Kristin Holt's Blog, page 9

Hidden Benefits of a Calico Ball

Beyond the obvious beneficiaries of the Calico Ball craze (mid- to late-nineteenth century United States)-- the needy who received the once-worn dresses (or suits of clothes), who else benefited?

I suggest a short list of Hidden Beneficiaries. Who else can you identify?

Calico Balls: The Fashionable Thing of the Late 19th Century

One (unnamed) high-society New York City hostess started a fad that lasted fifty years...

The Calico Ball. Not only was the style of party highly fashionable, it also ensured help to those who needed it most.

What is a Calico Ball?

A "Calico Ball"? Whoever heard of such a thing? Is it different than a debutante ball? A sock hop? A Leap-Year Ball? A Christmas Day Ball?

I'm impressed with the purpose behind a "calico ball"... especially because of where the fad began, and why.

Pearl Ash, Potash, and the Ashery

I've recently covered leavening agents in Victorian Baking, including saleratus and baking soda (let's not confuse salsoda!). But what of the "pearl ash" noted in early American cook books (1796)? Asheries were a significant part of 19th century life, as ashes (can you imagine?) were a significant export from the United States and Canada. Come see what pearl ash was, how it was made, and what an ashery was all about.

Vintage Coffee Cake

Coffee Cake... Yummm! Today, April 7th, is National Coffee Cake Day! Do you like the crumble-topped kind, varieties with coffee in the cake, or simply cake meant to be enjoyed with a cup (or five) of coffee? Come see the recipes and methods our Victorian ancestors found tasty enough to keep.

Western Romance $50 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway: April 4-16, 2018

The Readers' Realm presents a Western Romance $50 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway, featuring 22 authors of Western Historical Romance. Enter April 4th (today!) for about 13 days' time. Two fantastic prizes!

I Want Romance Giveaway: April 2-22 (2018)

I WANT ROMANCE GIVEAWAY: April 2 - 22, 2018

67 Romance Authors have banded together to bring you a huge bundle of prizes, to be awarded to 8 lucky winners. Come see our offerings, check out our Book Fair, and enter our Rafflecopter event to win!

Ladies Fashions: Huge Sleeves of the 1890s

19th Century Ladies Fashions included gigantic sleeves known by many names: Leg of Mutton, Marquise, Balloon, etc. Highly fashionable, women wore them to work at home, to "walk out", to sit for photographs, and on their wedding days. Highly fashionable for a period of time in the 1890s (through the turn of the century), they've returned at least twice: mid 1980s and in 2016. A favorite? You decide.

Victorian Cake: Tins, Pans, Moulds

Cake tins are often mentioned in Victorian-era Cook Books (as spelled in nineteenth century publications). This post provides historic images of this era's baking pans from both newspaper advertisements and catalog ads (such as Sears and Montgomery Ward's catalogs). Many of the shapes and sizes are familiar to today's baker's options, and several have disappeared in the intervening years. My greatest surprise is the SIZE of Victorian cake pans. Compare to today's, and see what I mean!

Victorians Say “I Love You”

It's Valentine's Day! Millennials (and old folks like me) understand society's expectations of how committed couples acknowledge Valentine's, and how expression of love is done (or we believe should be done). But what about our Victorian ancestors?

How did Victorian Americans say "I love you"? ...Or, did they?

Did advice of the era shed light on such matters?