>>> As for sewing...it is the #1 hobby for women this past year. This was on the news during the past six months. I don't recall the actual source. I was just surprised to hear this.
>>>It's not just the cons, it's the battles and other big reenactment events. I hear people saying they are not going to as many as before. I don't know about your location but in my area of Virginia, I have to pick and choose which reenactments to go to...there are so many through Christmas. There are several in a single weekend. I would never have to travel more than 60 miles. And then they start up again in April. Our small local historical society put on a haunted mansion tour last Halloween season with actual stories of murders and Civil War events. They got the history students at the university involved with guiding the tours. Reenactors are all over the grounds telling their stories as the groups are guided by lantern light. My group was about in tears at one of the Civil War battle scenes. This event was so successful that this event is preformed bi-monthly and people come from all over to see it. Blandford Cemetery, in Petersburg, VA tried this same type of event but it was not effective...all I could think was, "I want some hot chocolate!" It wasn't as believable as our hististorical where you couldn't get enough of the stories and never thought about how cold it was. Recently, we went to the new Sailor's Creek Battlefield State Park. No reenactors, but one ranger toured through home that became the union's hospital. The ranger was so good that the group hung on her every word and stayed after her talk for more info. I can't wait to see what they do for 150th Anniversary. Most of the reenactments here are well attended by reenactors and audience even in extreme weather. Our powwow season starts this month and they are very well attended. Our local reenactors stay very busy. It is not uncommon to see someone at an event one weekend and see then in a different event & period costume the next weekend. > >>(from me.)As for those of us who have costuming businesses, especially online, it is always a race to keep up with what is IN & OUT. We always have to reinvent the wheel to stay afloat. At this moment, the social media seems to be the way to go What I am meaning is by how you keep in touch with your customers. Keeping up with communication technology is key to any busy today. People want your response ASAP. Everyone in my entire extended family has a cell phone and texts with the exception of my blind & deaf 76 y.o. mother texting. I read FB family messages to her. My adult kids sit on FB chat all day via their cell phones. A lot of people do this. I negotiated a contract last week via text messages. I don't delete my text messages, so the conversation is saved & documented. Society has become so dependent on fast communication. It is sad to say, but this year a lot of universities are going to only online textbooks. This discussion has been going on for a while with educators very upset about it. But it is the way of the future. The academic powers-to-be want this. OTOH if it lowers the $1,000 textbook fees per semester for students, I am all for it...I have three kids + two DIL in college. Some other things that are OUT are CDs...good luck trying to find a good selection. Most people go to the online outlets and download them. DVDs are heading in the same direction with NetFlix and Hulu being so popular. Three of my kids do not own TVs, they watch movies and TV shows on their laptops or smart phones. If I was tech savvy enough (and I am not), I would develop apps for costuming. There you go...someone smart enough go for it! Just send me a thank you card when you are rich! I love apps! Penny Ladnier, owner The Costume Gallery Websites www.costumegallery.com 15 websites of fashion, costume, and textile history FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Costume-Gallery-Websites/107498415961579 _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list [email protected] http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
