Historic Documents: OSV

On By kittycalashIn History, Museums
Sheep scamper on the green at OSV as Redcoats & Rebels set up

It’s a cop out, I know, but I’ve got ideas not ready for posting, and between the election, the hurricane, and work, anxiety levels have shot up in my household to dizzying highs. Where to turn?

To Old Sturbridge Village‘s Historic Documents, that’s where.  Distract yourself from memories of hanging chads with A Note on the History of Pencils.  Still in the dark–literally or figuratively? Read Candles Take Over. Getting ready for winter? Read about Ice Skating in New England. In short, enjoy some well-researched escapism.

 

Another Fantastic Fashion Find

On By kittycalashIn Clothing, Museums

The Europeans continue to rock the museum thing. Check out the Digital Museum of the Norsk Folkemuseum in Olso.
That’s where I found this lovely jacket (I like making jackets, they’re the cupcake of clothing, like bonnets are the cupcake of head wear.)

What is especially sweet about this is that there are drawings, and a pattern. Pattern! 

It’s another goal to try to achieve for the collections I work with.

Virtual Museum

On By kittycalashIn Museums2 Comments
Rijksmuseum, jak, BK-BR-609

Holy Curator’s Dream, Batman!

If you like history and costume and paintings (oh my) stop reading this and go play at the Rijksmuseum.

Hot tip: search for “jak” or “japon” if you’re looking for jackets and dresses.

The zoom feature is amazing, and the collections are clearly drop-dead awesome. Only a tiny fraction are digitized, but what has been is astonishing. Look at that jacket! It’s dated 1810-1820, but earlier fabric.

Rijksmuseum, jak, BK-NM-4959
There’s another one, earlier, and less visually striking but still lovely.

What are you still doing here? Go visit!

Quiet Tuesday

On By kittycalashIn Events
The worst for us: dirt and leaves on the house

Quiet for us in Providence because there is no school, so no school buses and no children  chattering past the house on their way to the middle school. After the storm passed last night, the city was eerily quiet, the way it is just at the end of a snow storm. We were lucky: no damage to our property, everything secured and although wind howled between the buildings and it sometimes sounded as if the side of the house would peel off, it did not. Perhaps the sheer power of ugliness held it together.

Far worse weather in NY and PA where museums remain closed and cities overwhelmed by water. I don’t expect much damage here in town, but do expect places in South County and East Bay have damage.

When in doubt and out of danger, keep sewing. And now, off to work.