Beautiful Blog Award

    My dear friend Naomi has nominated me for the Beautiful Blog Award over at her blog Wonderland Creek! Thank you, Naomi! :-)

  Naomi has just started blogging at Wonderland Creek and she's written several very delightful posts so far. Her blog is simply charming, my friends. Do hop on over and pay her a visit!

  Alrighty, so here are the questions:

  ~What do you think of Pride and Prejudice 1995? I want your honest opinion!

      Well....I have seen both versions (by 'both versions' I mean the '95 and the 2005, because we all know that no one really cares about the one from 1940. They wore hoopskirts, people), and I if you've been reading my blog for any amount of time you have probably heard me say that I prefer P&P 2005. Which, I know, is probably very shocking to most people. I wrote a review of P&P 2005 last year, in which I explained that the reason why I prefer that version is probably because I watched it before the other one and liked it, and also since I have never read the book it was my first impression of the story, so it has a bit of nostalgic value to me. (By the way, don't read my review. It's awful. And a lot of it I don't even agree with anymore, so just don't bother with it. Thank you.)
   So where was I? Oh yes. I have only seen the 1995 Pride and Prejudice once, and that was several years ago now-- four, I think-- so I don't really remember a whole lot about it. At the time, however, I remember that I didn't especially care for it. But, of course I give full credence to the fact that it IS a much better adaptation of the book. From what I've heard from other fans of the book and the movie, and from what I've read of the book myself, you'd have to be daft not to realize that.
  Since it was a long time ago when I watched it and I was quite a bit younger, I might feel completely different about it now. Actually, we currently have it from the library and I'm hoping we can watch it soon, so maybe after I watch it again I WILL love it and I won't be able to understand how I could ever have preferred the newer one. Although, I must admit, I don't think I'll ever be a huge fan of it, simply because I'm just not that passionate about the story.
   And that's another reason why I don't really have a very strong opinion towards either version anymore (wow, this is getting to be much longer than I'd expected!). Since I have never read P&P, and I am not what you would call an avid Jane Austen fan, I don't really care enough about the story to feel strongly one way or the other. I 'like' the '95 version and I know in all respects it's probably a much better period drama, but I also enjoy the 2005 movie for several reasons as well. I don't scorn either one but I do like to make fun of both. :-P
   So anyways, back to the original question. What do I think of P&P '95? I like it, I respect it for being a good adaptation of the novel, and I look forward to seeing it again and forming a new judgement. :-)

   Whew. Talk about long-winded. Anyways, onward.

  ~What are you now reading?

Isn't the cover GORGEOUS?

   I'm currently reading 'A Beauty So Rare' by Tamera Alexander, the second novel in the Belmont Mansion series. It's my first free book from Bethany House, and so you can look for a review of it soon! :-)

  I'm also halfway through 'Valley of the Shadow' by Stephanie Grace Whitson, which is the first book in her Dakota Moons series. It's not as good as Sixteen Brides, but I am enjoying it. I love reading about pioneers and Indians and that sort of thing, after all. :-) I've taken a bit of a break from reading it, though, because I want to make sure I finish 'A Beauty So Rare' in time to write my review.

   ~What is your least favorite costume from your favorite movie?

     Well, there aren't really any costumes in Hornblower that I don't like. Excuse me, that would be love. :-) Soooooo.....here's one of Cora's dresses from Downton Abbey that I'm not exactly crazy about.

  At the moment I can't think of any other dresses from my favorite movies that I don't like.

   ~What is your favorite period drama hat?

   WHAAAAT? I can't pick a favorite! You can't do this to me!

   How about I just list a couple? Would that be alright? :-P

                          I  really like this hat, although I'm afraid I can't find a better picture of it.

                                           And I'm also very fond of this one, believe it or not. :-)

      ~Who is the last man (from a period drama) in the world who you could ever marry?

   I believe that honor goes to Jonas Chuzzlewit. He is absolutely horrible. He's one of those villains who is so awful it isn't even funny, and you just want him to die (I was so glad when he finally did!) I really could name a whole host of men I could never marry, but he's the first that comes to mind.

  ~Which period drama lady would you most like to have as your teacher?

     There are so many wonderful teachers in period dramas! But the two I would like to have most as my teacher are Christy Huddleston and Anne Shirley. They're both so kind and compassionate and I think we would get along splendidly. :-)

    ~What is the next thing that you are going to watch? (Or what do you think?)

     Hmmm.....maybe Pride and Prejudice? :-)

    ~ What is the color of your bedroom?

      I share a bedroom with my two sissies, and the walls are painted blue. It's very light, kind of like a baby blue.

   ~ What do you feel like eating now?

     I almost always feel like eating popcorn. I can be a bottomless pit when it comes to popcorn. Right now, however, I'd really love a watermelon. (Yes, a whole one. Why are you looking at me like that?) Pity they're out of season. :-(


   Thank you, Naomi dear! That was quite diverting!

    Now is the part when I nominate as many people as I wish. It seems like there are is a lot of awarding going on right now, so if I nominate you and  you don't want to do it, that's fine. I won't be offended. :-P

   I nominate:

 Maddie Rose
 Belle
 Hamlette
 Naomi (are we allowed to nominate people back? Heehee. Only if you want to.) :-P
 Miss Emmaline

   And here are my 10 questions for you:

 ~What is one of your favorite period drama lines that you find yourself quoting often?
 ~What was the last book you read?
 ~What is the best movie you've seen so far in 2014?
 ~Who is one of your least-favorite period drama couples?
 ~Who is the one period drama man you can most imagine yourself marrying? (This doesn't have to be your favorite literary/period drama hero, just the man you think you would be most suited to.)
 ~ What is your favorite time period and culture to read about?
 ~Are you familiar with the Irish music group Celtic Woman? If so, who is your favorite of the singers?
 ~What is one of your all-time favorite book covers?
 ~Is there a specific period drama/literary character whom you often find yourself quoting?
 ~Is there a specific period drama/literary character whom you find yourself acting a lot like sometimes?

  Have fun! :-)

 

 

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Sixteen Brides

                                                                            By
                                                             Stephanie Grace Whitson

  In 1872, sixteen Civil War widows living in St. Louis respond to a series of meetings conducted by a land speculator who lures them west by promising "prime homesteads" in a "booming community." Unbeknownst to them, the speculator's true motive is to find an excuse to bring women to the fledging community of Plum Grove, Nebraska, in hopes they will accept marriage proposals shortly after their arrival! Sparks fly when these unsuspecting widows meet the men who are waiting for them. These women are going to need all the courage and faith they can muster to survive these unwanted circumstances--especially when they begin to discover that none of them is exactly who she appears to be.

   I haven't done many book reviews on this blog-- only two since I started blogging last February-- but that is hopefully going to change. Right now I'm reading my first book from the Bethany House blogger review program, and I have another one on the way, so there will certainly be more book reviews showing up in the near future. But anyhow, when I found this book at the library and took a chance on it, it was so good that I knew right away I just had to review it.

   When I say I "took a chance" on Sixteen Brides, what I mean is exactly that. I had never heard of the book before, and I had never even heard of the author or knew of any other books by her. It was a complete gamble, because I had absolutely no idea if I would like it or not. The book was sitting on top of the shelf and I happened to pick it up and, being intrigued by the cover and the short description on the back, decided it looked promising and took it home with me.

    Sixteen Brides is the best book I've read in a long time. In fact, it's one of the best Christian historical fiction books I've ever read. I read quite a lot of Christian historical fiction, and not many books in that genre are this good.
   I love books about determined women, and I love books that take place anywhere west of the Mississippi River. (That way they can be classified as a western. :-P) I also love stories about friendship. Sixteen Brides had all that and more. While it wasn't exactly the grittiest book I've ever read--that honor belongs, naturally, to True Grit-- it wasn't some dainty, glamorized prairie romance where the trials are miniscule, everything works out, and everyone marries everyone else. The characters were interesting, and they definitely had some grit. Or, as Caroline Jamison would say, they were hardy. :-)

    I really love the characters in this book. There are several main characters, so it can at times be a little difficult to keep track of who's who, but it also makes the book more interesting (and harder to put down!) I was a little confused at the beginning, but pretty soon I got them straightened out. And don't worry, there aren't sixteen of them to keep track of. :-) Sometimes characters in historical romances annoy me, but these characters were so genuine and well-written that they seemed real, like dear friends. I liked all of the five Four Corners ladies immensely, but my favorites were Caroline Jamison and Ella Barton. I found them both very relate-able and dear. I also really liked Sally Grant. She was pretty rough and tough and not very delicate, but she had a strong personality and a sense of humor that tickled me. Ruth Dow really grew on me too, and I love her son Jackson!

   There were some really great lines in this book, which, in my experience, isn't terribly common in most books of this genre. The dialogue was very good, and more than once throughout the book I felt like shouting, "Yeah, Caroline!" or "Yeah, Ella!" Especially Ella. Also Jackson had quite a few cute lines. Here's one conversation between him and his mother Ruth that I found particularly amusing.

                                                                           ~*~*~*~
     "Come with us before your freeze to death", Ruth said to her son. "The ladies won't mind."
     "I'm fine", Jackson answered from inside a mountainous sandwich of feather beds. "In fact, I'm almost hot in here."
     "Well, if you need anything--"
     "I know, Mother."
     "You aren't....frightened? The wind's powerful."
     "It's wind. Unless it picks us up and blows us somewhere, I can't see it doing any harm as long as I stay in here. Just be sure to call me for breakfast."

                                                                           ~*~*~*~

   In short, I simply cannot say enough good about this book! It was terrific and I enjoyed every page of it. I highly recommend it to any fan of historical fiction. Actually, to just plain anyone who loves a good book.

 

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Sunflower Blogger Award!

  Hello, everyone! Heidi from Along the Brandywine has kindly nominated me for the Sunflower Blogger Award! Isn't that sweet? Thank you, Heidi! :-)


  Here are the rules:

  1. Share 11 facts about yourself

  2. Answer the questions set by your Nomination Blogger

  3. Nominate 11 bloggers

  4. Set questions for the nominated bloggers


  Alrighty, so here are 11 facts about myself (I tried to make them as random and as interesting as possible :-P):

  1. I have shoulder-length, wavy medium-brown hair that I usually wear down, and there's a joke in my family that I look a lot like Sully from the show Dr. Quinn (my favorite TV show). I've even considered leaving a small braid when I get my hair cut to complete the look, but I've never actually done it (yet). Actually, right now my hair is slightly longer than shoulder-length, and I'm debating whether I should get it cut so I'll still look like Sully or let it grow longer so I'll look like Hank. :-P That is the question.

 2. Despite what you may have heard me say in the past, I now freely admit that I am quite a bit of a fangirl. I am notorious for founding fanclubs that don't actually do anything. For example, the East of Eden Fanclub, the Somewhere in Time Fanclub for Those Who Can't Afford to Be In INSITE, and the Unofficial Bruce Boxleitner Fanclub-- all of which are completely inactive. (Although if you want to join, you're certainly welcome. Any Bruce Boxleitner fans out there?)

 3. My favorite actress is Jane Seymour, whom I have seen in six movies (maybe more?), as well as the amazing TV show Dr. Quinn, of which I have seen the entire series except some of Season 5. I've also read her Guide to Romantic Living and seen her A&E biography at least seven times, and between me and my sister Sadie we pretty much know everything there is to know about her. (At least, everything the adoring public is at liberty to know about her. Which is quite a lot, believe me.)

 4. I have never read an entire Jane Austen novel. I know, shame and disgrace upon me.

 5. I love writing and receiving handwritten letters, and I always seal mine with wax and my special seal which has an 'E' on it. I'm also very fond of cute stamps, and right now I'm using some that have Johnny Cash on them.

 6. I have a stuffed rabbit named Elbert whom I received as a Christmas present when I was 2 years old. I have no clue why I chose to name him Elbert, but that's always been his name. He has been my favorite stuffed animal ever since, he has a very definite personality, and is very outspoken at times. And yes, he talks a lot and is actually quite famous among my family. If you know me well, you probably know Elbert.

 7. Up until I was around 13, I usually had to go through a period of being indifferent to or even disliking a movie before I started to love it. I have no idea why this is, but it's almost always been true with my favorite movies. Thankfully I am now a little more sensible and not so hasty in my judgements!

 8. I have been writing stories since I was 7 years old. I wrote quite a lot when I was younger and finished several short stories, which were mostly about the families and events my sisters and I made up while playing Barbies. (We've always been really good at playing Barbies-- we would set up entire towns in our basement and have long, drawn-out sagas about the Barbie families. It was kind of like an on-going TV show. You have not really played Barbies until you've played with the Anderson girls! :-P) However, lately I've had trouble working seriously on anything. I have no trouble coming up with characters and premises and all that, but I'm very impatient and have difficulty writing and finishing anything. (This can be extremely frustrating, since I've wanted to be a write for as long as I can remember!)

 9. I was named after Emma Thompson. Well, sort of. :-P My mom really liked Emma Thompson in Sense and Sensibility, and besides that she just liked the name. But I like to say I was named after Emma Thompson. :-)

 10. I haven't seen an animated movie in literally years; I don't even remember what the last animated movie I saw was. I really want to see Frozen soon! :-)

 11. I am completely, head-over-heels in love with the A&E Horatio Hornblower series and everything about it. I've seen it probably five or six times, and it's a tradition in my family to watch it every year around Easter, because it was around that time of year when my parents first introduced it to my sissies and I. (Needless to say, I disliked it at first, but now they're my favorite movies ever.)

  So now for the questions!

  Do you have a favorite fairy tale? If so, what is it?

      I've always loved Rapunzel, and I think that's still my favorite. My sisters and I are huge fans of the Barbie movie. We've seen it probably...oh, about a hundred times, and I'm pretty sure Sadie and I could quote the entire thing if given enough time. :-P The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Anderson is another of my favorites, and I love pretty much all of the older Barbie movies. :-P


  What are your thoughts on coffee? Tea?

    I personally don't care for coffee, but of course I have nothing against those who do. People often drink coffee in western movies, so it's okay with me. :-) I do find it annoying, however, the way some people seem to think they simply cannot live without it. I like tea better, and I do enjoy drinking it once in a while, although I'm afraid I am rather fussy and there are very few kinds I like. But in general, I prefer cold drinks to hot ones.
 

Is there a good movie you've watched multiple times in the past year?

     I usually try not to watch a move more than once in a year, even if I love it, because I don't want to get sick of it. :-P I actually don't think there are any movies I've seen more than once in the past year. However, last year I did watch seasons 1 and 2 of Downton Abbey at leat twice (I may have watched some of season 1 three times, in fact). You can never have too much Downton Abbey, you know. *winks*


  What was/is your favorite children's picture book?

    I loooovvveee Beatrix Potter's books! She is my favorite children's author and one of my greatest inspirations. I love all of her stories, but some of my favorites are The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy Winkle, The Tale of Mr. Todd (which is hilarious!), The Tale of Two Bad Mice, and of course, The Tale of Peter Rabbit. :-)
    My second-favorite children's author is Tasha Tudor, whose books I have been reading since I was just a wee little thing. Her stories are very sweet and nostalgic, and her writing style actually reminds me a lot of my own. My favorite of her books would be either Becky's Christmas or Pumpkin Moonshine.
   So yeah, I don't really have just one favorite picture book. I have lots! :-)


  If you were given the opportunity, would you rather travel to Hawaii or Australia? Why?

    Hmm! This is a rather tough question. I'm not really that big on travelling-- I love to read about other places and dream about going there, but when it comes to actually travelling far away, I'd rather stay home and read a book, thank you. :-) Yes, I'm a home-body. But if I had to choose, I think I'd pick Australia. Don't ask me why, because I'm really not sure. :-P

  What is a particular, specific way God has blessed you in the last week?

     On Sunday I was blessed to be able to go see Les Miserables live on stage!!!! A local Christian radio station (well, sort of local-- about two hours from where I live) put on a production of it, and my mom and sisters and I went to go see it! It was especially exciting to see the musical live for the first time, since I've only ever seen the movie before. The show was amazing and it was really nice that it was done from a Christian perspective, with particular emphasis on the themes of forgiveness and compassion and repentance in the story. It was a really wonderful experience! :-)



Sadie and I on the way to see Les Mis :-)

      Okay, I know this is the part where I'm supposed to nominate 11 bloggers, but since most of the bloggers I know have already done this award, I'm going to bend the rules a little and not nominate anyone. *smiles sweetly*

  Thank you, Heidi! That was fun! :-)

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Happy St. Patrick's Day!

             May the road rise up to meet you,

           May the wind be always at your back

           May the sun shine warm upon your face,

          May the rains fall soft upon your fields,

          And until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

~Traditional Irish Blessing

                     

May brooks and trees and singing hills

Join in the chorus too,

And every gentle wind that blows

Send happiness to you.

~Traditional Irish Blessing



      Happy St. Patrick's Day, my dear friends! :-) I hope you all have a delightful day doing whatever it is people do on St. Patrick's Day! I like to use this day as an excuse to indulge in my love of all things Irish and I am currently celebrating by listening to Dolores Keane's version of my favorite song, Down by the Salley Gardens.

          Down by the salley gardens my love and I did meet

She crossed the salley gardens with little snow-white feet

She bid me take love easy, as the leaves grow on the trees

But I, being young and foolish, and with her could not agree.

In a field down by the river my love and I did stand

And on my leaning shoulder she laid her snow-white hand

She bid me take life easy, as the grass grows on the weirs

But I was young and foolish, and now am full of tears. 



    I absolutely loooovvvvee Irish and Celtic music, and a lot of my favorite songs are traditional Irish ballads, like this one....

    And this one....

   And this one....

   

    (You may recognize this song from Cranford-- it's the one Jack Marshland sings at the ladies' Christmas party.)

  For the great Gaels of Ireland

Are the men that God made mad,

For all their wars are merry,

And all their songs are sad.

~G.K. Chesterson

       This quote made me giggle, because it's so true! Ireland does have a very tragic history, and a lot of their songs are very sad. This is the most tragical song I have ever heard:

   It's soooooo saaaadddd!!!!! :-(

     And now let's have something a bit brighter. :-)



 Oh dear, that's not much brighter, is it? Hmm. How about this one:

    There, that's better, isn't it? :-)

    I'm not sure if this song is actually Irish, but I love this version sung by Lisa Kelley of Celtic Woman:

     And do I have to say yet again that I adore their dresses? No? Yes, I assumed you already knew. :-P

     I am only part Irish, and the greater part of my heritage is Swedish, but I feel like I'm Irish at heart. At least for today, anyway. Hehee. :-)

  Deep peace of the running waters to you.

Deep peace of the flowing air to you.

Deep peace of the smiling stars to you.

Deep peace of the quiet earth to you.

Deep peace of the watching shepherds to you.

Deep peace of the Son of Peace to you.

~Traditional Gaelic Prayer

   I am going to celebrate the day by drinking tea, wearing green, listening to Celtic Woman, and watching Downton Abbey later this evening. :-)



       (Soary, I couldn't resist. :-P Actually, I'm not sure I endorse this: as dashing as Branson is, he can be quite a handful!)


     Have a lovely St. Patrick's Day, my friends! :-)



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Spring Letters

 Lately I've had so many ideas for blog posts-- book reviews, movie reviews, and whatnot-- that they've kind of been just tumbling over each other in my head to be written. However, so far most of them have yet to be finished (or even started, heehee.) I have a Gone With the Wind movie review in the works that just gets longer and longer every time I go to work on it, a book I've been wanting to review, and another book coming soon for me to review which I am very excited about, as it will be my first free book from the Bethany House blogger review program!!! (I was SO excited when I received the confirmation email on Love Comes Calling, since I have been requesting books since October and this is the first one I've actually received a confirmation for!) :-) *Does happy dance*
   So anyways, since today I don't really want to put forth the effort (or take the time) to try to make my GWTW post into a coherent review and I'm in the mood for something random and fun, I've decided to write another post of little letters. I've done this style of letters once before and I always enjoy reading them on other people's blogs. So, my dear readers, may I present you with Spring Letters!

   Dear Library System,

    

       Don't get me wrong: you are a HUGE blessing and I really, really appreciate you. That being said, y'all could do better. Yes, I will always be grateful that you have East of Eden and The Adams Chronicles, but really, is it too much to ask that you have Ivanhoe? And David Copperfield? ISN'T THAT WHAT LIBRARIES ARE FOR???!!!

     Sorry, sorry, I'll calm down. But pleeeease, pretty please, find some way to obtain a copy of Ivanhoe. Thank you very much. :-)

  Dear James A Michner's Texas,

      Okay, I'm not going to lie. You were a huge disappointment. A disappointment of such magnitude that I'm still kind of mad at you, though I am getting over it. I thought you would be so amazing (John Schneider as Davy Crockett?! WHERE DO I SIGN?), but instead you were....lousy. And I still cannot beLIEVE that we only got to see about five minutes of Davy Crockett before he died. He didn't have more than three or four lines, for crying out loud. That is very bad movie making, people. If you're going to kill off a character before he's had five minutes screen time, don't cast him as John Schneider. And if you DO cast him as John Schneider, don't make him look the best he's ever looked and then have him get killed in the next scene. The fans will never forgive you for it. That's just plain CRUEL.

 
   Dear Stephanie Grace Whitson,
 
       I am soooo glad I found Sixteen Brides at the library and decided to read it. If I hadn't picked it up off the shelf, been intrigued by the cover and the small description on the back, I might never have found out what I was missing! I can't believe I'd never heard of any of your books before, but I'm so glad I have now. You are an amazing writer and I'm looking forward to reading more of your books!


  Dear Christian Book Distributors,

   Okay, y'all need to stop tempting me. I am trying to be a good girl and save my money, you know, but it makes it extremely hard when you keep sending me catalogs. And of course, on nearly every other page I find a book I want to buy. I just can't TAKE it all.

  Dear Gone With the Wind,

      Wow. Just, wow. It's been more than a month-- indeed, it's almost been two months-- since I saw you for the first time, but I'm still every bit as enamored with you as I was at first. I really wasn't expecting to love-- no, adore-- you as much as I do. I had no idea just how epic you are, but now I do. You're the best thing since East of Eden, you are, and one of the most amazing films I've ever seen. I can see now why they call you the biggest movie ever made, and why so many people love you so much, because you truly are a masterpiece.


  Dear Beatrix Potter's Miniature Correspondence,

     You are just so adorable I can hardly stand it. Really, you're that cute. I'm so glad I found that sweet little book of letters, because I have greatly enjoyed reading you and you've even inspired me to write my own correspondence between animals and dolls. My favorite of the correspondence (although I adore them all) would definitely be that of Squirrel Nutkin. His desperate pleas to Old Mr. Brown to let him have his tail back are simply priceless. :-)



*Emma promptly faints because she just can't take such extreme adorable-ness*

    Dear Downton Abbey Season 4,

    Please be good. Please. I admit, my expectations for you are not the highest, but I still would like to be proven wrong. I would just love it if you turned out to be amazing after all! Please, Mary, don't do anything stupid. Edith, be careful around Mr. Rochester--erm, I mean, Michael Gregson. Branson, don't get married again. And Mr. Bates, PLEASE, try to stay out of trouble this season. Sheesh.


  Dearest, darlingest, most beloved Matthew Crawley,
  
     WHY? Why did you have to leave us? What will we ever do without you? How will Downton Abbey ever be as good again? "Without you, the world around me changes, the trees are bare and everywhere the streets are full of strangers....SOB.




THAT LOOK.

    Dear Dan Stevens,

    You're awfully adorable and I really do like you a great deal, but I'm not too happy with you right now. Why on earth did you want to get off Downton Abbey? I mean, honestly, what did you think you would go on to do that's any better?!? I hope you're happy. "I hope you're happy, how you've hurt your cause forever, I hope you think you're cleveeerrrr!!!!"
    

  Dear Julie Klassen,

      We've had a pretty great relationship, you and I. We may have started out a bit rocky when I first attempted to read The Girl in the Gatehouse a few years ago, but ever since reading The Tutor's Daughter over a year ago and loving it almost immediately, you've been ranked as one of my top favorite authors, and your books are now some of my favorites. Your latest book wasn't my favorite, I must say, but I was just so happy for another Julie Klassen romance to read and I still enjoyed it! Now I'm reading The Maid of Fairbourne Hall again, which has recently nudged The Tutor's Daughter out of its place as my favorite of your books.


  Dear Snow,

    Please go away. And be quick about it too. Thank you.

 Dear Springtime,

    Oh, how I long for you! For warm sunshine, green grass, and flowers! I am trying to be patient with March and its fickleness (is that a word?), but y'all could hurry it up a bit. I have a terrible case of spring fever that can only be cured by sunshine and temperatures of at least fifty degrees.


 Dear Celtic Woman,

    You are just about my favorite musical group right now. I love listening to your music while I do my schoolwork in the mornings, and nearly every time I do I find yet another of your songs that I want to learn! It just never ends! My latest favorite is Lisa Kelley's May It Be.
    And by the way, what's up with everyone leaving the group? If the comments on YouTube are any indication, half the group has disbanded and left to do something else. Even my favorites Chloe Agnew and Lisa Kelley! What is up with this, ladies?!?

   Dear God,

      "The Lord is my portion", says my soul," therefore I will hope in Him." I get distracted by so many other things, but I need to remember to keep my focus on You, and remember that everything I do is to bring glory to Your name, and not mine. Help me remember to keep you at the forefront of everything, and help me to be a young lady who seeks to please You. I don't think I shall ever understand why you have blessed me so much, but I will be forever grateful for everything you've given me. Thank you for loving me even when I botch things up, and even when I don't give You all that I should.

   Dear Faithful Readers,

    You, my friends, are awesome. You have no idea how much it means to me to know that people are reading and enjoying what I write. When I started this blog a little over a year ago, I little thought that in a year I would be where I am today! I've learned so many things this past year and made so many wonderful friendships, and I am so grateful for all of you! *blows kisses* Thank you, thank you, thank you! :-)

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Period Drama Fashion Week ~ Wrap-Up

      Well, Period Drama Fashion Week has come to a close. This event has been fabulous, ladies! I'm so glad that so many of you participated! In fact, I really hadn't expected that so many people would participate and I'm thrilled that this was such a success.

      Here are the lovely ladies who participated (click on the blog name to see their Fashion Week posts):

     ~ Laura of Gazing Wonders
     ~ Heidi P. of Along the Brandywine
     ~ Miss Dashwood of Yet Another Period Drama Blog
     ~ Miss Laurie of Old-Fashioned Charm
     ~ Maddie Rose of The Madd Rose
     ~ Livia Rachelle of Rose Petals and Faerie Dust
     ~ Rose P. of The Best of Classics
     ~ Lizzie of His Redeemed Child  

   ** If you participated and haven't given me a link yet, you can still do that and I'll add your name and link to this list. :-)

       Thank you all SO MUCH for making this event such a success! :-) I really enjoyed hosting this and I would love to do more events in the future.

 

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Helpful Fashion Tips from the Gentlemen of Period Drama

     A handy guide of fashion tips and guidelines taken from the advice, examples, and mistakes of the gentlemen of period drama. Read and learn, my friends. Read and learn.

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    #1. Cravats are a delicate subject and must be done properly, or else one might end up looking completely ridiculous and be the laughing stock of the aristocracy. (For any and all advice on the subject we suggest that you defer to the one and only Sir Percy Blakeney, as his knowledge of cravats continues to this day to be unparalleled.) They must not be too limp, wrinkled, or gaudy, and polka dots are strongly discouraged.

    This is entirely unacceptable. 

  #2  When dining at Downton Abbey, one must always look amazing. It is not a good idea to come down to dinner wearing a dinner jacket when you know that your very old-fashioned and opinionated mother, who is nearly always in attendance, will disapprove. You may as well come down wearing your bathrobe; or better still, pajamas.

   #3 It is a truth universally acknowledged that all officers in His Majesty's Royal Navy must look amazing at all times. Seriously, it's got to be written somewhere in the Articles of War.

   #4 If  you are a loyal young cowhand raised by a bunch of cranky old men (who are not exactly the best of influences, *cough cough*) and you find yourself on a cattle drive headed for Montana, don't be surprised when the only hat that's left for you to wear is an old wrinkled cast-off thing that doesn't even hardly look like a cowboy hat. No Texas cowboy should have to wear a hat like that, but don't worry, the audience doesn't care. They just love you because you're Ricky Schroder.

   #5 Few things flatter any man so much as a buckskin jacket and a coonskin cap. Take our word for it.

    However, putting an entire bears' head atop your own is a bit much. And besides, it can be very intimidating to other people. It's just downright scary.

  #6. Red is a very attractive color for coats and such and is especially popular among the young. However, if you are a young doctor who has just arrived in a new (and rather peculiar) town and you wish to be taken seriously, it is thought best by older veterans of the profession to buy a black coat. Just take care that you don't start wearing it at a very crucial time, such as just after an accident, or else people might thing someone has died.

   #7. We're not exactly sure what these leather wrist things are called, but we recommend them (as well as the rest of the entire ensemble. Although be warned, you might get a lot of fan mail.)

   #8. If you are the Chief Inspector at Scotland Yard, it is part of your duty to always look cool and professional. You must always wear a long trench coat and that smart little brown hat. Yes, even when you're on holiday.

   #9. One of the requirements for riding with the James gang is that your must always look completely awesome. You must wear a cowboy hat (well, DUH) and one of those long leather duster coats that tend to make the ladies swoon (take note, this style of dress may also make you get lots of fan mail). Bandanas are optional. This is a bank robbery, not a cattle drive.

  #10. Wigs are nice and all and have their proper place, but trust us when we say that you will always look better with your natural hair.

    Although you will still look amazing wearing a wig, of course. We certainly didn't mean that your wouldn't.

#11. If you are a young naval officer whose presence has been requested and required at dinner by some very important people and you find out that to your dismay your best stockings are too big, do not think that stuffing them with pads of oakum (whatever that is) will make them look better. Go ask Mr. Bracegirdle if he has an extra pair-- he's always willing to lend clothes (although in this case, his stockings may be even bigger.)

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