After seeing photo after photo of my friends on the west coast and in the north east going to lots of pretty events with pretty people in pretty clothing... I've decided it's the south's turn to have a go.

I have founded the Georgia Regency Society ( [link] ) and we are holding our first event on December 5, 2009 at 1:00 PM at the Sugarplums Tea Room in Canton. The best part? You're all invited. Go to the website and click on Events for more information.

So, why Regency? Besides the fact that it's my personal favorite era and I'm a Jane Austen Junkie, it's very approachable for people who have never ventured into costuming. It's far easier to create a dress for those who aren't used to sewing, and far more comfortable to wear being that if you wear a well fitting bra and a slip you can wear one of these dresses without worrying about the proper silhouette. We do have the SCA here, but I've tried to join them before and as nice as some people can be, the pressure to be perfect and 101% historically accurate and the amount of cliqueyness that goes on... it's a bit daunting. We also have a couple civil war groups, but they're rather scattered and nothing is really very organized. It's more of organized events that happen and then people come to participate with that, rather than having an actual group that does various things together.

I wanted to have a picnic at first. I had visions of a group of my friends out in a park in the spring drinking tea and gossiping while sporting fabulous frocks and accessories. I ran across the Regency Society of America ( [link] ) and their forums ( [link] ) and there's a section about starting your own chapter and I took it upon myself to do just that.

I'm really excited. Our tea is already up to twenty participants, and several of them are people I don't know at all. My dress is just about done, my mother's will be done on Thursday when I can get to it again, and then I can throw together a few loaner dresses for those in the group who have asked for them. Sugarplums is a delightful venue - the owner and staff are excited like we are and have even volunteered to dress up with us! I just can't believe this has come together as easily and quickly as it has, and I can't wait before we're big enough to have a ball.

As for my commission information, you can find that at [link] . I'm still going to take commissions but with school coming up soon they'll be fewer in number than they were. Feel free to contact me though if you have something you'd like done.