Year in Review: outings

This hasn’t been the greatest year for outings.  A lot has been happening in my little groups’ lives: work, school, health, family…and that has definitely slowed us down.

But we did get out a little bit. And I did my best to wear things that didn’t get used in the past while.

In May we got out to the old fort.

And I helped out at the old Jail.

In July, Lottie and I made it out for some tea.

Then nothing until October.  Lottie and I took our annual train ride.

And I was Queen Victoria for Halloween.

And finally, the girls and I got together for a Christmas party.

Shirley wound a skein of wool into a ball.

Lottie added a few more rows to her Canadian Cloud.

Perhaps after our winter break, things will pick up again.  I sure hope so!  But even though our outings were few and far between, they were still quite fun!

The Christmas Tea

It’s been almost a week and I’m finally getting to the post about my costume groups Christmas get together!

 

Setting the table for the gathering. I am wearing my favorite dress…a 1870’s pattern and using my 1940’s dishware that I’m trying to collect a descent set of.

Lottie came dressed in 1700’s style. Not our usual Victorian theme…I told the girls to wear something comfortable and something they have been wanting to get more use out of.

This hand made cap is so dainty!

Shirley came in some festive 1860’s wear.

After some tea and muffins we did the gift exchange.

I got a bigger haul because it was a birthday/Christmas combo.

Time for the stitching.

Shirley wound a skein of wool into a ball.

Lottie added a few more rows to her Canadian Cloud.

I worked on some trim for the bodice of my next dress...1858 Lottie (Named after Lottie who bought the fabric for me when she went to CoCo).

 

Christmas gifts

Finally!  Something to post about!  The girls and I got together for a little Christmas do yesterday and I can finally post about the gifts I made them.

I made little needle cases loosely based off of a pattern from Lady Godley’s Jan. 1859 pattern.

Time was a bit of an issue so I omitted the small scallops and a shortage of beads had me altering the circle details.

I  think the girls liked them.

My pooch did an unwitting photo bomb!

Winnipeg Trolly

I had a Victorian at Heart outing scheduled for last week.  Lottie wasn’t planning on coming and Shirley, unfortunately had to back out.  You know how it is…the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

Hubby stepped in and was my date.  He wasn’t going in costume and though he said I could, I opted against it.  Three or more in costume is an event, an occasion, a club.  Two in costume are good friends with a slightly different idea of fun.  One person in costume is odd.  One person in costume with a non-costumed escort is some one with mental capacity issues out with their caregiver….

The outing was with Winnipeg Trolley tours and they were featuring a ghost tour.

The trolley’s are made to look like the old street cars we used to have here…just with motors.  They would have been a hoot in Edwardian or late Victorian gear. All wood inside…nice!

There were stories of local ghost sightings while we drove around the city and a few stops where we got out to see some sights before they shut down for the winter.

7 Oaks house…

Dalnavert House…done up like a house in mourning.

All in all, a pleasant evening.  I think it will be worth it to try this event again, and hopefully, with the girls in costume.

 

Annual train ride

Lottie and I took our annual ride on the Prairie Dog Central. (Unfortunately, Shirley wasn’t able to make it),

It was a bit later in the season than usual but this was a good thing…it gave us both a chance to wear things that we can’t wear in July.  We both wore 1880s in honor of the engine’s age.

I played with my phone app a bit…

There’s a bird sitting on my head!

Next time, I will share some of the unique finds I saw in the display area at the end of the first segment of the ride.

Opera cape

Note the pineapple motif on the shoulder.

Last weekend during Doors Open I ran into a woman with this fabulous opera cape. It was so lovely I had to take a photo or two. While chatting, I discovered she is related to my costume pal Lottie! (Sorry Lottie, I meant to tell you about that but I forgot!)

Have a good week all!

Opera cape

Note the pineapple motif on the shoulder.

Last weekend during Doors Open I ran into a woman with this fabulous opera cape. It was so lovely I had to take a photo or two. While chatting, I discovered she is related to my costume pal Lottie! (Sorry Lottie, I meant to tell you about that but I forgot!)

Have a good week all!

As promised, the first outing of the season

In honor of her majesty’s birthday, Shirley, Lottie and I headed out to Lower Fort Garry to enjoy the PERFECT costuming day!  The sun was out.  The sky was blue.  The air was warm and there was a slight breeze.  We missed the main rush of people so there was lots of room for photos.  PERFECT!

Lottie and I wore 1840’s and Shirley wore 1850’s.  Nothing new on either Lottie or myself but Shirley was sporting a knitted vest and a misers purse that she had made this past winter.

Here are a few of my favorite shots from my camera and Shirley’s.

Look at that sky!

Not a bad shot for a camera phone!

Shirley and I being patriotic!  I loved Shirley’s little basket of wool.

We all wanted photos next to the old wagon wheel by the blacksmith’s shop.

I loved how Lottie’s white dress contrasted with the grey wood.

I loved this staff person’s dress.  I don’t think she will love how her eyes look in this photo!  Hahaha…Sorry about that!

Practicing before the big lawn party!

A game of trundling.

Gretel, dear, could you do an old lady a favor and peek in the oven and see what is in there.  A little further dear, if you would be so kind.

Me want it!

There was a display marking some of the Fort’s other uses once it was no longer needed as a Fort.  A prison, insane asylum and auto enthusiasts club were its former uses.

Color in 1919

One of the dresses on display for the Costume Museum’s homage to the 1919 strike is this little number!  Super cute!

I don’t know what job this striker would have had but she would have been stylin’!  May be she was upper class with a bent towards helping the down trodden.

I adore the flower pattern and the necklace chosen to accent it is pretty nice too!

I don’t know if the hat is a set with the dress but it is a perfect pairing!

The color scheme reminds me of these photos taken over my house a few days ago.  The plan is to move in the next year or two and I shall miss this little lake out my kitchen window!

In other related views from my window…

…meet Groucho.

Now that he is named, he has become my “outdoor pet”.

Stay tuned for my next post!  Victorian at Heart will be starting its costume season today!  It is the perfect day for it I think!  Sunny but not too hot!  Yeah!

Annual Train Robbery

It is a bit late in the season, but my group and I finally had our annual train ride on the Prairie Dog Central train.  It was a colder day so I thought the jacket on my 1895 Walking Suit would be perfect.  Turns out, I could have used a shawl as well. 

Lottie wore her lovely 1880’s outfit with the velvet jacket.  She too, was cold.  Shirley was a bit smarter and wore a coat over her ensemble.

Shirley was also smart and brought something to help pass the time.

We met the lawmen guarding the train.

But alas, they were of little help.  Because just over the horizon…

Those dastardly villains were very frightening!

Once we were relieved of our valuables (which were donated towards a cancer cause) we stopped for lunch and some more photo ops.

They added a new feature for the train trip.  There is an old caboose that has been converted into a little nature museum.  It was full of dead stuffed things which I thought was a very Victorian interest spot.  I thought this would be a fun screen saver!