Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Makeup + BYU = Disaster



I am currently taking a beginning stage makeup class here at BYU. It is way fun and this week is what they call "grossies & gorries" week. We basically learn how to make ourselves look pretty gross. Here is what I did on my first try.

Monday, October 15, 2007

Sew much frustration!



Don't you just hate when you can't do seem to do anything right -- well that is how I have felt for the last week. It all started last Sunday -- I spent several hours cutting out costumes for our upcoming show "Pirates in Penzanze". Monday, I started sewing Ciara's dress. Now you need to realize that the only sewing lessons I have ever had were in 7th grade home ec. I sewed a shirt in that class that I couldn't get over my head -- so not the greatest experience. But I have continued to try and sew and have gotten slightly better. I only sew on an as needed basis. Costumes are pretty much all I sew because I have to, not because I want to. Anyway, I worked on Ciara's dress for a couple of hours and it turned out really well. Infact, I was feeling really good about it. I thought it was one of the best projects I had every done. It fit her and everything.


I then started on a skirt for Katie, and right away I started having problems. I couldn't understand the instructions. So, I went over to our Leslie's (costume designers) house for help -- and I brought along Ciara's dress to show-off because I was feeling so proud. I showed Leslie the Ciara's dress and she told me I had done a great job but . . . that I had used the wrong fabric. I fabric I used was supposed to be for Ciara's pajamas not her dress. AHHHH! I think this is a sign that I really shouldn't ever sew anything ever again! I can't even begin to tell you how depressed this made me. I came home and went to bed and wouldn't even talk about to anyone. It took me a week to finally get back to my sewing project again. And well I can report success. I finally finished Katie's skirt but only after much frustration. Stephen had to help me and I had to go and buy all new fabric but well I can now say I have finally finished 1 of the 3 costumes I have sew. Leslie being the great person she is, is going to sew Ciara's dress with the right fabric and so I only have to sew Ciara's pajama's.


I will say that I have a feeling of great acomplishment now that I have finally finished one of the three costumes but I still wonder why sewing continues to be so difficult for me. I have been sewing costumes for several years now and you would think that it would begin to get easier or at least less frustrating for me. I am pretty sure that I will never be a great seamstress or that I will ever sew for fun but I would like to be able to be semi-competent at costume sewing. And because I love my kids I will continue to press on.


Wish my luck with the pajamas!