Disney Haunted Mansion cosplay in Retro Lovely’s Mousequerade

I love pinup, I like cosplay, and Disney theme parks have been my jam since I was a lazy-eyed baby in an eye patch singing “A Pirates Life for Me” like a drunken sailor. So it isn’t a stretch (haha, just wait for this pun payoff!) to assume I’d want to submit something to Retro Lovely‘s Disney-themed Mousequerade special edition.

Catherine Morland's Sally Slater Haunted Mansion Cosplay
Catherine Morland’s Sally Slater Haunted Mansion cosplay, photographed by Marilee Caruso.

Since the Haunted Mansion is my favorite Disneyland/Magic Kingdom attraction, I decided to go with a Sally Slater-themed cosplay. In case you didn’t know, that’s the “new” official name used for the slackrope-walking girl perched above the hungry crocodile in one of the stretching room portraits (see? I got PUNS).

More after the jump… Continue reading “Disney Haunted Mansion cosplay in Retro Lovely’s Mousequerade”

Happy Halloween: A Northanger Abbey/Haunted Mansion Fanfic

For Halloween, I give you a Disney Haunted Mansion-dusted Jane Austen Northanger Abbey fanfic. Maybe it’s crackfic, I don’t know.

Either way, it’s called The Terrors of Expectation and it deals with some of Catherine Morland Tilney’s favorite gothic fiction tropes, nightmares, and some other more mundane family stuff, too.

Leave me feedback and kudos and I’ll love you forever…

I have other fics, too, including an ongoing series based on Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South, more Northanger Abbey, and my Emma allusion from way back.

Disney Bound? NerdBound!

I don’t consider myself much of a “Disney bounder,” but I do love me some Disney theme park and I especially love 1. the Haunted Mansion attraction at both American Disney resorts and 2. Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. I plan to attend my second “MNSSHP” this coming September, and will be wearing NerdBound’s Haunted Mansion Ghost-ess skirt when I go!

Haunted Mansion skirt
Haunted Mansion skirt

NerdBound is a unique Etsy shop run by my friend Gretchen Burneko, offering “bounding” basics for any fandom in virtually all sizes. While Disney-inspired gathered skirts are Gretchen’s bread-and-butter, she can custom make just about anything in any size. Her prices are more than reasonable and her pieces are well-made, comfortable, and look great! My favorite piece is this Ghost-ess skirt, inspired by the dark green costumes worn by female Haunted Mansion cast member, but I own and love her Tarzan’s Jane Porter-inspired skirt, as well. Continue reading “Disney Bound? NerdBound!”

Spooky audio, video, and reads for your All Hallows’ Eve!

This is Haunted Halloween Collection CD art...
This is Haunted Halloween Collection CD art…

I know it’s still early September, but Halloween’s definitely already in the air. For those of you itching to get into the holiday spirit, here is a curated collection of audio (mostly music, with some sound effects) and video to enjoy while you stay home to serve the trick-or-treaters!

Continue reading “Spooky audio, video, and reads for your All Hallows’ Eve!”

Midcentury home plans and other lists I make: Paint & Wallpaper

I’m a “list” person. I wasn’t born organized, so I had to develop mechanisms to keep on top of everything. Lists help me remember exactly what I need to do and when, but they’re good for more than that! They’re a way to brainstorm where I want to end up, and how I can get myself there!

Since I moved into my 1963 Jack-in-the-box house last summer, I’ve been busy taking care of the obvious things: taming the back yard, sorting through my junk, and making sure the house is clean and functional. Now that most of that is out of the way, I can think seriously about what I call Phase II – The Paint & Paper Chapter.

Continue reading “Midcentury home plans and other lists I make: Paint & Wallpaper”