WEIRD DOLL WEDNESDAY, PART 227

I'll be traveling around for the rest of the year and don't know if I'll be posting. When I travel, I leave my laptop at home. It's a vacation, folks. Here's my tree topper Barbie Christmas angle.

Whatever you celebrate this time of the year, have a wonderful time. See you next year. 

WEIRD DOLL WEDNESDAY, PART 226

Good Wednesday to you all. Yes, I missed last week's post, so here's a really cool art piece.

Rosy Morning On the Day I Won the War by Elantu B. Viovide

Love this one. It reminds me of every Grateful Dead album cover from my high school days.

THANKSGIVING BREAK

Last Wednesday I ran out of the house so quick, I forgot to do a Weird Doll post. We were headed out for a visit to my BFF's place.  Sorry about that. We had a wonderful visit. Of course, we went shopping on Black Friday to the Goodwill outlet. No way do I go anywhere near a mall. But first we had early Christmas. I gave  her one of the typewriters from the auction ( the one that works) and a scarf and children's book called Who Was Frida Kahlo?

 

 More jewelry for me.

 Did anyone know the Jessica Lange was a photographer? I didn't. That was part of my gift. Another Better Homes and Garden cookbook? Sure, why not? I bought it at a used bookstore where all the books are $2.

 A girl can't have too much Day of the Dead things. Got the socks and table runner at Thrift Town. I do own an iron.

 A large, pretty wrap around shawl for me and a cashmere muffler for the Doctor.....both for under $3.

 I'm loving this purple bag. The Liberty of London tie jump off the rack into my hands.

For the second Thanksgiving we had a meal from a supermarket. That's sounds awful, but it's not. There was only 3 of us and my BFF doesn't cook. If I was doing the cooking, I would have had to drag all my cooking stuff with us and then go to the store....on Wednesday night....to shop. No thank you. Sometimes ready made is just as good as homemade. Thank you, Publix.

Last month I won this phone at an auction and forgot to post it.

Think it was $15. The phone is about 6 pounds and "blunt force trauma" could happen. The label says "private to tavern". I have no idea if it works, that plug looks old and hinky.

It's almost the end of the semester, which means Christmas break (and another vacation) is a couple of weeks away. The students are all rushing around, getting their projects finished, me and The Boss are working on costumes for the opera, which is in January. We're re-using ones from Romeo and Juliette that we made 5-6 years ago. Two of our assistants are working on their next semester show project. Show Biz, it never ends.

WEIRD DOLL WEDNESDAY, PART 225

The art students have their annual show in the gallery. I dropped by and run into these two lovelies.

artist: Hannah A. Lindquist

 

Demon Dolls

Artist: Hannah A. Lindquest

I forgot the catalog, so I'll edit the artist's name in tomorrow.

Artist name added Nov 18

TODAY I'M AN OVER 60 BLOGGER (61 to be exact)

Yep, it's another birthday. Got some really nice gifts.

A book to look at when I'm missing my birthplace.

From the Doctor. The necklace is from Scotland and made from heather.

Snuggly,warm slippers.

Had a lovely lunch at a local restaurant owned by a man from Columbia.

Chicken empanadas, organic black beans and a Mexican coke, made with sugar, not corn syrup. Hmmm, why isn't USA coke made with real sugar?

The Boss gave me a cake and a cake birthday card that played "Happy Birthday" The cake was a hit.

My student assistants: Christie Jo, Clark and Cassie. This is what my America looks like. 

MY SECRET PROJECT REVELED

I'm tiring to be mysterious. My "secret" project is a costume. Surprise!

The show that opened on Thursday is a musical called Into The Woods. Which I'll sum up as fairy tales gone bad. I got to make the big bad wolf's costume.

   

 Oh, goody! An insane multi-sized pattern. 9 sizes to choose from. Using the actor's measurement chart, I picked the size that was closest and traced that size onto paper.

 That's paper graph paper. And it's the front. It's a good idea to write the pattern information (seams, grain lines ect) on the paper ( and muslin) pattern. That way you wont forget what to do, I can give the pattern to a student and they can read what I wrote and wont have to ask a bunch of construction questions. We use push pins the hold the paper in place.

After the muslin is sewn together the piece is called a mock up and the first fitting is done. Muslin is a lot cheaper than fashion fabric, so we can write in it with a sharpie or pencil changing arms eyes, shoulder seams, neckline....whatever needs adjusting to fit the actors body. 

 

 The mock up is taken apart, adjustments are made and the pieces are cut out. I had to re-size some of the piece on paper. After the pieces are cut out and sewn back together, the second fitting happens.

 

 After the second fitting and before the sleeve were added. The front is pinned because it was changed from a button front to a turn back open front. I ended up having to trim off the area the looks pointed. After the sleeves were added, yet another fitting was need to get the turn back right and the shoulder pads placed.  Then the lining was added. This took about a week.

 Cuff detail.

 How about that? I matched the collar and lapel.

The final look.

 

 This is Terrance Searcy he's playing the Wolf. I also made his pants.  But not the vest or fur bits.

 He's got claws. For the show he wearing a wig.

The cast has started posting photos on Facebook, which I'm including here. The rest of the photo were taken by the cast.

 Little Red Ridding Hood being stalked by the Wolf.

 One of the step-sisters and Cinderella.

Cinderella's stepsisters and stepmother, with her Dad who bears a strange resemblance to the Wolf.  

Hope you enjoy my secret project.

WEIRD DOLL WEDNSEDAY, PART 224

Dear World:

                                     I'm sorry.

photo by Matthew McGee

Elisabeth Warren 2020?

 

WEIRD DOLL WEDNESDAY, PART 223

Another clown? Why not? This one is Pirot and not very scary at all. Unless you're afraid of clowns.

Today should be the last day working on my secret project. One more fitting and that's it. Stay tuned.

WEIRD DOLL WEDNESDAY, PART 222

For an early Halloween, here's a creepy clown.

 

For the past couple of months there has been a rash of creepy clown sighting around the USA (no, not Trump (sorry, couldn't help myself)). Reports of clowns tiring to lure children into the woods ( not a plug for the show I've been working on), jumping out and scarring people. I don't get the terror that someone dressed up in a clown costume  causes. Theories, anyone?

Speaking of the woods, I've been working on a awesome costume. I'll be doing a post about that in a week or so. Stay tuned. 

WEIRD DOLL WEDNESDAY, PART 221

Let's go back to Westros and say Hello to everyone's favorite woman warrior..............................................

Brienne of Tarth

WEIRD DOLL WEDNESDAY, PART 220

Let's go to Spain! This lovely Spanish dancing lady was in the last auction lot, same lot as last weeks doll.

 The label says: Graut (maybe) Espana, Sacramento.

She joins the whole family of dancing dolls.

I haven't been able to find anything about the company. I keep getting auto-corrected to "grout". Thanks, a lot.

ANOTHER DAY,  ANOTHER HURRICANE

We're far enough inland not too get much from this one. My friends and family that live in Florida are reporting in via Facebook. So far it seems most are OK.  Haiti is a different matter. That country can't seem to ever get a break. If you're so inclined, there's a link to charities on the CNN website.

On a different note: this plant went crazy with the blooms. 

 This plant has never had so many blooms before. I think it's called a Night Blooming Ceres. I got it as a "pass a long" plant from a woman I worked with.

 

The hurricane isn't over, it's making it's way up the East side of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. Stay save everyone that lives in the path. And lets hope that it doesn't hook back around.

WEIRD DOLL WEDNESDAY, PART 219

Another auction happened and another lot of dolls were won. 5 tiny dolls for $5.

 Look at the detail on this tiny doll. Beads, trim and lace.

Here she is with the rest of her sisters. Wouldn't you know it, after I took this photo and tidy upped* the cabinet, I found another sister hiding in the back. I was too lazy that day to pull the whole family out and do another photo.  

* "tidy up" is from The Producers. The Swedish secretary cleans up the office by painting everything white. In the costume shop it's a running joke when I tell the students to clean up the shop. They all say "Tidy up!"

  

WEIRD DOLL WEDNESDAY, PART 218

This is a new one  for me, this link popped up on my facebook feed this morning. Thanks, Amanda. It's takes "weird doll" to a whole other level.

dangerousminds.net/comments/disturbingly_beautiful_scupltures_

created_with_discarded_doll_parts

the artist is Freyda Jobbins.

I've never posted a link before, so if it doesn't work, sorry.

JUST MY TYPE

Sounds like the perfect title to me.  Won these babies the other week at a auction. $31 for all three.

 This one works and has a matching hard plastic case, which you can see behind it.

 Funny what you can find used. I had this same typewriter back in the 1970's. I bought it brand new for I don't remember how much. Made in Italy and has a cloth zippered case. Needs repairing. But how could I not buy it?

 

This heavy bad boy was $5! Hard case that can be locked. Which I find funny, because if you were going to steal it, couldn't you just pick it up and carry it away? Most of the keys work, but I'm going to check at a local shop and see if I can get it fixed.

WEIRD DOLL WEDNESDAY, PART 217

 

Last weekend I went to another auction and won 11 dolls for $5. I'm not sure what to make of some of them.  Like her...

Her arms are all at odd angles and she appears to be on meds or at a rave. There's no info on her. She may need to go the rehab.

WEIRD DOLL WEDNESDAY, PART 216

I don't think these dolls are "weird" in a bad way. I use the word to mean unusual. There's nothing "weird" about being Islamic.  Or unusual for that matter.

Not sure what country this couple is from. "Do people from the Middle East have blue eyes?" asked the American who's never traveled to that part of the world and knows nobody from that region.

IF YOU THINK VINTAGE CLOTHES SHOULD REMINE IN AN UNALTERED STATE......STOP READING.

Geez, so much drama. I know some people feel that something vintage should be left alone and nothing changed on it, not even buttons. When vintage pieces are used in theatre, sometimes that's no possible.

Last week my work assignment was this dress.

 I'd say it's late 1950's/early 1960's. Off-white netting over off-white taffeta, with scattered gold sequin. Pretty dress, perfect for the show. My assignment? "Make the bodice 4" bigger", says The Boss.

 Stop reading now, ok?

At some point, the bust seams and the side had been (badly) altered. This dress was donated. It turned out, after I fixed those alterations and let out the 6 seams, it ended up needing only 2" added.

 The added fabric and facing. Inside the dress

 Here's the outside. We had some netting that almost matched and some fabric that was also pretty close. I use the 10 foot rule. Can you see it from 10 feet (on stage) away? If not, it works.

 Because the waist of the skirt also had to be enlarged, I put a panel all the way down the side. When I sewed the skirt and bodice back together, I loosened put the net gathers on the outside of the skirt. I also had to change the sash to match another costume.

 The finished alteration from the front.

 The back

And the side. I may have to add a few sequin, or not, seeing as the actor's arm will be covering the side of the dress, it may not even show.

Most costume department have a crazy amount of vintage clothes. Some of it isn't going to fit the modern body. The actor who's going to wear this dress isn't that big. You can see the size of the dress form in the last photo. Our option for the needed costume were: build it for the show or alter something from stock. Making the dress  would have taken time and money. We have no fabric shops where I work, so that would have meant shopping on line. That would have taken at least a week to get the fabric delivered, a pattern being made, a fitting, cutting out the fabric, sewing it together, another fitting then finishing. Time and money. I spent about 6 hours and zero money on the alteration. All the fabric was pulled from our fabric stock.  I don't  cut up beautiful vintage dresses for fun, if I can use them slightly altered, I will. I'd rather do that than have a piece hanging in the warehouse, rotting on a hanger.

On to the next costume......