I had been so worried about being able to create a good costume (hello Sewing for Dummies), that I just kept putting it off until now. It's a real relief to have completed this, and the contest was a great incentive. Now I feel ready to tackle costumes for the other characters who have been waiting so long!
The story of the Goose Girl is actually pretty disturbing. I remember when I was younger going through an anthology of Grimm's Fairy Tales my parents had and coming across the story. I was intrigued by the title, and then got quite a surprise from the turn of events. So, when the Grimm's challenge came up, that was one of the first that came to mind.
She is dressed in peasant clothes, but I tried very hard to give her a delicate and proud air, with a bit of a far-away, mournful look. If you saw her out in the country, you would know there is more to this girl. Of course, I believe any girl can carry themselves like a princess, regardless of their social status :-) She could be anyone - wandering, looking for something just out of reach.
Looking through some of the other fairy tales to choose from, I was reminded of one of probably the greatest influences from my childhood - Jim Henson's The Storyteller. If you have somehow never seen this series and love fantasy and folklore, I would highly recommend it. The two stories that have stuck with me all this time are Hans My Hedgehog and The Soldier and Death. Looking at the finished Goose Girl now, she also looks how I'd imagine the princess from the Hedgehog tale. Her red hair turned white while traveling across the world in search of her husband.
I really enjoyed this challenge and hope to create many more characters from fairy tales, myth and folklore in the future.
