Costume Finder Fancy Dress Blog

Valentine’s Day Ideas.

posted by caroline On January - 29 - 2010 1 COMMENT

Valentine’s day is almost upon us, and if you’re anything like me you’ll be full of good intentions about getting
something wonderful and inspired for your loved one and end up rushing around at the last minute, trying to arrange a table somewhere but settling for a pizza and a naff card you got from the corner shop. Sound familiar? Well fear not, because instead of the forward planning I should be doing, I’ve come up with some ideas on how to wow your main squeeze, on a budget too!

A home-cooked meal: This can be something simple yet elegant, pasta dishes are so easy and there are a million and one of them, try sites like epicurious.com, or recipezaar.com for thousands of tried and tested recipes. Cheat a little and buy in a nice pudding, or just some chocolate sauce and whipped cream if you fancy a Last Tango in Paris-style dessert! A few candles scattered about the home can really create the right atmosphere. This idea can suit all pockets too.

A home-made card: The idea behind this is that it’s cheap yet it shows a lot of thought has gone into it.
Maybe a collage of photo’s of you both? Or pictures of your beloved’s favourite things…which will include you
obviously!

A mix-tape: (Or disc for those of us who are too young to remember cassettes!) A collection of your mate’s fave tunes is again, not only cheap, but thoughtful too.

A day off: The idea behind this is that your partner gets a voucher entitling them to a day of total relaxation,
where they don’t lift a finger and you do everything. Obvious pitfalls here are that it could end up being a little
labour intensive!

Pamper session: Now if you don’t have the moolah to shell out on a spa, make sure you have a lovely hot bath ready for when they return from work and give them a lovely long massage afterwards, complete with some nice essential oils.

Shopping session: If you’re a little low on funds right now (and let’s face it, who isn’t just after Christmas?)
How about an IOU voucher, entitling them to one afternoon of shopping (I’d advise a spending limit!) With lunch thrown in? I guarantee you this will go down particularly well with most ladies, although the gents will appreciate it too.

And if any of these fail to please, then I give up! Perhaps they’d benefit from a new heart??

Popularity: 3% [?]

Categories: Fancy Dress, Twitter

Tags: budget, cheap, gifts, lover, present, valentine's

Dress up for Christmas!

posted by caroline On December - 23 - 2009 2 COMMENTS

So if you’re feeling especially spirited over the coming festive period (and I mean Christmas to New Year) why not dress up? You could go as a sexy Santa or elf, a wise man or a reindeer. New Year revellers could wear a kilt, or a mask, only to be taken off at the crucial hour to receive that Happy New Year kiss!

Santa – You can go traditional or put a sexy spin on this one.
Elf – See above really

Tree – For the more frivolous among us
Turkey – Ok, I’m not sure anyone can make this look sexy, but if you’re up for a challenge…………

Snowman – This could prove difficult to navigate in a packed pub but would be grand for a party!
Christmas Pudding – See above again, I bet you’d be warm in this, perfect for if temperatures drop.

A gingerbread person – You’d be so incognito in this one!
A penguin – Not exactly festive, but certainly seasonal!

A champagne bottle – This one is especially perfect for New Years!

If you don’t want to go the whole hog, how about the following accessories?

Reindeer Antlers – Easy to keep out of the way, and extremely portable!
Elf hat/turkey hat – See above.

A Santa hat – And I bet you’ll see a lot of these!
Glitter spray – Definitely one for the ladies, I think the most likely to add glamour to your evening.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Categories: Christmas, Fancy Dress

Tags: accessories, Christmas, Costume Ideas, Fancy Dress, festive, fun

The Perfect Christmas Goose!

posted by caroline On December - 23 - 2009 2 COMMENTS

If you fancy a real treat this Christmas, you can’t do better than a goose. Rich and filling, it makes a nice change from turkey but beware, they can be pricey. But it is only once a year!

Prep time: Up to 4 days.
Cooking time: Up to 5 Hours for a 12lb goose

Ingredients
12lb goose
270g rice
1 tablespoon of dried Shiitake mushrooms
1 egg
1 onion
Salt and pepper to season
2 glasses of sherry
stock

A frozen goose is a perfectly good substitute. Give it 24 to 48 hours to thaw before the meal (48 is best) Prick the goose skin well all over, especially on the breast and on the upper legs, holding the skewer almost parallel with the bird so as to avoid piercing the flesh.
Fill a very large pot 2/3 full of water (the pot should be large enough to almost accommodate the bird) and bring to a boil. Taking great care and using rubber gloves submerge bird (neck side down) for 1 minute.
Repeat the process (this time with the tail side down.) Drain the goose, breast side up on a rack in a large roasting pan and set in the refrigerator, naked, to dry the skin for 24 to 48 hours.
The night before Christmas, cook 270g of rice in about 5 cups of water. Drain and chill overnight. In the morning add some soaked, chopped dry shiitake mushrooms along with their soaking water with an egg beaten into it. Add a sautéed onion, plenty of salt and freshly ground pepper.
Season the bird inside and out with salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 160C degrees while you are stuffing and sewing up the bird.
Place it in the oven in a roaster and on a rack on its breast.
For a 12 lb. goose you’ll need a full 5 hours. Just close the oven and let it stay, undisturbed for 1.5 hours.
After this time, remove from the oven and baste liberally.
Turn the bird over on its back before you put it back in the oven for another 2.5 hours before you start checking for readiness.
To check if it’s ready, squeeze the upper drumstick (not thigh) lightly, using a piece of clean terry rag. If it feels squishy, like roast beef, it’s done. Every bird is different so you must judge when it is done.
When meat is done (be patient, it may take a while), raise the heat to 205C degrees. Remove the roaster from the oven and transfer bird (rack and all) to a tray with a rack.
Put it back in the oven for 15 minutes to further crisp and brown the bird. Take it out and let it rest, uncovered for half an hour.
Take the roaster, skim off the fat and deglaze with approx 2 glasses of sherry and some stock for an amazing gravy.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Categories: Christmas, Fancy Dress

Tags: Christmas, festive, food, goose, treats

The Pagan Roots of Christmas

posted by caroline On December - 23 - 2009 2 COMMENTS

Yule is the day of the winter solstice, and the longest night. This festival falls close to Christmas. As the Christians converted the Pagans, they adopted many of the country dwellers’ traditions to ease the acceptance of Christianity. The Celtic and Germanic/Nordic traditions are the biggest influence of Pagan plants on Christmas traditions.

Holly – Holly berries, cloaked in sharp green leaves, are at their brightest in winter. The Druids believed this plant to be sacred. It has been associated with winter magic and believed to repel evil. The Celts of the British Isles and Gaul believed the Holly King ruled over winter and death.In Scandinavian mythology, the holly belonged to Thor & Freya. The plant’s association with Thor’s lightning meant it could protect people from being struck by his bolts. The Norse and Celts would plant a holly tree near their homes to ward off lightning strikes.

Ivy – Ivy is an evergreen vine symbolizing immortality. It had been a symbol of eternal life in many pagan religions, including Druidism. The Christians who converted these Pagans embraced it as a symbol for the new promise of eternal life and Jesus’ everlasting one.

Mistletoe – Mistletoe is another plant that is sacred to the Celts and the Germanic/Norse. They believed the plant enhanced fertility because it stayed green in the winter.
The Druids believed the mistletoe’s magical properties extended beyond fertility. It was believed to cure almost any disease and was known as the all-healer. Sprigs fixed above doorways of homes were said to keep away lightning and other types of evil. Mistletoe was placed in baby cradles to protect them from faeries.
The custom of kissing under the mistletoe came from Norse legend. Frigga (goddess of love and beauty) had a son, Baldur. She wanted nothing to harm him and went through the earth getting all that came from the four elements, fire, water, air and earth, so that he would be safe. The only thing she overlooked was mistletoe.
Loki (mischievous trickster god) wanted to hurt Baldur, so, knowing Frigga neglected to ask the mistletoe not to harm Balder, he made an arrow from its wood, then took it to Hoder, Baldur’s blind brother, guided his hand and shot the arrow into Baldur’s heart. The boy died.
All living creatures tried to bring Baldur back to life for three days to no avail. Finally Frigga managed to revive her son with the help of the mistletoe. Her tears on the plant became white berries and she blessed the plant. Anyone who stands under the mistletoe plant would never be hurt and was entitled to a kiss, a token of love

Popularity: 5% [?]

Categories: Christmas, Fancy Dress

Tags: christianity, Christmas, druid, festive, goddess, influences, pagan

Tips for Vegetarian Guests at Christmas

posted by caroline On December - 23 - 2009 2 COMMENTS

We all have a friend or relative who’s a vegetarian or vegan, and with all the variety available nowadays there’s no need to subject them to a tofu roast or the inevitable mushroom risotto. Here are some tips for catering for your veggie friends at the dinner table this Christmas.

Talk to your guests!
Firstly find out whether your guest is a vegetarian or a vegan. Vegetarians don’t eat meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish, or any other product which has been made by killing an animal. They also tend to use free-range eggs. Vegans go a bit further by also cutting out milk, dairy products, eggs and honey. It’s also helpful to remember that vegetarians and vegans, like anybody else, may have food allergies or things that they just don’t like.

Read the labels
If you’re not used to shopping for vegetarians, the main things to watch out for are animal fat, gelatine and animal rennet (which can be used in cheese).Most supermarket cheeses now use vegetarian rennet, so just make sure you choose one with a label indicating that it is suitable for vegetarians. To avoid gelatine, read the ingredients label or look out for products approved by the Vegetarian Society (including veggie jelly crystals for your trifle). Christmas pudding and mincemeat traditionally contain suet, which is animal fat, but many brands now use a vegetable version.

Unfamiliar ingredients
You should be able to find the ingredients for our recipes in any large supermarket, but if you have difficulty getting hold of the ingredients you find in other vegetarian recipes, try your local health food shop. They will probably also have a good supply of nuts and dried fruit for everyone to enjoy and can usually be relied upon for good advice.

Make plenty
Whatever you decide to prepare for your veggie guest, allow for a couple of extra portions because the meat-eaters almost always want to try ‘just a little’…
Keep it separate
If you’re having a traditional Christmas dinner, your veggie guests will probably enjoy sharing the roast potatoes, veg and gravy, so cook them in vegetable oil, not with the meat! Vegetarian gravy granules and mixes are readily available in supermarkets and most of the stuffing mixes are suitable for vegetarians and vegans, so don’t forget to check the packet.

Ready-made options
If you don’t want to cook a separate dish, you shouldn’t have any trouble picking up a nut roast or other ready-made festive option from the supermarket or health food store. Just bear in mind that some vegetarians love meat substitutes, but others don’t enjoy food that looks and tastes like meat.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Categories: Christmas, Fancy Dress

Tags: Christmas, dinner, festive, meat, vegetarian

Make an Angel Decoration

posted by caroline On December - 23 - 2009 2 COMMENTS

This is a very simple, safe and quick way to amuse the children while creating cheap Christmas decor as well!

You will need:

Some card, coloured to the required skin tone
Thread or yarn
Gold-coloured tissue paper
Gold pen
Tracing paper
Gold pipe-cleaner
Felt tip pens
Glue stick

Instructions:
Cut a heart shape from tracing paper for your angel’s wings. Decorate with gold pen.
Cut a triangle from gold tissue paper Glue the triangle onto the tissue paper wings, pointy end up, to be the angel’s dress.
Cut a circle from your card and glue it to the point of the triangle for the face. Cut strands of wool for the angel’s hair, and glue on.
Fold the pipe-cleaner in half and form a loop in the centre. Twist the ends together and stick to the back of the head. This is the halo.
Finish by drawing on a face.
Stick to your window and watch the winter sun shine through!

Popularity: 4% [?]

Categories: Christmas, Fancy Dress

Tags: cheap, Children, Christmas, decoration, festive

Moar Lolcats for Christmas!!!

posted by caroline On December - 23 - 2009 2 COMMENTS

Yes, I know we’ve done Christmas lolcats. But the big day draws ever closer and this is the time I find I become the most fraught so I thought a little light relief was in order…………..enjoy!

See, all little ones find it hard to sleep on Christmas eve!

I think he’d have been better off asking for his dignity personally!

If this were my cat I’d sleep with one eye open tonight……or not at all!

Well, he kind of does have a point!

It seems a fair exchange to me! Who needs dignity when you’re drunk anyway??

Cats are hardly known for their patience anyway.

Or in some cases, for their Christmas spirit!

Popularity: 4% [?]

Categories: Christmas, Fancy Dress

Tags: Christmas, festive, funny, lolcat

Homemade Gift Idea Number 3, Homemade Soap.

posted by caroline On December - 23 - 2009 2 COMMENTS

Another crafty gift idea! This one isn’t really suitable to be made by very young children, but is great for keeping slightly older children occupied, and even better to receive! Again, really cheap and quick, but you may have to track down some of the ingredients first.

You will need:
Clear glycerine (small pieces)
Moulds (you may have some heart or flower shaped ones if you’re a craft sort, but a small plastic cup will do)
Small charms (easily obtained from any good craft shop or stall)
Essential oils for fragrance
Food colouring (This is entirely optional)

Instructions:
Put the pieces of glycerine into a Styrofoam cup and pop it in the microwave. Microwave on high for 30 second intervals until melted, add the colouring and oil and blend well. Fill the mould nearly half-full with the glycerine mix and let it set. Place your chosen charms on that half and fill up the mould with the rest of the glycerine, which you will probably need to reheat as before.
When set, pop out the soap and wrap in tissue or cling film. Place in a soap dish along with three or four other soaps you have made. Makes a lovely gift to a young girl or teenager, or as they are so easy to personalise, also older female relatives.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Categories: Uncategorized

Homemade Gift Idea Number 2, Personalised Bag.

posted by caroline On December - 23 - 2009 2 COMMENTS

These are especially great gifts if you have very young children, and relatives who live far away, as these can be made by kids as young as 3, and you could even do one each year to show their growing progress! They’re so quick, easy and best of all, cheap to make! Any Auntie or Grandma would proudly use one for their shopping, and it’s a great way for them to be environmentally-conscious as they won’t need plastic bags!

Materials Needed:
Canvas tote bag (these are so cheap and easy to find)
Fabric paint/fabric markers
Paint brush

The technique is the easiest thing in the world, all you need to do is paint one hand with fabric paint and stamp the handprint onto the plain, canvas bag. You can use the fabric paint and paint brush to write a personal message and add other details, such as your name and the date. You might wish to use fabric markers to do the writing for ease, as it’s not so easy to write with a paint brush.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Categories: Christmas, Fancy Dress

Tags: cheap, Children, Christmas, gifts, ideas, personalised, quick

Homemade Gift Idea Number 1, Bath Salts.

posted by caroline On December - 23 - 2009 2 COMMENTS

So we’re all a bit strapped for cash this year and the personal touch of a homemade gift will mean a lot, especially to older members of the family who will have been through lean times before. These aren’t advisable as gifts for your young nephew, I feel fairly certain he’d prefer a Transformer!

Materials
Pretty jar or bottle
Ribbon
Epsom salts
Food colouring
Wax paper
Perfume or essential oil (Jasmine and lavender are always popular)

Instructions:
Mix enough Epsom salts to fill your jar or bottle with the food colouring. Blend well so the colour is even. Add your perfume or essential oil and mix well again.
Spread the mixture out on a sheet of wax paper to dry for a couple of hours and then put it in the bottle or jar.
Decorate with the ribbon and perhaps attach a pretty personalised label.
The salts can be used immediately but the perfume or essential oil will smell stronger in the salts if it is allowed to sit in the jar for a few weeks.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Categories: Christmas, Fancy Dress

Tags: Christmas, gifts, ideas, last minute, personalised

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Costume Finder Fancy Dress Blog

Fancy Dress and Costumes for all occasions

Valentine’s Day Ideas.

Dress up for Christmas!

The Perfect Christmas Goose!

The Pagan Roots of Christmas

Tips for Vegetarian Guests at Christmas

Make an Angel Decoration

Moar Lolcats for Christmas!!!

Homemade Gift Idea Number 3, Homemade Soap.

Homemade Gift Idea Number 2, Personalised Bag.

Homemade Gift Idea Number 1, Bath Salts.

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