Tasha Tudor Valentines on Emma's Writing Slope!

All Things Dainty and Lovely!

Emma and Tillie Tinkham have some Tasha Tudor Valentines from "The Jenny Wren Book of Valentines" on the writing slope.

Emma, an Izannah Walker inspired doll, and her lovely frock and pinafore were made by talented dollmaker Margaret Flavin.

Tillie Tinkham hand stitched the ruffled cap as she thought it was just the thing for Emma!

 

Tillie Tinkham has been the seamstress mouse for the dolls and critters at Corgyncombe for many years. She is the proprietress of "Tillie Tinkham's Frocks and Fashions" with Millinery and Tea Room.

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Tillie Tinkham and the sewing bird.

The Golden Thimble Society commenced as Tillie Tinkham, the seamstress mouse at Corgyncombe, wanted to assist the Queen Anne English Wooden dolls with their needlework.

 

 

I found the little table, that reminded me of Jane Austen's writing table exhibited at her house in Chawton, England. Atop my table is a writing slope, which is a portable desk that folds up into a box. Jane also had a very similar writing slope of her own. Jane's writing slope is now at the British Library.

How nice and cozy and inspiring, writing next to the
863 Park Avenue dollhouse!

 

 

The writing slope at Corgyncombe is very similar to the writing slope that Jane Austen used to write on. Her father gave it to her in December of 1794, near her 19th birthday.

 On the writing slope, some beautiful Valentine Ephemera from the Corgyncombe Collection.

 

 

"The Jenny Wren Book of Valentines" by Tasha Tudor.

 

 

Tillie Tinkham holding a Valentine.

 

 

 

A woven heart makes a splendid Pocket full of Posies!

 

 

Emma's writing slope.

 

 

A Valentine we made using Corgyncombe's Johnny Jump Up and Forget-Me-Nots.

 

 

By lifting one of the writing surfaces, the writing slope has a place to store letters, cards, and mementos.

 

 

A Tasha Tudor Robin Valentine on the writing slope.

The key unlocks the slope.

 

 

I have been making cards using my own photographs, watercolours, and calligraphy for years for family and friends. Our dolls at Corgyncombe do the same! The quill pen is one of Phidelia Finch's feathers.

 

 

Corgyncombe's Postmistress Phidelia Finch

 

 

 Chirpy Cheerful delivering for Finch Post at Tasha's kitchen.

 

 

A Finch Post Box was presented as a gift to a dear friend.

 

 

At Corgyncombe's Finch Post, Chirpy Cheerful holds one of the official Valentine Dolly Cards.

Chirpy Cheerful, as seen in a photograph taken in 2009, also flies for Finch Post.

Here he is at the Finch Post Office Main Branch.

Finch Post serves the dolls at Corgyncombe with superb mail delivery service. My daughter Sarah and I were inspired by Tasha Tudor to have our own doll Post. Tasha Tudor's post was named Sparrow Post, where cards and goodies were delivered to her children. Tasha Tudor featured Sparrow Post in her books "All for Love" and "A Time to Keep".

Tasha Tudor had the children use buttons to buy goods for their dolls and animals.

The currency for the dolls at Corgyncombe is buttons, as well.

A little button box can be seen near the base of the scale.

 

 

Violet's mittens keep her hands warm as she goes out and about in the cold and snowy outdoors. Violet's antique mittens have pretty pom-poms attached. Carrying a basket of Finch Post mail, Violet has stopped at the Finch Post box.

 

 

The Mayflower rose makes a delightful long lasting bouquet with an old fashioned rose fragrance.

The David Austin Mayflower Rose is named after the Mayflower, the ship that brought the Pilgrims to America in 1620.

 

 

Queen Anne English wooden dolls Lydia Lindenwood with her younger sister Serendipity and their baby sister.

 

 

Along with some rose geranium leaves and some late lavender that she had gathered before, Emma decided to make a Mayflower Rose tussie mussie. Emma remembered all of my Pilgrim ancestors whilst she fashioned the Mayflower tussie mussie!

 

 

Bleeding heart at Corgyncombe Gardens in the snow.

 

 

Jenny Wren Lindenwood is always delighted to welcome the Wren back in the spring!

 

 

"It is St. Valentine's day, and valentines by the thousand are passing through the post-offices all over the country. Within the last few years, the number of these letters is said to have become really astonishing; we heard that 20,000 passed through the New York post-office last year, but one cannot vouch for the precise number."

~ "Rural Hours", published 1850,
by Susan Fenimore Cooper

 

 

On the art stand made by Seth Tudor, son of Tasha Tudor, is the "New Cyclopaedia of Botany and Complete Book of Herbs", an advertising card with a lovely dove delivering a letter and a rose, and a trade card with forget-me-nots from an Apothecary in Bellows Falls, Vermont.

 

 

At the Corgyncombe Library, displayed on the art stand, along with some antique Valentines, is "Drawn From New England, Tasha Tudor; A Portrait in Words and Pictures by Bethany Tudor".

Bethany Tudor is Tasha's older daughter.

Inside is a lovely original colour drawing by Bethany Tudor of two doves with roses and forget-me-nots!

The dove perched on the art stand carries a bunch of Rose geranium leaves tied with a ribbon. Rose geranium leaves smell so fragrant, like roses! I picked the leaves one morn from the rose geranium that I have wintering over in the cool upstairs.

In the book "Drawn From New England", Bethany talks about how her mother would make Valentine's Day a lovely and delightful day with handmade Valentines, an abundance of flowers, and delicious treats at tea! The dolls would receive and give small Valentines, too!

 

 

The dovecote at Tasha Tudor's Corgi Cottage with the doves posing most delightfully for me!

This is my own personal photograph at Tasha Tudor's Corgi Cottage.

 

 

Sarah amongst the flowers.

 

During the Days of Valentines we display some of our Tasha Tudor Valentine delights at the Corgyncombe Library. In the upper left is Tasha's "Be Mine" Valentine Calendar. It has 14 doors to open with quotes behind them. The book in the upper right is Tasha Tudor's "A Time to Keep". "A Time to Keep" and "Around the Year" (not pictured) are such beautifully illustrated books for those who like to partake in all the seasons' monthly celebrations! There is always something nice to look forward to in the upcoming season. They are two of my favorite Tasha Tudor books and I highly recommend them. Below "A Time to Keep" is the "Dr. Cupid Corgi" Valentine card, "The Jenny Wren Book of Valentines", and the "Be Mine" Valentine card. In the lower right is "Dr. Cupid Corgi's Laboratory of Love" Valentine calendar with 14 doors to open. In the lower left are the wrappings from a gift that Tasha Tudor gave us. Next is "All for Love" filled with poetry, songs, and Tasha Tudor's Valentine traditions. It was a gift from my husband.

Tasha Tudor's work is always so cheerful and lovely, especially in February near Valentine's Day when it's cold and snowy outside! The "Be Mine" Valentine Calendar and "Dr. Cupid Corgi's Laboratory of Love" Valentine Calendar are such fun to open as Valentine's Day approaches! My daughter Sarah was the model for the little girl in Tasha Tudor's "Be Mine" Valentine Calendar and Valentine card.

 

 

Herbs are hanging to dry at the Corgyncombe Herbary.

 

 

The Herbary at Corgyncombe.

Clove orange pomanders, a tussie mussie, lavender wands, cochineal, and lavender.

Dr. Cupid Corgi wears the wings of a dove at the Herbary at Corgyncombe!

 

Wings Are A Flapping at The Corgyncombe Corg'ery!

 

 

 

 

 

I, the corgyn's mum, collect old apothecary items. Eliakim and Lydia's older sisters Emily and Ethlyn manage a pretend apothecary out of Diane's old kitchen called Emily & Ethlyn's Potions and Perfumery. Eliakim and Lydia are the apprentices who gather the finest blossoms and corgi hugs. They bring their gatherings into the apothecary to extract into the sweetest of corgi remedies with instructions to ensure corgi hugs, which they administer freely. Above, inspired by Tasha Tudor, Sarah has drawn wings for Eliakim and Lydia Corgi. Oh, Corgi wings are just the softest ever!

According to the "American Dictionary of The English Language" by Noah Webster, 1828, a potion is: a draught; usually, a liquid medicine; a dose.

Inspired by Tasha Tudor's illustrations of Corgyn with wings, when Sarah was little she made paper wings that she would attach to Tasha Corgi and then at night she would take the wings and safely hang them on the ice box.

Diane's ancestors had an interest in herbal extractions! On the 1658 inventory of Diane's 10th great grandfather Ensign William Beamsley's estate was listed "one still for herbes in ye sellar". His home was in Boston on his land between Salutation Alley and Hanover Avenue, and "from Hanover Street thru to the bay". "Salutation Alley was originally only five and one half feet wide." Source for Beamsley information: "Fifty Great Migration Colonists to New England and Their Origins" by John Brooks Threlfall.

 

 

 "Dr. Cupid Corgi's Laboratory of Love" Valentine calendar with 14 doors to open made by Tasha Tudor. There are many squirrels in the border and in the lower border it looks like a squirrel holding a heart and a blue jay are in a bit of a kerfuffle! What a wonderful apothecary Dr. Cupid Corgi has! The roses spilling out of the bag are so pretty!

 

 

On the table is a delightful find found right after Christmas several years ago, a wooden implement for crushing dried herbs. It was found at an estate sale near where my early New England ancestors lived. Maybe they used it! After herbs are crushed, they are put in glass jars or packaged and put in the herb and spice cupboard for storage.

In the photograph above, there is dried lemon verbena and lavender that came from Diane's Garden of Herbs. String is always saved from feed bags for tying herbs up for drying. Diane made the lavender wands in the glass container. On the art stand made by Seth Tudor, is an old copy of "The National Formulary" covered with rose patterned material. There are receipts for elixirs, confections, syrups, and infusions which use many ingredients, such as lily of the valley, iris, rhubarb, lavender, and rose.

 

 

A Valentine featuring my photograph of my daughter Sarah that we gave to Tasha Tudor.

 

 

My daughter Sarah and I sent our own handmade Valentines to Tasha Tudor for Valentine's Day. Here is the end of a letter where Tasha Tudor thanked us for the Valentine package.

Tasha Tudor wrote to us: "Thank you endlessly for the best Valentine ever. Gratefully, Tasha".

Wow, we considered that quite a compliment from someone who has made so many delightful Valentines!

 

 

Melissa, Willy Nilly Tweet Sweet, and Chirpy Cheerful.

Finch Post is busy during Valentine season, delivering lovely sentiments!

Displayed on the art stand is a dove surrounded by flowers.

The art stand and red bench were made by Seth Tudor.

The art stand is a replica in miniature of the art stand that Tasha Tudor had.

 

 

Do you see Trilly up on the cupboard?

Trilly Tweet Sweet seems to have a natural sparkle about her as she flies in with exciting news!

Trilly Tweet Sweet is Willy Nilly Tweet Sweet's wife.

Above, hangs a portrait of Sarah done by Tasha Tudor.

Trilly Tweet Sweet

Trilly, Willy Nilly, and Chirpy fly for Finch Post.

 

 

I made a special Valentine cake using "The Tudor Family's Valentine Cake" receipt in Tasha Tudor's book "All for Love".

It is so delicious at Valentines tea!

 

 

After a romantic carriage ride amongst the forget-me-nots, Edward and Hannah stopped for a picnic in the Corgyncombe Garden of Herbs. In the background violets, sweet woodruff, and forget-me-nots are in bloom. Edward picks bouquets of violets and forget-me-nots for his dear Hannah.

 

 

 

 

 

Sarah on the garden bench.

Tasha Tudor did a painting of this photograph and it was made into the Sarah card.

You can imagine how thrilled we were with the cards Tasha painted from my photograph!

 

 

Lifting of one of the writing surfaces of the writing slope reveals a place for cards, letters, or other memorable pieces. Tucked in the webbing of the writing slope is the Sarah card painted by Tasha Tudor, some very old calling cards and a letter to us from Tasha Tudor.

 

 

Inside the drawer are some more letters that Tasha Tudor sent to us.

The envelope on top is addressed to "Diane Johnson & Family including corgi and goats".

 

 

 

 

On the writing slope is displayed a portrait of Queen Victoria.

Beside the writing slope is a tussie mussie that I made using flowers and herbs from my Garden of Herbs, rosemary, Johnny Jump Ups, winter savory, wild marjoram, larkspur, and sage.

I just love Johnny Jump Ups, they forever remind me of spring and I liken their fragrance to apricots!

The tea cup is part of an early hand painted tea set decorated with the Queen's Rose.

 

 

David Austin Rose at Corgyncombe

 

 

Along with the portrait of Queen Victoria is a Kate Greenaway card.

 

 

Tillie Tinkham on the writing slope with her quill in paw!

 

Some of the photographs and some of the writings on this post are from previous Corgyncombe Courant posts that can be found here on the Corgyncombe Courant and from our web site and our previous postings elsewhere on the internet.

 

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atthecottagegate@yahoo.com
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Photographs, images, and text copyright © 2000-2022 Diane Shepard Johnson and Sarah E. Johnson. All rights reserved. Photographs, images, and/or text may not be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from Diane Shepard Johnson and Sarah E. Johnson.

 

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