Masters Mayhem and Fire Fighting

Profound apologies for being absent for so long, but I do have a few necessary excuses: firstly my masters has taken up a lot of my time, writing presentations, giving presentations, writing essays, debating vigorously feminism in seminars and so forth. Additionally, I wrote a post for The Golovine, the University of Birmingham blog about my experiences volunteering for Wightwick manor-

 http://thegolovine.wordpress.com/2013/03/10/postgraduate-student-hannah-squire-discusses-her-experience-volunteering-for-the-national-trust/
I even got a tweet from the Wightwick Manor twitter account and re-tweeted by the national trust account, how very exciting!

On the website there is also a post regarding my involvement in a group of five art historians, endeavouring to, enthuse, educate and excite art history novices in five great works at the Barber Institute - http://thegolovine.wordpress.com/2013/04/24/five-paintings-ten-minutes-each-300-years-of-art-history/





Furthermore, I have also become involved with  a Heritage Lottery Funded project- Digbeth Speaks- an amazing, interesting and important group recording the history of Digbeth,  http://digbethspeaks.blogspot.co.uk/ - on which I wrote a blog post about my time voxpopping.

Finally, I just wanted to briefly touch on the misfortune I encountered recently, which has left me with with great pain, irritation and embarrassment.   I accidentally caught fire in March, it was quite a harrowing experience, recovery included a lot of bandages, E45 cream and a concoction of pain medication. My mom was an invaluable help, she changed my bandages and washed my hair when my hand was bandaged.
 I have been spending time trying to distract myself- listening to audiobooks: Mansfield park, Persuasion, sense and sensibility and North and South, followed by viewings of the films. Anne Elliot, Margaret Hale, and Fanny Price are great confidants and comfort, providing great escapism from my burn induced confinement and I am much obliged to Jane Austen and Elizabeth Gaskell for their help in easing my mind. I also received a beautiful letter and glossy Pre-Raphaelite book from Wightwick to help ease my recovery, which was a welcome distraction and allowed me to indulge my love of the brotherhood and have beautiful reproductions of their amazing paintings that have inspired me for decades, since I first saw Millais' Ophelia at a young age.

Copyright of http://www.bethsquirephotography.com/

This is a picture my sister took five weeks ago of my fingers, she did take some pictures of my back, sans bandages but its very gross, so I will spare you that image.


Finally, I need to include in this post a cause very dear to my heart which needs funding,-https://www.justgiving.com/WightwickManor

'The National Trust has launched a campaign to bring four beautiful Philip Webb sketches home to Wolverhampton for display at Wightwick Manor.This acquisition appeal has been launched by the Trust to ensure that the four beautiful Webb drawings are returned home to Wolverhampton and displayed alongside Wightwick’s other important Pre-Raphaelite pieces. The drawings were initially owned by Laurence Hodson, another of Wolverhampton’s Victorian industrialists who lived at nearby Compton Hall, now Compton Hospice. Like the Manders, Hodson was also a local philanthropist and collector with Compton Hall originally containing Morris & Co. furnishings in the 1890s.'

I have included images of the four drawings below to showcase the majesty, exquisite handling of the medium and beauty of the detail of the drawings which will fit in and enhance the interior of the manor.










Yours, still slightly singed,

Evalily Harlow (yes my real name is Hannah but humour me!)

Bliss in Bath

 An amazingly indulgent Christmas was had by all in my house, the day ended with the sublime Downton Abbey Christmas special, by the end of which I was trying to reign in my sorrow, a few stray tears falling onto my mince pie. I will post soon about the presents I received but before that I wanted to post these beautiful pictures taken a few weeks ago. I know this Christmas post is a bit late, I was meant to upload it on Christmas Eve but I spent a lot of the time doing last minute wrapping and cooking, however the Christmas spirit  still infuses the air, and I really wanted to upload these pictures of Bath. I know the city to be  culturally and historically rich, embellished during this time of year with touches of the magical and joyous. So, under the guise of checking on my sister studies, the family took a sojourn down to Bath for the Christmas fair. The fair attracts stallholders from as far a field as Russia and Germany selling hand crafted gifts and amazing hot delicacies, I love German gingerbread!

Poor elves! I love the need for clarification, that the pies contain pork not elf ... 

The night air was teeming with enticing smells, beautiful sights, and the melodious warbling of an effervescent, enthusiastic choir singing carols in aid of a local hospice.

I wore: my vintage inspired plum cloche hat, black 1950's suit with white fir trim and silver brooch, green glass vintage necklace, Dents gloves and Clark's t-bar shoes. My mom was also wearing her amazing 1920's elaborately detailed flapper coat.

                  

                      

In the evening we visited the 'Cosy Club' a relaxed restaurant incorporating a mix of industrial loft space living, with a shabby chic, eclectic, antique style. I greatly admired the assortment of pictures displayed, providing sustained interest for the eye. The lighting was also perfect creating an intimate, warm, friendly ambiance conducive to sustained lively conversation.

               

My father became transfixed by this cow creamer, delighted that the cream/milk poured directly from the cow's mouth. He was so enamoured with it he went on a mission the next day to find one for himself, as my mother refused to hide it in her purse, fortunately he did, so we were saved from enduring further effusions of love, regarding the great genius and beauty of the object, and moreover his desire to own it.

Traditional English fattening fare, fish and chip with mushy peas, definitely the best fish and chips I have ever had, evidenced by the fact I polished it off sharpish!

Day 2

After a good night's sleep, I woke up feeling as if I had overindulged far to much on food the previous day, in part due to the fish and chips, but mainly due to the many sweet treats I bought from the various stalls the night before and insisted on eating there and then!

I decided on wearing my plum cloche hat again, brown Victorian reproduction shoes,Cadbury coloured purple blouse and my often worn brown skirt from Puttin' on the Ritz  perfect for nipping in the waist when you feel a little bloated! You can also see my beautiful 1940's plum coat on a coat hanger.

After strolling round the many beautiful boulevards, admiring the architecture and imagining women in Regency era clothes, we stopped for lunch at this amazing French restaurant for a healthy light bite. The restaurant had a charming vintage french flair, reminding me of an old Parisian coffee house.

                

After lunch we indulged in our love of interior design and drooled over the many desirable objects (not literally as we would have been asked to leave).

               

                

They also had amazing Christmas decorations.

               

Furthermore, I managed to find the time to visit a few of the vintage clothes shops of Bath. I came across this amazing fur astrakhan coat, I would have tried it on but then I saw the price tag, over a £1,000, it was truly amazing but I wonder who will be able to afford it at that price, wouldn't it look perfect on the Orient Express, I have however never seen anything like it before, très chic!

In this picture you can see the my favourite coat, a beautiful 1940's number, incorporating adorable brown pompoms and an amazing collar, which fortunately also matches my cloche hat and Mulberry handbag.

                

I hope you all had a splendid Christmas and Boxing day.

Yours,

Evalily Harlow xxx