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A sweet remembrance of past Valentine celebrations.

Valentine’s Day at Paula Walton’s 18th Century Home Journal ❤

Nine posts of receipts (aka recipes), projects, & antiques for Valentine’s day ❤❤❤

https://paulawalton.wordpress.com/…/the-sweet-rewards…/

https://paulawalton.wordpress.com/…/happy-valentines…/

https://paulawalton.wordpress.com/…/happy…/

https://paulawalton.wordpress.com/…/14/vintage-valentines/

https://paulawalton.wordpress.com/…/a-valentine-to…/

https://paulawalton.wordpress.com/…/hearts-both-new…/

https://paulawalton.wordpress.com/…/13/sweet-love-tokens/

https://paulawalton.wordpress.com/…/two-heart…/

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spun cotton carrots
Pop Up Shop!!! ~ Antique & Handmade Goods to Welcome St. Nicholas!
antique baby shoes with crepe paper rosettes, spun cotton carrots and spun c otton Santa
Pop Up Shop!!! ~ Antique & Handmade Goods to Welcome St. Nicholas!

 

I have a pop up shop filled with a variety of handmade, vintage and antique items… spun cotton ornaments, teddy bears, antique baby shoes, tiny hanging display cases and more… Click here to see my St. Nicholas offerings!

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Silhouette image Easter eggs.

Wishing you & yours a very happy Easter Sunday! Last Easter I posted photos of some of the silhouette eggs I have created over the years. If unbroken these eggs will last indefinitely, but 20+ years of mischievous cats and accidents have taken their toll, so this year found me once again cutting paper silhouettes and saving onion skins.

I originally read about making these eggs in a Country Living magazine article written by Wendy Schultz Wubbels that appeared in the April 1997, Vol. 20 Issue 4, on page148. If you happen to have a stash of old Country Living magazines go dig out this issue! If you don’t, I’ll give you the basic steps for making these amazing eggs:

materials

gather your materials…

Gather Your Materials: First and foremost save the skin from every onion you use! You need a LOT of onion skins to dye these eggs… I needed to come up with a lot of onion skins in a hurry, so I resorted to peeling 6 lbs. of onions! After carefully peeling and saving every bit of onion skin I made a huge pot of French Onion Soup. 🙂

You’ll also need white eggs, an old pair of panty hose, some twist ties, vinegar, white copy paper, small sharp scissors, copy right free silhouette images or your own hand drawn silhouettes, and a large pot.

onions!

onions!

french onion soup

French onion soup.

Cut Out Your Paper Silhouettes

Trace or use a copier to transfer your desired silhouette images to plain white paper. I usually use copier paper because I find it to be a good weight to work with and I always have it at hand. Carefully cut out your silhouettes with a small pair of sharp scissors. I generally cut one or two extra silhouettes just in case I have any issues when I place them on the boiled eggs.

Boil Eggs & Steep Onion Skins

Gently boil clean, raw white eggs for at least 30 minutes. You want to get the interiors very hard boiled because the idea is to dry up the inside of the egg as much as possible. While the eggs are boiling place your onion skins in a large pot of water and add a generous splash of white vinegar, simmer on low until you get the color intensity you desire. I like to make my dye bath really dark because I use it to dye multiple batches of eggs. As the pigment leeches out of the dye bath, successive dye lots will get lighter and lighter. You may place the onion skins directly in the pot, or if you prefer to keep things a bit more contained like I do, put the onion skins in the mesh bags that your onions came in, with a twist tie to close the opening.

Mount Paper Silhouettes on Boiled Eggs

boiled eggs and cut out silhouettes

boiled eggs and cut out silhouettes…

Cut an old pair of panty hose into approximately 4 inch squares. Let your boiled eggs cool enough so that you can handle them easily. Fill a small bowl with water. Dip one paper silhouette in water and immediately position it on an egg. Gently smooth the paper with your finger so that all the edges are down and the entire surface of the paper is affixed to the egg. Place the egg in the middle of a square of pantyhose, silhouette side down, gather up the edges and pull the hose tight, twist tie edges together at the back of the egg.

Dye Eggs

dye eggsGently lower eggs into dye bath and simmer on very low heat until the eggs are dyed to your preferred intensity. Remove eggs from pot and place on white paper toweling. Let cool and drain a bit. Remove twist ties and hose, then carefully peel off the paper silhouette. Let air dry. Display!

  • Because I needed to have some eggs that are both cat and toddler proof I also dyed some white plastic eggs that I purchased from Walmart. The only changes I made to the directions above is that I did not have to boil the eggs and I soaked the eggs in a lukewarm dye bath for 24 hours. The dye does not take as well on plastic, so the eggs are lighter and wound up being “brown paper bag” colored. (which I like) 🙂

plastic eggs

Cat & Child friendly dyed plastic silhouette eggs ❤

See more of my silhouette eggs in previous posts:

https://paulawalton.wordpress.com/2017/04/15/easter-greetings/

Wishing You Easter Joy!

Wishing You a Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Mistress Walton's Valentine Pop-Up Shoppe

Assistant shopkeepers Hannah and Isabeau have set up the shipping department on the kitchen table… The girls are very organized, they have boxes, packing materials, and a cart –  all ready to load with parcels for a trip to the post office.

Mistress Walton's Valentine Pop-Up Shoppe

Josephine has been spending her time composing advertisements for the shoppe. “Mistress Walton begs leave to inform her Friends and the Public in general that she intends opening a Pop-Up Shoppe on Tuesday, the 13th inst. with a new and elegant assortment of paper cuttings, stitchery, and love tokens… Mistress Walton takes this opportunity of returning thanks for the great patronage she has already received from her numerous friends… ” Josephine is a devoted reader and she found great inspiration in Advertisements for January, Ackerman’s Repository, Vol. XI, 1814

 

It has been a cold, snowy, ice covered week here in our sleepy little Connecticut home. Even a commute that is measured in yards, rather than miles, has been treacherous. So rather than working in either of my studios, the dolls and I have been sitting in front of the fire cutting silhouettes. ❤

Mistress Walton's Valentine Pop-Up Shoppe

sketching the outlines for new silhouettes…

Last evening we finally finished hand graining all the frames, mounting the silhouettes and framing them. Now that they are completed we are all ready to open our Valentine Pop-Up Shoppe ❤

MISTRESS WALTON’S VALENTINE POP-UP SHOPPE

Most of our various offerings are one of a kind. You’ll notice that several of them are similar, but have different details, varying frames, etc… Each item offered for sale has an item number and price. Free priority mail shipping is included to all U.S. addresses. Exact postage – no handling fees – are charged to foreign addresses. Connecticut residents will be charged 6.35 % sales tax. Payment may be made via Paypal, personal check or lay-away. All items sold on a first come basis. You may email me at paula@asweetremembrance.com with questions or to claim an item. If more than one person wishes to buy a particular item, I will go by the time stamp when your email is received to determine the 1st request.

A note about the photos, because of the glass there are some reflections in the photos. I also had a problem with static electricity and dust. I dusted, and dusted and dusted some more, but every time I looked again there were little dust particles on the outside of the glass… Needless to say, all of the silhouettes look so  much nicer in person :).

Baby Hands

Mistress Walton's Valentine Pop-Up Shoppe

Baby Hand #1 – $29.

Two variations of baby hands with hearts. I drew this little hand a couple of years ago when my granddaughter was a baby ❤ This is a very tiny paper cutting, the mounted silhouette is slightly less than 2 inches square. Framed to hang on the wall. $29.00 each.

# 1. $29

 

Mistress Walton's Valentine Pop-Up Shoppe

Baby Hand #1 $29.

# 2. $29

Mistress Walton's Valentine Pop-Up Shoppe

Baby Hands #2 $29

# 3 Tiny Girl with Hearts – $32.50 This mounted silhouette is 3 x 2 inches, with a frame the extends approximately 3/4 inch beyond the edges if the opening. This frame will stand or hang.

Mistress Walton's Valentine Pop-Up Shoppe

#3 Silhouette of a Tiny Girl with Hearts $32.50

Izannah Silhouettes

The dolls were all very patient about posing for me as I drew the pattern for their silhouettes using  my camera obscura  ❤

Mistress Walton's Valentine Pop-Up Shoppe

Camera obscura image…

Mistress Walton's Valentine Pop-Up Shoppe

… a second camera obscura image.

Mistress Walton's Valentine Pop-Up Shoppe

Izannah Silhouette #4 – $ 30

Mistress Walton's Valentine Pop-Up Shoppe

Izannah Silhouette #4 – $30

#4 Izannah Silhouette – $30 A little 3 x 2 inch bust length Izannah silhouette, framed to stand or hang.

#5 Full Length Izannah Silhouette – $59 with Valentine Heart and Envelope – $30 Mounted on a 4 x 6 inch background, accented with a woven paper Valentine & envelope with a wax seal impressed with an antique seal. Framed to hang.

Mistress Walton's Valentine Pop-Up Shoppe

#5 Full Length Izannah Silhouette $59

 

Hollow Cut Full Length Izannah Silhouettes #6 & #7 – $49 Two versions of hollow cut Izannah silhouettes mounted on 4 x 6 inch backgrounds. Framed to stand or hang.

Mistress Walton's Valentine Pop-Up Shoppe

#6 Hollowcut Full Length Izannah Silhouette w/ heart $49

#6 – $49

Mistress Walton's Valentine Pop-Up Shoppe

#7 Hollowcut Full Length Izannah Silhouette $49

Mistress Walton's Valentine Pop-Up Shoppe

#7 – $49

#8 Woven Heart and Hand – $49 Mounted on a 3.5 x 5 background. Framed to stand or hang.

Mistress Walton's Valentine Pop-Up Shoppe

#8 – Woven Heart and Hand $49

# 9 –  13 Young Girl with Doll and Heart – Five different variations of the same silhouette with different mountings, hearts and frames.

Mistress Walton's Valentine Pop-Up Shoppe

#9 4 x 6 inch mounted version. Framed to stand or hang. $59

Mistress Walton's Valentine Pop-Up Shoppe

#9 – $59

#10 4 x 6 inch mounted version. Framed to stand or hang. $59

. 4 x 6 inch mounted version. Framed to stand or hang. $59

#10 – $59

#11 Mounted on a 5 x 7 inch background. Framed to hang stand or hang. $59

Mistress Walton's Valentine Pop- Up Shoppe

#11 – $59

#12 Mounted on a 5 x 7 inch background. Framed to hang stand or hang. $59

Mistress Walton's Valentine Pop - Up Shoppe

#12 – $59

#13 Mounted on a 5 x 7 inch background. Framed to stand or hang. $59

Mistress Walton's Valentine Pop - Up Shoppe

#13 – $59

#14 Mother and Child with Doll. Mounted on a 5 x 7 inch background. Framed to stand or hang. $65

Mistress Walton's Valentine Pop - Up Shoppe

#14 – $59

#15 Third Hand with Heart & Heart Pincushion – $65. Muslin hand with applied thumb on an iron clamp. Use this “third” hand aka “sewing bird” to hold one end of you fabric when hand sewing long seams. Accented with a heart and accompanied by a separate heart pincushion. Both hearts are hand sewn from hand dyed, felted wool, with hand pinked edges.

Mistress Walton's Valentine Pop - Up Shoppe

Third Hand with Heart and Heart Pincushion – $65

#16 & 17 Hand Stitched Adam and Eve Pins – $25 each Tiny Adam and Eve samplers to wear.

Mistress Walton's Valentine Pop - Up Shoppe

Adam and Eve Sampler Pins $25 each

 

Mistress Walton's Valentine Pop - Up ShoppeWe hope you’ve enjoyed attending our Valentine Pop – Up Shoppe sale! ❤

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Easter Greetings!

Wishing you a joyous Easter Sunday ❤

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img_0888-1In yesterday’s post I showed my chocolate bread as I mixed it, let it rise and baked it. This morning we reaped the rewards of my baking day and feasted on chocolate bread, strawberry cream cheese and Harney & Sons Valentine Blend tea, a black tea with chocolate and pink rosebuds. It was  perfect!

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Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite holidays, perhaps because I am quite fond of hearts ❤ ❤ ❤

Here are some of my favorites…

Vintage Valentine’s scattered about in my 1840’s kitchen…

and in the 1790’s kitchen.

hand and heart shall never part…

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I wish I could post the aromas swirling through my house today as I baked my annual batch of chocolate bread!  This year I added dried cherries soaked in Kahlua. Dark chocolate, tart cherries, coffee and bread. What could be better??? If you’d like to bake a batch too, just click here to look back at this previous Valentine’s post.

mmm… so good!

Wishing you a very special St. Valentine’s Day

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Wishing you a very happy 2014!

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Tess Rosch and Win Ross setting up to take photos in our 1790's kitchen as Brian looks on.

Tess Rosch and Win Ross setting up to take photos in our 1790 kitchen as Brian looks on.

On Saturday December 8, 2012 publisher Tess Rosch and photographer Winfield Ross of Early American Life arrived at our house slightly before 8 a.m.  They had originally planned to spend most of the day photographing, but due to a  snowstorm forecast for Pennsylvania and Ohio the following day, they revised their schedule and cut their visit to us in half so that they could drive back home ahead of the snow.  Win and Tess asked for a quick 10 minute tour of the house, then Tess chatted with us as Win moved from room to room with his lights and camera.  Tess had previously told me not to bother overly with arranging  vignettes throughout the house, since there would be plenty of time on Saturday to arrange items before photographing.  Imagine my surprise when she told me everything looked perfect as it was.  The only last minute additions necessary were  putting out the fresh beeswax candles that I hadn’t gotten to before they arrived, then lighting the candles and a fire in the hearth.  Tess cut one of the steamed puddings I had made and arranged a piece on a transferware plate and then we were set to go!

Here are some of my photos taken the day of the photo shoot.  They don’t compare to the gorgeous ones Win took, but they will give you an idea of what things looked like outside the frame of his lens.  You can read much more detailed captions about the items shown in the photos in the December 2013 issue of Early American Life.

Hearth www.paulawalton.com

just right www.paulawalton.com

looks good enough to eat www.paulawalton.com

finishing touches www.paulawalton.com

just perfect www.paulawalton.com

picture perfect www.paulawalton.com

Our front door and entry hallway.

Our front door and entry hallway.

Tiny shoes wait by the door for Saint Nicholas, along with carrots for his horse.

Tiny shoes wait by the door for Saint Nicholas, along with carrots for his horse.

Our parlor festooned with ever greens for the holidays.

Our parlor festooned with evergreens for the holidays.

One corner of the parlor houses a walnut cupboard filled with transferwear, early 19th century papier-mache millinar model dolls, and a few of my handmade bears.  It is topped by a tin flag box made by David Clagget, that holds Brian's father's memorial flag.

One corner of the parlor houses a walnut cupboard filled with transferwear, early 19th century papier-mache milliner model dolls, and a few of my handmade bears. It is topped by a tin flag box made by David Claggett, that holds Brian’s father’s memorial flag.

Waiting under the Christmas tree are some of my hand made reproduction Izannah Walker dolls and a pair of antique bears.

Waiting under the Christmas tree are some of my hand made reproduction Izannah Walker dolls and a pair of antique bears.

www.paulawalton.com

www.paulawalton.com

Three of my antique Izannah Walker dolls on top of a large corner cupboard that conceals a TV.

Three of my antique Izannah Walker dolls on top of a large corner cupboard that conceals a TV.

www.paulawalton.com

The fireplace in the parlor was added by previous owners.  I grain painted the mantle and surround.  Brian gave me the antique Shaker box stove as a present one Christmas.  A tiny child size metal carousel horse patiently waits along side the stove...

The fireplace in the parlor was added by previous owners. I grain painted the mantle and surround. Brian gave me the antique Shaker box stove as a present one Christmas. A tiny child size metal carousel horse patiently waits along side the stove…

A French papier-mache doll stands beside a small feather tree filled with some of the spun cotton ornaments that I make.

A French papier-mache doll stands beside a small feather tree filled with some of the spun cotton ornaments that I make.

My youngest son, Colin, painted portraits of himself and his two brothers as a Christmas present to me when he was majoring in Illustration at Pratt.

My youngest son, Colin, painted portraits of himself and his two brothers as a Christmas present to me when he was majoring in Illustration at Pratt.

The cooking hearth in our 1790's kitchen.

The cooking hearth in our 1790 kitchen.

Aview from the 1790's kitchen into the main floor bedchamber.

A view from the 1790 kitchen into the main floor bedchamber.

Looking from the 1790's kitchen into the dining room.

Looking from the 1790 kitchen into the dining room.

The Christmas tree in the 1790's kitchen.

The Christmas tree in the 1790 kitchen.

A folding 18th century campaign bed in the main floor bedchamber.

A folding 18th century campaign bed in the main floor bedchamber.

We assembled this rope bed from various bits and pieces of early 19th century beds, which I grain painted.

We assembled this rope bed from various bits and pieces of early 19th century beds, which I unified with grain painting.

A small Christmas tree graces the bay window in our 1840's kitchen.

A small Christmas tree graces the bay window in our 1840’s kitchen.

My favorite pie safe!

My favorite pie safe!

www.paulawalton.com

www.paulawalton.com

A child size C.W. Parker carousel horse that we restored gallops across the Rufus Porter style mural that I painted in the kitchen.

A child size C.W. Parker carousel horse that we restored gallops across the Rufus Porter style mural that I painted in the kitchen.

A rare child size M.C. Illions carousel horse stands a top a salmon painted pie safe from Brimfield, MA.  The crib quilt behind the horse is French, purchased from an antique shop in Paris.

A rare child size M.C. Illions carousel horse stands a top a salmon painted pie safe from Brimfield, MA. The crib quilt behind the horse is French, purchased from an antique shop in Paris.

www.paulawalton.com

www.paulawalton.com

The dining room is also home to a French carousel pig.

The dining room is also home to a French carousel pig.

My maternal great great grandfather made the one drawer black table.

My maternal great great grandfather made the one drawer black table.

One of my reproduction Izannah Walker dolls sits on a 19th century drop leaf table, with early salmon paint, along side 19th and early 20th century cloth dolls.  C. 1830-1840 milliners models fill the hanging box at the left.

One of my reproduction Izannah Walker dolls sits on a 19th century drop leaf table, with early salmon paint, along side 19th and early 20th century cloth dolls. C. 1830-1840 milliners models fill the hanging box at the left.

www.paulawalton.com

Remember Tess’s comment about the “dust not showing” ???  As you can see, even on a somewhat dreary December day our house is filled with light, so I did have to dust before they arrived!

To be continued…  Part 3 The Second Floor

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Wishing you all the very best possible New Year and every happiness in 2012!

The perfect finish to 2011.  Sitting front of a cozy fire that is burning merrily in our stone lined cooking hearth; sipping champagne from my grandmother’s champagne shells, nibbling on lavender vanilla sugar cookies…

Lavender Vanilla Sugar Cookies

4 cups flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 pound butter

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp ground vanilla beans

1 Tbsp dried lavender

for decoration:

Cake Mate Cupcake Gems in Glitter Gold and Shimmer Silver (or try pearl sugar)

Cream butter and sugar, add eggs.  Stir in flour, salt, baking powder, ground vanilla beans and lavender.  Chill.  Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness on floured surface.  Cut with desired cookie cutters (preferably antique 🙂 ) Place on baking sheet lined with silpat or parchment paper.  Sprinkle with silver or gold sugar.  Bake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven for 10-15 minutes.  Cookies should not brown, but stay very pale around the edges.

Lavender Vanilla Sugar Cookies

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