I mentioned Hallow-e'en WEEKS ago, I've been getting my costume ready since August and buying stuff in that I'll probably never end up using since March! I have a large plastic tool box filled with modelling medium, dental puty, plaster of paris, liquid latex, dried paper machet, PVA Adhesive, electrical bits and bobs, you name it.
This year I'm going out in to Liverpool City Centre as the Grim Reaper - my speciality! Previously I went out in an historically authentic British Admiralty uniform from the 18th Century, complete with powdered Tie Wig and Bicorn hat.
I remember the wig was a little itchy. I was standing next to someone I hadn't seen in a while. He was dressed to the nines as a Vampire. I scratched my head under my wig with the same hand my drink was in and ended up tipping it over him! He and his costume were beer-stained. My next mishap was with my sword.
In the Royal Navy in accordance with dress regulations, officers are required to carry or trail their swords rather than being hitched at the waist. The scabbard is suspended from two long hanger straps requiring the wearer to carry the scabbard to prevent it dragging on the ground, unlike army and air force officers who hitch their swords and scabbards to their belts.
As I sat down I was unaware the someone else was sitting down at the same time. I put my hand on the scabbard of my sword accidentally introducing it to the other guys groin! Good job it was sheathed! (Actually it was a wooden replica).
I still have to position the LED's in the mask and wire them to a 9v battery via a switch which has 1k resistance and will prevent the LED's from blowing if 9v is too much power. I think about 6 LED's in series should be able to cope with 9v anyway without a switch. Thing is, I don't want the LED's burning my eyes so I want to be able to switch them on and off at will.
I did that one year and got the train to my friends house. I kept getting stopped by parents driving their kids to parties, fascinated by the lights! Of course I had my fun on the train with the kids. Flashing the lights on my eyes on and and off, they would turn astonished to their parents to witness the spectacle. I wasn't done with them yet and when the parent turned to look, the lights went off. For the kids they went back on and this was repeated a few times, enough times for the parents to get bored and think their kids were mistaken or making it up. THEN I let the parents see the eyes!
I think it fitting that children should be able to see more than adults on this most spiritual of nights.
As for those Gob-Shite Cavvy little urchins Marchlander speaks of, the tables will be turned if they come to my house! I'm thinking of wrapping up little pieces of Cat Turd in Sweet/Candy wrappers!