I'm A Girly Girl, Raised On A Healthy Diet Of Disney Princesses - And I'm Not Sorry

As we're entering the realm of kids' movies with Aidan, I've been thinking more and more about how Disney characters (especially princesses, in my case) affect the people we grow up to be.

I was one of those little girls with all the obnoxious pink stuff.

I also went through a rather unfortunate boy-crazy phase.  Or two.

I love(d) anything that sparkles.  A couple months ago I went online shopping with my mom, and one of the items I got was a great, simple black tee - with sequined shoulders.  I can't help it.  I love simple, uncluttered lines.  But I also love things that sparkle.

When I was very little, my consequence for being disobedient was having to wear pants to church - instead of a dress.

Disney princesses fit my personality like the glass slipper fit Cinderella's foot.

I loved the classics, especially Sleeping Beauty.  Being a 90's baby, of course I also loved The Little Mermaid, and Beauty and the Beast.  Because I refuse to grow up, I also love Mulan, Pocahontas Tangled, Brave and Frozen.  And don't even get me STARTED on Moana.

Then, I came across an article entitled A Feminist Ranking of All the Disney Princesses.  And while I don't necessarily disagree with the article's views, I was sad to see that my sweet Aurora was at the bottom of the list.  Yes, she spent most of the movie sleeping.  Yes, she married a dude she met once in the forest and then kissed her.  But is she really such a bad role-model for little girls?

Around the same time, I saw this, "Dream Big, Princess" commercial on Disney Channel, and I kid you not, I started to tear up.

No doubt, if I had a daughter, I would encourage her to be brave and confident like Merida, Mulan and Moana (maybe I just need to name her something that starts with "M").  But you know what?  I would also encourage her to be sweet like Snow White, and even graceful like Aurora.  (If she gets any of my genes, she'll need help in the klutz-department.)

I am glad that the message that princesses portray has changed.  I'm glad we have princesses without love interests.  But I also like when there is one.  Because love is something we all long for at some point in our life.  I am glad the princes actually have names now, and personalities.  Or aren't princes at all.

Recently I was talking to a friend, and told her that I really like Anna in Frozen, and wish she'd been around when I was little.  I totally identify with her clumsy, naive, chocolate-loving personality.  My friend said she preferred Elsa, because Anna wanted to marry a guy she'd just met.  That got me thinking.  And you know what?  I still like Anna better.  And I'll tell you why.  Because to me Anna represents a transition a lot of us go through.  Or at least I did.

At first Anna falls in love with prince Hans "of the southern isles", and immediately wants to marry him.  Later she meets Kristoff, and he points out how ridiculous her wanting to marry a total stranger is, and of course in true Disney fashion they end up falling in love.  

I certainly went through the teenager crush phase, where I felt like this guy was TOTALLY the one.  But then we grow up, and learn that that's not how true love works.  You have to take the time to get to know someone, and preferably find out their quirks before you commit to living with them every day of your life.

I am glad Disney princesses have evolved.  I am glad that if and when we have a daughter there are so many more strong, brave, even quirky role models to look up to.

But, if she wants to go skipping through a meadow picking flowers, wearing pink from head-to-toe with a tiara, I'm not going to stop her.  I may try to nip the boy-craze in the bud, because that really isn't necessary, nor probably healthy.  But if she does develop a crush, and I hear her humming "Someday My Prince Will Come", I will probably smile and join in.

So, what is this princess-rambling about?  I don't know.  Too much time on my hands?  Watching too many princess movies?  Maybe.  Probably.  But, I just wanted to say, that I'm a princess-loving-girly-girl, with unrealistic hair expectations, and that's okay.  And I'm not sorry.

Dream big, princess.

Disney Villain Costume DIY Tutorial - Cruella de Vil and Dalmatian

In my last post, I showed you the costumes I made/helped make for our youth group's Disney villain night.

I decided to go as Cruella de Vil, because - let's be honest - she has AMAZING style!  And the girl knows how to rock black and white, which is my favorite look!

I'm pleased to say, that I had all the items for my Cruella and Dalmatian costume.  Now, I understand not all of you have two tubs of G-rated costumes under your bed, but let me give you the details!

Cruella de Vil:

- 1 fabulous black and white dress (mine is a Liz Claiborne dress from a couple years ago.)

- Slinky black necklace

- Black and white wig (I actually combined two wigs - an Effie Trinkett and a Cleopatra one.)

- Black (or more traditionally red) leather gloves

- Red belt

- Black pumps

- Some kind of fur coat/shrug (I found mine at a thrift store.)

- Cruella makeup

Dalmatian:

There are many ways you could make a dalmatian costume.  A White sweatsuit set, a sleeper, you could enhance it with face paint.. but here's what I did.

- I took Aidan's Max costume, from our Where The Wild Things Are escapades.  I cut off the crown, painted on some spots, sewed on some felt dog ears, and voila!

With my sweet puppy!

With my bestie, Yzma

Captain Hook, Cruella and the sweetest puppy!

I love our Summer Camps, and I LOVE dressing up!

What a fun summer!

Disney Villain Costume DIY Tutorial - Yzma and Kronk

Every summer our youth group has what we call "Riptide Summer Camp".  Every week has a theme, for which the students are encouraged to dress up.  This year we're finishing the summer off with a super-fun Color War!

What this means for me though, is the opportunity for SO MANY COSTUMES!!!

The first night's theme was Disney villain.  Our best friends here in Jacksonville are also some of our youth sponsors.  We brain-stormed a little, and then came up with the PERFECT costume idea for them... Yzma and Kronk, from The Emperor's New Groove (Which is one of my favorites, and I could quote the whole thing to you!).

Incase you're unfamiliar with the movie, here's who they are:

So, my friend Amy and I went to Michael's and Hobby Lobby, and got all the supplies we would need.

Kronk's Costume:

1 plain blue T-Shirt

3 sheets of large yellow foam paper

1 yellow foam construction hat

Yellow pipe cleaners

1 roll of light purple duct tape

Yellow cord

2 yards of dark purple fabric

Yzma's Costume:

Strappy little black dress

Purple boa(s)

Purple feathery hair pieces/decorations

Wide, wired purple ribbon

Teal foam paper

Earrings (ones you preferably don't care about)

Black stretchy hair band

Lots of purple make up (falsies optional)

First, we started on Kronk's costume.

1. Take the blue shirt, and cut off the sleeves.

2. Take one of the large yellow foam papers, in the top middle, cut a semi circle for the neck.  Cut two rectangles out of the two bottom corners.

3. I laid a wrap-around skirt I had on the purple fabric, and cut along that.  Basically, you're cutting the fabric into a semi-circle, but don't forget to leave a thin piece at the top to tie it with.

4. Cut one piece of the yellow foam paper in half, creating two smaller rectangles.  Cut the bottom of each one into a curve.  Using a hole punch, punch holes along the edges, every two inches.  Lace the yellow rope through, like shoe laces.  These are the leg cuffs.

5. Repeat with slightly smaller rectangles for arm cuffs.

6. Cut the rim off the yellow foam hat.  Push a pipe cleaner through the top.  Using duct tape, secure it on the inside.  Using left-over yellow foam paper, cut out two small semi-circle-type shapes for the top of his hat.  Using hot glue, glue them to the top of the pipe cleaner (one on either side).

 7. Make a belt out of the light purple duct tape, by adhering strips of it to itself.

8. Assemble! (Pair with sandals or flip flops.)

Yzma's Costume

1. Find a scrappy black dress.

2. Cut two large ovals out of he teal foam paper.  Glue them to earrings (that you don't particularly care about).

3. Purple boas.  We used two, to add a new dimension.

4. Pull hair into high pony tail.

5. Put on black hair band.

6. Cut long piece of ribbon (12 inches).  Curl around your hand.  Take off hand, and uncurl gently, and adjust to your liking.  Tuck bottom of curl into the hair band, near the nape of your neck.  Use bobby pins to secure at the top of your head.  Add feathery hair piece.

7. Assemble! (Pair with black shoes.)

The moment you've all been waiting for...

Don't they look just perfect!!!

I love her!

Guess who that is next to her... Tutorial coming soon!