Some people love golfing, others like to hike, but Anne Bruinn鈥檚 hobby is about 鈥渁dding a little bit of spice鈥� to other people鈥檚 day by wearing a costume at the end of her driveway and entertaining passersby.
The would-be Mrs. Dressup likes to call herself the 鈥渜ueen of the cosplay corner,鈥� referencing the joy of costume play, a performance art where people dress up as a variety of characters.
Bruinn said she has been surprising her drive-by audiences as everything from a 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� stormtrooper to 鈥淏eetlejuice.鈥�
鈥淚 have a captive audience because there鈥檚 nothing else to look at 鈥� I am the star of the show even though it鈥檚 anonymous attention,鈥� said Bruinn, who regularly dresses up to greet people from a busy corner on South West Marine Drive in Vancouver.
鈥淚 know it鈥檚 boring between here and wherever you鈥檙e going. So, hopefully I can make your day a little more interesting,鈥� said Bruinn.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 care who they are. They don鈥檛 care who I am 鈥� it鈥檚 a really sweet and innocent moment,鈥� said Bruinn, recalling the honking she and her children have received from googly-eyed drivers and passengers going by.
The stay-at-home mom recently made an iron throne replica from the popular TV series 鈥淕ame of Thrones鈥� with tree stumps, plywood, tin foil, and foam after watching YouTube tutorial videos.
When the chair was complete, she put on a long-haired white wig, dress and crown, then 鈥渢ook it out for a spin鈥� and the reactions were priceless, she said.
鈥淚 got one guy who came and knelt down so that I could knight him because I had my sword and that was really funny, and then some guy driving by yelled 鈥楰haleesi鈥�,鈥� referring to one of the main characters in the series.
Grace Peng, of nearby Richmond, drives past Bruinn鈥檚 home often to take her son to school. The first time she stopped was to get a photo of her wearing her Khaleesi costume while she sat on her throne of swords.
鈥淚 initially thought she was just a wax figure, but then I saw her suddenly moving around while walking towards her. I am like: 鈥極h, she is real,鈥欌�� said Peng in an interview conducted in Mandarin. 鈥淚t was so unexpected, and Anne really made my day.鈥�
Since then, Peng said she looks forward to seeing Bruinn鈥檚 costumes as she passes by.
鈥淪he always surprises me, and then I started wondering how many costumes Bruinn has at home and how much time she spends on her makeup and what鈥檚 the story behind her,鈥� said Peng.
Bruinn鈥檚 鈥渃ostume-making journey鈥� started three years ago when she was standing at the end of her driveway watching for her child to come home from school.
鈥淚 waited and then I noticed that people were looking at me because, really, there鈥檚 nothing else to look at. Right? You鈥檙e probably wondering, why is that person standing on the street corner?鈥� said Bruinn.
鈥淭hen I thought: wouldn鈥檛 it be funny if I wear a costume? Then my kid will think it鈥檚 funny and it will give people something to look at.鈥�
Now cosplay has become Bruinn鈥檚 favourite pastime.
With the goal of bringing free, silly fun to people鈥檚 lives, Bruinn鈥檚 costumes change from time to time, depending on her mood. Sometimes she鈥檒l dress up daily, although the weather plays a roll in how often she鈥檚 out.
If it鈥檚 sunny, she may be Barbie, standing inside a giant homemade paper pink box in her pink clothes or a pretty dress.
On International Women鈥檚 Day, she rolled up her sleeves to play 鈥淩osie the Riveter,鈥� complete with the iconic red headband and flexing arm muscles.
She has dressed up as a member of the rock band KISS when concert tickets went on sale earlier this year, and paid tribute to actor Betty White with a costume after she passed away last December.
Bruinn has a couple of ideas brewing for Halloween, including Barbie zombie.
鈥淏eetlejuice I do numerous times in October because it鈥檚 very popular,鈥� said Bruinn.
鈥淥n Sunday, I was out as Beetlejuice, and so many people stopped by for photos and just to tell me that they love passing by my corner and I鈥檓 so honoured.鈥�
Dressing as celebrities or as characters from popular movies and TV shows has been an enjoyable ride for Bruinn and she hopes people feel the same way.
鈥淚 am just adding some weirdness to your day because you鈥檝e probably had the same day over and over,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou just never know what can help change somebody鈥檚 day.鈥�
While Bruinn said most people appreciate her costumes with a smile and wave, she鈥檚 not sure that her neighbours love it that much.
鈥淚鈥檓 sure that people across the street don鈥檛 appreciate all the honking,鈥� said Bruinn.
鈥淣ot everyone is a fan and that鈥檚 OK, I鈥檓 here for those who are,鈥� she added.
She makes some of her costumes herself, with support from the local second-hand store. Bruinn said she doesn鈥檛 think she is that creative, but is 鈥渂rave enough鈥� to stand on the corner in costume with an open heart to make people happy.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been three years and I hope to do it a lot longer.鈥�
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