Future Ideas, Late Victorian Purse, and Straw Curled Hair

Hi everyone, it's October already! I've been pretty absent again on this blog, despite all my plans and ideas. To put it simply, I just don't find writing this particular blog inspiring. I keep trying and trying to open my laptop and hammer out a new post on my projects, interests and life, but this blog (or platform, perhaps?) doesn't aid my creativity. In fact, it becomes a chore, and I shove it to the back of my mind.

So, I'm thinking of retiring this blog and starting a new one. Fear not though, this blog will still be available to view, as I'm not planning on deleting it! I'm just thinking of moving to a new address, probably still on Blogspot. It will become more of an "official" blog for my future endeavors (I've been thinking about my future business ideas a lot recently), and look slightly more professional than the pick-n-mix variety this blog appears to be, with projects all over the place, mixed with book reviews, personal feelings, and travelling, among other, more embarrassing, older posts and rather rubbishy photographs. 

I also think that a new medium will prove to inspire me more. Whilst I believe that I express myself better through writing, I want to try my hand at making YouTube videos based around costuming, sewing, fashion and style (and on another channel, about writing books). I'm quite shy though, so we'll see how that goes! I'd also like to get into film-making, and learn to photograph my creations in a less amateur way, among other things I'm excited to learn. It is currently my gap year, and the beginning of bettering my crafts in order to make profit in the future, so I will have a lot of time to try new things and practice. :)

I'll let you know when I have created my new blog! I shall be thinking about it very soon.

In other news, I'd like to show you something exciting! I got back a few weeks ago from my trip to the New England states in America, and I managed to find something wonderful in a vintage/antique store in Connecticut! 

It's absolutely the most beautiful purse I've ever seen! I couldn't believe it when I saw it. The condition was perfect, as though it was only yesterday that it was embroidered and made, despite being late Victorian. It has exquisite embroidery of a garden scene on black satin, a gold-tinted clasp with a charm and adjustable chain strap length, a lined interior of bright green taffeta (the camera doesn't seem to pick up the hue right!), ribbon embroidery/trim on the interior, a pocket, and a silver pocket mirror hanging from embroidery thread. Words fail me on how much I adore it. I got it for $60, along with a couple of hat pins (one with my initial on it, which must have been fate seeing as it was the only hatpin with letters on it in the store), and two 1950s novelty brooches.

Yesterday I found an interesting hair tutorial, thanks to Liz of the Pragmatic Costumer! I tried it literally within the hour, I was so excited, and it worked like a dream. Despite having naturally wavy hair, my hair does NOT like to curl properly, even using a curling iron, so the ringlets I dreamed of were out of the question. Not now! I know how to achieve the ringlets of historical styles, and am planning lots of hairstyles to try from different eras, with different size straws and placements. Soon I am going to make some late Victorian hair pieces (about 1870-80), so I will experiment with creating a bustle hairdo with my own hair and the assistance of a fake fringe and hair switch.

The hairstyle I tried above was loosely inspired by Regency and 1860s hair, and I added a black feather headband, decorative hair grips, and a fake pearl hair bobble that I had lying around. I felt rather regal! If only I had learned of this hairstyle before I photographed my Regency costume!

Another piece of news is that I finally ordered my Victorian corset from a local maker! It is an 1880 pattern (chosen because I want to make from both the 1870s and 1880s, so I thought a date exactly between the two eras would be fitting), and will be made from pale lavender silk with white accents. So looking forward to seeing it!

That's all from me. :) How are you doing, readers?