I knew it had been a really long time since my last post, but when I saw the date on my Pinterest post I almost fell over - February?! Has it really been 7 months since the last time I updated this? Mind you, I have a whole list of topics I want to write about but getting them on "paper" has been a challenge.
One of the "rules" of blogging is don't point out if it's been a while since your last post. You're supposed to just move on and pretend like nothing happened. But not posting for 7 months is part of the story! It's been a busy spring & summer, and I want to fill you in on what's been happening...
MARCH
March brought the spring musical - "The Gondoliers" by Gilbert & Sullivan. I am NOT a Gilbert and Sullivan fan. If you're not familiar with them, they're the duo that wrote "The Pirates of Penzance" and "The Mikado". And I bet I just lost about half of you there... Don't worry, it's okay. If you want to know more about ol' G&S I suggest watching the movie "Topsy Turvy". It gives you a good idea about their methods of re-hashing the same story line over and over. But I digress - with this production the director choose to use the G&S over-the-top characters and give them a Commedia dell'Arte makeover, which works really well because Commedia is also made of over-the-top characters. And I just lost the other half of you... I know it's weighty theatre stuff, but the bottom line is it makes for really awesome costumes. I was able to use some visual cues from Commedia like Harlequin's diamonds and Pantalone's red pants (or in this case, stockings) AND just go ridiculously big and outrageous with the main characters. Check out those wigs!
To see my inspiration for this show, check out my "Gondoliers" style board on Pinterest!
APRIL & MAY
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| Bridge of the "Enterprise" |
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| Vulcan make-up |
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JUNE & JULY
June is actually a continuation of April & May. Since I didn't have any new shows booked for the summer, I decided this would be a good time to focus on my Etsy business. On June 9th, I had a booth at the Constructor Craft Fair selling my handmade purses and other little bits and baubles. This event was huge, and so much fun! Never having done a large craft fair before I wasn't sure what to expect as far as sales and traffic, so all through April & May I was working my behind off to build up a good-sized inventory. Thank goodness I did! I almost sold out of many of the little card holders and pouches I made, and many of the new larger bags sold as well. The biggest pay-off was having so many people react positively to my work, and it was a real confidence booster. That little boost gave me the motivation to add new items to my Etsy store, including custom-made bridesmaid clutches. The custom orders took off in July, and I've been keeping busy working on those over the past month, with new orders coming in every week!
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| Sur Le Feu at Constructor Craft Fair 2012 |
FUTURE PROJECTS
Before all these new orders started to come in, I told myself I would finally take some time this summer to sew for myself and my husband! It's been at least 3 years since I made anything for my impossible-to-shop-for 6'6" husband, and even longer since I made something for myself (that wasn't a wedding dress). My original plan was to make at least one item a week. But you know what they say about the plans of mice and men... I have managed to make a few things for myself, though, and I will be posting them here for you to see and explain a bit about my experiences with the fabric & pattern in the weeks ahead. It is August, however, and that means the show season is ready to start again in just a month! I'm not sure exactly what is in store this year, but I do know I will be designing "Into the Woods" this spring. Can't wait!!!
