rebeading the sleeves

I love my sleeves but I want to really make them pop

does this help?

on the right is the way the sleeve is beaded now, on the left the new way I am thinking of beading them. I was planning on the small clusters at the end of each diamond 4 in the middle- I'm also tossing around the idea of a small cluster at the bottom of the tail

in an odd space

While I will admit I am disappointed in not being listed among the winners, I do not begrudge those who were named. Rather I think I am more disappointed that I didn't push harder, do more, the disappointment lies with myself.

Don't get me wrong I adore my dress and am very proud of my work but like so many artists I see my mistakes and wish I could have finished more. There is a lot of beading I still want to add and I wish I had given myself more time to do it in.

I am so glad I took on the challenge and I adore the amazing work the other entrants completed. Bella has started an amazing thing, just like her website this could grow and inspire so many.

It's rather funny as I was dealing with my emotions today I thought of all those who have inspired me- (there are far to many to list here) when I received an email from my website from someone I had never met that read this blog. In it she told me I inspired her, it wasn't the first time I had some tell me that today. I never thought that I inspired others  and I have to admit that it touched me very deeply.

This whole thing started with me because I had dealt with some major emotional blows, I was deeply depressed and one of the things that brought me great joy had fallen to the wayside. I hadn't done any real sewing in well over a year. When Bella put forth her challenge I figured it was the perfect time to force myself to create again. It worked and I am grateful.

Currently I am looking at my dress and wondering what can I do next. I hope to bling this up and wear it to 12th night so any ideas I would be very open to it

final pictures up

http://renaissanceitaly.net/TempFiles/ItalRenCostumingChallenge-Finalists.htm

Check em out!

Next

so the challenge is over but my work on this outfit isn't. I have so much I want to add to the dress, beadwork and embroidery. So keep watching this space more to come

Final photos

So I started wanting to do something with my hair

I was going for this:

I got close- If I was willing to play with it some more I think I would have gotten it but I think I was close

Underwear

Layer 2

the dress and accessories

you can see the jewelry box and banner I also made during the challenge

With the black veil

with the cloak and 2nd drawn thread handkerchief

and parasol

with zibellino and gold veils

with the 1st handkerchief and rosary

my favorite because you can sort of see the miniature of my son Neil in the costume I made him to look like Henry VIII's son Edward

For fun:

100th post!

15 hours left!

At this point I'm just doing extra stuff to the skirt of the gown- All my layers are finished!!

Layer 1

Camicia, Drawers, stockings

Layer 2

Petticoat, Pocket

Layer 3

Partlet, girdle, gown

Layer 4

Handkercheif (2nd not pictured) earings, necklace, hair pins, silk veil, sheer veil, black veil (not pictured here) flag fan, banner (not part of the challenge) Parsol, cloak, Zibellino

another new project

Because I am not insane enough. Since I really don't have time to futz with ruffs (will make them after the challenge) I decided I could sneak in one more project before the deadline. Yes I am insane! so I have the dress in a stage of done but I am still adding to it, a parasol half painted and now I have started working on a mask for my Zibellino. Yup I'm nuts!