![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Sorry I've been such a lurker and have contributed nothing whatsoever lately. I'm having what's known as a good, old-fashioned, pre-travel panic attack. Picking up my ball gown today, and that's the last piece of the costume. Found the mask I bought, jeez, must've been nine months ago - it will look pretty dark good with my gown, I think.
I haven't flown in over five years, and that was an international flight. Now, I have to fret over the size of my luggage, which sits right at the limit Delta is willing to call normal. I don't even know what it's going to weigh; I've taken Droxy's advice and put my gorgeous cloak as carry-on; it's really heavy. The rest is, well, heavy enough. It galls me that you have to pay to check your bags; I think that's obscene.
Talk is still not quite there. The script is in decent shape; PP Presentation is all over the place. I need to get this packing thing sorted out this week; I can't seem to concentrate on my talk otherwise. For someone who started getting her act together almost a year ago, I'm woefully unprepared.
The MISTI schedule is amazing - so many different talks and events I want to attend, not to mention the crafts and goodies. And the sheer amount of people I'll finally get to meet - I have literally dreamed of those moments for months. That is going to be the true magic; seeing all these people in person. Hugging ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif){kind=small}
sempraseverus, who started me on the fanfiction road; shaking kellychambliss' hand, a writer I so admire. And, of course, squeeing with my awesome roomies, droxy, who brought me to LJ, and irishredlass, the best friend I've never met, sabrebabe, the Talented, and silverdoe, the Gorgeous. logospilgrim, who has shown me so many ways to believe in magic, and alabastard and Draco, who are the living embodiments of the point of my talk - Muses and soulmates. Not to mention countless others who have welcomed, inspired and befriended me. If I've left anyone out, please know it's because of lack of caffeine, not lack of regard. Just knowing I'll be meeting you is so thrilling to me.
And there is that part of me that's still in second grade, hoping that all the cool kids will like me.
I'm sorry that several folks' plans, and a couple in particular, got scuppered and they won't be attending. You will be missed, and I'm sad you won't get to come.
Work certainly hasn't helped. Every damn day we're dragging ourselves in after 6pm, so tired all I want to do is do my paperwork, eat and crawl into bed. Not exactly conducive to Con prep. I feel cheated. Sure, the money's needed, and I am grateful to have a job, but jeez, this is supposed to be a part time job - I'm logging in almost 45 hours this week.
I'll stop bitching - many would love to have my job, and I wouldn't want to go back to a regimented schedule ever again. I'm just feeling sorry for myself that my play time is being usurped. All in all, compared to many, it's not exactly something worthy of even mentioning.
So, this weekend: find a suitcase that isn't going to get me in trouble with Delta, get this talk done and dusted, and hang in there one more work week. After that, someone is taking over two stores, which will mean a considerable lightening of the load. Just in time to head out for con.
Hugs and kisses to all who need 'em. I've been creeping around the shadows, watching what you're all up to, and it looks fun. I hope to be back into the swing of things after Con - I will return exhausted, happy and broke - but recharged, and ready to get things done.
Good Things Happen - Thank Goodness
Apr. 9th, 2013 06:44 pmI was talking with irishredlass the other day about Con stuff, as I'm getting excited and terrified in equal measures about it, and she asked if I was planning on being in costume most of the time. When I said, "Well, I only have my Ministry Official Steampunk Librarian getup," she said thoughtfully, "you could go as Madame Rosemerta." Which is good, but it would have to be like, insta-costume. I don't have the time to devote to it as I did S.Librarian.
Then, today while at Wal-mart of all places, I see this dress, in my size, and something says, "Rosemerta's top". I have an old, rather scruffy skirt I can use, and a witch's hat that will work, so I think I might be able to put together a possible "Rosemerta". We shall see!
I also saw this today at Wally World:
It's an official Harry Potter Merchandise product and everything. A steal at $7.50. Unfortunately, it's just for young, slim girls. I don't even think my arm would fit in it.
Chapter 18 of Her Minder is done and in the vault and Omega'd and pronounced good, so I'm pleased as pumpkin juice.
And the talk for con is moving on. I've got some great illustrations, and I'm starting to put together my PP Presentation. I'm hoping that speakers will be available; I really want to play some musical things during, but I don't know if that will be possible.
irishredlass the other day about Con stuff, as I'm getting excited and terrified in equal measures about it, and she asked if I was planning on being in costume most of the time. When I said, "Well, I only have my Ministry Official Steampunk Librarian getup," she said thoughtfully, "you could go as Madame Rosemerta." Which is good, but it would have to be like, insta-costume. I don't have the time to devote to it as I did S.Librarian.Then, today while at Wal-mart of all places, I see this dress, in my size, and something says, "Rosemerta's top". I have an old, rather scruffy skirt I can use, and a witch's hat that will work, so I think I might be able to put together a possible "Rosemerta". We shall see!
I also saw this today at Wally World:
It's an official Harry Potter Merchandise product and everything. A steal at $7.50. Unfortunately, it's just for young, slim girls. I don't even think my arm would fit in it.
Chapter 18 of Her Minder is done and in the vault and Omega'd and pronounced good, so I'm pleased as pumpkin juice.
And the talk for con is moving on. I've got some great illustrations, and I'm starting to put together my PP Presentation. I'm hoping that speakers will be available; I really want to play some musical things during, but I don't know if that will be possible.
...as if I didn't need reminding, I found the perfect dress in my favourite online clothing store. They didn't have it in their eBay store, where I usually go, but in their own website. Tell me this won't be perfect with my gorgeous new Cloak what droxy made.( Pickies... )
I have to send the other dress back (the light green one I told you about), but it will be worth it to wear this lovely silvery dress with my cloak to the ball. I have never really felt beautiful all that many times in my life, but I think this will be one of them.
droxy made.( Pickies... )I have to send the other dress back (the light green one I told you about), but it will be worth it to wear this lovely silvery dress with my cloak to the ball. I have never really felt beautiful all that many times in my life, but I think this will be one of them.
SQUEEEEING On Line For a Reason
Apr. 6th, 2013 12:45 pmThe good great news is that droxy's cloak arrived yesterday and it is so beautiful my heart nearly stopped. Perfect fit, perfect colour, perfect, perfect, perfect. The matching gloves look awesome! She even threw in a huge bag of corks. Now that's friendship.
Thank you, Droxy, for making me feel so special. I put it on, and it draped so beautifully around my shoulders, enclosing me in it's velvety folds like an empress. I felt so pretty in it. I had hoped to find a silvery gown to go with it, but nothing quite worked for me in my size. I did, however, find a silvery green dress that I hope will look nice enough on me.
I will post pics when I have everything done. Now would not do justice to this stunning cloak, which I will treasure for the rest of my life as one of the finest garments I have ever had the privilege to possess. I will feel beautiful in it.
I hope to find some nice shoes to go with. I have every other colour of shoe in the world - except green. It will be a challenge, but I love to match shoes to clothes. My navy blue ball gown has matching blue velvet DM's, which are the most comfortable shoes I own!
Con talk is brewing in my head, but it's not there yet. It needs to prove a little more before it goes in the oven. I'm hoping to seriously tackle that next week if I have a single damn day that's not sunup to sundown of work.
droxy's cloak arrived yesterday and it is so beautiful my heart nearly stopped. Perfect fit, perfect colour, perfect, perfect, perfect. The matching gloves look awesome! She even threw in a huge bag of corks. Now that's friendship.Thank you, Droxy, for making me feel so special. I put it on, and it draped so beautifully around my shoulders, enclosing me in it's velvety folds like an empress. I felt so pretty in it. I had hoped to find a silvery gown to go with it, but nothing quite worked for me in my size. I did, however, find a silvery green dress that I hope will look nice enough on me.
I will post pics when I have everything done. Now would not do justice to this stunning cloak, which I will treasure for the rest of my life as one of the finest garments I have ever had the privilege to possess. I will feel beautiful in it.
I hope to find some nice shoes to go with. I have every other colour of shoe in the world - except green. It will be a challenge, but I love to match shoes to clothes. My navy blue ball gown has matching blue velvet DM's, which are the most comfortable shoes I own!
Con talk is brewing in my head, but it's not there yet. It needs to prove a little more before it goes in the oven. I'm hoping to seriously tackle that next week if I have a single damn day that's not sunup to sundown of work.
The Post of Costume - Finally!!! Part One
Apr. 4th, 2013 12:40 amOkay, here's the deal. sempraseverus, as you know, sent me a skirt suit. With other bits and pieces, here is the Ministry of Magic's Steampunk Librarian and Tea Dominatrix costume. I must point out that this tiny dressmaker's dummy is sooooo not my size, so think BIG. I'm going to look like a ship in full sail. The skirt is volUminous, almost crinoline worthy, but I just think folks will get tired of seeing THAT much of me swanning about. I'll have to reef up the hem a bit, I think.
The bustle is made from the suit's skirt, and the top is left virtually untouched. I still don't have an idea solution for attaching the apron and I'm still not happy with the way it lays, and I'm not sure exactly what to do about it. The pics also seriously wash out the colours - it's all warm greens. I'm actually quite happy with it, if I can just get the apron to behave.
And one other thing - how is the best way to get the point of my witch's hat to stay up? I don't want to stuff it, and I wouldn't even mind if it was a little crooked, but it is limp as a dishrag right now. I'm also going to be using real feathers on the hat. I am also struggling with spats. I have some awesome green leather-look vinyl which would look great as spats, but that's proving really difficult for me. I have a pattern I got offline, but it's really not working that well for me.
( Loads of Pics of Con Costume )
sempraseverus, as you know, sent me a skirt suit. With other bits and pieces, here is the Ministry of Magic's Steampunk Librarian and Tea Dominatrix costume. I must point out that this tiny dressmaker's dummy is sooooo not my size, so think BIG. I'm going to look like a ship in full sail. The skirt is volUminous, almost crinoline worthy, but I just think folks will get tired of seeing THAT much of me swanning about. I'll have to reef up the hem a bit, I think.The bustle is made from the suit's skirt, and the top is left virtually untouched. I still don't have an idea solution for attaching the apron and I'm still not happy with the way it lays, and I'm not sure exactly what to do about it. The pics also seriously wash out the colours - it's all warm greens. I'm actually quite happy with it, if I can just get the apron to behave.
And one other thing - how is the best way to get the point of my witch's hat to stay up? I don't want to stuff it, and I wouldn't even mind if it was a little crooked, but it is limp as a dishrag right now. I'm also going to be using real feathers on the hat. I am also struggling with spats. I have some awesome green leather-look vinyl which would look great as spats, but that's proving really difficult for me. I have a pattern I got offline, but it's really not working that well for me.
( Loads of Pics of Con Costume )
Juggling The Irons In The Fire
Mar. 26th, 2013 10:13 pmI don't really have one blessed thing to complain about, but I'm in a very strange mood. I feel tired from work but it wasn't a ball-breaker like other days. I feel a little down, and discouraged, and I think I know why. I think it all boils down to just the sheer amount of time I've been writing in a vacuum with my head down, toiling over the novel. Chapter 17 is now in the vault and that makes me happy - I am damn proud of the placement of each and every word in those first 17 chapters.
But I do miss creating from scratch. I got the prompt I asked for at![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
sshg_promptfest and I'm already about 500 words in. I'm working on part 3 of the slave and it's already 1500 words in. That's my output for today. 2000 words so far. I don't think that's too bad, I guess.
So really, I don't have anything to complain about in that department, either. Con costume is on hold until Thursday, when hopefully my sewing machine feet will arrive. You know you don't sew very often when it takes you four years of using it to realise your hand-me-down machine has nothing resembling a zigzag foot, and you need to do stuff. I'm off work tomorrow, and hope to get something like a bustle started. I'm looking at a lovely gown to wear to Con, and I'm making gifts for my roomies, and my talk is percolating. That's what April is for.
So really, what do I have to complain about? That old feeling again; the one that ambushes me at times. The one that says I'm not good enough, that I don't have what it takes to do what I want to do. Those old Insecurity Blues, telling me that I shouldn't bother.
I've got pretty good at fighting them off; I'm much better now than I was as little as two years ago. I can and will climb on top of them, but man, they are tenacious and insidious and know all my vulnerable, soft spots. And they hit even when I'm studying something I've done and I'm proud of it and that's when they are their most persuasive. That's when I have to starve them; if I feed them, then they will devour me.
But you, my friends, help. Thank you. Thank you for helping more than you know. Your words, your care, your humour, your faith; all these things remind me I do have the strength to starve the Insecurity Blues, until they weakly crawl back into their hiding places.
I will post pics of the costume next week. It should be pretty much done by then. Until then, happy writing, all my fellow SSHG prompters, and I wish joy and comfort to all my friends and hugs to all who need them.
But I do miss creating from scratch. I got the prompt I asked for at
sshg_promptfest and I'm already about 500 words in. I'm working on part 3 of the slave and it's already 1500 words in. That's my output for today. 2000 words so far. I don't think that's too bad, I guess.So really, I don't have anything to complain about in that department, either. Con costume is on hold until Thursday, when hopefully my sewing machine feet will arrive. You know you don't sew very often when it takes you four years of using it to realise your hand-me-down machine has nothing resembling a zigzag foot, and you need to do stuff. I'm off work tomorrow, and hope to get something like a bustle started. I'm looking at a lovely gown to wear to Con, and I'm making gifts for my roomies, and my talk is percolating. That's what April is for.
So really, what do I have to complain about? That old feeling again; the one that ambushes me at times. The one that says I'm not good enough, that I don't have what it takes to do what I want to do. Those old Insecurity Blues, telling me that I shouldn't bother.
I've got pretty good at fighting them off; I'm much better now than I was as little as two years ago. I can and will climb on top of them, but man, they are tenacious and insidious and know all my vulnerable, soft spots. And they hit even when I'm studying something I've done and I'm proud of it and that's when they are their most persuasive. That's when I have to starve them; if I feed them, then they will devour me.
But you, my friends, help. Thank you. Thank you for helping more than you know. Your words, your care, your humour, your faith; all these things remind me I do have the strength to starve the Insecurity Blues, until they weakly crawl back into their hiding places.
I will post pics of the costume next week. It should be pretty much done by then. Until then, happy writing, all my fellow SSHG prompters, and I wish joy and comfort to all my friends and hugs to all who need them.
Con Costume Part One - Steampunk Collar
Mar. 15th, 2013 06:22 pm( Cut for Boring Stuff and Pics )
I named this part 1 because I hope to be able to do more pics as I go along. I'm no one's great seamstress, but I did have fun trying to put this all together.
I named this part 1 because I hope to be able to do more pics as I go along. I'm no one's great seamstress, but I did have fun trying to put this all together.
( Picspam )
BTW, check outaurette 's new fic, Practical Solutions. Superb, as always. She's one of the few writers I just envy with all the Slytherin Green in my jealous little heart. Amazingly wonderful author. There should be awards for her. Big, shiny ones that first-years have to polish in detentions.
BTW, check out
aurette 's new fic, Practical Solutions. Superb, as always. She's one of the few writers I just envy with all the Slytherin Green in my jealous little heart. Amazingly wonderful author. There should be awards for her. Big, shiny ones that first-years have to polish in detentions.
