The Dusty Victorian

Living in and caring for an 1878 Victorian home. Restoring, renovating, beautifying all while keeping the character of the house.

Victoria Day

Authors: The Dusty Victorian

Princess Victoria with her spaniel Dash
Painting by George Hayter, 1833
As Victoria Day unofficially marks the beginning of Canadian summer, I thought a fresh-faced Victoria 
(14-year-old) for this beautifully warm day would be appropriate.

Happy Victoria Day!...

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Victorian Style B B and Bespoke Sign

Authors: The Dusty Victorian


Our home has now been welcoming B&B travellers for a year and a half. The income has been devoted to the repairing and maintenance of this big thirteen-decade-old house. I held-off on making a sign until we were sure we'd found this little venture to be enjoyable. It has been just that. So here I am, presenting...

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Our Neighbour Arthur Meighen

Authors: The Dusty Victorian


Originally built in 1875, St Marys Collegiate in 1884.
Renamed Arthur Meighen Public School, after Canada's 9th Prime Minister.
(Image courtesy of St. Marys Museum)
 When we bought the Dusty Victorian five years ago, we were very pleased and kind of proud to have Arthur Meighen Public School as a neighbour....

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Old Montreal House - The Meaning of Atmosphere

Authors: The Dusty Victorian


I'm departing from my own house to show you one for sale in Montreal, my birthplace. It's fair to say that I'm an old house enthusiast. I will choose an original work of art over a print, authentic over fake. You get the picture. What is truly difficult to achieve in a home is real atmosphere. We live in an era of...

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Day Trip to Guelph - Not Waisted Time

Authors: The Dusty Victorian



During spring break, most families we know did "outdoorsy" stuff and got nice winter rosy cheeks. We kept our white pasty complexions and went to the Guelph Civic Museum. The main attraction, for me, was the undergarment exhibit. Not big, but nicely done. I love seeing up close, the amount of work that goes into making...

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St Marys Museum and Our Chemical Contribution

Authors: The Dusty Victorian




Join me on my trip to the St Marys Museum where you will find treasures from Victorian, Edwardian and early to mid-20th-century times. Furniture, fashion, decorative elements, artifacts, anything and everything relating to the household and lifestyle of this rural area. Typical of small town museums, it's quaint and...

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Homemade Olive Oil Soap - Trial and Error

Authors: The Dusty Victorian

Vintage French olive oil advertisement card from Alex V

Before we started painting the hallways, I made a batch of olive oil soap from scratch. Knowing it would need at least a month to cure, I figured it would be ready to test once the hallways were done. Pure and simple, unscented and uncoloured so I can re-batch (mill
...

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Painting the Hallways - Mission Accomplished!

Authors: The Dusty Victorian



Even though - or perhaps, because - I was born in the dead of winter, I very much suffer from those cold and dark months. Those who've been following this blog for a little while may have got a sense that I'm a summer child. I'm an early riser. I'm most productive during the morning and can only do my artwork in...

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Joyeuse St-Valentin!

Authors: The Dusty Victorian



When presenting a heart themed post, one runs the risk of falling into the kitch and sappy category. The market is saturated with romantic heart shape Victoriana of all sorts, so I will deliberately stay away from this style. The heart is, to me, the shape that is truly universally understood by all human beings on...

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Painting the Hallways - Part II

Authors: The Dusty Victorian


We're beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel, literally. We've been living here for four years, but I felt the hallways still belonged to the previous owners. We took possession and now claim them as our own with fresh coats of paint.

Still a lot to do, but it's getting there.

The little light goddess...

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