"God Himself Could Not Sink Her!"

Obviously He could, and did.

Growing up I was fascinated with Titanic, with the engineering, the glamor, the attention to detail that went into the construction of the world's most well known luxury liner. It was because of the movie that I wanted to become an interior designer and architect; that absolute attention to every single minute detail!

I saw the movie no less than 10 times in the theater: I kid you not. While Leo and Kate, as well as the rest of the movie was fascinating, it was the clothes that captured me. So much so that I sat through 8 of those viewings, in the dark, with a sketch pad.

When the movie Titanic came out the internet was not as prolific or well supplied as it is today. I didn't have websites to peruse for countless hours, I had a movie and myself, that was all. With those two things and a very, very steady hand I created.

I introduce to you, the Titanic movie themed paper dolls that I hand painted. So many hours of sitting at my desk, going back and forth with notes and whatever pictures I could find. I hand painted 13 dresses...some replicas from the movie, others my own designs, of 1912 fashion.

This was my favorite scene in the movie, when Rose gets out of the car, at port, and turns her head to look at the ship; such elegance! Of course painting this outfit was my absolute favorite, such beauty! I can just imagine the feel of the taffeta from that bow!

Travel Suit * Flying Dress * Kimono

Dinner Dress * Breakfast Dress * Swim Dress

All of the dresses I painted

I even have the sewing patterns inspired by the movie...someday I will have a Titanic dress. And, I will admit it, I have "le Coeur de la Mer" upstairs in our attic, tucked away amongst my dolls.

It was a different time, there were so many things {good and bad} about that time period that were fascinating. The first half of the 20th century is my time, the time I think I should have been born during.

The other part of the movie that absolutely enchanted me was the music. First off, I love James Horner's compositions: He not only did Titanic, but also Braveheart {another favorite of mine}. During the scene in which Rose and Jack are dancing, and she goes up on pointe, the band playing is fantastic. I searched and searched, for years, before finally finding out if they were real, they are: Gaelic Storm! Matt and I love their music. I'm hoping someday we might get to see them in concert.

Of course, the sinking of the Titanic wasn't just a movie, it was real: 1, 514 people died when she went down, some froze, some drowned, some burned. To me, just thinking about the devastation that was happening is mind blowing, I can't even imagine what it had been like to sit there in a life boat watching, clinging to the rails or whatever else you could grab as you plunged into that icy blackness, or worse yet, trapped below Her decks.

What were they thinking? What were they doing? One man's story I found absolutely fascinating, that of John Harper, a Scottish pastor who was crossing with his daughter on his way to Chicago. Even to the last he was concerned more with the souls of those who he knew would perish.

To me, the most spine chilling part of the Titanic story is the singing of "Eternal Father, Strong to Save" as the last hymn during Sunday morning services, the day the Titanic hit the iceberg...how foreboding those words were "for those in peril on the sea".

As we honor the 100th anniversary of the Titanic's demise, it is not only a fantastical time to be enthralled with, but a time also to remember the lives of those lost.