I probably should have posted this a while back but I have gone friends only.  Sorry to anyone who has been wondering.

After just about 2 months of no posting this is what I wanna know .......

Please give me a list of people (and I have to have heard of them) who have STARTED (and I mean started not re-started or comebacks) a successful career in the creative fields that were over 40!!!!!!!

I need some inspiration for perhaps a major career shift.

And I know this because I can have a change from sewing and can step straight in to scrapbooking without even thinking.

After the disastrous Tuesday night / Wednesday morning I needed to get out of the house so went for a visit to the lovely Cats (ainead</lj> ) Wednesday night and as she was scrapbooking I took along my stuff too.  Now I actually have 3 albums on the go, 1. my wedding album (and yes I KNOW it's been 20 years), 2. An album for the professional  Pixie photos of my kids/family and 3. an album journaling the houses we had built. 

Number 2 won out probably because it would be the easiest AND because I haven't actually started it. 

I spend the greater part of today at Cat's as well (she had today off too - yippee)   ...  aaaaaand I managed to do 3 pages ....  3.  I am actually really happy about that. 

At 3 1/2 months of age I had some photos taken of each of my bubs (well except for Georgia who was actually 4 months but she was number 3 child *shrug*).  These are the photos I decorated up, one page for each of them.  I am sure that the scrapbooking gods would scoff and laugh at my simple attempts but dare I take photos for show and tell  ....... nuh :(

The biggest buzz about today was the NON RUSH!! No time limits on having lunch, playing the Wii, scrapbooking, watching the GORGEOUS Prince Caspian and his embroidery - just fun and relaxing. 

Thanks my dear for a lovely day, for letting me use all your stuff and my Chrissy pressie.

I am going to do this!!!!!  First thing is research ....

AND my wonderful friend Cat (who now has my unending adoration) found a newspaper clipping describing the wedding.

"The bride was adorned in white satin with a long train tablier embroidered with small pearls, a spray of orange blossom in the front of the coiffure, long tulle veil fastened with diamond pins.  She carried a handsome bouquet of the usual bridal flowers"

It certainly is enough to get started (fabric sourcing, buying beads etc), not sure I will be able to get anymore info than this, unless someone at Newstead has some.  So I will have to just have to make some decisions on aspects of the dress on my own (with some help from anyone who is willing to - hint hint).

BUT first thing i will be making is a new corset and Erin saraic  has made an absolute brilliant one, you can see hers here:  saraic.livejournal.com/21239.html

So I am going to pull apart the simplicity one I made and make this instead.  This will be the project for the school holidays. Will need to get some fabric for the top layer, silk I am thinking.

I have been very nicely hinted at to reproduce this:



She is Evelyn Jane Casey, nee Harris, who was married in 1888 from Newstead House.  I would like to make it for the Q150 event at Newstead house next year.

I would really really really like to do this but it will mean that if I do I will have to drop other projects for next year.

I guess I have some serious thinking to do.

Don't travel along a very windy roads with 5 people in the car in a hurry - spells disaster and vomit.

That pretty much describes our trip to Legume (about 180km south west of Brissy).  This was all for a Twilight tea we were invited to.

We were supposed to arrive around 3:30 (I left my house around midday) but didn't get there until 4:20 at which time we were expected to be dressed and ready to be presented at 5.  So can 5 gals be totally dressed (and that means hair as well) in 40 min ......

well actually we can !!!!.

The event went swimmingly smooth after that with my sister Kerry, in front of an audience talking about crinolines, was the star of the show.  We were all one at a time escorted to the compare and had mini interviews.  We were quite a hit.

I'll  post pics soon but you can look at my sister Kerry's here picasaweb.google.com.au/kerryannphotos/TwilightTea#

Oh by the way we went a different way home (the proper way may I add) with no adverse affects.

I have been looking back a my latest posts, scarce as they are and realised that I haven't posted a photo of Georgia from montville....

well here she is

 
one sort of showing the back and her drawers showing ...



and here is me by myself ...

I did manage to finish my 20's dress and wore it to the Vintage fair and I was really happy with the result.  I am so in love with the 20's.

 
A photo of us gals at the fair (photo curtesy of my sis Kerry). 

What a day!!!  I purchased 2 hats (one green cloche which I am now dying to make another dress for), a beautiful shawl, a mini fan and vintage fur stole.  Cat bought me a pair of green gloves to match the hat - I am definitely going to make it now!!!!!

We had so many compliments from all the stall owners and the organisers, I am pretty sure that we will be attending the next one and I will be making sure I have heaps of money on hand - oh the beaded bags were just gorgeous and I want one 

Cat and I were in one stall and I saw the most gorgeous parasol, the handle was to die for ..  but the fabric was torn in a couple of places so I said *wishingly* I could recover it and Cat said that I am very good at it, well the stall owner jumped at that and wants me to cover parasols for him.  I am very flattered at his insistance and I gave him my email address.  I will have to think long and hard about this.  It is one thing to make your own and pull apart new and not very expensive umbrellas, it doesn't matter if you stuff it up but to recover a vintage one - ooohh it scares me abit.  Plus there is the time factor and if husbands and children are already complaining about how much time you spend in sewing room .... well you get the drift.  Still I can't help but be tempted cause it would be a great feeling bringing these old lovelies back to life and the money wouldn't be bad either.

We also met another organiser/stall owner who is in a vintage car club and has invited us to their rallies - now that would be fun and a wonderful opportunity to make a teens travel dress.

Power is back on, yeah - haven't been in my sewing room yet to see if everything is ok.

Here is the videos from my phone (so sorry about the quality as it was taken behind glass,
That is Kerry you can hear, freaking out.

Next one is from my daughters room

and last one is Kerry's footage from her phone


</lj-embed></div>

My little girl is growing up.  She had her semi-formal this week.  *sigh*

I am very thankful that it been and gone and she is unscathed.

Kate invited a few girls over for Pre-formal and having fun getting ready together. 

Not long after I got home I was summoned into the sanctuary and was presented with one of her friends in her dress.  I just stood there, looking.  I was then "reminded" that I promised to alter her dress.  I do vaguely remember something of a question regarding Ashleigh's dress .... mmmm .... one thing my kids take very much advantage of - their mother's bad memory.

So ... I grabbed my pins and started to pin - but where the heck was the zipper (see the photo below if you need visuals - the white dress with the green band).  I asked Ashleigh how she got it on???  Over her head was the reply - no wonder it was baggy in the bodice - so I calmly responded that I will need to put in a zipper if she wants it taken in.  You can guess where I went after that - Spotlight - to get a zipper.

I then spent the next 2 hours (and I swear half of that was unpicking  - the dear who made the dress over-locked EVERY SEAM - even under the lined bodice - although I do have to give her credit as it was the 2nd dress she made (that is what Kate told me but in other words not very experienced) and she did a pretty good job).  The way it was constructed was not conventional in the "formal/satin" type dresses and I have come to the conclusion that the pattern was for stretch fabrics hence why no zipper.

I am not really proud of the job being rushed but Ashleigh was pleased, which I guess is the main point.

Kate (being like her father) bought her dress in April and it looked stunning on her (yes I know I am biased).  She did the other girls hair (except one) - this is one very proud mother.

( Snaps ...  )


Dropped the girls off at the event.  They came home around 11:30, Kate had a great night.  Then they changed and headed off to the "Post" party.  Every parent's nightmare. 

Now, I joking said I wanted to know where she was going to be and Kate jokingly said she would ring me every 2 hours.  I said that would be good, and so she said that she would ring me at 1am, 3am and 5 am thinking I wouldn't want that, being woken up all night - HA it is exactly what I wanted.  She did ring me at 2:30.  She came home and "let me know" she was home at 3:30.  I asked her if she had a good time and she told me no it was boring.   Should I be happy about that?

I am very thankful she behaved herself and came home safe and sound.

Since my last post?

My how time flies.  I haven't done any sewing nor have I tidied up my sewing room.  I have been trying to give credit to the people i have "borrowed" photos from and posted on line and it is a long process.  If I have got it wrong please let me know.

Now to the next events/projects.

1. Vintage fair,  I haven't been to one of these yet and really would like to attend this one.  I am very tempted to make a 20's summer suit/dress for this (have been totally inspired by the movie Leatherheads).

2. Twilight garden party.  A gentleman that I met at the Heritage ball has asked us ladies to be apart of the programme of his twilight garden party.  Thankfully I don't have to do anything for it except drive 150 km west.  Crinolines will get another work out.

3. Christmas breakup.  ACG's christmas breakup - wild wild west poker night.  I was going to make an evening bodice for my bustle skirt but have changed my mind as I would just like to make something simple and be comfortable for the night.  SO I have decided to dress as a native american.  Ash (if he said he was going - just hope he remembers this) will still go as cowboy.  I could also dress G and N in easy costumes as well.  AND HOPEFULLY NO STRESS

By the way it seems I have obtained a few sewing impliments from Montville that aren't mine.  A small handled pair of sissors, and a maroon spool of thread.  If they are yours (I am pretty sure the thread is yours Cherie) I am sooooo sorry and please let me know so I can return them.

What a weekend.  I am exhausted. 

here are some quick pics
Saturday:
   
Sunday:
    
 

I have been ummming and arrrring over whether to make Georgia a corset.   Once I decided yes (I think she needs one to help support the skirts) I then had these decisions: what kind, how much do I bone, how many panels, do I add gussets, do I lace/button it up ....... 

Well it took me all week to make all of those decisions and made one this morning.  Just have to add the gromments (I decided to lace).

My inspiration is this one only I omitted the elastic because I wanted boning at the sides:



I am so looking forward to the weekend at Monteville and as I have this week off I am hoping I can get alot accomplished.

Also I bought this belt today that has the most gorgeous Victorian buckle.  I will dismantle and reuse with a black satin belt.

Will post pics soon.

Making great progress with Georgia's costume.

I am about 90% done on her crinoline, just have to join the hoops together, sew tapes to waistband and add the brads.  We had a try on yesterday and she is all sweetness.

( pics )

I bought her fabric yesterday in a lovely purple check, so we are going with this look:



I will hopefully have hers done this week/next weekend so I have the week before to do some stuff for mine such as make a bonnet, jacket and perhaps a parasol.

I have heaps of photos - but not from my camera.  I let my youngest and her friend have control of it most of the day, so there are lots of photos of ducks and trees and sky.  I was very fortunate to have a photographer friend come (sister of irish dance client) and take some lovely shots of a few of us.

( here is a selection ... )

Go and see most (not of ducks, trees and sky) of my photos at my photobucket

http://s168.photobucket.com/albums/u171/lahoo88/Regency%20picnic%2008/

I had a wonderful afternoon and really want to do this every year.

Can I make 2 girls regency dresses in 1 day. Well it seems that I can, I traced and cut out and made up most of the bodices last night.  I just finished one off and just have the hem on the other to do.  Now I did have some very good help from my sis all afternoon who sew'd the rest one of the dresses while I finished the other.  But they are done and in plenty of time for Sunday.

NO LAST MINUTE SEWING THIS TIME - YEAH!!!!!!!!!

It is quite unbelievable that in only 1 week, there are 3 Regency events.

The Playford Ball (yes I got the name wrong) on Saturday night.
"Afternoon tea with Mr Darcy" an event by Abbey Museum here in QLD today.
Next Sunday arvo is the ACG's event "Likeness sitting in the Park".

The Playford Ball:

It was a great night despite my hair going crazy with the humidity.

( My photos )
Afternoon Tea with Mr Darcy

Kerry and I went along, we met Angela (kath_a ) and her mum as well as a whole heap of other Regency enthusiasts (who have all been invited to Sunday's event).  We had such a blast.  The event was in conjunction with the fan display at the Museum this month - and they were absolutely beautiful, go and have a look if you can.  We learnt the language of the fan and how to flirt and\or reject gentlemen from across the room. Funny thing though is the meaning for "drawing the fan through the hand" means that I hate you, I thought it meant something else.

( So here are a couple of pics )
I am really looking forward to Sunday except I really don't know how I am going to play my guitar infront of everyone who is coming now.