2009 Come as Your Favorite Day of the Year!

  In my opinion, this may be my best costume ever. I think without being familiar with art of Patience Brewster, the idea of this concept working would have never come to me. I made the cardboard and foam core top, added the toys. Karen sewed the stocking. Karen designed plush toys earlier in her career so there is really nothing she can't design and sew. It was great fun to build and wear!

2008 Enchanted Forest

Somewhere on my chest is the Nicholas and Alexandera monogram from the "Treasures of the Tzar" show that Karen and I bought on one of our first dates. Judy Moffatt looked smashing! Karen is somewhere  in the photo below lost in Frank and Patti's costumes.

2007 Western Theme

I could not control myself. I was so into this it was scary. Karen was almost as bad as me. Shirley lent me this really cool gun with a super long barrel. Everything else was already in my closet. Karen made her skirt with appliqued felt. This was a good costume year. Just adding a sheriff's badge made a costume. 

2006 Time Tunnel

Karen and I as kids in our pajamas from the past and Linda and Craig Weller as Linda's Bear Family in the future.

2005 Paradise

This costume started with the hat that I bought in Russia. The rest of the uniform was bought in the city.  Karen added the black stripes to make it look more like a Russian uniform. Karen's costume was my idea... or was it hers? There is also a photo of me with brilliant costumer Judy Moffatt.

2004 Garden Theme

 I wore this bright orange jump suit, I was a Pest Control Guy. Karen came as a Bee Keeper Lady. We used Karen's hat at our Garden Parties several times. Something else funny happened while all this costuming was going on, Linda Weller became one of our dearest friends.

2003 My Favorite Animal

 I think this may be my favorite costume. I was a Great White Hunter at a party full of animals. Shirley gave me her husbands old jacket, Janet gave me socks, I made a gun and slowly bit by bit it became a really good costume. I wore a bow tie that really kicked the whole thing up a knotch. I am possing with Linda Weller dressed as one of her Bears. My friend Lou who always is smiling and always brings a smile to my face. At the bottom is my wife Karen in her Three Little Pigs hat. She went to bed at 4:00 am and I got up at 5:00 am to finish this costume. It is really marvelous.