No Capes!

Well, well, well, what have we here? My blog! It has been about a month-I know. I have been very creatively busy during that time, but don’t feel like you want to read things like “I made 60 wine charms from used wine corks today!” Woohoo! Excitement!

My cohort and I have been making things for the upcoming “Fall on the Mound” craft show at our church. Come see us-we will be plying our wares under the moniker “Stuff We Made”.

Sorry, we have no theme so we went with honesty!

At any rate, we have been scurrying around, stealing time wherever possible to complete our hair accessories, magnet boards, clothespins, coffee sleeves, necklaces, bracelets, t-shirts, etc. etc. etc. Wow-it is exhausting just typing that!

Also in the interim, the kids made their pilgrimage back to school. The oldest started middle school, so many a moment has been spent in homework and adjustment.

The first big school project of the year for the younger two is what has finally brought back my blogging.

The school’s theme this year is “Superheroes” and each grade has a different day next week for a “Superhero Parade”.

Does this mean Captain America, Thor or Wonder Woman? Simple-we’ve got all that in the costume bins upstairs. Done!

No.

This means create a super-persona and name that describes you. Then make a costume and wear it next week. Ahhhhh…. now I see where “project” comes into play.

The girls came home already shouting their super-names.

“I am Gymnastics Girl!” said the middle child, with gusto.

“And I am Creative Kitty!” said the youngest, with a bit more uncertainty.

“How does the Kitty part show your personality,” I asked innocently.

“Oh, yeah! I am Creative Cutie!”  The kid never missed a beat.

I sat down and asked them what they were planning for a costume. The middle child was very basic and outlined a simple leotard/shorts/belt combo. No cape? No cape. Done.

Could I escape that easily? No, of course not. The youngest child was chock full of plans for her costume (well, she is Creative Cutie after all) and gave me her Hobby Lobby shopping itinerary.

“Wee-lll…we need to get fabric first for the cape.”

Ohhhhhh….Cape……

****At this point, let me make two points:

One: The PTA helpfully mentioned that they are selling capes for $10 a pop. The youngest child declined this offer politely.

Two: I was immediately reminded of-and passed on-the wisdom of Edna Mode in The Incredibles:

“No capes!

Do you remember Thunderhead? Tall, storm powers? Nice man, good with kids? November 15th of '58! All was well, another day saved, when... his cape snagged on a missile fin!

Stratogale! April 23rd, '57! Cape caught in a jet turbine!

Metaman, express elevator!

Dynaguy, snagged on takeoff!

Splashdown, sucked into a vortex!

No capes!”

She blinked at me. No impression made.

So, off to the Hobbiest of Lobbies we went. We started in fabric with a very thorough examination of anything deemed “creative” by her highness. There was a colorful calico printed with puzzle pieces.

“Ohhhh…. I love puzzles. And they are very creative. Buuuuuut, no.”

Okie Dokie, moving on.

“This is it!!!!! This is it, this is perfect!” A very excellent piece of tie-dyed fabric made the cut.

“I love to tie dye and this has all the colors.”

Perfect.

“This pink looks so good for the inside and it is my favorite color,” she said, picking out a satin in hottest pink.

We had discussed a paint-splat for the back, similar to the Superman diamond shape. Her C.C. could go on that.

“This blue is so good for the splat.”

We next moved on to embellishments and worked our way down to glitter paint. I needed a few things for my aforementioned crazy craft fair endeavor. We were in an aisle near buttons and ribbons when she held up a clear plastic jar of ribbon scraps with the words “Jar of Ribbons” on the label, and looked at me with the most put-upon look a six year-old could muster.

“Thank you, Captain Obvious-we know it’s a jar of ribbons!”

Again, we may be a tad too sarcastic around here.

So, we bought it all, got home and I started to sew the cape. I was way over-estimating her height, or just not thinking. When I held the thing up to her it had about a two-foot train hanging off the back.

I cut it off, hemmed it and tried again. Now the neckline was too wide.

I cut it off, hemmed it and tried again. Now the Velcro closure scraped her neck.

I picked out the stitches, attached a breakaway buckle and all is well.

We cut out a paint-splat shape and wonder-undered the center of it to the back of the cape. Then the child glitter-painted around the edges to hold it in place and added the C.C. in the middle. She asked, before she started, “Is it hard to use the paint?” I told her she just needed to be slow and steady. “Will you help me if I need it?” Yes. “Okay, I will try to do it myself.” And she did.

  

When I took this picture she got a little annoyed and said, “When you keep flashing that at me it makes it hard to see what I am doing!” Point taken.

Ta-Da! Cape complete!

The middle child got home and saw it and said-everyone together now- “I want a cape!”

Off we went to the store, got the fabric and all the doo-dads and came home. I asked what she wanted to do on hers. She said, “Nothing-you can do it, I just wanted to pick it out.”

Fabulous.

I will post pictures of Creative Cutie and Gymnastics Girl once they are in full costume, so stay tuned.

What are the odds that I can convince them to be these superheroes for Halloween? Ha!

Everyone else remember: