To Market, To Market

I have been in search of a dress since December. Something fun. Something different.

I found just what I wanted, a black vinyl ball gown. I ordered it on December 23...

I hadn't heard anything or received anything, so January 18th I called.

Oh, that dress was on back order. Nice of them to tell me. I was all set to cancel it when I remembered they had it in red. So now it was going to be a red vinyl ball gown for me.

January 22 it arrived...I looked like a giant ketsup bottle. Remember that red/orange crayon no one ever wanted to use? Yup, that was the color. I felt my options were to return it or find a large sparkly 57 to wear around my neck. Back it went, and the search continued.

After 3 hours of hunting I found the perfect dress. Short black vinyl with a flared skirt and feather trim (hey, I wanted funky, right?) so I ordered it on the 22nd and excitedly waited for it to arrive.

And waited...

And waited.

Yesterday I was tired of waiting. Checking in with my credit card company I found it hadn't even been charged yet. I sent a few messages to the company and received no word back. Then I did some poking around I should have done before placing my order and found I wasn't the only person who'd had this issue. Great. I sent a message canceling my order and prepared for the worst as I started hunting again.

I found a few items of interest which Frank was nice enough to give an opinion on. He has gone to this event before so I figured he could steer me clear of any true horribleness. By the end of the day I had narrowed it down to one dress, but had to wait until this morning to order because I wanted to make damn sure it was in stock.

After nursing a nasty head ache last night I braved the internet. My previous order was successfully canceled, though no reason was given for the odd delay. Out of boredom I began poking around again and found 2 other options which were doable, but I wanted other eyes on them. Since vinyl was involved and Monie has had some experience in that arena, plus she (unlike me) can dress herself up to go dancing and look fantastic, I enlisted her aid. Interestingly she and Frank came to the same conclusion. I agreed and as of 9 AM I once again have something to wear...

And a back up if I look like a sausage.

And no, this one isn't vinyl....but it has flames!

Hee hee

Quote

Great quote from the weekend:

"Are you even remotely dressed?"

Undiscovered Country

So my latest adventure has been in sewing...I blame Frank. He makes me want to be all crafty. Anyhow, I've stitched up a few things for events in the past. There was the cobweb fairy for Halloween and a top for Santarchy. Neither too complicated because I figured they'd be one time wears.

Now I'm making a cloak. And it needs to be warm. So Frank and I made the pilgrimage to Joann's Fabric in search of materials. He's quite handy with a stitch and is making a piece for an upcoming party, the same party I've decided I want the cloak for. I found an interesting black/blue metallic fabric and decided to line the piece with black fleece. I even found a pattern!

So this week has been cutting and sewing. For those who don't know, sewing machines and I have never gotten along. Since I started working at a costuming shop we have agreed on a truce, but we are not buddies. Last night I really tested the peace.

Monday Connie was staying late and helped me lay out the fabric. She also gave me a few suggestions on making the piece look more finished. By the end of the day it was put together and just needed finishing hems, top stitches and a few clean up bits. Not too shabby.

Yesterday I had Connie wear the cloak so I could figure out where to put the clasp...

Connie is almost 6" shorter than I am. As she pointed out it's the difference between Hobbit and Elf. But we both agreed this thing is nice and warm!

After the "fitting" I sat down at the machine to top stitch, seeing the finish line coming into view, only to stumble as I lost my bobbin thread. Bobbins hate me. If they had thumbs they'd be pulling pins on grenades and throwing them at me. So as Connie watched I thought back 15 years to home economics and figured out how to catch the thread again. Then I sent Connie home. These things are easier to figure out without an audience.

So I was up and stitching once again...only to run out of bobbin thread entirely. I have never had much luck getting these things spooled and set up, and the last time I tried was in, you guessed it, 1992 with a teacher guiding the process. Somehow I managed to dredge up knowledge I didn't know I had (much like remembering trigonometry for the college placement exams) and get the thing spooled. I am certain I didn't do it correctly, but in the end there was thread on the damn thing so I'm saying I made it my bitch. Liz 2, Machine 0.

Merrily I sewed along and aside from clipping threads and pressing this sucker is done! I have to say I'm kind of proud of myself.

So this is the lovely clasp...

And this is the finished cloak. Whoo hoo! Now I just have to find something to wear under it...

Pale Things

Words are such pale things in comparison to what we seek to describe. But still we try, fumble with them, hoping the audience can feel our passion through the words we find. But let me go back...

Years ago I feared I would never be able to fall in love again. I remember watching movies with Monie and crying at the end, not because of sadness on the screen, but because characters were joyfully united and I thought I'd never find that happiness again in my life. Over time the fear subsided, though doubt remained. I found myself in 2 relationships during that time that lasted for a while. In each my partner said "I love you" and in each I tried so hard to feel that back...but though I came up with an overall enjoyment of their company, no fireworks. No butterflies. I thought perhaps there was just too much life between me and romance, for lack of a better word.

Then Frank came along. Quiet, unassuming, intelligent and showing signs of silliness he slipped into my life. From our first date when we ended up talking until 2 AM I knew this was different. The more we talked and spent time with each other the more I enjoyed him.

We sometimes seem to pick up where the other leaves off, we can talk about anything and everything, even attempting to solve the troubles of the world. It was bound to happen, one day I realized I was in love.

Grinning, butterfly fluttering, birds singing, skipping...love. I'm not sure I've ever felt this way before. I didn't tell him. I have never, ever been the first to say it. I didn't want to scare him or make him feel pushed into something he wasn't ready for. Eventually I couldn't keep it in...

Standing in the rain I told him I loved him, that he didn't need to say anything, I just wanted him to know. He held me close and asked "really?" I didn't need to hear it from him, I just wanted that feeling, those words, out in the world. And I knew it was special because no part of me pouted that he didn't say it back. It was a gift given expecting nothing in return.

Time passed, days grew even better to the point I didn't know how each moment became more wonderful than the next. Frank attended 2 of his sisters' weddings and I realized something else: I didn't laugh as much when he was away. I was still happy, we still talked, but that laughter we shared was absent. His homecomings were like someone turning on the sun after a long, cold night. I was shocked at my Disney-esque reaction to him, but very happy at the same time.

Then one night it happened...sitting together enjoying a warm evening he took my hand, shared a story and told me he was in love with me. He is the only man to ever make tears of joy come to my eyes, and now he's done it twice.

2007 started out rough but determined and ended in beauty and happiness, with the people I love happy and, for the first time in ages, I wasn't just happy I was joyful. New babies were on the way, houses were purchased, careers prospered, children grew, new relationships flourished. 2008 is 10 days old, may the rest of the year be as amazing as these past days.

January Thoughts

Here is your de-motivational thought for the month courtesy of Don via my Christmas present:

"Consistency: It's only a virtue when you're not a screwup."

Words to live by people...hee hee

2008

A new year...

2007 ended on a positive note, I am happy to report. Though the blue thing is still in the bottom of my mailbox but the other bio hazard has been removed.

Frank got home safely from Tennessee and I surprised myself at how big the smile that broke across my face was when he cleared security. Very happy things.

Dan-Bear is coming home for a visit next month, which very happy there.

There have been some bumps, but most have found brighter sides.

It should be an interesting year and hopefully will be full of wonderful things.