17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Saturday, December 7, 1912: Am still ailing. Glad tis Saturday, so I don’t have to miss school.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
It’s no fun to be sick! I often do handwork or crafts when I don’t feel well. I wonder if Grandma was feeling good enough to make any Christmas presents.
The November, 1912 issue of Ladies Home Journal showed some awesome crocheted bags that she might have been able to make. 
The purses you have posted are similar to a few I have in my antique handbag collection. I started collecting them years ago when a customer brought a bag to my husband and wanted to sell it for cash as the bag was solid silver. My husband is a jeweler and he knew I’d love to have the handbag and he had the skills to make the few repairs it required.
Old handbags are so lovely. An antique handbag collection sounds like so much fun!
They are stunningly beautiful!! …
They are beautiful!
Love her style of writing; even if short. enjoy reading your posts as well. The bags are beautiful!
Your bags are lovely and I think your Grandma would be proud! 🙂
I like to imagine that my grandmother would smile if she could see how her diary entries are being read a hundred years after she wrote them.
I agree Sheryl and am sure that our Miss Muffly would be highly amused to think that her teenage reflections mean so much to so many of us… 100 years on. Thanks SO much for the sharing.
Sheryl, I love the way you find magazine articles that were available at the same time your grandma was writing her diary. It helps us picture even better what her life might have been like. I wouldn’t mind using one of those handbags myself!
There’s so much really interesting stuff in the old magazines. I can easily lose track of time when reading through them.
I want one! Love them! I have one from the 1970’s that was given to me by a cousin in Denmark, but it needs replacing!
I remember having a lovely crocheted bag that a great aunt made for me when I was in junior high, but I unfortunately have no idea what ever happened to it.
I love the bags but the last one is my fav! Maybe it’s the loop on the strap that is interesting me,
The loop is a nice touch on the last bag. 🙂
As another blogger said, I too like that you add tidbits of information from magazines of the time. Did the magazine article include instructions on making the bags?
There weren’t instructions in the magazine. Ladies Home Journal sold patterns and handiwork instructions back then. There may have been a note about buying the directions somewhere.
I love these little bags, very bohemian with the right outfit. I bought one not too long ago at the antique mall. It’s shaped like the old marble bags. I keep all my bangles in it on my nightstand. It is the pits having a cold, I have one now and I’m on vacation…urg.
Colds when you’re on vacation are the worst! Hope you feel better soon.
I know, bummer, but thank you 🙂
Those bags are so charming! I always appreciate the little historical touches you add as you take us down memory lane!
Thanks for taking a moment to write the nice note. I have a lot of fun finding the background information and it’s always wonderful to hear when someone enjoys it.
These are wonderful! Each one of them seems to have its own personality!