This pun-filled collection was birthed from our families favorite game to play together. Each timey-wimey piece included bits & parts of historical garments from Tudor pumpkin breeches & Elizabethan whisks all the way up to men’s 1930’s college wide leg trousers. A very playful hoity-toity high tea feel was definitely the priority. This collection was excavated from the bones of discarded party supplies, prehistoric tableware, comfy tea time linens, AND actual broken dishes/tiny tea set pieces.

Some details to point out/help answer “what is that questions” lol:

The stacked cups on the triceratops head are 3d printed and decoupaged/painted except the very ends there is a spout off a real teapot and a real mini teapot on the other side.

Plastic knives as claws & paired spoons as  frill points.

Paper plates spikes & ruffles, & as broken pieces trimming the skeletal boning structures of bustles, and tails. And fully forming a whisk on the triceratops.

Paper napkins decoupaged on headpieces, as ruffles, and covering shoes

Actual pieces of broken dishes (either smoothed in my Rock tumbler or on a grinder by my cousin) were used on hoops, panniers and tails, as buttons, mosaic eyes, teeth, clothing embellishments jewelry pieces & charms.

Nearly all fabrics were tablecloths, table runners, tea towels, placemats, curtains, cloth napkins , or overstock home decor fabric which, of course meant that there was a great deal more laundering & deconstructing before the actual building of the garments.

Models:

TEA-Rex: David G

Velocirapt-TORTE: Anita Rhynes

Brachio-SAUCER: Cortney Brooks

Tricera-POTS: Wendy Hartman

Photographers: Randall Schieber, Tony Bentivegna, Kara Neumann, Larry Hamill

Assistant: Mary Breitfeller

MU: Brihanna Boggs

Love & all the Help: My Family that came into town!

Captain King Midas was spiffed up after Highball 2022 & submitted into the World of WearableArt application process in March 2023! In July I was notified that he made the stage show & I quickly clamored together a gofundme to raise money to go see my piece on the global stage in Wellington, New Zealand.

While he was not selected by the judges for any of the awards, Captain King Midas WAS selected for a 2 page spread in the collectable program introducing the Gold Section. I am BEYOND (The title of 2023’s show) honored to have my piece onstage with so many other beautiful works of art & I look forward to entering and hopefully participating again in the future! I definitely found more people to add to my creative family. The whole experience has revitalized this maker’s soul.

The first few photos feature “Shellshocked” (the big costume for my Highball 2023 collection) as I envisioned her upon a beach (photo by Becky Barger Amato). She is the union between vintage vibes and Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus”. From her clamshell, this Aphrodite, is a beauty of classical proportions, who bids us to embrace the love within ourselves. The collection that accompanied her was called “The Bombshells” & this play on words had Crab, Sea Snail, & Lobster inspired looks. These embody not just a happy pun but also feminine creatures out of their shells and flaunting their playful effervescence. Beauty Standards are constantly changing & evolving; what is considered a “Classic Beauty” is ever changing by time, society, culture, & so much more. Come out of your shell & love yourself! This collection/piece place 3rd!

Models:

Venus/Aphrodite: Brihanna Boggs

Crab: Anita Rhynes

Sea Snail: Arriah Ratanapan

Lobster: Wendy Hartman

Hair/Makeup: Annah Davis & Jaime Fry

Backstage Assistants: Mary Breitfeller & Jenny Hicks

Interns during project: Sophia Klein & Emerson Fry

Photographers: Becky Barger Amato, Tony Bentivegna, Corey Swanagin, & Randall Schieber

Photography: Larry Hamill, Randall L. Schieber, Kate Heitkamp, Tony Bentivegna, & Dave Toth

Hair/MU: Phia Salon

Models:

Shroom- Anita Rhynes

Snail- Janaya Davis

Hart- Rian Is

Moth- Wendy Hartman

Once Upon a Time

On a Midsummer’s Night

In a Fairytale Dream

Where you might find a Sprite

Antique Lace & Heirloom Doilies

Mingle on the stage with Neon Bright

They fly, May Strut

Glide or Rave

But what creatures shall party with these Faye

Collection Won 2nd Place at Highball Halloween

Photography by: Randall Schieber, Jerri Shafer, & Ian C Powell

Hair/MU by: Annah Davis & Assisted by Jaime Fry

Models:

Captain King Midas- David G

Wraith Pirate (Anne Boney)- Wendy Hartman

Wraith Pirate (Anita Booty)- Anita Rhynes

Pirate (Jewels Diamond)- Alex Landexter

Pirate (Obsidian)- Rian Ismadia

Pirate (Sassy McGee)- Gennifer Davis

Hands now Tentacles

Twisted in Greedy Wet Nets

Deeply Cursed in Gold

This was a collection of Classic Halloween Monsters that have jumped out of books, lurked on the American Silver Screen, and haunted radio waves. Each monster is loosely inspired by the historical time period & culture from which they materialized. The technologies & sciences mingled in their lore inspired use of unconventional materials & a personal exploration of why people fear what we don’t know.

Monster Mash place 2nd in the Highball Halloween Costume Couture Contest.

Various Photos by: Tony Bentivegna, Larry Hamill, and Steve Malone

Hair & MU by Phia Salon

Models: Mummy- Annie Ratanapan, Frankenstein’s Monster: Rian Is, Witch Doctor: Jessica Rose, Purple Person w. Phone: Anita McFarren Rhynes, Purple Person w. Eyepad: Wendy Hartman, and 1Eyed 1Horned Flying Purple People Eater: Brandon Alexander

The whole idea for this Highball Halloween collection/costume was to escape crazy 2020 COVID pandemic world. I wanted to get away as far as I could imagine. However, I also have faith that our universe is a Rockstar and that we will continue on.

Theme: ROCK E.T. (A play on both Rock Extraterrestrial and Rocket) Space Punk

Materials: Lots of shiny “space” fabrics,  Safety pins, and hardware used as trims.

The Models are members of a punk band: the Astronaut is the drummer (model: Wendy Hartman), the Alien (model: Anita McFarren Rhynes) has a Key-tar, & the Galaxy (model: Jessica Rose) is a Rockstar Guitarist!

Hair & Makep by Phia Salon

Photo Creds: All pics 2020 were actually taken by myself :)

Collection Won 2nd Place at Highball Halloween

It’s funny when you look back on how worked up you got over a past incident… (I like to think this is why this collection has a clown like feel) I had a mental breakdown. An emotional crisis centering around our family's need for our own home/house. Questions on what an ideal home would be, what has been home in the past, why is this process so freaking hard, WAVES of depression, FLARES of frustration, OVERWHELMING GUSTS of anxiety at the lack of control in the chaos led to ELE-MENTAL.

Models: Earth- Melissa Gould, Water- Jereatha Heriot, Fire- Brandon Alexander, Wind- Wendy Hartman

Hair/MU: Phia Salon

Photos by: Heff’s Studio & Design & Ian C Powell

Collection placed 2nd at Highball Halloween

This 2nd place collection for Highball Halloween 's 10th year was inspired by The Little Mermaid! To avoid delving into Cosplay too much I not only aimed to use modern fashionable silhouettes but also unconventional materials. Each of these looks features re-purposed men's neckties (Ariel's skirt & bra trim, Ursula's suckers & tentacle trim, Sebastian's pants & claws, Scuttle's Romper & sleeve trim, & Flounder's Dress). I also incorporated hand beaded/sequined applique, glitter, & real bubbles came out of Scuttle's pipe, Sebastian's claw, Flounder's shark, & Ursula's tentacles. Models: Melissa Gould, Jessica Rose, Wendy Hartman, Lanre Elemide, & Kimberly Baur. Hair/MU: Phia Salon, Photographers (click on image to see more of their work) Abbey Cowan,  Ian C. Powell, Randall L. Schieber, Amanda Bentivegna, Tony Bentivegna, & Mahendran P.

1st year to compete in the "Ready Wear" & Couture Costume Contest all on my own! This collection of Highball Halloween exclusives was inspired by Art History & this "painterly" group complete with hand beaded/sequined applique's, handpainted touches on nearly EVERY clothing item/accessory, lights & moving parts WON! The Starry Night by Van Gogh was the inspiration for the finale Costume. Fragonard's The Swing was my Rococo selection. The Mona Lisa by DaVinci represented the Renaissance & a cave painting from Lascaux, France was my inspiration for my paleolithic/cave people. Models: DaRissa Moore, Dr. Russell Fillmore, Jessica Rose, Wendy Hartman, Anthony Verdi, Anita Rhynes, Mandi Newhard, & Thomas Newhard. Hair/MU: Phia Salon, Photographers (click on image to go to their website) Andrew Blight, Allison Colvin, Ian C. Powell, Heather Reeves, & Mandy Moore.

Sophia Fifner, Mrs. Ohio United States 2019 and her Jeni’s Ice Cream themed costume

I have had the great pleasure of costuming numerous pieces for New Vision Dance Co. These are some of my favorites thus far! Click on the image to be sent to the photographer’s info!

Jereatha Heriot’s 2022 Miss Plus World North America Turtle Island Costume

Swirling tulle hand woven through chicken wire, rhinestoned flags, turtle head crown, and lights are just some of the detailed features of this costume.

Mrs. Buckeye State Plus America 2018, Jereatha Heriot, contacted me to create an Ohio State themed Costume to compete at the Miss Plus America Pageant in July 2018. Here is a little more info about this costume that took FIRST place at the pageant.

Her original idea was to be a ladybug to reference the state bug but I took it to that EXTRA place that I like to do.

I wanted to keep spots like a ladybug but to turn them into Buckeyes, I wanted to include the state bird (cardinal), the state flower (red carnations), and then I got super crazy and threw in a TON of references to all kinds of inventions that have come from Ohio or people born in Ohio.

Did you know that Ohio is considered the birthplace of inventions from the smallest everyday pop tab, to the brilliance of Edison’s light bulbs & the wrights brothers themselves! Here is some more:

Thomas Alva Edison from Milan Ohio invented the light bulb , Elisha Gray born in Barnesville oh developed telephone prototype at nearly the exact same time as Alexander Graham Bell... still hotly debated who used the “liquid transmitter” first , Akron is the rubber capital of world bc of Charles goodyear in 1839, Pop top can by Ermal Fraze in Kettering Ohio in 60s, the Wright brothers were born in Dayton Ohio…. and truly the list continues/I ran out of space on one look.

The light bulbs on the vintage airplane wings lit up, and her pop tab covered propeller spun around and revealed a Columubs Ohio Zoo license plate. In preliminary talks she would pair the costume with the silver telephone hat and rubber rain boots, however those were cut in the process. I had so much fun creating what in my mind would be the ultimate “Ohio State Costume” and I am so pleased that it won.

Insectum Spectrum was a collection for Highball Halloween in collaboration with Ashley Wills. This featured a mantis, beetle, butterfly & the magical tree they all called home. This collection claimed 3rd place in the Costume Couture Contest.

Models: DaRissa Jay'scene Hayes Moore, Madison Wilz, Ludie Senatus, Jessica Rose

Hair: Phia Salon

Makeup: Ludie Senatus

Dolled Up was the WINNING collection for Highball Halloween in collaboration with Ashley Wills. This collection featured a broken china ballerina, a ragdoll, a harlequin doll & the conjoined twins who own & enjoy them on the stage of their skirt.

Models: Angela Darr-Kuehnle, Wendy Jobes Hartman, Kristin Laymon, Jessica Rose, Abby Bowman

Hair: Phia Salon

Makeup: Reverse Vanity Spa

This was Shiree's first time in Highball Halloween's main Costume Couture contest for Highball! She was paired with Shann Santos (who created a beautiful resort line for this event) & created this over the top paradise bird inspired by Shann's work.

Model: Wendy Jobes Hartman

Hair: Phia Salon

Makeup: Reverse Vanity Spa

2009 marked Shiree's first experience with Highball Halloween. Charly Bauer was in charge of guiding 4 students from The Ohio State University Theatre Department as they competed against eachother in a student competition. Shiree took home first place with this Elizzzabethan inspired take on a Bee.

Model: Wendy Jobes Hartman

Wig & Makeup: Shiree Houf

This was CATCO’s contribution to central Ohio’s celebration of the Harlem Renaissance. Eubie! took Broadway by storm when it premiered in 1978. This revue featured the music of famous jazz/swing musician Eubie Blake and contains twelve songs from the landmark 1921 production of Shuffle Along.

This production took place September 7-15 2018 at the Lincoln Theatre

Photos by DiBlasio Photography