Tag Archives: corsets

Ambush At Tomahawk Pass

Posted on by kathousekelli70

In the little town of Jonesboro (and Hodge), Louisiana, a gathering of cowboy's and cowgirl's came together for 'Ambush at Tomahawk Pass'. The SASS Louisiana State Championships for 2018.

As reported yesterday the range conditions quickly turned to mud and quite cool temperatures for the match but today's muddy, cold mess at least brought sunshine and clear blue skies with it.

 

Moving on from yesterday, our Posse of Stumpman, Mustang Toni, T-Bone Dooley, Ellie Gant, Ramblin Rose, Mad Dog Too, Roy Sackett, Cherokee Gal, Short Tree, Shakey Nate, Cornbread Dan, Hotshot Cotton, Hot Lead Lefty, Deuce McCall, The Arizona Ranger, Jackaroo (as Posse Marshal) and myself, all worked extremely well and it was a pleasure to shoot with each and every one of you.

Think our posse had at least 4 clean shooters. Out of the 108 shooters, 25 shot clean with Jack and I both pulling off a clean match ourselves.

Congratulations to the other Cowboy shooters! (Yes I did say Cowboy, Jack decided to shoot a few categories less than his usual) Slick McClade 1st place and Louisiana State Champion, Mr Black 2nd place and Jack 3rd place, finishing 6th place overall!

 

Check out the neat Posse Marshal gift too, a jacket with their alias and embroidered match name on it. What a nice and different idea.

 

Cogratulations to my fellow Lady Wranglers! Dew R Dye in 2nd Place and Nellie Blue in 3rd place and the Louisiana State Champion.

 

To round out the match overall Men's – Slick McClade and overall Ladies – Kathouse Kelli.

 

To the Overall Louisiana State Champions – Slick McClade and Nellie Blue – a huge congratulations to you both.

 

Once again, a very huge thank you to the Jacksonhole Regulators for a great match and hospitality.

Look forward to seeing y'all on the trail somewhere.

Kat xo

 

Be Seen In Green

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Green and cream. Tea dyed lace and broderie anglaise pair well with this green floral of Annie Hicock's.

She has made a shirt for Fast Fingers while I do the matching skirt and corset for her.

For this one I've coordinated a green check to create the skirt trim, the sash and the binding edge's for the corset.

 

It's coming together nicely Annie! Looking forward to seeing you coordinated pair on the range at Land Run!!

Kat xo

 

Neapolitan Dreams

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Mmmm some delectable pairings of chocolate, strawberry and vanilla fabrics for Pinky Jo has seen me spend many hours ironing small hems on 30 odd yards of frills.

 

They've gone from flat to fabulous froufrou in a shorter time thank goodness!

 

With these luscious frills now on the skirt, it's on to finishing the top and coordinating floral corset. Needs fluffy petticoats rather than a hoop though.

 

Always looking spectacularly pink, I think you are going to love this one Pinky Jo!

Kat xo

 

Whirlwind Week

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Back in Oklahoma it's back to a busy week of shooting club matches, practice days and rounded the end of the week with a trip to Arkansas for their club match today.

Last Saturday Missouri Mae and I ran a shooting clinic for 11 keen shooters. By all accounts it went well with those reporting they'd learnt some new things and we're happy to receive new tips. I wish them all the best for their future of shooting!

Sunday was a great day for them to follow up on their newly acquired skills with The Territorial Marshal's club match. Jack and I had a blast shooting with these guys again and there was an exceptional turnout of 65 shooters.

 

Wednesday, besides being a much cooler day, was practice day and for 11 of us that showed up for that we got through 6 stages pretty quick and headed off to 'go eat'!

Yesterday Jack decided we should head to Arkansas to shoot with Judge Parker Marshal's at Fort Smith.

We drove into town from the West and was looking for the new Marshal's Museum but alas it still hasn't started construction. It is reported to be opening in Sept 2019.

There is some new mural art on the sides of buildings that I noticed.

 

The club match today was good, attended by 15 cowboys and cowgirls.

Six great stages with everything from single tap to multi tap sequences and a variety of target sizes and distances. We are both pretty happy with today's effort.

 

For now, it's plan, pack and get ready to get on the road this week to Louisiana, then on through to Texas before heading back into Oklahoma for Land Run.

Look forward to seeing you on the trail somewhere!

Kat xo

 

1890’s for me!

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Yes! I'm doing a gown for me! Yay!

Thanks to Annie Hicock for passing on some check flannel fabric and for an inspiration photo that I found on Pinterest I felt a new 1890's gown would be the go for me.

My inspiration – this sweet little, simple looking skirt and bodice. Now the hat I had already made on a trip to Texas last December?! It just needs the finishing touches of brim trim and a dead bird or feathers as such.

 

Meh, still thinking about that decoration seeing as I didn't get to the shop in Mount Tamborrine that has the most divine hand constructed velvet flowers.

Back to the main construction and I started on the skirt using a Buckaroo Bobbins pattern of the Primrose Skirt. That will work but I didn't want the semi check plaid running straight across. Nothing like making work for myself. (She says rolling her eyes)

The fabric had that much movement in it I was almost tempted to give up and construct something else. Always up for a challenge, I persisted after I got to match the front panel how I wanted. (Now with somewhat gritted teeth)

Eventually I got all the panels around the skirt to match as close as possible and I got to thinking about how much fabric the pattern matching was using up and whether I would have enough for the bodice. I also had some black velvet on the shelf and decided the inverted pleat section in the rear of the skirt would look good using this. It will certainly match in with the use of it for the waistband.

 

With the saving I made using the velvet I had enough of the plaid fabric to definitely play with further pattern matching on the bodice.

It's time to use the old noodle and work out how in the world I can create the look I want with the bodice and the hidden closures required to get in and out of it.

I got that semi worked out, fabric's cut and pieced together in order for it to look like a blouse (shirt waist) and short jacket. So far, so good.

 

For now, I'm on track. I need to do some more deciphering of the inspiration photo and research closures to see if anything matches with the idea in my head.

Brain power required.

Kat xo

 

When In Texas….

Posted on by kathousekelli70

It's go bold, go big or go home! Lol!

So here I present the 'I Love Texas' outfit that I made for Pistol Packin' Pami.

You would have seen it boldly worn at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix at Winter Range 2018! (Tuesday over there)

Others desiring this similar theme were a little disappointed when I said I couldn't do a corset for them because 'somebody else' was already getting it.

Pami wanted a Texas flag corset incorporated with blue bonnets and the main part to be like the flag. We put our heads together and came up with the star embroidered on the blue, the red and white on the left as per the flag – perfect – and at the back the two middle sections would be white and feature the Texas state flower, the Bluebonnet. (The 'lupinus texensis' the bluebonnet was adopted as the official state flower by the Texas legislature in 1901)

 

Pami, being a colourful character who I treasure, loves colour and so we went with a red top with a small blue and a white frill in a style she is familiar with.

 

Her flamenco styled skirt in red features a blue frill with white embroidered stars, the white frill has a smaller version of the blue bonnets and a plain red frill – see where I went with that? Keeping it in similar order to the flag itself.

 

With, of course, a quick little headpiece to boot!

 

The final product and one very happy cowgirl! You look amazing my friend, can't wait to see more photos of you in this outfit on range.

 

Somebody please post more pic's on Facebook so I can see it in all her glory!

Kat xo

 

Weddings, Parties, Anything!

Posted on by kathousekelli70

With the recent wedding of Ace McKenzie to Scarlet Assasin, I can now reveal her gorgeous gown, Ace's vest and Dallas Roarke's corset gown that I created for the wedding party.

Measurements were obtained 12months ago, sourcing of fabric and lace from various parts of the globe took place and then it was time for getting it together.

I tried a new corset construction, or boned corset bodice I prefer to term it, much more suitable for a wedding gown. Mock up corsets were sent over for fittings, with progress moving on from there.

Scarlet was to have a recreation of a gown she had seen with a couple slight alterations from the original picture. Suffice to say I was happy with how everything turned out but was still waiting for it to arrive safely in Australia to her and know that everything fitted perfectly.

A couple conversations with Aspen Filly confirmed what I was to do with the skirt and a tip on the horsehair use with the satin frill to get just the right amount of bounce and wave was greatly appreciated. New technique learnt! 😉

Satin taffeta underskirt and overskirt with satin and crystal organza frills on one yoke to create less bulk beneath the bodice.

 

Corset bodice of satin taffeta and full pearl bead, sequinned lace, piped edge finish, rigilene and steel boning.

 

The finished product in full – spectacular!

 

Ace's requirements were for a vest. Simple enough, just needed the Ace cards embroidered on the front and in a red shot black taffeta. Some playing around with embroidery designs and figuring out placement, I nailed it first go with the hoop change in the middle. Happy day's!

 

Dallas wanted the Ace cards down the front of the corset on the same red taffeta coordinated with gorgeous lace skirt overlay. I did however, have to do her front section twice over to get the cards lined up. Slightly frustrating but I got there.

The red and black is always a sensational pairing.

 

Then came the 'how are we going to get this back there?' To which came a number of expensive options finally arriving at a more reasonable one. I found and used Luggage Free, sending my luggage ahead with the said wedding items inside. What a fantastic service and was there in plenty of time to steam and let set as needed.

I've been waiting until the 10th February for this reveal and so glad their wedding turned out to be a sensational day with family and friends and that I was there in spirit and thread! 🙂

Ace sent through some photos taken by The Boneyard Wrangler so now can share the beauty of the final production.

 

Congratulations once again Ace and Scarlet!

Kat xo

 

How Many?

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Apparently 6 stages, lunch and a 20minute car ride re-watching the days shooting videos, only to see a steel bone sticking up out of the back of your corset!! Haa haa haa and yes there were others there – 19 in total!

 

The weather was a little windy and overcast but a hell of a lot warmer than in previous weeks.

 

Sunday we headed to Cushing for the club match. Stages were fast with plenty of movement and a good variation of single tap and multi tap sequences.

 

Jack shot a really good match ending up with just less than a second between us with my stuff ups for the day. Keeping me on my toes he is!

 

Hope you had a great weekend and are into another fabulous week!

Kat xo

 

Here’s Yer Sign!!

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Well, this is a sign to behold. One of the secret squirrel projects prior to Christmas was a special request from Texas Jack Daniels.

The idea was for a pack down prop to be put up outside their RV when on ranges across the nation. Many cowboy's distinguish their spots by flags, lights, signs etc and this one is sure going to let you know that you have arrived at Texas Jack Daniels (TJD) and Shotglass' camp.

The requirements: a gambler, a saloon girl, the Texas flag, a bottle of Jack Daniels, a shot glass, their aliases and should measure around 3ft tall by 4ft wide when assembled. Okay! Let this brain get thinking a little and see what I can come up with.

After a short time of contemplation and use of a couple of actual photos of TJD and Shotglass, I sent through my thoughts for approval. Next I drew it out on timber and we were under way!

Stage 1: drawing the design on the timber, took me a long time to draw the saloon girl face, (anything else but face's is my usual thought)

 

Stage 2: cutting, sanding (yes, did it myself, she wouldn't have had feathers on her boa otherwise)

 

As TJD was keen to see it to completion with photos to give Shotglass for Christmas, I cracked on.

Stage 3: black – everything I do for props starts with a black base coat. Saloon walls, gambler hat, saloon girl feathers, background between her arms and carpet

 

Stage 4: saloon walls first

 

Stage 5: working on the saloon doors, layer by layer

 

Stage 6: adding a bit of Texas flair, keeping the louvre door look happening, more shading and hinges

 

Stage 7: aliases (hmm taking a look at the aliases now, I see a flaw that I may have to rectify. The aliases are flat and by saying that I mean if you look where some of the letters flow from flat timber to louvre – should be shadow)

 

Now fixed!

Total layers: timber walls 6 layers , saloon doors 7 layers, aliases 3 layers.

As each day drew to an end I would send TJD a number of photographs of the progress.

Always starting from the background first it was onto the gambler. Depending on where it was at and if waiting on paint to dry, then I would switch over to the saloon girl or add more detail if I thought a section needed more.

Stage 9: onto the carpet for both

 

Stage 10: the table in the background was next. My original thought was to have the gambler holding the bottle and still hadn't quite worked out the shot glasses. The photo had a table in it and so became the perfect idea to include it for the bottle and shot glass.

Stage 11: boots and pants

 

Stage 12: saloon skirt, boa, gloves, hair feathers – we both decided red would be a great colour to make this pop, besides, it is one of Shotglass favourite colour's also.

 

Stage 13: whiskey bottle and shot glass, saloon girls legs

 

Stage 14: more shading to gambler boots and saloon skirt

 

Stage 15: black base to saloon girl boots, apron front of skirt and gambler vest

 

Stage 16: continue shading saloon girl skirt, boa and apron front. Stripes, buttons and chain to gambler vest with additional shading.

 

Moving right along into another day and I'm starting to get to finer details on some areas.

Stage 17: let's add some gimp trim and fringing to the apron front and black in the fan.

 

Stage 18: detail to boots, eyelets, hooks, laces and detail the fan

 

Stage 19: flick back to the gambler and it's time to do the cane and hands, black in the corset and bust of the saloon girl

 

Stage 20: skin layers take time

 

Stage 21: black in the gambler coat and start shading

 

Another new day dawns and I'm still thinking about how to give the corset more detail rather than just a colour.

Stage 22: add red shading to corset, black in hair

 

Stage 23: she needs jewellery – draw, black in, shade more to corset, shading to gambler coat arms, cravat and tie pin, add colour to necklace, draw in lace pattern to corset.

Stage 24: shade jewellery, paint lace and shade corset. Tie pin, collar and cuffs, hatband

 

Stage 25: do both their hair, shadowing to gambler hat, and face skin tone

 

Stage 26: moustache and eyes to gambler, fringe, earrings, facial features to saloon girl (starting to sweat now, really want to get this face right)

 

Stage 27: more shading to facial features to both, hat shadow to face of gambler, touch ups where required.

Stage 28: stand back and admire my own handy work. Loved working on this piece!

 

Stage 29: lacquer! Now the colours really pop!!

 

Stage 30: assembled

 

Stage 31: brackets and posts – thanks to Jack for working out a better solution of my half baked idea.

 

Total layers: Gambler – carpet 5, table 5, bottle and glasses 6, boots 4, coat 5, cane 4, vest 6, pants 3, hair 5, hat 5, tie 7, face 10.

Total layers: Saloon Girl – carpet 5, boa 5, gloves 3, skirt 7, corset 8, fan 4, boots 5, hair 6, face and skin 10.

A total of 39.5 hours later over a period of days, this is what we finally have!

The photos don't do it justice and I think they will be more than ecstatic when they finally have it in real life, come Land Run, when it will make its initial appearance on range.

That was a fun piece!

Cheers! Kat xo

 

That’ll be the day!

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Said John Wayne as Ethan Edwards in “The Searchers” (1956) and that's exactly what I thought when Petticoat Parker asked if I'd seen any John Wayne inspired fabric.

'Whoa, take 'er easy there pilgrim' I thought (John Wayne as Tom Doniphon in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)) I've never seen any John Wayne fabric but I sure was going to see if I could find anything like it for her.

I did! To my wonder and surprise Spoonflower had two designs featuring John Wayne. So therefore, Petticoat Parker's corset, matching reticule and Red River Raider's matching arm bands came to be!

Now if you haven't kept up with what's going on here, in a months time, Winter Range begins and this year the theme is John Wayne movies. So I just had to find fabric appropriate for her gear.

'Slap some bacon on a biscuit and let's go! We're burnin' daylight!' – as Wil Anderson in “The Cowboys” (1972). They are done and already in her hot little hands!

 

Wish I could be there but keep your eye out for these little beauties on the range in Phoenix! Go check out Winter Range, at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility Feb19th-25th, 2018. 700 or more shooters, Fastdraw and Mounted Shooting included.

 

Kat xo