You might be a serious costume junkie if....

1. You inspect costume jewelry before you buy it to examine it's "re-purpose" capabilities.
1. Your hat boxes actually contain hats. REALLY big ones.
2. You've ever made a bum roll so big that you looked like a Kenyan tribal dancer.
3. Home depot employees know your first name, AND what you need spring steel and wire for..
4. Your Netflix list is referred to by family members as "Ambien Theater" and contains such treasures as "The Lady and the Highwayman"
5. You have had to install a garment rack the full length of your garage (with a hat shelf, of course)
6. You have ever sewn your own shoes (or at least tried to).
7. The word "undergarments" brings to mind apparel big enough to put framework in and stay the night.
8. You get giddy at the after Christmas sale of ribbons and big plastic tubs.
9. You've ever been to a church rummage sale and literally become short of breath over a big score of brocade curtains. (No, honey, really I'm ok....snatching them up to outrun your paranoia that someone else might try and get them before you.
10. You shop at thrift stores by yourself, rather than explain to your non costumer friend WHY this (whatever crap you found) is SO AWESOME!
11. You know silk by its "temperature" and texture. Extra points if you know what I mean by "temperature".
12. You dream in "Epic Costume Mode". Yesterday, I was in a mermaid suit, and I looked friggin' fantastic! Luckily, I am thin in my dreams.
13. You judge the amount of coffe/tea you make by how big the project is, and you don't understand the incredulous look you get from your sweetheart when you make cappucino at 10pm. Whaaaat??
14. You own more than three machines, and there is at least one dead one in the garage that did not survive you.
15. You have ever talked your sweetheart into trying on your dress or poofy pants so you can check the drape/hem/ etc.
16. You own a big box of hair. Some of it reminiscent of road kill.
17. You attend the opera for the costumes (extra points if you bring an ipod).
18. Your hoard of fabric and junk is growing faster than your kids.
18. Apon hearing the news that a local cock fighting ring was shut down, you grieve for the loss of all those beautiful feathers as much as for the poor birds themselves being euthanized and incinerated.                                                                             19. You have ever attended a public function with your hands dyed completely blue, and your only issue with that was that it came out indigo instead of cyan.

Catharine Myers

Hats

I love hats....You can be somebody new just by putting on a hat. Sometimes I love a hat so much that I wear it in the wrong period event....just because I can :).   Actually, I would like to shoot myself for wearing a fedora to Texas Renaissance Festival. It seemed like a good idea at the time. 

   Hand embroidered with glass pearls and austrian crystals

 Wired pearl cap can be worn this way or in the back like a snood (caul)

      This one has not been embroidered yet...but soon!

Merida

I have said a hundred times "I don't do quick and dirty"...but this was! Three hours from cutting fabric to out the door! I couldn't even tell you what its made of. Sleeves are lined with twill to hold their shape, and no grommets....i ran out of time and sewed her into it.

Red Tudor Gown

This was for a client in Houston. Her first court gown. This was before altering. I took in the shoulder pieces and brought up the hem a bit. She wears this with a victorian style corset, so the front is not as flat as I might like. I am trying to talk her into that for next season ;)

Red is tough, huh? Looks wine or pink often in pics. This is a rich red in natural light, but looks pinkish here.

Butterfly Fairy

my Daughter as Nixxa the Monarch Fairy

 That is 50 yards of tulle

2012 Holbein

Purple Dress

2012 gifted to a friend. I will continue the damask embroidery all around the edges by next season. She looked amazing in it. Taffeta has a lovely flow in the breeze.

Chemises

This one is freehand and handstitched

 This is still in progress with pin tucks, hand smocking and machine decorative stitching, not really blackwork. I call it faux blackwork : The next one, I will put the ruffle or lace on first, and then smock. I really did not leave enough space to attach it easily. Also I will make the sleeve less voluminous, as the smocking was a bit too loose and I had to put in stitches to tighten the cuff underneath. To mark the space to be smocked, I used a graphite art pencil. I would have used a blue wash out pen, but, of course....couldn't locate one of the three I own! The honeycomb pleats are marked with dots in a grid of 1/4" by 1/2" rows, 5 of them.

Periwinkle Dress

2011 Gown. The black embroidery is hand drawn and hand stitched.

Blue Dress

This gown is over 5 years old and has been worn about 180 times. Crepe backed satin is my favorite fabric for faire gowns. It machine washes beautifully, and travels well. Any wrinkles release easily with a little water spritz.