Obviously my life is way too busy at the moment to get that done successfully, which a) isn't surprising given the amount of stuff I've been attempting lately and b) is kind of a good thing since being bored is bad for you.
So what has been going on, you ask?
Well I'm probably going to forget some stuff, so I'll just start writing and we'll see where we go.
First off, the weekend was full of crafting!
I finished the copper-colored Experimental Space Cowboy vesty-dustery thing, which actually came out pretty well! The Kid was running around in it, making it flare out dramatically and humming the Imperial Death March, which was funny considering it looks more like a Jedi robe than a Sith Lord's getup, but I guess when you think about it, Anakin Skywalker did start out a proper Jedi, right?
Insert nerd cough here. You know the one.... coughnerd!cough
Anyway, assuming you don't look too closely at the seaming, it looks fabulous, and I think out in the desert sun it will really look shiny! And if you know what I mean by that, you get 10 internets and a plastic pony.
Also completed was the satiny/silky Purple Robe of Cairo which is actually more of an indigo, but purple works with my title so let's go with that shall we?
After much pinning...
If you want a nice sleeve you have to work for it!
... and sewing and using the seam-ripper and swearing (only a little bit on those last two), it was done!
This is the robe you were looking for.
Ain't he cute though?
I'd call it a huge success.
Once we'd squared that away, we moved on to the next bit of business...
The fur.
Fake fur can often feel so rough as to be off-putting, but this?
All I can tell you is that it's taking longer than it might normally to bring this second robe into creation, not because of any problems with the fabric but rather because I've carefully scheduled time into the creative process to cuddle with it.
Though easy to work with (surprisingly so), it was seriously messy to cut.
Once we'd squared that away, we moved on to the next bit of business...
The fur.
Fake fur can often feel so rough as to be off-putting, but this?
All I can tell you is that it's taking longer than it might normally to bring this second robe into creation, not because of any problems with the fabric but rather because I've carefully scheduled time into the creative process to cuddle with it.
Though easy to work with (surprisingly so), it was seriously messy to cut.
Ever cut fake fur? We had to resort to doing it outside, and it looked like it was snowing! We were smart enough to stand up-wind, but my neighbors were probably wondering what the hell was all over their lawn the next day. I'm exaggerating (SHOCKER) but not that much!
TR & I both inhaled a fair quantity of tiny fur bits despite our best efforts - I'm sure they'll come out eventually, but at the very least we have the most luxuriant lungs ever.
We took a break and had some lovely AJUUA!!!!! (now with extra exclamation points) for dinner with Nova, who came down to visit. I have yet to have a bad meal there, and this was no exception. I even got a margarita out of it (thanks Nov)! Good thing TR was driving because that sucker was STRONG.
Sunday I got back in the groove and lined the pieces of the coat/robe with a super-soft white jersey-knit cotton which, combined with the incredible softness of the fur itself, makes for a weighty, delicious piece of comfort and joy. The Kid and I keep feeling it up, and I actually fell asleep under it Monday night after finishing the lining on the back piece (the biggest part).
As of this very day I have managed to do all the lining and get it to the point of attaching the collar, which runs from one bottom corner to the other. It's pinned and ready to go, but I had to get to sleep at a decent hour last night since this morning started our new routine of getting up at 5:30 (give or take).
It required coffee.
In other, non-crafty news, last night I picked up my school books!
2 books, to be specific. Guess how much they cost!
C'mon, guess. I'll give you a minute. While you think about it, here's a video of a corgi jumping into water because there is nothing like a flying potato dog.
Give up? Well, for the same cost I could contain a Corgi of my very own, power an RV, or buy some awesome shoes.
I can't believe how much these things cost! What a racket.
But you know what? I love my new books (I always loved new books and school supplies) and I can't wait to get started, and anyway I had a grant so it's all good.
Remind me I said that when I'm bitching about how I have no time for anything, mmkay?
So yeah.
I've been busy. I even managed to squeeze in some house-hunting help for TR, not that I've been much help. My advice is more based on my feelings about maintenance than anything else... yard work makes me tremble and a saggy floor makes me nervous. Me, I want to move into a house and only make improvements if I *want* to... not because I have to.
Unfortunately most of those types of homes are unbelievably dull, and he's looking for something a little more interesting than that.
One of the houses fit the bill... older home, nicely kept, fantastic floors, beautiful view, mature fruit trees, gorgeous kitchen (I of course was selfishly imagining myself baking stuff with fresh fruit in that kitchen - this is why I'm no help at all), but it definitely had some what-ifs, in particular a bit of a poo smell in the basement, which makes me think it might sewer backup issues.
Ha! Sewer backup issues... use that word with its other, craftier pronunciation, and it sounds like me about 2 weeks before Christmas!
This is how my brain works. My apologies.
Tonight, after a first-day-of-school photo of my Kid, I'm going to finish up the collar and set in the sleeves and finish the sides and bottom of the robe, plus doing 15 minutes of my new exercise routine and making a nice chicken dinner.
I'm so ambitious... let's take a bet on how much of that actually happens.
Tomorrow... purple furry boots! Hopefully. We were going to line them with leftover soft white jersey but...
I ran out.
6 yards of this stuff and I ran out. HOW?! I have no idea, but I suspect that the "60 inch" width description was a big fat lie.
Instead I think I'll be raiding my old t-shirts and lining with that instead. It won't be seen and should provide a good solid barrier against the rough backing of the purple fur.
At least we know in advance...
WE WILL CUT THIS OUTSIDE.
Happy Wednesday!
5 comments:
I have no idea where you get the energy to do all this stuff. After work, I'm doing good to putz in the garden and walk the dogs!
Kudos to you for pursuing the college dream, even though it's so friggin' expensive!
Oh, and I'm guessing TR is headed to the playa for Burning Man? Do you ever join in the fun?
Yep, he's leaving Monday! Thus all the costuming. :) The costume-making is my way to join in and support him in his venture (last year it was pants), that and getting to hear all the stories, but I don't think I'll make it out there myself for quite a while yet. The gear is prohibitively expensive, as is the ticket itself, and it's hard to go M.I.A. for a week with a kid in school, not to mention when you're in school yourself! No interwebs out there for the online schoolin'.
Someday I hope to make it out there, even just for a few days, even though that feels like cheating to not set up or take down the camp in which you end up...I think I'll end up looking for a group where I can throw some money at them instead so as not to feel guilty.
Seriously just looking at those pins made me shudder. That is insane. Insane!!
I get points for the desert reference!
Can i just say that corgi's are funny to look at anyway but that video is hilarious!
I do love Corgi's with their stumpy legs! If I ever have dogs, I want one of those in the mix.
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