Last blog of 2008

I always am a little weirded out by myself at this time of year. I am aware that I am OCD personified. I am ultra organized in some very strange ways. I take the time the last week of each year to go through my purses and various project bags and drawers to collect all the little bits of paper I scribble on. And yes in keeping with the title of this blog they are mostly lists. Lists of everything under the sun like websites, magazines I like , menus, magazines I saw something cool in, books I want, music I want, goals, shopping lists, budgets, songs I need to upload to my MP3 player, clothes I fit into, people who might fit into the clothes I can't wear, things to watch for at yard sales, my friends favorite things, my friends food allergies, phone numbers, and most importantly to do lists. The stack is huge.... I sort out the things I no longer need to remember and need is a very flexible term. I enter several of the lists into Excel charts I keep and file all the rest into files sorted by year and subject. Folks I think I am totally nuts. I love my lists, I love the information that a list represents, I love the organizational power that I hold on those little slips of paper. I have friends that scribble on paper and it is usually creative like a cartoon or design for something. I have a lot of creative friends and I usually envy them until I remember that I am organized. They may get lots of attention for their beautiful creations but I am the one they all call when they need to figure out their taxes or pack things neatly when they move. When they are scrambling at the event to find things, I have what we need at my fingertips or in totes with yep you guessed it lists of whats inside the totes securely attached. I know that I am strange and different but someday you will need my bizarre quirk and I will happily help you. Or not.....It all depends on what list you are on.

Now on to the next thing on the list

Solstice was wonderful. Everyone looked gorgeous. Except me because I stitched my little heart out but didn't finish the dress. And Ashe'el even made me the most gorgeous beaded girdle in the entire world!! Here is the list of things that need to be finished....

• Gather underskirt (its all sewn together)
• Finish beading forepart (its about 2/3 done)
• Attach forepart to underskirt
• Attach waistband ribbon to underskirt
• hem underskirt
• make pretty bloomers (because we will be lawn bowling in our underwear)
• sew hooks to chemise sleeves
• finish stitching waistband to overskirt (4 #&*@*$* inches left for heavens sake!)
• stitch skirt to bodice
• add boning to bodice if needed
• hem overskirt

I will make a last push to finish as much of my court gown as possible before the new year. And I will post pictures of what I've done regardless by Dec 31. But I may delay finishing the dress in order to get ready for Estrella War! Stephen needs to have almost a whole new wardrobe for the event and I need at least two more kirtles and a couple more chemises. We will be going sans kidlettes and taking all the seats out of the van to haul all our stuff down. This will be our second vacation without kids and I can't wait. I plan to teach classes and take classes and help wow the Known Worlde with the beauty and power of our King and Queen and make pretty things for the largess baskets. Aggie and his lovely lady are rumored to be running a kitchen and I am hoping to add us to their list of starving devotees. I am also considering entering my blackwork into the Arts display but I need some more information. If there is a minimum number of entries that is much higher then my completed peices of blackwork for instance.

On another fabulous note my costuming guild Occulous Candide had announced their quarterly projects for 2009 and I am interested in all of them!! I felt terribly left out of the projects for 2008 and a complete failure because they were not things I was particularly interested in making or couldn't really afford to make. It was definitely my own choice and I love my guild to pieces. They are an amazing bunch of ladies and 2009 promises to be a ton of fun. Gas prices are down to a reasonable amount and I can now afford to drive to the meetings even if they end up in Logan! Yeah for mass insanity disguised as sewing guilds!! I want to challenge my very quiet embroidery guild to help me with the largess goal. Must think of something sneaky and inspiring to motivate them.

The post of the first

Thanksgiving was good. Managed to get through both family dinners sober. Friday shopping was disappointing as I only got half of what was on my list, but I didn't have to ram anyone to get out of my parking spot this year and only had to yell at two idiots. Pretty great if I do say so myself.



The corset is coming along great. I have almost half of the eyelets sewn and the entire bottom binding done. I received my Margo Anderson pattern two days after ordering it!! Wow that is some speedy service and it looks amazing. My list of costume to do's this week is huge since Ash is coming over next weekend to help me fit the bodice of my new Solstice gown.



Costume To Do list

• Finish rounding off boning ends (102)


• Finish handsewn eyelets (19)


• Cut yardage for forepart, chalk outline


• Handsew lace to shirt collar


• Make pretty white pantaloons (because we will be lawn bowling in our underwear)


• Cut and sew skirt, begin cartridge pleating

Now if I get everything done it will be time for pictures so keep your fingers crossed.