Fancy Dress Competition @School

Hi again…another Friday and this week could be considered quite a busy week for me, especially today…I was so caught up until I forgot to prepare my girls’ today school books phewww…hopefully no punishment for them. So sorry girls…my fault   J

My girl on the stage   :-)

Today was the day for fancy dress competition (for grade 1 – 3 only), held once a year at my girls’ school. Actually, the participation is not compulsory, however due to the lack of interest from the students, some teachers sometimes ‘threaten’ to deduce some mark on the subject they teach (I am not sure whether the teachers truly deduct the mark or it was just a ‘white lie’). Unfair…but I understand that the teachers were trying to encourage active participation from the students. Since this kind of event can boost the children’ confidence and they can learn about public speaking at the early stage. However, the criteria of the competition is quite difficult as well; it has to be something handmade (so no ready-use-costume), using recycled items are encouraged (to improve the mark), and it has to be something either non-living-thing, mother’s nature, or future wear. So, it is understandable why most of parents don’t want their children to participate (coz the parent will be the one who make it he he he). The mark/score will be based on the originality, creativity, material used, as well as the speech and confidence shown by the participant on the stage.

Being interviewed by the MC

So last week, my girls came home and told me that she had to join this event (otherwise her English subject mark will be deducted – which at the later on, I found out that it was only an empty threat). I had no experience in making a costume (I didn’t even know what costumes are normally shown during these competition)…so I was blank. I racked my brain (and google of course)…searching for some ideas and came up with 3 options: the ginger cookie, candy cane, and hot air balloon. After consulting my hubby and seeing the difficulty levels of each option, finally I opted for the hot air balloon, which I kinda mixed it with something from animation movie that we watched few years ago, UP (remember a grandpa who attached lotsa balloons onto his house and fly away?). I changed the hot air balloon into blown-up partying balloons (everybody kept asking me…’who is the bday girl?” LOL)

See the wires (before I attached the twig)

For this costume, I used old big box with open top and bottom (I cut it off). Then I wrapped it around using the woven felt clothes so it was kinda looked like a basket (my friend told me…’hey what are you making…it looks like an LV bag’ LOL). I used old paper-bag (I cut it into 4 big circles) to wrap some polyester fiber so it looked like sandbag which are normally hang onto each corner of the hot air balloon. For the balustrade/banister, at first, I used the thickest art-wire that I could find and I plaited it to make it stronger, however the wires weren’t straight at all…swinging here and there phewww. I was desperate (a day before the competition) and then my friend suggested me to tie the wire to little-twig-broom (sapu lidi). It worked, the banister was straight and I wrapped around using a ribbon to cover and tighten both the twigs and the wires (it looked prettier too *grinning*). I add 2 ribbon shoulder straps so it would be easier for my girl to carry it around. I blew so many small-sized balloons until my mouth tasted bitter and my cheeks were hurt (my balloon’s pumps are in the storage room and I thought it was easier to blew it using mouth rather than wasting my time searching for the pump). I attached those balloons (some were burst out last night he he he) onto the art-wire using metallic thread. Lastly, again – another idea from my dear friend, I added lots of butterflies on the basket and banister for decoration….finally I could sleep well   J

Other contestants

So this morning, instead of my hubby, it was me who drive and drop the girls @school. I was quite surprised to see the positive response of the girls’ friends…they were all excited (one even tried the costume) and luckily, before any balloons burst out or any banister being broken down, the homeroom teacher managed to save and guard the costume he he he. Children…I was so glad that you like the costume *grinning ear to ear*. The teacher told me to stay and watch the show, since my girl perhaps needed some support. She told me that my girl was crying on the stage yesterday, during the rehearsal. Come on girl...jia you! Fighting!

I like the snowman   :-)

The competition started at 8am (I guessed) since i was late and the show has started already. There were lots of great and fancy costumes; fruits, trees, lots of Transformer robots, flowers and butterflies but the most amazing one was this fancy party dress with white fur on the edge. At far (I was late and I sit at the back) it really looked like a dress but closely, it was made of Supermi wraps. Wow…awesome. It was truly a masterpiece…not something made by an amateur (I was right, it turns out that her aunt, a fashion designer, made it for her). I was sure (even before the announcement) this dress is the winner since it was made from recycled items and the contestant was confidence too. After half an hour, then it was my girl’s turn and I was praying so hard (not so that my girl could win) but for my girl to gather the courage and introduce, talk about the costume, and smile confidently (no crying pleaseeee). Then she did it, she walked and talked in a very low voice (hey…who turned down your voice???) that even I had difficulty to hear. At least…no crying he he he (that could be considered as an improvement right?)

You would like to know what my girl said on the stage? The contestant should say something about the costume and I made a poem for my girl. Can уσυ imagine, I suddenly woke up at 4.20am and switched on my blackberry (my hubby was surprised, seeing me typing furiously on it). Well, I kinda got some inspiration...if I didn't jot it down somewhere...I might have forgotten bout it. So here is the rhyming poem that I wrote (actually I wrote 2versions of poem, one a 2verses long and another is a short one...as expected, my girl chose the short one)

"I'm a hot air balloon,
Like the grandpa in UP cartoon,
I'll fly myself to the moon,
If only I were a hot air balloon"

The audience

After all costumes being shown, and while the judges were finalizing the result, there were performances (singing and dancing) by the student. To my surprise (I was kinda sleepy…waiting for 15mins) there were 2 higher level students on the stage, dancing the famous Psy – Gangnam Style…it was super hilarious (I was laughing so hard geezzz torn between switching on my handycam or watching it). Then the result was announced and as per my prediction, the Supermi dress is the winner. There were other winners, like the one in airplane and hybrid-car (which can blink and has horn too) costumes. My girl didn’t win, but for me, she is already a winner since she managed to conquer her stage fright. Bravo girl….I am so proud of you   *bear hugs*  

Yeah...oppa gangnam style  >.<

Did I feel sad or disappointed because we weren't the winner? Єнммм...I did feel disappointment but not because we weren't the winner. I just felt it was unfair if a ready-to-wear-costume (the soldier one - second runner up) could be the winner eventhough it's clearly stated on the rules that this kind of costume will be disqualified. Well...anyway, I can always put more effort for next year competition...jia you...if my girl is up to it though (she said no already but who knows) *grinning*  

The winners are ...

Lots of my friends and parents said that I'm creative...єнммм...I don't think so. There are lots more creative people out there (seeing how cool those costumes on the stage - they sure put more effort than me - I have to be honest, I chose the easiest one). Beside, rather than being a creative, I'm more like a copy-cat...I duplicate what other people make :-) If you are asking me to create something that isn't exist...I'm sure I don't know what to do or how to do it :-) But once I see a thing that I like and have adequate motivation, I can duplicate it right away. ┐('⌣'┐)...уєαн... уιρρєу!...(┌'⌣')┌ I'm proud to be a copy-cat "̮ wk°wk (′▽`) wk°wk "̮  

Lastly, I wanna thank all of my friends who have given me lots of input and support…love you all   *muach*