Victorian Tussy Mussys

Tussy mussys were quite popular during the reign of Queen Victoria and have become a popular gift and home decor item here in our time as well. During the 1700's, pestilence was quite prevalent while indoor plumbing had not even been thought of yet. To avoid having to smell the unpleasant odors around them, ladies would carry tiny bouquets of fragrant flowers and herbs. These were referred to as nosegays. In the Victorian days, every flower had a meaning. Gentlemen callers would offer a floral bouquet to their sweethearts and the girls would have to decipher the meaning of the flowers chosen for them using a book called, The Tussy Dictionary. Those little bouquets came to be referred to as "Tussy Mussy's". They were especially popular for Valentine's Day. Today, our tussy mussys are used for weddings but we also use them as ornaments, gift holders and home decor just because they're pretty! Our tussy mussys are made by mom. Mom's tussy mussys are each based on a theme such as a holiday or color scheme. Mom uses paper, old lace and trims to create the cone and then fills them with Victorian pictures, floral stems, flowers and adorns them with glitter.