Mambocat's Halloween Costume Challenge

It's almost Halloween! I was reminded of this fact by a ...

Floral news update... from my friend Judith, who read my post from the 19th (A Naked Lady, and A Dilemma). She advised me by phone that her Grandma used to say that hurricane lilies are called "naked ladies" because "all you have is a bare stem with a flower on top, like a naked lady wearing nothing but a big fancy red hat."

I LOVE THAT IMAGE.

So now I can hear Randy Newman in the soundtrack in my head...."take off your dress ... yes, yes, yes .... but you can leave your hat on ... you can leave your hat on...."

Hats, naturally, make me think of costumes. And costumes make me think of Halloween.

Okay, I can't help it. I'm forty-five years old and, each year, as October approaches, I still turn into a six-year-old.

Halloween is my favorite holiday. It involves three of my favorite things:

1. chocolate.
2. costumes.
3. scary movies.

Being a Louisianian, I am fortunate to have two costuming occasions each year, what with Mardi Gras and all.

This Halloween, I thought it would be fun, in the spirit of costume dedication, to offer


Mambocat's Halloween Costume Challenge

Rules:

1. You must design and knit a Halloween costume or Halloween wig for either a pet or for a completely inanimate object -- a toaster, birdfeeder, or mailbox, for example.

2. The main body of the item must be knitted. Crochet, embroidery or other needle-art techniques may be used for embellishment or edgings.

3. If the costume is made for a pet or for a small child's toy (such as a Teddy bear), safety must be taken into consideration -- it must not contain items such as wiggle eyes, which can be easily chewed off and swallowed or choked upon.

4. You may enter as many costumes as you like.

5. Your choice of theme -- whimisical, ghoulish, funky, camp.... it's up to you! Size does not matter. Knit a tiny, yet scary toilet tissue cozy if you want ... or an enormous and funny costume for your mastiff.

6. Each item must be photographed individually, and must be displayed upon the pet or object for which it was designed. Each photo must be accompanied by a relatively brief e-mail text detailing materials used. You may also include instructions for your pattern if you so desire, but this is not necessary. Each costume may have a name or title, but this is not required. Send each entry to:

dezcrawford@hotmail.com

7. No attempt whatsoever at impartiality will be made. Winner will be chosen based solely and entirely on which costume makes Mambocat laugh the loudest. Extra points will be awarded for originality, absurdity, satire and/or use of unusual knitting materials. Even more points will be awarded if your entry makes Mambocat blow diet root beer out of her nose. If there is a flat-out tie, Mambocat will flip a coin, or she will ask her husband to cast the tiebreaker vote.

8. Winning photo and top three runners-up will be posted on this blog.

9. Winner will receive a couple of skeins of ghoulishly festive yarn, a Louisiana treat, and other Trick-or-Treat goody-bag items, to be revealed when the winner is announced. Runners up will each receive a couple of free original patterns from the Knitting Asylum.

(Editorial note: please imagine, in this exact location, a photo of festive yarn and Halloween prizes. Blogger is being snotty, I was lucky to upload one picture today).

10. DEADLINE: All entries must be submitted by 12:00 noon, Central Standard Time (USA) on October 25th, 2006, so the winner may receive his/her Knitting Trick or Treat Bag in time for the holiday..

Don't just sit there -- get to work! You surely must be able to come up with something better than a pumpkin hat for a pink flamingo, hmm?

--Mambocat