Welcome to Oz...

"Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore!"

Today I'm excited to share with you my first ever themed outfit. Next Saturday is Blythecon 2014 in Seattle, and this lovely collection is my donation to the prize raffle. I hope whoever brings this outfit home loves it as much as I loved creating it!

I started this outfit with a twist on Dorothy's old-school style dress. She spiced it up a bit by getting rid of the stuffy under-shirt, and maybe the hemline got a little shorter too... (scandalous!). The dress comes on an acrylic hanger that my dad and I designed and cut using a laser machine. Dorothy wears a straw sunhat, in hopes that the sun actually comes out in Seattle. She wears a pendant with an extra pair of ruby slippers around her neck, and two bitsy-bows in her hair.

And then there's Toto... I've needle felted Toto from pure sheep's wool, a process using a barbed needle, and thousands and thousands of pokes! (A really good activity after a stressful day...) Toto seems to be hauled everywhere around Oz in a prickly basket, so our little Toto is riding in style in a soft and cozy dog carrier, lined with none other than Yellow Brick Road fabric. There is a little charm on the bag that reads "I ♥ Kansas", and around Toto's neck he wears his own identification tag with a heart charm, so that he can find his way home if the flying monkeys should snatch him up. 

"Got dog cookies?"

And finally, the ruby slippers.....

 

When first making this outfit, I knew it had to have some ruby slippers. But not knowing where to find them, decided to create them myself. They are my proudest element of this outfit, because I got to use a lot of my mold-making skills that I usually use in my metal jewelry shop. Needless to say, shoes are TOUGH to make, and I'm happy that Dorothy can wear these glittering girls with pride!

 

This set also comes with an actual patch of the Yellow Brick Road, which I carefully removed the last time was there. Although if anyone asks, I'm going to tell them that it is made from polymer clay, just so they don't get suspicious...  

I hope this box set finds a great home, and that Toto finds his forever-Dorothy. I hope to see you at Blythecon, and  I can't wait to see what other outfits have been created!