Anticipation of My Trip

In less than three days, I will be on a plane headed for Ireland-- something I have always dreamed about, but never thought would come true. It still feels like a dream, it has not fully set in that I am really going. We have been planning the trip for months and it doesn't feel real now.  I am still really excited, although my excitement has been overrun by an unfortunate family quarrel.

Regardless, in honor of my trip, an excerpt from The American Frugal Housewife (1838) by Lydia Marie Child:

    "People of moderate fortune have just as good a right to travel as the wealthy; but is it not unwise? Do they not injure themselves and their families? You say travelling is cheap. So is staying at home. Besides, do you count all the costs?

    The money you pay for stages and steamboats is the smallest of the items. There are clothes bought which would not otherwise be bought; those clothes are worn out and defaced twenty times as quick as they would have been at home; children are perhaps left with domestics, or strangers; their health and morals, to say the least, under very uncertain influence ; your substance is wasted in your absence by those who have no self-interest to prompt them to carefulness; you form an acquaintance with a multitude of people, who will be sure to take your house in their way, when they travel next year; and finally, you become so accustomed to excitement, that home appears insipid, and it requires no small effort to return to the quiet routine of your duties. And what do you get in return for all this? Some pleasant scenes, which will soon seem to you like a dream; some pleasant faces, which you will never see again; and much of crowd, and toil, and dust, and bustle," (100.)

      In the interest of frugality, should I really be traveling? No, this money could be put elsewhere (college mostly.) It will be a much welcomed and appreciated vacation. It has also been a lot of hard work and we hope to have a lot of fun and a truly life changing experience. 

*Note: The engravings are from Moore's Irish Melodies (1866.)

Economy

        There is something to be said about the "Victorian"  views on economical  spending. Today  many people are confused  into thinking that we need the things that we really want. We may think we live meagerly but if we strip all that we own away, we realize that we own a lot more than the bare necessities. Life today also seems to require these unnecessary things. How would we get to work without our cars? How would we do our homework without computers  (almost all assignments must be typed these days)? How do we keep our jobs unless we dress in the newest fashions?
        In many  period publications, there are fictional stories about women who try to live above their means and how it ruins their lives. This happens frequently today with credit cards and loans, it has become so easy to live above our means. We really need to evaluate the things we buy and whether or not they are true necessities or not-- yes we are entitled to a few comforts (we do work hard for our money.) We should make sure that these comforts facilitate a better household and not destroy it. If no one in the family ever talks to each other because each is in his own room on his own cell phone and watching his own T.V. while sitting on the internet with his own computer, the family will deteriorate. Despite what we may think about relaxation and fun, there were ways to relax and have fun with the family before the digital age started. We should rediscover these activities.

  I am almost envious when I am reading period fiction and sisters are playing games together or sewing together. When a visitor comes, the visitor even if friends with a particular sister, joins in sewing or playing the games with all of the sisters. Today, one of my sister's friends would just prance right into my sister's room with her and we would not see either of them again for the rest of the night. I admit that my friends would do the same, but my sisters would not be interested anyway.

A focus on economy and the family instead of wants, will lead to happier people in the long run. Many people have thousands of friends on networking sites, are they as happy as the family who plays board games on Friday nights or the sisters who go to the local park on Saturday with a few mutual friends? Sometimes work gets in the way of being a family. Through frugality, we can strengthen our relationships by not having to work so many hours and by being creative as a family to have fun on a smaller budget.
        What if we focused on economy with the scrumptious nature that our predecessors did? Lydia Maria Francis Child said in the American Frugal Housewife (1831,) "Look to the grease-pot, and see that nothing is there which might have served to nourish your own family, or a poorer one." What if we were likewise economical even with things that are inexpensive? If the whole family saved usable scraps of paper for quick notes or grocery lists, we would not spend as much on paper specially for this purpose and help preserve the environment. Lydia Maria Francis Child suggests just this kind of frugality. Imagine how we'd prosper, economically and as families?

Note: The pictures are from Arthur's Home Magazine (1860,) the engraving is entitled " The Cottage Home."

Spencerian Ladies' Hand- Mid-1800s Handwriting

        Period handwriting is beautiful. A long time has passed since such a beautiful, aesthetic hand has been taught in schools. A common script in the mid-1800s was the Spencerian Ladies' Hand. It is a type of copperplate, similar to the kind that our parents (maybe??) learned in elementary school. There were numerous booklets and pamphlets written at the time to demonstrate how to write it. Many men and women also used Round Hand, which is very similar.
      For those of you interested in learning how to write in a period style, Lessons in Calligraphy and Penmanship is an amazing resource to learn virtually everything you need to know to learn. They have scans of original teaching books, as well as modern guides and videos that teach you all you need to know.

I have been trying to learn myself . I wrote out a guide in Spencerian Ladies' Hand (Left.) The darker parts of the letters are made by increased pressure, not by twisting the pen, like is common with other calligraphy "fonts". The nib you should use for this "font" should be very fine with a lot of bend to it. You can still buy Spencerian Pen Nibs. They can also be found by the boxes on Ebay. I just use what I have at hand.   

I couldn't find many guides that showed the order in which to write each stroke. I wrote out the order that I used to make the strokes. I tried to make the strokes in the most natural way of writing. Hopefully, if you are interested in writing it, it will be comfortable. (We have to thank Andy for the pretty red ink I got to use for the arrows and numbers.)


While I was trying to learn this style of writing, my friend told me about a friend that she has who writes amazing calligraphy. Her friend gave her some tips for me that you can read on my friend's blog, Curious Acorn.

For the lowercase Spencerian letters, please see this continuation post here.

Reticule Pattern from 1831-1865

        This pattern was originally published in 1831, the book itself was reprinted up until 1865. This reticule looks very  period due to its asymmetrical  nature. Today we tend to shy away from anything asymmetrical, especially in purses. This would be a great reenactment piece as it appeals to the mindset of the time period and not our mindset today.

        The transcendentalist mindset of the period  focused  on the individual person and individuality. Individuality  was expressed through a limited  spectrum (dresses, hair, sleeves, jewelry, home furnishings) due to the heightened discrimination at the time. Remember, anyone wealthier than you, didn't need much of a reason to get you put into a mental hospital and it didn't take much for you to become estranged from all of your neighbors and associates (perhaps why they had such a strong etiquette system.) This reticule is an example of conforming while nonconforming.
        This is a simple project that you could practice your hand sewing on or your embroidery skills.   

From the American Girl’s Book (1831) by Miss Eliza Leslie

A THREE-SIDED RETICULE

           "Cut your silk into three pieces of equal size. Each must be about a quarter of a yard in depth, and half a quarter wide. The sided of each must be straight till within a finger’s length of the bottom; they must then be sloped off to a point. Sew those three pieces of silk together, (inserting a covered cord between the seams,) and make them all meet in a point at the bottom. Put a tassel or bow at each corner, and one at the bottom. Hem down the top, and run a ribbon into it."

To make this really easy, I diagrammed out a pattern. You have to cut out three, I recommend lining it with muslin or cotton if you are going to use silk. The top dotted line is where you will fold to make the casing for the drawstring. The bottom dotting line will fold naturally when it is sewn together.

        I drew out what the bottom of the bag should look like after it's sewn, the picture in the book did not show the bottom well.








There are lots of ways to embroider your reticule. I recommend initials, just in case you lose it, it will be a little easier to get it back. I am embroidering this one with beads but normal thread embroidery would look great too. 

Take Nothing for Granted

        I was very disappointed that Andy and I did not get to go to Jim Thorpe, PA this year to admire the "visual cacophony" lingering above our heads. Today was a nice day and in addition to cleaning the yard, my mother and I went for a walk to look at the leaves in the area. The leaves are as beautiful as I have ever remembered them being.

        Sometimes life moves so fast that you notice that the leaves are falling from the trees and think it would be nice to spend some time looking at them, but you never do and soon winter comes, and you forget about it for another year. Sometimes the cycle continues for a few years.
        How could I deny the beauty that exists only a few steps from my back door? I am indeed very fortunate to live in such a beautiful world and have the ability to experience it. Last year Andy and I went with his mother and father to view the leaves, we had to describe the colors to his father, who lost his sight earlier last year after a stroke. What a terrible hardship to endure.

        On another topic, I have always wondered why the leaves change colors and if there was a method to the color choices and times when the leaves change. Turns out that leaves have Chlorophyll andCarotenoids in them all year round.These create the colors that we see. These pigments are normally concealed by the Chlorophyll which makes the leaves appear green. The Carotenoids give the leaves their red, orange, yellow and brown colors.  The Carotenoids are exposed when longer, colder nights halt the breaking down of the Chlorophyll. Fascinating.

Your assignment for today is to go admire the leaves and never take anything for granted.