ULLABENULLA

Dance The Halloween Tango!

Vintage party favors available from Ruby Lane.

Enchanted Rose Theatre Sample for ZNE!

OK, can you tell I'm on a creative wave???  Here is my second sample for ConvenZioNE 2009. Class Description:

Miss Rose has crepe paper petals surrounding her hand-molded Fimo face.  Her dress is fashioned from a variety of papers and trims.  Peek under her skirts and a magical scene is revealed - an inner dream perhaps?  Or her own fairytale conclusion...  Miss Rose stands approximately 15 inches tall.  

I am honored to be teaching at ZNE in 2009, and hope you will join me in the fun!!!  

Inspiring Me Today...

Cabbage Woman, Blossom Children and Cupcake Costumes!

PAGODA BIRDHOUSE CAROUSEL Class Sample for ZNE!!!

I am thrilled to be teaching at the ZNE CONVENZIONE April 29th thru May 3rd, 2009, in Pleasanton, California!  For my first class I will be teaching a PAGODA BIRDHOUSE CAROUSEL.  I hope some of you will be able to join me there!  Register HERE if you are interested.  Here is my class description:

This paper carousel looks like it came straight out of a fairytale!  Inspired by 'The Emperor and the Nightingale', it features a lovely pagoda shaped roof, a flock of birds any ornithologist would envy and a lazy susan base - so that it can turn just like a real carousel!  In class you will learn the basics of creating a 3/d paper theatre while working with a variety of papers and trims.  (14 inch by 18 inch)

Halloween Carousel Class at the Castle!

Saturday's Halloween Carousel Class went hauntingly well!  Six wonderful women joined me at the CASTLE for a day of Halloween fun.  I don't often teach classes where everyone starts with the same materials, so it always amazes me that despite this, everyone ends up with something different.  If you look closely at these, you'll see many little differences in each carousel (including a couple of clowning skellies) that makes them unique and special!  BRAVO GIRLS!!!

Vintage Halloween Patent's...

Look at these!  The second one looks more like Mr. Potato-head then Halloween, but still wonderful!!!  LINK

Goblin Fruit's Delicious Autumn Feast!

Beneath the Crook

by Marlo Dianne

Beneath the crook, the bones will wait
Silver shook and minnowed bait
Bits and bites, earthen churned
Twisted rights, nibbles earned

A strand of lash
A split of skin
A soup of tears to mat it in

Leafy veins
And ferning eyes
All gather close to green the guise

Beneath the crook, the bones will creak
Rain sobbed and marrow leaked

No hand or flame
No salt or sign
They clatter close, baubles benign

Beneath the crook, the bones will kill
And rattle down to slurp their fill

Come Enjoy the Delicious offerings that GOBLIN FRUIT has prepared, and enjoy the thrills of being scared to the bone!  (photo link)  Thank you Midori for the reminder!

GINGER SKELLIES

How cute are these???  From Craftzine via Apartment Therapy Ohdeedoh.

Masks from Venice

LINK

Emerging Illusions Fashion Fantasies!

Once a year in the spring, San Francisco plays host to The Emerging Illusions Alternative Fashion show.  Designed to showcase up and coming fashion and costume designers from the Punk, Goth and Industrial scenes, its a tour de force of creative inspiration!  I love the grab-bag feel of these outfits.  Bits and pieces of fabrics, zippers, lace, and trims, deconstructed and then reconstructed into costumes any fashion Magpie would adore!!!  Link

As Election Time Nears, Remember Audrey's Favorite Beauty Tips...

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone.

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived,  reclaimed, and redeemed; Never throw out anybody.

Remember, If you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the  figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.Beauty 

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!

Sam Levenson

Link

Living In A Creative World...

Imaginary worlds by Magdalena Bors!

Halloween Carousel Class this Saturday!

This Saturday the 25th, I'll be teaching a Halloween Carousel at the CASTLE!  I think there is still a spot or two left, so call 510-204-9801 if you are interested!!!  For this carousel I decided to use 'iconic' halloween images and cut them out as silhouettes.  I used parchment paper and added rubber stamps for details.  They have the appearance of flying in a haunted forest...  The roof features a witches hat top and fun crepe paper finial!  I love how the whole piece turned out, let me know what you think!!!

Halloween Pumpkin Theatres at the Castle!

Last Saturday I taught Halloween Pumpkin Theatres at the CASTLE!  What an amazing class!  I was so amazed at the individuality of each student and have decided to post both student portrait and close-ups of their projects!  Trust me its worth it!!!  This is such a FUN class, where we cut a faux-pumpkin in half, and then create a scene inside ~ perfect for the season!!!

Thoughts on Decorating For Halloween...

I guess its been a couple of years since I shared how Halloween Decorating goes here at Ullabenulla's house.  My Daughter, now 13, loves Halloween as much as I do and plays a major role in how things are displayed at this time of year.  In THIS POST 3 years ago you can see things do not look too different from today.  As a Mother I love seeing how my daughter gets excited about holidays and decorating.  As a Designer, I gently try to teach her mature ways of seeing and making a display look good.  We 'discussed' a few things about decorating and display this year.

First:  I really do subscribe to the 'Less Is More' concept - really!  I just love collecting so much that sometimes 'More is More'.  Anyone else sail in that same boat???  Well, this year I had hoped to really go through my boxes of Halloween goodies, and ONLY pull out my favorite pieces.  Alas, my daughter kept pulling back everything I put aside, with words of; "Mooommm, I LOVE that one!" or "That's my Favorite one!!!"  So, in conclusion, very very very little got put back into the boxes, and almost EVERYTHING is now on display.  (note:  My favorite addition to this years mantel is an antique Bat School Poster, from the Czech Republic, that I framed in black, see above ~ isn't it great?)

Second:  I tried to talk her through how things look great in groups, but 'lets try to make them look like they are in conversation together, not lined up like little tin soldiers'.  She got that one quickly, putting cats with cats, and bats with bats... now everyone seems to be enjoying the party.  Then the idea of 'Collections look wonderful in groups of 3'!  "But Mom, we have so much more than 3 of these..."

Third, what about colors?  I dream of having a 'black and white' halloween display some year, but it won't be this year...  "How can you decorate for Halloween without Orange Mom?"  As you can see, It just isn't possible, at least not this year...  

I really believe in letting children find their own rhythm in design, decor and fashion.  And letting my daughter be the 'Master of Decorations' for Holidays is part of my respecting this belief.   Its not always easy, as I truly LOVE to play house, but I know that some day down the road, I'll have my own time to decorate just as I chose.  For now, Halloween, at least in this house, belongs to its 13 year old mistress!  

Paul's French Fashion Doll!

Many of you know that I have a very special relationship with David and Paul of The Old Pretenders.  What you do not know is that Paul went through some rough medical trials in 2000 and was not sure if he could ever create like he used to again.  Well here is proof that he can indeed create and with exceptional detail and style!  Just look at this French Fashion Doll he dressed, exquisite down to the last details!  This beauty is dressed to look exactally the way antique dolls were dressed in the 1870's and 1880's.  Paul's eye for beauty, color and detail is unmatched in this divine creation.  Can't you just imagine waltzing in the moonlight in a gown like this?  BRAVO PAUL!!!

The Quiet of Autumn

Lovely photos by Joanna Henderson... Shall we have a party?

Rings n Things...

Delightful Rings by Zoe Arnold.

Six in One Dress

Mikomaju writes about this dress: "I created 6 different dresses (different in length and style) and sewed them together to become one. The way you wrap yourself into it is the way it finally looks, so there are a thousand ways to wear it."  Love this idea, and Adore the Layered feel of it!!!

Twilight...

The poetic work of Valerie Hammond makes my heart sing!  Multi-talented in a number of media her pieces are truly Inspiring!!!