green_martha

Back home, week-end over. The LARP was a success, granted not a perfect one, but I decided to content myself with it. I'm just to tired to read my f-list or give a detailed account, and the pics are not yet in my possession. Actually, I think I might be to tired to type in english. But hey ! we did it ! Yatta !

Lessons learned :
- double-check balance between characters (everyone has the same amount of information, things to do, etc...)
- take *one week* to install the clues and the house, if a special installation is required
- make a check list of what needs to be brought to location early on, and stick to it !
- no matter what it is, and how long it is, give the players a text background
- don't you ever again play after 2am. Start by day, end at midnight.
- note to self : just be a staff member, forget about being in-game, you can't handle both, you prefer the game-managing part
- talking witht he players afterards is good. It's good for them, as they tell you where the problems lie, and it's a boost for your ego.
- stress-management level : you're getting slightly better at this

We still need to take some hours to share our impressions and suggestions, lady_darkstone and I, and discuss whether or not we'll make a second round of this game. Probably not, or not before a few years.

The Book of Doom is done ! I gathered the text from different sources, edited it, printed it (ok, the HG printed it, given how complicated THAT was), cut it to shape, soaked it in a coffee/tea mix, let it dry, and just a few minutes ago, bound it and put it back under a heavy pile of dictionnaries, as it is still a bit humid.
And I think I have found the perfect mixture to make a Book of Doom : make it stink ! The tea in itself was quite terrible, but mixed with the soluble coffee, and staying wet for a few days... it's just dreadful. I'm very proud of myself (and have a very twisted mind, you might add...)
And the oui-ja board is drying outside, I'll polish it later tonight. It looks lovely. I'll post pics, I promise !

... thanks to Open Office who won't do as I want. But then we had dinner before I turned completely mad, I'm now full and mor eor less content, and I'll just punish the damn software with my indifference. Nah !

The pencil marks wouldn't go away from the condom boxes. And after that, they showed even mor eone the varnish was on. And the big box got some giant issues after the second coat of varnish, whil she was fine after the first one. I've put quite a lot of work on this special one, so I'm moderatly pissed.
I'm working on the oui-ja board. The design is settled and drawn on calc. I need to go buy the board itself, and probably paint it before transfering the drawing. Too bad I haven't got my woodburning set here. OR should I look for a new set ? maybe that would be easier...
I've still a lot of documents, letters, even parts of a book to type and edit using handwritten fonts to mimick several different handwritings - and I don't feel tha tmotivated about it.
I also think I won't have the time for Claudine's corset - which is not tha tmuch of a problem. The lady playing the part fits in one lovely salmon dress of lady_darkstone without a corset. It just means Claudine's combinations won't get used. So I'll be giving them to Maria, but I've been stupid enough to start a chemise for her already. Well, it'll get some use someday, but for now it will remain unfinished.

( and a little meme from heileen to vent it off )

I didn't remember drawing from a picture could be *that* tiring. Granted, my tiredness may also come from the fact that it's the first afternoon spent at home with neither people around or a bazillion tasks to accomplish since like... a month ? I think I'm going to oxygenate my brain with some pinning and sewing.
Pics from what I've accomplished today will come tonight or tomorrow - as soon as I reboot actually.

... but could be. We've had friends staying over for the week-end and probably overdid it regarding the hinking in the mountain, drinking and staying up late. This morning I felt like I still had some kind of hangover. Blah. And don't talk to me about headaches - I feel one creeping up now, and can't look at my screen while typing.

So of course I haven't sewn a lot... I decided not to salvage the pieces from my trial run on the basement corset, and have cut a new, clean one. I'll start assembling it tomorrow I think.

I seem to have lost my indienne prints from Mondial Tissus. They're probably hidden somewhere in the garage, but where ? I was sure at least the mauve and light yellow one was in the apartment... I'm sorry heileen :/

Still have to take pictures from Denise's costume, which is currently on display on my dressform...

Gah, I'm just so tired....

There has been some sewing, indeed - inspite of the heat, the migraine, and the general tiredness, we even found some time to clean the apartment, I'm so proud of us ^^.

So, where to start ?
Yesterday, we wanted to go to a nearby lake, met a nice hour of rain, headed back home, and consoled ourselves by finding new socks for the HG and sewing supplies for me. I was a very good girl and didn't buy more than what I needed : heavy and medium-weight ugly and cheap cotton for my next mock-ups. I refrained from buying the 50% off indienne prints - heileen those prints are now on sale, and they'll be discontinuing them at Mondial Tissus. Some are now under 4 euros/meter. I'll post pics tomorrow after work.
I also found my pink ribbon - the shade doesn't exactly match the neckline ribbon nor the hem one, but who's going to notice anyway, if they're not close to each other ? - and a separable zipper.

The direct consequence being that there's a good chance you'll see pictures of my combinations by tomorrow night. The last buttonhole has been sewed while the HG lost several games of mah-jong to Buzz and another friend.

I haven't felt the motivation to pick up the basement corset again (basement corset because the pattern is taken from a corset found in someone's basement), so I started on the new chemise for Denise. I've got the yoke cut out, and a good hald of the pin tucks sewn in.
And I'm going to add a flounce at the bottom of her drawers, too. The fabric strip is all hemmed and just needs to be pleated and attached to the lace.
And I've found some remnants of the corset fabric I'm using to 'tie' the whole outfit together, yay !

... before leaving for work. My manager took the early shift today, so I was able to stay a little longer and, if not sew, at least upload piccies !
( Players beware ! The rest of you, click ahead )

I'll give myself a little break by adapting and cutting out the pattern for a new corset.

Yeah, that's right, pictures ! And not only from recent projects, but older ones, too. First and foremost, a project from last year, which I wore for the first time yesterday and again today. I figured, since I had the dress on and wanted to take pictures anyway, I could just as well use the self timer - I wasn't lucky with it this time, but you get the idea. The fabric is a some polyester print. Unfortunately, the print is a little off-grain, and I cut following the print, so the dress tends to shift a little when I wear it. I present you Mandarine :



Then, I also managed to take some quick shots of Matrioschka #1, aka the green dress, on myself, before altering it. Since then, the neckline has been changed into a deeper V, and has an elastic, and the back has been made narrower (it fitted me perfectly, but the lady is a bit thinner than myself). I took the inspiration from empire fashion, and inserted a wide pleated piece of fabric at the CF seam of the skirt. The dress stops about 10cm above my ankle, should be longer on my friend. The fabric is Ikea's bomull, dyed green. Here you get a general idea :


( Players beware ! Do NOT click if you plan on playing at our next LARP ! )

This last bit is the project I'm carrying around and handsewing during my breaks and commuting time. I'm also working on modern summer clothes, linen pants and, if everything goes according to plans, two printed cotton tunics.

Next time I'm making drawers, I'll have to make sure *before* making them whether they are worn over or under the corset. because guess what ? you can't open closed drawers buttonned at your waist *under* the corset. Hahaha !

So, yes, the drawers are done, pics to come probably tonight. I had to redo the complete waistband, and then open the crotch seam. But that's done, phew !