Victorian Fashions on Display

 Before I get started, my pictures loaded with the reverse of the show. If you want to see it progress the way the show went, start at the bottom and work your way up. If you start at the top, this first dress is the finally.

The main reason I chose to venture north to Port Townsend last weekend was for the Victorian Festival that takes place each spring. A friend from San Diego is actively involved in the fashion show. She wrote all the dialogue and organized the show this year. What a beautiful show. In the audience background you will also see that many of the attendees even dress in costume. It is quite fun. If you ever get a chance to attend, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

There were two men in the show. This one was the mortician. He really was enjoying himself.

 

 

The hearse with all kinds of surprises.

The black dress was the only dress that was original from the Victorian era. All other dresses were made by the models.

The blue dress was the models first dress made for herself. She did a great job.

Many of the models also made their accessories. I was fascinated by the shape of this hat.

This model has been involved in all the shows I have attended. Each time I am impressed with her sewing talents. This particular dress had a fun three tiered bustle.

I loved that there was a variety of ages, shapes and sizes of models involved. They all seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Here is my friend from San Diego. I remember many years ago she barely knew how to sew and now I am so impressed at what she does with her costumes. She even teaches classes at a costume conference.

Even the military was represented. He was carrying all his supplies from his bed roll to his dinnerware and pipe.

 The show took place in the local VA building and his costume fit right in with the surroundings.

 

 Here we are at the beginning of the show. I hope you enjoyed it. Several fabrics caught my attention and I quite loved this plaid.

 

Would you love living daily in one of these dresses? How comfortable are they? With all those layers and cinched in waist, I think I wouldn't be very comfortable. 

Have a terrific weekend, dear friends!

Sending love,

Marilyn

Tea, Dahling!

Just for fun I wanted to play a bit. After all, what else would you do with a fur coat hanging in the closet. So I donned  "the coat" and my sunglasses and off I went to tea. This year I am celebrating all year long turning 80 years old. And what a fun way to begin.

Doja Tea Lounge opened about a year ago and I hadn't visited yet.

It was delicious and I wished I had visited sooner.

In my cup was a very nice Darjeeling black tea.

This is my "live-in gardener" playing along with me.

Here we have cucumber herbed cream cheese slice, Char Siu Pork Garlic confit in a fillo cup, Green curry kabocha pinwheel, Japanese egg salad sandwich and Black garlic roast beef sandwich.

 

And then there were scones. I asked about the scone because it seemed different. It was a Scottish scone recipe, which was a bit crunchy but oh so good. The marmalade was delicious. There was also an earl grey madeleine and cranberry orange cookie.

And to top tea time off there were sweets. A Meyer lemon bar with elderflower meringue, Kumquat pink peppercorn eclair, and blood orange mango tartlet.

 

It was a special afternoon tea time with my "live-in gardener" and I celebrating the day.

If you ever are in the Portland area I can highly recommend Doja Tea Lounge. 

 

Now even if you are not in the area, pick up a good cup of tea and celebrate the day.

Happy Weekend, dear friends!

Scents of Christmas

 

 

As I read Nigel Slater's book, The Christmas Chronicles, I am reminded of the scents of Christmas. This week I served Christmas tea to my cousin and his wife. As I placed the food on the table once again the scents of the season tickled my nose.

 

Of course there were fresh baked scones from the oven still warm.

Then savories of roast beef, chopped olive, sausages in rolls, and creamy cheese warm from the oven. Sweets of crunchy cookies topped with cherries, dates and nuts rolled in pure delight, pecans baked and oh so spicy, chocolates that melted in the mouth, and chewy bits of delight to nibble.

The tea was poured of flowery lapsang. It was freshly brewed and warm, just the right amount to delight this girls heart.

The winter light from outdoors was so beautiful coming in to join us on this day.

Vintages plates and tablecloth were lovingly placed on the table in preparation for a time of laughter and of tears. Yes, sometimes there is both laughter and tears.

 

The tree was lite in preparation. Scents of evergreen surrounded us.

 

I savor each fragrance of evergreen, cinnamon, nuts, fruit, and burning candles each and every day of the season of Christmas, the season of delight!

May you delight in the small things of the season.

Have a terrific weekend, dear friends!

A Dress and Some Words

 I love nature in many forms,

but I also have a love of fabric in different forms.

Recently I visited my favorite antique mall.

I was drawn to notice fashion and words.

This first dress reminded me of something my mother would have loved wearing to tea. It was a peachy pink, her favorite color to wear. Do certain things remind you of your mother?

The details of this dress in the back waist just made me smile. The wearer wouldn't even be able to see it, yet she decorated herself for others.

My grandmother would have worn something like this as a young girl. Could you imagine wearing this to a concert?

We are indeed warriors, champions, fighters, and queens. Don't let anyone tell you differently.

Now this is my era. Crinoline's just made a young girl want to twirl and dance. All the better to have ruffles on the chest and a hat to dip just in a flirty way. If you look closely you might see me in the mirror.

So look again if you missed me sitting in the corner of your eye. I am the one smiling to myself in the mirror, the one with the camera capturing a moment in time.

Yes, sometimes it does seem dark and then the light comes out to shine on us. When you snap a picture do you notice the differences of the darkness and light?

Notice the light, smile, dance, dip your hat just so, and laugh out loud.

The visit to the antique mall always helps me when I am down and when I need a smile.

The surprises found there remind me of who I am and set me back on track with a laugh that gurgles up from somewhere below and comes out in a chuckle. The chuckle says to me remember who you are and be happy, you are special.

Sending love this weekend. Make it a good one.

A Green Teatime

 A Green Teatime is the perfect way to celebrate the beginning of Springtime and St. Patrick's Day!

Recently I asked a group of tea lovers what would they make for a March Green Teatime.

There were a lot of fun answers that definitely encouraged me to have a St. Patrick's Day tea theme.

So this week I served teatime with this in mind to my "live-in gardener" and myself in the green house.

There were sausage rolls with Dijon mustard, a stacked sandwich of tuna, black olive, and deviled ham with a green cream cheese frosting, Guinness whole wheat scones with raisins soaked in Guinness, green fruit salad with a peppermint tea syrup, and brownies with a layer of peppermint flavored icing.

I had planned to sip green tea, but then decided to continue my Darjeeling sipping from earlier morning. My "live-in gardener" sipped some Tulsi, which I also enjoyed helping him finish off.

It was fun to search my house for the color green. Of course my green depression glass works. Then a green teapot with my Marmalady's tea cozy made from vintage fabric. Both of the teacups are vintage too. The cup on the far side by the green chair is handleless and comes from the late 1800's. The cup closer in the picture is made in England (Colonial Pottery). I am not sure how old it is, but guessing early 1900's. I need to do more research on it.

Picking a single color to focus teatime was a fun challenge and one I plan on trying again.

Hummm? Wondering what color would be fun to feature the next time?

Anyway, it was just wonderful to be back in the green house for teatime.

I have missed it during the winter months.

Have a great weekend, dear friends!

Held Within

“The key to understanding if something is truly precious is to ask if we can hold it, for things truly precious cannot be held.”
― Craig D. Lounsbrough 

 

Though they cannot be held within I look around my house to see what holds things within?

Jars with marmalade are a favorite, even those red checked lids you find in the market today.

I use jars often to store things in the refrigerator or on the shelf.

In my kitchen, above the window, are tea tins I just couldn't part with.  They have held precious tea, but now I just enjoy the beauty of the tin.

Some of them have memories attached. The Assam tea box was given on one of the first tea expo's I attended in Las Vegas now quite a few years ago. The yellow and white tins were filled with tea from Paris, carried home in my suitcase. The tin on the far left is from Tasha Tudor and reminds me of the time I put together a themed tea with recipes from Tasha Tudor.

 

Baskets hold things too.

This Longaberger basket holds excess tea.

The canisters hold more tea in one and plastic bags in another.

The black tin also holds tea.

Both the tea and the canisters were gifts from my daughter.

The most precious gift from my daughter and the one that holds 

so much love and energy is my grandson, my one and only grandchild.

He is more precious to me than a tin full of tea.

He makes me smile and feel loved with his hugs and his words.

 May your days be precious and filled with love.

Happy Weekend, dear friends!

There is Something about a Chair

Recently there was the Christmas show at Monticello Antique Mall.

I go every year usually on the first day it starts, but this year was different.

I waited until the second day and went early in the morning, so I could avoid people being in the building. There were a few, but with mask on I was able to savor for a short visit and snap a few pictures. What always amazes me is how many chairs pop up in my pictures. Looking just now over half the pictures had chairs.

Chairs call to me. They say come sit awhile, relax, take a breathe, just "be" for awhile.

Do they call to you? Do you love chairs? What do they tell you?

If chairs could talk, what secrets would they share?

What stories have they listened too?

Sometimes chairs sit around the kitchen table. They hold our secrets. They hold our tears. And they hold our laughter too.

Dreaming of the day when we can huddle together around a table, by the fire, or in the living room and share stories, tears, and laughter.

In the meantime, I loved the quick glimpse into normal as I slipped down the antique mall aisles. I could dream for a few moments. I am doing a lot of surrounding myself with beauty by watching online. Setting up twinkle lights in the house and playing a bit of Christmas music too.

Have you started early? Are you surrounding yourself with the delights of twinkle lights or maybe a bouquet of flowers? Just saying, a poinsettia came home with me from the market and that will delight me into the new year while I sit in a favorite chair and dream.

Happy Weekend, dear Friends!

Dream awhile!