Civil War Ball

I've finally got my pictures from the ball last weekend edited and pretty!

I know I danced one of those polkas, but I don't remember the fellers' name and we stepped in late so he hadn't written it in my dance card (above). That is one of the disadvantages of meeting so many people in one night!

"i weel have my glory day een the hot sun"

caroline, sarah and me

all in all a magical evening! the next morning we sat around the warm oven at the Browns and talked over the ball just like they would have done then, it was so fun!

yeah, well, sewing machine, so's your face.

i'm sewing.


it's not going so well.


i actually just stooped to making up a stupid poem about it.

grant me the serenity to not stomp on the seams i cannot remove
the courage to rethread the machine when it runs out
and the wisdom to not kick the sewing machine in the face.

or ... in the... bobbin.



niebuhr would not approve.

Historical Accuracy Fail

I'm currently working on a little costuming project, creating a gown for the

Civil War Heritage Ball

I'm attending in February.

This project takes a good deal of looking around, as there are no 1850's vintage shops, and most of the costume patterns for that era are Scarlet o'Hara inspired (not especially accurate) or meant to look like ... for lack of a more fitting word... 1850's London trollop.

Now, something you have to know about me is that I'm rather particular about historical accuracy, especially in costumes... so when I ran across these atrocities in my searchings, well, you can imagine my horror.

Exhibit A: For the London Trollop

Exhibit B: For the 1980's Girl Who Doesn't Want To Remotely Resemble Civil War Style
Exhibit C: For the ahead-of-her-time Civil War girl. About 20 years ahead, actually.(personal favorite alert)
Exhibit D: For the... wait, what the heck? For the Elizabethan courtier? What? SO confused. (and yes, that is crushed velvet)



Remember, these are supposed to be Civil War era.

Sad, sad, sad.

Yes, I'll definitely be making my own.