Boots of Glory

Ok, so I'm obsessed.
  As some of you may know I have been wanting a pair of Doctor Martens for about 2 years.  While many people would roll their eyes at paying over $100 dollars for a pair of boots (real leather I would have you know) I finally came up with enough money to get some.  And now I finally have them: the Boots of Glory (otherwise known as 1914 Triumph's).  I have had them for about a month and am really happy with their performance.  They were easy to break in, are comfortable, and fit my feet well.  The only downside is that boots don't work too well in the heat.  Today was the first serious clean/polish since I got them since they have more or less settled into their creases.  After being lovingly shined I just had to take pictures (or more accurately get my sister to take pictures)  Here they are in all their glory:

Yup, I'm obsessed and proud of it.  

On another note I have been working on a top hat that I bought at the Renaissance fair this summer.  It was a generic top hat (which is just boring) so I decided to alter it.  This picture is actually the back of it, I don't have pictures of the front yet.  I made the roses and am now waiting for the rooster feathers I ordered to come.  I think they're going to be a while, so I wont be able to finish this for a couple of weeks :-(.  I couldn't really wear it in the heat anyway. 

Incense: A New Obsession

I love incense.  I have only recently discovered this.  In fact, as of three weeks ago I never would have thought that I would love it.  However, since then I have discovered that incense is awesome.  I don't know what it is about it that makes it so obsessing.  It certainly smells good, but I think that the real reason I'm attracted to it is the ambiance.  Something happens to the room when you light a stick of incense and watch the smoke rise up in little curls.  Just knowing that it's there and smelling the scent makes you feel....aesthetically pleased.  It's like brewing a pot of loose tea not because it tastes significantly better than bagged tea, but because it's more artistic.  I guess I just like being snobby :-)  I now burn a stick of incense every night when I go to bed.  Thankfully, you can get seven sticks for a dollar at the ren. fair, but I can tell I'm going to run out fast.  Here's to all the things we do not because it's necessary, but because it's beautiful.

Gothic Fairy

This costume was not the most premeditated one.  My dear friend Annalee came over to my house one day and we wanted something to do.  Since I had recently discovered threadbanger (a really cool site with lots of diy videos) and watched their fairy wing video, I suggested that we make some.  They turned out really cool.   

As you can see, my gothic sensibilities decided to come out :-)  We also made masks to go with them.  Last year I decided to wear my wings to the Ohio Renaissance Festival.  Putting together a costume to go with them wasn't that hard, since most everything else I own is gothic and red.  I did make several elements, such as the skirt and vest.  The skirt was actually a longer skirt that fell apart and I revamped.  

Aren't the boots sweet?  Yes, I know, I'm a sucker for boots. We had lots of fun that weekend and I got more complements than I'd ever gotten.  Funny how that works, I didn't actually put that much effort into it.  I wore it again this summer to the Highlands Fair for mask weekend, since I did have a mask to go with it.  

These pictures were actually taken on saturday, the day we were going to go.  When we got there, however, we discovered that due to severe weather the fair was closed.  Bummer.  So we had to get all dressed up again after church on sunday.  We had a wonderful time however, and I managed to spend a total of $10 dollars (not including the entrance fee) which is a record for me. 

I love the dragon mask, it's so funny.  Well suffice it to say that we had a great time and I was very glad to get it all off when we got home.  I have also decided never to go to a ren. fair without a large pouch again, because trying to fit a phone, a car key, money, and business cards into a little leather pouch, to say nothing of getting them back out, is not fun.  My dear sister Raven (or Lydia which is her proper name but nowhere near as cool) went as a......something middle-eastern and dangerous.  Her costume was also put together at the last minute.  She made the sash and pantaloons on friday, with a little help from me. 

Tea Cozy

Yet another post to fill out my small world :-)  I was bored on Saturday afternoon and wanted to do something constructive.  As I drink a lot of tea (my definition of "a cup of tea" is actually a mug of tea.  Therefore, when I drink a few cups I'm actually drinking a whole pot) I often find that my tea will get cold before I finish it.  To solve this problem, I decided to make a tea cozy.  After browsing the internet for ideas I discovered that there are roughly two different types of cozy's: One that sits over the pot like a cover, and one that fits the pot like a glove.  Here is one that's like a cover:

While not ugly, I thought it was rather inelegant, and I like the second kind much better.

So I found some fabric scraps I liked and started designing.  Here is my beautiful tea pot with my chosen fabric.  A small crow about my pot: I was given it for christmas by my wonderful sister Sarah and have loved it ever since.  It holds about four mugs of tea (around six cups) but I usually fill to three mugs.  

After some trial and error, I was able to cut out and baste together a draft.

I cut out two layers of batting and quilted it on all the pieces. 

 When I sewed it together, it didn't fit perfectly, but well enough to work.  

I discovered at this point that I needed to put panel underneath the handle to keep in warmth.  I had quite an adventure with button holes.  My sewing machine has a button hole setting but it took a good half hour before I figured out how to use it and even longer to get a decent button hole.  I did find a really cute button that looks like a propellor (at least to me) but I only had one, so the buttons are mismatched. 

Isn't it cute!!!  Pretty good for a few hours work.  And it looks good with the antique china, a sure sign of success.  

About me

So, I thought it was time to do a little blog post about who I am and why I'm doing this.  As I know, there are many blogs out there and I am an effectively throwing a drop of water into the sea of personal opinion. First of all, I have been pestered from various sides to start a blog (chiefly my father, who is like that).  Secondly, it will force me to organize my art projects into one place so I can actually have a record of them.  And thirdly, I will be using it as a sort of online resume that is easily accessible and updated regularly.  If you, however, simply want to browse through for your own pleasure, feel free!

With that out of the way:  

Greetings!  I am Serena Nichols Thomas, otherwise known as Serenity, Ren, Ningjing, and many other nicknames which I will not bore you with.  I have been drawing since I was 6, sewing since I was 10, and creating since forever.  While my chief medium is graphite and textiles, I also like to dabble in leather, metal, oil, pastel, watercolor, jewelry, and just about anything else I can get my hands on.  I am also a great cobbler, as in, I like to cobble things together from lots of other things and pieces of things.  My chief source of pleasure (currently vying with curling up with a pot of tea and a good book) is creating costumes and wearing them to whatever renaissance fair, con, convention, or gathering I can find.  I also love history and am always fascinated with historical clothing, places, events, and people.  I have been known to read every book on a particular country in the history section of my library.  Other books that might figure into my reading list are fantasy, science fiction, steampunk fiction, vampire fiction (only the non-teenage flick kind, and no, that does not include Twilight *glares at movie people who have ruined the reputation of the books*) as well as many kinds of biography's, political opinions, and informational books of all kinds.  

   When I am not sewing, drawing, or reading (or wasting my time on TV shows) I am usually at work or spending time with my family.  Other of my (many) interests are playing the piano, cooking, shopping online, reading manga, browsing youtube, walking, and reading whatever news articles my father decides to clutter my living space with.  I hope that you enjoy this small glimpse of what I get up to and are perhaps inspired to try some creating of your own.
   One small note, I would like to give credit where credit is due.  I am deeply indebted to Alisa of Dragonfly Designs by Alisa for inspiring me to get Alice (my dressmakers form) without whom I never would have progressed so far into the wonderful world of costume design.  If this blog seems to be a (rather pathetic it is true) copy of her wonderful costume blog, then you would be right in assuming so (although I certainly do not intend to copy Alisa precisely or anything, she certainly gave me the idea) If you enjoy my blog, I strongly suggest you go check out hers.

Eastern Steampunk Details

So here are a few more details on the eastern steampunk costume, since you can't see many of the details in the previous post.

The gun is some old toy nerf gun I found in our closet and painted with the ever useful rub n buff.  I did add a few details, such as the bullet casing, wire, and perfume bottle top (see if you can figure out where it is)  I'm probably going to have to get a better gun, because this one barely lasted on day, but no surprises there.  The parasol holder was made from an old leather belt and hanger wire.  All in all, this costume probably took me around 30 hours of effort across six months.  

First Look

So, a general overview of this costume.  I originally started this one in January of 2011 and intended it for the 2011 Highlands Renaissance Festival.  I also wore it to the Ohio Sate University Renaissance fair, but that was on a whim.  My idea was to create a steampunk costume, but to use Eastern influences, since everybody does victorian.  Not that I don't like victorian, I do, but I wanted something different.  So, I drew, drafted, cut, sewed, and touched up.  Here is a picture of the second draft for the vest.

I made it out of a chinese brocade that I had lying around and embellished it with braid.  I haven't added the braid in this picture, but you can see it in later ones.  I used frogs for closure, again seen in later pictures.

Over the vest goes an overrobe made of slightly sheer (and very sticky as I later found out) cotton.  The color of the cotton does not quite go with everything else, but it was the best I could do.

I later added embroidery to the front and beading on the bottom of the four panels.  Unfortunately, I was not planning on having a blog when I made this, and therefore did not take bunches of pictures. *punches self in face*  I will take more pictures later and add them.  Here are some pictures of the finished product, complete with patchwork pantaloons and all decked out with accessories. 

Shown here at the Highlands Renaissance Festival in Eminence, KY with my dear sister and a friend from France.  I do have a few accessory pictures.  The coolie hat was bought online and I added the octopus (the top hat I purchased at the fair and found it vastly more comfortable.  Coolie hats with goggles do NOT work).  The compass bracelet I constructed out of an old compass found in the attic (don't you love 111 year old houses?) and handy bits of leather. 

Well, that's all for this post.  I will take more detailed pictures for the maniacs like me who want to see every little bit.