Victorian Show & Tell

Yesterday, my prof brought in a few items for a sort of Victorian Culture Show & Tell. I love when profs do that - especially when it's kinda creepy stuff that I also love. My favourite was one of these:

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It's a jar that was used to apply leeches to the skin and to collect blood in. Luckily, I wasn't having that procedure done today. Also, not so much luckily as hurrah-for-medicine: local anesthetic is loverly. Yep. I wish I could get some of that for my brain. And also wish that the brain-lidocaine wouldn't be terribly addictive and wreck my entire life, all Repo: The Genetic Opera. Watch it. It's a great horror musical starring Anthony Steward Head (you know.. Giles from Buffy). Seriously - watch it.

And now, a few of my favourite Etsy items in the same vein.

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I can barely believe that I found this scarab beetle bracelet. I'm going to email the link to my prof, since the novellas we're reading this week are part of A.S. Byatt's collection Angels and Insects. We're reading Morpho Eugenia, which I have been having trouble putting down, for it is so well crafted and researched. This bracelet definitely speaks to the unique fascination that Victorians had with insects and artifacts from overseas. In the upperclass, this would have been seen as a fashionable piece of jewelery without much thought being given to the scientists and other people who risked their lives to retrieve these specimens.

And, here's a brooch that reminds me of Zoe's contemporary work over at her Etsy store. You can also find her and some cute cats at agiraffeinascarf.wordpress.com.

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 Here's the vintage brooch that I found. I'd love to receive a similar one (hint, Zoe, hint) as part of the Pay it Forward awesomeness that I'm a part of. The Pay it Forward link'll show you how to get free loot from me, such as:
 - a handmade tote bag
- a personalized handknit scarf
- a half-dozen mug cozies to keep your beverages warm
- a wool hat

..or whatever we collaboratively decide on. Seriously. Free stuff. You just have to pass on the love in an awesome non-STI kinda way. Yep. Because I can't afford to buy you a scarab beetle bracelet, and I want to hoard all of the vintage and contemporary broaches for myself. I'm greedy like that. But after today's run-in with the medical system, I don't feel the least bit guilty. And.. well.. I just offered you free stuff.