Prayer Request

Hello friends.  I'm sorry that I still haven't loaded up Williamsburg photos, but I will soon.  Life is about as busy as it can possibly get!  I do have a small prayer request, and I would appreciate it if you would take a moment to keep me in your prayers.  As some of you know, I plan to attend Liberty University this fall.  I'm a bit nervous about it, as I need to start signing up for classes and all.  I just got assigned a room, but I do not have a roommate yet, and I would like it if y'all could just pray that the Lord will have who he wants assigned to my room.  I never thought I'd be worried about roommates after living with 9 other people in one house, and sharing a room with my two sisters, but I am.  Just pray that the right young lady will be assigned to my room.

Thanks!

I should be an advertising agency.....

....with as much as I post about American Duchess' shoes.  She should hire me don't you think?  LOL!  So here's another of my posts about her shoes.  I get excited about them because, well, they are awesome.  Period accurate shoes?  That are dyeable/paintable?  And hard to get elsewhere?  And look absolutely beautiful?  Yes, please!  I'm a bit sad that the Devonshires are almost gone.  There are only a few sizes left (8.5 being the smallest.......so if you have larger feet then I do, go pick up one of the last pairs please.  And they're on sale.....) I so wanted a pair.  BUT I still have hope, because the new Kensingtons are much the same, but with a slightly longer toe.  I suppose that's not too bad.

The Kensington!  It's such a pretty shoe!

Anyways, the pre-sale for the Kensingtons and the new "Pompadour" shoes is going on right now!  

The Pompadour is accurate for late 17th to early 18th Century. 

So that's enough of my soap-box speech extolling the wonders of shoes that I wish I could have, but I'm not sure my college budget will allow me to purchase.

P.S.  There are rumors that American Duchess might start carrying stockings as well!  She already carries shoe buckles for the 18th C. shoes and the shoe clips for the Regency shoes!

Williamsburg

Well, I am home from a crazy three days in Williamsburg and the surrounding area.  Tuesday, Mr. and Mrs. Meyers, my mom and I drove down, stopping at both Shirley and Berkeley Plantations.  I really liked Shirley Plantation especially!  It was really a gorgeous place!  And the paintings.......*swoon*  I now have plenty of inspiration for projects, especially 18th C. dresses.  I wish I could have taken pictures, but they aren't allowed, and I didn't have time to do sketches!  Perhaps I can make a crude pencil-on-paper rendering from my memory of the paintings.  Berkeley was nice too, but not as pretty, in my opinion.  An interesting note however, is that some of the filming for the movie "To Have and To Hold" which is coming to theaters this fall, was done on site at Berkeley.  (I hope it's a good movie, because I love the book!  I would highly recommend the book as a very clean, Christian novel with plenty of history, action, mystery, and a bit of romance!  Anyways, I digress.)

The trip passed very quickly for me because I was frantically hand-sewing a round gown to wear in Williamsburg.  I did not get it done in time after all, but I did not need it because I had my 18 Century drawstring gown to wear.  (Pictures coming soon!).  But, all that is left for the round gown to be done is a bit of hemming, whip-stitching the lining in place, and false buttons.  I hope to get that done soon.

Tuesday evening, we attended an organ concert at Bruton Parish Church by candlelight.  It was quite beautiful!  Wednesday was full of touring Colonial Williamsburg.  We ran out of time to see everything we wanted to.  I almost bought a hat and some clocked stockings, but didn't come back in time before the shops closed.  Perhaps my checkbook is thanking me for that.  LOL.  Wednesday afternoon, we also went to hear Dean Shostak's Crystal Concert.  He played the glass armonica and glass handbells, and his glass violin!  It was enchanting, especially the violin.  I could have listened all day.  I also had fun looking around a unique store in the Market Square that was full of Scots and Irish plaids and books and stuff.  They even had some clothing and handbags from Ness!  Ness is great; if only it wasn't so expensive, my closet would be full of pink and purple plaids.  hehe.  In the evening, I went to a candlelight dance in the Palace.  That was pretty.  I only got to dance once, but watching was fun too!  Thursday was our last day.  We visited Jamestown, both the living history museum, and the site of the fort with all the archaeological excavations going on.  I really liked the ships especially.  I think it would be kinda fun to sail on one, just once, at least after getting over initial sea-sickness!

Overall, I had a wonderful time.  I am sooooo tired now though!  

I'm so excited to be leaving....

for Colonial Williamsburg tomorrow!  It's a year-late graduation present from my parents and an older couple at church.  Can you believe it, I haven't been to Williamsburg in all my 18 1/2 years, and I even live in Virginia! What's up with that?  Anyways, I have already finished a drawstring gown, just need to hand-sew some lace on the neckline while riding in the car.  And I'm going to get off the internet right now, and go sew up a round-gown real quickly, and pack.  Yes, you read that right.  Even though its' 10:30 PM right now, I am going to conquer this dress!!  haha.  I'm so excited, and I will post lots of pics when I get back on Friday!!!!

Etsy shop name and Giveaway winner

First, I want to say that, yes, this is indeed my blog.  I decided to try something new, and get a new template for my blog.  What do ya think?  

I finally decided on a name for my business and Etsy shop!  Thanks so much to everyone who suggested names and participated in my survey!  The name for the wonder wrap skirts sewn by Abi is.....drum-roll please.....Virginia Blossoms!  Now, nobody suggested that actual name, but Stephanie K. suggested "Country Blossoms".  That was already taken on Etsy, so I thought of different variations.  So, for the giveaway, here's what I'm going to do.  Stephanie, you get a 50% coupon to my Etsy shop, and everyone else who suggested names gets a 10% coupon.  How's that???  I will email each of you a coupon code to use whenever you wish!  

Thanks again!

A quick survey.....

Thank you all for your responses as far as a name for my business!  All the suggestions are wonderful, I just can't decide which one I like best.  I put together a quick survey to see what y'all think of the suggested names.  It will only take a minute or so!  You can complete it at this link - Survey for Business Name - or there is a link at the very bottom of the page.  Thanks!

Pictures! Finally!!!

I promised y'all pictures, and here they are!  Can we breath a sigh of relief?  First up, the skirt that started the whole idea - I bought a beautiful Kanga from Jennie Chancey of Sense and Sensibility Patterns (check out her shop on Etsy, and her Facebook page!), and made this lovely wrap skirt from her e-pattern.  

I love how it's so long and flowing! 

Styling it with blouse and jean jacket (what country girl doesn't wear a jean jacket?)

 The other skirts I made from cotton saris, using the same pattern (with Jennie's permission).  So far, I have finished three, another is almost finished, and 8 more have been cut out and are just waiting for me to find the time to sew them.  As mentioned previously, I plan to sell them on Etsy, and at the local farmer's markets.  Here are the pictures of the finished ones.

Maxi-length (37" long) skirt in blue.

Sparkly royal blue ribbon binds the edge at the waist and ties the skirt.

Plenty of fullness in the skirt!

Same fabric, different length (25" long).  

This one ties with a sky-blue satin ribbon.

Twirling is so much fun in this skirt! 

One of my favorites!  This color is stunning!

Skirt ties with a cranberry grosgrain ribbon.

The skirt looks awesome, but me....I look like a dork.  :P

A small note here:  I hear it a lot that maxi skirts don't look good on short women because it only makes them look short(er) and stumpy.  I cannot disagree more!  Maybe that is true for a straight maxi skirt, but this skirt makes me look so much taller and more graceful, and for the record, I'm 5'4" and wearing 1 1/2" heels in the pictures!

Y'all know that I cannot ever do a photoshoot without at some point looking like the dork I really am.  This time was absolutely no different.....

This was just a bit more attractive than the cross-eyed, fish-lips look I'd just made at the camera.

My brother cracks me up.  

I just had to try a jumping photo.  This pic turned out okay I suppose, the others, not quite so much!  :D

Now, if you want to win one of these (or one of the other to-be-sewn-in-the-near-future) skirts, check out my previous post where I tell you about how I'm giving one away!


Photo credits go to my brother, Joel.