Welcome to My Red Cape. Long ago in another time my husband Jack and I lived in a little old red house. It was the stuff of dreams to us for the few years that we were there. I live there still a number of hours every day in imagination, with old dolls and paintings and fabrics and feather trees. I draw inspiration and happiness from the memories of that space in time and share some of it here with friends who remember how to step with Alice through the looking glass and take delight in whimsies and antiquities. ~Edyth O’Neill

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Cheryl's paintings








Daughter Cheryl who lives in Colorado is a wildlife artist, and I enjoy it so much when she will mail me a batch of paintings to choose a few for myself. I bought the Bear, the bison, and the fox to keep here. She is getting ready for a spring show in her town in Colorado. The fox family lives in her front yard, where she and husband Glen enjoy them daily and take endless photos. The bear was pictured by a friend in Alaska, who gave permission to use his shot. The bison Cheryl took in Yellowstone and the elk in Zion nat. Forrest. I will offer some of the paintings for a few weeks in our mall booth here in Fburg. E

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Doll in early sewing box










I hope some one of you reading this can add to this information, or verify what we think we know about this sewing box! Please comment here or email me if you cannot comment in this format. Palais Royal is the French maker or brand it looks like from many I have found on the internet. The word on the top is Souvenir and the decorations are cut steel. The box is covered in vellum or fine kidskin, and lined in silk. I think it dates between 1810 and 1860, perhps 1825 to 1840. The woman who used it was born in 1823. I would like to find another nearly like it to verify some of this. The doll was wrapped in tissue paper, the handkerchief was substituted at my request to get paper away from her! She has been in the box for many many years. A little written history is with her. The original owner, was the ancestor of the present man owner. The later hankerchief was his mother's, her name was jean. Jean was born in 190?, and there is an early Steiiff elephant that was hers, the elephant is from about 1907 to 1910. It is sitting not standing! A red and white coverlet in the group of heirlooms is just beautiful, a Jaquard with big woven hearts!! Unlike any I have seeen yet. Always fun to us to research antiques. Have a Great Day, E

Thursday, February 4, 2010

My Letter to Rachael

Oh Rachael! I have had such an adventure today! We were called to the house of a couple we know slightly, to identify and evaluate a "linsey woolsey". As I suspected, it turned out to be a nice woven coverlet, a red and white Jacquard, which had just been given to the couple from older family members. dates and names and places were spoken of, and then there was the offer, "would you like to see a little box we got?"

Yes it is a dear little leather covered box, with some of the fittings and contents of ladies sewing tools, AND a near perfect precious tiny tuck comb wooden doll! She has all of herself, and all of her original costume and there she was in the early sewing box, having just come to Texas. Her family history is with her in tiny script. She must date in the late 1830's if the owner given is correct. Of course a doll can always have come from an aunt or an older sister, so one does not know just when it was new. I was thrilled to hold her in my hand and coo at her! Of course I said she should stay in her family forever, BUT in case she was not sufficiently loved I would pay a fine ransom for her! She is the dearest littl morsel, and I thought of your own growing famly of early woodens. I will get photos as soon as I can make a return trip, and post them here. I hope someone can tell me more about the sewing box itself. What a lovely happening on an otherwise gray day. Warmly, Edyth Watch for the pictures!

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