Making a Shrimp Sushi Hat for Halloween

The Inspiration:


The Sushi Express Mascots


The Materials:


Pillow With Stuffin' Taken Out


The Journey:


Using a brow pencil I draw the outline for half of the shrimp body.


Cut shape out and gluestick it to the cloth again. Hey, I didn't have any pins.


Draw an outline for the body again, sew over the line, and cut out the shape.


Invert body and fill with stuffing...sew it to swim cap base.


Pre fitting-to evaluate if the stuffing ratio is just right when it's sitting on my head.


Sewing the middle indentationM


I tried sewing this shrimp on with the cap off, but it really cut down on its elasticity and it wouldn't fit over my damn big head. So now I'm sewing this shrimp on VERY CAREFULLY with the cap ON.


Like I said to my friends. It looks like I'm wearing a damn maxi pad on my head.


So it's time to break out the shrimp tail (pink foam sheet) and poster paint!


When the paint finishes drying, I sew the tail on and now we have a whole shrimp.


Because I chose a blue swimp cap, I sew the "rice" portion on underneath the shrimp. In addition I cut a ribbon of white cloth to wrap it around my head where the rice meets my hairline.


The End Result:


With an elastic band tied underneath for safety, and some scary Joker makeup on, I am officially SHRIMP SUSHI for Halloween.

Coming Soon!

Mr. Michael "Photoshop Perfectionist" Chang asked me what the future of "Hiding in Asia" would be after I left Taiwan. What would I call the blog then?

This is his suggestion.

Awesome!!!!!!!!!!

Halloween in Taipei 2005

Halloween is not just trick or treat, fun and games. It's also an opportunity for all of us to change our external appearances for the sake of affecting others. In this clip, Tom puts the camera on Danny as he gets DEEP into the ugly side of this holiday.

Halloween Already?!?!!?!

I was recently in one of those mega all purpose Japanese Chain stores the other day and was snapping pictures left and right. This is the same tactic I deploy at nightmarkets and souvenir shops or whenever I'm in a place that sells "stuff-you-don't-need-but-think-you-do-until-you've-paid-for-it."

After doing a photoseries on some kitschy ashtrays and miniature fast food keychains, I ventured across THIS O GLORIOUS SITE:


Oh crapcrapcrapcrapcrappitycrapCRAP is it Halloween ALREADY?!?

Every year, I place a high expectation on what my costume will be. Usually by this time I have an idea of what my costume is and I would have had all the basic materials already. But now I've realized I only have TWO DAMN WEEKS to get my shite together.

Oh yea, and to make it harder on myself- I refuse to do store bought costumes.

Exhibit Number 1:



My ...err..I didn't know a Triceratops was so....endowed with...such limbs.

Exhibit Number 2:



By the way...this costume is aptly called "The CHINAMAN" and yes, that IS a white guy wearing it. Two Wongs Make a White, Anyone?

(Note: Both costumes were sold in Taipei.)

Anyway, I've got two weeks, and in those two weeks, I'm going to need something to top LAST YEAR'S HALLOWEEN:



-which was triggered the MOMENT my friend Danny tried on a children's size 12 Tiger costume in the rental shop:

So plainly put, yea, HOW THE HECK DO I TOP THIS ?!?!

I'm a bit flummoxed right now. :(

When Things Go Wrong at the Candy Shoppe

So there's a big store in my neighborhood that sells stationary, plush toys, hair accessories, jewelry and candy. Simply put, the place just peddles CUTE.



See what I mean?

But amidst all this G-rated fare, I soon ventured upon some pretty ridiculous items.



Is it wrong that my thoughts immediately go to "heroin" instead of "vaccine shot"?

And then things got weirder in the chocolate aisle:



"Oh Honey, you bought me....porn...oh wait! No, it's...CHOCOLATE...porn."
Apparently, the headlines read something like um, "How to Mature Faster into a Man" and something about "extending the hours of..." etc...Apparently, you can open up the "magazine" to discover chocolates in the shapes of some sexy bodyparts.
I made the mistake of asking my mom to translate the cover. "Well, it's not nice things, Helen. Are you sure you want to know?"

BUT THE CROWNING GLORY WAS WHEN I DISCOVERED THESE!



MARSHMALLOW SANITARY PADS! I finally found them.

I'll be buying these babies in bulk before I come home. You know..for presents. Any takers?