Le Petit Cadeau

Le Chapeau

The Costume Hat Workshop, taught by DeAnna, was really, really fun and inspiring - now I have bunches of ideas swirling around and I feel pretty energized - Surely a sign of a great class/teacher! I didn't actually finish my hat - it's not trimmed to my satisfaction. I didn't have time to completely fabricate the decoration, but I have the raw materials (feathers, silk), so I will be able to finish at my leisure.

There were three people in the class - Here are our hats after we blocked them - mine is the gray one.

 

A couple of the hats drying after having been blocked -

A freshly steamed demo hat -

My hat after being removed from the block, waiting for a sweatband, shaping, and trimming.

The semi-finished hat - I put a super wide adjustable sweatband in it so that it can sit on top of my head à la Joanie Stubbs or I can wear it lower on my head for a "proper" fit.

Hat Making Class

So, I'm super excited about the hat making class I'm taking this weekend. It is taught by my friend DeAnna, who is an amazing milliner. She does hats for "real life" as well as for theater. Below are a few of her hats -

 

 

Wouldn't it be great if people started wearing hats on a more regular basis again?

More Portrait Nonsense

My contribution to the pumpkin worship that proliferates during this time of year -

 

 

Happy Halloween!!!! Have a great weekend....

Candy Portraits

Over the course of the last couple of weeks, I have accumulated quite a few photos. I took lots preparing for various blog parties/events - most of which I didn't use. Some were just not worth looking at and some related to concepts that were scrapped. These are a few of the photos I didn't use but are holiday appropriate (despite not being orange and black), so I decided to share.

Further Experiments with an Under-Used Camera

 

A few miscellaneous Fall-ish images. Still trying to get the hang of documenting things....

The Haunted Masquerade 2009

I was flipping through the latest issue of my favorite magazine and guess what I saw in the society pages!?! Pics of the more socially prominent guests/ghosts who attended Le Petit Cadeau's chapter of The Haunted Masquerade - hosted by Cassandra of My Artful Adventures.

 

Tomorrow's Blog Party

Preparing for this blog party makes me realize (again) I need to upgrade my graphics software - relatively soon, but not now. Anyway, I'm looking forward to all the masquerading....

Nosferatu Trailer

Again, with a movie trailer. This time for the 1922 version of "Nosferatu."

Early films are so shadow-y and atmospheric, and I just love them.

Thank You

I'd like to offer up a big heart-felt "Thank You" to everyone who attended my tiny part of the Halloween blog party hosted by Vanessa - and, of course, to Vanessa herself for being such a lovely, gracious, and enthusiastic host. Thank you, thank you!

I enjoyed perusing all the blog party posts - I'm pretty sure I visited the vast majority of them. I discovered some interesting new blogs that I bookmarked (like I need to spend more time in front of the computer). I realize I really get a kick out of blogs and doing the rounds is a fun, rewarding, inspiring part of my day.

Yes, I have adopted yet another hobby.

A Hauntingly Magical Celebration 2009

The excitement is building - I can't wait to visit all the Halloween blog parties going on thanks to Vanessa (who knows how to throw one heck-of-a-bash) at A Fanciful Twist. But, as I'm writing this, I find my mind wandering a bit. I feel sort of floaty....

The time must be late - or early...?

I look up from my computer, and find myself not in my tiny little studio, but outside in front of this mysterious door.... Should I go in? It's not very inviting, and I'm not in the habit of entering strange places that appear out of the blue, but I decide to throw caution to the wind - It is Halloween, after all....

Once inside, I'm greeted quite graciously by two lovely ladies - but something's not quite right, and I can't quite put my finger on it....

As I look around, I find my hostesses have disappeared - my surroundings are changing....

 
I seem to be stuck in a 17th century still life. I turn around looking for a way to escape - It appears I'm surrounded....

 

And I get the funny feeling I'm being watched....

 

Then Bird Boy whispers, "Look behind you." Turning around I see keys....

Before I can pick one up, I drift back into consciousness relieved to find myself back in my tiny little studio in front of my computer. How strange dreams can be, though really not that much stranger than real life. I stretch, take a deep breath - OK, off to the parties....