DIY: Hawaiian Hula Girl Costume

Hey guys! Here is the first post of my new "Do it Yourself Series". Please check out my book reviews and academic help posts! Coming Soon: My One Direction Concert Experience Story 

Thank you so much for all the pageviews, I'm up to 312!

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So I've been working as a C.I.T. (Counselor-in-Training) at a day camp for kids ages 3-5. I've done a total of five days so far, and I love it! The kids are so adorable and funny. The activities my group takes part in ranges from art to science to swimming and more! I made friends with the other C.I.T.'s in my group too. Tomorrow is Halloween in July Day at camp. Every Friday there is a different fun theme. For Halloween in July, my friends and I are dressing up as Hawaiian Hula girls. I decided to create a Hawaiian Hula girl costume tutorial, that's affordable and will make you the bomb-diggity at any Halloween rave. 

Hawaiian Hula Girl Costume DIY Tutorial

Materials: Bright-colored top, bright-colored skirt, flip flops, flower lei, tropical flower (preferably a fake one so it won't wilt on you), bobby pins, and a colorful ponytail holder.

Step 1: To make a Hawaiian flower clip, take your fake tropical flower and one bobby pin. Depending on your flower, you could either crazy glue it to the bobby pin or you could attach it somehow without glue. My flower had a plastic piece jutting out of the back so I hooked the closed end of the bobby pin around it, and it created a tight hold. Once you've created your flower clip, stick it on the side of your head toward the front. 

Step 2: For a hairstyle, put your hair into a side ponytail or a side braid. 

Step 3: For makeup, use pastel colors like pinks and greens to give a summery look. I went with some bold eye shadow and a light pink lip. Makeup doesn't matter TOO much for this costume, so don't worry too much about it. 

Step 4: To add some extra flair, you could wear a grass skirt over your regular skirt. You could also accessorize with a flowery bracelet, headband, and/or earrings. Holding a coconut with some punch in it and a straw sticking out would be pretty cool. Depends on how all-out you want to go.

"Magic or Madness" Book Review 7/7/13

Title: Magic or Madness

Author: Justine Larbalestier

Genre: Fantasy

Date Published: 2005

Star Rating: 2/5.

Heeeeeello. I haven't posted in a long while and I'm sorry about that. It took me a long time to get through this novel... way longer than it should have. Clocking in at 304 pages, this "fantasy" story should really be labelled as realistic fiction... because it pretty much is. Fifteen-year-old Reason Cansino is sent to live with her grandmother in Sydney after her mother is put in the psych ward. Reason has grown up thinking her grandmother, Esmeralda, is an evil witch. When she goes to stay with her, she finds some rather curious items in her grandmother's home that include: a cat carcass, a key, and a pile of black jackets (dare I add, the significance of the black jackets are never actually explained...). A "love interest" is introduced as well; Esmeralda's neighbor Tom. Now Tom is quite a catch. He's obsessed with fashion design, to the extent that he makes commentary on men's outfits while on outings. So back to that key that Reason comes upon. It unlocks a mysterious door, and when Reason goes through it she magically steps into New York City! 

Cool! Magic! That's what I'm talkin' about! Not so faaaaaast *cue singsongy voice*. The next hundred something pages are spent following Reason on her adventures to night clubs and fancy restaurants in Times Square. Justine Larbalestier must have been really hungry while writing this book because on almost every other page, she's just describing food in great detail. At least the woman can write in the sense that she's talented at description. But by the fourth depiction of kasha (European cereal/porridge) I was a little tired of hearing about it. There is seriously like one whole chapter dedicated to Tom ordering food at a diner. The waitress asks 5-6 questions (i.e. "what kind of soup you want?") and all I'm thinking is "this is a most unfortunate waste of paper". Finally, some mention of magic resurfaces when Reason must flee her grandfather who threatens to steal her magic away from her. During the 'final battle' legitimately nothing happens. Reason's grandmother and grandfather see each other, and they stare at each other for a good ten pages, and I heard a thousand violins and whatnot and then Reason somehow ends up back in Sydney. At this point, I wanted to put the book to better use as firewood. I want my time back that I spent reading this piece of junk. The only reason I gave it two stars instead of one is because the writing wasn't bad. However, the story was a joke. I wouldn't recommend this to anybody I like, to spare them from the never-ending food descriptions and nonsensical nightclub scenes. I can't spend another minute ranting about this book because it just frustrates me. WARNING: DO NOT READ= my review in a nutshell.

'Tis time to end yet another conflict! 

HAGS (Have a Great Summer for those who aren't aware... no I am not calling you a hag), be a Potterhead, sing like a Mockingjay, respect the nature, and above all... be your magickal self!

Blessed Be!

~The Black Rose Librarian aka Sam ^_^

Find me on GoodReads! @XBlackRose07