Le Sigh

Vintage Lace is my favorite thing next to a good silk velvet. Lace and rufflie stuff is so on trend right now and it brings me joy to be surrounded by lace all the time. Ok, it is usually an oil based product these days. Im so not green in that department and I'll probably go to hell for it. Lace aint what it used to be. And can you imagine the cost of a pair of ruffled anything made in vintage lace? Or good cotton? Oy.

But when I can come across it, my heart goes on overdrive!

kathleencrowley.etsy.com

kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

Tickets On Sale Now

Mordake, by Erling Wold, opens May 22nd.
Dont miss this.
Its F*%$ing cool.
This aint yo mama's opera.

Time Out

Due to a heavy workload this month, I will not be taking new orders until June 5th.

Gots to get caught up and get those current orders out and to thier deserving new owners!!

Also have to update my etsy shop and get more merchandise out! The fabric is piled up high on one of my tables screaming "CUT ME!!!!!!!!"

This is a photo of Shalee in a custom pair of Fluffie Rufflies™!

This Thing Called Steampunk

I first recall the term when my intern, Unsinkable Molly, started talking about it. I dont get out much these days with all my projects and such - so I wasn't understanding what she was really talking about at first. It just sounded like what Ive been doing or trying to do for like the last 20 years.

So now I get it. Its what I would look like and have often looked like sans goggles ,leather straps, and ray guns. (Although I have a picture of myself in silver cowgirl gear with goggles and a red ray gun for Matthew James's infamous Space Christmas party) It is the aesthetic that kept me from getting myself a computer up until a few years ago. I cant stand the sight of them. They are the ugliest man made thing that we have ever concocted. That and all the creepy streamlined souless devices that we require now to make our lives more complicated, stressful, and spiritually bankrupt.

I was dragged into the computer age by Carolena Nericcio- director of FatChanceBellyDance because it was increasingly difficult to get class/gig info to/from me as I refused to get a computer.

Once I got over my revulsion, I found I loved the instant gratification it gave me and I was able to grow my business and reach people from around the world. That in and of itself was fun, entertaining and amazing. But it was still the sterility and ugliness of this intellectual world that kept me hidden away. I cant abide it. But I do. I deal.

However, if the techno age had started like this photo portrays..............I would have jumped on the bandwagon. Hell, I may have joined the throngs of millions who flocked to this world and made buttloads of money off of it.

This will just have to do.


Will do endless trade for this computer!

kathleencrowley.etsy.com

kc.costumecouture

Kitten On The Keys

I ran into my friend Suzanne the other day - aka Kitten On The Keys - and she reminded me that she had a photo or two of a couple things I had made for her before her last European tour.

There is no one like Kitten and she is San Francisco to me - the part that refused to be pushed out. The part that didn't move away. The part that didn't sell out. The part that used to be. The part that keeps me here.

Kitten On The Keys

kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

Mordake part two .....An Opera by Erling Wold

I'm working on more costumes for Mordake.This is a solo performance with tenor John Duykers. Today I made John a long night shirt based on the Folkwear Missouri River Boatman's Shirt. I made this shirt years ago for what I cannot remember, It is very simple, but of course something didn't seem right so I had to dig around for the directions which were in one of my bazillion pattern boxes. Lo and behold, there was a missing piece which was no where to be found so I improvised and actually like my version much better. Sometimes the pieces get sucked into the void.

I'm such a pattern whore. I love having a pattern library to refer to when I need to - it has been one of my passions. And one day, I'll have a pattern line of my very own to sell to other pattern whores. I feel so maternal about this. I must pass this pattern disease on......

Yes, indeed. But back to Mordakes's shirt. I trimmed it out with some vintage lace that I had stashed away. it was already stained and trashed and perfect for a lonely crazy man tucked away in his mansion of yore.

This is a story based on Mordake, the wealthy, brilliant aristocrat who was born with the face of a woman - his twin sister - on the back of his head. Well, you can imagine the drama this would create in one's life. Very like a Gemini, I would imagine. Not that I would know anything about that.

Everyone is working hard on this production. Jobs and responsibilities are being juggled. There wont be a lot of costume changes, but I want everything to look worn and opulent - lots of layers to suit the music and Frieder Weiss's visuals. It will be part of the San Francisco International Arts Festival in May. Thats May this month. I cant believe it is May already.

The final product will be an amazing collaboration of brilliance. You can see painting s of the set here.

No Tribal Fest this year for me. I decided today that I cant handle any more work than I already have. I was going to try to go for it and share a booth with someone. But I would rather do it right next year instead of half-assed this year. I would rather Mordake be as fabulous as possible.

Mordake as seen at Theater Bay Area this month.

More info can be found on Erlings' Blog.

kc.costumecouture@gmail.com