Catching Up With Myself

I went for 13 months without blogging- from September 2013 to October 2014- not because I wasn't doing anything, but because I was doing too much to keep up with the blog. During those months, I did three shows, a couple comicon costumes, and several weddings among other things. As a quick catch up, I thought I would do a photo essay of those 13 months. 

The Gifts of the Magi

November/December 2013

Wedding- January 2014

Les Miserables- March 2014

The Wizard of Oz

May 2014-

with a touch of Steampunk

A Doctor Who costume, including a very long hand knitted scarf

 a Kaylee costume

some awesome aprons and towels for our Annual Honey Harvest Open House

...and another wedding dress, which I blogged about in October 2014.

I left out a lot, but these are the high points. I haven't stopped working, but have slowed the pace a bit. More soon!

Bubble Skirts and Black Binding

I was recently reminded of the importance of getting our of my box. 

I work on a lot of weddings. I make prom dresses and other custom garments. I do a lot of theater. My favorite shows are what I refer to as "big skirt shows"- if it requires a petticoat to make the ladies skirts look right, then it is my kind of show. 

The musical I worked on this spring was definitely not that kind of show. The director wanted our production of Seussical to look like a brightly colored, animated Dr. Seuss book. It was good for me. It stretched me- made me step outside my box, think new thinks, and try new things.

Once the show was over, my next task was a custom prom dress. As I worked on it, I realized that two of the techniques I had used on Seussical costumes would greatly enhance this dress. The Seussical bird girls had bubble skirts that were full, fun, and bouncy. 

The prom dress was floor length, but bubbling it made the drape and the bunches hang beautifully. We used hundreds of yards of black binding to give the Seussical costumes that cartoon look. The prom dress had a multi colored, draped shoulder bow. Adding black binding to it made it pop and pulled the elements of the dress together. 

I don't think this would have occurred to me if I hadn't just used the technique elsewhere, which makes my point. To stay fresh and creative, you need to step outside your usual zone. Mix it up. Read blogs, see a show, look at and analyze pictures of other designer's work, try a new technique, take a class or experiment with other art forms. Think outside the box. Think new Thinks. You'll be glad you did!