Digging Deeper with D'elle Memphis- Unboxing Creeper Crate

Hey guys! I am so very excited about the "Queens of Macabre" Creeper Crate Subscription Box. First I would like to say thank you to my super fan who knows my black little heart (or love of Elvria). I absolutely LOVE it!

This is the first Creeper Crate I have received and definitely plan to get a few more!!! This is the description I found on their Facebook page of the contents of the monthly box:

"Horrific Goodies for Women who love Horror! A Creepy box to make your little black heart skip a beat! Each month every Creeper will receive multiple Horror themed items on their doorstep. Bath Bombs, Cosmetics, Home Decor, Accessories, and Jewelry are just some of the items you can find lurking in your very own Creeper Crate."  

WANT A LITTLE BIT MORE IN YOUR CREEPER CRATE?? We have our DELUXE Creeper Crate available for $10 more! Clothing, Movies, & Collectibles are just some of the additional items you could receive ON TOP of the items featured in our Original Creeper Crate!"

Oh yeah...subscribe to my you tube channel for more Digging Deeper with D'elle Memphis videos...you never know what I'll be doing next! Honest...cuz neither do I...

Fashion Show or Film Festival? We Don't Know Either!

Hey guys & dolls I’m back and as promised with my multi-media fashion show recap complete with

film links!

When we were approached again about hosting our vintage fashion show we really wanted to create a unique and memorable experience, not only for the attendees but also for the ladies and gents involved in the show. With the help of DaLar Productions we decided to create a multi-media show which would highlight not only the fashion trends of the 1920s but the films of the era. With that, “Nostalgi-Vision” was created. As part of the process, we took on the challenge of creating 5 mini silent films.

The silent film era featured a wide variety of genres to choose from. Basically I knew I wanted to create a political satire film targeting prohibition and a classic keystone cop, a Film Noir, a horror movie, a Hollywood epic placed in Egypt (Yes I wanted to be Cleopatra) and a slapstick comedy complete with a custard pie fight. Since we all know flappers and Gatsby guys & dolls, I wanted to touch on different fashion trends, like casual and formal menswear, Egyptian revival and art deco.

The idea for our fashion show was to pair a look / outfit with a silent movie best representing the style. Of course, we had to recreate a lot of the looks using vintage and modern pieces that were not from the 1920s since fabric over 90 years old can be very fragile. That's the beauty of being part of a group like the Memphettes. You can build your look around all vintage pieces or you can accent reproduction and modern items with a pop of vintage flair. Either way, it's about the look and the attitude.

A great deal of effort went in to each film so we could make sure they appeared not only in the proper style, but that they appeared era correct in as much as we could pull off. Simple things like covering modern outlets and making sure cars weren't reflected in a window. It's harder than one might think. In the end, we produced the following films. Check them out and enjoy the fruits of our labor.

(Click on the title to watch the films!)

Film #1 – Alley Cats starring Comanche Rose, D’elle Memphis and D.E. LaRiviere

Film #2 – The Call starring Angel Logsdon

Film #3 – Midnight Train to Memphis starring Scarlett Fever and Christopher Stafford

Film #4 – The Pharaoh’s Bride starring D’elle Memphis and Jeremiah “Fish” Patton

Film #5 – Garden Party starring The Memphettes

I also want to recognize local musician Pete McCarty for providing the soundtrack for Alley Cats. It was perfect.

Will you see more of our films…yes you will as soon as we can remember our lines!

Personal note...once again I remind everyone our shows are extremely campy and created to be so.  So before you criticize remember...this is what we do for fun!  If this looks just your speed and you would like to join the crew for some of our "adventures"...drop me a line!

Southern Junkers Vintage Market

Southern Junker Vintage Market
Creator & Founder Ruth Barnes

Southern Junkers Vintage Market is a quarterly event complete with about 65 antique & vintage vendors, concessions and food trucks, art and decorating demos and of course, appearances by the Memphettes.

Originally created as a Facebook community page for people who love antiques, vintage and repurposed items Southern Junkers has evolved into a top notch, high quality shopping event for those of us who love antiquing. 

I first became familiar with Southern Junkers when they were hosting an outdoor flea market event in 2012. My love of vintage drives me to not only purchase old stuff but to encourage The Mister to refurbish and repurpose forgotten pieces for me. You know, to “save” them from the dumpster. I guess you could describe my home décor style as pintrest-kitsch meets an episode of Hoarders. Southern Junkers, to me, had become that place to find that special starter piece for one of my projects.

The Selection of items you will find at Southern Junkers

When the Memphettes became involved with Southern Junkers it was due to the event's expansion and move into the Memphis Agri-Center International. Part of the expansion included entertainment for the guests which came in the form of a Vintage Fashion Show. The first time up we may have aimed too high…one hour long with over 100 outfits with ukuleles and a pirate…ummm…yeah…we overshot a bit. So to Ruth I would like to say I am grateful you found us and invited us but also allowed us to come back and continue to participate in these events. 

Outfits from our first vintage fashion show!

and from our second show which was Rockabilly /
Western themed and full of campy goodness

Southern Junkers Vintage Market has definitely grown into a wonderful shopping and antiquing experience. But, I must comment here with the growth of the market I have noticed more completed, fully restored items versus the starter pieces I have come to look for with this market. There are still plenty of vintage items for a retro gal like me but the selection of these items was smaller this time. So sadly, this time around I must admit my group of ladies and gents purchased less and I found myself breezing past booths which were stocked with those fully restored pieces. Southern Junkers has become an interior decorators dream market, but not so much the vintage lifestyle market I normally shop at. While Southern Junkers is an enjoyable event I do kind of miss the original format where I was able to find pieces I could repurpose with my own flair vs something already upcycled in someone else's style. 

OK so now about our fashion show. This last market represented out third endeavor in the fashion show circuit. This time around we decided to break away from traditional and create something unique for the audience. We went with a multi-media fashion show which integrated on stage models with a series of short silent movies. This time the focus of the fashion show was to highlight trends of the silent movie era and we did so by making our own silent films. It was a lot of fun now enjoy some photos of the market…

A decorators paradise!!

Wait WHAT?…your article is over with just a quick mention of the short films? Well that is a topic all by itself and I plan to share an entire post about the creation and showing of these films. This is what the industry calls a cliffhanger. 

So until next time kids, stay in school, eat your veggies, and listen to your mom when she's talking. See you in the next episode.

Mint Cream Vintage Expo

Over the weekend, the crew of The Memphettes and I were enlisted as entertainment during the Mint Cream Vintage Expo.  Mint Cream is a relatively new market still in its infancy stage and 2017 marked the 2^nd annual event.  The expo is organized and hosted by local vintage queen and blogger Amy Dobbins.  Check out Amy's Blog here. 

First, I must admit the most enticing part of this event for me is the unique location.  The expo is located in a downtown Memphis warehouse which is home to Tad Peirson’s American Dream Safari.  ADS is an indoor vintage trailer park complete with an assortment of vintage trailers and brightly painted hand made tire art and furniture.  Sound weird?  Well it is…weird and wonderful!!  American Dream Safari will also be happy to host you and your friends on a downtown tour of Memphis in vintage cars for a reasonable fee. Honestly, does is it really get any better than touring Memphis in a pink Cadillac?? 

Admission to Mint Cream was a mere $5 with encouragement to bring two cans of food for the Memphis Food Bank.  The market is contained within a relatively small space with about 8-10 vendors selling everything from vintage clothing and accessories to home décor.  There was a food truck and a small classic car show that kicked off at 5pm.  In addition to shopping and eating “Uni-Corn on the Cob” there were several demos that were both educational and entertaining.  Local hair gurus Kasey Dees and “Razor” Rob Brennan were on hand to show how to create the perfect vintage “do”.  Hey guys want the perfect pompadour? Here is a clue…set up an appointment and visit Memphis hair icon “Razor” Rob!  Trust me on this one!

"Razor" Rob Brennan with his model James Hambrick
(MidSouthWeaponX & Brick House Training)

Amy Dobbins, Kasey Dees (Hair Slayer) and her lovely model

 The Memphettes followed up the hair demos with a quick vintage fashion show featuring attire from 1940s-1980’s which accompanied a performance with the retro rocking sounds of Los Psychosis. 

The Memphettes Vintage Fashion Show spanned from 1940 to 1980.
From left to right Row 1: Comanche Rose, Heaven Leigh, Shelly Gowan, Lauren Knight
Row 2: Shelly Gowan, D'elle Memphis, Corinne Hutchison, Comanche Rose
Row 3:Corinne Hutchison, Comanche Rose, Julie Banderob, D'elle Memphis
  

Oh yeah and Little Elvis…how can you forget Little Elvis?  There was a meet and greet/photo op with Little Elvis.  This kid is ADORABLE and the living embodiment of The King in a small child.  I must admit he even looks like Elvis! 

Little Elvis - Isn't he just a doll!!!!  Pictured with mom, Katrina
Photos by RetroPhotography 

Here is what you must know about this market.  If you are looking for antique or boutique style booths with the latest in shiny Pinterest-y goodies this isn't really the place for you.  If you are looking for vintage clothing, accessories, home décor and other bizarre happy treasures this is your kind of place!  The vendors priced items to sell, not to fund their retirement or kid's college fund.  The selections were not vast, but what was there was cool and eye catching.  

Comanche Rose really enjoyed the day at Mint Cream! 

The environment at Tad's is a little on the, shall we say rustic side and while it may not be the most aesthetically appealing place for some people, there is a vibe there that seemed to add to the event.  The crowd had a genuine connection to both the vintage scene and the overall feel of the market.  Vintage enthusiasts left feeling like they had been to a gathering of like-minded folks and it had a familiarity to it that made it more than just a vintage sale.  It seemed kind of like a family get-together.  

Comanche Rose & I had a blast and of course we loved seeing you all!  

Hoping Mint Cream Vintage Expo will be back next year with even more to love.

Until Next Time...

To Build or Not to Build

“To Build or Not to Build” really does seems to be a major question on the lips of many con organizers and cosplay judges.  It creates rivalries and hard feelings, but it is certainly at the core of the cosplay culture right now.

This weekend marked yet another whirlwind adventure for me and mine to the big ole’ town of Tupelo, MS just in time for the 2017 Tupelo Comic Con. That's right, geeking out in the birthplace of the King himself.

Tupelo Comic Con is your typical hometown comic convention complete with minor celebrity appearances, vendor area, prop cars, artists, cosplayers / fandom community row, gaming tournaments, A LOT of panels and the obligatory cosplay contest.

It was the cosplay contest, more so the structure of the contest, at this particular con that really caught my interest.  TCC hosted what was essentially two separate contests.  One specifically for craftsmanship, the second one for overall appearance and the wearer’s ability to represent the character. 

The Craftsmanship Contest required that a minimum 50% of the costume must be constructed by the contestant.  A model could wear the costume but the creator must be present.  They also stated costumes which had already won awards in other costume contests were not permitted, requiring a completely new and original piece from each contestant.  This contest had more strenuous rules and offered more significant prizes than most I have seen.

Wonderland Duo Cosplay (Belle & The Beast)

Tanealya & Robin Burks (Disney Jedi Mashup)

The Closet Cosplay Contest was 100% focused on the appearance of the wearer and the costume could be created using any outlets available, so predominantly store bought, commissioned or thrifted costumes were moved into this category.  There were five awards but it was mostly for bragging rights and being able to strut your stuff on stage.

A little something for everyone but not all competing in the same arena.

Like most cosplayers I find myself interested in the never ending argument of whether store bought or commissioned cosplay should be allowed in the same competition with something hand built by the wearer? 

Blue Bunni Cosplay (Mystery Girl), Derrick (Pirate Crew of MSB), Lauren Knight (Misa), Mr. Fish (Captain Obvious)

Ok here is my official standing on this.  I don’t know. 

Anti-climactic, right?  Sorry 'bout that, but here is my reason for being indecisive.

I have the utmost respect for people who painstakingly handcraft each element of their costume.  That being said, I also can appreciate the cosplayer who purchased or commissioned the costume and completely OWNS THE CHARACTER. 

Heidi (Hawkgirl), Lauren Knight (Velma), Tenitia (Muse), Natasha (Harley Quinn)

In the past I have been accused of being a bit of a “build it yourself snob” but I don’t always have time to completely design and craft costumes for upcoming events.  My recurring roles as mother, wife, and my real world job don’t always allow for time, and being a parent does not always allow the expendable income.  Cosplay is an expensive hobby.

Personally, I love to sew and create, but I do not always find it is the most effective way for me to create my costumes.  So yeah I will purchase pieces.  I will happily forego sewing leggings if I can buy online cheaper than I can purchase the fabric.  However, there is ALWAYS something of my own creation in my gear and it's usually a major component. 

James of Brickhouse Training (Logan) , Kewpie Doll Cosplay (X-23)

For TCC my favorite Kewpie Doll Cosplay wore her X-23 gear replicated from the Logan movie.  Because the character is in street clothes, not the usual superhero getup, this costume is 90% store bought.  Her claws were hand built, but the jeans, T-shirt, and denim jacket are all off the rack.  She received a “Cosplay Choice Award” on the floor and much praise about how she embodied the character.  Let's be frank a moment, even an unbiased observer looks at this kid and understands she was meant for this cosplay.  Is it award worthy?  Depends on the contest.

Red Skull Alliance Cosplay (Captain America)

So here is my question to you…Who is at the real disadvantage?  The person who contacted a designer, spent a lot of money to have their gear custom built to fit their body?  They may look great but not always be able to communicate to a panel of judges, who more than likely handcrafted their own gear, how it was fabricated.  Or the person who built everything themselves but may not have the same skill level as a professional seamstress. Maybe it needs to be something each cosplayer addresses for themselves, but it may come down to finding your place by strutting on the floor and bypassing the stage.

So I say again, I don’t know.  I do know this, as long as you are happy with your gear, wear it and do not allow anyone, fellow cosplayer or judge, make you feel unworthy.  I know a lot of awesome cosplayers who fall into both of these categories.  Let your geek flag fly as you see fit and don't worry about what anyone else thinks, but understand that each event has their own parameters for what they deem worthy of an award.

Always my partners in crime...Miss Scarlett Fever
& Comanche Rose (aka MidSouth Wonder Womna)

Oh yeah add Kewpie Doll Cosplay
to my normal partners in crime!

with Big Daddy Cool

I cannot forget my REAL partner in crime
master of shenanigans, my other half
and "staff photog" Darrell :) 

Keeping with my goal of positive support of others I am featuring some of my FAVORITE local cosplayers in this post!  This is by no means all of my favorites just a few who had epic designs that sprung to mind!   

Cospositivity

Why do all my pinup cosplay's end up looking
like Snow White?

So I am reflecting on my experience returning from yet another con this weekend. I guess, truth be told, it's not just my experience, I shared it with someone close to me. 

MidSouthCon is a small local con that focuses on the talent of artists, authors, and cosplayers.  Not much in the way of big name celebrities or giant vendors, which gives it more of a hometown feel that is shared by most attendees.  The weekend is also packed full of back to back panels on anything from comics and anime to paranormal to fandoms and costuming.  This year I was interested in several of the cosplay panels.  One in particular that caught my attention was “Cospositivity” a panel about the official movement focused on promoting a safe a positive community for all cosplayers.  The panel was set to discuss hot button issues regarding size, age, and gender while offering tips on how to make your cosplay work for you.

All that being said, I did not make it to this panel. 

The reason is, I was distracted by a personal crisis, or at least what seemed to me like one.  Maybe it was more of an issue of principle that really got under my skin, but here it is.  I spent the afternoon supporting a fellow cosplayer friend who was met not by hostility, but by exclusion.  Wait, WHAT?!  Imagine this…you have spent months building your cosplay and, DAMN, it’s really good.  You show up at the event and you are having the time of your life interacting with con-goers, posing for pictures and answering questions about your build.  You see another cosplayer dressed in your same fandom and decide to go say hey and they TOTALLY IGNORE YOU! 

YEP YOU WERE JUST TOTALLY IGNORED.  This is what happened to my friend.  Not only did the other cosplayer ignore him, but responded to his presence by actively redirecting other people AWAY FROM HIM.  WTF is that about?

You might like to think this was an example of a single insecure person just being a total asshat and normally I would tend to agree.  However this is NOT an isolated incident.  Sadly I feel this has happened to the best of us.  I know it has happened to me & Miss Scarlett Fever on several occasions.  (Check out Miss Scarlett Fever pictured below with me as Kato & Batman).  I would figure us geeks and nerds would stick together but it appears not. 

Which brings me to the real topic of this post.

My success is not your failure.  I don’t know where the concept originates from but I can tell you it is a wide sweeping mentality and impacts the world of cosplay, costuming, pinup, photography, design…I guess all creative outlets really.

The success of another person does not mean you have failed.  People can appreciate you, me and twenty other people noticing the different levels of skill and creativeness showcased in each of us.  My followers and fans enjoy seeing me with the rest of The Memphettes crew and I love having “like minded” people around me.

In my “real life” I have spent a lot of time around VERY successful people and I have spent a lot of time around pseudo-celebrities.  What I have learned is truly successful people tend to celebrate the success of others.  This is an attitude I try to adopt personally…who you are does not mean near as much to me as how your actions enrich the lives of others. In the grand scheme of things there are no limitations on the number of people who can achieve success or victories, and how about next time instead of turning your nose up, try celebrating the achievements of others.

So when I hear comments about being cospositive I have to ask, are you really, or do you just want to appear open minded and accepting?  Lately it has been hard for me to tell.  Exclusion is yet another subtle way of bullying and can be just as hurtful as shaming.  When we engage in a social setting only to be excluded, it creates a loss of “sense of place”.  The basic need to belong has been taken away from us.  Parenting magazines teach us children exclude when they are seeking control.  Is this what we experienced this weekend or is it really just a case of social awkwardness?

Stepping past this particular issue, my crew had a BLAST at MidSouthCon, switching gears from pirate to comic to retro during the course of the weekend.  I enjoyed the all the panels I attended especially "Whisker Wise" and the good looking gents who presented it ;)  If I have learned one thing from my attendance at cons, it is that a single offense cannot be allowed to ruin the fun of the entire experience.  Sometimes we have to pick our pride up and dust it off before we put it back on the shelf and move along.  

By the way, I do understand that the phrase "my success is not your failure" doesn't apply in a foot race or a job promotion, but let's keep it in context and pretend I've said something prophetic and uplifting.

**Official D’elle Disclaimer**

I am VERY VERY INTROVERTED which sometimes equates me to “snob” or “bitch” for most people who do not know me.  It is this type of interaction (or lack thereof) which has left me very uncomfortable approaching other cosplayers in general.  Maybe we are all in the same boat.  If I appear to be unapproachable I am sorry and please note I am not.  I totally love meeting and interacting with other people who lead similar lifestyles.  I will also go on to say however, if I have had a negative experience with someone I will not interact with them.  Burn me once shame on you, burn me twice shame on me.