I love the ordinary. What could be more ordinary than clipping your nails? Many a time have I pondered the difficulty of such a mundane task for people with no access to handy, purpose-built nail clippers, either in the past or the present. Thus, I was delighted to come … [Read more...] about Ye Olde Nail Clippers: How did people trim their nails in the past?
Archives for March 2021
Mindful Mending: Repairing a Vintage Cotton Apron
What is it with the 1950's and poodles? For some reason, poodles seem to be the decade-defining embellishment in our collective cultural memory of the post-war, pre-hippie decade. However, I have never before handled a genuine mid-century garment adorned with the famous … [Read more...] about Mindful Mending: Repairing a Vintage Cotton Apron
The Open Window: A Timeless Pleasure of Oncoming Spring
Isn't it a pleasure to open your windows on a gently warm Spring day and welcome in the breeze? Where I now live, in central North Carolina, we experience four fully-fledged seasons. Winters are mild, summers are muggy. And, like most, I'm grateful for climate-controlled … [Read more...] about The Open Window: A Timeless Pleasure of Oncoming Spring
A life of layers: the Lens of Material Culture
Some bits of material culture come and go. Others stick with us for centuries. I am fascinated by what stays and what goes. How do our objects, our clothing, our pastimes reflect our present and our past? These are questions I want to explore here. I hope you join me … [Read more...] about A life of layers: the Lens of Material Culture
