Productivity!

It just rocks. And I've been a very productive girl as of late. So here we have photos. Because everyone likes photos.
First we're starting with the beaded headpiece I've made to go with my Roman stuff. Based off Art's and Tyg's, I'm rather impressed at how well it turned out, because beads tend to not like me much.



Then we're on to the calcei, which are the cool Roman shoes they've found with little cutouts all around them. Mr B came up today and gave me a massive amount of help on these. Not only that, I got to spend the day hanging out with my favourite Pelican. Okay, I might be biased on that one just a wee bit. So we start with the basic shoe shape cut out of leather. Then we move onto the shoes with some holes punched (and me punching them), then B adding soles, and finally the shoes, about 1/2 done, if not 2/3....

I'm really impressed how well these are turning out, and how good they are looking, even if there were a few small errors on my part. Again, couldn't have been done without Art and Blayney's help.












Of course, I can't always make the photos go where I want them!

And, of course, there then was a bit of pewter casting, as one has to do. I attempted to recast my original pelican token that I made for B, this time with a loop on the top, and a different carving, a bit deeper overall. It worked out much better then the original one did, I'll have to clean them up and see how they go, but it should be really good. The first photo is of course me in my swish pewter casting setup. Aka, my kitchen. I know, you're awuflly jealous, aren't you?










So, that's part of my creativity for the last little while. Soon I'll get pictures of all the garb of been working on as well. You know, if I could keep this sort of pace up, i'd be a creating machine. But it's unlikely to happen really.

Friend quiz answers

So, here's the breakdown of the friends quiz. Correct answers bolded in red!

Question #1

How tall is Denise?

5\'7\"

5\'8\"

5\'9\"

5\'10

Question #2

How many siblings does Denise have

1

None!

Do they count if she\'s adopted?

2

Question #3

Where was she born

Toronto

Niagara Falls

Ulan Bator

St Catharines

Question #4

What did she study at school

Linguistics and operations management

accounting and operations management

linguistics and history

accounting and history

Question #5

What is her favourite movie?

So I Married and Axe Murderer

Clue

Star Wars

Clerks

Question #6

What is her natural hair colour

blonde

black

brown

red

Question #7

How old is Denise?

29

30

28

31

Question #8

Where has she NOT lived

Canada

Australia

England

United States

Question #9

What is her middle name?

Genvieve

Suzanne

Margarete

Therese

Question #10

What is her SCA name?

Kateryna Batyne

Katje

Katherine Bouland

Kateryna Bouland de Lancastre

It's interesting sometimes how things develop

In this case, it's interesting to me that the more I start to wander in the SCA, mainly in costuming from other eras, the more I really start to appreciate the 14th century again. Don't get me wrong, I'm in the process of making some really cool stuff right now, and likely won't ever stop the making of it, or the desire to wander through time with my wardrobe. But more and more recently I've found myself really drawn back to the 13 and early 1400's. There's still so much diversity in that period, so much I haven't figured out, so much to look into and try to discover for myself, so much other people have gone through, and knowledge to assimilate with what I already know.

I didn't really realise until now that it took me a while to get back into the swing of things when I started in the SCA here. I'd just had almost 5 years off back home, so I was trying to get used to being back, plus being in a different kingdom, where things just aren't the same (and not good or bad necessarily, but just different). Having comments like "Oh, so you do 14th century, you mean for camping?" directed at me at my first event here didn't help. I'm a naturally insecure person, so I found myself slightly off kilter, and completely without focus.

A few things helped with that. Some lovely friends, getting protegeed to Blayney was a big one, and realising that while I may suck at some things, i'm not actually bad at the whole costuming thing, I'm just out of practise.

So here I am, coming full circle. Suddenly a renewed desire to DO STUFF (cause really, like I don't do enough stuff already), but namely, to do the thing that I've always loved and enjoyed, to get back into the researching and making of things of that funny little time period I really do adore.

Happy post

Today is one of those days when I'm completely unispired to do actual work. Too bad there's a massive pile sitting here beside me, and we have the APJ and the EMEA VPs here.

Instead I thought I'd reflect again on positive things, something I'm carrying over from my lj. Namely, how much my friends rock.

1) Saturday my house was filled with people I really like, from work, sca-friends and non-sca friends. There was much fun, chatting, food, people brought us things, and I think people generaly had a good time. Now, while I normally try and keep gatherings at my place a wee bit smaller (say 10-12 people, not 30) I love having all my friends around me. They're such brilliant, interesting and good people, that it makes me feel great just to be associated with them.

2) The making stuff brigade. Pennsic is coming up, and Miss D is really bending over backwards to help me with things. Yesterday I popped by Kazzia's and now I am the proud owner of Norse garb (we need racing stripes still, but it's almost there). Art has helped me with shoes and Roman, B just makes me all sorts of useful things, especially pewter casting related, and my non-sca friend Anna made me the greatest reproduction Italian necklace ever. What I like more is that these people all just seem willing to help, and more importantly to TEACH me how to do these things myself (well, except for buttonholes, I KNOW how to make those, I just hate it. Greatly) so next time, when I'm not on the crazy pre-Pennsic rush, I can do this sort of thing myself. It's nice to have people around you who are so willing to help, and it's also a brilliant thing to have people around you who are willing to show and teach.

3) Heck, I think I'll stop at two. I'm pretty okay with the two I have up here.

Next post will be some in process projects. I feel the need t whip out the camera and document where I am with various things.

You know, I'm not actually perfect...

...I know, it's hard for me to believe too, but it's true.

I handed over what is really the most dreadful frock in the world for Miss D* to make buttonholes for. I think after Pennsic I shall make a red surcote, almost cyclas style, and it shall be worn over said cote so no one ever sees the front. And the rest, well, it's been a long time since I've done serious sewing, that's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it. Actually, the fact that I taught myself how to sew likely doesn't help much either. And that usually I've always done everything on my own, from patterning to fitting. Having help of knowledgeable people is lovely and wonderful. I highly recommend it.

Also, I may in fact have less patience than I should with some people. Luckily others (read: Miss D again) notice this, and we all (the two of us plus A & K) escaped and went for a mid summer hill break of koftas and chinese greens and tea. My tummy even survived me eating one whole kofta! YAY!

But, Roman bootie, half cut out, 7 white buttons made for said abominable cote, and some stuff talked about for Bunch o' Classes. This is all good. Plus, the lovely Miss D is also going to help with German frock. Suddenly having everything done for Pennsic seems manageable.

Now, comes to the cooking for the party Saturday. Tomorrow night, everything baked, and the dip like things. Saturday, the meat stuff and quiches and veggie chopping. See, I make reasonable schedules for myself, honest!

*Thereby ensuring that, in fact, the gimp did not 'get it'

ONLY 3 WEEKS...

Then I'll be at Penssic

Garg!

This has made me realise that I need to focus.

First, Pennsic will be hot. So I need to finish my roman. That involves sewing shoulders together of undertunic thing, hemming overtunic, getting long drapey thing worked out, and shoes. Oh, and looking really cute and seeing if Art will let me borrow accessories :) (and hope she's not horrified by my knowledge of the names of the garb. Stolas, and um... things...)

Secondly, I need chemises. Sunday I will go out and get material for these, and make two new shifts.

Thirdly, buttons for cote. Will finish these whilst D of the greatness works on buttonholes.

Fourthly, sleeves for the german. Need to pattern (HELP! HELP!) and then make. This is truly the biggest challenge.

Fifthly, I wish I knew someone my size with viking. If opening court is going ot be on when I'm there, and I am a lady in waiting, I feel like I should do this. No viking. Maybe I have time for that too?

GARG! I AM INSANE!

Who wants to see me implode over the next three weeks? YAY!

Kay, the priorities are One through Four. I can DO THIS.

*thinks positive*

Miss D, Want to help with German sleeves too??

Well then...

This seems to be the week where nothing really worked out like it was supposed to. Starting with the back. Finally made it to physio on Friday, after a week of more or less constant pain. Unfortunately work being insanely busy didn't make getting there any easier. Oh wait, but the one day work wasn't busy? There was the Red Wine Incident. Sigh.

Still, as sitting up and/or lying down has been causing pain this week, I didn't get anything done around the house, either sewing or cleaning wise. And today I just can't be bothered. I blame the rain.

So instead of being productive, Blayney and Art are on their way up, and we're going shopping! YAY! That's productive of a sort, isn't it?

Why do I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be filled with me cleaning my house like a manic rabbit, trying to get it ready for next weekend? And let's not even talk about being behind on the sewing. I need to keep reminding myself I'll only be at Pennsic for 4.5 days. This isn't long enough to need an entire wardrobe. But I WANT one.

Kay, now back to your regularaly scheduled programming as I go off and do funny stretches.

Projects updated

There are days when I hate my job. Today is one of them. Too much work that needs to be done, all of it rather banal and annoying. So instead I'm updating all of my various blogs! As one does.

In process project update~

1. Pewter token for Blayney. DONE! YAY! Of course, now I want to try and make a better one, with my other mold, and that will be the one that Hrothgar gets as well. In fact, i've made an lj entry about it all with photos here http://deense.livejournal.com/551845.html

2. Purple German dress~ Black edging on all around the neck. In the process of binding seams (one down, two to go, I used the selvage for one seam). Next are the sleeves and the hem. Sleeves I'm not looking forward to, but D has offered to help. YAY! Then underdress. Hrm. Must finish before Pennsic.

3. Black & White Cote~ Has completely stalled. Have to do white buttons for the white sleeve i've decided, i'll work on those on Thursday night, and on the train to the gong this weekend. Must still fell or bind seams, and do hem, and D has offered to do sleeve buttonholes for me. Thank the gods. How do I find such cool friends?

4. Tunic/Pants for Athol. Half done, need hemming and finishing. Should get that finished Saturday morning.

Future Projects

1. Going to look at stuff at Art's this weekend, maybe get a start on it.

2. Tablet weaving, K& G have extra loom they can lend me! YAY!

3. Green cote & Black kirtle~ Post pennsic project

4. Shoes~ Post pennsic project

5. Red & Gold silk bliaut~ Will start work on this soon, along with a new linen underdress. Another must be finished before pennsic project.

6. Armour. Alfar is getting leather for this. Will do patterning before pennsic, hopefully soon, but real work won't start til after pennsic. Should do gambeson though, and soon. Argh. At some point.

Wow. When do I have time to fit in a life? Yet somehow I manage.