Sunday, July 21, 2013

Historic Illinois Town

My mom and I took a trip to a little historic town in Illinois. We made the trip so we could visit some relatives, do some family history, visit the city cemetery and of course, get in a little antiquing!

The most exciting part of my trip was seeing my cousin again after 30 years. Yes 30 years, I was in Junior High and my cousin was in her 50's at the time. We not only got to visit with her but we got to stay at her house for two nights! At her VICTORIAN house!! The house was built in 1876.


A closer look at the front porch and its detail work/fretwork...


Below is a view from inside of the beautiful stained glass transom window and the stained glass window in the door...


and the beautiful staircase with the newel post lamp...


A little peek into the parlor. The french mirror is so pretty and the glass dome with two dolls wearing corn shuck clothing inside was also a favorite. Her gilt french chair is a beauty too!


I won't show her whole house but I will show a few of my favorites with you.
This chair with its elegant bullion fringe...


This Meissen monkey band set...


and this wonderful calling card holder. This piece is original to the home and has that owner's monogram on it. Or at least I think that's the story I was told.


Here are few of the other historic homes in the neighborhood.
This Italianate style house was built in 1872...


and the owners built two neighboring homes for their two grown children back in 1876, one of those two being the home that I stayed in (the white one)...


A closer look at the veranda on the first home. Look at the chandeliers and statues! Just gorgeous!


Moving on around the block is this Queen Ann with a turret...


And this Queen Ann with a turret...


I couldn't get a good shot of this one because of the tree but it is a beauty also.


A great front porch/veranda on this one...


and a matching carriage house...


This one is the Governor Duncan Mansion, built for the Governor and his wife in 1834. Abraham Lincoln visited here often. The DAR gives tours of this house, but it was not open while I was in town and I was not happy about that. But oh well.


This one is kind of a mix between Eastlake style and the Aesthetic Movement. A little dark but I still like it.


Just look at all the windows on this one side...


And I have saved this house for last. The gate is open, enter if you dare...


this one looks like it came right out of a horror movie. As you can see it is quite overgrown, not abandoned though, and quite the eyesore for this historic neighborhood.


Here is the town's beautiful County Court House. It has the Mansard style roof.


In 1849 my ancestor's (and many others) came to this town from Mederia Island, located just off of Portugal. There's even a road named after them now.


We visited the Genealogy Library to get some information and I spotted this beauty. I offered to take it off their hands if it was in the way but they didn't take me up on it. Shucks!
It is a feather wreath and is huge, maybe 4'x4' or so.


We got more information by visiting the city cemetery. I think our ancestors take up half the cemetery!


While looking around, I spotted from a distance this stone...


I had to have a closer look for I had never seen anything like it before and trust me, with a mother who has done family history my whole life, I have been to quite a few cemeteries!


Two precious little ones, side by side. The daughter is holding a rose in one hand and her other arm is around her younger brother. So sweet but yet so very sad.


The stone reads... 
In Loving Remembrance of our Darlings
Gertie May                   Samuel James
  Williams                          Williams
July 30, 1905                Oct. 16, 1912
July 30, 1905                Oct. 16, 1912

We had a great visit with our cousin and she and I have so much in common, our love for the Lord, our love for our family and our love for Victorian houses and antiques. I'm so glad I got to visit with her as an adult, I could never do that before because 30 years ago I was a kid. I'm looking forward to our next visit.

I would like to thank Sandi over at ROSE CHINTZ COTTAGE  for featuring my dollhouse from my Victorian Girl's Room post on her HOME party. Thank you Sandi!

I am joining the following parties. Please come and join in the fun.
AMAZE ME MONDAY with Cindy at DWELLINGS
WHAT'S IT WEDNESDAY with Paula at IVY AND ELEPHANTS
HOME with Sandi at ROSE CHINTZ COTTAGE
TREASURE HUNT THURSDAY with Pamela at FROM MY FRONT PORCH TO YOURS
HOME AND GARDEN THURSDAY with Kathy at  A DELIGHTSOME LIFE
HOME SWEET HOME with Sherry at THE CHARM OF HOME
SHOW AND TELL FRIDAY with Cindy at MY ROMANTIC HOME
PINK SATURDAY with Beverly at HOW SWEET THE SOUND

Thursday, July 11, 2013

A Victorian Girl's Room

Over the past year I have created a post for every room in my house except one, my daughter's bedroom. When my daughter was young I had her room looking all cute and Victorian and then she had to get older and get idea's of her own (*winks*) and now her room doesn't look so cute and Victorian.  That is the reason why I never posted about it. So today while she was away at Dance Camp all day I took the opportunity to temporarily "Victorianize" it up a bit so I could post about it and boy, did I have fun!
Warning: This is a long one! I'm making up for my short Independence Day post. *winks*

Are you ready to play? Come on over and meet your playmates!


Lorene is my paternal Great Grandmother. You all have seen her in a previous post and I got so many comments on how cute she was I thought I would show her again. So here she is! Click here if you want to see that post.

The girl's would like to give you a little tour of their room before playing. Upon entering the room you'll find an antique walnut bedstead dressed in a quilt that my maternal Grandmother made quite some time ago. I drug it out of the closet just for the occasion!


A close up of the detail work on the headboard. 


 and the detail work on the pillow cases.


Next to the bedstead is an antique walnut washstand with an antique hand painted wash set.


To see the Victorian house where this set came out of, and to read about how I acquired it, click here. The house is beautiful and the set was original to the house.


Hanging on the wall above the wash stand is a reproduction framed Victorian Sampler that I stitched several years ago. For the occasion I took it out of the laundry room where I had it hanging.
Back in the day, young ladies would learn their stitches while completing what is called a Sampler. It would have the alphabet and a Bible verse or motto on it as well.


And over here on this wall is the antique walnut dresser.


And displayed on the dresser are lots of little Victorian childhood related items... 


on the right side of the dresser is another photo of Great Grandma Lorene, a pair of button up shoes, a button hook and a christening gown. They are not family pieces, unfortunately.


In the middle of the dresser are a few child and doll sized antique china pieces, a little antique beaded boot, a parasol and necklaces. The one on the right is an antique locket I got at an estate tag sale but the other one was given to me by my mother when I was probably 6 years old or so. Pictured on it is Mary had a Little Lamb with the little red school house in the background. My mother's name is Mary. I always loved that necklace!


And here on this other side of the dresser we have a visitor! Winston Dudley, my maternal Grandfather, came over to play too! Pictured with him is a reproduction Trick Pony mechanical bank, an antique Staffordshire Spaniel and other small dog, and a Noah's Ark toy. Noah's Ark was a Victorian toy that was only played with on Sunday's or at Christmas time. This ark is an American Girl doll toy. I thought it was so precious and just had to order it!


Okay...it is now time to play!

We'll bring out the dolls (I'm sure little Winston will just love that!)

The buggy is a reproduction from Cracker Barrel and a Christmas gift to my daughter when she was 3 years old. If you would like to see clearer photos and read more about the dolls click here.


We'll bring out the tea set...


and have a tea party with Charlotte. And oh my goodness, do you see what is behind Charlotte?!


Yes, a doll house!


Would you like to see what's inside?
Are you sure?

Okay, open her up!


It is not as extravagant as some I see, I try not to get too carried away with it for it can be so expensive.
After saying that, I will tell you that I have decided to take the divider wall out from the second story, get rid of the bathroom and have a larger parlor. It didn't have that wall there when I bought it, I added it using a  foam board, so it will be easy to remove but I will have to find more of the same wallpaper or will have to buy all new.

Here is a close up of the parlor, my favorite pieces are the Staffordshire Spaniels on the mantle and the Queen Victorian bust on the organ. AND, the little stereoptican on the center table.


Just in case you can't see the stereoptican and don't really know what one is, I will show you the regular sized one I have in my parlor...


and the stereo card has children playing with their Noah's Ark toy. Isn't that cute?


Here is a close up of the dining room, my favorite pieces here are the petit fours on the silver tray on the tea cart and the pink parasol hanging from the brass hall tree.


Here is the kitchen, I added the shelves on the door panel to store more food and dishes!


And last, here is the master bedroom, my favorite in here are the pair of silhoutte pictures. 
Aren't they so cute?!


So that's my doll house and below is a little wall hanging Bakery shadow box. I bought this back when I first started decorating cakes, it was my first miniature purchase. The little box on the floor used to be on the counter and then I changed it out with a wedding cake I had bought.


After a long day filled with much excitement and fun, it is time to put the dollies to bed...


and...
time for the children to go to bed as well.
So, "Sweet Dreams" everyone.


In the above photo the embroidered pillow case was given to me by my precious 93 year old friend, she had it on bed for years before giving it to me. I always adored it and am so happy to have it. 
The silhouttes are of my children when they were 18 months or so (done different years of course). We had them done at a Heritage Festival, the artist hand cut them free handed, no tracings or anything! 

Before I end this LONG post I wanted to share a few antique trade cards of Victorian children with you. 
One kitty is lucky and the other one not so lucky! Poor thing!


Some well behaved children in this one...


AND, I thought you might like to see my Great Grandmother as an older girl. She still has that cute baby face and look at that bow and those ringlets!


Thank you so much for playing with us today. 
Have a great week!

I want to thank Sandi over at ROSE CHINTZ COTTAGE for featuring my Garden Party post on her HOME party a few weeks ago. Thank you so much Sandi!

I am joining the following parties...
HOME SWEET HOME with Sherry at THE CHARM OF HOME
HOME with Sandi at ROSE CHINTZ COTTAGE
HOME AND GARDEN THURSDAY with Kathy at A DELIGHTSOME LIFE
WHAT'S IT WEDNESDAY with Paula at IVY AND ELEPHANTS
TREASURE HUNT THURSDAY with Pamela at FROM MY FRONT PORCH TO YOURS
SHOW AND TELL FRIDAY with Cindy at MY ROMANTIC HOME
PINK SATURDAY with Beverly at HOW SWEET THE SOUND
AMAZE ME MONDAY with Cindy at DWELLINGS