Costume Upcycling

One thing I love about costuming is the challenge of creating something from materials already in my cupboard or, even better, upcycling something to make it useful again.

A few years ago I discovered 'pocket belts', made from old jeans. A great idea - especially if I could steampunk it up. I prefer carrying things hands free - around my hips or waist - as it puts less strain on my back and neck (home to all my stress and anxiety and have never been the same since a car accident, many years ago).

In the past I have bought cargo pants to cut up and make the pocket belt but, alas, I never had the courage to destroy a perfectly good pair of comfy pants.

Until now.

Well, they made the decision for me. My favourite cargo pants finally died; caught on something and ripped along the seam. Perfect opportunity for a new steampunk accessory just in time for the Time Travellers' Picnic today.

How it was made:

1. cut away everything except the waistband and pockets. To make them look less like saddle bags, I cut it unevenly. The second back pocket was repositioned to fill in the space between one of the front and back pockets. Leave a few centimetres 'hem' to turn over and pin.
(Tip: The transferred pocket overlapped the front pocket - don't forget to hand sew this so it does not go through all the layers of the existing pocket and close it up.)

2. These were summer weight cargo pants, so I cut out a lining of linen to stiffen the belt. Fold over the seam, pin to back and sew it down.

  

3. This is the fun bit. Decorating.
I pulled out my boxes of cogs, buttons and bits and bobs - many from Spotlight (I buy many on the half-price sales) or garage sales. I replaced the existing pocket buttons with something more steampunk-ish. Position them and sew them on. I used cubed beads to hold many of the cogs in place

   

4.  I edged the belt with braid to hide the stitching, to dress it up and stiffen those edges so they sat flat. The braid was the only specific purchase for this project. I had only black braid left in my stash - too much contrast for this project. I finished off the last roll they had in store - with only 6 centimetres left after I was finished! (phew).

 

The finished product, ready for the Time Travellers' Picnic later today, complete with an octopus - of course!

NaNoWriMo Wrap Up: Viola's Second Journal Unfolds.

original post:  http://karencarlisle.purplefiles.net/2015/12/06/nanowrimo-wrap-up-violas-second-journal-unfolds/

A few years ago, when I first decided to tackle a writing career, my dear hubby bought me a t-shirt. Emblazoned across its perfect purpleness was the word: WRITER. It was modeled on the 'Writer' flack jacket worn by Nathan Fillion in the television series Castle. Being a Castle (and Nathan FIllion) fan, I was stoked. And, even better, my hubby supported my writing! Perfect.
(Did I mention the t-shirt was actually a Valentine's day present?)

Monday was the last day of NaNoWriMo. I had yet to reach the half-way mark of the challenge. I donned my WRITER t-shirt. I was determined to make last ditch effort to increase my word count - no matter whether I officially 'won' or not. And that is what the challenge was really about. NaNo is not just about aiming for a high, sometimes impossible, word count (I really only had 19 days of writing time this month due to ill-health, family commitments and an opportunity to sell books and meet readers). It is about getting off my butt (well, when at my standing desk at least), putting pen to paper and getting down that first draft.

If I have an empty page, I have nothing to edit.

Looking back, I may have only achieved just under 20,000 words this round of NaNo  - but I have more than half the first draft of my novella, Eye of the Beholder. I have rough plots for the accompanying short stories. Viola is set for some interesting adventures. Eye of the Beholder has a plot, a determined heroine, a scheming protagonist and a loyal friend. It has mummies and curses, and the threat of the Asylum hovering over our characters.

Here's a hint of last month's work.
Our story opens...

EYE OF THE BEHOLDER
(c) 2015 Karen J Carlisle

The grinding of the gate set Professor Clarke’s teeth on edge. The iron bars rattled as it slammed shut and encased them in gloom. Far off cries and screechings echoed through the empty hallway.

Keys chinked at the Warden’s hip as they trudged further into the bowels of Bedlam, leaving the sane world behind them. The stench of sweat and urine gripped/tugged/ clawed at his nostrils as they passed heavily bound doors with large locks and small barred windows.

Intermittent moaning, clawing, hissing greeted them. Thuds rattled the hinges to herald their passing.

The way ahead was barred and locked. The Warden paused.

Clarke’s hands trembled. He had not set foot in Bedlam since...

He clenched his fingers and straightened his shoulders. It was louder than he remembered.

“Are you certain?” asked the Warden.

Clarke closed his eyes and relaxed his fingers. He was a man of science, of facts. He opened his eyes and nodded.

Beyond the portal lay rows of barred cells, each with its own litany of fetors, spectacles and disquiet. Clarke stared at the back of the Warden’s head. It bobbed along the corridor then turned and jerked toward one of the cells.

(This is a first draft and subject to rewrites, edits and re-ordering).

For more updates on Eye of the Beholder or The Department of Curioisties, follow me on Twitter:@kjcarlisle or Facbook:Karen J Carlisle.

The Thankful Jar

Original post: http://karencarlisle.purplefiles.net/2015/11/29/the-thankful-jar/

Early last year, following a harrowing year of anxiety, I was down. The black dog was biting at my heels. I needed a boost - something to cheer me up. Something to put things into perspective. A friend directed me to an article; it was then I discovered the wonder of the thankful jar.

It's simple.

1. Find a jar, or a bowl or a box. Whatever. The container is not the important thing. It is what you put in the jar that counts.
2. Through out the year, write down those little things (or big things) that amuse you, uplift you, make you smile. Feel good things. Things that you can be thankful for. (Hence the name: Thankful Jar.) This is a long-term project. It is also a private project - unless you want to share it. It is up to you.
3. Keep adding notes whenever the moment takes you.
4. At the end of the year release those feel good moments. Find a quiet corner, pour out the notes and read them. Remember the good times. Revel in them. Smile.
5. Start filling the jar the next year.

This is my second year filling my thankful jar. I really needed it last year. It reminded me of the happy moments that outshone the dark days. It banished the black dog for a time.

With only a month to go, it is almost full.

I can't wait to relive the wonderful moments of 2015 - all over again.

Super Time at Supanova Adelaide

original post: http://karencarlisle.purplefiles.net/2015/11/23/super-time-at-supanova-adelaide/

The sun blasted my eyelids. I opened one eye. Nope. Too early. I rolled over, pulled up the covers and waited until my stomach rumbled. Mega post-con fatigue. But what a blast!

I have just finished my first stint as a merchant at a full-sized pop culture convention - Supanova Adelaide. This year they moved into the larger of the Adelaide Showground pavilions. The aisles were wider. It was easy to move amongst the crowds with enough room to get some full costume photos and see the merchandise without getting jostled.

There were some fantastic costumes - Helena's Cleopatra, Snape being devoured by Nagiri, Ben's 'Aunty Snape', Aadams Family group, several Doctor Who groups, the Disney villians and Aragorn (he smocked the shirt himself!) - just to name a few. More photos are on my FB page: Karen J Carlisle.

      

   

I was pleased with my position - at the end of one of the major fairways from the front door to the signing area. My booth neighbours were friendly. Poor Kimberley Clark had flown down from Queensland, unprepared for the chill - with the milder weather (we had mid-thirties earlier in the week) and frosty air conditioning. (I loved it!) Thanks for the tips, Kimberley.
Thanks to  my cohorts, Ruth and David, who helped on the booth over the weekend.

  

Thanks to Mike from Firebear Armoury for my pressie. And thank you to those who stopped by for a chat or to buy a book. I appreciate you spending time with me. I had many queries about more of Viola's adventures (squee, thank you!). I am currently writing the first draft of a new novella and short stories for Journal #2: Eye of the Beholder.  I am aiming for a May, 2016 release - all going well.

Photo: Scott Hallandall

It's Monday. Everything is quiet. I shuffled to the kettle, sorted out a cup of tea and scrounged in the fridge for any remnants of chocolate. You'll find me curled up in the corner, trying to get some words on paper and eyeing off the couch. I might surface by Wednesday.

Words Fail Me.

original post: http://karencarlisle.purplefiles.net/2015/11/17/words-fail-me/

Dear Reader,

This, as you have guessed, is a very late post. My apologies.

The weekend has been a long one, fraught with high emotion, personal disappointment and sadness. Tension had been increasing during the week - resulting in physical symptoms and loss of valuable writing time. Several issues surfaced on Sunday. They've been bubbling away for almost a year now. I thought that had been dealt with. I was wrong. Now I am dealing with the aftermath.

I am so far behind on my planned word count; so many words lost.

Then there was Paris.
How can someone hate so much - especially those not even met? Not only the perpetrators of the attacks, but those who now abuse others online - hidden behind the anonymity of social media? They abuse and accuse innocents just because of their colour, race or religion. These are hate crimes - their trigger is the keyboard.
Words fail me. My heart aches.

Sometimes I wish I could escape into my favourite book, join the characters and not deal with the everyday disappointments or tragedies. If we all did that, the haters would have free reign.

But there are glimmers of hope in messages of peace, not hate. Please, keep shining into the darkness.

And be excellent to one another.

It's NaNoWriMo Time!

original post: http://karencarlisle.purplefiles.net/2015/11/08/its-nanowrimo-time/

Greetings dear Reader,

This month is NaNoWriMo (National Nominated Writing Month). For those who have not heard of NaNo, it is a personal challenge to write like the wind (gratuitous YouTube link here) and aim for 50K words in one month. For me, it is a regular kick in the pants and anti-procrastinating tool.

The first week is now behind me. How did I fare?
The Good: This time round I had actually pre-planned the basic plot points of the story. This is a big thing for me. Usually start with without the vaguest hint on where the story will take me and no plan to guide me.  I have pulled myself out of the non-productive hole where my muse had tossed me, and with a maniacal grin, had forsaken me for the past few months.

The Bad:  I am 7000 words behind the ideal word count for a 50K target. I have been sidetracked by research - into autopsy procedures of the nineteenth century and The British Museum of the nineteenth century...

The not-so-Ugly: I have written 6439 words. That's 6439 words I had not written last month. Or the month before that. It's 6439 words of my 35K word novella - two and a half scenes, with several hints laid down, characters introducing themselves and two new subjects to add to my trivia knowledge lists.

I have also written rough outlines for the accompanying short stories for The Adventures of Viola Stewart Journal #2: Eye of the Beholder and Other Tales. A new cover design is already coming together.

Here's the blurb:

Eye of the Beholder

Viola Stewart is dectectiving again. With her friend, Doctor Henry Collins, at her her side, Viola runs foul of mummies, curses and the paranormal. But this time, the threat of Bedlam hangs over them all. Eye of the Beholder and Other Tales: The Adventures of Viola Stewart Journal #2 is due out in 2016.

Check out my Pinterest page for more hints on what I am working on.

Destination: denouement: Why do we need to work so hard?

Destination: denouement: Why do we need to work so hard?: The question asked by a fellow writer today:  If 85% of everything that’s published today is crap, why do we need to work so hard to improv...