Costumes...again

I'm working on the girls' 'wench' outfits for the Disney Halloween night with the KTTC gang. I've gotten alot of little things done, but the fact is, I'm working on three outfits at the same time (also making Jessi a Mrs. Lovett outfit for actual Halloween). To top it all off, Simplicity finally made an ADULT size "Snow White" pattern! *eep* So I know Gingi will want it for sure this year.

I've got some blue velvet, and Walmart has some red on sale...I need to get it just in case. I need to ask Gingi which combo of colors she likes best, since they change from the movie to the 'licensed' stuff to the park's SW.

Well, today I dyed some red fabric a darker shade for Mrs. Lovett's draws. I also threw the fabric for her skirt, the under shirt and her sleeve fabric in there to darken them all up...I think they came out ok.

I then ran the yellow fabric for her 'Giselle' ( the blonde wench at the end of PoTC), through the wash with some bleach. I wasn't too happy with how bright the dye had come out when I dyed the white bridal silk I'd used. Now it looks a little more faded, and when I spritz it here and there with tea to 'stain' it, and then use some 'color remover' to highlight some 'wear' areas, it should look closer to the 'wench'.

I'm going to do as much of Jessi's outfits now, cuz when/if Gingi gets a day to come home, I'll probably have to make her complete outfit in ONE day!! *ack*

So, I've cut out the pattern pieces in some linen I got cheap when Joann's closed down, I'm going to use the pieces as linings too, so it kills two birds with one stone. I've got the lining of Jessi's Giselle dress, which is going to be a built in corset. I sewed all the channels for the 'boning', and have added most of the bones. I realized I'd misjudged the number I'd need for both girls' outfits, so I need to reorder for Gingi's corset. Once I get the whole thing boned, I'm going to cut out the yellow fabric to sew together. I have to cartridge pleat the skirt, which I've only tried once before, so that should be fun.

I still need to make the two petticoats that Jessi's outfit has (both very lightweight, as is the silk for the over gown).

I gave up on trying to get wigs for them. I wasted alot of money on 'human hair' wigs, just to find that they have very small 'caps'...so now I'm trying to sell them. I'm just going to get those curly pony tail hair pieces they sell and make it look like they have the long piled-on-top-of-their-head hair. Jessi will just have to be a dark haired Giselle. (I told her she can highlight her hair a bit, but no bleach, or maybe we can use that spray stuff).

There are soooooooooo many little things that I need to do for these outfits, it's not even funny. But at least I got some of it done today. *whew*

7:25 AM - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Colorful Toes, Fringe and Dr. Horrible!

My toe is less black, but still a very odd mix of bruise colors...kinda odd how it does that (even spread to the base of the next two toes too). It's actually hurting more today, maybe because I'm not sitting as much and/or icing it. I was going to try wearing my new sneakers some so I don't have to worry about new shoes at Comic Con, but haven't dared.

Speaking of Comic Con, can't wait for the Fringe panel!! I am so very excited about a new addiction, I mean show..hehe...it seems to have an X-files feel to it, plus it's got an ARG (alternate reality game). Looking forward to something fun like this.

Another fun thing, is Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog. Hi-larious!

I've only seen Episode 1, we couldn't get the darn vid to play, but got to see it tonight, we'll try to see the 2nd ep tomorrow, then the 3rd ep is going to be up. Joss has done it again, perfect casting and lot's of good humor and characters. I ordered t-shirts and had some pins made with a hammer on a yellow background. Fun!

Just hope Gingi's car gets outta the shop before we leave for the con. *why does reality have to creep into my play time?*

1:19 AM - 2 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Broken Toe!
Current mood: sleepy

The other night, while dodging Thackery's kitty leg cuddles, I ran my little toe on my left foot into a stack of 'drinks' in the hallway floor. Two cases of sodas, one case of water and two 12 pak boxes of 'unleaded diet' sodas...against the wall...not gonna move much.

I figured it was broken. Turned blue/purple within minutes...wouldn't let me sleep. I got up and put in on ice for about an hour. That was in the wee hours of the still dark morning on Saturday.

I stayed either laying down with it elevated, in my chair elevated or sitting at the computer with it propped up on a stool all day yesterday. Watched all the eps of "Mad Men" on On Demand (so that was good).

I went in today for an x-ray...the tech said he didn't see anything obvious...so I figured it'd just whacked the heck out of it, and that was that. Dr. Lusby (who I haven't see in years) came in and said it was a non-something hairline fracture...he said the bone wasn't separated, it was still lined up. So, that was good. But, he said, after looking at how black, blue, purple and even some yellow and red it was, that it was still 'bleeding' and needed to be on ice.

So, I came home, took some of my neck pain meds (I was going in to the docs anyway to get some smaller dosage pain meds to take during the day per my pain doc), he said they would help my toe too. The thing is they make me drowsy...so I took a nap.

I have no idea how I'm going to get around at Comic Con in just 9 days. *ack*

Fun stuff.

3:06 AM - 2 Comments - 1 Kudos - Add Comment

25 Years

July 5th was our 25th Wedding Anniversary. Nobody remembered. The End.

9:25 AM - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

What do you make of this??

Okay, I was home alone. Jessi was on her way back from spending a long weekend with Gingi in LA. I was standing at the stove/counter cutting up strawberries. I was in that daydreamy/imagination state when suddenly I 'imagined' or saw 'played out' the following scenerio:

The phone rang, it was Jessi, I answered it and she said, "I'm dead mom, it's bad, it's tore up, I won't last till help gets here, I just wanted to talk to you...". In my mind's eye, I could see she'd been in an accident, she was cut, badly high up on her thigh near the groin, I imagined me telling her to hold the area tight and just hold on till help came. She sounded urgent, but not terribly scared. I remembered Gingi sounded that way when she called within seconds of having her accident and she was stuck in the fast lane without a shoulder to park on, since there was a retaining wall.

This all played out in a second, and I literally shook my head and snapped myself out of it. I prayed imediately, for her safety, for God to not let my mind do that, for Satan to get out of my head if it was just him messing with me. I glanced up at the clock (thinking I wanted to verify that I knew she was hurt when I got the call later), it was 5:59, and I had to redirect my mind again away from that 'verify' type thought. I finished the berries, went to my chair and reached for my phone. It rang at 6:09. It was Jessi, sounding no worse than in the imaged phone call. She said, "I think my tire just blew out!". I said, "slow down as much as you can without slamming on the brakes, and get off to the right side of the road". She said, "I'm already on the left side, there's a median wall, I can't get all the way off the road". *just like Gingi*

She got out and looked at the tire and said, "oh my gosh that STREDDED!". *not 'all tore up', but it sounded the same*.

A this point I was still afraid that she was going to get hit and the 'dream/imagining' might still 'come true'. I asked if she could drive on the rim and get off to the right, if there was more room over there. She said no, there was pretty steady traffic and she didn't think she could safely drive the truck across the lanes. She said she could run across easier and there was a Chevron over on the right side of the freeway.

I asked her, did she lose control and she said no, in fact it was the sound that alerted her to something being wrong...she said it was a rythmic thumping that at first she took to be her driving on the reflectors, or those little 'dummy/fog' bumps on the side of the road...then she thought it might be a semi that was along side and a bit behind her. She never 'felt' the flat/blowout, she NEVER lost a bit of control.

I told her, "cuz I prayed it!"...I asked for her safety, for angels to guide the truck...for her to make it home safe.

Well, after a bunch of phone calls, and two runs across a fairly busy freeway, a tow truck came and took her down about 5 miles to the truckstop area and the guy changed her tire (good thing she had a spare), luckily there was an ATM so she could pay him, and he even called us to tell us she was on her way, and that he'd aired up the spare and showed her where all her 'flat tire' tools and stuff were. She said though, even if she'd been an expert, she never could have changed the tire where it was, her butt was practically in the fastlane! The tow truck guy agreed.

So, what does everyone think? Mommy intuition? Divine intuition? Freaky coincidence? It was exactly 10 minutes from my 'imagining' to her phone call. The tow guy said she was VERY lucky, most people driving in that lane, who get a blowout at that speed (she figured she was going about 80), lose control and hit that wall! *who invented those cement things? They make cars bounce back INTO traffic!!*

She took pix of the tire and a short vid of where she was...I'll post them tomorrow.

Thank You Jesus!!

3:15 AM - 2 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Costumes...
Current mood: artistic

Ugh!

I've got so many costumes, costume pieces and regular clothing items that HAVE to be moved...like, yesterday! I have this thing for fabrics. I love the textures, colors, weaves....everything. I can go to the Salvation Army Thrift store and just run my hands along the line of clothes and pull out the linen, wool, linen/cotton blend, silks...I love it. The colors, muted, faded...the pieces that have damage/use...I love. Those work best for faire garb, already 'weathered'! Since I've been doing faire for over 30 years, and Browncoat stuff for about 5, and just lately other Cosplay, I've gathered even more things. Now, if I see anything Asian, Indian, leather, especially a BROWN COAT....I buy it! I love when they have 75% off day at Salvation Army!! I can get perfect long leather coats that would work for Firefly, Angel, Buffy...I can find vests that Zoe would wear, exotic middle Eastern things that Inara would own, already stained jumpsuits just waiting for the teddy bear, heart and flower patches of Kaylee, or the Hawaiian shirt of Wash! Jayne is just about the easiest to outfit...cammos, leather, military stuff...

And now, I've been working on Pirate stuff. *sigh*

I've got enough stuff to fill Davy Jone's locker full of Jack Sparrows! I have linen in every shade of muted grays, blues, browns...now if I could just get a reliable Jack to dress!! :(

But, lately it hasn't been fun trying to sew. This darn neck is taking all the joy out of my obsession. I really look forward to the horrific sounding 'facet block' that will basically be them sticking a huge needle in my spine and deadening the nerves so my brain doesn't think my elbow is killing me! THEN...I can start taking apart all the items that are made of the perfect fabric for a bodice for a wench, or a corset, or a jerkin for peasant. What I really noticed at this last faire is, I'm running out of kids sized clothes! I used to put all the cast off pieces the kids and their many friends outgrew into my baskets that were given away as prizes. I've completely dressed some faire brats through the years! Since the kids are all adults now, I'm not replenishing my stash. So, my goal is to use alot of those smaller, perfect pieces of wool, linen, leather and cotton to make kid sized garb! I just need to find some kids to use as models, just to measure to make up some basic pattern pieces and just do generic stuff.

Well, that's the goal anyway.

As for the 'Verse related stuff, I hope to move some of it in the next few weeks/months when Comic Con, Browncoat Ball and some other events get closer.

So, that's my rant. I love Costumes...I've just become overwhlemed at the result of my passion!

And as for future projects? I still want a pirate coat of my own, maybe another one for Tom (although he did look good in the Jack Sparrowesque one I bought), I need to overhaul a leather dress I got to make a Zoe vest for Salena for Dragon*Con, and then I need to get to work on all that silk I got making Jessi her Mrs. Lovetts costume from Sweeney Todd! *gonna muddy-bloody over dye perfectly good ivory bridal silk I got for $2 a yard when Joann's closed!!*.

Should be fun!

2:11 AM - 5 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

What a pain in the neck...
Current mood: vexed

Pun intended.

I need another neck surgery. The C-6/C-7 disc is blown out, and there is arthritis and bone spurs in the joint. They are going to try a ’facet block’ first, to see if the shot will relieve enough pain to hold off for awhile. I’ve had severe pain in my left arm (mostly the elbow) since Jan 22nd when I had to drive myself to the doc who did the last shots (it was raining, and there was lot’s of traffic, pinched the nerve on the drive).

I’m turning into Dr. House, I’m learning to function on vicodin and I’m snarky...I just need to get a cane.

12:46 AM - 6 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Captain Jack Sparrow!!
Current mood: exhausted

I have been studying Captain Jack Sparrow...not an unpleasant task considering how delicious Johnny Depp plays him...but maddening in the details that make up the costume!

They say ignorance is bliss. Bliss. huh. That word is gone from my vocabulary forever in terms of this costume. Too many people before me has gone mad getting the details that I've sought. In a way I should be grateful...I mean THEY went crazy over the course of YEARS to achieve what I've managed to get in months (thanks to their hard work). But, now, instead of a 'paisley print red bandana'...I HAVE to get 'the official' one...instead of 'some rings'...they must be 'Master Replicas'...can't just be 'a woven linen blend frock coat with metal buttons'...ARGH....

So, my obsession is ongoing. The more I learn the more it kills me to not have unlimited funds. And the worse part is, I'm not even sure if Joey REALLY wants to go all out and wear this get up. I mean, CJS is not just someone you 'dress up as', no, this is a character that you have to BECOME! No matter how amatuerish the garb, people EXPECT "Jack" to act a certain way. So...for all my late nights doing research, for all my pattern altering, for every homemade dread I sew into the wig, I hope that Joey can give me a 'witty Jack' performance!  heh.

*off to bed....I feel as crazy as CJS did on his marrooned ship At World's End...now only if I had more of me to help with the sewing*

3:22 AM - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Current mood: blessed

Wow, another year gone by...

Time goes by way too fast.

This was a quiet New Year's Eve for me. I watched Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve by myself (Tom went to bed since he has work tomorrow). Jessi was over at her place in Visalia after going out to dinner with friends. Gingi was working at Disneyland (at least she finally managed to be IN the park for the countdown!), Jeremy was over at Angie's. *all three kids called, even though Jeremy and Gingi both had trouble getting through*.

It was cool to see Dick Clark doing some of the MC duties (with Ryan Seacrest doing most of the hosting). He's looking and sounding better than last year (Dick, not Ryan). It was wonderful to see his wife come out and give him a big ol' kiss for 2008! It did make me sad that Grandma is without Grandpa tonight. *sigh*

So, another year...wow...I'm half a century old...alot has gone on in my lifetime, really amazing stuff. How blessed I am to be here. I miss my kids when they aren't here, but I am so happy that they are making their own lives, growing, learning and living their dreams.

Happy New Year everyone...may all good things come to you and yours in the coming days.

Blessings!!

1:51 AM - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Magical time of the year....
Current mood: nostalgic

This always gets me goose-bumpy and teary eyed....had to share:

..> ..>

Eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York's Sun, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial Sept. 21, 1897. The work of veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church has since become history's most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, and other editorials, and on posters and stamps.

"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old. "Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. "Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.' "Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus? "VIRGINIA O'HANLON. "115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET." VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge. Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished. Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world. You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding. No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

Currently watching : Prancer Release date: 02 October, 2001

2:12 AM - 0 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment