Back in 1647

So I'm now making a new house. I know I've said that before and it ended up full of spiders next to my trash bin, but now I'm actually making a new house! 

Instead of building on my previous idea..again.. (Maidstone house of 1860) I'm just doing something entirely new and a little smaller. The house is a run down Tudor style timber-frame house that's been lived in for about 70 years...Now it's the spring of 1647 and there is a small ale house on the bottom floor and a family of modest means renting the rooms above...and I'm pretty sure there's going to be a witch of some kind on the top floor! 

Anyway, it's a 3 floor building with lots of, still unspecified, people. Maybe an animal or two. So far I've only had one major accident when I twisted off the light cord, but fortunately there's someone else in my home that knows how to fix electrics (Thank you..!) so it's on again! The first floor is already done in a very Tudor-like style and now I'm trying to figure out the second one...very happy with my Jacobean bedroom! The next room will probably take it either back in time or forward, not sure yet, since I want to make the impression of a house that's been lived in and updated over a long period of time.

I chose to put the house in the middle of the English civil war for many reasons. 

One of them is that I find the 17th century very interesting! Many things that we take for granted in ways of thinking starts at the questioning of the king, the church and the structure of society in general and there are so many new ideas that come up for the first time during this period of time. And that is aside from that rebellion and social unrest kind of appeals to me and it' something that is getting increasingly relevant in today's society as well..

I would say that if I lived in 1647 I'd be on the side of the parliament, obviously, but more importantly I'd be a Leveller which is the earliest form real of socialism I've ever seen..and that is cool.

Another reason for picking the 17th century is that my interest in fashion and history started there. My first historically inspired costume was from the pages of my mothers school papers on the baroque style..and the spark of interest for past times came from a history lesson in 6th grade on the sun-king. So in a sense I am going full circle with this house. 16 years it took me. And there will be many more circles to come...

So my past and my present interests meet in my new Tudor-Civil war house. Kind of. 

Fortunately for me the 17th century is absolutely everywhere right now! Lots of inspiration from Tv shows like 'the Musketeers' and different documentaries, French English and Swedish ones, everyone does them now...even Moliere gets in there on a corner! and of course my favourite,  17th century or otherwise, 'the Devils Whore'. 

And also...never forget that this is the golden age of the pirates..aaargh!

So inspired right now! It wont be long before I'll finish the house, make a matching dress and tie a seagreen ribbon around my wrist. Civil war re-enactment here I come! 

  

...Ok that was too far.