Princess and the Dating Game....

Hello Dhaaarlings...

WTF from Matt Zarley on Vimeo.


Since recently signing up to the "Infomaniac"


"Fag, Hag and Odd Slag Dating Service" 


My life has changed in Oh so many ways!....


All I can say is...


Thanks Mistress MJ....

A Lazy Little Sunday...

restless from SAM SCOTT SCHIAVO on Vimeo.

I just can't seem to get out of bed today...

Pop A Coin In The Slot...

I've never hit a Jackpot like this!

Friday Night... It's "Pata Pata" Time!...Get Your Groove on Gurl....

Hello Dhaaarlings...

Princess just feels like Dancing... 


You're more than welcome to join me...

Caring For Your Fabric.... Chintz....

Hello Dhaaarlings....

Princess knows that her readers are a delightfully dreadful hoard of 


"Fashion Forefronters"... 


Who want's to be a "Fashion Follower" anyway darlings.... I ask you? 

So at no expense to management Princess is willing to impart some helpful hints on caring for your favourite fabrics so that you might always look your best...

Starting off with the fabric that every trend setting "Fashion Forefronter" will be wearing this season...


Caring for your Chintz...

Now there is absolutely no excuse for you to go about town looking

Shabby.... with a soiled and glazed look about you Darlings...


Unless of course.... That... Is the look you are going for....


Princess always tries to be helpful...

Cause for Celebration!

Hello Dhaaarlings...

Oh how common!!!

 It should read...

Happy Australia Day....... Darlings...

Now Darlings! I feel like a celebration....

Everyone in the pool!!!

Seems the houseboys have started without us!

Bottoms Up Darlings!

Summer Viewing Doldrums....

Hello Dhaaarlings...


Don't you just hate it when there's nothing descent to watch on the Telly...

Apart from the new  "Vouging Aerial"

Fabric Testing is a Tiring Thing...

Hello Dhaaarlings...

I'm still busy testing fabric... And I never seem to tire of it!

What do you think of this Colour?

Princess Remembers....

Hello Dhaaarlings...

Did I ever mention the time that I blew a speaker in my car?

No?

He said he was a "Motivational Speaker".....

He certainly motivated me.... Darlings!

Let the Fun Begin....

Hello Dhaaarlings...

I'm just road testing some fabric...

Crows and Poppies and "Ozians" and Jitterbugs and FFFFlying Monkeys!...

Hello Dhaaarlings...

Princess is starting off down the yellow brick road and who knows where it might end???

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your well wishes and support and suggested management strategies from yesterdays post.

My heart swelled with joy and laughter when I came home and read your comments.

I thank you sincerely it just made what turned out to be a lovely and somewhat exciting day.... complete!

Despite my trepidation...Yesterdays luncheon went swimmingly...

No tears nor tantrums... With lots of good coffee and fresh foccacia's all around!

To my surprise...The head costumier remained in her box for the most part of the afternoon with just the occasional hackle raising comment... which Princess graciously let  glide by without acknowledgement or... which was picked up and challenged by the producer... which sort of left me with just the hint of a smile on my face...

The costumes for the major roles as... I suspected... have been clenched with both fists by the head costumier. (The majority of which are commercial costumes(*) purchased online prior to my involvement with "Alice" when the team had not seen what Princess could create!) and again, as I fully anticipated  the ones that are being made by the head costumier... are not up for further negotiation or offers of input or suggestions from anyone else thank you very much!

But I knew this from the beginning as I was told prior to "Alice" finishing that

"I" (Not Princess) will be doing Glinda, Dorothy, Lion, Scarecrow*,Tin Man*, Wicked Witch* and  The Wizard (utilizing the Mad Hatters costume from Alice!)

Princess will... for the most part... be coordinating the styling for Munchkinland So... Conveniently... (I had anticipated this)

All the flower costumes that I made for "Alice" will be recycled with some extra embellishments to create the Munchkins. Which saves Princess a whole lot of work... The lolly pop guild will be wearing the lederhosen that I made for the "Sound of Mucus" and the Lullaby League will be dressed in ready made begged borrowed or stolen Tutu's and... as those cast will be trainee dancers able to work on  point... and should have or be able to acquire their own anyway!

For this production... I have been allocated the responsibility to create 

3 Crow suits...

Something like this perhaps?

25 poppy costumes...

Which need a little more of a work up!

A plethora of hats/ headpieces/ scarves and accessories for the inhabitants of the Emerald City

Ah... Just let me get my hands on these pretties...

20 Jitterbugs....

If any of you can send me a conclusive picture of what a f@#%ing jitterbug is... Princess would be most greatful...

I'm thinking recycled Butterfly costume pattern and dragonfly wings...

Stay tuned for further developments...

and

6 Flying Monkeys.... Easy! Darlings...

I know that it might seem like a lot of work.... but...

It was announced that there is money in the budget to pay me for my work this time around...

Not an enormously huge amount... but at least it is a start... and will help toward increased alcohol petrol consumption costs!

AND!... Wait for it!....

The other huge announcement that was made 

(and met with stunned silence from the head costumier) 

was...

 Princess has been nominated to commence further training and study this year to become a "Qualified Assessor" For Certificate 4 in Textile and Costume Design.

This $3,ooo course will be subsidised by the youth theatre organization and government training body... Not costing me a cent!

On qualification an offer has been made that I take on the role of head of costume design and creative development with the youth theatre group.

 Which will be a paid position!

The exact role will be determined over the course of the next 12 months but will involve teaching design and costume construction.

I was quite flabbergasted!.... let me tell you Darlings...

The announcement was a total surprise!

I had no inkling that the offer was even on the table... so needless to say... 

I have grabbed the opportunity with Both Fists!  

I'd best be getting out the sketch pads... and finding my old school uniform...

But first... 


I think a little celebration is in order...

Don't you Darlings?

Looks like Princess is in for a busy year...

Bottoms up!

Off to see the Wizard?....

Hello Dhaaarlings...

Princess has been given a Right Royal Summons...

To to meet for a luncheon... (by invitation only it seems)... with the Coven... er..Production Team, for the Wizard of Oz...

Apparently the "Team"... (notice there is no "I") are currently on a 3 day retreat and have deemed that Princess may attend for one day only...

For the previous production as you know I was involved from the beginning as part of the "Team"

I suspect that the "Head Costumier" still has a bent little nose resultant from Princesses Performance in Alice in Wonderland... And appears to have gone into 

"I'm going to control everything and put this Bitch in her place" mode

But then again I might be wrong... On the other hand I've dealt with worse

But I don't enjoy working with Bullies!

So it is with some trepidation that I am attending the event today...

I shall dip my toes in the water this time around.... before... committing to what may well ending up constituting a personal emotional catastrophe... 

I cannot be entertained with nasal reconstruction... And do not wish to be brought down by someone else's creative insecurity...

I have fought long and hard to get back on my feet! 

Tears may well be shed but they certainly won't be mine Darlings...

I'll let you know how lunch went....

From the Garden....

Hello Dhaaarlings...

Meet my "Ladies in Lavender"...

"Agapanthus"

Even little honey bees love them!

You too can look beautiful Dhaaarlings....

Fotoshop by Adobé from Jesse Rosten on Vimeo.

From the Garden....

Hello Dhaaarlings...

Allow me to present for your visual delight

A Thing Of Beauty...

My Marvellous Vermillion "Mandevilla"

Replete with it's own cobwebs...

Regardless... It is in my opinion...

Simply Stunning...

It's quite amazing what a bit of chook poo will do for a stunted little thing in a tired old hanging basket!

A Passing at The Palais...

Hello Dhaaarlings...


We had some welcomed rain today...


I awoke so the pitter patter of rain on my roof early this morning after a week or so of hot dry weather. I don't mind the sunshine or the constant heat... but it is the strong Northerly winds that dry everything to a crisp that really bother me. The poor old roses started to look like pot pouri after a day or two...


You may well have noticed that apart from all the excitement of a recent


Arse Reading... 


By the lovely and talented  Mistress MJ of "Infomaniac" fame...


Things have been fairly quiet around The Palais.


But the rain has not matched our tears....


This is due to the fact that both the Empress and I have been in mourning at the passing of our beloved little "Abby" The Empresses companion of the past 13 years... 

Our little "Time Share" darling. On a nightly basis Abby would decide as to who's place she would be sleeping over at. Either Mine or the Empresses. Each option was not without its varying advantages. Treats and cuddles with the Empress, relatively early nights spent on her blanket at the foot of the empresses bed with cuddles snuck at all hours throughout the night. The morning would bring an early start and a trip out to the back door to remain outside for much of the day... 
The alternative would be late nights and the eventual commandeering of the centre of princesses bed, arguments about territory, eventual cuddles and then sleep leading to long lunchtime sleep-ins  despite the fact that Princess would be up and about from early in the day.


 A little maltese/shizu cross who never believed for a moment that she was actually a dog, having been hand reared by the Empress from soon after her birth.

During the weeks prior to the Empresses health scare...


 Abby had developed a nasty cough that would cause her lungs to go into spasm. We  put it down to the changeability in the weather and her having developed a bit of a cold. Not unusual and it didn't seem to interfere with her general demeanour nor her usual routines... And it certainly did not effect her appetite.


However... as time progressed the cough became worse and her breathing started to become quite laboured. Over Christmas she went off her food and became quite lethargic. Her breathing became more distressed.

A trip to the local Vet resulted in initial thoughts of chest infection a plan to have her hospitalised over night, X-rays, a course of antibiotics
and a discussion of a plan for her future management.


We received a phone-call from surgery later in the day saying that the results of the X-ray were not good and showed a large cancerous mass putting pressure on her lungs... Treatment options were very limited as the mass was inoperable.


After many hugs and tears and cuddles with the little darling... the Empress and I made the kindest decision to end our "little princesses" distress and suffering.


We both held her and patted her and said our goodbyes... tears streaming down our faces as the Vet very gently administered the injection.
It was a peaceful and painless departure...

It was strange coming home to the absence of the little happy dance

She will be sadly missed around the Palais...
While helping her hang out some washing yesterday the Empress suddenly burst into tears saying.... I keep waiting for Abby to come bouncing around the corner to see what we are up to... just like she always did...


Rest peacefully "Fluffy Bum" 

A Little Greenery From the Fernery....

Hello Dhaaarlings...

Orchids...

Fern Frond...

Ribbon Plant...

Wandering Dew...

Staghorn Fern...

Staghorn Fern...

Vietnamese Mint...

Crumbling Torso....

My fernery is one of the coolest parts of my garden at present to be in when the temperature reaches the very high thirties... Especially when the misting system gets turned on and creates a lovely cooling breeze...

I love dragging an old chair in there of an afternoon and relaxing with a long cold G&T....

You know that you are always more than welcome to join me darlings...

Princess Performs for your Pleasure....

Hello Dhaaarlings...


How about a little song to welcome in the new year???

Sing along if you know the words darlings....