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Vintage Vixen: Outfit of The Day - Tribal Gypsy Meets the '70s

Vintage Vixen: Outfit of The Day - Tribal Gypsy Meets the '70s



Loving that dress, Vintage Vixen! The pattern reminds me of a technique I use with some of my hand-painted lampshades. xx

Stress list 3:

Aside from the acrylic cutting going wrong, the rest was quite straightforward in reality! Managed to get hold of some fabulous lampshades from the local charity shops and dyed them using batik dyes and highlighter pens...the results are quite groovy I think! Waddyathink?

Stress List

Here is my stress list sowing all the stresses, trials and tribulations of getting the EOYS together! 1: Tried to get my black acrylic shade leaves remade (I finally called it: Amy Sings the Blues in tribute to Amy Winehouse....I wasn't going to show the black shade, but, decided ON THE MORNING of the EOYS, that I would go 'back to black' geddit!). This involved trying to use the laser cutter in college, which was delayed in getting fixed, then managed to get booked in to fablab to use theirs, only to find that the fablab had been flooded that morning! Curses! I then managed to get an introduction to the lovely Cai, who used to go to our college and now has a laser cutting business! The lovely Cai did help, but the leaf inserts just wouldn't fit and after some furtive filing, managed to get them to fit. However, only managed to cut 12 not 16 as ran out of time at Cai's!. The thing with Amy is, she was the prototype for 'Clearly Pink' acrylic shade which I love and I can't knock her for that - have a look at the pics below - 2: Not being able to use the laser cutter meant that I couldn't finalise my clear acrylic standard lampshade which was going to include a clear lampstand base. Here are some pictures of the maquette though so you can get an idea of what it will look like. I have actually cut out all the panels and the internal fittings, but managed to snap some of the panels and cracked the acrylic through exuberant drilling, much to Tony the Technician and Jim our tutor's amusement!

Never give up on a good thing

Well....can't believe the end of year show has finally taken place! Apologies for not actually adding anything to this blog for yonks and yonks (is anyone actually reading this to apologise to...if not then I am a) either talking to myself or b) hearing voices both of which would mean I need help) but I have been 'snowed under' as they say...or maybe 'rained under/off' (this is Manchester after all). Anyway, products have been made, hair has fallen out and the house hasn't been cleaned for several weeks now as the only thing that has been on my mind has been the end of year show or EOYS as I like to call it...SAY IT OUT LOUD....IT SOUNDS THE WAY I FEEL! Seriously though, I have thoroughly enjoyed getting everything together for the show, regardless of the stress it has caused me! A Stress List is being posted in the next blog as a final cathartic attempt at ridding myself of the remnants of the cortisol swimming around my brain and body.. 0000..

Spare us the Cutter

LASER CUTTER DOWN....STOP.... Arghhhh! What is a girl (alright...middle aged woman) to do now????? Fabulous Fablab to the rescue! Need to go and do my induction, then I can continue with building my acrylic empire! In the meantime, I shall go off an make my maquettes for acrylic shade #2.

twisting my melon

Blimey....that was more difficult than expected! Blogtastic...at last I am signed on to the bloggersphere!

Had fun at the weekend with the giants at Liverpool....do you think the girl would like one of my lampshades??

Will I ever find a laser cutter big enough?

Ooh...there's a thought....how many giant marionettes does it take to change a light bulb? (Answers on a suitably e-version of a postcard, please....)

Carol x