Yesteryear Productions

News

2011-01-13T22:04:00.000-08:00

April 9, 2011

Just wanted to post this picture of my customer in the Rapunzel dress. In this one she has her hair all done. She looks great.

March 24, 2011

My mom, Lady Carolyn, did one of her shows on Sunday, March 20th as a benefit for Rainshadow Charter High School and the Great Basin Costume Society. She did her Edwardian Lady Undressed show, and I really wanted to dress up to attend. Only problem is, the only Edwardian outfit I owned was a summer one, definitely NOT intended to wear in the middle of winter (and yes, here in Reno, March is still in winter!) So, I started rummaging around in my closet to see what I can find. Below is the outfit I put together. I had to make the skirt and decorate the hat, but otherwise I had everything else. Oh, and the skirt was already half made, too!

The jacket was a thrift store find. Score! And the parasol is an actual umbrella - great for that gray, drizzly day!

As you can see, it also works without the jacket. I wore my corset cover over my dark green corset just in case I got warm enough to take off the jacket. I never did take off the jacket, but I knew I COULD if I wanted to, and that's what counts in costuming!

Of course, I wanted to dress up my daughter for the occasion as well, so with some more rummaging, I found this sweet little pink dress. It is from the 1930's but the style is very reminiscent of the earlier part of the century. Indeed, little kids clothing did not change a whole lot till the 1940's or '50's.

The shoes are not accurate for the time period, but it's all we had since she recently grew out of her period shoes. *sigh* I didn't really think through the fact that kids keep growing, even after you've gotten their outfit together perfectly! I'm lucky if she's gets a whole years worth of wearings out of each outfit I make her. The shoes are the hardest to get though. I can't just whip those up in my sewing room.

Anyway, it was lots of fun.

February 25, 2011

I finished the Rapunzel dress last week. The customer sent me a picture of her wearing it. From talking to her, it sounds like I may need to make some adjustments with the lower sleeves, but otherwise, it fits her great!

On the mannequin

The Rapunzel dress on the customer

January 28, 2011

I've been working on the Rapunzel dress. I have the bodice ready for the next fitting. And the skirt is pieced together, but does not have a waistband or hem yet. Below are some pictures of the progress so far.

The pattern I was using was much too long, but I wanted to be sure to get the right angle on the bottom and around the waist. So, I drastically shortened the pattern...


...and used the pattern to make another pattern out of tissue paper.

Here's the dress so far. The sleeve is not actually attached yet, it's just there to give an idea.

January 15, 2011
Here's a picture of the alteration on the Cinderella dress. I added the placket behind the lacing, and the grommets. I also added a little skirt onto the bottom of the placket so that the slit at the bottom did not show off any unmentionables. Not shown here is the hook and eye sewn onto the skirt of the dress to keep the slit closed.

I can't wait to start actually sewing the Rapunzel dress.

January 13, 2011
I've been commissioned to make a new dress. I'm really excited about this one. It's Rapunzel from Disney's new movie, Tangled. I love that it's a Disney Princess. But more than that, I love that it's PURPLE! I love purple. It's my favorite color. I'm soooo excited.

On a different note, I altered a Cinderella dress today for the same customer. It was a hand-me-down to her, but was too small. So, I removed the zipper and added a placket and 10 pairs of grommets. I hate grommets! But, with a pretty white lacing, it looks very nice. This customer is beginning to work for a birthday party company who specializes in Disney Princess appearances. I hope I'll get to create even more beautiful dresses for her.

December 21, 2010
Well, since this is probably my last post for the year, I decided to go ahead and move my "News" posts into different pages for different years. That way, the "News" post is not so long and is more up to date. I will only keep one year's worth of updates on the one post, that way it is actually "news" and not the oxymoron of "old news" :)

Anyway, you can click HERE or on the sidebar to the left to see updates from previous years.

And since it is the most recent bit of "News" I will also include this link (or click the pic below) for our most recent event.

Happy New Year everyone!!!

2010 Updates

2010-12-21T16:28:00.001-08:00

December 21, 2010
Merry Christmas!
Yesterday, a group of us from the GBCS went caroling at the Salvation Army Toy Shop in Reno, NV. We were dressed in our Dickens finest and made some people smile as they were waiting in line. As usual, click on the link here or on the picture below to see more pictures.

I also spent some time today updating this blog and the links, etc. I hope it is now a bit more user friendly. Oh, and on Sunday, I was paid a deposit to start on a Cinderella dress for a customer. It's going to be fun!

December 13, 2010

We got back yesterday from a wonderful weekend in San Francisco attending the Dickens Fair. You can read all about it and see lots of pictures by clicking HERE or on the picture below.

November 30, 2010

Yesterday, I went and sat in costume for a portrait panting class at the Nevada Museum of Art. It was painful to sit that still for three hours with only a few minute breaks here and there. But it was a wonderful experience. To see more pictures, you can click on this link or on the picture below.

And I finally got the link up for the page highlighting our trip ti the Valhalla Renaissance Faire. Click on the link or the picture to see more pictures.

The weekend after Valhalla, we went back up to Lake Tahoe for a Victorian event, Mark Twain Days. We also stopped off in Carson City for their Rendezvous. Again, to see more pictures, you can click on this link or on the picture.

I have several costumes commissioned which I will be working on in the next couple of months, so it's going to be lots of fun.

November 7, 2010
It has been a long time since I have posted anything. But that does not mean that I have not been busy. Probably the biggest news is that over the summer, we moved. My sewing room at the new house is not yet set up. But it will be soon (hopefully) and I am excited to get some sewing done again. We have also done several events since March. (Click the pictures or the links to see more on each event)

In June we went to the Vahalla Renaissance fair, but I don't have a page up for that one yet. :(

In July, we went back up to Piper's Opera House in Virginia City for their Summer Masquerade.

In October, we again went to Piper's for their annual Governor's Ball.

At the beginning of November, our church hosted a Victorian Tea.

And you know you are a costuming family, when this is what your daughter's 5th birthday looks like...

Prince Charming, Cinderella (still dressed in her rags), and the Fairy God...daughter? :)

That brings us up the the present. In about a month, a group of us are headed over to the San Francisco Dickens Fair. And I have a hankering to make a new outfit or two (or ten) for myself. So I'll try to be more diligent about posting.

March 14, 2010
Yesteryear had a booth at the second annual Girl Scouts Uniquely Me fair here in Reno today. We took our outfits and accessories and dressed up the Girl Scout girls as they came by the booth. Check out all the pictures by following this link or by clicking on the picture below.

These are the girls who were in our fashion show. Four of them were fair attendees whom we asked to help out. They loved it.

February 12, 2010
I cannot believe I didn't post about the Dickens Faire and Ball we went to in December. It was held at Virginia City, NV. Click HERE or on the picture below to read all about it and to see the photos.

Also, to see the event to which I wore my Jane Austen outfit on January 31st, click HERE or click on the photo below.

January 30, 2010
I completed my Jane Austen ensemble last night. Below are some pictures of the outfit. My mom and I are headed over to the Bay Area tomorrow for a social. I'll post pics of the event next week.

Here's the dress I made back in 2008

And here's the back of it.

Here's the spencer and bonnet I just completed. I think they look smashing together.

And of course, the back of the outfit.

January 26, 2010
Sewing completely for myself for the first time in over a year. (I made a dress for myself in December, but it was b/c I was in a friend's wedding.) So, it was fun to spend the last two days sewing, but not on a customer's outfit. I am making a "spencer" for my Regency/Jane Austen dress. It is just about done. I'm loving it so far. I debated about the color for a while. The dress is raspberry red with a black and pink trim. Should I go with a black spencer or some other color? Well, it came down to economy. I did not have black material, but in my stash, I found some pink material that goes very well with the raspberry. But did they make spencers out of pink material? After some careful research I learned that they made them out of every color. So, I went with what I had. Besides, it will be more fun to coordinate that to a new dress I'm bound to make :) And the trim may not be exactly period correct, but again, I went with what I had. I'll post pics when I get it finished.

January 23, 2010
Progress after a setback. I made a rookie mistake today. One that makes me glad I am not paid by the hour. I cut out a rather large pattern piece the wrong way and did not have enough fabric left over to cut it out the correct way. And, not wanting to cost the customer any more money by buying more material, I decided to try to piece together enough fabric scraps to make up the piece I needed. It took 5 scraps to get a piece large enough. I think it turned out rather well, all things considered. See the pics below to see the steps I took. By the way, this is the overskirt which goes with bodice "C" on the pattern I posted the other day.

Step 1: matching up the material pattern and sewing the pieces together. Doing all the matching was the longest part.

Step 2: Whew! The pattern barely fits. Since the material design is a one way design, the pattern piece had to go just so.

Step 3: the new piece

Step 4: testing the look (this will be attached to the bodice eventually).
In order to make the overskirt look uniform, I sewed minuscule seams one the "good" side to match the seams on the pieced-together side. Can you tell which is which? (By the way, you can click on the picture to make it larger.)

Step 4 again, just on the back. You can see the "wedge" near the bottom. Can you tell which side of the wedge is the pieced together part and which is the faux seam?

And, after making sure the overskirt was going to work right, I put it aside and went back to work on the "A" bodice. It's looking pretty good so far.

January 21, 2010
Christmas and the Holidays are over, it's time to get back in the Sewing room. I have another outfit commissioned by the same customer I've been making dresses for. In fact, it is the same pattern I've used twice before (the purple and teal Titanic-era dresses). I did the skirt today, just need to put the hooks on when I do the final fitting. I posted a picture of the pattern I'm using since this will be the third time I've used it. This time around, I am doing dress A (left) and dress C (middle) in a cream with black velvet floral patterned fabric. I'll post more as I get it done.

Simplicity pattern for fairly accurate Titanic-era dresses. The main alterations I made to the pattern is to make them two-piece and to make the bodices front hook closures instead of rear zip closure.

The nearly finished skirt of the newest Titanic-era dress.

2008 Updates

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December 11, 2008
I finished my new dress. I used the skirt from my lavender taffeta ball gown that I made last year and made a new bodice and bonnet for it. I wore it for the History Undressed show I did in Amargosa Valley, NV on December 3, as well as to the Dickens Fair on December 6. I won "Best Overall" in the costume contest at the Dickens Fair. Follow these links for more information about the History Undressed show and our time at Dickens.

November 8, 2008
My church, Foothills Church of Christ, had an Edwardian Tea and Fashion Show. We participated in the fashion show as well as provided costumes and I played lady's maid to Lady Carolyn as she did her Genteel Disrobe. There were about 100 ladies and 3 gentlemen that attended, including the member from our church who served as well as paid the $20 admission. The event was to raise funds to pay off the building as well as to send 30% of what we made to the Village of Hope Orphanage in Ghana, Africa. Click here or on the picture below to see more pictures.

November 1, 2008
The Nevada Day Parade was today. Joe and I dressed up as the King and I and joined Integrity Casting and the Reno Film Festival to walk in the parade. For more pictures of the stars, click here or the pictures below.

October 25, 2008
While it was not a costume party, I could not resist throwing in a vintage flair when I dressed for a formal party. I just wish I had remembered to grab a crinoline to make the skirt poof out like it was supposed to for that truly 50's look.

August 24, 2008
My daughter and I went with my mom, Lady Carolyn, to one of her shows. It was in Austin, NV at a renovated church and the ladies served tea and desserts. The show was Lady Carolyn's 1908 Genteel Disrobe so Saralyn and I dressed in our 1905 dresses. A couple of ladies dressed up besides the three of us. It was a fun time had by all. To see more pictures, click here or on the picture below.

August 8, 2008
I made a dress fro my daughter this week for an event to which my mom is taking her. It is an 1860's day dress. My daughter is two and a half years old.

July 18, 2008
The purple Titanic dress is finished and to the customer. She loves it, of course. I start next week on the other bodice and then we tackle a whole new outfit. After all was said and done on this one, though, I think it took just as much time to make it as the last one did. Part of that was the two hours I spent trying to get the right color of dye for the collar. You can't even tell in the picture, but it is dyed a very light dusty pink, a shade lighter than her shoes and hat.

June 27, 2008
The skirt is just about done. Just needs a fitting to mark where the hooks go. Waiting on the customer to get me the dye for the collar. Definitely going faster this time.

June 25, 2008
Spent some time in the sewing room today cleaning up and organizing, and I got the next dress cut out. It should go fairly fast this time since I've already done it once before. I plan on spending most of tomorrow on it.

June 24, 2008
I have been busy with my summer job and have not been in the sewing room for more than a few minutes until yesterday. I am excited to start on the next set of dresses for my customer. And she has a referral for me from a lady who wants a dress as well. The next dress I'll be working on is going be a copy of the teal one pictured below, only in a luscious purple. One of these days, I will have a picture to put up of the finished teal one.

May 19, 2008
Well, the Titanic dress is done, but silly me forgot to snap pictures when the customer came to pick it up last Friday. Oh well, there will be much better ones when she wears it with all the accessories. My project for later this week is to finish the other bodice for it. And she's already given me two more selections of fabric for two different outfits. I'll be busy.

May 10, 2008
I have not worked on the Titanic dress any more, but I did take pictures. I still need to hem it and put on a couple of hooks, but otherwise it is finished. Oh, and it doesn't fit my mannequin, so you won't be able to get the full effect. That will have to wait till the customer wears it and I can get photos. Remember, you can click on the pictures to see a close up.

May 9, 2008
I was commissioned by a friend to make her several outfits. She is going to be hosting tea on one of the cruise boats up on Lake Tahoe and she is going to be portraying Laura Knight. The outfits I am making are from the early 1900's. The first was a black embroidered skirt from about 1905 (see picture below). The next one, which I nearly have finished, is from the Titanic era. It is turning out quite well and is a gorgeous teal color with cream accents. I will post pictures when I get them.

(Sorry the picture is a little crooked - just cock your head slightly and you'll be fine)

2009 Updates

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November 16, 2009
It's been a while since I posted anything. In fact, it's been a while since I've done anything, being busy all summer with my other job. I did get the outfits I posted about last time (Feb 13) just about finished. One is done and I have a final fitting on the other.

1890's, early 1900's - this one still needs the final fitting and a few finishing stitches here and there.

1890's - this one is complete

On November 10th, my husband and daughter joined me for a small fashion show with my mom, Lady Carolyn. It was fun.

Victorian Christmas fashion show

And in July, I dressed in 1870's and headed to the cemetery in Virginia City, NV for a portrayal/living history of Mary Harris who lived in VC during the 1870's and is buried in the cemetery.

Portrayal of Mary Harris, circa 1870's

February 13, 2009
I received the deposit for two new outfits today. They will be late 1800's/ early 1900's outfits with interchangeable skirts and jackets. I am excited to get back in the sewing room and create some new garments. Keep tuned in for updates.

What are our Misc. Events?

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Well, it's just that. Our events which we plan, host, or attend, which do not fall into any of our other categories. It's hard to say what you might find in this category, so go ahead and take a look. It's always entertaining if nothing else.

Click HERE to see pictures of our miscellaneous events.

What is Meet and Greet?

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Yesteryear Productions can furnish one or more people to lend a historical air to your next function, be it a lawn party, fancy tea, or just a get together with your friends.

The fun and often witty actors are amusing to watch as they travel through the crowd, interacting with all who seem interested. Little skits and amusing conversation between the actors keep the crowd hanging on their every word. The members of Yesteryear are experienced at greeting and welcoming people, engaging them in conversation, and giving your visitors a little slice of history and fun.

To see pictures of our Meet and Greet events, click HERE.

What is History Undressed?

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Lady Maridy appears for the crowd dressed as a lovely lady of high standing. With wit, insight, and grace she then proceeds to undress down to a modernly modest drawers and chemise, explaining the use and reason for each of the 17 or more articles of clothing and accessories.

Click HERE to see pictures of the History Undressed events

What are Fashion Shows?

2010-12-21T15:38:00.000-08:00

Anyone interested in Historical Fashion will enjoy our fashion shows. Our shows can be from any era from the Renaissance to the present and are often used as fund raisers. One of our most popular shows is "100 Years of Fashion" which showcases clothing from the 1860's to the 1960's. Ranging from 2 to 25 models (who can be provided by you or by us), our fashion shows have often been termed "slices of life" for their look into not only the clothing, but the lifestyle of those who would have worn them.

To see pictures of our Fashion Show events, click HERE.

What is Yesteryear Productions Etiquette?

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Step back into history and learn the social graces that all true Ladies and Gentlemen possessed. Learn many interesting historical tidbits as well as information useful to life in this day and time, for proper etiquette is not just a thing of the past. Being a true Lady or Gentleman never goes out of style.

Click HERE to see our events in which we have given etiquette lessons.

What is a Ball?

2010-12-21T15:28:00.000-08:00

Balls are the most amazing Dance you'll ever attend. Set in a certain time period, the attendees are encouraged to come in costume. The music and dances are from the time period of the ball and set dances are taught and called.

Rarely do we actually host the balls ourselves. Usually we attend as patrons. But if you have ever wanted to step back in time and whirl around the dance floor in costume, renting a costume or attending with us is sure to be one of the highlights of your year.

Click HERE to see pictures of Balls we have attended.

What is an Invasion?

2010-12-21T14:56:00.000-08:00

To put it simply, an Invasion is any time we dress up in costume and go somewhere or attend an event in which we did not have a part in the planning. Most of our Renaissance Faire events are in actuality Invasions. When we spontaneously decide to go out to dinner in 1950's garb, that is an Invasion. When we invade the Mall in costume to get ourselves some hot sustenance at Starbucks after cold outdoor event in mid-December? Yep, that's an Invasion.

To see our previous Invasion events, click HERE.

Caroling with the Salvation Army, December 20, 2010

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On December 20, 2010, the GBCS went caroling at the Salvation Army Toy Shop. There were 9 of us in costume. It was a cold, but fun time, and rather amusing as us amateurs tried to sing. A great big thanks to Elzabeth and Warren who coordinated the event, and treated us all to Starbucks afterward. Yep, that's right, we invaded the mall to get us some holiday treats. It was fun to see all the stares and to make so many people's days as they took our pictures.

Lauren adjusting Dana's corset for her.

Mary, Carolyn, and Bri staying warm indoors while waiting for the caroling to begin.

Sara, getting exited in her "new" outfit (which is really a modern dress with a shawl to disguise it).

Warren and Elizabeth, the coordinators for the event and our hosts afterward at Starbucks.

Carolyn and the line of shoppers for the Toy Shop.

Caroling out in the cold.
("Oh, bring us some figgy pudding. x3
And a cup of good cheer."

And now it's time for some "figgy pudding" and a cup of good cheer (We didn't have figgy pudding, but Warren bought us some coffee cake. And my peppermint mocha sure was cheerful.)

Ordering at Starbucks

Just a normal day, hanging out in the mall.

Our modern equivalent of tea and scones - coffee and cake! Mmmm....peppermint mocha.....

It was a wonderful time of visiting and laughter, and making a scene. A great big thanks again to Warren and Elizabeth for the treat. It was wonderful that our time together did not have to end after the singing stopped.

Dickens Fair - December 11, 2010

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Every year between Thanksgiving and Christmas on the weekends, the Cow Palace in San Francisco is transformed into the streets of London, circa 1840's for their annual Dickens Fair. The public is invited to partake in the Christmas revelry and cheer. There are vendors selling everything from meat pies to corsets, actors roaming the "streets", shows, and a ball that lasts all day. There were 5 of us who went this year: my husband, daughter and I as well as two of our friends. We stayed at a Comfort Inn just a few miles from the fair location. It was a great hotel. We especially enjoyed the continental breakfasts and the hot tub. Especially the hot tub! But I digress. Enjoy the following pictures from our time at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair!

Enjoying breakfast in our pajamas before heading back to the room to get dressed.

Four modern-day misses ready for the hot tub the night before fair.

Four modern-day misses being transformed into their 19th century counterparts.

I refrained from taking a picture of Joe in his Victorian underclothing. Since it is no different from his every-day stuff, it would hold no interest for anyone but his wife :)

Four modern-day misses having been transported onto the streets of London circa 1840's

Another Fair patron dressed in Steampunk glory.

He's a ghostbuster!

We headed outside to get a breath of fresh air after being whisked around the dance floor and decided it was a good time to head back to the van for lunch anyway.

We happened to park next to a lamp post and this huge concrete block. It actually made for a serviceable picnic table and bench.

Joe telling a story of his adventures already that morning.

Back inside spending time in the children's area. That's one of the things I love about Dickens - it's kid friendliness.

Daddy and Daughter taking a stroll

I cannot believe that Sara is still wearing this dress. I made it for her over 2 years ago. The pictures of her from Dickens Fair in 2008 are just too cute. Luckily I made it with a large hem so it could be let out. But this time I also had to pin it with a safety pin instead of using the hooks and eyes. She wore it just fine a month ago for a Victorian Tea, but it was just too tight for an all-day event. She's got one more event to get through next week, then we'll start planning her next outfit.

At the candle shop

The man let her braid the candles together...

And then for a price, she could dip them in colored wax and take them home.

We went to a showing of "Cinderella and Aladdin Meet the Monkey King".

It was cute and fun, but rather interesting. It was as if during the last 20 minutes someone had thrown a bunch of stuff in the script to make the thing last a full hour. And as if they were drunk or high while doing it. At least it was clean and kid friendly.

And, according to Joe, quite conducive to a nice little nap.

After the show, we took Sara on a Safari. Here she is waiting her turn.

She got to ride the giraffe. Btw, notice her stockings? My little girl is growing up. She outgrew her tights but I didn't realize that until we were dressed and ready to go. So I cut the legs off the tights and used ribbons as garters to keep them up. So authentic and it worked great. They didn't fall down once all day!

We also watched a juggling show.

And then we went to tea at Cuthberts Tea House inside the fair. We barely got a reservation. By the time I got our names on the list (40 minutes after opening), they only had reservations left for one time slot. But, it turned out perfectly, since it was for 5:15 and we were all getting hungry by then, but would not be eating dinner until we got back to the hotel around 8 o'clock that night.

I am so blessed to have such a wonderful husband who enjoys doing all this stuff with me.

The Carpenter family at Fezziwig's Ball

This was Deena's first time at Dickens. She did not sit out one single dance if she was anywhere in the vicinity of Fezziwig's Ball.

Danae also was a very popular lady on the dance floor.

The Secret Sisterhood of the Striped Sockeds strikes again!

This baby carriage was in use by one of the actors. It belongs in the Dickens Fair "family" and gets passed on to a family who needs it each year.

Fixing a wardrobe malfunction

Sara finally got over her shyness enough to go out on the dance floor with a bunch of other kids and a few of the actors to "dance."

Deena dancing with a most persistent admirer. We hadn't the heart to tell him that she's married.

Sara "waltzing" with a group of young girls. I was amazed at how well these little ones stayed in time to the music.

We closed the place down at 7pm. We had been there for over 7.5 hours. It was such an amazing day. Sara did the best she's ever done and already talks about going back next year. Next year we are thinking about going Steampunk. We'll see how that goes.

I just had to include this one. It looks like once of those satirical cartoons of the 1800's.

Did I mention we loved the hot tub at our hotel?

Being in San Francisco, we took the opportunity to do some Christmas shopping and sightseeing in Chinatown.

I went a little crazy buying fans. But you just can't get them here in Reno, especially not for the prices you can get them in Chinatown. And when you are dressing people for balls, fashion shows, and other events, it's awesome to have nice but inexpensive fans (that match the outfits) to let people use.

Portrait sitting 11-29-10

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On November 29, 2010, I went and sat for a class of art students at the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno, NV. This was their 5th week out of 6 and there were 9 students. The artists used any medium they wanted, most of them using paints, pastels, or pencil or charcoal. My job was to sit as still as possible for six 25-minute intervals with 5 minute breaks (yes, that's three hours.) My mom (Lady Carolyn), and a couple of our friends have also done the sittings. The students in the class (as well as many others, the instructor says) want to take another session. So, we may be in the running for many more sittings in our outfits. It was a trial to sit still for so long, but it was an enjoyable experience, and so wonderful to see all the portraits take shape. These artists have some serious skill to be able to do what they do in only three hours.

You can click on each picture to see it larger.

This is one artist's paintings from all 5 weeks.

Next week, Mom is going to model in a bathing suit from the early 1900's. I can't wait to see those portraits!

Valhalla Renaissance Faire 6-5-2010

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The GBCS attended the Valhalla Renaissance Faire at Camp Richardson, Lake Tahoe, CA. It was wonderful to walk around faire and enjoy all the sights and sounds and to experience that through the eyes of my 4 1/2 year old. Oh, and to show off my new costume, of course. My mom had made a new one fore Sara, and not to be outdone, I had to whip one up for myself. I love it. And it only cost me the cost of the material (which I got on sale) since I already had everything else in my stock of stuff.

Finishing up my costume at my mom's house the night before

New mother/daughter nobles outfits

Sara, age 4 1/2

The French Princess was so very impressed with Sara's outfit and manners. She gave her a faire favor immediately.

The shows were a favorite with the youngest member of our group

Whispering secrets or trading insults, you never can tell with those two.

Cabbage bowling

At the joust

Queen Elizabeth

Kids Court - getting to meet the queen

Playing bones

Learning to tat

Taking a stroll

Lady Carolyn tries her luck and skill at archery.

Belly Dancers

Sara's reaction to the belly dancers

Three generations

The kid's costume contest - Sara did not win, even though she was the best dressed, hands down. But when you are friends with some of the judges, it would have seemed rigged, so we understood.

Mark Twain Days and Rendezvous 6-12-2010

2010-11-30T13:10:00.000-08:00

Zephyr Cove at Lake Tahoe, NV, had their first Mark Twain days event. My mom and I and my daughter met up with several of our other friends from the GBCS and headed up the hill to Tahoe. The event was open and free to the public. There were only a few vendor tents, but the entertainment was top-notch. On the stage they had set up we watched a band play, a cowboy poet recite, and a shoot-out go down. We set up our picnic lunch on the sunny lawn and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. It was like stepping back in time and attending an honest to goodness Victorian Lawn party.

Lady Carolyn in her newest Civil War time period day dress.

Oscar and Debbie, an engaged couple and friend of ours seemed to like Sara as much as she liked them. She would barely leave their side the entire day.

A Wild West Shoot-out

Watching the shoot-out

Sara did not like when the bandit hid behind her.

Lauren, our resident photographer

Lauren and Debbie getting ready for the picnic

Me, my mom, and my daughter enjoying the June sunshine and a delicious picnic.

The GBCS picnickers

Maureen brought her grandkids up to experience everything, too.

Watching the MS Dixie (or Tahoe Queen) paddle away from the dock.

Oscar and Debbie

Another fair patron enjoys the show

Stopping to talk to the non-costumed attendees

The love-birds take time out to dance to the music

After our lunch on the lawn at Mark Twain Days, we all drove back through Carson City and stopped at their annual Rendezvous Days. We walked around and shopped mostly. As well as visited with a few more of our friends who were set up in the Civil War encampment.

It was quite a bit warmer down in the valley than it had been up at the lake. The parasols were definitely in use.

It is great to see others getting in the spirit.

Having fun while we strolled through the shops

We also met up with Mark Twain again, one who does not take himself too seriously, obviously.

For a phenomenal fee, you could get a ride around the field in the stage coach.

Walking through the Civil War camp

Dana and Lauren, another mother/daughter pair, doing some more shopping.

Regina met us in the shops.

It was a wonderful and relaxing day. Such a fun reason to wear our costumes.

Victorian Tea, November 6, 2010

2010-11-07T22:37:00.000-08:00

On November6th, our church put on a Ladies' Victorian Tea again this year. The theme this year was "The Womanly Arts." Lady Carolyn did a wonderful presentation on the things women did through the ages to keep themselves busy and entertained. Many of it had to do with sewing, knitting, etc. The ladies of our church provided the food, decorations, and venue. Lady Carolyn presented the talk and coordinated the other presenters, and I outfitted those ladies who did not have costumes of their own. The presenters wore costumes that fit with the time period of the art they were presenting.

Preparations

Starting my own hair

Nearly finished

Voila! Nice and easy, but elegant for my evening dress.

One of the presenters finishing up getting ready

The ladies whom I outfitted are not experienced costumers, so I had to help with their hair.

1550's Renaissance - she presented knitting which was very popular in that time period.

1810's Regency (Jane Austen) - She presented crocheting which started right about that time period.

1860's (Civil War) evening gown - she presented counted needlepoint. It wasn't until the middle of the 19th century that counted needlepoint came into being.

1910's (Titanic) - she presented writing, which was a large pastime for women up until telephones became accessible to everyone.

I just love those big hats!

1895 walking suit - she presented reading - which is still popular today, but not as mush so as it was in the pre-television era.

Two lovely ladies

My daughter in her 1860's outfit, which is almost too small for her now.

A presenter in her own 1700's garb presenting drawing.

Another presenter in her own garb, this from the 1500's, presenting how to make bobbin lace.

Crocheting in costume

Our writer and reader

My daughter was entranced by the writing process.

Making use of the fans we provided for the guests.

Lady Carolyn giving last minute instructions to the other presenters.

When you gotta, you gotta - adjust your drawers that is.

One of the teens from our church acting as a server

Another of the teens serving the wonderful food

Tea time for the presenters

More tea please!

Just lovely!

Unfortunately, I did not get any pictures of the guests (which there were not many of) or of Lady Carolyn's presentation. But we did have some fun afterward taking more pictures after the guests went on their way.

Lady Carolyn disrobed so that she could help tear down the equipment.

But, Lady Carolyn was just a tad too short, so, her daughter (ie me), who is 4 inches taller, got roped into duty. What? You don't think those Victorian ladies let a little thing like a huge hoop skirt stop them, do you? I think not!

My daughter was fascinated by what my hoops looked like from the underneath.

Myself and my best friend.

Telling secrets

Mother and daughter - she just turned five

She's such a sweetie

I love having a daughter who loves to dress up and do all this with me

And a best friend who loves it as much as I do

What's that under there? Could it be...?

Yep, that's right. I felt a bit like Mother Ginger from the Nutcracker ballet.

A good exit was just as important as a good entrance to the Victorians (and probably others throughout history). So it's always a good idea to know what the back of your dress looks like.

So, I guess this is goodbye, till next time!

Governor's Ball October 30, 2010

2010-11-07T20:52:00.000-08:00

Piper's Opera House in Virginia City, NV again hosted their annual Governor's Ball to celebrate Nevada Day. We decided to go and invited several of our friends and family. All told, there were 9 of us who joined in the festivities.

Balls are a good place to meet new and old friends - The couple on the right are friends we brought, the couple on the left are friends of theirs.

Some of our younger friends we brought.

Lining up for a set dance

Doing the Virginia Reel

Chasse down the row

Two hands around

Our young friend waiting for another dance to start.

My husband dancing with our friend who's husband in in Afghanistan right now.

The belles of the ball

Fixing his wheel so he can dance some more.

My beautiful sister-in-law who is wearing her wedding dress, with the addition of the lace bertha to make it more Victorian.

This is the very first historical dress I made for myself, nearly 1o years ago. I pulled it out of the closet and added the autumn embellishments and it feels like an entirely new outfit now.

Right Star

Dancing a quadrille

Awaiting our turn in the quadrille

Now it's our turn

Goofiness abounds

And the goofiness is returned

A rainbow sherbet

Our whole party

Being spoiled

More fun and games to lighten the mood.

Beautiful lady, who doesn't have an escort for the night :(

Unless you count all our husbands who all did their duty and danced with her.

Mr and Mrs Carpenter

Resting our feet at the end of the night. It was a wonderful evening.

Summer Masquerade July 10, 2010

2010-11-07T20:22:00.000-08:00

On July 10, 2010, Piper's Opera House in Virginia City held a Masquerade as a fund raiser. My husband and I made coordinating masks for the event. I wore my Regency gown I made last year. It was very freeing to dance in a dress without a hoop or bustle.

My husband and I

Lady Carolyn fixing her husband - uh, I mean her husband's doublet.

Lady Carolyn (who happens to be my mom) and my step-dad.

A guest

Deep conversation - but I just love the trio in the background

More party-goers. These just happen to be my brother and sister-in-law.

Waltzing

The masks did not stay on some people for very long

Beautiful ladies watching the goings-on down in the lobby

Contemplating...sore feet?

All time periods were welcome at the masquerade

Old-timey gangsta :)

Taking a break to rest our feet

Back in the dancing

Costume contest

Lovely ladies of the ball

Last dance of the evening

Pricing

2010-03-14T23:28:00.000-07:00

Minimum Pricing List

~Prices Increase with complexity of individual needs.

~Travel expenses will be added to events outside the Reno, NV area.

History Undressed - $200

Fashion Shows – $50

Meet and Greet - $25

Field Trips - $100

Etiquette Classes - $50

Sewing - $100 + materials

Please contact Lady Maridy for more information.

Girl Scouts Uniquely Me 2010

2010-03-14T21:22:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, March 14, 2010, We set up a booth at the Girl Scouts Uniquely Me! event here in Reno. It was an event for girls of all ages to promote self esteem and a positive image of beauty. We brought in costumes and accessories and dressed up the girls who came by the booth. They loved getting to see themselves dressed in Victorian, and especially loved trying on the corsets. And I hope they came away with a thankfulness for how good we have it today. Our booth was always hopping, even though we were stuck at the end of a dead end hallway on the second floor. I was so busy in fact, that I never got pictures of the booth or the attendees dressing up. But I do have pictures of the girls who were in our little fashion show, as well as pictures from the short etiquette lesson I did.

My daughter, Sara, in her newly lengthened 1860's dress, watching the crowd down below.

The Yesteryear Productions fashion show participants. Four of these girls were event attendees whom we drafted for the show.

Madi (a Girl Scout) in an 1860 day dress

Sara in an 1860's day dress

Amanda in an 1890's evening or ball gown

Kristina in an 1870's day dress

Adia (a Girl Scout) in 1870's underclothing

Kaitlyn (a Girl Scout) in an 1890's day dress

Mallory (a Girl Scout) in 1860's day dress

We had about an hour in between the fashion show and the talent show when I did my etiquette lesson. Here, too, I drafted one of the Girl Scout attendees to help me out on stage.

Hana got her cues perfectly and interrupted me just when she was supposed to.

I called for a volunteer from the audience to help me demonstrate proper table etiquette.

Here is Hana demonstrating a lady-like posture

My friend, Alex, came by the booth at the very end of the day and just had to be dressed up.

What a wonderful day.

After the fair, my helpers and I went out to eat at Olive Garden. In costume, of course.

The six of us at Olive Garden

Amanda and Kristina

Danae

Crystal

I wonder what secrets they are whispering.

Full of good food.

Virginia City Dickens Faire and Ball 12-19-09

2010-02-12T16:06:00.000-08:00

On December 19, 2009, a few friends and I attended the first ever Dickens Faire in Virginia City, NV. There were only about 10 booths, but all the shops up and down main street were decorated for Christmas, there were other people dressed up, and there were carolers, etc. Oh, and we got a 10% discount at the store because we were dressed up. My husband and I went up before everyone else and wandered through the town.

We had our picture taken many many times by the tourist. It was actually quite amusing to watch people try to take our picture on the sly. Yes, people, if I am dressed up, I expect that you all will want to take my picture. It's ok. You don't even need to ask.

Me on the streets of historic Virginia City, NV
Since this was a Dickens Faire, all of us are dressed in 1850's and 1860's
Put this picture in sepia tones, and it could have actually been taken in the 1860's.

My husband, Joe, on the streets of Virginia City.

My sis-in-law's mom, Sami and her family joined us before the ball. She is wearing my very first historical outfit.

Sami's mom, Sue had the honors of feeding nachos to those who were wearing gloves

My brother, Josh, getting fed by his grandma-in-law

Josh and his wife, Beth, who happens to be almost the exact size as my mom, so Beth gets to wear my mom's costumes a lot.

My husband, Joe, and Aaron (who is Beth's brother)

Ahh, the headless horseman! This is Beth's youngest brother. He went home with his grandma when the rest of us went on to the ball.

Voila! La transformation. We are now ready for the ball.
Beth, Sami, and Me

The men look pretty snazzy, too
Aaron, Josh, Joe

Ahh, brother and sister waltzing. So Sweet.

We were joined by three other people for the ball. This is Danae dancing with Josh.

Danae and her boyfriend, Nick. This is his second ball.

I don't know these people, but yes, he is dancing blindfolded. During this dance, all the men were blindfolded and the partners would dance. Then, when a whistle was blown, the ladies would leave the men and find a new partner. It was quite hilarious to watch.

Saint Nicholas paid us a visit during the course of the evening. Mainly ladies went up to say hello.

This is crystal. She was the last of our group. The dress she's wearing is called the peacock dress. It is the first time in years that anyone has worn it.

The Secret Sisterhood of the Stripe-ed Sock-eds
Is tradition. Other than that, you don't need to know. I don't think you'd understand even if I did tell you.

Our whole party. There were nine of us.
But for the ball as a whole, there were over 200 people crammed into the Piper's Opera house in Virginia City. It was quite a crush until people started leaving.

Lovely Sami taking a break from dancing. I am proud to say that our girls sat our very few dances during this ball.

We were graced by the presence of President and Mrs. Lincoln. President Lincoln gave a short speech welcoming us to the ball.

Time for a time-out. All that dancing is tiring.

A souvenir from Santa to take home to my four year old daughter.

It was a wonderful day in beautiful Virginia City. I look forward to next year when hopefully the Faire itself will be larger. The ball, however, cannot get any larger. As I mentioned before, it was packed! But it cleared out fairly quickly, so it turned out great. I am glad that it was a sold out event since the money is for the Opera House.

GBACG Social January 31, 2010

2010-02-12T14:37:00.000-08:00

On January 31st, my mom, best friend, and I went a social for the Greater Bay Area Costumer's Guild (GBACG). It was a free event for guild members and only $5 for non members. Not everyone dressed up, but of course, Mom and I couldn't resist the opportunity. The social was basically a yearly meeting for members to get together, listen to updates from board members, watch a fashion show, and get some great things from the raffle. Below are my pictures of the event. I will attempt explain costumes of other people, but not all are totally explainable. The GBACG is a guild for costumers. Not historians, per se. So if you are in to costuming, check them out at their website.

Erica fixing a button on my mom's dress.

This lovely lady in a 1500's Tudor style dress sat at our table with us.

A beautiful pink and white stripe polonaise from 1870's (I believe)

My friend, Erica, in my 1905 lawn dress

"Masque of the Red Death" by Edgar Allan Poe costume. He was part of the fashion show

Queen Titania from Shakespeare's Mid-Summer Night's Dream - she also was part of the fashion show.

A beautiful teal creation from the 1880's

There were quite a few people dressed in this era - from the Regency era, or more comonly known as the Jane Austen era.

My mom in her bodacious hat and sweet dress from the Jane Austen era

Me and my mom - both dressed in our Jane Austen era dresses

A couple of lovely ladies dressed in 1860's era dresses

The one on the left is an 1890's and the one on the right is a 1910's

A wonderful 1910's dress - this is the Titanic era

Another lovely 1890's - I just love the color

My mom and Erica waiting (hoping) for their name to be called for the raffle

A very unique bustle dress.

I made my Spencer jacket and matching bonnet just in time for this event

A rather somber, but very accurate dress from the 1500's

Steampunk - think going punk in a time when there wasn't electricity. Kinda weird, but cool.

I just love this picture. Her skirts are so voluminous they just flow everywhere

We did a quick photo shoot after the event was over. This is me in my 1805 "Jane Austen" dress

Erica in my 1905 lawn dress

Me, Erica, and my mom. Any time is a great time when you get to dress up.

Dickens Fair - December 2008

2008-12-11T13:02:00.000-08:00

We attended the Dickens Christmas Fair this year on December 6. It was a wonderful time had by all. There were 7 of us in our party who were dressed up. We took the RV over to San Francisco (well, Daily City, really) so that we would have a place to stay. It worked out really well, especially when Grandma and my daughter, Sara, needed naps. This was the first year that we stayed till the very end of the day. I was sad to see the evening end. I loved the atmosphere, the shows, the characters, and caroling, the smells, everything. And to top it off, my outfit won "best overall" in the costume contest put on by the GBACG. I was so thrilled.

Waiting on the Ladies

Getting ready

Enjoying the fair

Trying something new

Show everyone your pretty dress, Sara.

The Ladies in the costume contest and fashion show.

The winners with the Queen, from left to right: Best Overall, Best Workmanship, Queen Victoria (who awarded the prizes), Prince Albert (who was there to escort the Queen), Best Novice (the little girl's mom made her dress), and Best Trim

Dancing, dancing, dancing (the lady is my soon-to-be sister-in-law)

Mr. and Lady Carpenter

Nearing the end of the day and getting tired, but you'd never know it.

One last dance with Daddy

Dancing for the very little ones

History Undressed - Amargosa Valley, NV 12-3-2008

2008-12-11T11:34:00.000-08:00

Out in the middle of the Nevada desert is a small RV park where the Sun City RV club had me come to do the History Undressed show for them. I dressed up my daughter and the teenager I brought along to help with Sara and did a mini fashion show before I started my show. In the History Undressed show, I start out fully dressed as a moderately wealthy Lady from the Victorian Era and proceed to show all the accouterments, layers, and items that make up a genteel Lady's wardrobe. I explain all the pieces of clothing, including the 9 articles of undergarments. The show runs about 45 minutes to 1 hour and is enjoyed by both genders almost all ages (it is a bit boring for children under age 10 as is evidenced by the fact that my three year old had to be taken out of the room twice by the teenager playing her nanny).

Deena in a 1850's or 60's outfit which would have been very fitting for a young lady her age from the middle class who was out visiting or shopping.

Sara in a 1860's outfit with her dolly. This outfit would have been worn by a little girl from a middle- to upper-class family. It amazes me that even little boys wore dresses such as this until they were age 3 or 4 - more masculine colors, or course!

Me in my new 1860's dress. This taffeta and velvet day dress would have been worn by a fairly wealthy lady and would have been suitable for visiting or shopping or receiving guests for afternoon tea.

Mother and daughter making last preparations before the show.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The photos below are a little dark since the lighting was not very good.

Starting the show

This is a tussie mussie

Showing one of the original bodices after I have disrobed from my own

Showing just how you sit down in such an outfit

Down to my nine pieces of undergarments! And yes, a true lady would wear all this every day, all day long. And that's not even the outer garments!

Don't worry, no more items come off at this point. I take off 4 pieces of underwear and yet I still have on just as much, if not more clothing than most of the people in the audience!

Edwardian Tea and Fashion Show 11-8-08

2008-11-08T18:13:00.001-08:00

My church, Foothills Church of Christ, had an Edwardian Tea and Fashion Show. Yesteryear Productions participated in the fashion show as well as provided costumes and I played lady's maid to Lady Carolyn as she did her Genteel Disrobe. There were about 100 ladies and 3 gentlemen that attended, including the members from our church who served as well as paid the $20 admission. The event was to raise funds to pay off the building as well as to send 30% of what we made to the Village of Hope Orphanage in Ghana, Africa.

Five ladies attended in their own historical outfits, and of course we had to make them part of the fashion show. It was a lovely time had by all.

1870s, early 1900's, and Little House on the Prairie girl's dresses.

Titanic Era (her personal outfit - one my creations)

Early 1900's original

Titanic dress, fashioned after the dress Rose wore when she boarded that Titanic in that movie.

Early 1900's with original mink stole

1920's

Early 1900's

1870's (her personal outfit)

Early 1900's

Visiting with the guests (early 1900's ball gown and lawn dress)

Having a spot of tea

My mom, Lady Carolyn, in a 1908 and my daughter, Saralyn, in a 1905

Lining up for the show

Waiting their turn

Is it our turn yet?

1560's, strolling the crowd in her personal outfit

1870's (her personal outfit)

Early 1900's (her personal outfit)

Early 1900's evening or ball gown

Having tea

Carolers

Lady Carolyn starting her show

All dressed up (in 14 - 15 pieces of clothing!)

A few articles gone

Down to her 8 pieces of underwear!

Ooo, la, la
(Don't worry, she doesn't take anything else off but the corset cover)

Yum

Nevada Day Parade Nov 1, 2008

2008-11-01T21:18:00.000-07:00

We went with Integrity Casting and Reno Film Festival and walked in the Nevada Day Parade in Carson City. The the theme of the parade was Hollywood in Nevada, so we dressed up as numerous Hollywood stars and characters. I think only one (John Wayne) probably ever made a movie in Nevada, but that's ok. It was a lot of fun, and the lousy weather only made it more memorable.

The Stars

Audrey Hepburn

Charlie Chaplin

Dorothy

Elvis

Sean Connery as Henry Jones

Laura Ingles (Little House on the Prairie)

Marilyn Monroe

The Marx Brothers

The Other Boleyn Girl

Scarlett O'Hara

Snow White

Princess Leia and Chewbacca

The Duke (John Wayne)

The Joker

The King and I

Afternoon Tea and Genteel Disrobe Austin NV 8-24-08

2008-08-26T20:51:00.000-07:00

My daughter and I went with my mom, Lady Carolyn, to one of her shows. It was held at a renovated church and the ladies served tea and desserts. It was scrumptious. Lady Carolyn performed her 1908 Genteel Disrobe, so Saralyn and I dressed in our 1905 dresses to greet people at the door. Sara, of course, stole the show. There were a couple of other ladies dressed as well. About 60 people attended and a delightful time was had by all.

Lady Carolyn, Saralyn, a guest, and the hostess Elizabeth

Lady Carolyn, Saralyn, a guest, and me

Saralyn and me

Saralyn

Automobile Museum 1908 Fashion Show - April 12, 2008

2008-04-12T19:56:00.001-07:00

My daughter, Sara, and I participated in a fashion show for Lady Carolyn. The fashion show was for the "Gilded Age" of 1900 - 1915 and was held at the Automobile Museum here in Reno. There were four other ladies besides Sara and I and Lady Carolyn. We were all dressed in clothing from 1905 - 1912.

This was Sara's second fashion show and she was a huge hit, of course. I made Sara's dress out of the left over materials from my dress so we matched as mother and daughter.

[My apologies for the bad quality of some of these photos. They were the only ones that were taken.]

1905 girl's special occasion dress

1905 mother and daughter lawn dresses

1908 lawn dress
(this is an original dress and was originally worn by my great, great, great aunt Margaret)

1910 walking dress

1912 "Titanic" dress
(fashioned after the dress worn by "Rose" when she boarded the ship in the movie Titanic)

1900 "Gibson Girl" or "powder pigeon" evening dress

Charles Dickens Christmas Dinner Dec. 21, 2007

2008-04-05T22:50:00.000-07:00

The First Annual Charles Dickens Christmas Dinner featuring Shanti Shanti was a great success. Joe and I went dressed in our Victorian finery and provided a bit of “color” for the party quests. The food was good, and the entertainment was superb, despite the technical difficulties. And, surprisingly, the venue was cozy and intimate considering it was in a large hall at the Bowling Stadium. The above picture is the only one we got at the event since I almost forgot that I even took my camera.

List of Previous Events

2008-04-05T22:02:00.000-07:00

Click on the links below to see pictures and find out more information. If there is no link, that simply means we did not get pictures of the event and did not make a page for that event.

Some of these links will take you to our other site, so just use your "back" button to navigate back to here.

2010

~Salvation Army Toy Shop Meet and Greet, Reno, NV

~Highschool Victorian Fair, Reno, NV

~Dickens Fair, San Fransisco, CA

~Portrait Sitting for an art class at the Nevada Museum of Art, Reno, NV

~Victorian Tea, Foothills Church of Christ, Reno, NV

~Governor's Ball, Virginia City, NV

~Summer Masquerade, Piper's Opera House, Virginia City, NV

~Mark Twain Days, Zephyr Cove, NV

~Carson City Rendezvous, Carson City, NV

~Valhalla Renaissance Faire, Lake Tahoe, CA

~Girl Scouts Uniquely Me fair booth, fashion show, and etiquette lesson, Reno, NV

~GBACG Social, San Jose, CA

2009

~Dickens Fair and Ball, Virginia City, NV

~Fashion Show with Lady Carolyn, Reno, NV

~Living History Presentation, Virginia City, NV

2008

~Dickens Fair, San Francisco, CA

~History Undressed, Amargosa, NV

~Nevada Day Parade, Carson City, NV

~History Undressed, Reno, NV

~Afternoon Tea, Austin, NV

~National Automobile Museum Fashion Show, Reno, NV

~Nevada Women's Expo Fashion Show, Reno, NV

~GBACG Gilded Tea, San Francisco, CA

2007

~Charles Dickens Christmas Dinner, Reno, NV

~Governor's Ball, Virginia City, NV

~Valhalla Renaissance Faire, South Lake Tahoe, CA

~Valentine's Day Ball, Sun Valley, NV

~Meet and Greet at Crossorads Church Tea, Sacramento, CA

~History Undressed, California Emergency Physicians Conference, Yosemite, CA

2006

~Valhalla Renaissance Faire, South Lake Tahoe, CA

~Dickens Faire, San Francisco, CA

~Sparks Hometown Christmas Parade, Sparks, NV

2005

~Meet and Greet at Belle's Tea Cottage, Reno, NV

~Victorian Lawn Party at Belle's Tea Cottage, Reno, NV

2004

~Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival 2004

~Meet and Greet at Fantasies in Chocolate at John Asquaga's Nugget, Reno, NV

~Meet and Greet for a private party, Reno, NV

~Valentine's Day Ball

~Renaissance Faires in:

Calaveras, CA

Placerville, CA

Genoa, NV

2003

~Dickens Faire, San Francisco, CA

~Statehood Ball, Virginia City, NV

~Nevada State Fair, Reno, NV

~Renaissance Faires in:

Placerville, CA

Navato, CA

Folsom, CA

Genoa, NV

Nevada Women's Expo Fashion Show, April 5, 2008

2008-04-05T21:46:00.000-07:00

Fashions from 1810 through 1970 were showcased in a strolling fashion show at the Nevada Women's Expo. Twelve models strolled along the isles at the expo allowing the exhibitors and guests to see and feel the outfits up close. The models were able to answer questions about their outfits and interact with people. Yesteryear Productions participated in this fashion show which was coordinated by Vicky from Coral Rose Vintage. Our feet ache, but we are happy. Any day we get to dress in our outfits is a good day!

Two models in Coral Rose Vintage outfits on a stroll through the expo

(The white gloves and parasol go to my mom's outfit, I was just holding them for her)

(A Coral Rose Vintage outfit)

(A Coral Rose Vintage outfit)

(Coral Rose Vintage outfits)

GBACG Gilded Age Tea Feb. 9, 2008

2008-04-05T21:01:00.000-07:00

The Gilded Age Tea with the Greater Bay Area Costumer's Guild (GBACG) at the Palace Hotel's Garden Court in San Francisco, CA. Three other ladies and I attended this tea. This was an unusual event for us in that we did not stand out as usual. The reason being, everyone was required to be in costume in order to attend. The "Gilded Age" was from 1900 - 1915, so all costumes were required to be from this time period. It was absolutely breathtaking to be having tea in the Garden Court with so many other people in costume.

These are some individual portraits for the four of us ladies at The Inn San Francisco, the lovely bed and breakfast where we stayed.

No, I don't play anything but Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star - but it makes a great picture

Carolyn's driving outfit. Looks rather weird today, but that's what they would have worn in 1908.

Comely Carolyn

Fabulous Frankie

Marvelous Maridy

Pretty Peggy

A lovely study

The four of us ladies ready for tea.

Here's what we would have looked like 100 years ago!

These are pictures of the Gilded Tea, the Palace Court, and the other tea patrons.

Tea patrons

More beautiful tea patrons

Ready for tea

An original dress

Another original outfit - the gentleman in the back also is wearing an original uniform

Finally, after all the socializing, we get some tea (notice the nearly identical expressions on Carolyn and I - yes, we are mother and daughter)

The Garden Court - our tables were the white covered ones on the right.

There were at least 60 people in attendance and in the required costumes. Beautiful!

Governor's Ball October 27, 2007

2008-04-05T20:28:00.001-07:00

Every year, Piper's Opera House in Virginia City, NV holds a Governor's Ball. A rather large group of us went this year. There were about 75 - 100 people at the ball, most in costume. It was a wonderful evening of fun, food, and dance.

All the ladies in our group who were dressed in Yesteryear or Lady Carolyn's dresses.

Lady Carolyn with all the gentlemen in our group who were dressed in Yesteryear or Lady Carolyn's outfits.

Having fun - it's his first ball.

Lady Carpenter with her husband, Joe

Lady Carpenter made her newest ball gown especially for this ball.

Sewing Portfolio 2

2008-02-04T15:56:00.000-08:00

Click on any picture to view it larger

Click here to see my older portfolio (pre- 2007)

Outfits I've made for myself since 2007:

1930's blouse - September 2011

Bride's Maid's dress - May 2011

Edwardian skirt 1900's - March 2011


Renaissance Nobles Surcoat 1500's - June 2010

Back of Renaissance Nobles Surcoat 1500's - June 2010

1810 "Jane Austen" regency spencer and bonnet (January 2010)
to go with the dress made in 2008 (see below)

1860's day bodice and bonnet of taffeta and velvet (December 2008)
(I used the same skirt from my ball gown)

1810 "Jane Austen" Regency dress (April 2008)

1905 "lawn" dress of voile and lace(February 2008)

1860's Ball Gown of lavender taffeta (Oct 2007)

1950's Style summer dress (April 2007)

Outfits I've made for Others since 2007 (to see older ones, click here):

Child's Victorian/Civil War/Dickens 1860's - October 2011

Victorian Wedding Dress - May 2011

Ring Bearer's vest - May 2011

Disney's Rapunzel - February 2011

Birthday Dress - October 2010

1890's, early 1900's day dress (November 2009)

1890's day dress (May 2009)

1860's girls day dress (August 2008)

1912 "Titanic" Outfit (July 2008)
Yes, it's the same as the teal one below. The customer loved the teal one so much, she wanted the same dress in a different color.

1912 "Titanic" Outfit (June 2008)

1905 Embroidered skirt (May 2008)

1905 Child's special occasion dress (April 2008)

Belly Dancing or Gypsy outfit (Feb 2008)

Renaissance Outfit (Feb 2008)

1880's Bustle Dress (Nov 2007)

Medieval Style dress for a Red Hat Convention (Oct 2007)
(Yes, the velvetine is a deep purple, it just looks navy blue in the picture)

Modern Summer dress (Summer 2007)

Character Costume for Anime convention (Feb 2007)

Welcome

2008-02-04T15:36:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Yesteryear Productions! We are glad to have you here. The purpose of this blog is for a quick and easy way to update information about Yesteryear Productions.

Are you looking for fun and educational entertainment for an event that you are having? Then Yesteryear Productions just might be for you. We are an entertainment company that specializes in historical fashions and time periods from the Renaissance to the present.
Etiquette Classes
Lawn Parties
Fashion Shows
Meet and Greet
and our own special "History Undressed"

Click here to learn more about these entertainment forms. Also, you can visit our regular website www.yesteryearproductions.com Please Come back often and see what all we have to offer.