NO PHOTOS TODAY

Why, you ask?  Yesterday when I tried to load the photos I took of the campus over break, I got a pop-up that said my storage was at 100%.  So now what do I do? Assistant #2 will be over on Thursday to help me out. But any help offered, I'll take. I'm pretty lame when it comes to computers. I surprised myself when I figured out how to post photos! And I can't figure out how to put the badges on  my blog either. Ha, it's probably really easy. Have a wonder weekend.

WEIRD DOLL WEDNESDAY, PART 22

The little sister of the other Romanian doll.

I've been feeling a little under the weather, damn antibiotics.

 HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

What a strange meal. Instead of a photo of food, this is the flyers that were in today's newspaper. I avoid Black Friday like the plague.

This handsome fella is my friend (and VSU Theatre alumni) David Rossetti. He's on BROADWAY(!!!!!!!) dancing in Annie. This is from the Macys Parade

I totally geeked out, set up the tripod and took a bunch of photos. That's Annie and Daddy Warbucks in front. David's holding the box

When one of our alumni do well, it makes me so happy. All the hard work we do paid off.

More birthday love got delivered right after I posted the other day. This bundle of joy is from my BFF of 30+years, Marlene

The fashion book was from the Dollar Tree, aka Everything's A $1 Store.

Page 200 is all about Charlotte. Doesn't she look like Patti Smith?

Homemade art and tiny India charms

Gifts from The Boss.

I'd forgotten I'd ordered this. Grace Coddington is probably the reason I read Vogue.

I have a total of 5 days off, and I won't be going near the mall side of town. My finger are crossed that nobody gets trampled, tased, pepper sprayed or killed. Calm down, it's just stuff. PS; I did make turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and apple crisp. Have a lovely weekend.

WEIRD DOLL WEDNESDAY, PART 21

This one came out blurry, sorry. She's made out of styroform and sequin and maybe 5" tall. Doesn't she just scream "fashion"?

  

ONE COSTUME COMING RIGHT UP!  

Our period show this season was The Would-Be Gentleman by Moliere. When designing a show, the first( second and third) thing you do it read the script. Then you meet with the director to talk about when the show is set (modern, the time it was written, etc) Auditions are held and parts are cast.

Designs are drawn using source material, like art books, costume history textbooks, made up stuff, basically whatever you want to use.

  

Fabric is bought, actor's measurements are taken, then the fun begins!

  

This dress form was padded out to the actor's measurements, Then a muslin mock up was draped and a petticoat and bum roll was pulled from stock.  We use muslin because it's cheap and you can write all over it with pencils during the fitting.

  

While the mock up was being make ( and we where working on 2 other shows) a custom made corset was being built.

  

The costume will be made to fit the actor wearing the corset, so the corset has to fit well, and be comfortable. Or as comfortable as a corset can be. The numbered tape is so the steel boning don't get put in the wrong places.

  

The back of the corset. A first fitting is done over the undergarments with the muslin mock up. Alterations are done to the mock up, the real fabric is cut out and the costume sewn together for the second fitting.

  

Patrice helping Carlie into her corset

  

Corset, bum roll and petticoat

  

Skirt and under panel

  

Bodice, with crazy mad sleeves.

  

For this fitting the hem was set, the sleeves were slightly altered and movement in the costume was checked. Making sure the actor could do all of the direction the director  wanted. Sitting, jumping around, bending over. Actor stuff.

  

The lovely Miss Carlie Johnson as the lovely Miss Johnson

  

And as Madam Jourdain

  

  

Ta Da!  Esther Iverson designed the costumes, Patrice Trower built the costume , and I took the photos. The whole process took about 2 months. For this show we built three other woman's costumes and six man's costumes. With a cast of 29, we built something around 85 costume pieces, pulled from stock maybe 40, probably had 35 hats, 29 pair of tights, at least 20 wigs! Oh, yeah, and a dog costume, wig and hat. Yes, people in theatre are crazy! Did I forget to mention, in the middle of all this, Esther went to Guam , for 6 weeks, to design a show as a guest artist? See, what I mean, we're nuts.

  

 BIRTHDAY SWAG AND THE WINNER IS...........

Searching for my "lost" youth

Is it over there......

Or over there?

Nope, but age is just a number. I'm wearing my new maxi dress: Kasper retail $109.00 on sale $34.95. And a new lantern. It was so cold yesterday morning, I ran inside  and changed into warmer clothes. And yes, I have to right to bare arms.

New boots. Say hello to Armie, one of Ray's armadillos.

Fancy French smelly stuff and free samples

Hinged box for treasures

Goofy cards and the program from the art opening

More jewelry and a rocking video game

Purple flower pillow sham from Antropologie. I got a 15% off birthday coupon.

And winner is..........Mary-Alice Adams(aka Dr. Malice) She came the closest without going over(really Sarah H?) at 54. I turned 57 yesterday. And have no idea what that means. Or how to "act my age". Thank you so much for all the guesses and the 3 new followeres since Sunday.                                                                                                                                                        

We closed The Would-Be Gentelmen last night and I'll be posting for photos of the costume I've been documenting , "The making of" sort of thing. Hope it doesn't bore you to tears.                                                                                                               

Thanks again for following me and have a lovely weekend! Love and kisses and some hugs, too!

WEIRD DOLL WEDNESDAY, PART 20/ BIRTHDAY EDITION

The Weird Dolls wished me a Happy Birthday and promised to stay in their cabinet. Today is my birthday and I'm......I'll tell you tomorrow, because you have until midnight to enter the giveaway. Guess my new age. And I have 16 followers! Thanks for making the past 4 months fun.

 14 FOLLOWERS!!!!!!!!!!!

 When I started this blog back in July, I never thought anyone would follow it. Every time I start a new post and I see "14 followers" I'm struck speechless. To have such a wonderful bunch of women commenting and making me feel like I'm a vital part of the world is beyond awesome. Oh, crap, get to the point: Wednesday Nov. 14 is my birthday and to say "Thank you" I'm having a contest/ giveaway! Yeah, presents! Here's the rules: guess how old I'll be. The contest is open until midnight of the 14th. I have same dentist stuff on thursday morning, but I'll try to post the winner by thursday night(maybe friday, if I'm out of it) So, good luck and here's some recent photos.

Looking lovely

Looking my shoe size

Looking serious

IT'S OPENING NIGHT, Y'ALL!  

THE WOULD-BE GENTLEMAN. That's him on the chairs.

We made all this, including the corset .

  

Nobles on the left, servants on the right. Oh, yeah, we made all this.

  

This is about half the cast. The Gentleman and the servants. I lost track a 86 things we built for this show, which is why I get tomorrow off. More photos to come.

Photos and set design by: Ruth Brandvik  

                                                Costume design by: Esther Iverson

WEIRD DOLL WEDNESDAY, PART 19

A puppet doll from Bali. The arms move by using the black wands. Again the detail is amazing.

THEATRE'S GONE TO THE DOGS  

Parish Morgan: as "the dog"                                                    Blake Fountain:as "the servant"

                      Leigha Witt: as "the beautiful daughter"                    Sara-Beth Mosley: as "the sassy maid"
Yeah, the dog has her own costume. 1st Dress was last night, more photos to follow. Show opens on Thursday. Photo by Abby Vincent

 DAY OF THE DEAD

The Death Jester came by

 

 

Hanging out at the new loading dock/ sitting area

 

My assistants and I have lunch every Wednesday and now we have a new spot. The loading dock is behind the wall

 

The Death Jester is really Chris, we tease him that for Halloween he should dress in a suit and tie and really freak people out. Patti-rice is wearing  a coat I gave her, so we asked if she was dressed as me.  Rebecca took the photos. It's crunch time of the costume shop ( 1st dress is Sunday), that means no days off for me until friday the 9th! Awe, theatre! We have a lonely day on saturday called "10 out of 12", it's a tech day and means you get a lunch and dinner break, but pretty much work from 9am to 9pm. I've been taking action shots of the one costume being built, I promise I'll have a post of that after the show is up. Which will look amazing , by the way. Yeah, show biz