Jane Austen Convention, Part 1

Hello everyone!! It's good to be home again, I feel like I've been gone for weeks, not just 5 days!

The Jane Austen Convention was amazing!!

 I can't wait to tell you all about it in the upcoming series of blog posts....

Last Tuesday, my brother and I drove up to Rebecca's house. We went up a day early as we had a few errands to run, and wanted to get settled in nicely before we headed into the big city. On Wednesday, we had such fun doing a photoshoot at Rebecca's lovely house and grounds. I wanted to be sure I had good pictures of several key items for my Etsy shop in case they sold at the booth.

First, our "Molly and Cynthia" dresses, inspired by the beginning year of Elizabeth Gaskell's 'Wives and Daughters'. A tad late for Jane Austen, but not much. :) My dress bodice and sleeves are patterned from a Janet Arnold pattern 1827-29. Both are cotton prints.

Our white dresses! I like to think of them as our 'Emma and Harriet' dresses. Rebecca's is a delicate cotton voile, and mine is a swiss dot worn with a lacey chemisette.

A couple of outerwear items I made for the booth. I am wearing a simple dark brown wool pelisse, lined with brown linen. Rebecca is wearing an intricate plum purple and cream silk spencer with slashed and piped sleeves and a fold-back collar.

The sleeve details are copied from a museum dress c. 1810

A lovely apron front style ballgown in brilliant red cotton lawn, trimmed in gold silk. This one sold at the booth, but look for a custom listing soon in the shop.

My pale blue cotton lawn 'Anne Elliot' dress, inspired by the Amanda Root 'Persuasion':

And......last but not least. Our 'Gossipy Old Maids Drinking Tea' photo session.....

Inspired by the Miss Brownings from Wives & Daughters, Mrs. Bennet,  and Cranford.....

The Stern Old Maid and the Forlorn Old Maid

After this delightfuly hilarious photo shoot, it was time to gather up all the last details and head to Ft. Worth to set up the booth!  I was extremely nervous, as it was my first time to drive in Ft. Worth (or any city of comparable size), plus my first time for drivng in a confusing down-town......but we mangaged to arrive all in one piece, and on good time.The hotel was very posh and impressive - quite elegant! Everyone was friendly and helpful as we got set up.

 Our booth was in a good situation, just inside the door of the middle room of the  three Regency Emporiums.

It was quite fun decorating and deciding which items to display on the dress forms....

The red ball gown made an eye-catching display

Rebecca arranges a ruffled cap

Finished!

Chemisettes, chemises,  caps, weskits, and corsets

Very excited for our first day of selling on the morrow!

Part 2 to follow.....