The first, Mermaid of the South Seas, turned out pretty spectacular. All the colors and beads pulled it together nicely and I really wish I had to place to hang it! So it goes into the finished bin for now until that time.
Monday, February 9, 2015
Shakespeare and Mermaids
So I got not one but TWO of my cross stitch projects finished within the last couple of weeks.
The first, Mermaid of the South Seas, turned out pretty spectacular. All the colors and beads pulled it together nicely and I really wish I had to place to hang it! So it goes into the finished bin for now until that time.
The next piece I finished was The Kiss, aka Romeo and Juliet. I started this one back in 2010 right after Jenna told me she'd gotten engaged. The original was done in pink and olive tones, which I switched to purple and green. The only reason it took so long to finish was I didn't have a date to stitch on the bottom. Of course I was able to finally get one last fall, but dress sewing kept me too busy to put it on at that. It's finally finished though, so off to the framer's next week!
The first, Mermaid of the South Seas, turned out pretty spectacular. All the colors and beads pulled it together nicely and I really wish I had to place to hang it! So it goes into the finished bin for now until that time.
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Happy New Year 2015
Between various ailments (having a cold on top of stomach issues is not pleasant) and trying to get back on a normal schedule after holiday retail hours, it's been a slow start to the new year for project planning and sewing. Given how crappy I've felt, I decided to pull from the eternal WIP pile that I have of various sewing and craft projects.
I opted for a piece of cross stitch that I've had sitting around for a while (and by a while, I mean I started it so long ago I don't remember exactly when). Actually, there isn't much left on it. A few pieces of thread here and there, filling in some spots that I initially missed, and doing the beading.
Beading always presents itself to be a small challenge since I use invisible thread to attach everything and while it is great, it's a b*tch to work with at times. The pattern is South Seas Mermaid (MD92) from Mirabilia, my personal favorite for cross stitch.
The final piece is turning out to be much brighter than the example photo included in my pattern. As for the beading, there's a lot of it still to do (along with running to the store for the ones I'm out of) but it's been coming along rather smoothly.
Once I'm finished with this piece though, I'm definitely planning on some sewing.
I opted for a piece of cross stitch that I've had sitting around for a while (and by a while, I mean I started it so long ago I don't remember exactly when). Actually, there isn't much left on it. A few pieces of thread here and there, filling in some spots that I initially missed, and doing the beading.
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| So. Many. Beads. But I'm loving all the bright colors together! |
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| MD92 |
Once I'm finished with this piece though, I'm definitely planning on some sewing.
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Final Project of 2014
I had to wait to post this until it was received since this was a Christmas gift. I don't have many progress photos since I pretty much just followed the pattern instructions.
Back in August, the beau's dad and young sister came out to Ohio and they went to a Civil War reenactment with us. I had dressed up of course and Lexie just loved my 1863 calico dress with the hoop skirt underneath. We bought her a hat and fan that day, but she kept on mentioning dresses. We departed with the mention that "Christmas would be coming soon."
Well Christmas did come. Kerry went to the fabric store with me and helped to select a pattern and the materials for just a basic calico dress with some embellishments.
I used Simplicity 3725 view A with some modifications. For Lexie's dress, I shortened the sleeves to elbow length and left off the collar so it wouldn't be so tight around the neck (Or hot, they're in California). We weren't going for historical accuracy, so there are some modern alterations like a zipper up the back.
She loves the dress though and looks absolutely darling in it! What a great wrap up for 2014!
Back in August, the beau's dad and young sister came out to Ohio and they went to a Civil War reenactment with us. I had dressed up of course and Lexie just loved my 1863 calico dress with the hoop skirt underneath. We bought her a hat and fan that day, but she kept on mentioning dresses. We departed with the mention that "Christmas would be coming soon."
Well Christmas did come. Kerry went to the fabric store with me and helped to select a pattern and the materials for just a basic calico dress with some embellishments.
I used Simplicity 3725 view A with some modifications. For Lexie's dress, I shortened the sleeves to elbow length and left off the collar so it wouldn't be so tight around the neck (Or hot, they're in California). We weren't going for historical accuracy, so there are some modern alterations like a zipper up the back.
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Ripper Street vs. Copper Round 2
So I got Ripper Street and Copper seasons 2 close together and (just like the first seasons) watched them back to back. Despite my earlier reaction of trying to space them out for season 2, I'm glad they were viewed close together because I was able to start differentiating between the two shows.
Ripper Street
I'll start with this show because I watched it first. Season 2 moves away from the original plot of the revived Ripper murders, but still retains much of its dark, brooding atmosphere of East End London in the 1890s. Instead, the focus now falls on individual people.
Inspector Reid's (Matthew Macfadyen) wife has left him, Bennet Drake is now a married man, and Rose has left brothel work behind. It seems all might be well, but this is East End London so it never is. Opium trade, matchgirl strikes, and fanatical occult followers are only a couple of the topics touched upon in this season's 8 episodes. And as the cases pile up, the police of Whitechapel find their own lives taking a sharp turn into the darkness that consumes the area where they work.
With each passing episode, I found myself more engrossed in this season. Part of this might be because all the character setup has already been established. On the other hand, I think the scriptwriting got just THAT much better. Yes, there's going to be mystery involved with the show, but when you've got me so engrossed that I just keep watching for hours on end, that's when you know it's good.
Costumes remain fantastic, especially when looking for material of what the lower classes of London. Many of the outfits presented are worn by men with multiple wardrobe changes, something that gets overlooked. Women's attire is mostly limited to brothel and dance hall workers and may lack some accuracy, but are still gorgeous to look at.
Overall Rating - 4 out of 5
Costumes - 3.5 out of 5
Copper
Second season for this show started out with promise - within the first 20 minutes we've got a man a girl and carving a knife into her back amongst more seedy Five Points action. The main cast is back along with a number of new characters. As the new cast members are introduced though and the back stories of some of the existing characters surface, things start to feel bogged down.
Corky starts pulling stunts that make you want to scream. His adoptive daughter and wife bring cat fighting to a new level, in the most ho-hum of ways. Matthew, Corkey's longtime friend, is still dealing with the issues that come with being a freed blackman in the 1860s, but they seem to be the same over and over again. I'd go on, but all it would be about is how the characters got so annoying (Seriously, I could write a whole blog post on how Elizabeth Haverford makes Scarlett O'Hara seem like a sweet woman with no issues).
By the time episode 3 rolled around, it had mostly turned into background noise while I worked on the my sewing. That's how uninterested I was.
All of the sudden though, the scriptwriting was kicked up a huge notch. Oh my goodness, there's been a subtle plot building the whole season! Not that I could tell, giving how bored I was becoming with it all. The season was left with a cliffhanger, but alas, we shall never find out what happens.
Perhaps due to awful scriptwriting, poorly executed characters, or plummeting viewer numbers, Copper was cancelled a few days before its season 2 finale. Guess I wasn't the only unenthused person.
Costumes also remained mediocre. For characters from the Five Points district, wardrobe was done well enough that they blended in with the atmosphere. As for those who didn't reside in the area - ahem, Elizabeth Haverford - the costumes on the woman, have that lovely look of minimal research.
Overall rating - 2 out of 5
Costumes - 3 out of 5
Ripper Street
I'll start with this show because I watched it first. Season 2 moves away from the original plot of the revived Ripper murders, but still retains much of its dark, brooding atmosphere of East End London in the 1890s. Instead, the focus now falls on individual people.
 |
| Matthew Macfadyen, Jerome Flynn, and Adam Rothenberg all return |
Inspector Reid's (Matthew Macfadyen) wife has left him, Bennet Drake is now a married man, and Rose has left brothel work behind. It seems all might be well, but this is East End London so it never is. Opium trade, matchgirl strikes, and fanatical occult followers are only a couple of the topics touched upon in this season's 8 episodes. And as the cases pile up, the police of Whitechapel find their own lives taking a sharp turn into the darkness that consumes the area where they work.
With each passing episode, I found myself more engrossed in this season. Part of this might be because all the character setup has already been established. On the other hand, I think the scriptwriting got just THAT much better. Yes, there's going to be mystery involved with the show, but when you've got me so engrossed that I just keep watching for hours on end, that's when you know it's good.
 |
| Charlene McKenna as Rose Erskine |
Costumes remain fantastic, especially when looking for material of what the lower classes of London. Many of the outfits presented are worn by men with multiple wardrobe changes, something that gets overlooked. Women's attire is mostly limited to brothel and dance hall workers and may lack some accuracy, but are still gorgeous to look at.
Overall Rating - 4 out of 5
Costumes - 3.5 out of 5
Copper
Second season for this show started out with promise - within the first 20 minutes we've got a man a girl and carving a knife into her back amongst more seedy Five Points action. The main cast is back along with a number of new characters. As the new cast members are introduced though and the back stories of some of the existing characters surface, things start to feel bogged down.
Corky starts pulling stunts that make you want to scream. His adoptive daughter and wife bring cat fighting to a new level, in the most ho-hum of ways. Matthew, Corkey's longtime friend, is still dealing with the issues that come with being a freed blackman in the 1860s, but they seem to be the same over and over again. I'd go on, but all it would be about is how the characters got so annoying (Seriously, I could write a whole blog post on how Elizabeth Haverford makes Scarlett O'Hara seem like a sweet woman with no issues).
By the time episode 3 rolled around, it had mostly turned into background noise while I worked on the my sewing. That's how uninterested I was.
All of the sudden though, the scriptwriting was kicked up a huge notch. Oh my goodness, there's been a subtle plot building the whole season! Not that I could tell, giving how bored I was becoming with it all. The season was left with a cliffhanger, but alas, we shall never find out what happens.
Perhaps due to awful scriptwriting, poorly executed characters, or plummeting viewer numbers, Copper was cancelled a few days before its season 2 finale. Guess I wasn't the only unenthused person.
Costumes also remained mediocre. For characters from the Five Points district, wardrobe was done well enough that they blended in with the atmosphere. As for those who didn't reside in the area - ahem, Elizabeth Haverford - the costumes on the woman, have that lovely look of minimal research.
Overall rating - 2 out of 5
Costumes - 3 out of 5
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Wonderland Wedding Costumes
A little bit of catch-up before the last of the year. This is one last (overdue) post from the wedding. Nearly everyone dressed up for the event and I had to share all the costumes.
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| Kerry as the March Hare, my costume was the Queen of Hearts |
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| Jenna's grandparents as the White Rabbit and the Queen of Hearts (left), and her parents on the right. |
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| Mollie as the caterpillar and Justin as the March Hare. |
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| Ryan as a card guard and Jessica as the Cheshire Cat. |
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| Allison (Queen of Diamonds), Jamie (Mad Hatter), Joe (also Mad Hatter), Tom (Caterpillar), Erin (card guard). |
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| Ben as the King of Hearts. |
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| Lasha as the White Rabbit |
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| Jenna as Alice and Joe as the Mad Hatter (the lovely bride and groom). |
After the ceremony, we hung out in Jackson Square until the reception. While we waiting, there were a number of costumed people walking by for Halloween later that night. These two lovely ladies walked past and I HAD to snap a quick photo. They were so pretty in person!
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