December 2015

Squeals

The official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® About Our Cover Model: Cynthia Randall I made this dress for the Arizona Renaissance Festival where I played the King’s aunt. The dress was inspired by a photo of a Victorian gown that was yellow silk with black lace. I loved that combination and had been looking for something that fit the Faire’s guidelines but would stand out against the large amount of earth tones that were being used that year. I started with the loose gown. I used Margo Anderson’s pattern for the sleeves, but I drafted the rest of the pattern myself since I could not find a pattern with the back I wanted. I hand applied the lace and beaded the front before assembling the gown. I think I invented new curse words trying to get the pleating even on the back. The undergown is a skirt and bodice that lace together at the waist so I can put the skirt in the washing machine — sometimes practicality has to come before historical accuracy. The undersleeves are silk with layered trim. They tie in place so I can remove them on hot days.

2 - Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® - You’re reading SQUEALS: The official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® December 2015. Volume 31, Number 2.

About Our Cover ...... Contents...... 2 From the Editor-in-chief ...... 3 From the President ...... 4 From the Costume College Dean ...... 6 Seeking Classes for Costume College 2016 ...... 7 From the Vice President ...... 10 Fort Verde Days 2015 ...... 13 Victorian Tea and Dance Society Picnic ...... 16 Halloween with CGW, Inc. Members ...... 18 Anaheim Halloween Parade ...... 20 Creating Halloween Memories ...... 21 Le Cancan Bijou and the Great Dickens Christmas Fair . . . 24 Barbara Mullins Memorial ...... 27 Help Wanted ...... 28 Events ...... 29 Colophon & Contacts ...... 31

Deadline for Article Submisson for the Next Issue: 12th of this month Send your contributions to the editor at [email protected]. All e-mail messages received are assumed to be for publication unless specifically marked DNP or DNQ (do not print/do not quote). We’re always looking for articles on costume-related subjects in the 100 to 400 word range. Longer articles also desired for serialization. Please include photos as attachments.

From the Editor-in-chief: Rebecca Howard

The last month has been a bit of a whirlwind in my house, with work projects and houseguests right on the heels of Halloween projects. See my article in this issue to read more about those exciting Halloween projects. Now that things are settling for a moment before the holidays go into full swing I will be able to spend a little time on something for myself in the form of a new, basic 16th century peasant gown. I’m experimenting with some new construction ideas that I discovered in one of my many forays down the Pinterest rabbit hole. I’m pretty excited about trying something new. Are you working on anything new? We’d love to share your projects in the coming year!

- Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® - 3 From the President: Eileen Smolenski For the past few months the Scholarship Committee has been very active. There are several Costumer’s Guild West, Inc. members on the committee, but its chair Colleen Crosby is the reason things work so well. For the past few years she has streamlined procedures for our various scholarships, and works to keep the committee functioning smoothly - not always an easy task. In addition she attends quite a few of the costume conventions, representing CGW, Inc., judging the Masquerade Competitions, and awarding Costume College Scholarships.

Entering a Masquerade Competition at one of the Costuming Conventions held in various locations throughout the year is one way to win a Costume College Scholarship. Meisha Mock, featured in the November 2015 issue of Squeals, is this year’s Coco Scholarship winner from the San Diego Comic Con. Scholarships are also awarded during the costume competition at the L.A. County Fair. Patti Buckley wrote, also in November’s Squeals, about judging this competition last July. Essay scholarships, the third type, usually generate the largest group of awards in a single year. This year 24 Essay Based Costume College Scholarships were awarded. So much talent and enthusiasm is demonstrated by these well-deserving recipients that it’s a shame that more people don’t get to read their essays. This year’s applicants are at exciting places in their costuming lives. Many have not yet had the opportunity to attend Costume College and are eager to experience this unique gathering of costume aficionados. Several applicants are students at Fullerton College studying costume design and construction techniques. Others learn and share by reaching out to costumers, often via the internet. No matter who they are — young, mature, beginner, or experienced — they all have one thing in common: each one wants to share in the special experience of Costume College. Because of the generous donations to our scholarship funds, chiefly through the Bargain Basement and the Gala raffle during Costume College each year, you have made this possible. So when you meet them in the hallways during Costume College 2016, please take the time to mention that you saw their pictures in Squeals and ask them about their projects.

2015 Annual Meeting Minutes, Erratum. Election of Officers, Section C.1. “Second to the motion made by Cheryl Avirom was incorrectly attributed to Diane Yoshitomi. “ The Minutes for the CGW Annual Meeting held on October 3, 2015 should read as follows: 1. Election of Officers (Led by Kerri Wolf, Parliamentarian) C. Voting I. C. Avirom moves that the 2015-16 Board of Directors voted in by acclamation since all were running unopposed. The motion was seconded. II. No further discussion. No objections. Hearing no objections, motion passes.

4 - Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® - Congratulations to the Costume College Essay Scholarship winners:

Andrea Molina Joanne Powers Melissa Meza Aubrey Holte Joyce Bolin Pamela Evola Breanna Bayba Joyce McCarthy Paul Villagomez Caryn DeCrisanti Kairlyn Sofai Regina Lawson Dawn Neufeld Leimomi Oakes Sally Ricker Donovan Sachs Michaela de Bruce Kaitlyn Rogal Ed Morlan Marielena Mondragon Samantha Bullat Ellen Duran Melissa McGuire Stephanie Graham Jennifer Mulvey Here are some of their beautiful creations...

- Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® - 5 From the Costume College Dean: Dani Crum Well, after a year of whining about the state of my sewing space, I am finally beating it into submission. Table for sewing, check. Racks for storing fabric, check. Organized patterns, a work in progress. Fabulous Stash... nope; I finally organized all my fabric, only to discover that almost everything I’ve bought for my stash is off-white. Or taupe. Yup, I have a totally yawn- worthy Stash. Thank goodness I’m a dyer. You can expect at least one funny dye story in the January Squeals, and maybe a picture of a very small color splurge from Mood Fabrics. Like many of you, I struggle with time to do costuming on top of my other obligations - like a job to pay rent/mortgage - But I’ve got to say, I’m pretty excited about the upcoming holidays and the chance to work on a few pieces for CoCo next year. Of course, your committee is already hard at work making sure that when you show up with fabulous new costumes, or wonderfully reinvented and reused older ones, you’ll have an amazing time. We held the first committee meeting last weekend, and I’m pretty excited about everyone involved. Not only is the Committee busy creating epic events for you, but each member is problem- solving to make sure you have a fun, meaningful, and stress-free experience. It’s not always easy making the spaces we’re given work for us, but you can bet we’re making it happen, for you. By the way, there are still plenty of opportunities to join the CoCo Committee at all levels of time commitment. Like buying presents? We’ve got an opening for Raffles Chair. Like hosting parties? Hospitality is looking for a few good people. Like being in the know on classes? We’re looking for an Excel-savvy assistant for Programming. If you have a skill, we have a great way for you to apply it to Costume College ®. Now if you haven’t been keeping up with the e-mail blasts, here are some important dates. Registration opened on October 19th, so please don’t forget to register – prices go up on January 5th, so get registered now! Also, this is a great time to book your hotel room, but please do so only if you plan to use the reservation. Without going into too much detail, it causes Costume College a lot of problems when people book and then cancel at the last minute; that can put us at risk of paying thousands of dollars in fees or losing our rate the following year. So if you’re going to share a room, please, only one of you make the reservation —it’s important that we limit last minute room cancellations to costumers facing emergencies or sudden life changes. If you’re thinking about teaching, now is the time to ponder your class proposals. Class submissions will open January 3rd, and there are only three short weeks to get submit them. New to teaching? We love our teachers and we really love new teachers — did you know that if it’s your first year teaching we mark your class to make sure we try our hardest to get it in the lineup? Other than that, have a wonderful holiday season! Enjoy what you love best about the Holidays and I look forward to hearing about your Holiday costuming adventures. Happy Holidays! Dani Crum 2016 Costume College Dean [email protected]

6 - Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® - Seeking Classes for Costume College 2016

Are you starting to bubble with excitement for Costume College 2016? I’m Jennifer Byrd, your Programming Teacher Liaison. We will be accepting class proposals for Costume College 2016 on January 3, 2016 through January 24, 2016. Please use the online form at www.costumecollege.net.

This year’s bonus track is “The 1960s” with a focus on the new techniques, materials, and pop culture of the 1960s. Please also consider class proposals for that the wonderful mix of Historical, Fantasy, Artists, Accessories, Undergarments, Armor, Ribbons, Shoes, Wings, Foams, Wigs, Gowns, Tailoring, Make-up, Masks, Needlework, Hats, and everything else classes. We all have our favorites. We’d like to bring that wide variety back for 2016, with even more focus on classes for men and younger costumers.

Please take the time now to think about what class or classes you would like to teach. Our three main formats are: • Lecture: An UNLIMITED class open to all, where the teacher talks to the class about a particular area of interest, usually with visual aids. The class has no fee, with the exception of a nominal amount for optional handouts. Class length: 1 to 3 hours on average. • Workshop: A LIMITED attendance class with a small group of people learning a particular technique, with a fee for materials. Class length: 1 to 8 hours. • Demo: A class that can be Limited or Unlimited to show (demonstrate) a particular technique. May include a hands-on element but not a full project. Class length: 1 to 3 hours on average. This year we’re also introducing a fourth class format, the “Short Demo”, on a limited test basis. This will be a 20-minute unlimited attendance demo class which will allow you to showcase a skill or technique that can be taught in a shorter time frame than the standard minimum one-hour class. It’s perfect for simple “make and take” projects, a quick hands-on technique, or specific parts of a larger project. Each short demo teacher will present their class multiple times to a small number of students. These classes may include handouts but will not have the capability for slideshows. For students, this is a great format for learning sewing skills, simple decorations or embellishments, simple patterns, etc. It allows students to absorb a lot of information in a short period of time, while optimizing their class time. Look for more details on this new format in next months Dean’s article. If you have any questions please contact me at [email protected]. You and your willingness to share is the reason that Costume College is the ongoing success which it undoubtedly is. Thank you, Jennifer Byrd Programming Teacher Liaison, Costume College 2016 [email protected]

- Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® - 7 Costumer’s Guild West, Inc. Presents CoCo 2016 -- July 28 - 31

Costume College® Celebrates

Counter Culture: Rebels, Revolutionaries, and Subversives

Time Traveler’s Ball (Gala)

A Midsummer Night’s

Fantasy

Sunday Breakfast

Breakfast with

the Artists 8 - Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® -

Thursday Night Poolside: Friday Night Social It ’s a Mod Mod Run Away to Mod Mod World the Circus!

Sunday Tea Steampunk Explorer’s Tea - Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® - 9 From the Vice President: Becky Thelin

To those you who have taken three minutes to answer my Events Survey, thank you! As of the date I’m writing this article (mid-November) I’ve received 39 responses. The survey will remain open until December 31, 2015, so if you haven’t yet responded please give me your opinion(s)! (Google Survey Link: http://goo.gl/ forms/kYMQMjJVWL )

I’d like to take a moment and just say that I’m really looking forward to our upcoming Teens Series (Titanic/Late Edwardian) that will begin this Spring. Ideally we’ll have the first workshop sometime in February of 2016. And, of course, to kick off the series,we’ll focus on the undergarments for, after all, one must always begin with the correct foundation! We’ll start with a corset workshop and a combinations workshop. We’re currently working out the details for these workshops (coordinating schedules with the volunteer instructors), and once we have them finalized we’ll start posting them on social media. As always, we’d love more people to help us plan!

Did you attend our CGW Goes to Messiah Sing Along on November 29th? If you went, will you please write up a short article for Squeals about your experience? It can be as little as one paragraph or take up a whole page if you wish. Everyone would love to see pictures and hear about the event, I’m sure!

Messiah Sings 2010. photo credit: Loralee Page

10 - Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® - Messiah Sings 2010. photo credit: Loralee Page

Here are a few events coming up in the next few months and into Spring 2016: 1. CGW Goes to the Banning Museum’s Annual Victorian Christmas Celebration You don’t need to do much, just be on site to meetup at 1:00pm at the main entrance. Feel free to bring a few snack items and we can have a light picnic and pose for a group photo before we tour the house in all its Victorian splendor! CGW Liaison: Marion Weiler. RSVP to [email protected] • CGW Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/ events/1498785407083895/ • More info: http://129.121.107.232/~costumer/cgw-goes-to-the-banning- museums-annual-victorian-christmas-celebration/ 2. CGW Afternoon Tea (at the Biltmore Hotel) & Ice Skating (in Pershing Square), Downtown LA. What could be better than to get dressed up (in a costume of any era) and enjoy a lovely afternoon tea in a beautiful setting with your fellow costumers? And afterwards promenade over to the outdoor ice skating rink? The specific date hasn’t been firmly set yet but we are looking at either Saturday January 9th or 16th, 2016 for our outing, so keep your ears (and eyes) open! CGW Liaison: Maryann Jones. RSVP to [email protected] • Biltmore Hotel (Downtown LA) - CGW will make a reservation for our group. Traditional Afternoon Tea is available Saturdays and Sundays, 2 to 5pm. $40/ adult http://www.millenniumhotels.com/usa/millenniumbiltmorelosangeles/ dining/rendezvous-court.html On this page they have a link to their Afternoon Tea menu should you wish to peruse it ahead of time. • Holiday Outdoor Ice Rink Pershing Square; General Admission $9, Skate Rental $3 http://holidayicerinkdowntownla.com/ And for those who prefer to watch from the sidelines, you are welcome to do so, and that’s free! As an accident prone person myself, I’ll probably stick to cheering from the sidelines.

- Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® - 11 3. CGW Goes to the Riverside Dickens Festival, Saturday & Sunday, February 27th – 28th 2016 http://www.dickensfest.com/ Shall we pick Saturday for our meet up? CGW Liaison: TBD • Once we have a Liaison we’ll work with you to pick a specific day & time for the official meetup. If you know anyone interested in being CGW’s Liaison please let us know! Contact us at [email protected]

4. CGW Goes to the Renaissance Pleasure Faire, (Irwindale, CA) Saturday & Sundays: April 2 thru May 15, 2016 http://www.renfair.com/socal/ CGW Liaison: TBD • I know that many in our guild work this faire and I would really love to have an official Meetup on one of the weekends so that we can say “hi” to all of you. Anyone want to be point person in planning a meetup for CGW members? Once we have an official Liaison we’ll work with you to pick a specific date & time for the actual meetup. Please contact us at [email protected] 5. CGW Goes to the Movies (in Costume): Alice Through the Looking Glass (May 2016) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2567026/ CGW Liaison: TBD • There are definite costume possibilities for this outing! You can pull ideas from the Classic story illustrations (1860s-1870s), Disney’s 1951 animated classic, and, of course, the new Tim Burton versions. (Time to start planning your outfit now!) More details as we get closer to the outing. If you would like to be involved in planning this outing and/or be the official CGW Liaison, please contact us at [email protected]. Perk of being the CGW Liaison: you can pick the movie theater location for the meetup!

If any of these events sound interesting to you, please consider being our CGW Liaison (aka Meet Up/point-of-contact person). It’s super easy and we can help you plan it out, but we need someone to be the designated point of contact. If you have questions, feel free to ask. As always, I’m still looking for those who would like to help me plan the year’s events, both informally and formally. If you are on Facebook, please consider joining our CGW Event Planning Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/ groups/1500080190291054/. It’s an informal online group for CGW Members to share ideas for future CGW events, to brainstorm event ideas and logistics, and to share advice. I’ve already started contacting a few CGW members about leading a workshop, demo, or lecture in 2016, but if something catches your interest and you think “I could lead a workshop on ______,” or “I could share this really interesting research about ______as a lecture,” don’t wait for me to track you down. Please do let me/us know! And of course, should you just have questions, please e-mail me at one of the addresses below. I look forward to seeing you at future events! -Rebecca (Becky) Thelin CGW, Inc. Vice President, 2015-2016 VP Email: [email protected] Event Planning Email: [email protected]

12 - Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® - Fort Verde Days 2015 - Camp Verde, Arizona by Paige Patterson

This adventure began with my other half finding a small advertisement in one of his reenacting publications and handing it to me saying, “What’s this?” I popped onto the internet and started looking for more information. What followed is one of the best experiences we’ve ever had. I rang up what I thought was the Fort, and reached a lovely woman from Camp Verde Promotions. I learned so much about the small town and she said she’d send me some information about the events. They were celebrating the town’s 150th birthday with three events happening that weekend. An Art Festival, Carnival and Living History at Fort Verde. I then called the Fort and spoke to a nice man who gave some specific info on the Fort’s part of the weekend and e-mailed me the program flyer. The decision was made; we were going. A few days later a large envelope arrived with a few flyers about the weekend events, schedules, suggested places to visit outside the event, etc. Not a lot of junk, just the right flyers to entice someone sittin’ on the fence to come visit. We are located in San Diego, CA so it was going to be an 8 hour drive for us.

Now for the important planning —which costumes to take? I checked the weather and it was predicted to be in the upper 80s. A couple days prior to leaving I received a phone call from Camp Verde Promotions telling me she’d found someplace for us to park the RV near the Fort — phew, what a relief. This had been our biggest worry, parking our 30-foot RV. Thursday morning we were off on our adventure. It was a lovely drive, beautiful scenery, easy roads, no traffic.

They had a month-long scarecrow contest, you voted for a scarecrow by dropping money in a jar, each penny was a vote. The top three got to keep their money and the others donated the votes to the Fort.

- Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® - 13 Friday morning we decided to wander around the town; several of the buildings were built in the early 1900s and there is a self-guided tour available. We started at the Tourist Information Center/History Museum. The lovely woman inside gave us lots of information, a few more flyers, a map of the area and the self-guided tour flyer. Oh, and we purchased a rather large bag of resource books. We started down the street, sticking our noses in pretty much every shop down the road. Everyone was so surprised we’d come from California for their event, and one shop owner wanted our contact information because she was sure the local newspaper would want to write an article about us coming out for the event. Friday evening they closed off about two blocks of Main Street for a lawn mower race. The Police (flashing lights and all), Fire Department (in his turn out gear), School Board Representative, City Council and two others participated in the race. It was GREAT fun. They ran in pairs down the street around the orange cones and back up the street. The winner of each heat raced at the end. There were riding mowers like you’d have at home up to really large park type mowers. There is an Archeology Museum in town that has some wonderful items from centuries ago, and they give a very nicely detailed guided tour. It is small but extremely interesting.

All photos this article credit: Paige Patterson

14 - Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® - Saturday and Sunday we dressed and went to the Fort for their activities. There are four original buildings on the grounds. One is used as the museum/office/book store, the other three are decorated with original and reproduction items to show how the Commanding Officer and family would live, a Bachelor Officer Quarters and Surgeon’s quarters. There are small signs posted explaining the rooms, along with a scan box (for lack of the correct term) which you can scan for more information; photos are welcome. An amazing group of women demonstrated bobbin lacemaking; one young girl started when she was 6 or 7 and the oldest there was in her 70s. Another woman portrayed the Fort Commander’s wife and she shared some interesting information about her ‘job’ as the Commander’s wife. There was a Surgeon and a Surgeon Assistant from two different eras with the ‘tools’ of their trade laid out, and recollections of the wars and injuries they handled. One even had a leech in a box... shiver. There was an infantry group representing several eras and giving cannon firing demonstrations throughout the day. A group of buffalo soldiers from the area were also set up. There were several presentations, demonstrations, and lectures throughout both days. Our only regret is that we missed the parade on Saturday — we were so focused on the Fort and its activities that we forgot to walk back up to Main Street for the parade. Just as here in California, the Fort is having its own challenges with getting reenactors, vendors and public participation at their events. They hold three annual events: February Buffalo Soldiers; April, a timeline, and October, Fort Verde Days. We have plans to return for all three events in 2016 and beyond. http://www.azstateparks.com/Parks/FOVE/index.html https://www.facebook.com/FortVerdeSHP/?fref=ts

Reminder If you are going to an event and/or convention where you believe the attendees would be interested in CGW, Inc., please contact our Outreach Coordinator Lorri Gums at [email protected] for a CGW, Inc. promotional pack.

- Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® - 15 Victorian Tea and Dance Society Picnic by Colleen Crosby The Victorian Tea and Dance Society hosted a wonderful event on November 15th. I picnicked with Amy Calcote Shinn, Dave Pleger, Laurie McGee, and Marion Weiler. CGW, Inc. members Christina Walley and Victoria Cheney were also in attendance. I made Fall Butternut Squash Hand Pies, Pear & Pomegranate Salad, and Hot Apple Punch. We also had fried chicken, fruit salad, three kinds of cookies, pasta salad, and appetizers. Everything was well paired with the overcast weather. There was dancing on the lawn, but after lunching, ur little group strolled the grounds and played bocce ball. It threatened rain and storms, but after watching the palm trees way above us bending in the wind and enduring a 5-minute sprinkle, the skies cleared to a gorgeous blue with fluffy clouds. It was everything I love in a picnic!

photo credits: Amy Calcote Shinn photo credits: Christina Walley

16 - Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® - Autumn Butternut Squash Handpies

Ingredients: 1 pound butternut squash, cut into ½” cubes* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg Pinch ground cloves Kosher salt to taste Pepper to taste Olive oil 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 1 small green apple, diced, skin on photo credit: Colleen Crosby 1/2 sweet onion, diced 1 recipe double crust pie crust, frozen or your favorite recipe** 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 teaspoon warm water 6 ounces chèvre (fresh goat cheese), crumbled

*I used ½ of a 2lb bag of pre-cut butternut squash from Trader Joe’s. I cut the pieces smaller. **I used frozen, also from Trader Joe’s. It wouldn’t take much longer to make your favorite double crust.

Place the butternut squash cubes on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and pepper. Toss with olive oil. Bake in 400F oven for about 20 minutes, until roasted, turning about halfway through. Cool. Put 2 Tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When butter is melted, add onion. Cook, until tender and lightly colored, about 25 minutes. Remove to a dish to cool. Put remaining 2 Tablespoons butter in the skillet. When butter is melted, add apple. Cook over high heat until lightly colored but not mushy. Cool. Put cooled squash, onion, and apple in a mixing bowl and stir to combine, being careful not to mash the squash. Roll out dough to 1/8” thick. Using a cutter or a bowl or glass (about 4 ¾-5”), cut out circles. Put on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (I was able to get 6 on my baking sheet.) Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Brush a thin layer of yolk mixture lightly on dough rounds. Put a heaping tablespoon of squash mixture in the center of each round. Crumble some goat cheese over squash mixture. Carefully fold over dough round to form a half moon shape. Press edges together. Seal edges with a fork. Put in freezer for 5 minutes. Brush remaining yolk mixture over top of each pie. Use a fork to poke vents in the top of each pie.

Bake until golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Cool slightly. Serve hot or cold.

This recipe was modified from a Chowhound recipe http://www.chowhound.com/recipes/ butternut-squash-goat-cheese-handpies-31181 and a Silver Palate cookbook recipe http:// www.project-insomnia.com/colleen/kitchen/stuffing.html

- Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® - 17 Halloween with Costumer’s Guild West, Inc. Members Many of our members have Halloween traditions with their families attending parties, events, or just trick or treating, all of which include the making and/ or wearing of costumes. Many thanks to our members who have shared their Halloween traditions with us.

Rebecca Metzger’s daughter Mr. and Mrs. Dryden wearing her handmade Elsa at the Dickens Fest costume. Macabre Ball.

A witchy Lynda Jaharis visits the opera in her 1912 gown.

18 - Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® - Kim Wilson, dressed as Lillian Gracey from Kim Wilson’s daughter, dressed as the the Haunted Mansion, and her daughter, Cheshire cat, in front of Snow White’s dressed as the Cheshire cat, in front of wishing well at Disneyland. Sleeping Beauty’s Caste at Disneyland.

Kim and Tim Wilson, dressed as Mary Poppins and Bert, with their daughter, dressed as the Cheshire cat.

- Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® - 19 Anaheim Halloween Parade by Colleen Crosby

Everyone has their favorite traditions, and one of mine is rather new. About three years ago I was invited to take part in the Anaheim Halloween Parade, and it has become one of my favorite Halloween events. The route is 1.3 miles long and every step of the way is jam-packed with cheering families, excited to see us all. I march with the Orange County Star Wars Society, and we fill our ranks with banner carriers, Jedi, Princesses, Obi-wan in a Star Wars car pumping out John Williams’ melodies, pilots, Imperial Officers, Stormtroopers, and Darth Vader. I love to dress as a Jedi because it gives me a chance to dust off my high school color guard skills as I light up the night with my pink/purple lightsaber blade. When my arms get tired, I cross blades with the hundreds of kids and kids-at-heart who come with their own light sabers! I hear that the rest of the parade is pretty fantastic, but I never see it, because I am marching. Anaheim has been hosting the Halloween Parade since 1924, and they usually have some vintage floats as part of their line-up. This year, we were lined up near a hearse car club, Friends of the Mouse (a costumed Disneyland fan club), a Day of the Dead dance group, and a mobile forest of “scary” trees. I just wish I could see the rest of the parade!

photo credit: Marsha Stevens Friends in the Anaheim Halloween Parade: Shawn Crosby, Colleen Crosby, Marsha Stevenson, Damian Stellabot, and Aja De Coudreaux.

20 - Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® - Creating Halloween Memories by Rebecca Howard

Every year I get to make Halloween costumes for my nieces Emma and Abby who are now 12 and 10 years old. In the past I’ve made them many interesting costumes, from Dracula to Jack Sparrow to the Murderin’ Bride from Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion for Emma and Stitch to Merida to Maleficent for Abby. I love making their costumes special and including details that aren’t available or even possible with commercially available costumes. Each year I send my sister a list of the measurements I will need based on whatever costumes I’m building and she sends me back the girls’ current measurements. There’s always a certain degree of “Oh geez, I hope this is going to fit properly...” and triple-checking of measurements. I’ve learned to make closures flexible or adjustable wherever possible but, fortunately, my beautiful sister does well enough with a needle and thread to make small adjustments once the costumes arrive. Murderin’ Bride and Stitch Dracula and Merida

All photos this article credit: Rebecca Howard, except Katniss & Wonder Woman. This year they had some exciting requests for super cool, strong female characters. Emma wanted to be Katniss Everdeen from the Mockingjay part 1 movie poster and Abby wanted to be Wonder Woman. Katniss was pretty straight-forward: make it look as much like the movie poster costume as possible while making it wearable for a 12 year old. Wonder Woman was a little trickier. Lynda Carter’s Wonder Woman was too revealing for a 10 year old, not to mention too cold, since they live on the East Coast. Fortunately, her costumes in the ‘New 52’ and ‘Kingdom Come’ comic series are more modest and easier to wear, so I was able to create a blend of iconic costumes. Katniss/Mockingjay copyright Lionsgate films. Wonder Woman copyright DC Comics.

- Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® - 21 The base pieces for Katniss were purchased: a black long sleeve mock turtleneck, black skinny jeans, combat style boots with straps that buckle across them, and combination knee and shin guards. I modified a woman’s work glove into an archer’s glove by cutting out the pinky finger and thumb. I ordered a Mockingjay pin and painted it gloss black to emulate the one Katniss wears in the movie. My boyfriend helped paint a kid’s suction cup archery set gloss black and made a quiver out of a shipping tube. To keep the arrows neatly in the quiver he drilled holes in the tube cap before spraying the whole thing with Plasti-dip, a rubber tool coating. This helped the tube look less like a mailing tube. I took my first foray into Thermoplastics on this project, using two pieces of Wonderflex sandwiched together for the breastplate, which I molded on a small dress form. After my boyfriend sprayed it with Plasti-dip, I glued a piece of black felt to the inside for comfort. I placed the straps as they were on the original, but for ease of wearing I decided to omit the back plate, instead using adjustable straps that crossed in the back and tightened around the waist. The armor wings and the quiver were attached to the straps, which entirely covered her small back. The wings were really the “Wow!” piece of the costume. I made them out of craft foam so that they would be light and easy to wear. I started by cutting two each of many different sizes of individual feather shapes. Then I added some detail and finishing with a wood burning tool and a heat gun. Then came the difficult part: making two wings to mirror each other but make them look exactly alike. Each feather required careful planning and either measuring or “eyeballing” the distance relationship to those around it, before gluing them in place. This part alone took about five hours. Once the glue was dry I did a little finish work, coated the backs with Plasti-dip for flexible strength, and then spray painted the fronts. I attached them to the shoulder straps of the breast plate so that the whole thing functioned as one piece.

22 - Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® - The Wonder Woman costume was required more labor since each piece (except the boots) had to be made from scratch. Comfort and warmth are always a consideration so I ordered inexpensive, no-heel red boots with a good rubber tread and then spent several hours painting them with vinyl paints so that they looked like Wonder Woman’s red and white leather boots. I used a 1960’s children’s dress pattern as the base for the top, with a lot of alterations, and then attached the strips of the war skirt separately. Both elements were made of synthetic leather and painted with vinyl paints. I attached brass D-rings to the straps so that the cape could clip on and off easily. I found a red polyester crepe with a wonderful drape to use for the cape. I sewed royal blue grosgrain ribbon around the edge and then added white stars which I painted with glow- in-the-dark paint. I added a faux scalemail skirt under the war skirt for modesty and warmth. This was made out of a specialty polyester fabric that looks like layered scales. I painted it with a few layers of gold metallic spray paint, and then gave the scales dimension by adding highlights and shading using artists’ acrylics. Making the accessory pieces may have been the most fun, because I was able to work with Worbla for the first time. I watched a TON of tutorial videos on YouTube before I started. The bracers, belt plaques and centerpiece, the chest emblem, and the iconic tiara are all make from Worbla, and then painted with artists’ acrylic paints. The lasso of truth is removable from a strap that snaps on using one of the rectangular belt plaques. My sister used nylons to create a nude warmth layer for her to wear under the whole costume.

pre-painted Worbla pieces Both of my nieces are of an age where peer pressure is getting to be a big deal, but they are strong young women and I commend them for being true to themselves. They each had friends who wanted them to participate in group costumes. Neither were so sure about the themes, and they knew I would make them anything they asked. Their chosen costumes really brought out their respective personalities; another reason I will happily make their Halloween costumes as long as they let me and perhaps, one day, they’ll even want to make their own costumes.

- Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® - 23 Le Cancan Bijou and The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party by Cindy Lu A beloved Bay Area tradition and one of the most elaborate, inventive and authentically-Victorian Christmas events anywhere in the world, the Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party transforms over three acres of exhibition halls into a brilliant facsimile of Victorian London circa 1865. It is the peak of the British Empire, and Charles Dickens is dazzling the world with writing unequaled since the Bard put quill to vellum. An ever-changing recreated slice of Charles Dickens’ London, warmly lit and lovingly decorated, with winding lanes, shops, pubs, tearooms, lecture halls, a grand Music Hall and the London dockside brought to life by more than 750 authentically dressed actors. The Great Dickens Christmas Fair is directed and produced each year by the Patterson family, creators and producers of the world’s original Renaissance Faires at Black Point Forest in Marin County and in Southern California. This will be my eighth year performing as Miss Jasmine D. Light with Le Cancan Bijou (http://www.cancanbijou.com) at the 37th Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party in San Francisco, CA. Le Cancan Bijou performs historically accurate, traditional French cancan choreography from the 1850s, and the dance has its roots in ballet. Le Cancan Bijou (https://www.facebook. com/LeCancanBijou) performs as part of the Broadside Music Hall ensemble cast. This is a historically accurate music hall show, which was popular entertainment of the time among the working class. Broadside Music Hall is located at the Mad Sal’s Music Hall & Ale House, found dockside at the Dickens Fair, and is set in 1850s London during the time of Charles Dickens. The entire Broadside cast acts and sings, with Le Cancan Bijou providing backup for many of the musical numbers. The Victorian costume consists of a jewel toned taffeta bodice and ankle length circle skirt. The bodice is based on Simplicity 4078 and Butterick 4315, with modifications of puffed sleeves, princess seams, and the addition of boning in the bodice which has a grommeted back with lace closure. There is additional trim on the neckline of the bodice, bottom of skirt, and on the sleeves. There are also white lamb bloomers, garters, black striped stockings over nude dance tights, and a white petticoat with the edge of each ruffle layer serged in black.

24 - Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® - The cancan petticoat has been remade in its second design iteration as part of Michelle McAvoy’s “Froth the World” initiative. Michelle taught a class at Costume College 2014 on the new design and construction of the cancan petticoat and discussed the process of maximizing the “froth” of the petticoat. The new version of the petticoat uses more densely serged edges, as well as the use of circular ruffles rather than ruffled lengths of straight fabric. Michelle also discovered through a fabric test that voile is the best fabric to offer maximum movement, as well having the least amount of wrinkle after coming out of the dryer, as opposed to the white cotton previously used. It is a wonderful confection reminiscent of the froth featured in the works of Toulouse-Lautrec and Tissot.

- Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® - 25 WHAT: The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party WHEN: Opens Saturday, November 21 and runs Saturdays and Sundays (plus the Friday after Thanksgiving) through December 20, 2015, 10:00 am – 7 pm WHERE: The Cow Palace Exhibition Halls, 2600 Geneva Avenue, San Francisco PRICES: General Admission: $25.00/$30.00 at the door (final 2 weekends) Children ages 5-12: $12.00 at the door Online sales (beginning Sept. 15): $8.00 - $30.00 Children under 5: Free Fair Season Pass: $90.00 adult Group Rates available online for groups of 20-29 For groups of 30 or more, contact [email protected], 415-668-0525 SPECIAL DISCOUNTS: • Active Military personnel will receive FREE Admission on First and Second Weekends (November 21, 22, 27, 28, 29 only; photo I.D. required) • The Scrooge Special (Twilight Ticket offer, available only at box office) • Adult Twilight Tickets, available after 3pm: $15.00 • Child Twilight Tickets, available after 3pm: $8.00 A great excuse to visit the Dickens Fair for a second time and focus on shopping or take in a wonderful dinner and a lively show! For More Information: www.dickensfair.com

26 - Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® - Barbara Mullins Memorial The historical world lost someone very special at the beginning of November. Barbara Tyler Mullins has passed away from cancer, leaving behind her 4-year-old twins, Annie and Billy, and her husband Jim, as well as a larger community of friends, family and co-workers. Many of you encountered her when she came out to California to teach at Costume College, and some of us were privileged to visit Colonial Williamsburg, where she was a valued and loved staff member. The following is her obituary:

Barbara Marcine “Barbee” Tyler-Mullins was born in Clearwater, FL on March 20, 1966 and passed away at her home in New Kent County on November 12, 2015. She is survived by her husband Jim, and her adorable four year old twins Anne and Billy; her parents George and Sherry Tyler; a brother Robert Hugh Tyler (Blanca); a niece Portia; and her husband Jim’s loving family. Barbee attended public schools in Newport News, graduated from Hampton Roads Academy and The College of William and Mary. She spent the next year as an au pair in Switzerland, and then returned to work for 25 years at The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Barbee moved to Charles City County to occupy her grandfather’s former home. She had many friends, some of whom were co-workers, and all of whom gave her their love and support during her illness. Barbee was kind, loving and courageous, with grace and a generous sprinkling of wit. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, November 21, 2015 at Westover Episcopal Church, 6401 John Tyler Memorial Highway, Charles City, VA 23030. A light luncheon will follow at the parish house. In lieu of flowers, Barbee asked that donations please be made to support cancer research. There has been a Go Fund Me site set up for her children also.

“I will never forget the kindness Barbee extended to me on my last Williamsburg visit. Kindness wasn’t just something she practiced, it was part of her soul. You will be missed by your California and Costume College friends out here, Barbee. The pain is gone, but the love remains. Rest in peace.” —Karen Lavoie

- Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® - 27 HELP WANTED

The Scholarship Committee is looking for current CGW members to help judge masquerade entries at conventions. If you will be at any of the following conventions, and you are not planning to compete in the masquerade, please contact Colleen at [email protected]. Note: you must be available during the evenings listed below for judging. Anime LA 1/30/2016 Gallifrey 2/13/2016 Wondercon 3/26/2016 Costume Con SciFi/Fant 5/7/2016 Costume Con Historical 5/8/2016 Phoenix Comic Con 5/28/16 Anime Expo 7/2/2016 SDCC 7/23/2016

The CGW, Inc. Events Coordinator is looking for Event Liaisons to be point-of-contact persons at Goes-To’s and other events. If you’re interested, please contact Becky Thelin at [email protected].

Do you enjoy spelunking the web for costuming gold? Would you like to write about your adventures? Have you acquired a good book lately? Squeals is looking for a few regular columnists. If you’d like to find out more please write to Rebecca Howard at [email protected]

HAVE YOU MOVED? OR ARE YOU PLANNING TO? If you have changed address or are planning to, please don’t forget to notify us. You can make the change by emailing me at [email protected] or by mailing Costumer’s Guild West, Inc. 1917 Crestshire Dr. Glendale, CA 91208 Natalie Meyer, Bookkeeper and Keeper of the Member List

28 - Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® - Events Please consider writing a brief article, with or without photos, about any event that you attend. We are always looking for articles of interest to our readers. This Month Dec 13th - St. Nicholas Holiday Ball - Victorian Tea & Dance Society. Scottish Rite Cathedral, 150 N. Madison Ave., Pasadena, CA. Dec 13th - Lost in Fandom. Crowne Plaza Silicon Valley, 32083 Alvarado-Niles Rd., Union City, CA. (www.shinjukucon.com#!lost-in-fandom/cjg9) Dec 26-27th - Boxing Day Festival (Edwardian) - Balboa Park, San Diego, CA. Facebook event page. Southern California Monthy Activities Every Sun - San Diego English Country Dancers. 6:00-9:00pm, Ranch Bernardo Swim and Tennis Club, 16955 Bernardo Oaks Dr., Rancho Bernardo, CA 92128. (www.sdecd.org) Every Sun - Maxwell DeMille’s Cicada Club. Live Music. (www.cicadaclub.com/weekly_ schedule.asp) 1st Fri - Simi Valley Waltz Practice. Victorian and modern dance. 7:30-9:30pm. Rancho Santa Susana Community Center, Dance Rm. 5005-C, Los Angeles Ave., Simi Valley, CA. (www.simivintagedance.com/simiwaltzpolka.html) 1st Sat - Miss Haseltine’s Drum. Lindburg Park Stone House, 5041 Rhoda Way, Culver City, CA. Except Jan & Jul. (www.regencyfriends.org/drum2012.html) 1st Sat - Cosplay Sewing Circle. 11:00am-6:00pm LASFS Back Room, 6016 Tyrone Ave., Van Nuys CA. (except July) You don’t have to be a LASFS member to check it out. Open to club members and non-members;­ be advised that club members pay $4 weekly dues, and after three free visits non-­members will be asked to join. Come to 3 for free! Lunch available, $1-­$2 donation suggested. [email protected] 1st Sun - Victorian Tea Dance. Scottish Rite Cathedral, 150 N. Madison Ave., Pasadena, CA 91101.1:30-5:30pm, $20. (www.victorianteaanddance.org) 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th Mon - West LA Sewing Circle. 6:30-11:00pm.­ Email [email protected] for info 2nd & 4th Sun - English Country Dance. 4:00pm. Lindberg Park Stone House, 5041 Rhoda Way, Culver City, CA. (www.caldancecoop.org) 2nd Tues - South Bay Sewing Circle. Jennifer Byrd at [email protected] 2nd and 4th Fri - English Country Dance, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 122 S. California Ave., Monrovia, CA. 7:30-10pm.­ $5 pp, no partner/ experience needed. Contact Todd Brun, [email protected] 3rd Fri - Simi Valley Victorian Dance, Simi Valley Senior Center, Rm 116, 3900 Avenida Simi, Simi Valley, CA. [email protected] 3rd Sat - Orange County English Country Dance. Anaheim Downtown Community Center. 250 E. Center St., Anaheim, CA. (www.ocecd.sdecd.org) Monthly - Cocktails in Historic Places™. Hosted by Art Deco Society Los Angeles. (www.adsla.org) If your group has events planned, or there are events you feel the membership would enjoy that we may have forgotten, please email us the details at [email protected].

- Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® - 29 Looking Ahead Jan 24th - Jane Austen Tea Social - 1:30-5:30pm, $20. (www.victorianteaanddance.org) Feb 12-14th - Gallifrey One - Dr. Who Convention. Los Angeles Airport Marriott, 5855 W. Century Blvd., Los Angeles, CA. Tickets sold out. (www.galifreyone.com) Mar 6th - Alice in Wonderland Tea Social - 1:30-5:30pm, $20. (www.victorianteaanddance.org) Apr 8-10th - Emerald City Comicon. Seattle, WA. (www.emeraldcitycimicon.com) Apr 29th-May 1st - Party Like A Vanderbilt, season 2- Dream weekend at the Biltmore Estate, Asheville, NC. (http://theperfectouchvictorian. blogspot.com/2015/08/party-like-vanderbilt-season-2.html) Museum Exhibits NEW! Star Wars: The Force Awakens - display of costumes and props, “Laser lightsaber curtain show” before the movie, “cosplay and cocktails” Dec 18, 2015 - Feb 7, 2016. El Capitan theatre, Los Angeles, CA. (https://elcapitantheatre.com/event/1358/showtimes/2015-12-17) Hooped: Dress of the 1860s - Aug 24, 2015-Feb 20, 2016. FIDM Orange County, 17590 Gillette Ave., Irvine, CA. Free to the public. M-F, 9a-5p. By appt only, call Cheryl Iannello 949-851-6200, x173 Art of the Fold: Drawings of Drapery and Costume - collection of studies of drapery and costume Oct 6, 2015 - Jan 10, 2016. The Getty Center, Los Angeles, CA. (www.getty.edu/visit/exhibitions/future.html) In Focus: Daguerrotypes - Exhibition of examples from the first two decades of the medium. Nov 3, 2015 - March 20, 2016. The Getty Center, Los Angeles, CA. (www.getty.edu/visit/exhibitions/future.html) Television Out of the Box - Props & costumes from 50+ years of Warner Bros. TV. Wed-Sun through 2015. Paley Center, Los Angeles, CA. $10 adults, $8 seniors/students, $5 under 13. (www.paleycenter.org/tp-television-out-of-the-box) Sublime Beauty: Raphael’s “Portrait of a Lady with a Unicorn” - Renaissance masterpiece, 1st time in U.S. Jan 9 - May 15, 2016. Legion of Honor Museum, San Francisco. (www.legionofhonor.famsf.org/exhibitions/sublime-beauty-raphaels -portrait-lady-unicorn) Upcoming Films - Watch this section for “CGW Goes to the Movies” updates! Dec 4th - Macbeth - based on Wm. Shakespeare play of the same name. Dec 18th - Star Wars: Episode VII-The Force Awakens.CGW Goes to the Movies! Feb 2016 - Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - Based on the book. Feb 2016 - Jane Got a Gun - A woman asks her ex-lover for help to save her outlaw husband. April 2016 - The Jungle Book - Orphan boy raised in the jungle by wolves, a bear, and a panther. May 2016 - Alice Through the Looking Glass July 2016 - Star Trek Beyond July 2016 - Knights of the Roundtable Television of Interest Supergirl - CBS, Mon, 8pm PST/ 7pm CST (www.cbs.com/shows/supergirl) The Flash - CW, Tues, 8pm PST/ 7pm CST (www.cwtv.com/shows/the-flash)

30 - Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® - Colophon & Contacts Costumer’s Guild West, Inc. is Southern California’s costuming enthisiast group. We welcome all costumers from hobbyist to professional and novice to master, whether histoical, science fiction, or fantasty. The mission of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc. is to promote the love of costuming, be it making, wearing, or simply appreciating. Membership Type Price U.S. resident – paper or electronic $30 Canada/ Mexico resident – electronic Squeals $31 Canada/ Mexico resident – paper Squeals $38.50 Other International resident – electronic Squeals $36 Other International resident – paper Squeals $47.50 Additional Household Membership* - Household Memberships $15 only available when added to a full membership. Remember, you can switch your hardcopy Squeals subscription to eSqueals any time! Just send a note to [email protected] with the email address to which you’d like to receive Squeals. It may take a month or two to process your request. CGW website: www.costumersguild.org E-mail discussions: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/CGWcostumers/info Facebook: https://facebook.com/CostumersGuildWest https://www.facebook.com/CostumeCollege Twitter: @CGWInc & @CostumeCollege Instagram: @CGWInc & @CostumeCollege Tumblr: http://costumersguildwest.tumblr.com/ & http://costumecollege.tumblr.com/ CGW Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/groups/961007@N24/ Costume College Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/groups/costumecollege/ Officers of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® President: Eileen Smolenski, [email protected] Vice President: Becky Thelin, [email protected] Recording Secretary: Zoe Jones, [email protected] Treasurer: Annette Grace, [email protected] Corresponding Secretary: Rebecca Howard, [email protected] Director at Large: Dani Crum, [email protected] Director at Large: Lorri Gums, [email protected] Director at Large: Maryann Jones, [email protected] Director at Large: Heather Pritchett, [email protected] Appointed positions Costume College 2016 Dean: Dani Crum, [email protected] Events: Becky Thelin, [email protected] Parliamentarian: Kerry Wolf, [email protected] Scholarship Committee Chair: Colleen Crosby, [email protected] Bookkeeper: Natalie Meyer, [email protected] Membership Development: Eileen Smolenski, [email protected] Website Administrator: Colleen Crosby, [email protected] Social Media Coordinator: Becky Thelin, [email protected] Outreach: Lorri Gums, [email protected] Operations Director: Tim Jones, [email protected] Many thanks to this month’s contributors and to the Squeals editorial staff. Editor-in-Chief: Rebecca Howard, [email protected] Cover Editor: Eileen Smolenski Copy Editor: Laura Rubin, Diane Yoshitomi Distributing Editor: Robin Johnson

- Squeals, the official newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.® - 31 Costumer’s Guild West, Inc. wishes you and yours a joyous holiday season!