I think the new billing month has arrived, since the last post (below) worked very well. So here, as promised, is a photo of the World's Fattest Kitty doing her best pizza impersonation...
I am so embarrassed
Furry pizza
Doesn't that sound appetising?
I think the new billing month has arrived, since the last post (below) worked very well. So here, as promised, is a photo of the World's Fattest Kitty doing her best pizza impersonation...
I am so embarrassed
I think the new billing month has arrived, since the last post (below) worked very well. So here, as promised, is a photo of the World's Fattest Kitty doing her best pizza impersonation...
I am so embarrassed
Dial-up is poo
I've been wanting to post for a few days now. I had thoughts to share, and a fleeting willingness to sit down and type them out....
Dial-up changed all that.
We have cable. Normally I can wizz through cyberspace with speed and ease, I can read peoples blogs and still have time for tea. Then someone in this house, who shall remain nameless, but who knows who he is (don't you Rusty?) decided to download movies. Mr Bandwidth, I'd like to introduce you to Mr Download-Limit. Mr Download-Limit would like to introduce you to Mr 28.8kbps modem speed.
Grass grows faster than that. I have to wait until the new billing month before I can share the embarrassing (yet strangely funny) photo of my cat looking like an enormous furry pizza.
Bet you can't wait.........
Dial-up changed all that.
We have cable. Normally I can wizz through cyberspace with speed and ease, I can read peoples blogs and still have time for tea. Then someone in this house, who shall remain nameless, but who knows who he is (don't you Rusty?) decided to download movies. Mr Bandwidth, I'd like to introduce you to Mr Download-Limit. Mr Download-Limit would like to introduce you to Mr 28.8kbps modem speed.
Grass grows faster than that. I have to wait until the new billing month before I can share the embarrassing (yet strangely funny) photo of my cat looking like an enormous furry pizza.
Bet you can't wait.........
Whingey trousers
I wrote this post on Friday night, but it wouldn't upload. So I tried it again today. And it still wouldn't upload. So I tried using IE (which I loathe and despise) and what do you know? Uploaded lickety-split, pics and all. Maybe I need to see if there's a new version of Firefox.....
Be prepared, I'm going to start whingeing in a minute. Oh, and use rather a lot of bad language.
I had the most god-awful day today, due entirely to the wonderful institution of stocktake. It really shouldn't be this bad, but masterful disorganisation was apparent aim of the day. If I handed you a form with lots of lines for writing down product descriptions (and lets assume that this is your place of gainful employment, so you can't yell "Up yours, Nancypants!" and run away) and you had products to record in locations named Bay A1 through A24, B1 through B56 and so on, what would you do? Make sure that you had written down everything in each bay, and use a new page for each new letter? Or, would you write down most of the stuff in "Bays A1-A24" and then follow on the very next line with "Bays B1-B24", and then discover that there's a bunch of stuff that you didn't write down the first time, and so record it on another page (because you didn't leave any room on the first one) that looks like this: B2, B15, B15, B24, V2, V18, V5, V5, V5, H11, B15, B15, S1, S1, S1??
WTF???????
Anyone with even a small fraction of a brain should be able to see that writing up stock sheets that look like this is going to make it REALLY FUCKING HARD to keep track of what info you have recorded where. It was an aboslute fucking nightmare, let me tell you. And everything had been going really well lately too - I was actually enjoying my job!! There you go, karma is telling me to buy a lottery ticket - I'm not cut out for working.....
On a much brighter note, I spent some time watching You Tube last night. My videos of choice? Animals doing funny things. Show me a video of a kitty ambushing a small child or being clobbered by a rabbit, or (and this is my favourite) chasing off a bear (a bear!!) and I'm happy. So happy I think I did myself an injury (ow).
Now that I'm in a better mood, who else out there watches Supernatural? I'm always a sucker for a ghost story, especially when they populate the cast with such fine eye candy. This pic is for Miss C, who I know will appreciate it. He's a bit older and greyer in the show, but still well worth a look......
Be prepared, I'm going to start whingeing in a minute. Oh, and use rather a lot of bad language.
I had the most god-awful day today, due entirely to the wonderful institution of stocktake. It really shouldn't be this bad, but masterful disorganisation was apparent aim of the day. If I handed you a form with lots of lines for writing down product descriptions (and lets assume that this is your place of gainful employment, so you can't yell "Up yours, Nancypants!" and run away) and you had products to record in locations named Bay A1 through A24, B1 through B56 and so on, what would you do? Make sure that you had written down everything in each bay, and use a new page for each new letter? Or, would you write down most of the stuff in "Bays A1-A24" and then follow on the very next line with "Bays B1-B24", and then discover that there's a bunch of stuff that you didn't write down the first time, and so record it on another page (because you didn't leave any room on the first one) that looks like this: B2, B15, B15, B24, V2, V18, V5, V5, V5, H11, B15, B15, S1, S1, S1??
WTF???????
Anyone with even a small fraction of a brain should be able to see that writing up stock sheets that look like this is going to make it REALLY FUCKING HARD to keep track of what info you have recorded where. It was an aboslute fucking nightmare, let me tell you. And everything had been going really well lately too - I was actually enjoying my job!! There you go, karma is telling me to buy a lottery ticket - I'm not cut out for working.....
On a much brighter note, I spent some time watching You Tube last night. My videos of choice? Animals doing funny things. Show me a video of a kitty ambushing a small child or being clobbered by a rabbit, or (and this is my favourite) chasing off a bear (a bear!!) and I'm happy. So happy I think I did myself an injury (ow).
Now that I'm in a better mood, who else out there watches Supernatural? I'm always a sucker for a ghost story, especially when they populate the cast with such fine eye candy. This pic is for Miss C, who I know will appreciate it. He's a bit older and greyer in the show, but still well worth a look......
What have I done lately?
The answer to this poser is.....
......absolutely bugger all.
Well, I got the volcano dress mostly finished, and wore it to Cold War. Did I get any photos of it? No. I still have to hem it and put the guards on around the skirt, but as these are not vital, they are taking a low priority at the mo.
I've been working on the sleeves (more sleeves - when will I learn) for the Black Cranach frock. It's a very slow process. Part of the reason nothing is going very quickly is that the land of Spar Oom is in perpetual winter (ie: there's no heater in the sewing room) and it's really not terribly condusive to doing any machine sewing. Oh, and it's stocktake this week, which means lots of extra hours, for no extra money. Hooray! But mostly, I just couldn't be arsed.
Meh.
......absolutely bugger all.
Well, I got the volcano dress mostly finished, and wore it to Cold War. Did I get any photos of it? No. I still have to hem it and put the guards on around the skirt, but as these are not vital, they are taking a low priority at the mo.
I've been working on the sleeves (more sleeves - when will I learn) for the Black Cranach frock. It's a very slow process. Part of the reason nothing is going very quickly is that the land of Spar Oom is in perpetual winter (ie: there's no heater in the sewing room) and it's really not terribly condusive to doing any machine sewing. Oh, and it's stocktake this week, which means lots of extra hours, for no extra money. Hooray! But mostly, I just couldn't be arsed.
Meh.
Green grows my bogling fork!
Many thanks go to Topsy for this one. You really, really had to be there. For those that were, here's the rest of the song:
I'll sing you one-oh!
(Green grow me Bogling Fork)
What be your one-oh?
One is the grunge upon my splod, masking my Cordwangle!
I'll sing you two-oh!
(Green grow me Bogling Fork)
What be your two-oh?
Two are me looming thrums, see how they jangle.
One is the grunge upon my splod, masking my Cordwangle!
Three are the times I've lunged my groats!
Two are me looming thrums, see how they jangle.
One is the grunge upon my splod, masking my Cordwangle!
Four for me whirdler's bent-oh!
Three are the times I've lunged my groats!
Two are me looming thrums, see how they jangle.
One is the grunge upon my splod, masking my Cordwangle!
Five's the wonglers up my spong,
Four for me whirdler's bent-oh!
Three are the times I've lunged my groats!
Two are me looming thrums, see how they jangle.
One is the grange upon my splod, it's ruined my Cordwangle!!!
Laugh? I've never seen so many tears.
I'll sing you one-oh!
(Green grow me Bogling Fork)
What be your one-oh?
One is the grunge upon my splod, masking my Cordwangle!
I'll sing you two-oh!
(Green grow me Bogling Fork)
What be your two-oh?
Two are me looming thrums, see how they jangle.
One is the grunge upon my splod, masking my Cordwangle!
Three are the times I've lunged my groats!
Two are me looming thrums, see how they jangle.
One is the grunge upon my splod, masking my Cordwangle!
Four for me whirdler's bent-oh!
Three are the times I've lunged my groats!
Two are me looming thrums, see how they jangle.
One is the grunge upon my splod, masking my Cordwangle!
Five's the wonglers up my spong,
Four for me whirdler's bent-oh!
Three are the times I've lunged my groats!
Two are me looming thrums, see how they jangle.
One is the grange upon my splod, it's ruined my Cordwangle!!!
Laugh? I've never seen so many tears.
Hooray!
It finally worked. 'Bout bloody time too.
Wonders of modern technology, pig's bum. (he he, I said bum!)
Wonders of modern technology, pig's bum. (he he, I said bum!)
Here we go again....
I'm doing this in bits, because it seems to be the only way I can get this wretched Blog ot upload (grumble, mutter, whinge)Cut through the narrow channels, and then turn the binding fabric through and press. It looks like a humungeous mess at the moment, but once the raw edges are all sewn down it will be nice and neat and properly finished. The end result should look a bit like this:
There's a fair bit of hand-sewing in my immediate future! It's getting there, but I need to get a move on if I want to wear it to Cold War (which I do, because it will be wool and therefore nice and toasty. Cold War is aptly named.....)
Sleeves of molten mag-ma
I fear that there is no escaping - this will be the volcano dress forever more. It certainly doesn't help that it's brown wool, and the sleeves are lined with pumpkin orange.
I finished the slashing on the first sleeve, and have taken some photos along the way. The first step is to mark out the position of the slashes. Then sew a rectangle of fabric to the right side (fashion fabric side) in a very thin channel, similar to a button hole, but straight stitch rather than zig-zag. There should be enough fabric to turn to the other side and then fold the raw edges under.
I finished the slashing on the first sleeve, and have taken some photos along the way. The first step is to mark out the position of the slashes. Then sew a rectangle of fabric to the right side (fashion fabric side) in a very thin channel, similar to a button hole, but straight stitch rather than zig-zag. There should be enough fabric to turn to the other side and then fold the raw edges under.
Less about volcanos and more about sleeves.....
The sleeves that I'm going to put on my Kampfrau frock are gong to be puff-slashy kind of jobs, but cut all in one piece, which will make the pattern a little tricky. I decided the look of the picture in the previous post was what I was going for, and it was the little panel of unslashed bit on the inside that would dictate the cutting pattern. I ended up cutting an S-curve, so the seam would run down the back of the arm, rather than from the armpit. At the elbow the sleeves kind of puff out a bit, so I should get a nice puff.
At the moment I'm trying to deside whether to line the sleeves with linen or not. It's a fabulous burnt orange/pumpkin linen. Pro - it will look good (which is of course the most important thing!) and it will be easier to put on. Con - the wool on it's own would be more grabby, and would mean that I'm not hitching my sleeves up all the time.
Hmmm, vanity or practicality? I have a sneaking suspicion that vanity will win.
The smell of the orange vegies turning brown and smooshy in the oven is driving me crazy, I might come back when I'm fortified with food.
At the moment I'm trying to deside whether to line the sleeves with linen or not. It's a fabulous burnt orange/pumpkin linen. Pro - it will look good (which is of course the most important thing!) and it will be easier to put on. Con - the wool on it's own would be more grabby, and would mean that I'm not hitching my sleeves up all the time.
Hmmm, vanity or practicality? I have a sneaking suspicion that vanity will win.
The smell of the orange vegies turning brown and smooshy in the oven is driving me crazy, I might come back when I'm fortified with food.
Weird
This post was just about to contain lots of swearing. Then I published it, and realised that the post I've spent half the night trying to upload was there after all.
Well, most of it......
About 2/3rds of the way through it starts talking about volcanoes......I must be chanelling some news network or something, because I didn't write that bit. What I did write was stuff about my sleeves, but Blogger managed to screw that up as well.
I've had enough - I'm going to bed. I might try again tomorrow. Grrrr.
Well, most of it......
About 2/3rds of the way through it starts talking about volcanoes......I must be chanelling some news network or something, because I didn't write that bit. What I did write was stuff about my sleeves, but Blogger managed to screw that up as well.
I've had enough - I'm going to bed. I might try again tomorrow. Grrrr.
Nope, make that fourth time lucky...
Previously "Why do computers suck so much", and before that was going to be called "Can you buy motivation in a tin?"
But Blogger decided to suck arse like nobody's business, and shut down on me. Twice.
The second time I tried I was talking about procrastination, and that Baggy Trousers and Miss Krin have been discussing it themselves, but that I would be their queen, because I am so much better at it (no, really). I talked a bit about reading Patricia Cornwell and Harry Potter, and eating left over scones from Charlie's Edwardian tea that I hosted. Then I tried to add a picture, and that seemed to work, although it put the picture in the wrong spot, and then Blogger fell over on it's face and wouldn't talk to me any more, so I closed it down, thinking that my post was saved as a draft........
Nuh.
$%#@*ing computers. >:-(
Oh, and then it did it all again. So I chucked a tamtrum that would do a 3-year-old proud and went and sulked in front of the telly for a bit. The unbelivable crapness of the programming forced me to come back to the computer again.
Right, so here's the dress I wanted to talk about - I'm making a Kampfrau style frock from chocolate brown flannel, and it will be guarded in a nice tan wool in a kind One of more than 129 active volcanoes in Indonesia, Merapi last erupted in 1994, killing about 60 people. Some 1,300 people were killed when the volcano erupted in 1930.
I still haven't worked out how to use this thing yet. It's all a bit technomalogical for me....meh, it's bound to get better.
What's been doing? I've been to Festival - if you ever see me doing merchant stuff again it's because I've been taken by aliens and brainwashed...call the CIA or someone. It's not terribly onerous or horrible, but it's reeeaally time consuming, and not particularly rewarding. I didn't have any new clothes for me to wear, but Rusty had a whole new wardrobe! I made him 2 shirts (and almost got them both finished, too), 2 tunics, a hood and a coif, all in 14thC style. Unfortunately, because we are both crap, we didn't get any photos of Rusty in his fabulous new getup.
Ahh, but now Festy-val is over, and I can concentrate on frock making again. Hooray!! I need to get cracking on the brown wool kampfrau frock, and then there's the black Cranach-that's-not-a-Cranach that's been in a state of half-doneness for ooooh months now. I'd really like to work on the Glorified dress, but I think I need to finish the 2 that I'm working on before starting another.
What's been doing? I've been to Festival - if you ever see me doing merchant stuff again it's because I've been taken by aliens and brainwashed...call the CIA or someone. It's not terribly onerous or horrible, but it's reeeaally time consuming, and not particularly rewarding. I didn't have any new clothes for me to wear, but Rusty had a whole new wardrobe! I made him 2 shirts (and almost got them both finished, too), 2 tunics, a hood and a coif, all in 14thC style. Unfortunately, because we are both crap, we didn't get any photos of Rusty in his fabulous new getup.
Ahh, but now Festy-val is over, and I can concentrate on frock making again. Hooray!! I need to get cracking on the brown wool kampfrau frock, and then there's the black Cranach-that's-not-a-Cranach that's been in a state of half-doneness for ooooh months now. I'd really like to work on the Glorified dress, but I think I need to finish the 2 that I'm working on before starting another.
Testing.......testing......hello, is this thing on?
Ok, this is my first post to this blog, so it's kind of in the nature of a test. Its going to take me a while to figure out where everything is and how it works. In the meantime, I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon and start a place to record my costuming bits and pieces. I'm a completely useless correspondant, as many of my friends from the past will testify, so I wouldn't be at all surprised if it all falls over in a big heap anyway!!!
Oh well, we'll just see how we go, eh?
Ok, this is my first post to this blog, so it's kind of in the nature of a test. Its going to take me a while to figure out where everything is and how it works. In the meantime, I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon and start a place to record my costuming bits and pieces. I'm a completely useless correspondant, as many of my friends from the past will testify, so I wouldn't be at all surprised if it all falls over in a big heap anyway!!!
Oh well, we'll just see how we go, eh?
