Feast Thursday: Putting Things Out

Today is Feast School Day! And Ouiatenon is preparing for the arrival of 3,000+ excited and active fourth graders. It is going to be fun - I am so excited to be teaching kids again!

Audrey called me yesterday and asked if I might have any cloaks for sale. She switches outfits throughout her performances and wanted a cloak to complete one costume.

I had three for sale and so I met her at my tent as I was setting up for School Day so she could try them on.

This is rather a poignant picture - my mother made that gown and wore it to Leslie's wedding (which was held at the Feast.)

Leslie and our mother at the wedding reception.

It is Audrey's gown now and I think my mother must smile as she looks down and watches Audrey perform in a dress that she'd made and was very special to her.

And now there is something that I made being worn with that gown, making it all the more special to me.

After we'd chatted a bit, Audrey left and I got busy setting up the things I'd been making for months to sell.

Rick had loaned me one of his jewelry cases from his silversmithing days, and I was so happy with how it framed the sleeve buttons and made them rather elegant looking.

This case is mine - Leslie gifted it to me and I like how it couples so well with the bigger display box.

I still need to add a tablecloth to this table, but Belle will help me do that today.

I changed my mind and left the beeswax ornaments in their storage cases. I'll probably set them out early Saturday morning. Same with the maple cakes. They are still sealed in their boxes and I can't wait to try one!

The beautiful quilt block was completely hand appliquéd and hand quilted for me by Shelly, my high school best friend and college roommate. Go here to read the full story about it.

Belle and I are heading out to Ouiatenon early this morning. We'll have an hour to set up the 18th century sidesaddle and my English saddle, a second folding table, and the things Tim loaned me and get ready for the kiddos.

I left the saddles at home yesterday - there is no way to lock the tent, and while there are safety patrols onsite all night, I did not want to risk losing them. So, I will bring them out today and then take them home this afternoon when I finish with School Days.

Wish Belle and me luck - it's 40 degrees out as I type! Luckily I have two cloaks of my own and can loan one of them to her.

Happy Leap Day!

Happy Leap Day! I once had a student who was born on Leap Day and he used to joke that he was really only two and a half. He would be eight and a half now (and he has four cute kids!) I think of him every February 29, so happy birthday, Adam B!

Not gonna lie, I am glad we have reached the end of winter. I have always preferred the meteorological seasons, so that means that tomorrow is the first day of Spring. A new month also means a new give away, so look for that to happen soon. (Most likely I will announce it Monday.)

Overall it's been a mild winter and the horses have weathered it well. (No pun was intended when I wrote that!) After having had recent temps in the 70s, we are now back below freezing. I think I mind that shift back to cold temps more than the horses do!

Some of you have wondered about the fifth member of the herd, Dolly, and why she has not been appearing on the blog for some time. Sadly she passed away. She went peacefully while she was sleeping - a good way to go. Out of respect for her owner's wishes, I have not posted any more details. 

With Spring on the way, Tim is gearing up for more projects. I suspect this pile of dirt will be used to level the northeast pasture - there is a depression on the ground there that tends to turn into a pond when we get heavy rains. 

Speaking of water, I was filling the trough and the sound of that water flowing took me right back to my teens when I had my horses at home. I stood there and listened, then pulled out my phone to record it.

I thought you might enjoy listening, too. 

The preparation for The Kalamazoo Living History event continues. I made a third cloak, this one a hip length rather than knee length like the other two.

It's made of a very heavy grey wool with black silk ribbon ties.

The hood is lined with silk and I am really happy with how it turned out.

Teacher Daughter Lisa came over after school yesterday so I could take her measurements for a new 18th century dress, a robe a l'Anglais. (An English gown.) It will be even more difficult to make than the riding habits I made us both, so wish me luck. More on that tomorrow.

Stay 'tooned!

Busy but Good

I knew that yesterday was going to be busy; I just didn't realize just how busy it would be.

Pepper and I went to the vet so she could receive her monthly injection of Percorten/Xycortal for her Addison's Disease.

She and I swung by the barn after that to check on the herd - Tim is traveling and has asked me to watch the horses this week. Obviously, Abby continues to avail herself of the mud spa.

Sultanna is in foal and due in May. She's a big boned mare but her pregnancy is showing.

Two Socks and Hokey were enjoying the sun over by the loafing shed.

The horses weren't the only animals at the barn who were happy about the warmth and sun that we have been having. (It got to 72 yesterday!) The birds were singing loudly all over the grounds. I pulled out my Merlin app to record and identify the birds that were singing.

The Eastern Meadowlark was really singing its heart out! And I could listen to bluebirds sing for hours. Such lovely songs.

Tim had seen couple of bald eagles on the property a few days ago, and we have a pair of red shouldered hawks that have been calling to each other in our neighborhood. (We also have a lot of bluebirds around our home, too.) Definitely the birds are enjoying this warmer weather.

Lunch with Craig, Curt, and Vanessa and then an appointment for my shoulder with the Occupational Therapist kept me busy until mid afternoon.

Breyer was busy yesterday, too. 

Tickets for BreyerFest went on sale and will be discounted until mid April. All tickets are digital this year. I haven't bought mine yet, but I will soon. (Photo from Breyer.)

But Breyer wasn't done - they announced a test run offering for Collectors Club members. (Photo from Breyer.)

It comes with two pieces and Club members can enter to be drawn for the pair. The cost for both is $1200. I don't have plans to enter for them as I am not fond of either mold even through Merrylegs is a vintage Chris Hess mold. (Photo from Breyer.)

Finally, I wrapped up the day by finishing a second cloak.

Made from green wood, it is tied with black silk ribbons. (The cloak has not yet had its final ironing.)

The hood is lined with white silk - a first for me. Like wool, silk is very expensive. It is also tricky to work with - it's hard to iron, it's slippery and slides as you stitch, and it frays easily. But it is very authentic to the 18th century so when one of my favorite fabric suppliers had some silk on sale, I bought two yards to experiment with. I love the end result; it was worth the difficulties I had in lining the hood.

I got another cloak cut out after I finished the green one. This one is hip length (the green and blue cloaks are knee length) and is made from a gray wool. It too will have a silk-lined hood. Today's plan is to work on that before we head down to Indy where we volunteer a couple of times a month. (And check the herd, too, of course.)

It's going to be another busy day, but it's going to be a good one, too. I hope yours is as well.

 

An Unexpectedly Snowy Day

The Conner Longrifle Show is this weekend down in Noblesville. It's only an hour away and Craig and I had planned to go, but then this happened yesterday.

We were expecting only an inch or so of snow, 

but the storm shifted and we got 5 plus inches.

The initial layer melted and then froze, so there is ice under that snow and on the roads. As you might imagine, both Craig and I are very leery about ice right now.

Since I was not setting Jolis Chevaux up as a vendor, Leslie had asked if she could take some of my block print clothing with her and sell it at her booth.

She sells block print fabrics and having my clothing there to show people 

what can be done with block prints helps advertise and sell her fabrics. 

In the past, my shirts have sold well, so it helps me out, too. Win-win for both of us.

While it snowed yesterday, I spent my time sewing. I finished this hooded wool cloak and am so happy with how it turned out! I have green, navy, black, and dark cranberry wool in my fabric stash and plan to make at least one more cloak to take to Kalamazoo next month. 

With a remnant of the cloak wool, I made an 18th century pocket. 

And with the leftover hood lining fabric, I made two bum rolls. (I am going to alter the pattern; I think the bum rolls need to be a bit larger than this.)

The bum rolls are stuffed with wool roving and they take more than you might think - that wool roving compresses and it took about a yard of roving for each bum roll.

Finally, just for fun, take a look at what played out in our living room during the snowstorm.

I noticed that Nashie was lying very closely to Pepper with his head by hers. 

A bazillion toys were scattered over the living room floor, but he wanted the one she had. And he was willing to wait for it.

You can tell from his eyes that the wait has seemed like forever!

Poor Nash! He never fails to make us laugh. Such a good boy, but such a goofball, too.

Wish me luck - I think we are going to brave the snow and ice and head down to Noblesville.

If we do go, I'll share some pictures tomorrow. Stay 'tooned!

New Fabrics, a Cloak, and Packing Ponies

After fourteen (!!!) stops, my wandering package of fabric finally arrived yesterday, almost two weeks after it had been sent. To say I am relieved would be an understatement.

I spent some time taking photos to post on the Horsiemama's Haversacks & Mercantile Facebook page and thought I'd share them here, too. I'm always on the lookout for unusual fabrics and these fit the bill. (You can find really neat fabrics by doing a Google search looking for local fabric shops state by state. Most will sell their fabrics online.)

Multicolored Dala Horses. These always remind me of daughter-in-love Emily whose father is Swedish and mother is Canadian. She has more than a few Dala horses in her home.

Strutting Stallions (I love the distinctive colors used on this fabric.)

Greek Horses

Mid Century Cut Out Ponies

Retro Circus Horses & Stripes

Liberty Circus Horses

Pastel Ponies (This fabric is flannel, not cotton like the others.)

I'd like to get started on turning these into haversacks, but that will have to wait a day to two - I need to do some more 18th century sewing first. (More on that tomorrow.) Actually, I started that yesterday. I am working on an 18th century wool cloak. Yesterday I asked Craig to take some pictures so I could see how it was going to look when worn.

It needs a fastener on the neck (blue silk ribbon is on order) and some ironing, but essentially it is done. I like the color and I love to sew with wool.

Talk about being cloaked! I hadn't realized that Pepper had joined me in the photo until I downloaded it to my computer!

Truth be told, I am not happy with the back of the hood. It is supposed to be gathered like that with a small hole in the middle, but I want to see if I can redistribute those pleats so that they encircle that small hole more evenly. (Right now, most are on the top.)

Now I'm off to put prices on sales models and pack them for travel. I'm taking them to the March Great Lakes Congress show so I have plenty of time, but they are taking over space in my office that I'd like to use for other things.

Oh, and if you want a haversack from any of those fabrics (or see something in the sales models that you'd like to have), just email me at horsiemama8@gmail.com.

Hope ya'll have a good day!