When Calls the Heart Christmas Special 2016 - Costumes and other historical inaccuracies

So I know Christmas has been over for a while, but the last few months have been a bit hectic so I haven't gotten round to writing a review until now.

Anyone who has read my previous post on the subject of this Hallmark show, knows that I have a bit of a problem when it comes to the serious lack of historical accuracy of the show's costumes. They seem to be getting worse by the second. But for some reason, up until now, I kept watching the show. But after the Christmas special, no more!! This is saying a lot, as I love Christmas and I am a complete sucker for the traditional over cheesy Christmas films that Hallmark bring out every year. But this episode was too much. Along with the awful historical inaccuracies in the clothing/hair/makeup, the thing that got me the most was the Christmas tree lights in Rosemary and Le's house. They live in a small house in a small frontier town in the 1910s, there is no way the town's houses would have had electricity, Or even that one house would have had a generator. All the other lights in their house were gas lit, but the tree lights were definitely electric. I wonder, were they powered by fairy dust?! This, coupled with the quality of the story-line seriously dropping, means that the show is no longer watchable. It is so sad really as the show had so much potential at the beginning. Anyway, onward and upwards to brighter things - did anyone see the fabulous "Hidden Figures" - the clothing in that was amazing. :)

Jane Austen Festival part 2 - The American Museum

Warning: Very photo heavy post!!! :)

On the Sunday morning after the ball, I decided to go into town and take the free shuttle bus to the American Museum. I had wanted to visit the museum for quite sometime, but every year I had never gotten round to it. This year I decided enough was enough, I was going to go even if it meant walking all the way there. Luckily I found out about the bus, so no need to go on a 10 mile hike! :)

I especially wanted to go that weekend, as the American Civil War Society were holding their annual end of year reenactment at the museum, and I had long wanted to see an ACW reenactment.

The Museum is housed in an old country house (formerly Claverton Manor), and most rooms are decorated in a different historical American style (just like the rooms of the DAR Museum in Washington DC), interspersed with a few exhibition rooms. 

The first room was a reconstructed 18th century tavern

The next room was an exhibition room which contained a few items of clothing

A beautiful victorian dress.

The back. I tried to get a close up of the embroidery but every photo came out blurry!!! :(

So pretty, with a beautifully embroidered train.

A slightly blurry close up of the train. It had little embroidered bees all over it!

The next room was full of chairs from different decades throughout America's history.

I really need to start taking notes when visiting museums, as I can't remember anything about this room, and it isn't in the guide book!

Dolls made by early settlers.

Right, I need to apologise for the majority of the photos you are about to see. Despite my camera claiming to be anti shaking/blurring, most of the photos I took of the rooms came out really blurry! :( . Am hoping Father Christmas might give me a new one. :)

A 17th century Keeping room

c.1740

A slightly blurry candle storage box

c.1763 parlor.

The dome in the ceiling of the building's stairwell.

A regency lady gracing the walls

A parlor c.1770

There was a small exhibition on the tea trade

an early 19th century tea cady.

A late 18th century Drawing Room

I spent a while trying to take a clear photo of the gown from the front, but unfortunately to no avail. :(

An 1830s bedroom

with a lovely white regency gown in it.

A Victorian Shaker's house

Beautiful shawl

Pennsylvania German room

18th century lady - I can't remember which room she graced!!

c. 1830 Greek Revival room.

Bedroom from the civil war era.

After I finished touring the house, I went into the garden to watch the reenactment.

The house from the garden.

It was more of a demonstration than a battle, but it was interesting.

Though I have to admit that I was quite disappointed. One of my favourite parts of reenactment is the living history part, and for some reason there wasn't really a historical campsite at this event. I went all over the grounds looking for it but all I found were a couple of tents with nothing in them :( 

Marching back after the battle.

I would definitely recommend the museum. It was very interesting insight into American social history, and also had an amazing collection of patchwork quilts.

Next: More on the Festival 

Hunton Court - Battle of the Nations

Last weekend I went to a Napoleonic reenactment at Hunton Court in Kent, Battle of the Nations. We all arrived on the Friday when the weather was hideous  - chucking it down with rain for the entire night and absolutely freezing...

 ..but everyone still managed to put their tents up. :)

After a freezing night where I wore 2 pairs of pyjamas, tights, long socks, stockings, an extra top, a cardigan, a hoody, and slept with 2 sleeping bags and a duvet, I woke up to a cold but sunny, and thankfully rain-free, Saturday!

The morning started with a presentation of the soldiers to the owner of Hunton Court. So all the soldiers lined up and marched from the campsite to the house.

Mine and Rosie's shadows in the sun. :) on our way to watch the march.

 Leah 

 In mine and my friends' reenactment groups the ladies (all that weren't dressed as soldiers) weren't technically invited to see the big house. But we really wanted to see it, so we joined the end of the march behind a group of French soldiers hoping no one would notice us! :)

Leah and Rosie lined up behind the French

Soldiers being inspected by the owner of the house.

Marching back to camp

With friends :)

Leslie, Rosie and Leah

I wore my new regency shirt (based on the one Romola Garai wore in 'Emma') which was beautifully made by Naomi at Historika, and my new pinky/red gown that I made. I attempted to do some hem tucks, and was very pleased with the outcome until I came to hem the gown. The tucks were wonky and as a result, at the back, half of them had to be folded up into the hem!! I really need to go on a sewing course!!!!!!!

After the march a few of us decided to visit the shops.

I love Maureen's basket backpack, very useful. :)

I stupidly didn't take any photos of the shops, I was too busy shopping. :) I bought a lovely regency apron. Well actually I ordered one. There was one for sale but it wasn't made of 100% cotton. Apparently it's really dangerous to wear any synthetic material too near a campfire as it could easily catch fire. So I asked for one to be made in 100% cotton. Hopefully it should arrive in the next week and a half. Will post photos when it does. :)

In the afternoon there was the big battle - British against the French ( and a few Americans). I don't think that there were any Americans in the Napoleonic wars. Though I could very easily be wrong as my knowledge of military history is pretty appalling.

Loading the canons. They were so load I jumped every time they went off!

The French fort.

British soldiers

French soldiers

The British soldiers in a line. As you can probably tell, as well as being bad at military history, my knowledge of the different French and British regiments is slim to none! 

After the battle

There was a man portraying a Napoleonic era surgeon, who was going to do a reenactment of a leg amputation for the public! Rosie was asked if she could pretend to faint during the "show". Leah and Leslie were to catch her and I was to fan her once she had fainted. Here we are practising, and trying very hard not to laugh! :)

 :)

:)

Leslie, Leah and Rosie in their camp. The are part of a different group to mine. But Rosie and Leah really kindly let me stay in their tent, as that weekend my group only had one tent between five of us!

The Saturday night was just as freezing as the Friday but I survived (one of the soldiers in my group kindly lent me his great coat! don't know what I would have done without it!). Sunday was lovely and warm and sunny. :)

Poor Leah woke up with sun stroke, the medical officer gave her a bottle of lucozade and told her too stay in the shade. So we all spent the morning relaxing in the shade. Leah and I had great fun playing Go-fish, using my 18th century style cards (their first proper outing :) ).

Despite turning my mobile off every night it still managed to run out of battery by the Sunday so I couldn't take any photos :( (Rosie took the one above). I really need to remember to take my camera to events!!

Overall I had a wonderful time (though my face got rather sunburnt!)