Preliminary "Little Shop" Planning

I've been collecting images to help me design my "Little Shop of Horrors" Costumes. I'm doing this SO prematurely, but I don't care! I get excited! Anyway, I'm researching old girl groups of the 60's to design the costumes for the doo-wop girls. They will be my favorites, I think. Though I was told we could buy a lot of the costumes, I'm sure I will be ambitious and actually make a lot of them.

Costume Review: Othello

I've decided to add a new feature, since I now just stare at costumes during various movies and productions now. To disclaim a bit, I know virtually NOTHING about historical accuracy or anything, so I'm pretty much just commenting on what I think is pretty or not, or suits the character or not.

This month, I had the pleasure of seeing a production of Othello at Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, Massachusetts. The performance was very good, but I found myself watching Desdemona's costumes more than the action of the play. The dresses to me were, as far as my historical outfitting knowledge goes, in a Regency/Romantic period style, with high waists and full skirts. However, I was really impressed with the fabrics - all very flowy and drapy, something I am always looking for in a dress! Even her nightgown was really pretty.

I managed to find some pictures that show most of one dress, though I don't think they do it justice.

Voila!

Despite yesterday's annoyance with the Messenger Bag pattern, I have completed it. I ended up piecing together the strap with a couple of fabric scraps that I had leftover.

These aren't the greatest pictures, but they do the trick:

Ugh!

I've hit a snafoo with the Messenger Bag. Turns out I cut the strap piece all wrong and now I don't have enough fabric left to create a new one. I will likely have to change it and make it shorter than it's supposed to be. It's the only solution I can think of, unless I use a completely different fabric, but something tells me that won't be so attrative. As it is, I've made many changes, like leaving out most of the inside pockets. I just don't really need them. The next time I make the bag I will really do absolutely everything, but for now it suits my needs so that's all that matters.

I was too annoyed at my mistake this morning and so I dropped the project for the day. Perhaps I'll pick it up tomorrow. I really think the only solution is to try the strap just a little shorter, so that it at least goes nicely on my shoulder, if it doesn't go all the way around like it's supposed to.

New Project in the Works

The school musical this year is officially "Little Shop of Horrors" so it's time to get thinking about that. It'll be interesting, because the need to make a lot of clothing won't be there, but I'll still probably make all of Audrey's items. This production doesn't need as many costumes as "Music Man" did, but it needs its fair share.

Look for updates about that probably around November, but real project stuff to happen in January when rehearsals begin.

Also, the Fashion Club is most likely a go. I need to discuss that project just to clarify 100% and then I'll update on that. I'm sure I'll have plenty to say about that relatively soon. We're planning to have a Charity Auction... in NOVEMBER!

As expected...

...I was totally beat today when I got home from work and didn't have it in me to do anything about my unfinished messenger bag. Well, it's about 8:30 now, and while I should probably go to bed in a 1/2 hour, I might just head over and figure out some bag stuff before I head to bed for the evening!

Future Project Warning!

Tomorrow I start back up at work, which means 80-90% of my life essentially belongs to work (though that's my own fault - I take on too many projects, but I love them all!) and only 10-20% belongs to me. But have no fear - I will be showing all the fabulous work on this year's musical, and I have the messenger bag to finish, which I want to do by Tuesday, AND I'm making bags for Christmas this year so that's going to be quite an undertaking, one I hope to chronicle on the blog as much as possible!

Messenger Bag Progress

I finally got more done on my Messenger Bag. My goal is to finish it by Thursday. I don't have anything to do the next two days so I think I can accomplish this. It'll be awesome to have a one-bag-for-everything when I go back to work (so technically I need to finish by Tuesday because I won't really need official work stuff until then).

Anyway, here's the shell of the bag. I've attached the back pocket and put together the "shell" of the exterior. The front pleated panel is attached as well as the tab. My next job it to work on the front flap with the pocket.

The Latest Project

Well, the summer has gotten away with me and before you know it, A Fine Notion will be featuring the talents of the Fashion Club at work and the "Anatomy of a Musical!" I can't wait to find out what the play is and begin my costuming! I want to get an early start this year so I'm not working til the last second last year, though I suspect that's probably going to be the case no matter how early I start - there will ALWAYS be something I want to improve.

Now, with that said, we are having a little tea party on Sunday - our usual tradition and this year the theme was "Go Green." We have to bring "green" gifts - not in color, but in environmental awareness. Now, instead of buying something, I took some old clothing that I didn't want anymore and made a purse! My gift is made of 100% recycled material. I can't vouch for how green the material was in the first place, but I took something that was headed for the trash and turned it into something else.

Anyway, here's the little bag I made:

Coming Soon

I am in the process of creating an Etsy shop! It will be called Pig & Pepper, an homage to Alice in Wonderland (it's the name of a chapter) and in honor of the real shop I hope to open one day - full of handmade goodies and baked goods - of course, the Etsy shop will not include the baked goods! I also recently saw that you can sell photography prints on Etsy which I would love to do!

So anyway, this is going to take a good month or two to really get off the ground, but I hope to work diligently the next couple of months to get some things done! We'll see how it goes!

A Short Break

Taking a short break from projects at the moment as I will be away for three days this week AND three days the following week, and I don't want to get too involved. Things will speed up quickly now that it's August!