Victoriana on the Cheap

From a conversation with Serra Anansi and a belated fulfillment of a 'kinda' promise to Kaye Robbiani and/or Scotti Lyle.

Also known as: How to toss together a passable costume for Victoriana, fast and cheap.

Disclaimer, I haven't tried this, it's just an 'idea' from what I've learned about 19th Century fashion and might come close to late Victorian natural form.

Text here:

Go to any plus sized dress store and find something conservative.

Get two full length dresses.

Same one, one will be a parts sacrifice.

Then to the fabric store for ribbons and notions and tassels and stuff.

That match.

You'll need a store bought crinoline. Pirate your old wedding dress maybe.

You'll also need a few yards of stiff crinoline, but that's pretty cheap too.

That will be bustled up and attached to the main crinoline.

More butt. :)

Now you have a dress and a dress to tear apart. What you do with the sacrifice one is pull the bodice off, and hem it. It will become an overskirt, tie it up with ribbons on the sides.

Take the sleeves and poof em up for some poofy shoulders, sew them over the main dress.

Add frills to taste.

Steam Con

I'm booked.

Tonight's Wine

Lotusland Enigma.

Very fruity red, hint of wood at the back of the mouth. It's mildly sweet going back but not into dessert wine range. I like. :)

Still seeking a place that sells Maudite in my area, although I haven't looked terribly hard.

Tonight's Wine

Lotusland Girlsrmeaner.

I'm finding it very fruity, with a light bite to the tip of the tongue on the way in and no unpleasantness even a minute later.

I discovered this winery driving by. The claim of an organic winery intrigued me as phosphites in beverages have a hit-miss chance of an evil headache for me. Not only do the wines taste more natural to my tongue, not a single hangover five bottles of various types.

As always in my case, drunk from a crystal water glass when in the workshop. I knock over stemmed glasses far too easily.

Various Views of Chateau Frontenac

A bit fairy tale, that last one, no? It was taken near the entrance to the Citadel.
I went inside the day before, ambled about, and you know? The interior was nothing compared to the Empress in Victoria. The exterior, however, was worth the trip alone.

For All You Cannon Nerds Out There

From Artillery Park outside the carriage shed.


And a map snapshot from inside the museum. The Artillery Park is along the city walls on the right, where the Citadel is on the left.
The things you had to do to defend against cannons.

And a bonus from the Rampart.

New Face, New Beer

Hot find! A place that sells masks manufactured by the suppliers to the Cirque du Soliel!

I got two such masks, both cat. This is the more masculine 'Feline', reminiscent of a lion or panther. The other is a 'Puss in Boots', and is much less stern looking, and they have nose holes, I can breathe in them.

And of course, a big honkin' bottle of beer.

Egad, I've grown such a mane. And by now I feel I've cemented myself as 'one of those internet weirdos'.