Scenery photos!

Well, as promised, here's a few pictures of the scenery I've been working on. The photos aren't brilliant, because the work has been done to look best on stage under stage lighting, and camera flash just burns out the dark bits and highlights the light bits, but you get the general idea! It's also pretty difficult to get pictures of the set while you're still painting it, with crew getting in the way (hence the step ladder!) and once people are on stage, especially if you're a cast member yourself. I might be able to get a few more done at some point in the next week, if not, I'll have to buy the professional pics!

Basically, the panto is Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves, and what you see below are a couple of bits (the sunset cafe, and the arch) from the market place in Baghdad scene, and then the balustrade inside Ali's palace at the end.




This is what the balustrade looked like before I started on it....



and then when I'd finished....




and then on stage with the backcloth:



I have to confess that I had absolutely nothing to do with the backcloths - they were all hired from a professional scenery company in Newport, and they are absolutely fantastic!

More photos soon I hope!

Time flying.....

Well, it's all been busy busy busy here at Morti Mansions. We're in the final throes of Panto rehearsals (I'm in Ali Baba, in case I hadn't mentioned it before), and this weekend is being spent setting the theatre up ready for the final rehearsals this week (up till now we've rehearsed at a local hall) and finishing the scenery. I've discovered a new talent - I've never painted stage scenery before, but have found out that I have a knack for it. Well, at least I think everyone else thinks so - what else is one to think when the stage manager and the Director come up to you and ask your opinion and your assistance on a tricky item? I don't think I've done anything particularly clever or special, but they seem to! Can't quite figure that one out! Tomorrow I'll take my camera and get some photos, and you guys can let me know what you think....

Craft wise I've not reported much, so I ought to do so, shouldn't I?

I've had four CJs cross my desk over the last couple of months. One I have yet to do anything to, as technically it should only have arrived today. The first one was my own, the second belonged to Magickdiva (Fi) and the third to T Ann (Tracy). The last one which I've yet to do is Happy Daze's (and for the life of me I can't remember her name right now without going and checking... LOL). It's another UK Stampers CJ, and this time, rather than picking a colour AND a stamp, it's just one stamp. Although you can use others...

First up was my own , and I picked a rather ornate key... I'd go into more detail, but I did it back in November and I've slept since then. So you'll have to make do with pics...

First up, the front cover...


Then the first page...


and the rear of the first page...


Next up are my pages from Magickdiva's CJ. She chose a lovely Christmas tree where the shape of it is made up from Christmas greetings in several languages. Fi asked us to journal about our favourite Christmas memory; mine is tinged with some sadness, as it was the year our cat died on Christmas Eve, but in my memory is a great sense of light and brightness, as if it was somehow special that he passed away then. OK, so I was only 3, but I will never forget that particular Christmas Day.







I basically tore paper to use as a mask for hills, and french blue cats eye chalk ink, some holographic embossing powder, and some Stamp Tapestry stamps for the firs at the top of the page.

Lastly is T Ann's. Tracy is a novice stamper, so provided us with a stamp of some ornate gates, and asks us to do a technique, explaining the hows, whys and wherefores of what we've done, so she can use it as a record. I think it's also a really inspiring way of seeing what different things can be done with one stamp. I'd hate to be the last person in this CJ though, having to think of something that the previous 11 haven't!!!

I won't go into great detail as to what I've done - click on the picture of the writing and it's all written there for you!








Whew! Mammoth post that. I hope to get back here soon and blog some more. I've got numbers to make for the 40 thieves, plus invitations for the "party" in the panto, and on top of that, 110 Wedding invitations and 60 orders of service to do. Some are needed like, now, and the Wedding invites are needed ASAP (middle of Feb at the VERY latest! Ulp!) but the Orders of Service aren't required until May 22nd. At least I have a bit of time for those, eh?

TTFN!

Goodbye '09, Hello '10....

Well, there it was and here it is.

Happy New Year to you all! I hope you all have had a great Christmas, and haven't over-indulged too much? This she says, stuffing yet another mince pie in her mouth because they need using up and it's an after lunch treat!

We spent Christmas here, as usual, and the folks came to see us. Mother announced that Christmas next year is at her's in London. Eek. Not too daunting a prospect other than wondering where we're going to walk the dogs....safely.

Santa was kind to me in '09, bringing me a Bind It All, and various other craft goodies along the lines of Cosmic Shimmer products and Paper Artsy stamps, all of which I look forward to playing with this year. I've spent a couple of days bushwhacking my way into my craft room which became a general dumping ground while we redecorated the lounge and dining room. I can now see my desk, and once I move the pile of magazines off my chair, will actually be able to sit down and do some work. Top of the urgent list is a CJ which must, nay WILL, be done today, so I can post it tomorrow. I then have some pink beads to make for a certain someone which I promised months ago. I haven't forgotten! I also have to make an altered matchbox for one of my friends who seems to be acquiring dead bees. Sounds odd, but go with it for a moment. She doesn't actively collect them, nor does she keep them, she just seems to find them. Don't ask me how. So I promised to make her a "B" box. LOL.

Well, must run. We are, in theory, taking the decorations down today, a few days early, because the weather is cold and dry and ideal for removing the outside lights and packing them away, and He Who Must Be Obeyed suggested that it would be a good time to do the tree as then we can put everything away in the loft at once and have done with it. Bah Humbug I say....

PS. No news from Dr Geek yet.........