What a crazy year 2013 has turned out to be! It's been chock full of all sorts of good things, but not much costuming/sewing. I didn't even attempt to make anything new for my Card Party, thank goodness for a Costume Closet already full of pretty Regency things! That is going to change though as I have several events coming up that the Costume Closet isn't going to help me with. But before I get into those projects I'll catch you up with what I have been working on since Christmas...

( bling, sewing room makeover and the non curtain-along )

My tiara from Bridget just came in the mail - *squeeeeeeeeeeee*

Seriously it's even prettier than I thought it would be. I think I like it upside down better though so I may need to flip some elements around. I want to try my Pearl dress on first though to make sure. Maybe I should break down and put some sleeves on the darn frock for the full effect... :P

Today I'm being bad and working on my black stripe jacket. I really should be working on the Pearl but I decided I needed a break from handwork and if I couldn't have some fun with my CC wardrobe what was the point. Besides I really want to wear it to the RCHS party on Saturday. So bad.

The arrival of the tiara is making the thought of working on the Pearl far less lothsome though (pearls, pearls, when will it end!)... that is a very good thing.

I was doing some research on Georgian jewelry and came on this link:

The Three Graces

This seller has some great pieces with nice pics. Even better, the site has great information about each piece and it's context in history. I found the whole site a very interesting read.

I also now know the first place I would go if I ever win the lottery! *drool*

edited to add the link!
That is what I get for posting late at night after saturating my head with sparklies!

I'm still sick, although starting to feel better. I'm just super tired still and can't seem to get my body on a normal sleeping pattern. Jet lag and a time change are not a good mix for me! Still I'm tired of just wondering around the house feeling bad and am trying to get something (anything!) done despite my sniffles. Enter costuming...


Pics of my finished 17th century necklace. I know it's super simple but I'm totally in love with it. The orange silk ribbon might have something to do with it of course.




In other news... I couldn't take the four walls anymore on Monday and went out to help Tina fabric shop for her turban. I had a great time, probally overdid a bit, but I needed the time with a good friend. While at Jo-Anns I found a pretty light weight funky green-yellow cotton for $2 a yard - score! When I got home I realized that the fabric matched the vintage beads I bought in San Diego - sweet! Do I know what I like or what?! I'm thinking a new Regency day gown is in order. Trimmed with red.

While I'm on the subject of jewelry...

Here is a necklace I made a little while ago I thought you might get a kick out of. Excuse my messy room. :> It's made of leftover pearls from the Gilded Ren dress and hematite beads my Dad brought me from his first Navy deployment when I was 8. I think they are from Peru... someplace down there. :>

I was just trying to use what I had so they are plastic pearls. I'm glad I did now though, they balence out the super heavy hematite. I'm trying not to give in to the urge to take it off the stringing wire and knot it. I do love the feel of a knotted necklace! :>


And my new Fire jewelry. I have to admit my biggest fear in going with an Indian style set was getting something that looked like cheap Bollywood costume jewelry. I'm very happy to say this does not and the seller's comments on quality were correct. It sparkles wonderfully and has a lovely weight to it. The way it's constructed is very cool and I'm thinking about taking it apart to lengthen it (so it encircles my whole neck) but we'll see.

A rather belated happy Resurrection Sunday to you all! I hope you had a wonderful day of fellowship, celebrating and relaxing yesterday!

My pearl knotting class on Saturday was WAY too fun. The teacher was great and while it was probably something I could have picked up on my own I'm so glad I did the class. My teacher had learned to pearl knot while living in Japan. She worked in a shop run by a 60 year old Japanese man who had been taught to knot by his father. So we learned the traditional Japanese method as well as some of the shop shortcuts. She was very through about different materials and findings and why she recommended what she did. I love knowing the why of things. It was all very interesting - totally worth the $25!

I picked up the technique right away which was nice and finished my first necklace at the class. The dark blue beads were ones I bought at Bent's Fort in Colorado when I was 11 (the light blue I bought on Saturday to extend the necklace to the right length). They are nothing horribly special I know but I love the color and they have tons of sentimental value. The string they were on broke years ago and they have been sitting in a drawer waiting to be worn again. I'm thrilled to have them in a wearable condition again!

I've already started on my second knotted necklace, this one rose quartz for reenacting. I bought enough beads to make a double strand but I think I just want one now. So I have enough to make a second one to sell. *wink*

What I really want is a double strand coral necklace for my eighteenth century kit but I'm going to have to mail order those beads from Fire Mountain, as no one has period correct ones in town. Well I haven't checked the downtown shop in a while, I guess I should pop in there first and see what they have. I'm just not confident about sizing and so very unconfident about ordering online. It's hard to pick things out of a catalogue when you don't know what you want. :P

B's costume is going okay. I ran out of time to do a finial bodice toile and the whole sleeve toile so I'm going to have to do that on Friday I guess. The hem too, so it's going to be a very late night. I will be in Richmond for MK on Thursday but I think I can be more efficient in my own sewing room instead of dragging stuff down there, even if it means a couple hours less sleep Friday. Thank goodness I don't have to be at the tea until 11:30am!

I'm going to have to construct her bodice in such a way that I can alter it at the last minute, and do the finial fitting in the fashion fabric. I've never done that
before but Jean Hunnisett talks about it in her books so I know it can be done.

As far as my outfit goes, I have the pleats all pined down on Narcissa. I'm not entirely happy with the pleats but I think I'm just going to sew them down as is and fiddle with them again after the tea. I eyeballed the whole thing so one side is like 5/8" off, making the pleats on that side a little shallower. No one will notice I'm sure and I don't have time to re-pleat one whole side for the sake symmetry. Priorities!

The E-bay auction is now up! This auction is to benefit girliegirl32786 who, as you may know, recently had her life disrupted by an apartment fire. There are lots of lovely things – including the ivory hat and a pair of earrings made by yours truly – and every penny (minus ebay fees) goes to Aubry so start bidding and good luck!!

I went to the bead shop today to sign up for a class and came out with this! Talk about instant gratification!!

I was asking lots of questions and they weren’t very busy so the lady offered to show me how to start, crimp and make earrings to match if I could stay a little while. Ammm yeah! It was great fun, especially the earrings which were so easy it was silly. So there is some $$ saved! Of course I spent that (and more) on the supplies but I now I know what to look for at Michaels at least. *wink*

I think I want to rework this necklace a bit and make another to create a set. I got excited and forgot to put two spacers on one earring so I will have to redo that too. I also have plans for a set of necklaces based on one I saw at World Market today… Pandora’s box indeed!

I am going to take the pearl knotting class next time they offer it though. Now that I know how to work and crimp bead wire I want to know how to work with string/tread etc. Also the knotting is the period appropriate thing and I have devious plans for costuming bling.

I’m so bad!

Today was a very good mail day. I received my miniature from Kate and my tavern CD from sewphisticate plus more Christmas cards. I love how most of my Christmas cards are from LJ friends this year - so fun! :>

Thanks so much for the CD my dear sewphisticate! I'm listening to it right now and I love it. You have great taste in music. Some of the songs are familiar from my English country dancing which is really fun. You are such a doll! :>

My miniature is lovely, the pics don't really do it justice. Now I need to get it wrapped up and under the tree since it was technically bought with Christmas money. It came on a black cord but I think I'm going to get some black silk-satin ribbon for it instead. Actually a blue ribbon would be fun too.

(Oh oh! The song Marie Antoinette sings in Affair of the Necklace is on this CD - coolness!!!! *ahem* Sorry... where was I?)

I was very bad yesterday and splurged more Christmas money on a length of lightly slubbed rust-colored silk dupioni. I just about fainted - my Jo-Anns had real silk! I blew a 40% coupon on it so it was only a slight splurge. The wretched stuff won't photograph of course - keeps coming out red, which it's not. Oh well, since when do I pick fabric that photographs well? :>

(Oh another song I know from dance! Not that I can remember the names of any of the dances - I get them so mixed up still :P)

I'm planning on covering a second 18th century hat with the silk. I've been feeling the need for a dark-colored "winter" hat for some time now. *nods head*

(Oh – we did this dance on Friday! Indian Queen, is it? Whichever one it is I love it. :>)

I’m still feeling sickly, which officially stinks, but I didn’t let it stop me from hitting the after Thanksgiving day sales this morning. I crashed & napped when we finally got home but it was worth it. I found really good deals on a few things I’ve been needing and even got a bit of Christmas shopping done so that was fun.

Okay - brag moment! I won the "best deal of the day" contest with B & Mom. Actually I usually do. *wink* I found the above necklace super marked down. Isn’t it gorgeous?! :> It’s perfect for my 1911 butterfly dress, and exactly what I wanted, down to the turquoise stones and pearls. I am just too jazzed for words! The best news? With all the markdowns and discounts my $45 necklace came out to be $8.99. *does the happy dance*

Dude! I really need to work on that dress now! :>