April 5th, 2013

April 5, 2013: My first day of gratitude entry in quite a while! 

Today was very special. Caitlynn had her first number in the final competition of the year. It's been a tough year, her dances not scoring as well as we thought they should. But tonight was her night! Her jazz dance to 20th Century Mambo received a platinum, a special award called "Style and Stage Presence" and was first in her category. This was one of only a handful of platinums given out to all solos in her age group. So proud!

January 8, 2013

I'm grateful for dance costumes- the butterfly dress that came home for Caitlynn's lyric solo (needs only a bit of gem work), the modern solo costume I am sewing and whose skirt is now finished thanks to my new sewing machine, the jazz solo costume with an unknown arrival that needs a lot of gem work and may mean some late night sessions if it doesn't arrive soon. It's difficult sometimes but it's one of my few creative outlets now. I enjoy seeing her in the end result!

Snuck up on me. It's dance competition season again?!

Oh dear, it's nearly January 1st. January heralds in our daughter's dance competition season. I am so not prepared.

I swear it seems like yesterday was September and I had planned to be fully complete and way ahead of the game by now. Instead I find myself with a costume to complete this week since she needs to practice in it, gems to buy for the pre-made costumes that may not even arrive until a day or so before the first competition (meaning late night gemming sessions to get them assembled and set in time), hair pieces to make or buy and random little items to buy to stock up her cases and a host of insanity ahead.

Time to load up my new Brother Sewing machine Vin gave me, do some Swarovski hotfix gem shopping on Amazon.com and hunker down to business!

Bobby pins- where are the bobby pins?

A secret confession... And my next purchase

I have to admit that I really do enjoy this dance costume gemming thing. I feel like it gives me an opportunity to be creative and make beautiful objects, which I usually find myself unable to do. It's a controlled setting with absolute freedom within relatively strict boundaries. I know, that sounds very mixed up and I don't really know if I can explain it better. Let's just leave it at this: I am not very creative, absolutely not artistic, but this gives me a way to pretend I am.

As I've been researching techniques and designs for this year's costumes, I ran into a great article on the blog Khromeatplay about creating your own iron-on gem patterns: http://khromeatplay.blogspot.com/2006/09/how-to-make-your-own-custom-rhinestone.html .

Totally fell in love with the idea and immediately went looking at the local store for the mylar hot fix film I need to start sticking on my own personalized rhinestone designs. Sadly they had none, so for now I'm working free-hand. But I checked out the stuff online ( I LOVE the Google shopping function, LOL) and found it on Amazon.com.

I know now what my next purchase will be: http://www.amazon.com/Hot-Rhinestones-Transfer-Film-Paper/dp/B00467PWRY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325911095&sr=8-1

While I'm there, I'll pick up these creepy looking things too, because those darn gems are tough to hang on to, even with tweezers: http://www.amazon.com/Beadsmith-Jewel-Setter-for-Rhinestones/dp/B002RTJ4Q8/ref=pd_sim_misc_6

I'm looking forward to getting these, especially the film so I can do more intricate patterns despite my limited ability. This is what I'll use to decorate the awesome new dance bag Uncles Chris and Tony bought Caitlynn for Christmas, the Dream Duffel: http://shop.dreamduffel.com/product.sc;jsessionid=0B08ACA6CF89C6C806BD136BA7919EA3.qscstrfrnt04?productId=1&categoryId=1

This Dream Duffle Rocks!

That bag is SO awesome. It has the garment rack built in as a one touch pop-up, holds a large number of costumes, has a built in cooler pocket and a ton of accessory pockets. Even comes with a folding stool! And it has two large ID patches just waiting to be decorated.

So anyway, I can't wait to get this film when I get paid. I am going to practice all sorts of designs. I'll give some as gifts to her dance friends and maybe, if I get good enough, I can start selling the completed and ready to use designs to help fund her ever-expanding list of classes, competitions and accessories. 

It's good to feel so excited about something!

Dance designs, the easy part. I think.

Day 1 of dance costume prep involved packing supplies, lugging costume in garment bag and gemming at my mother-in-law's dining table as we visited. (I have no time to slack off!)

Red gems line the bottom all the way around the legs. A few sparkly clears are thrown on the front for a bit of shine when she moves. That's all this part needs. Her shirt will cover the top of the shorts and her vest will be heavily decorated. Keeping it simple, right?

Ooooo. Simple but sparkly.

Okay, so I started with the easy piece. Hey, why not? I'm using a heat gun I've never used before and types of gems I've never touched. I'm no expert. As I quickly demonstrated with my first application of heat tool to gem to fabric:

Oopsies. Did I do that?

Yeah. Not so good. Apparently it can get so hot it melts right through the fabric. Lesson learned- I didn't do it again. But I do have a very attractive piece of cardboard now. Don't believe me? Take a look:

See the line of black around it? That used to be fabric. Did you know melted fabric makes for a REALLY strong glue? My cardboard does. Really, really, really strong glue.

I guess I need to learn the fine line between getting the gem good and set and setting the pants on fire good. I may go back to glue with the shirt. Who knows what I might do with that thin fabric! Vest tomorrow. Several evenings work await me on that. Wish me luck. Think I'm gonna need it.

It's that time of year again!

No, no. Not the holidays!

It's dance competition season. The time when even normally sane (I do use that term loosely) mothers start turning into raving lunatics as they pull out the glue guns and heat tools, the Swarovski crystals, the fabrics, the thread and needle and soon their hair... all in the quest to ensure their little girls just sparkle out there in front of the judges.

Sound like a nightmare a la Toddlers and Tiaras? It can be and let me tell you- those folks are freaky! The moms and teachers who give you the cold shoulder because you don't have the latest and greatest in equipment or look down their noses and get outright rude because you don't fit in their little clique. The dirty looks you get because you actually have to (god forbid!) work instead of being at the studio at 3pm each day. The girls who burst into inconsolable tears when they miss one step.... And please, do NOT forget some of the most hideous costuming and hair styles ever created. Oh yes, there is some crazy drama going on out there.

Generally though, dance competitions aren't all that bad. My daughter is a complete devotee to the art of dance and the chance to show off. I happen to think she is quite talented too. She has danced with the same group of girls for years and they have developed a loving and supportive friendship at a time in life when many girls are falling to pieces. Her grades are high, she's exercising instead of sitting on the couch, and she has such confidence (even when looking like a tin soldier or wearing a cup of cocoa on her head).

                     

Dance is what she lives and breathes and it's the career path she wants to follow as of now. The competitions are a time when all that hard work is given the opportunity to be recognized by people outside their usual sphere. Some cool trophies and the chance at scholarship money never hurts either.

So, as she expands into the realm of solos and fancier costuming I need to become the mother and woman I have never been- I need to get with the frilly and feminine program. I have to get with the sparkle thing. And because I love her to death and want to support her dreams but think shelling out anywhere from $50-200 on a fancy dolled up costume is ridiculous... I am learning how to sew and gem.

Last year's lyric solo costume was an e-bay find for less than $20. I spent hours with gems and glue and shaky, inexperienced hands to make a great base into something that would shine on stage. It wasn't the best but I was so proud of myself.

This year I need to do even better and do it with two costumes. Here are my bases. Excuse the awful photo quality. 

Lyric costume- I Know Where I've Been from Hairspray

Jazz costume- Some People from Gypsy

I've been planning the jazz design since yesterday and have started the gemming tonight. I haven't even started the lyric but I know it involves sewing the waist tighter, sewing the overdress to the tank top underneath and a whole heck of a lot of sparkle work. I have 25 days. I'm armed with crystals, heat tools, gems, needles and thread and my good old shaky, achy hands. Cue the hair pulling!