Please excuse the yawning...

Oh my lordy lord.  Things have been insane around here.  My poor little Beanie baby has been very very unwell (last count, six different viruses/infections in the last two months)... the last one was particularly nasty, so much so we ended up at the children's hospital, but it fortunately proved to be nothing to panic over.  She spent four days (and nights) glued to me, allowing me to put her down two or three times a day when she rallied (an occasion which she invariably marked by doing a little dance, bless), but it usually lasted no longer than half an hour, then her temperature would sky rocket again and I'd have a sad and sick little Bean in my arms once more.  Of course Fudge was away on a work trip at the time... does it ever happen any other way?  I've been a nervous wreck with worry and am sooo sleep deprived...

Thankfully, for the moment, apart from a cold, Bean is much better.  Fudge is home, day care attendance has resumed, and I am s-l-o-w-l-y catching up on sleep.  And somehow, in amongst it all, I've managed to finish another three pairs of shoes!  I still can't quite understand how I did it, but I did.  I have proof.  Three pairs worth of shoes type proof.

Miss Jane's try-on Miss Eleanors

First I finished the Miss Eleanor samples for Miss Jane to try on.  She did, and to my relief (and amazement) they fit like a dream.  Yay!  Next step is to get started on Miss Jane's real pair, which will hopefully happen sometime this week.

Then I finished my Miss Eleanor shoes... I am so absolutely in love with them... especially the over-sized bows which make me feel like a 1930s showgirl (from the ankles down)... 

Oh so sparkly...

BUT - tears of disappointment and frustration - they hurt my heels.  I normally use leather stiffeners for the heels and toes of my shoes (sooo comfy), but found a heat activated plastic-y substitute which is a MUCH cheaper alternative.  I thought I'd give it a test run.  On my beautiful silver Miss Eleanors.  WHY did I do that?  It hurts.  A lot.  They rubbed painfully on my heels for the full five minutes I managed to wear them in class. I may be able to come up with some sort of extra padding/shielding solution when I have some time to play around.   

Sigh...

For now I must be content to just look at them. Massive note to self - STICK WITH THE LEATHER STIFFENERS.  Sob.

Miss Chris' try-on Miss Anns

And lastly, but not leastly (?), I finished the Miss Anns for Miss Chris to try on.  Which she is yet to do.  Crossed fingers they fit.  Very happy with the way these turned out too.  I'm finding my feet again with this shoe making caper (pardon the pun) and each pair is getting easier and faster to make.  And the results are better too.  Not that they've ever been bad, but when you're a perfectionist there is always room for improvement.

Now that I've got these sample pairs finished I'm feeling a lot better, like things are actually moving forward.  I'm really looking forward to making the 'real' pairs for Misses Jane and Chris... and to getting fit samples made in a few other sizes too.  I've got 'mock ups' sewn and ready to be lasted for my two other styles, and once the patterns are confirmed as correct I can set about making samples of them in other sizes for people to try on.

I'm beginning to think I might just be able to make a real go of this shoe making business... early days though Janine, let's not get ahead of ourselves...

I don't believe it...

... I finished my first customer order!

Say hello to Miss Helen's Miss Ann shoes...

I'm still in a bit of shock.  They seemed to take forever.  But Miss Helen has them in her possession, has worn them for a bit of a class (didn't want to scuff them, bless her), and I can now cross them off my 'to do' list once and for all.  Yay!

Miss Helen very obligingly allowed me to take a short video of her tapping in them...

She didn't want to 'hurt the shoes', so there are none of the ultra-tricky steps which Miss Helen is famous for mastering in one class... but you get to see the shoes doing some of what they were born to do!

Now to finish the next three orders...

Apologies for the poor quality of photos (and now video) of late... due to sheer laziness, I only ever can be bothered using my iPhone these days.

Introducing Miss Ann

Hi, Miss Ann!

Again, I was hoping to have some finished shoes to show off Miss Ann properly... but things are still taking forever, so here are some Miss Anns in progress.

This first pair is for my good tap buddy Miss Helen.  When I started tap a few years ago, my intention wasn't to make friends, it was really just to get out of the house and get moving again.  Miss Helen and a few others made it such an enjoyable experience I kept going back, and four years later the social aspect has definitely overtaken the 'getting out of the house' motivation.  So thanks Miss Helen et al, you ladies are the best!  I don't know which of us was more excited when I asked Miss Helen if she'd like to be a 'guinea pig' for my shoes.

Miss Helen chose some leather from my swatches and I did a computer mock up for her...

And then started work on the real thing!

This next pair are for Miss Chris to try on.  Miss Chris is another lovely lady from tap, with whom I've never done a class, but have gotten to know because she is just so friendly and, well, lovely!  They will become the 'try on' sample pair for everyone who is also size Miss Chris. 

Miss Chris' Miss Anns will also be black and silver, but different to Miss Helen's.  Again, you'll have to wait until they are in progress for a sneaky peek...

Both these pairs are ready for soles and heels now... I spent yesterday getting covered in wood and leather dust as I sanded and shaped four pairs of soles and heels for all the shoes I have waiting.

Thank you for your patience shoes...

And here are some more ideas of what can be done with this style...

Welcome to the range Miss Ann!

p.s.  I should mention this style is named for Ann Miller who was a phenomenal tap dancer and had two of the most enviable legs in show biz.  She was a fantastic all round performer, and if I had a fifth of her talent I'd be a very happy tapper.  This is one of my favourite Ann Miller routines... even though the taps are added post production, you can't deny that is some fancy footwork!

Playing along.

Introducing Miss Eleanor

Hi, Miss Eleanor!

I was wanting to wait until I had some finished shoes to introduce this next shoe in my range, but that may still be a month or so away... things are crawling at a snail's pace around here!  So here's a sneaky peak of a couple of pairs of Miss Eleanor in progress.

These are for, ahem, me... just to test the pattern and all, y'know...

 

Then I graded the pattern... love me a bit of pattern grading, nerd that I am...

And these are for my teacher Miss Jane (who is also the Headmistress of the school... no pressure, eek) to try on.  They will become the 'try on' sample pair for everyone who is size umm, size Miss Jane.

I'd love to give you a sneaky peak of the renderings I've done for Miss Jane... but I think I'll wait until the shoes are under way.  Let's just say they aren't black and white.

And here are some more ideas of what can be done with this style...

Welcome to the range Miss Eleanor!

p.s.  Eleanor Powell was an absolutely amazing tapper, one of the best female tap dancers ever.  I've posted this before, but have to again, 'cause it's so good!

Playing along...

Note To Self

Shoe making whilst deliriously tired may result in injury(ies).*

 *so, apparently, may eating... one of these wounds was inflicted by a humble fork.  Sigh.

Tap Day

Tap DANCING day, that is...

May 25th is International Tap Dancing Day.  To celebrate, on Sunday 27th my tap school, among other things, is tapping/marching through the streets of Melbourne in our signature 'spotty dresses', and then performing at Federation Square at noon.

 

Tap Day 2008

I didn't go last year (post baby body and spotty dress were not on speaking terms), and as I'm still recovering from a nasty something-or-other that I've had, I doubt I'll participate in the march o'glamour this year... but I'll be on the stage for sure!

Tap Day 2009

It is rare that I get to do anything crafty just for fun these days.  But recently I thought why not?  I'm already so far behind with my tap shoe work for various reasons (apologies ladies), I decided to make something just because I felt like it.

So I made the Bean her very own mini 'spotty dress'.

And her very own baby 'Miss Ruby' tap shoes (the smallest toe taps I could buy were still too big and ruin the effect somewhat, but no biggie, they'll fit her shoes in another year or five...)

She's already had a go in the shoes... and I'm guessing the protest when I took them off meant they were a success.  There will be photos after Sunday!  Come along if you're in the area... Markit, the fabulous design market is also on at Fed Square on Sunday, if you need more of a reason to venture out than 200+ spottily dressed tap dancers roaming the streets.

Playing along...

Oh, that's right, I have a blog...

Dear blog,

I'm so sorry for neglecting you.  I've thought about you a lot, but with two Beanie illnesses (one including both projectile vomit and explosive diarrhea... sorry, too much information?), Fudge going away for work, both my childcarers going on holiday, using every spare moment to work/tidy the house/keep up with laundry, a week of migraines and an illness of my own, it's been difficult to find time for you.  

I've had lots to tell you, so many things going on, and I'd really like to catch you up.  I'm going to make a real effort to visit you more often, to let you know what's been happening. The photos might be a little more sparse, the content a little less shoe related, but that will have to do until life is a little less chaotic... if that ever happens.

Lovely to see you, hope you can excuse the silence.

Janine x