Happy Holidays!

Wishing you all a very wonderful holiday season - whether or not you celebrate Christmas. I'm very much enjoying my holiday. Earlier this morning I received several sewing and costuming books (including Lauren Rennells' Retro Makeup book) from my family, along with a note for a pre-ordered pair of Pemberley regency shoes from American Duchess. I also received a few sweaters and tights which will keep me warm at school this coming year. The best gift I have received is the snow outside my window - it's a White Christmas!

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

Counting the days

I have exactly one week, six classes, one test, one composition, one showcase performance, and two essays left until I can go home. It will be so good to be home.

Merry Christmas!

Yes, another year come and gone. I'm done with my first semester of college and I'm nearly 19. Jeez times flies fast. Christmas was very nice this year (if you don't count my awful cold complete with headache and runny nose - I've gone through several tissue boxes in the past couple days and my upper lip is chapped from blowing my nose so often). I received a couple pairs of shoes, some socks, candy, as well as 3 (well 4) new books. One is Nineteenth Century Fashion in Detail by Lucy Johnston, Costume in Detail by Nancy Bradfield, and Patterns of Fashion 1: 1660-1860 by Janet Arnold. I've heard they are all really good books to have in the library for a costumer :) So glad to add them to my collection along with Lucy Barton's Historic Costume for the Stage, James Laver's History of Fashion, Kyoto Costume Institute's Fashion, and Cut My Cote. I'm also waiting for a copy of Stage Makeup by Richard Corson (it's in the mail) for use in my J-term Stage Makeup Course.

I've also been inspired to do something over my break. I still need to finish my corded petticoat (once I find the spool of hemp someplace in my house) and make a new regency chemise (from the remaining batiste from my victorian chemise and drawers). I've been eyeing the JP Ryan stays pattern and kit from Silly Sisters for a while, so I'm planning to order that soon so I have something to work on when I'm back at school in a couple weeks.

Nothing is better

than sitting on the couch at home with two labrador retrievers snuggling at your feet. Yes, I'm finally home!

I finished my finals yesterday morning and the original plan was that Mom was going to pick me up from school today after work. But I finished my finals and called my dad and I went home! The real reason was because my mom just had a big birthday and there was a surprise party last night with the ladies from the neighborhood. Initially I didn't think I'd finish on time, but when I passed in my finals, I knew I had to come home because I knew it would make my mom very happy. So after unloading my stuff out of the car, I stuffed it all in my closet so it looked like it was empty and then went and hid at my neighbor's house. Around 7:30 my mom walked in the door (thinking it was only drinks with my neighbors and maybe the wife's sister) and was completely shocked to find most of the neighborhood in the kitchen. She burst into tears to see everyone, then looked at me and was even more surprised! She thought I was still at school! I guess I get best daughter award :)