Lady Elaina

"waiting breathlessly to see this fine Pirate"

I cant wait to see that thread about the handsome pirate in the red coat... that happens to be my weakness!! Which thread that be in lass?????

Thank you. It is 98 % hand stitched. I have some photos I can scan then I will make a seperate thread in here under plunder. I will put my other dresses on here too. But in another thread. I make some of these dresses for the crew of Grace O Malley here for the Gasparilla galas and parades. I actually find these dresses easy to make for some reason,,... I must have been born in another time or something. Thanks for the Hot Lass comment.. it made me feel younger LOL (I feel over the hill at 25). Gabrielle

Thank you so much for the compliment!! Well for me I have a corset that has 2 strings that tie in the middle.... they meet half way. One from the top going down.. one from the bottom coming up. So I can tie my top half tighter and my bottom half lighter. Also.. it is good to adjust your cleavage like they said... pull yourself forward and have someone tie it tighter as you hold onto yourself. I feel so natural in a corset that I have never had a problem. However .. you have to be careful not to tie anything too tight.. that is where the 2 different strings come in. That way your waist can have more room to breath then your chest and your ribs can move around a bit. You wil be able to tie it right towards the top where your bust will need it the most. In this pic I have just a corset underneath my gown that I finished. The bra underneath it would have looked too bulky.. but under some corsets I have warn a bra to help pull me together. The padded ones make it to the point that you don't have to pull as tight. Less effort!! I made the strings in the back of the dress the same way too. I got really hot during the day and had to let myself out a bit at the waist.. and it helps for when you have to eat too.. then you don't lose support up above in the chest area.. just the waist where you need it. (Held by a different string). I hope that helps... I have been wearing corsets since I was 11.. kinda gotten used to them by now. Good luck lass!! Gabrielle

Wow thanks for all the info!!! I have very delicate wrists so I have to be careful as far ar weight. I will investigate!! I will use the sword in my group to fight with during skits... nothing too hard. But always a great skill to know in my field in case the heavy duty fighting comes. Gabrielle

Thankyou for the compliment on the float! It is brand new.

Wow!!!!! That is an awesome photo of the float!!! I see myself up above the others on the main deck below that guy who is stading up on the back (I am under the last smoke stack).. my own family could not get that good of a photo... everyone kept putting their hands up and blocking them!! Thank you so much for sharing!!! I will be looking at your site soon!!!! And yes I could not hear a thing except for that woman yelling "Gabrieleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Beadssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss!!!' And that was because she was so loud. I almost went deaf from all the screaming... I am glad you got a lot of beads!! I still have a whole case left over. Gabrielle

Im so sad...... I wish I could have seen that!!! The only park with Hook's ship like that one is in Euro Disney.. they have the ship you can eat on. Too far from here

Paisley... Which area of the Bleachers did you end up??? My family was on the Marina side. And were you on the waterfront side?? I hope you had a safe visit.. I did not sleep for 3 days.. (2 days before and the day of) so I was utterly exhausted. Hope to see the photos :)

Here is a link to what I saw on the Bus... when we were going over the bridge... it is breathtaking... and there are other pics and useful info as well!!! The Ship Jose Gaspar and her floatilla: http://www.tampagov.net/about_Tampa/featur...arilla%2004.jpg http://www.tampagov.net/about_Tampa/featur...rilla/index.asp Close up of the ship: http://www.tampagov.net/about_Tampa/featur...arilla%2012.jpg

Thanks so much for the links !!! They will come in handy soon! Gabrielle

Ok... I have 2 disposable cameras to take in.. I have some photos from a digital camera that I am posting on my site tomorrow and I am awaiting some more from a friend of mine (She took marvelous ones with her professional camera). The parade was allot like fantasy fest to me. The moments before the parade were awesome.... I remember all of us riding over the bridge backstage and the pirate ship and 1000's of little boats in the floatilla going under us. It was breathtaking.... the pirates literally took over the whole city. We had to wait backstage for 3 hours until the parade started!!! So we traded beads with the other 130 crews and drank champagne listening to OutKast and various other party music on the float. The parade itself lasted 3 and a half hours for us... not including all the walking we had to do to the Beader's Ball. That took place at the convention center and had 100's of people. It was fun but I was already tired and left early. I walked across the street to the Tampa Marriott.. they turned the inside into pirate paradise... and it was packed with 100's of pirates in the lobby. That is where I ran into most of the Ye Mystic Krewe and hung out for a little while. All though The Mystic Krewe allowed themselves to be the only Pirates..... I still saw The Henry Morgan float and various others dressed in "not so obvious but obvious to some Pirate Garb" It was wonderful!! I think the highlight for me was seeing the families and children dressed up as pirates... even babies (Thousands). And meeting the Tampa Bay Bucs again was cool. I loved the floats.. all though my darn beads keep tangling.... so we just threw them in clumps LOL Photos coming,,,,,,but I want pics of those baby pirates!!!!! If you have any Paisley pls send away!!! We are not allowed to take pics on the Float. I am waiting for photos of our float... I was on top of it in that beaded dress. I am having the TV footage sent to me for screen capping. The footage has the best images that I can freeze. So many pirates in one place.... wowwwwwwwwww!!!!!! My plate is full now.. I have so many orders for costumes I have to get started tomorrow to be ready for the next parade year. As for my family they are exhausted too. They left early and still had to walk miles to the parade route. Then they ended up sitting in the bleachers with someone who was on heavy drugs and kept trying to get them to drink her very spiked gatorade. It was funny but not funny. My mother accidentally told her my name not thinking she would do anything,.,,,,when I went by on my float I heard someone yell "GABRIELLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE GEMMEEEE THOSE BEAAAADDDDSSSSSSSS"!!!!!!!!!!! I looked up so stunned that I missed seeing my family that was sitting right in front of her loool. And some people in the audience actually threw beads back at us because they didn't like them. I think I threw one back at those people and actually hit her in the eye.,.. oopssss!!! More to come... Gabrielle

I have lots of gory details... I met up with the Ye Mystic Krewe themselves at their Private Ball and after party at the Marriott. It was a lot of fun but I am truly exhausted!! I will be back later with details and many many photos. I was on top of our float .. too cool!!! The photos came out well. It was hard to take photos my family says.. everyone was jumping up and down in the bleachers. So much for life in the fast lane... I off to bed for now!!!! Gabrielle

Me too!! I hope it doesn't rain either! I be sending your beads after the Invasion weekend.. probably next Tuesday or so. I be traveling to get your Captain bead on Monday dear Tito. Thanks for the kind words!! :) Cheers!! Gabrielle

I make me own by hand.... but I would not mind someone else making them for me!! Me back is tired!!

Yes, and thank you for proving my point. I actually heard about that also... how Ballet plays an important role in swordplay.. due to it being like a very disciplined dance. I can't wait to start!!! Thank you for sharing !!!! Gabrielle

Yes it is something to think about. However... I cannot find any sword combat lessons in my area here In tampa bay. So this person from my crew is coming up from along way to train me with foils. If there is someone in the Sarasota, Tampa bay or Central florida area that is willing to train me that is wonderful. I heard there is a crew in Sarasota... I am looking into that possiblity for training purposes. But I would rather learn the work of a real blade.... I am a newbie and thank you all for the kind advices. I had no idea of the difference. However, I think with extreme ballet training in my belt I will be able to catch on quick, maybe I will be able to train at the next festival that I'm going to in Hampton?? Any takers?? LOL newbie newbie Gabrielle

Hi everyone!! The big day is this weekend and this be me first gasparilla pirate invasion. I will be posting photos of our float, the pirates and the Gaspar ship. Now I have a photo similar to what I will be wearing: I made this dress to scale.. at the moment I am sewing on the thousands of tiny sequins all over the layers. The top and sleeves are completely done so far. The dress is already covered in 10,000 or more black crystal beads.. (I started on this dress 1 year ago)! If it rains this weekend I will not be wearing this dress!! The forecast is ify so far. Just like last weekend!!!!!! Photos coming!!! back to bead sorting as usual, got to get my loot ready!! The loot bag weighs 56 lbs!! That be a lot of beads!! Gabrielle

"Ive been likin pirate ever since i was a young one when i saw the great classic peter pan.(by disney) fellows laghed at my fancy, but they could not stop me!! " I know what you mean. I used to take the Peten Pan book to school and get caught reading it whenever I got bored. LOL My freinds used to call me Wendy to irritate me. Thats where it all began. Too funny.

Omg , I would actually pay to see (you know who) shot out of a cannon!!! SAVE DISNEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ahoy mateys!!!! The photos are awesome on shutterbug!!! May I ask who the Bounty day pics belong too??? I know someone who be looking for that sort of thing to put on their site. They would give full credit. You can pm me if you want to, this person be searching high and low. I still havent found any night pics of the holiday parade, just one of us as a group before the parade began. Nothing yet of us traveling in the parade route. I will keep looking until I find one, it was an awesome night!!! See you all at the Blackbeard festival??? Gabrielle

Hey I love the toys on some of these sites!!! Gabrielle

thank you all!!! I will start with foils because I am a newbie. I may buy an additional sword just for looks. Me training starts in 3 weeks. Cheers!! Gabrielle

Anyone know where a Pirate Lady can get a good sword???? I be a beginner at swordplay, any sugesstions???? Gabrielle

Cool.. Did you find stage combat classes in this area?? gabby