Help from my vintage clothing peeps?

One of my fabulous technicians is also an amateur photographer. She's got a great camera, and has been slowly building a business - doing wedding and portraits. So, since I've done a few tidbits for her - (fixed a hernia on her calf, etc) she's going to do the girls' fall portraits for me. For this, I would like to make them new outfits. Something fall, feminine, and adorable.

And with the soundtrack to "Gigi" in my car, I remember her little dress from the movie. And how they remind me of the dresses on the little girls in the Madeline books and others. I'd like a soft wool plaid. Sources for nice colors of that would be good, too. Maybe pink/taupe or blue/brown.

So - where might I find pictures/resources for the little French school girl outfits of La Belle Epoch. If I google - I mostly get naughty school-girl porn. *sigh*

Help me lj!!

Planning for next year's garden, chicken shopping

I'm trying to figure out what all to do for next year's garden stuff. I think I shall take rectangularcat's advice, and plant my wheat samples in containers this fall. I may or may not manage to get a whole stand in the ground to play with.

I'm debating about some kind of cover crop. It's a little hard for me, as I have no tiller. Therefore, I have to strip out the cover crop before I plant. Which rather defeats the purpose of "green manure." Though I suppose I could throw it on the compost pile, and then work in finished compost.

I also want some fruit trees. Maybe I can get a few seedlings started now, the better to graft in the spring. If I get my act together earlier this year, there should be some decent scion wood available. Now... where in the yard? Maybe I'll line the walkway with some espaliers.

And I must say that chicken shopping is just fun:

http://www.gabbardhatchingeggs.com/shop.html

Might have to expand the coop a little next year. I'd like some Welsummers, and maybe some French Marans.

Thinkin'......

That the peacock-blue (retinal numbing) linen that I've been hoarding wants to be that Frisian gown. Or at least the undergown.

Need more info, though. I'm thinking it's going to be somewhat similar to the Cleves and Koln styles. But that weird headdress.......