Dryad - Narnia Costume Profile

I was invited to a super fun birthday party the last week of January. The invitation stated; Please come as one of your favorite characters from one of these books: The Chronicles of Narnia, Inheritance Cycle, The Wingfeather Saga, The Hobbit, Dragons in Our Midst, Lord of the Rings, The Mysterious Benedict Society, or Viking Quest.

Woah. What a fun collection of choices! It was a hard decision, but I've always loved the dryads in the Narnia books and have been looking for an excuse to make this costume anyways. :^)  

I made this waist cincher a week or two ago, with no real plan or purpose for it. But once I began sketching out my ideas for my dryad costume, I KNEW I had to include this lovely to the design.  

I used a metallic gold look leather purse to trim the edges of the front of the cincher, and added little leaf shapes to add interest. 

Seamstress Confession: I use a hot glue gun in my sewing a LOT more than I ever thought I should. [Not, of course for Historical garments]. But I stuck these little leather leaflets in place with hot glue, and then stitched them in permanent place. It can gum up your machine needle if you get to much right along the edge you are sewing, but just tack it in the center if your stitching the edge, and you can avoid this. It keeps it secure better than pins at this point, cause all the thick layers, the pins don't do a whole lot. [or they bend and then are completely useless!]. I've also hot glued patches in place on stretchy fashion fabric or on leather vests/jackets, where it's hard to keep pins straight. 

Here I am below with the birthday girl, who was Bonnie, a Dragon/Human from the books Dragons In Our Midst. 

I just wore the one shoulder 'dress' over a green long sleeved tee and green leggins. 

Here I am with Hope, a Miniature Tauriel, from the new Hobbit movies. [Grace, aka Bonnie, made the Taurial costume!!] 

I made some hair decorations to match the dress and cincher. [ahem; More hot glueness]  

I did some fun viney/leafy paint designs on my face and chest with acrylic paint. 

I added little strips of the same colors of fabric in the dress and leaves and braided them in to my hair, just pinned them to be flowing and twisted them to other sections. 

Thanks for stopping by!!

-Kerry-