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Desir Brulant
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| So as is the yearly tradition, I'm making thanksgiving food... Because I don't have the US day off, I do it on the weekend. I know most people think it's TERRIBLE for an Australian to be making a big deal about thanksgiving, because it's an American thing, but well..... I'm married to an American, and it's my way of bringing a bit of home to him. What's more, I also give him sparklers and party poppers on 4th of July... And we wave flags and pop poppers...
After all, he left his home, his family, and his country to be here with me. Why shouldn't I try and bring some of home to him?
Besides... THE FOOD IS YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY...
And also part of the tradition is inviting someone over. I wasn't going to do it this year, but I have a special friend that I thought might appreciate some cheering up.. :)
So I'm about to go upstairs and start preparing the thanksgiving goodies.... After I consume some lunch... And some panadol for my thumping head... Damn heat. Thank god for aircon.
Oh yeah, I'm in the process of making a dress. Not a costumey-goodness type dress... Not even a retro dress..
GASP! I'm making something modern? Is the world coming to an end??? heeeee... no it's a dress I've admired from afar for a while, but a vogue pattern sale brought it to me. So now it will be mine! What's more, I'm using stash fabric. First piece I can cross off the list.
There will probably be a big photo post tomorrow.... Hopefully including one of me in new dress holding newest niece.. :D | comments: Leave a comment   |
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So you may have noticed on facebook (for those that have me on facebook) that I'm going through my stash, cataloguing and cleaning up my stash. Yes we moved into this house 3 years and 7 days ago (we took possesion on 31 October), but when I installed the stash of doom into the cupboard, I didn't really go through stuff, I kinda just put it in there.
So, I'm cataloguing EVERYTHING. And I found the below.....
I LOVE this fabric, it's so....... not me! It's a John Kaldor, and I THINK I had it at one stage in blue too, but I don't really know where that went.. :( It's so bright and happy and the fabric itself is so soft... Each of the squares are about 12 inches, so they're pretty big. It's 150cm wide and I have 2.3mt.
Pop Quiz: What should I make with this scrummy piece? Suggestions in comments please.. :D...
Oh and I measured my roll of $50 Mint Dupion Silk. I'm going to gloat now. I have 22mt of silk. heeee! I have to say that the next time I'm in a sewing rut, and I'm not inspired? I'm digging through my stash. It's so inspiring. Colours, prints, textures! -sigh- I love fabric... :)
No wonder I enjoyed working in fabric for SO LONG (10 years).
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| So, Finally, August was upon us and I ended up doing 3 events during this month. Heros and Villans, to which I decided I was DEFINITELY going to rewear.... So I took my latest bustle, wrapped myself in some cobwebs, whitened my face and had a dribble of blood... suddenly, I was Mina Harker... Hero? Or Villan? Fun stuff, although, I couldn't believe that given the opportunity to wear something not historical, I end up wearing bustle... BAH! I haven't uploaded pics for this, I'll have to do that though.
Next was Rachelle's Birthday, to which I wore my purple and cream crinoline. I ended up with my mug on the telly, and my tea down my skirt. There are so many spills on my skirt it's quite embarassing! Oh well, it's completely washable, so that's all good.
Finally, the surprise of the year.... Rebecca and I went to the ACG Ball in Adelaide.... I was up until 2am sewing on the Friday night, but I got it done. I wanted to (again) pull something from the stash, and if you're going to the annual costumer's ball, it has to be something fantastic right? So I pulled out a historical one again.. :|... I was originally going to do a 1880's reproduction, in the theory that a girl doing victorian re-enacting simply can not have enough bustles... But eh... another victorian? DON'T WANNA... Rebecca had already made her choice, and I had the stuff to make something kinda matchy-matchy, so I went with georgian!
I used the simplicity patterns because I only had 2 weeks to make this and well, their patterns fit me perfectly. I only ever do a cursory mockup and run with them and they just work. I just didn't do all the poofs on it, cause well, they're a little over the top.
But anyway, I started with my underpinnings, and I decided they had to match my fabric for the dress....
( Of course it's behind here! )
And then it was on to the dress. The whole lot was made out of cotton, which was a furnishings one from Spotlight... I lined the underskirt in a cotton sheeting, which made it sit beautifully, even though it was a little heavy.
( back behind here for pics.. )
Then I started cutting into the million meters of fabric. I was really impressed with how easily this went together. Is it that it's an easy style, or am I getting used to the challenges of projects such as this? I've never done so much handsewing though as I have with this. I finished it all at 2am (like I said) but there's still some ribbon trims etc to be added to really finish it off.
( pics in here! )
Other point of interest, Rebecca and I watched through a wonderful hair tutorial on U-tube, started out doing our hair on the night the exact same way, both ended up doing totally different things, but I think both of our hair looked stunning. Of course I have to make allowances for the fact that my hair just will not curl (not for long anyway - and certainly not for an entire ball in the rain!) so I didn't have pretty curls like Rebecca, but I still liked my hair.
  
And just for kicks... no wonder people think we're sisters!
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| So, I went to both the medieval Ball and the Medieval Faire, but I rewore to both, and didn't get photos of what I wore, so... yeah, can't post much about that. I was going to do Tudor, but seemings I ended up doing 3 outfits for Q150, something had to give in the end!
BUT, we can talk about Q150. This was a big one for me. As I said, I did three outfits. The 1860 Kate Leslie dress - now nicknamed the jellyfish dress by the men from the Scottish Volunteer Corps - I was bouncing up and down on my toes excitedly about something, and apparently when I did that it made my ruffles flutter like a jellyfish; a crinoline for Rachelle (and OH SO CUTE on her), and an 1893 Visiting dress for display in the house.
So, starting with my dress... Kate Leslie was the wife of Patrick Leslie, the original owners of Newstead House, the lovely house at which the day was being held, and the location of my wedding (special meanings there). I found this picture online, and said "ohmygodIlovethisdress"... Added bonus was who was wearing it honestly!
I think she's a handsome woman, and oh my the dress is beautiful. So I went with a light weight taffeta in an aubergine, cause that's the sense of colour I got looking at the dress. I have NO idea what colour it was, but looking at it I thought, Aubergine.
( Behind here for the rest! )
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| So June is next... I went to one thing in June (Thank GOODNESS)... which was for the Scottish Volunteer Corps. The last time I wore my blue and white bustle, I was spotted by one of the Scottish guys who said "I have seen that dress a few times before".... So my heart sunk and I realised that I would have to make something new.. :(
But honestly, a white dress isn't really very appropriate for winter now is it? So I thought I would make something winterish, which would also work for history alive. So with that thought, I went hunting in my stash and came up with a green and black tartan, very suitable. I used the drape front 1880's pattern from Truly Victorian and my old favourite 1880's basque bodice. It all went together together pretty easily, and I used some glass buttons from my grandmother's stash... I have a feeling these actually came from either her mother, or her grandmother, so they could possibly be edging towards the right era as well.
For accessories (aside from black parasol, gloves and fan), I used the same black velvet reticule, and bought myself a new hat.....
( Photos! )
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| Where was I up to? I think the last thing I did was my steampunk..... So also during that month, we went to Rockton, and seemings I was kinda over wearing my white and blue one all the time, and I wanted to do a trial of my bodice for the Q150 reproduction, I thought I would make something new.
So I started with some ivory silk, and mocked up the bodice. I used the old faithful (Simplicity 7212) for the bodice. I thought long and hard about this... I wanted something VERY simple with a fairly narrow sleeve.. I ended up adding two inches to the waist (which in hindsight was too much). I also did self covered buttons approximately 1inch in size.
( Read more... )
I used something out of my stash for the skirt (YAY FOR STASH!) in a purple, cause, well it's my favourite. I pleated the skirt with a box pleat at the centre front and the centre back. The skirt itself was three panels, so 420cm around, which sat very nicely over my hoop and petticoat.
Being smart, I gave myself a headstart and made the accessories I would be using for the Kate Leslie dress, including a black velvet hat, petticoat and reticule, along with a velvet belt. Rebecca (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) fire_elfweb ) found the buckle for me, at a reasonable price which was very similar to that of Kate Leslie.
So. Altogether, this is the look I ended up with...
(Photo was taken by Rebecca)
I really like the colour of it. The only thing I didn't like about the outfit was the fact that the bodice (due to being an inch too long) had a ridge when I sat down (see the above pic). My thistle brooch (which I ACTUALLY purchased for wearing with Scottish outfits) goes beautifully with the colour of the skirt.
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| Haven't posted in quite a while, and I'm behind on a few costumes. I should catch that stuff up. I haven't been inclined, mostly because the stuff I was posting was what I was planning to put on my website, which I haven't done yet, and I think the website is a little way off yet. So yeah, I'm made of FAIL!
I'm hoping that in the next couple of months I'll start building up my website again, focusing on this year's projects and gradually filling in back to the dawn of costuming-time. Although alot of stuff I did in the first year is generally pretty crap (other than the jack sparrow I did for Jeff) I think it's important to document those as well, cause it shows how far I've come in the last couple of years, and the things I've learnt. | | comments: Leave a comment |
| Event was fun, still not 100% feeling well, and I'm tired and cranky, so I don't have much to say.
Here's the dress on... more photos are filtering through slowly....
( Read more... )
Note to neighbour. Seriously... you use your fireplace as soon as the temperature drops below 20 celcius?
-rubs eyes, blows nose and glares-
It's going to be a long winter.
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| So I know now why I was so unmotivated. I spent 2 days in bed sick. hurrah.
that left me 2 days to make my pleather riding habit. ergh. BUT! I finished it.
I don't know whether you've ever seen the Great Race, but.... This is where my inspiration came from. Natalie Wood wears a camel coloured riding habit with pants underneath.... then she has a matching top hat with chiffon flowing out the back. It's GORGEOUS. Anyway, I wanted to steam that up a little....
So while I was on holidays in the USA, I found THE fabric (pleather) to make it out of in Walmart of all places. Scary right? What's more, it was only $7/yd (US funds)... so really not that expensive either. I carted about 8 yards all the way home, and it is quite heavy.
The hat... well not quite what I originally planned, but it was an idea that evolved. Jeff ended up making that for me.
( Read more... )
Photos on after the event (obviously!).
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| That's the only word I can use at the moment.
I'm unmotivated, and that's not good. It doesn't help that I'm very tired, but I need to get out of this funk. Two nights in a row I have done nothing. I can't afford to do this at this stage. My steampunk is NOT going to make itself, and it's not easy fabric to whip up over night.
Tonight.... I have to get stuff done tonight. | | comments: 2 comments or Leave a comment |
| One of my goals this year was to take more photos, getting me back into one of my fondest hobbies....
So how could I resist this?
So while my cute cute rose was sleeping on Angela's corset and crinoline, I went snappy-happy...
( want to see more? )
I <3 my kitty so much!
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| So I've had a semi-productive day. Since losing weight, all my corsets no longer fit. The bone and purple one is the latest casulty, There was 2 inches gap in the bust last weekend which gave me a funny shelf.
So now I have a new one. It's a dore (I didn't feel like doing bust gores and oh so many bones) and I have to say, I LOVE this corset. It went together easily and it's very comfy. It is made from drill fused to cotton lining steel bones throughout, waist tape and some lovely lace to finish. The plan is to make some black drawers and chemise with some crochet lace with red ribbon trim. But for now, at least I can get cracking on my Rockton House bodice and skirt.
So you want some pics right?
( in here of course )
Now onto a new silk bodice! And Hat!
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| So finally on Sunday I wore Snow White. This came about mid last year, a couple of months after the last supanova. I decided that I wanted to do something that was VERY recognisable but easy to make and wear.
There are several Disney outfits I REALLY want to do (and they're pretty much childhood dream dresses)..... Snow White, Aurora, Cinderella, Queen of Hearts and Malicifent..... I know the last two don't really match the rest, but I don't like to be "good" ALL the time.... And I've already done Queen of Hearts. I thought about redoing the queen, but I think I'm going to do that later this year (maybe). So I thought I would start at the top of my list with Snow White, especially since Simplicity brought out a pattern for me to butcher.. :D
( construction behind here! )
Highlight of this costume was the little girls that ran up to have their picture taken with us and to have hugs. I leant over to one and asked her who her favourite Disney princess.... She thought about it for a moment, then grinned, pointed at me and said "YOU!"...
Her dad then said "yeah, she has a whole poison apple thing going on at the moment".... seriously cute though!
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| Saturday we wore Scarlett O'Hara to Supanova. This came about as a result of quite a few of the Brisbane folk sitting around watching the very awesome girl in the Giselle wedding dress come down the stairs. We started talking about Gone with the Wind and which dresses were our favourites. The next thing you know we were planning to wear Scarlett dresses to Supanova. So this dress has been a year in the planning (and a week in the making!)
I have always LOVED red and white dress that scarlett wears right before Ashley goes off to war. I know it's not as well known as some of the others, but I still love it. In the end, Rebecca and I were the only ones to do this. I'm going to let her talk about her choice of dress, but here's a pic of the dress I decided to do...
( The construction etc is in here.... )
Best thing about wearing this dress was the "oooooh look at that" as we walked past. I LOVE that!
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| | Tags: | supanova | | Time: | 09:40 am | | Current Mood: | ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/ford/sydnicons/Sad.gif) tired |
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| I'm just going to post about my costumes for this year, I really didn't take that many photos this year!
On Friday night, Rebecca and I wore Barbie dresses from the 80's. I chose mine because she's one I had as a 7 year old, and she was and still is my favourite barbie. I happened to mention to Rebecca that I really wanted to do this Barbie dress, around October (I think?) and it snowballed from there. It also happened that this year Barbie turned 50, so we picked the right year to do it!
So here she is in all her 1983 finery.....
( details and pics behind here! )
Highlight of wearing this costume was that girls and guys alike came up to us, and even though they didn't originally know what we were, told us that our dresses were beautiful!
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| After nearly a week without net (argh!) here's the update.
I can't believe it, I only have handsewing left.
Yesterday I thought I was not going to have the Saturday costume done, but because I've spent so long working out how to do it, it came together pretty quickly. I'm really excited about showing pictures, so hopefully I'll be able to get net while I'm at Supanova.
One more day then I can have some time off...... | | comments: Leave a comment |
| I HAVE FINISHED ONE OF MY SUPANOVA COSTUMES! And I have the seal of approval from Canada.. :)
woot. I am more than halfway through the second, it's just the third that is freaking me out. Jeff is down in sydney for the week starting monday, so I guess I'll work my ass off on it then.
At any rate, I'll be busting my ass to get them all done. Hopefully I can finish the 2nd one this weekend in between spending time with my hubby. | | comments: Leave a comment |
| So I found out that GenCom is going to be in Brisbane again this year, and I had a rememberance...
Cat, do you still want to do great big funny shaped heads from that game that we both love? :D.... Of course that depends on whether you were thinking you might like to go. | | comments: 3 comments or Leave a comment |
| Nick Lagos took this photo on the weekend while we were dying of heat! Great photo, even though you can't see all of my dress, you should get the idea.. ;)
Rebecca also has a new 1880's bustle as you can see, which is just lovely. The event? Our first with the Scottish Volunteer Corps. Rebecca was invited to go along, and I was also interested, so I guess you could say we're reenactors now! It's kinda nice to be in a pretty dress and still be somewhat in the background. Had so much fun even though we were sweltering in the heat of the sun.
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| I'M SO EXCITED! I only have buttons and buttonholes to go on my bustle! weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
what? You want to see pictures? OH alright. Yes it does need ironing. I'll iron it before I wear it! Or maybe I'll take it in to be ironed. Oh that would be nice.. :D
( come and seeeeee.... )
I know they're not brilliant photos... but you're getting the general idea. Now back to Supanova stuff that I haven't finished!!
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Desir Brulant
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