Update, with pictures.

An update as of last post. On August 15th, at 10 am my mother closed her eyes and passed from this world. I have not had the words, or the will to blog, or the will to do much since than. I know that it is what we expected, and she is no longer in pain, but my life has been altered irreparably.

Many of you know know me, know that I am an open book, and so I pour my emotions out. I do not do it to make anyone uncomfortable. I am restless and weepy and have her pictures, her teapots, her jewelry and a small part of her ashes surrounding me. I hear her voice in my head and feel her hands on my brow when I'm laying down and crying my soul out. So many great things have happened since she left us and I want to call her every day. Sometimes, when I am at my new day job, I shake so hard because I want to cry and I can't. I understand now why there was seclusion and mourning ritual. Sometimes I can barely hold it together. And than sometimes I forget. While I am here in the studio sewing and watching my JA movies...when I am out fabric shopping...than I make something beautiful or get a good deal and I want to call her and tell her and her loss hits me like a mack truck all over again.

I used to speak to her almost daily. I don't get to speak to her now. Cancer is a horrid death. I do not wish it on anyone, and I shall not go into the details, but suffice it to say, if I get a terminal cancer, I'm lucky to live in a state that gives me the right to die on my own terms. She didn't and it ate her from the inside out. She graces and haunts my dreams. I miss her so much. Every day. I know it will get better, but, I wish I could stay in my sitting room and let it all out at my leisure. The way a Regency lady would have the time to do. Alas I am a modern lady and must go out in the world. No Mourning period for me, and I will not wear black to regency events.

As to events. I will dedicate some time to describing and showing pictures from our retreat, which was, for lack of a better description, Splendid! Here are some photos of gowns I made and people. We were pampered by the staff at Chateau at the Oregon Caves and are now spoiled. Footmen to unload us, more food that I can describe including a whole roasted pig, Speculation and Whist, port tasting, dancing, a theatrical evening, a catered picnic and such splendid company, words fail me.

I was commissioned especially to make a lovely gown for Mrs. Dean of Fremont. A Goldenrod silk taffeta with a stiffer silk cut out over gown and Brown crystals.

And last but not least the ORS leaders at the retreat. I shall blog about it in depth by and by. I made the paisley gown Im wearing and the white gown Lady Lily Parker is wearing. Don't the 5 of us look splendid?

The upcoming schedule, above and beyond my new full time day job (I miss the summer of being at my own leisure) is: This weekend, I will be teaching a stays class for Somewhere in Time Unlimited and than on the 25th is the Countesses Dinner for which I'm making two new outfits for two new ladies. :) Then, I teach a gown class and there is a Tea and Assembly in December to celebrate Miss Austens birthday, a Trip to Alabama over the holiday to see my Sister in law who is in a delicate condition and than NOLA!!!!!! in January with Amanda for the festivities.

So much going on. I must get back to my sewing.

I am always your Modiste and A Baronets Daughter.

Mrs. Nora Azevedo

Adieu

Cancer and Regency, why they mix.

As some of you may know, recently, my mother has been diagnosed with Stage 4 Lung Cancer, above and beyond the Lukemia that she has been fighting for the last 11 years.

One of my dear friends, and Patroness, Mrs. Roll is the rock for her husband, who has been battling stage 4 colon cancer for 11 years. She does Regency happiness to help her maintain her sanity, and really, in our busy lives, I bet that is the case with many people. I have had the pleasure of making a huge portion of her regency wardrobe, in the continued hope that it brings her the joy she so needs.

Recently, Mr. Roll has taken a turn for the worse. I believe that there are many different options for them, which includes a procedure that will make it impossible for her to attend our Regency Retreat. I am so sad, but I understand entirely. Mr. Roll and his health comes first.

So, on that note, in honor of the fight that Mari and Phil are going through now, I am happy to take Regency commissions for Bath, or Nola or any event you will be attending, and I will donate 10% of all commissions from now until 2015 to The Cancer Society in the name of Mari and Phil Roll.

Please see my facebook page, for pictures of the things I have done. Send me pictures of things that make you happy, and let me make something inspired by those pictures.

My mother unfortunately, has decided not to fight her cancer, as she has been fighting for a decade and she can't fight two cancers and win. The depth of my sorrow, no words can describe. But, it's comforting to know that my love of sewing and my ability to do it is because of her. She is my favorite person on the planet and a part of her will live on in each Regency gown I create, since my talents came from her.

I leave you with a picture of better times. This is my mother and I, Circa 2000. I was 21, she was 45.

Yours,

Mrs. Azevedo, Modiste and A Baronet's Daughter

Changes in the world of A Baronets Daughter

As many of you may know, Thursday, without warning, my contract was ended at my "day job". What that means for me is that now, I have more time available to take commissions and make beautiful things. What this means for you, is the same. I have more time to make pretty things custom. I have updated my etsy shop, there are ten things on there, but I will be adding more, please check my shop out: BaronetsDaughterDesigns

Some upcoming events that I have time to create for are including, but not limited too:

The 7th annual Jane Austen Festival Louisville is coming July 18th, 19th and 20th in Louisville, Kentucky.
The Pittock Mansion Picnic The last Sunday in July in Portland, Oregon
The Regency Retreat, September the 18th through 21st at the Chateau at the Oregon Caves
A Regency Musical Evening August 16th in Colonial Park, Virginia
A Autumn Jaunt to Montplier September 27th in Orange, Virginia
as well as the  Trafalgar Ball October 4th in Wakefield, Virginia


Other events that I would love to create things for include, but not limited to Gear Con 2014 on Sunday, July 4th, and the  Edwardian Picnic in the Park on August 3rd at the Laurelhurt Park in Portland Oregon.

I have all summer, or until I find another Day Job, to make beautiful things for you. In fact, I would rather make beautiful things for my customers than go back to a day job.

Send me your requests, your desires and your creative ideas and I can and will put them to reality.

email me at abaronetsdaughter@gmail.com or ladiesregent@gmail.com

Fill my calendar up, I'd love it.

And now I will leave you with a photo of my patroness in her purple gown for the ball at the Top Sails and Tea Weekend which was so much hard work and so much fun! Can't wait to do it again.

Yours affectionately,

Mrs. Nora Azevedo, Modiste and A Baronets Daughter

the 4 hours gown.

So, most of those who know me, know that I'm a chatty Kathy. I like to keep my brain going on both sides, and I tend to focus better at what I am doing if I can chat while I do it. I tend to get side tracked if I'm not multitasking.


This leads me to my current project from yesterday. A gown, in four hours. I can do it alone, when I have a couple of favorite movies I can talk along with and plenty of coffee, but I don't like to do it that fast. This was an exception. I am swamped with orders for the upcoming Top Sails and Tea event, and I love it, but, for two of our newest members, this would be a debut of sorts, and while Miss Jessica had me make her under garments, she didn't have a gown. OH NO!! I offered to make her a Little White Dress and as payment, she needed to come sit with me and chat, to keep me focused. Five hours, with an hour for lunch later, I have taken some lovely spotted cotton with flower embroidery that has been in my stash for years and made a basic white cross over gown that can be worn the whole weekend with different ribbon for different looks.

So, here are the pictures, of a very happy lady for the first time in a proper Regency Gown. She's ready now, and as of a week from tomorrow, so will the rest of my clients. :)

That smile, that joy, that feeling like a lady and enjoying it, ...that is a big part of why I do this.
Enjoy. I'm going to sleep. 

Thank you for the look, and I promise, once I have more pictures of more items on my clients, from Top Sails, I will post them.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Azevedo, Modiste, and A Baronets Daughter.

Regency dressing questions answered!

I would like to preface this blog post with the statement that I am by far NOT the end all be all authority on the dressing traditions and rotations of a regency lady, but I like to think that as in our world, there was guidelines that were adhered to in varying degrees.

So, at the request of a lady friend, Mrs. Dean, here we go.

A ladies day was full of many things, and based on your social status, your dressing schedule was marked by the times of day.

Morning dress.

Ladies of the ton, or the upper ten thousand were the ladies of leisure and dressed accordingly. Upon waking, you would have your morning wrapper over your night rail with your mob cap covering you hair that was still in rag curls from the evening before. This is what you would take your morning chocolate and toast in your room with your maid.

After you had some time to collect your thoughts and plan your wardrobe for the day, you would dress in your morning gown and go down to breakfast, which was usually at 10, or when ever you, as the lady of the house stipulated the breakfast sideboard to be layed out. There were various ways to
dress, here are some examples.

 The Afternoon gown is so varied.  Depending on whether you are in an afternoon gown waiting for callers with your mob cap and your long skirt, or taking a ride on your stallion in your riding habit, the fit is different.  A riding habit would be masculine, military and include a long train to hide your legs while riding side saddle. A walking gown would be long, just above your feet so that you could stroll and walk at a sedate but comfortable pace, with 3/4 or full length sleeves under a Spencer or Pelisse with your gloves and your hat and appropriate walking shoes. Boots for the country, sturdy but fashionable shoes for the fashionable hour at Hyde Park. Your Carriage dress could be a full pelisse, or a riding habit. The regency lady would better be able to answer the little nuances between a walking gown, an afternoon gown and a visiting ensemble. Here are a couple of my favorite examples

Evening gowns have to be the iconic Regency gown and most popular for the introduction to regency dressing. It is really simple, ankle length skirt for dancing ease, short sleeves, not necessarily puffy and a low cut bodice. The amount of decoration, or "fru-fru" as some call it, is dependent upon taste. I personally like a longer skirt to hold while I'm dancing, and a non-puffy sleeve with elegant decoration. Here are a few of my favorites:

The whole point is to feel pretty, and love what you are wearing. Take these as guidelines, loose guidelines to make your complete wardrobe.

Your servant
Mrs. Nora Azevedo, Modiste
and A Baronets' Daughter
  

All sorts of new things....UPDATE

So, what has been going on in the Pacific Northwest? So many things! As many of you may know, being on the Leadership Board of the ORS means that there is planning and events going on all the time. I have been fortunate enough to be one the planners of the Annual Regency Retreat!! I have to say, above and beyond the whole idea, the location and the fact that so many new people will be there, I'm pretty proud of how our whole leadership team has gotten this coordinated, planned and we are a fantastic team! As a part of our website, we have a new page on the website, the "Who's who" of the leadership team, and we had very special photos taken. We had a professional to take our pictures in our finest gowns. Thanks to Mrs. Johanesen, our photos look like oil paintings. Including of our newest leader, our only Junior leader Miss Lilyan . Yes, you can squee:




 She is really about 40 in the body of a 12 year old and she is great at google-ing event sites and has lots to include. I'm pretty proud.

I also got my photos taken too. My Favorites being the one with Lily..cause, well..its silly

So, believe it or not, the white gown is all handmade, and has gold trimming. I felt very grecian in it, which leads me to the other awesome thing...which is under it!  Originally I had my "push them to the sky" stays, which of course have a time and place, but I wanted to wear my more comfortable rose stays and COULDN'T FIND THEM ANY WHERE so, what did I do? Yup, I made new ones. :) I wont bore you with construction details (but will gladly answer any questions you may have). I decided to go with front closers. Its easier to get in and than the "to busk or not to busk" question is moot. The pattern was altered from an altered pattern from Mrs. Johanesen loosely based on the Sense and Sensibility pattern. I quilted them, I made what felt like ridiculously too spread open gussets and spiral lacing and replaceable silk ribbon straps. No, as you can see above, I had no sitting problems, and the ladies dont make you feel or look like stuffed sausage. Plus size ladies deserve to look this beautiful.

Now, Im thinking I need new chemise and petticoats. I used to think of them as just blah things no one needs to see, but I have come to a place in my sewing, where the details matter. It took some time, but I finally finished a velvet Spencer jacket for my Patroness. It took months of picking it up, putting it down, taking it apart, swapping the sleeves...but now...its done.

 


 I  have been a little busy. Can you tell?

So my parting words are this: I love to sew. I would love to sew for you. Or have tea. My studio is always open.

As always, your servant
Mrs. Azevedo,
Modiste and A Baronets' Daughter.

An Anglophile Janite has a Francophile cousin????

So, as some as you may have guessed, I'm a Janite and Anglophile through and though. How could I ever be related to a Francophile???Well, its true, and I'm not ashamed. Brittany is one of only three girls born to my fathers' family. So, its important to me that she get to reach her goal of going to France. Im hoping one day to get her into regency/empire goodness, but now she is too busy working and going to school, including college classes. So, instead of a shameless plug for me, Im shamelessly plugging my cousin.

Please click here and help send Brittany to France.

Thanks.
As always, your servant
Mrs, Azevedo, A Baronets Daughter

YAY! Its time again for the 2nd Annual Jane Austen Faire! And I have been asked to be a vendor again!!

I am open to any and all ideas for things that you would like to see on my table. Any and all comments are appreciated!!!

American Duchess, Clocked Stockings and the Plus Sized girl-a review

You know American Duchess right? A petite lady of taste and refinement who is a historic shoe enthusiast? Lets face it, is just a shoe addiction. Well, if you don't know about AD, sit down. Allow me to introduce you. Mrs Stowell has a line of shoes, from the new 1580 Stratford to the 1930 Claremonts. As I am primarily a regency enthusiast, I love the Georgianas and Kensingtons (I own a pair in black to wear with my transitional gowns) as well as the Pemberlies and Highburys (mine are finally on the way to my greedy hands)

Sticker shock warning-These are not cheap or inexpensive. The Hartfield Regency boots are leather and $178 dollars. The operative phrase is "not cheap". These aren't some flimsy shoe manufactured by slave labor in sweatshops that you can get at your local payless for under $20 bucks. No, these are meticulously researched, carefully designed and quality checked so much that I have waited almost a year for my Highburys. But money well spent? Oh hell yeah.The imperfects can be had for less, but seriously, not sure what she finds so imperfect but for the history buff on a budget imperfects are a good option. Quality over Quantity and all that rot. Seriously, that is how AR she is about selling only the best.  And, she offers a payment/layaway plan.

AD also has accessories. Every day I hear plus sized beauties state that accessories are the only things that fit and as a knee high sock enthusiast, I say NAY. I have, for the record, 17 inch calves. The average knee high only stretches, at the limit, to about a 16. Don't even get me started on knee high boots..but thats another post.

So, to go with my favorite shoes in the world, my black Kensingtons, I wanted clocked stocking. Covet is a better description, and while AD wants to accommodate the plus size lady in the issue of hosiery, the sad reality is, more often than not, a queen size, much less larger is hard to come by and not necessarily quality. This is no fault of hers, its out of her hands. I have had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. Stowell, and speaking with her about this and if she could, she would offer plus sizes.

I was hesitant still, but her advent calendar offered 50% off so I risked it and purchased them. I should have a while back as she has an amazing return policy.

Shipping was crazy fast and before I knew it, this was in my mail box!!!

They were so long, and silky and buttery smooth.....I really did squee... and with the assurance they stretched to 21 inches (along with a photo of them on Mr. C) I put them on and they fit!

So, ok..lets be realistic..they arent going to go all the way up your thigh..unless you are a petite beauty. They will go as far up as just over my knee and than they roll.. That is to be expected since they are silk. So, in order for comfort and the same type of look, I folded them down and than halfway up so that the black knitting on top showed.

SO COMFY!

Over view, if you are a larger lady, go for it. Go to her website, get yourself a little profile going (lets not kid ourselves, you will need shoes, and buckles and all manner of lovelies) and buy these stockings. If you are hesitant, don't be. If for some reason, they don't fit...don't fear, AD will take them back.

Support small business, rock your inner history nerd and when you have ordered your gown from me, finish your look with shoes, buckles, and clocked stockings by American Duchess.

Good night

Mrs. Azevedo
Modiste, and A Baronets Daughter