Victoria Day Picnic & Hat

Guys, I trimmed a hat! (like forever ago, but it seems I've been a bit busy moving to Australia, so you are getting this post a touch delayed)

I picked up this riding helmet at a flea market (because why not?) and actually got around to adding some ribbon to it for our Victoria Day Picnic on Victoria Island with the Ottawa Steampunks (we were kindly invited along by the Ottawa Goth Syndicate). You will notice I also added a brooch which I bought for I believe 50cents at either a garage sale or one of those work jewellery charity things. 

Add some goggles (Dear Girl Genius, thank you for your lovely goggles, they can jazz up almost anything [please note that I don't think they are for sale anymore, which is a shame]) and voila!

Okay, so I added a couple of extra elements, but really I am just pleased that I finally started in on the DIY part of Steampunk. Much as I love delving into my costume wardrobe and putting together random outfits out of pieces I've acquired over the years, it is also very satisfying to actually do something requiring a needle and thread. 

So Much Lace

So I bought about a mountain of lace at the Antrim flea market the other week (and a cedar chest, but that's a different story). 

Then, at Bluesfest, this woman from Funk my Junk was selling lace gloves. She didn't have the exact one I wanted, so I was going to go back the next day, and then I got home and remembered the GIANT PILE OF LACE that I had. Lace I spent so much time selecting that I acquired a sun burn on the back of my neck. Lace that is PERFECT for me. Perfect because it is exactly what I would have picked because I picked it. Lace that I realize I have ten to twelve bags of and just ONE of those bags contains 15 meters (I have already started using lace instead of string). 

So now I'm making lace gloves out of various trim. Without a pattern. Basically willy-nilly.

That obviously needs something more. Wait, I know, lace that has RIBBON.

Now I just need to make a second one AND a matching collar piece. Ok, and work out that whole thumbhole thing, but hey, I have lots of lace to practice with. So pleased.

Smugness in March

If you have been outside in the past couple of days, you know that the weather in Ottawa is ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING.

The sidewalks are a slushy mess, with floating ice chunks in ankle deep puddles which stretch the entire street. We had a massive snow dump followed immediately by rain, and it is basically a death defying walk outside.

BUT! Saturday I bought rainboots, and I am pleased as punch at how useful they have been. I went out and bought the most adorable Hunter rainboots I could find (they are available in Townshoes for us).

They have been keeping my toes lovely and dry (the wool socks have been keeping me warm). As a testament to this ability, I would like to submit Exhibit A:

While standing in one of the smaller puddles, my feet are STILL DRY. These boots ROCK. Although note, on particularly snowy days, you may end up with snow inside your boot if you aren't VERY careful. Fortunately, this is not a problem with water.

If this ice continues, I may have to go out and buy crampons when out near the Mountain Equipment Coop.

Upcoming Events: Vernissage One Night Stand at Le Petit Mort

Knit Neckpiece

One of the best things about my friend's New Year's Eve Event is... no, wait, let me start over. One of the many awesome things to come out of this year's New Year's Eve event was that my friend Cheryl was commissioned by my friend Pyrex to make me this glorious knit silk neckpiece.

The deal was that if I was to receive this lovely piece, I needed to take photos of it. So tada! I did.

Now, if I was going to take photos for a friend of a gift, I decided I needed to do it right. Which evidently means I needed to put on eight tons of make-up and mess around with the filters.

I'm very pleased with how the sepia with a touch of 'vintage' turned out, but am a touch disappointed that you can't tell I have Black Swan (such an awesome film, btw) inspired eye make-up. Oh well, the "me and my laptop" photoshoot turned out well enough that I may try something similar in the future. In the meantime, I need to try and put an outfit together that shows off my neckpiece but which is still cohesive as a whole.

If you want to visit Cheryl's website and commission something of your own, just follow the link.

Upcoming Events: Dr. Sketchy and Book Club