About Me –

My name is Dody. I love to read. I love biographies and mysteries and really good fiction. I like writing that tells a story. I like exposition. I still need to finish the sweater I am knitting, I stopped several years ago with one sleeve to go. I call it my Wild Swan Sweater. I love to create journals and paper collages. I love beautiful old clothes and costumes. I have a degree in theatre – costume design.  I have a master’s degree in something called Liberal Studies which was just a fun way to learn all kinds of stuff as a hobby.

I am a Janeite. My favorite novels are Possession by A.S. Byatt and The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton. Before I loved those books, I loved China Court by Rumer Godden. When I was young (pre-20) I was fascinated by Anne Boleyn and devoured books about the Tudors. I have a passion for English history, which explains why I love Katherine by Anya Seton. Anne of Green Gables enchanted me and I read each and every book written about Anne. I adored the Little House series as a child. I find if you read and read and read – you need to read more challenging works. I have outgrown some of my favorite authors, but I needed them … I worry the world does not read enough.

When I was running my Etsy shop, I found Audible and listened to books. I have listened to Rebecca four times.

I recently fulfilled my life long dream of visiting England. My new life long dream is to visit England again. And again.

25 thoughts on “About Me –”

  1. Love, love your blog. I’m a collager myself, along with other hobbies such as handsoldering charms and pendants. I buy and sell antiques and I’m always looking for delicious uncommom sewing items. I just picked up 2 sewing boxes that are completely delightful and will be up for sale in my guidoneetsy.etsy.com shop I will be taking them to an antique’s show April 18&19th in Madison WI. hopefully, I will sell them, will always have the pics to remember them. I never find these softer images of the women on your blog, only the higher fashion ladies of Godey’s fashions. Have a happy spring!

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  2. What a nice comment! I have visited you on Etsy and also your blog. I think I found you last summer. These ladies on my blog come from dealers in England on Ebay. I really fight tooth and nail for some of them! I travel to Minocqua, Wi every summer. Good antiquing in WI!!! Thanks for the comment – I am always looking in on you. You have a lovely blog as well!

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  4. Thanks so much for visiting my blog! I have read through all of yours and find it so delicious! I was once a voracious reader, however life gets in the way and runs along at such a pace I cannot keep up at the moment. I must return here to find pieces to explore when I might take time to read for pleasure again. Love your insight.
    I use images from clip art (the ATC in question), antique photos that I collect (many in the shop too)as well as old family photos. Whatever I can find that is suitable for my piece at that moment.

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  5. We must be identical twins. I could have written your blog. All the books you love, I love too. I read Bronte the first time when I was 12 or 13. I lost count of how many times I have read “Jane Eyre.” I have read so many biographies and historical fiction books about Henry VIII, Anne Boylen, and Queen Elizabeth I, that I swear I could get a degree in that part of English history. I spoke with a docent at Westminster (SP?) and he expressed surprise at all I knew about the Tutor times. My head swelled up like a blowfish. Love your blog!

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  6. LOVE your blog! I collect fashion plates, 19th Century etiquette and fashion books and ANYTHING to do with the 19th Century….including vintage clothing and jewelry. I have been reading Dickens since junior high (before it was even required reading!) Love Austin and Bronte, too, as well as reading bios. Right now I’m reading “We Two” by Gillian Gill – a combined bio of Victoria and Albert; their lives apart (before they met and together). It’s wonderful! I think I was born in the wrong century.

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    1. I’m sure I was born in the wrong century! Thanks, Bette, for commenting. It is fun to share the fashion plates. I will get “We Too” it sounds wonderful.

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  7. hello. I was drawn to your entry on the laurel ceremony at mt. holyoke via google. I was searching for ephemeral of the event and noticed that in your video–nice choice of music by the way–you had some great old images of the ceremony. What, pray tell, are they from? I attended the same parade–not because I have a daughter in attendance (I don’t) but rather I love a good parade and I’d heard this one was remarkable. (it was–though ultimatlely I left feeling very sad–can’t explain why)

    I’d send you some pictures I took but alas, this doesn’t allow it.

    If you have the time and can reply, I’d love to know (and ultimately find) the publication (s) those old pictures came from.

    Thanks again.

    Kevin

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    1. Hello! I’m so glad you found my ode to the Laurel Chain. It is an incredibly moving ceremony and a fun, fun day. Mount Holyoke really knows how to throw a graduation. I know what you mean about being sad. I think it just the symbolism of the end of something. The Laurel Chain is a both a beginning and an end. We don’t have as many of these passage of life markers in our modern society, but the 19th and early 20th century were full of them. The Laurel Chain is a 19th century construct. It is lovely.

      Anyway, some of the old pictures came from the Mount Holyoke archives. I wrote to the archivist and told her I was making the slideshow as a gift for my daughter and they said I could use the pictures for that purpose.

      Another great source of Mount Holyoke memorabilia is Donna Albino (www.mtholyoke.com) She collects Mt. Holyoke memorabilia. I have purchased bits from her before, but I did get some of my Laurel Chain images from her collection.

      Naturally, some of the newer pictures were mine. Thanks for taking the time to comment!

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  9. Dearest, sweet Doty,

    what a lovely site! All of the lace and Kings and Queens, and of course the dear Brontes!

    I adore Anne Boleyn, too…while in England, I actually stood in the room she waited in before Henry the Brute cut her head off. It was very surreal.

    You are a magical woman!

    PS. I was once simply mad about Atwood’s “The Cat’s Eye, as well!!!”

    I feel we have much in common.

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  10. Hi, Dorothy Jane Williams. I just read “Pink Slip” at Memoirs, Ink. and I love it! I think we had the same teacher but my Miss Gardner was in first grade in Gary, Indiana. You write so well and with the subtle humor that I wish I could master. I felt your anticipation about the pink slip and your disappointment when you realized what it was. I hope you still wear your precious pink slip on special days.

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  11. I happened to stumble across your site one fateful day–I don’t even remember how I did. I LOVE it. I, too, am a devourer of books, or rather, of stories. I’m an English Lit major, working on my BA right now, and your writings here have inspired several of my essay topics. I just want to thank you, and to encourage you to keep writing & reading.

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    1. Wow, Maggie! Thank you. Good luck with your degree. I encourage YOU to do very well, and go to grad school and become an literary expert. I wish I had done so when i was young!

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  12. Hi Dodie Jane,
    Thank you so much for following my blog. This has been such a tremendous experience- I am an interior designer, not a writer. I had been blogging a few of my essays (Toastmaster Speeches , recycled) and somehow stumbled into it. Anyway, I am honored to have you reading it. I look forward to reading Betrothed and more of your stories. My husband and I are both UNCG graduates – he has a MFA and an English lit minor… he also does these cool collages you would really like. I will send you the link sometime if I can figure out how.

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    1. That is so true, John. I appreciate the comment, it is so spot on. There is too much ugliness in the world and there need to be beautiful places of refuge, even if it is only on the internet…

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  18. katherine by anya seton is one of my all-rime favourites! i discovered anne of green gables when i married an americak and moved to CA – bliss!

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  19. When I was 15 I read Katherine so many many times. Loved Jane Eyre too, but Katherine! Many many years later I realized my grandmother Grace Gallentine was a distant cousin to Anya Seton’s mother Grace Gallatin, also a journalist and writer. As an adult I came to love Austen. Also became obsessed with Shakespeare, but only after I realized he was Edward de Vere. In doing my friend’s family history I found out Jane Austen had de Veres in her family tree. The 15th Earl of Oxford to be exact. Edward de Vere’s grandfather. Also Edward’s aunt Frances de Vere who married Henry Howard, poet who created the Shakespearean sonnet form. Henry was also wrongly beheaded by Henry VIII — like Howard family cousins Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard. I Googled Edward de Vere and Jane Austen to see if anyone else realized their family connection. Shakespeare and Jane! Not too surprising. But your website came up. Glad I found you! Jan Seagrave My husband’s family was also in the tree of Anne Boleyn and other Howards, Elizabeth de Segrave

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