Masks AWAY!

The best thing about this print?  It's that when you're tired of it, you can cut out the mask bit and keep that.

Kinda brings whole new meaning to phrase "wearable art," doesn't it?

Well, Internets, it's the last Monday of October, which means that today is the last Mask Monday for this blog (until maybe next year [if I decide to bring it back, that is.])  Looking back over the past month, we've seen a lot of masks made of all sorts of different materials--leather, papier-mâché, plastic, and so on.  But I couldn't help noticing that this month has been a little light on the paper mask front, and that just doesn't seem fair.  Considering how a mask made from a simple paper plate or construction paper was the first mask for many of us, it just doesn't seem right to have so few posted here.

And so, to wrap up both Mask Monday (and the entire month of October, for that matter,) today's post is all about paper masks.  Because it seems like the thing to do.

...And yes,  I'm starting the post off with a paper beard.  But it's still a mask, so it counts.

Remember the Edgar Allan Poe mask from last week?  Well, that's shop's got more where that came from, as this mask of George Washington amply proves.

Also, is it just me, or does the mask work a little too well with the pose the model is striking?  'Cause from where I'm sitting, I'll never be able to look at the Father Of Our Country the same away ever again.

Of course, for those who still want to have the hands-on approach to paper masks, there are these coloring-page masks available.  Because even if you don't feel like you're capable of designing your own, you can at least color the crackerjacks out of one.

All I have to say about the above mask is that it dovetails nicely with this post from a while back.  Y'know, in case you're stuck for ideas for a mask and happen to have recently hit the grocery store or something like that.

And finally, just because I can, here's some paper Star Wars masks:

The only thing that saddens me is is the lack of stormtrooper masks.  Because Imperial armies comprised of clones of Boba Fett's dad deserve to be rendered in paper mask form, too.

And on that note, Happy Halloween, and I'll see you Wednesday!

Something Under The Bed Is Drooling

All I've got to say about the above print is this: I'm certain many of us 

could've used this affirmation hanging somewhere in our room when we were little.

You know what we haven't done this month, Internets?  We haven't taken one single, solitary look at those creatures that every single one of us at one point or another would've sworn blind lived in our closets or under our beds.  You remember--the ones that you were certain were going to come out and get you as soon as the light was shut off, and the only way you were going to survive until sunrise was by hiding under the blankets all night?  That's right, I'm talking about monsters.

Or, seeing as this is how this blog works, I'm talking about monster hats.  Because--as it turns out--monsters aren't actually real (a shocker, I know.)  However, these hats totally are, and I am glad for that.  Not just because this fits with this whole month's theme, but also because I would wear these suckers year-round if I could.

For example:

Honestly, who wouldn't want to wear this green, horned monster earwarmer beyond the month of October? Just think about the effect it would leave on making snow angels in the yard!  Of course, your hair might get a bit damp in the process, but it'd still be worth it.

Then again, if you would prefer something that covers a bit more of your scalp, then you might want to go with something a bit more hat-shaped. And if that's the case, then you can't go wrong with an adorable gap-toothed monster hat like this one.

Note:  This hat does not describe itself as being a yeti hat, but honestly, who are they kidding?  Look at the color scheme.  That's a yeti hat if I've ever seen one.  And before anyone starts arguing that yetis don't have antlers, I've got two words for you: PROVE IT.  Until then, I'm calling it like I see it, and I see a yeti hat.

And just because I'd rather not end this post on a belligerent note, here's a furry cyclopean monster scoodie:

Because, really, how are you going to argue with that?  I certainly can't.

And on that note, that's it for this week.  See you Monday!

With My Basket Full Of Goodies

It's been a while since I read Little Red Riding Hood, but did 

she meet the wolf when he was napping?  I don't remember that.

Either way, this print is still awesome.

So one of my friends (who, for the sake of the almighty Internet Anonymity I'm gonna refer to by her handle of leafy_days,) was talking the other day about how her favorite children's story was Little Red Riding Hood and how one of these days she's going to put together her own LRRH steampunk costume.  And since I'm one of those people who gets a good nine-tenths of her ideas from the world around me, I figured that would be an excellent idea for today's post.

However, this post going to be lacking in the steampunkery, but that's because I didn't want to totally steal her idea.  But even so, we've still got plenty of ideas to work with.  For example:

Yes, I know this one looks a bit like that crocheted throw on your parents' couch and a red hooded cape got fused together in some sort of nuclear accident, but I kinda like it.  It's like the hippie Little Red Riding Hood or something.

Meanwhile, this one plays it a bit closer to what we all expect of LRRH, but still has some snazzy bits to it (namely, all those little details knitted in and stuff.)

Now, this one doesn't actually have a hood, but I really like the buttons, so I posted it anyway.  Also, I'm thinking that those of you out there who know a thing or seven about knitting could probably tweak this and add a hood, so there's always that.

But to make up for that hoodless one, here's one that is all hood, all the time:

Personally, I really like the tulle.  In the words of Bertie Wooster, I think it adds a certain whatsit.

See you Friday!

Maskity-Mask-Mask-Mask

Say what you want--I think this is freakin' adorable.

For those of you keeping track, it is once again Mask Monday here at HH, wherein I post a random selection of masks that I've come across during the past week.  So how's about I stop with the gratuitous typing/explaining the obvious and just get to the masks, alright?  Alright.

Considering how much play Edgar Allan Poe's work gets this time of year, it's only right that somebody out there would make a paper Poe mask.

Admittedly, Jim Henson's Labyrinth is not inextricably linked to Halloween (except for the rising number of dudes running around while dressed up as Jareth, but I'm not complaining,) but once I found this copy of the aforementioned Goblin King's mask, I couldn't resist sharing it with the rest of the world.

...Yes, I know the Cthulhu post was last Wednesday, but I found this mask after the fact, so it's getting posted today.  Also, I figure that there is no such thing as too much Cthulhu, so there you go.

And finally, just because I miss a certain meme, here's a walrus mask, complete with tusks:

Now all you have to do is arrive with a bucket, have someone take your bucket away from you, and your costume is officially set.

See you Wednesday!

Post Of The Living Dead

Personally, it's a toss-up between the Nyanyan Cat version 

and this one for my favorite riffs on the "Keep Calm" posters.

It doesn't take a genius to catch on that there seems to quite a vampire/werewolf trend going on at the moment.  TV shows, movies, books--pretty much anywhere you look these days, there's a wealth of hemophagy and lycanthropy to be found.  The Nostalgia Chick likens this to the big angel craze that went down back in the '90s, and I can't say that I disagree with her; just like you couldn't avoid angelic-themed pap over a decade ago, today you can't throw an elbow without accidentally jostling a display of werewolf/vampire merchandise.

"But what about zombies?" some of you may ask.  "Zombies are pretty popular these days, too!"  And I'll grant you that there's a lot more zombie swag out there than there used to be, but it's certainly not on the same level as the other two.  Which is why today, it's all about the undead here at HH.

I thought about saving these masks for Monday, but ultimately decided against it.  I mean, why wait until Monday to post zombie masks when you can devote an entire post to zombies on Friday?

For those of you with long hair and find yourself somewhat stuck on how to make it look more zombie-ish, might I suggest these wool hair falls?

And just because it wouldn't be a proper zombie post without them, how about some brains?

Okay--not real brains, but this fascinator definitely gets across the whole "brains" thing.

The same is also true of this brain-revealing beanie.  So, y'know, you've got options if you want to look like a zombie or as zombie bait.

And just because I couldn't resist, here's a zombie Hello Kitty scoodie:

And whoever had today in the "she's gonna post something Hello Kitty this month" in the pool, I believe today is very much so your lucky day.

And on that note, see you Monday!

Answer The Call

What can I say?  This just seemed fitting.

And before you ask, yes, it's available on a T-shirt.  And yes, I totally want one.

So, Internets, I was thinking about how one would go about creating a Cthulhu costume.  Obviously, you would need green clothing, a pair of green gloves and maybe even a pair of green batwings just tip the scale over towards the awesome, but all of those things could easily be mistaken for a dragon costume; in order to get it across that you are, in fact, the Elder God to beat all Elder Gods, you need the tentacles.  Or, to be more honest, you need a tentacle mask.

Which is why today, we're going to be revisiting the Cthulhu hat.  Because if you're going to dress up as something generally found in a book at Miskatonic University, you had best do it right.  That way, he'll eat you first.

First up, we've got a short take on the tentacles, for those who might be concerned about said tentacles landing in food, drink or what have you.

But for those who would rather swing those tentacles around like they just don't care, here's a hat with tentacles that would put those two guys from ZZ Top to shame.

I like the tentacles on this hat.  They're all pretty and curly-like.  Kind of makes me wonder if this is what Cthulhu would look like on a hot date or something.  It's just missing a strategically-placed barrette or headband.  Or possibly even a Bumpit, because I'm sure even Elder Gods could use a little volume here and there.

And just because it's awesome, here's a Cthulhu hat for kids:

And to make it even more awesome, the lady who made this hat specifically started by making one for her son.  Why?  Because he asked for one, and he's rad.

(By the way, that same shop also offers one for adults, too.  Just sayin'.)

See you Friday!

Tying On The Mask

There is a reason I chose this sucker for today's amuse-bouche.  Wanna know why?  Keep reading.

It's Monday, Internets.  Know what that means?  It's MASK MONDAY today!  So let's look at some more random masks I've come across and been like, "Oh yeah--I definitely gotta post that."

No, this is not a self-portrait of Dutch post-impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh.  This is actually a papier-mâché mask of Dutch post-impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh.  And yes, it is, in fact, wearable.  Feel free to be impressed, 'cause I certainly am.


And speaking of papier-mâché, here's a couple of masks made of that same substance that come from the same shop, but I couldn't make up my mind which was best:

Because these raccoon masks have articulated jaws, but...

...The same is true of these tapir masks.  So I suppose the one you might prefer the most depends on whether you dig furry mammalian bandits or freaky little pig-type-things with prehensile noses.  But either way,  I think we all can agree that they're both really well done.

And just because I feel it's time to deliver on why I posted an angler fish at the top of  the post, here you go:

Yes, that really does fit around your head (the dangly ribbon bits are what ties it on) and for even more awesomeness, that lantern bit actually lights up.  So while it might be tricky to wear in the car, it totally makes up for it when walking around the neighborhood.  Or working on your car on a dark country road, if you really want to get the bang for your buck.

See you Wednesday!

Keep An Eye On It

Well, if you're going to do a post on eyepatches, you might as well 

start it off with a painting of Mad-Eye Moody's magical eyepatch.

Seeing as Wednesday's post was about horns that do not fall under the category of "devil horns," it seems only fair that today I should do a post on eyepatches that are not strictly pirate-related.  So that's exactly what I'm gonna do.

For some reason, this red-splattered medical eyepatch makes me think of zombie movies, or possibly something done in the J-horror vein.  Either way, those are pretty good places to start when thinking up Halloween costumes.

Mind you, I have never actually watched Gladiator or Spartacus or pretty much anything in the gladiatorial theme of things (not even one single episode of American Gladiator,) but I would imagine that all that fighting-for-your-life business could lead to putting an eye out.  Which is why--while I never would have thought of it on my own--a gladiator eyepatch actually makes an awful lot of sense.

This eyepatch is made of wood, and I am posting it so that TH can say that I actually posted something of interest to him sometime recently.  Also, I think it's kinda cool.

Interestingly enough, a good majority of eyepatches on the Internet seem to be crafted by/for the steampunk community.  The reason I chose this particular eyepatch out of all of them is simple: it's because of all the useful things you could put on an eyepatch, a clock actually makes the most sense.  Granted, you won't be able to read it (not without the help of a mirror, anyway,) but others will.  And that could come in real handy from time to time.

And just because it's not often that I can bring a post around full-circle, here is an actual wearable Mad-Eye Moody eyepatch:

Yeah, I'm kind of proud that I found one, too.

And that's it for this week.  See you Monday!

Horned In

If you like cutwork art, you really need to check out Vibrant Shadows.  

That's where I found this horns-throwing cutting, and it's pretty rad.

When it comes to mainstays in the Halloween costuming world, I think it's a pretty safe bet that devil horns rank right up there with witches hats and those cat-ears-and-tails kits you can get at  your local drug store.  Why is that?  My highly unresearched/uneducated guess is that they're so easy to create a costume around; just wear red clothes, apply red face paint like it's cake frosting, draw on a pair of severe black eyebrows (and maybe a pointy goatee) and booyah--you're the devil.  You can even skip the pitchfork (unless you want to get fancy about it) and everyone will still be able to accurately guess what you're dressed up as for Halloween.

And frankly?  That's fine, if you want to dress up as the devil.  But if you're looking for horns that you can use for a different kind of costume, you're gonna have a much harder time coming up with anything.  Because, in the main, costume horns pretty much start and stop at "devil".

Luckily, though, we live in the time of the Internet; meaning, if you can think it, you can easily find it on said Internet.  And in no case is this less true than costume horns, as I am about to prove to you.

First up, there's this lovely little silvery pair of satyr horns.  Or faun horns, if you want to get all mythologically picky with me.   Either way, they'll still work if you want to dress up as a Greco-Roman mythic bipedal humanoid.

Speaking of Greek and Roman stuff, I think this floral set of antlers would actually work really stinkin' well as part of a dryad costume.  Mainly because those antlers are so tiny and spindly that they look like tree branches to me.

Now, if you want antlers?  I got antlers:

And yes, those are real deer antlers. And apparently also real fabric from the '70s.  So if you've been dying to get your Disco Deer costume idea off the ground, there you go.  Just be careful when you're doing the Hustle.

But since it appears that the majority of horns I've come across have ties to Roman and Greek mythology, I'll wrap this up with some headgear from those legendarily wacky party animals, the maenads:

Oh, and if you suspect your employers might have issues with flowery pasties, you might want to wait until you get home to click on that link.  Just sayin'.

See you Friday!

Putting On The Mask

Note:  I kinda really want one of these installed in my house.  

It might take a while before it comes in handy, but when it finally does, it will totally be worth it.

Hey, Internets--I was thinking that since I spent every single Friday of last month giving a showcase to various shops on Etsy, I should do something special this month for Mondays. This is partly because there's a part of me that feels a little bad for Mondays, as that it's safe to say that about nine-tenths of the world hates Mondays with a passion that burns like a wasps nest doused liberally in aerosol hair spray (meaning  real hot and quick, and with a lot of stinging wrath involved.)  Also, I just came up with an alliterative name for it, and I live by a code that plainly states that anything alliterative is always awesome.

Also, I am typing this up at a Starbucks, so I'm just going where my wacky muse is taking me.  The sooner I can finish this entry, the sooner I can shut this down and stop feeling like I'm being That Person.  So on that note, I would like to inaugurate Mask Monday, where I am just gonna post all the random-yet-amazing masks that I happen to find.

Because really, if you can't appreciate a well-made mask during this month of October, then it's going to be a long month for you.  Just sayin'.

Mind you, I have no idea what kind of costume you would come up with for this tree-like mask, but I'm thinking it's snazzy enough that you can pretty much say it's anything and it'll work.  Woodland sprite?  A relative of Grandmother Willow?  One of those spooky trees from The Evil Dead?  Let your imagination light the way!

All I have to say about this mask:  I have never played BioShock, and thanks to this creepy bunny mask, I'm sure I never will.  That is all.

While it might still be a long way away from la Día de los Muertos, I think this calaca-inspired mask is pretty dang sweet.  


And just for all the Legends of Zelda fans out there, here's the best Skull Kid mask I have ever seen:

And since I'm not going to be able to top that, time to shut this puppy down.

See you Wednesday!