What I did for Mother’s Day
The mechanical butterflies were on display among many other marvels in the Curiosities and Inventions room at the Gaslight Gathering, a Steampunk and Victoriana convention the girls and I attended this afternoon. Loads of fun: the costumes were every bit as fabulous as one would hope. We’re determined to have our own garb for next year’s gathering.
My hastily snapped photos don’t do these outfits justice. They were spectacular.
Even better than the clothing were the gizmos, trinkets, and wondrous creations. We sighed over cunning little pocketwatches and brooches, gear-necklaces and carved bone bracelets. We admired a very fine propeller-chair to be used for in-flight repair of dirigibles and peeked in at a make-your-own-carpetbag workshop.
My favorite part was a long chat with a maker of straw hats. He comes from a family of “strawbenders” and had a booth filled with the most gorgeous boaters, bonnets, and bicycle hats. It is possible that one of us succumbed, under extreme pressure from her daughters, and treated herself to a delectable blue bonnet trimmed with brown batwing plait. But I’m not naming names.
sarah says:
so awesome!
On May 8, 2011 at 7:39 pm
Hannah says:
Hooray for daughters who know how to exert the RIGHT kind of pressure (no doubt due to your careful training ;-)). And happy Mother’s Day to you, my dear!
On May 8, 2011 at 7:43 pm
Theresa says:
So jealous.
On May 8, 2011 at 8:08 pm
Melissa Wiley says:
Says the woman who can see the aurora borealis from her backyard! 🙂
On May 8, 2011 at 8:12 pm
yvonne says:
Those hats are works of art. Wow! I LOVE hats. So jealous. 🙂
On May 8, 2011 at 8:54 pm
tanita says:
You SO look the part in that bonnet!!! Not to mention how cute your honey looks…
That’s it, I am SO leaving Scotland for San Diego. Man, such cool stuff happening!!
On May 9, 2011 at 1:00 am
Mary Alice says:
I wish that I was attending the sort of parties that required a straw top hat. That is too wonderful for words.
On May 9, 2011 at 3:47 am
Melissa Wiley says:
Actually, the gentleman in the top hat is the hatmaker! Scott, sweetheart that he is, stayed home with our three little ones so that the big girls and I could explore the steampunk galleries with abandon. 🙂
I don’t know when I’ll have the occasion to wear my lovely bonnet, except for next year’s steampunk con, of course! And Halloween, I suppose? But I decided it was a work of art worth having whether I had opportunity to wear it or not…(Of course it helped that two separate passersby said I looked like something out of Jane Austen.) 😉 It is currently adorning a lamp on our piano.
For me a big part of the thrill is meeting the maker. He had wonderful stories. He was quite surprised when I wanted his picture, but he’s part of the story of the hat, and the day.
(And then he insisted, delightfully, that my girls try on fascinators for the photo.)
On May 9, 2011 at 5:36 am
Penny says:
The bonnet suits you 🙂 What a wonderful, wonderful convention.
I’m sure your girls can whip up fascinators for next year, and you’ll have a dress to match that lovely chapeau, no doubt.
On May 9, 2011 at 6:40 am
Susan Gaissert says:
As a longtime lover of Victoriana, I pronounce your Mother’s Day perfectly awesome!
On May 9, 2011 at 6:40 am
MelanieB says:
More pictures of the bonnet! We need side and back views as well.
On May 9, 2011 at 7:15 am
Linda says:
My dd, Clarice gave me the link to your blog because I’ve been reading your books. I’ve read the whole Little House series and I just loved them, but esp. the Scotland series. I’m on book 2 of it. I was thinking how much research you would have to do, but I see you had help. It must have been a lot of fun writing them. BTW my gd’s would be so jealous of your getting to go to the Steam Punk event.
On May 9, 2011 at 8:09 am
maria says:
Oh what a joyfully fun day! 😀
On May 9, 2011 at 10:44 am
Carlie says:
Ooo! I would love to see more pictures of the bonnet too! Wouldn’t that it be fun to buy one of his hats for a birthday for a little girl (I’m picturing an outdoor picnic or something).
On May 9, 2011 at 11:40 am