The Given Dress, Mrs. Harlow Jones

I don't know why I am hearing Matthew McConaghuey somewhere in the back of my mind saying, "All right all right, all right!"  Oh yeah, maybe because it's about damn time I started writing again.  I have no excuses though.  I suck at keeping this blog, BUT that's only because I have been so busy in real life.  Between family, work, and other extra-curriculars, my time to sit down and type out my thoughts has been little to nonexistent.   I've kept up with the cabaret performances that I've been invited to do every other month. I've been sewing A LOT.  I completed a secret presents for certain people.  I'm not telling for who 'cause it's a secret.  Duh.  I completed the prom dress, but I've decided to postpone writing about those experiences for now.

Besides, I'm just so excited about this one.  I finished the dress a month before planned!  Being productive is amazing! Who knew you could get so much done if you just DID IT.  So yeah, let me jump in.

This:

OMG.  RIGHT???

Look at that color!  And him.  And the wings.  And her hair.  And the COLOR!

I don't remember when this sneak peek first came out, but when I saw it I about died.  I stared at this forever.  The color is so rich, so beautiful.  I soooooooooooooo knew I was going to have a hard time finding the fabric for this one.

First I had to plan, so I did this:

Wait, let me stop and confess something here.  As you may or may not know, I had a prom dress to work on before this.  Every single time I thought about and planned this dress, my brain juke box would always begin to play Billy Paul's "Me and Mrs Jones".  Every. Single. Time.  I'm not even kidding a little bit. Whenever I would sketch different styles, sneak to look at her, drape her, plan her, the song would trigger in my head; I would start to feel guilty that my priorities weren't in order, so I'd stop and go back to the prom dress (and those secret gifts.) Because of this she was Mrs Jones, at first. My Facebook friend, Debi, suggested I call her Harlow, so... that's how she became Mrs. Harlow Jones to me.

Anyway, I stared and stared at this beautiful book cover trying to figure out where seam lines were, but they are kind of hard to see in every image I looked up.  So I had to imagine.  Because the silhouette of the dress is so simple I knew I wanted to try something exciting, something to keep my attention.  And although I've lost a few pounds since Ava, I still wanted my dress to be more... curvy to fit my extra fluff, so that's why I decided to go with the curvy variation on the princess seam.

I created my pattern and sewed a mock-up to see how it would work on me.  The first mock-up was a DISASTER.  I created the pattern around my hips a thousand sizes too small. No, Hell no, I didn't take any pictures of that.  I will not let you laugh at my pain! (I did laugh and laugh at myself, though.)

After I remeasured and corrected my pattern the second mock-up came out much better:

Even though Selena, my duct tape dress form, is definitely starting to implode I fell in LOVE with Harlow. Harlow had me.  (Don't tell Ava that. Though, I don't think Ava cares as long as I keep putting her in shows.)

While my niece and I were fabric shopping I was also on the hunt for the perfect fabric. At first I thought that I would do something with a brocade like I did with Ava (the pink dress), but I wanted something different, something more liquid... I wanted a challenge... I wanted... I honestly really didn't know what the hell I wanted but I wanted something to keep things exciting, so I decided that I would get a shiny silky blue fabric because it was the perfect color and then I had the brilliant idea to put lace over it.

Lace?  Yes, lace.  Why lace?  'Cause I'm a fool and it was pretty.

I've never worked with lace before so I didn't know what to expect.  I used to think lace is scary, lace is fragile, lace is ... NO!  You just don't. No lace. Scary lace.

Turns out if you use lots of pins it's completely fine.

Except, it wasn't because I wasn't mentally free when I worked on her.  The initial hot inspiration to work on her went cold.  I knew I had to go back and finish the prom dress first. So I did.  I don't think I've ever sewn an evening gown so fast in my life.

When I went back to Harlow, it was as if I'd never took a break. I loved everything about her.  I loved the decision to put an invisible zipper at the side instead of the back. I loved the side curvy pattern pieces.

I loved what she taught me about lace.  I loved what she taught me about pattern making.  I loved that I didn't feel stressed out about her, about making mistakes. She just came so easy to me. She totally helped build my confidence.  And seeing her come together just made it all the more fabulous.

Even when the pattern didn't exactly match up and I had to re-plan and re-cut mid sewing, we adjusted and moved on.  Her color and seam lines were just a velvet voice that encouraged me on.

Even when this mess happened while I was trying to attach the sleeves... She was easy.  She was just so relaxed.  I was so relaxed.  I didn't feel stress, not once!

And I finished her right on time to debut her at Spring Fling last night.  Though I think I'll wait to show you the full effect with me dolled up and all another time.  (Unless I can find a photo from last night, then I'll edit that in.) 

In the mean time, I would like to thank all my family and friends for being just as excited about this whole dressmaking process as I am.  You guys don't know how your encouragement propels me ahead.   I do definitely have to thank Vicki Pettersson for writing these great books.  I can't imagine that I would have ever enjoyed a crime noir without that kiss of the paranormal.  I def have to thank her for making me more curious about rockabilly style.  I've added 3 dresses to my wardrobe and even though the series is coming to a close, I don't plan on stopping here with the dresses.  

Serious, guys, read these books if you are bored with vampires, werewolves, and zombies.
This series is a cool mash-up of that old crime noir vibe and angels.  I can't wait to read The Given (out at the end of May), the last, though I'm kinda sad the series is at and end.

What am I going to do with myself when it's over?  Start a new dress and a new book!  That's what. Haha!

OK, I'm delirious.  I gotta get ready for bed.  Good night, guys and dolls.

Year of Plans, Year of Action

2014 is a year of action for me.  I got tired of daydreaming and wishing for art stuff to come to me.  I wanted to produce.  I want to DO art stuff.  So that's what I am doing.

I decided to challenge myself with an "Art-A-Day 2014".  This basically means I am drawing for at least 15 - 30 minutes a day (except on some weekends or when I have family time.)  I have been very consistent with it which is good.  I decided to do this because I wanted to train myself to be disciplined in my art, whatever it is.  I also wanted to see how fast and how quickly I improve throughout the process.  So far I can say it's been challenging, but very fun seeing the things that have come out of my brain and already the small improvements I have made.

I have decided I will read at least 1 book a month.  January, I read a book called Hopeless on recommendation, it was eh. I could go on a whole rant about it, but I don't want to right now.  February, I'm reading a book called How to Propose to a Prince, it's . . . cute.  I'm taking it easy this year on the book reading because it's such an expensive hobby to have - if you read the good stuff, you know?  I'm not digging the hoards of free books out there. I don't have time to waste on average stories this year.  I got too much stuff to do!  I got too much to create!

I have also decided that I will sew at least 1 Item each month, even if it's just something as simple as pillowcases.  I need to use up the piles of fabric I have.  I've reached my goal so far.

January: I sewed a pair of Dallas Cowboy pajama pants for my husband and a pillowcase for my niece:

I was also commissioned to make an underbust black corset.

February: I sewed 3 pillowcases.

I'm in the process of making a prom dress for my niece.  I am planning to get that completely finished by the end of this month if I can stop stressing about it.  I stress a lot over the design.  (God, I really hope I didn't screw up the pattern.  I hope it's half decent.  I only have the mock-up right now, but it is stressful trying to decide how the hell to do this thing.)  Once I am done with the prom dress I think I'll discuss my thoughts about it.

Next month I hope the start the dress inspired by the cover of The Given by Vicki Pettersson.  It's a gooooooorgeous blue color, but I have to take care of other things first.  Other things being the prom dress. I keep getting distracted.  This has nothing to do with anything, but everything outside of the prom dress is looking like this to me... "Oooh sparkly. Preeeeeetty."

Everything is looking sparkly.  I like pistachio nut ice cream. 

Oh, and Downtown Shabby 2 is in the works. I'm playing O'Brien again.  So learning lines, learning songs, learning dances on top sewing, reading, drawing, journaling (in my diary) everyday. . .  My creative brain is buzzing.  I can't wait until I'm done with the prom dress.  Once that is done I plan on throwing in oil painting back into the mix.  I've been tossing around the idea of teaching sewing classes for the neighborhood kids, but we'll see. 

This year I am going for what I want, are you?  I realized at the end of last year that the first thing in getting what you want, is knowing what you want. If you don't know what you want, figure that out first, then research, plan, and take ACTION.  Don't just talk about it anymore.  Stay positive and DO SOMETHING! Take small steps in the direction you want to go.  Small steps is better than no steps.

Leave a comment, if you like, letting me know what you have decided to do this year.  Tell me how you are going about taking action.  

I hope your year is starting out great! 

Still Kicking

I'm still alive.

Stephanie's passing was an experience I wasn't quite ready for.  I needed to step back and center myself, do the soul-searching stuff, and focus/become involved with the here and now.  Here's a quick update of some of what I've been up to.

Since September I have been in 2 shows:

• For Halloween:  CatrinaQ's Sinister 2013.  Think Disney Princesses loosely meets The Rocky Horror Picture show.  I played Pocahontas in Act 1 and in Act 2, the Old Hag from Snow White (who we've affectionately come to know as Hagar.)  

• For Christmas:  CatrinaQ's Merry Glitzmas 2013.  It was a pretty straight forward Christmas show.  I sang Noel and Elvis' Santa Bring My Baby Back

I've decided to take up oil painting again on top of all the sewing I plan on doing so I'm going to be a very busy woman in 2014.    

Downtown Shabby Season 2 will be casting at the end of January, so I'm looking forward to that. 

I will definitely try to be more consistent with my writing in the coming year as I muse over life stuff.  

Stephanie

I spent the morning of Sunday, September 8, sewing a new costume for the next show I'll be doing come October.  I ran into a few snags.  The point of my Pocahontas skirt was curling up when I hemmed it.  I tried to iron it flat, but it just kept flipping up - like freaking elf shoes, but on a skirt!  How the heck was I supposed to fix that??  This was an incident I would have texted Stephanie about to get some quick help, but because of her condition I needed to manage on my own.

My sister and I got to visit Stephanie and Tyler on Thursday, the 5th, after work.  Although her body was extremely fragile, her muscles soft, her skin bruised, and her brain... confused, there were moments when she was completely alert and connected.  Even in that fragile state she made me laugh. When I sat next to her on the bed, she looked at me and said, "I peed there."  She was always so honest about things that would have embarrased other people.

Stephanie passed away on Sunday September 8, 2013 at 5:15pm.

When the realization hit that she was really gone I cried.  I'm still doing it.  I don't cry for her - I am relieved she's not suffering anymore.  I cry for Tyler who lost his love, his wife, and best friend.  I cry for her kids who lost an amazing mother who was soooo proud of them.  I cry out of anger and frustration because it doesn't make sense.  Why would God have given her that illness?  How could God take her?  Why would God take her so young?

I know there is no answer for all that right now.  And I know that there is a master plan at work that no one can see. I know it'll all make more sense in the future, but right now... right now, it sucks.  Right now, I wish God would have chosen a different cup to give her.  I still think if God was trying to teach us a lesson about life and love, there are thousands of other ways He could have done that, aren't there?  Was it only just so we could see God's hand working to clear the way for them during those odd moments of their struggle?  There are definitely a thousand other ways He could have shown us that. I know there's a reason He chose that woman to do it.  I just don't see it.  I don't understand it. But I trust it's there and will be revealed in time.

Tyler asked if I would speak at her memorial.  I am so thankful to him that I got to share my experience and thoughts about her.

I think it was 2006 when I met Stephanie. We met at El Camino College at a cutting table where she was studying Fashion Design and I was studying to become a Costume Tech. During the first few classes I found out she was an experienced seamstress and had an adorable little girl named Izzy. She shared my appreciation of historical and vintage costume, comic book heroines, videogames, and she liked doing math… for fun. Stephanie was a huge nerd, just like me. There was no doubt we had to become friends, even if the only time we had together was during class and lunch.

Then she started dating some guy named Tyler and apparently he hadn’t left her house for two weeks after their first date,… or something crazy.

They played World of Warcraft, while I stuck to Final Fantasy. Though I would never join the Horde or Alliance, I knew she was nerd enough to keep around. Besides,… I still needed someone I could go to for sewing advice.

Stephanie eventually got a full scholarship to FIDM and that confirmed that she really was a genius seamstress… And then she left FIDM… and that’s when I knew she crossed the line of genius and moved right into crazy town. I thought she was absolutely insane to let that free education go, especially with all of her talent! But it was that situation that let me know she was a devoted mother above anything else.

Then, Steph decided to get married. I’m pretty sure I told her weeks before the wedding that she still had time to get her running shoes and run far far away, that marriage was extremely hard work, but she was determined to get hitched. I guess she really liked that Tyler guy after all.

A little while later unique Harley Quinn was born, and then sweet baby Locke. To commit to naming their children after comic book and video game characters - I knew they were great parents and would raise the most awesome little weirdos in the world!

Time evolved, and though, for the most part, life kept us physically apart, we kept in touch via Myspace, then Facebook, and always the random text message. We could always share dark humor and text funny pictures to each other. I continued to use her as my personal sewing encyclopedia, and she’d let me vent to her about my struggles.

          With me, Steph knew how to be fair and forgiving. She was encouraging and open about her life experiences. Stephanie knew how to be brutally honest, but always delivered her point in love with her razor sharp wit.

          When she first told me she had Leukemia I didn’t really understand the magnitude until Tyler explained it at the hospital. Even then, I didn’t fully… get it, but I watched how they pulled together and stayed super-humanly positive. I just knew with all of my heart she was the one through whom I would see a real legitimate God-Blessed miracle; a real miracle along the lines of the deaf hearing and the blind seeing. I knew eventually she would be fully and totally healed and I would get to see that with my own eyes!

          Instead, I witnessed a true and passionate love. She once told me that when she was felt at her worst physically, when her muscles were atrophied and she couldn’t do much for herself… the way Tyler looked at her, the way he touched her, it made her feel like she was the most beautiful, the most desired, woman on the planet. My sister and I saw that look of love first hand during our mini-vacation in Las Vegas. It was… totally gross – I mean, amazing! It was really amazing.

          In Ty and Stephanie, I saw -- I see -- what true disciples and followers of Christ look like and they didn't have to say or preach Jesus' name once. I saw raw and honest faith. Faith that had them clinging to God when everything looked so bleak and they were terrified. Where others would have railed against God, or argued with Him about the injustice of it all, like I did,… they drew that much closer to Him. Instead of losing faith,… theirs grew. And they stayed positive through everything.

I listened to how they fully submitted themselves to the will of the Father. Even when it meant that she was going home.

Stephanie, I miss you. I’m so thankful you were a part of my life.

God took one of the really good ones, but I believe He left us with a great example of how to really grab and appreciate life no matter the circumstances, and how to really love others until we join her and everyone who goes before us.

Thank you.

So, thanks, you guys, for reading this post.  I hadn't really realized how much Stephanie had influenced me until I sat down and wrote about it. 

Also, I finished the Pocahontas costume.  It ended up straightening itself out once the weight of the trim settled in.  Even though I was crying the whole time I was sewing on the trim (thanks, Steph, you're fault.)

Downtown Shabby

It's been over a month since my last post.  I'm so lame.  But I promise it's for good reason.  I've been preoccupied preparing for a spoof musical that happened last night at the NoHo London Music Hall - "Downtown Shabby" as opposed to the PBS hit, "Downton Abbey".

As an adult this is my first musical theatre production. It was different from the normal cabaret/burlesque shows I've done in the sense that I actually had lines to learn this time around (and a line to FORGET! omg) I played Sarah O'Brien, personal maid to the Countess of Grantham, and ginormous gossip monger.

And here are O'Brien's boobies also known as "The Sisters". Weee.

If you know nothing about the show, the first episode begins the day after the Titanic sunk and is set in England. So, because it's set in England we had to learn to speak with English accents.  I learned mine from watching British Youtubers, like the makeup artist 'Pixiwoo' Sisters, and interviews with Henry...

Seriously, I learned a lot from watching his interviews. Especially how he says his "R's". Ah. Aah. Ahh.

(Oh, c'mon,... you knew I had to throw him in here somewhere.)

Anyway, along with learning "9 to 5", "Every Breath you Take" (and mixing up all them rhyming words on stage - breath fake stay take make cake bake shake take face.)  Even when it's perfect when you are singing alone, it all kinda gets jumbled up on stage when heavy nerves are involved), "One Less Bell to Answer", and a couple of other group numbers... add dance choreography and I was pretty much focused on nothing else.  

Nothing else except for sewing this corset:

Ta'daaaaa!

And here's the inside for your viewing pleasure.  I totally did the lining fabric just for me since it was a musical.

I wanted the corset the be multi-functional so I did a basic, and classic, sweetheart shape.  I also wanted a little bit of an edge so I added the front grommets.  For me it represents that little bit of hardness of spirit that O'Brien has. These also serve a different purpose as I can change the ribbon color there to suit my desires. So I can leave it empty and add a whip and leather for the dominatrix look, or a can add a powder puff pink ribbon to soften it up a bit.  

Here is a pic during the middle of the project when I was adding the boning channels.

Because I made this specifically for the stage where I knew I would be dancing and singing, I decided to experiment.  I didn't use the usual spring steel boning all over.  Instead I opted for macrame chord.  It helped with comfort of movement.  I only used the spring steel in the front next to the zipper and along the center back so the fabric and grommets holding the lacing in back wouldn't buckle.

Anyway.  I know you can't believe that I'm SUPER SHY and that taking to the stage is a traumatic experience to my poor nerves everytime.  It is! And yet, I still do it.  What can I say?  I'm a sucker for punishment. 

I'm thankful to my husband, family, and friends for supporting me with these things.  I'm so thankful to CatrinaQ for letting me do these shows with her.  It's fun doing these shows with friends and making new ones in the process.  It really is why they call these things "Plays".       

P.S. The afterglow of the show apparently is Oompa Loompa orange, but hey.... I'm smiling!

No Sewing, Just drawing

I think I mentioned last entry that I was commissioned to do a some cartoony drawings.  My customer-friend is in England and asked via the Facebook if I could do it for her.  Secretly THRILLED, I cooly responded, "Lemme work on something for you".  Ok, maybe I wasn't so cool. 

I've been sketching monsters, witches, dreamy vampire loverboys, cats. I even did a study of crossbows 'cause I didn't know what they looked like. I'm glad I did that - pretty sure the boy would not want to be found to be killing zombies with a cupid's bow, like a newb.

Here. Have the first monster that I drew, who is not included in the picture.

Now, about 2 weeks later, I have two awesome 11x14 inked drawings that need to be colored in.

I did my 'character' studies in my 8x10 sketchbook.  (Which, by the way, I drew Superman in it so everytime I open my sketchbook I am greeted with his beautiful face and a "Hey girl, hey."  Yeah.  I'm obsessed. Whatever.)  My 'character' studies are just quick sketches that I did of the kids from many photos to get an idea of their face shapes, distinct features, their expressions - just their general presense.  So I have a couple of pages filled with heads of these same kids. And monsters.  And cats. And crossbows.

I need more Superman. Hmmm. I'm not doing anything today and everyone is at Comicon - the bastards. Maybe I'll take myself to the movies and visit Mr. Cavill.  Hmmm. Perhaps.

This time I tried a new method. I have broken down larger pieces of work into small sections so that if I screw up I can fix and alter without ruining the whole picture.  Once I'm satisfied, I move everything onto the larger bristol sheet using my lightbox. (I LOVE BRISTOL PAPER, so wonderful.)   I am 100% happy with how the pictures have turned out so far.  I wish I could keep them black and white, however, I was asked for full color.  So that's what I'm going to do.

It's always the coloring part that really scares me though.  You do all this work, perfecting, inking, and then... you add color.  Color isn't forgiving.  Inking isn't forgiving either, but at least you can sometimes fix it with color. Color is FINAL.  I guess it's that finality which scares me.  There are no fixes once color is down, unless you start all over again.  And starting all over again means time lost.

Oh, you're probably wondering why I am freaking.  It's because this is completely old school art style.  All by hand.  Old school.  None of this digital magic, no clicky of the button erasies.

I've decided to fill it with Prismacolor pencils instead of watercolor paint or my new markers.  I love watercolor, but I use that for fairies.  And I'm not 100% comfortable with my markers yet, though I am positive they would have looked amazing.  I just don't wanna mess it up with an amateur marker hand. Besides Prismacolor pencils are a wonderful medium.  You can get really beautiful blends when you build up with them as they are oil based.  I'm excited that I'll finally be opening my new tin of pencils, too.  I've been on a roll with them as I was illustrating that little story I am writing. 

It's a tale for another day, but I have been writing a story that won't go away. I'm finally writing the book that I want to read.

Anyway, should I get permission to share the final drawing with you from my friend.  I will do so.

Have a wonderful day - - weekend, whatever you are doing.  As for me, I think I will visit my sketchbook.

I Made a #^@&%*! Hat

UGH.  Why is it after 9pm and still ninety-eight-thousand degrees?  Better yet, why was it a billion degrees today and someone decide to "save energy" and not turn on the central air?  Not even for an hour.  Don't look at me - I would have had this house at a comfortable temperature.

First world problems... I swear.

Well, along with me HATING the summer, I am certain my sewing muse ran away for cooler temperatures and left her dim-witted, one-armed, cock-eyed half sister in her stead.  At least that's what it felt like every single time I went to try and sew.

At first I thought I was going to do something simple; something to get me back into the groove of things, something easy like a floppy, summer-y, fisherman-y hat.  I even picked cute-ish fabric because I wasn't sure I was actually going to keep this thing for myself.  So, skulls and pink bows, what could be worse than that?  ("SUMMER TIME" my inner whiner yells.  STFU! We don't want to hear about it now, You.)

See, it ain't so bad.  Right?

WRONG!!  The damned thing was a freaking nightmare.  I told you my Sewing Muse upped and left me with that impostor.  The pattern wasn't fitting together (or I just wasn't sewing it right).  The crown fabric is pinched 'cause there was too much on top and the side band of the hat was WAY too tall.  It freaking looks like a top hat at the right angle.  &*^$@*^$*@&%!#^&^!!!

(I hate Summer.  Give me back my rain and winter!)

Can you see I am unimpressed with my new hat?

Well, I am.  Unimpressed.  Totally unimpressed and don't know what the hell to think besides "I HATE IT!!!"  And totally on the outs with my sewing muse for running off on me.  However, I am tempted to have another go at this hat.  Maybe with the right weather and a different fabric.  Maybe if my Sewing Muse ever comes back.  Maybe after we have the huge fight that's building up in my head.  Maybe after she apologizes... and repents!

Good thing my old friend, Hot Hand, snuck back into my life.  I have been drawing like a fiend.  I have been sketching and coloring and getting back into the groove of this art thing since Sewing Muse has been away.  (What should we call that wench, anyway?)  I have been drawing for at least an hour or more everyday lately.  Mostly quick sketches and movement drawings, just to get the feel of the pencil again, but it's getting better.

Here's a quick sketch of a picture I want to eventually paint with my oils.  (Yep, that's the bride.  Nope, no real pictures yet.  I was told they would be here in the next couple of weeks.)

Even better news - I was asked to do a couple of cartoony drawings for a friend of mine who lives 'Across the Pond.'  I'm still working out all the details and layouts for those.  It's such a cool challenge and I'm happy to do it.

If you know me... You know I do NOT do zombies. I don't like to see them, hear them, think about them, read about them. Zombies? NO! Do not want.  However, I have been drawing zombies.  (Only a friend and the delirium from this miserable heat could get me drawing zombies.)  Well, they aren't exactly the decaying monsters that I fear, these are more. . . . well. . . . sorta like . . . if Disney had a baby with Skeleton monsters.  Yeah.

Ok. I just hit the wall.  My brain just died.  I think that's enough of an update for now.

The heat has drained me.

I perish.