Feast Sunday - Things Don't Quit

First Post of the Day

Things are generally a little quieter on the second day of any living history event - fewer people are in attendance, the sales frenzy has settled down, and there is more time to chat with friends or even go do your own shopping. The vendors' rule of thumb is that, if you make half as much money as you did the previous day, you have done well.

Not this Feast! This one kept barreling forward, and it was go, go, go all day!

I had friends who helped me open my tent, then I restocked the maple cakes, straightened up the sleeve buttons and blackened beeswax ornaments, and settled in  for what I thought would be a quieter day.

I had a few moments to watch two of the Newfoundlands go by - they were used as working dogs during the 18th century in this area.

I got to see the lady with the ponies go by in her cart, too.  And, the Beignet Gals were already at it and bringing me beignets. Best breakfast ever!

Opening ceremonies were held and then the crowds absolutely descended.

Lisa usually helps me at events, but she is having some health challenges and was feeling too ill to come this weekend. Having said that, learning that I was low on quarters (maple cakes are $1.75 each), she ran two rolls of quarters out to me despite feeling so poorly. (Thanks, Lis!)

Vanessa, Curt, and the kids came by. I did the Grammy thing and gave Ian, Mila, and Lukie some spending money. Lukie bought the coolest pocket watch but sadly I didn't get a picture of it. They also ate at least two maple cakes apiece, and I think that someone ate three! LOL

Curt has been coming to the Feast since he was six or so. 

Curt, Cole, Jessica, and Kyle at The Feast of the Hunters' Moon in 1993.

And he never, ever complains when I ask him to set up or take down my tent. It's a heavy job and he does it with a smile. (Thanks, Curt!)

My friend April is working to create 18th century activities for kids, and devised and printed a musket and some targets.

Mila got to be the first to give it a try. It worked!

18th century hats looked good on Ian and Curt.

Not only family came by, but good friends, too.

Brandon of Eagle Talon Traders has been a friend since the 1980s. I buy much of my wool from him.

Lucia and Tim are from the Louisville area. They are horse people with two Mustangs and a Friesian cross. This month Tim is riding their Friesian cross around the Louisville Zoo and portraying the Headless Horseman.

This gal is a returning customer whose name escapes me.

She tried on two trade shirts, bought one, and then brought her friend over who bought the other one!

I found this photo on social media that someone had taken. That's me in the white cap with customers and friends in the tent.

Belle and her family came, popping in and out of the tent to check on me and then going back out to see things. They even helped pack up the tent along with Curt and Craig. (Thanks, all!)

I had record sales both days, and by the end of the weekend I'd sold half of my blackened beeswax ornaments, 400 maple cakes (one woman bought 30, the most I've ever sold to one person) and almost all of my clothing. (Haven't inventoried the sleeve buttons, but those were selling well, too.)

It was an exhausting day and an exhausting weekend, but one filled with friends, family, food, and fun immersing myself into the 18th century.

I'll have one more Feast post and that should wrap it up for this year. And a second post, a horsey one, is coming later today.

Stay 'tooned!

The Real Hunters' Moon

A last! It's Feast week! I woke up this morning with my mind filled with the sights and sounds of an 18th century celebration.

I also found a text from Lisa who was crowing, "I just realized that tomorrow is the actual Hunters' Moon! Can't wait to share that with my class."

She is right - the Hunters' Moon is brightest today, October 6. I caught some snaps this morning while out with the dogs, and it was stunningly beautiful.

There is a difference between the Hunters' Moon and the Harvest Moon, but both are related to the Autumnal Equinox. Here is some more information.

Of course, with Feast week beginning, I have to play some fife and drum music. And my favorite is Hell on the Wabash.

This recording was taken from the Civil War film, Gettysburg. In actuality, the troops marched to The Campbells are Coming but the film's music director liked this song so much that he put it into the film instead of the historically correct song that the Iron Brigade really marched to.

Here's a rendition of The Campbells are Coming. Bagpipes are another instrument you will hear being played throughout the day at The Feast of the Hunters' Moon. 

It's called the FEAST and there are tons of food booths, but there is just as much music being played as there is food being served. Dulcimers, fiddles, jaw harps... the list goes on.

To make things easier on me (I am parceling out my energy in order to save it), I have been bringing something with me that needs to go to the Feast every time I come downstairs. Our bedroom has become the repository of all those things. (Well, and the dining room which has the saddles.)

I have one more tub and two racks of clothing to go but I'm making progress.

Don't miss the Hunters' Moon! Go outside tonight if you can - it is a beautiful harbinger of Fall.

It's getting real!

Mostly Done

Leslie sent me that photo of herself all kitted out and ready for this year's Feast. Quite a change from her usual riding habits, but I am pleased with how it turned out.

The sleeves of her chemise look light blue due to the light but they are actually white. On her head is a "coif de Bordeaux" - I'll try to get a picture of the back of it.

We may add one more piece - an apron. I have several made up, but for this we want a lightweight fabric such as lawn and mine are linen and cotton. I've still got time to make her one should I find the right fabric. I am going to contact Eagle Talon Traders this morning and see if they have any they can send me.

As for who Leslie is interpreting? She's a milkmaid! She began making cheese last year as a hobby, realized its potential for living history work, and this year will be carrying a basket of assorted cheeses around Fort Ouiatenon during the Feast. A Feast tradesman is hand-carving her the piece in this photo but it won't be done in time for this year's Feast. (Photo from Google Images.)

I was contacted by one of my customers this week and asked if I would be interested in being photographed for a series of kids' trading cards about life at Fort Ouiatenon.

This is the sample they showed me that is from Fort Niagara. I'm happy to be asked and happy to do it, but I am also wondering when we will have time to shoot the photos. 

Maybe Friday? I haven't mentioned it yet here, but I am teaching a seminar on Friday for School Day. My topic? "Horses at Fort Ouiatenon." (No surprise, right?)

I'll be wearing my riding habit (another thing I haven't mentioned is I have lost 30 pounds and can fit into it again) which would work. 

But honestly, my caraco with the panniers is my preference.

Aside from possibly making Leslie an apron, my Feast sewing is done! Well, okay, I am making 30 plus mini haversacks for each set of sleeve buttons.

So I am not quite done, but am MOSTLY done. I'm no longer working towards a deadline to finish one more shirt or chemise.

I still have a list of things to do - I want to go through my supplies and make sure I have bags for maple cakes and beeswax ornaments, and I may make one last batch of ornaments next week.

Tomorrow I am meeting Tim at the barn and he is going to give me some old bits, horseshoes, and other things for my School Day presentation. When I have those, I can begin planning my set-up for the kiddos who come to hear me.

Three weeks to go! 

Creating for the Feast

This year I'm paring down the variety of things that I take to sell at the Feast. I've realized that there are four things I really love to bring: 18th century clothing, sleeve buttons, blackened beeswax ornaments, and maple cakes. 

In the past I've also carried Williamsburg pottery, toques, fans, body powder, pin pillows, dish towels, hussiefs (housewives), hats, fabric, scarves, shawls, and more.

This is my fifth year in business; it's time to focus on making and doing what I like most. And while I have some inventory of just about everything on that discontinued list, I won't be replacing anything. When it's gone, it's gone.

There is just one month left to prepare and I am in pretty good shape. 

I just finished this bed gown and I am hoping I can get more of that gorgeous fabric.

This chemise is for Leslie. I am sworn to secrecy, but now that she's no longer the director of the Feast she can go hang out and have fun at the event. That, of course, calls for new clothes and I am making her entire outfit. Stay 'tooned on that - I think she and I are going to have fun with this.

The sleeves on her new chemise are pleated

and she has a new pair of sleeve buttons

to wear in her sleeves. (She chose my favorite pair.)

That's two of the three things I need to make her that are finished. She's bringing the petticoat fabric to me later today.

Yesterday I spent four hours making blackened beeswax ornaments.

I had two "volunteers" who wanted to help or at least just hang out with me while I worked.

Molly could not have been in a more inconvenient place for me. But I didn't mind working around her - carefully. LOL

I'd made 60 ornaments by the time I was finished.

Normally I make around 40 per session but this time I was using some of my smaller molds.

I hope to make one more batch before the Feast, but if I don't get to it, I'm in good shape and should have enough for selling.

Leslie has been stitching up items for her business, Chien Noir. For years her business has been importing and selling hand block printed fabrics, but now that she is no longer in charge of the Feast, she can spend more time in her booth as well as at home sewing things from the fabric she has imported!

She just sent me pics of fourteen petticoats that she has completed; here are a few of my favorites.

The bands at the bottom are all different - that's very unusual.

Look familiar? This is the same fabric that I used for the bed gown. The colors are so vibrant.

A more subtle pattern, but I love that pop of turquoise at the hem. (Can you guess Leslie's favorite color?) 

This picture is because - Eddie! 

Leslie and I are heading to Kokomo together later this morning. I'm going to pick up my embroidery machine that I'd had serviced, and I think she is going to drop off her sewing machine as she's having trouble with the buttonholer. (Hers is a Pfaff but the store tech will work on other machines besides Janome.)

I'm also going to take another look at that professional grade Janome while I am there. 

Stay 'tooned!

Feast Prep: Blackened Beeswax Ornaments

Mama is struggling to go up and down stairs - not really a surprise as she is almost twelve years old. So, when she spends the day with us, Craig and I take turns staying downstairs with her. If we don't, she will slowly struggle upstairs, and while I admire her grit and determination, I worry that she will slip and fall backwards. (And, that she may also be in pain.)

Yesterday she and Nash spent the day with us, so I decided that was a good time to stay downstairs and do some Feast prep by making a batch of blackened beeswax ornaments.

They are not difficult to make, but the process is complicated and time consuming. I always set aside three to four hours when I make them.

The first thing I do is start melting the wax. That usually takes a half an hour for the first batch; subsequent batches go much more quickly once the water is hot.

While the wax melts, I prep the molds I want to use by cutting string hangers and placing them within the mold. I'm a one woman operation so smaller batches of five to six ornaments at a time works best for me.

As always, sweet Pepper is beside me keeping me company.

The prepped molds are put out next to the melting wax and then I set up the area where I will unmold the ornaments and blacken them with cinnamon. By now my entire home is smelling deliciously like beeswax with undernotes of cinnamon. It's heavenly!

This is a new mold - I love the detail on the baby's face!

Soon I am into a routine of melting, pouring, cooling, unmolding, blackening, and then repeating that sequence over and over. Today I made 40 new ornaments and it took four hours, not including cleaning up afterward.

The ornaments are not yet finished, though. I let them cool overnight and then I spray them with sealer to protect them from dings and damage. Another overnight wait, and then they are finished and ready to be offered for sale.

They sell very well at The Feast of the Hunters' Moon and Kalamazoo,

 and I'm even considering participating in the Christkindl Market in Oxford after Thanksgiving. 

It is held in the Dan Messner Building in Oxford, and Brooke (who is also the director of the Feast and has seen my ornaments there) has invited me to come set up for their Christmas event. 

A chance to do another event in that historic, horsey building? I'm all in! (Last two photos by Brooke Sauter.)

Don't forget the August Give Away - your choice of any haversack found here. Comment on any/all posts published Tuesday, 8/19 through Friday, 8/22 at 11:59 PM Eastern time to enter.

This non-unicorn lover loves those candy corn horns!