Costuming a bit of Nonsense...

Hats, jewels, gowns and costumes.  Will they be a part of your weekend?  Just a few more days to whip up any last minute ideas.

        

A masquerade ball under the glow of the full moonlight.  In the garden of good and evil.  Wouldn't that be sublime?  I know just who I would like to invite to play haunting melodies, perhaps even a harpist might entertain us?

I have a date...

        

And, my alter ego is just itching to come out for an evening of mystery and frolic...

        

I dare confess, my regular wardrobe has been accused of being a bit infused by costume.  Isn't that funny?  I had not even thought of it, until a gal made a mention one day many years ago.  It hasn't stopped me though ;) 

      

I quite love the days that women dressed in billowing gowns as daily wardrobe.  Although, it must have been quite exhausting.  Carrying around 40 pounds of ruffled frocks?

        

Last night as I was sewing up some curtains...

 

I thought about Halloween costume making frenzies.  How my Mom used to make me elaborate costumes-

   

and how Halloween was so super exciting.  I would squeal as loud as I could from the mere thought of dress-up and trick or treating.

I had my entire fluffy costume stuffed under my jacket.  I want a jacket like that in this day and age ;)

   

I adored trick or treating.  It was the absolute height of childhood dreams.  Bags and bags of candies.  What more could a kid ask for?

As I was thinking about that today, and dusting jars of this and that, I had a thought.  

   

Hear me out for a second if you will...

Sooo, I have these Nonsense Jars.  Filled with, well, nonsense :)  Junk Drawer sort of stuff.  All the bits and bobs you never know what to do with...

        

How super wonderful would it be, to have grown up trick or treating, where you give away junk.  Especially junk to put in Nonsense Jars.  Things you would sell in a yard sale or donate even.

You could give them away on Halloween, to adult trick or treaters.  Now that is what I am talking about...

        

Is that DREAMY or what?  Imagine, a neighborhood, where you go trick or treating and they give you treasure junk?  You could even bring a jar and have them pop a couple bits of nonsense into it as you travel from house to house?

      

       
 

        
 

I think it would be a blast.  You could even meet others at the end of the street, and trade if you wanted.

I would so be there, costume and all.

        

Oh my, this could be exciting.  I would gladly hang out front and hand out junk I don't want.  You could make surprise paper grab bags filled with junk you want to get rid of, and hand them out, as costumed treasure seeking adults come to your door....

Hmmmmmmmmmmm.  I like it!

        

Do you think this would be fun?  Could it be pulled off?  Imagine getting a bag of aprons and all sorts of fun stuff? 

Such thoughts.

It is crazy windy here and it got cold last evening.  It had been in the low 90's upper 80's and tomorrow, it won't even be 60' - or so they say.

All the creatures are coming out for Saturday festivities, I even heard the sound of little feet, making their way out of the closet late last night...

        

Perfect timing because I am getting less busy, as I am making HUGE progress around here.  And quite delighted at that.  It has been two months of non-stop action, and I am so ready to slow down and paint oodles of elves and cake-heads, and make art, and play with you all.

Don't forget, you can download a free Halloween card and envelope template I created for you last year, by clicking right here.

        

Oooooo, it is windy as can be!  Perfect weather for the mood.  Creaks and crashes and whirls of wind!

See you super sooooooon ;)

♥  ,V

ps: Masquerade loveliness and a magic ballroom... (Marie Antoinette Image above, borrowed from (1st-art-gallery.com)

Comments

[Maria-Thérèse Andersson]

The nonsense jars are wonderful!!! My nonsense jars are called... drawers and closets :-S I started out with pretty clear ideas of what I would put in them, for instance: clothes in the wardrobe, pens in the top drawer, but the tiny little items sort of take over and there are mini glitter stars, bunny pictures, buttons etc in a beautiful messy mess. I will make nonsense jars.

Fun thing: my mum is very good at cleaning and want things neat and organized, but last time she visited me she was like "Can we please look inside one of your bead drawers???"

I wear princess dresses and tiaras in my day to day life; I now have a desire to dress up like a unicorn and hand people treasures.

:D

Ciao x

[Teresa in California]

This is great! Nonsense jars...perfect! Wonderful idea!
I have so much junk around my house, in boxes, etc. I could have a nonsense auction!
The doll and automated piano was amazing...it is incredible what people think up.
Cheers!

[Robin]

I love your adult trick or treating idea. That would be soooo much fun. I am also stealing your nonsense jar idea. I have some great old ones from my grandmother and drawers full of lovely treasures with which to fill them. Your blog makes my day. Thanks.

[Kaerie Faerie]

what a fab idea, I have several drawers filled with nonsense, what great way to display stuff, and getting treasures instead of candy would be great for the waistline lol
Karey

[Sea Gypsy]

I sooooooo want to go Nonsense Trick-R-Treating now!!! How much fun that would be! And I have such wonderful nonsense that I have collected that I would love to share. You are such a lovely, clever dear and you make my heart smile. Thank you for that. :)

[Brenda Justabedofroses.blogspot.com]

I for one love your NONSENSE dreaming!

I'm always sending off Nonsense to the thrift stores and always back buying Nonsense.

Yes, trick or treating for adult Nonsense makes alot of sense to me, thanks for your creative thinking, I love it!

[Diana]

What a fun, magical idea! ( I totally forgot I was wishing for chocolate as I was drooling over your nonsense jars. ) I LOVE this idea. I'm going to figure out some way to do this between now and Sat. Let's start a new movement!

[Lavender Dreams]

I love the nonsense jars, too. I think we have gotten to the point that we don't realize as grown ups we could have fun and do silly things. What a shame. More fun and more nonsense keeps us young!

[Laura]

I love your nonsense jars! I am going to steal that idea and start my own! :-) And the idea about the adult trick or treating...i'm in.. .sign me up.
blessings
~*~

[vivian]

nonsense jars.. I could fill a hundred of them! wouldnt it be fun if all of bloggerville was in one community and we could go door to door and play like that! I do so love your blog Vanessa!
have a great night!
vivian

[Deborah]

Oh I LoVe!!! Excellent idea! I would absolutely squeal if I received the little elephant or the tinker toy in my trick-or-treat jar. I should arrive close to 2:00 a.m. I will be the one wearing the I Dream of Jennie outfit. I shall be carrying a lamp. Blonde faux hair sticking out of my little pillbox cap. My fairies will accompany me. **blows kisses** Deb

[Alix]

I wonder how long it would take me by broom to fly over to your wagon on Halloween night and share a cup of spiked cider... Let's see.... Florida to Arizona... hmmmmm..... 45 minutes on high octane? Doable. Am I invited?

[Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions]

I think that's an excellent idea! I have an old plunger I'm looking to "give away". I remember when I was a kid that if it was cold and my Mom made me wear a jacket trick or treating, I took it off when I got out of her sight. Sheesh ~ what was the point of wearing a costume if you had to wear a jacket over it!

[AForestFrolic]

Just love those nonsense jars V...what a grand idea! And I'm sooooo in on your treasures and junk Halloween giveaway ;-) Love your printable Halloween card, thank you for sharing with us! I'm sick...but have so much still to do to finish up my girls costumes, ahhhh...I need a magic pill to feel better right now...got anything for me...maybe in the magic gypsy wagon ;-)

Jamie :)

[Chrissi]

I'm thinking this could be one of your most absolutely fantastically outrageous and original ideas yet!!! I'm loving it and my mind is spinning out of control with all kinds of ideas!!!! You totally ROCK Miss V... What an inspiration you ALWAYS ALWAYS are!!!!

[Kathy]

I'm so glad to know I'm not the only one with jars and jars of just stuff I don't know what to do with...LOVE your idea! Now, just to make it happen :)

[Cyberdelia]

Hey, that's a great idea for storing lots of little bits & bobs...put it all in jars and set it out to see all the time!! I love it!! Thanks for the inspiration!

And I'd love a place to go adult trick or treating like that, too!

[Charlotte]

When you hinted that a harpist may make an appearance I thought, like, you know, Laura. But OOHH, NO! Rather you found the mother of all creepy harpists. Get back, Jack!

[Princess Crystal]

Oh I adore those nonsense jars!
I know I have plenty of nonsense of a few jars myself. What a great way to display them. And what a great idea about adult trick or treating with exchanging nonsense and junk. I like that. Seems like a tradition I can see occuring in Neil Gaiman's "Neverwhere" book setting in London Below ^.^

[Marjorie]

Oh!! Tricks or Treats for treasure junk sounds divine, indeed! tee hee....I'll be there with bells on (and perhaps a cage crinoline, too!) :) Happy almost All Hallows Eve!!

[SueAnn]

Oh I love the idea!! I would be there too with tote and jar in hand. I have some cool stuff to hand out too! Hey! I have some nonsense jars too....I called it my "whatchamacallits". Snowing today!!!! Isn't this October? Yikes!! Time for hats, boots and gloves already! Sure is beautiful!
Hugging you
SueAnn

[Kylee]

V~

LOVE LOVE LOVE the Nonsense Jar idea...I have a lot of Nonsense at my house :-)

As for costumes I would just love to dress up as Marie Antoinette with all those pounds of clothes and dance and drink tea...oh the life!! I'm so excited for the Halloween parties this weekend...it's just too much!!

Have a spooky week Miss V!!

[Shell]

I like the idea of a nonsense jar. How about a whole Nonsense day where everyone dresses as whimsical and nonsensical as they can. Go around doing fun and safe stuff all day.

[Jennifer]

FABULOUS idea Vanessa! The nonsense jar is BRILLIANT! Good lord I have lots of nonsense stuff all around my house. Oooh to daydream of wearing fabulous costumes and getting in touch with our inner child and frolicking and treat or treating sounds like heaven to me! I think you NEED to plan a BIG Halloween art retreat where we can all dress up. (Hint! Hint!). :) XO,Jenn

[OohLaLaura]

Oh, yes Yes YES!!!! An adult Halloween Stuff exchange would be the BOMB! (oooh...so eighties, I'm ashamed) I would LOVE that. I like the idea of a swamp best of all. It reminds me of when you went to Girl Scout camp and all the troops (troups?) made a product to exchange with other troups/tribes/girls. It always sucked, though, 'cause I worked HARD on mine, and everyone else just threw something together at the last minute and I was like, "No, thank you---I want to keep all of mine because I'm selfish." I only lasted one year before I got kicked out, but that's another story.

I, too, have crazy amounts of 'weird stuff', and this is kookie, but I keep them in clear jars sorted by rainbow color order. I have this idea that someday I'll make a huge sculpture using my 'trash treasures'.

I ALSO have a fondness for Not Everyday Clothes. A professor once told me, "You don't get dressed...you COSTUME yourself." Well, THANKS---I'll take that as a compliment, although I don't think it was meant as one.

Oh---I just realized---Adam and I can STEAL our daughter's candy for Halloween! THAT is why I had a child, I tell you.

Oh oh----that automaton is CREEPY CREEPY hide under the bed SCARY stuff of nightmares. But I like her. I just wouldn't turn my back on her. Or keep her in the bathroom.

Have you ever read 'American Gods' by Neil Gaiman? I think in the book there is a room at a fun house filled with the world's largest collection of automatons. I think. Loved that book. Love Neil Gaiman. Love a great number of things---including YOU!!!!!
XOXOXOXO
OohLaLaura

[Amada Lebel]

I so love junk like that. So does my daughter obviously we are cleaning out her room since she left for college. HEE HEE! Maybe we could do a mail swap of little junk. Just a small envelope or bag full. That would be fun. Much love,
Amada

[Renee Khan]

The nonsense jars are the best idea in the whole world.

Love Renee xoxo

[Kim]

Vanessa:

Ohhh, it's so windy here today too! The leaves are swirling all about. The wind is even blowing the water out of my birdbath!

I have oodles of big, old canning jars that my mom gave me. I think I'll start a nonsense jar this week. Thanks for a great idea!

Kim
Gerushias New World

[Maggi]

I am so on board with the nonsense trick or treating! Best idea ever!

P.S.-Thanks for voting for my Toot, I appreciate it! :D

[Lori Anderson]

I love dressing up. And I would love a nonsense jar! I have a huge jar full of vintage buttons and old wooden spools of thread

http://www.flickr.com/photos/loriandersondesigns/2576257013/in/set-72157604406670439/

but nothing nearly as cool as yours!

[Tristan Robin]

Well, if I go "junk" trick or treating, I'm going to YOUR house!!!

I keep "nonsense" jars, too. Of course, I call them art supplies, LOL, but it's all the same thing!

[Suzanne]

What a terrific idea of "nonsense jars" for treats. My brother dresses up as Santa and gives away school supplies!

Hey Vanessa, if it's not too late to be a part of the Halloween festivities, I've been posting my spookiness all month long. Here are the links so you can take a moment to taste my potions...

http://italiangirlingeorgia.blogspot.com/2009/10/potions-for-your-palate.html

http://italiangirlingeorgia.blogspot.com/2009/10/dont-bescared.html

http://italiangirlingeorgia.blogspot.com/2009/10/hay-ride-through-corn-mazeand-tribute.html

I'll post your badge on my side bar ~ Happy Halloween! What a fun time!

Ciao,
Suzanne

[Rhonda Roo]

Thingz in jars are never nonsense dahling- they are elevated to extreme importance by their sheer being in jars!

I have already drooled over your thingz in jars once, so if i do it twice, does that make me greedy?

Well, it IS Halloween and everything.
So, um...TRICK OR TREAT!

{holds out pillowcase for filling}

What IS it about the creatives that peeps think we're dudded up instead of just clothed? I've gotten that comment once or twice myself (where are YOU going? they ask. Is there a party? Yes, i say. Every day. In my head)

XOXOXOXOXOXO

[two crazy crafters]

I want to come trick or treating at your house and get some of your treasure junk! Twyla

[louise (art and ghosts)]

i love your curious world and strange collections! dress up and alter egos are the most fun of all, i think, so i suggest we all indulge merrily!

has halloween already been over there?
i finally have a vampire, but she is shy;)

love the kid pic too, just too cute!

xxx

[Theresa]

Thanks so much for providing the link to your Halloween card! How lovely!
Your jars are filled with such wondrous treasures. Maybe I should start a new tradition here? :) Hmmmm...
Happy Halloween - a few days early. :)
Theresa

[Misha/DawaiOser]

I of course love a nonsense jar and the trinkets found it it...although my laziness usually just throws it into a drawer. If I was really productive I'd make art out of it like Staci Whitten did. Incredible and it made me squee with delight:

http://pics.livejournal.com/dawaioser/pic/000kytct

[Pattee]

Vanessa your posts always delight me~
Your whimsy and outlook on life uplift me~
I love the adult "junk" giveaway... I have so much to give~

Pattee

[Marlene]

Ahhh Mizz V - I see that your "NON-sense Jars" are a hit...as I know they would be... the treasures that are in a "Non-sense Jar" only come but once every 100 years - like names of "Thingamajing" or "BaublesorBobbles" or "Whatchamacallit" all thrown in a guarded vault of a jar - all crammed in - these tiny treasures of ours, saying pick me pick me...but at last our need for them has pass...sooo I think as a light bulb pops over my head - why oh why do we not have a "Tricky Tray Club" that bestows these treasures on to others that will perhaps use them in some secret project that they have been waiting for - for that one special "Thingamajing" to add to their craft...ohhhh how I listen to all the folk out there in e-chat land that beg to be in this club....of Misfits of Toyland/Non-sense Jar Land.......well its off to bed for me...to dream of all those "whatchamacallits" out there in e-chat land...have a honey of a night - sweet dreams! grace peace joy & many blessings 2 U, Marlene

[Lisa]

I'm totally on board with the adult trick-or-treating idea - especially if people hand out junk!

I'm also a fan of dressing up - costumes preferred. "Normal" clothes are so unbelievably boring I can hardly stand it. I once made a Marie-Antoinette costume - and it was really heavy, but somehow comforting (though not when I side-swiped a parking meter with my panniers ;-) ). Even though it is quite the effort to costume one's self rather than just "get dressed," it's worth it.

[Suzy Pierce]

Yes, I'm in for the non-sense trick or treating! That would be fun and not so bad on the hips! Love your post, Gets me in the mood for the Halloween festivities.. My husband and I are going to dress as Venice Carnivale...Happy haunting to you Miss v!

[Sandra Evertson]

Is that you as a child?
How absolutely Adorable!
Sandra Evertson

[DENISE]

Oh yes! Grown-up Trick or Treating! That sounds like so much fun. I love to dress up for Halloween but having a nearly impossible time getting anyone to see the fun in it! "That's for kids" they say. I Say...be a kid again, it's just one night!
Denise

[jungle dream pagoda]

I am sooo there!!! Yes!!! Nonsense junk or treating!!! We should make it an event next year!!!!!!!!
Love that rainbow coat!!!!!!
Sweet Vanessa decked out in her gay pride best!!!!I want one too!

[karen cox]

Nonsense jars, what a great idea. Recently I purchased a mason jar filled to the brim with Antique treasures. Dominos, watch movements and faces, and all sorts of things from 1908. My daughter and I had so much fun looking at all the tiny things. Grown-up trick or treating, yes, that sounds good to me. I already broke into the Halloween candy stash. Snickers are my downfall. You were such a cute little girl Vanessa, your mom must be delightful.
Karen

[linnea-maria]

Aaww! What a pleasant idea! To fill a jar with those nonsense things! These are gives sparks to ones imagination! I tend to save those broken toys and left overs, but I dont know what to do with it. Perhaps one day I can add one thing to a jewelery piece or just do a mixmedia piece of it. Have a wonderful weekend! /linnea-maria

[oldflowers4me]

i think Ive been in a deep sleep as winter here in fairy cake pond was so cold -I'm awake now and i need my raspberry lipstick....your having so much fun-id so love to sit with you and eat lilac fairy cakes-singing and skipping-love to you-jo.

[somepinkflowers]

well....
it
all
makes

~~Perfect Sense~~
2 me!

:-)

{{ i soooo
want to trick*OR*treat
at your front door!
now,
wouldn't that B something! }}

[sadira]

Maybe we should all start collecting our nonsense...and by next Halloween, we'll have enough to do a swap...a Trick Or Treat Nonsense Swap? Wouldn't that be a blast?!?!? The we could all trade out and treasure other nonsense, because one man's nonsense is another man's treasure...or something like that! I hope you have a wonderful Halloween, and you can still yourself enough to do whatever it is you want to this winter...

[Kitty]

I would definitely trick or treat for nonsense jar fillers! Love that idea! So fun to sit at the end of the night and sort it all out - you know, like putting all of the snickers in one pile, the m&m's in another, etc....

:)
Kitty