Living by my convictions and finding my politics

Living by my Convictions and Finding my Politics
I am not ready to name or define my politics or beliefs. Until now I have lead a generally apathetic political existence with a generous trust in leaders, those in power and my ignorance. 
           I will be writing about what I learn in my attempt to make myself a whole and proper person with an informed opinion who has the strength to live by their convictions, to not just complain and wait to see what happens. 
        I will be updating with short posts about the research I have done that week.

"SUMMER NITES" IS HERE

The following is a sneaky little link for you. . . . . . . . . . follow me down the rabbit hole. . . .
JACK OF CLUBS FEAT. ANNIE ANGEL, SUMMER NITES....

Back to the drawing board. . . .

 I met a make-up artist,  Lia Stewart who wanted to do a representation of a scene with the witch from the movie "Return to Oz."  I was too much of a wimp as a child to watch it the whole way through and may have been hiding under cushions or siblings during the mental asylum scene and everytime one of those wheelie monkeys appeared but I clearly remember this witch. Obsessed with youth she kept cupboards full of pretty heads and changed them on a daily basis. As it was Lia's representation of the scene, it did not have to be exact and we had poetic license on our side.

Armed with this dress, I had to change it to an oversize dress where the head of the model would be at the waist of this dress and the top would be filled by a headless polystyrene bust lovingly named 'Bernadette' or Bernie to her friends. The bust would be sitting in a backpack and held up with a scaffolding of poles and other mechanics I won't pretend to understand. Lia wanted it to look really sumptuous, with a huge rump and we got other bits of fabric to help with that.  I drew the diagram on the right, not as a design but just to get my head around the logistics of it all and where it would need to be padded out, but as usual it's not quite as simple as it looks. That diagram made me feel like this would be a piece of cake. . . and I am very good at dealing with cake. 

This was the first draught.....

The head was to fit comfortably between the folds of the top section and her arms reach her head to look as if she were holding her own head. 

Because of opposing work schedules and holidays booked and a medley of other spanners in the works we never managed to get a fitting with the model, Lia and myself at the same time. The inner mechanisms that were to hold it all in place were not ready when we did the final sort of fitting but I think we jumped the obstacles fairly well and it ended up looking really stunning. I don't think Bernadette minded, everytime she came home with me she seemed to take it in her stride.

Bernie, faffing about, minding her own business.

We enjoyed each others company most of the time but I was very happy to return her once she started attacking.

                         All the padding used to accentuate her voluptuous rump ended up being too heavy for the poor model to carry on her back, so the rump detail had to go.  Also, as I said before we never managed to try everything on the model, costume, wig, backpack and the lot together at one time so as usual its not always as uncomplicated as it looks. All in all it could probably have done with some tweaking and synchronizing watches.Having said all that the finished product was incredible, Lia had it set up with some pretty heads (other live models) in a cupboard and the witch in all her glory in the middle of the room. Her make up was brilliant, with just the right amount of gore at her severed head, a stunning use of colour around her eyes and riddled in disgusting warts I've never seen anything so strangely beautiful. It was brilliant seeing the eyes of these severed heads following you around....and here it is............drum roll please....

Lest I should forget...

The purpose of this is to update with current projects of mine but I started looking through some old photos and got a little nostalgic. . . . . .  a nostalgia I am now forcing on you.....

A lunchtime phone call and an overnight root in the costume cupboard I pieced together this ensemble for a "dark Alice in Wonderland" look. For a last minute music video which is still in editing. I hope I get to see it soon because it looked as though the finished product will be really beautiful.
Alongside a fan detail corset I happened to finish a few days prior and bits from past productions I was pleased with the final look.

It would make me a very happy Madame to have an excuse to make another 1770's dress. Especially as that was the first one I ever made, now I feel I could do a much better job. I'd feel a little over-dressed in Lidl. Doing it again I would buy a lot less fabric for it. I may have over estimated how much I needed, although the silver lining was a whole costume for Stoker.
 More photos of "Stoker" can be seen on the costume section of the website, www.cakeface.ie

What the cool kids will be dancing to these Summer Nites!

"Somewhere between a grammy and the gutter" I came across the Jack of clubs. With a mischievous twinkle in his red eyes I knew he was up to no good when he asked me to whip up a little something something for his accomplice Annie Angel to wear in his new music video.

My designs looked like this. . . . . .

. . . . . .but the costume ended up looking like this.

. . . . . and when she dances it looks a little something like this, but with a lot more gorgeous swing and sass..

I can't wait to see the finished product, such a fun day filming, with an amazing atmosphere, great people and a gent of a director.

Keep your eyes peeled kids and I too shall keep you posted.

For plenty more photographs of the day, mostly behind the scenes, where I stay well hidden check out my page http://www.facebook.com/MadameCakeface

Edwardian Cowboys...

Finally, something costume related I hear you gasp! I've been toying with this blouse for a while, it's an Edwardian pattern, although I feel it looks a little cowboy. It's made out of curtain lining as I'm just playing and is still unfinished as those pesky sleeves have to come off and tweaked, just to satisfy the newly born perfectionist in me. Perfectionist indeed.

Street furniture..

I remember a neighbourhood scandal a few years back when overnight a mysterious mattress appeared on the pavements of our stiff upper lip, tree-lined road. It got all the curtains twitching and tongues wagging as to the original owner of said mattress. I never found out what happened to the offending mattress but it disappeared in the same suspicious midnight circumstances as it appeared.

In my home city the council doesn't dispose of whatever you leave on your pavement, however big or small. If it don't fit in a closed wheelie bin, it ain't going anywhere. Which for aesthetic and charity shop reasons I agree with. Here it's different and since I've been slowly furnishing my house with street furniture I cannot and will not complain. The newest addition a chest of drawers. Missing a mirror with bits of woodworm damage, we cleaned it up, chemically treated it, painted it and whacked on a doile and a lamp...

And here she is, another lil' lady in the house.....take that testosterone....