More Than Pretty Pictures

Last week I had the privilege of sitting in on a Regency architecture class given by the incomparable author Cheryl Bolen. Her collection of pictures illustrating both exterior and interior styles, as well as landscapes, are nothing short of brilliant. And you can find them all here on Pinterest. Cheryl has curated pictures of furniture, paintings, various rooms in the country houses and town houses of the rich and famous in England during the early years of the nineteenth century. She even has floor plans. Well worth the look.

And while you’re on Pinterest, might I recommend the following author's and their boards:

Joanna Waugh. Joanna has collected a number of interesting Regency era illustrations, including pictures of Almack’s, Regency performers, arts and crafts, and beekeeping. 

Cora Lee’s Regency Women’s Fashion. All of Cora’s boards are fun (she had me at Historical Dr. Who), but the fashion page is particularly top notch. 

Ann Glover’s Regency pastimes. You’ll find a wealth of information from author and blogger Ann as well, but I loved this board with some pastimes you might not have expected. 

And may I mention that I now have a Regency pets board, with portraits from the late 1700s and early to mid-1800s of people and animals? 

All in all, these are far more than pretty pictures. They are treasures to those who love to read, and write, about the nineteenth century.

Photo by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net).

Five More Pinterest Boards You Should Know

Have you searched online for pictures recently? Chances are at least some of the results led you to Pinterest, and for good reason. The site has more than 50 billion pins, quite a few from museums, re-enactors, and readers. I covered some earlier, but here are a few more related to the 19^th century you should know.

Historical romance author Cheryl Bolen has assembled an amazing collection of interiors and exteriors in Georgian homes of England. Droolworthy! 

Regency author April Kihlstrom’s collection focuses more on clothing and pastimes, as well as an eclectic collection of boards on such things as knitting and Downs Syndrome. 

Likewise, historical romance writer Kristin Koster’s collection is wide-ranging and intriguing. Her Regency landmarks board is particularly useful. 

Stay-at-home mom and veteran pinner Lynn Ann has a beautiful board of Regency garb, much of it made today. 

I’ve been trying to collect pictures around the theme of a Regency summer house party.  Billiards, anyone? And I’ve recently started a board dedicated to cowboys.

And, ahem, my Sailing Ships Ahoy board now has 143 pictures of tall ships. Just saying.

Any boards you’d like to recommend?

Five Pinterest Pages You Might Want to Follow

Okay, I admit it. When someone first mentioned Pinterest I rolled my eyes and thought, “Oh, swell—another social media site I’m supposed to join.” I have dragged my feet for years and finally decided that 2016 would be the moment Regina Scott set up her own Pinterest page. After all, I slog through Facebook and hide under the radar on Goodreads. How hard could adding one more task be?

As it turns out, not hard at all. In fact, I love it!

I am not the most social person (introvert, anyone?), and I find Facebook a little like attending a party with the cool kids, where I’m stuck in the corner. But Pinterest involves looking at pretty pictures and telling other people how pretty their pictures are. Even an introvert like me can handle that!

Even if you never pin a single picture, you might want to join just so you can see what others are posting. For a historical writer or reader, it’s an absolute treasure trove! Here are five pinners you may want to check out:

The Beau Monde. Romance Writers of America’s Regency special interest chapter has pinned information on historical romance novels, research, and special reports (including a collection on Georgette Heyer’s works). Plus they’re just some of the coolest ladies out there. Just saying. 

Regency Regalia. Though the company makes authentic reproduction clothing and accessories from the Regency era, the boards they build on Pinterest include thousands of original pieces of art and photographs detailing period wear. What a resource! 

The Victoria and Albert Museum. This is one of the best museums in England, and the curators have made available more than 3,000 pictures of various artifacts and exhibits. It’s the next best thing to going there! 

Sydney Paulsen’s Fort Nisqually Board. Fort Nisqually, located in Point Defiance Park, is one of my favorite places for inspiration when writing my Frontier Bachelor series, in large part because of the incredibly talented re-enactors who make the past come alive. This board of Sydney’s covers the 1850s and 1860s. 

Tall Ship Lady Washington. Ah, you know my fondness for our state’s tall ship. She is a lady of the first order. See some of the places she’s gone and the wonderful memories folks have made on her. 

And of course, you can always follow my boards to see inspiration for various books, book covers, my own growing cache of tall ship pictures, and more.

Are you on Pinterest? What historical boards have you found to love?