Props, Costumes, and Set... Oh My!

Props:
So far I have made two one handed swords, a broad sword, and a shield. I still need a spear, and axe, two more swords, and half a dozen shields. My stage manager, Carole Anne, is also looking through the script to find the more obscure props like goblets and and platters and such.

Props are probably the most time consuming thing for me right now. They require a lot of effort to get looking stage worthy, and then after they are used in practice I have to go back and "clean them up". I am also trying to stay within a low budget. This means most of my props are homemade from wood or cardboard.

Costumes:
Number one thing about the costumes is that they are expensive. I spent 200 dollars on costumes in one afternoon. I try to lessen the cost of costumes by purchasing used items from thrift stores and salvation armies. An old dress can easily be turned into tunic, and that has been what i have been doing primarily. What happens is my mother will take the measurements of one of my actors, then we find a costume/dress which will fit them. Then we cut the dress at the arm pits and the thighs in order to give it the tunic looks. After that my mother hems it and then adds trims or an emblem based on what I have envisioned for the costume.

Set:
The set is my biggest stress causer right now. It is 100% not built. I know exactly what I want for the set, however, I have to wait for the spring concert (3 days before my performance) to be over before I can build my set. This weekend my father and I will hopefully be able to come into the theater and build all the peices of the set and store them offstage. From there we will set them up once the spring concert is over.