like – and all in all have had a lovely month celebrating here and there.

    I got a few gifts which were wonderful for me. They really demonstrated how lovely my friends are and how much they know me.

    1. Cult Movie Art book. A beautiful, beautiful thing full of the most glorious depictions of many of the films we love.

    2. 30th badge. Because you have to wear one on your birthday.

    3. Love Hearts mug. A love a good cup of tea, and now I have a spanking new mug to enjoy it in!

    4. Angry Birds toy. Because I’m a geekette and I like apps.

    5. Simon’s Cat book. Because I love following this chap via my Google Reader.

    I also received some gorgeous frames for (so I was instructed) pictures to put up so that Little L knows I was a fun person before (and since) being a mum, plus “The Pantomime Book” which is just the most apt thing ever.

    I have great friends and family. Very chuffed.


  6. Greenclaws

    July 26, 2011 by Amy Hansford

    Our lovely friend JJ bought us some flowers t’other week, inspiring us to do up the front garden. Until now, Alex had cleared the borders and woodchipped them to deter weeds. I hadn’t got round to doing anything other than watching the potted bushes die slowly, so we bounded down to B&Q and got busy in the garden.

    We now have a beautifully planted front garden, and our favourite new resident, Brian.


  7. Work It

    July 25, 2011 by Amy Hansford

    I went to the gym today. It’s important to know that I hate going to the gym. It was only possible thanks to the creche which takes Little L – most places that offer a creche for children who are 6 months+ only, while ours is 3 months+. Brilliant.

    Due to various ills, I’ve not been able to go to the gym since joining two months ago, so today was a case of me getting on with it. Irritatingly, I left my gym token at home – the precious piece of plastic which tells me what to do next and how long for. Otherwise (like today) I’m completely lost. Not wishing to waste the hour of creche time, I had a go on the treadmill, worked up a sweat* then caved in and had some ‘me’ time instead with a cup of tea. So today’s workout:

    20 minutes on the treadmill consisting of
    2 minutes walking at 5km/hour
    1 minute running at 8km/hour
    Repeated until end.

    Aside from that, I’ll be walking 1.5 miles with Little L later this afternoon on a little loop around the marina. After that, time to relax!

    *This does not take long thanks to me being pretty unfit.


  8. Comic-Con – I wish

    July 23, 2011 by Amy Hansford

    One day I would love to go to the San Diego Comic-Con. Until then, I will live vicariously through other people’s Comic-Con themed blog posts, like this one care of ROFL Razzi.


  9. July 2, 2011 by Amy Hansford

    Today I learned that the Americans call a bouncy castle a ‘Moonbounce’.
    A friend learned that a group of giraffes is called a ‘tower’.
    What have you learned today?


  10. Tumbleweed

    June 28, 2011 by Amy Hansford

    Cripes, it’s quiet on here, isn’t it?
    Life just doesn’t stop at the moment. And when it does, I’m normally tucking myself into the corner of the sofa and closing my eyes. There’s so much I want to put on here at the moment! Some things I probably could, some things I can’t for a while, and some things I never can. In a nutshell:

    ~ Little L is brilliant. Utterly content and easy to please. Starting to sleep through the night and impresses me continually. Motherhood is cool, but makes you tired. Can’t imagine what it’s like having two. Bloody well done to anyone who’s done this lark more than once.

    ~ Can’t wait for kids panto. Wasn’t remotely fussed, then ended up transcribing the script from a dvd and getting far too excited over various elements, plus the director is bullying me into auditioning. I say bullying. I mean she asked me if I fancied doing it and I bit her arm off before she finished her sentence.

    ~ Weddings are also fab. Friends are getting married in Scotland next week, some more in England two weeks after, then another set a month after that. We’ve booked our wedding venue and cemented a date for 2012 with lots of ideas buzzing around that have not yet come to fruition.

    And that’s my knowledge set. Nothing else happens in my life at the moment, so if you get stuck in a conversation with me these are probably the topics I will talk about. Have taken to avoiding the news as it’s all so depressing, so enjoying blissful ignorance. Will try and remember to post amusing things on here, but you may well be better off checking in on my Twitter instead; www.twitter.com/awakey