Can't miss luggage, part two!

You might remember my post a while back about a couple of fabulously gaudy pieces of luggage I snatched up at an estate sale. Since then I've been acquiring other pieces of the collection, with only one or two more to complete my travel set! Two are actually the result of readers sharing their luggage with me. The smaller suitcase is from a local gal, and the garment bag was a gift from Rogue Retro! I didn't even imagine there would be a garment bag in this textile, and haven't seen one online at all. Many thanks to them for making my collection that much more unique!

I just need the shoulder bag, and am on the lookout for a hatbox. I'm not even sure if a hatbox exists for this collection, but I sure hope so. I've also been looking for any type of advertisement featuring these, so if you have any info I would be so grateful!

Shop my shoe closet

If you're around a 6.5 to 8 you're in luck! All these beauties are being listed on Etsy this weekend.

Shop my closet

{Studio courtesy of Twila Jean}
I'm going to be putting some items from my closet up for sale on Etsy this weekend, so keep an eye out! 

Campfires and Candlelight

{Photos by Grace and I}
This weekend was another reenactment event, this time right in town. At Fort Vancouver they had encampments set up ranging from the mid 1800s to the 1940s. It was the "campfires and candlelight" tours, and while we mostly attended in the early evening, it is an event meant to be experienced at night. 
It's very interactive, they have activities, like a laundress tent set up, and games for the kids. And they make all the meals using items from the fort garden...it smelled really good...

I wore jeans and my favorite Jitterbuggin blouse, and got called "Rosie" more than once a dozen times. I don't mind that so much, just about everyone's mother or Grandmother worked in the shipyards in this area, so it's cool :)

Most outdoor events like this are coming to a close as fall approaches, but luckily it doesn't stop there!

Here is where you can find a schedule of upcoming events for Fort Vancouver. I'm sure your local parks and historic areas have similar setups you can check out. Lots have Facebook pages you can follow too which are great for keeping up with local goings on. 
 

Civil War Tintypes

{Tintypes by D.E. Geraths}
I've always wondered what my great great great grandchildren will make of my photos. I'm sure it will be incredibly confusing way off in the future, placing me in this time period. 
A kinder person would date the back of photos for future generations. 
I however, want to screw with their minds just a little more.
At the Civil War reenactment last weekend we visited D.E. Geraths, an authentic period photographer who takes tintypes and ambrotypes exactly as they were done during the Civil War. No photoshop, no new cameras, it's the real deal. 
Most of us in attendance got at least one tintype done, and Shawn even ditched the shirt to see if his tattoos would show up (you might remember last year my brother got a tintype and we saw that his arms looked inkless. I still don't understand why...)
Sam and I posed for ours right after he was on the battlefield, it actually kind of creeps me out how "real" it looks.
The next day the photographer was taking a wedding photo at the reenactment, how cool would that be?! 

Civil War at Fort Stevens

I didn't expect to be this into the Civil War weekend, but as the day went on it just got more and more fun. As mentioned before, no one was originally going in period dress. So that turned into three of us ladies in dresses and bonnets. 
Then Sam decided on a whim he wanted to take part of it. So he donned the wools and boots, and was right down there in the "battlefield". Color me stunned! 
A group took him in last minute and showed him the ropes, everyone is so nice there! 
There were so many pretty dresses, cool uniforms, and my goodness the children! I can't think of many cuter things that darling girls running around in pinafores and boys in little wool caps. 
We also got a carload of tintypes, can't wait to show you those too!  

Civil War outfit

This weekend was a big ol' Civil War re-enactment at Fort Stevens. We went last year and had a blast, and it was even better this time around! I wasn't planning on attending in full on costume, but Friday when I was shopping for something to wear with my mother, I came across this dress at Rays Ragtime and couldn't resist. It's just too perfect! It's not even a costume piece, it's a 60s housedress. Go figure. 
After finding the dress we stopped by Urban Eccentric and just happened to find a hoopskirt. I got the bonnet at the re-enactment last year and just trimmed it to match the dress. Last minute outfit success! 
Next up I'll post pics of the event, and the ever exciting tintypes!