Phase 1

So I have begun trying to put together a form for measurements to send off to Chase. I'm using excel and simply set up a box for each measurement I could possibly ever want. I want to make it all pretty and have a logical flow to it, but for now it's just a column full of names. I seem to remember being able to make forms out of excel, but for the life of me I can't remember how. I'm sure it will come.

I realized awhile back that one thing I am sorely missing is a cutting table. I don't have enough room for a real one, but I want to make a platform I can lay on our dining room table.
The ones in most pro shops are great. 4' x 8' with a half inch thick cork core and three layers of sturdy muslin, built on an even sturdier table about 4' high, usually with drawers underneath.
I will have to settle for a top about 3' x 6' and probably wont be able to get cork. Just some plywood, batting, and a couple of layers of less quality fabric for now. Still, it will be nice to have a real work surface again. I think I will head over to Lowe's tomorrow and price out the materials.

New Dress

I've decided to use this blog to keep track of a project that I am about to take on. My friend Chase McKenna has asked if I would recreate the dress that Audrey Hepburn wore in the movie Sabrina. Specifically, the white, shoulderless dress with black embroidery and a train in back that she wore to the cocktail party.
She contacted me via Facebook on July 17th with the request and we have spent the last couple of days corresponding regarding it, as well as general reminiscing (I haven't seen her in about 6+ years).

For the most part the dress appears to be a simple cocktail dress with pencil skirt to just below the calf. The train is almost a completely separate piece, attached to the back of the waist. It seems to be shaped more like a cape, with a black dust ruffle (probably taffeta). The whole dress is white with either black lace overlay or black embroidery along the bottom and top.

I don't own the movie and have not watched it (except for parts here and there). It's coming on netflix. I need to see how it moves and falls around here before I can try to guess what materials it is made from and how it is really put together. I'm curious if the train is removeable. I think that I will make it so, even if it wasn't in the movie. I like things with versatility.

The other big problem is, of course, making it fit Chase. She lives in L.A. and I live in Las Vegas. There may be a chance to see her breifly in September, but that's about it. I need to get her measurements and ideally would prefer to do it myself, but I think I will just have to send her the list of measurements I need with clear instructions. I used to have a form from college, but have long since lost it. I guess the next step is to make a new one.

Nevada Day, again...

So I have decided it's important to share Nevada Day with my crew at work, which is fun. Living in Vegas of the 30 of us, only 5 are natives, 21 have been here less than 5 years, and 6 less than 1 year. So I used my pre-shift time to talk a little about the state, which included all the state symbols. I mentioned the bird, the fossil, the tree, the metal, the gems, and of course the State song.
"Can you sing it?"
Well as it turns out, I can. I belted out a vibrato-ey rendition of Home Means Nevada to the assembled room. The other four natives joined in once I hit the chorus. Much fun was had.
"Are there other songs?"
Well sure! There's M....., er, uhhh. Wait I know this. I remember other songs from my childhood, we were practically indoctrinated until high school, but I can only remember bits and pieces, like a dream from last night. I told them maybe tomorrow.
So I went online and searched. I remember the song "My name is just nevada" but I can't remember most of the words. And the web has failed me. Nowhere can I find a single reference to it. It's like they never exsisted.
Now what do I tell the team?

Vroom, vroom!!

Well I have done that terrible thing that is a sure sign of finally being a full adult. I bougt a new car. Ok technically it's an old SUV, a 2001 RAV4 to be exact, but it cost enough to be a new small car. Also, it's the first vehicle I've ever financed. I was sort of out of options. My 4runner had begu knocking terribly. The mechanics said it was due to the bearings in the main crank had broken and were grinding around inside. Since the engine allready had 170,000 miles, the mechanic sugested buying a refurbished one, but I didn't think that this was the car I really wanted to start sinking big money into. So I did some research, took some drives, and settled on the RAV4. Let's hope it all works out in the end.

We can make it faster, stronger...

This week has seen a big update to the KA storyline. The "pillars" sequence has been removed. This has been done to help streamline the show a bit, or as they put it "to improve the flow". I'm a little torn about it. I really liked that part of the show. It had my absolute favorite music. Also it was very fun and light. Still, I have to admit it does make the "flow" smoother. Plus they have adjusted the scenes around it in a very nice way. So, I guess it shall be. But I will always remember the pillars fondly.

A new me... sorta... (UPDATE)

SO I'm down another 5lbs. Hooray. My diet seems to move in spurts. I drop five pounds in a week, then maintain for a month, then drop five. Wierd. We've also changed our character make up at work. The nice folks at MAC cosmetics came in and sat down with the head hanchos and designed a cool scheme for all the characters. Mines prbably one of the most complicated. The first two are about two weeks ago, the last I took tonight. You can see it's starting to drift...

Kicking it up another notch...

Well it's been a somewhat quiet couple of weeks down here. The gatekeepers have had a fairly large turnover this month, but the new guys are more talented than I could of hoped for. We're really turning into an acting troupe out there. In fact the casino wants to start using us for other projects, such as a singing group, magicians, and jugglers. We are going to change the uniforms again, but this time to somethng a lot more costume-like. And we are now getting professionally designed make up that will give us a real pazazz.
Now that the housing bubble here has significally deflated, Paige and I are planning to go look for a house some time soon. Like Bill I have recently begun waging war on my oversized middle. I have lost about 20 lbs so far, but have a lot to go. I'll keep ya posted.