Sunday, September 18, 2011

An Update!!!! & Undersea Creatures!

 First I want to let you know that I GOT MY SEWING MACHINE BACK!!!!!  It is FIXED!!!!  I am so happy.  It may seem silly to some, but it's like I've had a sick family  member who has come out of intensive care and is going to make a full recovery!!!  I haven't had a chance to sew on it yet, but my sewing machine guy (who is my new hero) tells me it works perfectly!!!!!

Lil"E wants to be an undersea fairy for Halloween.  Of course, my first thought was using blues, greens, maybe purples, but not for Lil"E.  She wants PINK, her new favorite color.  It was purple.  So, it dawned on me that seashells are pinkish.  I made the bodice in the shape of a shell using this shiny (no sparkles - they hurt and itch!) satiny fabric that was in the box of fabrics that my friend gave me. 
 I added some shimery white sheer organza type fabric that I had in my stash, left over from making angel wings for church.  I bubbled the skirt and inserted satiny seashells and "pearls" (plastic beads) so that she'll make pearly noises (whatever that is)  when she twirls. 

 The over dress is made like a pinafore that ties on the sides.  I gathered the skirt and sewed it on the outside of the lower part of the seashell bodice so that it would make a ruffle at the waist.
 Underneath is a SOFT under-dress made from velour fabric that was also in my friend's box.  Boy, do I ever owe her one!!!!  Lil'E really doesn't like anything scratchy touching her sensitive skin.  This under-dress will be so comfy for this little fairy.   I added satiny puffy sleeves to the under-dress, and added lace with pink and pearl accents.
 To finish it off is a seashell crown.  Actually, this costume isn't quite complete.  I'm still figuring out the wings.  I made a set, but I don't like them, so I'm still debating how I'm going to make them.
 Since, Lil'E is going to be an undersea fairy, it stands to reason that her little sis', Lil'B would also be an undersea creature.  She will be a sea horse.  Our little Miss R was a sea horse a few years ago, but she was a gold and brown shiny sea horse, and wasn't as old as Lil'B, so her costume wouldn't work to hand down.  Actually, Miss J was once an undersea fairy, but the sizes and colors didn't work for Lil'E, of course.
 This fabric came from my friend's box, too!  It is hot pink moire satin.  I thought it looked like it a watery look to it, even though it's pink.  The really shiny stuff is kind of orangey-pink sheer fabric that I had in my stash.  I don't remember what I had used it for, but I'm sure it was someone's Halloween costume a few years back.
 The fins on the head and back have pipe cleaner spines that hold them up.  I just zigzagged over them.
 The eyes are cut from a styrofoam cup colored with a black permanent marker.  I used my hot glue gun to glue them on and decided to put the glue all over the surface, partly to hold them on better, and partly because I thought it look kind of cool.
I made little shiny shoulder fins.
 Here's a close-up of the tail.  Can you believe that I almost forgot to make the tail?  What kind of sea horse doesn't have a long curly tail? 
Here's a front view.  It is really hard to photograph a sea horse costume.  I hope I get some photos of the kids in their costumes!
Next, is the Hedwig the owl costume (Harry Potter's pet), and Luna Lovegood and Fleur Delacour (both Harry Potter characters) for the sisters in Connecticut.  Luna and Fleur actually wear real clothes.  I plan to make their costumes so that they can really wear them if they choose.

Can you believe that I have strep throat again?  At least I think it's strep.  I haven't been to the doctor, but I called my friend who is a physician's assistant.  She called medicine in for me.  I thought I was just exhausted from teaching and all the other stuff I've had to do this week.  Yesterday, I got a really bad headache, though, and realized my throat hurt, too.  When I looked at it, I saw those white spots on my tonsils that look strepish.  So, I am staying home from church this morning and doing computer stuff so I can rest.  My sister has been here this week.  I sure hope she doesn't get strep because with her COPD that would not be good.  I can't miss school because there is TOO MUCH TO DO to get ready for a sub and it is more trouble than it is worth most of the time!!!!  I'm going to try to get some school stuff done today on the computer.


7 comments:

Jackie's Stitches said...

I'm so glad your machine is repaired and at home!!! That's great news and I know you were worried that it would be not be repairable.

The costumes are beyond wonderful!

Amy Bailes said...

I know just how you feel about your machine! The costumes are awesome. You have such talent!

Jocelyn said...

So glad you got your machine back!! And the costumes are amazing!!!

gwensews said...

Cute costume, Julia. And I know you're thrilled to get that machine back. We miss our stuff. And, feel better soon.

Cindy said...

Yea!! I'm so glad that your machine is back home where it belongs. I LOVE the seahorse and undersea fairy costumes!

Jan said...

You're going to get lots of "glad your machine is back" and here's another from me.
It's the pits to have strep. I've had it many, many times. Make sure you gargle salt water and then eat yogurt. Whenever I feel strep coming on, I do these two things and now I don't even need to see the doctor, cuz my strep in gone in a couple of days. The salt kills the nasties and kind of numbs the throat. The yogurt also fights the nasties and it soothes the ouch.

Ladydy5 aka: Diane Yates said...

There you go again Julia! Great looking costumns for the grands. They are so lucky.

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