Sunday, November 22, 2009

...the end of a lovely weekend

I hope your weekend has been as lovely as ours here in Connecticut - it was a perfect New England autumn time. The air was crisp and breezy and the skies were sunny and bright and there was just enough nip in the air to need a sweater. My favorite kind of weather! I don't know why autumn is my favorite season, but it is. I also like spring - but autumn is my favorite.

Hopefully you got a chance to visit Gabriela's Marie Antoinette event for the past five days at her blog. If not, you have missed some wonderful stuff - great information, fun film clips, gorgeous photos, and visits from various artists who create Marie Antoinette inspired art (and, ahem, yours truly was one of the guests!). If you haven't attended yet, click the button below and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy! There's also a giveaway happening with a delightful Christmas ornament - a clear orb that contains a complete Marie Antoinette scene! Go read the rules and enter!
I must admit that I find this doll quite amusing. It's a real "ejector head" Marie Antoinette doll! And it comes complete with a removable queen costume that reveals the guillotine frock that she wore on the block. Somehow this just tickles my funny bone. As does ...

Marie Antoinette Head Pops. Somebody has a very dark sense of humor ... and I love it! If you have never visited Shakespeare's Den to shop for the bizarre and unusual, you owe yourself a shop stop!Shopping this weekend was quite an excursion! I ran across this marvelous French Louis XVI Commode a Vanataux which has been ebonized and has white marble top. The bronze frieze on the front is plated in gold and the drawers are all satin upholstered. I surely thought this would be lovely in the study.
And to sit beside it, this 1810 English Regency and Parcel Gilt Bergere. I know some people don't like to mix their French and English treasures. But I like the eclectic look. I can see this chair beside the commode and looking quite at home.

Of course, for light in the late afternoon before it's time to turn on the electric lamps, I would like these late early 19th century neoclassical candleabras of bronze and marble. With so much black and gold, I think I will have to put ruby red candles in the holders - that will spark things up!


And then when it's time to turn on an electric lamp, I would have this charming 1880 French spelter light with bronze finish. Where once behind the isinglass window a candle glowed, now sits an electric light bulb. I really think this is an enchanting piece ... and it would not only fit in my gilt and gold study, but it would fit in almost any other room as well!
I don't really have any need whatsoever for a dressing table. But. Really. How could I leave without this beauty? It's an extra large (almost 7 feet high) Late Victorian dressing table that has been painted - and heavily inlaid with mother of pearl. It's a real knock-your-socks-off treasure!

Seeing this piece made me catch my breath. Circa 1900, this extraordinary, palace-size French Empire Revival armoire dates from circa 1900, and measures 98" (8 ft 2 in) tall, 60" (5 ft) wide and 22" deep. It features extensive and massive bronze mounts throughout by the French bronzier Leon Kahn, who according to Sotheby's was a leading bronzier working in France in the last quarter of the nineteenth century. The pediment has neoclassical guilloche, reed and tie, and foliate motifs. The frieze and side panels feature patera, rosettes, and egg and dart motifs. And the center door has putti and swags, lion mask, and lower panel with classical mask, arrow and drapery and foliate motifs. The sides feature floral and geometric parquetry inlay and marquetry inlay depicting flaming torches, surrounded by bronze mounts with foliate and tied ribbon motifs. The cabinet rests upon four enormous animal claw and ball feet. If life was fair, I would own this ... heck, if life was fair I would LIVE in this!


And our final find of the day was this perfectly exquisite 18th century Venetian painted armoire. The second photo shows the mirror borders around the paintings on the door panels, which are on canvas. Wouldn't this be the uber-ultra-magnificent storage for all my Marie Antoinette inspired art supplies?! I think so. I wonder who I could talk to ...

I actually got some work done this weekend. I got three quilts completed and listed in my etsy shop. Two are art quilts, which are my original designs and one of a kind. The last is a utilitarian piece that showcases fabrics from the Wizard of Oz line that was produced a couple years ago. I bought a lot of it, but didn't have much use for it, really. I don't really make quilts that call for Wizard of Oz fabric. But I finally broke down and had a lot of fun playing with traditional blocks and arranging them in a way that was pleasing and showed off the nostalgic fabrics.



Before I take off for the evening, I want to leave you with this poem, which I found particularly provocative.

I Show Up Twelve Years Late For Curfew

I appear cold, muddy, unstable in the foyer.

My parents are polite, but stiff, like a French host family.

They have new children, who have new toys

which make intergalactic noises in the night.

Their eyes are brown with gold flecks, not like mine.

They either can't remember things or don't care

that I hate tomatoes. Over dinner, my mother asks

my middle name. When I tell her, she says "oh, yes?"

Trying to feel relevant now is a bit like

touching my own mouth shot full of anesthetic,

or forming the word "bouche" while drunk.

I survey the unnatural ocean of their new blue carpet

and try not to chew like a starving person.

This is my family, these people so inept at things like

memory and monopoly, I feel like a trickster god

hiding my funny-money under the board.

Copyright (c) 2009 Karyna McGlynn All rights reserved

from I Have to Go Back to 1994 and Kill a Girl

Sarabande Books


Whew - that was a close shave! It's almost time for Dexter! Enjoy your evening everybody - and thank you for spending part of it with me! I hope you had time this weekend to make something beautiful!

♥´¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*´¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´♥ Tristan ♥

15 comments:

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

Good evening dearest Tristan,
Like always, you deliver a fine and entertaining post! It must be the theatre in you! Thank you for always featuring some French goodies; they are my favorite. I sure enjoyed going to chez Gabriella and seeing your wonderful art as well as that of my dear sister-in-law, Nancy from Fête et Fleur. All Marie Antoinette to the "T". I did make something beautiful today...a bird's nest crown, a small Marie Antoinette box and a Christmas ornament--all crusted in silver glitter, in honor of you!

Have a great week! Anita

The Joy of Nesting said...

Hey Kiddo,

Here I thought I had pretty well caught up with all of Bloglandia's activities only to find out I missed a whole MA week!! :(

As always your quilts are remarkable!!! I love the way you play and bend color to create sheer fabric magic!

Pattie ;)
Mazatlan Mx.

mo.stoneskin said...

The fabrics are great. And I never thought I might hear "ejector head" in the same sentence as "Marie Antoinette".

Anonymous said...

Oh, My Sweet Friend!!
Ewwww... ejector head?!?!?? That is as bad as buttering a bun with Lizzy Axe!! LOL!!
Your quilts are beautiful....I especially like the middle blue one! That is spectacular!!
The furniture???? My Oh My.... Too expensive for my taste but I do like the chair for my bedroom!! LOL!!
Beautiful weekend here in NE Pa. too!! So-o-o-o good for our shopping trip!!
Have a Wonderful day!!
Love,
Marilyn

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Tristan, I did indeed visit the blog wth your work and left a VERY NICE COMMENT about YOU!
Seriously.
No joke.
I love the quilts----they turned out wonderful, as always, and have such a modern look on a traditional take. You do such a damned fantastic job. Geez...... ;) If only my points and straight lines were, well, straight!!! LOL!!!
And Autumn is my favorite time of year too---I just wish it would have stayed a bit longer before denuding the trees and not leaving us with quizzical days of too much warmth or rain. Walks in the crisp air and my old Punk jacket and Docs....I love that! It is the best gift in the world!
Have a good one sweetie!

XXOO!!
Anne

Ingrid Mida said...

I love that MA figure with the pop off head. Nothing beats a sense of humour!!

studioJudith said...

I'm with Ingrid:
LOVE that pop off/ejector MA !

studioJudith said...

.... . and, that first art quilt is just stunning -
love the depth you've created with
your color choices.

peggy gatto said...

I see you get "archie McPhee's" catalog! Last year I got a bacon wallet for a friend who loves bacon! They also carry jesus bandages and nun finger puppets!!!
Beautiful colors in your quilts, especially # 3!!!
Wishing you a delicious thanksgiving and leftovers for turkey sandwiches( on wonder bread, extra mayo)
yum!

audrey said...

I always enjoy looking at the spectacular things you find to show us, Tristan. There are some real beauties this time.
Your quilts are amazing. I admire anyone who can quilt ~ something I have always wanted to tackle. I collect quilts! Does that count? lol!
You're making pies? Too much talent rolled up into one man!
Have the best Thanksgiving, Tristan!!
audrey

audrey said...

Tristan, there is an award waiting for you to pick up on my Blog post of 11-24-09.
(:
audrey

Unknown said...

Tristan,
Those Marie pops are hysterical. Your post is always filled with wonderful things. I just stopped by to wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Karen

Nancy Malay said...

Oh my, Tristan, those quilts are just gorgeous! I just wanted to stop by and wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Nancy

Deborah said...

I love those quilts especially the yellow "Follow the yellow Brick Road" Wizard of Oz one. You have been busy!! I will go over and check out the Marie Antoinette affair. I love all those furnishings. Each piece was breathtaking and yes red would be the perfect compliment to the black and gold. How very decadent. Not sure what to make of that poem ....

lorhen82 said...

You must have a lot of patience to make all those quilts. I started one when I was a teenager, but my mom had to finish it for me.

That Venetian armoire is gorgeous! I'm pretty sure I could find a spot for it! ~Lori