Here I am! February has been a bit of a blur, between a major illness and the many rehearsals for the circus show I am performing in right now. Here are a few behind-the-scenes images from the green room and from the wings.
In terms of sewing, there has been a lot of circus-costume alteration and repair happening, but also three different dress projects! I’m looking forward to getting back to my sewing table, but for now, I am swinging through the air with the greatest of ease.
When was the last time you saw line-ups outside of art galleries instead of bars on a Saturday night? Nocturne was a ton of fun this year and it helped that it wasn’t bitterly cold for once. We trampled all over town, going from one installation to the next, while running into everyone we know (it’s so interesting to see all the different worlds you inhibit collide at a public event). It kind of feels like Halloween for grown-ups. People are giddy and excited and it’s just as much fun to watch the public as the artists!
1. Hours on the road. Officially caught up on podcasts.
2. Fox sightings.
3. Two lovely weddings which included sparklers, tap-dancing, mojitos and even a pig on a spit.
4. Homemade blueberry pie.
5. The beach – twice, in two different provinces.
6. So many bug bites that I was unable to wear normal shoes for days. Still scratching.
7. Visit to the cottage in the Land Without Internet.
8. Glorious naps.
9. Houses made from bottles.
7. Laundry, laundry, laundry.
8. Simultaneous tea-drinking and blue-heron-watching.
9. Fabric shopping at a price of $3 dollars a metre.
10. Boggle tournaments.
It was a great way to wrap up the summer! Now onto September, and all those emails in my inbox.
I know, I know, I couldn’t wait for summer. I am not wishing it away, but if there’s one thing I love even more than summer, it’s fall! The weather has been pretty chilly around here and it’s got me wishing for back-to-school. September is the real New Year for me, as I know it is for many people. Here’s my annual list of things I am looking forward to this Autumn:
2. Film Festival time! I love how seriously my partner and I take going through the program and choosing our films.
4. Book season – awards, festivals, and lists
5. Cozy sweaters, socks, and scarves
6. Hot Chocolate
7. Visiting my favourite trees in town
8. Pumpkin flavoured everything
9. Writing letters
10. The first smell of wood stove in the neighborhood
11. Tights of all colours and patterns
12. Endless planning of Halloween costumes
13. Apple season
14. Crunchy leaves underfoot
15. Soup! Can we please eat soup again?
I didn’t take this video and I wasn’t quite that close, but this gives you an idea of what a jumbled, chaotic, and completely awesome time I had last night. The show was actually on the other side of the harbour, so (what seemed like) half the population of my side packed onto the tiny ferry en-masse and headed over. I can’t believe I got to see them in such a small venue.
I loved that by an accident of lighting, there were giant shadow puppets of the performers dancing on the sides of the pavilion. We sang and yelled and came home with ringing ears and happy hearts. My other favourite moment had nothing to do with the music, but with the one gentlemen getting off the ferry (on the concert side) after it was over and his utterly shocked expression at seeing so many people waiting to get on!
One of my favourite parts about Copenhagen was Tivoli, a vintage amusement park that is right downtown (and I mean downtown – it’s across from City Hall!). We were there on the solstice and it was light out until the park closed. Some parts of the park have been updated, but the compact space and lush gardens made for a lovely night.
Guest Post: Kristin from Quiet and Small
I love to read blogs written by grad students. I too come from the club where even though you are super busy, you can’t help but start yet another project. Kristin’s blog is one of my favourites from this category. She makes fun items with lots of patterns (I love her plaid shorts!). I’m thrilled to have her share a project here. Thanks Kristin!
Hi! I’m Kristin from quiet and small adventures in ph.d-land and I’m thrilled to be guest blogging for Erica. I found her lovely blog thru the me-made june challenge and now I’m here, talking to y’all about my sewing. which is hilarious to me (and exciting) because I’ve only been sewing since last may. here’s the story…
Late may 2010, I decided I was tired of discovering the perfect vintage dress only to find that it was 3 sizes too small. I’m a grad student and most of the clothing i loved in stores was outside my price point. I’m one of those people who can figure out how most things work (not always well, mind you!) and i decided to learn to sew. I bought an old singer sewing machine from the late 60′s and dove in, really dove in!
Instead of making a pillowcase of apron, my first finished item was a dress made out of a thrifted sheet. This was my inspiration,
a picture of Zooey Deschanel wearing a sundress with a pintucked hem. I made the skirt, pintucked it and hemmed. then made the bodice by draping and pinning, then fitting it on me until i liked it. I ended up loving the topstitching,
as it gives that illusion of slimmer sides! I had this picture taken of me in lab the day after i finished it, so it’s the first picture of my favorite dress
(I did not want my face on my blog then, but have since gotten over it!)
That simple dress took me days to make and now it’s my go-to dress in all seasons. I’ve worn it to lab a few times (you’ve seen the photos to prove that), for date night when mr q&s and I visited NYC, to brunch here in town and I took it to florida to visit my parents. The scariest place I’ve worn that dress was to my very good friend’s wedding last june. It was 98F that day and i was terrified that people would point and laugh. Instead, at the reception a 14 year old girl asked me where I bought it. when I told her I made the dress, her response killed me! She said, “oh no, now I can’t go get my own!!” and looked so disappointed. What a relief to me, no pointing and laughing at all! One of my male friends was so proud that i made the dress that he pointed it out anytime I got a compliment that night! It was awesome!
If you live in my town, no doubt you’ve seen me hanging out in that dress at the local restaurants and bars or flying by on my bike, skirt behaving in the wind. I love that dress when it’s hot, as it’s super soft, light cotton and makes me feel cooler temperature wise. in the fall and winter I layer it over black tights and boots and add a red cardi or black knit hoodie. It gets worn all the time. most people are super awed by the fact that I made something and are really complimentary no matter how crooked, wonky or terrible something I made is.
The lesson of the aqua dress is never to be scared to try something new and don’t be scared to admit that you’ve made something.
So go forth, make and wear something awesome!
