Costumes

The past two weeks have been jam packed with costumes.
Last week I spent the whole week at the USU costume shop, subbing for Jared at the Lyric.  We got things ready for "Big River" and I worked on a whole lot of projects.  Including replacing the existing closures in the back of this dress with buttons and button holes.  I also made a bonnet.  Isn't Avery the CUTEST?

I would post a few other pictures of my other projects but one was sort of embarrassing.  It was for the Nonesuch. In a week I made: a tunic, a pair of pumpkin pants (adapted from an existing pattern,) a vest, a bonnet, two black skirts, I attached patches to the tunic and I made a tube top.  For a guy.  With a big fake breast on it.  It was sort of awkward.  Here is a rendering from another production by Tan Huaixiang, author of "Character Costume Figure Figure Drawing."  

Louella's design wasn't as low cut so you didn't see the nipple

The next week I split my time between working on "The Marvelous Wonderettes" and additonal work at the Lyric.  On Monday I bought fabric for mock ups and a pattern that I altered to fit all three girls (it seemed to work pretty well.)  

I usually don't draft patterns in pink ink for this very reason

Tuesday was a CRAZY day.  I put the mock ups together for the fittings that evening, this took from 8-3, with a few breaks.  I was sewing like a crazy person but I was able to put two dresses together as well as a pair of pants and a jacket.  I should have cut the pieces out on Monday but I got too late of a start.  On my way to Midvale I voted.  Because I didn't have enough to do that day, apparently.

I stopped at JoAnn's to buy fabric and necessary notions for the costumes.  I thought I would have enough time to stop and get a decent dinner but I didn't.  Good thing there is a Maverik gas station across the street from the theatre!  Fittings went well, I have some alterations to finish but it's nothing I can't handle.  The girls seemed impressed that I was making a few of the costumes.  It's funny because that was so commonplace while I was in school.  I guess that's community theatre for you!  After fittings I went with the producer and we finished shopping for the show.  I owe Steph a HUGE thank you for that.  She is fantastic.  As a result of the impromptu shopping trip after fittings I left Midvale at 10:30.  And I-15 was a mess.  And I got home after midnight.  And I worked at 8:30 the next morning.  Luckily, my husband is a champ so he stayed on the phone and talked to me the whole way home so I didn't fall asleep or anything.  I love him so much!

Wednesday and Thursday were spent in the costume shop working on Lyric stuff.  We've moved on to "Lend Me A Tenor" and it is going to be really beautiful.  I made a mock up of the black dress out of tricot (shudder) so we can get an idea of the drape of the silk that will actually be used.

I think the lines are so elegant in all of these pieces

I was back in the shop on Friday but on personal business.  I cut out the fashion fabric for the Wonderettes costumes and serged all the pieces.  That also took all day.  I'm really glad Louella let me come in and use their cutting tables and machines.  I have been so spoiled working in two great shops.  Maybe one day I'll have a nice sewing room with a cutting table and a serger and an ironing space and.... (I can dream, right?)

And that brings us to Saturday.  I finished the jacket and pants, a feat that also took a good chunk of the day.  I took a picture as I prepared to put the green costume together.  The gray looking fabric is actually a really pretty green, I don't know why it showed up as that nasty grey-green color.  I guess I could blame instagram.

My sometimes trusty Babylock machine.  Hey, it was free, I shouldn't complain

Our family room closet is currently jam packed with costumes.  I still need to steam the petticoats but I'll wait because then they will take up even MORE room!

And I guess that is about it.  I also had a doctor's appointment at 32 weeks.  You can read about it here if you want.  My next one is scheduled for Thursday, I'll be 34 weeks and one year closer to 30.

Graduation!!!

I picked up my gown, cap, hood and tassel today. It's so weird!  When I graduated with my bachelors degree I used my Mom's cap and gown because, why not?

I walked over to the bookstore with my friend Caroline Kennedy who is also graduating.  She's heading out on a mission this summer.  She is going to be an amazing missionary.  Look out Hungary!

I think it's funny that the graduation packet came with an instruction sheet for wearing the academic hood.  I think mine is defective because the button and loop on the back aren't on the same level.  I'll figure it out, I mean, I have a MASTERS DEGREE.

My gown and hood, the front view:

And the back view:

And my diploma, so official.

The original plan was that James and I would both walk at Commencement and potentially make it a difficult choice for our families if the college ceremonies were at the same time but... James is going to finish his project and thesis this summer instead.  It's totally fine and he'll still get his degree, just a little later.  He's not bothered by it, walking at another graduation isn't that big of a priority for him.  It's hard to believe it's been almost two years since he graduated with his bachelors.  I'm really proud of him and all his hard work.

Commencement info:

Graduate Commencement and Hooding Ceremony

Friday May 4, 2012

1:30 PM

Dee Glen Smith Spectrum

800 East 1000 North

We'll assemble at 12:30, wait a half an hour and then parade to the Spectrum.  It should be fun.  I'm glad that the graduation gowns are roomy, not that my bump is that big but there's room for both of us.

Speaking of which, the baby has been moving like CRAZY!  I can't believe how weird and wonderful it feels.  We find out next Wednesday if it is a GIRL or a BOY.  I think it's a girl.

Phew!

It has been a busy semester.  We went to a wedding on Friday.  James's old roommate, Lonnie, married his girlfriend, Amber.  It was really sweet.  Here is a picture that James took from before the ceremony. 

I SWEAR I was wearing make-up...

I finished the dress I mentioned earlier.  While I worked on the dress, James made this:

 It's a pot holder.  My husband has skills

The finished dress, front:

 and back:

Oh, and I defended my Plan B Report on Wednesday.  I totally passed.  Now I need to finish my re-writes. But not right now.  It's waaaaay too late for that.

Where did October go?

I am seriously confused about how fast October passed us by.  I remember General Conference and I remember handing in my Plan B draft...how is it already November?

I defend my Plan B Report in a week and a half.  I still haven't received any feedback from my committee.  Does that mean I don't have to do any re-writes?

I still do?  I thought so.

Happy Halloween!

I decided to dress up for my last Halloween in school.  I decided to be Margot Tenenbaum (from the movie The Royal Tenenbaums) because I had all of the elements I needed.  It would have been even better if the striped dress was a polo dress instead of a v-neck.  It's Halloween, not rocket science.

 Margot is the surley looking one in the fur coat.

And me:

I was just really glad that I inherited my great grandma's fur coat, it was the PERFECT color.

Fun fact: the striped dress was also from my great-grandma.  I have a picture of me as a baby and she's wearing the dress.

Margot has a fake finger and I wanted to pay homage to it:

I covered my finger in make-up primer then waterproof eye-liner followed by a dusting of eye shadow.  I washed it off after I took this picture during design studies.  It was smearing on things, I was just nervous.  And distracted.

I learned something this Halloween:
You should be something readily recognizable because otherwise you're just the weird girl wearing too much eyeliner, over heating in a fur coat.

James didn't dress up but next year he wants to go as a one armed guy riding a velociraptor.  The only problem is that the character in Jurassic Park that fits that description was played by Samuel L. Jackson.  Maybe we can figure out another, less questionable option.

I turned in my paperwork for my defense on the 16th.  I can't believe it's in two weeks!  I have just a few more tables and things to add in addition to the re-writes.  It's almost ready!

A break from homework

I realized after I put the first picture on my blog that it's kind of nauseating. It's basically upside down.

I changed it. Can you tell a difference?

It just seems slightly more natural the second way. I'm working on designs for Frost/Nixon, one of my favorite plays. It's the first batch of watercolor renderings this semester. The first two sets were in marker and pen. I'm glad that I haven't totally forgotten how to paint!

The design process sort of goes like this: script, research, sketches, renderings, costumes. It's the bare bones description of how it goes. Below is some of my rough sketches, completed on tracing paper with Prisma pencils. I wanted to experiment with color and this was the fastest way without working on the computer. I'm kind of old school that way.

You can't get your sketches without some research. Yep, it's a yearbook. Check out the sweet plaid suit, lower right hand corner.
Three Musketeers opened this week, hooray! I was responsible for patterning four dresses including the queen's ball gown:
and Milady's dresses. This one wasn't finished, we added more trim to the collar and cuffs plus interchangeable stomachers.
Up next is another shot of my grad lab box. I don't really work in here much apart from class. It's not the coziest room and there isn't a sink in the room which is a pain when I'm painting.
I made a couple of discoveries this week including:

Spray and Wash+bleach=FOAM! Granted, this was probably toxic so it's a good thing I'm not pregnant! I dyed some lace for Milady's dress and it was way too dark so I tried to get out as much of the dye as possible. I few tries and a go in the washing machine and it was perfect. I think I was just lucky as opposed to qualified.
Someone hung this up on the art hallway. In case you can't read it, it says "Hello?" and under Lionel Richie's picture, "is it me you're looking for?" Here's a link for those who aren't laughing.
Finally, I made grapefruit marmalade using Nigella Lawson's recipe. I was very pleased with how it looked. It was so jeweled and pretty in its orange-ness.
However, it was disgusting. Anyone want a few jars of stomach-turningly-tart marmalade?

Okay, now I just feel like it's overkill....

Okay, so I realize I've posted a lot of pictures of this set but I hadn't posted any with the cool lights we have in class. So, it's okay...right?

Seriously though, I did add a few extra bits to the living room, namely the sconces and the junk above the fireplace. I think it really adds to it.

If I had really been ambitious I would have made the items dimensional. Seriously though, if cutting pictures out of a magazine gets the job done, I'll fall back on that.

And, here is ACT II with the painted backdrop.

I'm so glad this project is over!

Grey Gardens set design

As I am typing this entry it is 3:09...AM. Yep, I stayed up late but I FINISHED! Apparently we each get a turn to stay up late doing homework. Yesterday James was up until 4:30 finishing assignments. I'm surprised he made it through today. He's a champ and I love him

Any who...

I'll just add captions to these since I'm not really up for witty comments (then again, I'm not really that funny at other times.)
An aerial view of the main room/entry/drawing room set with 1/4" scale figure. My FAVORITE adirondack chair and the rocking chair of death (it kept tipping over so I filed the bottom flat.)

ACT I, full stage setting.
A full view of ACT II, all scenes combined. It's really crazy looking but that's sort of how it's supposed to be.This is another view of ACT I with the porch piece flown in. I'm not sure how I feel about it but it's 3:15 AM and it's due in less than six hours.

I wasn't too hip on the faded garden backdrop so I tried a different approach. I found a really cool painting of the Grey Gardens house on-line so I printed it out, glued it to illustration board and painted over the top. It really gives the set a different look.
ACT I with the porch piece.
ACT I without porch.
ACT I garden piece. I'm really pleased with how this piece turned out because it looked straight out of Camelot before I added the vegetation stuff.
And ACT I again. Apparently I didn't take any pictures of the ACT II set up with the painted backdrop. I'll let you use your imaginations...

A Plethora of Pictures

I basically dumped a bunch of pictures I had on my phone, on to my blog. Most are from after ACTF but a few are from before. First up, Valentine's Day. My husband is amazing, wonderful, loving, thoughtful and funny. I think that his gifts show all of his sides. He bought new garments (I really needed them, mine were all gray!) risque candy hearts and a jewelry box.I was really surprised by the jewelry box but he pointed out that I usually complained about my necklaces getting tangled and lost earrings. It was extremely thoughtful and I really love it!

Next up: STAIRS. I'm taking set design this semester and although I feel pretty confident about it, I obviously still have a lot to learn.

Case in point, this photograph:
As you can see, there is the 1/8" stair section on the left in heavy paper followed by two failed attempts to replicate the same stairs in 1/4" scale. It took three tries to FINALLY get the stairs to be wider at the bottom than the top. And I'm in grad school....

The skirt that Amanda is holding up is the long-lost skirt from The Cripple of Inishmaan...from SEPTEMBER! It was lost during the build of the show, replaced with something else and, of course, found months later. I think Amanda's face says it all.

Also from the costume shop is a picture from the trim used on the officer's coats for Our Country's Good, in performance until next Saturday at the Morgan Theatre. It was my task to thread the serger in gold thread and then serge 160 strips for the coats.
I really hated that job. But, I finished it.

Yesterday morning, as I was making breakfast, I noticed that the pepper I had pulled from the fridge made a funny rattling noise. I half expected some scary bug or something to fly out when I cut it open. Not so!It was a baby pepper! Crazy!

I noticed on Thursday that our tailor's ham was looking particularly sad. It had a gash on the back and the plaid side was falling off. I took it upon myself to fix our sad little ham.

I think it is much improved:

What do you think?

Wednesday morning I saw this:
Yep, a horse and buggy. Technically I think it was pulled by shetland ponies but I'm probably wrong.

Last up (I'll bet you're glad) my "completed" set for The Goat or Who is Silvia? which is technically still in the white model format but that is all we had to do for the assignment.
I'm going to remake the window piece (the center piece) because the balsa wood just didn't look as nice in real life.

Next up: The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus in Design Studies and Grey Gardens for Set Design.

Oh! I forgot to mention what I gave James for Valentines: "Manly Mustache Mirror clings," guitar shaped ice cube molds and underthings (technically it's for both of us.)