Friday, June 8, 2012

Delicious Edwardian Fashions


As you may have heard me say, lately I've been researching Edwardian fashion for the book I am writing.  This is because part of my book is set around 1915-1917 and I have to dress my characters, you know!

In the course of this research, I have come to realize that I have had a lifelong passion for the styles of this era, I just didn't know what the exact era was and what it was called.

Here's a sampling of the best stuff I've found today:







You may have noticed that these are very Titanic-esque.  This is because the Titanic sank in 1914.  This also gives me an excuse to  plunge into some Titanic costumes/fashions -- like this gorgeous coat which I just might have to try to make someday:



Which goes over the beautiful "swim dress" as it's called because it's the dress she goes into the water in (the pink coat is called "the swim coat").


Here are a couple of replications:




This last dress (which I think looks a bit too nightgown-y) is from a webpost called "How to make a Titanic swim dress on a budget". (http://www.vintagedancer.com/how-to-make-a-titanic-swim-dress-on-a-budget/).

So we did.


To be historically accurate, the black underdress would be long.  But Tessa wanted to wear it short today.  We bought a robe with lace-edged sleeves for $2 and a wide black belt for 97 cents at the thrift store and voila!

And then there are the wonderful vintage shoes!  I found this picture of these fun 1913 shoes online.



I had these in my closet which are basically the same thing ($4 from Goodwill):


And a couple of other relevant pairs ($3-4 each) just to prove that the passion is consistent!


And, of course, I still want THESE:


Don't you?

Friday, June 1, 2012

The House Project

Allow me to give you an "in progress" report on the house I've been furnishing!

A few "before" and "after" photos:



These old kitchen cabinet drawer sections were 50 cents apiece.

When I replaced the missing knob on the bottom drawer, I had to pay
a whole $3 -- SIX times what I paid for the drawers!


Drawer segments "after". 
They started out as a console to go under the big screen TV and ended up being a sofa table/desk unit behind the sofa
 (see photo below where they "kinda" show).


$10 dresser.  Looks good in this shot but the top was scarred up and dimpled from water damage.


Dresser after (with doors still to be put back on)


Boring, blah, bland, blonde night stands with ugly laminate tops -$12.50 each


Nightstand after.



The whole "Zen" bedroom.


$2 frame.

Not a close-up but an "after" shot of the frame.  Inside is a burlap-like fabric and paper letters.

I bought three of these chairs (complete with puppy-chewing damage on the lower spindles) for a total of $4.50 for all three.
$10 partially-stripped drop leaf table.

Chairs and drop leaf table "after".  They all ended up going elsewhere in the room.  These things have a life of their own!


The livingroom partially done. 
The candle holders on the table (which still need two more candles and a bamboo tray underneath them!)
are old metal weightlifting weights.

MORE LATER!