I fully intend to keep this blog PERSONAL- I want to write freely about my personal passions without it turning in to a place for promotions, marketing or trying to sell what I do- if you are interested in my projects there are a ton of links on the sidebar for you to check out all the fun I am having in the world.
Life has been a challenge this winter.My beloved father Richard has reached a really challenging stage with his Cancer and i have done my best to be present for him. Because as it stands this is his story, not mine I will keep it quiet out of respect but to say my heart has spent a good deal of time being broken as of late- is a gross understatement.
I started "making" again. I feel like since I slammed the door on burlesque once and for all my passion for making things trickled out of me.
I have fallen in LOVE with costuming and makeup again-- I blame it on my mane of ruby red hair that I LOVE.
I started growing it out and going red in anticipation of a late fall start for Mad Men, since I want to do a Joan inspired look this year. Well their date kept getting pushed back, and back so I decided to amp up the auburn and go RED. I had been seeing more permanent options for red that didn't involve a bleach up so the experimenting began- I have found my process and am very happy with it. I will share a hair process with you soon. Never to hesitate to ask me a question, I am not a hairdresser but I have been doing my hair for nearly 20 years and really- when have you seen it look bad?
I started growing it out and going red in anticipation of a late fall start for Mad Men, since I want to do a Joan inspired look this year. Well their date kept getting pushed back, and back so I decided to amp up the auburn and go RED. I had been seeing more permanent options for red that didn't involve a bleach up so the experimenting began- I have found my process and am very happy with it. I will share a hair process with you soon. Never to hesitate to ask me a question, I am not a hairdresser but I have been doing my hair for nearly 20 years and really- when have you seen it look bad?
Photo evidence of the roux do:
As always Moulin Rouge inspired me to start taking creative baby steps ( of course my initial overblown waxed and pleated newsprint creation never came to be but hey, there's always next year) I couldn't find anything resembling a red and black stripe that I liked so I revisited the black and white poly satin stripe from JoAnn's
and went for my old friend idye- I love their stuff, the colors are unpredictable at best but with a little trial and error the proper red was mixed 7/8th crimson-1/8th black and the hideous pirate stripe was transformed in to 6 yards of stunning blood red and black satin.
As always, my inability to plan actual TIME to do anything sabotaged my desire to sew the piece I really wanted but ironable fusing saved the day and boy oh boy did I make a bustle.It was destroyed by the end of the night but it was good while it lasted.
I also made myself a custom set of clip in extensions- I bought them pre made on the clips and between the coupons and a decent sale price I got a nice set of the remy human hair clip ins - The dyeing process was intense to say the least. I think next time I will go with a darker blonde just to give the color a little more heft initially but after several layers of color ( Manic Panic's Pillarbox Red, then l'oreal hi-color hightlights with a no lift activator, then special effects Nuclear Red) I have them just right. I have to give my hair a color rinse at least a week before I wear them so we match but overall they are perfect.
The extensions thing has been a little challenging- I love wigs but I DO NOT like it looking like I have fake hair on my head. In fact, I HATE it. in my 20 + years of wearing wigs I have always worn 3/4 wigs so at least part of my real hair showed so feeling all the bumps and seams of the clips is a little off putting. It has taken me awhile to get the hang of them and getting them in well is a slow process that requires 2 mirrors. I find that they are much more real looking when I wear hats so I keep my sequin berets and satin ribbon close at hand, there are few hair crimes these two cannot cover.
As a maker of things I have continually botched my ability ro enjoy the process because i am ALWAYS doing things last minute. I am hoping i can change this this year. One of my many goals is to learn to create in a steady state and not in sheer panic. It has affected the quality to which I believe I can do my work and always made the process so exhausting I wear myself out and make it un fun for me.
My girl Marsina ( M.A.C. goddess and all around incredible lady) made one of my makeup dreams come true for Peep Show in November. I finally did the Lichtenstein girl make-up and did a whole performance piece around it-- the stage shots are lousy ( Red Cap, please invest in lights) but the backstage shots are good. - I had all my word bubbles for the opening piece and then I sang Julie London's Cry Me A River- I have been stretching my muscles as a performer and it is TERRIFYING- but I have such a good support team around me that I no longer feel foolish or like a failure.I really want to do a full length show in this style- the brain is working on it.
Here's Miss Pop:
The Wizard of Oz brought about the opportunity for me to plan and make one of my lifelong dreams come true. I had PROMISED myself that this year for the Sing Out! screening I would be Glinda The Good Witch. Now due to not having the MGM wardrobe department at my disposal and being oh, what is the technical term? Oh yes "broke as hell"- I had to make what I could find for 100.00 work. It was a real O'Hara ( by this I mean made from curtains and linens) of a dress and not authentic but I really liked it.
I will write a detailed account of the making of it ( in particular the hat and the shoes ) for a.) posterity's sake and b.) I will need something to write about the next time i am avoiding feelings.
for the time being - here are a few photos to please you:
So yes, I have been having some sort of fun, it's my job and it is work but damn if it isn't fun work and I am quite excited that 2012 hold a lot more of this kind of fun for me. It is kind of difficult to feel excitement knowing that my worst year with be happening concurrently with my best. It is hard to process all the progress and joy when I every day I am very aware of the heavy sorrow that is hanging around. It is awful to watch someone you love hurt and even more awful to know that they are going to be not only leaving you behind but SO many unfulfilled dreams and regrets. I wish I could stop the clocks or somehow strike a bargain with the powers that be to give up 5 of my years to him. Sadly, it's not that easy. I try to only cry once a day and keep myself optimistic - but the far reaching sorrow wins more often than not.
The rest of my life remains decent- my animals are loving, hilarious and good for me I have been making strides to take better care of my body and mind my diet and I have managed to only minorly involve myself with the men folk. My last 3 ventures out in the dating pool have managed to be so strange that it makes me question exactly how people do this couple thing- seriously, they look normal-ish and do the most jacked up creeper things. Oh to find a sexy, ambitious gent my age and do sexy and ambitious things together....A girl can dream can't she?
I am gearing up to start screening movies at The Hollywood Theater, more on this marvelous muse filled location soon and my next designs are Usherette Uniforms for The Oscars, a Havishamble gown for the February Peep Show and new number for God Save The Queen...fun stuff all around!
It has taken me a whole day to write this ( mind you this is after 20 days of swearing I was going to do this) I expect the next ones to not be so painful. I will keep you posted. If you want to keep track of me:
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Last but not least- New Years was a wonderful turning point for me for reasons I don't quite yet feel like explaining but I snapped a photo of myself that captured a moment of contentment that though rare, was deep.
I keep this close because I need a constant reminder that with some dedication the beauty and pleasure I felt at this moment can be sustained. Today it is Chinese New Year, maybe this 20 days of treading water has been me figuring out directions-- I feel like I got nothing done but when I look at my "to-do" list and see all the crossed off boxes I see that simply isn't true. That being said I have another press release and many emails to write so I will bid you adieu--
**I am filtering comments so if you have something nice to say DO , and if you don't it won't get published so don't waste both our time.
