What to wear on Halloween....

Or rather what i might be wearing if I had the time and money to make any of them. :)

First off we have my favorite gown from "Tristan and Isolde" which I actually have a pattern that's fairly close to so this one might be in production in the near future.



Next we have the "Gladiator" costume, I've always loved the whole wrapped up in ribbon thing. :) and who wouldn't want to finish it off by draping yourself in gorgeous luxurious fabrics? I mean really!



This one is from "Kingdom of Heaven", it doesn't get much screen time but I love it's construction and the color is divine!



Next is one of the many gorgeous costumes from "The Other Boleyn Girl". I have always like this style though which is called Cranach I believe.



Now we enter into the regency era. There are too many costume films here to show you all my favorites to I limited myself to only absolute favorites.
is it possible to fall in love with a time period because of their hats? well I love love love this one from "Sense and Sensability".



And again, Marianne's hat is just yummy! (she's on the left in case you didn't know)



Marianne's purple/brown gown has always been a favorite.



And I also love the color and print of this gown from "Becoming Jane".



here comes the true eye candy! this section could have gotten way too long as there are just way too many 18th century gowns i'm in love with but again, I show restraint, lol :)

this lovely concoction is from "The Duchess", isn't the hat just amazing!!! I read somewhere that Keira Knightly kept it she liked it so much, I knew I always liked her for a reason! haha :P



The following three are from "Marie Antoinette". This one is made stunning by the red velvet belt contrasted against the pale blue.



I love the trimming on this one and the bow around her neck is too fun! I wish I could get away with that on a daily basis. :) And the shirring and buttons down the front....ahh the detail!



This one might just be my favorite of all hers...maybe. I think I love it because it has a similar shape to bustle gowns which I love but it still maintains the conical shape of the 18th century something I also love. best of both I guess.



This one is another where the hat is what pulls me. It was one of the first promotional pictures to come out and had me drooling for more. I also love the salmon pink dress on the far right with the lacy sleeves!



Here we have my favorite gown from "Vanity Fair". I love the collar and her hair is a piece of art!



This is the Daun Jaun costume from "Phantom of the Opera". I have always liked it for multiple reasons. interestingly this costume has two corsets. a flesh colored over bust worn under the lacy chemise and the darker under bust which you see.



And from "Moulin Rouge" we have another one I seriously mean to make one day!



This one is from the movie "Silk", And I just love the lace inset, it reminds me of Alice in Wonderland for some reason, which happens to be a favorite of mine. :)



I have always thought this dress from "Cold Mountain" was so feminine and sweet looking.



I have been in love with this dress for a long time... the saddest part is that in the film, "Dracula" you see the bodice only for maybe 2 min.! it's truly a tragedy in the costumers world! lol, but really



the amount of work and detail in the train is just stunning!!!



The bustle cage itself is a beautiful piece of art!



This one is from "Van Helsing" and I actually like the one which looks just like this, but with a blue jacket, better however I couldn't find a good picture of it, so you get to see it's red twin!



There are many lovely gowns in "The Lord Of the Rings" but I have always loved this green one worn by Eoywn.



And finally there is the bedspread dress from "Enchanted" which I have a pattern for but still haven't found the right fabric...



so, there you have it, some of my favorite costumes in film and what i'd dress up as today if I could.

come back tomorrow for pictures of pumpkins and my little folk dressed up in their costumes! :D

sugar cookies!!!

Today we made sugar cookies! I mixed up the dough while the kids played and once Gwen was napping Gabriel helped me cut them out.



Then while they both took their afternoon nap/quiet time I went ahead and frosted them. I considered leaving some for Gabriel to do himself but by the time I got that far I just wanted to be done and have a clean kitchen.
They are tasty though! Nathan will be excited, he loves sugar cookies. He also loves it when I bake things for him to come home to. :)

Marie Antoinette's gown...

One of my favorite costume websites is The Costumer's Guide to Movie Costumes. Her update today shared a link to the Royal Ontario Museum which is featuring a video on a gown believed to be worn by Marie Antoinette, though altered later in the 19th century. I found it interesting and so thought to share it here as well. :) She also mentioned that yesterday was the anniversary of Marie Antoinette's death...

first hair do...

On the night before last as I was combing Gwendolyn's hair fresh from the bath I realized that it might finally be long enough to do something with! so far we've only done clip on bows. So yesterday morning I tried it out and sure enough it is long enough!



We now enter into the world of little girl hair! I love it and can't even tell you how much I have been looking forward to it. :D Obviously I'm still limited but it'll be so fun when we can braid and curl and play! Lol, it's like having a little dolly to play with, hehe!



How does she feel about this new do? well, she's not so sure, didn't cry about it but kept reaching up to touch them and occasionally pull them out. :) We'll turn her around yet, you'll see...



But isn't she just the cutest thing ever?! :)

sewing, sewing, sewing...

Well, I finally made it to the fabric store and got the necessary things to finish up Gwen's costume. I was also able to get stuff to get started on Gabriel's.
He decided to be the scare crow (or snow crow as he says it).
so, here is the little felt hat... which he's wearing sideways...



And then I took an older pair of cords he has that had been accidentally bleached playing in some water and added colorful patches.



And now I'm waiting yet again to go to the fabric store to finish the top as I inevitably always forget something! But I was already in a sewing mood by now so today I made this P.J. shirt from some old t-shirts of my husbands. Now just to find some cute plaid flannel or something to make some bottoms to go with it!

Dollhouse Frock GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

Dollhouse Frock GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

Shenandoah Costume GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

Shenandoah Costume GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

Tagged....

I've been tagged by AmandaBeth :)
so, here are my seven randoms facts about me!

1) I'm addicted to Goldfish crackers
2) I was born in a funeral home
3) I don't have a favorite color, too many that I love for me to ever pick just one!
4) I married my first and only love!
5) I have a tiny freckle on my left eyelid
6) I would wear corsets and dresses every day if people wouldn't make fun of me
7) some day i'll have a cat and name her Dinah from Alice and Wonderland

hmmmm.... now to pick my 7 people to tag...
hehehe :)

it's the little things in life...

A couple weeks ago I ran to Target to pick up some diapers and walked passed this purse, I did a double take, the initial glance as you're hurrying by and then a "wait I really like that!" stop and look. But I was in a hurry and didn't have an extra $24 laying around and so kept walking.



Then I got some fun money from my beloved and while out with a friend decided to go ahead and treat myself! (thank you my love!) It is very soft and does not feel much like plastic. has a great color! I'm quite partial to bronze and copper these days. Not to mention great storage! Which is a must with small children.



Then yesterday I was getting ready to cook dinner, (yes I am actually cooking now!) and while reading through the recipe again was dismayed to find that I was supposed to be cooking the dish in and oven proof skillet. I don't own one and after looking at the scantiness that is my cook ware,(due to lack of good storage)I couldn't think of a thing to substitute or make it work. and so, off to Target, again!



$20! and I went home to cook! In case you are wondering, it was a very yummy dish called spinach and feta frittata, similar to a quiche. And also this is the third meal I've made this week from a cookbook, a personal record. The husband has given 3 out of 3 so that's even better! :)



Back to the trip to Target last night...
I was in a hurry so I could get home and make dinner for my hungry family and in the rush down the isles passed one of those end sections where they place clearance items. It had lamps for 75% off! There were three I liked but after a very quick thinking through decided I liked this one best for my home.



It's a brushed bronze and so lends warmth to wherever you place it not by it's lighting alone. It also has a classic feel to it, which I find I am drawn to more and more these days. Timeless is always better than trendy when you're on a tight budget and trying to decorate a home.



It's the little things...they warm the heart. My dear man loves me and works hard so he can support our family. I am so blessed to have so much, a home, healthy kids, a husband who loves me, and fun money to buy pretty things I don't really need. :)
God is good and faithful in his promises!



And my small stash of fun money barely noticed the loss with a price tag like this! Now I have to find a lamp shade but I'm looking forward to the hunt! :)

Bunny

This is Bunny, Gabriel's pal and constant companion. When he was little his comfort object was a small cow, but last year we left him at a friends house and he ended up staying there for about 3 weeks. which is apparently long enough for a three year old to detach from said toy. Last Easter his grandma P. gave Gwendolyn a soft bunny which Gabriel took a liking to immediately! And so began the friendship of Gabriel and Bunny.



They do everything together and Gabriel is very much a big brother and/or parent to Bunny. Characteristics I hope he'll come to implement upon his sister soon. :)
He reads books to Bunny, tucks him into bed, dresses him some times, sings to him, and makes sure he's well taken care of if the need arises to do something that doesn't include Bunny. Making brownies this morning for instance.



I recently felt the need to document this because I know that too soon he'll grow up and grow out of this kind of play, which is normal and right in it's place. But I do want to cherish and keep as much of it as I can. Childhood is a magical time, full of learning and imaginary realities. I love that as a parent we are able to nurture creativity and a love for learning, by stepping back in time to be a child again ourselves.



for instance, did you know that I am a wonderful train track engineer? Well I am, I have been building train track configurations for at least 2 years now and my creativity is always much needed. "I want this piece mommy, I want this piece!"...How do you use every single piece of train track you own and make it all work? wouldn't you like to know?! lol
Thankfully, as my little man is growing up he's becoming a very brilliant engineer himself and only needs my help here and there these days.
And when not building trains he's learning how to care for Bunny, share with Bunny, love Bunny and all the things he'll need in order to be a loving father one day, Lord willing. :)

siblings...

Last week when it got really hot I set the kids up on our bed to watch a movie,
Gwen had gotten into my hair basket and found some head bands thus why they are wearing them. :)


I loved that they were sitting still and snuggling together! My little people hardly ever sit still!

Then today they were playing quite excitably on their rockers.
Gwen is in love with this pastime and Gabriel usually joins her at some point.

It's a joy to watch them have fun together :)

It's a joy to be a mother!

what to do on a hot day...