The Queens of The Night

1770's Queen of the Night

Children's Production Queen of the Night

Bowie Inspired/Music Video Queen of the Night

(my personal favourite)

Always winter...

There has been knitting, there has been painting, writing, drinking and school.  This endless school feels the same way to me as this part of Winter seems to other people.  Endless...

I just want the Spring.  I really want Summer.  I want shorts, sandals, soft cotton on hot days.  No school and endless sewing projects just for fun!  So I muddle along, knitting always close at hand.  Never enough pictures though.  I need to sew some buttons onto a baby ensemble I've made for a friend.   Nate's socks are terribly neglected, and I have a yummy plum coloured capelet clicking away.  Knitting does wonders for getting through Physics class!  For now, I leave you with one of my Queens.  We're rendering costumes for Mozart's Queen of the Night from The Magic Flute.  One from 1770's, one from a children's production, and one from a modern Music video.  I'll have pictures soon, as I'm rather pleased with how they all turned out.

Shadowing at the Seattle Repertory

I was so chuffed to be able to sit in the tech booth at the Seattle Repertory Theatre last night with my Stage Manager instructor.  It was like be in heaven!  It also solidified my desire to intern with them over the summer if I can.

Spring 2011

I've been drafting sewing patterns with my darling Ashe.

And rendering an advertisement by way of practice for more elaborate renderings.  We have The Queen of The Night from Mozart's The Magic Flute up next.

Night Market

I love walking through the Pike Place Market after it's closed.  The daylight hours are over and now it's my time of day.  I'm just starting work as the night life comes out to play.  I wander down the empty aisles, wondering what it was like 100 years ago.  Much the same, I suppose but with better outfits.

Etsy Love - An Outfit

Featured Sellers:
Madama Robe
Railway Street
Made With Love By Hannah
Vera Vague

Project 365

A little reluctantly, I went and joined a photo project thinking it would be a neat way to explore my world and take a few more interesting pictures, even if it's just my little point and shoot.  It's been a little difficult to remember to take pictures, but it has been interesting so far.  I am looking around with my photographer's eye,  figuring out the best angle, most interesting light, etc.  It's been a hoot so far.

It's not a lot to write home about, but it's kinda cute so far.  It's forcing me to take pictures, even just aimlessly without a schtick, and record.  I suppose once I get into school they'll be project related, but for now they're just kinda neat all grouped together.

1. 009/365, 2. 008/365, 3. 007/365, 4. 006/365  Scorpion Liquor, 5. 005/365, 6. 004/365, 7. 003/365

Status Quo

Finals ended with a party of sorts in the Scene Shop.  I got all gussied up because it was a party, right?  And you never get dirty at a party. . . yeah, sure.  I will always come out of that shop with sawdust on some part of me.  I have learned that now.  

Christmas Day was spent with my side of the family, which was very nice.  I haven't seen the cousins in a while and it was good to get all caught up.  We played Monopoly.

Played with parakeets, this is Cobalt and she loved to be up high.

 She would also make sure your glasses fit correctly.

And had napping snuggle piles.  Time with Family is good.

The week after Christmas was spent with Nate's family in Spokane.  It was quieter than most times we've been there, but nonetheless, restful and good to get to know his side of the family better.  I spent most of my time with his darling Grammy, and am now a pie baking buddy.

I have two more weeks off from school and then it's right back into the melee that is Cornish.  I love it, though.  So I haven't died or anything.  I've just been catching up on my sleep.

Knitting update to follow!  I've been busy!

Cheers,

~A

Finals - Day One

I am SO looking forward to spending time playing rather than doing schoolwork.  It's become such a chore that I'm not looking forward to next semester, but isn't that how it always is?

The Finals!

It feels like a really long time since I was writing in here last, and things have just been busy.  After Midterms came Thanksgiving, and after that are Finals, and then Christmas, so it's just been non-stop crazy.  Good crazy though.  My drawing class met for the last instructional period on Thursday, hence the paintings.  Sketches really, but you get the idea.  Finally is my little fireplace inspired by the film, Howl's Moving Castle.  I finished all of the construction, and just have to glue a tiny bit together on Tuesday and it will be finished!  I am so very excited about it.  My lighting savvy friends have given me a wee LED and are going to help me get Calcifer all lit up for presentation next Thursday.  More pictures are forthcoming. 

habit Friday

sometimes I miss him more than he will ever know. I am comforted by knitting and hope for the future.


Inspired by habit Blog

They Multiplied!

Tiny Sweaters . . .

These things are addicting.  Consider yourself warned.

Cornish - Update 1 - WARNING: picture heavy post! ;)

It's high time I wrote a little about being at Cornish along with some pictures! I keep promising them, and not yet posted any here.  Cornish is amazing, it's kicking my butt in old ways, teaching me new things, and I'm finding muscles I haven't used in four years or so.  I have friends, I know my locker combinations, and I think I am doing fairly well here.  Midterms start tomorrow which is why I have a tiny lull to write anything at all not school mandated.  Below are a series of photos from within the first few weeks of classes.  We're not quite so silly now that we're nose to the grindstone, but we're doing well.  First up, my locker.  I share this with two other people, and if you can imagine two of me stuffed in there, we would be very comfortable. In short, it's HUGE!

I take a drawing class once a week, and it's been good to get my hand worked up again.  We're covering the basics; perspective, still life, using strong light and shadow, working from live models, so it has been fun.  It's one of the most relaxing classes because we can just draw for an hour or so.

This is my drafting class or Theatre Graphics.  We affectionately refer to it as "Advanced Kindergarten" because we're drawing lines and circles, working on our letters, and using lots and lots of numbers! Whew!  This class is really interesting because it's teaching me to look at things from many different perspectives and manipulate objects in my head, then transfer them onto paper.  We build models, make tiny staircases, and construct our own fireplaces (miniature) at the end of the semester.

This, my friends, is Dennis.  He's my adopted little brother and a cohort in crime as we're both class clowns.  Don't worry, I get my work done on time, and try not to cause too much trouble for my instructors.  He's hilarious and I love him to pieces.

My darling Allegra, doing a charcoal drawing at The Center for Wooden Boats where we looked at Atmospheric Perspective.  She is a sweet girl who has adopted me as her "mommy".  Each class we're in, each morning she comes over to give me a hug and I am greeted with "Momma Anna!"  Because that is what I am.  Momma Anna.

Welding in Shop.  I have only welded once to date (don't tell Greg!) and I fervently hope I don't have to weld much again.  Spending too much time with the fumes apparently makes my body angry and I start coughing and hacking.  I quite prefer soldering, thanks, it doesn't make me cough.  The very patient man in the green shirt (holding, I might add a welding mask, he is NOT staring at the light!) is Greg.  One half of the compliment that makes up our Shop instructors.  He works with Peter and together I have decided need to start their own show.  They are our adorable odd couple and make Shop so very, very much fun.  They kick our butts when we need it, and make us laugh when we mess up, and encourage us when we deserve it.

This is my Sonya, and I love her to death.  She is also a non-traditional student, an amazing mama to two kids, and general all round great gal.  She keeps us cheerful because I'm pretty sure there's not a lot in this 'verse that could make her unhappy.  I have adopted her as my big sister.

Costume Shop, with "other Anna" and Allegra.  At Cornish, you have to take Fundamentals classes that we refer to affectionately as "Fundies".  Half of it is in Scene Shop and half is in Costume shop.  In addition to that you are assigned to a show that you get to hang lights for.  You also help with Load In and Strike.  Cornish WILL keep you busy, and I love it.  Costume shop is run by Carl and his assistant, Diane.  They're lovely people, and I already adore Carl. He's a commanding cranky man who will mess with you just as much as you mess with him.  He's fabulous!

Sonya and I are often the extra teachers when it comes to sewing, because we've both sewn for ages.  So we patiently help to thread machines, wind bobbins, and assist you when Carl or Diane are busy.  That'll be 5 cents, please.

And that's it for now. I have taken more pictures of the Lighting I'm working on now, but those are for next time.  Maybe even video if I can make it work.  I love scissor lifts!  Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed your little view into Cornish.

Time Passes

A year ago tomorrow someone I barely knew suddenly left my life. A week after their Grandpa went home, so did my little Blueberry. I like to think my Grandpa went first so he could hold their hand and keep them safe for me, and the thought makes me smile despite the sadness.

Today I knit another piece for Project Hope, in hopes of the future and all that will await me.

Got Rhythm?

Well, I am surviving.  I am not quite yet in the thriving mode, though I confess I am too hard on myself.  Here I am, stumbling admirably through my first week (got that, FIRST week) of Cornish and I'm already wanting to make more progress than is physically even possible.  I look forward to finding that groove, where I can be effortless in finding my class and knowing what comes next, instead of this herky-jerky sweaty hurry that I'm stuck in for the next little while.  It's really okay, I have made friends, and I have a locker and everything, but I'm not in the groove yet, and I so wish I was.

I did, however, find my most favourite place in the whole wide world.  Okay, the second most favourite, but still.  I found the costume shop.  Sad to say, I don't have pictures yet, but it's glorious.  Stacks of boxes of neatly labelled fabric.  Notions that could choke a horse.  Mannequins, scissors, sewing machines, and sergers, oh my!  I could live in there, with the exception that I doesn't include Nate.  Pictures are forthcoming, but for now it's just good old words.

Doublet Update/Pictures!

It all came together in the end. I'm not entirely satisfied with the results, but I'm content with the fact that I can rework the pieces later and make they better. So I leave you with some photos I have snitched from Facebook from the entire three weekends of the Washington Misdummer Renaissance Faire.

I just might be the Lunatic you're looking for?

I have problems. Everybody does. The thing is that most people, myself included, go about our days ignoring our problems or denying they even exist.

Part of me really misses living in a household where we all have problems, but no one really said anything about mine. They went seen but unspoken. It led to crappy self-esteem and one hell of an act. I can make the people I love believe that I'm okay. That I don't hate myself anymore. Hell, I've lied to my therapist. The thing that bothers me is when people see it and say something about it. Put my problems in my face. Reflect back to me exactly what I loathe and spend most of my time wishing fervently would just up and disappear. That's the funny thing about problems, they don't just melt away like ice cream left out on the counter. They can sit there and be medicated into submission or hibernation, or they can be gouged out and vehemently killed.

I desperately want to sit with a therapist for perhaps a month of sessions and come away magically cured. I want to ignore the fact that the world doesn't work that way, and I must come to grips with that fact.

People used to tell me all the time; "You're such an amazing person! Never change!" and I would wonder why anyone would think that. I'm an actor. You hide what is ugly with smoke and mirrors so you only show what people perceive to be lovely and admirable. People have also told me, through tears, that they wished they could be more like me, or be me. I also can't understand why anyone would want my life or my psyche. I have more problems, idiosyncrasies than the Eiffel Tower has bolts, or something equally applicable. The frustrating part is that I'm not changing as fast or as much as I would ideally like because I keep hiding. I hate being exposed because I have problems. I have problems because of my childhood. The wheel turns on and on but I go no where.

Why did all this come up suddenly? Because I was thinking about all the little lies and acts my amazing fiancee sees through. It's like he has The Sight and can see into my Faerie land, only he can see what is real and what is glamour. I don't feel worthy of his love, but I am so very grateful for all of it. For the sweetness and the silliness. For his serious moments, and his tenderness.

Happy Weekend!

Well, the Doublet got good praise all round, with minor comments from our darling master sewer, Cindy. It works, and I can do better next time, but this one is mostly a success.