en·chant·ment
noun \in-ˈchant-mənt, en-\
: a feeling of being attracted by something interesting, pretty, etc. : the state of being enchanted
: a quality that attracts and holds your attention by being interesting, pretty, etc.
: a magic spell
Perhaps it sounds odd for me to say that I am enchanted by upcycling. Enchantment isn't a word often used in proper adult conversations. We don't throw it around at dinner parties, or heaven forbid board meetings. We must use it with extreme caution, for if it got loose what chaos might ensue? It is a childish and frivolous word that grownups don't have time for. We are not enchanted. We are mature, responsible, serious and oh So very busy. Way too busy for the whimsical waywardness of enchantment.
Why then do we read our children fairytales and encourage in them the spirit of fanciful imagination? Is that the only way for us to hold the thin thread back to enchantment? Why are we not supposed to live enchanted lives? We give up our childhood and fantasies and head out into the great unknown of our lives, expecting normal things, a house, a family, a good job, a happy life. But why can we not also expect the lighthearted giddiness of childhood enchantment?
Maybe you do, if so, you have my heartfelt admiration. If, on the other hand, you are like me perhaps you could use the reminder that life is many things and one of those things is enchanting.
Say any form of the word out loud, Enchanted, Enchanting, Enchantment. Go ahead no one is listening. Are they not lovely sounding? Do they remind you of falling in love, listening to a favorite song, the smell of fresh baked cookies, star gazing, mountain tops, unicorns and fairies? What are your beautiful memories, wrapped in the lovely whisper of enchantment? How far back do you have to look?
I have always loved this word but it is not part of my every day vocabulary. I don't feel enchanted while sipping my morning cup of coffee. But could I? Should I? I could let myself ponder the wonder of my day ahead. But usually I just think of it in terms of a check list of things that need to be done.
Therefore, I submit, to you and myself more importantly, that to live a more enchanted life we must be open to the idea of enchantment. We should let go of our conservative stinginess and use the word more liberally in our everyday lives. We could pepper our conversations with it. Boldly we could admit to colleagues and friends the things that we find enchanting. Perhaps, they would be reminded of their own memories of enchantment and actively seek those moments again. Or they might just start wondering when the men in white suits will arrive to ferry us off, where we won't be a danger to ourselves and others, as if the use of this term will reign down all of the unfortunate mayhem of Jumanji.
Either way, I believe we should try to use this flavorful word. Let others think what they will, while we savor all the mouth watering sugary sweetness of enchantment.
And so I submit to you again, that I am enchanted by upcycling. I am a bit under its spell. I enjoy the puzzle and the creative process of taking something useless and giving it back some value. That, to me, is a little form of magic. I believe that in the right hands anything can be made beautiful or at least useful again. Every now and then, those hands are mine and that is enchanting.
Easy Last Minute Upcycled Olive Oyl Halloween Costume
Around the holidays even we grown ups are a little more susceptible to the coaxing allure of enchantment. This time of year some of us can even be found flaunting our ridicules attire around our similarly clad cohorts, marking the return to childhood frivolity and a release from the seriousness of adulthood, even if only for an hour our two.
I don't know about you but I just can't bring myself to wear a costume more than once. It's is silly I guess to spend so much time on something only to wear it for a couple of hours but every Halloween I find myself dreaming up a new costume idea. Even though I have last years costume still hanging in my closet. I try to ease my guilt by selling the items in either my Etsy or Ebay stores .
This year as you may already know. I am a little bit hindered in my creative pursuits and all other pursuits actually by my one leggedness. (See previous posts for detailed whining about my broken foot.) Anyway I needed an idea for a simple costume this year and Olive Oyl fit the bill.
To make your own. You will need.
1) A black knee length skirt. (I had an old velvet dress that I cut off and put some elastic in the waist.)
2) A red knit long sleeve top with a rounded neck line
3) Some yellow duct tape
4) Some white lace or a white blouse with lace cuffs and a peter pan or lace collar
5) One pair of knee high socks
6) One pair of flat healed boots
7) Big post earrings (I had some leftover from the 80's)
8) Black wig / Black hair chalk / Temporary hair dye or if you are lucky black hair
9) Black clutch purse.
Step 1 - Attach lace to neckline and sleeve cuffs. If you are not a sewer and you don't care about the top you could use heat n bond or even a hot glue gun to attach the lace just be aware that you will loose most of the stretch.
Step 2 - Use duct tape to make the bottom yellow stripe on the skirt.
Step 3 - Cover Earrings with yellow duct tape.
Step 4 - Make a small yellow hair bow with the duct tape.
And that is it.
I found this link to help with the hair and make up.
I think I am going to try using manic panic temporary color hair gel. We will see I might chicken out. :-)
Knock on wood. I should be back on two feet by then.
Will post more pics after the big party.
Happy Upcycling,
“There's enchantment in a smile, did you know?
Shall I prove in a wink that it is so?
Watch my mouth grin wide and see,
How quick your lips smile back at me!”
Here are a few pics of the final costumes.
The hubby is a little too tall to play Popeye so we decided on Brutus for his costume. I don't have a tutorial for the Brutus costume as it was very much a trial and error project. It involved some cardboard, a long sleeve knit shirt, a short sleeve button up shirt, a pair of womens stretch pants, some suffing, a glue gun and some duct tape. :-)
I did end up using the manic panic for my hair which worked out pretty well. I only put a thin layer on the top of my hair so it wasn't super dark but with a little more patience and product I think it would have been darker. It does wash right out but the best part for me, was that it held my crazy hairstyle.
And yes I did have to wear two different boots.
