2010 Will soon be in the past. Hello 2011!!!!

Goodbye 2010.  Hello 2011!!!!

May your new year be filled with sewing dreams.

It has been a while, new years resolution to post more in 2011.

December

December is here.  Let the craziness begin.  It starts this weekend with Journey Through Bethlehem at our church. 



Next weekend is our annual production of A Christmas Carol that the whole family is in, including the dog.  Throw in a dance recital, and a 4 year old beach party theme birthday party and the weekend is full.

The third weekend includes our church cantata, I hear the Prophet Callin'.

Followed up with Christmas Eve services and Christmas day.

December is always packed, but very fun.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Hope you have a blessed day, and that you get to sew if you have a long weekend.

I do, and we are cleaning, decorating, and possibly a little sewing  in there too.




After today, we can think about Christmas.




Crazy Holiday schedule, here we come.

Grosgrain: ANOTHER SILHOUETTE MACHINE GIVEAWAY!!!!

Grosgrain: ANOTHER SILHOUETTE MACHINE GIVEAWAY!!!!

Costumes

Here are a few more costumes I have designed and constructed.

Enjoy.



100 year centennial costumes.  We came in 2nd place. (A little bitter as these 3 costumes were completely hand made.  The 1st place winner went to a costume shop, and her costume wasn't even period.  Did I mention that she offered money to the judges pulled out from her bosom, but I digress.)



Victorian Bustle Costume

Look, a clock

Stairs

Costumes from "A Christmas Carol"

A Christmas Carol flashback

Cupcake

Family

I didn't make her clothes, but I did make the princess inspired high chair cover for her princess birthday party.  I kept the tray skirt, and turned it into a petticoat for her dress up trunk.

Lobster.  This has been here before, but this is one of my favorite pics.

Gratuitous Chihuahua pics.  This is Zeus looking up.

Aphrodite is the white Chihuahua, and Camilla is the long hair Chihuahua.

She was a fashionista from the beginning.  Love this pic too.

The Long Awaited Tree Frog

Well, I was finally able to get the pics of the tree frog costume.
This costume took about 18 hours to finish.  The frog head was the worst.  I had the most trouble getting a good fit, and having it look like a frog.  Still one of my favorites though.  I hope you enjoy.



Boo at the Zoo Costume Preview



Spots and frog hump

Sophia says "Daddy can I be a Dragon Next Year?"

On the train

Hangin with my peeps

Tree frog huggin a tree frog.

End of the day

Halloween night.

Hoppin around

Frog eyes

Hoppin and ribbittin away.

It was a great couple of days and weekend.  There were just a couple of changes from the first appearance at boo at the zoo and Halloween night.  At Boo at the Zoo the costume had separate gloves that slipped over her hands.  That did not work very well and she would not keep them on.  For Halloween I attached them to the sleeves of the costume, and added a slit for her hands to come out, and an elastic strap to hold onto, much better.  I also added some Velcro to the back of the hood and the back of the costume.  That way her neck didn't show, and if she wanted to slip the hood off she could. 

She stayed plenty warm all evening, and never complained about being cold.  For next year Halloween she said that she wants to be Rapunzel.  That will be a fun one to create ,but I already told her that she will have two costumes.  We go to the zoo every year for Halloween, and I like to make the animal costumes for that.  she said that is fine,. and she is considering three costumes for next year.

Monkey

Penguin

Pink Flamingo

I have no preference, and it will be fun creating any one of those.

We did meet a few people who have remembered us from years past.  One lady said that, I have a picture of you as my screen saver from last year.  I was hoping to see you again this year.  We all got a kick out of that.  I need to remember to make some business cards to take with me next year.  I can't believe how many people asked me if I sew for others.  



Halloween Work Contest

We had a Halloween decorating/costume contest for work last Friday.  As a last minute decision (the Thursday prior) we decided to go with a People of Walmart theme.  If you have not seen this site, it is worth a visit. 

Here are a few pics of our department.

Gotta Love the People of Walmart

Group Photo

Group  Close Up

Again, Why do I need a boyfriend?

Tater tots, Shorties and Mullets

FAB-ULOUS

Here is my inspiration photo:



Why so Serious?

Tree frog costumes are on their way.  I am hoping to have them up in the next 2 days.

Oh, and we won our work contest also.  We get a pizza party provided by our work.  Not too bad for a costume that cost $0.00.  Everything was in our costume room.



TREE FROG

AAAAHHHHHHHHH!

Will this never end.  I am in my third draft of the tree frog head, and hopefully the third time is the charm.  The body of the costume is so cute,  I don't want to settle for a mediocre frog head and eyes.  My camera is currently not working so again, pics will be to come.  Better yet, we will unveil the whole costume. 

I have also been advised that next year for Halloween she wants to be Rapunzel for Halloween , and a puffin penguin for the Boo at the Zoo we attend every year.  Well, I guess I can start planning now, and see what fabrics go on sale.   

Hope your sewing is going well. 

Tree Frog Update

The body of the costume is complete.  It is SO CUTE.   I even altered the back of the costume so that it is a little more round stuffed and frog like.  I was advised that this needs to be a girl frog, since last years costume was a boy peacock.  I said we will try.  Tonight I will be working on the head piece.  That one will take a trial muslin or two to get the correct shape.  Hopefully pics by Friday of this week. 


It is made from fleece in the following colors: 

Pink

Turquoise

Electric Blue

Purple

Tree Frog

The fabric is cut out, unfortunately, I have found out that I am horrible at taking progress pictures.  I was so into the sewing moment, that I forgot to take pics.  It is a basic drafted body suit with a front and back drafted piece.  I am installing a sipper in the front, with a tummy cover.  I did spend my evening last night sewing wonderfully colored frog spots.  I have 24 so far.  I am going to add the spots before I sew the front and back together.  I think it will be easier that way. 

I still have to cut out the head piece and construct a frog face, but that will probably be tomorrow evening or Thursday nite.  I think I will base the drafting lines off of a football.  Sounds weird, but I think it will give the look we want.

Finished pics will come along as soon as it is complete.  I promise.

Here is a sour looking bat to tide you over.

Happy Halloween!

Grosgrain: Prudent Baby Book Review and Giveaway

Grosgrain: Prudent Baby Book Review and Giveaway

Grosgrain: Magpie Lovely Patterns Guest Giveaway

Grosgrain: Magpie Lovely Patterns Guest Giveaway

I Hear the Prophet Callin'

I have started preparations for our annual Christmas Concert this year.  We have a wonderful church choir.  We average about 20 people for year round Sunday morning specials.  For special services, Christmas, Easter, Patriotic, Thanksgiving, Choir Concerts, we may have 30 or more.  This is GREAT for a volunteer choir.  I and our church are very blessed to have such a great group of singers.  I feel that we have one of the best choirs in our area. 

Having just come off of our August choral concert, "Songs for the Soul", we started working on our Christmas Cantata at the end of August.  You might say early, but when I only have about a 1 hour rehearsal a week, time slips by fast with only 16 rehearsals.  I actually picked out this years Cantata last Christmas. 

Last year was my first time as the Choir Director / Music Minister at our church, and I wanted to perform something that was a little more traditional but beautiful.  We performed Joel Raney's "The Promise of Light".  It was a beautiful piece for the choir to perform.  With this year's piece, "I Hear the Prophet Callin'" by Pepper Choplin, it is unlike anything we have performed before ( I would know because I have also been a member of this church since 1992, before becoming the Music Minister).  The music has a very folksy / appalachian type feel to it.  Lots of lovely minor harmonies, and instruments that you do not hear all the time.

Here is a link to the page.  You can listen to some of the songs and narrations used in this wonderful Cantata, http://www.lorenz.com/product.aspx?id=65%2f2005L.





Here is the link to "The Promise of Light", by Joel Raney that we performed Christmas 2009.  http://www.hopepublishing.com/html/main.isx?sub=31&workid=3030
You can also listen to excerpts there as well.



Here we are, it is not even Halloween yet, and we are practicing Christmas Music.  But guess what?  I am also looking for an Easter Musical now also.  I have my family so confused with all of the music going around.  I hate to wait to the last minute, and want to be prepared.  When Christmas is over, we will have about 14-16 rehearsals to get ready for Easter.  On top of all of our regular service music that we will be learning to keep things fresh and new. 

While we are at it, here is this past years Easter Musical.
http://www.wordmusic.com/item/080689423178 LOOK TO THE LAMB, Created & Arranged by Tom Fettke, Orchestrated by Russell Mauldin, Narrations by Deborah Craig-Claar.  Sound clips also available. 


If you are looking for some wonderful pieces for your choir to perform, I would recommend all 3 of these. 

And, once I have Easter picked out, I will let you know... and then Memorial Day...and Mothers Day... Fathers Day...4th of July.....  I better slow down.  I don't want to wear the choir out.

Let me know if you have seen or been involved in any musicals that you recommend I should take a look at.

 
   

Halloween Request

Well, My little one has put in her request for this year's outfit. 


We have done the Lobster.







The Fancy French Hen.







The Peacock.




And Now....  Drum Roll Please......................





The Tree Frog.






Sophia has been fascinated with The Princess and the Frog Movie since we took her on her birthday last year opening day.  So I took advantage of that and made my version of a Tiana Dress for her to wear to Disney when we went.  She loved it and was a hit.  Now she wants a frog costume, but not the movie frogs.  She wants to be a tree frog, but not just the ordinary tree frog.  a Purple Tree frog with red eyes, and pink and blue spots.  So we hit up Hancock Fabrics when they had their anniversary 53% off sale and purchased the required colors in fleece.  I will be drafting a tree frog costume in the next couple of weeks.  Pictures and production photos to follow.

What interesting Halloween costumes have you been requested to make for your friends and family? 
Any photos? 
Suggestions to make a great tree frog?  

Happy Sewing!

New Acquisitions.

New acquisitions.

Alert. Alert.  Alert.

I received some great vintage pattern this past week in larger sizes.  I can't wait to post some pics, and start working on some of these items for my wife, and drafting a companion piece for my daughter.  There would be some GREAT looks for church outfits, or even date night.

One of my favorite pieces that I have had a chance to look at isn't even a dress.  It is an Apron.  I think I will be working it into a skirt or dress pattern though.  It is GREAT.  Pics to come soon, once I figure my scanner out.

Enjoy your first fall weekend.

The Full Monty

Enjoy some pictures from another show that I costumed and starred in, The Full Monty.  Although I didn't get the part I auditioned for, I had some great songs to sing.  This was a fun show to be in, and because of where we performed it, there were of course, a few changes made.  The language was cleaned up a bit, and it was more of the 90% Monty.  What with the flood lights at the end of the show, and the red drawers left on the stage at the end of the show, it was enough for the imagination.


Enjoy, and let me know if you have any questions or comments. 

The Guys from the mill.

SCRAP

Hi.  I'm Malcolm.  I live at home with my mother.

I need a friend.

That's my car.

Scrayayayap

On the town

What does he have that I don't.  A JOB.

Whoa there fella.

Can I bum a cig?

This is how you kill yourself.

I put my finger in a socket once.  Hurt real bad, but it didn't kill me though.

You need a rock, a big ... rock.

OOOhhh, like Carly Simon once sang....

I've got FRIENDS.

Ma, don't worry. 

Dance class.

Life with Harold.

Step, Step, cha cha cha.

This one time....

Big Black Man

Oh Yeah.

Jeannette's showbiz number

You're hired.

Can you believe those guys

The GOODS

You Walk With Me.

Is it the wind, over my shoulder

We have to wear what?

Looking SHARP.

Ba dum dum Ba

Let It Go!

In Unison

Still together.

Wait for it...

THE FULL MONTY!