I love halloween! Not the scary parts... i just like the dressing up - and as a plus sized lady, sometimes finding a fantastic costume is not always the easiest. Plus, this year I have been super busy, and I didn't have much time. So, here is my take on an easy DIY Death Eater costume!

For the mask, I silver spray painted a plastic mask I got from a party store, then I brush painted a design on it using black acrylic paint, and went over it again with a silver acrylic paint pen (except for the grill of the mouth). Lastly I did a super light spray of black spray paint all around, and especially around the eyes to give it a darker look.

​I bought Marvolo's ring a long time ago, so I thought it was fitting that I wore it with this costume, and I bought the lacey bracelet, because I thought it would be a nice cool detail to go with the look.

No death eater costume is complete without the Dark Mark and a wand. I bought the dark mark tattoo on Amazon Smile (benefitting the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir). The wand I made on my own a while ago using a wooden dowel, hot glue, and acrylic paint.

And finally, if you look at the photos of the Death Eaters, they don't really wear a cape, but it's more like a long hooded vest. So I bought a long black cape, also from Amazon Smile, and I cut open the seams where my arm would go through. I cut 10 inches of the seam, and it fit my arm just right. It's a stretchy fabric, so it didn't dig into my arm or anything, but I think next time, I'd give myself at least 12 inches.

My clothes underneath the cape were mostly things that I already had. From the inside out: leggings and a camisole, then I wore over the knee boots from Torrid, a corset from Adore Me*, and threw on a shrug so I had some sleeves going through the armholes of the cape.

*A note about the corset, I am a size 18/20 and I bought their 4XL corset and it was way too small. I ended up buying satin ribbon from Michaels and re-laced it so that I could wear it. It didn't really matter anyway, since the cape was gonna cover the back, and I was wearing a camisole underneath; it looked fine from the front.

So there it is... my easy peasy plus-sized female Death Eater DIY costume!!!

There must have been something in my coffee or something, cuz I am still up at 12:30 am. I baked a lemon bar, a chocolate cake, and recorded a song!

I have been walking around singing this and beatboxing my way through my days, and finally, i decided to record it. I didn't even listen to it first before I started recording. It was in my head, so I sat down, opened Garage Band, and just started with the beat. I knew the song well enough to go straight through with the beat just once! If you listen carefully, there are times I missed a kick, or messed up words, but otherwise, i sang these straight through with a few parts punched in. With that said, there are some pitchy parts and a part where i couldn't quite hit the low note - i'm too tired to redo them... hahaha! PLUS if you listen carefully, there are a couple of phone buzzes and a random DING! a text from my bf! hahaha!

And so I present to you the the not-so-polished, not-so-mixed, not-so-perfect acapella cover of Lorde's Royals. :)

Thank god for FB, I can look back and remember how awesome 2012 was:

• I took 2 music classes (passed one of them)
  
• Saw Beach Blanket Babylon for the first time
  
• Had a month long bDay celebration
  
• Started a relationship (Ended a relationship)
  
• Renamed “Chu On Cakes” and created 5 cake pop designs, 9 cakes, 16 cookie designs, and a over a hundred lemon bars
  
• recorded twice in a studio as back up vocals
  
• attended 4 weddings
  
• went wine tasting 2x
  
• completed 4 endurance events: the Shortest Triathlon Ever for the 3rd year in a row, a half marathon (that’s 13.1 miles!), a non-intentional 10k turned 5k, and a actual holiday 5k with my personal best finishing time
  
• met Tyler Florence
  
• visited Boston and met Dr. Brazelton
  
• went camping and white water Level 3/4 rafting for the first time
  
• watch the A’s almost get to the World Series
  
• Helped a friend start a business
  
• Voted for Obama
  
• munchkin-ized for the 2nd year in a row (with lots of pictures being taken!)
  
• felt like a rockstar during the OIGC holiday season
  
• many drinks and fun times with friends!
  
• Increasingly learned to love myself for who I am and embrace the awesomeness within…
  

May you all have a wonderful new year filled with growth, epiphanies, and lots of friends and laughter! work hard, play hard, eat hard, love hard... life is good - with music, friends, and food :)

Bring it on 2013!