Sunday, October 12, 2014

What the Art Teacher Wore #118 Whilst Fall Breakin'!

Fall Breakin': If they ever decide to take away my fall break, I don't know what I'll do. Aside from take a week-long sick leave, that is. totes ensemble: some thrifted, some new, all Target label 

Kids, I recently discovered some disturbing news: not all the world experiences the magic that is Fall Break. And my heart weeps for those peeps, y'all. With all my glorious days of freedom, I gotta admit, I've totes lost track of time. Therefore this outfit/vacay post will be random and nonsensical. Well, more so than the ushe, kids (yes, I linked you to Urban Dictionary. I'm tryin to keep you young -n- hip, yo). I kicked off my fall break by traveling to and presenting at Bowling Green State University. It was so much fun even if I was nervous/excited/happy/spazzy all at one time (again, just the ushe). 
I was SUPER stoked to (finally) meet Beth Sheets who orchestrated the whole affair and Laura of the fantastic art teacherin' blog Painted Paper (follow the link, Laura has all of her super fab fall projects up right now!) as well as the fabulous students, art educators and professors all linked to Bowling Green State University. Y'all. What a beautiful campus that is. Brought back so many happy (albeit super stressed) memories of college life. 
 Knott's Scary Farm: Which is a complete lie as Knott's was pretty stinkin' scary. They always manage to spook the hubs and I early in the night. But as the eve goes on, we're all, "yeah, you have a chainsaw and a mangled foot hanging out of your mouth but could you please pardon me, I'm on my way to the restroom. Cute third eye, btw." jacket: Modcloth, old; dress: picked up in Burbank at a cute shop called Audrey K. Click here for some cute Halloween attire on her website; crinoline: amazon; sandals: Chacos. My theme park footwear of choice. 

On Wednesday, hubs and I flew out to sunny So-Cal for our annual Halloweenin' adventure. I had my suitcase stuffed with every Halloween garment I've created (um, what'd they do multiply? Holy creepy clothes, Freddy Krueger, I have a ton!) and we were on our way. First stop: Knott's Scary Farm. 
If you've never been to Knott's Scary Farm and you are local, you should totes go. The "mazes" (what I call "haunted houses") are great fun with fantastical sets and atmosphere. There were close to a dozen mazes and each one had it's own unique theme and storyline.
The Trick or Treat house was one of my faves. Don't you love the outside? How fun was that set to create, right?
Our fave part was easily the Elvira show. You know that lady is like 63?! And every bit as hilarious, gorgeous and busty as ever. At one point she rapped a ditty about herself to the tune of Iggy Azalea's Fancy and nailed it. 
Olvera Street is My Jam: Suriously, y'all. I coulda spent all day there. The atmosphere was super fun what with el Dia de los Muertos approaching. Not only that but I absolutely love the style of traditional Mexican clothing: the embroidery, the bright colors, the vintage style. I managed to scoop up several fun pieces that I'll be sharing with y'all in outfit posts to come, I'm sure. sweater and dress: Halloween DIY by me
I hadn't been to Olvera Street in several years and since my students are currently learning about the culture of Latin America, I thought now would be the perfect time. I really loved every aspect of the street, especially the clothing.
 Oh, and the masks!
AND the Day of the Dead goods. There was so much to take in, I wish my students could field trip there! I snapped a ton of photos to create a prezi to share with them after break.
That night we went to Universal Studio's Halloween Horror Nights in Hollywood. Y'all. I filmed a lil video of what they call the "Opening Scare-monies" just for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy.



I'm not braggin' when I say I'm like a haunted house vet because we've gone for years. But, honestly, this scared the crapola outta me! Hence the shaky camera. We were at the front of the line with about 100 plus people behind us. Where the film ends is where we took off running away from the chain-saw wielding maniacs. 
The following day, whilst out hitting my fave vintage shops, I found this! WHAT?! There's a Mood in Hollywood?! Don't mind if I do!
I loved that the window featured dresses that had been painted on. Each one was incredible. 
Before you ask, I didn't buy a single thing. Not a stitch. Here's why: a buddy of mine and I always joke that IKEA gives us fits because it's just so overwhelming. Well, here's Exhibit A that Mood is just the same. There were aisles upon aisles just like this. And after the little dog tried to bite my hand, I was all THANK YOU, MOOD! and out the door.
That eve hubs and I hit Disneyland with our first stop at California Adventure to see our fave band The Mad T Party. They put on four separate shows, each with a Halloween theme. The final show featured an incredible rendition of Thriller complete with zombie dancers. 
And now it's all over. Back to the real world soon. I hope that y'all have had a fantastical week! I'll be back with ya soon. Until then!



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4 comments:

  1. Anonymous10/15/2014

    Well, I found that all very interesting.
    Thank you, Cassie, for sharing your 'Fall Break'. It'll be 'Half-Term' in the UK in a couple of weeks.
    Halloween has only recently taken off here. Pumpkin Lanterns on doorsteps and Trick or Treating are now enjoyed by British kids and the supermarkets are stocking up Orange & Black Goodies.
    After that we have Bonfire Night on November 5th with firework displays.
    Enjoy the rest of your holiday.
    Granny G

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    1. Oh, Bonfire Night sounds fantastic!! That would be perfect for the weather we have here. Thank you so much for reading and for leaving a comment, I appreciate it!

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  2. Hi Cassie, it's me again, a first-year art teacher with obnoxious questions not related to the post! :) I ordered the Crayola mixing watercolors that you recommended, but I wondered, what kind of paper do you normally use them with? I was trying them out with Pacon construction paper and it seemed like I had to use a lot of pigment to get the colors to show up, so I wondered if you use a different kind of paper or do something different to get the colors to be vibrant when the students paint with them? Also, do you have a favorite size of the Royal Langnickel paintbrushes? Thanks for sharing your wisdom with us newbies! :)

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    1. Hey Hannah! Oh, I'm so glad you asked this question as I found out the answer to this at the beginning of the year! Construction paper is very absorbent and it seems to suck the life right out of paint. I found this out when I used it instead of white paper at the start of the school year (my supply order had not arrived and I was desperate). I promise, it's the paper, not the paint. I use 60- 80 lbs white paper. I am not picky about the brand, it's the weigh that matters. The heavier the paper, the more paint, glue, etc it can withstand without tearing, wrinkling or warping (and if it does warp, no worries, just set an iron on low and iron the artwork flat! I do it all the time.) For the langnickel brushes, I order the rounds. They come in a variety of sizes. I also have some of their larger ones in flats. I hope that helps!

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