Celestial Ball

Next up, we are into May! Thanks to Janine and Ron babysitting for us, we were able to attend the Celestial Ball at Gadsbys Tavern. I was just a tad slow to realize that the ball was on… May the 4th. Also known as Star Wars Day. Get it? Celestial Ball? Anyhoo, once I realized, I sprang into action. I was hot off of rewearing my Leia Bespin gown at AwesomeCon, and I thought… maybe I could make a regency Leia Bespin outfit and Star Wars bound. So I dug out the very first regency dress I ever made (which was terrible) and took a look at the available dyes I had, and tossed it in the washer with said dyes. It took a mix of scarlet and tan, and taupe and 3 tries, but I finally got it the shade I wanted. Dry, which was tricky since it looked the right shade wet, but then faded when dried. I wore my actual screen accurate Bespin cape as an over dress, and added Han/Leia profile necklaces, the accurate hairdo (it totally worked!), and a rosette I got as a party favor at the waist. And I wore my Leia Bespin flats. So basically it was almost all screen accurate but the dress. Doug wore his Han Solo jacket over tan pants and a white embroidered vest. I’m not sure how many people attending really got the whole Star Wars thing, but it was *definitely* Gadsbys intent given their traditional cheese hedgehog had Leia buns, and the menu was done in a Star Wars font. Awesome.









Outfit:











And one of the highlights was when the musicians played this little number. Music on for this short video! (You might have to click through because Flickr is sometimes not great with video.)



It was awesome seeing friends, but there is always someone who has to be rude and yank you around if they feel you are going the wrong way. Which sometimes you are not. Don’t be that person. Yanking someone’s arm hurts and it sucks.

Austenland Tea

Ok, I am in need of a happy post, so here we go! Stephanie’s (November) Pumpkin Tea this year was themed “Austenland,” and inspired by the movie. So costumes were encouraged to be less-than-historically-accurate, over-the-top, and the food was the same. It was super fun. Since I had no sewing time, I wore a reddish/pink Spencer that is pretty loud in color and a very tall hat (purchased on Etsy or eBay years ago), and I wore lots of make-up.The necklaces is old school Dames a la Mode and the earrings are In the Long Run Designs. :D

Here are pics!











Taylor embroidered a bag!

Historical Hogwarts party

My friend Chelsea hosted a Historical Hogwarts themed tea this October (busy month, seriously!). Janine, Conley, and I carpooled down to Williamsburg to make a long day trip of it.

Janine and Conley were Slytherin. As were most of the partygoers. The host was Hufflepuff. I was the lone Gryffindor at the party.

I repurposed a white regency dress with some Gryffindor striped clip-on bows I bought at the Kings Cross Gift shop. Plus red and gold sashes, my regency shawl that happens to match, red shoes, a wand, and my gorgeous suede witch hat, which was so heavy it pulled the wig off my head until I gave up and bewigged.

The party was lovely! She had a scavenger hunt for a list of Harry Potter-related things, and had hand-made lots of beautiful decorations!

The Slytherins all teamed up on the Gryffindor, but I came close to winning. :-)

Some decorations:



These House cups actually worked! She made them!







And some of the food! In House colors of course!



These little tarts were SO GOOD



Slytherins:

Regency Pumpkin Tea and Candlelight Soiree - November 2017

In early November, as we did not have the baby early, we were able to attend Stephanie’s pumpkin tea, and also the candlelight soiree, both of which were lovely! Fortunately, regency is super easy to fit into when nine months pregnant! This was true for more than just me, because for the Pumpkin tea, we had a record 4 of us who were pregnant! As of now (early April), all four babies have now been born. :-) Two boys, two girls. Mine was our first, the others were all second babies. Which is why we all look the same amount pregnant despite me being like 2-4 months ahead of others. :-) The last one of the four was born just a week or so ago. Mine is just over 4 months old now and she was born about 2 weeks after this party! :-)

Here’s a few pics from the Soiree.







I wore my black sari gown, antique earrings and comb, and a Dames a La Mode necklace. The lovely Angela made Doug’s waistcoat.





Pics from In the Long Run Designs:




Much more behind the cut.

Riversdale 12th Night

At the start at 2017, we went to the Riversdale 12th Night Ball. The food was delicious - all period recipes - and the chef made all kinds of pickled products, which were all delicious. The gown was new - a simple drawstring gown out of an ebay sari. Not sure the shiny material is as flattering - but the bullion embroidery on the fabric is pretty. :-) I was also wiped out by the time we got to this ball, so I wasn’t as into the dancing.





Poor Doug still only had the one vest. No time to sew a new one, though now he has a few - our friend Angela, to pay back a favor, went above and beyond with a new fancy embroidered vest, and a striped one. I’ve started a silver silk one, but haven’t finished it yet.



And of course - the important stuff - the food!

Veal Loaf



Also, Mac & Cheese with a 19th century recipe, roasted vegetables, assorted pickles, and savoy cake wiith peach brandy syrup and whipped cream for dessert.







Doug was randomly chosen as king of the ball!









This is what happened after Mike jokingly asked Gloria if she could look less dead inside. ha! Also, we didn’t purposely color coordinate - but it’s funny we are each wearing a solid contrasting color.

Regency Pumpkin Tea

Back in November, I had a lovely time at a friend’s Regency Pumpkin tea! Here’s a bunch of photos!

Amanda:



Kat:



Judy had the cutest military jacket and hat:





Jess:



Ashlie and Carrie:

 

More below the cut!