Saving An American Girl Doll

A good friend at work knows how I love Victorian dolls and thing of the past, brought me an American Girl doll in need of a good loving home and some serious medical attention. I think she is Samantha. She has one hand badly eaten by a dog, hair was tangled and matted.





I saved her from being thrown out.


I plan to send her to the American Girl Doll Hospital. She will be in good health by May for the American Doll Tea Party at Hearthside











The History of Samantha Parkington: this doll was released in 1986, along with Kirsten Larson and Molly McIntire. They were American Girl's first three Historical Characters. Samantha was officially archived May 2009 after selling out Feb 3, 2009.

On This Day, 2 Years Ago!

ON THIS DAY NOVEMBER 26, 2016, the

Grand Opening of StudioE/ Tea Salon

Public

· Hosted by StudioE/ Tea Cottage and Victoriana Lady Estelle

Saturday, November 26, 2016 at 5 PM – 10 PM

 I am very excited to invite you to the

 Grand Opening of StudioE/ Tea Salon.
I have been planning this for over 10 years

 when my passion for tea exploring became an obsession.
Now, I have done it!
I would like for you to come and enjoy my passion and

 a wonderful Tea Experience.
Join me on Saturday, November 26, 2016.
Doors will be open at 5pm -10pm
A Donation will be asked of $10.00 to sponsor 

"The Young Girls Etiquette Program" 

which will be starting up in StudioE/Tea Salon.
Please RSVP by November 19, for space is limited.

Home Sweet Home

   I live  in an old Providence apartment building over looking the city.

The building was built in the early 1900's. 

 I has  very high ceiling and large parlor windows.

 “It has a lovely built-in china cabinet in the dining room. The Parlor of the apartment has the old cozy charm of it's era." I have decorated my home to reflect my lifestyle". Lots of dolls,  lace and doilies. 

Many pictures of ladies in nineteenth century dress grace the walls.
  I have purchased some things of vintage reproduction because I finds the authentic too costly. “I do collect tea pots, cup and tea items. I will spend more for them than I should.”

 

But this is what makes it "HOME SWEET HOME!

Inspiring Woman

  I would like to highlight women who have inspired me on my  journey to becoming a Victorian Lady.   They have so much knowledge, grace and style, They are my mentors.

This is the lovely Lady Carolyn,*******

 Her show is delightful!


 

 

 

The Lovely Sarah A, Chrisman.*******

 

 

 
 

 

 

 Now this is my dear friend and motivator, Pat Perry.******

I enjoy her guest interaction style to her presentation.

 

The perfect Victorian Lady

 She is amazing. Kandi Carle is The Victorian Lady.*******

Victorian masculinity

I found this articular quite interesting. Read and tell me your thoughts.

Victorian masculinity From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Men's fashions in the 1870s. During the long reign of Queen Victoria over the United Kingdom from 1837 to 1901, there were certain social expectations that the separate genders were expected to adhere to. The study of Victorian masculinity is based on the assumption that "the construction of male consciousness must be seen as historically specific."[1] The concept of Victorian masculinity is extremely diverse, since it was influenced by numerous aspects and factors such as domesticity, economy, gender roles, imperialism, manners, religion, sporting competition, and much more. Some of these aspects seem to be quite naturally related to one another, while others seem profoundly non-relational. For the males, this included a vast amount of pride in their work, a protectiveness over their wives, and an aptitude for good social behavior. The concept of Victorian masculinity is a topic of interest in the context of Cultural Studies with a special emphasis on Gender studies. Historically, it is tied to the Victorian era in the United Kingdom. The topic is of much current interest in the areas of history, literary criticism, religious studies, and sociology. Those virtues that survived until today are of special interest to the researchers: the 'dominance of the Western male'.[citation needed] The concept itself shifted about the middle of the nineteenth century from a focus on a desired achievement of Christian maturity to a focus on hardiness.

Victorian Dating Traditions

The Victorian era began with Queen Victoria’s coronation in 1837 and ended with her death in 1901. Her reign over Great Britain and Ireland set a stricter moral tone for much of European and American society. By 1890, the British Empire had claimed a quarter of the world through colonization, yet domestic life became increasingly limited, as social expectations were set by the Victorian period’s cultural emphasis on propriety. Because of this, courtship was an extremely codified affair. Victorian Social Climate “Victorian” became a synonym for prudery at the turn of the last century, largely because Victorian culture prized sexual restraint and banned any talk of physical love from the public sphere. Women of the middle and upper classes were expected to conform to the sentimental idealization promoted by the literature and art of the time. Even the fashions of the day, like tight corsets and hoop skirts, symbolized the rigid structure women were expected to live within. Maintaining a spotless reputation was essential for both men and women, and once each was of marriageable age, there was a timetable and script to follow to matrimony. Coming Out Once a young woman was done with her schooling, she would be presented to society to show she was in the market for a husband. A girl’s "coming out" depended on her parent’s resources. Wealthy families might hold a series of parties, middle-class families generally held one private party or dance, and girls from working class families usually did without a celebration and simply signaled they were of age by wearing their hair up, dressing in long skirts and joining the adults for dinner and on social calls. Out and About Young, unmarried women were never left alone with men who weren’t relatives, and they could not leave the house without a chaperone. When there was romantic interest, the young man was expected to act as the pursuer. Men were cautioned not to pay too much attention to a woman unless he was serious about her and also financially ready for marriage -- or soon to be. Yet with little privacy, young couples lacked the opportunity to get to know each other well before confronting the question of marriage. The Working-Class Exception Working-class families couldn't afford the formality of demanding that dating be done entirely in public. Poor couples generally made an effort to be as respectable as their wealthier counterparts, but the rules were more lax. Once a working-class couple decided to marry, they could socialize together with only a younger sibling as a chaperon. Premarital sex was tolerated in such cases, because announcing an engagement was considered a verbal contract.
http://classroom.synonym.com/dating-traditions-during-victorian-period-14732.html

The African American Union!

"The couple is the bedrock of the nation. Without it there is
no family, no people. Without couples there can be no family to procreate and rear confident, untroubled, anchored children. No viable, community-respecting generation can be born to continue the process of life, living, building and defending.
African American couples must be whole, individually and as one. They must be able to trust themselves and each other implicitly. And that is what makes it imperative that we carefully choose our mates for African reasons. We must choose with vision. For we are the vanguard.
Our unions have purpose far greater than the wants or needs of either member individually or the couple together. We do not bemoan this privilege. In fact, it is just the opposite. We are soldiers in love with forming beautiful families; rearing happy, thinking children; building strong, lasting communities; raising a mighty nation and removing all enemies.
  For Afrikan warrior scholar complements, there is no other reason for being."

Complementarity: Thoughts for Afrikan Warrior Couples

The Black Victoriana

I have always had a passion for the Victorian fashions and was curious about what the African American wore during the Victorian era.  The Victorian era was from 1837 to 1901.  Though much research it seems that the African American woman of the South began to wear the Victorian fashions after the Civil War. It was at the time of Reconstruction, which lasted from 1865 to 1877,

The America Civil War was from 1861-1865. Many free blacks in the North were wearing the fashions long before that..
During this Reconstruction, women were gaining a sense of self that extended beyond their households. While the country was divided over racial issues, black women being educated on home care and on the fashions of the times. There were schools for black young ladies to learn the decorum of the day, They were taught how to dress in the latest Victorian fashion and how to present themselves in public. Learning the proper social graces would help then in gaining better position in life for them and their family.

 Young Black Victorians in late 19th Century America were optimistic, and hungry for culture and education. Manners ruled the day (and manners ruled with an iron fist). It was an era where ladies were ladies, men were gentlemen and corsets were worn tight.

During Google search of  the Black Victoriana, I came across some of the most beautiful photographs of the African descent wearing Victorian fashions,  I was so impressed that these  photographs were taken and still in existence for our heritage to value and hold on to..

 http://vintageblackfolk.wordpress.com/19th-century-portraits/


 http://www.ipernity.com/doc/285591/album/397459


One of the first of these photographs that I came across was taken of the beautiful and talented Sissieretta Jones.  I was inspired by how well dressed she was for the times.  These photographs are very important because they document an aspect of black history that is generally never spoken of.

 
Matilda Sissieretta Joyner Jones, known as Sissieretta Jones, (January 5, 1868 or 1869 – June 24,1933) was an African-American soprano. She sometimes was called "The Black Patti" in reference to Italian opera singer Adelina Patti. Jones' repertoire included grand opera, light opera, and popular music.



Elizabeth Jennings Graham photo source: Kansas Historical Foundation, photo circa 1854-1860

(1830-1901) Elizabeth Jennings was a New York City schoolteacher whose 1854 defiance of a streetcar conductor’s order to leave his car helped desegregate public transit in New York City. With the help of her prominent father, the wealthy businessman Thomas L. Jennings, she filed and won a lawsuit against the streetcar company. Thomas L. Jennings, the first African-American to win a patent, owned a large clothing store and co-founded the famous Abyssinian Baptist Church.



At this point, I should bring to your attention of the many
 Black Women and Business Leaders of the 1800s And 1900s.


Christina Carteaux Bannister, businesswoman and “hair doctress”

Christina Carteaux Bannister (pictured right)

was born in Rhode Island of mixed parentage, but she was most certainly a descendant of slaves who worked in Rhode Island’s South County. She moved to Boston as a young woman and took up the trade of hairdressing.

Amassing serious wealth as a self-proclaimed “hair doctress,” Bannister married Canadian-born painter Edward Bannister and supported her husband as he became a successful Black artist. The couple were friends and lived with abolitionist Lewis Hayden and helped provide support to the Underground Railroad. 

David Ruggles, owner of first African-American bookstore
Abolitionist and journalist David Ruggles was instrumental in the liberation of slaves as part of the famous Underground Railroad. After learning Latin from a tutor who attended Yale University, Ruggles would go on to publish works as a printer. A contributing journalist to popular papers of the time, Ruggles most-notable achievement was opening the first Black-owned bookstore in New York City.

 Harriet E. Wilson, first African-American female novelist

 http://debatesthatmatter.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-top-black-business-leaders-of-1800s.html

My research is on going. There is so much to learn. I will be adding more to this post as I find it. Also please feel free to comment and give inspiration to this post.

 

Amercan Girl Doll Tea!

All little girls love having tea parties with their dolls. At least the little girls of the past did. I so enjoy keeping this dying art alive with our 21st century little girls.

We at Hearthside House make it a tradition, every year to hold an American Girl Doll Tea Party to teach etiquette and history of the lives of little girls of the past.

We have tea, etiquette lessons, door prizes and then a tour of our glorious house.

This has been one of our most popular events, so we must be doing something right!

An Uplifting Event!

I am the happiest when I am visiting Art Galleries, Antiques Shops or Museums. On this occasion, attending  Johnston & Whales Culinary Museum in Providence, I meet such lovely folks, which will become my life long friends.

Meeting Sylvia Ann Soares for the very first time.

comments 

Sylvia Ann Soares--- Happy for the occasion--to meet and know you, Lady Estelle!! 

Looking forward to attending more of your elegant appearances.

 I have known Lady Kye for many years, but lost touch. It was so nice to see her again.

 This was my first time meeting the honorable Mr. Ray Rickman. He was very active with fundraising for the Rhode Island Black Heritage Society. I was so impressed with him and the organization, I gave him my support with a check. I was pleased to be apart of an organization that is teaching and preserving my heritage.