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My visit to Under the Redcoat was short but very sweet! I arrived in Williamsburg at 5pm on Sunday and called koshka_the_cat. She, past_blue & sadievale had retired from a fun day in the historic area and were in relaxation mode back at the hotel. After a very funny keystone-cop-with-cell-phones episode, Katherine found me and led me to her room. I unloaded my car and we settled down for the all important costumer's chat. We talked about sewing and current projects, I saw the plans for her Gala dress and she helped me brain storm about the issues I'm having with my Charles bodice. It was a lovely - I had such fun! After a little while past_blue & sadievale joined us and we made reservations for dinner at the King's Arms Tavern (my favorite - whoo hoo!). I got dressed in my costume and we shuttled over to the historic area. Our candlelit dinner was lovely (despite all the annoying interruptions of 1st person interpreters & waiters with history lessons - when did they start doing that?). My game pie was yummy and the company fantastic. After stopping to chat with a family interesting in our frocks, we walked back to the hotel and stripped down to our stays for a mini cake party. past_blue popped open a bottle of Frances Coppola "Sofia" champagne, I broke out the tavern glasses I'd brought and we feasted on mini cupcakes. All while listening to the MA soundtrack on Victoria's I-phone of course. We are such dorks! The champagne made Victoria & Stephanie sleepy so they retired to their room and after showers Katherine and I stayed up talking for another couple of hours. Despite the busy day and the champagne I was up early Monday morning. Which was fine since Katherine is a heavy sleeper and I take longer to wake up and get dressed. Once Katherine was up we finished getting dressed and packed, all while chatting a mile a minute of course. Victoria & sadievale joined us, Katherine gave her luggage to the hotel to watch and we loaded the rest in my car (Victoria & Stephanie were catching a ride home with me). A walk down to Market Square for breakfast and the quickest costumer meeting ever with sarahnucci - but hey we did meet! Then came the shopping for Katherine's keychain, Bridget's playing cards and Victoria's brooch and it was time to say goodbye. Katherine headed for the Capitol and some last minute touristing and we walked back to the hotel, hopped in the car and headed home. So a really lovely time! All my pics can be found here: Under the Redcoat 2009Tags: 18th, m.a.c.
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I've come to the conclusion that this Charles dress is either going to kill me off or it's going to be one of the most amazing things I've ever made. I'm going for the later but this frock is fighting my every inch of the way. Why is that? Why is it, as myladyswardrobe so eloquently put it, that some gowns practically make themselves, whereas others simply don't want to be made? I haven't figured out a rhyme or reason to it but it is some small consolation that I'm not the only sufferer and that makes me feel a tiny bit better. So after pondering why this particular frock doesn't want to be friendly (no conclusion), I made a momentous decision... *drum roll* ... to just enjoy the process. Novel thought - that! I'm not in a race, I'm not going to Costume College, I don't have a deadline so why all this scrambling? Somehow I've gotten into the horrible rut of costuming in a rush. I've been so focused on events, "using up" the stash, holding off CADD, feeling guilty work on my stuff when I have commission work to do or just plain finishing projects that I've lost the joy of doing. Which is silly because honestly my favorite part isn't the dressing up (the fun of that is all about the friends who dress up with me!), it's the creating. So why am I raising such a fuss about this bodice not wanting to play nice and trying to figure out the shortest possible route to the end? Costuming In A Rush (TM) Sometimes I wonder at my absurd ability to complicate the simple and to create my own drama. *sigh* All that to say I've been working on my Charles dress in little spurts of time, as work and headaches/brain wattage will allow this week. The frock is still playing dirty but my change in perspective has me enjoying the challenge a bit more. Hey I’m actually getting work done on it too! Well I guess that is enough of a break from the toileing... back to work so I'll post pics next time! Tags: 17th:charlesii, thoughts
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I promised unclrashid my receipt for mock Devonshire cream so here it is: ************************************* Mock Devonshire Cream16oz cream cheese, softened 4 tbsp confectioner’s sugar 1 cup sour cream In a bowl, beat together cream cheese and sugar. Add sour cream and mix until thoroughly combined. Yield: 1½ cups from the book "If Tea Cups Could Talk" by Emilie Barnes ************************************* Not quite as good as the real thing (nothing is!) but a quick, easy and very tasty substitute for those of us that can't get our hands on proper unpasteurized milk! edited to add:I was just trolling the web and found another recipe for Mock Devonshire Cream consisting of mascarpone, whipping cream, sugar and vanilla extract. I don't think the mascarpone (which is expensive) and the whipping cream would be amazing better than my faithful cream cheese and sour cream but I like the idea of adding some vanilla. I think I'll try that next time... Tags: food
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Saturday: my panel, drama, Historical Masquerade, the end Sunday was nice laid back sort of day. I got dressed in a rush after the alarm didn't go off, our panel went well (or so everyone tells me). I spent the rest of the day wondering about chatting with friends, taking pics and gernerally being glad I waen't in the Masquerade and didn't have to iron anything. More champage, the Masquerade, the what-the-heck-just-happened seesions in hotel rooms, only a few goodbyes and to bed. My pics can be found here: CC27: Sunday( videos below )Tags: cos.con27, z:archive:18th:jacket:ruffledblue, z:archive:19th:regency:bee, z:archive:golden.diadem
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Saturday: a class, lunch at Macaroni Grill, another champagne party & the Sci-Fi masquerade Saturday was lovely. I got dressed leisurely, went to the only class I attended, had lots of fun in my bustle skirt and top hat, took lots of pics, ate a very late lunch at the Macaroni Grill (I didn't get lost!!), took more pics, chatted with friends, pawed Katherine's wardrobe, champagne and ate left-over baklava, changed into comfy Regency, watched the Sci-Fi Masquerade and went to bed early. Well I tried anyway. It was great! My pics can be found here: CC27: SaturdayTags: 19th:bustle:b&w, cos.con27, z:archive:19th:regency:yellow
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Friday Tea at Brightons, CC27 Social Night Because of the amount of pics I took at CC27 I am breaking the albums up by days instead of putting them all in one. So on to Friday! Friday was a good day. I enjoyed the quiet farm when I woke up, drove to Baltimore, got lost but made it to the hotel in one piece and in the rain no less, checked in, had bad hair that took three tries to look decent, threw on 18th century clothes, drove downtown, got lost again, drank tea, took lots of pics, dressed in sparkles & stars, was complemented on said sparkles by friends and strangers alike, drank half Aubry's cosmo, took more pics, laughed, hugged, drank champagne, danced to "I Want Candy", used 3 cotton pads and lots of eye-make remover to get all my eye make-up off and finally fell asleep in the wee hours of the morning thanks to all the champagne. It was fun! My pics can be found here: CC27: Friday( videos below )Tags: cos.con27, tea, z:archive:18th:queen.of.the.night
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Thursday Tea at the Farm Thursday was fabulous. I drove, got lost once, made sandwiches, took lots of pics, hung off a fence, drank champagne, had tea, talked, giggled, petted pretty costumes, promenaded around the lake and had more fun than should be allowed wearing my new jacket and petticoat. It was heaven! Thanks again to Loren for having us over and for everything! My pics can be found here: Tea at the Farm( videos below )Tags: cos.con27, m.a.c., z:archive:18th:jacket:ruffledblue
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Dispite working steadily yesterday I still have tons to do! Today's agenda: finishing hemming bustle skirt (for the psudo, almost steampunk outfit I just came up with!) finish pinning, sew ruffle on blue print skirt glue all rhinestones on QotN sew jewels on QofN skirt finish trimming blue print hat finish trimming top hat (for psudo, almost steampunk outfit) make hair puffs for big hedgehogs & high hair make cheese straws (for tea) make devonshire cream (for tea) pack! clear out office for Aubry to sleep in tonight nap If I have any time leftover work on Pimpernel. *ha!* I think the spamming of the friend's list with annoying sewing updates is called for again today... Tags: cos.con27
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