RhondaMum: The Bathing Machine

I love it when an art project educates me on something from history. Have you ever heard of a bathing machine?

I found a great online article about Bathing Machines, which also had some wonderful old photos as well, by John Brownlee titled, "Victorain Bathing Machines: So Men Couldn't Get Their Rocks Off".

Photo Courtesy of John Brownlee

"In Georgian and Victorian times (roughly 1714 to 1901), entire fleets of bathing machines were designed to prevent anyone from seeing a woman in her swimsuit before she slipped into the waves.They resembled wooden changing booths, with wheels and wooden steps that led inside". - John Brownlee

I know, my building looks like it's actually aged wood. But it's not. I just used this wood designed paper from the French Riviera Paper Collection. For the stairs and wheels I used the perfect matching Distress Paints and some crackle paint. It looks perfect!

Distress Paints - Broken China, Cracked Pistachio , Mermaid Lagoon, Faded Jeans, Fall Set

Photo Courtesy of John Brownlee

"A woman walks into the booth, changes, and when she's ready a horse gets hitched to the machine and drags her out to sea, at which point the machine becomes a floating changing buoy. Once the machine plunged far enough out into the ocean waves, the woman could quickly dive off the float". -John Brownlee

For my roof, I simply cut strips of silver embossed paper and aged them with some black ink. I'll be posting a tutorial for that very soon where I will actually create the embossed paper myself!

Photo Courtesy of John Brownlee

My concern would be that the view of the ocean would be completely blocked by all of these bathing machines. I would be paying extra to be taken out the furthest in the water so that I could have an "ocean view".

Photo Courtesy of John Brownlee

I wasn't sure what the inside of one of these beauties was like, but I assumed there would be some curtains and a few pegs to hang clothes and towels on. But it being summer, and the kiddos are home, I thought of that mom with the troublesome child, who has to stay inside while Mom enjoys some "me time".

I made a little bench out of some leftover Masonite, added some towels, and had this miniature table with a coffee pot so decided to throw that in there as well.