Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas for those who celebrate Christmas!

Enjoy the things which make your holiday special!

(The Big Ben gingerbread house I spent 12 hours making with a friend)

How Can I Resist?

Oh American Duchess my blog is filled with your giveaway posts! They are just too hard to resist! I'll just have to try harder to post more in between giveaways! Adorable vintage inspired dress by Shabby Apple give away at American Duchess: 

http://americanduchess.blogspot.com/2011/12/shabby-apple-dress-giveaway.html

Other Boogie Woogie inspiration...

Put on your favorite swing dress, crank up the gramophone on Goodie Goodie (from 1936) and start to Boogie!

Happy Winter Time

Spring is beautiful and I love the fall, but winter is pretty enchanting as well! Winter time comes hand in hand with a bunch of lovely things. 

Warm clothes:

Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun, La Baronne de Crussol, 1785

Warm drinks:

Snow:

And then there are the holidays! Hopefully they include things mentioned above. For me they also include...

Family:

Christmas:

Snowball Cookies:

and watching period dramas and reading!

Quote ~ Jane Austen

"I wish as well as everybody else to be perfectly happy; but, like everybody else it must be in my own way."

-Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility

Sense and Sensibility is a personal favorite of mine, also the first Austen novel I read. Have a happy weekend! 

The American Duchess is a busy lady!

Lucky for us the American Duchess is a enterprising woman! Along with designing and manufacturing beautiful and historical shoes she has now begun a line of shoe embellishments. Her new 18th century shoe buckles are really, REALLY, gorgeous! Here is her description of the new "Fleur" buckle:

Closely based on antique 18th century shoe buckles, the "Fleur" silver rhinestone buckles are the perfect accessory to keep the latchets on your 18th century shoes closed. Our"Fleur" buckles are delicate, feminine, and lightweight. Add that extra sparkle to your outfit and keep your shoes fastened in the most historically accurate and beautiful way.  Read more about the Fleur buckles here.

"Fleur" buckles come in pairs, and are available to buy here.

I certainly want some! I also want to know what the American Duchess will do next! I for one hope that she will considers making patterns in the future; her garments are always beautiful.

Beatrice Ephrussi Rothschild

Beatrice Ephrussi Rothschild (1864-1934) was an 18th century lover with taste and an abundance of funds! 

She was born in Paris to the Rothschild banking family and as an adult married Maurice Ephrussi, an other banker. She was a socialite and traveler, using her money to travel the world and purchase an amazing collection of art. Her other main legacy is her chateau on Cap. Ferrat on the French Riviera.

This famous pink house happily sits on the Cap Ferrat, close to the town St. Jean where since I was just a baby I have gone on vacations to. As an appreciator of history as well as beautiful things I have always loved this museum and returned year after year. The gardens are SPECTACULAR, as is the view, and as is the house it's self.

Beatrice loved the 18th century. She collected furniture, textiles, and art from this era. Pieces include the last remaining original carpet from the Versailles cathedral, sketches by François Boucher, a desk and table having belonged to Marie Antoinette, and her very own own Sedan Chair.

I always enjoyed hearing stories of her having tea parties with friends in 18th century dress! Also people recalling her being carried around the state in her Sedan Chair. She was described as a bit of a character!

If you are ever have the delight to be in this area, I would highly advise a trip to this villa!

1780s Polonaise to do list

 Main dress - check!

Petticoat - not check

more time to practice hair - not check

sleeve trim and flounces - not check

fichu - not check

And I thought I was almost finished!!

1957 Dress

I'm making a really fun 1950s dress from a pattern I've had for a while.

I'm trying to decide what fabric to use. There are lots of great prints at http://www.reproductionfabrics.com/ and I may very well use a flower print from there. I could also use a stripe or checked cotton of chiffon. Hmmm... lots of options!

I'm making option 3.

American Duchess Pemberlies

I think it is great that the American Duchess is coming up with her own business to sell all of us history and costume geeks the shoes of our dreams! Every time she says that at the pre-order if the order number is below 100 it will be canceled, I get nervous I want to see what she'll do next if this one is an other success! So everyone get some shoes!

The "Pemberley" Regency shoes are closely based on extant footwear from the 1790s through 1810.  The smooth, dyable, hand-sewn leather upper is designed to be lovely enough formal occasions, and durable enough for walking in the countryside.  Particular attention was paid to the point of the toe, as well as the other hallmarks of Regency historical footwear, with the main goals being both historical accuracy and all-day comfort

Georgian Inspirations

I recently celebrated a birthday, and my wonderful family and friends surprised me with a smörgåsbord of 18th century themed items! Such as a pair of American Duchess Georgiana shoes,

a copy of Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire's novel The Sylph,

a regency fashion plates poster from Bath,

and who knows were she found them, but my grandmother found two original late 18th century fashion plates!! Now I'm just aching to make a Peirrot Jacket in shot green taffeta like in one of the pictures! I'll post pictures of theme an other time! 

Thank you family and friends for a great birthday!