A beautiful, warm, sunny afternoon with fresh picked bouquets, a good book (Crucial Conversations) and a comfy chair. What did you day hold? For something good to read, check out The Modern Library's 100 Best Novels. I enjoyed seeing how many few I had actually read. There's enough there to get me through the summer and the next 10 years!
My Grandma shared this book with me recently. Published in 1908, this special piece is exactly 100 years old. Called "Women at Home 1908", it is a compilation of stories, recipes and how-to articles for homemakers and ladies of the time. It belonged to my Grandma's mother, my Great-Grandma who I called Nanny growing up. She lived until my early teens so I'm lucky to have many years of memories.
We're also really lucky to have this book. As someone who loves books, it's thrilling to hold a 100-year-old volume, still in great shape, readable and solidly sewn. I don't think that today's Grisham novels will be such great shape a century from now!
The book contains fashion advice, including this spread called "A Fashionable Yachting Gown".
Here are step-by-step instructions on dressmaking.
I especially love the real-life profiles of citizens of the time. The violinist shown at left was described as very accomplished and dedicated to her career.
Our passion for papermaking and bookbinding continues at Botanical PaperWorks. Come for a visit!
While at Kate's Paperie in New York, I picked up a fabulous little book, The Art of the Handwritten Note: a Guide to Reclaiming Civilized Communication by Margaret Shepherd.
