Old Northwest Primitive Rendezvous

People are always telling me that my drawings tend to look like me. Well this time it was intentional. This is a quick attempt at a fashion painting for a riding habit I'm making for the Old Northwest Primitive Rendezvous this summer. The coat will of course be a last step creation since it isn't really a necessity for the costume. All that is required of me is to look somewhat accurate to the 1750-60s pioneer woman. I'm going a little over board on this costume, however, in my opinion it's better then undershooting it. For example last year (as a spectator) I noticed a young girl walking around in her chemise. Really! That's like her walking around in her panties this day and age. The rendezvous really would like everything to be as accurate as possible so why do they allow such things as indecent exposure (we are judging by their times not ours) and tractors didn't exist just yet so I really feel that they should have horse drawn wagons picking up trash and what nots. A horse and wagon would be no bigger then the tractor.

Rant finished!

So what we have here in order from first thing put on to last is:

Ø  Stockings - I have them white here, knitted of course ... just not by me! I've yet to knit socks. >.>

Ø  Breeches - I've fashioned after the Dutch, really taking after the 1780s but they looked very similar. They are done in a goldish/yellow linen or cotton. I'm not sure which.

Ø  Skirt - ankle length done in a red cotton. Granted dyes were not as fast as our dyes today and very expensive, so this skirt would more than likely have faded.

Ø  Weskit/waistcoat/bodice - I call it so many things because I'm not 100% sure which one fits the most. This will be done in the same fabric as the breeches (whichever I choose) and the same color. A nice lace up or rather down the front with a lining of some kind.

Ø  Habit a la française - styled after either the Italian or French 1735-50s or a military coat of similar time. Done in either a blue, heavy linen (which I'm leaning heavily towards) or wool. Gold trim and embroidery as well as some shiny buttons and red facings. Facing def. a lining or trimming sewn on the edge of a dress, coat, etc.

I'm modeling this costume after a Virginia military fashion of the time. The Virginia military had a blue uniform with red facings and small clothes and gold/yellow trim. Smallclothes def. breeches and weskit.

In order to insure my colors matched as I planned for the costume I decided to draw and paint it. It's not the most accurate paint job but then I'm not too proficient at painting. All in all I don't this it's terrible but perhaps a few fabric swatches will help things considerable. So my next stop will be to a fabric store to get those swatches. Once I'm finished making the skirt and weskit for myself and the costumes the rest of my great party will be needing then I'll order the pattern for the habit a la francaise and start on it. Worst case I'm hand stitching it while at the rendezvous. Talk about advertisement!

I still need to figure out shoes and sleeping arrangements. One of my coworkers might be coming with:  lucky me she's making her own costume, and since this is to be as accurate to the time as possible we will need a tent. Like waterproofed 1750's tent of white linen! >.> Crazy! Crazy expensive! Anything we bring must be disguised as historical. My glasses not withstanding. Did I say that right? I CAN ware my spectacles however I'm going to attempt to find some old frames and get my prescription put in them. Or just use contacts though this site doesn't have bathing facilities. Thus running water! My poor eyes! Lucky us my pa and uncle are getting a hotel room so we can all bathe and they have somewhere soft to sleep. I'd like a tricorn hat but we'll start with everything else first! :3

I'd really like to get my wood working boyfriend to begin making me a few wooden needles and hair sticks but that doesn't seem to be happening. *sigh* Not fair! I hope they don't say anything about aluminum knitting needles. Speaking of I'm also knitting a snood!

As for my painting:  it's sketched out then painted with watercolor. I took it into PS and did the background digitally.

Besides all that I've got another commission for a digivice which I'm going all out for. Carry along crochet body, with foam interior for stability and lack of pooching. Then going back with black embroidery floss to accent and crochet the face with a nice little lip for a screen (taken from an old cell phone) to be fit snugly inside and still see the screen shot of his favorite digimon. I also plan to embroider some of the symbols seen on the face of the digivice around the screen. Should come out nice.

OMG my business cards just came yesterday. They sent a sour punch twist candy with it! How cute! They were supposed to be here Tuesday, which I guess UPS did come but after 5:30 when I left for work already. *pout* Eek! They look so good! Now to get a medal tin to hold them in. Like one of those old cigarette tins gents would have in their pockets!

Le Chat Noir

I've finally started the black cat cross stitch! It's taken me months to start after asking copyright permission:  now let's see how long it takes to complete! I've started by selecting the colors I wish to use then determined how best to stitch it:  darks to lights. Then a quick sketch on the Adai fabric for general placement and begin. However, I don't have all the colors with me so I'm doing what I can with what little I have. I need to make a trip to a craft store and get some more floss.

Thanks goes to Croaky for allowing me to use his artwork for this piece.
On a side note I just finished my bottle cap earrings. They're so cute and light weight! I can't wait to make more. If I can ever find some Dr. Pepper bottle tops I'd be so very happy:  it is after all my favorite drink!

International Bike Show

I went to the International Bike Show in Cleveland over the weekend with Daniel and his father since none of my work friends could come. Everything about it was awesome:  the bikes, the people, and the shows.

The Convention center was huge:  the part containing the bike show, and the parts that were blocked off I bet would have doubled the size. They had this farris wheel in the center of the room all lit up and working. The top went out the ceiling; lucky for the riders and really the rest of us that they built a glass wall around the top to accommodate the breach. Otherwise the freezing wind and sleet would have been raining down on all below.

I'm guessing but at one point I bet they had a carousel. Before walking into the roped off bit separating food from entertainment was this wicked cool armored horse. So of course the horse lover that I am I had to photograph it!

They had this game; a plexi glass box with arm holes like you'd find in a science project only without the gloves, two tubes inside, and a fan that forced these little red and white ping pong balls into the air. The balls were mostly red. The purpose of the game was to reach your arm in through the holes with their little sleeves and grab 5 white balls from the air and put them into a little clear tube before the other person could do the same. It looked challenging and was but I still managed to win a hat very quickly. I vaguely heard the lady's commentary about quick reflexes and strategy or maybe it was study! Before I had worked up the nerve to play I watched some people go at it a few rounds then signed up. The prize was a Yamaha baseball cap and a chance to win an Ipad. Daniel won his round as well and once we walked on he said "I'm glad I didn't play against you!".

Due to the nature of conventions there was a lot of free stuff! I'm a little mad at myself for being nervous to jump right in and challenge myself with their games. I could have gotten myself a green Kawi beanie had I braved the challenge of designing a custom paint scheme for a bike. But no I chickened out and waited till just before we left. So all that was left was a white Kawi baseball cap. I've come to realize that I don't look the best in a baseball cap! I guess it's just another project I'll have to add to the things I wish to knit for myself! I will also add that the lady for this booth also complemented my skill and creativity for the paint job. She's "never seen anyone do the line like that" nor "this that type of precision before". You'd think with all the complements I'd be more confident. *shrug* I must be defective.

There was this brother team of dirt bikers who were stunting. Photographing them was a challenge as well since I had to hold my camera in the air over my head and attempt to aim at them and shoot. Thankfully uncle Ken taught me a few tricks for candid photography that he learned in the air force, they came in handy pointing my lens in the right direction without looking through the view finder. I might just get good at photography! So back to the stunt team. They climbed the blue contraption in the center, doing wheelies and stoppies at the top ( I guess they are actually called back and front wheelies according to these boys.) They had one or another boy laying on the ground and jumped their bikes over said person. The one even used a 1 wheeled bike to jump the guy laying down. I definitely like the parts where they hopped around on their back tires. Though most of my photos for this advent came out blurred I did manage to get a few good ones.

That's about it for the shows and games; that we watched anyways. Mostly we walked around, chatted with some people and ogled the bikes. Some of those customs were HOT! I can't choose a favorite and I can't describe all the different bikes that were there or this would turn into a novel (and considering my following would be pointless to write so much) so I'll attempt to detail the best!

Starting our running was this little green chopper hidden off in a crowd. Fully custom with a dragon head, scales down the back fender and front forks! She was a beauty! All chromed out:  an evil little dragon to be sure. I don't have any specs or detail really about this one since it was hidden away. Just a cool photo!

Another was dedicated to Jack Daniels.  Complete with air brushed portrait and wooden suicide shift topped by a Jack Daniels shot glass. A bar stool seat and a mini wooden barrel (I'm none to sure what that was for besides looks). Slick little bike though probably not street legal!

Then we had one that was definitely not street legal! Slapped to the ground, all steel and hard welding! Shinny to be sure with some questionable components ... like a wrench welded to the frame and a pair of vice grips looking to be holding the tire on. These two were on the other side of the bike then what you see here but trust me they were there! I'm guessing it runs since there was some fluid in the tubes but with such a low center of gravity:  as this poor artsy looking gent found out, hard to balance. I hate pointing out peoples embarrassing moments but the poor thing turned a becoming shade of red! I'll admit I blushed for him! Mainly because I was thinking about sitting on the bike. The sign did ask you to but the seat looked a little ruff.

This one I'm taking home! I can wish right! It's not a custom bike just a newer ninja zx-14r. I tried to get Daniel to text in to win this bike but he wouldn't do it. Probably because he doesn't want me on something so big. It'd really leave his CBR in the dust. ... and probably kill be while it's at it! The think apparently has balls and tries to buck off anyone foolish enough to try to take her out! That's not quite how it was phrased to me but I'm sure you get the picture! A whole lot of power for something so light. Not that it was all that light. I would hate to have to pick this one off the ground when some dumb ass tips it over like seems to happen to Saeorsie. I WANT to kill them when they do that to her ... I WOULD kill them if they did that to this one! Oh and don't be fooled by size. This bike was A LOT bigger than me!

I found a booth with some pretty cool patches. It was a very popular booth. Lots of trouble with personal boundaries! There were a few that I would have liked to have had, however, I ended up purchasing this purple phoenix with bat wings that said lady rider on it's center. The stitching though mainly purple does have some pink but I'll live ... even if some of the pink are rhinestones. >.>; I also purchased a few for Daniel, I let him pick them out with only a few suggestions from myself. Of course the one I thought was perfect for him wasn't part of this deal of 3 for $10 so he ended up not getting it. Perhaps I should find a way to make it for him instead. Oh, it was an eagle with it's wings spread wide and perched on a rectangle with "Ireland" spelled out. One of the eagles wings was colored like the American flag and the other the Irish flag. Very well done I thought! Perfect for my redheaded, Irish boy!

Wow! Okay so what else happened?! I met some models and photographers and may have gotten myself some jobs. The one model lives by me (small world) and is looking to build her portfolio so I passed along my info and can't wait to hear from her. I've been looking for people to model for me besides my sister for some time. If this girl contacts me I no longer have an excuse not to do it. (mostly it's my friends excuses!) Then this other booth was for calendars and the gent their asked "are you a photographer" and I said yes and he's like "we're planning a guys calendar ... [and] I'm not shooting it!" We all got a chuckle out of that. I got his card so I'll have to look into it. I'm not sure how Daniel will feel about me photographing half necked men though! We'll see! It does appear as though he's more than just photography so I could potentially work with him on a number of fields.

And on a final note:  apparently I'm hippy-ish! So says a model! I can dig it!

Sliogáin

My newborn hat is complete! Now I just need to type up the pattern for other people should they be interested in this little lovely!

I've got it posted on my facebook for peoples enjoyment. Of course I hope someone buys it but as long as they are enjoying it I don't care too much. Stacy will be using this prop as well as another one in grays for her photography session coming up. I can't wait to see how they turn out. I'm imagining cuteness but they might just look like poo on an actual baby. Cross your fingers for me!

Ducati Beanie

I finished knitting the beanie for my newest commission and I don't like it. It looks too big and the closure at the top just bugs with me. So with that in mind I think I might either unravel it or ... *tears* toss it. Oh the horror! That doesn't even take into account embroidering the logo and fleecing the inside. *sigh* I wonder if I shall ever finish it on time.

After discovering this problem yesterday I set it aside and starting crocheting another hat. This one for an infant. Turns out my sister loves it and will be using it in her photography. Since she's not paying for it she can't lend it out to her other photography friends. I feel like I'm being mean but a girls got to make a living some how. I can't wait to get some photos of it and get the pattern all sorted out so I can put it up for sale. It's very pretty!

Besides that I'm becoming very board without babysitting my niece and nephew. No little monsters to keep me active and in a shape I like to look at in the mirror. Plus car pooling with my boyfriend I tend not to have a car to even go to the gym. Am with this cold, wet, Ohio weather I am not walking 6 and 1/2 miles just to work out.

It seems that it's been quite some time since last I blogged. What with my Deviantart and Facebook accounts I just don't have that much time to log on here.

I guess I'll start off with my crafting. Thanks to the holidays I've been knitting a lot. I've gotten a few commissions and done some things for family. The first on my list was a smocked dress for my niece. It was a quick knit but I think it turned out nicely! She loves it and I of course had to take some photos of her in it. It's like a mandatory Aunt thing!

Now that I'm no longer babysitting this will be difficult to accomplish since I won't be seeing them as much.

Another project I completed recently was a knit hat for my dear Uncle Ken. He claims to love it! Which makes me very happy! This was my first time knitting in the round:  I think it came out quite well. I've got another hat commission for a fellow motorcyclist and can't wait to start on it. That hat wont be a Watch Cap like the one I made Uncle Ken but rather a beanie.


I knit a pair of fingerless gloves for but I forgot to photograph them. However because I liked them so much I plan to knit another pair for myself and so shall photograph those when they are done. The only problem with that is that it might take some time before I can get to starting them.

I've also knit a few props for Barebaby Photography. A lace wrap and a matching cap! The yarn was a bitch to knit with and my stitches kept falling off my needles but I do like how they came out. They are so soft!

I can't wait to knit more for Stacy from Bare baby! I'll try to keep posting here but if I fail please check me out on my Deviant and Facebook pages!

Also I have done a few things with apples! Aren't they just the cutest! I crocheted these mostly for the craft fair that I went to. People liked them and I managed to sell a few things:  mostly jewelry!

My father found a filly for me recently however when he went to visit a friend who had purchased one of this persons other foals the poor thing was majorly shy and spookie. Plus when this man attempted to contact the seller he was unable to. That just doesn't sound like a good start for the little guys and since I'm not all that experienced in raising a foal I figure I'll pass. I hope they do find good homes I just think I wouldn't be one of them! Granted I could be wrong and might just turn out to be an excellent home for half wild foals! :3

In the mean time I shall just keep searching for a small farm, a better job, and keep my old man (Trouper) in good shape so that when I get said farm he can come with me. Since I'm sure it'll be years before I can get it and he's already 26! Old for a horse I hear ... just don't let him know that! ;3 Trouper definitely had gotten ornerier in his advanced years. I went out one night to visit him and after a  little while he started to bite at me. Then attempted to herd me when I told him I was fed up with his violent behavior and started to walk towards the gate. I swear I think he would get away with murder! That's one reason he's coming with me when I finally get my own place. The other, more obvious reason is that he's my big brother and has been with me since we were both 6yrs old. What can I say ... only an other brother is able to get away with this behavior he's exhibiting!

Rhythm beads: my newest creation! I actually created the rope one a while ago just haven't had the time to go home and make poor Trouper model for me for something so small. I wasn't that cruel. Of course I tacked him up yesterday in the 80 degree heat and made him pose so maybe I am cruel!

He loved the attention and access to the yards grass which is always greener from his side of the pasture I'm sure! However by the end the flies and nats were making a very grumpy horse out of him (he tried to kick me ... can you believe that! O.o) so I sprayed him down most thoroughly with spray and let him back in the paddock to run around.
So back to the beginning: This morning after I finished some collages and a postcard design for a church I got board and made some more with my mass collection of beads. I was determined that Trouper (being a gelding and thus male) wouldn't be forced to wear the pink beaded bells. Then Daniel's like don't you say a real man can wear pink and I'm like oui! So Troupers wearing pink ... shh he actually looks good in it! I also have a yellow saddle dangle which stands out very nicely however it doesn't match any of Troupers tack ... 'sept maybe the saddle. After making the yellow one I realized that I don't have enough beads to make a second one or even a mane dangle so I decided I needed to go shopping!

And that I did! After Daniel woke up we went shopping. I traded in some games, went to a few craft stores around here (I'm going to try some local artists next time) got lunch, and went home to visit, pamper, and torture Trouper. I'm so mean! T.T I got some more bells though I'd like to find some fancier ones, and some cool new beads and alligator clips.
On to other crafts! I drew a logo for a friend/co-worker of my sisters. She's a local photographer around these parts. Her business name is Buckeyekiddies and I'm sure you can guess by now that I drew a buckeye for her. She didn't want it colored or very detailed so it was quite easy yet fun never the less. I love an excuse to draw thus I took on the challenge of pen and inking a historical church in my uncles home town. Once it's approved and printed I'll post what it looks like.