Alyrenee's Copious Spare Time

Another week down. I had a root canal last week followed by the flu...so yeah...so little got done in way of exercising. Then we had two snow days and folks round here (NC) cannot drive on a good day let alone in ice and snow. So I had cabin fever like crazy combined with a lack of motivation/energy. I did manage to get two script proposals submitted to a theatre AND started an outline for another play.  I also sold some more dolls, deboxed some that were still in boxes, and changed the outfits on a few more. Go me. Still no new clothing purchases! Well no human clothing. I did finally hunt down the stripe Barbie fashionista fashion pack so I can chill for awhile on the obsessive toy aisle patrols.  This coming week I am getting the crown on the root canal tooth (BOOO). I am hoping it won't keep me down for long. I have a ton of shopping to get done for The Wiz this week and research to compile for Neverwhere at Lifeline. Weeee.

  So this whole professor gig has some obvious benefits...the biggest being the lack of regular work hours for the summer. Granted, I still have TONS of work to do...namely research, creative research, yet still more research, and then...oh yeah...I have to learn how to direct a play this summer.  No biggie right?  ummmm... I just got home from Chicago where I opened two plays: Northanger Abbey and Spinning .  Both are getting great reviews.  Northanger is some of my best work to date! All the travel and long hours has left me a bit brain fried this week.  So I decided to give myself a little "brain vacation" and focused on making some tiny clothes for my beloved Jem dolls!  So this week I finally finished four dresses for the Flipside fashion "Up and Rockin" in the yellow variant.  I still need to make the tights, belts, hats, and Jerrica's turtleneck...but once they are done I will have photos and some for sale.  I also make some more...

Just got back from a quick run to ye olde Jo of Ann...and found three new costume patterns for Bombshell Wonder Woman, Supergirl, and Batgirl!  They are adorable...and patterns were on sale for $1.99...so they jumped into my basket.  I might actually make Wonder Woman's blouse as I would totally wear that. They also had a pattern for old school Joker and from the Marvel side of the nerd-verse...a cool Deadpool costume pattern!

So occasionally I get a nice gig doing wardrobe for a commercial.  This was one of those gigs.  It was a fun group of people and a cool fitness company out of Florida.  I had to track down bridesmaids dresses from four different JC Penney stores and rent tuxes for groomsmen and you see them for all of one second.  The bride's dress was one of the producer's old prom dress.  I have another super fun one coming out...ZOMBIES!

This show kicked my ass...lots of work and in a historical period I rarely have worked in but definitely enjoyed. Stage and Cinema  

Woot.  I got nominated for a Wilde Award in Costume Design for Cymbeline .  And also a honorable mention for She Stoops to Conquer .  Nice.  These are the awards for professional theatre in Michigan.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/168502821/2-sided-ball-joint-doll-lolita-tights?ref=shop_home_active These are pretty spectacular.  Looks like they are custom airbrushed for you to your size and color specs and go for around $40.  You can get them zombie-fied as well.  Just more proof that etsy rules.

I am excited to see these in person!!! THE HUNGER GAMES COSTUMES EXHIBIT TOUR COMES TO CHICAGO! Blacksparrow Auctions' Hunger Games Costumes Exhibit Tour arrives at Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) this weekend from April 26-28 at McCormick Place. The Exhibit will be at Booth #1209 and will feature original screen-worn costumes of Katniss, Peeta, Effie, Haymitch, Cinna, President Snow, Rue and many more. A special "Reaping" scene will be on full display to greet fans and attendees. As a C2E2 exclusive, Blacksparrow will unveil the "Fire Chariot" costume worn by Academy Award-winner Jennifer Lawrence. The Hunger Games Costumes Exhibit Tour was previously seen in Seattle at Emerald City Comicon. After C2E2, the Tour will end at New York Comic Con in October, where a live auction of the costumes will take place. This is a must-see for Hunger Games fans, as this opportunity is one of only a few times fans can see the costumes up close on ...

Shameless self-promotion.... Read about me and Lifeline Theatre! Photo...costumes from Watership Down!

I am thinking that sunday might be spent in a dark theatre...as there are not one but TWO movies I am dying to see: Prometheus and Snow White and the Huntsman.  First both movies contain ridiculously hot men. Christopher Hemsworth, aka Thor...ye olde abs forsoothing of yumminess and Michael Fassbender...who might just make my List after this film.  (His turn as the double agent in Inglorious Bastards was sooo good and his Magneto...well I need only say wetsuit....yum). Anyway, we are talking about horror here as well.  Snow White & the Hunstmen, based on the trailers, seems to be taking the fairy tale to a dark place.  The visuals from the trailer and stills look stunning.  I believe Colleen Atwood did the costumes.  She is Tim Burton's go-to designer and such a perfect choice for a dark fantasy film.  If the movie is half as gory as the original Grimm tales, then we will at least get some bloody hearts, poisonings, some dead virgins...

Come see it....

Chicago Suntimes Chicago Theatre Beat

Read all about it!   Then go see it.  This weekend use the code MISERY at the door to get two for one tickets!

Holy crap these are awesome.

Woot!  I made it to Round Two for the 2011 Honor Awards .  Please show some love to me and my fellow compadres as Lifeline Theatre and vot for Watership Down and Monte Cristo when ya sees it on the poll.

Ugh.  November has been ruthless and brutal.  Two straight weeks of tech/dress rehearsals and four show closings...which translates into about 80 hours of over time...ten days of 13 hour workdays, the sewing of seven romantic length tutus, the making of a robotic dragon tail and head (you heard me), 13 joker inspired dance costumes (sewing 13 green corduroy vests and hunting down 13 duplicate pairs of purple pants and blouses in the world), about 10 loads of laundry, at least a billion trips up and down the shop stairs, and more stops at walmart, joann, target, and the wig store than a girl can take.  Plus my work computer got a virus two and a half weeks ago while I was doing research on Gieshas for Janaury's Madame Butterfly and still has not returned from IT yet.  And did I mention I am cooking Thankgiving dinner for the first time next week.  And I have designs for Wildclaw's Kill Me and Strawdog's  Petrified Forest to do....and the foley work for Wildc...

I love this website for research...the photos of the criminals from the 1930s are AMAZING and I use them all of the time.  While researching costumes for Strawdog's next production of The Petrified Forest ...i found this gem ...

'Old Times' are sexy and new at Strawdog

You should see this play.  It is dead sexy and awesome. here's the review...

Enjoy... http://triblocal.com/glen-ellyn/community/stories/2011/05/cod-costume-makeup-coordinator-nominated-for-jeff-award/