Thanks you's! (And some turn of the century bloomers, too!)

Hi folks!

I've totally disappeared this month. I had so many sewing plans, but you know what they say about best laid plans and all that...

I haven't had a mo to blog, let alone to stitch, but when I checked my email this morning and saw that I had been given the Very Inspiring Blogger Award, I absolutely had to get on the computer and say thank you!

So thank you, thank you, thank you, to the two lovely ladies, Cait, from Curse Words and Crinolines, and The Choll, from Thread-Headed Snippet. It is really so wonderful for me to know that I have passed on something inspiring. I mean, that's what my motivation for blogging is: sharing pretty things and sharing the love :)

Aside from being downright flattered, I am also so grateful you both bestowed me with this award since it inspired me to get back to stitching. I'm so behind!

So, where did I go?

I was so darn busy! My husband and I renovated a house, which was very satisfying, but much more work than HGTV lets on...

Before...

After!

Also, not only have I been riding my horse, I started riding western, too. And then promptly dislocated my knee cap. Yay!

But its all good. I was back in the saddle in like a week. Cowgirl up!

I think the brace adds a nice pop of color, or not.

Getting out of an arena is great. Look at the views!

Wayyy up high!

And where has sewing been in all this?

Well, I started a pair of 1900ish bloomers. I was super inspired by the western riding and I pinned a whole mass of early cowgirls. Check it out here. 

I started the pants and got pretty far along, but they came to a screeching halt a couple weeks back and I really need to get back up to the sewing room. Hopefully, I'll be posting a finished pair soon!

Wool riding bloomers, waiting patiently to be finished.

In other news, my birthday was last week, and my fabulous mom made me the cutest cake! And the table was so pretty. She knows what I like!

I love plates. And silver. And linens. I just love it all!

Bonfire! Don't count them, please ;)

So, thank you so much, again, to Cait and The Choll, for thinking of me. Seriously, so thrilled!

Hope everyone's had a lovely month! Cheers!

One Lovely Blog Award

Before I left on my trip, Susan Ardelie of Life Takes Lemons, was lovely enough to grant me the One Lovely Blog Award! Thank you, Susan!!

I'm ashamed to say, with the busy holidays and then going away, it's taken me this long to pass it on.

Check out her post about her award here. She has some beautiful photos posted, and also links to other blogs she nominated. All very cool and interesting!

So, on to the award goodies...

1. Thank the person who nominated you.

2. Add the ‘One Lovely Blog Award’ image to your post.

3. Share seven things about you. 

4. Pass the award on to seven nominees. 

5. Include this set of rules.  

6. Inform your nominees by posting a comment on their blogs. 

I just love how Susan posted seven pictures, instead of just things about the blogger, so I am going to do similar: seven things about me, illustrated, and for difference, how about not regarding costuming?... Cheers!

The Versatile Blogger

In a recent post, I wrote a brief thank you to all the ladies who gave me the Versatile Blogger award. Now, I finally have a chance to sit down and write up a proper post. Yay!

First off, thank you again to Teacups Among the Fabric, Thread-Headed Snippet and Sew 18th Century. Thank you, thank you!

Next, seven things about myself. Let's see... I'll stick to sewing related.

1. I have loved costumes since I can remember. Costumes and horses. Now I ride every day and, well, you all know about the costumes. I could probably die happy ;)

2. I started mentally costuming long before I ever knew sewing was an option. As a kid, I would probably drive my mother crazy, going "today I'm wearing this and this and this..." And it went on. All imaginary of course. For example, "Today I'm wearing a 1910's white walking skirt etc etc... the jacket goes like this... the hat... the gloves..." It would get quite detailed, actually. Costume nerd at eight years old.

3. My best friend and I used to "call" dresses for our "closets," when we watched movies. Titanic was a favorite. As in, "I call Rose's yellow and white dress." Then a battle would ensue... "No! I called that last time!" At least I had a partner in crime. We used to play dress up, too.

4. Sometimes - often - I go on a fabric binge and shopping for modern clothes takes a back seat. This is very handy, because my husband doesn't seem to realize that fabric adds up just as much as clothes, and I get a pat on the head for not shopping too much. Teehehe.

5. It all started around Gone with the Wind. I was in preschool and I had the flu. Couch for two weeks, watching it over and over again. As I got older, panniers outshined the hoop skirt, and I have gone years not giving the 1860s a second thought. Recently, while working on outfits for a civil war event, I have a new appreciation for the era. I think I'm falling in love again.

6. My very favorite 18th century extant gown is this one from the Dewitt. When I was in high school I actually attempted to paint zillions of silver dots to recreate the fabric. I was all gung ho about it until about two yards in, when I gave up and tucked the fabric away. I still have it, though it's poly silk and so it will probably never get used. Oh well.

7. My very first vintage purchase was a pair of black velvet 1940's boudoir slippers, with peep toes and self fabric bows. I am still in love with them.

And third, fifteen other blogs, who I would like to nominate. I think they're supposed to have under 200 followers but I couldn't find the amounts on every blog so I will just nominate some of my favorites. Of course, leaving out the three ladies who nominated me, each of whose blogs I follow and love.

1. 18th Century Stays - not frequently updated, but great resource for extant stays.
2. All the Pretty Dresses - tons and tons of extant dresses.
3. An Historical Lady - gorgeous photos and her house is sooo lovely!
4. Before the Automobile - just beautiful!
5. Enlightened Age - interesting tid bits of history
6. Festive Attyre - her curtain along has been a blast
7. Kleidung um 1800 - lovely c. 1800 costumes
8. Madame Modiste - ooo Victorian...
9. Passion for the Past - By a man! Lots of pictures.
10. Romantic History - lots of beautiful mid Victorian
11. Saltpetre and Pins - lots of 18th century reenacting
12. Stay-ing Alive - lots of 18th century sewing
13. Stuck in the 18th Century - even more 18th century!
14. The Quintessential Clothes Pen - she goes to the most gorgeous events!
15. The Virtual Victorian - I just enjoy it!

And honorable mention goes to American Duchess, who has like a bazillion followers, but I just love her blog. Like, a total favorite!

Cheers, all!

Catching Up and Thank You's

Oh gosh, I had a big bout of costuming burn out last month and so now I am catching up. A whole month without picking up a needle and thread - I don't know the last time that has happened!

On the bright side, I caught up with everything else in my house, like the giant laundry pile... and other things I usually, conveniently, tuck aside and put off.

But on the downside, ahhhhh! I have so much catching up to do for the end of the month: 18th century, 1860's and Halloween. Stitch stitch stitch.

I haven't had a chance to get near blogger recently, but I just had to pop on and thank two lovely ladies who bestowed awards on my humble blog.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to the ladies from Teacups Among the Fabric and Thread Headed Snippet for thinking me worthy of The Versatile Blogger award.

Once you have been given this award you must:


- Thank and link back to the person who nominated you.
- Paste the award to your blog.
- Tell 7 things about yourself.
- Nominate 15 other blogs.

Since I don't have time to do justice to this at the moment, I just wanted to say thank you and I will promptly post in the near future!

Thank you again and hope everyone is having a great October! Yay autumn!