Irene Adler's bodice has so many buttons down the front that I decided it would be ridiculous to have to do them all for Halloween. It is so much more pleasant and time-saving to just have a zipper down the back when it comes time to wear the bodice. I still added the buttons for effect, however.
The process begins with marking the center of the bodice. I used a length of drafting tape and marked the button spacing with a pen. This ensures that the buttons will be correctly aligned and properly spaced for a nice finish.
Tape down the bodice center.
The buttons are shank buttons, and the fabric is not reinforced. I used a flat button behind the shank ones for added support. The sturdiness of the flat button keeps the shank button from drooping or falling at strange angles. It also helps to prevent the fabric from ripping due to any unwanted stress on the shank buttons while wearing the bodice. For example, if somebody comes in for a hug and something on his or her costume gets stuck on the button, the bodice fabric is less likely to rip.
Once all the buttons are attached, it is time for the sleeves!
Some of the most spectacular pumpkin carvings are the ones that use a variety of cutting depths. Instead of cutting entirely through the pumpkin and exposing the candle in the center, try varying the access to light.
This is a pumpkin that Daniel and I carved together a few years ago... shortly after Spiderman with Tobey Maguire was released. Notice that only the brightest parts are carved all the way through. Those parts are also carved very thin so that the light has plenty of pumpkin to illuminate and highlight before escaping.
Click the Youtube link above if the video isn't working.
Materials for One Bobble:
hollowed egg
yarn
acrylic paint
small googly eyes
small puff ball (nose)
craft glue and/or hot glue gun
scissors
scrap fabric
thread
needle
card stock
1" square of wood or small flat rock (base)
Directions:
1. Hollow the egg if you haven't already. Here is a fun video to try: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFI_rkVbqdQ My method is similar. Poke holes in each end of the egg with a needle. Swish the needle around to mush up the insides, then clean off the top end. Blow the insides of the egg out. Rinse by trapping water inside and shaking, then let drain and air-dry.
2. Prepare the scraps of fabric to make them look like doll clothes. For the skirts, Make a rectangle that is longer than the circumference of the egg. Using the needle and thread, gather one side to fit the egg. Connect the ends of the rectangle and glue it to the bottom of the egg shell. Be creative with the clothes! It is important to leave the bottom of the egg free from clothing, because the spring needs to attach there.
3. Glue on the googly eyes and the nose, making sure to leave enough room for the mouth.
4. Paint the face to add character... eyelashes and lids, lips, etc.
5. Make the hair. The first minute of this video is a great technique: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrAiem37eHs&feature=fvwrel Once you've made the yarn bundle around your hand and tied a knot at the top, stop the video. You're not making a tassle, so you don't need the second tie around the bundle. It will look like a collection of loops when you remove it from your hand. Cut through the yarn loops, trying to make them all a similar lengths by cutting the center of each loop.
6. Glue the knot of the hair to the egg and arrange the rest how you want it. A small amount of glue near the knot can help hold the styling in place.
7. Either get a loose spring from a hardware store or make a cardstock spring. I recommend the cardstock version because it is much less complicated. This video will suffice: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voHi98IcTyQ However, use a small dab of tacky glue or a permanent gluestick instead of a generic gluestick. Also use cardstock. It will last longer and hold the weight of the shell better. At the end of the spring, I cut the two strips long to look like feet.
8. Using the hot glue gun, glue one end of the spring to the bottom of the egg and the other end to the 1" base. Make sure all the steps are dry and pieces are set before bobbling the egg shell.
So I picked out three colors that I really like, a light blue and a lighter one and a bright yellow for the accent color. The main wall has the very light blue and then a strip of the light blue begins at the door and ribbons along the sides of the wall that get light from the window. I gave the ribbon an accent color border and five rectangles of white, which are placeholders for future artwork!
So I picked out three colors that I really like, a light blue and a lighter one and a bright yellow for the accent color. The main wall has the very light blue and then a strip of the light blue begins at the door and ribbons along the sides of the wall that get light from the window. I gave the ribbon an accent color border and five rectangles of white, which are placeholders for future artwork!
Nothing like a splash of yellow to brighten up the front yard! I found some beautiful mums at Lowe's and planted them around the dogwood tree. Once their blooms open up, it'll be nice and sunny outside our dining window. Of course, mums are a brilliant part of the fall season, too, so I'm almost prepared for the cooler weather!
Daniel and I actually finished building our wall in two days, which means this post is a bit overdue. What can I say, though, I'm loving Indy and there's so much to do that i haven't been too interested in my computer :)
Well, the first post left off with the wall still needing drywall, the window, and the door. We were concerned about the weight of drywall and switched to foam instead. Although it was quite a bit more expensive, we're glad that we did. We don't have to worry about this beautiful rented house shifting any differently than it already is! ...which means no more fallen plaster...
Here is the wall with the shiny layer of foam being installed. We trimmed around the window and door openings to get a clean edge. The foam was easy to lift and move around, but it is not a forgiving material. For example, if you miss the nail while hammering it in, you're stuck with a circular dent in the wall. We had a lot of fun doing this!
Monica's studio, with the foam about half-way done.
Looking through to Daniel's side!
Daniel's office with most of the foam installed.
I'm cutting out the foam for the window.
Daniel is cleaning up the edge before we put in the window.
And the new window is in! Thanks ReStore for a great window!
The window from Daniel's side.
Daniel's cozy new office, with plenty of light. The best part of the reflective surface is that the light never stops. It's very bright in there!
For now, Daniel has decided to keep his walls shiny, but you'll see more of my walls soon. I'll have a mix of painted and shiny wall surfaces. I'm looking forward to picking the colors and a fun theme. This will be the first time I've ever had a chance to be creative with my wall painting scheme!
PS- You'll also see the door installed when I post about my painting. I just realized that it isn't shown in the pictures.
Made a ring bearer pillow for a couple good friends who are getting married on Saturday. Can't wait for the big day!
I used some pretty lace over satin. Some beautiful ribbon adds a bow for tying on the rings, and a strap for the 4-yr-old to hold on the back. Very classy :)
Daniel and I have turned the master bedroom of our rented house into two offices. Since he is VERY easily interrupted, we are constructing a free-standing wall to make the work spaces more private. The only thing that worries us is the added weight to this 100+ year old second story floor. We got permission from the landlady and finally agreed on the layout, so now we get to have fun building!
Here is our new revised floor plan, with the new wall outline drawn through the room:
Floor Plan with Wall
We set out to get 7' 2x4's for the framing, plus a window and a door from ReStore.
New Privacy Window (Well, new to us!)
And the framing begins!
The next step will be to secure the framing. Then we'll add drywall and insert the window and the door into the framing. We're avoiding using drywall putty, so there will be a rough edge or two, but I can't wait to paint the wall something crazy and fun! Come back in a couple days to see pictures of the finished wall. Can't wait!
My wonderful neighbors sent me home with some fresh veggies from their garden in South Bend. Just a few moments after slicing some zucchini, I noticed how pretty it looked, with water droplets forming along the cut edge. Sunlight hit the droplets and made such a pretty sight. The zucchini itself seemed blog-worthy, but here's the whole meal! This dish is very healthy and can easily be made vegetarian by leaving out the bacon that I put in for little extra taste. If you also leave off the cheese that Daniel sprinkled on at the end, it is a tasty vegan dish.
Vegetable Medley
1 large zucchini
2 tomatoes
1 clove garlic
1 small onion
1 green pepper
seasoning to taste
-basil, parsley, ground ginger, ground mustard
pasta
8 oz garbanzo beans
optional:
bacon for taste (I used 4 slices of turkey bacon.)
mozzarella and/or parmesan cheese for the table.
If you decide to uncooked meat, it goes in the skillet first to get a head start.
Zucchini
Slice the zucchini. Chop everything else except the pasta and ground spices. Throw everything but the pasta in a covered skillet and heat it to medium. Stir occasionally and cook until the zucchini and onions are soft.
Prepare the pasta. Serve vegetable medley on top of the pasta and sprinkle on the cheese for a festive, healthy, and tasty summer meal!
This photo hangs in my grandmother Wanda's guest room with the missing piece taped in. Yesterday, I took the liberty of sprucing it up for her. It took several hours, but the progress shows!
Of course, all of these images have been greatly reduced for showing on this blog, but you can still click on the image and zoom in. The black and white photo has the names of each person listed along the bottom, right on the image. I did my best to decipher Bertha's handwriting on the back on the photo to record the names.
If you are family and would like a copy of these images, leave a comment and I'll get you the full-sized version! I can send the BW version with or without the text.
Original Photo
Note: Part of image is torn out.
Image is faded and has significant water damage.
Water spots are on each face.
Refurbished Photo
Note: Fading from side-to-side is balanced.
Water spots are removed from faces.
Major water damage removed from context.
Contrast and vitality repaired.
Refurbished in Black and White Note: The sepia image lost some tonal integrity to damages. This BW image removes all traces of lost color integrity. Names are included along the bottom of the image.
Label on Back
Note: Written by Bertha, the small child in white on the left.
