A new faire season is coming soon...if only we can get rid of this snow first...

MARCH WEBMASTER MUSINGS
by Willa, ATF Staff Writer

Ahh...only just over two more months left until we get to garb up again and start the whole faire process all over again...

WHAT?!? Only two more months!? Oh no! I have once again lost my entire winter "downtime" to life. I fully intended to spend my long winter nights sewing my skirts in a calm manner (isn't that every rennie's dream?) and casually browsing the clearance bins for cheap material to make extra stuff. Now I must once again scurry around the stores, grabbing whatever material I can get my hands on (good thing we LIKE plain!) and furiously working late at night on garb. I have a whole ritual to it all, too. I wait until the kids are asleep (otherwise they think of Mama's spread-out material as a sort of red carpet for them to strut down) and then lay everything out on my earlier-in-the-day-mopped kitchen floor for easier cutting. This means that I have to dig my sewing machine back out (it got put away to make room for Christmas decorations) and take over the kitchen again.

And since this faire season holds even more new things for me, I have even MORE garb needed! Why is it that we never actually have enough garb? I'm baffled. I need bloomers and a few new skirts and at least one new poofy shirt. My sons need new garb (the ragamuffins) and I think I've convinced JP that he needs to go a bit more regal, which means he gets to hire out his garb work!

I'm extremely excited about this upcoming season! I'm an actual performer now! Sure, in the past I've been a reenactor with a troupe for a few years and last year I was technically a merchant (passion on a stick!). But this year I have my wonderful Washer Well Wenches...and they're actually letting me be the leader! Silly wenches...they'll learn eventually ;) For now, I'll just enjoy being the person who keeps them in line! I'm absolutely thrilled that we've been hired by five faires already...but we have SO MUCH left to do before the start of the season! Can you possibly rehearse enough? Especially when you're an ad lib group... *wink*

In the midst of it all, I have this wonderful web site that really does help keep me grounded and loving festivals. I adore being able to share my thoughts and experiences with everyone and having you all so receptive to me. I feel very grateful for such a charmed existence.

I am also really pumped about being the Merchant Coordinator for Wybreg Village Renaissance Faire! This brings me into a completely different aspect of the faire world. I'm having a blast putting together the packets for everyone and getting to talk to all of the merchants. I look forward to October getting closer to see it all come blissfully together and I just hope I can make my beloved Brock proud of me.

So, I guess I had better go down to the basement and sort through what fabric I already have to figure out what I need to get. I think I may even use my own pages (Faire Virgins: Garb) to see what new goodies I can make for myself and my kids. Thankfully, I got my new bodice taken care of at the end of last season, so that's one thing less for me to worry about! Here I go to pleat and pin and pleat and pin and then curse my sewing machine for not cooperating all over again.

Hoping you have a wonderful 2001 season,
Willa the Wascally Wench

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Permanent festivals in our area: Kansas City Renaissance Festival, Bristol Renaissance Faire, Des Moines Renaissance Faire and Minnesota Renaissance Festival.
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