the gears are turning, I can't get the printer to work, and my brother is a civil war ghost

The giant (and also unfinished) list of links on the left are for some local craft shows and swaps that I am participating in.  Hopefully that will explain, if not excuse, my absence from the blog lately!  It will get worse before it gets better, I'm afraid.  But, I shall do my best to peek in as often as I can over the next few weeks! 

FIRST:  I sell pretty vintage sewing patterns over on my etsy shop.  I adore theses patterns, but my sewing skills are severely lacking...especially in the complex-garment-construction department.  I always feel guilty and moronic when my grandmother tells stories of how she'd make a whole new suit in an evening and wear it to work the next day.  *sigh* I have no one to blame but myself.....I really must take the time to practice if I'm ever going to get better.....but in the meantime, I can just drool over the amazing things that OTHER people are sewing.  Check this out:

I sold this pattern here to a lovely gal on etsy:

It was a particularly interesting and pretty pattern, so I asked her if she would mind sharing pictures of the completed dress.  Well, she made not one, but TWO of the dresses (and in record time too.)  She sent me the pictures and gave me permission to share them here.  I just think the dress is so stunning and she is obviously a very talented seamstress!

Erin keeps a lovely shop over at etsy, you should go visit (it's right here!)  I was sad to hear that I can not commission her to make a dress for me, because the vintage pattern size 14 translates to a modern 4/6.  I knew there was a difference with the vintage sizing, but Yikes!  I'm not quite a size 4/6, so no dress for me, but I really love meeting other talented people and being even a minuscule part in the creation of something so beautiful, from something like an old pattern that was headed for the garbage.  It's fun to speculate on the past lives of old, vintage things....wonder where they've been and what they've witnessed.  But, it really is all just daydreams, we can never know for certain.  So for me, to be able to track even a small part of the life of just one little pattern...it just feels important.  Even though it's such a small thing, the small gears are turning the medium gears, that turn the bigger gears, that are making this crazy machine work......and sometimes you can step back and almost see the big picture, almost see a pattern.  And Lord knows I can't tell you what it all means....but just to know it's there.   That's good enough for me.  (Stephen King, of all people, mentions this phenomenon in his book On Writing....and I think he's really onto something.) 

SECOND:  For those of you waiting for little seeds from my give away, please be patient!  I really wanted to print out cute labels for them and my printer is being VERY unreasonable.  Mike is on the job, so hopefully I will get them out to you by the middle of the week.  Still plenty of time for growing...it's hardly even spring yet! 

THIRD:  My brother was a civil war ghost for Halloween last year.  A fitting choice, considering we live in an area fraught with history.  Colonial Williamsburg and the Jamestown settlement...just to name a few, are within miles of us and we have been spending time at these historical haunts for years...(decades in my case.).  Ginger cakes at the bakery, racing to the Governor's Mansion, strolling down Duke of Gloucester street, which our Uncle re-named Dookie of Gloucester street (because of all the horse drawn carriages you have to watch where you step.)  We would even drive down the parkway for the sole purpose of "ghost watching" in an area that has been teeming with spirits for centuries.  And now, as if it is manifest destiny, my little brother is an extra in a new HBO mini-series they are filming here about John Adams.  I think it is actually called John Adams, but Since it is not scheduled to debut till March 2008, I can't seem to find any good info or pictures on it yet.  Paul Giamatti is the actor playing John Adams, and Laura Linney is playing Abigale.  The whole she-bang is directed by Tom Hanks (though my brother has not seen him on set yet.)  Basically, I think it is so super-cool and amazing, and I am just PEA GREEN with ENVY!!!  It's so unfair!  My brother gets to say things like, 'Yeah, I just got out of hair and makeup."  He says they put gunk on his teeth to make them yellow and "colonial" looking.  And they grime up his hair and paint his fingernails to make them look muddy and un-clean.  Sounds like fun to me.  I can't wait to see the show, and not just to see my little bro on the big screen, but I'm fascinated with life of John and Abby and I'm sure the series will be fantastic.  I'll keep you guys updated as soon as there are good pictures and such.

LASTLY:  (whew!)  The kitschy cupcake miniature are slowly arriving!!!  I should be doing a shop update later this weekend.  I'm still waiting on a few things, and there is a chance that the fawns are out of stock FOREVER *gasp!?!?choke!??*  It would be such a travesty if they no longer make these little deer (I didn't even keep any  for myself!)  But don't give up hope.....there is still a chance I can find them!  I'll do my best!  I will definitely have ballerinas, gnomes, turntables, albums, bunnies, records,  and silver trees. Those on the mailing list will be notified first before I list them...and they have gone quickly in the past. 

I'm outta here for now, if I don't make it back....have a great week everyone!

Comments

[LeeAnn]

I would be pea green with envy too. I really enjoy Tom Hanks as a actor and producer. Now I have something else to look forward too.

And that dress is so pretty. Next week I will be buying my first dress pattern. JoAnns is have a $2 sale. I hope they have the pattern I have been eyeing.

[Deanna (domestic chicky)]

Those dresses are beautiful! I love the short version shown on the pattern envelope...
I used to live in your neck o the woods...(Well, in Va Beach). I really miss going to all those neat places, and I can't wait to bring my boys out there to see them. Sounds like you r brother is having a blast!

Um, $2 sale? At Joanns? I am SO there!

[Zabrina]

Cool post. I liked reading all!

[amy]

I love your blog and the dress post. It's really cool that you got her to send you photos of what she made from the pattern you sent. And you should just jump in with the dress-making stuff, there's so many really easy patterns (even though the vintage ones are so pretty). I make dresses for my daughter to practice since they are usually two pieces with some facing and a zipper if I feel like it. I get some things for me next :)

[ShabbychicShar]

Hi, I just discovered your blog and was so happy to see someone else from the East Coast. I'm a few hours south of you but it is so nice to see someone else relatively close in blog land. Love your posts and vintage patterns. I am like you when it comes to patterns. I really need to take a sewing class or practice some more to make those complex patterns. Take care!

[jessica]

that dress is fabulous! i have a vintage dress fro mthe same pattern methinks...i should snap a picture of me in it but ahem methinks i've gained a few...;)