Caged

I’m still trying to put things back together around here after Christmas (and a fabulous visit from my sister) festivities and a last-minute open-heart surgery for my grandfather (he’s doing well).  In between orders, I’ve also gotten the end-of-the-year organization bug and have been re-doing my fabric stash, which (of course) has led to a more elaborate re-do (involving our guest room, new shelves, a new mailing station, and figuring out what to do with extra furniture).

So, rather than blather on too long about all that, I’ll just post some pretty for you.  Cages being the theme.  Enjoy!

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**All images found via google image search**

Once More, With Feeling

Now that Halloween-crazy-town is over (my busiest season of the year), and the last-minute Vampire Ball, and the (I don’t think I’ve discussed this) RAWards (I made it into the final 3 designers of the year for RAW New Orleans!) are over, and Thanksgiving traveling has ceased (ending with my getting sick), I can try to focus back here again.

Once I’m feeling up to snuff I’ll tell you all about the RAWards, and show you my designs.  But, for now, I’m going to play it safe and play the “post some pretty pictures of someone pretty” game.  Today’s offering is Christina Ricci, a favorite of mine for years.  Maybe a hold-over from my grunge-independent-dark years, but I feel like she’s made a rather successful transition to fashionista these last few years.  Enjoy:

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Kate

ImageBecause it’s Monday and she’s beautiful.

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Because my Halloween season is running full-tilt and my poor brain isn’t working all that well.

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Because posting pictures of a beautiful woman is just…..easier right now.

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Because I’ve loved her since high school.

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Not that I need any “because”.

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I mean, come on.

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Kate Winslet, y’all.

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Helena

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Because she’s pretty much how I’d dress all the time, were I to be able to afford Vivien Westwood….and to be slightly further off my rocker.

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Because I love her work and her look.

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She’s kind of like a fairytale, really.  “All the ancient classic fairy tales have always been scary and dark”  Yes.

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“Usually I’m frustrated when I look at my films and I don’t believe that I’ve made a real transformation beyond my usual sets of gestures and expressions. I still have this nagging feeling that it’s me, that I didn’t create a unique character.”

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“I hate this image of me as a prim Edwardian. I want to shock everyone.”

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“You become very angry and depressed that you keep getting offered only these exceedingly demure and repressed roles. They’re so not me. That’s why films like Fight Club were so important to me because I think I confounded certain stereotypes and limited perceptions of what I could do as an actress”

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“People have lots of misconceptions about me. My mum, who is half French and half Spanish, gets outraged when I’m called quintessentially English. I owe my looks to my mum-which was 90 percent of getting my first job. And, some people would argue, 90 percent of my entire career.”
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“Journalists are always calling my features Edwardian or Victorian, whatever that means. I am small, and people were smaller in those times. I’m pale and sickly-looking. I look fragile-like a doll. But sometimes I just wish I had less of a particular look, one that was more versatile.”helena8

” I have to struggle to change people’s perceptions of me. I grew very frustrated with the perception that I’m this shy, retiring, inhibited aristocratic creature when I’m absolutely not like that at all. I think I’m much more outgoing and exuberant than my image.”helena9

“I drink booze, I smoke, and I’m hooked on caffeine. I actually have been known to swear at times and belch and even raise my voice when provoked.”

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TnT Tuesday

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This slinky number was made specifically for a photo shoot.

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I have to admit, it’s a little sexier than I normally go for.

I’m kind of a costume nerdy girl…..more Helena Bonham Carter in regular life than Victoria Beckham.

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So, I went back and forth and back and forth and back and forth on the neckline.

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I did compromise a wee bit–the original idea was for it to be cut to the navel….

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I used the dress in my RAW runway show, too.

And, WOWZA, Mary brought that baby to LIFE.

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I recently listed it in the shop.  (yes, it’s been cleaned)

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The belt is part of the sale–it’s actually made from a re-purposed leather purse strap.

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I hope to make more of these in other colors and fabrics.

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One of these days….

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You can find the dress here:  https://www.etsy.com/listing/156283125/dress-brown-dress-womens-dress-pinstripe?ref=shop_home_active

Modeled by:

LouAnn Eads

–Mary Andrus

Images featuring LouAnn photographed by:  Gustavo Escanelle

It’s Good to be the Queen

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1roy·al adjective \ˈri(-ə)l\

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Definition of ROYAL

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1.  a : of kingly ancestry <the royal family>
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b : of, relating to, or subject to the crown <the royal estates>

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c : being in the crown’s service <Royal Air Force>

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2. a : suitable for royalty : magnificent
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b : requiring no exertion : easy <there is no royal road to logic — Justus Buchler>

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3. a : of superior size, magnitude, or quality <a patronage of royal dimensions — J. H. Plumb> —often used as an intensive <a royal pain>
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b : established or chartered by the crown

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4: of, relating to, or being a part (as a mast, sail, or yard) next above the topgallant
 
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