The Academy of Natural Sciences in Philly is Closing :-(

I just signed a petition. I don't know how much hope there is for saving the museum, but if anyone can do it, it's Philadelphians. Usually when there's an announcement like this, there are already plans made and backroom deals done before the public is privy to the destruction of the oldest natural science museum in the country. It's not just old dinosaur bones and Lewis & Clark artifacts. It's our history. It's science. That this is coming from Drexel University is the most ironic; a "research" university, a place of higher education. 

Solguud is a channel I follow on YouTube. He posted a very heartfelt walk-thru of the museum:

Here's a link to sign the petition.

Sooooo Relatable from Elle Cordova

 

Persuaded: Jane Austen Meets Rockstar

 Welp. I finished a novel. Not that one. A different one. You may recall my blistering review of vexation with the Netflix adaptation of Persuasion? It spurned me on to ask: If Walter Elliot lived today in the U.S. what would he be like?  And so it began . . . and then evolved. Here's the final cover:

Here's the back cover and blurb:

Knotting? New Rabbit Hole!

 I had no clue this existed. I love when that happens. I'm posting this video for a few reasons:

1. Instructional How to Knot.

2. The history of Knotting.

3. The humoUr. 

4. The editing and production of this video. FANTASTIC.

5. If you're on YouTube, go subscribe to The Song Spinner.

Victorian Hatpin Box

 A dear family friend, Christie, entrusted me with her great-aunt's silver hatpin box. The lace covers the hat pin cushion. I'm not sure if the lace is tatted or crocheted, but it's very delicate. 

Also, it was carefully pieced together, so it's possible that it was a collar or something that was re-purposed as a covering. You can see a faint, curved line on the lower right part:

Underneath the lace is the silk covered pin cushion:

Here's the bottom of the pin cushion. It was handsewn:

The pin cushion sits on a base of silver:

This box inserts into the silver part:

Here's what it looks like from the bottom:

The bottom of the box fits snugly, but is not attached:

Here's the silver with the box insert removed:

Here's the bottom of the silver box:

The saffron silk was a  later addition, covering the original silk, which was a light blue, which you can see on the hidden parts:

The Restoration

I cleaned the lace in Quilter's soap, which is recommended on antique fabrics. It came recommended by historical textile experts as safe. It also had good reviews on Amazon. If it had been a larger piece of lace, I would have tacked it onto a piece of muslin. Since it's small, I laid it in a shallow dish and let it soak (no bending or twisting or agitating!)  The water was a satisfying greige, and I laid the lace out on a towel to dry. However, the lace hasn't lost its vintage vibe:

I forgot to take a photo of the pin cushion without the lace! But you can see it in the video at the end of this blogpost.

Here's the new box insert. I re-used the wooden frame of the box and removed the red fabric. I replaced the bottom with acid-free book board. It fits snugly like the original, but can pop out and be replaced if needed:

Here's the inside bottom with the box insert removed: 

The original bottom was cardstock and badly damaged. I replaced it with paper-leather, which is very sturdy. It won't tear or crack and is also more pliable in getting it into place. The product I used is no longer available, but here's the same product from a different company.

Here's the bottom:

And here are the remnants:

Here is the "Before" video walk-thru:

Here is the "After" :

Jane Austen July Journal: A Few Pages

 Here are some photos of my Jane Austen July journal. I really didn't read or watch anything that wasn't Jane Austen-related for the whole month! Any movies mentioned, I've linked to their trailers, except for Mansfield Park because BLEH.  Okay, here we go . . . 

Here's the spine:

 I added a little "cameo" from Nik's Jane Austen July digi-kit

Commonplace journal insert:

First page:

Thumbnails for YouTube channel & first video. Below that is a 

comment from another Janeite on Nik's Jane Austen video.

I watched Bride & Prejudice. I print out a picture of the movie poster and use it as a pocket. Then I print out my favourite one-star reviews, which are often LOL-funny. 

On the right is a pocket I made with a carriage graphic, and I printed out info from the British Library on an article on how Jane Austen used carriages as a vehicle (harhar) for communicating wealth, class, and status. Another article is from John Mullan: Status, Rank, and Class in Jane Austen's Novels

Here are notes I took on a video I watched,

  What Gets Lost When Jane Austen Gets "Updated" for Modern Sensibilities:

I do a hybrid of bullet journal/mind-mapping. I take notes in pen first. Then I go back and colour with  watercolour pencils and then I go back with a water brush and make it look watery.

I watched the 1999 version of Mansfield Park: 

Skip the movie, It was truly dreadful. 

On left: notes taken from Books & Things video on Mansfield Park.

Favourite synopsis of the book from Nick, Katie's husband:

"One woman's heartwarming journey to sleep with her cousin." 

On right, Love & Friendship movie:

2005 Mansfield Park:

I made a dedicated insert for Regency Fiction:

Here's my favourite book I read, Aurora. I print out a picture of the book cover, along with the summary of the book, and my own notes:

The cover for my list of books to be read:

This is another convenient graphic from Nik's Jane Austen digi-kit:

I write in the book and then fill in stars and add notes when I've read it. Very handy!

I'll do a separate blogpost/flip thru for the Quotes insert:

For a flip-thru video of the journal, click HERE. 

Genuine FAUX Cabinet Cards

 My sister is spiffying up display cabinets in the university science building she manages. She's very good with arranging curiosities and artifacts. Some of them have been donated by the family of a member on staff. He had a picture of his great-grandfather holding a skull in medical school, and here's the skull:

So I made vintagey looking cabinet cards & calligraphed information:

There were other pictures included, so I made cabinet cards for them as well:

Here are some close-ups of the cards:

Dr. Charles Bennett:

In medical school in Milwaukee, circa 1899:

"Alas!  Poor Yorick!" (Shakespeare ref)

This is great-grandmother Pearlie Bennett, his wife:

Lookit those mutton sleeves!  Soooooo much poof!

I miiiiiight do a tutorial or something. We'll see . . . .  :-)

Here's a 3-minute video flip-thru if you want to see them.