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November 27th, 2009

06:14 pm - I Haz Shuzies! You ever have a day where you think?? Why am I here?? And then you walk into Black Friday at Torrid and you put on your typical pair of pants and they are too big and so you work down not 1 but 2 sizes and then you turn your head and you see these And the purple pants that are a size 16 are one sale and then 50% off of that. And you think?? All of my excess weight is now in my belly still need to work out but....I look good! LMAO Purple Jeans and Purple Shuzies! I am okay. Cilean Current Location: Craft Room of Creativity Current Mood: Sizzling Current Music: Barking Dogs Tags: heels, love, purple, self esteem, shoes, shopping

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November 25th, 2009

07:44 pm - 2010 Gowns in Thoughts Murrey Silk Velvet Anyone? I had to take a break from my Thanksgiving cooking so I thought it would be awesome to chat about what I want to do next year, I am in the process of finishing 1 ruff I learned to do at an Event with Costume Talk, I have learned so much from these talks they are located in Eugene, Or here is the link: www.costumetalk.com. I have a hopeful plan to have Medici ruff made for 12th Night. Here is the Archduchess, She lived until 1572 which means this Portrait was not that much before her death? So I am in lust in this gown possibly because I have Murrey or Plum colored Silk Velvet with a black backing, I want to use the Pisa Skirt that my Friends Fearga and Karis are working with for this gown because it is closed in the front and I think I have enough trim on hand to make this gown become a reality. Is she not scrumy? I also have to had the hat I have enough pearls to make the hat and I have the littlest bit of Silk Velvet in Black from Thai Silks to make this a reality. However she is for next year, I think I am heading up to An Tir for Ithra so I can work with Fearga and Karis and get this gown jumping. CIlean Current Mood: Planning Tags: cooking, costume, elizabethan, french renaissance, garb, ren costumer, sca, sewing

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November 21st, 2009

12:31 am - Another Vendor Bites the Dust Grannd Companies a site I have used over and over for I don't know how many years has closed shop. With Denver Fabrics now another vendor and the quality is different.........I used to depend on my sites for my clothing historical but I know I am using more from my stash nowadays than purchasing......... I do hope they can come back....sigh sad now Cilean Current Mood: melancholy

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November 9th, 2009

05:42 pm - I made Fudgey Cupcakes So there  I am so happy!!!  Found a recipe for fudgey cake batter and had to make it (period) they are cooking as we speak and then cool off and BUTTERCREAM here we come! Sigh Can life be any better? Cilean Current Mood: ecstatic Tags: chocolate, cupcakes, food, goddess loves me!

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October 30th, 2009

05:51 pm - Making a Pill Box Hat  So here is me making my first Pill Box Hat! I am using the stuff they used back in the 70's to make purses with yarn....however I am pretty sure? People don't use  it for that purpose anymore so I really don't know why it is still being sold.  But I love it for using it to make hats, why? Because you don't have to worry about it getting wet and it will loose shape. So first I measured out my head on where I wanted this hat to sit then I added 1/2 inch, I added the Vee in the front because I  thought it would look fun.  So I cut out the oval for the brim and the V as well. Here are the 2 parts integrated by sewing with really strong thread.   This is the white flannel you cut 2 of these because you have an interior and an Exterior. and interior lining.  You will also need fashion fabric and lining fabric so that you can't see the  plastic stuff. Here is the top being pinned and then sewn to the exterior lining, once sewn you add some glue and then weight it with something heavy I use bean soup. Here it is all weighted up and drying with tons of glue so that it will adhere.  I have used linen of for the interior lining. Here is my exterior Fashion Fabric, you always need to fit each of the peices because as you add bulk so make sure you allow for seam allowance of 1 inch or more I used 2 inches just case.    So this is after I have gotten the fashion fabric over the whole thing so now I have the Fashion Fabric, lining of Flannel and then on the inside flannel and linen. Here it is all done I will be adding bobby pins into the sides so it will stay on my head. So this is just part of my gown excursion, I am working on showing you the whole of it, and soon I can post the whole Gown. What do you think??   Cilean Current Location: Sewing Room of Life Current Mood: accomplished Current Music: Supernatural!! Tags: garb, hats, renaissance, sca

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October 26th, 2009

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October 9th, 2009

05:12 pm - Bigotry in Work....Sick too Hello All, Well at work we have a person I will call her Amy. I would classify Amy with Narcissistic Personality Disorder, and loneliness but she also tends towards obsessive thoughts and behaviors. Amy thinks she knows all and will correct people on their work very often to the detriment of said person. She can not do more than basic tasks yet, like a typical NPD, feels she is superior to all and sundry. She has become a joke as in "Do you know Amy? Then you know she is doing something wrong". Personally I call it my "Amy Duty" when I am assigned to work with her. I have been fighting a killer cold for a week. Most of my off hours I spent sleeping...that is how awful I felt...not my usual I can assure you! Anyway, I was at a happy to have a gate and not be going about, then I found out I was going to be working with Amy. All day, by ourselves.....Oh Joy! She looks at my hair which was in it's customary bun, and brought up how my hair is exactly like a co-worker's hair who is from Africa. Um what?!? So when I told her my hair is in no way the same as our co-workers' she then asked if I thought I was all white. ?? There are only 2 ways to be? I am either African or I am White? Wow there is Amy's mind, so when I tried to explain my thought of being American, or I will call myself "Multi-Racial" she got bored because the focus was not on her and she changed the scope of the conversation to herself...again typical. So while Amy waxed on her continual monologue it left me with time to think.....I am multi-racial, I don't think of myself as anything but "American". So this brought up a lot of issues in me. I became speechless, and then I said, no we do not have the same hair, my hair is very fine (ick) and what other blacks that I know as "Good" hair. So it bothered me, and then I had to think about why I cared what Amy had to say since she is not a friend or even....sane. I guess because I am 47 and I am tired of defending my right not to be what others call "Ethnic" that I must be typed into One category and I can not move past that classification. I am so many races, I don't think I need to tell people who my progenitors are. It is really and truly no one's business. Yet, again and again I have people who meet me and the first or second thing is "So what are you?" Last time I looked I was human, from America? Am I incorrect? I have never thought of myself as anything but me, and I have married a guy who just does not have a lot of color, but that also makes people say I am 'pretending' or I have pretense to be White. Which is stupid, and I keep hoping one day people will just be American. Without adding more. So here is the real issue, should I bring this up to my higher ups? I was offended but really it is not like Amy will understand she will take it as I am persecuting her. Others have tried to speak with her on varied and myriad of issues concerning her behavior, and the second thing is why with all of these issues is Amy still working for us? Well that again is a whole other topic. Cilean Current Mood: Angst Tags: bigotry, crap, craziness, stupidity, work

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September 26th, 2009

01:02 am - September Sewing Month ~ New For Ren Faire Update   Here is what I got done today: Bodice finish bottom Done add boning to the back create lacing rings Add rings to bodice to hold sleeves in place Corded Petticoat- Must be done before I can arrange skirts Figured out and now to cutting and sewing  Cut out Sewn together Add waistband Add channels  Add rope Skirt Add lining Cartridge Pleat at 1/2" pleats Add to waist band Forepart - Is cut out Gore cotton basic fabric Add Forepart to underskirt add waist band  add closures Inner Sleeves- Cut out Add bling Line and finish Outer Sleeves- Nothing done Line Add buttons to close Add ribbon to close Make Pillbox hat from Forepart/inner sleeve material Find purple flannel Add bling to hat fashion fabric It does not seem like a lot but I have b Current Mood: Focused! Tags: elizabethan, garb, renaissance. sewing, sca

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September 25th, 2009

12:04 pm - Working on September End Gown for Faire  So now that I have finished the Iron Dress and I am still happy I finished on time and on budget! I am now working on a basic gown for Ren Faire of which I won 2 tickets!! Whoo Hoo! I have this jaquard with Fleur de Lys all over it in a chevron pattern and the sleeves and forepart are of a lighter green fabric with little purple fluers so I am hoping it will look nice! I have done the bodice but I have to go backwards and work on a 'Corded Petticoat' so I am cutting my 6 gores of lavender linen out now. I have purple grosgrain ribbon (of course) and I think I will have enough linen of the same color to play with yet another PoB, I still have not made one completely.  Sigh. I did take the course on the effigy bodies from Sara so I think I will play with that one. So here is what I need to accomplish in the next few days: Bodice finish bottom add boning to the back create lacing rings Add rings to bodice to hold sleeves in place Corded Petticoat- Must be done before I can arrange skirts Figured out and now to cutting and sewing  Skirt Add lining Cartridge Pleat at 1/2" pleats Add to waist band Forepart - Is cut out Gore cotton basic fabric Add Forepart to underskirt add waist band  add closures Inner Sleeves- Cut out Add bling Line and finish Outer Sleeves- Nothing done Line Add buttons to close Add ribbon to close Make Pillbox hat from Forepart/inner sleeve material Find purple flannel Add bling to hat fashion fabric So I have a long way to go but if I am not done by the end of September at least I am on my way, I will hopefully be wearing this outfit at Ren Faire the last weekend  October 18th! And I still have to work on several other outfits for the boys in the family.     Cilean Current Location: Sewing Room of Life Current Mood: Focused!!! Current Music: Carmina Burana Tags: elizabethan, english, garb, gown, ren costumer, renaissance, renaissance faire, sca, sewing

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September 20th, 2009

08:27 pm - Snark- I Feel Like Henny Penny Okay Miss Thang, Do you know the story of Henny Penny? She asked her friends to help her garden and then she asked them to help her with her harvest, then she asked them to help milling and then cooking the bread. Yet when it came time to ENJOY the bread they were there!!  And she said since you could not work to gain the bread why should you enjoy it with her?  Everyone?? this woman has been a guest in my home for roughly 9 months.  Hubby hosts a D&D party during the weekend, it has evolved into a potluck deal in which people will bring food and my Family will cook and the person who brings the stuff gets to bring it home.   Okay so the only thing this woman has ever brought as part of the potluck during all of this time has been some Salmon.  Once.  That is it!  But, she must be the first one in line for food, in fact we can't plate it fast enough.  If I am out and I find something I think is interesting, like fresh strawberries or fresh goat cheese or gourmet cheese I bring it home and share. I am a 'foodie', but I can't get into the door before she is looking into bags and asking what I have.  If I plate something and bring it out it MUST first be brought to her or she will get up and go to whomever I have asked to taste said tidbit.  3 weeks ago, I bought the cutest shawl, that was pashmina-lite for $5.00, and since she happened to be in the house at the time, I excitedly showed it to her. she mentioned she liked the color. purple of course and then she took it with her.  Yes you heard me, she 'assumed' that I have GIVEN it to her, how? I don't know and she just took it.............. Last week I was making chocolate chip cookies for my family's weekly lunches. I have a 17 year old and an 11 year old as well as the hubby, we all try to brown bag as much as we can watch our budget.   So I bring out the dough for hubby to taste because I am cooking and some times you can't taste things correctly.... so she knew what I was cooking.  in she comes "um, what are you making? It sure smells good! And then she watched me put the cookies in and as soon as the buzzer hit for the first cookies she was out in the kitchen again. Wow, they sure look good.  This woman is in her 30's at least so it is not like she is a child, and she is not 'touched' as the old people would say.  When I told her this was not for today it was for my families lunches, she did not come back out.   However I made a second batch and then I put out the first batch out for the people to eat because I would have enough for the family for the week.  She took 4 home with her... But tonight actually takes the cake. Literally, one person brought fish, a  lot of fish and Chicken for me because I allergic, so he makes sure I have something to eat as well. I went to the store to pick up cream cheese because I had forgotten, I made Banana Bread with chocolate chips, you have to have cream cheese with banana bread,  and there was this Chocolate Angel Food Cake which is a funny with one of the guys because we grew up together, he would make Angel Food Cake for our D&D nights way back in the 80's.  So I picked it up with come whipped cream.   While I was at the store,  my Mom was cooking the fish that was brought for tonights meal  I can not eat fish due to allergies, so chicken was also brought just because of me!   Hubby was BBQing it , anyway, all the while my Mom was cooking  this woman kept coming out to make sure she would be first to be served (As usual) . You know this is very quick so in a 10 minute space, she came to the kitchen 6 times. My Mother got a little ....perturbed and told her that she would make an announcement when everything was ready so she really should sit down. When I got home I put the cake on a platter and brought it out for my good friend to smell and laugh about!  And she was greedily checking it out, I did not speak to anyone but my friend about the cake, and I put it back in the kitchen.  Never did I state it was part of the dinner, we don't typically have dessert for these potlucks unless someone brings or it is someone's birthday that sort of thing.   One of the guys had brought some awesome cheeses from Germany really lovely stuff and I cut it up and brought out crackers and the like it was really tasty, and of course she had her hand out before I could bring the plate to the table.  So after eating perhaps 10 to 15 minutes, and this is Her eating first, the rest of the people were still eating, she announces....She was ready for her dessert. Announces it. ... there are 10 people eating, She was done because she got to eat first.....the kids still had not eaten all of their plates and she was announcing like she was the perverbial Queen of Sheba that she wanted her dessert. I was in the living room and she came out to me telling me she wanted dessert, so I said to her "what did you bring?"  She looked surprised and then looked at the cake sitting on the counter.  Then she went back to playing and had another player come out to tell me she was ready for dessert.  I know some people have issues with manners, they don't have any, and I know others simply don't have the clues of societal behavior, but really? REALLY?!!!! ARRRGH Cilean   Current Mood: Snarky

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September 18th, 2009

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September 15th, 2009

10:33 pm - Iron Dress DONE Without Further Ado I give you my impression of Venetian Splendor!                            So it is done and now I can move onto other projects!!!  My Hubby takes....strange photos   arrgh Cilean Who now has to clean because the house is a sewing mess!   Current Location: Sewing Room of Life Current Mood: accomplished Tags: dress diary, iron dress, ren costumer, renaissance, sca. faire, sewing, venetian

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04:16 am - Iron Dress Competition #3: Gown is Complete  I know it is 4am PST and I am giddy and I hope understood. All pieces are done and the gown is finished tomorrow I will take a picture with the whole thing done and on my body for everyone to see! So excited For me finishing this for this Competition is the best part. It is my 12th Night gown as well so I can concentrate on my Men's clothing now! I am now off to bed I need to get some zzzzz! Cilean Current Location: Sewing Room of Life Current Mood: accomplished Current Music: Cats running about Tags: dress diary, fabric, iron dress, italian costuming, renaissance, sca. garb, sewing, venetian

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September 13th, 2009

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September 11th, 2009

11:10 am - Iron Dress #3: Bodice and Skirt Attached  Okay so I am again doing my list of things I need to get done Gown Bodice     100%  Done Skirt           95% Done   Bodice and Skirt attached and allowed to hang for sleeves and hemming.   This only broke 3 needles and I had to fix my strike plate 2 times to get this amount of skirt to go into the bodice inches.  It is done now and I am happy!!! Underskirt  95% Done I forgot to add the trim so I am doing the hemming and the trim at the same time    Cool huh? I am so happy so far   NEW LAPTOP and it is Purple!!!!!!! So my next will be tomorrow and my check on Fray Check vs Fray Block Cilean Tags: iron dress, sca, venetian

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September 8th, 2009

12:12 pm - Iron Dress Continued And Question! Help!  List of what has been done: Gown: Bodice 95% Done -  I need to make the plachette and attach it, the bodice is finished. Skirt 65% Done - I need to pleat and attach and allow to hang. Underskirt Skirt 95% Done - Sew on hook and eye and hem Fan 65% - I need a fan stick, I have some about here...... Sleeves 0% Done - I need to work on this on Friday , I need to find my Fleur de Lys stencils, and then I need to ask some of you  HERE IS MY QUESTION!!! And any advice is surely appreciated!!!! Fraying I am going to cut my silk velvet to make my sleeves and if anyone has used 'fray check' on the silk velvet and it has worked or if you have used hot glue to keep it from fraying has that worked?  I don't know if this velvet will fray so I am kind of I don't know worried I will have a mess on my hands, but you live and learn right? I have to work until Friday the 11th (a good day to have off in the Airline Biz), so I am going to attempt to get all of the pieces done, I want to work on my sleeves Saturday and Sunday is for finishing up on any loose ends, and I have to work on Monday. Tuesday is the last day so I am going to take pictures and send them in...... Wish me not luck...ENERGY! This is when I loose it, I look at things and say not ready just stop but I have the time and I can do this!!   Cilean All fired up!   Current Location: S Current Mood: Freaked Out Tags: costume, iron dress, italian costuming, renaissance, sca, sewing, venetian

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September 1st, 2009

11:59 am - Iron Dress Musings  Hello Everyone, So I get intimadated when something goes wrong with a piece, it losses it's fun value and I put it away, so I decided to work on the underskirt which is a very heavy Golden Dupioni.  I don't usually buy or use gold I love and adore silvers more,  A lady way back asked me to help her design and make a gown so I did and I told her 8 yards of material, but I then told her she would need lining and such to end up with 18 yards of fabric.  I gave her a list, and well she bought 18 yards of the gold outer fabric.  I felt so bad about that, I had lining and such in my stash and when we finished the gown she gave me all of the excess, which was about 8 yards (yep I cartridge pleated I think 7 yards into 30 inches of her waistline).  I was pretty exicted as I went through my stash of silks and found the white silk for the lining of the sleeves as welll as finding the deep purple silk velvet.  Anyway to get back into the gown, I did recut the bodice and get the eyes, next I will fit it again with my corset on so that I can make the plachette, I dont know if I should use the bit of 5 ounce linen I have or should I use 3.5?  Also? How to attach the sleeves once they are done, I have some awesome Fleur de Lys buttons in gold. I am going to lace this with silver cord. Hmmmph Cilean Pondering  Current Location: Sewing Room of Life Current Mood: Musing Current Music: Sound of My Mother Bitching Tags: dress diary, iron dress, renaissance, sca, sewing, venetian

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August 31st, 2009

08:51 pm - Total SCORE!!!  I was out at Ross today and this lady was taping up some bedding and I asked her how much it was........someone had broken the seals of the bedding and so it was $4.99 per bag, I picked up both bags one in deep brown with blue and the other in Blue and Icey-gold.  The brown one was a 4 piece set and was complete.   The 2nd was an 8 piece set and also complete.  So I picked up bedding that was $215.00 at Macy's when last I was there (last year) for $4.99!!! Awesome eh?  Plus my new PURPLE laptop brand new not the original one since it had some failure is here they promised by the 15th came on Friday!!! Yes!!! Cilean Current Location: Sewing Room Current Mood: ecstatic Tags: laptop and lovely, shopping maven

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August 29th, 2009

06:07 pm - Skirt Almost Done! Made progress on my underskirt I am letting it hang for the next week.  All it needs is the fastner on the waist and hemming.  I love this fabric it has such crispness!! Onto the skirt for the gown.  I did a silly and pinned it backwards with 6 teenage boys holding it up! I wish I had taken a picture, as I asked them 2 days later to hold it again whilst I turned it over and repinned!!!   They just look at me!  I found my hair too! YEAH So here is the count of what I need to finish by Sept 15th: Bodice  90% Done Skirt      50% Done  Underskirt 90% Done Sleeves 0% Done Fan 50% Done Partlet 100% Done Camisa 100% Done So far so good, I will not be able to do a thing during Labor Day Because we have so much planned with the kids. More Later, Cilean   Current Location: Sewing Room of Life Current Mood: accomplished Tags: costume, dress diary, iron dress, renaissance, sca, sewing, venetian

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August 22nd, 2009

01:12 am - Bodice now Fits no pictures  Okay so I finally found in my junk pile of fabrics the golden silk and the purple silk velvet I will be finishing the gown with.  My camera was stolen during Costume College my lovely purple camera and I don't know what my Mom has done with hers but it is off deep Warm tones. Anyway here are my photos: I think I have th colors correct.  The velvet is deep purple and the underskirt is a lovely golden silk I have had in stash for I think 3 years. So I have recut the bodice and so now I am matching the skirt front pieces, I will be lining this with linen and then making my skirt. I have not found my Fleur de Lys stencils either so I will be searching for this on the weekend.  I hope to have this done because I need to work on my Space Cowboys Costume, and I want to go as a Companion from Firefly.  I found some nifty fabric at my fav haunt "Fabrics R Us" and I really need to work on it! More pics later Cilean Tags: iron dress

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