Wiggle Dresses and Turn Dial Phones

Hi All.

I know this is a "no-no" in blog world, but I am SO SORRY that I've been lazy when it comes to posting on Missing James. 

I do have a big reason though. I've started working on my first big show that I get to design. It's called "The Schelling Point" and will open in August at the Old Fitzroy Theatre in Wooloomooloo, Sydney. It's set in the 60's, with JFK and Dr. Strangelove, and a beautiful female Cabaret singer. So I've been busy collecting set pieces, personalizing props and sewing costumes!

Image from: http://www.freeprettythingsforyou.com/

The costumes for the Cabaret singer are just so much fun! She has a collection of pieces that represent different famous women that the lead characters are married to. These lovely ladies are the wives of JFK, Stanley Kubrick, Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Robert McNamara and Tom Schelling. So we've got Jackie Kennedy in her pillbox hat and jacket, Ruth Sobotka in a tutu, Anne Howe in a big skirt and apron, and Karen (a university student) in a lovely bow bolero.

I've had some help making these costumes. I've found marvelous vintage patterns on ebay that are the bones of all these bits and pieces. If I didn't have these, I'd probably be lost. I can make my own patterns, but nothing as complex as some of these dresses. Plus, it's easier having a pattern - so I know the dress will actually turn out and I don't waste money on fabric being discarded.

 

For the props, I needed 2 red turn dial phones for the "hotline." For some odd reason, though, red turn dial phones are SUPER popular and go for about $200 on ebay (yes, it's ridiculous), so I found two cheap ones on ebay in different colours and I have to paint them. One of them was even a dollar, and the picture below shows why:

Yes...some lady decided to paper mache  a vintage turn dial phone and put rhinestones and glitter glue all over it!!!! I've pulled it apart, and its now soaking in water to loosen the glue and hopefully all of the crap will fall off it so I can get an even surface to paint it red. There is this awesome paint that is specially made to paint plastic, so I need to do a run to the nerdy hobby shop and pick it up. The other phone I bought isn't in such a bad condition, so it will be a lot easier to make-over. But really, there is no wonder this phone was a buck. Who in their right mind would buy such a monstrocity? That was mean...I'm sorry.

Well, I hope that helps y'all realize why I've been absent. I'll do another post later today with some bits and pieces from Stylust. There are some great DIY ideas in store, but I've been too lazy and too busy to DIY myself, so I just bought the stuff.

Until next time :D

Bisous.