A world without Internet

I made a veil today. It was surprisingly easy. 

I'd done some research online, which made the whole thing considerably easier. Such as figuring out how much to gather to the comb, and how to cord the edge, so that I didn't have to mess around with trying, and could just do it. 

Made me think, how did people do this sort of stuff before the Internet? It must have taken someone ages to figure out how to do something they hadn't done before. True, something like a veil is pretty straight forward, but I could have messed around with just the cord widths for weeks before I found something that was the right size. Trail and error on the gathering, wasting metres of thread and tulle. Instead, I did the whole thing in just a couple of hours. Aces.

This sort of thing is why I set up the new blog. So I could do tips and tutorials. Even diaries of costumes made for shoots. I need to get around to starting that up, try and boost my online professional presence. I even contemplated online sewing courses. Along with the bridal stuff, obviously.

This is all stuff that needs to go on the back burners for a while. At least until I can afford a day off. 

Junk

Today I did something that my mother told me she didn't want to see her daughter doing. It was research. For work. I'm not going to give you any more specifics than that. But if you've talked to me in the past couple of weeks, you'll know what it was about. 

I told you I moved all my furniture in my work room. The new layout frees up so much space ... Or at least it would do if I didn't still have so much eBay stuff. All of my stuff is now in one box. But my mother has added hers, which is in a bin bag, along with a big box of books and a box of boiler suits, which I have decided to wash and sell in the name of personal creativity and not getting sued. So basically, my work room is functioning very well as a work space, if it wasn't for all the junk being stored in it. 

My father even said I could run a business in there. I had to gently remind him that I was. 

I can't get over how it's nearly the end of July. It will be winter again in no time. Worse than that, in just over a month it will be a year since we started filming Chronicles. This past year has gone so quick. This past half a decade has gone so quick. 

I feel old.

Asleep

You know, I climb into bed wide awake. It's as if as soon as i decide to watch something to kill the time, boom, asleep. 

Finally finished the robes. Woop. I was then fronted with the choice of underwear alterations or my sisters veil and head piece. 4 hours later, and I've tidied my work room and reorganised all the furniture. I am good at procrastinating when so something is new. 

Sleep now. 

Signs

I have been scared for my life twice while driving.

One was about 4 years ago in Bristol, when I was happily driving along down a gentle hill when I went around a corner only to be confronted with a queue of traffic stopped at lights just metres away. I slammed on my breaks and all was well, but there had been no warning signs of traffic lights on a country down sloping road, right after a bend. I bet more than a few crashes have happened, and I'm so thankful that I wasn't one of them.

The second was today. Driving down a country road (country roads are apparently lethal) when I turn a bend ( bends too, clearly) and suddenly there is a junction in front of me that wasn't on my sat nav, with cars rolling along at at least 50. Once again, I slam on my breaks and thank all the deities that I didn't plow into the traffic. Only then, right at the junction when it's too late or just ironic, are the give way and T junction signs visible.

My point? Dangerous things should be better sign posted. 

Of dreams, cars and moths

I heard a saying today, that when you can't sleep, it's because you are in someone else's dream. Someone is having a nightmare. 

I've nearly finished the robes now. Hopefully, they'll be done by tomorrow. Then, I have the weekend to concentrate on underwear alterations and make sure that everything is ready for the shoot. After that's all done, I'll have Monday and most of Tuesday to make my sisters veil and head piece for her trial on Thursday. 

I'll be travelling around a lot over the next week or so. 

You know, cars are expensive. To me, late July, early August is a very expensive couple of weeks. I have tax, MOT and insurance all due at once. Sigh. At least I have a credit card. 

Earlier, I was lying in bed, watching a moth struggling with the breeze created by the fan. If I was a moth, ..... And I have just realised what point my tired brain has reached, so time to shut up before I sound like a crazy person.

The moth just flew into my arm. Either that or something light and furry just stroked me. 

Subliminal

Random new splurdge of Tokyo Dogs comments. And I thought it had all calmed down. 

They're all spam sbout weight loss and exercise. I'm starting to wonder if the universe is trying to tell me something, 

Super Important Topic

Earlier today, something came into my head and I thought "I know, I'll post about that later!". It is now later and I have no idea what that thing was.

I did a bridal alteration for one of the teachers at my school today. I had a fitting first thing, and then came home and pretty much did the job there and then. It was a lot less complicated and fiddly than I thought it would be, so that's nice. Now just to wait until some cups for another dress show up, and then I can go back to concentrating on the short prep and my sister's bridal accessories.

Ah so much to do and so little time to do it in.

Lost ... in more ways than one

Just finished watching Lost. Ah god, my heart. I think I cried through most of the finale, and a lot through the last few episodes.

I wish someone I knew would watch Lost. It sucks having to go through the whole thing twice now with no-one to talk about it to.

In deciding to watch Lost, I kind of put Love Rain on the back burners for a while. Today, I found out that the site I have watched all my dramas on has closed down. That means I have lost what episode I was up to on Love Rain, and my list of what to watch next. When I found out, I pretty much just gaped at my screen for 10 mins. It's very sad.

In other news, I'm pretty much ready to shoot myself over making this bleeding robes. It's so boring. I think a production line is much more effective when you are completing a stage and passing it to someone new. It's not so much fun to pass off a completed task to yourself. 

Google of Lost

So I was looking at my arm the other day, as you do, when I noticed lots of tiny lumps, almost like permanent goosebumps.

My first reaction: heat rash or the like. 

Google's first reaction: skin cancer. 

Sometimes I think google just likes to mess with people's heads.

Finished Game of Thrones season 1 today. Many of the things I think I would have enjoyed being really surprised by I already knew about, which was a little disappointing. Dangers of watching a series late, I guess. Swings and roundabouts though, at least I don't have to wait for new episodes. 

I also watched a lot of LOST today. Like half of the last series. Normally, I just listen to music as I work, but today I brought down my laptop and powered through. 

The robes are taking forever. If I never see a French seam again, let alone have to do one, that will be fine. 

Bloggin'

Here is a spot.

I'm sleepy.

Edit: I was going for "Here is a post." Apparently I anagram when I'm sleep posting now. 

Unintentionally about Money.

Today I taught my last session of the academic year. I am now officially on summer holiday.

I'm going to miss going to school. Mostly because I don't get paid if I don't work, so the summer is going to need to be even cheaper for me from now on. Especially because I have my car tax to pay at the end of this month, and MOT and insurance at the beginning of the next. Sigh. 

If it could rain £20 notes in my garden, that would be great. 

I was checking out Money Saving Expert earlier, and I think I am going to have to look into the site in more detail. I doubt I could save much money, but there might be some useful tips on how to make it. 

There's an old bridal shop up for let in my town. Three floors, so I could have a shop, a decent work room and an office. But shops cost money to set up and I don't have that. Double sigh. 

Orange

I did my mass toiletry shop. Is it bad that I want to do a haul post? I think maybe I watch too many beauty videos on YouTube. 

Today was ... Interesting. I headed into the city to do my returns, exhanges and pick up a few extra bits, including the fabric to make the robes. 

After an hour, my arms felt like they were going to fall off. Turns out clothes, shoes and metres of fabric are pretty heavy. 

I gave up with M&S left to do, figuring I could go home, drop of my bags and then drive into town  to do the last little bit. Which would have worked perfectly if the store had the things I needed to buy, which it did not. 

So I got Miffy instead. And we went to sainsburies to buy fajita stuff while we were hungry. Which never ends well. Especially with mass toiletry purchases. So much for not spending money this month. 

For some reason, everything was orange.

 

Daily posts are hard to title.

I don't think I remember the last time I blogged on my laptop. That tends to be for thought out posts that require planning and research.

Normally, I post in the dark right before I fall asleep, and literally just write whatever pops into my head. Which is why most of my posts are kinda nonsensical ... And sometimes complete gibberish. That's normally when I've fallen asleep. 

Today was spent doing the dress. I finished the alterations from the fitting, the lacing and the sleeves today, which means I just have a few small but intensely important jobs left to do. Which is crazy. I still have a massive job ahead of me with the bridesmaid dresses, but I'm feeling a little less impending doom about the bride now. Which is good. 

So tomorrow, I'm going to head into town to do my returns and exchanges, as well as pick up a few extra items that came up at the rehearsal. If only you could buy modesty patches, it would be so much easier than having to make them. I also need to buy the fabric for the robes now I think about it. Sigh, more expenses. Having a budget in my account before I have to spend it would be so much easier on my bank account. I also need to do some annotated designs. Sigh again. I have a lot to do. 

Then, I think I'll head to sainsburies for my toiletry haul. And milk. Apparently we need milk. 

Pre Haul

I'm trying really hard not to spend unnecessary money this month. It's hard enough when friends want to be sociable, but now I find myself rapidly running out of toiletries. 

Face wash, face wipes, body cream, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, heat protectant, both types of monthly feminine hygiene products, razor blades, cotton buds ... All with only a couple of uses left. Pretty much the only I things I don't need to worry about are deodorant and toothpaste. 

Obviously these things are all pretty important. It just sucks that I have to sacrifice going out for dinner with friends so I can do a mass toiletry haul.

I'm lucky I don't need to top up on make up too. But I only really get through mascara, eye liner and BB creams quickly, and I have at least 3 open of each. 

Left

I've decided I'm not going to bother about missing posts if I can't blog once or twice. If I want to do catch up posts, five, but if I don't, it doesn't really matter. 

This weekend was spent down south with my family, preparing for the wedding. It's getting really close now, it's kind of hard to believe. I still have a lot to do, especially with both bridesmaid dresses needing alterations thrown in. 

It will be hard when everyone is down there, I think. It will be like this weekend, but all the time, and I won't be there. Not that I want to change my mind and move with them; it'll be financial and independence suicide for me, not to mention damaging for my career. It's just we were always so scattered and now everyone is coming together in one area, apart from me. 

Sigh. 

Pee

I don't drink enough.

I know this because I pee'ed twice today. Once when I got up, and again just now, right before I got into bed.

Too much information? Yes, probably.

So why am I telling you this?

BECAUSE I CAN.

In other news (I feel like I write this phrase a lot), my wisdom teeth still hurt. Not as bad as not being able to eat or drink yet, just bad enough to have to mash everything before I eat it. Which is fine for potato and ice cream, but less appetizing for salad.

In other other news (now I feel like I'm writing other news in regards to Lost's The Others, but I'm not), I love Simon and Martina and the EYK crew. They went on a team building retreat thing, and I just watched the videos from the first day, and laughed so much. And they have a puppy and a kitty. I want to work with them.

UH

I just finished season 5 of Lost.

GOD I LOVE THIS SHOW.

Even now, on the second watch, it still feels fresh and new and exciting and amazing and totally UH.

Yeah. Uh. As in I have no words to describe how totally something it is.

I miss it. I miss that there isn't anything on anymore that can make me so ... involved. I can't really explain it. Sure, I like other shows, but I have never felt the same way about a series as I felt about Lost.

In other news ... YAY for wisdom teeth.

Dampened

An hour and a half ago, I was watching the clock until I could post. Then somehow the Internet distracted me for an hour longer than I had planned. So much for an early night so I can wake up earlier.

My meeting went well today. In fact, I was really happy and excited for about 30 seconds, until I told my father and he put a major dampener on the whole thing. Basically, this new deal requires my student to come work with me in my work room, and he seemed really put out by it, as if it would be a huge imposition on him. Which I could understand if we would be doing our work in the house, between him and his laptop. But we're not. It'll be in my work room, my personal space which you don't even have to go through the house to get to. 

It's all sorted now, but I still looked into hiring out a space. A this stage, it would cost me more in rent than I earn. So I'm stuck here for now. 

On the plus side. I found a house. A Victorian town house with a gazillion bedrooms. It'll need a tonne of renovations, but Elle wants a project (too much Kirsty and Phil, I think), and we could let out at least 4 bedrooms with basically a whole floor for my work room.

I'm a little scared its haunted though, at that price.  

Achievements

New month, new start, so lets just forget all the missed posts of last month and wipe the slate clean.

I genuinely just tried to spell clean 'kleen'. Oh dear, speak english no good.

I just had a bath. A proper one with hot water. I'm regretting it a little now. My legs feel all tight and my skin hurts a bit. I just couldn't bear the thought of another luke warm bath. They make you cold, which is not what you want from a bath.

All things considered, I had a fairly productive day. I did some work in the form of altering a pair of suit trousers, had a bath and changed my bed, which was pretty much everything I had planned to do today.

I also got a call from the autism team asking me to work with them for 12 months to help one of my students start a career in costume making, which is incredible. It's one thing to want to do it as a bit of extra curricular activity, it is a completely different thing to have influenced someone so much that they want to do it for years to come.