Baja Janeite let us know that the Victorian Trading Company (we love their stuff!) has a Jane Austen hat for sale. Why it’s a Jane Austen hat we’re really not sure, though it is quite cute. Unfortunately this isn’t really the season for it anymore, but if you want something to put away for next year, or you’re in the southern hemisphere, there you go.

Since we received two e-mails from Alert Janeites last week, though this is not a new item, we thought we should repost for the benefit of some of the newer AustenBlog visitors.

Alert Janeites Baja Janeite and Lynne both sent us links to the Jane Austen Little Thinkers doll, to which they both reacted with the general attitude of What the Ferrars? We own this doll (being a huge Jane nerd) and think it’s so ugly it’s cute. She sits on our bed and looks quite pretty there. And if you look at the rest of the Little Thinkers dolls, they look pretty much the same, so it’s not a cut on Jane. (We also have the finger puppet, which we use to terrify our co-workers. JANE SAYS REDRUM!)

Baja Janeite also sent us a link to the lovely paper doll of Jane Austen at Legacy Pride Paper Dolls, which we also own (did we mention we’re a big Jane nerd?) The artist has created paper dolls for all of Jane Austen’s heroes and heroines–do check them out, they are gorgeous.

ETA: And of course we can’t forget the fabulous Jane Austen Action Figure!

Baja Janeite also found an article about a young lady who makes Barbie dolls into characters from literature, including Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. We think that must be Lizzy right there in the front of the photo in the pretty blue spencer. And wheee, Horatio Hornblower! We see him there with his sword drawn. Her dolls are on display at the Sumner Library in Sumner, Washington, through the end of March.

The ever-Alert Baja Janeite sent us a link to purchase Jane Austen-related accoutrements for your dollhouse: a miniature Pride and Prejudice and The Life and Works of Jane Austen (with illustrations!!!). We cannot comprehend the neglect of a family library (even that of a dollhouse family) in such days as these.

(And parenthetically, check out the Bath Circus Dollhouse–wow! Gorgeous, and correspondingly expensive, but again–wow!)

Alert Janeite JennaL sent us a link to a Jane Austen DVD Store at Amazon. Nothing we don’t already know about, but hey, one-stop shopping, right? And as Jenna pointed out, it’s fun to look through.

We also can’t resist taking the opportunity to link to JASNA’s Austen on Film Section, which has a list of just about all the movies available to purchase, and then some.

Alert Janeite Julie P. sent us a link to a new cross-stitch sampler called “The Daughters of Longbourn.” (Here’s a larger photo of the finished sampler.) The sampler is the first in a series of five Austen-inspired samplers…as Julie P. pointed out, which novel will be left out? Or will there be five P&P samplers? Hard to tell.

ETA: We probably should make it perfectly obvious that the vendor is selling only a chart–you would have to purchase your own fabric, thread, etc.

Samplers are a very 18th and 19th century needle art, by the bye; all little girls (even Catherine Morland) made a sampler while learning to sew. The March/April 2008 issue of PieceWork magazine (an invaluable publication if you like historical needlework) had an article about collecting schoolgirl needlework such as samplers; 18th and 19th century pieces sell these days for hundreds of thousands of dollars, and the magazine has had several interesting articles on schoolgirl needlework in the past few years.

Speaking of handmade items, Paper Menagerie’s Etsy store has some Jane Austen items, including greeting cards and a really lovely Moleskine journal painted with the classic Austen silhouette. (Found via Moleskinerie)

Alert Janeite Lisa let us know that the Sense and Sensibility period clothing pattern site is holding a Regency Film Costume Class three times in 2008.

If you love costume films–particularly Jane Austen adaptations–then this is the class for you! We dissect the costuming for six films (one per week), looking at issues including authenticity, methods, design vs. execution, and more. This class is especially meant for groups of friends to enjoy together.

Classes begin February 4 through March 10; summer and fall dates to be announced. Registration is now open and costs $25, with a discount to $15 per person for groups of five or more taking the class together.

We heard from Ellen Eley, whose website is Regency by Design, let us know that she makes Regency and Napoleonic-era historical costumes and also that she is hoping to have a Jane Austen weekend in her area (Lincolnshire) possibly as soon as 2009!

We received a copy of the JASNA Wisconsin Region’s “A Year with Jane Austen” wall calendar, and we have to say it is an amazing piece of work. Not only does it feature a full-color illustration by Henry or Charles Brock with accompanying quotations from the novels for each month, nearly every day of the calendar has a notation of an event either from Jane Austen’s life or from one of her novels. For instance, June 8 lists Robert Martin’s Birthday (!) and the birth of Henry Austen in 1771 (how interesting that Jane gave Henry’s birthday to Robert Martin! And her own as Charles and Mary Musgrove’s wedding anniversary!). 20 out of 30 days for the month have at least one entry, many have two, and there are four general entries for the month when no particular date is available; for instance, the death of Captain Benwick’s fiancée, Miss Harville. The other eleven months are similarly populated. It’s practically a dissertation in itself!

Liz Philosophos Cooper, Wisconsin’s regional coordinator, sent a note stating that her mother, the late Joan Philosophos, began the calendar project in 2001, which must have been quite a labor-intensive project. The calendars have been on hold for a few years, but they are back now and with color illustrations for the first time. The calendar is $15 plus S&H and can be ordered from the JASNA website–just print out and mail the page with a check or money order.

While you’re at the JASNA site, check out some of the other lovely merchandise available from JASNA regions. It’s a little late for Christmas, but once you get all your shopping done, treat yourself!

In the spirit of the holidays, AustenBlog is giving away a copy of the calendar AND a package of Jane Austen’s Lace Notecards to an AustenBlog reader. To be entered in the drawing, send an e-mail to austenblog@gmail.com and let us know how you’re celebrating the season with Jane Austen by 10 p.m. Eastern time, Sunday, December 23, 2007.

Alert Janeite Laurel Ann sent us an eBay auction link for a Jane Austen doll do-it-yourself kit.

Laurel Ann was a little distressed by the dismembered doll, but remember she’s not Jane till she’s put together and it’s a little better.

Jane on a rock!

Just in time for Christmas…or Halloween, if Charlie Brown lives on your block. “I got Jane Austen on a rock.”

Thanks to Alert Janeite Laurel Ann for sending this link!

More eBay fun…Alert Janeite Laurel sent a link to an auction of an engraving of Catherine Morland reading what is clearly a very horrid novel. (Not really an auction, it’s a Buy It Now, but you know what we mean.) It’s the same illustration as this one at Molland’s (which Laurel sent us some years ago); though we were once informed it was from the 1833 Bentley editions of Jane Austen’s novels, the auction claims it is from an 1892 book, Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and Drama by Rev. E. Cobham Brewer. It should, however, be pointed out that the Bentley editions were reprinted many times, so the origins of the illustration may have been lost by the time the Rev. Mr. Brewer ran across them. And this one’s certainly less spendy than the Brock we linked the other day.

Alert Janeite (and Brock enthusiast) Cinthia let us know that an original illustration by C.E. Brock from Pride and Prejudice is currently being auctioned on eBay. It’s VERY original–we were not previously aware of this particular drawing, as it does not appear in any of the editions of P&P illustrated by Brock that are included in the Molland’s archive. If anyone knows of an edition containing this particular image, please let us know!

Collectible Profiles is now offering Jane Austen’s pound cake recipe (well, probably not HERS, but you know what they mean) and a little fictional diary of Jane Austen. Of the pound cake recipe, they write:

A modern version of a vintage Victorian cake recipe— it is beautifully printed on a 4” x 5 ½” Havilland blue card accented with Jane Austen’s silhouette. Enjoy a modern version of Jane Austen’s favorite sweet, a dense and delicious cake like none you have eaten–unexpected morsels of delight activated by a mystery ingredient!

Oooh!

The diary seems sweet:

Ease back into your favorite chair and slip into an eventful time as you read her entries reflecting on who she is as a woman and author. Enjoy her critical observations of historical figures and world events–the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars as they impact her family. Austen Times includes her thoughts as she travels from Bath to London to visit her publisher about Pride and Prejudice, and Sense and Sensibility.

(Parenthetically, we now have a Van Halen song stuck in our head. *revs power drill*)

Via Manchegan Madness, we find Jane Austen cross-stitch sampler kits for you mad stitchers out there (you know who you are).

The kits include quotations from Northanger Abbey (like this blog post! La!), Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, and the Sense and Sensibility movie (actually Shakespeare via Marianne In The Rain) and Emma, as well as a stocking kit with a Christmas quotation from Emma.

Erine wrote to tell us that she has added a collection of earrings inspired by Mansfield Park to her Web site. We like the description of the “Fanny Price” earrings:

Sensible, yet distinct. Beautiful, but often overlooked. These earrings have all the characteristics of our dear, dear Fanny.

Nice!

If you would like to purchase them, respond on her livejournal or e-mail her at austen DOT inspirations AT gmail DOT com (that’s an e-mail address; read it out loud).

Erine wrote to tell us that she has created a set of earrings based on Emma as well as a “Coming-Out Ball Necklace.” If you would like to purchase any of her creations, e-mail her at austen DOT inspirations AT gmail DOT com (read it out loud; it’s an e-mail address) or leave a message at her Livejournal, using either of the links in this post.

Erine (the jewelry designer formerly known here as Lin) has followed her Persuasion and Northanger Abbey-inspired earrings with a set inspired by the ladies of Pride and Prejudice. If you are interested in purchasing a pair of these earrings, leave Erine a comment on her Livejournal or send her an e-mail at austen DOT inspirations AT gmail DOT com.

We think this is just online and not in stores, but Tesco has The Jane Austen Collection–a boxed set of DVDs of the BBC Jane Austen adaptations from the 70s and 80s except for P&P and Persuasion, which are the 90s versions–on sale today for £49.99, a savings of £50.

Lin, creator of the Northanger Abbey-inspired earrings we posted last week, has come up with a line of earrings inspired by Persuasion, and also has created a site specifically for her Austen-inspired jewelry, Austen Inspirations. Ordering information is on the site.

Lin wrote to tell us that she has created a line of handmade earrings inspired by scenes and characters in Northanger Abbey. If you would like to purchase a pair of the earrings, comment on the Livejournal entry and she will contact you directly.