Stuff and Moonshine

Organized my closet, took a bag of stuff to the thrift store and while there, found a pair of pants to complete my aviatrix outfit.

Looked through the various "creative" job listings, and applied for three or four things before imposter syndrome kicked in. It's easier to be brazen in email - they can't actually laugh *in* my face, for a start, and I figure I'm only wasting a couple of seconds of their time instead of a half-hour. I even did 1950s-style hair and makeup on myself and had green_trilobite take a bunch of head shots so I could apply for a stylist job on a photoshoot. Unfortunately the ad asked that I name my salary expectations: on the one hand, any real stylists I looked up had a payscale that was way higher than I was comfortable asking for given my total lack of history doing makeup on anyone but myself (and the occasional fellow-performer in amateur theatre); on the other, asking less would probably give myself away as an amateur. Eventually honesty won out and I cited the hourly rate I usually get for office work. I guess the worst that can happen is that they won't respond. Actually it'd probably be scarier if they did respond and I have to keep faking it. Aargh.

The other one shows the make-up better, but my long face looks better in profile than front-on.

Having googled "imposter syndrome," I suspect I'm misusing the term. Apparently you have to actually be successful first, and then feel like it's all a mistake.

ETA -- Well, I actually got a fairly nice reply that wasn't a "no," so I'm at least under consideration. : )

So, the Fashion Star pattern arrived, and I've made it up in some printed jersey from Dome Fabrics. This was a pretty simple shape, and the old Singer was surprisingly co-operative with the knit. The only problem is that due to the dip in the hem, it's possible to see the wrong side of the fabric, and this particular fabric was only printed on one side; but I think this might work quite well in a plain black or grey jersey as a sort of Comme Des Garcons-inspired thing.

Got another dress in progress; pictures when it's hemmed and the zipper installed.My sewing machine is much happier with the thread I used on this one, and the tension didn't go funny until I got to the waist seam.

Yesterday we were at a party and Mary, one of the guests commented "I asked what the dress code would be and Bob (her boyfriend, whose retirement party it was) said, 'it'll be casual, except for Sarah.'" All I could say was "he knows me well."

Hoping to have a couple of job interviews next week; fingers crossed.

Happy mother's day to those of you who are. I've been trying to phone mine but she's not home yet.

Got accepted into the Bazaar of the Bizarre! (April 1, Pia Bowman Ballet School)

The fairisle sweater is coming along. I just hope I don't run out of the reddish-purple yarn before I finish the yoke (all the other colours were purchased for this project and I should have enough). I also made a chart after-the-fact for the fairisle motifs (I actually worked from charts scrawled in ballpoint pen on bits of scrap paper.)

ETA - found another ball of the purple yarn. Yay.

Redid the blonde streaks in my hair and hacked off some more of it.

Jewelry displayed on wigs. Wigs with eyes. And hands.

It's a little bit Twilight Zone and a little bit Dr. Seuss.

Hoping I didn't come off as too shy during the job interview - it mostly consisted of the other applicant and myself being asked "what would you do in this situation" questions; then at the end we were given five minutes to pick a celebrity and put together an outfit for him/her. Not being up on living celebs, I picked River Song (low-heel lace-up boots, men's pinstriped trousers as the store had no jodhpurs, sophisticated little black dress but with some punkish studs, cropped brocade jacket and a parka), and then had to briefly explain who she was.

There's more than one position (and more than one shop); I don't know if they'll hire me (I'm hoping they found me charmingly quirky and not just weird) but I'm sure they'll hire the other applicant, as she has tons of retail experience and a friendly manner; in fact I hung out with her for forty minutes afterward at the nearest Second Cup, talking about historical and fantasy fiction and the joys of thrift stores - so the ideal, I suppose, would be if we both get hired for the same location.

Finished painting the heels of my shoes. Any ideas on what to use for a protective coating for sharpie and acrylic paints?

Finished the short-row ribbed turban; green_trilobite photographed it for me, but the details on a black hat don't show up well, so I'm re-knitting it in red. This should also confirm the pattern so I can write it down. I want to call the main hat "Mother Ship" and the detachable ornament which can double as a fascinator in its own right "Escape Pod." This attempt to tweak the pattern didn't work so well, though.


Also, I'm tempted to bling up these wedges, to which I've already added ribbon ankle ties; the heels aren't actually cork, they're some kind of smooth foam printed to look like cork. After I get paid next week I'm thinking of hitting the dollar store for some acrylic paint (maybe purple!) and rhinestones; or I could draw on the heels in sharpie once I've put down a base coat. We'll see.