Latest Posts

How do you like your Hobbitses?

Living in New Zealand, and especially Wellington, it’s impossible for me not to be aware of and interested in Peter Jackson’s Middle Earth films.

 

Scary thingies on the Embassy movie theatre, where The Return of the King premiered

Scary thingies on the Embassy movie theatre, where The Return of the King premiered

I first came to New Zealand as a student the year that The Return of the King came out, and Wellington had its first international film premier.  I really didn’t come for that – I was probably the only American student to come to NZ on foreign exchange that year who wasn’t madly interested in either LotR, extreme sports, or rugby.  In face, I barely knew that any of those things were happening until I got on the airplane (the rugby and extreme sports were a bit of a nasty shock actually).

But in New Zealand I was constantly thrown in the company of students who had specifically come so they could visit all the LotR filming sites and attend the premier, so I travelled with them, and did all these things.  And took lots of pictures, which I’ve illustrated this post with, because I’ve been really lazy and haven’t gotten good photos of any of the Hobbit stuff in Wellington  this time around.

NZ Post advertising

NZ Post advertising

These days, living within walking distance of Weta Workshops and the Park Road Studios, and with everyone I know contributing to the films in one way or another, I pay attention.  I know everyone from the embroider, to the candle-dipper, to sound technicians, to major art designers, to the glitter supplier.  The studio has been really good about hiring locals, and it shows.  Everyone’s played a part, but me.  I haven’t tried to play a part – the hours are grueling and I like what I do.

Anyway, on Wednesday Shell (the really tall hobbit) and I went to see the first Hobbit film – at the theatre just down the road from the studio.  I’m too lazy and not enough of a fan to have tried for a midnight showing, and I don’t like 3D, so we saw it at a very civilized 1 in the afternoon, without 3D, but we did get to see it at a the darling Weta designed theatre just down the road from where all the movie was made, so that was nice.

The Green Party gets in on the action

The Green Party gets in on the action

There is tons written about the movie, so I’m not going to give a full review, but are five thoughts:

  1. New Zealand looks amazing in the film – so gorgeous, but….we giggled every time there was a running/travelling scene and the group travelled from the middle of the North Island to the far South in a few steps.
  2. Wow.  Dwarves can be HOT!  I definitely do not remember that in the book!  As long as you can get past the niggling reminder that they have the best excuse in the world for always looking at your bust, it’s quite entertaining.

    If you like them dark and brooding you can swoon over Richard Armitage as ‘Thorin Epicsmolderingshield’ (as Cindy calls him).  If blonde and cheeky is more your thing than Kiwi actor Dean O’Gorman as Fili is quite delicious (though, having seen him in lots of NZ TV shows, and particularly as Anders in the Almighty Johnsons, I couldn’t help snickering every time he spoke).  On the sad/hot side, I was a huge fan of Aidan Turner in Being Human, and was a bit disappointed in his portrayal of Kili.  It just seemed flat.

  3. Speaking of disappointment, the huge costuming low point were Galadriel’s dresses.  They were just a little too white, and too literal – missing the bit of mystery and subtlety that made her frocks in the LotR films so effective.  They looked like they were made for a Lord of the Rings themed ‘Miss America’ pageant.  Also, I’m pretty sure you could see Cate Blanchett’s bra in some angles.
  4. Gollum/Smeagol = brilliant.  Nuff said
  5. I’m looking forward to the next one!  I can’t wait to see how the Necromancer storyline plays out, and more of Smaug, and to spend more time with the Dwarves.  I guess that’s the best recommendation you can give a film, especially if it is 3 hours long.

    Air New Zealand advertising

    Air New Zealand advertising

If you want a little more LotR stuff, I’ve blogged about visiting Edoras, and showed images of the Hobbit decorations at the airport.  Also, I can tell you what a weta is!

Hehe

Hehe

The ‘Nostalgia’ shorts

Time to clear something off the UFO pile.

I started these shorts on my trip home to Hawaii in August.  They were the product of desperation and necessity — I’d forgotten to pack enough shorts, it was really hot, and I was running out of clothes.  The fabric is something I bought for $1 a metre almost 20 years ago and left in Hawaii because I really don’t love the colour, and Simplicity 1230 was the only shorts pattern still in my stash under my parent’s house.

Before I got any further than cutting the shorts out, I stopped by the only op-shop on the island and picked up a couple of pairs of shorts for $1 each, so I didn’t need to finish these, and didn’t want to, because I’d rather have been sewing for Mum.  So the cut-out shorts and pattern came home with me and languished in my UFO pile.  This was partly because I’ve been super busy, but also because mint green and shorts (especially pleated shorts) are something I wore constantly as a child (hence the fabric), but stopped wearing as an adult.

I’ve gotten back into shorts slightly this year, with my ‘Summer Berries’ shorts  and the  ‘Mad, Bad and Dangerously Green’ shorts  but I still have mixed feelings about shorts except in tropical climates, and mint green is still a no-no.

But hey, I had the shorts cut out, it’s warming up in Wellington, I had a Sew-Weekly challenge to complete, and maybe it’s time to re-think mint.

The shorts were a breeze to sew up, and the fabric was delicious to work with — a very heavy rayon with a slight slub.  I was thanking my lucky stars I’d made such a smart purchase as a child!  Unfortunately the rayon had faded slightly on the creases in the intervening years, so I didn’t bother to finish them as nicely as I usually would.

I wearing them with a vintage aloha shirt (another very smart purchase I made before I was 15) and some canvas beach shoes and bright red lipstick.  The shirt really lifts the pastel shorts – definitely a pairing I’ll repeat.  I’m not brave enough to really bare my midriff like the playshorts in the pattern image yet!

For the photoshoot Mr D and I headed down to the waterfront by Wellington airport — it’s got some great sculptures that I wanted to capture  (though of course all those photos turned out rubbish), and the water and docks echoed my first childhood inspiration image (which is actually at Disneyland).  We even managed to see some ducks, but Mr D couldn’t get them in the photo, though I look cute cooing at them.  I like ducks.

Just the facts, Ma’am:

Fabric:  1.5 metres of heavy rayon with a slight slub ($1.50 — 18 years ago!)

Pattern:  Simplicity 1230

Year:  mid 1940s

Notions:  One zip (20 cents) and thread

And the insides?  Just zig-zagging

Hours to complete:  2 in Wellington, .5 in Hawaii

First worn?:  Sunday 9 Dec for the photoshoot

Wear again?:  If it gets warm enough — but they will definitely be in my suitcase next trip home!

Make again?:  Yes.  I really like this pattern

Total cost:  $1.70

There is just something about red shoes

I just love red shoes.  They are like happiness for your feet.

Amazingly, I’ve owned very few red shoes, because the modern ones just aren’t as pretty as my historical ideals.

Want to see some of the ones I lust after?

This pair is darling, but so practical.  If a modern shoe company came out with a replica, I would buy them in a heartbeat!

Red leather shoes, American, end of 19th century, Museum of FIne Arts Boston,51.1997

This pair may not be quite as practical, but, oh, that fabric!

Shoes, 1732—59, British, silk, leather, metal, Metropolitan Museum of Art

And just imagine how gorgeous these shoes would have looked when worn, with the little tassel swaying jauntily with each step.  Darling!

Slippers, 1790—1810, European, leather, silk, metal, Metropolitan Museum of Art

Actually, now that I think of it, that tassel and buckle is something I could do myself.  I must make it happen!

I like the juxtaposition of the tasseled pair and this much more recent pair.  I’d wear either in a heartbeat.

Shoes, Albion, 1956, Italian, leather, Metropolitan Museum of Art

Speaking of red and black shoes, the next pair is more red than black, but I think we can agree they deserve to be featured.  They are embroidered in strawberries after all!

Shoes with strawberries, 1760-1770, Hampshire City Council Museum

Speaking of patterns, was I ever not going to like a shoe in red and gold with a Greek key variant?

Shoes, French, leather, 1920-28, Paris, Musee international de la Chaussure

The shape of the next shoe doesn’t make my heart flutter, but the overall effect does.  Red stripes!  Happiness!

Shoes, 1845—60, French (probably), cotton, silk, Metropolitan Museum of Art

I’ve shown these sandals before in my Regency sandal post, but they are too fantastic not to post again:

Sandals, 1800-1825, leather, Manchester City Galleries

My late 1930s wardrobe is much sadder for not including these shoes:

Shoes, Delman, 1937—39, American, leather, silk, Metropolitan Museum of Art

And finally, for the most fabulously ridiculous pair of red shoes ever:

Slippers, Rosenbloom’s, ca. 1892, American, leather, Metropolitan Museum of Art

Do you like red shoes?  Or do you subscribe to the idea that they are ‘common’?  Which is your favourite?