Monday, January 31, 2011


Having the perfect size zipper on hand when you didn't realize you even needed one for a project.

We've all be there. You get to the finishing stage of a garment or costume and you realize you need a zipper. Out of morbid curiosity you go digging through your box of notions. Lo and behold! There it is! The exact zipper you needed!

SCORE!

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Friday, January 28, 2011

List of projects

I feel like I have tons to get to but no time. It's a lie but doesn't stop the feeling. I have plenty of time I just have been a bit of a slack lately. Anyways, here is my ever growing list of projects I have to get to.

  1. Finish a purse I have started.
  2. Make my cousin's coat (this should have been done I while ago. *headdesk*).
  3. Make my other cousin a coat. This requires finding my Vogue coat pattern. I think it's at the theatre.
  4. Make my half sister a dress.
  5. Make my Vogue dress.
  6. Work on a new tutorial (try two).
  7. Make two Hogwarts robes, one Slytherin and one Ravenclaw.

The good news is I have the fabric for almost all of that. I still need outer fabric for one of my cousin's coats and all fabric plus pattern for the robes. Good thing I just got paid.

You should, hopefully, be seeing the fruits of my labor/things from this list very soon.

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Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Star Command Uniform Update

So we're getting towards the end of this chunk up filming for Star Command and I have to say, I'm really excited for the stuff we have yet to film. It's going to involve hillbillies and the boys dress uniform coats.

Said coats are all finished minus Ben and Brian's decorative cord.

Ben looking very excited while modeling his coat

Ben's coat minus cord.

My very mathematical and accurate epaulette creation.
 Besides those bad ass coats, I got to clothe and be a pirate. I play the saucy vixen Red Mary, captain's daughter. Best part about being Red Mary, I don't have to worry about the costume not fitting. Plus I get to wear my red wig and keep a flint lock in my corset top.

Red Mary minus flint lock pistol.
We start filming scenes with the hillbillies this weekend and I can't wait to get pictures of some of the outfits. They're going to be hilarious. Especially once everyone gets painted (aka in make up).

I have 4 more characters left to costume for Star Command. That includes making one more coat for them. But I'm going into that with lots of budget still behind me.

...Maybe the boys will pay me with the remainder of my budget. Probably not but one can dream.
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Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Souvenir Swap!


I'm excited to say that I am taking part in a Tacky Souvenir Swap hosted by Andrea of The Art of Staying Up All Night.

You should all go over there and sign up as well. Who knows what you'll end up with! I've got my fingers crossed for some kind of wearable item. :P

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A seemingly rare opinion

So I have had blog posts pop into my head but I had refrained from writing them up on here since they were not sewing/crafting/costuming related. The one that popped into my head today was so strong it caused me to seek an opinion from others on twitter. I did not get burried under responses but I got a few that were encouraging so I'm now going to let Free Radish Designs branch out.

To start that branch out right, I'm going to be talking about books. More importantly, about my favorite book from the author John Green.

I have been a fan of John Greens for a couple years now. I found the Vlogbrothers (Hank and John Green's colab channel) on youtube before I started reading John's books. After watching their videos for a while I knew I had to pick up John's books. He has a way of talking that is both succinct/to the point and overwhelmingly nerdy. I had to see if his books were the same. For the record, they are.


John has written four books to date; Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherine's, Paper Towns and Will Grayson, Will Grayson. Let me start by saying they are all amazing books. Let me also say that, as with any writer or author, the writing gets better over time.

Subjectively, the writing in Looking for Alaska is not as good as the writing in Will Grayson, Will Grayson which is his most recent book. That does not mean the story is worse then the new ones. It just means the writing behind it is stronger and more refined.


There are many people out there who love John green's writing just as much, maybe even more, then I do. One of the things that makes me a rare opinion in the John Green fan world is that An Abundance of Katherine's is my favorite of his books. For most people this is their least favorite. I don't see why. It could be the high portion of math in this book, even though John Green himself is no high level mathematician.

An Abundance of Katherine's to me is whimsical in all the right ways, never so heavy you want to stop reading and has one of the best "safe words" I have ever heard (dingleberries) . It also has the kind of road trip I would love to take but am almost a bit too scared to take. In the end the book just sings to me.

I love the others too but I have to say, Looking for Alaska is my least favorite of the lot. It just doesn't resinate with me the way the others do. It's just a tad too awkward and depressing for me. I much prefer Paper Towns which, in my opinion, is a more mature and grown up Looking for Alaska. Plus, who wouldn't want to sneak into Sea World at night like Margo and Quentin do.

So, while I won't be sneaking into Sea World any time soon, I will remain a rare opinion in the sea of John Green fans. Now I'm off to reread An Abundance of Katherine's. Just kidding.

Or am I?

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Monday, January 24, 2011

New Weekly Feature


This is going to be a weekly feature that take a minute to appreciate the little things in sewing and crafting that make me happy. There are so many little things that can make you smile and they deserve to be noticed.

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Thursday, January 20, 2011

Cover up that window quick!

While I was in Florida, my dad requested for me to make him some curtains. He has a window above his sink in the kitchen that he wanted to put curtains on but hadn't found any he liked.

The solution was simple. A trip to JoAnn's.

So we piled into the car and headed over. I took him through all the cottons they had and we found a wonderful piece in a light yellowy/tan with pears and apples on it. It even had a bit of sparkle in it. We bought it and took it on home.

Then my favorite part came; the sewing. I ironed, measured, pin, tucked and stitched. The end result was absolutely lovely, if I do say so myself.

Finished curtains all hung up.
Close up on the fabric
What do you think? Are you a curtains person? I'm not but I can see the appeal of them especially with the right fabric.

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Monday, January 17, 2011

Something to wrap up in

So I have been in Florida for 10 days now and right before I left I did a quick project. I was going through my bins of fabric while cleaning up and came across a bunch of t-shirts I love but haven't worn in years or will never wear. I didn't want to give them to Good Will so I decided to give them new life in the form of a quilt.

I cute them up into squares, all the same height but I was kinda lax about the width. I was lucky that they all fit together in a way that kept each role the same width.

The t-shirts read to be sewn together
I lay all the shirts on my floor so I could figure out what I wanted where. Then I stitched them all together one row at a time.

The t-shirts after they have been sew together
I decided I wanted a blanket that would work in all seasons so I went with a thinner fleece for the backing. I attached it, turned it right side out and then top stitched it.

The finished blanket with fleece backing and top stitching

Finished blanket folded up
I brought my new blanket down to Florida with me and it has been amazing to snuggle up with. It makes me want to save up some more shirts and make another one.

If you have a bunch of t-shirts you don't wear but don't want to get ride of, this is a great way to keep them but in a much more helpful way then letting them just keep taking up closet space.

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Thursday, January 6, 2011

Who wants a big helping of human head pie?

So I have ventured out of my cave for 10 days to take on a job in Florida that will hopefully result in a full time position. However, before this adventure commenced, I had the pleasure of creating a crazy prop for NFDC once more.

Said prop is a human head pie to be used in our production of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged


I took on this challenge knowing that no matter what I do it will be better then the current head pie. Not to sound too cocky or anything, but my pie turned out twenty times better then the old one and actually looks like a pie.

See!

The finished pie

It's great, no? 

The process of making it was a fun one. It started with me spending a solid 15 minutes in Michael's debating with myself about if I should use Sculpy or Model Magic. I chose Model Magic as it doesn't get very hard when dry, is light weight and requires no backing.

I then picked up some acrylic paint. A neutral, not white base colour as well as a tan, brown and burnt red/orange. Plus a medium size brush, clay roller, pie tin, cloth scraps to fill the pie with, hot glue gun, scissors and wax paper. All of which I already had at home.

Before final assembly
I laid out the wax paper, rolled the Model Magic flat, sculpted it to my face, decorated the edges with a fork and let it dry.  Once it was dry, I hot glued it to the pie tin with the fabric inside. Cut off the extra Model Magic and then went to town painting. 

Pie in the middle of trimming
I set the base colour down. Then mixed the tan, brown and red together before painting the outer colour. Let it dry and then TA DA! You're done and are the proud owner of a Human Head Pie.

For added detail there are X's over where the eyes should be.
Side view really shows off the nose.

I had a lot of fun making this prop. Getting to make crazy things like this is why I love theatre so much.

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Monday, January 3, 2011

Welcome 2011!

I'm very excited for this new year. 2010 was wonderful and full of fun and new experiences. 2011 is sure to be all that and more.

I'm starting off the year with a number of sewing projects in my queue. I have a bag in progress, an other one to make, 2 coats to make, a number of costumes for Star Command to get together, Hogwarts robes to make, as well as a few small projects for myself.

2011 has also started off with a bag in the Weird Shit I Make for NFDC Department. My first prop to make of 2011 is a human head pie for The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged. I have to say I am very excited about this prop. I have the top crust sculpted and sitting out to dry. I'll obviously post all about it and the creation process once it's done.

I'm glad to say that I was able to get all my Christmas presents made and in the mail to people on time this year. I made a handful of notebooks out of note cards, card stock, construction paper and binder rings for friends.

Front of one of the notebooks

Inside of one of the notebooks

As well as 3 door signs. I stupidly forgot to snap pictures of the two Lord of the Rings door signs I made and will have to wait to show you all a picture until my friend Mike sends me one of his hanging up in his new place.

Here is the one I made for my Dad's new house:


I also did well for myself this year. Much better then last year, and not just in a material way. 

I got a bunch of fantastic cards from friends that made me smile like crazy. I also got some clothes (1 dress, 1 skirt, 1 pair of pants, 2 sweaters), stash of fabric from my Grandma, gift cards, pictures, The "Business" of Sewing book, The Original "How Much Fabric?" Reference Cards, a gaming mini and an iPhone.

I am in the love with the reference cards! They will come in so handy!

It's been a week and I am painfully addicted to this phone.

 I have a monster To Do list to get done before I leave for Florida for a little over a week. I'm going to get back to that.

I hope you all are having a wonderful start to 2011! I'll have more sewing to post about in another day or two.

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