Crypt Stitch

Great, Great Aunt Annie...

Remember I told you about Annie and her fabulous correspondence previously? Well, here she is:

She was such a handsome woman, intelligent. What a beautiful skirt! Aren't they a lovely couple? Unfortunately I don't know his name, got a bit more research to do there. Here is a studio photo of the lovely couple. It is bizarre in so many ways - the pretend fence, and the stole of death Annie is holding - I mean do you really need to leave the heads on? Honestly?

I do like how he holding gloves in his hand - so wonderfully staged!

Google/Life photo-y goodness...

Thanks to a heads up from the lovely badskirt blog, I have found another photo heaven! Google now hosts the Life magazine photo archive and there are some wonders in there! Here are just a few to whet your whistle:

Queen Victoria during her Diamond Jubilee:

Queen Victoria late in her reign, exhibiting the beautiful smile and happy demeanor for which she was well known (you wouldn't want to be on the bad side of that look would you? That fan looks like it's been used for a good spanking before...)

This is "Asa-to-yet, Native American Comanche chief, sitting w. arms crossed & gun in hand 1870". He also doesn't look impressed, and one thinks he probably had good reason too.

And finally (for now, you know, until I find more to drool over), I was only talking with some friends the other day about whippings, and the scars so many early Australians would have borne. This is "Rear view of former slave revealing scars on his back from savage whipping, in photo taken after he escaped to become Union soldier during Civil War. 1863"

Considering the pretty big change that nation just undertook, amazing, don't you think?

Vintage photo goodness...

From Josephnovak33's beautiful Flickr stream, a few beautiful photos for you:
Two utterly adorable children (just look at the outfits, and the wee boots. Perfect for haunting!)

An this one, her hair is so casual, (a braid to the side, as I wear mine before bed) and she is obviously so very happy, in awe of her little bundle:

And yes, I am a sucker for the ones with children and animals. Look at the expression on this dogs face!

Victoriana Redux...

I know you just can't get enough (that statement put a bad 1980's song on my head now, so thanks) of the Victoriana, so I'm happy to give ya'll some more. I found a great site with loads of links to photos, but I'm yet to find more of the candid gems I found on Flickr.

Isn't her dress exquisite?
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I've said it before, but something about these photos screams 'crazy girls go on killing spree'. I like how the dog has moved ever so slightly at an inopportune moment:

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Don't you just want to tell her to get down of that chair, she might fall?

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Wow, she does not look happy. Pretty dress and hairstyle though.

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Spinster sisters do you think? I REALLY like this one. Puts me in mind of Practical Magic (the book, not the movie. Which is not to say I don't like the movie, I really do actually, and Nicole Kidman is almost bare-able (she could still move her face back then) -  I especially love the house. And Aidan Quinn. And midnight margaritas. But it is VERY different from the book, in my opinion. In the book, this is more how I imagined the Aunts). They both look like such practical women don't they. Not ones for fussing and carrying on.

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 That's enough for today, I think. I have to go break up the broughaha that is raging outside at the moment (it Magpie Wars time apparently). My last friday off - back to work next week. I'm fighting back the tears.

Some more Victoriana...

From the consumate time waster that is Flickr:

This one from the wonder that is Flickr, from Roundrabbits photostream: Two girls with Rabbits and a dog:

Is it just me, or is this picture vaguely disturbing? Amusing, but kind of creepy. Huge rabbits though – the dog looks rather put off doesn’t he? The photo looks like it should come with a caption “taken just hours before the girls went on a killing rampage – the grisly remains of their family found...”, and them with a statement to the effect “...the rabbits told us what to do...”. Of course, that could just be me.

This one is from ggaabboo’s photostream:

I don’t understand WHY the mutton chop look went out of fashion. It’s FANTASTIC! And what a head of hair!

Another of ggaabboo’s

– the child looks TERRIFIED. Perhaps he just saw the photo of the girls with rabbits.

There is just so much I didn't know (of course). I didn't know so many people collected old photos. I was thrilled to find some old photos in my family - I think it's kind of nice that people collect other family's photos that have been neglected and forgotten, and I could well get into it myself. But only photos like the above. Querky. Weird. Vaguely sinister. Of course, that's just me...

Victorian Home...

I don't know who to credit this photo to specifically, all I can tell you is that I found it on this site doing an image search. And I love it. Isn't the house amazing? And how dapper everyone looks. And did I mention the house? I love the house. Even the lawn looks like it was meant to be rolled in. And the house!

I would DEARLY love to live in a house like that one in which you can BREATHE IN the history (and probably the mold spores too). At this rate I think that this is probably more along the lines of what I'll be able to afford:

Yep. It's a 'playhouse', i.e. a cubby-house. IT'S FREAKIN' AWESOME! I would live there. It's so got the Hansel and Gretel vibe, huh? I wonder if the children come with the package....

Birthday bling...

I wanted to share some photos of the lovely jewels I got from my family made by the awesome poetsummer   a fellow etsy-an. The bracelets are jam-packed full of charms and tiny Victoriana pictures, and are themed. I was lucky enough to receive three bracelets, the Edgar Allan Poe one (which I hinted to my brother and mum I wanted way back in March – I fell in love with it on site!), a Green Witch one and Luna themed one. Plus an added bonus of some amazing little Alice earrings to feed my current obsession! I know you are all terribly jealous, so I suggest you go visit poetsummer yourself.

 

My own Victorian era family photo...

We had to have a trilogy devoted  to Victorian era goodies didn’t we? I love Victorian dress, and as far as I’m aware this is the only period photo of any of my own relatives – my great, great grandmother Martha. Unfortunately the photo isn’t in the best of conditions, but isn’t it beautiful? If you look closely, she is holding a posie. I wonder what flowers were in it, and what they signified (communication with flowers was big in those times) or whether it was just a little spray of wild flowers one of her FIFTEEN, yes FIFTEEN children (all of which survived to adulthood, amazing for the time) picked up for her before the photo?