Fabulous Weekend

This weekend was spent contentedly doing the things I love most...learning about history, spending time conversing with good friends over a yummy meal and antiquing with my Vincent. Saturday morning I spent at the Egypt seminar in Gettysburg. I learned a lot and had a great time. : ) Afterwards my mother and I stopped at a few sutlers in Gettysburg including 'La Belle Femme' and 'Somewhere in Time'. I was pleasantly surprised by the assortment of authentic reproductions and books at 'La Belle Femme'. While there I spotted a SILK MANTLE by Anna Allen and gave in to the guilty pleasure of purchasing it. ; ) I love it! Now I just have to wait until the weather gets cool enough to wear it. I showed Vince the pictures of it online as soon as I got back and he thought it was stunning, too. He said he can't wait to take me out to show me off in it. Ha! Anna, thank you! It's BEAUTIFUL!

At 'Somewhere in Time' I purchased some new repro earrings - a large black teardrop pair and an ivory cross pair by Beth Miller. They're really huge and I'm so excited to wear something huge and showy just like the Victorians.

We met up with Rosie and her mother for dinner at the Farnesworth House. It was so fun to talk to someone who shares similar interests and a love of history and costuming. Rosie and I had a really delightful time chatting and after dinner we went back to 'La Belle Femme' to check out their other items. I was intrigued by the SHEER CARACO jacket made by Bevin MacRae. I'm not sure what her documentation for it is...the fabric and the style. The store owner said that the jacket pattern was from Godeys. Wish I knew which issue. Does anyone have more documentation on the cut of this jacket (year?) and the use of a sheer fabric for a summer jacket? I think it's really beautiful but I'm trying to imagine what type of occasion it would have been worn for and with what outfit. It seems almost more laid back like for a picnic or other outing. Any thoughts?

Today Vince and I woke up early to go to flea markets hunting for antiques. We found a few things but had more fun just being together. Vince just returned from a week long business trip and is going away on another tonight so I hadn't seen him in awhile. After breakfast and some more antiqueing we stopped at a stream to skip stones. We had been to the stream before but I hadn't thought it would be a good place to swim but this time there were several young boys there frolicking in the water. It looked like so much fun and I immediately thought of a wonderful opportunity for a reenactment - a period picnic and swimming day at the stream. I'd like to plan one for next year and invite local reenactors who would be interested in making period swimming dresses and attire, and also those who just want to sit up in the shady area along the shore picnicing. I can't wait. I already have an idea for my swimming dress. I'd like to make it of purple wool...but that's probably the one color wool that I don't have! I guess I'll have to check at the Fabric Outlet next time I'm there to see if they have purple wool at a reasonable price.