Hannah Davis Boxes

“A place for everything and everything in its place”

If you lived in earlier times in America, closets were a rarity.  If you think the IRS is a pain now, early Americans were taxed on closets! Anything with a door in a wall was considered a room, rooms were taxed as part of the house. No wonder folks had so many cupboards, chests, boxes, etc. Clothes were stored in a linen press, blankets and quilts in a blanket chest, sugar in a sugar chest (with a lock!), pies in a pie safe- you get the picture!

Back in 1784 a baby girl was born in Jaffrey, New Hampshire. Her name was Hannah Davis and she didn’t have a very easy life.  By the age of 34, she was unmarried and both parents were passed away.   Who would support her? She quickly realized she would have to depend on herself. Possessing that wonderful trait called “yankee ingenuity” she started making wonderful boxes from strips of green pine wood.  She even invented a foot powered slicing machine to cut the strips of wood faster. She used wallpaper scraps for the outside and lined the inside with newspaper gathered from neighbors and friends. With all the hats, collars, gloves and miscellaneous accessories people used, her business grew. She decided it was time to go on the road with her boxes. She loaded up a wagon with various sizes of boxes and headed to the cotton mills of Massachusetts along the Merrimack river. Young female mill workers scarfed them up, putting as one source quoted, “all their worldly goods” inside. They would make a drawstring bag for their box and carry it like a purse. 

 My rendition of Hannah Davis’s boxes are made in the same way, only I use heavy chipboard instead of wood. They are hand sewn and this little group is made with reproduction antique papers and lined on the inside with copies of colonial newspapers. A genuine Hannah Davis box will set you back thousands of dollars while mine are only $28.00 each! Maybe some day mine will be valuable heirlooms as well. I am proud that these boxes have earned me a position in Early American Life Magazines’ Directory of top traditional American craftsmen!

The History of Floor Cloths

Floor Cloth by Sassasfras Creek Originals

The history of floor cloths is fascinating to me, as is everything about how our
Colonial ancestors lived. They look complicated, but they are more time consuming than difficult. You can be as simple or elaborate as you want depending on your skill level.

Historians believe their history began as early as the Renaissance in France or Italy. They started as table coverings but leave it to those ingenious colonial Americans, they took it to the next level! Early Americans used old ships sails (“waste not, want not”) to paint designs with oil based paints to produce a cloth that was large enough to cover whole rooms of their houses.  Hence the name “oyl cloth”). They were easy to clean, took muddy boots, children, pets, and any other daily wear and tear that could be thrown their way. They kept cold drafts from coming through cracks in your floor. They were cool to walk on barefoot in the summer time. And when they wore out, you could easily make another!

Floor Cloth by Sassafras Creek Originals

Today, it is easier than ever to make your own with the wonderful latex paints and tools we have available. I made mine from scratch with a large roll of cotton canvas from an art supply store.  I had to prime mine with a primer, but you can buy pre-primed canvas at Hobby Lobby. Buy some latex porch and floor paint, figure out your design and buy lots of frog tape! Start simple with maybe a checkerboard pattern or buy some stencils and stencil one. Stenciled floorcloths were especially popular in the early 19th century and were found in taverns and homes throughout New England. I buy all of my stencils from mbhistoricdecor.com. They have exact replicas of 18th and 19th century stencils.

There are all sorts of detailed web sites showing you how to make your own so get started! You’ll be amazed at what you can do! Make a small one and put it in front of the kitchen sink, or if you can’t fit a rug under your doors, put a floor cloth there. You’ll be walking in the footsteps of your ancestors!

 

I made this floor cloth about 20 years ago. They just get better with age!

Penny dolls

I never really was a doll lover as a child. I had a few Barbie dolls, but I always cut their hair off. I was a bit of a tomboy and would rather play cowboys and Indians outside, but occasionally, when the weather wasn’t great or I was sick, I would play with Barbie. I absolutely did not play with baby dolls! My Mom had her antique ones with cracked faces that were creepy.  They scared me and then my sons when they would spend the night with their grandparents. Two generations of scarred and scared kids! So why do I like dolls now I wonder? Well, not all dolls, but the sweet, simple homemade kind. I guess they would be considered historic dolls. My favorite is the penny doll. So called because they were inexpensive. Some are so tiny, they will fit inside a walnut shell! They were simple, wooden dolls and were sold undressed so little girls could learn to sew clothes. Some were made by hand by loving fathers or grandfathers, others were store bought. They remind me of the simpler time period I love so well. In 2016, I went to Colonial Williamsburg and there she was- all alone in a glass case, just waiting for me. She was on sale, but certainly not a penny! I decided to sleep on it and if she was still there the next day, she would be mine. Obviously, I found her the next day and brought her home with me. I still haven’t named her, although I think I will name her Abigail or Martha, after my favorite two First Ladies or maybe an old fashioned name like Patience to remind me of that virtue of which I am sorely lacking! Whatever her name, she is always smiling at me, always in a good mood and that makes me happy. I will try to be more like her!

Putz Sheep

Good morning everyone!  Spring is just around the corner and I thought I would write about one of my favorite things for the season- Putz sheep!  I sell out of these little darlings at Christmas time but they are just as popular at Easter.  

At Christmas, they remind us of the lowly shepherds, keeping watch over their flocks while the baby Jesus was being born in Bethlehem.  At Easter, they remind us of the perfect Lamb of God who was slain for our sins.  

How about a little history lesson on these guys?  These traditions derived from my favorite group- the Moravians (German speaking protestant missionaries who came to America in the 18th century).  Families would construct a nativity scene at Christmas time and each year the scene would grow larger and more elaborate as you can see from the picture.  The central scene is of course the nativity with the Holy Family, wise men, shepherds, sheep and camels.  The village would grow around the nativity scene.  

There are several meanings for the word "Putz". In German, it can mean plaster, finery or adornment.  All of these words apply to a Putz village because most of them are rendered or decorated with fine, plaster figurines.  In the Jewish Yiddish, it means a fool or someone obnoxious, someone who is a "putz!".  Personally, I prefer the German derivation! 

Beautiful little houses and animals are rare and expensive finds if they were made in the Erzgebirge mountains of Germany (think of cuckoo clocks and the Black Forest region).  

The sheep pictured in the first picture are antique ones probably made before WWII.  Today, fine reproductions of those same sheep are for sale right here in my shop and much less expensive than the real things!

Colonial Sugar Cones

Today, I thought I would make some colonial sugar cones and share the process with you all.  These are a great seller in the store with my line of early American teas and I was sold out so time to replenish! Supplies needed: 5lb. bag of sugar, a glass or object with a cone shaped inside, non stick spray, a blunt ended object for tamping (I used the one that came with my meat grinder and it’s perfect!), wax or parchment paper.  I begin by putting about 2 cups of sugar in a bowl and add approximately 2 Tbsp of water. Stir the sugar and water with a fork until it’s the consistency of wet sand. Put a small amount in the bottom of your glass and tamp down. Keep adding sugar and tamping til the glass is full and shave any excess from the top. Turn your glass over and gently but firmly slam it on the counter to unmold. I only sprayed my glass the one time and I got 6 cones from one bag of sugar.  They weigh 12 oz. each.

Leave them out to air dry for 2 or 3 days, depending on the humidity. Then wrap in blue paper and you’re done! This is a great way for homeschoolers to learn the history of processing sugar while they’re at it.  For prim lovers, this can also be done with brown sugar and wrap in tea stained cheesecloth.

Let's Play A Game

Colonial games and cards were popular in New France as well as in the British colonies. . .The fun-loving French hunters and trappers spent many a day around tables such as this. . .smoking their clay pipes. . .drinking their wine. . .wagering money from the sale of their pelts. . .and often losing a pocketful of coins. . .No problem. . .There were plenty more animals to trap. . .C'est la vie. . .(That's Life)