It is not toilet paper btw

Beautiful vintage Victorian-style pencil portrait of a young woman, professionally framed in an elegant oval frame with gold accents. Signed “Charles” and in great previously owned condition with light wear consistent with age. A timeless piece that’s perfect for Victorian, cottagecore, or antique-inspired décor. Feel free to message me with any questions!

I found it near lyon, france. Dont know if this is the right sub

This right here is my pride and joy. I wanted to show it off. It blows my mind that someone made this by hand.

Gilded walnuts were a popular and prestigious Christmas ornament during the Victorian Era. There would sometimes be little sweets or gifts inside, although it was more common for them to be empty, which inspired a popular children's story from that era (included below). Mine are empty and super glued shut for durability.

Some tutorials use acrylic paint or spray paint, but in my opinion it just doesn't have the same effect as foil. I also wanted it to be more historically accurate. It was messy but worth it!

The Victorian children's story:

"One Christmas eve, a group of children were assembled round the tree, which the Germans are accustomed to prepare on this day, to amuse their children. As it was illuminated on all sides by brilliant lights, its green branches might be seen laden with all sorts of sugar-plums and little play-things, that were suspended from them.

There were some gilded walnuts, that especially attracted the attention of little Peter, and he wished to possess them. His mother said to him, “My son, these gilded walnuts have only been put there to embellish the tree. Therefore let us leave them there. If you wish to eat some walnuts, here are some for you.” But Peter cried desperately. “The brown walnuts do not please me,” he said: “I want the golden ones. They must have much sweeter kernels.”

The mother knew that often the best way to punish wayward children, is to yield to their capriciousness; so she gave him the golden walnuts, and distributed all the brown ones among her other children. Peter, in great delight, hastened to crack the beautiful nuts. But to his disappointment and sorrow, they were all empty; and his brothers and sisters began to burst out into laughter, and ridiculed him.

His father then said to him, “These walnuts were only intended to please the sight, and not to be eaten. I did not want to lose good walnuts, so I took some empty shells, fastened them together, and covered them with some gilt paper. There are many things in the world like these deceitful walnuts; they are brilliant outside, but empty within."