This year my wonderful hubby's big 30th birthday fell on Thanksgiving. For those that didn't know, I love love love doing birthday cakes. So, today he is getting a turkey b-day cake :) I went with a more stylized cartoony turkey as it'd be easier to implement. Due to time constraints, I did not get to sculpt the body portion and make it as proportional as I would have liked. But I still think it's pretty darn cute! When we get back to Phoenix we're going to have a birthday party with friends and I'll be doing a Mario Brother's themed cake extravaganza. I'm really looking forward to that one. The head and feet are sculpted out of aluminum foil and then covered in white and dark chocolate. The white chocolate was then "painted" using the food coloring gel. The wings are painted white chocolate, and the tail is dark chocolate with sugar sprinkled along the top of the tail feathers to try and accomplish the little tail feather tips. The white chocolate wasn't cooperating with me by this point and I had no powdered sugar available. To get the turkey feather body texture, I dusted the cake with cinnamon and then used the icing knife to make the little scale pattern. This created kind of a feather effect with the tips being reddish.
Originally I was going to do the cake out of red velvet so it'd be funnier when you cut into it... 'cause I'm just twisted that way. But in the end I couldn't decide on what icing to put between the layers so I went with chocolate cake with toffee bits. It was a lot of fun, and I can't wait to do the cute little tiny mushroom cupcakes for part of the Mario cake. ^_^
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ladyaurelia, helped me translate it enough to know that this is the paragraph that I need, but I would be very grateful if someone who was fluent in French could provide me a more precise translation just to confirm. This is for my research on my 16th century Italian parasol project. It's an excerpt from a book written by Henri Estienne in 1579. He is talking about these objects that Spanish and Italian people carry around not to protect themselves from the flies so much as the sun. He then goes on to say how they can be folded up to occupy very little room, but when opened will cover 3-4 people. Now why anyone would use an umbrella to keep flies off is quite beyond me, but I swear that's the best we could come up with. Did that word mean something different then? Also, in the first paragraph it seems to be describing it's shape. That it looks like a house? A pavilion like you would go camping with makes more sense in my head though. So that's the best I've managed to come up with. If anyone out there has a few minutes to help me with this paragraph, I would be so very grateful!
On l'estime ainsi. Mais ce Conopeum estoit grand, et faict en forme de pavillon. Aucuns disent que c'estoit comme une courtine autour d'un lict. Et á propos de pavillon, avez-vous jamais veu ce que portent ou font porter par les champs quelques seigneurs en Hespagne et en Italie, pour se defendre non pas tant des mousches, que due soleil? Cela est soustenu d'un baston, et tellement faict qu'estant ployé et tenant bien peu de place, quant ce vient qu'on en a besoin, on l'a incontinent ouvert et estendu en rond, jusques á pouvoir courvrir trois ou quatre personnes.
( Cut for picture )
Ok, I'll admit it. I'm a big sucker for pink (see parasol). Especially purply ones. So I boiled the silly silk for two hours with continual stirring, and it never did get that lovely dark red that the cochineal gives the wool in the pictures that I've seen. I won't go into the various mordanting things I considered and the modifiers. Maybe later ;) It did however do an awesome mauve type pink. It seems to have hit max color absorption somewhere around 1 hour, though it really isn't a huge difference between 15 minutes and one hour. Perhaps not worth the stirring time involved ;D My fabric came out looking almost exactly the color of Eleanor of Toledo's dress here. I saved the cochineal bath, I think I'll try to dye the rest this color when I'm done. I have 8 yards left that aren't dyed. I'll need three of them to try a new dye with, but that leaves 5 that I can do the cochineal with. I can get a dress out of 4 yards, so I'm confident I'll have enough. It dyed remarkably even. I was thinking that it'd be a bit spotty, but I guess my fear that it would do so and continual stirring prevented that. lol
I have some brazilwood soaking right now. I think I'll try to dye some silk tonight/early tomorrow before my flight leaves. I decided that the lightfastness of the brazilwood isn't that relevant for me. As long as it doesn't bleed on my clothes, I'm not really concerned. It's the lining of a cloak that will almost never be washed, and since it's the lining it won't really be exposed to the sun all that much. So I'll take those three yards and give brazilwood a shot.
However, I'm now contemplating just how much I really wanted a strong red afterall. I have a picture of a man's cloak in pretty much this exact shade for the external main part of the cloak, so I don't think it's a far stretch to make it a lining. Now I'll have a dilemma on my hands. I tweaked around with this picture in photoshop till I got the colors as close as I could to the actual colors. They just would *not* play nice and photograph even close to accurately.
( Cut for picture... )
- Mood:
contemplative
On a related note, some of the recipes from period are disgusting. I mean, one of them was describing this fermented bran method and the person that typed up the redaction described the process as being done when it smelled like vomit! Ew! I don't know that any color is worth me having to create something that smells like vomit and then heat it up and stir it for hours. Same goes for urine... aside from the fact that I'm highly sensitive to ammonia.
UPDATE:
There is a book I *must* have now: http://www.amazon.com/Silk-Industry-Rena
It has this whole facsinating section about kermes, madder root, and brazilwood. Looks like brazilwood has not so awesome colorfastness while kermes (will be using cochineal instead... almost the same) was like the cadillac of red dyes. They had all these fun regulations about what color the selvage had to be depending upon what it was dyed with and that you couldn't mix them by dyeing with one then overdyeing with another (shame on you Jen! lol). Sometimes the selvage had to have a gold thread running through it (I think if it was dyed with kermes alone to prove it's purity or something). I wonder if this is the origin of why our velvets usually have that gold thread running through the selvage?...
- Mood: contemplative
So, I've been really quiet lately. I guess I subscribe to the "if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all" theory. In a nutshell, we will likely be moving as soon as possible. We haven't been paid for almost a quarter. So, I think we're officially throwing the towel in and trying to find a job elsewhere. Which sucks. I've really enjoyed living here and all of the wonderful people we've met. In an effort to not dwell on the suck-fest, here's a funny thought that occurred to me.
Where is the strangest place you've ever been hit on?
For me, I would have to say the catacombs of Paris. I really wanted to go, but my friend Anna was really creeped out by the idea. So she went somewhere else while I did the tour of the catacombs. I bought my ticket and they directed me to an elevator. I took it down and when it opened, it put me in this small very clinical entirely white room with a door. No signs. Thought I was in some weird movie where everyone is screaming, "Don't go through the door!!!" So I went through the door. This took me into a very narrow stone spiral staircase. So I went down... and down... and down... and thought about turning around. But then it dumped me out at a corner of two narrow hallways. Now I'm not hugely Closter phobic, but I was starting to get a little weirded out. There was a sign this time. But it was in French and there were no arrows. Felt a bit like I was in a real life D&D session and had been separated from the party, and very badly wished I'd put a skill point or two into French. So I went left. Always go left. ;)
Right as I'm starting to wonder if I'd chosen the wrong poorly light hallway, it opens up into a nice spacious room that's sort of domed. I pause for a bit and notice there's a guy sitting on a folding chair. I must have looked really confused because the guy stood up and started talking to me in French. Which earned him a momentarily puzzled look and a stammered "Parlez-vous anglais?" Thankfully he did and I asked him if I was in the right place. He was very animated and happy and I guess so surprised to see a girl down there that was actually interested in the catacombs. So he took me over to the entrance with the first skull art and started telling me the story about the design. He shined his flashlight on it and I said, "Oh! Could you shine it just there at that angle so I can take a picture?!" He did and I took a picture then showed him the picture. He thought it was so great and rushed over to the next one to say I should take a picture of that, and so on. He loved trying the flashlight at different angles and seeing how it effected the pictures.
So then I got a private guided tour through the whole catacombs, and really cool eerie lighting pics because of the flashlight help. :D Then when we get to the end, he tells me to hide my camera before I go back up because you're not supposed to take pictures down there! LOL!! He also said that he'd get off in 30 minutes and was wondering if I'd tried some certain restaurant or type of food and would like to grab a coffee with him and go to that restaurant. It was very surreal. I'm thinking, "Am I really being hit on how many hundreds of feet below Paris surrounded by centuries old human remains arranged into art?" He was a very sweet guy though. So I told him that I'm sorry but I was married. He said he wouldn't tell if I wouldn't! O_o What's with guys? Why do they always say that? That is the third time (that I recall) that I've had that line since being married. Anyways... so, help me find happy and share the weirdest place/situation that you've been hit on.
- Mood:resigned
I recently purchased a betta fish and a really cool large vase for him. Today I got a bamboo plant and a sucker fish. Mike and I were discussing names for the newly acquired sucker fish and he came up with Monica. Lol! No, not the one from friends. Yes, I know it's wrong. ;-) It was too funny though and I decided that I had to keep the name. I'd been trying to think of what to name my betta fish. I wanted it to be something majestic 'cause he's just so pretty. With Monica the sucker fish in place I decided that I had to go with either Richard for Richard the Lionheart, or William for William the Conqueror. Because... well... the nicknames for Richard and William are just too funny with the whole Monica thing. In the end I went with William since you not only get the Willie nickname, but Bill is a nickname for William and the "conqueror" part is quite amusing too. Hehe! Yep, I've got the tank of wrong!The Locks Smith was pretty slow this year, but it's understandable due to all of the crazy stuff that happened. Originally the Locks Smith was supposed to be Wednesday and Thursday at 11am. Yeah... that didn't happen. First the weather was unbelievably horrible and we were unable to get the tent for Locks Smith setup till Thursday morning just after 11am. Naturally I was not able to start *at* 11am since there was some considerable setup time involved once we were able to get into the tent. Sadly I had a pretty fair number of people come by while we were setting up that said they'd come back but were unable to in the end. :( Bummer. We also decided to open it up on Saturday since it was just far too much setup for one day; especially since that one day got a late start.
Also, I got my pomegranate martini fountain working!!! It was awesome! ... and then... it got cold. But... that comes in a later post. I have to get the fountain components unpacked and take some video. It's pretty sweet, and now that I know the gotchas I have hopes that next year's will work for the entirity of war and not just the first day. ;-)
While the tent was going up on Wednesday night, I ran my uber long 75' extension cord to the tent. It wasn't long enough! So we bought another short one and were good to go. For the full day spa experience, I had brought all of my medieval CDs and a CD player to stash under the table. In the end, we mostly just listened to the Medaeval Baebes. Who, btw, are going to be at the renaissance fair this weekend (http://royalfaires.com/arizona/index.php?o
( Cut for lots of pictures and descriptions to the best of my ability on how I achieved the hairstyle... )
- Location:can't sleep because I just start coughing
- Mood:
sick
- Mood: tired
Due to the weather being so miserable, the Burgundian that the Locks Smith is going to be in has not been put up yet. That means no Locks Smith today. As a result, we decided to reschedule that day to Saturday. Besides, we had a couple of people that were disappointed it was too early in the war. The new days are tomorrow (Thursday) and Saturday. So please come on by! I did manage to get my pomegrante martini fountain working! Yeah! Finally got to incorporate fun period fountain mechanism in a sotelty! :-D
- Mood: tired
( Hang Out... )
( Artisan's Alley... )
( Suit Up!... )
( Take in a Show... )
( The Locks Smith... )
- Location:distracted by war at work
- Mood:
busy
- Mood:
amused
There's a tiny quest that I've been on for the last several years. I keep my eye out for silk stockings. Not silk hose or tights. Silk stockings. I desperately want a pair of knitted ones *just like* Eleonora's... but I don't knit. :( So today I decided to hop over to the site that I go to to purchase my stockings (see pic to right). It's an 18th century site, but they have 100% cotton knee high white stockings with black clocking (http://jas-townsend.com/product_info.php?c*and then*...
THEY HAVE SILK STOCKINGS!!!! OMG!!! :-D SQUEEE!!!! Not only do they have regular silk stockings(http://jas-townsend.com/product_info.php?c
- Mood: excited
jenthompson , it looked fun. Wow. What a surprise... I want to be the pretty peacock ;-) After reading the description, I'd have to say I agree. I love historical accuracy, but the challenge for me would not be meeting 100% accuracy but making the anachronisms look plausible and appropriate. Now if only I had somewhere to *play* steampunk...
Your result for The Steampunk Style Test...
The Aristocrat
79% Elegant, 66% Technological, 53% Historical, 20% Adventurous and 3% Playful!
You are the Aristocrat, the embodiment of steampunk elegance and poise. For you, dressing steampunk is first and foremost about simply looking good, with accessories and details to follow. However, this does not mean that you ignore the demands of creating a “steampunk look.” Your outfits weave together a balance between technology and style, and between period accuracy and beautiful anachronism. While your fashion inspiration may come from anywhere across the Victorian social spectrum, you always find a way to make your outfit beautiful. You will probably be found in the clothes of the steam age elite simply because of the greater elegance available to them. Chances are you dress this way because you like it, and you would still dress in this manner even if steampunk was not a popular interest.
Try our other Steampunk test here.
- Mood: contemplative
This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:
- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!
- What I create will be just for you.
- It'll be done this year.
- You have no clue what it's going to be. It may be a story. It may be poetry. I may draw or paint something. I may bake you something and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure!
- I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.
The catch? Oh, the catch is that you have to put this in your journal as well. We all can make stuff!
- Mood: amused
2. Add three SCA-related things to the bottom that you've done.
3. Bold everything in the list that you've done.
( Behind the cut for those that aren't interested ;-) )
- Location:home half in my PJs
- Mood:
lazy
- Mood:wishful
We took him in to the vet a couple of days ago. Since there were no crystals (yeah!), the next thing the vet said that she thought it might be was the kidneys failing. Crap! There was one more thing that she suggested that was equally incurable, but I think I was still too focused on the renal failure. I said, "Isn't it possibly some sort of bacterial infection?" She said that very rarely cats do get UTIs, so she'd run the tests and check but that it was more likely the kidneys. I never thought I'd cheer for a UTI! Well, thankfully, it was indeed a UTI. The vet said that it had one of the highest counts that she'd ever seen and she was going to have to put him on at least three weeks of antibiotics before she could check again to see if that did it.
Three weeks of twice a day pills for the grumpy cat. ... ... Yeah. I then remembered someone on LJ mentioning those pill pocket things (I think it was
ashnimehal ). I asked the vet about them and she had some sample packs she gave us. These suckers are AWESOME!!! I gave him two unleaded ones just to make sure he liked them and didn't think we were tricking him, then I loaded a pill in the third one. It doesn't fit exactly, but the treats mush easily enough to make a little meat coating on the pill. He eats them! No fuss, no muss, easy cat pilling. Finally!By tonight/tomorrow morning there should be enough antibiotics in his system that it should be hurting less. I feel so bad for the poor kitty. No wonder he was peeing on the floor! Poor Baby! :( But at least it's something fixable!
- Location:trying to focus at work... and failing
- Mood: relieved
Plus this award is red and gold with fleur de lis in a circle that looks like a flower. Hello? Have we seen my wardrobe? Red and gold is one of my favorite combos! Your awards are even super awesome! :D
- Mood: ecstatic
My first finished project of 2008 was started late 2007. It's my 16th century Italian pink parasol project! ...which I really should get some pictures of and post now that I think of it. You can see it in my icon and these blog entries: http://lorelei01.livejournal.com/4562.ht
Next is my machine run of my effigy corset. I haven't put the binding on yet as I need to lower the neckline some more or snip the tab slits in more. I haven't decided which yet. http://lorelei01.livejournal.com/7190.ht
Most of this year's projects have been jewelry related. I made an art nouveau inspired necklace and earring set, began an art nouveau peacock necklace, did my first run of my Bella Nani belt buckle in gold plated silver, and began carving a really cool 16th century Italian fork. The gimmel ring attempt has been scrapped for a different method and I think that the wax pendant will be done using reposse once I get the tools. http://lorelei01.livejournal.com/8140.ht
I made a wedding ring for a friend out of white gold: http://lorelei01.livejournal.com/9672.ht
Somewhere in this time frame I made a 16th century Italian camicia with needle lace looking lace that I stitched up on my wonderful embroidery machine. How awesome is it that my embroidery machine makes lace? I don't think I have any pictures of it online yet.
Then there was my 1495 Durer dress for my role as Columbina in my local group's Commedia del Arte: http://lorelei01.livejournal.com/10672.h
Next up was Halloween! I recycled a costume for myself, but I did make my husband's tunic, belt, and shoulder pieces/boots. The awesome helmet and sword were all him: http://lorelei01.livejournal.com/13652.h
I also did a second semester of silversmithing from Scottsdale Community College and made a spider necklace pendant, a silver and blue topaz ring based on a 15th century ring, an amythest and peridot ring based on a 16th century ring, a hinged pendant with changeable cabochons, and I almost finished a custom piece to wrap around a piece of sea glass for a friend.
http://lorelei01.livejournal.com/15649.h
Well, that's my year in review! Hey, that made me feel much better! Here I was thinking that I hadn't gotten much done at all what with trying to sell our house, moving, and unpacking. But, it looks like I was pretty productive after all! Yeah! Go me!
- Location:home, but soon a friend's house for a New Years party!!!
- Mood: accomplished
