erikamoen

PROJECT: A Crowning Achievement

Published: November 18th 2024, 4:51:35 am

Halloween was upon us and I didn't really have a costume. But I did have a hand-me-down technicolor swimsuit, black tights, a weird kind of mini-top with long sleeves, and stretchy gold fabric.

My destiny was obvious:

 I am... a background character in a cheap sci-fi movie!

I had used a leftover scrap of gold fabric to tie around my head as a kerchief, to cover up my far-too-earthly hair, but I felt like it was still lacking something. And then I remembered the fake gold flowers that Matt bought to decorate my new office space (Which I haven't done yet)!

 Next thing I knew, I'd rigged up a little laurel wreath and it was so simple and it looks so good so I made a mini-tutorial for you guys!

This spandex-y gold fabric has been in my collection for years now and I don't know what exactly it is, but it's stretchy. In the moment, I didn't measure first, I cut off a length of it that could be tied like a headband around my head. While putting this together for you guys, I went back and measured my length, and it was about 3" by 26" (It might have been 28" but I didn't write it down so WHO KNOWS)

Then I plucked off two stems from the fake plant. This illustration shows where I would wind up putting two holes, but I didn't actually do that at this stage yet. But it's there for reference!

Then I did the most basic stitch/knot to secure each branch in place on the band, and it's at this point that I cut the stem holes into the fabric.

So then you just tie it around your head like a normal-ass headband. Ta-da!

The morning after Halloween I woke up, got out of bed, and began my usual morning routine. Like I said in my last post: it's dark and it's cold and I've got the Wintertime Poo Brain again, just like every I get every fall.

I came downstairs that morning after Halloween, though, and I saw my scrap of gold fabric with two twigs of fake gold leaves sewn to it. It wasn't built to last. It's flimsy. The holes for the stems aren't reinforced, they'll stretch and tear eventually. The paper wrapping is all raggedy around the wires where I pulled them away from the rest of the bouquet. The back isn't even finished at all, it's simply held in place with a giant exposed knot.

Halloween is over, we're well into November. It's cold and dark and every morning I put on my flimsy, cheap, ridiculous Halloween wreath as I go about my routine of unloading the dishwasher and giving Tig fresh water and making oatmeal and tea for breakfast. I mean, don't get me wrong, I take it off before I leave the house! I'm not crazy. But.

 It's dark and rainy and cold and I am a shiny bit of gold while I get ready for the day.