Helping Out a Zombie in Need

Even zombies need a hand once in a while.  Especially if that special zombie happens to be part of your family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tom + Deb had us over for dinner last weekend + after we partook in a yummy, hearty meal (thanks as always, Deb!!!!), Halloween projects were in full effect!

Jeff was all up in pumpkin carving mode!!!  While he was very seriously cutting + gutting the pumpkins, I happily chatted away with my sister-in-law Deb.  Look at Jeff –  you would think that he was performing open heart surgery!!!  Chill out, man!!!  They’re PUMPKINS!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The whole entire purpose for carving pumpkins for Halloween is FUN.  I don’t know what kind of manual Jeff’s been reading, but I didn’t receive that one in the mail!

Matt has really been into Minecraft, which is a cool video game about building + placing blocks to create your own world. 

It’s kind of cool because it’s really lo-fi + old school – not like the hyper realistic gore games like Call of Duty or somethinglikethat.

 

 

Matt wanted a Creeper jack o’ lantern.  What’s a Creeper?  I’ll enlighten you.  Creepers are the bad guys in Minecraft that ambush players by exploding, thereby causing damage to the player + his/her surrounding blocks.

 

 

 

Run, kitty!!!  Ruuuuuun!!!!!

 

 

 

 

Okay, wait.  What was this post about???  Oh yes.  Zombies in Need.  Yes.  Right.  So, while Jeff was figuring out his Creeper jack o’ lantern, Matt + I went to work on his zombie costume.  This is where my 7 years as a costumer for film really came in handy.  Here we all are – Tobin was already in bed if any y’all were wondering!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First, I ripped + cut holes into Matt’s old hoodie + jeans.

Next, I took a steel brush + roughly raked it over the holes, tears + areas that would show wear: like around the neckline, sleeve hems + down the front of the hoodie.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This creates a quick worn + frayed look without having to put it through the washer + dryer.

 

I had Jeff bring his distressing kit from work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It contains colored grease sticks + powders to give clothing that aged + dirty look without actually having to drag it through the dirt + mud!  Smoke + mirrors, people.  Smoke + mirrors.

Jeff also brought his fake blood kit from work to aid in our endeavor.  It is good stuff, y’all.  There are recipes for home made blood, but this stuff looks like the real deal.

We donned our surgical gloves + got to work!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeff put some of the edible blood around Matt’s mouth.  I love having nephews!  Doesn’t it look good?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here we are going to town on the hoodie!!!  I was slacking on the picture taking that night, but luckily my awesome sister-in-law Deb had the foresight to start snapping away!  I was totally dropping the ball!!!  Thanks so much, Deb!

Matt is so inquisitive, observant + creative!!!  He totally was super clued into all of my instructions on getting his costume as messed up looking as possible!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is all about the layering + blending of all the colors!  After we rubbed the greasy colors onto the clothing, we topped it all off with some of the powder, which gave it an ashy, post-apocalyptic look. The final layer was the smearing of fake blood that we left to dry overnight.  On the day of, Jeff provided a thicker, goopier blood for Tom + Deb to apply – adding to the moist, glistening, ripe effect.  Eeeeeeeew.

That is one messed up looking outfit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
As we left Tom + Deb’s I delighted in gazing at the silhouette cut outs that Tom made for their frosted windows.  Cats, rats + ghosts!!!!

Hanging bats + a slinky rat!

Aaaaaaah, yes.  The Creeper Jack o’ Lantern.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In all it’s Creeper glory.

When we arrived home, I immediately snuggled up in the wolf blanket that Jeff had stored at Tom + Deb’s, that was a gift to us from our dear friends Steve + Liz that have moved to Southern California.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All is well in the world.