GBVS's Art Deco Weekend

Today I'm doing some major catching with my blog. So much has happened this summer and I just have not found the time to sit down and right. Now that things have relaxed a bit I am able to do just that. Today's post will take you back to May, specifically Memorial Day weekend to when Cori and I attended the Greater Boston Vintage Society's amazing Art Deco Weekend.

Group Photo. Check out all the great photos from the weekend by Vintage Girl Studios

We traveled to Newport RI and spend a few days with our GBVS friends at the Fairlawn Estate. It's now part of the college campus and while a good portion of the building is used as a dormitory, most of it remains as it did in the Guilded Age. I didn't really take many photos during the weekend, and very few inside which is a shame. The main ballroom is just beautiful and the mirrored walls remind me of the grand ball rooms of the 18th century.

Friday evening walk down mansion row. This this the Breakers

We arrived Friday evening to settle in and took a short walk around the neighborhood. The walking trail follows the coast line and offers spectacular views of the ocean as well as some of the mansions.

Saturday morning after breakfast we listened to two lectures on men's and women's fashions. Both talks can be found on YouTube here and here.

There were several dance lessons during the day as well. A good portion of the day was spent outside where we enjoyed a picnic lunch and lawn games. Yes it's possible to play a good game of badminton in heels and stockings, though I don't really recommend it. It was a great time to catch up with friends and make some new ones. We also took part is a short silent film by Vintage Girl Studios!

To make up for not having a proper Sunday Shoe Spectacle post today, here are a few shoe pictures from the Art Deco Weekend. My navy blue suede 1930s heels came from Lauren of Wearing History. Cori scored his amazing pair of brown and white 1930s shoes at an antique mall for $8.00!!! Crazy!! It just proves you never know what you are going to find.

I wore the blue linen skirt made last year from Du Barry 5296. I added straps that attach to the inside of the waistband with snaps. I really like how this turned out and give me more options for styling the skirt. Sadly I didn't have enough linen left to make a matching bolero but that's alright. The blouse I'm wearing is made from my favorite pattern, Du Barry 5172. I really love the print! It's a reproduction cotton print from the 1930s. I actually have another blouse made from the same fabric but different pattern for sale in my etsy shop.

I tied something a little different with my hair this time around. A hairnet!! I wanted to have some curl left at the end of the day for the black tie ball, so after taking my pin curls out in the morning I loosely pinned my hair up at the back of my head and added the net to keep everything neat. I do have a couple vintage hairnets but I was able to find a package of modern ones for a few dollars my Rita Aid store. I like these because they have a tiny band of elastic to help keep them in place. The elastic doesn't really show but I decided to tie a piece of yellow ribbon around my head anyway just to cover it up. It's a very youthful look but I kind of like it.

Saturday evening everyone changed into their formal attire for the black tie ball. Cori wore his vintage tux and I wore a black crape dress I found on ebay for a song. The belt came with an odd looking buckle so I swapped it for one I had in my buckle stash. Most of the picture I have from Saturday night and not very good unfortunately. However, if you watch Michelle of MyVintageLove's video of the event you will see a quick shot of Cori and I! I will share this one though, of Michelle and I. Her gown was really stunning.

Sunday we packed up our belongs and toured the Breakers mansion. I already blogged about that day and the outfit I wore which you can read about here if you missed it.

I believe there are plans to hold another event like this next year so be search to watch the GBVS website for details! I can't wait! There are lots more photo from the weekend on the GBVS's FB page. In addition to Michelle's video I recommend this one by my friend Neal Howland.

Outfit Details

Blouse and Skirt - Made by me

Shoes - Wearing History

Pin - Thrifted
Black evening dress - Ebay

Christmas at Hildene

I can't believe it's December already. Where did the year go? It's certainly been a busy one that's for sure. Today's post has been sitting, mostly finished, in my draft folder for a year now. Why I never posted it last December I'm not sure but as the holiday season is now upon us I decided it was worth sharing. :)

Hildene, the summer home of Robert Todd Lincoln

 Last December, about a week before Christmas Cori and I visited Hildene. Located in Manchester, Vermont, this beautiful historic house was summer home of Robert Todd Lincoln. Robert was the only child of Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln to survive to adulthood. Robert visited Vermont with his mother during the summer of 1864. In 1902, he purchased 500 acres of land and a year later began construction of the house. Today the house and grounds are open for tours and there are a number of historic displays throughout the house. While President Abraham Lincoln never visited Hildene (he was assassinated in 1865) you can view one of the few black silk top hats known to have been owned and worn by the 16th president.

The view walking from the Carriage Barn/Visitor's Center up to the main house.

Photography is not allowed inside the house so the interior photos I've included in this post are all from the Hildene Facebook page. All the rooms are furnished as they would have been during Hildens's hey day of operation. During the Christmas season the house is beautifully adorned with Victorian trimmings. Visitors are greeted by the sounds of a Aeolian Pipe Organ. This particular organ is believed to be the oldest residential pipe organs still in working condition in the U.S.

Source

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It was a chilly day! But We did manage a few quick photos outside. In the spring and summer months the gardens behind me are overflowing with color. Not so much this time of year!

A short walk from the main house visitors can enjoy the recently restored Pullman Sunbeam train car. Robert served as general counsel for the Pullman Palace Car Company under George Pullman. He became the company's new president in 1897 after Pullman's death. The Sunbeam, one of the finest examples of a wooden luxury care made by Pullman, was built in 1888. It was used by U.S. Presidents McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt.

1920s Bachelorette Party on Star Island

This will likely be my last post for a couple weeks. As some of you may know, Cori and I closed on our new house and are in the process of moving in. Also our wedding is coming up in two weeks and I need to get my act together and make sure everything is in order. Last minute things to coordinate and lots of stuff to pack for decorating the reception area. I'm looking forward to the day itself but I'll be glad to have all the planning, coordinating, stress, etc. behind me. I'm ready to move on to other things.

Today's post will be short on text but full of pictures! Back in August my friends surprised me with tickets for Gatsby on the Isles for my bachelorette party. We joined some fellow vintage fans from the GBVS, hopped on a ferry boat and headed out to Star Island for a 1920s themed adventure.

The history of the island, the second largest of nine rocky islands ten miles southeast of the mouth of the Piscataqua River, goes back hundreds of years. The Star Island Corporation has owned and operated Star Island since 1916. The Oceanic House is the largest structure on Star Island and has long served as a place of retreat.

Jill looks said because we told her we ate all the chocolate. Don't worry, we saved her some! :)

After a 2 hour ferry ride which included a narrated history of Portsmouth harbor, the Isles of Shoals and the New Hampshire Seacoast, we arrived and were ready for lunch. The girls and I set up our picnic blanket, listened to some live music, and relaxed. Then we explored the island.

Warning. Silly things happen when these girls and I get together!

I wore the dress I made for the 1920s Downton Abby event last year. It's the dress I got engaged in so it seemed fitting to wear again for the bachelorette party.

Erin borrowed the same dress my friend Jen wore for the Roaring 20s Lawn Party.

At the end of the day we boarded the ferry once more. A few people stayed behind at the hotel but they came to the dock to see us off.

The ferry ride back. It was much warmer then the ride to the island in the morning!

After arriving back in Portsmouth we changed and went out for dinner. My hair was an absolute mess by the end of the day. But look, I got new sunglasses! Our waiter said that even though it wasn't my birthday it was a special occasion so he put a candle in our brownie sundae!

It was a wonderful day!

Back to the 18th Century

Despite the craziness of down to the wire wedding plans and buying a house (we close today!) I managed to escape for a few hours for a little time travel to the 1770s. This past weekend was the Revolutionary War event at the Fort at No. 4. It's a wonderful site, and although it suffers many of the same woes of other historic sites, it has a lot of offer. I dusted off my interpreter skills and talked with some of the visitors inside one of the reconstructed homes. I spoke with a gentleman who was an antique dealer/collector and a lady who was just starting to make some 18th century clothing for herself. I brought a few items for display including my blue and white cross-barred gown. She was very excited to look at it and see how it was constructed and I was happy to share a few tips and resources with her.

Photo credit - Erin Jarrett

It was rather chilly in the morning and I was happy to be wearing my extra petticoat! I typically wear two unless it's supper hot but that day I wore three - my under petticoat of white linen with a printed cotton border, a quilted petticoat, and finally my blue and white striped linen petticoat. And of course my shift, stays, stockings, shoes, pocket, cap, mitts, gown and apron. Yes, that's a lot of layers!

I've posted about my purple and white cotton gown before but this is only the second time I've worn it. It's first outing was to Old Sturbridge Village last summer. I forgot my camera, along with a few other things that day, so my friend Erin took these photos with her phone. Everything I'm wearing in these photos, except for my cap, stockings and shoes, was all hand sewn by me.

I attempted something new with my hair but by the time we took the pictures it looked a little funky so please forgive me! These first couple of photos were taken in the bed chamber of the Parker House.

Photo credit - Erin Jarrett

I love the cotton bed hangings. Note the painted floor cloth too, these kinds of floor coverings were fairly common in the mid to late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Photo credit - Erin Jarrett

The robings on my gown came unpinned so it looks a little strange in this photo. Photo credit - Erin Jarrett

These next two my favorite photos of the whole group. :) I really like the play of sunlight and shadows from the window. Erin's husband is a professional photographer and I think his skills are rubbing off on her.

Photo credit - Erin Jarrett

Photo credit - Erin Jarrett

We took a few pictures in the keeping room (kitchen) and office/study area. I look so studious, ha! My linen mitts were started in a Hive workshop back in 2012 (yikes, has it really been that long?!) and patterned off the black and yellow pair seen here. The points are backed with silk and they are embroidered with matching yellow silk thread.

Look, I finished my mitts!! Photo credit - Erin Jarrett

Time for tea! Photo credit - Erin Jarrett

Photo credit - Erin Jarrett

Photo credit - Erin Jarrett

Looking Back at 2013 - Also a Belated Blog Birthday!

2013 was an exciting year. Lots of sewing projects, traveling, and adventures to be sure. I've already posted a recap of my sewing projects from 2013 which you can read about in this post.

It's hard to believe I've only been blogging for two years. January 3rd was my two year blogging birthday! Hooray! In honor of my blog birthday I decided to put together a little recap of blogging news and some of my posts that received a lot of attention in the last year. It's been fun for me to look back. I hope you enjoy too. :) I have some really fun posts planned for this year so I hope you will continue to follow along.

Awards, Events, Special Announcements in 2013

January 

• The much mentioned Downton Abbey event and my engagement last January. I'll leave it to you to explore these past posts.

March

• I published an article on vintage shoes in Issue Two of Hey Doll Vintage Magazine 

April 

•  Traveled to Gettysburg for a couple of days and had my tin type made by Rob Gibson.
• Awarded the Very Inspiring Blogger Award by The Choll at Thread-Headed Snippet and Cait at Curse Words and Crinolines. Thanks again ladies!

May

• Kristin of Sew Classic nominated me for the Liebster Blog Award. 
• I changed my blog title from My Vintage Visions to Emily's Vintage Visions.
• Published an article on Cori's 1920s tuxedo in Issue Four of Hey Doll Vintage Magazine

June   

• A crazy month! It was my friend Erin's wedding and also the month that Cori and I had to move out of our apartment. I really miss that place and all the closet space! 
• Not much in the way of events although I did manage to spend one day at Fort Ticonderoga working in their shoe shop. 
• I also got together with Rebbecca of A Fashionable Frolick to continue working on our18th century shoes with Mr. Walker. (See Rebbecca's post here.)

Working on my shoes at Fort Ti. Photo by Driftingfocus Photography

July 

•  Roaring 20s Lawn Party 
• My little blog reached 100 followers!

August 

• Rebels and Redcoats event at Old Sturbridge Village
•  Annual French and Indian War reenactment at Crown Point Historic site
•  Hive Challenge Event and a WWII event at Battleship Cove

September 

• I listed my blog with Vintage Search and the Vintage Directory created by We Heart Vintage. 
• Created a portfolio page for my sewing projects and began listing a few things in my Etsy shop. 

October 

• Went to a WWII event in Stow, Mass. - More photo to come!
• Photo shoot with Cori - More photo to come! 

This is just a sneak peak at the event. I have lots more photos to share.

December 

• Greater Boston Vintage Society Winter Formal 
• I won the Name the Dress Form Contest hosted by Anna of A Few Threads Loose. The prize was a gift certificate to Mrs. Depew Vintage. I've always wanted to try Anna's patterns and now I finally can! So many great choices! :)

Popular Blog Posts for 2013

• Time Travel Saturday - 1770 to 1940 
• My clothing for the Hive Challenge Event  
• Cori's clothing for the Hive Challenge Event
• Inspirational Vintage Journey
• A continued post on 18th century handkerchiefs 
• 1920s Crimping Tool Experiment

My research posts have been popular as well. I didn't write as many this year so my recap includes those from 2012 as well as 2013. 

•  WWII Victory Pins Part 1 and Part 2
• Adventures in Shoemaking
• 18th Century Bonnets
• 18th Century Handkerchiefs
• A Female Shoe Maker in Boston
  
• Research on prints for my Purple and White 1760s gown
• Using Period Prints and Painting for Inspiration
• Sizing Up Vintage Shoes - This was rewritten as an article for Hey Doll Vintage Magazine