Ever had one of those days where the plans don’t quite come together? Of course you have and yesterday for me was one of those days. It all started with my sweet 16 coming to me in the wee hours of Monday night (after school and a football game) and asking me to make him into a camel.
Here in our home town it’s Homecoming week and school spirit week. Wednesday happens to be Animal Day for the Sophomore class and it falls on “Hump Day”. For those that are not familiar with the latest Geico commercial craze you can see it here. My children are older now so these last minute requests are few and far between these days. I typically do not entertain them anymore… unless they fall on a special occasion, are simple and easy or appeal to my ridiculous sense of humor. So… you can guess how my Tuesday begins. I head up to the studio to look and see what I have in my “closet of magic” to make this request a reality.
A full camel costume was out of the question… not to mention it would be worn all of three minutes and would be a rather expensive waste of time. So I decided my best bet was a few features he would be able to wear with real clothes. Something that would be less ridiculous but cause a second glance. I thought of “Goat Boy”… a ridiculous skit on SNL that for some reason always makes me giggle.
I found a hat and made ears from a camel colored microsuede but they needed a little tuft of hair. I could make some humps but I thought they should come out of the back of a shirt. I need a shirt. He also needed some hooves. I needed a little brown for that. So I decided to make a quick trip out to the craft store for a couple of little pieces and Goodwill for a shirt I didn’t feel bad about cutting up.
I head out and get about 1/8 mile from my first stop when my car comes to a sudden hault. Engine problems. It’s not going to be a good day. I was able to park fairly close to the craft store. I walked and got most of what I needed while I chatted on the phone with a friend to come and rescue me. I called the dealership, scheduled a tow and unloaded the car (let’s face it… I needed to get all the stuff out of there anyway). I check the time. Hmmm… that ate up a nice chunk of my day. I get home with the supplies and manage to put the finishing touches on part of the outfit. The hat (complete with furry top not and ears) is complete as well as the hooves.
Then the pesky phone goes off again and I get a note from my son that we have some preps to do for Homecoming and could I please come and pick him up after school to run some errands. I climb into the old spare car and head out to get him and girlfriend. Head to the Goodwill store for a prop shirt… get all the homecoming errands complete…. went back to the craft store to get some stuffing for his humps and a little something else for a potential Thurs spirit day project… drop off the girlfriend… and head back home. Now it’s even later.
I have the shirt and begin to assemble the humps. In comes another teen… who politely reminds me that I was supposed to help him with another project for school and it’s due tomorrow. I have no choice… I have to ask for help. I enlist Hubs from somewhere in the bowels of the office. A hour later… the delivery guy arrives… (cause the sweet sixteen actually came to the studio, while I am hunched over his camel project, to ask what was for dinner)…
Despite needing some adjustments (the first time I descended the stairs the humps looked a little too… uh… in honor of breast cancer month) the “quick” costume looked really cute. Of course it was very dark in the house by the time I finally completed the getup and this morning it was both dark and rainy. I did manage to take a couple of terrible pics.
This is his Gangster camel pose.
Here is a shot of the humps coming through the shirt on his back. He is also wearing a t-shirt under the open dress shirt that I machine embroidered last night that says CAUTION: May Spit.
Is this a true WIP? Not sure. I might have to post something else later… but we will see how the day goes. I am still without my car with no clear idea when that will be rectified. Today’s task… Hey Mom… can you make me some MC Hammer pants for Throwback Thrusday? I’m having trouble getting out of bed this morning. Must be the rain.
~Happy Quilting (or costume making)
Penni
