R.R. Goodwill's Blog, page 3
June 17, 2020
Mark Your Calendars!
Hello again, Gentle Readers! I’m here to announce that Prince Nácilis on his way to becoming the first of my works to be professionally self-published!
Thanks once again to Kendra, who has graciously agreed to be co-host of my upcoming Blog Tour (actually, she’s more like the main host, since she’s doing most of the work this time around until I learn the ropes, LOL). This will be a week-long event beginning June 30th, celebrating Prince Nácil’s official launch into the world, and eventually, into the hands of new readers!
~*~The Pixie~*~
WAHOO!!!!
*Confetti*
*GLITTER-BOMBS!!!*
<.< Erm, isn’t it a bit early for that, Pixie-lass? Usually you save the confetti-floofs for the actual Party.
I know, but I couldn’t wait! After all, I have a special reason for being excited. *Squints in delight*
Spoilers, sweetie. *Indulgent eye-roll* But yeah....
Anyhoot, be sure to keep an eye on The Rambling Rose and Knitted By God’sPlan in the next couple weeks.
I’m planning to give a bit of background on my inspiration for the story (and the world of Ýdára in general), post a few snippets to entice potential readers, and feature the short testimonials/mini-reviews of my work provided by some of my beta readers.
Want to join the fun? You can sign up to announce the Blog Tour or even interview myself and/or one of my characters. Just fill out the form here.
Don’t have a blog? You can write a review on the Amazon listing (once it’s active), or you can e-mail me your thoughts on PN (tomwildrose[at]gmail[dot]com) and have “PN Blog Tour” in the subject line. I’ll feature your review on my blog. Same goes for Interviews: Send me your questions, and I’ll answer them in one of my blog posts that week.
Hope to see you there!
Until next time, Gentle Readers,
God bless,
~ℛ~
May 31, 2020
Prince Nácil Cover Reveal!!!
Yes indeedy, Gentle Readers, we have yet another Cover Reveal here on The Rambling Rose. But this time, it isn’t me spreading the word about someone else’s fabulous new indie novel and sharing the amazing cover-art.This time...I’m hosting a Reveal for a novel of my own.
At long last, I’m preparing to send out my first proper novel into the world, for people to read and (hopefully) enjoy...besides my family or close acquaintances, LOL.Mega shout-out and a truckload of thanks to my friend and fellow “scribbler,”* Kendra E. Ardnek. Without her help, I’d probably still be printing my own books at home and giving half my profits to Staples. :-P * Scribbler = An author; a writer. Used as a term of endearment. Origin: The image of a writer frantically writing down new inspiration before it evaporates from the brain.~Tom’s Dictionary of Whacked-out Terms and Old Family Sayings
Above is the original cover-art I designed in PaintShop, which is meant to represent the title character’s personal emblem. I’m actually pretty proud of it, although it turned out a lot wider than I intended. However, it wasn’t really what I wanted. I was thinking something more along these lines:
...only I knew it’d be a copyright nightmare to Frankenstein bits of my inspiration pictures onto a book I’d be selling. That’s where Kendra came in—but more on that in a moment; y’all came here to see my actual-factual, official-professional cover:
From the moment Victor Greenwood sets foot in the old farmhouse of Willowmere, Mrs. Whitaker and her family take the friendless drifter under their wings as one of their own. Deeply touched by their kindness, Victor delights them with his stories about the Elven-king Othniel and Jael his queen, forming a special bond with Mrs. Whitaker’snine-year-old granddaughter, Jane. But several odd occurrences indicate that Victor ismore than he admits to. When the secret of his heritage threatens Jane’s safety, he sets out for the homeland he has long been banished from, to find Jane and return her home. Unbeknownst to his friends, Victor is doomed to die thirty days after setting foot on his native soil, with only one hope of breaking the curse. But surely thirty days is far too short a time to find True Love....
R.R. Goodwill began writing at the age of eight, eventually finding her niche in the fascinating realm of fantasy. Taking inspiration from J.R.R Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Faerie-tales, and folklore, Goodwill uses her God-given talents and active imagination to weave a bit of Truth among her works of fiction.Find her online at: || Amazon || Blogger || Goodreads || Instagram || Pinterest
ISN’T IT BEAUTIFUL?! Full credit for its creation goes to Kendra, who gave me a link to a website full of royalty-free/public domain images, and turned the one I chose into this amazing cover-art. I love it. Every time I look at it, something inside me just sighs with satisfaction. The trees, the green-and-silver color-scheme—it’s pretty much spot-on with the imagery I associate with the title character, Nácil Vítuódhrán, AKA Victor Greenwood. And I’m so in love with that font! Usually I use Monotype Corsiva, Edwardian Script, French Script, or Calligrapher when I want a fancy font; however, my current laptop doesn’t have any of them installed at the moment. The one Kendra used is called Lover’s Quarrel, and frankly, it’s a new fave. Fancy yet readable, with a touch of nobility—perfect for the chronicles of the Elvish Royal Family, I deem.
Prince Nácilis available for preorder on Amazon, so get your copy reserved today! Release date is scheduled for June 30th of this year—just in time for the Summer holidays.
I’ll be hosting a Blog Tour the week of the release, during which time anyone who wishes can interview some of the main cast or myself, post reviews on their blogs—the usual fun stuff associated with Blog Tours. I’ll also go into more detail about how this story came to be, my vision for the series it’s part of, and stuff of that ilk.
~*~
I know it’s not the usual procedure for a Cover Reveal, but I’d just like to take this moment to thank Kendra for all her help and hard work over the past couple months. It all started with me leaving a message on her Google Hangout/chatboard/thing, asking her and her author friends if they’d be willing to help me host a Blog Party to celebrate Prince Nácilbeing finished and available for sale, and....
KENDRA: When’s the release?ME: Actually, I’m printing it out myself and having Staples spiral-bind and laminate it.KENDRA: …
She then proceeded to take the reigns and walk me through the (for me) daunting and often overwhelming process of self-publishing via Amazon Kindle Direct. I think I always knew I’d end up taking this route, but I didn’t know exactly how to go about it, and I don’t seem to know intuitively what to click or what certain terms mean (I declare, one has to be a computer wizard to do just about anything these days, LOL). Kendra has patiently guided me through the maze of behind-the-scenes what-nots I never knew were involved in this process, and cleared up what I saw as a mystery on more than one occasion...and overall been incredibly patient with my technological ignorance.
[source] I liken it to myself walking down the road, wanting to travel to the great city I’ve heard so much about (and where several of my acquaintances and their friends have gone), but not knowing exactly how to get there. I ask a passing wagon-driver for directions, intending to walk to the city myself...and she grabs me by the wrist, hoists me up in her wagon, and drives us there. While the pace at which we travel is faster than I’m used to—and therefore a bit frightening—I know in the end, this will be a good thing.The first step in any journey is always the hardest. The first brick laid always looks insignificant. But they’re only the foundation on which one builds something great.By taking advice from Kendra, I’m learning new skills and setting things in place that will help me (hopefully) have a smoother experience with my next book. And that’s a good thing.
Until next time, Gentle Readers,God bless,~ℛ~
At long last, I’m preparing to send out my first proper novel into the world, for people to read and (hopefully) enjoy...besides my family or close acquaintances, LOL.Mega shout-out and a truckload of thanks to my friend and fellow “scribbler,”* Kendra E. Ardnek. Without her help, I’d probably still be printing my own books at home and giving half my profits to Staples. :-P * Scribbler = An author; a writer. Used as a term of endearment. Origin: The image of a writer frantically writing down new inspiration before it evaporates from the brain.~Tom’s Dictionary of Whacked-out Terms and Old Family Sayings
Above is the original cover-art I designed in PaintShop, which is meant to represent the title character’s personal emblem. I’m actually pretty proud of it, although it turned out a lot wider than I intended. However, it wasn’t really what I wanted. I was thinking something more along these lines:
...only I knew it’d be a copyright nightmare to Frankenstein bits of my inspiration pictures onto a book I’d be selling. That’s where Kendra came in—but more on that in a moment; y’all came here to see my actual-factual, official-professional cover:
From the moment Victor Greenwood sets foot in the old farmhouse of Willowmere, Mrs. Whitaker and her family take the friendless drifter under their wings as one of their own. Deeply touched by their kindness, Victor delights them with his stories about the Elven-king Othniel and Jael his queen, forming a special bond with Mrs. Whitaker’snine-year-old granddaughter, Jane. But several odd occurrences indicate that Victor ismore than he admits to. When the secret of his heritage threatens Jane’s safety, he sets out for the homeland he has long been banished from, to find Jane and return her home. Unbeknownst to his friends, Victor is doomed to die thirty days after setting foot on his native soil, with only one hope of breaking the curse. But surely thirty days is far too short a time to find True Love....
R.R. Goodwill began writing at the age of eight, eventually finding her niche in the fascinating realm of fantasy. Taking inspiration from J.R.R Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Faerie-tales, and folklore, Goodwill uses her God-given talents and active imagination to weave a bit of Truth among her works of fiction.Find her online at: || Amazon || Blogger || Goodreads || Instagram || PinterestISN’T IT BEAUTIFUL?! Full credit for its creation goes to Kendra, who gave me a link to a website full of royalty-free/public domain images, and turned the one I chose into this amazing cover-art. I love it. Every time I look at it, something inside me just sighs with satisfaction. The trees, the green-and-silver color-scheme—it’s pretty much spot-on with the imagery I associate with the title character, Nácil Vítuódhrán, AKA Victor Greenwood. And I’m so in love with that font! Usually I use Monotype Corsiva, Edwardian Script, French Script, or Calligrapher when I want a fancy font; however, my current laptop doesn’t have any of them installed at the moment. The one Kendra used is called Lover’s Quarrel, and frankly, it’s a new fave. Fancy yet readable, with a touch of nobility—perfect for the chronicles of the Elvish Royal Family, I deem.
Prince Nácilis available for preorder on Amazon, so get your copy reserved today! Release date is scheduled for June 30th of this year—just in time for the Summer holidays.
I’ll be hosting a Blog Tour the week of the release, during which time anyone who wishes can interview some of the main cast or myself, post reviews on their blogs—the usual fun stuff associated with Blog Tours. I’ll also go into more detail about how this story came to be, my vision for the series it’s part of, and stuff of that ilk.
~*~
I know it’s not the usual procedure for a Cover Reveal, but I’d just like to take this moment to thank Kendra for all her help and hard work over the past couple months. It all started with me leaving a message on her Google Hangout/chatboard/thing, asking her and her author friends if they’d be willing to help me host a Blog Party to celebrate Prince Nácilbeing finished and available for sale, and....
KENDRA: When’s the release?ME: Actually, I’m printing it out myself and having Staples spiral-bind and laminate it.KENDRA: …
She then proceeded to take the reigns and walk me through the (for me) daunting and often overwhelming process of self-publishing via Amazon Kindle Direct. I think I always knew I’d end up taking this route, but I didn’t know exactly how to go about it, and I don’t seem to know intuitively what to click or what certain terms mean (I declare, one has to be a computer wizard to do just about anything these days, LOL). Kendra has patiently guided me through the maze of behind-the-scenes what-nots I never knew were involved in this process, and cleared up what I saw as a mystery on more than one occasion...and overall been incredibly patient with my technological ignorance.
[source] I liken it to myself walking down the road, wanting to travel to the great city I’ve heard so much about (and where several of my acquaintances and their friends have gone), but not knowing exactly how to get there. I ask a passing wagon-driver for directions, intending to walk to the city myself...and she grabs me by the wrist, hoists me up in her wagon, and drives us there. While the pace at which we travel is faster than I’m used to—and therefore a bit frightening—I know in the end, this will be a good thing.The first step in any journey is always the hardest. The first brick laid always looks insignificant. But they’re only the foundation on which one builds something great.By taking advice from Kendra, I’m learning new skills and setting things in place that will help me (hopefully) have a smoother experience with my next book. And that’s a good thing.Until next time, Gentle Readers,God bless,~ℛ~
May 16, 2020
A Twist of Rapunzel Blog Tour | Interview with Kendra
Day Four of the Rapunzel-themed Blog Tour, and this time, I get to interview Kendra E. Ardnek, author of Misfortune.
Welcome, Anka Kendra (or is it Arista these days?), to the Rambling Rose! We’re honored to have you visit our humble little piece of the Blogosphere once again (and by "we," I mean myself and the various members of the Peanut Gallery peeking in the windows and around the doorway, of course).
I answer to both Anka and Arista. They each belong to a different universe, though they mean very close to the same thing.
1.) I hear you’ve based Misfortune not only on the classic tale of Rapunzel, but also the book of Daniel. What inspired you to combine these two stories?
The title, actually! Way back, I played a "your YA title based off your name and shirt color" game, and what I got was "The Daughter of Blood and Misfortune." What immediately popped into my head was the story of a girl who was considered cursed because she was born on the night that her kingdom fell, and my brain kept going "Fall of Babylon." Round about a few months later, I was looking for a Rapunzel retelling for the Golden Braids challenge, and this came to mind. See, there’s a non-canon story of Daniel where he killed a dragon. Using, among other things ... hair. It’s a story that’s fascinated me since I first heard it, and so I couldn’t resist the chance to play with it.
2.) What has been the most difficult part of writing Misfortune?
I actually lost the first three chapters of the book immediately upon writing them (I was using an annoying computer). I was able to recover the first chapter, because I’d just shared it online, but I had to rewrite the rest. I wasn’t able to recreate that first chapter, and it about killed my motivation to work on the story. Which is why you’re seeing it now instead of with the Golden Braids last year. That said, that loss was what spurred me to reattack Hair We Go Again, after I’d lost ITS first couple chapters a few months before, which is why that book was the one that I released last year.Oh, honey...I’ve been there. It HURTS! ☹*Moment of silence for lost work*
3.) Which of the characters was the most fun to work with?
Misha, maybe? I just love writing mysterious old mentors who know more than they’re letting on.
4.) Were there any surprises or "Aha!" moments you’d like to share?
The moment that the story clicked together with the tale of Daniel and the Dragon.
5.) Do you plan on weaving any more Biblical stories into future works?
Who honestly knows. I’ve done it before, I’ll do it again, I promise.
6.) I noticed the braid in the cover-art is brown black, not "like spun gold," per the original Faerie-tale. (Well, it looked brown on my laptop, but we all know how shifty computer screens can be, LOL.) Care to satisfy my curiosity (and probably others’) as to why?
Because the heroine has black hair, not gold? Had to make it culturally appropriate!
7.) Any advice or encouragement for other writers looking to retell a classic Faerie-tale?
Make the story your own. Add your own twist to make it awesome. Respect the original tale. And remember that Disney is, itself, a retelling so please stop treating it as the original, guys!
Thanks, Kendra, for stopping by, and best wishes with your newest release!
Pop on over to Knitted by God’s Plan, A Synesthette Writer, and all the other blogs listed below join the fun!
May 16
Kendra E. Ardnek – Top 10 Rapunzel Retellings.
Interviews:
Dreams and Dragons – The Daughter of Blood and Misfortune
Rambling Rose – Kendra
Reviews:
Live. Love. Read – Diamond
Full Tour Schedule
Until next time, Gentle Readers,God bless,~ℛ~
May 15, 2020
Rapunzel Retellings Blog Tour | Interview with Misha
It’s Day Three of the Rapunzel-themed Blog Tour, hosted by Kendra E. Ardnek and Kirsten Fitcher. Check out Kendra’s blog, Knitted by God’s Plan, for more info on her latest work, Misfortune.Visit Kirsten at A Synesthete Writer to learn about her Rapunzel Retelling, Diamond.
Today, it’s my privilege to interview Misha, one of the characters from Kendra’s Misfortune. But first, a bit about the book he’s in:
Misfortune Tagline: Is the safety of a country worth the sacrifice of one girl - even if she is the daughter of blood and misfortune? Book Description: A Twist of Adventure #4 The day she was born, her kingdom fell, and so she was branded the daughter of blood and misfortune and locked away. Now a dragon plagues the land and her curse may be the only thing that stops it. But is she really cursed? Preorder Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0872QTZ4N/ Add Book on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50512526-misfortune Explore the rest of the series! Amazon || Goodreads Author Bio:
Kendra E. Ardnek is the self-proclaimed Arista of Fairy Tales. She lives in the Piney Woods of East Texas with her dragon babies and massive herd of mini-giraffes, and she is still waiting for one of of her fifty nutcrackers to come to life and marry her. When not writing, you can usually find her sitting in a random box, and she’s frequently known to act before she thinks. Find her online at: Website || Blog || Goodreads || Facebook || Twitter || YouTube || Newsletter || Instagram || Amazon
And now, to meet our honored guest.Welcome, Father* Misha, to The Rambling Rose. My friends and I have prepared a comfortable seat for your use during this interview.*An archaic honorarium given to older men, regardless of parental status.
1.) Tell us a little about yourself.I’m an old man who hasn’t seen his own country in a long time. Our exile is nearing its end, but I’m afraid that I’m too old to make the return myself. Besides, I’ve made a bit of a place for myself here in my exile.
2.) As a boy, did you receive any special training or education?I was actually a member of the royal court of my own country, and so I was taught according to my station. And, then, when I was brought to Ablon, I received further training for the duties I would perform for King Nezzer there.
3.) Have you done any traveling in your day? If so, tell us about a memorable journey you once took.I’m a long way from my own country. Yes, it was a bit of a journey - wasn’t my choice, but it was where God wanted me.
4.) What were your first impressions of Delshad?He was quite a young lad when I first saw him, but I took him immediately for an intelligent fellow with a big heart. He’s grown into quite a fine young man.
5.) Do you have a favorite color?Not particularly, but I do have fond memories of the gold of the temple of my God.
6.) What are your views on the state of the kingdom?Kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall. I’ve served under worse kings.
7.) Have you any words of wisdom for the young people of today?God may want you in a place where you don’t want to be. Just hold to your faith and His standards, and He’ll see you through.
Wise words, indeed, old father. Thank you for being part of this event.
There are lots of other things going on today—pop on over to join the fun!
~Tour Schedule~May 15 Kirsten Fichter – The Girl Named Diamond Interviews: Live. Love. Read – Kendra Rambling Rose – Misha Reviews: Light and Shadows – Misfortune Madi’s Musings – Diamond Full Tour Schedule
Until next time, Gentle Readers,God bless,~ℛ~
May 9, 2020
Blog Tour | Rapunzel Retellings
OhYesOhYes, it’s times for another Blog Party, once again hosted by the lovely Kendra over at Knitted by God’s Plan!
~*~The Pixie~*~
Party!!!
~*~The Pixie~*~
Party!!!
May 1, 2020
Crafty Corner | Springtime Flower Crown
I’ve always enjoyed wearing flowers in my hair—the kind that never die or irritate my sinuses, that is. :-PI have several small blossoms threaded through bobby-pins that I stick in my coiffureof a Sunday (or rather, I did when church meetings were still safe and legal), but I’ve been wanting to make a full-on wreath...chaplet...flower crown...thing...for a while now, for special occasions. And I figured, hey, I have time to spare—why not use some of it to fulfill that dream?
A nice old lady from church let me look through her “stash” of artificial flowers last Fall and choose out what I liked. At first, I thought of making more individual hair-flowers, but the desire for a flower-crown took over, and I found I liked how all the different colors looked together.These are what I picked:
Narcissus, forget-me-nots, and what I’m calling cherry-blossoms in three shades of pink. Cheery and colorful—a perfect homage to Springtime, aye?
To make the crown, I basically followed this tutorial, using silver-colored jewelry/craft wire for the base, and masking tape to hold the two ends together...’cos that’s what I had on hand. I don’t recommend this, as the shiny silver wire looks a bit odd peeking through the flowers, and of course the masking tape is a bit tacky. Florist’s wire (or even green-colored craft wire) and green tape would definitely look more “natural.”
Propped up on a pretty silver trinket-box
(which needs polishing, yikes),
courtesy of the same nice ladyAnother change I made from the tutorial was to use Duco Cement instead of hot glue. I didn’t think hot glue would adhere to the metal wire, but I knew Duco Cement would. And for the record, I poked the “nub” at the base of each flower (or stem in some cases) through the wire braid where possible, glued it down, and trimmed off the nub after the glue was dry. Then I put more glue over it for extra security.
Once I had all the flowers glued down, I lined the inside with long, slender leaves that came with the cherry-blossoms, to cover the wires and prevent their snagging my hair. Plus it looks pretty.
A nice old lady from church let me look through her “stash” of artificial flowers last Fall and choose out what I liked. At first, I thought of making more individual hair-flowers, but the desire for a flower-crown took over, and I found I liked how all the different colors looked together.These are what I picked:
Narcissus, forget-me-nots, and what I’m calling cherry-blossoms in three shades of pink. Cheery and colorful—a perfect homage to Springtime, aye?
To make the crown, I basically followed this tutorial, using silver-colored jewelry/craft wire for the base, and masking tape to hold the two ends together...’cos that’s what I had on hand. I don’t recommend this, as the shiny silver wire looks a bit odd peeking through the flowers, and of course the masking tape is a bit tacky. Florist’s wire (or even green-colored craft wire) and green tape would definitely look more “natural.”
Propped up on a pretty silver trinket-box(which needs polishing, yikes),
courtesy of the same nice ladyAnother change I made from the tutorial was to use Duco Cement instead of hot glue. I didn’t think hot glue would adhere to the metal wire, but I knew Duco Cement would. And for the record, I poked the “nub” at the base of each flower (or stem in some cases) through the wire braid where possible, glued it down, and trimmed off the nub after the glue was dry. Then I put more glue over it for extra security.
Once I had all the flowers glued down, I lined the inside with long, slender leaves that came with the cherry-blossoms, to cover the wires and prevent their snagging my hair. Plus it looks pretty.
April 19, 2020
Crafty Corner: "Briar Rose" Dress | Part Two
Briar Rose, Part One
As Officer Bill Gannon (Harry Morgan) once said, “Like the Pilgrims, we’re making a little progress.” (Name that line!)
This afternoon, I dug out my bodice mock-up for this project and laid out the motifs...quickly realizing my original design wasn’t going to work. See, the dress mock-up I used before is Empire-waisted, whereas the actual dress will be princess-seamed, which made placement a bit difficult. I felt that having two lines of trim down the center-front panel would look too busy with the vines covering the seams, but leaving it out made the middle look bare:
So I played around with a couple different options, once again adding white leaves as place-holders, since I ran out of greens. I also ran out of whites eventually, as you’ll see. But it gives a general idea of the new designs...and how many more leaves I’ll need to make....
Option 1: V-neck and pointed waist trimmed with Irish crochet beading; rose-vines all-over, w/most embellishment in center-front.I think my idea here was to have a vine running more or less up the middle, snaking its way between the main flowers, then branching off at the Full-blown Rose at the point of the neckline, ending with a Rosebut at the top of each shoulder, and one vine branching off along the side where those random white leaves are. I was trying to keep that large leaf grouping that went along the French dart on the dress mock-up. The Full-blown Roses at the waist will just have a small stem running up between the leaflets.
Option 2: Similar to #1, but with Beading along neckline and princess-seams (the latter extending to hem, perpendicular to hem-trim). Leaf groupings at sides and shoulder-seams.As you can see, I ran out of leaves and trim, so you’ll just have to imagine the design on the right side of the bodice being mirrored on the left. This of course means making more leaflets, and one more Rosebud. Which is fine...only I’m running low on the bright-pink thread for the scalloped edge, and I can’t seem to find it online (and of course I can’t go thrifting, either).I’ll keep looking....
Initially, I thought this incarnation to be my favorite, as it certainly fills up the blank spaces on the sides...but looking at the simplicity of the first picture, this one feels a bit too crowded. On the plus side, having the trim run vertically all the way down will be potentially more flattering than adding a false waist. So I’ll have to play with it some more....
As Officer Bill Gannon (Harry Morgan) once said, “Like the Pilgrims, we’re making a little progress.” (Name that line!)
This afternoon, I dug out my bodice mock-up for this project and laid out the motifs...quickly realizing my original design wasn’t going to work. See, the dress mock-up I used before is Empire-waisted, whereas the actual dress will be princess-seamed, which made placement a bit difficult. I felt that having two lines of trim down the center-front panel would look too busy with the vines covering the seams, but leaving it out made the middle look bare:
So I played around with a couple different options, once again adding white leaves as place-holders, since I ran out of greens. I also ran out of whites eventually, as you’ll see. But it gives a general idea of the new designs...and how many more leaves I’ll need to make....
Option 1: V-neck and pointed waist trimmed with Irish crochet beading; rose-vines all-over, w/most embellishment in center-front.I think my idea here was to have a vine running more or less up the middle, snaking its way between the main flowers, then branching off at the Full-blown Rose at the point of the neckline, ending with a Rosebut at the top of each shoulder, and one vine branching off along the side where those random white leaves are. I was trying to keep that large leaf grouping that went along the French dart on the dress mock-up. The Full-blown Roses at the waist will just have a small stem running up between the leaflets.
Option 2: Similar to #1, but with Beading along neckline and princess-seams (the latter extending to hem, perpendicular to hem-trim). Leaf groupings at sides and shoulder-seams.As you can see, I ran out of leaves and trim, so you’ll just have to imagine the design on the right side of the bodice being mirrored on the left. This of course means making more leaflets, and one more Rosebud. Which is fine...only I’m running low on the bright-pink thread for the scalloped edge, and I can’t seem to find it online (and of course I can’t go thrifting, either).I’ll keep looking....
Initially, I thought this incarnation to be my favorite, as it certainly fills up the blank spaces on the sides...but looking at the simplicity of the first picture, this one feels a bit too crowded. On the plus side, having the trim run vertically all the way down will be potentially more flattering than adding a false waist. So I’ll have to play with it some more....
April 10, 2020
Crafty Corner | Lavender Butterflies
Today, Gentle Readers, we have yet another Irish crochet project—this time, lace butterflies to decorate this T-shirt I bought several years ago.
(Please excuse the wrinkles; it’s been in storage a long time, poor thing)I think my favorite part of this shirt (apart from the gorgeous lavender color—one of my best!) is the fagoting and dainty lace along the neckline:
What I don’t savvy are these glue-spots on the right sleeve
nor the width and depth of the neckline (a bit much for comfort). Solution? Embellishment, baby!
(Please excuse the wrinkles; it’s been in storage a long time, poor thing)I think my favorite part of this shirt (apart from the gorgeous lavender color—one of my best!) is the fagoting and dainty lace along the neckline:
What I don’t savvy are these glue-spots on the right sleeve
nor the width and depth of the neckline (a bit much for comfort). Solution? Embellishment, baby!
April 9, 2020
Musings
On a whim, I’ve been reading through my old blog posts, beginning with the first and ploughing straight on through. Admittedly, this little trip down Memory Lane, Blogging Edition, was inspired by the idea of a new reader stumbling onto my humble piece of the Bloggosphere and doing the same as I’ve been doing.I’m not sure what sort of impression this hypothetical new reader would form of yours truly, but hopefully a positive one, in spite of my sporadic posts and somewhat vague descriptions of my everyday life (it dawned on me that it was two years before I even mentioned that I lived in Northern Idaho at the time, for example).I’ve noticed several things, myself, during my little journey through the pages:
So. Many. TAGS!!! OK, I love a good tag (or “quiz,” as we called them in the early days of blogging), but GOOD NIGHT! Seems like every other post on the Rambling Rose is a questionnaire. >.<“Sew” much regret. I think of all the clothes I’ve shared on this blog, the only ones I still have are my “Eglantine” undergown/Empire dress mock-up (featured in my “Briar Rose” post recently), the skirt portion of my Bodiced Petticoat, and the “Scottish Seafoam” tartan skirt. Mind you, I don’t want to be a clothes-horse, but when I think of the pretty frocks I made, altered, or had plans for (including several I never got pix of), and now no longer have...it makes me rather sad. Makes me wish I’d tried harder to make them work, rather than just weeding them out of my wardrobe. ☹Hair Envy. While my short hair is worlds easier to care for on a day-to-day basis than waist-length locks, I do miss being able to do the elegant styles featured on this blog in years past, and others that, once again, I never got pix of. And while I could theoretically grow my hair long again...I’m not sure it would look as good as it did back then. Shortly after making “the chop” three years ago, I began losing a lot of hair (my hairbrush would go from empty to stuffed after every shower), until my scalp was visible in places, and Mom could see my shirt-collars through it in the back. Thankfully, it seems to have grown back in the past few months, but what hair I have now is baby-fine (finer even than it’s always been), and I’m convinced there’s considerably less in front of my ears now. As a result, my one braid is the size of the two I used to pin up and over my head, and it no longer holds any kind of French/Dutch/lace-braiding worth beans. I’m afraid if I grew it out to waist- or tailbone-length again, the ends would be so whispy and thin that it’d just look pathetic. So I’ll just have to stick with its current length and hope it will eventually get healthy again. *Sigh* I miss my “one beauty”....Broken Promises. I’ve noticed several times where I said I’d post pictures of something or other, or share a story or special post I had in the works...and then not follow through. A thousand apologies, Gentle Readers; I never meant to break my word...blogging is just one of those things that doesn’t come easily for me, and getting pictures was a bit more hassle back then. God helping me, I intend to do better in that area, when I have time for blogging.Abandoned Activities. Why did we stop doing the Literary Heroine Blog Parties each February? Or Ashley’s I ♥ Thursdays? Or Kendra’s delightful Character Encounters? Or Arielle/Melody’s creative Quote Questes? I always enjoyed the activities they instigated, and miss participating therein, as they made blogging fun and interesting. It was the CEs that got me back into writing, and the QQs that made me exercise my brain to cook up a story to match the Quote of the Month—both very good tools for an author. I’ve sometimes toyed with resurrecting these things and hosting them on my blog....
And now that I have more free time (or rather, feel more at liberty to use the time I have) for creative what-nots, I’m thinking blogging might be one of them. Probably nothing regular by any means...but I dointend to document the making of “Briar Rose” to the end, in the very least. After so many false starts and loose ends on that head, I feel I owe it you you, Gentle Readers...and to myself. If I can just push through and actually accomplish something—see it through to the end in Real Life and on the Rambling Rose—then perhaps, please God, I can establish some good habits (which, admittedly, should have been in place twenty years ago *snort*).
One thing I’d love to do in the near future is host a Blog Party (or even a full-blown Blog Tour) to celebrate finishing my latest masterpiece, Prince Nácil...and the fact that I’ve already sold no less than five hard-copies! Sole Deo Gloria!
The Pixie:Oooh! Did you say PARTY?
Yes, I did. But don’t get out the glitter-bombs just yet; Parties need Participants, and—
Anton Argentos:Shall I recruit some for you, Anka*? I’m sure with my good looks and persuasive charm, I’ll have them flocking to help you throw your Party!
<_< Your modesty is astounding,Silver One.
(Uh-oh; I must be in trouble; she only calls me Silver One when she’s vexed with me.)So...was that a No, then?
How about you let me make a few discreet inquiries. After all, it’s high time I learned to speak for myself. That’s part of being grown-up...right...?
(Besides, no one can see your "good looks" but me, since you live in my head, boy-o.)
In the meantime, I have a couple fun posts in the works (which I am determinedto follow through on this time!), so stay tuned!
Until next time, Gentle Readers,God bless,~ℛ~
*Anka = Originally referring to the (female) keeper of a magical piece of jewelry that brings the imagination to life, coined in Kendra E. Ardnek’s The Ankulen(male form Anku,gender-neutral/collective form Ank’). I have adopted the term when referring to my fellow scribblers (and when my Characters address or refer to me), but give full credit for its creation to Kendra.
So. Many. TAGS!!! OK, I love a good tag (or “quiz,” as we called them in the early days of blogging), but GOOD NIGHT! Seems like every other post on the Rambling Rose is a questionnaire. >.<“Sew” much regret. I think of all the clothes I’ve shared on this blog, the only ones I still have are my “Eglantine” undergown/Empire dress mock-up (featured in my “Briar Rose” post recently), the skirt portion of my Bodiced Petticoat, and the “Scottish Seafoam” tartan skirt. Mind you, I don’t want to be a clothes-horse, but when I think of the pretty frocks I made, altered, or had plans for (including several I never got pix of), and now no longer have...it makes me rather sad. Makes me wish I’d tried harder to make them work, rather than just weeding them out of my wardrobe. ☹Hair Envy. While my short hair is worlds easier to care for on a day-to-day basis than waist-length locks, I do miss being able to do the elegant styles featured on this blog in years past, and others that, once again, I never got pix of. And while I could theoretically grow my hair long again...I’m not sure it would look as good as it did back then. Shortly after making “the chop” three years ago, I began losing a lot of hair (my hairbrush would go from empty to stuffed after every shower), until my scalp was visible in places, and Mom could see my shirt-collars through it in the back. Thankfully, it seems to have grown back in the past few months, but what hair I have now is baby-fine (finer even than it’s always been), and I’m convinced there’s considerably less in front of my ears now. As a result, my one braid is the size of the two I used to pin up and over my head, and it no longer holds any kind of French/Dutch/lace-braiding worth beans. I’m afraid if I grew it out to waist- or tailbone-length again, the ends would be so whispy and thin that it’d just look pathetic. So I’ll just have to stick with its current length and hope it will eventually get healthy again. *Sigh* I miss my “one beauty”....Broken Promises. I’ve noticed several times where I said I’d post pictures of something or other, or share a story or special post I had in the works...and then not follow through. A thousand apologies, Gentle Readers; I never meant to break my word...blogging is just one of those things that doesn’t come easily for me, and getting pictures was a bit more hassle back then. God helping me, I intend to do better in that area, when I have time for blogging.Abandoned Activities. Why did we stop doing the Literary Heroine Blog Parties each February? Or Ashley’s I ♥ Thursdays? Or Kendra’s delightful Character Encounters? Or Arielle/Melody’s creative Quote Questes? I always enjoyed the activities they instigated, and miss participating therein, as they made blogging fun and interesting. It was the CEs that got me back into writing, and the QQs that made me exercise my brain to cook up a story to match the Quote of the Month—both very good tools for an author. I’ve sometimes toyed with resurrecting these things and hosting them on my blog....
And now that I have more free time (or rather, feel more at liberty to use the time I have) for creative what-nots, I’m thinking blogging might be one of them. Probably nothing regular by any means...but I dointend to document the making of “Briar Rose” to the end, in the very least. After so many false starts and loose ends on that head, I feel I owe it you you, Gentle Readers...and to myself. If I can just push through and actually accomplish something—see it through to the end in Real Life and on the Rambling Rose—then perhaps, please God, I can establish some good habits (which, admittedly, should have been in place twenty years ago *snort*).
One thing I’d love to do in the near future is host a Blog Party (or even a full-blown Blog Tour) to celebrate finishing my latest masterpiece, Prince Nácil...and the fact that I’ve already sold no less than five hard-copies! Sole Deo Gloria!
The Pixie:Oooh! Did you say PARTY?
Yes, I did. But don’t get out the glitter-bombs just yet; Parties need Participants, and—
Anton Argentos:Shall I recruit some for you, Anka*? I’m sure with my good looks and persuasive charm, I’ll have them flocking to help you throw your Party!
<_< Your modesty is astounding,Silver One.
(Uh-oh; I must be in trouble; she only calls me Silver One when she’s vexed with me.)So...was that a No, then?
How about you let me make a few discreet inquiries. After all, it’s high time I learned to speak for myself. That’s part of being grown-up...right...?
(Besides, no one can see your "good looks" but me, since you live in my head, boy-o.)
In the meantime, I have a couple fun posts in the works (which I am determinedto follow through on this time!), so stay tuned!
Until next time, Gentle Readers,God bless,~ℛ~
*Anka = Originally referring to the (female) keeper of a magical piece of jewelry that brings the imagination to life, coined in Kendra E. Ardnek’s The Ankulen(male form Anku,gender-neutral/collective form Ank’). I have adopted the term when referring to my fellow scribblers (and when my Characters address or refer to me), but give full credit for its creation to Kendra.
March 30, 2020
Crafty Corner: “Briar Rose” Dress | Part One
If anything good has come of this madness sweeping the world these days, and the subsequent “stay home” orders of one sort or another...it’s that people now have more time to do those “fun little extra” things they’ve always wanted (or been meaning) to do, but never had the time before. Many people are seeing this as an opportunity to be creative, and do something positive and beautiful (or at least enjoyable) during these crazy times.
Today, I’m going to share with you one of my pet projects, which up until recently, I’ve only been able (or motivated) to work on once a week, at best: A pink dress embellished with Irish crochet lace motifs. But first, a little history....
Back in ’03, my mother bought me a copy of Irish Crochet(originally published as Priscilla Irish Crochet Bookin 1909) as a graduation present, and ever since, I’ve had a dream to make up some of the beautiful motifs within its pages.It should come as no surprise that I chose the “Wild Rose Design” as the project of choice when I finally decided to fulfill that dream.
Today, I’m going to share with you one of my pet projects, which up until recently, I’ve only been able (or motivated) to work on once a week, at best: A pink dress embellished with Irish crochet lace motifs. But first, a little history....
Back in ’03, my mother bought me a copy of Irish Crochet(originally published as Priscilla Irish Crochet Bookin 1909) as a graduation present, and ever since, I’ve had a dream to make up some of the beautiful motifs within its pages.It should come as no surprise that I chose the “Wild Rose Design” as the project of choice when I finally decided to fulfill that dream.
