What’s Up? Steampunk and France!

It’s been a while, boys and girls.  My creative mojo has been on hiatus.  I took a French class.  I stressed out at work.  I visited friends and family in the Boston area.  I ate way too much. I read a lot.

Sometimes I feel like I stepped back from my inner life and my physical life.  I retreated.  Don’t know why.  These things sneak up and hide themselves in your head,  so you don’t realize you’re not doing anything--creating, exercising, thinking.  

But lately I’ve been getting creative again, making some jewelry and working on a Steampunk character.  For those of you who don’t know what Steampunk is, it’s basically a Victorian vision of science fiction--think  H.G. Wells and Jules Verne.  More recently, read the Leviathan series by Scott Westfield or Gail Carrigers’ Alexia Tarabotti books (which mix Steampunk with vampires and werewolves).  Steampunk is anything goes--from corsets to tricked out weaponry, top hats to gears as embellishments.  Characters range from scientists and royalty to adventurers and ladies of the evening.  We already have our reservations for the HRH Steampunk Symposium on the Queen Mary in January, so I’m gathering materials and making my costumes and accessories.

Cats are a big part of my character, Felina Reid’s, life, so they will figure in parts of my costume.  Like my hats--yes, those are cat ears!  

 
And the embellishment also features a cat pin.

Here some great shoes I scored at Goodwill yesterday:

I’ll be making a drawstring bag (and probably my skirt/bustle) out of velveteen fabric I used to use on my tables at craft shows.  The fabulous trim I found on Etsy.

We’re also planning a trip to France next year.  The Mom recently gave me a monetary gift to start a Paris fund.  I wanted to go next year for our 35th anniversary and this money gave that dream a big boost!  The Husband is a military history buff, so naturally wants to see the D-Day beaches in Normandy.  I’m a museum rat and flea market shopper, so that’s what I’m looking forward to in Paris.  You’d think the Louvre would be #1 on my list but it’s actually the Musee D’Orsay, since I love the Impressionists.  We also love to walk, so seeing Paris on foot is going to be exciting.  I remember walking in San Francisco--a walking pace at ground level allows you to see so many tiny, amazing details!  
 

I love the planning of a trip as much as the actual travel, so lately I’m either elbows deep in beads or French tour books.

I’ll keep you up to date on what I’m making and planning!

C’est La Vie! Do What You Love!

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Why You Won’t See Me on Project Accessory

I love Project Runway. I think I’ll enjoy Project Runway Allstars, too. But you won’t see me on them because I’m not a seamstress.

I like Project Accessory. The best thing about it is their workroom. I think most of us creatives watching lust after that work space, filled with all the tools and materials our little hearts desire, including a wall of Swarovski crystal components (ooo, sorry, I just drooled!).

Nina, with tools and The Wall behind her

Now, I know Project Runway throws crazy challenges at their designers, like using only things found in a pet shop to create a garment. But in the end, it all comes down to sewing. They may have to step out of their comfort zone to make a gown if their specialty is sportswear but the basic skill is still sewing.

On any given Project Accessory episode, the designers could be asked to make jewelry, purses, hats, belts, etc. Or shoes. Shoes?!? The first week they were asked to make a pair of shoes, it was painful to watch the models hobble down the runway. It takes a much different skill set to make a shoe than it does a necklace. And probably years to perfect your understanding of the physics and techniques required to create a beautiful, sturdy high heel. Watch the movie Kinky Boots if you don’t believe me. I don’t know that I would have trusted a 4” heel made by someone who had never made a shoe before, either.

The scariest shoes

Aside from issues of safety, watching designers trying to make things they’ve never attempted before is weird and uncomfortable. I mean, it’s enough of a challenge to see a jewelry artist try to design a necklace from bed springs but to see a jewelry artist trying to make a leather purse… I’d like to know what the application process was for this show.

 

Some of the designers are fairly well rounded in their skills and present interesting pieces for most challenges. But it seems to me that the majority of the designers specialize and consequently struggle with the pieces they have to create outside their forte which make for uninteresting runway looks. I’m hoping that next season, they’ll pick more all around handy folks who can work with varied techniques at higher skill levels.

Diego at work, designing a bag for his client

And that’s why you won’t see me on Project Accessory. Build a pair of shoes?! Sew a leather gusseted purse? Create a hat? Wouldn’t have the first clue where to start. But I really admire Brian Burkhardt and Diego Rocha, who seem to be able to not only meet each challenge with well designed and executed pieces but, Brian especially is able to weave his own modern Tribal style into all of his work. I’m officially predicting that Brian will be the last designer standing.

Brian's most recent challenge results.

So, are you Project Accessory contestant material? Could you create a head to toe look with so many varied skills and put your personality into each piece?

Do What You Love!

 

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