Currently planned projects-- in order (mostly)

Okay, currently my next two projects are....

1. A dress for my littlest sister to dance in (she LOVES ballet!)

 It will be of yellow satin, with puffed sleeves, and red-pink "roses", and a zipper in the back. It will look like this, sort of...

 

    2. a green dress for me. NOTE: this was later "the Paisley dress"

It will be made out of this pattern, veiw C, and green. Problem is, I don't know what fabric it'll be... I haven't decided. Polyester, or taffeta. I can't decide. Just depends on price, and what occasions I'll wear it to.If I make it out of cotton, I could wear it to my birthday party, picnics, and my piano student recital... and for St Patricks Day, of course! If I make it out of taffeta, I would wear it to a wedding, formal tea parties, and my actual piano recital; and church on my  birthday, and on Easter (well, maybe one or the other... my birthday is the Sunday after Easter).I'm leaning toward polyester.

            3.   Revolutionary War dress (view D). 

Now, I know this pattern isn't "correct", (for instance, it fastens in the back with a zipper) but that doesn't matter too much, as I'm making several for a tea party I want to host in July (you know, serve herbal teas to protest taxation, talk about samplers, eat puddings and tarts, possibly dance the Virginia Reel together, that sort of thing.) I don't have enough of this style of dress that would work for all of my friends, and I know they don't really have anything 1700-ish.... so I'll be making some out of cotton for the tea, and later events having to do with the Revolutionary War.

       3. ..... and, of course, Butterick B4827 (the orange one). Probably in deep emerald green.

Oh, and I'm going to show you my finished Project: Valentine's Day dress.... tomorrow, that is.  :) I'm wearing it today for a Valentine's tea party with my friend, so I'll show some pics of the tea too. 

Celine

Emma, part two

I love February. I suppose that's because I'm a true hopeless romantic (well, not hopeless......hope-full!)
I watched part two of Emma, and I'm in love with love again. I haven't gone through a romantic phase like this since last summer.
I have decided I love the Emma + Knightley love story the best. Probibly because I love Mr. Knightley. He's probably my fave Austen hero...I just love how their love story was. They were friends first, a brother-and-sister relationship... and grew to love each other.

ANYWAY, enough of that. My only critisism for part two is that they portrayed Emma to be in love with Frank Churchill. And she thinks to herself so much about "am I in love with Frank?". I think Jane Austen intended for her to never truly be attached to him at all. And I don't care for the casting of Frank. Sorry, but I don't.

Mrs. Elton was portrayed well. 

Enough of Emma. How about I post my favorite flowers this week?
I love Eglantine, also known as the Alberta Rose to Canadians.


 It is pink, with five petals, and perfumes the air after a rainstorm. I think it is the prettiest flower God created, and I CANNOT WAIT until June, when they start blooming in the ditches everywhere.

That's all for now.

Celine

Love this pattern.....

Butterick pattern  B4827.....  If I ever replicate Susan's dress from the Chronicles of Narnia, it'll be with this pattern.

Sense and Sensibility 1995

I love this movie! Kate Winslet was perfect for the part of Marianne Dashwood.
It is the 1995 adaptation of Sense and Sensibility, my favorite novel by Jane Austen. In case you aren't familiar with the story line, here's a summery from IMDb (here's the link):
"When Mr. Dashwood dies, he must leave the bulk of his estate to the son by his first marriage, which leaves his second wife and three daughters (Elinor, Marianne, and Margaret) in straitened circumstances. They are taken in by a kindly cousin, but their lack of fortune affects the marriageability of both practical Elinor and romantic Marianne. When Elinor forms an attachment for the wealthy Edward Ferrars, his family disapproves and separates them. And though Mrs. Jennings tries to match the worthy (and rich) Colonel Brandon to her, Marianne finds the dashing and fiery Willoughby more to her taste. Both relationships are sorely tried. But this is a romance, and through the hardships and heartbreak, true love and a happy ending will find their way for both the sister who is all sense and the one who is all sensibility." 


Here's my favorite scene:


Marianne is quoting Shakespere, Sonnet 116. Here is the full sonnet:

"Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove.
O no, it is an ever-fixèd mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wand'ring bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved. "


Have a nice Saturday!
Celine

Emma: my thoughts on Epsiode One

Well, I finished Emma, episode one, last night; I had previously thought that the mannerisms were much to modern, and that she was just a 21st century woman in a 19th century dress.... however, after the first half hour or so, she improved, and so did the story.
Emma in this adaptation is in 3D. Not literally, but it is true: she has her faults more clearly portrayed than in Emma with Gwyneth whats-her-name. The Miramax Emma (previously mentioned) was more funny, while this adaptation has more depth. We see the flaws in all of the characters, and we also see the strengths. For instance, although Emma doesn't think before she speaks, she is wonderful and covering up what hurtful things she says. For instance:

(fast forward teh first two minutes or so.)

Also, you see in this one how she lead Mr. Elton on. Her brother-in-law even told her she was, and she thought it ridiculous. (fast forward the first three minutes or so.)

And the friendship that she and Harriet have: (fast forward through the first bit.) Harriet is portrayed perfectly! She is very sweet. And Emma bitterly regrets meddling, as Mr Knightley said she would.


Well, though I could talk for hours and hours on this subject, I do not have the time. Next week I will talk about episode two.
Celine

Emma

"Emma Woodhouse was born with the sun shining...."
That's right, Emma BBC 2009 debuted last night. I was not allowed to stay up late enough on a school night to watch it, but I watched the first bit, and we made sure we recorded it. Here is how it begins.

I think it was a good beginning. They seemed to think through the story through. It is chronologically correct that Frank Churchill and Miss Fairfax left about the same time. I also think it was genius that teenage Emma might have matched her sister and Knightley's brother.....

But there are also some sad notes, ones that I never thought of really.


I realize now that Emma very well could be Miss Bates in 20 years. Tending to her father, talking all of the time though he can't hear her. Living in a very small cottage, with almost no money. I think it is very important to take care of your parents when they're old; but she was sad, because she would be very much alone. She remembered laughing and playing with Isabella when she was younger....

Anyway, I thought they did a good job on that. It really made me think about her life.

Did you miss the first episode last night? You can watch it here, on PBS's website. If you missed Return to Cranford, you can watch it here until February 16th.

fabric!

Hi!
Weeeeellllllllllll.......... I went to Wal-mart yesterday. Actually, we went shopping all day at various stores. It was awful. I almost fell asleep a few times, I was so tired. But, I'm glad we have the money to buy new things, and a car to get us where we need to go... and I am so glad we don't have to shop very often. That would be torture.
I am very happy that I came along though. I got my most needed sewing supplies. I bought a yard of off-white cotton for $1.50 a yard (for a petticoat), and then I bought a yard of this fabric, also for $1.50(shown left). It's really nice... reminds me of wedding dress fabric.

Then I bought 3 yards of 1/2" boning for $3. I didn't think that Wal-mart would carry boning, but it did!

I also priced out a few projects I want to do when I have the money. I was going to buy some green cotton, but they really didn't have the color or texture I wanted. :( I found out that they carry the costume pattern I want, though. :)

Celine