Voila!
Labels: home life
Monday, February 12, 2007
There were 2 more Carnival functions that my husband and the in-laws were due to over the weekend. Loosely translated, they were the Belgium Evening and Belgium Afternoon, the names being self-explanatory.
Over the shopping lunch break, we discussed costumes. Out of the blue, I suggested Andre Rieu, the celebrated violinist. Hailing from Maastricht, he is her favourite and world famous son. Over here, everyone knows Andre and we had the pleasure of attending one of his concerts last year.
My husband took to the idea at once. We did a quick inventory of costumes from Carnivals past and realised that all we needed was a wig, a frilly shirt and a toy violin. We already had the coat-tails. The wig and frilly shirt was procured almost immediately after lunch. The violin was a bit of a challenge and with shops closing at 5pm on Saturdays, we went home sans violin.
In the car, I offered to make a violin. He was rather doubtful but agreed anyway. After all, we were getting desperate.
So here was the deal: The party was at 8pm and we arrived home at 6pm. My husband had to leave by 7.30pm so that left me all of 1.5hrs to whip something up. I dropped my shopping bags and started work in the study downstairs. I forbade father and son to enter until I was done. I needed Full Concentration. I scrounged around our recycle box in the backyard for cardboard and raided my craft cupboard and drawers for supplies. As for how-to, I made it up along the way using a googled up violin image. At exactly 7.30pm, voila! A handcrafted original was born:
I can now add violin maker to my resume. *haha*
It's no Stradivarius but it'll do for the weekend.
My husband was blown away. I suppose he was just expecting a cardboard cutout, not a 3-D creation. As with all the other projects that pass through these two hands, especially if some form of creativity is involved, I must get it right or nothing at all.
I got a report from my husband the next morning. It seems that the getup was such a success that people were going 'Hoi Andre!' and buying him beer. The violin was much admired too. This makes me very happy. I'm quite sure my stock has since gone up.
The Dutchess of Cookalot whipped this up at 2:31 pm
: February 13, 2007 4:42 amI have no doubt that your husband considers you a growing asset :-). Way to go!
With Farshing coming up, I wish you could be around to make my kids a few costumes...
Having said that, I find costume parties for adults quite a horror, you wouldn't catch me dead in one. I am who I am and all that and would feel too ridiculous...
I came across your blog from Scarlett Ting's. Nice layout!
Your violin is most impressive - it looks like a real one in the picture.
Cheers,
rinnah
