Wacky Wednesday #45—Disco Ball

Am I the only one who thinks disco balls at the DMV would be a good idea? I’m convinced that a disco ball can enhance any space, and some spaces (government agencies come to mind) can use all the help they can get. At the DMV a spinning, light-reflecting disco ball could make waiting less horrendous. (A little.)

Today’s costume is all about light and sparkle and a fun-filled disco vibe. The idea for this costume has been in a long time in the making—maybe 25 years. As a teen I bought a small 4-inch disco ball, just for fun. I had it up for a while, then forgot about it for roughly two decades, and then found it again in my old bedroom closet at my parents’ house. (If you read my post last week you are starting to notice a pattern of my finding things in my teenage closet, and turning them into costumes. Good observational skills on your part!) A few years ago I brought the disco ball to my house and put it up to provide a little sparkle. At some point I found other disco balls and the seeds of a costume started to grow. While at the fabric store last year (looking for something else entirely) I bought some silver fabric that felt disco-y to me. And today everything comes together and I am a sparkly disco dancer, having a ball under the disco ball.

 

 

It was a challenge to figure out how to suspend a disco ball above my head. For me, this was a must. A disco ball needs to hang, but how could I accomplish that without having something heavy and awkward attached to my skull? (The answer is bending a wire coat hanger and padding it with fabric. It’s not heavy and only somewhat awkward.)

 

Did you know that disco balls may have been around for nearly 120 years? The first one may date back to 1897 in a Boston ballroom. Apparently they also were used in the 1920s in dance halls. This surprised me but I was even more surprised when I looked at photos I took today and realized that the horizontal part of my head piece evokes a 1920s feel. I hadn’t intentionally brought the ‘20s and the ‘70s together--but I like it!

Like most of my creations, this week’s theme came together in various stages and from different places, which is part of the fun. I bought the three 2-inch disco balls at the 99 cent store, I got a disco necklace (broken) from my daughter—which I added to my head piece--and I made my dress. One day in a thrift store, I found a hoop earring with what looked like tiny disco balls on it. I turned it into two earrings. Only one earring or broken jewelry aren’t problems in my world: they are opportunities…

 

before...

after...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yesterday I went to the roller rink, laced up my skates and skated around with my disco ball under a real disco ball. I was a little bummed that they don’t turn on the disco ball during morning skate hours but it didn’t dampen my fun. By the way, if you haven’t roller skated in a while, give yourself a late birthday present or an early St. Patrick’s day gift and take yourself skating. Major fun.

 

 

I think I want to hang my disco ball in our bathroom. If you’ve read this blog before, you know that I like bringing something unexpected to ordinary days or places. Disco balls won’t solve all the world’s problems, but bringing an element of surprise or fun to the everyday gives me a boost. It is not hard or expensive to put a little magic into your world. I think taking a few minutes to add some fun to each day is worth every second spent.

 

Instagram.com/sarahconleyartist