A blog update about blog updates. While it wasn’t my plan, posts have been sporadic. It’s been a challenge to keep up with long-form writing here. I like doing it, but the time and effort (lots of effort!) is hard to find when I’m already writing short-form on Instagram (for 3 accounts) and Facebook. I’ve been beating myself up about it and decided that there’s a better solution. [Read more…]
Not a whole lot to report since my last update over a week ago. I got a couple of outlets fixed, had the gas line to the kitchen removed, had my annual review with my investment manager (yikes), tried to go to a brocante (flea market), worked on the house, and released a new YouTube video. Sewing costumes for Carnevale continues. I’m starting to crave pumpkin baked-goods, but finding pumpkin is a challenge! So many projects underway, and not many results yet. I like results! [Read more…]
I’ve been living in my new house now for 3 weeks! I’ve had a few milestones –
some more important than others, and a few set-backs. [Read more…]
I still don’t have my residency card, but I’ve moved into my new home! No more living out of suitcases. Phew!! I’m going to try posting weekly, so that my posts will be able to include more details of my daily efforts to renovate the “chateau” and get my business rolling. When too much time passes, I end up writing summaries about what’s been happening. [Read more…]
Hello again! Well, hasn’t it been an interesting couple of years?? Lots of time alone to think about things, resulting in big news – I am making the leap to go back to France this month… indefinitely. Scary! Exciting!
Watch this space for updates, because I’ll be looking for a big 18th-century house to buy as an event space and part-time B&B, as well as launching a new business venture. Love antique french textiles? Wish you could buy yardage to actually sew with? Stay tuned! If you are interested in daily french life, I will be starting to blog again and will definitely be spamming Instagram.
À bientôt! See you soon – from France!
Oh look! An age hasn’t passed since my last update! 😀 I just received the latest issue of the Costume Society Newsletter for Autumn 2016, and the two students who attended as Bursary winners wrote summaries of their experiences of the Manchester conference. They both included nice reviews of my talk! [Read more…]
I don’t have formal classes for my master’s program this session, because I am starting to work full-time on my thesis. I also have one more talk to prep for the Textile Society of America’s conference. Life is feeling hectic and harried. Time to simplify and down-shift.
A brief run-down of amazing events: I finished my first year of grad-school, the Versailles Ball was magical, I did research at the national library in Paris, I presented a successful conference paper in England for the Costume Society, I buzzed around the UK with my daughter seeing new sights and doing research, I received conference travel grants from the Society for the Study of Early Modern Women as well as my university, and there are exciting opportunities developing for my PhD! I’m feeling very relieved, hopeful, thankful, inspired, and TIRED. [Read more…]
More amazing news today! I have been invited to speak at the annual conference of the UK Costume Society! I am so honored and excited! While we were living in Paris, I was lucky enough to attend two of their conferences. I met the most wonderful people and learned so much that really, it was there that the seed was planted to go back to school. It’s exciting to already have an opportunity to share back with the community that gave me so much encouragement. See you in Manchester!
Finished my first semester of my master’s program, had a short whirlwind break, and now I’m back in class for my second term. Time is flying by! The course-work is very challenging, but I’m really enjoying it. It’s also time to plan my next research trip to London, a new dress for dancing the night away in the Hall of Mirrors at the Chateau Versailles costume ball, prepare to present about needlework pattern books at the Textile Society of America‘s biennial symposium in Savannah, Georgia, and plan to finish my master’s thesis by the end of the year! Those are just the current major highlights. It’s going to be a big year!
