Completely Off Topic

Well I wanted to let fans of the woodbaby puppets know, that I posted videos of them and a small bits about them on YouTube. I noticed folks liked the posts I wrote about them, so here is some more fun with them and shows some new ones I have added to my family. Talk to you all later back to embroidery.

http://www.youtube.com/user/faerydustcollector?feature=mhum


As Always Puppet Crazy,

Maureen

Royal Wedding

Well I don't want to beat a dead horse, though I must say three cheers for the new royal couple, their Royal Highnesses William and Catherine. Good Luck, and may you bag yourself a paparazzi for old time sake ;-) Wishful thinking I know.

I have enjoyed have plenty of laughs at their expense, though not at them directly. Mind you mainly at the ridiculous media coverage over the event. It funny the its three days away and I can see they are getting desperate to find new things to talk about with the big day approaching. As if it wasn't going to be nerve racking enough to be getting married, let alone these two being under microscope the whole time. So glad my wedding is not till next year, not fuss or ostentatious just a small simple church wedding and reception. Happy to be a "commoner", though being American I don't fall under any other definition than that, American.

Well on to more interesting things other than current events. I am almost done with one of the cuffs for my elizabethan gloves. I have to finished the other peacock supporter and pillars they are standing on, but that is about it. Finally got the shapes of the harps to look like harps and not backwards letter D's. I still have to decide on a motto to go in the ribbon under my blazon, want it in Latin but not sure if I just want three words or more of slogan sentence. I always use the adage "patience is a virtue", which is "patientia est a rectum" in Latin. Though I feel the traditional is a little corny. I was thinking of " patience my faithful virtue" is patientia meus fidelis rectum. Not decided but they all sound wonderful, want it to be firm and resolute in the way it sounds, not decided yet. Still pondering it carefully. So progress yes, though this is the only thing I am working on right now.

Hope you all enjoy looking so far, I will publish more photos when one glove is complete with wording.

Embroidery Stitchin',

Maureen

Mary, Mary Quite Contrary

As I have had lots of time on my hands I have been able to delve back into my novel on Mary Queen of Scots. I didn't realize it was an omnibus which had three books. Right now I am finishing up the last and currently I am reading about her extensive embroidery she completed while captive in England. She even made some minor clothing and gift trinkets for family and Queen Elizabeth. My friend has a book specifically about her work and I am very interested in seeing what she completed. I will find out more on the embroidery book when I get to Embroidery Guild tomorrow.

Though I have a big plan for my Elizabethan gloves underway and posted my progress so far with some photos, just the embroidery is left and attaching the cuffs to the handmade gloves. Which not to my suprise I have small hands when I measured them according to the pattern I followed. I do not think it will take long for me to complete the two panels I have drawn up, very excited. Though the are complex and will look stunning as a gauntlet for my up coming Elizabethan costumes.

I also have an Elizabethan sweete bag in the wings when I get the gauntlets that are already started and coming along very well. That will accessorize the gown I just finished beautifully and it turned out very close to my original drawing. Plans are in the works to get photos up for all to see of the gown, keep your fingers crossed my camera agrees with me.

The book I am reading Mary Queen of Scots by Margaret George is so well written with descriptions that I want to read hers on Henry VIII if I can get hold of a copy. Though I am interested in a book about Brythonia in War Hammer Fantasy which is a fantasy realm like England, so I would have to decide which one to read next. Though there is no rush to get through either. Well for now lots of work to do and more in my future.

Sewing Busy,

Maureen

April Showers bring May Flowers

Oh boy have we been getting the rain, lots of time on my hands too. My fiance is working a different shift for this week which has allowed me to work on some plans for garb. Which is great I have been meaning to get started on my floral selections that have been packed away. As you might have guessed I work on things in collections. Over the past three years I have made 6 worker women gowns, 6 Tudor court gowns, collection of 6 gabled and 4 french hoods, and my17 Tudor dolls and their extensive detailed castle/manor house menagerie.

Right now I am working on the 4 gowns I mentioned in a post several months back. Now with Ice Dragon behind me I can now focus on working on the garb I planned sometime in January. I am working on the decorative sleeves and shoulder puffs of the gown, I have the foreskirt and over skirt finished ready to attach to the bodice. I tend to work from outside in when making gowns though their are times I do the opposite if I am worried about fit. I was able to blend the embroidery at the seams of the sleeves, which is not easy. I hope it looks as good as my drawing which I will put side by side with the finished dress.

Well not use in talking about finishing it if I don't make head way, will write more details as they are discovered.

Sewing,

Maureen

Success is sweet

Well I have gotten back from the Festival of the Passing of the Ice Dragon for 2011. Tired and stiff from lots of walking but happy with how things turned out all in all. I only entered the doll castle since I was fussing with it for a while, there was no more time to enter anything else and I didn't have much done besides. Though there is always things to make and research for my Tudor habit, lol.

My documentation won me a blue ribbon and captured first place in toymaking, second year in a row:-D I also recieved a favor and recognitnion in court from the Princesses Royal for the doll house, they are very sweet good girls and a delight to be around. Jaqueline got a green ribbon for her unicorn blue velvet embroidered pillow and a red ribbon for her pearl bedecked red velvet hat. Though she was very suprised to win Kings Favorite for her hat, which I was happy to see. Wonder how my full scale marionette will do when done for next year. Its funny but it seems to help getting a start before the winter, gives me less to do when the spring comes to finish my project. I think I am getting the documentation down to a science, thanks to Mistress Alicia for her tips on documentation writting. Its helps keep my papers simple and answers the questions the judges are looking for in a proper research paper. Hope I do this well next year.

Well onward to local events there is Penn College Demo on April 10, Lewisburg Arts Festival on April 30th, and Wills Revenge on May 6-8. In the fall there is Ladies Event, Fabric Fiber and Fighting so very excited things are more spread out which is helpful to me don't want to take alot of time off from Justin's fantasy roleplaying games. Looking forward to participate when I can.

Smiles,

Maureen of Abhainn Ciagh Ghlais

It is finished

Hi all,

Yes the doll house is in a great stage of completion am waiting for a few miniature pieces to come in the mail this week but for the most part it is done. Though I feel I will be fussing with my creation for years to come. Right now I am working on the writing my documentation and trying to get it in the right chronological order. Hope to have it all done by this Wednesday because I leave for Ice Dragon sometime of Friday.

Though I almost didn't make it there this year I had a scare with Jasper my cat. He had about of bad diarreah and I have a few suspictions on the cause. It was 3 days before he had a solid bowel movement yesterday and I was worried my money for Ice Dragon was going to be spent at the vet instead. Yesterday he turned the corner and seems to be back to his old self. He was leaving marks where ever he sat and was licking himself sore trying to keep clean, right now he is on a cat food and rice diet. He isn't wild about it but there isn't any loose problems or stains all night. So a great sign, he never lost appetite and was drinking steadily so all good signs it was going to pass. I can tell he is on the mend for sure, huge sigh of relief for me.

My heraldry passed for society so the lovely heraldic device you see on my page is officially mine, yeah! Got one more puppet purple, white, black with silver gryphon named Coudersport.

In the mean time, have gotten some jewelry supplies for making a earring and necklace set, supplies for the embroidering of the Elizabethan shirt, cloth covered hat boxes for my renaissance luggage( lol), and ideas on several more embroidery and accessory projects. There will be more to come as I get things completed. Since the dollhouse is done I am thinking of making the three garb outfits I have floating in my head, so lots of sewing in my future. Guess we will see.

On the wedding front Justin and I have our locations picked out and now am working on a plan to get them all reserved and paid for by next April, though we have a year and some help so right now its the First Baptist Church in Williamsport for the Ceremony and the Genetti Hotel in Williamsport for the reception.

So all in all good for the most part other than Jasper's health scare. Hope the next few months are active, productive, and profitable.

Smiles,

Maureen

Return from the Past

Finally in the planning stages of projects for Ice Dragon and a blast from the past has come to light this last week. The doll castle creation that I started last spring into summer is back. It's been in a partially uncompleted stages for most of the summer and I just have not had the time to complete much on it. I was planning on embroidering all summer for the inside hangings but just ran out of time and other projects got in the way. Which is fine I have lots of great trim and ribbon to give the wall hangings the proper scale and grand scope needed for a castle.

Yesterday I finished the work on the chairs and throne, painted, and upholstered them. They look very grandeur with the surrounding rooms as they are taking shape. Also put in one of the stained glass windows, have two more to do, that is planned for this week.

I put in tudor patterned wall paper around the fireplaces, which give it the "diapered" look. Diapering is a motif that repeats in a pattern on a wall, this was the time before wall paper and it was a way of decorating a plain plaster wall, other methods use embossing patterns in plaster as well. Since I have narrow space to work this is why I elected the diapering wall paper, there is no room for my hands to paint a motif in the individual rooms so I had to choose another method.

So there are two fire places on the second foor, in tudor homes fireplaces were almost in every room to keep the dampness of the outdoors from comming in. I do want to put two more in the basement but am not sure how to construct them. The bedroom and throne rooms are in the middle and there are no other ways to put one in them without making them crowded, so I am having to be a bit creative to get the look with out going overboard on room contents. Just trying to figure out how to set up the kitchen, library, sitting room, and bedroom. Going to try a few different layouts to see what works best.

Today I worked on banners to finish wall decor and worked on making the bed linens, bed curtains, pillows and such. Should be really nice when finished and hope to enter it in Ice Dragon. At the pace I am going lately it won't be a problem.

Hope to post pictures soon.

Happy St. Valentine's Day

Most people forget that Valentine's Day with its many material setiments is actually a feast day for many early church saints named Valentine. Though little is known about the men who contributed to the feast day that has turned into a day of dedication of love. Hope it finds anyone reading this well and happy on the holiday.

The romantic tale goes that Valentine as a priest who refused an unattested law attributed to Roman Emperor Claudius II, allegedly ordering that young men remain single. The Emperor supposedly did this to grow his army, believing that married men did not make for good soldiers. The priest Valentine, however, secretly performed marriage ceremonies for young men. When Claudius found out about this, he had Valentine arrested and thrown in jail. (wikipedia on St Valentine) There are various forms of the tale for the modern romantic to enjoy.

On a Valentine like note the cross stitch embroidered hearts are done, so happy to get all 19 completed. Now I can start work in my Elizabethan persuits that have been put on hold. I am waiting for my silk embroidry floss from India handspun 100% silk, should be lovely to work with for this project. While waiting for that to come in the mail, I am going to prepare the silk shirt fabric and place the motif from the reference painting. After placing the motif I will mark seam allowances and pattern the whole shirt out, embroider, assemble parts and place trim. After that is completed I will start working the dress its self, which will go much faster. If I can't get the shirt done by the end of March I am going to take my work in progress and explain my process and goal. Not sure but I will see how much I can accomplish. It all depends on how things workout over the next month.

Wish me luck,

Maureen

Groundhog Day isn't just for Rodents

Hi all,

Its Groundhog Day and Punxsutawney Phil didn't see his shadow so an early spring is predicted. I am happy and hope Phil is right, could save money on heating oil would be a blessing. Just after a major snow storm today, I love Mother Nature's irony with her timing.

Though I am not ready to hang up my winter sewing needle just yet. This the time of year I am in full garb making mode and the most productive part of the year by far. The plans for peach perfection are in full swing. I have been shopping silk embroidery thread to get just the right shade for the floral embroidery on the silk shirt. I know its going to turn out smashing with what I have planned. Just like the painting with a twist, I am thinking of having a small fresh water pearl in the middle of the open Tudor rose with gold metallic french knots around the outside, should look exquisite. I am going to try to have a sample done this weekend if time allows, the pattern is all drawn up and planned, just have to make my lead example.

Still have some velvet hunting to do for the other Tudor gowns in purple and in black but looking for a sale price on fabric, which there is some but nothing fantastic. Just keeping my ears to the ground for a good price.

Still working on the solider cross stitch project and getting some done every day, so progress is good. More than the motivation I had in January for this project for sure. I am almost done with the all the heart outlines and will finish most of the words hopefully over the weekend.

Work is well and lots to do, overtime is great and the money will help out with lots around the house. It will be challenging more than usual to get the taxes to complete, cleaning to do, and games to play, and sewing to finish but I am sure there will be away to squeeze it in somehow. Necessity is indeed the mother of invention, for sure.

I am looking at more freshwater pearls for up coming projects but nothing concrete like the necklaces. Just biding my time because I might come into pearls here soon. Picked up some very Tudor buttons that will go great on foresleeves and backs of angel Tudor sleeves so a good investment. I also got rings for an upcoming Elizabethan crewel embroidered sweete bag, following the pattern in the book calls for these as a baubles, looks great in the book. Still have to embroider my ladies pockets too, very far behind on that as well as other projects.

Lots to keep up with and plan, well got to get some rest to tackle more things tomorrow.

Blessings,

Mairin

Ending January on a Jewel Note

Well its nearing the end of the month and progress is slow but that happens when you can't work on gowns at your job. However, I did get the lovely Tudor necklaces done with the supplies I gushed about in my last post. They turned out stunning and can't wait to wear them with a new gown or one of my treasured Tudor creations. I worked hard and finished them a week ago and they are more beautiful than I envisioned.

There has been some developments on my prospective Helen Snakenborg Elizabethan gown. I got the fabric and trim in the mail last week. Extremely ecstatic to see the perfect shade of peach staring back at me from the envelope I received in the mail. Its not silk like I hoped to find, but $80 a yard is just too rich for me when it comes to fabrics. Its 100% polyester but I am happy with it for the price and color.

Instead of being unhappy with the makeup of the material I focused on the right shade of perfect peach. Since the images I found online varied from shades of brilliant peach to soft light peach, I browsed more satin than I want to mention comparing my image to the photo of the materials online. Justin and I just recently procured a new flat screen monitor and its lovely to see the colors jump right off the page. Its really helped alot with this gown research because I can see much more clearly the details of the painting when I zoom in on a image.

I purchased "a look like lace" to match the velvet and gold embroidery on the original gown, it just so dead on its uncanny. This lace like trim works out wonderfully for the effect I am trying to achieve with this gown. I mentioned about using the silk charmeuse my sister bought me in my last post, which I do intend on using it for the lovely embroidered shirt originally used for the portrait. Though I wasn't sure about the floral embroidery that I would have to stitch to make the roses on the shirt. So I had to look into this more intently.

This week I gathered information on the proper technique from my local embroidery guild meeting. I showed my progress to the shire guild mistress and good friend, Lady Jaqueline De Moliere. She is thrilled with all the work I have done to get the fabrics and trim just right, we had lots to talk about. I told her about the embroidery for the shirt and making it from crewel techniques which she agreed either would work depending on my execution of the embroidery. I was unsure of the proper steps for this, which she told me back them they normally embroidered the fabric first with the outline of the garment traced out. So this is what my intent is so I hope to embroider a test square of the pattern to figure out stitches and begin this within the week, fingers crossed.

I do have an a book Exploring Elizabethan Embroidery in the mail to me but I am not sure how long it will take to get here from Great Britain, though it is already in the mail. So far so good. Lots to think about and work on so I will leave it at this for now, more updates as the come.

Oh my heart just one gown at a time, lol.
Maureen