Filed under: Uncategorized
I am swamped…and actually liking it! I have a driveway full of mulch that needs a home by Friday; I have one more dress to sew for a local designer (more on that later); I have meetings for various projects scheduled (like Music Man):
I love this striped dress–maybe for Eulalie Shinn?
In other news, my attempts at breaking into the costume/wardrobe world in our movie industry here is proving futile. Most likely, I will be attending an expo on Sunday, and maybe I can make some contacts there!
Enjoying the lazy days of summer…it seems to be going more slowly than normal, which I like. My eldest daughter sang with her previous choir teacher at Balloonfest today.
I made many of these costumes for our Annual Madrigal Dinner. This year, we are putting on Once Upon a Mattress, and I am super excited. I am inspired by the TV movie and Carol Burnett’s Queen….so you will see that in my costume versions.
I will be starting on this crown before the end of July! I love it!
In addition to messing up well-known sayings, I have been going through my pattern stash (while watching Outlander; not as bad as one might think!). Anyway, I love my patterns! I often use them to inspire me.
I pulled out the following, to comment on the paper bag effect from the 60s–a stylish way to keep the neck warm?
Simplicity 5765
and Butterick 3302
So I giggle…but then I see this:
Is the paper bag effect making a comeback? Should it?
Filed under: Vintage Love
It has been ages…..to celebrate, I am posting a favorite pic! 
I came across this picture while searching for some inspiration for a ‘formal’ to make for a friend’s daughter for a production of Grease. I will have to post pics of that. I really have been quite busy with costuming and sewing, but real work gets in the way of updates.
I have so many goals for the summer: an Etsy shop, an online gallery for costuming (we have some film opportunities here in MI) and updating here. Oh, and to find a job again because I was laid off. Good while it lasted!
Filed under: Costuming Madness
Well, I have completely overbooked myself, per usual. I am madly dashing about finishing up Madrigal dinner costumes, trying to wrap my head around set dress for “It’s a Wonderful Life-The Musical”, working a new job giving presentations about cyber safety to K-8th graders, oh and the ordinary laundry/dishes/childcare thing.
I interviewed for a part-time Language Arts position one town over, and I am their top candidate!!! This makes me so happy; I have waited for a contracted teaching position for so long.
Project on the mannequin:
I found a great (but really expensive) ‘velvet’ with gold cording pattern at JoAnn’s. I coupled this with a deep gold velvet curtain panel from Salvation Army ($1.50!) and some creamy gold chiffon. Pics when finished for a lucky 8th grade girl!
Filed under: Uncategorized
Well, where have the months gone? I am ashamed to see how long it has been since I have written. So long, in fact, that I had to click on the ‘forget your password’ button.
But, it is not as if I have not been busy. It just seems overwhelming to break out the camera to take pics of the exciting things that are happening in this casa.
I am going to try to be better; really, I am. I have so much to share!
*Pictures of the ONE HUNDRED vintage patterns that I treated myself to for my birthday (okay, okay, that was in July)
*Costumes from the WORLD PREMIERE of Swamp Opera…with music by Heywood Banks (written by his wife). Google him for the YouTube…so hilarious!
*Various projects while I contemplate opening an Etsy store (anyone have a good resource on how-to or advice–I would greatly appreciate!)
*Total bedroom redo–right down to the studs! It is now a cool blue oasis!
*I am participating in my first swap…an aqua and red one over at Apron Thrift Girl. This is SO exciting because I love this color combo!
I will leave you with this eye makeup image…courtesy of ellyyap.blogspot.com…imitation is the greatest form of flattery, no?
Filed under: Uncategorized
We have had the craziest weather lately! A huge snowfall that cancels school (and my payday) followed by a digging out period, and then some rain to wash away snow. Snowdays do allow me to get some ‘Millie’ sewing done–these are Opening Scene Daydresses. . . .
And, as promised, I have included some of the beading I have been doing for the play. . .here is a hip decoration and a headband!
Filed under: Uncategorized
It was lovingly pointed out by my hubby the other day that if I don’t make time to post to my blog, I will lose my readership, all four of you (no kidding, we checked). I am proud to say that I had over 200 people visit when Dress a Day linked to me for a dress I made my youngest. (THANK YOU, ERIN!)
Well, I have been acting as a long-term sub for 6th and 7th grade ELA at our middle school, and although I love my students, it does take up a HUGE amount of time!
I haven’t been lazy though! We had Madrigal Dinner in Novembe–one month early and with a royal court twice the size it has been in the past. I know we have other pics around, but these I pulled from our choir website.
This is our Princess for the evening!
This was the best costume to make, and I am rather proud of it! His character is the daddy and step-mommy, so I took an old ‘Beetlejuice’ Madrigal dress, split it down the middle, and created this. His performance, by the by, was HILARIOUS!!!
This is my daughter and a classmate on stage.
All the kids had a GREAT time, and even with the time crunch, we were able to pull off the dinner without too many costume hassles!
For the future—
I haven’t forgotten that I want to have a give-away; they look like so much fun!
And…we have started rehearsals for our spring performance of ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’. This has me way excited because I have never costumed a show set in the 20s before. I will have pics up of some fab beading soon!
Filed under: Costuming Madness
as you are making other plans, yes? I am completely in the midst of this little saying right now.
We are in the 4th week of school–the sweet and the bitter.
The sweet:
1. I am totally in love with my 6th graders–they are funny, fun and still eager to please. I also have the nicest 7th graders, too. They have good senses of humor and pretty good work ethics (so far).
2. I do love to teach.
The bitter (far too many of these for my taste):
1. I do not have a “real” job. This is depressing on many levels. I believe that I have shown my worth to the principal, I tend to have a great work ethic, I do what is asked of me and more, blah, blah, blah.
2. We have switched schedules, and so now teachers don’t always have common planning periods. The planning time we do get is so short, that I never actually feel that I am accomplishing much. I have never felt so isolated in my building before.
3. My time management skills and/or motivation have not improved with another year of life. I find that when I should be doing A, B, or C, my heart and body are pulling me toward X, Y, or Z. I love to make little lists and schedules, but I rarely find that I follow them as well as I would like.
Now, what am I doing?
Well, planning on Thoroughly Modern Millie is still on the brain, but the most immediate sewing news is our annual Madrigal Dinner. I have a HUGE 8th grade Royal Court! I have plans for all of the dresses that need to be made (oh, and the boys, too). I would love to pass the costumes on to others, but I don’t know if anyone has volunteered. Also, I happen to be a control freak, as well as a fudger of details, so that I might *improvise* with fabric needs, seam allowances and other stuff. So sending out those costumes where I am playing it by ear only spells frustration and disaster for everyone!
Le sigh!
I have not been motivated at all lately to do much of anything, especially those things that I know I must do. I am starting as a long-term sub for an English Language Arts position for 6th and 7th grades on Tuesday. I have been trying to get “my” classroom organized, but even that is not very motivating to me. We have done some things lately though:
This is a duck that my 3rd grade daughter made (with lots of Mommy help). We used the instructions from Mariska’s blog. It was fairly easy, though I would change some things for a new sewer, like the pattern size (bigger), and make sure that we used felt (no unraveling), instead of stash fabrics.
We are also gearing up for our middle school Madrigal Dinner. My 8th grade daughter will be participating in this, so this is the dress that we have started for her…although, if she gets the Half-Man/Woman part in the Madrigal play, it will be a moot point.
And a detail of the beading….I have been on a beading frenzy lately.
Notice the BE–YOO–TIFUL dressmaking dummy that one of my bestest friends, Kelli, gave to me! I have named her Bianca, and the sad, yet beloved, Minerva (my duct tape dummy) has been moved to the pit that is my basement.
