Please Vote For Me-- Madmen Casting Call

My sixteen-year-old niece, Morgan, is something of a triple threat. She's spunky, beautiful, and incredibly talented. A few years ago she got her hands on a camera, and within no time, was producing incredible photographs.


I've long said that I wanted her to shoot me, and yesterday we finally collaborated. I wanted something fifties-inspired, and she was able to indulge me. I provided the dress (a gold lamé dress that I picked up at Goodwill last year for a few bucks), did my hair, makeup and nails, and she did the photography and photo editing.


I LOVE the results. Just take a look and see:

Morgan hand-selected these photos herself, then used the online editing software, Picnik, to adjust the colors so that the pictures look like they're from another era.

This one (above) reminds me of a photobooth picture. The one on the left could be from the late fifties or early sixties, whereas the one on the right reminds me of a headshot of an actress from the silver screen. We had an inspired moment when I lay down on the ground and flipped the lace of the skirt behind my head. It adds such a nice texture to the photo.

This one has that same 1950's feel. I LOVE it!


So, I really need your help. I'm entering the Madmen casting contest for a chance to win a walk-on role on AMC's Madmen. PLEASE VOTE FOR ME HERE BY CLICKING ON THIS LINK.


Below is the picture I chose to use for the contest. I like some of the above pictures better, but this one has the most sixties feel, I think. The current season of the show is set in 1964, so I thought some of the black and white photos looked too old.

XOXO,

Wedded Bliss

Whilst celebrating my birthday on Sunday, little did I know that the wedding of the decade was going on.  No, I'm not referring to Chelsea Clinton (who got married on Saturday night), but to a certain Lisa Simpson who celebrated her nuptials at 1pm in the afternoon.

The episode originally aired in 1995 and was entitled, "Lisa's Wedding."

Lisa, I hope that you and Hugh St. John Alastair Parkfield have a beautiful life together.


XOXO,

The Big 3-1

On Sunday my sister and I celebrated our 31st birthdays. It is hard to believe that I am firmly entrenched in my thirties; I don't feel that old, and yet, when I'm 80, I don't think I'll feel that old either.

To celebrate, my mom threw my sister and me a mini-party.  We ate delicious homemade vanilla ice cream with toppings like strawberries and mint.

I wore my shirt that I bought at the Delheim Winery in Stellenbosch, South Africa.  It was so nice to be able to spend the day with my family.  Last year, Erin and I were apart on our birthday.

As I grow older, I am encouraged by these lines of my favorite poet:

No spring, nor summer beauty hath such grace
As I have seen in one autumnal face;
Young beauties force our love, and that's a rape;
This doth but counsel, yet you cannot scape. 

~John Donne, Elegy IX

XOXO,


Scalloped edge tutorial and tape images courtesy of the lovely Katrina Tan.

Time Lapse Photography or My Mugshot

I just returned from the Department of Motor Vehicles where I picked up my new federally compliant ID/driver's license-- my old license was set to expire on August 1st (my birthday), and as of 2014, all licenses will have to comply with the new federal standards.

This probably confirms me as shallow, but I said a quick prayer before having my photo taken as I didn't exactly relish the idea of carrying around a terrible-looking identification card for the next five years.  And, at the DMV they're pretty ruthless-- you get one shot and that's it!  I have to say that I am happy with the results, although with their no-smile policy, it does come off looking a bit like a mugshot.  Oh well!

While we're at it, I thought I'd post a few pics of me through the years.  Below (from left to right) you can see my first passport (I got it at fifteen to go to Juarez, Mexico on a mission trip with my church), my current passport (I got that in 2000 so that I could go to Paris, France-- my first trip overseas!), my last driver's license that I got when 26, and the "Under 21" license was my very first license, issued when I was sixteen and a half.

Next up: finding my misplaced passport so that I can renew it before it expires in October.  I'm hoping I have more travels ahead!

XOXO,

Winner for Book Giveaway

A few weeks ago, I posted a giveaway for the book I had just finished reading called The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. As you may recall, it's a bit of a mystery novel meets vampire novel. I like to think of it as the thinking (wo)man's version of Twilight.

The winner of the book is Joanna who sweetly wrote: O wow! That sounds incredible! I was reading your blog entry and thinking..."I wonder if this book is available here"! :) I love that you are giving it away and I would love to have it if I win :)

Joanna, can you please email me-- elventryst@gmail.com-- and let me know your address!


XOXO,

Abject Failure

Years have passed since I last touched a sewing machine. Well, strictly speaking, that is not exactly true, but after sewing every single day for four years in college (B.S. in apparel design from University of Delaware, thank you very much), I really needed a break, and pretty much didn't touch fabric or my sewing machine for years. Then my sister got married and asked me to make her wedding dress and bridesmaids dresses, and after that ordeal (just the pressure of sewing four dresses on a deadline), I once again retreated from the sewing world.



Enter July 2010, when I decided that I would make a dress to wear to my friend Lucia's wedding.  I pulled an out-of-print pattern (Vintage Vogue 2241) that I have in my stash and have never made and decided that this dress from 1931 would be "the one."  And, after days of pouring over it, drafting and re-drafting the pattern, sewing multiple muslin versions (the count is up to three now), I am beginning to think that the ban on sewing was probably a good idea.


One of my biggest problems was that my pattern was purchased in 2000, when I was definitely a size smaller.  The top seemed to be fine, but the hip area was way too small.  No worries, I thought, I'll just grade the pattern to a larger size.  Well, now the hips fit but the top is too big.


This problem is one big headache, because there are no side seams.  Laid flat, the pattern looks like one big rectangle, which is great in theory, but how many people's bodies are shaped like rectangles (meaning their hips and bust are the same size)?


The frustrating part is that I know patternmaking, and yet, I still don't know what to do next.  I'm ready to forget this dress and move on, but for some reason, I can't admit failure and move forward.  I won't get this finished in time for the wedding, but I may try to work on it some more once I'm back from the wedding.  Of course, then I won't have anywhere to wear this dress, but every girl should have a beautiful gown in her closet, right?


Sigh.  

XOXO,

Sainte-Chapelle (Paris)

My best friend, Corrie, is one of the coolest girls you'll ever meet.  She's really fun and outgoing with a huge personality and she's thoughtful and considerate to boot!

Look at this really cool postcard that she sent to me from Paris.  I love that she reused a vintage postcard!

She knows me too well :)  Look at the cute paper airplanes on the stamp!  (Can you believe it cost that much to mail a postcard?)

The postcard is of La Sainte-Chapelle, a beautiful chapel on a little island in the heart of Paris.  The stained glass is amazing, and if you stop by on a sunny day, it is like being inside a giant kaleidoscope!

I'll be hanging her postcard next to the one I bought there ten years ago (incidentally, the last time I was in Paris).

XOXO,

The Shoemaker and the Elves

Do you like fairy tales?  There was a time when I counted Hans Christian Andersen's book of fairy tales amongst my very favorite, and indeed I am sure were I to revisit it today it would soon be back at the top of the list of favored books.


I had forgotten about The Elves and the Shoemaker (by the Brothers Grimm) until it came up in conversation tonight, but it was illustrated children's book that my mom used to read to us and was probably the one I adored the most (well, that and The Twelve Dancing Princesses, also by Grimm).


It is a short story, quick to read.  I have reprinted it below.  I found it (and others) at this site, where it apparently resides in the public domain.  

The Elves and the Shoemaker

There was once a shoemaker, who worked very hard and was very honest: but still he could not earn enough to live upon; and at last all he had in the world was gone, save just leather enough to make one pair of shoes.

Then he cut his leather out, all ready to make up the next day, meaning to rise early in the morning to his work. His conscience was clear and his heart light amidst all his troubles; so he went peaceably to bed, left all his cares to Heaven, and soon fell asleep. In the morning after he had said his prayers, he sat himself down to his work; when, to his great wonder, there stood the shoes all ready made, upon the table. The good man knew not what to say or think at such an odd thing happening. He looked at the workmanship; there was not one false stitch in the whole job; all was so neat and true, that it was quite a masterpiece.

The same day a customer came in, and the shoes suited him so well that he willingly paid a price higher than usual for them; and the poor shoemaker, with the money, bought leather enough to make two pairs more. In the evening he cut out the work, and went to bed early, that he might get up and begin betimes next day; but he was saved all the trouble, for when he got up in the morning the work was done ready to his hand. Soon in came buyers, who paid him handsomely for his goods, so that he bought leather enough for four pair more. He cut out the work again overnight and found it done in the morning, as before; and so it went on for some time: what was got ready in the evening was always done by daybreak, and the good man soon became thriving and well off again.

One evening, about Christmas-time, as he and his wife were sitting over the fire chatting together, he said to her, ’I should like to sit up and watch tonight, that we may see who it is that comes and does my work for me.’ The wife liked the thought; so they left a light burning, and hid themselves in a corner of the room, behind a curtain that was hung up there, and watched what would happen.

As soon as it was midnight, there came in two little naked dwarfs; and they sat themselves upon the shoemaker’s bench, took up all the work that was cut out, and began to ply with their little fingers, stitching and rapping and tapping away at such a rate, that the shoemaker was all wonder, and could not take his eyes off them. And on they went, till the job was quite done, and the shoes stood ready for use upon the table. This was long before daybreak; and then they bustled away as quick as lightning.

The next day the wife said to the shoemaker. ’These little wights have made us rich, and we ought to be thankful to them, and do them a good turn if we can. I am quite sorry to see them run about as they do; and indeed it is not very decent, for they have nothing upon their backs to keep off the cold. I’ll tell you what, I will make each of them a shirt, and a coat and waistcoat, and a pair of pantaloons into the bargain; and do you make each of them a little pair of shoes.’

The thought pleased the good cobbler very much; and one evening, when all the things were ready, they laid them on the table, instead of the work that they used to cut out, and then went and hid themselves, to watch what the little elves would do.

About midnight in they came, dancing and skipping, hopped round the room, and then went to sit down to their work as usual; but when they saw the clothes lying for them, they laughed and chuckled, and seemed mightily delighted.

Then they dressed themselves in the twinkling of an eye, and danced and capered and sprang about, as merry as could be; till at last they danced out at the door, and away over the green.

The good couple saw them no more; but everything went well with them from that time forward, as long as they lived.

Thanks for stopping by!


XOXO,