The Stitch

As many people know, we've been working on creating a new line of goodies for a brand new wholesale line of Renaissance garb, and we're in need of models for an upcoming photo shoot in the Rochester, NY area.

Payment will not be in cash, but instead you will receive free garb made to your measurements. Everything you wear for the photo shoot, you get to keep! These garments will all be made just for you, to your sizes.

We need somewhere between 2-4 models (both male AND female), in ALL shapes and sizes to pose for some pictures that will be used on our new site. These pictures will be made available to our vendors for them to use on their websites too, so please be aware that these pictures will be posted online and in catalogs in quite a few places. Be prepared to be recognized once the line of clothing hits the market.

If you're interested in applying, and can come to Rochester, NY for the photo shoot, please drop me a private email with a couple of pictures of yourself and a little information about your interests and availability for the shoot.

I'll select the models within a few weeks and will notify everyone.

If you're selected, I will need you to:

* Be 18 years or over

* fill out a measurement form and send it to me via email.

* Sign a photo release/contract form allowing me and the people who buy from us to use your picture in their catalogs and on their websites to sell the clothing you will be modeling.

* Travel to or live in the Rochester NY area for the photo shoot on the designated date. We prefer that people live in this area, because we won't be able to compensate anyone who travels so far that they need accommodations.

Note: I'm pregnant, and due in February, so the *exact* date of the photo shoot(s) is pretty up-in-the-air right now. We expect the full line of clothing to be patterned in November, with the samples to be constructed by December/January. However, I'm going to be pretty huge and uncomfortable by then, so I don't know if I'll be capable of doing the shoot during that timeframe.

If we can't do the shoot BEFORE I have the baby, we may have to postpone it until March/April. We're SUPER willing to work with everyone on their availability, and if it means we have to schedule several photo shoots, we'll be happy to do it. We're just going to be incredibly grateful for some fresh, smiling faces wearing our new designs!

The new line includes a few undergarments (chemises and bloomers), which would be done in a very professional, very "wholesome" way. No nudity or provocative poses will be required from anyone. The other garments are all bodices, skirts and dresses, and a small line of men's clothing.

I'm really looking forward to hearing from anyone who is interested!!

Me and the Childypants. Ignore the crazyhair, please.

Brian says she learned this sarcastic facial expression from me.

I say she learned this facial expression from Brian.

Tonight is the annual Piper WICKED SCARY HALLOWEEN PARTY for the neighborhood/family kids (and grownups). Brian bought 45 lbs of candy this year. I've eaten a good portion of it already.

For Halloween, the Pipers are going as Star Wars characters. Since Brian already has the Obi Wan beard, that's who he is going to be. We ran out of time on the costuming front, so he planned to take a pair of his old dress shoes, spray paint them from black to brown and make some brown vinyl spats to wear on his shins.

Last night he spray painted one of his black shoes brown and it came out great. The spats looked fabulous with it, so this morning he spray painted the other shoe.

It wasn't until he was completely finshed with the paint job that he realized he had grabbed one of his GOOD black dress shoes, and painted it brown. So, now he has one of his old, crappy shoes painted, and one of his NEW dress shoes painted.

Fortunately he painted one right and one left shoe.

Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeez, hurry up, already!" Napoleon shouted at me, as I taped the white plastic Fisher Price radio to my chest.

"Be quiet. I'm going as fast as I can!" I responded, losing patience.

A minute later I was ready to fly. I pressed the giant orange PLAY button on my radio and soared straight up into the clouds. As I approched him hovering just above my head, Napoleon and I shot forward, just above the treeline, flying over lakes and rivers, looking for evil-doers. . .

Yeah. Pregnancy dreams are fun.

For a few weeks, Elizabeth was naming every color LELLO. She still does it on a rgular basis, but I think she does it because, for a while, we thought it was funny. Now, (after asking her to try again) Elizabeth consistently recognizes the following colors and correctly names them:

Yellow
Red
Green
Blue
Purple
Pink
Brown
Black
White.

She has a little trouble with orange, but doesn't everyone? ;-)

Did/does anyone else have weird dreams during their pregnacy?

Last night I had a dream that I had a "cabana boy," and Brian had a "cabana girl" (I don't know if there is such a thing).

We wound up firing both of them for eating all of our cookies.

Topio, topio, topio.

We love you too. xoxoxo

Each year we throw a big Halloween party for all the kids we know (family and friends). We do a dozen games, including the annual pinata beating. Then we set up the big tent in the backyard and show a movie on a big screen, under the stars. We throw all the pillows on a tarp on the ground, give the kids blankets and sleeping bags to wrap themselves during the movie. The parents hover on the sidelines and gorge on pizza and chili dogs, while the kids load up on the 30-something pounds of candy that Brian always buys.

This year we'll be doing a Star Wars theme for the Piper family costumes. Brian is going is Obi Wan, I will be Leia (because she wears a big white tent-dress that I'll fit into), and Elizabeth will be Yoda. I'm not going as pregnant Padme. Her costumes are a little too skimpy for chilly NY Halloweens. I will post pictures, I promise.

I broke my rule about never making costumes for myself again, and I made the costumes for Brian and myself for this year's party.

Last year we hired someone to make our costumes and went as "Spy vs. Spy." My mother saw our pointy face masks on the table, yanked me aside and demanded to know if we were going as members of the KKK.

I explained to her that we were "Spy vs. Spy" and she stared at me blankly, as if I just told her that we were going to be Boffy and Scrapple from the planet Toiletbowl.

"Who??" she asked.

"Nevermind."

So, will Brian repeat last year's performance and purchase 35 pounds of candy? Will my mother think I'm wearing cinnamon rolls on my head? Will the kids approve of this year's movie selection? Tune in after the 21st of October for a full report and PICTURES!

Dammit.

I watched the Pillsbury bake off last night and found out that first prize is ONE MILLION DOLLARS. I'm SO entering.

I just need to learn how to cook, because, unfortunately, cooking seems to be a BIG part of winning the loot.

Dammit.

Elizabeth, me and lots of bubbles

Elizabeth, "caught" in the corner

Brian, Brian's Mom, Elizabeth and me!

We received an order over the weekend from Christina Aguilera's designer. We're making some enormous neck ruffs for one of the dancers in her upcoming world tour.

We love working with famous people. But then again, who doesn't? ;-)