Book Board Memorial for a Friend

My heart is full of love and gratitude. I was commissioned to do a book board in honor of a friend's recently passed husband. He was a fireman as well as a bee keeper. She said she was tearfully happy with it for she felt as though I was inspired by him. I felt it too. It's an odd thing to paint for someone all the while feeling a connection of deep and grievous love. And yet, joy and comfort prevailed. It was an important message, though esoteric.

Gate Leg Table

I spotted this beautiful, old gate leg table the other day in Camas, Washington when Gregory and I moseyed on up there just for the fun-of-it, since it's only a 25 minute drive or so. Today we went and got it. The price was beyond reasonable! I am ecstatic, because this beauty works perfectly in our 1888 Italianate house that was actually moved from one street in Oregon City (OR) in 1915 to the street it is now on. More on that another day, but understand that when it was moved, they added a bungalow era front, wrap porch and so it made this house a "married-up" one with two specific design eras. The house was put onto the National Historic Register back in 1979, by previous owners and so, it is a must that it not be changed one iota on the outside. We don't mind. We love our house and all of the fun things we furnish it with. We have early American, Victorian (mostly American), Eastlake, Queen Anne, Chippendale, Art Nouveau and so on. There are a considerable assortment of very primitive, early American items as well. Whatever we love tends to work beautifully for us. So thank you Camas Antiques Mall and One Girl in Pink for this, our latest acquisition. Isn't it fun?

Book Board Paintings as Fancywork?

I have begun a joyful journey of painting with ink and water color onto the old book boards that have virtually fallen off of the pages. I am thoroughly ensconced in Fraktur and portraiture of early America. These are the first six that I have finished and I am now involved in quite a few more of them. Eventually they will be listed for sale under Fancywork, because to me, they are a rather fancy endeavor.

Usually Fancywork indicates items made with needle and thread, but I think paintings fit and so they do for me! The Merriam - Webster dictionary defines fancywork as decorative needlework. Perhaps one day I will add a new category to my world of creating, and I can call it painting, but for now, Fancywork will have to do.

Happy Easter this April 20, 2014

This Fraktur Easter bunny is a lovely early American design, obviously of German origin as the art of the Fraktur came from the Germans. This one is probably from Pennsylvania Dutch country that was settled by the Germans.

This little history of the Easter bunny truly takes me back to my childhood, because my siblings and I would hide our Easter baskets the night before Easter Sunday and always for certain, that old Easter bunny found each one and filled it with goodies!

It is not my intention to consider the Christian aspects of Easter. This is just about the Easter bunny and his origin.

Enjoy!

Origin of The Easter Bunny

The Easter bunny is a symbol that originated with the pagan festival of  Eastre. The goddess, Eastre, was worshipped by the Anglo-Saxons through her earthly symbol, the hare or rabbit.

The date of Easter is determined by the moon whose symbolism is strongly tied to that of the hare. In fact, the hare is the symbol for the moon. Ever since the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D., Easter has been celebrated on the first Sunday following the first full moon after March 21st.

The Easter bunny was introduced to American folklore by the  German settlers who arrived in the Pennsylvania Dutch country during the 1700s. The arrival of the "Oschter Haws" was considered "childhood's greatest pleasure" next to a visit from Christ-Kindel on Christmas Eve. The children believed that if they were good the "Oschter Haws" would lay a nest of colored eggs.

The children would build their nest in a secluded place in the home, the barn or the garden. Boys would use their caps and girls their bonnets to make the nests. The use of elaborate Easter baskets came later as the tradition of the Easter bunny spread through out the country.