ugh...Technical Difficulties

Well, the Ash Girl costumes are done except for the shirt the goes with the ballgown for Ruth. I wanted to show some pictures of the fabric and textures that ended up in the costumes, but somewhere between my camera and my computer the image files were corrupted, or some other issue, and it won't let me upload them even though it shows me a preview image. I may try again later, but currently I've got other projects to work on and it's going to be Trick or Treat this evening, so I have that as well.

Costume Update This Afternoon

The Sewing/Crafting List (bolded items are finished)

Ashgirl--
Black Bodice-
Remove extra fabric layer and finish edge

Floral Blouse-
remove buttons
figure out and sew the velcro to replace buttons for quick changes
become angry with sewing the velcro
temporarily abandon project until anger subsides
sew velcro

Greedmonkey--
Jacket-
Figure out stencil--thinking some central thing on the back with negative space stars, green and gold paint
Spray paint the stencil onto jacket

Pridefly--
Coat-
Rip out seams on other side
Sew the first green shimmer insert
Insert green shimmer fabric on other side
Sew that side
Figure out how I will close up the two layers of lining
Collar(still determining how to add contrast fabric)
Texture and Darken Fabric...possibly

Monocle for the ball?

Fairy in the Mirror--
Coral-colored Slip-
Repair torn lace

Princess Zehra--
Underscarf/Tiara-
Find underscarf
Plan Tiara piece
Purchase bling
Bling it

Pink Abaya-
Cut off enough fabric to show gold skirt
Hem it

Ruth--
Ballgown-
Design top (ivory, belted tunic to show off bling on the dress)
Drape or pattern the top
Sew it

Judith--
Skirt-
Needs a snap on the waistband
Trim the fraying on the bottom edge

Fascinator-
glued and stitched, and done

Dark Cabaret Show, Car Trouble and the Ever-Exciting Costume Progress

Made a spur of the moment concert decision yesterday that almost didn't happen. I did however end up seeing Voltaire's Black Unicorn Cabaret and This Way to the Egress in Columbus last night despite my car breaking down in the Krogers parking lot again. Melanie had already agreed to drive. We missed Hellblinki Sextet, but I'm just glad I didn't spend the whole night waiting for a tow truck.

At the show I was really looking forward to hearing the title track from Voltaire's newest album--which is titled "Riding a Black Unicorn down the Side of an Erupting Volcano while Drinking from a Chalice Filled with the Laughter of Small Children"...yes


And the Twilight Version of "Vampire Club."




Here's the updated to-do list..also, along the way I finished writing my C.V., edited some work, and read Poppy Z. Brite's "Drawing Blood"...and I did more laundry.

The Sewing/Crafting List (bolded items are finished)

Ashgirl--
Black Bodice-
Remove extra fabric layer and finish edge

Floral Blouse-
remove buttons
figure out and sew the velcro to replace buttons for quick changes

Greedmonkey--
Jacket-
Figure out stencil--thinking some central thing on the back with negative space stars, green and gold paint
Spray paint the stencil onto jacket

Pridefly--
Coat-
Rip out seams on other side
Sew the first green shimmer insert
Insert green shimmer fabric on other side
Sew that side
Figure out how I will close up the two layers of lining
Collar(still determining how to add contrast fabric)

Fairy in the Mirror--
Coral-colored Slip-
Repair torn lace

Princess Zehra--
Underscarf/Tiara-
Find brown underscarf
Plan Tiara
Purchase bling
Bling it

Pink Abaya-
Hem it

Ruth--
Ballgown-
Design top (ivory, belted tunic to show off bling on the dress)
Drape or pattern the top
Sew it

Judith--
Skirt-
Needs a snap on the waistband
Trim the fraying on the bottom edge

What I'm Doing This Week and Next...Costuming Mostly

I love this picture...it's ridiculous, and I'd love to find an opportunity to actually use such an odd line on someone.


see more Very Demotivational

Anyway, here is the master list of sewing and crafting for The Ash Girl as I see it right now. I want to do a lot of of the minor projects tonight and I figure that I'll be adding more items to this list as they make themselves apparent. I'll be highlighting items as I finish them because I like to see myself making progress. That's why I make lists, and sometimes I put things on the lists that I've already done just so I can cross it off to remember that I already did something (and to feel accomplished).


The Sewing/Crafting List

Ashgirl--
Black Bodice-
Remove extra fabric layer and finish edge

Floral Blouse-
figure out and sew the velcro to replace buttons for quick changes

Greedmonkey--
Jacket-
Figure out stencil--thinking some central thing on the back with negative space stars, green and gold paint
Spray paint the stencil onto jacket

Pridefly--
Coat-
Rip out seams on other side
Insert green shimmer fabric on sides and sew
Figure out how I will close up the two layers of lining
Collar(still determining how to add contrast fabric)

Fairy in the Mirror--
Coral-colored Slip-
Repair torn lace

Princess Zehra--
Underscarf/Tiara-
Find brown underscarf
Plan Tiara
Purchase bling
Bling it

Pink Abaya-
Hem it

Ruth--
Ballgown-
Design top (ivory, belted tunic to show off bling on the dress)
Drape or pattern the top
Sew it

Judith--
Skirt-
Needs a snap on the waistband
Trim the fraying on the bottom edge

Costuming, and Drag, and Ann Arbor...and Angst!

Friday--
It was a day of costuming where I forgot to eat lunch until after 4pm. We organized the costumes for The Ash Girl and figured out how screwed we are....or, I mean, how much we have left to do. It's really not too bad, and I'll have a better to-do list posted tomorrow.

I went to a drag show at The Union in Athens that night. It was pretty good and benefited BRAVO--The Buckeye Region Anti-Violence Organization. My friend performed as Jack B. Nimble. Also, it was brought to my attention that this is a fucking hilarious song, but I can't remember the name of the king who performed it.



My favorite performance of the night was probably the Sarah Palin impersonator doing a strip tease and performing the Dixie Chicks' "Sin Wagon." I may have to get over my strange fear of watching Rent because "Light my Candle" is actually a good song. I don't want to like it because it seems cliche to like it...although I know that I probably will enjoy watching it. Don't try to figure it out. It was the same with Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Also thought about my characters getting into arguments with things that are not living things...this comic is a good representation of that concept.

see more After 12

Saturday--
Drove to Ann Arbor to visit my Nana who is recovering from surgery to remove bone cancer from her jaw. I gave her a copy of David Sedaris' book "Holidays on Ice" because I thought she could use some humor if she felt up to reading while she's stuck in the hospital and the rehabilitation center after that. She couldn't talk then, but was sitting up when I saw her. I talked to my Dad as well, which is odd since we hadn't really talked since November of last year, and then I called him on the day I gave birth to my son--which is when I found out about Nana's cancer, which everyone only found out about the day before that. Very sudden.

On the way back we stopped in Bowling Green so I could check out the campus because I want to apply there for grad school. We found the worst Chinese Buffet...and that is saying a lot. So, strike one against Bowling Green. They also have a Dunkin Donuts which is a place I'm usually fascinated with, but find to be ultimately disappointing. There is a cemetery on campus as well...which I guess would be a bonus since I like them in general.

Sunday--
It's the anniversary of Oscar Wilde's birth today, and the 16th is the original due date for my son who was born September 29th 2011. I wanted to be a nerd and celebrate the birthday this year, but I did name my son Dorian...so, that's probably good enough.
Today I felt angsty about another story rejection, was drinking wine at noon and got mostly caught up on laundry. I also made a Swiss cheese and onion quiche, and I plan on baking banana bread, pumpkin bread and a pumpkin pie tonight...while I work on editing and probably dealing with the remaining writing-related angst by submitting more pieces to different publishers.

Dorian Tobias Lannan born on September 29th at 11:06am, 8lbs 20 3/4 inches

He's a really chill baby, and likes to sleep a lot. He slept through bloodcurdling screams when we visited a rehearsal for The Ash Girl last week. He also slept through most of the drive to and from Ann Arbor as well.

Some more music

The Ridges...my exciting to-do list...also Vorarephilia, not really

We went to The Ridges in Athens over the weekend and I liked seeing that there were two buildings that have not really been repaired. I like disrepair. One building had an asbestos and lead warning posted on the outside, and I didn't see what warnings the other building had other than a "No Trespassing" sort of thing. I also noticed one of the numbered-stone cemeteries starting from back in the Athens Lunatic Asylum days (Opened in 1874, I think), but I didn't walk through it on this visit.
I like the Ridges because it's peaceful and beautiful, but it has such a past that I can't help but imagine everything that happened there over the years. The numbered stones have always bothered me. Maybe I have odd feelings about people who were forgotten and left anonymous in death. It's sad and unnerving because I place more stock in what happens in the here and now, rather than waiting for some prospect of an afterlife.
This web page has images and information about The Ridges.
I think I was around the age of 12 when my Dad first took me and my younger brother to wander around The Ridges, and I think that was in 1995. It was kind of run-down the first time I went out there, and of course just about everything was securely locked and boarded up. I remember that we parked up on the hill by the TB Ward, and the fence around the back of that building and the architecture itself was intimidating just due to the scale of the whole compound.
About six months ago I attended an art, poetry and prose event that was held in the upper levels of one building in The Ridges where the Art department's grad students have their studio space. The lower levels are cleaned up and look like any generic office-like building, but the basic structure of the upper level was left pretty much untouched with the addition of what projects were being worked on. I don't have any pictures of that event developed yet because James had one of his old film cameras with him that night, and I don't think he has processed any of the film from spring or summer. Lame.
Also lame on my part for not having any really good pictures of the buildings from this past weekend. Double disappointment.


An updated to-do list

For "The Ash Girl":
Pridefly's Coat--cut out accent pieces and ripped out half of the seams that I need to work with, might do an accent piece on the collar. Need to dirty it up with either paint, dye or belt sander...
Ruth's Dress for the Ball--working on design for a shirt or jacket to go over the dress (I didn't make the dress, but need to work with it)
Slothworm's Sleep Cap--I think someone else is doing that one
Judith's skirt--move the fastener so that it fits better

Other Things:
Edit and finish "Tribute"--Done and e-mailed out
Finish my C.V.
Review poetry portfolio--found the poems I had written on paper, need to type them out
Locate and print forms for the people writing my letters of recommendation
Prepare something to submit to Omnium Gatherum's Detritus anthology if possible
Deal with library fines so I can have the hold released from my account or else I can't get my transcripts...ugh



Interesting things I've come across while researching for some writing projects:

Voararephilia-- a sexual fetish for being eaten alive, eating someone else or observing the process...

Sitophilia- a sexual fetish including different forms of food play

Working on Things

This is just one of those posts in which I make myself accountable for my list of things I need to finish:

For "The Ash Girl":
Pridefly's Coat
Ruth's Dress for the Ball
Slothworm's Sleep Cap

Other Things:
Edit and finish "Tribute"
Finish my C.V.
Review poetry portfolio
Locate and print forms for the people writing my letters of recommendation

As for what I'm working on this very minute... I'm not only working on my to-do list, but also freezing swiss chard from my garden and listening to The Matadors.