Her dog still recognizes her.

Even when Tessa Moody has transformed into Pennywise, a vampire bat or even Lord Voldemort, her pooch is unfazed.

The rest of us are mesmerized, wowed and even a little terrified if the light hits her just right. For Moody is a master of disguise, crafting her face into the delightful, the grotesque and the unbelievable with the right touch of makeup, prosthetics, and imagination.

Moody, 29, has graced stages across Baldwin County over the years, generally in roles that focus on her more human form.

Each October, she spends the month morphing into the holiday's characters and creatures, delighting her Facebook followers who check in each morning to find out who Moody is that day.

While growing up in Orange Beach, Moody dabbled in costuming. At Lander University in South Carolina, she was tasked to design makeup for the show, "Animal Farm," her first turn behind the makeup chair.

"The director wanted them to be humanistic but have animal qualities," she said. "That was a hard first thing for me to attempt."

It was also what hooked her into the business of transformation.

After graduating from Lander, Moody headed to Los Angeles where she attended Elegance International, a special effects makeup school where she learned both how to look glamorous and outrageous.

After two years, Moody decided LA wasn't for her, but the stage was.

Now, back in Alabama, Moody sings, acts, stage directs and provides makeup for actors and Halloween revelers alike. No one aspect of the theater is her favorite.

"At the end of day, theater is my passion," she said. "Whether I'm backstage or on stage, this community is a wonderful thing to be a part of."

Now in her fourth year of her 31 days of Halloween challenge, some years Moody reanimates characters she crafted in previous seasons, using new techniques and ideas. Often, she reimages the character as it has changed over the generations, such is the case with Wednesday Addams, who went from braided elementary schooler to sullen teen.

And yes, you can request a character. Kind of. She keeps a running list through the year and begins prepping in the summer. By August she is already crafting, creating and shooting photos of her transformations.

"The first year it was an everyday situation and that was not a good idea,"

Moody said with a laugh. "Over the years, I've learned to prep them in advance.

"I have a lot of fun playing around with the different looks, but there is some burnout. I have to pace myself."

Each costume can take two to four hours to paint and create the makeup and any needed prosthetics.

Her favorite for the 2023 season is a full-bodied pumpkin-headed creature that is not the friendliest jack-o-lantern in the patch.

"Body painting is probably my favorite part, and being able to do a really detailed costume is super fun," she said.

Much like her pooch, Moody said despite appearing bald and with extended ears and nose, when she looks in the mirror, she still sees herself peeking through.

"It's funny," she said, "but I feel like it still looks like me."