| Thursday night |
[May. 25th, 2012|08:13 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  mellow | ] |
I was on my feet yesterday too much, with the picnic in the afternoon. So I went home and crashed until about 7:30. We had leftovers for dinner. Finally at about 8:00 I started getting some work done.
( ID Progress )
This weekend, I will be focusing on making Queen Morgause's surcoat and finishing up Alex's black doublet. I also want to make Alex's Venetian briefs. We have three days off, and except for having Michelle's friends over for a cookout and rehearsals, we're free. We're staying at home for the holiday weekend. |
|
|
| Wednesday night |
[May. 24th, 2012|07:59 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | optimistic | ] |
Last night I picked up the shower head clip, and a cutting kit for the Dremel. I also got a pair of finely tipped clippers and pliers so I can cut off the ring of plastic from the stamp once it's trimmed. Then I got the humus and pitas for the picnic today.
It was play night so I started on dinner as soon as I got back from the stores. I actually got a good night's sleep, because as soon as I got sleepy, I went to bed. I was in bed by about 11:15.
( ID Progress )
Tonight, if I have any time after the ID work, I'll lay and cut out the sideless surcoat. I should have some time, since I won't have to run any errands before I get home, and Michelle usually doesn't get picked up on Thursday nights--she spends that evening with her friends and gets dropped off by them later.
This was the first morning that I was able to get up and walk to the dining room and take my Ibuprofen without the use of the cane. And I actually walked the dog this morning without the cane. I took it slow, and I brought the cane into work with me so I can baby that knee, but I think it's really healing. I think after another day or two I will be able to discontinue the Ibuprofen. |
|
|
| Tuesday night |
[May. 23rd, 2012|08:14 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  accomplished | ] |
Last night I picked up most of the junk in the dining room/kitchen area, and did the first load of dishes. Then Mike did another load, and he'll do a third load today. Tonight, I finish the job by washing the big pots. Yes, it was a big mess. My knee is finally feeling better. I think I'm back to about 70% function now, but I'm still babying it. Walking with a cane and taking frequent sit down breaks.
Tonight, I need to stop by some stores right after work. I need to get a special wide cut off wheel for the Dremel to fix the stamp assembly, and I need to get a new clip for our shower massage head. They tend to break after a year or two because they're made of plastic. Then I need to pick up some humus and pita because I told the picnic committee that I would donate this to the T.S. picnic that we're having tomorrow afternoon.
( ID Progress )
I didn't get to do any work on the Queen Morgause surcoat last night, but Oliver has done his part. While I was working on the ID, he jumped up on the wool that I purchased for the surcoat, and rubbed himself all over it; covering it with his loose hair. You know that the average costumer says--no outfit is complete without cat hair, and all of my cats LOVE comfy fabric. So he HAD to put his seal of approval onto it. Good thing that the actor playing King Lot isn't allergic to cats. |
|
|
| Plans for the evening.... |
[May. 22nd, 2012|10:45 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | artistic | ] |
Tonight I want to cut out the sideless surcoat for my Queen Morgause character and start sewing it together. I'm hoping that I can have Mike work on fixing the stamp assembly. I also want to pick up the dining room/kitchen area, since it's a mess. This weekend no cleanup or dishes were done because I was unable to either do it, or remind Mike to do it.
( ID plans )
This week I also want to work on assembling the black doublet. Alex will need it for the beginning of June when we go to the New Jersey Renaissance Faire. And I still have to cut out and make his Venetian briefs. The fact that I'm using Velcro for the doublet closures and the fly closure of the briefs will make the process go quicker. |
|
|
| Crappy weekend! |
[May. 22nd, 2012|09:04 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  distressed | ] |
On Saturday we went to the Steampunk World's Fair. First of all, my knee was bothering me because of the bad weather we've had all week. Then I stressed it by loading Alex's scooter onto the car. Then it was further stressed because I had to walk over to the Embassy Suites hotel to sign in for the fair. No one told us that, and it further aggravated the knee.
We left the fair at about 6 PM and were going to go home and have dinner (from the crockpot) and go back again to Embassy Suites to catch the White Elephant Burlesque 9 PM show. Well, I stupidly did not allow the guys who were assisting us in loading the scooter to lift up the heavy base and put it into the car. I insisted on taking the other side of the base. As I lifted up the scooter, I heard a SNAP and my right knee almost collapsed totally. I managed to put the scooter in without dropping it, but then had to hang onto the car until Kit could give me my cane. I couldn't put any weight on that leg.
Mike drove home, and I took a Percocet and went to bed for about 90 minutes. Then Kit and he assisted in getting dinner put on the table. Mike and Kit went back to the Embassy Suites so that they could see the vendors, and Mike took Kit to the vendor where he had purchased a flight helmet and goggles. Alex and I stayed home. I got Michelle and Drew to assist in taking them home, and unloading the scooter. I spent the next two days in bed. Sunday I slept all day, and I also slept extra on Monday. According to the doctor I didn't tear a cartilage like I feared, but the sore knee had put the tendon in a slightly different position than usual, and when I put the unusual stress on it, it SNAPPED past the knee joint. So no lasting damage--just a sore knee for a while, and I'll have to be tested to see if I'm developing arthritis which would have caused the swelling.
No progress on the Iron Dress this weekend. I did finish drafting the pattern for Queen Morgause's dress on Friday night. And I glued the stamp inside the bottleopener. But I have to modify the stamp assembly, since I put the epoxy level too high, and it won't stamp. I'm hoping that Mike can use some of his modeling Fu to fix it. I think if we trim off 1/4" from the top of the stamp shell it will work. If it doesn't, I'll have to order another set and start from scratch, which would be a bummer.
So, not a good weekend. I've been taking Ibuprofen and putting Voltaren cream on the knee, and I'm constantly gently stretching and bending it to keep increasing the range of movement of the joint. I don't want to let it get stiff, since that will make the problem worse, and keep it from healing. Today I'm down to using a cane, so that's an improvement. |
|
|
| Thursday night |
[May. 18th, 2012|08:04 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | accomplished | ] |
I got a lot accomplished last night. I made all of the wench favors. As I hoped, I did have 12 amber hearts to use, so I used some steel wool to rough up the back of the heart, and then glued them onto pin backs. I found the metal epoxy in the mail yesterday, so this weekend I'll be filling up the bottom of the bottle opener seal with it and installing the stamp inside. I couldn't find the brass chains that I had from the bag of brass bells that I inherited from my father. I had taken all of the bells off the chains. I thought I had the chains in the jewelry drawer, but I must have put them somewhere else. If I can't find them by the end of the holiday weekend, I'll have to buy some at a craft store
( ID Progress )
After I work on the ID tonight, I will be basting the cream doublet together for a final fitting on Alex on Saturday. I want to measure it and see if I need to add a strip for ease on the sides. |
|
|
| Wednesday night |
[May. 17th, 2012|08:23 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | satisfied | ] |
Last night I was in so much pain from my knee and hip that I went home and went to bed with some more pain pills. After lying still for about 90 minutes with the Ibuprofen working I felt a little better. Mike went out and bought us some dinner at Wendy's. Not a very healthy choice, but at least I didn't have to stand up to cook. Tonight I'll make something healthier. My knee and hip feel MUCH better today, since the low pressure system has finally left. It's amazing the effect caused by less than an inch of barometric pressure.
Last night was play night for Melissa's ferrets, and I kept an eye on them while Melissa, Michelle and Mike went out to pick up dinner. After we ate, Melissa and Michelle played Rock Band, and then we gathered the weasels. Melissa and I watched the movie Serenity, so that she could look for fight moves. After that she left, and I watched another movie before I went to bed.
( ID Progress )
Last night Michelle brought up the wool from the dryer for me. It washed up beautifully, and has a great body and rich look to it. It will make a wonderful sideless surcoat for Queen Morgause. Tonight I want to draft the pattern for the surcoat, and cut out the fabric before Sunday's rehearsal. |
|
|
| Tuesday night |
[May. 16th, 2012|08:57 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  sore | ] |
I went grocery shopping, but my right knee and hip were hurting so much that I took one of those motorized carts so that I could ride around the store. I got home and made a quick dinner and was able to put away the frozen food and the stuff that needed to go into the fridge. The rest just stayed in the bags on the floor. I wasn't the only one under the weather--Michelle got a migraine during the shopping trip, and Mike was having breathing issues. There was a thunderstorm after dinner that I heard going on outside. I sat in the bedroom and watched television--I was in too much pain to get up and do anything at all on my projects. And then I went to bed very early for me. Today I feel a little better, so hopefully I'll be able to do some stuff tonight.
Mike got a call from the doctor yesterday; it turns out that he WILL be getting the new drug for his pulmonary hypertension after all. So a nurse will be coming sometime in the next few days, and he will be getting started on that. He's on the waiting list for the squeeze machine, so that will come in the next few months.
Tonight I'm hoping that Michelle can do the fine tuning of the overskirt and underskirt hems, and then I can start on sewing them. I also want to finish drafting the sideless surcoat so I can start cutting that out. I'm hoping to finish that before the weekend. |
|
|
| Monday night |
[May. 15th, 2012|08:23 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | artistic | ] |
Last night I went home and found that the wool that I had ordered for the surcoat and the copper leafing pen had both arrived. I zigzagged the ends of the wool and threw it into the washer on hot and into a hot dryer so that it would be preshrunk. It is a very nice light weight fabric but with a good amount of body to it. It should make up beautifully into the surcoat, and at the same time, not be too hot. I also put the first coat of copper paint onto the plastic stamp, and touched up some of the bottle opener parts where the pot metal was showing. It looks very nice. I'll give the stamp and "seal" another coat once I've used the epoxy to put them together. I'm still waiting for that to arrive, but it should be here in the next day or two. I just found out that I won't have chess rehearsal this weekend--it's for fighters only--so that gives me an extra few hours to work on my sideless. I'm hoping to have that completed by the end of next week. If necessary, I'll finish it up during Memorial Day weekend, but I should have no problem finishing it by then.
( ID progress )
Tonight I need to do the grocery shopping, as we're out of everything in the house. So I'll make a quick dinner after I get home while I'm putting the groceries away. |
|
|
| Graduation! And other news |
[May. 14th, 2012|10:02 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | busy | ] |
This weekend Michelle graduated from Rutgers. She already had her diploma, since she had finished in January, but we wanted her to go through the ceremony. We went to the convocations for Psychology, and Sociology. We did not go to the big graduation in the Rutgers stadium, and we were glad, since it was 90+ degrees on the field, and she would have melted in her polyester robe. And we would have melted in the stands in the sun. After the psychology convocation, we took her to IHOP for brunch, and after the Sociology one we took her to Makoli's for sushi.
( ID Progress )
This morning I sent off an email to Denver Fabrics asking them about the status of my wool order. I need to get the fabric soon, as I need to finish the sideless surcoat before the middle of June. If they can't get the wool to me soon, I'll take a trip into New York, and get it in the garment district. Hopefully I'll hear in the next day or two, or they'll get another not so polite email from me. I'm still waiting for the metal epoxy and copper leaf pen for working on the stamp, but they should be arriving in the next few days. |
|
|
| Thursday night |
[May. 11th, 2012|08:21 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  contemplative | ] |
Last night I worked on drafting the sideless surcoat pattern. I've got all of the measurements put down, so I just need to do the actual drafting to finish up the pattern. And I realized that I need to spend some time with the Dremel on the seal, as it has several rough spots that could catch on the fabric of the surcoat.
Yesterday I ordered metal epoxy to attach the stamp to the seal, and a copper leafing pen to touch up the parts of the seal that need repainting. Once the epoxy and pen arrive, I can probably finish up the seal in a day or two. And the surcoat should only take a day or two once I get the fabric, so the outfit and props for fair are really coming along.
( ID progress )
Yesterday I got my replacement copy of the Firefly show, so I was watching that as I sewed. |
|
|
| Tuesday/Wednesday |
[May. 10th, 2012|08:34 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | accomplished | ] |
Yesterday I got laid low with a gout attack. But on Tuesday night and later on Wednesday I did get some stuff done.
I got the bottle opener in the mail yesterday. I figured out what I need to do in order to attach the stamp. Basically, I have to turn the bottle opener into a "handle" for the stamp, so that when I press down, the stamp engages. This will require some metal epoxy to fill in the cavity. First, I pulled out the bottle opener piece at the bottom--luckily, it was just inserted in, and wasn't welded into place. Then I measured depth of the opening. I'll have to fill it up about 2.5" from the bottom, and figure out a way to suspend the top part of the stamp into the epoxy so that it cures with the stamp bottom 1/8" from the bottom of the bottle opener opening. I'll probably clamp the bottle opener into my vise, and then make a spacer of wood or cardboard to keep the gap the proper size. Then once the epoxy cures, it will be set up to work like the handle of the stamp worked. In the meantime, I'll go online and see if I can find some bronze or copper colored paint to paint the plastic part. If I can't find it, I'll have to cover the gray plastic with some shiny duct tape. I also need to touch up the paint on the seal, as it needed to be modified. The double eagle had a crown on each eagle head, and was then topped with another crown and ribbon flourishes. The crowns had to go because King Lot is not the high king, and also, with the crowns it was clearly a Russian royal coat of arms. So out came the Dremel tool, and I did some surgery on the seal. But the inside is pot metal that is white, so that will have to be touched up. I also had to use the Dremel to remove the words that told what it started as. And here's the funny part; because it was made in Russia, they spelled it "Boottle Opener."
I also turned the deconstructed mink stole that I had into fur trim for the sideless surcoat. I marked and cut it into 1.5" strips. So when I start work on the sideless surcoat, it will be ready to go.
( ID progress )
This weekend I want to draft the sideless surcoat, and do some more work on Alex's doublets. We have wench rehearsal on Friday night, but we're excused from chess and opening/closing rehearsal because of Michelle's graduation activities. |
|
|
| Monday report |
[May. 8th, 2012|09:05 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  sleepy | ] |
Got a lot done last night. I finished the covering for the portable stool. Last night I sewed the gold/green trim down on the edges, and sewed the tassels on the corners. So now that prop is completed. I also got the stamp that I ordered for Queen Morgause. It is awesome! It makes a really nice double headed eagle impression in green ink. Now I only need to get the bottle opener so I can modify it and insert the stamp into the bottom of the opener, so it looks like a seal. That is coming from China, so it might be a while before it comes. In the meantime, I will be painting the bottom of the stamp and the cap with some spray paint that I have so it looks like it's gold, and not plastic, and assembling the chain that I will wear it on. I have several brass chains from previous necklaces that I can use once I locate them. Yesterday I ordered the light weight wool in forest green and black. Tonight I want to start on drafting the pattern, so I will have it ready when the fabric arrives. And I want to cut the mink stole into 1.5" wide strips and sew the ends of the strips together so I'll have the fur trim for the neckline and armholes when I'm ready.
( ID progress )
So between drafting the pattern for the sideless surcoat, and working on the next phase of the Iron Dress, I'll be busy tonight. |
|
|
| Weekend update |
[May. 7th, 2012|09:49 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | tired | ] |
Friday night we went to wench rehearsal, and Albee came in for the night, although I was in bed before he got there. Saturday morning I took Will to practice, Albee to the train station, and picked up A & K. Then I ran Kit around for some errands, and we had dinner and lessons. Then I drove them home.
Sunday was rehearsal. Michelle has been tapped to be in the processional for opening and closing. We will be lending a LOT of our garb to the fair this year. Will will be wearing my red and black T-tunic to play the White Queen in the chess tournament. John Kennedy will borrow one of Mike's vests for the comedy show, and Ron Holley will be wearing Davide's old black tunic with the flame jacquard covered up with some different trim. We were able to find a black/gold/silver trim that looks sort of Middle Eastern, and considering he is supposed to be a Saracen prince, that will be perfect. The sideless surcoat has been approved and the fabric was ordered online for it this morning. I found some nice tropical weight 100% wool fabric in the right colors. It will be relatively light fabric, and since it's all natural fiber it should breathe nicely. This week I hope to make up the pattern for the sideless before the fabric arrives so it's ready to be made by the time I get the wool. I also want to finish up Alex's doublets by the end of the month, so he can wear them to the New Jersey fairs when we go.
I picked up some oak printed contact paper, and I've covered the legs of my collapsible stool, so it looks like wood from a distance. I found some nice green and cream tapestry material and some gold/green trim, and I'm covering the seat so the stool looks much more period. It will get two tassels (green and cream) on each of the three corners. I prepared the mink stole to be turned into strips for the trim by removing the bias tape from the edges.
Sandy came over and "shopped" my stash, and as I suspected, she really liked the blue/green damask that I had purchased at a bargain price at the Fabric Warehouse. So I passed it on to her, with some trim that she can use with it. She'll bring back the stuff that she decides not to use. I also passed on to her some tapestry that I had purchased from eBay. It is an eggplant colored fabric with a lady and a unicorn or lion on it. Very pretty pattern, but since the rest of the fabric had LOTS of brown and coffee colored accents, it really wasn't a good color palette for me. She will possibly be using it as a fabric front screen for the puppet show.
( ID Progress )
All in all, a busy and productive weekend. |
|
|
| Thursday night |
[May. 4th, 2012|08:52 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | drained | ] |
Last night I drew a plan for the particolored sideless surcoat that I can wear as Queen Margause. I'll see if Jim will approve it this weekend. Then all I have to do is decide--linen or wool? I'm leaning towards wool because it will go better with the mink trim, and it will breathe. But linen or cotton flannel would also do. I'll have to look and see what I can find locally, or I might make a quick trip to the garment district. First, I want to see John Brown's garb, since I have to coordinate with him. The green doesn't have to match exactly, but it needs to be close.
( ID progress )
I want to refit Alex's doublets to him this Saturday to see if I need to adjust them. I'm guessing we can get away with them as they are, but I want to be sure. It's been a long week--I'm looking forward to the weekend.
|
|
|
| Wednesday report |
[May. 3rd, 2012|08:23 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  enthralled | ] |
Last night was play night. In order to do a little research for my role, I watched Mists of Avalon. Melissa came over and wanted to watch it also, so I ended up seeing it about 1.5 times. That's okay, since it is an enjoyable movie. And I kept kibitzing all through the movie. (When Arthur asks Morgan La Fey to "Take me home Sister; take me to Avalon." I said "What do you mean take me home? Arthur's NEVER BEEN to Avalon!") And I made some other not so PG comments that we both laughed at (For example during the "great marriage" scene, I said "Arthur----you've GROWN!").
( ID progress )
I should be getting the special stamp that I ordered for Queen Morgause in the next few days. It would be awesome if I could get it before this weekend. In a way, it's a good thing that we dropped out of NJRF--if we hadn't, I would not have been available to step in when the original actor playing Queen Morgause had to leave the role. And I remembered that I have some nice tapestry fabric with a white background and green motifs that I can use for covering the chair. All I need next is some tassels or fringe to further decorate it, and some contact paper to make the metal legs look like wood. I've got a preliminary plan for costuming for the role. I'll be bringing the drawing to rehearsal this weekend and seeing if I can get Jim's approval. |
|
|
| Tuesday night |
[May. 2nd, 2012|08:08 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | sleepy | ] |
Mike is again having trouble sleeping lying down in bed. We're trying to figure out an effective way for him to sit up in bed. The foam wedge doesn't work, as he just slides down it and ends up lying flat. A big pile of pillows also doesn't work. I think the next thing we'll try is one of those "reading pillows" that looks like the back of a chair with arms. He keeps falling asleep in the office chair and Michelle and I keep having to push him back to keep him from pitching forward. If he puts his feet up on the footstool, it keeps him sitting back in the chair, so I'm encouraging that. If that doesn't work, I'm going to try to attach a strap to the back of the chair with a Velcro closure, so he can strap himself in and avoid pitching forward.
Last night we went to Effinger's and bought our fishing licenses. I also picked up something I'm going to need for the fair. As Queen Morgause, I'm on the chess board for quite some time. It's not appropriate for me to kneel down or sit on the ground, and at any rate, it's hard for me to get up and down as necessary, since frequently we have to clear the board so fighters can run their fights. But, in order for the audience to be able to see everything that is going on, I need to keep a low profile. I had a three legged collapsible stool at home, but it's rated for someone slightly lighter than me, and it's very low. When we were at the store, I found a sturdier, slightly higher collapsible stool. So all I have to do is cover it with some fabric that looks more period, and put some wood grain printed contact paper on the legs, and I'll have a stool that I can use easily and carry around unobtrusively.
( ID progress )
|
|
|
| Monday report |
[May. 1st, 2012|08:43 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | sleepy | ] |
Last night I picked up a few things I needed from the store for dinner. After dinner, I did a little sewing, and watched RuPaul's Drag Race. I was rooting for the winner, so I'm glad that she won.
( ID update )
That is all.
|
|
|
| Weekend report |
[Apr. 30th, 2012|08:41 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | enthralled | ] |
Friday night I crashed. I took Michelle out to pick up stuff for dinner, and said "Ya know, I'm so tired that I'd love to skip rehearsal tonight." She obviously felt the same, since she said "I can back that!" So we called Will and told him that if he was highly motivated to go to rehearsal, he'd have to get another ride. He also was okay with skipping a week. So we had dinner, and then I picked Will up and dropped Michelle and him off at Andrew and Craig's apartment. I got back home at about 8:00 PM, stretched across the bed to watch TV with Mike, and the next thing I knew, it was 11:00 PM. I got up and fed the cats, someone else took Chip outside, and I went back to bed until 9:00 AM when I had to get up to drive Will to reveler practice.
Alex hurt his back and so A & K couldn't come to give class. So instead of class, we just did Beltane. And the rain held off, so we could have a Beltane fire in the firepit. While I was talking to Kit, I got approval of using Velcro for the front closing of the doublets and Venetian briefs.
On Sunday, we went to rehearsal for chess, and I got a surprise. I was asked to play Queen Morgause in chess (and also in opening and closing). Woo hoo! I've wanted to play minor nobility for YEARS! God knows I've got the clothes for it! I've got several T-tunics that will be just fine for the role. (Since we are roughtly based on the Arthurian legend, the royalty tends to dress medieval.) I might just be making something for the role, since King Lot has his colors based on black and green, and my stuff tends to be in black and red. We'll see if what I have will coordinate well enough; I do have a royal blue trimmed in gold and pearls that might go okay. And I'll have to bring in my crowns and see which one is best for the role. Squee! Holy Crap! I'm royalty! Tee hee! I'm doing so well on my Iron Dress, that I probably would have enough time to make something, provided it was relatively simple--which medieval tends to be.
Michelle would have to help me dress, as I have to be in wench wear for the Wenches and Rogues show, but that's okay. She also has at least one costume change, as she is in the comedy show and dresses as a lady in that show. She's wearing her black and gold (sort of cotehardie) gown--we'll have to figure out a quick way for lacing it up, as normally it takes a long time to do it.
( ID progress )
I turns out that Mike can't get the new drug--his heart isn't pumping at enough volume for it to work. (The drug needs 50% of normal, and he's down to 25% of normal.) So he'll be put on one of two other drugs, one of which might entail the insertion of a pump. He said "Go for it--whatever it takes." So we're waiting to hear from the doctor what will happen.
|
|
|
| Thursday night |
[Apr. 27th, 2012|07:59 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | sleepy | ] |
Mike passed out again, or maybe he fell asleep in the chair because he hasn't been sleeping well. I found out last night that as well as not having the Coreg, he bought some pretzels on Wednesday. NOT GOOD. However, last night he did sleep all night in bed and was sleeping when I left this morning. And I threw the last of the pretzels out. Today I'll call him just before lunch to see if he wants the car at noon. Hopefully the doctor will have called in his medicine by today. He did get a package from the pharmaceutical company about the new drug--hopefully this means that he'll be getting it soon. Last night I made some homemade turkey soup. Really came out yummy and it was healthy.
( ID update )
Tonight is wench rehearsal, tomorrow is class and probably Beltane ritual. Then on Sunday I have chess rehearsal along with Michelle, and she then has comedy rehearsal. More on Monday; hopefully I'll have some pictures of my progress then. |
|
|
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=92.1){kind=small}
fitchwitch's journal