Jane Austen Made Me Do It

Hello to everyone,
I hope you have been enjoying the holidays & the lovely snow. I haven't been on in a very long time as we have had the holidays & then I got sick with bronchitis for almost a month, after which I began writing again. For those who don't know, I hope to become a published authoress someday in the future(soon I pray!). There is a short story contest going on at The Republic of Pemberley called the Jane Austen Made Me Do It & I have entered an original short story titled Mary by Sarah Grace Kuhlman, entry number 44. I have been praying earnestly that I would win, as it would show my family & friends that what I want to do with my life is not a waste of my time. Please pray for me that I would have a chance to win the contest. The winner receives $500.00 & their story will be published in the book of the same title as the contest, Jane Austen Made Me Do It. Voting is going on at this time, if you would like to read any of the stories. There are many wonderful Jane Austen inspired plots. My inspiration came after reading Lady Susan, one of Jane Austen's lesser known novels, written in letter form, which is how I wrote mine, in letter form. The site is www.pemberley.com/JAMMDI/JAMMDI.html, if you want to check it out.







The above are some fashion plates from the period that I set my story in & gave me inspiration as to my mental image of my characters.
The dress below was my inspiration for Lady Waldegrave as it is one of the only larger sized Regency dresses that I have had the pleasure to see & seemed like something she might wear.



God bless to everyone. I hope you have a lovely rest of the week,
Sarah Grace

Happy Birthday, Jane Austen!

It may have been over two hundred years since she wrote her first novel, but her prose, wit, & humor are still considered by many to be many of the best novels ever written (I include my self in that). Her intelligence was just as important as her humorous satire, which not every reader comprehends when they read her novels, made the written creations of her imaginings timeless & still true today. She draws us into her own world, even though such an age of elegance, refinement, & manners of dress & etiquette, have faded almost entirely from existence. Jane has been one of the many writers who has inspired my own desire to write & be published. I hope someday my own words & ideas will measure up at least half as much as hers have. Have a blessed Birthday Jane!
In the words of Tiny Tim "God bless us everyone" & a Merry Christmas to all!

Sincerely,
Sarah Grace

A Time of Grief.....

Yesterday my Great Uncle left us to go home to be with Jesus. It is a hard thing, as it has been a year as of Monday 11th, that my Aunt passed, so this is very hard on my Grandfather, as it was his last remaining brother. Please keep my family in your prayers that we will be able to pull through this.

God bless,
Sarah Grace

A Quick Update....

Hello all! I am still here, but I have been extremely busy the last several weeks. We had our church's Campmeeting two weeks ago, which is similar to a tent revival, but held inside our church. I taught the children's classes for several of the nights, which I loved but was very tiring. Since then, I have had a few sewing & a tutoring job, as well as helping with autumn cleaning at my Grandpa's farm. I have enter one of my poems in a poetry contest & I am praying that I will win first prize, which happens to be a $1000.00. There is a institute that offers correspondence courses in writing for children that I have been accepted to, upon contingent that I receive a specific sum of money in the near future. Please keep me in your prayers that I will win the contest & be able to enroll in the institute.
Well, that is all for now. I have to help prepare supper so that it is ready in time, as we have our mid week church service.

Have a pleasant week & God bless,
Sarah Grace

Happy Labor Day!

I thought I would just drop a line to say Happy Labor Day to all! Hope you have a lovely day with friends & family.

God bless,
Sarah Grace

The Story of a Seamstress Hosting A Giveaway!

Atlanta from The Story of a Seamstress is hosting a wonderful giveaway for her Design Your Own Regency Dress kit! If it is anything like the Design Your Own 1860s Dress kit, it will be fabulous & an immense inspiration to anyone who receives it.
I was blessed to win the 1860s Dress kit & it has been an informative & fun aid to use whenever I need to create a new Civil War dress or I just want to attempt recreating something that I have seen on a film or photograph. The drawings that she has in the kit are beautiful & there is information attached, so that you know what types of fabric would work best with the design you have just drawn. It is almost like a guide to helping you choose, not only the style of your next CW dress, but the fabric as well, so that when you go to the store you have an accurate idea of what to buy.
I think this kit would be a wonderful gift to any aspiring seamstresses, designers, or lovers of history. I have entered the giveaway for the Design Your Own Regency Dress, so that I can pass it on to a friend whom is learning to create her own clothing. I hope whoever wins will enjoy their kit as much as I have mine.

God bless,
Sarah Grace>

Sewing For Gentlemen......

I have been so busy since the last post I made that I have only been on the computer for short periods of time, so posting had ceased. I seem to think that you must always write long posts, but I suppose that is not the real purpose of this blog.

What have I been so terribly busy with that I have neglected this writing source?
Well, I have received several alteration & repair jobs of multiple items, which I am being paid to do, thank you God, I am helping more with the housework at my Grandpa's house, trying to sew for my own miniscule wardrobe, helping my Mother prepare for another year of homeschooling for my youngest brother, Matthew, returning to teaching Sunday school & singing with the Worship, & last, but not least preparing my sermons for our ministery training class.

So, needless to say, I have not had much free time for writing. I would like to try & document my next project, if not with photos of the process, at least of the finished projects & writing how I accomplished it.

What might this new venture be, you say? Well, the title of this post is a very good indication as to the answer. Yes, I am embarking on the stormy seas of sewing for gentlemen, for a gentleman actually. A good friend from church has a birthday coming up (all too soon it seems), & I have gotten the supplies for about $15 to create for him two corduroy vests, (one sky blue & one deep brown) one pair corduroy pants of the same deep brown fabric as the vest, & one lovely blue shirt (Hopefully I can create a pair of suspenders to go with the pants, but I don't know if that will happen). My friend is quite the history fanatic & has expressed an interest in wearing historical clothing. I have chosen the period of the mid 1890s to early 1900s, as the style that I have found is more in line with the appearance that he needs to present at church. I have a pattern for the vests, which are probably what I will atempt first. The shirt, I plan to take a general idea from the Laughing Moon #107 pattern for the Victorian & Edwardian men's shirt. The pants I will probably end up drafting from looking at images of period correct garments. I hope to have all of the items done before or at least by Christmas. I know I am undertaking alot, but I really would like to give him something for his birthday/Christmas that he will truly love. That is the plan, but I have been noticing other men's styles from several other eras that would look quite dashing on him, so if I don't change my mind, all will goes as aforementioned.

God bless,
Sarah Grace

P.S. Please pray for me that God will help me with these new sewing endeavors.