im trying my very best

This is going to be me this week.

Because my boss is off at the trade show I usually go to also, so I’m captaining the office this week. And stuff always goes bonkers when she’s not here.
I’m ok with the trade-off though.

So I actually didn’t get to get a lot of sewing done last week, because we had something going on EVERY night! What the heck!

Went out to dinner with my parents one night and they gave me my bday present!

IT’S SO PRETTY!
I wish I’d had those Sanderson Sister photos back in 2012.

Wednesday we had Star Wars night at the Memphis Botanic Gardens’ Food Truck Fest. I had to rush home from work, put my makeup and buns on, and then turn around and rush back down to the event.
A few pics:

So you guys know I’ve felt like this new Leia dress ended up being a hair too short, right? I’ve been wanting to remake it because of that; but while looking at pics from this event I also came to the realization that my collar is too tall. It’s causing it to push down and wrinkle and bulge out funny. At least that’s something I can fix on this version! In the next couple of weeks I’m going to open it up and take probably a half inch out of the top of it. I think it’ll help tremendously.

Anyway, event was fun. Thursday we went to see my cousin’s play he’s in. This weekend finally got to do some stuff around the house and some more sewing. First, some yardwork and Halloween decoration stuff.

Got these Hocus Pocus window clings at Spirit!

Put the tombstones and skeleton guy in the front yard. Also our Mummy guy and some strung lights around the door but I didn’t get pics of those!

Finally put up this window cling I got at Dragoncon from Geek Orthodox. It’s so pretty!

A couple of weeks ago I moved all my stuffed animals off the window seat so Luna could sit up there.

Ok so I absolutely HATE that it’s getting colder and I’m already tired of being cold. (Spoiler alert, it’s 74 degrees here today but it’s too cold for me in the morning and I hate it)
BUT it does mean it’s pumpkin pie season. YAS.

And another whiny moment. When I leave for work, it’s still totally dark out. Like the horizon is JUST starting to lighten on my commute. Look at my hand in this photo. That’s from the headlights of the truck behind me. THIS SHOULD BE ILLEGAL

I HATE those freaking super bright LED headlights and it’s even worse when it’s a massive truck that’s way taller than me and BLINDS ME the entire time they’re behind me. Seriously could barely see anything but his lights around me. As soon as we got on the interstate I just didn’t even hit the gas pedal to make him get out from behind me.

Ok whiny moments over.
Went to the secondhand store to find some shoes for Belle. Came across this stunner but wasn’t going to drop $200 on another machine I don’t need.

But I did find some cute shoes for Belle for $10.

The heels are a LITTLE to high and too straight but the shape and style are super cute otherwise. Going to cover them in my leftover dark green velveteen. Prob do the vinyl sections in a contrast colour.

This weekend I finished painting the skirt panels, assembling the bodice, got the lining in and everything closed up. Got the skirt pleated and attached.

The stripes on the skirt are a lot more sloppy than the ones on the bodice, which I chalk up to the fact i could only do 1/3 of each panel at a time (all that would fit on my cardboard painting surface). Then I had to wait on it to dry, move around to the next part, finish taping that area off and paint and repeat the process. So there’s a few spots where the stripes aren’t totally solid, or where it leaked under the tape. But I’m not worried about it.

Also the paint photographs slightly brighter than it looks normally. Weird.

Last night I got my sleeves made.

Trying to decide what I want to do about sleeve decoration. Originally I had wanted to do a small “cape” like seen here:

Which I thought would be a good analog to Belle’s libary dress’s puff sleeves. I made a sort-of version out of the undyed silk and hated it. It looked weird and chunky. So if I am going to do that I think it’s going to have to be out of something sheer like in the inspiration pic above. I have some leftover silk chiffon from Padme, maybe I try dyeing some tonight?

Or I just leave it off. I did try the sleeve ruffle that came with the JP Ryan pattern, but I’m not crazy about it, either.

I feel like this is a really sort-of no-frills dress and the addition of ruffles at the end of the sleeve or some dainty thing at the shoulder may not work. I’m going to keep messing with it and see.

So all I have left is get the sleeves sewn in, figure out the embellishments, hook and eyes in the center front, and hemming the underskirt. And finishing the shoes.
I think I could actually have this done for MCX this weekend if I push myself. But I had no plans to wear it to MCX so I’m not going to push myself LOL.
Probably going to wear it to MCFC next month.