Easter Musical 2011

At the beginning of April, my church produced an Easter Musical.  I always think our choir director picks out the prettiest musicals for us to sing and play in.  I play the oboe in our church orchestra, though, so I was playing instead of singing.  Sometimes I wish I could do both at the same time.  Wouldn't that be awesome if you could do that.... er.... maybe I'm the only one that thinks about impossible things like that, but I really truly do.  I love to sing, but I also love to play, and well since I'm the only one at church that plays the oboe, I'm always stuck in the dang orchestra, not that I mind :D  And while we're on the subject of complaining, why must "professionals" always wear black?  It's such a boring dark color.  Seriously.  How awesome would it be if a choir suddenly decided to wear all bright colors.  Can you imagine how cheery and happy the place would be?  I'm just saying.

And, don't forget to enter my giveaway!

Aida

Well, I am falling far behind in my blogging and reading blogs.  I haven't really been active in blogoland for about 2 weeks.  I'm not really sure what's wrong with me....hmmm.  Anyways, I don't know if I have really written about this much before, but I am a humongo broadway enthusiast.  I have only been in one musical, and that would be Godspell (if you want to watch our production it is here, here, here, here, and here ) but I go to see them as much as I can whether they are a national traveling show, community production, high school production, or college production like the one I saw last weekend (if you only see one show in your lifetime see Lion King).  I literally could see a musical once a week and never get sick of them.

Aida is a beautiful love story, one that is timeless though it takes place in ancient Egypt.  It tells the story of Radames, captain of the Egyptian army, who falls in love with one of his Nubian captures, Aida who is the Nubian princess.  Radames is engaged to Amneris, the Egyptian princess, which was arranged by his power seeking father, but he doesn't love her.  Radames doesn't know what Aida is, he just thinks she is another slave, but he falls deeply in love with her and they have to keep their love a secret.  It is a very passionate story, and sad.  It is one of the only shows that has brought me to tears both times I have seen it, so bring tissues.  If you want to listen to some samples of songs, my favorites are found here, here, and here.  

I really love dogs (especially sweet baby Dexter), btw, if you couldn't tell.  I would have more than 3 of them like we have now if it wouldn't get me kicked out of my house haha

I got this gorgeous dress in August?? I think from FabGabs when she was having her $10 and $20 sale.  There were only a few things wrong with it, like the velvet trim being gone on one sleeve (which was an easy fix) and a few stains (which get lost in the folds), so over all I am pretty happy with it.  My mother took a buttload of pictures, so if you have any desire to see the rest, they are here.

Anyone seen Harry Potter yet?  Mom and I went to see it on Tuesday and I was in tears during the entire thing.  Harry Potter really means a lot to me- I started reading it in 7th grade, so its been practically an 11 year love journey with the characters.  I used to read them every summer, even when a new one wasn't released, so I have read at least the first 5 books 9+ times.  I think this movie was the most true to the book and boy was it dark and emotional.  I literally started crying as soon as Hermione *spoiler* ......................... obliviated herself from her parent's memory, and it was hard for me to stop.

What were everyone's thoughts on the movie?  Books?  Do you have a favorite scene... character... actor?  Maybe you don't like them.  I have a lot of friends who don't like them at all and I don't hate them for it :D I for one am totally in love with Jason Isaacs who plays Lucius Malfoy.  I don't necessarily like his character in the books, but in the movies Jason makes the character very alluring and fascinating.  I wish they showed more of him.  He is a very dashing man, am I right?

And looking at all these pictures I took, makes me realize I need a major haircut.  Yikes.  It makes me laugh, because a year ago I would have shot the guy who cuts my hair if he had taken off more than 1 inch every 6 months.  I grew my hair out for about 4 years straight, and as you can tell from the pictures, my hair was almost black. 

Sorry for the hair nostalgia, but it was something that I was very attached to during my college years, and I took a trip down memory lane with the pictures:D

I hope all my American friends had a blessed thanksgiving with their family and friends.

Final Godspell Post

Well, Godspell has finally come and gone.  Whew!  After 3 full months of daily acting and music practices, weekend rehearsals, frustrations, joys, tears, and laughter, it is actually over.  How lovely it will be to have free time in the evenings now, and not have to worry about how late I stay out on Friday nights.  This was my first experience with a musical, so I was not sure what to expect at all, but I can say without a doubt I loved it and could see myself doing something like this in the future.  And also, this finally means I can actually get back to a regular sewing schedule.  If this tells you anything, I can even say I slightly miss handsewing all those long skirt hems.  Yikes!  I must be desperate to get back to sewing if I can say that without a smirk.  And I just remembered I never actually got around to posting a picture of the outfit I made for Godspell.  I based it on a 50's diner outfit, but used a 1940's pattern to start with and then completely altered it to fit my liking.  However, if you know Godspell at all, you know it is a very colorful, very random sort of musical, so keep that in mind when you see the pictures.  Now I have to work on degodspelling my outfit and make it wearable:D

Man sakes alive.  How tired do I look in these last two pictures with best friend and mom?  Wow.  No wonder I have been taking 4 hour naps in the afternoon the last 2 days.  Ha.  Well, I am now going to work on getting the video up on youtube hopefully within the next 2 weeks, and I am applying to be a substitute teacher!  yay.  I am pretty excited about this. 

Happy Birthday to Me!!

Well, it was my birthday this past Thursday.  I turned 23.  Yay me!  I was determined to finish this dress, and I did, though it took much longer than expected.

This was the very first vintage pattern I got.  In fact, when I bought it, I didn't even know I would be wearing vintage right now, I just really liked the pattern.  They are very fancy ladies indeed.  I love this dress so much, I decided, if ever I were to make a reproduction dress shop to sell on Etsy, this would be the pattern to use.  It is so classy and detailed and different, I'm sure others would love it too.

I darkened this next picture and cropped off my head because it was a truly disastrous picture that I am embarrassed I ever took, but this way you can see the pleating.  It is like this in the back as well.

I even attempted to do hand sewn button holes...Let me tell you, it took awhile doing 10 of those babies.  Yeah, but it was worth it in the end to keep with the correct sewing techniques of the time period.

So, Saturday night, my dad

and mom

took me out to eat for my birthday.  We went to the Ocean Club at the Easton Shopping Center.

Mmmm... It is definitely my favorite restaurant ever, and we only get to go there once a year because it is so dang expensive, but it's worth it.  It is not one of those places that the food is outrageous, but the quality is mediocre.  Oh no.  This place is expensive, and the food is out of this world.   Plus it has the feel of a 50's nightclub, where you could just imagine Frank Sinatra crooning along on stage. 

And take a look at these beauties:

Aren't those glasses just a scream?  They are 100% fake 60's reproduction, because I don't know if anyone has looked for cat eye sunglasses on ebay or etsy lately, but they go for over $40 per pair.  Yikes.  That's not in my budget.  So for now its fakies for me.  I think they complete the outfit really well, even though my dress is 40's, and the glasses are 60's.  You are allowed to mix and match eras, right?  Well I am:D  I think my glasses made such a stir, though.  I wrote about this on my facebook page, but I am going to rewrite it here.  So, this girl probably a few years older than me was sitting next to us with her mother, and when she sat down she stared at me for the longest time, and then throughout our entire meal, she just kept staring at me and was not even being sneaky about.  She just kept staring almost glaring at me like, how dare I wear what I was wearing.  She made me mad.  Boo hiss on her.

Well, anyways, I ordered lobster and an amaretto sour (which was the most perfect blend of amaretto and sour), because lets be honest, what else am I going to order for my birthday that I can only afford once a year. 

Of course, we got a free dessert.  A chocolate peanut butter mousse pie with oreo crust, chocolate ganache, and real whipping cream.  Why yes, I did enjoy it.  Thanks for asking.

And of course, we had to get a token family picture taken.

So then today we had my family birthday party, but first I had to teach Sunday school, and, I don't think I need to tell you, 4 year olds say the funniest things sometimes.  Here's an example from today.  I was talking about how it was Memorial Day weekend and how there is usually a parade to honor people in the military, and one of the little girls in my class who usually talks nonstop about nonsensical things raised her hand and in all seriousness said, "I saw a parade once.  The statue of liberty was in it.  And when I saw that statue of liberty lady, I said to myself: what the heck is that statue of liberty lady doing in my parade?"  I don't know if it translates very well in writing, but just the way she said it and how serious she was about it, I had to stifle a laugh, because it was too precious!
So anyways, back to my party.  Of course, I planned the menu and we had shredded chicken sandwhiches, baked beans, homemade macaroni and cheese, banana pudding, brownies, and gruyere cheese crackers.  Yep, I finally used the last of the gruyere.  Cheese, it was lovely knowing thee, but I can't afford thee on a regular basis.

I don't think my family appreciates me taking pictures very much, but I don't really care.  I love family photos.

And of course, baby Dexter was out and about, being a sweet perfect little angel.

I'm pretty sure everyone loves him.  I ask you, how could they not?  I mean look at him, he's obviously perfect:D I kid, I kid!  And I promise he is not a demon dog.  He looks rather demonic with the creepy glowing eyes he has going on.  Hmm.  If anyone knows how to correct that with taking pictures please let me know! 
I got the fabulous roses from my cousin and her fiance

And then I got some money from others.  Which is going straight to my camera fund.  I have saved $325 so far, so I figure I am about half way towards a decent camera.  If anyone knows of a fantastic digital camera that takes crisp, clear, true to life pictures, please let me know.  Anyways, I think that is it for now.  I am going to devote a new post to Glee soon, I think, because I have quite a lot to say about this past weeks episode.  Angry things and happy things, and soso things....Oh I almost forgot, I got a part in Godspell that our church is putting on.

Godspell pic credit

We are not sure of roles yet, but everyone who got a role has to re-audition so they can assign parts.  I could not be more eccstatic.  If you know me, you know I live for musicals.  Never been in one, but I am one of those crazies who blasts broadway musicals on my radio instead of rap and roll down the window of my car so every can hear the fabulousness of Broadway.  And, I am trying to convince my mom to go see Wicked again.

 Wicked pic credit
We went to see it the last time it was in Columbus a few years ago, and it was one of the best musicals I have seen, besides Lion King.  I am trying to convince her that people see the same shows more than once.  In fact, if you really like a show you see it multiple times even with the same cast.  I told her just be glad we don't live in New York, because in Columbus we are constrained by the few shows a year that tour to Columbus, but in New York I wouldn't be constrained by that limit since all the shows originate in New York and play at the same time.  You could see a different show once a week if you had a never ending bank account, but sadly one show a year is all I can afford in boring old Columbus, Ohio.  Although, Les Miserable is coming to Columbus next March which, wow! Can we say love?  Is there a word stronger for love...because that would be what I have for Les Mis.  But that is so far away, Wicked will tide me over in the mean time!  If anyone would like to help convince my mother to take me, feel free to comment.  Please.  please:D  Well, until next time,