Progress with the Princess Elizabeth Dress

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Sorry for no update yesterday, I was sick. I'm okay today and desperatly need to get out of the house; even if it's just to the store for more beads!

I caved. I originally wasn't going to use my nice gorgeous real freshwater pearls on this project. But the pearls were just the right size in comparison to some antique faux pearl buttons I got from France. (Sounds cool, huh? It's amazing what you can get off of Ebay. :-) ) So, the front of the Princess Elizabeth gown now consists of three real pearls, then two of the pearl buttons, then three real pearls, then, next to the pearls, a gold and black button.

In all honesty, I do not like the buttons. However, they are the closest thing I could find to the true ouches (basically buttons meant only for decoration) that weren't going to cost me more than $20. I did find the "real" repros at Tudor Jewels but I'm one of those very few people who really is inbetween jobs right now (I'm having a background check done. And when they are done with that, they are supposed to give me a start date) and I can't afford £2.50 for EACH of the ouches when I need close to 20 of 'em just for the neckline! That would be about $90 just for the neckline. So, instead, I got the el cheapo buttons at Bruces Variety for 75 cents each.

The french hood. Although in the portrait she has the same ouches on the hood as she does on the gown and girdle, I used three different types. For the hood, I've used some pretty filigree gold looking pieces that I plan on being backings for some black onyx like stones. I ran out of the gold beads yesterday so I couldn't finish the bottom part of the hoods beading, but I think you get a good idea of what it will look like....eventually.

If anyone would like to see this upclose, I'll wear it at least on opening day (or so the plan goes for now) for the Maryland Renaissance Festieval. By then, it will be beaded and ready to wear!