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.

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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!

Lovely Lottie gives gifts!

I spent some time with my costuming group this past weekend and Lottie, who had recently spent some time in Colonial Williamsburg, brought wonderful gifts!  Shirley and I both got some amazing smelling soaps (I can’t decide if I will use it or keep it in mint condition).  Then Lottie gave Shirley an antique monogramed hanky and I got a fabulous cabinet card.

Except for the big bow at the back of the neck, I like this outfit.  I think the floral bit is supposed to look like a full shirtwaist under a jacket but is probably a fake one.

It reminds me of an Edwardian dress I saw in a house museum this past weekend.  It had a similar effect.

Basically, the shoulder detail sewn on top of a fake shirtwaist.

The poor thing is in rough shape-especially the collar- and there are a few mistakes with how it is displayed (sitting in direct sunlight with a 1950’s hat on top). I couldn’t tell without pulling at it if the collar as displayed incorrectly (laying flat on the shoulder instead of wrapped around an imaginary neck) because of incorrect display or because it was in such sad shape.  It was light grey silk (Looks like a short man’s tie) and it had started to shatter.

I could see what it was supposed to look like and I think it was quite pretty in it’s day.  I like the shades of grey and the layered effect very much.