Great Expectations: Herbert Pocket

I was able to watch the new Great Expectations and although it was really well done and the costumes and sets were beautiful, it wasn't my favorite, a little too creepy and depressing for me. But...I am a sensitive movie watcher. I get easily creeped out! I would still like to read the book one day and maybe see the other version coming out with Helena Bonham Carter. (Thanks Kiri for telling me about this one!) 

 However, the redeeming point for me was getting to see Harry Lloyd (the beloved Will Scarlett in BBC Robin Hood) play a role that, in my opinion, suited him perfectly! His character, Herbert Pocket, is the brightest part of the movie and made it worth everything else. Not to mention, he's a direct descendant of Charles Dickens himself which just makes him all the more deserving of the role. He should be in more period drama, it suits him.

2012 Challenge

I have always wanted to do a challenge of some kind on my blog to hopefully have a support group behind me helping me reach some of my goals. When I set challenges with other people I'm more likely to reach them. 

My goal for 2012 is to finish twelve costumes! One a month, for 12 months. It is the year of twelve! I have a pile of fabric that is all intended for costumes and I need to finally make myself sit down and make them as well as a few unfinished costumes I hope to finish.

I already feel as though I am going to fail at this...but I'm going to give it all I've got and even if I finish the year off only having made half that many, I'm way ahead of where I was last year.
So what do you think? Do you have a similar goal? Maybe yours isn't costumes but quilts, or something knitted and so on. But even a knitted projects could work as a costume...depending what it is. :)
I'm not sure what costumes I will make yet but the collage here is an inspiration board for things I've always wanted to make. I have already been working on my first costume which you will see here soon!
If you want to join this particular challenge then leave a comment and every month post photos of your finished costume and share the link!
Look forward to seeing what you all will make in the new year!

Hugo

I really want to see this movie! I've never read the book so I don't know much about it but the movie trailer looked interesting and the costumes and the whole look of the movie just looks wonderful.

Have any of you seen it? What did you think?

Diary of a Wedding Dress: Part 2

The last post I did on my wedding dress progress wasn't anywhere near where I ended up. I didn't use any of the motifs I made. My original plan was to create a netting overlay to give my dress that dreamy floating look, but once I got there I thought it was too much and went back to the basics of the dress. In the end all I ended up doing was adding straps and a sash and taking up the hem. I think it had enough detail already and I liked the simplicity of it.

Here is a front view of the dress before I added the sash and straps. It's in the process of being hemmed here.

Back view: the buttons down the back and the way the back splits open are what made me fall in love with this dress! I don't think I got any pictures of it bustled up but it looks amazing bustled. It reminds me of a ball gown from the late 1800's when it's bustled.

 While sewing a wedding dress one must watch Disney princess movies! While hemming we watched Tangled. I adore this movie!

The hem had all these beautiful beaded lace motifs...which had to be carefully taken off and hand sewn back on.

 But I am a very lucky princess...I have fairies you see...they helped me. :)

 Here is the strap and sash mock up out of muslin:

 And now on to pictures of the finished dress on my wedding day! All pictures from here on are by Marina Koslow.

 The sash and straps were made out of a piece of vintage satin a lady gave me awhile ago. Upon furthur inspection the the scrap of fabric I realized it was a panel from a vintage wedding dress...it still had the button loops on it and everything! So that is my something old. :)

And there is is! I loved how it turned out which I am so glad...there was a point I was afraid I wouldn't and you can't have that when it's your own wedding dress! In case any of you are curious about the designer it's an Alfred Angelo dress, and yes that's the same company that makes the Disney princess wedding dresses. :)
Looking back, as fun as it would have been to make my dress starting from scratch, I'm so glad I didn't. Planning a wedding is stressful enough and I also made 6 of the 9 bridesmaid dresses so it would have been overload! And besides...this dress was perfect. :)
More on the bridesmaid dresses later this week!

BBC Great Expectations 2012

There is a new Great Expectations coming out that looks interesting. I haven't ever read the book or seen a movie of it so I don't really know the story but I love Charles Dickens and the costumes look wonderful! It looks a little on the creepy side, but then it is Dickens.

 I really like this dress:

It will be interesting to see what it's like! And I'm interested in seeing more costumes!

The Hobbit Trailer

I can't wait for this!

Mirror Mirror

I saw the trailer for Mirror Mirror (the retelling of Snow White) yesterday and I have to admit...I kind of want to see it. I love fairy tales and I think Julia Roberts looks really funny in this. But the main reason I want to see it is for the costumes.

 They look incredible with a lot of detail!

 Some of them are over the top...but it's a fairy tale and besides...that's what is so fun. :)

The queen's costumes look amazing, just what a vain queen's wardrobe ought to look like.

I think this costume is amazing:

The Prince is played by Armie Hammer:

Hmm...I can't wait to see it. Sean Bean is also cast as the king but I can't find pictures anywhere.