Did you have a happy and safe Halloween? We enjoyed a lovely evening with our friends and neighbors. Today I am thinking about St. Francis de Sales ~ the patron Saint of writers.   After several weeks of class essays, thesis papers, time consuming projects and research heavy posts I have decided to take the next few days off. Until then, let’s play a game. My daughter, the Fashionista, is also quite crafty. Yesterday evening she channeled her inner (and favorite) rock star goddess. ... View the Post

Our wonderful neighbors host an annual Halloween costume party. The amazing themes change every year. This years theme was Shelley’s Frankenstein. A central island was set up like a lab where you could mix drinks. Shaken, not skulled. The food buffet was completely enticing. Everyone brought a delicious dish to share. Our contribution was Frankenweenie’s. (It was nice knowing Franz. :) I absolutely loved the simple curtain sheer that was cut out and hung over a mirror ... View the Post

I wrote a total of eight posts for DTA this week. Most featured heavy research and large projects. This next week I am happily facing more of the same so today, I am taking a day of rest. A few of my new readers were surprised that I celebrate Halloween so I thought it was a perfect time to once again feature a well loved post from two years ago. “Celebrating Halloween As A Christian” first ran on October 23, 2011 I was recently posed the question from another blogger of how could I, as a ... View the Post

Make 18th Century Lace Sleeve Ruffles or Engageantes This post will provide a tutorial on how to Make 18th Century Lace Sleeve Ruffles or Engageantes. In the 18th century doing a load of laundry required a cauldron of boiling water, lye soap, a clothesline, and a dry environment. No wonder the process took all day. For this reason items of clothing and other fabric items were not often laundered. The fashion of the day for ladies was to have elaborately long sleeve ruffles (known as ... View the Post

Create A Complete 18th Century Ensemble On A Budget Over the summer I worked on sewing several different patterns (top, blouse, skirt) to prepare myself for a personal goal to Create A Complete 18th Century Ensemble On A Budget. I wanted to use using period appropriate fabrics, trims, and sewing techniques.  Guess What? I did it. And on an amazing budget to boot. On Wednesday I will take you step by step on outfitting the Duke of Décor for less than $6.00. Yes, $6.00! Thursday and ... View the Post

Remember the French lantern I created back in March from old chandelier parts? It finally got hung. I’m not going to lie. Mr. Décor was not too excited about this project for two reasons: He felt that the lantern would not be bright enough. The lantern is so bright it’s a challenge to get a good picture of it. He also did not like the idea that if we moved, the lantern would come with us. Meaning he will eventually have to take it down again.  I told him that the key word in the ... View the Post