Trip to Adelaide - ACG Ball

So, back at the end of August (eesh FAR behind again!), I went to the ACG Ball in Adelaide.  It's a great chance to go off to catch up with ALL the Aussie Costumers... It's such a great night out, and I love that I get to catch up with W as well.  This year, we did our own thing really, deciding that we wanted to actually see some more of Adelaide.

We did do our usual fabric shopping with all the peeps, but decided that at lunch we would head to the beach.  Man oh man am I glad we did. D, W and I went to Henley Beach, where we had a really delicious lunch, followed by walking on the beach (and some paddling).  We had such a lovely day!

    

Then we had dinner in our room as we got dressed.... There may have also been a couple of drinks as well before we went to the ball.  Last year we did a group entry into the competition, and after that I vowed and declared I wouldn't do that again so that we could do things like stroll along the beach and paddle in the water.

We had a great time at the ball, even though we have decided that we'll have to take our own food from now on since there really isn't anything appetising for us to eat.  Even though I didn't enter the competition, my Idris managed to take out a best in hall award.  Many people have told me I should enter again, so given the format of the competition has changed for next year, I've emailed the National President to find out what is involved.  As long as I can still do my shopping/tourist trip on the Saturday, I may just do it.  Anyway, a couple of the photos....

 

On Sunday, D had to leave early, so we missed seeing her mores the pity.  W and I had decided though that we would head to Maggie Beer's farm.  Maggie Beer used to host possibly my favourite cooking show that is no longer on the air, and her farm is where it was filmed.  We had lunch, and a really good walk around.  It was really lovely.  We think we'll go back next year, and possibly head to a couple of wineries.  It's a beautifully stunning place though, and they put on dairy/gluten free food for us which was delicious!

  

The Bloodlust Ball - August 2014

So you'll remember I was working on Mina from the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen for the Bloodlust Ball a little while ago.

I had SUCH a great time at the ball.  I used to go to the Gothic Ball years ago, and managed to go last year with my Cousin.  It's a great night out, there's food and drinks, the venue is awesome, there's a great variety entertainment, and there was dancing!  

My skirt was a little bit big, so I kept standing on it, but other than that, all good!  Here's the combo on the mannequin...

  

And here's a couple of pictures of me and my date for the evening, my good friend Michael, who was dressed as Alucard.  He was the perfect date (although he makes me feel really short!), we had a great time, we chatted amongst ourselves, we chatted to random people, we had a few drinks, danced.  It was really great.  Michael has already declared that we will be going again next year, so that's awesome!

 

And as perusual, you can find other photos from the event at the Blogspot post here....

A trip to Fort Lytton for a Canon Firing

So my reenactment group went to Fort Lytton in August, along with millions of other people! 

We set up a picnic on the deck on one of the buildings, the Captain had his tricycle out with him.  Relaxing day, we chatted, ate/drank and promenaded around.  I don't have many pictures at all..  But there is a gif of me walking towards David, one of my friends that is a photographer.


I knew he was taking photographs, I didn't realise there were enough to make an animated gif of me walking!  It's kinda wierd, but lots of fun at the same time.  I love the way this dress moves in the breeze.  I had forgotten my petticoat this day though, so it felt really strange!

Besides one annoyance with reenactors who bring horses that are easily spooked to events with lots of public, loud noises and many other distracting things (including some very awesome black parasols), we had a great day out.  Here's the scant number of photos that I have, including a group one that David took for us.

An Edwardian Picnic

So back in August (argh, two months ago!) we had a picnic at JC Slaughter Falls in Edwardian dresses.  I've wanted to do Edwardian for SO long, and I made an outfit, although I still have to do proper undergarments.  I have already done another Edwardian skirt, which formed part of the Mina (League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) costume.  But anyway, here's my outfit...

 

I'm not completely sure about the blouse, I'm not sure whether I wouldn't prefer a less froofy one.  I know that the era kinda calls for the pidgeon full front, but I'm not sure it really suits me.

But we had a lovely picnic in the shade of the trees, it really is a nice spot for a picnic!  We were snapped by a local photographer as well, who kindly sent us some pictures.  The above right is one of hers, as is the group shot following..



I have another event next week, and I'm thinking I'll wear Edwardian for it, even though it's probably going to be really really warm, I want to wear my high waisted skirt possibly with my white lace blouse.

Abbey Medieval Faire - July 2014

So, I've finally sorted through ALL the photos from Abbey Medieval Tournament.  I once again attended with my Italian Renaissance group, Condottieri.

My mother informed me yesterday (and I did already know this, but she seemed shocked to learn of it) that the Condottieri were rather nasty mercaneries, who would fight for whoever paid the best.  Our group does like to get paid, and we'll do what is needed to enable that, however, we also like to laugh, and eat food.  Lots and lots of food.. :)

So my outfits for the weekend?

 

Yep, nothing new made for Abbey this year unfortunately!  But, there will be next year - and I'm on the way for that already, since I have since made a new Cioppa (the coat).  Irony is that I'm carrying my bow in both - the first was right after the archery comp, the seond I was off to walk along the queue with the gents, and of course you need to carry weapons with you when you do that!

Here's a photo of me in the archery comp...  My veil blowing in the wind is a nice touch, right?  We had 6 archers in the comp in total, which on the Saturday meant we could fill a full flight on our own.  It was reassuring to be firing with people you know!  In this comp, you fire at a pig that is released from the side, but the speed often varies.  So I missed.  Completely, both days.  Shot at the pig 10 times, missed 10 times.  MEH!  I wasn't the only one, so I didn't feel too bad.  Hopefully I'll do better next year!

 

So I had a great time, Condottieri is LOADS of fun.  Not really any bad bits about it, despite the cold on the Friday night.

 

Skipping an event for now.... Onto the Steampunk Ball!

pping over Abbey medieval Faire for now... I think the camera card is downstairs and that is too far away.. :P

Anyway, you'll remember I was working on the Steampunk Ball frock.

Here it is all-but finished..



AND!  Here it is on me..

  

anddddd.  One with the peeps..



We had a great night, although I know I'm getting old, since it drove me MAD getting out through the nightclub afterwards at midnight when everyone was that PERFECT amount of intoxicated.  I'm hoping that the Steampunk Ghostbusters actually get to do this again next year.  I'll have to think about what I'll make for it... 

And these photos made me realise how much I miss having purple hair.. -sigh-

History Alive wrap up

So at the beginning of June was History Alive.  It's an event I dearly love - it was my introduction to reenactment.  This year, I was really excited.  I finally own my own tent, we were back in bustles (and I had two new ones to wear), and it wasn't going to rain.  I was feeling quite unwell on the Friday, partially due to nerves since I was interviewed on one of the local radio stations in a bustle dress.

  

Oh and take note of the new day bodice for the black bustle!! :D

After that we had our usual set up on, lots of puns being thrown around about "holding poles" and tent "erections".  Yes, it's childish, but it's a tradition now, and we laugh ourselves silly through set up.  Afternoon came around and we enjoyed drinks on the ramparts looking out at the sun setting over Brisbane River.

 

There were also MANY comments about feeding my tent more so it would grow up into a real tent.  It's now been nicknamed the baby bell, but I have to say, now that I've put it up 3 times, I think I'm at the point where I can put it up by myself in around 10 minutes.. (obviously dependent on how hard the ground is.. haha).

 

I've said I was madly excited about History Alive.  But there was also some trepidation.  I had been conned into entering the archery competition.  Enter opportunity to make a HUGE fool of myself here, especially given I've been practising with my recurve, and not my longbow.  I'd only shot that bow twice.  Combined with that was the knowledge that I was going to stand out like a sore thumb, being as I was going to be the only person in the competition NOT in medieval.  I decided that I would do the comp anyway, time to show that archery wasn't just a medieval thing.  So I rocked up in my tartan with my longbow on Saturday.  The first thing that happened?  A medieval reenactor asks me about my bow with alot of derision  "So why is it so short for a longbow", I couldn't resist.  "Well for a medieval men's longbow it's short, but it's not short at all for a Victorian era Lady's bow -gesture to the fact that I'm wearing Victorian" in an equally patronising manner.  Go me.  Bloody know-it-alls!  By the way, the new tartan bustle dress.... The first pic taken by another of my photographer friends, Nick.

 

Out of my 5 arrows, I only got one into the target.  Which isn't a terrible thing really - most people did pretty badly on the Saturday.... Here's a photo even of me and one of my arrows, caught by one of my photographer friends, David.



All in all I felt happy that I put myself out there... As you can see, I really do stand out.  On the Sunday, I went back and entered again.  I was running late, so I ended up being in the last flight.  And then managed to get to get a bullseye, one inside the circle and one on the board, landing me in the finals.  I didn't win, but was still pretty stoked with that result.

Saturday night we had a regimental dinner for the first time in a few years, so the ladies went to town on decorating the engine room of the fort with flags, candles and laterns, the atmosphere is always amazing when we do this, it's probably one of my favourite things!  The Captain made me sit at the head of the table this year, which was a huge surprise, and quite a honour.  

 

There was only one really bad thing that happened over the weekend.  We have a room in which we have a static display of historical items, ladies accessories, toiletry items for both men and women, and magazines.  These things are all locked in boxes, and are displayed on tables.  We block off the sides of the tables so we can store some items (including my bow since my tent is often open).  I also had my crinoline and a couple of dresses (depending on what I was wearing at the time) almost behind the table as well.  On Sunday afternoon, I wondered into the room and my jaw hit the floor.  A kid had moved the bench blocking access to behind the table, had my bow (thankfully not strung) and an arrow and was acting like he was going to fire an arrow.  Meanwhile, his mother had her back to him and was wearing my crinoline and my teagown.  I kinda freaked out and went "uh, you need to put down the bow and arrow, and could you please not put on my clothes".  I was gobsmacked.  I pointed out to the mother that her 10 yr old was playing with a weapon, and that even if she wasn't worried, _I_ would be the one to get in trouble if anything were to happen.  Needless to say, we're rethinking how we store things during the event given we can't have someone in the room at all times to supervise the punters.  -sigh-

So that was my History Alive weekend... :D

As per usual, the slideshow!!