Last Saturday was the gala of Orenda. When it was first announced I did not intend to go. I didn't know what I would do there, didn't have the Facebook buzz of "OMG, I'm so going to make a beaaaaauutiful dress", so I didn't sign up. Until I was asked by the organization if I was willing to come play my NPC Maha Rani (their version of Mata Hari) there and perform. Well, sure! So sewing a new costume was in order. Because, hey, you never have the right costume for the event, right? Even though I have about 6 different belly dance costumes at the moment.

I first bought an orange with gold fabric at the market in Utrecht. I was planning on wearing my gold bra and gold skirt from my Parnassos adventures, so I wouldn't have to make everything from scrap. However, I saw another fabric that I didn't buy but that haunted me the rest of the week. And suddenly the orange fabric didn't seem like a good choice any longer. So the following Saturday I went to the market again (with Matthijs, who needed fabric for a Paja Dahni poncho) and bought the haunting fabric anyway. It was pink with gold and brown and shimmering and pretty! It would make a new circle skirt and I still have fabric left if ever I want to cover a bra with it too.

Only a skirt was not enough, of course. Mata Hari wore a lot of jewelry and drapy fabric and a butt-covering belt. And somewhere on Youtube I found videos of someone with long strips of fabric with tassels. My muse had a field day. Some yellow-gold fabric was taken from my stash (didn't make it into the first version of the golden costume), pink crochet-cotton, beads and sequins and stuff. A lot of time went into making a large necklace and the headband with fabric flowers. I crocheted 30 chains for on the headband and in my hair, faking (a bit) the long hair that the real Mata Hari had.

Since I had been asked well in advance of the actual gala, I got everything done in time. The last crocheted chain being finished and attached to an hair-elastic on the Thursday before the gala. But then... panic! On Friday I was told that I was meant to dance at the end of the evening. Meaning that I would have to walk around in my 'oriental' costume the whole night, spoiling the surprise! Even though I had also made a robe to cover up the costume (sadly forgot to bring it to the gala!! stupid, stupid!) I didn't want to spoil the surprise. So an Unholy Plan (Onzalig Plan™) was formed between my work and volunteering at the animal shelter. I would whip up a jacket to wear on top of some skirts I had already planned for the main event of Orenda. So after cuddling the cats at the shelter I went home and set to work.

Fortunately I had already sketched up earlier what kind of costume I'd want and I had also decided on the fabric (which I had bought about 6 years ago) and I even had matching buttons lying around. I altered a pattern of a modern jacket. Altering the neckline, elongating the hem and adding more peplum in the back and shortening the sleeves. Of course some ruffles were added too. I took a shortcut by not making a lining and serging the edges of the ruffles instead of hemming them. I was so glad that this is not a reenactment event and I am allowed to use any machine I like.

I forced myself to visit the Viking market at Schothorst on Saturday afternoon so I would not be tempted to also make a new skirt and stress myself too much (since it would never be finished on time, but I would still be trying to). But I did make a matching purse after I returned home. Then I packed everything and waited for my ride to arrive. Miriam was kind enough to actually come pick me up at home, though it meant half an hour delay for her.

I didn't know what to do with myself at the gala, but watching the other people and admiring their outfits was fun. So were the presentations of the projects that were looking for funding. However I liked the progression, my character was supposed to loathe it. I didn't really feel in character at that moment. Talking with Silvio Spaghettini (Houdini like person) and the actual performance later in the evening made up for it.

The performance did not go as planned. I was a bit stiff and sore from walking around on low heels all evening and despite my warming up my muscles didn't really respond like they had to. So I felt a bit clumsy. However, according to the compliments I received nobody noticed anything wrong. And I served as a fine distraction from Cora threatening one of the players into reading out loud some text, hinting at a bomb being placed in the building. We actually were able to flee the scene without getting caught. The bomb was (sadly for us) disarmed in time.

Some nice conversation outside the building, driving home to Cora and René and then chatting some more had us in bed at 04:00. Yawn! A very nice breakfast at 11:15 and then the trip home to clean up the house and make a cake. My mother and her wife would be coming over to bring me my belated birthday present and stay for dinner. Since I had been working on my costume, playing with my new embroidery machine and some other stuff I hadn't put much time or effort in the household. It was a mess, but we got it clean in about an hour.

My mom brought their dogs, which didn't sit well with Lina. Lina was confronted with Kelly (a dog about the same size as a cat), got spooked, clawed Kelly over the nose and fled upstairs to hide under the bed for the rest of the day. Melisse was braver, she actually approached both dogs (Cliff being a medium-sized dog, think poodle/labrador). Melisse kept her distance but repeatedly walked passed the dogs to the other end of the garden. She only felt threatened when, on leaving, both dogs were brought inside and 'cornered' her. However, both dogs took her growling as a warning and backed off, so no further clawing was needed.

I got a new pair of fabric scissors and a tool to handle sewing over thick fabric (like where seams meet), we had tea and cookies, diner and cake and good conversation. So it was a weekend well spend and ended.