aka Chesty LaRue

In Puppy News...

Yesterday was a very exciting day here at Casa de Larue. Roxie got spayed at the vet (and did beautifully) and Layla had her big surgery day. To sweeten the deal, the kids had made about 1 metric ton of peppermint bark (this is their go-to holiday gift they make for friends and teachers each year) and sent a bunch with for the surgeons. Turns out the two male surgeons had some, and were apparently bogarting it from the excellent Dr. Vicki, who had no idea what it was. I told her to make sure she got some too. She sounded a little peeved that they had been hoarding it. Hee.

Layla's surgery was scheduled for 9am, and I got a call right around 1pm telling me it had gone well, and she was in recovery. She was the second smallest dog the surgeon had ever operated on, and yet still required EIGHT coils in her shunt. Go big or stay home is the family motto, and it would seem she took that to heart. She only has the one incision in her neck from the catheter placement, and was up and eating pretty quickly after surgery. Although she did make them hand-feed her, which may or may not have been a bit of superior manipulation on her part. She also had her very own heat lamp and she made a big hit with all the med students and residents. I have no doubt she batted her big brown eyes at them and tried to snuggle with every person who came near. Plus she is small, cute, and very soft. I don't think she made the monkey noises there, as typically people mention that ("Did you know that your dog makes this high pitched noise that just sounds so disturbing?" "Why yes, I do. Particularly during dinner.").

There was a packed crowd for the surgery, and they took lots of pictures, and are taking more today. I got a call from the resident this morning at 6:15, and of course my first thought was "Oh SHIT. She's dead." Which, luckily, she wasn't. He was just getting on his shift and wanted to call before he went into surgery. She did well all night and is ready to go home today whenever I can pick her up. We are much relieved. She needs to be watched this week for possible hypertension, but otherwise we change nothing for a month. Then she has her blood taken again and we start cutting back on the meds and then the diet until finally she is free of all that. Then we just check her blood twice a year, and bile acids yearly, and hope all is well. Apparently 1/3 of all dogs need an additional couple of coils put in, but 1/2 of all dogs never have problems again. We are hoping she is in that 50%.

She and Roxie need to be kept apart for a week as they both recover, and we have to be careful of the incision in her neck. Otherwise? She is good to go. Which is amazing, considering her previous surgery involved a 6 inch incision on her tiny little 4 month old belly. She is such a trooper, and I can't wait to see her start to put on some fat on her tiny self, and get to enjoy actual protein. I think she is going to be rather fond of bacon.  Roxie will no longer get to enjoy all the spoils of things that drop on the floor...

I can't thank the medical team enough, or Dr. Beal for flying down to perform the surgery, and especially Dr. Vicki for finding the funding to cover half the surgery. I know she worked her ass off to make this happen and we are forever grateful. We are also so thankful to all the people who bought dresses in the "Buy a Dress, Save a Puppy" campaign, and to each and every person who participated in the Six Wives Project and donated their time and energy to making this happen. As a family we are truly thankful. I hope that all goes well over the next week, and that we have nothing but good news to report for Layla in the new year. (Roxie has taken to trying to escape lately, so no good news there, naughty thing.)

Thank you again! Layla thanks you too.

Entering Steampunklandia Part 1

I first heard of Steampunk about a year ago, and whilst I was busy with All Things Tudor, The Chick was busy embracing Steampunk. She had her whole outfit planned out (she's an Assassin for hire) and had an entire outfit planned for me (I balked at the bloomers idea) and she knew more about modding weaponry than I would ever want to know. 

 

Ellen finds a clue!

So when MNRF was over at the beginning of October, our little Posse decided that Steampunk was the next logical step in costuming evolution. We found two fall events to attend: Steampunk Kaposia's Mystery Party and the Dickensian Yule Ball.


Because all of us had no Steampunk clothing at all, (or anything even remotely approaching Steampunk clothing), for the first time I was not the only person scrambling for an outfit. Everyone who attended the Mystery Party had multiple accessories and killer hats. Except me, of course, because my outfit was again last minute, and I wore the tiny little tophat I had bought at Michael's and decorated eons ago. It also reinforced to me that I am not a tiny hat girl.

We did quite well in terms of using thrift store items to fill out our outfits. The evidence below:

We had a rather large group go to the Mystery Party, at the Alumni House at Macalester College in St. Paul, MN. The house was really very nice, and the mystery was fun.

The Posse, representing.

Miss T, Chum, MamaRox, Me, DJRenee, Probie, and DME.

Putting a little hustle in our bustles.

DME the Motorcyclist/Airship Driver/Mechanic wore a jacket I found at the thrift store, a leather belt from a leather jacket I own, Princess A's Harley saddle bag, some brown faux-suede bloomers a la Jen Thompson's Zouave pants, some fingerless motorcycle gloves, and S's black riding boots and white scarf. I also made her a little leather airman's cap with swim goggles on them, but it wound up being much smaller than expected. She looked terribly cute in it, though.

DJRenee wore an old Boy Scout top she found at the thrift store, green khaki bloomers she made, a leather belt and gauntlets (also made by her) with an old boy scout belt on top. She wore some very cool skull socks and black boots. The best part was the red fez that belonged to Chum. Because apparently everyone needs a fez.

Probie found her cute black shoes and short sleeved blouse at Value Village Thriftstore, as well as her $14.00 leather jacket. Her purse is an old Brownie camera which has an amazing amount of space inside for storage. She made her hat from the Threadbangers pattern, her corset from a Simplicity pattern (which is grommeted in back), and her lovely fishtail skirt from instructions from Learningtofly here on LJ. She also made all of her own jewelry using various gears and parts she found at Ax-Man.

MamaRox was the lucky recipient of an actual wool tophat because her's was the only head that fit it. She decked it out in taffeta, feathers and flowers. Her vest and shirt were thrift store finds, as was her underskirt. Her bustle was a taffeta formal skirt from the thrift store that I pinned the bustle shape into and she sewed into place. Her fingerless gloves were I believe from Claire's. Shoes from the thrift store as well. Hair courtesy of her husband's flat iron.

Miss T had an amazing green coat with all kinds of intricate detail that she bought back in the 80's from Ragstock. We called this her Fagin Look. The black buckle belt is from Target, the accessories from Chum and MamaRox, and the boots are also items she purchased back in the 80's. The striped socks are my favorite.

Chum had a mix of stuff as well. The black blouse was from the thrift store. The hat was a little bowler hat MamaRox found and dressed up with some tulle and ribbon. The corset was given to me by Countess Ang, and found to be a very good fit for Chum. The black fabric had bled onto the white when it was washed at some point, giving it a very cool grey effect that worked well with the outfit. The boots are Born boots she bought retail (and wears everywhere, thus getting Her Money's Worth) and the scarf is also a personal item. The white eyelet underskirt was an old skirt she wore out at Fest Back In The Day, and we shortened it and added an elastic waistband. The overskirt was a stin ballgown skirt with tulle underneath that has previously been worn as part of a zombie ensemble. I sewed channels in it and we put ribbon through it and ruched it up. The tulle was then cut to length. I like to think of this as her Can-Can Girl/Mae West outfit.

I was pretty much an epic fail at thrifting. While the cool purse is actually a vintage binoculars case, and the shoes and blouse came from the discount store, everything else was either purchased full price or made from scratch. The skirt is black linen over brown linen, using Learningtofly on LJ's basic instructions for a ruched skirt, and then taking off from there. The bodice/corset is a Simplicity bridal pattern that I covered in fabric from Joann's, and leather buckle straps I found at Ax-Man. It is bound on the edges in brown leather, with a brown leather modesty panel in back. It was terribly comfortable in comparison to an Elizabethan corset, but as I like to make new things for new events, it is now for sale in my Etsy shop www.etsy.com/shop/accidentalseamstress.

We had a great time trying to solve the mystery (though none of us did) and then went over to W.A. Frost, a restaurant with a Steampunk-like atmosphere to eat. Our waiter was a (currently unemployed, someone should hire him, he's fabulous!) opera singer and he sang a little bit of Tosca for us before we left.

This particular adventure made all of us Steampunk converts, and now instead of looking at jewelry in stores and thinking, "Wow, this would make a fabulous girdle!" we are looking at plastic guns and thinking, "I could totally mod this!"

Next up - the Dickensian Yule Ball.

The one where I get maudlin AND issue myself a challenge...

2009 has been a long year.  A REALLY long year.  The drama of this year has at times threatened to overwhelm me, both personally and professionally.

I had some great moments this year.  I completed a goal I had set for myself in costuming, I dressed a renaissance princess, and I attended the college where some of the world's best costumers go and teach.

However, as the year draws to a close, I am reminded more and more of the things that I didn't get to do, and the changes I want to make.

I have talked about The Dreaded Disease here before, and how it can wipe me of any and all energy, strength and initiative that I might have.  One of the things I have realized this year is that I no longer want to push myself as hard as I have.  I can't afford to stay up all night sewing.  My body can't afford to have me sew for days on end with no breaks.  There will be a point where it is going to tell me that it has had enough, and my sewing days will be done.  Lately I have had subluxations in my fingers.  This is painful, and not really conducive to handwork.  I have been falling down a lot lately.  Great big THUMPING falling down, where my entire self crashes to the ground because I have caught a toe on a chair.  I have tripped over a puppy.  I have TRIPPED ON MY OWN PANTS.  This doesn't do a lot for my dignity, or my physical self, and I have had bruises on my bruises. 

And who knows why my particular Dread Disease has decided to choose this time to exacerbate itself.  To get worse.  I am certain the stress of this past year has affected it.  I am certain that the punishing hours spent at my sewing machine and worrying over the Six Wives has affected it.  I am certain that staying up till all hours has affected it.  And not only affected me, but by extension my family and friends as well.

I let a lot fall to the wayside this year in order to devote myself to the Six Wives Project.  And don't get me wrong - it was fulfilling and challenging and something I am proud to have done.  But the management of the project wasn't all positive. 

My house needs desperate attention in terms of curtains and cleaning and organizing and fixing.  I finally cleaned off my nightstand table for the first time in over a year.  I sorted my patterns and fabric closet.  I am having things fixed all over the house via a barter with an excellent handyman.   I have organized half my garage.

I also have puppies that need more attention and need training now that they are old enough for the real deal.  I have children who need me to keep a better eye on their academics.  I have a husband who would like to not hear the whir of the sewing machine occasionally. 

And I have a desperate need to get in shape.  I have let myself go for far too long. 

I will let you in on a little secret.  Part of the reason I am forever making a costume and then selling it immediately upon wearing it is because I think to myself, "Well, I won't be wearing that again, because I will be losing weight and it will be too big."  This has gone on for several years now, and it has become painfully obvious that I have been deluding myself.  And the other day as I watched the highlights from The Biggest Loser on the computer (we only have the one TV) and was thinking to myself, "HAH.  I would not be scared of Jillian.  I had drill sergeants worse than her," I realized that I was eating a bag of chocolate as I was watching people WORK THEIR ASSES OFF TO LOSE WEIGHT.  The irony of the moment was not lost on me.

I think you all need a little back story.  Almost 20 years ago I was in the Army.  I injured my knees and ankles and was discharged as a disabled veteran.  I weighed 148 lbs. at 5'5 when I joined the Army in 1990 and 117 when I was discharged in 1992.  Now, 117 lbs. on me is WAY too skinny.  My cheekbones could cut glass and you could see my pelvic bones through my skin.  I did not have an eating disorder, but I was working out constantly, climbing huge hills and multiple flights of stairs each day, eating fairly healthy, and constantly getting sick.  I caught every infection, cold, etc. that came through the barracks, to include a nice big dose of mono while I was in Arizona.  I spent 5 days at my Dad's house in Phoenix one weekend and I don't remember any of it.  Not the drive there, the time at the house, or the drive back.  I was that sick.

When  I got married in 1993 I weighed 155 lbs.  That is too BIG for me.  And I had gained it all in one year.  I had fallen in love, started cooking again, and had no more stairs in my daily activities.  My weight changed again after I was pregnant and I settled at around 175-185 for years.  Then in the winter/spring of 2000-2001 I was determined to get in shape.  I did weights, I walked on the treadmill, I gardened, and I lost 50 lbs.  And 135 was a good weight for me.  Until suddenly in 2001 I got sick and it all went downhill.

I have spent the remaining years fluctuating between 185-205.  I went through some amazingly stressful life experiences during this time, and that didn't help.  Multiple surgeries didn't help either.  Then this spring after the Dread Disease was finally given a name (Ehlers-Danlos) I started working with a trainer and exercising.  And I was feeling pretty good.  I didn't change my diet at all, but I wasn't gaining anything. 

Then I got in the home stretch of the Six Wives and lived on Junior Mints and Dairy Queen and got to an all time high of 209.  And my treadmill got dusty from lack of use.  And then I spent October and November resting because my body had finally had enough.

But it wasn't until I realized that I really wasn't hungry when I was eating that chocolate while watching The Biggest Loser, but was simply eating because it was a habit, that I got well and truly disgusted and motivated and tired of being tired.  2009 may have been the Year of Things That Sucked.  But 2010 is going to be the Year of Taking Care of Me. 

I plan to turn our TV room into an exercise room.  (The kids are very excited about this, and the TV will still be readily available elsewhere.) I plan to get more sleep, and keep more regular hours.  I plan to spend more time with my family and friends that doesn't constantly revolve around sewing.  (Robert Downey Jr. in Sherlock Holmes?  I plan to see ALL OF YOU.)  I plan to cut back on my sewing and work on fewer projects, but better ones, and devote my whole attention to them to make them as fabulous as possible.  I plan to make one more outfit before Jan. 16th for me (it is already cut out) and then I am not making anything else for me (or selling anything either) until I have actually lost some weight and NEED to make something to fit.  I am not buying any fabric next year other than muslin/linen and necessary lining fabrics.  I am working from my stash.  I am going to pick and choose my costuming events very carefully next year in terms of time and energy.  And I am going to go to the Courage Center and work with the trainers there and get my ass in shape.  I want my ass to HAVE a shape - other than excessively round.

And I am going to report back here and tell everyone where I am at.  I need to keep an account for myself, because I need to be accountable to ME, and no one else. 

I will appreciate the support next year.  I will need it.  And I think if you stick around for 2010 you will find some pretty exciting stuff is going to happen.  Hell, it's bound to be better than 2009 (knock on wood), that's for sure, and THAT'S a start.  I look forward to sharing the next even BETTER chapter of my life with all of you. 

In which I offend millions of Rosamunde Pilcher fans...

Recently I started reading actual literature again.  Things other than the Sudoku puzzle book we keep in the bathroom, the Lands End catalogs that come in the mail and blogs.  (Not that blogs aren't real literature, but you can't take a bound copy to the beach with you, is what I am saying.)

I was so up to my neck in sewing for Project Tudor and reading about Tudors, and buying Tudor fabric and eating Junior Mints that for awhile there everything revolved around Henry and his Crazy Dysfunctional Family.  I do think that poor El Jefe was having Tudor nightmares at one point.  It was a bit extreme, is the point.

And then October rolled around and I did as little as possible, because I was so very tired from the non-stop craziness that had been my existence for 18 months.  The heaviest thing I lifted was the laptop onto the bed so I could read the news/Fark/watch The Guild/list dresses for sale to pay for the Very Expensive Dog Surgery.  And it took about a full month to get to the point where I felt well again.  And where I didn't want to throw something Tudor related into the fire.

When November arrived I started sewing again, working on Steampunk Stuff and wedding stuff and other little bits and pieces of crafty things.  But I realized that Sudoku alone was not stimulating my brain, so I started reading some of the piles of books on my Only Bookshelf.  Awhile back I came to the conclusion that I didn't like dusting so much, and there were really very few books I wanted to keep indefinitely, so I have had a revolving bookshelf.  When a book goes in, one goes out, all the way to Half-Price Books.  It is a tidy system, and keeps my bedroom somewhat neat and organized. 

I had been reading mostly mysteries when I went to the Chick's house for a Wench Posse gathering and looked at her massive amounts of books on her wall of bookshelves and noticed an entire shelf devoted to Rosamunde Pilcher.  Whilst Librarian and the Chick gushed over her fabulousness, I admitted that I had never read her.  Shocked, they told me that I MUST, and sent me home with "Snow in April," published in 1972, the year after I was born.  I figured I would give it a go since the Chick was such a fan, and I was not averse to romance novels.

I should back up and state that I have read A LOT of romance novels in my time.  I read pretty much the entire oeuvre of Barbara Cartland in junior high, I was a big fan of the "The Girl and the Cowboy" or "Millionaire's Baby" type novels from Harlequin, and was a devoted Betty Neals fan as well.  And the basic Betty Neals (RIP Betty) went like this:  Virginal plus sized mousy haired girl in school/caring for horrid family member/caretaker of numerous children/nursing assistant/debutante with no desire for furthering her mind intellectually as she is satisfied with her "simple mind" and "lot in life" meets dashing/brooding/bold/graying older Dutch man who is a surgeon/other doctor/high powered businessman/entrepreneur/rich old bastard who is in need of her help as an assistant/caregiver/fake wife/running his household, etc.  He always has a minimum of 3 servants and 2 homes and a very expensive car.  She is usually poor, or from a genteel family who does not appreciate her.  She constantly does not understand why he wants to help her/have her around/need her for anything.  She believes him to be engaged/married/a confirmed bachelor because she never actually asks him anything about himself.  There is always a Baroness Von Schraeder type who wants the Dutch guy and lies to the country girl causing her to flee somewhere and requiring him to go in his fancy car and fetch her back, only after revealing that all this time?  He was an ass because he loved her.  And her whole life is suddenly fulfilled by the love of this Mr. Rochester wannabe and she agrees to essentially be his toy forever. 

There were a lot of paperbacks flung against the wall in disgust, and yet I KEPT READING THEM.  They were like crack, those little books.  They may have colored my perception of romance and love.  A little.

And so I read "Snow in April."  And I have to say, it met my expectations of a romance novel, but I appear to have lost the ability to tolerate the older books these days.  My beefs with this particular book:

1.  She is willingly marrying her stepmother's brother because she believes she should because her stepmother is essentially forcing her to, in a kind way, if that is at all possible.  Even though the guy is not her type and she is still mourning her lost love from theater school.

2.  They state several times that she is unsuitable for actual employment, having "convinced" her stepmother to send her to theater school, falling for another actor and falling into devastating despair when he dumps her, and screwing up her only other job.  Oh, and she's only like 22 or something.

3.  She wears caftans.

4.  Her brother, Angus, is allowed to roam the world and do crazy things because he is a man. 

5.  She allows her stepmother to run her life.  Her new stepfather is a pushover.

6.  She flees to Scotland with her brother, not bothering to pack properly for the weather.

7.  Upon arriving on foot at the closest house, she willingly allows a strange man to draw her a bath and allows him to take her 11 year old brother off into another bathroom in the house and draw him a bath as well. 

8.  The male owner of the house feels it is ok to hang out in the bathroom with the 11 year old and chat with him, and then towel him off. 

9.  When the girl refuses to eat because she is ill, the male owner of the house decides she is merely petulant and forces her to eat, and she tearfully decides he is nice and that she might be starting to care for him. 

10.  After 3 days of hanging out in the country, making poor decisions, almost having her appendix burst, she kisses the guy and then has surgery.

11.  He announces that he will be marrying her, and that her brother will be living with them.  He also tells this to her Stepmother, who while not knowing this guy at ALL, decides this is a good plan and that her brother will likely get over his heartache.

12.  Her stoner brother never has to be held accountable for anything. 

13.  There is a Baroness von Schraeder type who puts in motion the whole "Betty Neals Plan" that leads him to realize he loves the girl, despite her idiocy and unsuitableness.

14.  For children who grew up "essentially wild" in Greece, they certainly seem to be very traditional British elite.

I would like to apologize to The Cheap Chick for essentially crapping on her book, but I just can't take these books anymore.  I want to tell the girl to stand up for herself!  What the hell are you doing packing nothing for Scotland when everyone knows the weather is unpredictable and can suck at any time of the year?  What is she doing allowing her brother to go off with some perv while lounging in a bath by herself?  Why is she allowing some jackass to force feed her?  GAH.  I almost feel I need to go read Helen Gurley Brown now. 

And yet, I am willing to read another book by Rosamunde Pilcher.  I am willing to give it another shot.  Because everyone can have one bad book.  And because, like I said, the stuff is like crack, and I feel a need to read more.  Sadly. 

So from one Betty Neals fan to all those Rosamunde Pilcher fans out there - its all the same crack, just different covers.  And we all need a 12 step program.  And I really need to write a book.  Because I can't believe the stuff that sells these days.... (cough*Twilight*cough)

I am off to start my first Janet Evanovich novel.  I'll let you know how it goes.