Fun things to do in San Jose.

Elizabeth Urbach. Tatting shuttles and lace on display at History Park.












1. Go to a World War 2-era living history event!

Third Annual Day of Remembrance: Saturday, August 8, 2009. Noon to 5 p.m. History Park, 1650 Senter Rd., San Jose, CA 95112. Free admission. “Keep the Spirit of '45 Alive! Where were YOU when World War II ended? Join us for an exciting fun-filled afternoon as we honor the legacy of America’s “greatest generation” by commemorating the end of World War II in August 1945. * Parade at 1 pm * Special guest, Edith Shain, the nurse from the famous "VJ Day at Times Square" photograph * Visit the Home Front exhibit in the Pacific Hotel Gallery * Share where YOU were when the War ended * Dance to music of The Swing Solution * Visit World War II Living Historians * Singing Blue Stars of the USS Hornet. Bring the whole family and help make history! For more information call 408.918.1042.”

2. See a great exhibit of local 19th century textiles before it closes!

She Made It!: The Tradition of Women’s Arts and Crafts in Santa Clara Valley – exhibit extended through August 16, 2009. Leonard & David McKay Gallery at the Pasetta House, History Park, 1650 Senter Rd., San Jose. Friday through Sunday, 12 noon - 5 pm. “‘She Made It! The Tradition of Women’s Arts and Crafts in Santa Clara Valley’ is an exhibition of over 35 handmade items that explores the transition of women’s craftmaking from that of utilitarian production or social development tool to a form of art and individual expression. Mostly selected from History San Jose’s collection, the exhibit includes quilts and samplers, clothing and accessories, baskets and hair work, many of which are on display for the first time. Three generations of hand-made wedding dresses provide visual cues of how times have changed from 1895 to 1982. ... The San Jose State Textile Program was once a component of the Home Economics department. Students were instructed in clothing and fabric design, and produced many of the artifacts that will be on display. Although this department dissolved in 1987, instruction in weaving and textile arts can still be found on campus through the School of Art & Design.”

Lavender-Lemon Shortbread for tea.

Lavender-lemon Shortbread by E. Urbach (right), and purchased Speculaas cookies (left).

Today's the day for the Victorian Hairwork Tea party, and it's a beautiful sunny day. It's unusual for it to be sunny and 60 degrees in January, even in this part of California, but that's what it's been all week.

We have a good group of people who will be gathering at my friend's house this afternoon, and we'll watch the first episode of the vintage TV series "Upstairs, Downstairs" while we have our tea, and then get started on the hair art. My friend said that she was going to use some of her husband's hair for her project, and I meant to look through my boxes and get out the envelope containing my grandfather's hair, to use today, but I ran out of time. In giving a tour at the museum where I work (www.historysanjose.org) I spoke with a 4th grade or 5th grade girl who saw the "family tree" hair art arrangement that we have on display, and said that her mom sometimes makes ornaments out of hair! I am going to see if I can get in contact with this lady and ask her to lead a hair art workshop in the future, because I am happy to know that someone in this area has that skill. I will definitely be using my grandfather's hair to make a little something once I learn how to make hair art better! Pictures will be posted.

I spent a good part of yesterday evening baking for the tea today (I still need to make a few sandwiches and the trifle), and one of the recipes that I re-discovered and used, was this one for Lavender-Lemon Shortbread. This is very fragrant and yummy.

Lavender-Lemon Shortbread
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon dried lavender blossoms, chopped
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (I used Meyer lemons from our tree)
1 stick (4 ounces) butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt

In a medium bowl, mix the sugar with the chopped lavender and grated lemon zest. Using a hand-held electric mixer [or by hand], beat in the butter at moderate speed. At low speed, beat in the flour and salt until a soft dough forms. Transfer the dough to a sheet of waxed paper and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Form the dough into a 4-inch log and chill for at least 45 minutes longer. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Slice the shortbread dough into ¼ inch thick rounds and place the rounds on un-greased baking sheets. Freeze the rounds for 10 minutes. Bake the shortbread for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. Transfer the baked shortbread to a wire rack and cool completely. Makes about 1½ dozen cookies. *author’s note: the cookie dough log can be frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw slightly before slicing. The baked shortbread can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

-- from “Morning Glory”, by Alison Attenborough in Food & Wine magazine, June 2002.

MY NOTE: I put in more lavender, by accident; I had measured one tablespoon of culinary lavender, chopped it and mixed it in, before I looked closer at the recipe and realized that it called for one teaspoon of lavender. I like lavender, and I didn't think it was too much. I mixed this by hand; after mixing in the flour and salt I immediately formed the dough into a log, wrapped it in waxed paper, and refrigerated it overnight. The log was about 2 inches thick and 6 inches long. In the morning I unwrapped the dough, sliced it into 1/4 inch rounds, and baked it immediately. This saves cooling/freezing time. Also, I baked the cookies for a much shorter time, 15 to 20 minutes. I had baked the cookies for 20 minutes when I made them before, and they were almost burnt black, so check the cookies at 15 or 16 minutes, and take them out just when they start to brown on the edges. You can put a thin icing and culinary lavender on top of the cookies or leave them plain.

Victorian Hairwork Tea, part 2.

This coming Saturday, I'm planning to re-visit the whole Victorian Hair Art issue. My tea guild will be meeting on Saturday, and I've put together a project for us to try: making a bracelet or locket ornament in the Victorian hair jewelry tradition, using embroidery floss or human hair extensions. We will be using various techniques to do this: friendship bracelet making (remember those from junior high? Who knew we were keeping alive the tradition of hair art!), Japanese Himo braiding, cord making, finger weaving, basket weaving, and lanyard making (remember those from summer camp?). We'll be putting the finished hair work together with some lockets and bracelet clasps I got at the craft store.
The pictures to the left are the clearest ones from my previous hair art attempt: making a simple braid, to coil in a circle and fit into a brooch. Unfortunately, I haven't yet found a brooch that this braid will fit in! The first picture is of the package of hair that I used; it is human hair extensions that were in the African-American hair care section of the drugstore. The hair in the package is tied on to one long thread, which is rolled up to fit in the bag. The hair is 8 inches long. The second picture is a lock of hair about one inch wide, cut off from the long thread in the package. It has been dampened and lightly coated with regular hair gel, and has a safety pin in the piece of thread attached to the top.
I pinned the safety pin to the knee of my jeans -- like I used to do when making embroidery floss friendship bracelets -- and braided the lock of hair, resulting in what you see in the final picture. Sorry for the blurriness! The finished braid is 4 1/2 inches long from the top where the safety pin is pinned, to the knot. I coated the finished braid with some more hair gel and sprayed it with hair spray to keep the "wispies" from coming out of the braid, but it didn't really work. I need to get some really super-hold stuff, I think! This braid is not quite long enough to make a bracelet for my wrist, even though my wrists are skinny (about the only part of my body that, is, unfortunately!), but I've seen original hair work bracelets and watch fobs that are made of two pieces of hair braid, joined end to end by a gold or jeweled ornament. If I can find something similar ...
The image to the left is an antique from Morning Glory Antiques.

Anyway, I got a new camera for Christmas -- one with a *real* zoom and an *adjustable* focus -- so hopefully I will be able to get some really nice clear photos this week, and post them here.

I'm also putting together a packet of information -- just notes and a list of websites, really -- to help my tea guild ladies (and myself!) come up with a braiding pattern and technique that will work for us. It should be an interesting project.