No Shouting, Crying, or Pouting--Krampus Is Coming To Town!

You know, I've always considered myself a holly jolly Christmas kind of person. The weekend after Thanksgiving, my living room and tree are decorated within an inch of their lives. My gifts tend be ordered by Halloween and wrapped by Black Friday, and I spend most of the Fall googling cookie recipes. There have been years where Buddy the Elf would have looked at me and thought, "Dear sweet baby gumdrops! Dial it back a little!" So, imagine my surprise a couple of years ago when Thomas introduced me to the Krampus.

What? What was this Christmas thing I'd never heard of before? OH...it's a demon-thingy that eats children...lovely. OH...just the kids on Santa's "Naughty List"? Well, that's...so much better?

Actually, yeah. It kind of is.

I kind of dig the Krampus.

Last year, Thomas wrote and directed a sequel to our feature, The Night Shift, centered around the mythical figure. He thought it would be fun to do a holiday special with a talking skeleton. When he realized it could also have a moral that might scare bratty little urchins straight, the deal was sealed. Over Christmas and New Year's, we shot a made-for-TV (and Internet...and DVD...) movie about the Krampus. Last week, it finally aired on local television. It was between Johnny Carson and C.S.I. Miami. For reals.

I took a picture.

That's me!! I'm blue!! (Darn camera hates TV screens)

Thomas worked insanely hard to get this to happen, and I'm so proud of him. From the Facebook comments and posts we saw, I think a fair amount of people from Mobile and Pensacola tuned in, and they seemed to enjoy it. It was intended to be an all-ages fantasy/adventure, and I know of at least one kindergartener who watched it from behind the sofa--twice!

The Friday before (Friday the 13th, natch), we screened the film at the Downtown Art Walk, in the coolest industrial artist's space. It's an old building that has been completely gutted, and is used by local artists as both a work and gallery space. The walls are dotted with an ecclectic variety of styles and mediums, while jewelry, pottery, and even hand-crafted furniture fill the open floor area. Even the rafters are artistic, with hand-painted glass pendant lights, and an absolutely gorgeous twinkle-light encrusted rustic chandalier. I just...I wish I had a picture, but I was too stunned to take one. Our set-up was on a covered stage, surrounded by art and lights, and was just unbelievably funky and awesome.

It was really crowded (yay!), so this was the best I could do. Trust me, though; it was amazing.

By now, you might be wondering what the devil the movie's about. Well, it's about our lead characters from The Night Shift, as they investigate the disappearances of several of the area's "naughty" children in the days before Christmas. It is a sequel, but you don't have to have seen the first film to understand what's going on. It stands alone pretty well.

During the shoot, I Instagrammed a few pics (@buddybear1221) of "Kramps", other actors, props, etc., and thought I'd pull out the better ones for a little jaunt down memory lane. 'Cause, really, why not? What else are we doing? We're playing around on the interwebs, that's what.

Here's one of our principal Krampus, Brendon, in costume. Looking at the final film, you'd never know that this scene was shot around 9am. That's our lovely P.A., Amanda, photobombing.

"Naughty!"

If you look carefully, you might spy a prime example of my holiday over-achiever-iness (a real word, I swear) in the form of a chocolate gingerbread house. Ladies and gentlemen, I made this. It took either three or four bricks of almond bark, peppermint sticks, a cookie, M&Ms, vanilla icing, candy dots, gumdrop mushrooms, several hours, a string of curse words, and the threat of divorce.

This year, I'm making cookies.

And, of course, while I had leftover melted chocolate, I figured I'd make sugared marshmallows. These were actually suprisingly easy, and looked beautiful wrapped in cellophane and attached to gift bows. I swear, I think something inside me snapped last year, and I became a somewhat rabid combination of Martha Stewart and Clark Griswold. Family and friends, I apologize. I had no idea until just now.

It's like a tiny, shimmering, sugar coma-inducing forest.

This is completely off-topic, but what the hey? This year, I tried the marshmallows again, but with jumbo marshmallows and crushed graham cracker. They're heat-free s'mores! They're nowhere near as pretty as their sugar-coated brethren, but they sure did taste fantastic.

They look...fuzzy...but they're tasty!

This next picture is actually from a deleted scene (that is available on the DVD as a special feature), but is probably my favorite shot from filming. One of our awesome child actors had to jump off the bottom step of the staircase, and managed to get some impressive hangtime.

I love the hat. Insert your own "Elf On the Shelf" joke here.

In conclusion--because it's my blog, my rules--here's a sickeningly cute picture of my adorable puppy in last year's Christmas jammies. Nothing to do with Krampus, other than the fact that the dog likes Krampus. Thomas wasn't allowed in the house in his Batman Halloween costume, but Krampus was deemed okay. Let me say that again: Batman, the Dark Knight, is not allowed in the house, but Krampus, the eater of children, is.


I need professional help. And more jammies. He's so cute!!


If you'd like to see Night of the Krampus, here you go. It's gotten some wonderful reviews, for which we are entirely grateful (here's one from Ain't It Cool News), and we just broke 1,000 views on youtube. We're used to counting our views in the hundreds (if that), so I'm really excited. Thanks to everyone who's watched it and shared it! We really appreciate it!

So, here you go. Merry Christmas, and don't let the Krampus get you!

Ramblings: Another Op'nin', Another Show

We're filming tomorrow! ACK!! So far, today I have furiously "company cleaned" in that way that can only be achieved through abject fear of houseguests thinking you live in filth. I have picked up the camera equipment that was supposed to have been delivered to my door yesterday, but wasn't because I had to leave the house for an appointment and missed them by eleven minutes. I've grabbed a couple of last minute props and costume pieces, and tonight, I'm going to paint my nails. Believe it or not, that's actually an honest-to-God task. They have to match my costume, and right now, they look like tee-total crud.

Any theatre kid will tell you that the day before opening is the most stressful. The sets are never finished. Heck, I've done performances where you had to watch out for wet paint. The costumes may or may not be altered, or in extreme cases, in existence. Will the jokes get groans? Will the melodrama get giggles? Will that cast member who's notoriously flakey (and there's always one) remember to show up? Will the audience like the show? Will the audience like me? Will I remember my lines? 

Film is no different.

Granted, you get retakes, to a certain extent, but you don't have the days or weeks (or longer) of rehearsal that theatre affords. There are still lights, makeup, wardrobe, egos, and nerves to contend with. Directors are still going to have their vision, and they're still going to get irritated with actors, who will, in turn, be irritated right back. Amazing performances will still come out of nowhere. Comedy and Tragedy will still be ever-present. Sure, instead of flash powder and scrims we'll just fix it in post, but that same "magic of the theatre" (as a dear former director always said) is still there. Not every scene works every time, but occasionally, everything clicks into place and you end up with something truly special--on stage and on screen.

It's supposed to rain tomorrow. We're scheduled to film outdoors, and I've been freaking out a little trying to come up with a viable Plan B. The thing is, stuff like this always happens. I've slogged through flooded green rooms and danced musicals in the heat because the air-conditioner was knocked out in a storm. You keep going. S*** happens, but the show must go on (especially when you've rented equipment, and your lead talent is driving over from two hours away).

I had a point to this, but I've completely forgotten it. In any case, tonight I'll paint my nails--right after I paint my husband to look like a superhero for a quick shot we can get before tomorrow's craziness. I'll go to bed this evening, full of butterflies and knots, and wake up in time to curl my hair and put on my makeup and transform into someone else for a few hours. Then, I'll throw on my sweats, grab my brushes and blushes, and transform other people into their characters. We'll pray for sunshine, prepare for thunderstorms, and hope that the paint on the props is dry enough not to smear on the actors.

If not, we'll fix it in post. Magic of the theatre...    

Unsolicited Advice: Travel Edition

Wowzers! I just drove in from Birmingham, and boy are my arms tired! Wakka Wakka!!

Wait...that doesn't really work...(my apologies)

Really, though, I'm exhausted. This past weekend, Thomas and I went up to Birmingham, AL, to see C.U.P.I.D. screen at the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival. Just the weekend prior, we were over in Pensacola as guests at the Pensacola Paracon. In between, we've both been working, so we've basically had two full weeks with no break, and are working on a third. We've hit the wall, but aren't complaining in the slightest. We were honored to be invited to both events, so it's completely worth it to be this tired.

And we are tired. Flat-out tired.

Up until now, we've averaged about two out-of-town trips per year, and almost none that were for any real length of time. These are weekend trips to Disney or New Orleans, and tend to be planned within an inch of their lives. Aside from my little stint on tour, where I spent a few months traveling from hotel to hotel on a nearly daily basis, I've never been a spontaneous traveler. So, during the past couple of weekends, I've learned a few things that I thought I'd share with you.

Difference between our GPS and a TARDIS? When the TARDIS doesn't take you where you want, at least you know it was on purpose.

Know where you're going, and how to get back, and eat first. (Points for the reference):
Our GPS is a lying liar who lies. He also slurs his words and mispronounces things to the point that some actually sound offensive. On top of that, he's sent us to the wrong place (and I mean really wrong...like another city wrong) on more than one occasion. We've decided that he's drunk, and named him Jack, after Captain Jack Sparrow. Because we don't want to end up in Montgomery instead of Mobile again (no joke), we now carry two spares GPS systems (our phones) and a printout with directions. It's helped. Also, make sure that you do some research after you select your hotel, to locate all of the nearby restaurants and fast food joints. We did not do this, and ended up subsisting on Chick-Fil-A all weekend, because we had no idea that five minutes in a direction that we never had to drive for any other reason, there was a plethora of nice, sit-down places, as well as a Dunkin Donuts. (I love Dunkin Donuts coffee. The caramel iced latte is my kryptonite.) We found this out after we'd eaten dinner the night before we headed home.

Portable chargers are the shizz:
About two or three weeks before the Con, I found a deal at nomorerack.com (which I cannot link to because Blogger hates me, but you can google it fairly easily) for two portable chargers for twenty bucks. I snapped up that sucker. Now, they're both identical, and both hot pink, but Thomas and I each have one so that we can recharge our phones on the go. You have no idea how much that came in handy. During the Con, we used our phones for everything. We needed the phone for the Square Reader, to check on the puppy (webcam at the boarder's is awesome), to take pictures, to post videos, for social media...basically, our phones became extensions of our arms, and those little chargers were lifesavers. I have no idea what the brand is, but just having a charger of the brand of your choice is highly recommended.

The puppy is a really good sport:
Yeah...we're not doing this again. We boarded the little guy when we went to Paracon, but figured that the trip to Birmingham was so short, and that we'd be back and forth to the hotel a lot to check on him and take him for walks, we should just take him with us. Besides, we were already planning on taking him with us to Disney World in the Fall, so this would be a great test run. He hated it. The poor guy was incredibly well-behaved, and never fussed or cried or anything like that, but you could just tell that he would have much rather been at "puppy school" than cooped up in a hotel room--even for such short periods of time. So, this Fall, instead of sitting in the hotel bed, watching tv and playing with his toys, he'll be at "puppy school"...sitting in a hotel bed, watching tv and playing with his toys...(it's a ridiculously nice boarding place. I want to stay there.)

Yup...I'm still a mess, but at least I'm not in shorts.

Pack heavy:
I can not believe I'm saying this, but for a spontaneous trip, you're probably going to have to overpack. I've found that when I decide what to bring, I throw in an extra outfit that is completely opposite to whatever else I've chosen. For instance: for the Con, I brought a pair of jeans and a t-shirt for Day One, and a Dalek-inspired dress for Day Two. Then, for good measure, tossed in another pair of jeans and another t-shirt. After the first day, I knew that wearing a dress and heels ('cause they matched) all day was a horrible idea, and was thrilled to have an alternative. Then, for Sidewalk, I had originally planned on wearing shorts and a nice shirt for the screening, since a lot of stuff is outdoors. At the very last second (literally, as we were walking out the door), I tossed a sundress in my bag, and that's what I ended up wearing. Turns out, it was actually much cooler than the shorts, and we ended up taking pictures that day, as well. I was really glad to have that dress.

Oh, yeah! There were also banners in the box.

You wouldn't believe how much stuff a Rubbermaid box will hold:
I fit in: a smaller Rubbermaid box of stationary and pencils, a tablecloth, a runner, two rolls of creepy cloth, two empty Sephora boxes, a skull candle from Target (seriously, they have the cutest Halloween decorations), a picture frame, a treasure chest (not kidding), two headstones, a coffee mug, antique keys, part of an ancient tablet, the plaque off an old crypt, some business cards and a money bag. The DVDs came in another box. That's insane. Also, we take strange things with us when we travel. I'm just glad we left the skeleton at home.

Don't be a hotel snob, and Hotwire is da bomb:
(See, I'm cool. I'm hip. I know the lingo, yo. Can ya dig it? Yeah...gonna go crawl into a hole now...)
Thomas was awesome and made all the hotel arrangements for both trips, since I had my hands full with putting together a booth and fun stuff like that. He used Hotwire to book both hotels, and got really great prices on them. Crazy good prices, actually. Scarily good prices. One was, like, thirty bucks a night, or something ridiculous like that. The other was more, but not by much. You don't find out the hotels until after you book. The cheap-cheap place turned out to be an Extended Stay in a great area. When we got there, the front desk was waiting for us, knew our names, and had little goodies in a basket, in case we needed anything. We grabbed a microwave popcorn (why not?) and headed up to our extremely clean, nicely decorated room--complete with kitchenette and full-sized refrigerator. We could have properly cooked in that room. It was absolutely lovely, and I would happily stay there again. The slightly pricier hotel was revealed to be a Hyatt...suite. Living room, wet bar, huge tv...the works. The puppy had plenty of room to run around and play, too. The safety sign in the room had the usual price on it, which was about four times what we paid. This is not the first time we've used Hotwire, and won't be the last.

And because this is, technically, a beauty blog:
Walgreen's has an awesome Aloe Vera face mask. It comes in a single-sized packet (though, you can get two uses out of it) and is for calming redness and easing swelling. I think it was about a buck, and is fantastic for post-travel dryness and puffiness.

Urban Decay's new Revolution lipstick really does last for-freaking-ever. You might want to touch up for moisture, but the color isn't going anywhere. If you're going to be out and about with no mirror, this is your lippie.

Suave dry shampoo smells like pineapple, and really does work. It also cut down on my getting ready time considerably, and kept me from having to use my awful travel shampoo and conditioner. It runs about two dollars, and I got mine at Target.

While I Was Out: Random Phone Pictures Edition!

As any of you who have been following for a while know, things are never quite "normal" at my house. For crying out loud, this happened in my backyard:

Krampus Peek-a-Boo! I see you!

That's my sweet, adorable hubby, by the way. He was the stunt double for our creature actor. Truth be told, though, I think he just wanted an excuse to run around the backyard and scare people. 

Now, that was back in...February? I think? Anyway, things are still bonkers around the Smith crib (see? I'm hip and with it), which is one reason I've been MIA so much around here. I thought, for fun, I'd sift through my camera phone pics and see what popped up. Maybe they'll better illustrate the weird.

So, we made a mascot head. This is (just the head) of Punchy the Fighting Owl. The rest of the costume is still in progress, but the hard part is done. In case you're wondering, we made the body out of insulation foam and a hard hat, the eyes out of layers of screen door mesh and acrylic paint, and the whole thing is covered in polyfill, felt, and furry cloth. Oh--and about 612 hot glue sticks. We ended up sort of making the whole thing up as we went along, but the inspiration for the design came from this Instructable.

No. I did not make my own DIY Redneck Wine Glass (sold in other stores for $15.99, apparently). We're in pre-production for a couple of shorts, so my "grocery" lists are a little...funky. I had to run into Dollar Tree to look for a laser pointer, a car phone charger, some rubber snakes, glass stones, paint supplies, and a fake goldfish. (Oddly enough, the hardest to find item on that list has been the bag of rubber snakes.) I saw this set-up and couldn't resist snapping a picture. Then, I went home and glued (no kidding) 436 amber rhinestones onto leopard material.

I know I've mentioned it about a gazillion times on here, but Thomas and I have been working really hard to clean up our backyard. Because we're gluttons for punishment, we decided to add a water feature to this strange little random patch of dirt that lay in the middle of a rockwork embankment. Here it is at the OMG-I'm-almost-finished-with-this-bleepidy-bleep-bleep-thing-and-I-ran-out-of-rock-! stage. It's finished now, though, so I'll have to take a picture and let you guys see it in all it's waterfall-y glory.

Good Lord, we need to power wash the courtyard! Here's Thomas, doing his best Vanna White impression to show off the piece de resistance in our backyard makeover: the movie screen. It was a DIY project, made from movie screen material bought off of Amazon, and some lightweight wood pieces from Lowe's. It took about five minutes to screw together the wooden frame, and then the fabric is just stretched over it and stapled. We've hung it onto a couple of fence posts using picture hanging hooks, and the screen lives indoors when not in use.

And, because I've just been so bored, I decided to completely renovate my closet. This is still at the "in progress" stage. I've still got a ways to go on organizing, and then I have to empty it all out and paint. Expect a blog post on this when it's done...if it's done...

And, most exciting of all, I took the puppy to the vet. Trust me, he wasn't anywhere near as happy as he looks.

There's a lot of really cool stuff coming up in the next few weeks. Fighting Owl Films is doing a panel at Pensacola Paracon, and then Thomas and I are (most likely) going to the Sidewalk Moving Pictures Festival. Our short, C.U.P.I.D., was accepted, so if you're in the area in August, you should go check it (and the rest of the festival--should be awesome) out. 

Have a great Monday, y'all!

The Project

I'm sorry that I haven't written much here lately. It's been...interesting...

Okay, so Thomas and I bought a house. If you've been following me for any length of time, you probably already knew that. You probably also know that the backyard was in shambles, and we've been trying to get it cleaned up, lest Adam the Woo think us abandoned and try to explore our flower beds (in which case we would happily invite him in for a Mountain Dew). Well, getting it cleaned up wasn't the only project. You see, we're attempting to build an outdoor movie theatre.

We're nothing if not ambitious. And mosquito-bitten. Very mosquito-bitten.

So, for the past several weekends (and any other time we could fit in), Thomas has been working on building a fence and screen, we both put together a grill area, and I've been constructing a rock work fountain and some decorating.

We are nowhere near finished. Not even close, but it is starting to take shape. Also, have I mentioned that we have absolutely no construction experience? The set we put together for The Night Shift was mostly foam, and the one wooden piece kept falling apart. The set for SuperFriends was nothing but sheeting, and we couldn't keep that up. This is foreign territory, but it was either DIY or have it all done professionally, and we sure as heck couldn't afford that. I was brought up by parents who taught me that I could do anything I wanted if I used my brain and put forth the effort--be it painting a t-shirt or laying concrete--and they taught me this in true-DIY fashion: by doing it themselves. My fifth birthday was amazing. I had a Rainbow Brite-themed backyard carnival, complete with games, races, and a beautiful cake. All the neighborhood kids were invited, too, so it was huge. My parents couldn't spend a lot of money because my dad was in and out of work, so they made everything. Mom figured out how to pipe Rainbow Brite onto a homemade cake, and sewed little bean bags for the toss game Daddy made out of plywood. I think I even had a little outfit that Mom threw together on the sewing machine. Twenty-eight years later, I still remember that party and how much fun we munchkins had at it.

It seems fitting that I'm carrying on that "well, we'll figure it out" spirit in that same backyard. Every day, I walk through the living room with my parents' wainscot experiment (a success!), into the sun room that my Dad built (it's still standing and up to code...even if I don't know which light switches go to what), out onto the courtyard that Daddy laid, concrete brick by concrete brick, and look at the terracing that he and Mom designed. There are still boards and posts and half-empty bags of mortar lying around, but now they're mine and Thomas'. The yard is still being figured out, just by a new generation.

This weekend, I "finished" the fountain. By "finished", I mean that I've taken the rock that we salvaged from an old, random flower bed, and pieced it together to surround some liners and a pump that Thomas put down, then mortared it all together. You wouldn't think that would be too tough, but it's like putting together a puzzle where you have no idea what the finished picture should look like, and you're not entirely sure that all the pieces in the box are actually from the same puzzle. Oh, and you have to glue it all down as you go. In 100-degree heat. On an angle. And the glue sucks, so the pieces move and knock each other out of place, so you have to start over from time to time. One rock still won't stay down, and the surrounding ground cover hasn't been laid, yet, but I'm calling the fountain, itself, done.

As for the rest of the yard, the gated fence is up, and all the posts for the surrounding fence and movie screen are up and mostly cemented into place. Of course, we now think that we (and by we, I mean Thomas and my brother. I was off cursing at rocks) may have mis-measured and might have to reconfigure those posts. I have no idea where the furniture is going to go (and the paint may or may not have caused me to have an allergic reaction), but the cushions sure are comfy. The misting system and grill are ready and rearing to go, and all I need to do now is order the movie screen material and the projection equipment.

The string lights are awfully pretty.

We've got a long way to go, and no idea what we're doing, but it'll be okay. We'll figure it out.

I Cut Myself Shaving My Arm...

I'm running around like a chicken with my head cut off! Somehow, I have to clean the entire house, wash the car (in the rain...seems pointless, but you'd be surprised) and vacuum it out, charge all of the electronics (which is proving trickier than you'd think), pack personal and promo items, and go to work, ALL before bed tonight. Yeah...I'm not sleeping, methinks.

Thomas and I are heading to the Crossroads Film Festival in Jackson, Mississippi, this weekend. Our short film, C.U.P.I.D., is in competition, and we're beyond excited. I'll let you know how it goes, and maybe post some pictures if I can figure out how to do it on my phone. That's a big "if", but I'll try.

Have a fantastic weekend, and I'll see you on the flip side! (Because I have just about flipped out...)

Life With the Smiths (Or, I Really Need a Vacation)

I was flipping through the pictures on my phone today (read: I was bored), and came to the realization that Thomas and I are really weird. Also, I take pictures of the most random things. For example:

This picture was taken in July. July. Also, it's toast. Look closely. I assure you, that is toast, cut into a gingerbread man shape, slathered with icing, and dusted with sprinkles. We needed to shoot the poster image for Night of the Krampus, and I didn't have any cookie mix in the house. Oops. So, I improvised. And photographed it. For some unknown reason.

This is my kitchen backsplash. Thomas and I went through bloody heck to put this thing up, so I'm as proud of it as some folks are their antique cars. First, we had to pick out the tile, which was, of course, out of stock. Then we stalked the home improvement store a week or so until we could buy it, and then--and only then--were informed that it wasn't the sticky back, self-adhering type, but it was twice the price we thought it would be. There was grout involved. We ran out halfway through. Thomas threatened to divorce me four times. I threatened to kill him twice. A fun time was had by all. It looks fantastic now that it's all up. Of course, now the countertops look awful...

Thomas decided to be Batman for Halloween. This is the best picture I have of him in his costume, because the "professional quality" rental had to be held onto his body with duct tape and prayer. Indoor lighting was not its friend. In the dark, though, he looked amazing, and even had trick-or-treaters' parents asking for pictures with him. He had a blast, and talked like Christian Bale for about a week before and after.

It's a flying elf!!!! I love this picture! During the Night of the Krampus shoot, I snapped a few in-production photos, and this was a complete accident. The little boy jumped from the stairs to the ground, and somehow the stars aligned and I got this shot that naturally looks photoshopped. He's so clear, and the background is so fuzzy, and he looks like he's hovering in mid-air. Plus, the face is fantastic. Love, love, love.

Everyone should have a Herbie. Nothing says, "Fun times!" like a narcissistic skeleton torso in a plaid blazer and beret. Why, I keep one Herbie in the guest room closet, and another in a storage locker, just to be sure I'm never without the arrogant little so-and-so! Here he is with Soren, after we finished a shoot. Soren still has on his makeup, and we were all a little punchy. Herbie, of course, was a total diva throughout the entire day.

This is what happens when you watch too many Jurassic Park special features in a row. We had just watched a featurette on how they created the scene with the velociraptors in the kitchen, when I decided I needed a snack. This greeted me, and I darn near fell on the floor laughing. It's like Ronnie's little stuffed dinosaur wanted to imitate the movie, and failed epically. Still cracks me up. (Can't you just hear his sad little baby Rawr?)

Speaking of Ronnie, here he is sword fighting with Thomas. We make our own fun, y'all.

Thanks for joining me on this little journey into my weird life. This is what happens when you're trying to finish one film and promote another while trying to buy a house during Holy week (and you work for a Catholic church). I'm approaching delirium. Have a great day, and I'll see you tomorrow!

Some Folks Have Fantasy Football...I Have Fantasy Toiletries

Sweet Fancy Moses, it's Spring Break time!! Well, not for me, actually, as I am a "grown-up" who has long since graduated from any facility that would permit me to goof off for a week. I'm also not nearly as patient or awesome as the teachers and faculty who put up wi--ahem, guide and teach those who get to goof off (I have a teenage brother. I am in awe of you.), so I don't even get a week off from work to try to get other stuff done (you've earned it). But I digress. It's Spring Break! Somewhere! And I can dream, can't I?

For fun, I've been building my fantasy toiletry bag (don't judge me) for days...possibly weeks...in the hope of willing some sort of vacation into existence. Miraculously, it has seemed to work, and Thomas and I have been invited to screen our short, C.U.P.I.D. (it's cuteness on a stick of preciousness), in competition at the Crossroads Film Festival in Jackson, Mississippi. The trip's still several weeks off, but I thought I'd share my top five travel items, for those of you planning your own Spring Break getaways. Obviously, this isn't all I'm packing, but these are five fairly universal items, useful no matter where your vacay takes you.

1. Sunless Tanner
If Winter has left your skin practically black-light friendly (like it has mine), you probably don't want to throw on a sundress or teeny bikini without knocking off some of the chill. While my favorite tanning line will probably always be Victoria's Secret Beach Sexy, these little Tan Towels are perfect for tossing into your travel bag for touch-ups. They come individually foil packaged in half- or full-body sizes, and function much like a wet wipe. You just rub the towelette where you want to be tanned, and in a few hours you're golden. I especially love these because of how dry they are. I was able to get dressed immediately after using, and didn't experience much of a tanner-scent. They do go on clear, though, so you can't see where you've missed, and the effects don't last very long--maybe two days, tops. Still, for a quick touch-up or before trying shorts for the first time this season, it's a winner. 

2. Sea Salt Spray
I don't know about you, but I don't feel like (nor do I have the space for) traveling with a set of hot rollers. Sure, I can shove a curling iron into my bag (and I probably will), but I'm also packing a bottle of Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray. This is a saltwater-based texturizer that gives you sexy beach waves. I spray a little on damp hair, then scrunch it while I roughly blow-dry. It works wonders, and takes almost no time. For a more wallet-friendly version, Not Your Mother's Beach Babe has gotten some wonderful reviews. I've not tried it myself, but I'd love to hear from anyone who has. 

3. Vitamin C
The very last thing you want on vacation is an illness. These little packets are travel-friendly, easy to drink, and taste pretty good, actually. Plus, they'll help keep your energy up. Just make sure you pack a little hand sanitizer, too.

4. Decent Coffee
Maybe I just have bad luck when it comes to hotel coffee, but it seems like either the in-room pot is broken, or the lobby coffee has been sitting out too long, or there's not a Starbucks within a fifty-mile radius. In any case, I've learned the hard way not to depend on my hotel for coffee. And I need coffee. I worked my way through college in coffee shops, so it's (probably literally) in my blood. The little Starbucks VIA packs are a lifesaver! They take up very little real estate in your bag or purse, and all you need is hot water (and, you know, whatever cream or sugar you take). Best of all, they don't taste instant. I took the pick-the-instant challenge at Starbucks, and failed. Miserably. It's good stuff.

5. Help!
I come from klutzy stock, so a first aid kit is a staple in my house, car, and travel bag. This company, Help! I Need Help!, however, has taken the first aid kit to the next level. Yes, you can find little packs of band-aids and aspirin, but they also have blister covers, nausea meds, sleep aids, energy boosters, and even cold and allergy tablets. They've got the cure for what ails you, neatly packaged in the cutest little flat packs ever. If you have a good idea what you'll need (say, Help! I Have a Blister would be good for theme park goers or hikers), you can pick up individual packs, or grab the whole set for thirty bucks.

Krampus Stole My Post

I can't upload pictures today, for some unknown reason. This is a particularly bad problem because I had a review of Wet 'n' Wild's new Fergie eyeshadow palette scheduled, and it's kind of hard to discuss colors and swatches without, you know, colors and swatches...yeah...

This is probably for the best, though. I should really be working on lines and not playing with makeup, so I'll leave you with my love and a look at the trailer for the film I'm working on. It's fun, and has cute children. Who doesn't like cute children? Anyhoo, have a wonderful Thursday, and I'll (hopefully) see you tomorrow.


Fighting Owl Films

Holiday Hangover Help

***Blogger doesn't feel like linking today. I'll try to get them up soon. Thanks!

I feel like I've been run over by a Mack truck. Then, it backed up and ran over me again, just for good measure. Then, the driver got out and tap danced on my back. Then, he beat me with a stick and called me names.

We filmed over the weekend. For two days--8am to 6 or 7pm (I lost track)--I stood, ran, organized, made up, coiffed, touched-up, and occasionally acted. It was fun, and a lot was accomplished (and I'd like to thank the good Lord above for our cast and crew, who were amazing and beyond professional, and made this crazy weekend go so much more smoothly than it had any right to), and now, I'm...well, hungover.

Yup. Flat out hung. over. Read: bleary-eyed, aching, puffy, nauseous, dehydrated, with too much residual hairspray and makeup. If you didn't know any better, you'd think I'd gone on a bender at the company Christmas party. Truth be told, I did drink last night. I had a Mike's Hard Margarita, with an alcohol content only slightly higher than that of Kool-Aid. Had I known I'd feel this bad today, I'd have had two.

Anyway, icky or not, I had to come to work today, and I didn't want to walk in practically screaming, "I HAVE A HANGOVER!!!!!" so I used a few tricks to make me, at least, appear bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. If any of  you are planning to imbibe at any upcoming holiday parties, these might be useful for you, too.*

First, I did take ten seconds to wipe off most of my makeup with a cleansing towelette, and I put on a little eye cream and a super-hydrating lip balm. Even dead-tired, that's not too hard to do. In the morning, I slathered on a deep-cleaning, exfoliating mask, then headed to the kitchen for coffee with a water and ibuprofen chaser. The mask will help your skin glow, while the caffeine, hydration, and anti-imflammatory will help you feel more like a human being.

I hopped in the shower to wash off the mask, then cleaned the rest of me with a soothing scrub. The exfoliating will help get your blood pumping and wake you up. Then, I smoothed on a moisturizing body lotion.

Now, I had time to wash my hair and apply a leave-in conditioner and a little gel before blowing dry. If you overslept or just don't have time for that, spritz in some Bumble & Bumble Prep. This is great just to keep on hand. Prep reactivates the products in your hair and leaves a fresh scent. In either case, throw your hair into a messy bun or twist into a clip while you put on your makeup. When you pull it down, you'll have soft waves that make your hair look "done", making you look more polished. Run a little smoothing serum through it, if needed.

For makeup, prep skin with an eye cream and lip balm, then start with a tinted moisturizer. If you're dehydrated, foundation can make any flakes or fine lines more noticeable. A good tinted moisturizer will give you some coverage and a healthy dewy finish. If you have one that's in your "Summer shade", use it and blend down your neck. The extra color will give dull skin a little oomph. Apply a color-correcting eye primer and a shadow in a flesh tone, with a crease color a few shades darker. Keep it all matte, and all natural. Shimmer will only settle into lines and make you look older. You don't want to overdo the eyes. Have you ever seen someone who's been crying while wearing a smoky eye? It's not pretty. You don't want puffy eyes and a ton of dark shadow. You'll just look more tired. Keep eyeliner light and mascara on the top lashes only, to make the eyes appear more lifted, and avoid getting mascara in any fine lines. If you must have shimmer, apply a fine, soft gold or soft pink glitter (it doesn't settle as badly as shimmer) to your inner corner and brow bone. The highlights will, again, make you appear more awake and more lifted. Try a concealer that's a shade lighter than your tinted moisturizer. It will help highlight the undereye area for a brighter appearance. Pop a pink blush on the apples of cheeks, and keep lips looking plump and pretty with a red-toned gloss. Lipstick can settle into dehydrated lips.

Lastly, pour a little Gatorade into a travel mug and psyche yourself up. It's going to be a great day!

*Please drink responsibly and designate a driver. Thanks!

Inspiration: Zombie! Pre-Halloween "Going Out" Look

Tonight, Thomas and I are hitting the local Art Walk. It's a monthly event where different visual artists, performers, and arts organizations more or less take over the downtown area. Handmade items are sold from sidewalk vendors, opera is sung on street corners, movies are shown in the middle of a Square, and wine and cheese flow forth from gallery receptions. All in all, it's a good time. We'll be there representing Fighting Owl Films, so I had to get a little more dolled-up than usual, and in a way that helped make it clear what our organization does. So, I pulled out my zombie headband. That should do it.

The zombie headband, in case you're wondering, is this absolutely, freakishly adorable handmade piece I picked up at another Art Walk last December. The artist doesn't have a website, or I'd be hawking it like mad because she's insanely talented. When I saw that she had sweet purple zombies for sale, and I had a movie out that featured sweet purple zombies, I knew we were a perfect match. Here's the piece:
 

I love the dangling little button eye!!!! Squee!!!

Once I knew that I was going to have purple and red in my hair (and the rest of the outfit consists of a black shirt and blue jeans), I decided to incorporate those colors into my makeup for a dramatic, artsy, but still classy look. God, help me. Here's what I came up with:

Products Used:

Touch In Sol Feels Like Honey Moon primer

MAC Studio Sculpt foundation

Maybelline Age Rewind concealer

Benefit Creaseless Cream eye shadow in Silver (lid/primer)

Stila eye shadow in Moxie (crease)

Urban Decay eye shadow in Grifter (blending)

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Pencil in Zero

Buxom Lash mascara

E.L.F. Brow Kit in Medium

MAC Cream Color Base in Virgin Isle (blush)

Rimmel Stay Matte powder in Transparent

Benefit Watt's Up highlighter

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Cherry Tart

They eyes took zero time. Seriously. Silver for the primer/lid color, then add Moxie to the crease and outer V-area, and blend it up with Grifter (which is full of pretty silver glitter that shows up in person, but not in this picture. Of course). Run Grifter under the lower lashes, then run Moxie over that line to the halfway point. Line upper lashes with Zero and wing out slightly, then run it under the lash line about a quarter of the way across. Add Watt's Up to the inner corner and under brow bone. Done.

If you're curious about how I wore a cutesy headband after age 30, here's how, and it could not have been easier. I started with wet hair and spritzed in a good leave-in conditioner. Then, I added a volumizing mousse to the roots and gave it a rough blow-dry. When the hair was just slightly damp, I sprayed down the ends with a sea spray for texture, and continued to rough blow-dry the rest of the way, scrunching the ends as I went along. Once the hair was completely dry, I pulled it up into a messy, high ponytail, with a little volume at the crown. I didn't tease the crown, but left room for it to pouf up a little when I pinned in the bun later. To create the bun, I used a teasing comb to tease the entire ponytail in one-inch chunks. Then I twisted the chunks together loosely and formed a circular ballerina bun, poufed up the crown, and pinned. The headband went on after, and I tucked the ends into the hair behind my ears. I finished the look by lightly spraying with anti-humidity (ha!) hairspray, just to knock down any frizzies that shouldn't be there. Messy is one thing. Frizzy is something entirely different.

See, the band is pretty far back on the head, which makes it more like an fashion accent, and less like something a schoolgirl would use to keep her hair back during P.E.



This shows how it looks from the front, as well as a close-up of the bun. Added bonus: Erin looking like a goober. You're welcome...

Hey, Kids! Let's Make a Movie!

Photo Credit: Fighting Owl Films
Artist: Jeff Bell

You know how I act and produce for an indie film company? And how that company made a really cool movie that actually got picked up for distribution and is out on DVD all over North America? Well, we're gearing up to make a thirty-minute follow-up, sequel, Christmas extravaganza...whatever you want to call it. I think it's going to be down right awesome, so I figured I'd share the news with you guys.

Night of the Krampus will be a half-hour holiday special, featuring the main characters from The Night Shift. Rue Morgan, Claire Renfield, and Herbie West venture away from Pinewood Oaks Cemetery to investigate a series of kidnappings. Could Santa's "helper", the deadly Krampus, be checking off his Naughty List?

Right now, we're at the fundraising stage, and have a campaign in progress on indiegogo. I'm not asking any of you guys for a dime. What you could do, if you're interested, is share, like, favorite, tweet, embed, plus, pin, or blog about the project. We have a little over 40 days, and every bit of support helps. Thanks!

Just Where Do You Find Mascara In a Zombie Apocalypse?

Normally, around here we talk about how to look pretty and polished. That's all well and good, but it's not all that you can do with makeup and hair products. Sometimes, you just need to get down and dirty...you know, without the actual dirt. Ew.

I have lost count at how many zombies I've filthied up. Sure, on The Night Shift they were all cute and cuddly, but they still had to look like they'd been underground. I've given people bruises and bloody lips (and only once or twice were they real), added gaping wounds to pretty girls, and made enough blood for a bathtub dismemberment. Sometimes, folks need to look sweaty and grimy, or like they've just been pulled through the mud (or come down a chimney, but that's one for another day, I think). When you're on a set, you don't always get to be glamorous.

Now, as I've said a million times before, I'm not a pro. I've just worked with pros and paid attention. These artists, however, are pros, and do some of the best work in television. Here's a fantastic interview with the hair and makeup team from The Walking Dead. Enjoy! (Click the "These artists" link for the interview. Whoops!)

Photo Credit: Bloody Disgusting and all the AMC stuff written on the bottom of the picture. :)

Rockabilly Glitter!: Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Polish Strips

This weekend, Fighting Owl filmed some stuff (details to follow, as soon as I know what's going on, myself), but I got to don the old Claire Renfield duds for the occasion! I've played a lot of characters in my day, but I have to say that she's one of very few that's earned a special place in my heart. Plus, her costumes are always ridiculously cute, and this one may have been the best, yet.

Anyway, since Claire is a little (okay, a lot) on the rockabilly side, I normally paint her nails bright red. This time, though, Thomas saw these, and nothing would do but I had to wear them.

Aren't they fabulous!?!

So, here's the deal with these little suckers: supposedly, because they go on dry, they're time-savers and fantastic for gals in a hurry. I call shenanigans. If you want to do these right, they take as long to apply, if not longer, as regular nail polish. You also really need to add a topcoat to secure the seal, which completely voids their whole "no drying time" claim. However, if you're into really intricate nail art, these might be right up your alley.



These are called Headbanger, and have, sadly, been discontinued, hence the clearance price. Would I pay $8.54 for these? Heck, no! You get one application! These are really only worth it if you can get them under five bucks.

  

I do like that they come with all of the tools you need. To apply, remove all existing polish. Then, push down cuticles with the included orange stick. Shape nails with hot pink side of file, then buff with the white side (not shown). Wipe nails down with polish remover, once more, to ensure the cleanest nails possible.



Choose the strip that best fits each nail, starting with pinky and working to thumb. Remove the plastic cover sheet and white backing, and break off silver tab. Apply to nail, holding strip in the middle for best control. Stretch stip to fit nail, then fold excess over the nail tip. Create a crease with the orange side of the nail file, and break off excess. Use the blunt side of the orange stick to seal all edges.

PROS: Really cute designs, relatively easy application, decent wear.

CONS: Pricey, chips easily during application and shortly after, requires a topcoat to seal, not a time-saver.

Final Verdict: 7 out of 10. I recommend these if you are into nail art and can catch them on sale.

Curious about that rockabilly look? This was taken after filming, and after I'd taken off my costume and put on my street clothes, so please pardon if I'm a little disheveled. 

Why, yes! That is a skull in my hair flower! If you like this look and want to know what products went into it, let me know in the comments.

But I Play One On TV: My Indie-Filmmaking Makeup Station

***Disclaimer: I am not a professional hair or makeup artist. Far from it. I can not stress this enough. I have no formal training, and am not licensed. I am just a well-informed amateur who has learned from experience and observation. Thank you.***

If you are a DIY indie filmmaker, or are thinking of trying your hand at some shorts, or maybe a local film scramble, this post is for you. This is not for folks with a budget who can hire a pro. By all means, if you can afford a professional, hire a professional. We hope to one day be able to, ourselves. For now, I've put together this kit, filled with essentials to keep us running.

Okay, let me say this one more time, just to be clear: I am not a professional hair or makeup artist, nor do I claim to be. That said, sometimes when Thomas and I are filming something, special makeup is required. Maybe we need a zombie; maybe we need people to look dirty and ragged; maybe we need to bruise an actor and he's just not comfortable with Thomas beating him around the neck and shoulders. Actors...

That's when my handy-dandy at-home makeup station comes into use.

As you can see, this is a super high-tech operation. The cart and counter-top organizer both came from Target, and I think were around $20 total. I like that the cart has wheels, because, if we're filming in our home studio (aka: the guest room "office"), I can roll it wherever I need to. Also, in a pinch, I can take the counter-top organizer off and use the top of the cart as a make-shift table. Not pictured is a small folding stool for the actor to sit on.

Here's a close-up of the smaller counter-top organizer. It's perfect for little items and disposables. Let's look inside!

I'm not going to be too detailed in these descriptions. If you really want me to go product-by-product, I can. Just let me know in the comments. This first drawer holds all my eye stuff. Pencils, mascaras, brow gel, some primers, a gel liner, and some individual and strip lashes with glue. You'll notice some items are sample-sized. That was a cheap way to expand my kit, up the quality of product, and use up some items that otherwise would have probably ended up in the trash.

Here are the smaller face items and a few lip products that really didn't have anywhere else to go. I've got my bruise and death wheels, Ben Nye setting powder and Final Seal, a couple of small HD powders (the better to toss in my travel kit if we shoot on location), some tinted moisturizer and mineral powder (for guys), lipsticks, lip pencil, primer samples (again, the better to travel with, my dear), a pigment, and some flesh latex and tooth color.

The last drawer is really the most important, in my book, anyway. These are my disposables. This isn't the best picture, since some things are stacked and layered, but this is where I keep my sponges, puffs, and all manner of applicators. I have individual mascara and lipgloss wands, so no two actors use the same. Each actor gets their own puff. Spatulas let me scrape out clean lipstick, gloss, gel/cream liners...etc. There are hand sanitizers and sani-wipes, and rubber gloves if need be. If you take nothing else away from this, please take this much: There is no sharing in makeup! Thou shalt not double-dip! I don't care if the person you're making up is your best friend, sister, or mom--you never share! Germs love mascaras, lipglosses, lipsticks, and pretty much anything else you can think of that's makeup related. Keep your hands clean, use disposable wands, change out your sponges, and clean your brushes and you'll be fine. It's okay to be paranoid.

This is the first drawer of the main cart. I also keep my brush belt in here, with E.L.F. studio brushes for use on greasepaint and to take on location shoots. They're only three bucks a piece, so if they get lost, broken, or what have you, I can afford to replace them. If I'm at home or in an indoor, low-key setting (not running through a cemetery), I prefer my Real Techniques brushes for non-greasepaint work. They're not terribly expensive, either, but they are a little pricier than the E.L.F. Here, you can see some face wipes, the larger HD powders (look for a difference between the E.L.F. and Make Up For Ever's HD powders. I dare you!), a tub of q-tips, and a whole buncha palettes. There's a Ben Nye foundation palette (and my deal of the year! Got it for less than $30, and it's normally closer to $60! I worried for days that I was getting an empty palette.), a couple of concealer palettes, a lipgloss palette, and a Z-palette with some depotted eye shadows, powders, and lipsticks. Then there are some Wet 'n' Wild palettes, a couple of single shadows, and my Pokemon-esque collection of Profusion palettes. I gotta catch 'em all!

The next drawer is the hair drawer. I wish it were more organized, but you work with the space you have. There are a few different hairsprays, a couple of volumizing mousses, extreme-hold gel, texturizing gel, volumizing powder, several pomades with different finishes/purposes, some samples of Fekkai glossing cream (I should just get a tube. it's awesome), a spray bottle for water, a comb, a couple of hair flowers that I know I'll be using on our next shoot, some spray temporary hair color, and some bobby pins, brushes and clips (not pictured, because I just picked them up today). Way in the back, under the hair flowers, are also a styling cape and an apron. I often have to work on people who are in costume, while wearing my costume. That is a recipe for disaster...and stains. These little protective coverings are vital, and they only cost a few dollars at the beauty supply shop. Please invest in them.

You'll also notice that I don't have any scissors or hair color, or anything like you'd find at the salon. That's because I'm not trained and licensed. I won't do anything that won't wash out immediately. If you want something more permanent, go to a pro. I do have hot rollers, a curling iron, and some velcro rollers, but they have homes in my bathroom, since they're mine and not the company's.

This last drawer is my special effects stuff. Here you'll find the edible fake blood (mint flavored!), a tub of white greasepaint (the rest of the rather extensive collection is in another kit until I can get a second small counter-top organizer for it), spirit gum, spirit gum remover, baby oil (for removing greasepaint), baby powder (for setting greasepaint), specialty powders, gelatin appliance bonder, brush cleaner, spray tan, extra sponges, extra containers, extra flesh latex, a couple of spatulas, and (oh, why not?) spray glitter.

So, there you have it. That's my amateur makeup station for low-budget filmmaking. A lot of it's E.L.F. A lot of it's drugstore. Quite a bit of it is on the higher-end, but some of that's made up of freebies, for crying out loud. It's completely about what works best for you and creates the look you want on camera. Just be careful about your hygiene, and have fun.

Do you guys enjoy these posts on what goes into low-budget indie filmmaking? Let me know in the comments.