Thank you for spending a few minutes with me today. Be sure to check out Beverly's Pink Saturday and see all the other bloggers who are participating!
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 ...
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.
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.
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 ♥
whereas some have an overwhelming urge to cover their home in pink and accent it with every other color in the rainbow...
luckily, there are some who are satisfied with just a touch of pink - for instance, covering their entire roof...
But, it's no different with interior design. Some love to pour pink from their design bucket on everything from walls to furniture to accessories. For these people, there can never be too much pink.
Others believe that finding the perfect shade of pink to punch an otherwise staid color combination the ideal solution to the deep seated need for pink.
Of course, if you have found the most fabulous pink settee, it can be the focal point in an otherwise earthy and neutral setting. Pink will always command attention!
If one is afraid of pink, one can go with the palest shimmery pink and use it very sparingly - a couple of lampshades and a lavish bouquet of roses will do the trick.
When you're afraid people will tease you for loving pink, use it as a pop of color in a painting - or on one piece of furniture that makes it stand out as an incongruous statement on using pink in your design - and dare your friends to make fun of it!
Are you somebody who loves pink but doesn't really want to live with it on the walls or the upholstery? No problem! Here is a room filled with designer furnishings, rare antiques and fine art. What does your eye see first? Of course! It's the pink flower! Pink electricity - and no commitment!
Do you want to hide your love of pink where most will never even see it - but where you can admire it every time you walk down the stairs? Dried rosebuds tied high on the lighting fixture. Nobody but you will probably notice it's even there! And, yet, there it is, shedding its pink splendor without making a sound.
Thank you for spending a few minutes with me today - be sure to visit Beverly's Pink Saturday to see all the other people who have chosen to make Saturday the day of pink!
And then I saw the return address ... Secret Marie! Woo hoo! Now I'm excited! Why?, you ask? Because now I know exactly what it is. The Marie Antoinette Mail Art group (see button on side bar) is having a Les Vacances secrétes de Marie Remplacent (Secret Marie Holiday Swap). This was my secret partner's gift! Not that I'm all that much into gifts or anything, of course. I know, of course, that it's far better to give than receive, and - oh, who am I kidding? I love gifts!
I tore open the box, and inside I see ... hmmm ... most exciting and intriguing!
I see a large country French rose fabric wrapped around a box and tied with a grand gold ribbon - and a rolled something-or-other, tied with black glittered paper, pink ribbon and a black feather.
Oh! See what is in the roll! A selection of delightful vintage wallpapers! I'm already thinking of wonderful ways to use these in my work! I especially like the seafoam green piece that I've shown on top here!
this exquisite hatbox. Really really really exquisite. It is meticulously upholstered in fine fabrics and embellished with lavish trims and bow and ribbons and feathers and ... I just can't begin to tell you how beautiful the craftsmanship is ... 'toinette would have been proud to own this box!
After enjoying the outside for a few minutes, and examining every minute area of it, I opened it and find three lovely Marie Antoinette tags - again, beautifully crafted - and on one of the tags, I discover my Secret Marie is Debi! Her blog is Life in My Studio - be sure to visit and see the wonderful things she creates. The tags are heavily embellished and are going to look ever so fine hanging on my Christmas tree!
And, yet, another package, chic in black and white ...
woo hoo! A real collection of romantic trims and ribbons that I will be using on my mini-theatres and Marie-inspired pieces. The ribbons are all wrapped around vintage music covered tags and secured with pearl-head pins.
Just look! This box is never ending! There are more things to see!
Oh, LOOK! what I found next! My secret Marie even included treats for Dusty! Isn't that thoughtful. He is quite excited, as I let him smell the package. But he doesn't get one until he comes in from his walk. He knows that it will be good because green Milk Bones are his favorites!
And the box just continues to surprise! This plethora of ribbon and silk flowers are so appreciated - I can never have enough. And I just love the little "sugared" bird!
oooh oooh oooh! Fabrics in Marie's favorite hues and a roll of ecru lace, all tied with papers and ribbons, and looking properly festive!
and, finally, another box wrapped in black (with gold ribbon this time) holds this Marie ornament, made of 'toinette images and braid and feathers and crystals and .. ! It will look so beautiful on the tree this holiday - though I plan on hanging it in my studio all year to enjoy.
Isn't that the most wondrous gift ever?! I'm terribly grateful to Debi for taking such time and care and making the joy of opening the contents as exciting as the items themselves! I am now so in the mood for the holidays...this started me right off. I may make Christmas cards tonight!
Thanks for spending some time this afternoon and opening my gifts with me! And, Debi, hopefully you'll read this and know how much I just love and appreciate everything!
