Monday, June 30, 2008

Something Wicked This Waye Comes..................


''Cross this evil land, ill winds blow

Despite the darkness, mushrooms glow

All will rot & decompose

For something wicked this way grows...

~~~~Ray Bradbury


Dare keep watch Dear Friends, for I knoweth not when my own Spirit shall not be enchanted beyond all reconance of mortal remain..........

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Ghofsties & Ghoullies..............


Oft in the silence of the night,

When the lonely moon rides high,

When wintry winds are whistling,

And we hear the owl's shrill cry,

In the quiet, dusky chamber,

By the flickering firelight,

Rising up between two sleepers,

Comes a spirit all in white...............

~~Louisa May Alcott



I can not say exactly what it is in the summertime that makes me so look foreword to the fall....I suppose it could be the near 100 degree dry weather we have been having.....I don't know! It does seem a bit pathetic that just as the garden is starting to come alive, I am already planning where I will put my bunches of dried corn stalks and gourds this fall...... I have some wonderful Halloweenies for this year~ already! Mine aren't exactly scary tho....I like to think of them as just enchanted, without the fire & brimstone! The 'Widow Noir' will be listed on eBay this evening along with some other little specials~ you can see my eBay auctions by following the link on the right! Hope to see you there!

Thursday, June 19, 2008

A Dear American Icon gone home...........



"Einstein said that time is like a river, it flows in bends. If we could only step back around the turns, we could travel in either direction. I'm sure it's possible. When I die, I'm going right back to the 1830s. I'm not even afraid of dying. I think it must be quite exciting." ~Tasha Tudor

Our Dear Tasha Tudor passed away yesterday, June 18th, 2008. In her early 90's she lived a long and fulfilled life, and was a true gift to those who read her many books, or were inspired by her love of life & history. I wish you a Grande journey Tasha~
You can view her Memorial website here http://www.tashatudor.legacy.com/LMW/HomePage.aspx

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

"Children sparkle in the streets of American towns like field flowers in the springtime" ~~ Baron Felix de Beaujour, 1814


The above quote so true. There is nothing more beautiful to me, than an innocent child! Their minds like sponges waiting to soak up all the information their surroundings can provide them. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love children, and that the main focus of collection and study here at the Museum is children~ what they wore, what they played with, what they studied in school, how their fragile countenances were carefully molded in a time when it was not easy, just being a child. My daughter Emma was happy to model for me today what her little friends of the mid 1830's would have worn.
Emma is 6, and the above photo would be nearly correct had she been living 173 years ago. Girls and boys alike wore their hair swooped back and kept close the the head thru out the first half of the 19th century. In a few years, or even at this age in an especially rich & fashionable household, Emma would have worn a set of false curls set above her ears on the temples. They were made from human hair or sometimes woven horsehair, and attached to small combs so they could be easily taken on and off.

Colors were vibrant~ we don't normally associate vibrant colors with the early 1800's, as many of the vegetable dyes have faded over time. This dress is all original, c1836 when the Gigot sleeves were at their largest. It is made from a cherry red cotton print with vertical stripes of ombre shaded flowers that run from neon skye blue to cream & pale yellow. All seams are piped, including the center front, and decorative piping on the back seams.


I have seen period paintings with skirt fullness of varying degrees that would support the assumption that during the hot summer days, only the chemise & pantaloons were worn underneath, and on cold winter days, more petticoats under for warmth. There are 2 growth tucks sewn in the hem for lengthening as the child grew. As well, the back waistband has a series of vertical tucks that could be let out to widen the waist if needed, without having to unpick the entire dress.



Emma wears a simple lace cap that would have always been worn both inside the house, and outside, under the outer bonnet. The muslin pantaloons can be seen just underneath the hem of the dress, reaching to the ankles.



A common accessory for both mother & child during the last decade of the 18th century, and stretching to the 1860's, was the basket purse. This example is c1830-40, from Pennsylvania. Both sides are hand painted with a Pineapple design. It is complete with 2 swing handles, and hinged lid, also with polychrome paint


The pantaloon's Emma wears are c1830-40, and show the wide straight leg reaching to the ankles. Many of this era are left plain and devoid of any trim or decoration at the hems. There are button holes in the waist that would either fasten to a chemise, or directly onto the soft corded corset the child would be wearing.






Saturday, June 14, 2008

New TDIPT Mercantile Goodies............

This is Little Mifs Liberty~ she will be available on the new TDIPT update this evening~ she is SOOOO sweet! I dressed her c1850, and she has donned her most patriotic rosette sash in remembrance of her dear Great Grandfather who gave his life in the Revolutionary War~ and for all who made the ultimate sacrifice for their new country. Her township is marking this 4th of July with much pompe~ a parade & ceremony in the towne square, a big picnic feast at the schoolhouse, and her most anticipated, earlye evening dance being hosted by the Lady's Seminary. She has eagerly helped with the decorations, and will be offering 2 of the banners she had left over on the update as well~ (she was very eager!) Each are one of a kind, and will come in their own covered box~ hope you will stop by and take a peek later this evening!~


Monday, June 09, 2008

WELCOME HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a WONDERFUL day! Dr. unwrapped Tressa's leg on Saturday morning for a peek, and was very pleased. This morning, he took a second look, and said we could GO HOME! Words just cannot express how both of us felt at that moment! Nearly all her skin graft attached~ there is an area in the center and to the bottom that has sluffed away, but that will gradually fill in by itself. She will be doing at home exactly what she was doing in hospital~ strict bed rest, only getting up to go to the bathroom with her crutches, and keeping her leg elevated. She is on keflex 4x a day, and we will go back to the Dr in a week for him to check her progress. 25 days in hospital, and we are HOME at 11 am this morning!!!! WOO HOOO! I took the above picture right after the Dr left, and she was doing the happy dance in bed!


Nurse Linda is wheeling her out to the car...she doesn't look the least bit happy does she? The whole drive home, she kept saying~ 'wow~ look at that!'.....when we went in hospital, the trees were not yet budded out even, and now everything is, as Tressa says, "All Green and Fuffy"

On our way!


She managed not to cry until we drove up the driveway, me~ I cried all the way home! Tears of J*O*Y*
We are having a big BBQ & party tonight to celebrate~ going to hold the pinata up over the couch so she can wack it....we got her her own bottle of sparkling grape 'champagne' and goblets to cheer her homecoming, tons of food, cake, ice cream and pie! Thankyou all SO much for your cards and gifts and emails~ CHEERS to a perfect day! xoxoxo Rachael



Friday, June 06, 2008

'Little Mifs Liberty'......


My Little Mifs Liberty dolly will be available on the June 15th TDIPT update, along with a couple other dear little Patriotic Trifles for your amusement~ I hope you will drop by if you have the time
My country,' tis of thee,

sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing;

land where my fathers died,

land of the pilgrims' pride,

from every mountainside let freedom ring!

~from the first stanza of 'America', by Samuel F. Smith

Thursday, June 05, 2008

A GOODE DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes!!!! We had a good day today! Enter HUGE smiley face here, and another one for goode measure! Dr took of the bandage on Tressa's hip ~ where he took off the skin for her graft~ it is bigger than I thought it would be, about the size of my hand, but it looked good, and we are leaving it 'out' to air dry and eventually form a scab. We still are waiting to see if the graft attached~ will still be a couple of days before we can even take a peek....its harder than waiting for Santa to come ~ I dont like suspence........... so on the to GOOD news! ****NO MORE IV**** WOO HOOO! At 9.34 am this morning, the IV was taken O*U*T* and not replaced! YES YES YES YES. Baby steps to comming home! No more Primaxin or Unasyn, she will be on Keflex via pill from now on. We all just couldnt be happier~ tis a WONDERFUL DAY! And thankyou so much for stopping by the BLOG to check up on Tressa~

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Did you SEE that???????? There....right there!


Have you ever been sitting, daye dreaming, and out of the corner of your eye, see a thing move, and think you saw it well enough to realize just what it was, but then..... find your mind wont let you believe it t'was what it t'was???? Maybe my mind playeth tricks on me lately.........so I have been rocking in my favorite chair.....waiting

See! Just there! Do you see it???? Do mine eyes deceive? I see them quite often, but just so I am not labeled a looney type...........

I have waited patiently and very still, until Mon Cher thinks me to be gone.....and as she peeks out 'round the hem of the olde dresses, snap! I have caught her shadow of an image as proof....Enchantments of all sorts are everywhere, if you just take the time to see them


Monday, June 02, 2008

Surgery #3 today...........

What a day. How is it waiting can take up so much energy? I got to the hospital at 7am this morning, and just got home at about 8.50pm. Tressa was on a no food or fluids order since midnight last, so I knew she would be having surgery today....just didnt know when. Dr came in at about 7.30 and said her leg looked good, he would do the skin graft today~ woo hoo! So we sat and waited. And the nurse came in and brought Tressa BREAKFAST........of which I said~ hey~ shes NOT supposed to HAVE that~ and I got a reply of oh???? Then about 10 minutes later, the aide came in and gave Tress WATER...to which I said again~ NO......... but was really thinking~ "HELLO people.......do ANY of you actually READ the charts?????????" At 11 they asked if she would like a snack....at noon they DIDNT bring her lunch...but managed to come in 2 times and ask for her tray and if she ate everything......tried to give her a snak again at 2.30.............then more water...........then at 4 they were so 'kind' to come and bring her a menu, and ask her to fill out what she wanted to eat tomorrow. :::sigh:::
She finally got her surgery at 4.27, and out at 6pm. We were back in her room at 6.40. She is so very pale after this one, not like the last 2. But Dr said all went well, they took the skin graft from the side of her hip, so it would be under her drawers and not visible even in a swim suit, so I thought that was extra compassionate and thoughtful of him, as he had talked about taking it from her upper leg. The most important thing now is NO MOVING. This should be interesting. She is on strict bedrest, and is allowed up only to use the bathroom, and she must use crutches so her foot doesnt hit the floor. That will make her muscle move, and could cause the graft not to adhere~ so instead of sticking and growing, it would just dry up and fall off. All I need is more anxiety. Something new to worry about. geeze...........so now we get to play the waiting game again. Dr said this bandage will go untouched for at least 4-5 days, so until then we will fill her room with positive healing thoughts for her new skin to STICK STICK STICK!
Thankyou all so very much for your emails and prayers and thoughts~ xoxoxo rachael