Pretty Mean Shawme, also known as Shawn MacLeod was introduced to SASS by her ex-husband.  He kept talking about this silly sport where you would dress up like cowboys and shoot at things.  She had been around firearms her whole life and the thought of shooting at metal targets at close range sounded rather dangerous to her.   However, he just wouldn’t give it up!

     In November of 2002, after attending a gun show, her husband returned with an invitation to a Valentine’s Victorian ball hosted by the local Cowboy Action Shooting club.  He told her that they were going to go, but she didn’t believe him!  In January he asked her when she was going to start her ball gown.  Shawn, realizing he was serious went in to a frenzy with her friend and neighbor Denver Iron trying to make the perfect Victorian Ball gown. That is a whole other story!  But, they went, had a wonderful time and met a bunch of fun people including, Josie Bouchet,  Colorado Sunset, Sweetwater Bill, and Bat Masterson. They invited them to a Petticoat shoot, where they were promised a fashion show and instruction on SASS and various firearms. Shawme attended the Petticoat shoot and had a blast!

     Shawme became heavily involved in the costuming aspect of the Victorian lifestyle. It seemed to take up so much time that they were never able to shoot at organized matches. So they would practice at their gun club at Pawnee Sportsman’s Center in Briggsdale Colorado.  They seemed to attend more Victorian Balls and Dances and Shawme teas and costume contests than shoots.

     During this time Shawme found the Truly Victorian Website and began looking at the pictures that other seamstresses sent in.  She fell in love with four dresses in particular.  They were Christmas dresses, red, green, gold and white.  They were just dreamy; she showed them to a couple of friends and asked if they would like to wear something like that to the next Valentine’s ball.  One of her friends said that she would but only if we had them done in time to use them for the Holidays as well.  The other friend (Denver Iron) suggested that we have a Holiday ball to wear our special holiday gowns.  That is all it took, Shawme called around, found a place to hold a ball, and then began promoting it.  She hired Miss Tabitha as the Dance Mistress and spent the whole summer planning and promoting the Holiday ball held on November 20, 2004.  It was a great success, the place was packed!  11/20: Shawn MacLeod hosted a gala ball at Brittany Hill in Denver of which it was said, "She has certainly raised the bar."

     With just one weekend to rest Shawme headed off to Vegas for the SASS convention. This is where she had the wonderful pleasure to meet Fannie Kikinshoot and Tornado Alli.  Shawme attended one of their classes and Miss Tabitha asked Shawme to help out with the fashion show.  The two ladies were so kind.  Shawme later started to correspond with Fannie and then Alli via Instant Messaging and became fast friends even across the miles.

     When Shawme decided to start her magazine The Opulent Victorian, both Fannie and Alli were right there to help her out and then along came Catawba Kate. She was this wonderful lady who took it upon herself to make sure that Pretty Mean Shawme made it down to Mule Camp.  Shawme and Kate started to correspond via email and hit it off immediately.

     When the four ladies got together at Mule Camp it was natural. Catawba Kate and Pretty Mean Shawme seemed to have almost everything in common.  Shawme felt as if she had found her sisters!  When Fannie, Alli and Kate asked her to join them as a Carolina Belle™ she, without hesitation said “YES!”

Pretty Mean Shawme has made shooting at organized shoots a priority now; it is just too much fun to miss for a silly tea!