Dueling Rapunzels

Once again, 

my princesses have chosen

to dress up as the same character 

for Halloween.

Do you remember when they both

wanted to be Alice in Wonderland?

You can see more pictures

of those costumes HERE.

But this year,

they both wanted to be Rapunzel.

Now, you will notice, 

in the above photo, 

that neither girl is wearing 

an enormous blond wig.

Well, India made one for herself.

It was beautiful!

But it wouldn't stay on her head.

So, she is holding it on in these pictures.

Oh, and I finally took these photos

yesterday, after both girls had

worn their costumes several times.

Yeah, bad photos.

I have to say,

these costumes frustrated me!

I made each girl's costume differently,

based on their preferences.

India, with her love of corsets,

got a boned and very structured

bodice for her top.

I used McCalls 4107 and added sleeves and a front panel,

as well as lace, to make her top.

I had to re-cut the bodice because the original was much too low.

India's daddy would have put her up in Rapunzel's tower

before letting her out of the house

in the original low cut bodice!

We found every single fabric

for these costumes in the Red Tag

area in Joann's Fabrics. 

And they were all 50% off the Red Tag

price when we bought them.

Nothing was over $3.00 a yard.

The fabric for India's skirt and upper sleeves

was a polyester crepe.

I really struggled with the colors and fabrics

for these costumes, because I wanted

them to really look like Rapunzel's in 

the "Tangled" movie.

That wasn't going to happen for us,

so the bargain bin worked fine!

I was rather obsessive

about the sleeves.

I liked how they were close-fitted

and appeared to be knit.

So I found this nylon tricot knit

for $1.00 a yard and it worked perfectly!
I drafted the sleeves to fit 

the armscyes and then then cut the lower

sleeve to India's specifications.

 

I used a gorgeous polyester and metallic

tapestry brocade for India's bodice.

This is actually the back side 

as it showed more of the purple

and pink colors and was less glitzy.

This is an awful picture,

but India painted on the skirt designs

with paint pens. 

I tried to machine embroider the designs

on the skirt, but it didn't work out.

But I think her designs were lovely.

I used Butterick 5421 for the skirt, 

but I cut the skirt larger,

so I could add pleats, and 

added a waistband.

I was not thrilled with how badly

the crepe wrinkled, 

but then, I had to remind myself 

that these were costumes 

and my girl was happy with the result.

For Ahnalin's costume,

I used Simplicity 2065

But, as usual, I made alterations.

First of all, I cut a size 4 around

and a size 7 in length.

The pattern called for organza for

the lower sleeve, and the overskirt.

Well, as above, I preferred the look of

the knit sleeve, so I used the tricot.

And Ahnalin absolutely refused

to allow anything "itchy" in her costume,

so there was no organza or tulle

allowed anywhere near her.

And, she reminded me, 

that the "Real Rapunzel" didn't have

a poufy skirt!

She had a "swingy skirt". 

We found this great embroidered border

lace yardage in the clearance section for $2.00

a yard, and it was relatively soft.

So we nabbed the last 2 yards they had.

This is actually pretty different from the
"Real Rapunzel" dress, but she liked 

the sequins and it saved me some

time, so we went with it!

And besides that, it twirled well.

I loved the pale lilac sparkle satin

I used for the underskirt.

It had a tiny bit of lycra in it so it 

draped very nicely. 

$2.00 a yard was nice too!

The lace was something that I have had in 

my stash since high school!

I think I have actually used the last of it now,

but it was perfect!

Did I mention that I am crazy about these sleeves?

Aw yes, the Classic Ahnalin pose!

Aw....food dye in Halloween candy!

Thankfully she is not affected by blue!

Most of her candy was thrown out

due to her issues with corn syrup 

and red food dye. 

But she was livin' it up with the blue!

Oh, and a note about the lack of

a long blond wig......

she refused.

She said a wig would make the costume

"too obvious". 

Heehee!!!

I wish this wasn't fuzzy, 

because my dueling Rapunzels were

so cute together.

India Doing Her Thing

One of India's friends from back home,

John Stevens II,

shot this video the other day

while on India's boat at the 

Storybook Land Canal Boats.

India will be finished with her 

Disney College Program 

next month and will be

back at college this school year.

She LOVES her job

at Disneyland and can hardly 

wait to go back next year!

Thanks for filming this John!

54 Hours With India..........

.......and we made every hour count!

India flew in from Anaheim very late

Tuesday night.

This trip was a combination Father's Day

present for Don, and a

"Get'er done" trip for India.

And silly Mama(!!) was having 

so much fun, that she didn't take 

many photos with the camera.

So, you will have to see a few

"trombone arm" photos from my cell phone instead.

Wednesday morning, both girls

climbed into my bed to snuggle 

and watch "Phineas And Ferb".

They have missed each other so much!

So after a morning of serious snuggling,

and Banana Crumb Muffins for breakfast,

(Click that link, you won't be sorry!)

we hopped into the van to head for 

Discovery Kingdom.

We had gotten season passes and 

still needed to get India's picture taken to 

activate hers. 

She can use it at Magic Mountain down South,

and Ahnalin wanted to show her the sharks,

butterflies, walrus, dolphins, sting rays, 

penguins, and...and...and...

Ahnalin had to show her 

the "Walrus window".

They got rock candy together

(no corn syrup or red dye, lucky Ahnalin!)

Ahnalin was hoping that butterflies 

would land on them.

After a few hours at Discovery Kingdom,

we drove back home

and had to get to the church

for rehearsal. 

India worked on her resume in Daddy's office

while Ahnalin hoola-hooped.

After rehearsal, we came home

and ate enchiladas (India's request)

and then India finally got to snuggle with Daddy!

Thursday morning, we went over

to Santa Rosa Junior College

to get India registered, assessed,

financial-aided, and counseled.

India was impressed at how gorgeous

the campus was and how professional 

everyone was.

She is excited to start school again!

Then we ran to the mall,

so she could speak to the manager

of the Disney Store about

working there in the Fall.

The girls bought Tinkerbell Light Up Jelly shoes

to match!

(India's cast member discount works 

at the Disney Store too!)

 Because we did not get to celebrate

India's anniversary in February,

we had our special dinner Thursday night.

We always celebrate India's 

diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes,

because we are grateful for her and 

for each year of health.

India always requests steak and artichokes!

After dinner, we all went to

see "Pirates Of The Caribbean- On Stranger Tides"

at the cheap theater.

The girl's shoes were lighting up the whole time.

It was so funny!

After the movie,

we went home for a few 

short hours of sleep because India's flight

was to leave bright and early Friday morning.

Friday morning, we left the house at 5:00AM 

for the Charles Schulz airport

here in Santa Rosa.

Fortunately it is only a 15 minute drive.

This airport is so tiny, 

that you are actually allowed to park 

right in front, 

as in 15 feet away from the door!

I got the one and only family picture

of this short little visit there at the airport.

It was short, but very nice

Father's Day present for Daddy

to have both of his girls together for a few days.

So, India is back at the 

Disney College Program now.

She graduates from the program

next month.

We are so very proud of her!!!

We miss her so much!!

But we know she has learned so much

and grown up so much while 

working in "Fantasyland".

Thank you for your continued prayers

for my India. 

If you happen to visit Disneyland

between now and 

August 10,

you can visit her at the 

Storybook Land Canal Boats

in Fantasyland. 

Did I mention that I am a proud mama?

My Very Own Special Disneyland Trip

Last Friday, 

after dropping a weepy Ahnalin off at school,

 Don, aka my Hot Rockin' Hubby, 

drove me to Oakland airport.

He kissed me, unloaded my 

pink suitcase, 

told me I would survive the flight, 

and that it was highly unlikely

that my plane would be hijacked

by terrorists,

and drove back home.

I should mention here that

on Wednesday, just 2 days prior,

he started having fevers

and on Thursday he came home sick 

from work.

He was still really sick when he sent 

me on my way.

I felt awful leaving him, 

and the weepy Ahnalin,

who felt it was entirely unfair

that I was going to visit her sister

in Disneyland, 

without her.

But the tickets were bought,

and I could hardly wait to see my India!

After checking myself in,

(Boy! Things have changed in air travel!)

I treated myself to two 

completely frivolous magazines

and a salad to take on the plane. 

I did not take any sewing 

or smocking on this trip.

It felt REALLY weird to not be

carrying scissors or needles in my bags,

but I was trying to go carry-on-only.

I failed, however, because I 

forgot that I had full sized lotions

and sunscreen bottles 

that I would have had to throw out.

So, I checked the pink suitcase.

And Don was right.

No terrorists were on my plane.

Phew!

After landing in LAX and taking 

the shuttle to my hotel,

I just laid on the bed and read my book,

(Austenland by Shannon Hale, rereading for the

umpteenth time!)

alone, for awhile.

Boy did that feel weird!

Nothing that I had to accomplish

and those wonderful Hilton beds!

 Oh yeah, believe it or not,

the Hilton was the cheapest hotel 

deal last weekend!!!!
Not sure why, but it was cheaper

than Motel 6 when I booked! 

Wahoooo!!!

My sweet girl!!

When she got off work, we stuffed all her bags

in a locker and went into the park!

India had been dying to show me 

the Mary Blair exhibit at the Disney Gallery.

Mary Blair was the artist behind so much of the 

art used in Disneyland,

especially "It's A Small World".

Not a great picture of this,

but we got to "Join Jack's Crew"

for the 3-D promo of the

new Pirates of the Caribbean movie.

We ate Fried Green Tomato sandwiches at 

the Hungry Bear Restaurant.

They serve them with sweet potato fries

and pineapple cole slaw. 

So yummy!!

We just bummed around the park a while

and then walked back to our hotel

to pass out for the night.
It was SO GOOD to be with my girl!

Saturday morning, she had to  be at work

at 7:45, and the park didn't open until 8.

So, I accompanied her to her drop off point,

and then embarrassed her by taking this picture.

She said it was a "First day of first grade" moment.

Heehee!

I walked back to the hotel

and showered and read my book some more.

Then I decided to go to an early showing of

"Something Borrowed" by myself.

I LOVED the book by Emily Griffin.

So I practically ran from my hotel

to the theater in Downtown Disney,

to make the 10:30 showing.

By the time I got there, my feet 

were covered in blisters.

I was wearing the CUTEST new

orange Teva sandals for the first time,

and had not broken them in yet. 

Not smart!

Outside the theater was this wax figure

of Jack Sparrow, 

advertising the new movie. 

I actually had to touch it to make sure it 

was not real. 

So lifelike it was freaky!!

After my movie, I walked around a while and 

then went back to my hotel to rest my feet

before meeting up with India after work.

We went right over Disney California Adventure

to go on our Cast Preview of 

the Little Mermaid Ride!!

You can't see it, but that sign reminded 

us that because this was a preview,

and the ride was not yet open to 

the public, we had to refrain 

from talking about it on "social media."

So, all I can tell you is that it

was 

AH-MAZ- ZING!!!!!!!

We went on it twice and it was

so worth the wait!!!! 

It opens next week and 

I highly recommend it.

I took this while we waited in line at the Little 

Mermaid ride.

Ribs, fries and coleslaw! 

After dinner, I saw on my Mouse Wait

phone app that  Star Tours

was open. They had been

opening it for a few hours off and on

to test it. So, we ran over to Tomorrowland

and got in line! They closed the line right after us!

It was fabulous!!!!

It should be officially open to the public

next week.

Inside the House of Tomorrow in

Innoventions 

in Tomorrowland.

More House of Tomorrow

This is "ElecTronic" at DCA.

It is a huge dance party with the 

futuristic "Tron" theme.

After Electronica, we 

caught a shuttle back to the hotel

and stewed in the jacuzzi until the 

security guard kicked us out to close it.

Sunday morning, I suggested

that we go to an early showing of the new

Pirates movie, but India wanted to sleep in

on those super cozy beds.

So, we hung out until check out time

and then took the shuttle back to 

the resort area. 

We ate brunch at Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen

in Downtown Disney

and it was SO GOOD.

Thankfully, India's cast member discount

really helped our meal budget!

I DID take makeup to wear on this trip.

I did. 

I just never put it on. 

I wish I had for the sake of cute

pictures, but I would have cried

or laughed it all off anyway!

We shopped around a while

and I bought a few last souvenirs

for Don and Ahnalin. 

When I told Ahnalin that I would

buy her whatever she wanted,

she told me she wanted Kettle Corn!

So, that is what she got!

I asked India to say a little hello

to Daddy and Ahnalin.

I grabbed her and hugged her 

several more times......

and cried.

And then it was time for India to go 

backstage to dress for work.

I walked back to the hotel and

waited for my shuttle to the airport

My flight was late,

and I got several frantic phone calls from home, 

both from Don and other family members.

Don's fever had shot up to 103.5

and everyone was very concerned.

So my inlaws decided to drive down

from Grass Valley, to the airport

in Oakland to pick me up so that Don

would not be on the road.

They stayed over night with us

and Dad drove Don to work the next

day and stayed around so Don 

would not have to drive.

Don was sick the rest of the week,

but finally went back to work yesterday.

He is FINALLY getting better.

I had a wonderful, wonderful time with 

India. I felt terrible leaving my sick hubby

but was so glad to be with India.

Now that Don is finally getting well,

I can get my house back together, 

and get back to sewing!