Ren Faire!

I went to the Bristol Renaissance Faire for the first time ever on Sunday. I had lots of fun even though we got rained on! In fact, the rain was welcomed as it helped cool us all down from the hot sun! So, please ignore our slightly soggy appearance in the photos!

For those of you who have never been, the Ren Faire is like a large, historically themed market/carnival. Before I went I was expecting something sorta shady and full of carnies like a county fair (no offense), but it was very nice, clean, and friendly. I would definitely recommend dressing up if you go, it makes it lots more fun, but plenty of people don't.

Things not to miss:

• Trying on bodices/corsets that you can't afford (at Felix Needleworthy and Casta Diva)
• Eating greasy Cheese Fritters
• Drinking some Sassafrass
• Watching some shows (I caught some of the Fire Whip, Moonie, and the Falconry show)
• Seeing the parade and waving to the queen
• People watching!!! (You will see people wearing outfits that are awesome, weird, and awesomely weird. You will also see way MORE of some people than you hoped to! Chain maille bikinis for everyone?)

I also got to reconnect with my friend Aubrey, who I met during my study abroad trip in college. She works at the Man in the Woods shop, so stop by if you're at the fair.

All in all the fair was a great experience and I can't wait to go next year (and come up with an AWESOME costume by then, too!)

Oh p.s. Here are the details on my costume:
Skirt: Old curtains, cheated and used the existing hem, Simplicity 8715 (re-issued as 3809), made a size 14 but should have sized down another step.
Blouse/Chemise: Old sheet, also cheated and used existing hems, Simplicity 8715 again, made a 14 but should have used a longer piece of elastic than recommended.
Bodice: Mysterious upholstery fabric, $4.99/yd at Ben Franklin's, Simplicity 3677, made a size 12.