Destruction

September 23, 2013September 23, 2013 / trappedintimedesigns / Leave a comment

First off, I plan to be around a bit more. Today was the official First Day of being self-employed full-time–no more part time gig to fall back on! No more hours spent doing things that are, quite frankly, deadly dull. No more wishing I was home, sewing.

Now for the panic.

Noooo. I’ll be fine. Pass me that paper bag, would ya?

I’ve been sewing, tearing, ripping, painting and dyeing my little heart out for the past week. I’m working on costumes for an upcoming Halloween shoot with AHB Hair and Make up. We shoot Thursday!

First up, Voodoo Queen from the swamp. I first made a beautiful gown and underskirt–mismatched on purpose, as a voodoo queen living in the swamp probably doesn’t buy matching gowns. In fact, she probably takes what she can get. So, after sewing it all up, brand new and lovely, it looked like this:

The material for the overdress is actually a home decor fabric that I’ve been hoarding for years. I purchased it with the express intent of making this very type of dress. The tatted apron/draped portion of the skirt was made by my grandmother. It’s stained and torn, but I’ve kept it around, knowing I’d come up with something some day to do with it–and that day finally came!

Since this character lives in the swamp….well, she couldn’t be too clean, could she? So, it was with an aching heart (and, lets be honest, a little bit of glee) that I set to the dress with dye, fabric paint, scissors and a cheese grater. Hours later:

I’m extremely proud of the outcome. I’d have to put this in my top 5 favorites of all time that I’ve created. I really cannot wait for the shoot!

I still have some accessories to create–some necklaces and hair bits.

This will be up for sale after the shoot, and I’ll be offering it as a custom order, as well (though I’ll never be able to re-create it exactly).

What do you think?

Shop Update

August 21, 2013 / trappedintimedesigns / Leave a comment

A few more new items are available in the shop:

You can find them here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TrappedInTimeDesigns

Finished up an Alice in Wonderland costume today and began the next–a Wendy Darling from “Peter Pan”.

More later!

New

August 20, 2013 / trappedintimedesigns / Leave a comment

I finally managed to get my home photography studio (aka: the guest room/future kiddo room) back together and managed to get a couple of things photographed and added to the shop. More to come over the next week or so, as I sneak in photo-taking between orders.

Available for order/purchase here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TrappedInTimeDesigns

Helena

August 19, 2013 / trappedintimedesigns / Leave a comment

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.

Because I love her work and her look.

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

“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.”

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

“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”

“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.”

“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.”

” 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.”

“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.”

From Under a Stack of Fabric

August 15, 2013 / trappedintimedesigns / Leave a comment

Well, there went a couple weeks of silence.
Time got away from me, lots of orders in, lots of hours at the part time gig, lots of excuses and forgetting.

I’ve been working on a LOT of really fun costumes and outfits, and I wish I’d thought to, oh, I don’t know, take pictures of it all. Alas, while I have a few to share, they don’t represent even the scantest of hints of what I’ve been doing.

So, without further ado:

A couple of my cincher skirts made their way to the NOLA Red Dress Run:

I finally finished the Doctor Who-inspired Victorian costume, inspired by this:

My version (which, in total honesty? I wanted to keep so bad–that jacket is really lovely, despite it looking rather lumpy on my broken-and-too-small-dress-form):

I even made the decorative frogs–which was a learning experience in itself, trust me:

A dress for a friend, who will be wearing it out this weekend to a concert:

Bunches of other items were made (Alice dresses, Wendy dresses, cincher skirts, leggings, collars….):

One customer requested pink and orange leggings–an excuse for me to order extra and (eventually) make some for the shop:

Some knitting was done in the evenings (as I decompressed and watched terrible old movies):

I found some AMAZING fabric that I’m WAY too excited about….and totally want to make halter dresses out of, for some reason:

I have a lot of stock that needs to be photographed and listed, but finding the time to do so has been a bit difficult:

Today I’m working on another Doctor Who-inspired piece (though this one from Tennant’s era):

And I’m starting to get ready for the Halloween rush–getting prepared, getting organized, getting supplies.

Getting ideas together for a Halloween shoot that I’m pretty excited about….

And…..tossing around the idea of doing a runway show in October–Halloween focused, of course. Because I’m insane and apparently intend to remain so.

Friday Favorite

July 26, 2013July 21, 2013 / trappedintimedesigns / Leave a comment

I recently purchased this beautiful print from peachpatrol on etsy.

Located in Australia, there was a bit of a wait for the post to get it together and get this to me.

I was almost breathless with anticipation. I was so excited for it.

When it arrived last week, it surpassed ALL expectations.

SO SO SO amazingly beautiful in person! Lovely little extras included in the package.

I cannot wait to get this matted and framed.

Also: I will definitely be ordering more prints. I just have to choose.

I’m a bit of an art hoarder. I’m so grateful for prints–since my budget doesn’t allow for originals (yet).

We’re re-doing our living room, and I plan to pretty much have ALL the walls covered in art. You better believe this lovely lady will have a place of honor.

Check out the shop online here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/peachpatrol

Sissy

July 24, 2013July 21, 2013 / trappedintimedesigns / Leave a comment

Because, I’ve always thought she was beautiful.

I often times had to fight people on that.

I love freckles and gingers.

I might be biased….

She plays her roles with such a beautiful balance of fragility and strength.

She’s so petite, you feel like you could crush her with just a look.

Maybe part of my love is bound up in the 70s–being a child of the 70s (well, really more a child of the 80s), I guess I have nostalgia automatically built into my ideas of her.