Popping in to say Hello!

Oh yes,my Christmas decor is already up(thus I had to change my fall blog decor)! I will take pics and have my holiday open house later,but I just wanted to pop in and say hello! I have a funny feeling The Pagoda will get a bit dusty this upcoming month.My rehearsals begin tonight,and my role in this show is bit bigger than my role in Hair was,plus my daughter is in it ,plus its the holidays!

I did hit a couple of extraordinarily delicious estate sales last week and wanted to share the bounty(including the bendable twin cuties in the top pic)! Bedjackets!
Several of them for almost nothing!I've already worn this white one with the delicate rose embroidery,and because I like to mix them up with denim,I throw all of them in the washer and wash on the gentle cycle,even the silk ones!
I also stocked up on beautiful old lady crystal beads!
This necklace/choker in particular will be seeing mucho holiday wear(you may click to enlarge images).
Check out this adorable vintage needlework bag.
Or how 'bout this one?I found both of these at the thrift last week for under 2 bux!

Anyone care to comment about Project Runway last week?
Though I did think it was a wee bit early to veer away from solo work,I thought the challenge,(design something for Sarah Jessica Parkers "Bitten" line for a crazy small budget,what was it? eleven dollars?) was quite wonderful.I love making premature and provocative predictions,but boy did I get it wrong with Marion! I admit to basing much of my early attachment to him on his very clever submission video,plus when he got a pot shot in on Babys Breath (on his vid)he had me!On the other hand I got it right about Elisa. I am loving her!Crazy new-agey spitmarks and all ! Her ensem was probably my fave of the challenge,though I did expect Victorya's design to win the challenge even while I found it a bit boring.Thus far,I am sticking with my original predictions for final 3. Rami's design was excellent and a bit bland.Interesting that he chose as a partner ,my other prediction Jillian. My final ,and totally UN-scientific choice was Stephen,Marion's partner. Did you see his sketch? While horizontal stripes look good only on those over 6 feet and under 110. I thought his sketch to follow the Bitten "dossier" quite well and it was beautiful and chic. I was very surprised Marion's sketch was picked at all.
Who in my heart of heart wacky fashion loving self do I favor? Jillian,Elisa,and Kit(loved her Bitten piece).

Did anyone see Enchanted over the Holiday week? Adorable! In many ways I felt like I was watching my own autobiography,so enchanted is my own life,complete with my own Mcdreamy man!Oh,yes,there is much bursting into song around my house!
I promise to do my best to keep up in beautiful Bloglandia ,but hope you will forgive my absence. I decided to let myself off the hook for this months "My Own Vintage Clothing Fashion Magazine",its my fave thing to do in my personal cyber corner,but its one too many things for me this November! My show opens mid December so expect to see me back on a more regular basis then. This will be unchartered but terribly exciting territory for me(doing a show with Ruby). I am usually a bit of a lone wolf when it comes to my artistic process,but I happily will make room in that process for my first born!

Thankfulness

I know,I totally need vintage pilgrim dollies to make my Thanksgiving table top tableaux really rock,but hey I love it as is!
On to the mantel display. I re-used my pie pumpkins from Halloween and added the thrifted cannisters ....
...and filled them with more vintage Native American dollies and ...
... vintage turkey salt and pepper shakers inherited from my Grandma.The vintage items themselves would appear quite small on the mantel and perhaps look more like clutter than seasonal decor. I decided if I contained them in something larger it would it would not only unify the design ,but have more impact. I think the glass element modernizes it and also gives it a witty wink.
I ask my oldest daughter what she thought of my (to me)clever Thanksgiving decor. She very wryly replied"Hmmm,canned Indians.",her subtext "how seasonal".See ,I gotta find vintage pilgrim dollies to make the whole thing P.C.for next year.
Hows this pic for a visual non-sequitur? Hmmm,big blonde bubble do,tiny pink suit,GIANT pink bow....no one could ever recreate a costume look like the one I sported at the Southern Palace at 6 Flags over Texas,several,ahem, years ago.
Wait a minute....big blonde bubble do,tiny pink suit,GIANT pink bow. Hey thats the same look my oldest baby, Ruby, sported in Cats during the Growl Tiger/Griddle Bone dream ballet. My sis pointed out the uncanny resemblance to me at the time,but it wasn't until I found the old 6 Flags pics that my mouth fell agape. Why am I sharing this strange twins separated at birth type story?
Because I am about to have the honor of sharing the professional stage with my own baby!Next week I begin rehearsals for "The Goodbye Girl" a musical version of the Dreyfus/Mason film from the 70's.I take on the Marsha Mason role with Ruby making her professional debut as my daughter,Lucy. I am so thankful!
Heres wishing all of you the grandest of Thanksgivings!

Fashion Friday,this could be a long one Project Runway has begun!

Blogging time sucker warning: LEVEL ORANGEMonday night was my special awards event. For those curious,I didn't win, Best Supporting Actress.I didn't win Best Actress last year either. I have decided I will become the Susan Lucci of the Dallas theatre scene. Not a bad thing to be ,I might add.
Cest la vie,and on to the fashion! The pictures are actually staged and shot a couple of days after my event.I had to arrive early for a rehearsal ,so I had no one home to act as photographer when I left the house. I didn't start snapping pics at the event ,until well after I had taken my own hair down for Hair,and then hastily re-dressed (sans accessories,woops!)to sing in the finale.
I love the creative solution my mother came up with for the hemline! Once we actually sat down with the garment and turned it inside out,we discovered it was handmade.I was worried a new tapered hemline would show too much and be unattractive.My mother said "lets follow the line of the lace and just cut it and leave it raw"!Well,I have never been shy about cutting into vintage hand work,so we dove right in!Creating a tiny flipped up hem,only for the longest portion in the back.My only regret is I wish we had tailored the bodice more,it was a tad too big and with the draped neckline,I felt I looked a little disproportionate. On the other hand my lady lumps never looked bigger!
So what are the styling details? You might note I eliminated the original rather floppy bow at the waistline.The key to this look really was putting my hair up. If I had not been doing a scene from Hair,I think I would have splurged and had my hair professionally done in an artful arrangement. I had originally envisioned pearls and hues of antique white as the color accent. A last minute change of heart(due to the lack of perfect shoes)conjured up this look.Rhinestones and over the elbow gloves,with black as the dramatic accent color.I carried a tiny Whiting and Davis silver mesh bag,wore sheer black hose,and plain classic high heeled black pumps.Upon further reflection I should have traded the rhinestone necklace for a wide black ribbon and an ornate rhinestone pin, tied round my neck.
Over all I was pretty pleased with the final look.
See!
The hair up really does make all the difference!
My sister has a blog!!! If you have time please go and say hi to my uber-talented sister Durelle.She just opened up Demi Divas by Durelle ,so she could play along with Project Dollway,an adorable riff on P.R.,but the scale is dollie size fashion.My sister is participating in the at home challenges on her blog and just won the"LBD + one" challenge(little black dress + one accent color). I have been following the contest and am amazed at the attention to detail and scale these artists employ.
....and of course it was a fun warm up to....
PROJECT RUNWAY
Who else guessed this dress would be a slam dunk to win? I am by NO MEANS saying it was my favorite(not even in my personal top 5),but I will say it was magnificent draping and make a reckless guess that Rami will be in the final 3.
Many of the designers work I will adore in spite of my lack of personal interest in there point of view,fashion-wise.Rami,Chris ,and Stephen will probably land in this category for me.
Onto those I find interesting:
Kevin
His little dress was definitely in my top 5. It was incredibly wearable(though it looked better on the runway),and by virtue of that design alone,I am curious as to what else he can do.
Kit Pistol
She is in a category I am going to call "the deconstructors" . I am easily drawn to this category. I loved the sneak peek at her previous design experience,and also loved her runway dress last night. The challenge was "show us who you are",and this dress does that wonderfully.
Elisa
Also in my deconstructor category. I loved the "poo-ing fabric dress",as mommy Heidi dubbed it.I was quite worried she might be out(though Simone also seemed quite the obvious auf'ed designer). I think the judges see something in this artist. If she can refine the details and finish of her garments,watch for outside of this competition,as I fear her stay on P.R may be a bit short. She has a Victor and Rolf vibe that I love!
Marion
Another deconstructor. Marion's dress was quite disappointing to me ,though it also looked MUCH better on the runway. You can certainly tell he has something to say. I loved the peeks at his submission designs and predict he will come back with a stronger design next week and be the last deconstructor standing.
Jillian
She is my early favorite and I loved her dress the most last night. Peeks at her submitted work ,bring to mind Rebecca Taylor,a favorite designer of mine.
She is also in my reckless top final 3 prediction.
Who gets my other final 3 prediction?
That would be Stephen,that suit was stunning.
Anyone else wish to recklessly predict the final 3?

Fashion Friday AND Thriftventure Thursday,its a 2 for 1 ! !

Ya know,I had actually gotten into a wonderful bloggy groove!My goal for the Fall was to post twice a week,and visit my buddies more often... and then life at the Pagoda heats up.. Ah well...the best laid plans,as they say...
I did want to thank everyone so much for their suggestions on styling for the ball gown. The one thing I really want to do is wear my hair up.....but guess what? I have to perform a number from Hair,in costume.Tonight ,when I finish this post I plan to work on a quickie "put it up,take it down.and put it back up " solution!
...but on with the thrifty fashion!!! I was so excited when I found this bed jacket on the half off day at the Sal Army! You might recall what a big fan I am of this garment and I hadn't found one in quite awhile,and the details are superb. The cost? 1 buckaroo!The weather has been utterly warm here in Big D,it will actually work wonderfully for me before Spring!
This dress looks a bit dowdy in this picture,but at 3 dollars I saw the potential. I adore the fall colors ,the sheerness and the paisley print.
A pencil skirt has been on my thrift to do list for over a year. I flipped when I found this one for 3 dollars(theres that strange thrift pattern again!).I plan on finding a skinny black belt and wearing it with black tights,black pumps ,and a tight ,tucked in black sweater. I shall adorn it with ropes of pearls.
Heres the paisley dress,with the lining cut out. I plan to take this combo for a test drive tomorrow at a long rehearsal.Thanks for being my style laboratory tonight!
These lovely clear glass cannisters were also checked off my thrift to do list. Cost? 2 bux each.I have incorporated them into my Thanksgiving decor,pics soon. The enameled cannister was just 19 cents(isn't that a weird price?). I couldn't pass it up it was in some of my favorite Fall colors!
I shall see you next week,with the after pictures of my finished revamped ball gown. My mother and I came up with a very creative solution!

Somthing New...Introducing....Fashion Fridays !

I know what your thinking..."but isn't it always Fashion Friday at the Pagoda?","Shouldn't she just re-name the joint "Fashion Forever"?".Well,I guess thats fair. It does seem clothes....,fashion....,designers,Foreign Vogue magazines,et al,are indeed on my mind quite a bit.Why even when I am at the gym ,dressed in the most tattered of garments,I am STILL consuming every detail of the glossy magazines. Yes, its like I am in some kind of a crazed fashion coma.
The action is so primal. There I am hovering above the whir of the stair master,reading an Elle magazine,not even feeling the pain for the gain.Its almost like when Tara was killed in Buffy the Vampire Slayers season 6,eppy "Villains". The grieving Willow the witch, levitates into The Magick Shop and kinetically draws the ancient and evil tomes to her hands,and then absorbing and cataloging the secret dark spells, so that the words are literally being absorbed into her very skin.
Now ,I'm not saying fashion is evil (Karl Lagerfelds arrogance aside),I am merely saying,when I return home from the gym,I am reverberating with wicked cool editorial styling thoughts and the names of new exciting designers are buzzing in my head.
Speaking of wicked cool.... here are my little budding fashionistas as they looked before trick or treating,Little Vampira and Gothedy Anne Dollie.Its interesting the big one still wants to create a character and "build" the stume from scratch,but my widdle petal wants to buy a store bought one. Interesting huh?
I still get to do both girls make-up.
So ...what is Fashion Friday? Its the creation of Bethany of Bitter Betty fame(visit her later this afternoon for her post). Today is the inaugural posting and I certainly hope everyone will join in. It could be fun,there are no rules,except it must be fashion related. That means the bloggy world is your oyster for this topic. That recently thrifted pencil skirt,a new designer you discovered,even a pair of Balenciaga shoes you are obsessed with,but would NEVER buy.Its all good.Oh,by the by just in case you ever wondered if I actually wear any of "the floor collection" from MOVCFM ,the top photo is me in my Witch next door look.
This week is a bit of a fashion query. I have an upcoming event that I must don something extra special for.I bought this truly spectacular antique blue satin ball gown from the 50's last Sunday at my fav-o-rite ,go-to vintage establishment,Ahab Bowen.It is quite wonderful as is.However ,run of the mill spectacular is just not good enough for me. I am planning a bit of surgery on it. Do you see how the lace appliqués at the bottom taper a bit?
Well,I am planning the surgery to follow the trace of the appliqués and create a new hemline that tapers as sort of a train in back.Do you follow? Shorter in front and longer in back.
Heres where you come in. Thoughts on hair ,make-up and accessories. I am open to suggestions. I have an idea of how I want to go on this,but I would welcome your thoughts. Please forgive me if ,in the end I ignore all your suggestions and march to the beat of my own drummer after all,but I do know you are all artists in your own arena and that is quite valuable to me. There will be after photos soon,I promise.

Oh,and one more fashiony thought... Project Runway starts in 12 days,set your Tivo!