Lucy Jane

Wow!  I can't believe we're at the halfway point (more or less) in the A-Z challenge!

Lucy Jane Pennybright is someone I know better than anyone else.  She's me.  She's an alter ego I created for one of my artistic ventures. (No, I'm not crazy- keep reading! lol)

I'm an extremely creative person.  From the time I was old enough to hold a crayon (and make a rainbow on the wall behind my crib between the slats!), I have been involved in one art form or another.

When I was in college (an Art/Graphic Design major, naturally), my Grandmother taught me how to sew.  She was losing her eyesight to macular degeneration and wanted to pass the skill down to me before she was completely blind.  The first thing I ever sewed "by myself with help" was a WWII era skirt and jacket to wear to a history walk event in Columbus, GA.  I had just recently learned to swing dance and if we were going to be set up and talking to people with tanks and jeeps and big band music and Lindy Hopping, then by George, I was going to look the part as much as possible!

After I made that outfit, I went on to make a blue sun dress for my best friend's wedding reception/vow renewal (only stipulation: the dress had to be blue and summery.  Other than that, we were on our own.)

Holy cow!  Lookit how skinny I was before the babies!!!!

It was about this time that I got more heavily involved in Civil War Reenacting (more about that in the 'R' post).  But being just through with my college days and about to get married, funds were rather non-existant.  At least not for the stuff I wanted.  The sutlers who sell period pieces for the reenacting public deserve every penny they charge for the work they do.  But just a ballgown ran (and has only gone up with inflation) around $300!  I didn't spend that much on my wedding dress!!!

But I'm digressing.

I sat down with my friend Marilyn and learned how to sew.  With gusto and great ambition.  My first reenacting outfit fully sewn by me was a pale pink satin ballgown with rosette trim.  Boo-yah!  After that there was no stopping me.  I sewed dresses, haversacks, kids clothes (historic and modern), stuffed toys, dolls, sachets to be filled with herbs to make the dresser smell nice, curtains, you name it and I've made it!

Recently I sewed some stuffed elephants as gifts and my Facebook connections went NUTS.
"I want one!!!!!"
Well, alright then!

I already have two active careers going with my name on them: I'm a full time Avon Representative, and I run Jenny Ray Photography as well.  Being the massively creative person that I am, I thought nothing of adding a third to the mix! :D

But I didn't want it under my own name.  I wanted a persona, a character, if you will, that I could use when I'm out at craft fairs with a booth of my wares, or on a website.  So I chose names based on some of my favorite people and got to work.

Lucy is for Lucy Pevensie from the Chronicles of Narnia.  She's brave and loyal, smart and honest.
Jane is for Jane Austen, of course.  Jane is witty, a brilliant storyteller, and based on letters from her life, a good friend and sister. Not to mention, my distant relation.
That left a last name.  Something pretty and cheerful.  I found a new penny in my change as I was buying groceries, so I chose Pennybright.

It's still a work in progress.  I've got a few things up on the website, but not everything.  I still have photo shoots to do and right now, Lucy Jane Pennybright's main job is a commission for a 19th century wardrobe.  You can see the work as it progresses on her blog.  Lucy Jane also has a Facebook page.

That's it for today.  I'm off to do laundry and other regular work and then to the library - hey, another 'L'!  Tonight after supper we're going to shop for a new mattress and then tomorrow my plan is to sew the day dress and hopefully get photos up by tomorrow night. :)