Faith & Trust & Pixie Dust

It all started with an idea two years ago. An idea that if I was truly going to transform my home into a haunted manor, then the manor needed a story and a family that used to live there. Indeed, there needed to be a large gothic looking family picture. We rented our apparel from Archive Costumes, found a cemetery and the rest is history! We had so much fun that we decided to do it for our family photos and when inspiration hit, we would do it again and again.  Well this year inspiration knocked me over the head and called me Susan! Steam Punk Peter Pan!!!!! I had this vision in my head and I feel we captured it ten fold! The costumes were so much fun to create that I was so sad when it was over and can't wait for next year. There are going to be a TON of images with details so if you're ready, here we gooooooooooooooo OFF to Neverland (cue magical music).

 Our youngest Darling was Branson, of course with his bear. We rented his hat from Archive Costumes and the rest I pieced together. The top id from his scarecrow costume two years ago. Yes his belly showed more than once but it added to the lost boy steam punk look perfectly! The pants were also from an old Star Wars Jedi costume which had feet that covered the shoes which, in a sense, gave him the appearance of a kind of footie pajama. I felt a cape would be fun and unexpected but also would tie in with the whole aviator thing he had going on. 

I added a few smudges with dark brown eyeshadow because he naturally has been paying in Neverland with no mother to tell him to wash up.

 We borrowed a bear from a neighbor and set to work on his fairly easy costume. I took a pair of old swim goggles, some amazing metallic paint from Deco Art and black chalk paint and tried to match them up without going too overboard. A piece of leftover cream fabric became the scarf and  little bear was done.

Next was John Darling. His was a little more tricky seeing as how there weren't a ton of ways I could think of to be creative. I started with one of Kevin's dress shirts with only my knee high white socks underneath but then I thought better of myself. First of all, it's cold outside! And second, he's an almost 12 year old boy that I'm sure wants to be out in more than just his knickers. Instead I tried to think more outside of the box. I knew that he would wear the same war paint that john did in the movie and that it would be a mustard color and knowing he had mustard skinny jeans...BAM, it was destiny! lol His top hat was one that could be found at a local party store (I think I got it in the New Years Eve section) and added some feathers and gears. The glasses were from a Harry Potter costume, the vest was church attire he had since grown out of and despite me wanting him to wear funky colored striped socks.......he forgot and pulled a Michael Jackson. I guess not everything can be perfect right? ;) When making his vest details I tried to stay true to his character and the steam punk version we were trying to achieve. I hot glued gears on each button, took an old necklace I never wore and made the chain and attached a compass to the end of that. Love how it turned out!   

             

 Oh Miss Bell, my sweet Sophie, my poor hungry baby. It was still half hour till she was supposed to eat and I thought I had timed it perfectly. She is such a happy baby....I swear! She also has a bit of reflux though so I thought, let's shoot before she needs to eat and she won't be spitting up all over everyone for the whole thing. I have come to the conclusion that although she loves us, she did NOT like us using her pixie dust. That's my girl, getting into character {sniff}. I knew I wanted her color palette to be more subdued and woodsy so I set off to the beloved Lobby of Hobby and bought creamy yellow, green and sparkly brown tulle, a strip of brown fur, gold bells and large brown puff balls. A neighbor was kind enough to let me have some fairy wings that I could do ANYthing to!

  

  The wings were green with green puff paint on the veins and green gems. I went over the veins with gold first and then did a layer of hairspray. I took off the gems and glued feathers I already had on hand to the edges. I then took some leftover tule from her costume, tied them in knots and glued them to the middle of the back. I was sooooo beyond happy with how they turned out =).

Her hat was a hand me down and I just glued a brown puff, feathers and one gear to the top.

 The brown fur was supposed to be attached in the front to make a full collar but she kept EATING it! Yuck lol! It had lovely slobber everywhere but finally at one point she stopped so we attached it (see later photos). Her bodice was another hand me down and was cream netting around her middle, then cream tule was tied on to make a tutu. I just added onto that all the colors I bought and voila! She was our woodland Tinkerbell.

 Her tights were super fun to do and I loved that I could have just left them white, but they ended up being a fantastic little detail. I had some green and gold ribbon I had gotten on sale at Michael's. I was running low on time so a fabulous neighbor helped me out by tying a bow at the top, she stitched it to keep it looking perfect and then hot glued them onto the thigh part. We just let the end of the ribbon dangle with bells at the bottom, till Sophie was in them. As soon as she was, we wrapped the ribbon around her legs going downward and tied them off in the back. She jingled and jangled everywhere we went =). We then glued tiny brown safety pins to the brown puffs and attached them to the tights before putting Sophie in them.

I used an empty Christmas ball (the kind you buy to make your own ornament) and filled it with large gold glitter. Put a cork in it and glued bells, tulle and feathers to the top. This may have been one of my FAVORITE pieces out of everything!!!

Kev's costume was pretty basic and he couldn't have been happier about that lol! He had this hat from Russia already so I added the feathers and gears, we put saftey pins on his vest and a few other details. I found feather charms from Hobby Lobby and pinned those on as well. He has a watch obsession so he picked a few he wanted to wear and threw them on. I love the idea of Peter Pan, who has no concept of time, wearing three watches. Oh the irony of it all ; D. I made sure the colors he chose for layering his tops were green and he was done. We ended up taking a few pics the next day and he wore dark skinny jeans.....I wish he had this day too because they really completed the punk look. But he's still pretty fun for me to look all dreamy eyed at =). 

I absolutely adore his and Sophie's relationship. He dotes on her so much and it was only fitting that he be "her" Peter Pan {sigh}.

 Look at her face ha ha ha ha. "Whooooooo took my pixie dust??????" Okay, I'll stop talking for a spell, enjoy some pics...

My costume was the easiest of all because I went to my local theater and rented it!!! The only problem with renting is when you have to take it back. Sooooo sad!!!! Can't I just keep it forever????

The measuring tape suspenders were attached to the brown leather belt. Hanging from there were the straps and clasps to hold the dress up in the front. I could have made it as high or low as I wanted. So genius!!! The people over at Archive Costumes (Orem Hale Theater) do NOT mess around!!! Each of their costumes is well made and has so much character and creativity to them. 

 I always had this problem with Wendy and Peter's relationship. There needed to be some KISSIN! Yes they were young, but I watched it when I was young and when I hit Wendy's age IIIII had a crush on Peter and totally would have wanted him to kiss me! I can't tell you the feels I have for this shoot when I think about rushing around getting everything ready, trying to make it look like the images in my head, getting the boys positioned, Sophie to stop crying, laughing at her obvious distain for the bumbo then he got close and everything went quiet. I love my husband so much and am so in awe of the way he puts up with me and still loves me. He is such an awesome daddy, provider and friend that I could never imagine life without him. At that moment none of me wanted to be Wendy in Neverland because I can't wait to grow old with him.

Thanks for taking a trip with us to Neverland! We now return you to your normal lives to find magic and fun in all the details of your day =).

A lot of my ideas come from perusing Pinterest and I'm so excited to be attending Pinners Conference this year in Salt Lake City!!! Will you be there too?

All of these amazing photos were taken by Jordan Bree Photography and we couldn't have been happier with how she captured EvErYtHiNg!!!!!