Raven

I'm back three days early from my SCA trip.  While my allergies virtually disappear every time I leave central Texas (thank goodness), the humidity in Mississippi kept my asthma topped out so badly that I could barely leave camp by Wednesday morning/Tuesday evening. I also dislocated my right collarbone early in the week.

While I was gone, my elderly dog, Raven, was suddenly hit by all of his health issues (some known, mostly unknown) exploded all at once.  He spent two days in the hospital.  I packed up camp Wednesday night and hit the road Thursday morning, driving straight from Gulf Wars to the emergency vet clinic, where I spent a last couple of hours with him before he went to sleep for the last time.

Between dog issues and health issues, please excuse my absence from this blog for a bit longer, while I spend some time on both emotional and physical healing.

Raven
August 2001 - March 19th, 2015

SCA Crossover: Refinishing A Chair

 I recently refinished a piece of wooden SCA furniture for a friend in the group, for his campsite.  It had definitely seen better days:

(all of these pics are halfway through sanding, to show just how much *crud* is in/on this wood)

Don't get me wrong, it's a good chair.  It's extremely well-made, sturdy, and not a joint is out of place, though it looks horrible.  What you're looking at is several years' worth of

• rain/water damage
• sun exposure/oxidation
• corroded varnish
• sweaty fighter butts (ewww)

Not only was the finish shot, but the wood was so swollen with weather and age in places that the chair wouldn't fully open OR close...rendering a really nice chair completely useless. 

I'll be honest, I was dreading the prospect of sanding allllll those pieces individually.  I guess the chair, or the Universe, or the Powers-That-Be heard me - because I could NOT get this thing apart to save my life.  I tried every tool at my disposal, got friends to help me, even tried to grind the hardware out, but it appears to have been made of naquadah-enhanced unobtanium, and sealed with black magic.  @_@  In the end I had to sand and stain this thing WHILE FULLY ASSEMBLED.  I'm here to tell you that was a bitch. 

BUT I got it done: 

(I could no longer feel my hands after this...and it still needed more sanding)

Here's the first coat of stain, applied very, very carefully, with a small brush and a lot of paper towels.  The chair is solid oak, and pretty well weathered and seasoned; still, I didn't want to chance the stain swelling the wood and undoing all the work I put into buffing down the seat pieces so that this thing would move properly again.  Rubbing stain into the wood with paper towels keeps too much stain from soaking in and swelling the wood, and it also gives you a LOT more control over the depth and amount of color.  

(oooh, aahhh)

After two more coats of stain, and several coats of spray poly-acrylic (for a low-tack, matte-sheen clearcoat, rather than a polyurethane which could stick in hot weather), it was finally done:

(The dark area of the back piece was severely stained, deep enough that I couldn't surface clean it out, or even sand it off the wood.  It's the same on the reverse of the piece; in fact, it's worse on the other side.  I have no idea what caused it, but, this was the best I could do with it). 

Sir John's and his lady Bridget's devices painted on the center of the back rest, in acrylic paint, and heavily clear-coated to prevent scratching.

Tada! 

IT BEGINS.

Typos are hilarious.  IT BEINGS doesn't have nearly the same ring to it.

So.  Kress is all moved out, and my house is all mine once more.  The move went well, and we said tearful but happy goodbyes to each other and to each other's pets, hehe.  It all ends on a happy note, for both of us.  On to bigger and brighter things!

And then I began the complete reorganization of my entire house, which will end up taking me all summer.  I started by cleaning.  Hoo boy, moving raises SO much dust!  I was on my feet all day and evening both Saturday and Sunday, and I have a LOT to show you.  But we'll start where I started, after the place was clean:  with the closets in the master bedroom.

My closet has always been the one in the bathroom, on the bottom of the picture.  You saw the makeover for that one back in  December.  The other closet, up on the left, was Kress' closet.  I spent the whole weekend cleaning both, and re-distributing items and furniture.



In my closet...

While I loved the shoe shelves, back in December I got in a little over my head - literally.  I could barely reach the towels on the top shelf, and have been dumping them on my head for months, and I was TIRED OF IT.

So I removed the shelving and installed it lower, so that the tall boots are on the ground, and the tallest shelf (now housing stuffed dinosaurs, manatees, and alligators with big floppy aardvark ears), is about forehead level.

I also moved my dresser out into the bedroom, to take the place of some large bookcases that moved out of the room.  The two plastic bins on these shelves are for my unmentionables.  I like having them in the closet, but not in the dresser.

Since the dresser was gone, I got a set of two café curtain rods from the dollar store (for all of $1.29, seriously), and used them to hang my collection of scarves.

They're within easy reach, not taking up hanger-space on the clothing bar, and I really like the way they look hanging like this.

With the dresser out, and the shoe shelf lowered, the closet feels a ton more open.










The other closet...

...is now both my linen closet and my SCA closet!  About 10/90%, too - you can see the towels there.  Everything else in the closet is SCA:  long, heavy dresses, shoes, underlayers, and drawers and baskets full of hats, sleeves, scarves, snoods, and all sorts of other accessories.

There's still some renovation to be done in here:  there's carpeting on the floor that's original to the house.  It's in good shape, but it and another closet elsewhere in the house are the only pieces of carpet left.  And, believe it or not, the walls in here have never been painted. Also, you know how I detest that wire shelving.  So, updates on all that forthcoming.

Meanwhile, ALL THIS was in my other closet!  And the dresser was in there! That's too much stuff!  So this helps a lot.








Later this week I'll show you what I did with the dresser in the bedroom, as well as some work going on in the living room, some furniture painting, and some furniture building!  WHEW.


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+3 Vacuum Cleaner of Awesome

Introducing: Da Bomb

Seriously, this little blue thing for the WIN.  Got a new vacuum this week.  A canister, for the first time - I dunno where this thing's been all my life, but I'm pretty much never going back.  I can't even describe the filth that happens to my floors with eight four-legged animals running around the house;  this thing made sweeping twice, vacuuming twice, then mopping into...just vacuuming.  Once.  0_0



Other things going on in the Land of Me: 

• MAJOR preparations for Gulf Wars, a big honkin' SCA event in two weeks, that I'm actually pretty prepared for, except for the part where I'm going to be spending the next twelve days sewing like a woman possessed. 
• I got the HOA approval to hang the storm door (seriously, guys? a month?), so, next spare ten minutes I get that's not taken up by sewing is going to get devoted to spray-priming and -painting the door and mounting hardware to match the trim on the house, and getting it hung in place.  Can't wait!
• I'm also in the process of putting the flooring - and everything else! - into the guest room all in one fell swoop.  Gulf Wars is out of state, and so Kress' mom is coming to house-sit and dog-sit, so we're sprucing up the guest room for her.  We got an entirely new set of bedding and linens for the room from Kohl's recently;  and I've been gathering furniture from Craigslist and friends.  I can't wait to show you! 

More updates as soon as I can!

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Pseudo-Update

Wow, I'm doing a great job updating this week, aren't I?  

I'm really doing the stuff I said I was gonna do, too.  I just keep forgetting to take pictures!  So far this week, I have:

1. Planted a rose bush in the front garden, and cleaned up the area around it in preparation for some changes I plan to make next week
2. Planted a bush in the backyard (and scolded a dog who tried to dig it up, even though I'd put fencing around it, then put the sprinkler next to it to keep him away, because he's terrified of the sprinkler).
3. Put up some of the shelves in the craft room, and began organizing my fabric onto it, in order to (a) start getting the floor cleared of giant plastic bins, and (b) free up a couple of the bins so I can pack camping stuff into them
4. Taken a gigantic truckload of clothes and items to Goodwill, after having mercilessly purged my wardrobe recently to make space for (a) clothes that actually fit me and (b) costumes! 

Speaking of costumes...

I started that costume blog that I was telling you about the other day. Good news on two fronts:  YOU don't have to be bothered reading my costume stuff if you're only here for the plants and houses; and *I* have a shiny new toy.  Hee!  If you're interested, my costume blog is here:

http://clothofstars.blogspot.com

 


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WHEW.

I spent most of the weekend sewing, which will surprise exactly no one.  Got caught up on everything I meant to do last weekend, when I was down with The Food Poisoning.  Blech.

Not much to show for myself, photographic-evidence-wise - but later in the week there'll be a couple of posts about the costumes I worked on this weekend, some pseudo-14th century jewelry, the craft room shelves (YAY!), some organization achieved over the weekend in the craft room AND my bedroom closet,  and the aquarium stand I've been working on.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!  <3

just something pretty to look at, in the meantime. from Pinterest

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Costumaroni & Cheese: Headgear Post #1

Remember this?

the most shit I've ever had on my head at once.

See the blue ribbon around my hair, under the veil? That was a trial run, done in acrylic craft paints.  Just a plain ol' little trefoil-vine design, nothing fancy.  I wanted an embroidered version...so I made one.

Please keep in mind that I've never embroidered anything before, and be gentle with me.  This was quite a feat for me, even though (as I'm well aware) it kinda looks like a four year old did it. It's my first try.  And I'm pretty pleased with myself. :)

1.  First line of vines (I sketched the pattern onto the ribbon with chalk pencil first)
2.  Thicker
3.  Trefoils on the fine ends (little three-lobed plant leaves)
4.  Gold outlines
5.  Stitching a second ribbon on the back to hide the hideous back of my work, with a little blanket-stitch
6.  Reinforcing the ends with a pseudo-buttonhole stitch type situation, because...
7.  Lengths of embroidery floss over the edge, and tied into a fringe, which was then...
8.  Braided into three braids, which were braided together to form a single cord at each end of the ribbon.

DONE. FINALLY.

Why?  Because it's pretty. :o)   And because my wimple is really only half of one - it doesn't go all the way around the back or top of my head, and it's not wrapped:  the upper corners of it pin to this ribbon, which hold it in place, which in turn keeps the ribbon in place.

WHEW.  That took me like two weeks.  I have no idea how people do this all the time.  I don't hate embroidery with a bloody passion like I did before I started working on this - but I sure am tired of it.

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In Lieu of Simply Apologizing...

Again, I mean. For the lack of substantive posts.  I *am* actually working on things this month, though.  I may or may not have a couple of nifty posts for you this week and next, if my schedule works out this week. 

Here are some hints as to what I'm working on at the moment:

restorationhardware.com

trendland.net

Lotus Trio, by Mark Epling

A gorgeous planted tank at AquaTek Austin

Hans Memling

More later!  :o)

"Other Hobby" - Now With 30% More Bling!

Since no outfit or costume is complete without the bling, I've been working on some of that.  Last night I popped Gladiator into the DVD player, sat my butt on the couch with all my jewelry supplies and some recently-delivered loot, and set about making some costume jewelry:





"Emerald" faceted crystal flat-rounds set in pewter, from Michael's.

Green glass teardrop from The Bead Pusher on Etsy
Chain links and twisted bail made with silver wire endpins.

Same faceted crystal set beads from Michael's, in pink ($1 each, by the way), same chain links made from wire. Closure is a round ear wire (the same kind I use to make my nose rings) that hooks into a flat coin-sort of bead component.

I'm wearing these right now.  :) The metal drops were also from The Bead Pusher;  nickel-free silver french ear wires + teal glass seed beads I had sitting around.

These were to replace a nearly identical pair that I used to have (I lost one).  The teal briolettes also came from The Bead Pusher; the filigree bead caps came from Michael's. 

They came in a 6-pack: two each copper, silver, and gold.  The gold and silver pairs I cut apart and made into aguilettes which are the [decorative versions of] the little caps they put on the ends of things like shoelaces and bolo ties.  I wanted some metal ones for costume purposes (ever tried to lace up a shoe with a frayed cord? Try it sometime with a dress with 40 lace holes). 

I tried using some small, plain, flat ones I found at a local bead place, but they were too weak to hold up to being clamped onto the cording I was using;  these guys were prettier anyway, and made of sturdier stuff.   I cut them in half, which made a small aglet out of the top half of the cone.  The bottom half I flattened out, split in half lengthwise, and then re-rolled into two smaller versions of itself.  So, each pair of bead caps ended up making SIX aglets!  Not bad for a buck per pair!

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Off My Game (And Onto Another One)

Raise your hand if you're one of those people who can work on ONE project at a time, from start to finish, before you start another one?

♫♪♫

That's what I thought.  So, if case the lack of posts this week didn't clue you in, I stopped working on the living room for a bit.  Got all wrapped up in sewing.  Thought I'd introduce you to my other hobby today, just for something different.  I'd mentioned it, but I don't think I'd posted anything here about it, aside from the cooler cover I made earlier this year.
 

Kress and I spend quite a ridiculous amount of time with the Society for Creative Anachronism, or SCA (a pre-1600 historical reenactment society).  I find it QUITE awesome, since I'm a lifelong costume geek!


Kress' persona in the "game" is Russian, 15th century - and this is a hat I made for him last night.

It's made from scraps from a damask table runner given to me by a friend, and trimmed with faux-fur cut from a throw blanket I got from Target on clearance in January for six dollars.  I'm not even kidding.  I bought a white one, too.

The pieces are easy to shape:  take the circumference of the head and divide by however many "sides" you want the hat to have.  This hat has four, and Kress' head is 24" around.

From the top of his ears to the top of his head is 5" - I added an extra inch for ease, hem, and so there'd be a small point on top.

So, I started out with four 6x6" squares, and cut the arched sides by hand.  I started wide, fitted the pieces to his head, and then brought the side seams in - the steeper the angle, the more fitted the hat.  If the arch is too wide, the hat will end up being square on top, like a box.

Here are two sides put together, which is half of the hat.

As I said, I drafted the pattern myself based on Kress' measurements; but in case you were wondering, I learned about the construction of this type of hat in the first place by reading  Sofya la Rus' excellent and well-researched website on historical Russian costume and recreation. 

 I made the lining first, to fit to his head, then used one of the lining pieces to make a paper pattern that I can use again, and then to make the upholstery pieces.  Always, always, always make a paper pattern.

The fake-fur band is 2" tall, 28" long, and sewn between the outer and lining layers, then folded to the outside.

I also tacked the top of the band to the body of the hat on the outside, underneath the fur trim, to keep it from folding down while he's wearing it, so he doesn't have to worry about whether it's staying in place, or walk around court looking like a doofus. :)

I already have ideas for improving the design and the fit for the next time I do this...but that's a story for another hat. 





Tada!  I'd never made a hat before, aside from simple hoods and veils and elastic shower-cap type things.  This was fun!  And really quick, too - only took about an hour and a half.


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Before + After: Secret Beer!

Before: 

After:

"furniture"

That's a storage ottoman that keeps things cold - and it only cost me $8, since this drapery fabric was on uber-clearance at Hobby Lobby.  I already had cord for the welting and thick quilt batting in The Storage Pit (what Kress has taken to calling my supply stores...or maybe he's referring to my craft room.  I really don't know.  Maybe I should clean it again at some point).

the buttons are TOO SMALL - but it's what I had

Really, I just like saying "secret beer."  At the event this weekend, this cooler will actually hold ice, bottled water, a couple of sodas, and finger-munchies to snack on during the day before the big feast in the evening.  :)


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Secret Beer & Other Plans

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago (I think...?)  Kress and I have recently joined the SCA.  Very simply, for those of you who might not know what that is:  the folks who get dressed up in Medieval and Renaissance costumes and fight with sticks in the park.  This is why I'm so busy this week: I'm up to my ass in alligators with costuming and putting together gear for our first event, which is in two weeks!

The SCA involves camping, and camping involves, amongst other things, brightly-colored plastic coolers...which don't exactly add to the ambiance.  My friend Nan sews cushioned slipcovers to drop over hers, to turn a plastic cooler into an ottoman!  Camouflage and additional seating! Awesome.

So in addition to three full adult costumes, I'm sewing an "ottoman" disguise for my rectangular, rolling cooler this week, based on this pattern:

And since we're on the subject of me sewing things, here are a couple more ideas I'm planning to put into action as soon as I'm done with all this costume business:

That's:

1. another cooler cover, this one to turn a cube-cooler into a Moroccan pouf
2. a drop-cover for the old desk chair that I use at my sewing table, because it's FUGLY and scratched and stained and torn
3. a canvas "tent"  cover for the wire shelving units that I currently use to hold up my sewing table top (1), which will eventually be replaced with nice shelving, once I have the extra funds and the time to build them, paint them, and fill them with baskets (2)

2 and 3 actually use fabric that I already have in my "Storage Pit" which is what Kress has taken to calling my craft room closet, which he swears has an entrance to Fabric-Narnia hidden in the back behind the stack of spare pillows, LOL.

cube-cooler pouf:  yeah?

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