Hallowville Manor Costumes & Rentals

Across Canada in a 1886 Mercedes Benz

Tanya — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 00:29:10 +0000

People dress up for so many different reasons and one customer stands out very much.

I met Patricia in my store a few months ago. She and her husband Duane where looking for something very particular for an unusual trip they were going on.

They were going to travel across Canada to show off the very first Mercedes Benz car, complete with a costume for the pair (little cutting here and adding here, I was able to suit them up).

Below is a write up from Patricia:

Duane, Patricia & the Mercedes (car is the one with the wheels)

It features wire wheels with a four-stroke engine of his own design between the rear wheels with a very advanced coil ignition and evaporative cooling rather than a radiator. Power is transmitted by means of two roller chains to the rear axle.

The Model 1 car was patented in 1886 and successful tests were carried out in early summer on public roads. Model 2 had several modifications and in 1887, Model 3 with wooden wheels was introduced showing at the Paris Expo that same year. Parisians were more inclined to purchase automobiles at the time.

His wife, Bertha, invested in Benz’s business enabling him to develop the first patented automobile and she was the first person to drive an automobile over a long distance, 106 km (60 miles). She left Mannheim at dawn with her two sons and arrived in Pforzheim after dusk to visit her mother. This is now a famous route in Germany.

Her intention was to get publicity on the way back home, which she did. She was able to report everything that had happened on her trip and made several suggestions to improve the car. Because there were no gas stations at that time, she had to find a product called Lingroin as fuel. It was a cleaning product only obtainable from a dispensing chemist shop, or as we know them now, pharmacies/drug stores.

On our trip, we are using a product called hexane. We had to receive it from Germany. Yes, the car runs.

Although Carl lived near poverty when growing up, his mother strove to give him a good education. At the age of 9 he started at the scientifically oriented Lyseum. He then went on to study at the University of Karlsruhe. He had originally focused his studies on Locksmithing, but decided to go the way of his father, locomotive engineering.

At age 15, he passed the entrance exam for mechanical engineer and graduated at 19. He had many jobs along the way, as a mechanical engineer, technical drawing and designer; he worked for a bridge company and at an iron construction company. His lifelong hobby brought him to a bicycle repair shop. At 25, he founded a new company called Benz and Cie, where he had 25 employees and started to produce gas engines.

After all was said and done, Carl Benz was an Inventor.“

Pictures of my halloween costumes

Tanya — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 05:37:21 +0000

So the most popular question I get everyday so far is “Do you get to dress up everyday?”

Well, yes I do and I saved a few of them from the past week and here they are….Jill is in some of them with me!

Do you put on a home haunt?

Tanya — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 04:38:43 +0000

Hey my little goblins,

I was wondering if any of you put on a free haunted house or dress up your front yard.

I was hoping to give out a flyer this season with a list of free events people can go to.

Try to get it to me by Oct. 10th. This will give me time to get it printed and then hand it out to my customers.

Also, if you have photos from last year, use the form on this blog post to send them to me – I’ll post them on the site for all to see

Thanks so much, lets enjoy this spooky month together.

-Tanyaville

[contact-form-7]

I went to a make-up training day…

Tanya — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 03:05:14 +0000

I went to a make-up day a few weeks back to learn some new things for Halloween. The lady who sat with me named Dani from Oh-La-La in North van won the face painting morning class. She got a gift of lots of makeup.

It was great to meet new people who own costume shops from all over. I just love to hang around people who love Halloween as much as I do.

I had a hard time to learn about cuts/bruises/scars. I really wasn’t that good at it. So I decided to hire a make up artist to come to the shop and do his magic there for my customers. Rick will be there 3 times a week and I’m also trying to have a few night where rick will teach makeup to those who will sign up for the class.

If there is anything you would want to learn, just send me an email and I will pass it on to Rick.

A wonderful tip I got from a customer…

Tanya — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 04:23:55 +0000

I can’t believe that I have been blessed once again from a wonderful lady who came into my store.

Patricia was from out of town, and she really wanted a costume from 1863. She and her husband are going on a road trip to advertise the year Mercedes-Benz started out. She wanted a costume made, but time was running out.

Patricia found Hallowville and dropped by. We went through what I had in the store and found two dresses that could work.

The only problem was they were way to big. So, I always do free alterations if you buy something in the store, so I got to work on the hemming the following day. I also, sent it in for dry cleaning and put it under my name to save her some money.

She got her dresses and was happy with them, and on her way she went.

Well, after wearing one dress at an event, she had a few issues with some of it. Last Sunday she called and told me she was going to meet me at the shop. It was a good thing the store was so quite on Sunday, as I spent the whole day sewing up her dress and fixing the jackets. Patricia even went to the fabric store for me as I couldn’t.

I stayed late until 7:30 so she would have the dresses for the next day as she was leaving town again.

Just before she left , she handed me an envelope, and told me inside was a tip. I said no, that I didn’t need it. Inside was $200.00. I couldn’t believe it! I tried to return it to her, but it was impossible, she wouldn’t take it back.

She told me that she was so happy that I was able to do the work so fast, and put my other things on hold for her. That she loved that I went out of my way to help her, and she thought that I was such a sweet person.

Well it sure brought tears to my eyes and Patricia too, when I gave her a thank you hug. I wasn’t expecting such a wonderful gift, but I feel proud that I could do my best for a customer.

Thanks so much Patricia, you made me thankful that there are still great people like you in this world. I hope you enjoy your holiday.

Tanyaville

Pinup Photos Are Here

Tanya — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 03:46:57 +0000

you sexy ladies…wow

There were some great photos this time. You all look so good!!!

Thanks so much for coming into the shop and having fun with us girls. I think we need to do this more often.

Thanks for sharing on my site, here are the photos:

Weekend Pinup Shoot

Tanya — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 04:54:32 +0000

This weekend I had the pleasure to hang out with some cool chicks!

At the shop I hosted a pinup shoot with the wonderful Cherri from Cherybomb Photograghy. She had included some of her friends who came with her. Jenna from Belle of the brawls did nails ( I love my pink zebra ones) and Krissy from Wildchild, and Vixen makeup.

The chocolate fountain was wonderful. It was donated to me by my friend Pam, who owns Falling for Chocolate. I think I will have to buy one. It’s great for a party. Strawberries tasted great.

I hope everyone had a awesome time. The girls all looked so wonderful. Thanks to everyone who came out, and we should do something like that again. Maybe a Halloween shoot? It is just around the corner……

The pictures following are from the first time we did this in February, but I just got them on the weekend. I will post the new ones as soon as I get them.

Tanyaville

Other photos:

A $100 Tip

Tanya — Tue, 10 May 2011 03:24:33 +0000

This is a long time over do, but I’ll attempt to make a blog for those customers who have been bugging me about this……you know who you are!!!!

I did have a wonderful chat with a customer who came in awhile ago. His name was Troy. He had on this amazing big rodeo belt buckle on. I asked him about it and he said he won it many years back when he did the rodeo for a living. We started to chat about horses (as I ride also), family, money and our jobs.

He has a great job that pays lots and he enjoys it. I on the other hand……told him I’m flat broke but 100% happy. I told him my story of being a parking lot attendant that I quite my job after 19 years to open up my Halloween shop. I said that I had to get a part-time job shovelling shit at a horse farm. I work everyday for 3 hours before I open up my store. I was only making $600 a month, but it was just enough for me to live on. (There is never any going out for me!).

We must have talked for about an hour. He was getting ready to go and was buying some candles. He handed me $20 and said to take this tip and go out with my husband.

I said ”no I can’t take any money” and tried to give it back. He said no, and told me I still have to enjoy life and it always can’t be about work. I gave him a big hug, and he drove away.

When I went to put the money in my purse I saw that he really gave me $100.!!!

Holy shit, I thought! I just got a huge tip from him. I felt so bad. I hoped that one day I could see him again. I went home to tell my husband iVan about my day. There are still good people left in the world.

Then the night that I did make a date with iVan to go to a movie and dinner (we saw HOP) .

Troy came into the shop just as I was closing up. Well, I gave him a hug and said thank you once again, and told him he shouldn’t have done that!! He laughed and said it was no big deal. There have been people in his life that did things like that for him. Now he was making good money, he could help out someone he wanted to.

He just wanted me to have a nice night out. He ended up buying more candles for his niece and told me he is going back up to work and he’ll pop by in a few months to say hi.

This blew me away. He was so nice and didn’t want anything in return. He was just an honest man who enjoyed talking to me and hearing my life story. I’ll never forget that special day I had with a new customer in my shop.

Thanks Troy!!

Tanyaville

Yes, I Have A “Pretend Daughter”

Tanya — Sun, 08 May 2011 03:54:04 +0000

Not that I condone the lifestyle, but this is hilarious

This is going to open a whole can of worms, but out it goes:

I love my friends Rachel and Julian from Wicked Purses, they are great people.

But, when my “pretend daughter” (a stuffed bunny by the name of Coco that my hubby and I take everywhere we go), when she went to their house for a “sleep over” (boy, this is a topic for a whole new post, eh?), they thought it would be funny to send a photo back to me about what Coco was up to.

I think they are a bad influence on little Coco =)

Here is the photo, tell me what you think

2011 Vancouver Tattoo Show

Tanya — Fri, 06 May 2011 03:36:41 +0000

This year’s tattoo show was held at the PNE in Vancouver. This was a great location, except for the drive in!!

Rachel (from Wicked Purses) and I once again shared a 10×20 booth. Thanks to Rachel and her hubby Julian, they pretty much ran the booth for me, as I had to be at the shop. I’m down to a one-woman show once again. So I couldn’t enjoy being at the show all weekend.

I did want to thank all of you who dropped in to see us. I do hope you will love what you got! Those wicked purses rock!

Yes, I will carry those kids T-shirts in a bigger size for next year.” My dad can kick your dad’s ass” were the most popular tees!! There must be some dads out there who have a little attitude I see………but it’s all for a good laugh!!

I hope everyone had a blast and enjoyed the art. There is so much talent out there.

I know last year I said I was going to get my first tattoo, well……I still haven’t. I think about it everyday and talk to people in the shop, but I’m still scared to get off my ass and just do it!! But, one day I will just go and see my artist and bite the bullet.

Tanyaville