End of the Year

Well, it is now the end of the year and a time for reflection. I have done A LOT.

January -- I don't remember what I did last January. Eh, I think I just tried to stay on top of everything, especially as I signed up to be Hospitality shepherd (read: coordinator) for our parish.

February -- This month is also a blur. I am pretty sure I started making the massive over-achiever poster for Pre-Sanctified Liturgy meal sign ups.

March -- Lent started. I made a baby terry cloth poncho out of a dishcloth because the one I saw at the gap cost $15 and I thought, "That is just a dishcloth with a hole in it".

April -- Holy Friday fell on Lance's birthday. Or something like that. Could not make pysanky due to dyes and baby. She was still a baby then! And I couldn't fit into my Pascha dress because my boob was too big. I made Nina a cute jumper with a willow pattern and started a skirt for me...that I still haven't finished. Hmm... I also completed a hat for Nina for Pascha.

May -- Wedding anniversary: it was 8 years! Wow. I bought a bunch of material in hopes of making Nina a TON of summer clothes. That never happened. Still have the material. I did make Nina a hat.

June -- Eh, more of a blur. I adjusted a skirt.

July -- Blur. Mom visited and that was awesome.

August -- Nina tosses hat to the winds.

September -- I start making matrushka dolls and finish Nina's hat for Santa Fe. Made dress for Nina out of old skirt. Stats class started.

October -- Nina's birthday with massive amounts of stuff making: party hats, invitations, cards for food, and various other items. Then massive doll and jewlery making for the All American Council. Whew.

November -- Matrushkas still not complete. Oh well.

December -- Matruskas still sitting there in sad pile. Have 50 pounds of fleece in hopes of making Nina pants. Discover Nina likes vests and needs more shirts. *sigh* And she out grew her socks. Have big plans to complete Christmas presents and am done with about a quarter of them. *HUGE SIGH* But stats complete, which is sad because I liked it.

Still, it has been a good year. It has been good even if most of it is a blur. Blurs are good -- blurs mean that I have been so busy and nothing bad has happened that I cannot remember. A good year indeed!

Making Catrina Pt. 2

Facebook wins for quick upload (though you cannot bigify)

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=6949&id=100000083513885&l=7c5796e3d7

A friend (hi Emily) had a suggestion for the make up - to do a sort of charcoal effect - I was thinking like this:



But sans red beret - see facebook link for photos!

Making Catrina

I have never been a fan of Halloween. The whole holiday is a mystery to me. For years I resisted dressing up and, since I am a teacher, it is particualrly difficult to not seem "Scrooge-like" around the "holiday".

However, I in recent years have become enamoured with Dia de Los Muertos - probably because I am Mexican and can understand a celebration of death that is more jolly and less creepy. I love how Dia de Los Muertos celebrates the rememberance of the dead and how life continues after death. I really want to set up an altera this year and make some sugar skulls.

Since the local HP Alliance chapter (which I am a part of) is hosting a Halloween themed concert this year, I have decided to step up my Halloween costume. Last year I went as a Ravenclaw, but this year I want to dress up as La Calavera Catrina.

So, I am going to start my inspiration board here:

So - Catrina is a bit naked and since it is a family event, I don't think that will work. But, she is usually shown in some sort of early 1900s fashion. Like these gals:

I don't think I could rock (or wrock, har har) the wide brim hat or bustle, much less the heavy facepaint. I will have to teach all day the day of the concert.

So here is what I am thinking:

- Black dress that has a sort of 60's look or other black dress that has a 40's look

- Smoky eye make up and dark red lipstick (I have neither one and have no idea how to accomplish this)

- Lace gaunlets (I could probably make these)

- gorgeous green beaded necklace ($20 at Anthropolgie! Score!)

- earrings that look like little sugar skulls

- I have a red pillbox hat with flowers, but then I saw this halloween themed one at fireworks gallery, and felt inspired. I will try to make a black one with the same netting but decorate it in some teal green flower clips that I got at H & M that match the necklace

- I need a sexy, yet comfortable, black shoe; it will be october and freakin' cold and rainy and the school I am at has LOTS of stairs

More pictures to come soon! Suggestions are welcome :D