This splendid Reformist (Arts and Crafts) style villa is built in a quiet, tree lined street in the Melbourne suburb of Travancore. Built between Federation (1901) and the Great War (1914), the shingled barge boards with plain latticework half timbering below are very Arts and Crafts inspired, as are the strips of red and brown feature bricks around the windows that decorate the otherwise plain rough cast stuccoed walls . The leadlight glass windows featuring geometric designs are also in keeping with the Arts and Crafts movement, as is the stone wall that surrounds the property. Arts and Crafts houses challenged the formality of the mid and high Victorian styles that preceded it, and were often designed with uniquely angular floor plans. Travancore is a bijou suburb named after a beautiful Victorian mansion erected in 1863. The mansion's grounds were subdivided in the late 1890s to form the new suburb, which consists only of only about five streets. With commanding views of Royal Park, the area was much sought after by aspiring middle and upper middle-class citizens. This spacious stand alone double brick residence would have been acquired by the latter of these groups. Houses like these would have suited a medium sized Edwardian family, and would have required a small retinue of servants to maintain.

This is a pretty moon pincushion is reminiscent of starry night. The pin cushion is 3" in diameter and 2" tall. It is made of deep blue felt and features a yellow crescent moon smiling on the top. The top and sides are also decorated with tiny white and yellow stars (glass seed beads). The pincushion is weighted with dried black beans and has a non-slip pad on the bottom so it will stay where you put it. This piece is completely hand sewn, no machines or glue used.