Debut Downunder

There are limited opportunities to make an impression in the female circles of expats. The small windows between drop-off and pick-up, a PTA meeting, parents night at school. I found myself floating on the perimeter of conversations wishing for a chance to interject a witty comment- subconsciously raising a banner saying: "I'm smart, I'm fun, you want to drink wine with me.... and possibly hang out at Christmas." Honestly, it's a pathetic, painful right of passage- ESPECIALLY for someone that has spent the last 8 years in Kemah, Texas living amongst family. For weeks I've been desperate for an opportunity to showcase any of my marketable personality traits- alas the awkward carpool interactions prevailed.

Enter Book Week Australia.

Book Week is Australia's attempt at Halloween- Literary! Ha, get it....

Oddly, All Hallows Eve is not widely celebrated in AUS- so costume shops and order online Elvis suits are hard to come by- and expensive. Book Week is a chance to pay homage the characters of your favorite books and wear a costume to school! As a honorary child of the Bowman clan- costuming has been an art I have honed fastidiously over many years...although there are no prizes at book week- WE WERE GOING TO WIN IT.

Of course there are obvious obstacles. We did not import our dress-up cache so supplies were limited. Second- to create the right wow factor I have to convince the kids to dress up as something I can totally kill costume wise. AND we have to have read the book....

Vee, the avid reader and budding costume diva, had lots of ideas; most of which would have taken a BA from a Fashion design school and about $2,000 to create. Davis only had one stipulation- his character must have a weapon. With the clock ticking and my reputation on the line Vee choose the The White Witch from The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and Davis chose The Knight of The Kitchen- Gareth.

I did some brainstorming, bought a glue gun, some spray paint and hit the Salvation Army- its called the Salvos here.

White Witch Jackpot! I honestly could not have asked for more. There is a large Vietnamese community here and apparently once they get married they give their dresses away to charity- nothing else could explain the incredible selection of tinnie-tiny wedding dresses at the Salvos! Ten dollars bought me the poofiest number I could fit in my car. We made Vee's crown with aluminum icicle spikes and finished the look off with some Turkish Delight and as much make-up artistry as I could muster. Children actually gasped when she walked in the class room! WINNER!

Davis' costume took an IKEA sofa box worth of cardboard, 2 cans of spray paint, 17 hot glue sticks, some duct tape, one sacrificed long sleeve t-shirt and a plastic sword. If you're questioning the weapons at school, let me just say there was not a male child in attendance that was not carrying a gun, a bow, a sword or a wand, (the Harry Potter kind). Men are men here in the land of Oz- Davis fits in seamlessly.

Now, like I said there are no prizes for costuming at book week. Mom's did not come running up to me begging to know my costuming secrets- but sourcing and making the outfits was one of the first things I have gotten to do since we've been here that hinted to the world a little bit of me.

It was nice.

Davis as Gareth, the Knight of the Kitchen


Vee, The White Witch of Narnia

Collection of "new and exciting" books added to Davis' school library, #hardcore