Last Purim, the whole Goat Rodeo donned their best and headed for Hogwarts. We had an owl (which is a costume I created for Halloween and need to blog about), Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Luna Lovegood.
There are other costumes we've made over the years that I want to blog about, but just haven't yet. Check back, though, and I will. I love coordinating costumes. Over the years, the kids have been lions and tigers and bears, three blind mice and the farmer's wife, characters from the Wizard of Oz (including my son as the most adorable last minute munchkin [I realized Halloween morning that the costume he was supposed to wear didn't fit and threw the munchkin one together] when he was 2), and a box airplane costume which didn't coordinate with anyone, but was very cute, a Toothfairy, the Princess and the Pea, Baby Bear and Goldilocks.
I haven't felt terribly creative lately. I've had a few ideas and I've spent hours on Pinterest marveling at other people's creativity, but I haven't actually felt compelled to make anything lately.
A few weeks ago, I had an idea for a t-shirt for my youngest (inspired by her current obsession), but I just didn't have the motivation to make it.
So, last night, creativity and inspiration combined to bite me on the butt and I got to work.
This was super simple. I don't know what took me so long to get started. It didn't take more than 20 minutes to make it.
Luna's glasses were my inspiration. I toyed with the idea of adding her earrings or possibly a Ravenclaw tie and sketch a blouse collar, but decided to keep it simple.
Collar reads, "Luna Loony Lovegood, you're okay in my book."
I created the design free-hand. The pink of glasses are painted with paint markers. The lenses are fabric paint. The text was done quickly by hand using permanent marker. I usually prefer transfers for fonts because I'm lousy at free-handing letters, but I have a huge font collection. Today, though, I knew the t-shirt would get tossed aside unfinished (like far more of my projects than I care to admit), so I just grabbed Sharpies and did it myself.
Around the bottom and the glasses, I used my very favorite Luna line, "You're just as sane as I am." Around the collar, I used a line from Harry and the Potters' "Luna Lovegood is OK." It reads, "Luna Loony Lovegood, you're okay in my book."
She loves it. Her big sisters have put in requests for versions in their sizes.
It's not by far my best work, but, hey, at least I put my toes back into the creativity pool.
My big two had a new tap class yesterday. At the end of class, the teacher offered them stickers. Initially, the younger of my twins politely refused. Upon closer inspection, she decided to take this Elmo one so that she could give it to her baby sister. I was so proud.
Luna Lovegood is a character in the Harry Potter series who marches to the beat of her own drum and comes off a bit daft at times. I grew to like her through the books, but Evanna Lynch's performance (and story) made me love her through the movies.
I Luna
Lately, my 2-year-old has become obsessed with Luna. I don't know where it started (although I suspect her big sisters and brother listening to Harry and the Potters' "Luna Lovegood Is OK" on repeat had a wee bit to do with it). Every chance she gets, she puts on her sunglasses, grabs any wand-like instrument in her vicinity (be it knitting needle, paint brush, or insanely noisy plastic wand [Thanks a lot, mom]), casts spells and demands that either, she IS Luna or that she wants to meet her.
Now, I agree that Luna's cool and all, but I admit that the toddler's obsession has left me a bit baffled. Most kids her age love Elmo, Winnie the Pooh, Caillou (G-d save us all from his unending whininess), Thomas the Tank Engine or the cast of Yo Gabba Gabba. Why is my youngest so enamored with Luna Lovegood? What on earth should I make of it all?
Recently, there's been a resurgence in sharing this post from Pigtail Pals and suddenly, a light bulb appeared over my head (or perhaps the 9-year-olds yelled, "Lumos" and aimed their wands in my general direction [The younger of my 9-year-olds {who was Luna for Purim} would like me to pause and point out that for the sake of accuracy, neither of my twins can actually have a "real" wand because they're 2 years shy of the required age]).
Luna wakes up full of awesome every day. That article celebrates the fact that 5-year-old Amelia loves herself--celebrates herself just like many other young children do (my toddler included) without sacrificing her strength, her beauty, or her brilliance to anyone else. The vast majority of girls don't make it through adolescence with that intact. There are few (if any) depictions of older characters who feel that way; who simply ARE without restraints.
Hebrew school bound
In this family, we try to raise our children to be themselves and not let others force them into society's preconceived notions. This often leaves them the odd ones out when they follow their hearts and go against the norm. My oldest headed to Hebrew school in a getup designed, not by fashion magazined geared towards tweens, but by her own likes and desires. My big two were the only girls in their karate class. My son's favorite color was pink for the longest time. Whereas some of their female friends absolutely refuse to get dirty because it's not "Pretty," my kids run out in the yard to roll around in the mud.
Muddy & loving it
My 2-year-old insists on wearing her clothes backwards. Yes, it's intentional. Yes, it's odd. My 2-year-old has her own obsessions which are very different from other kids her age. My 2-year-old is awesome (as are her siblings).
Luna Lovegood is looney. Luna Lovegood is out there. Luna Lovegood is certainly not a red fuzzy monster singing repetitive obnoxious songs. Luna Lovegood would never be mistaken for a Disney Princess. Luna Lovegood is true to herself. Luna Lovegood is awesome.
