ULLABENULLA

Polish Bridal Couple in Paper...

This truly delightful paper collage is from Poland, and was created in the early 1930's.  It shows a bridal couple and bridesmaid.  Researching the folk costume reveals that it is from Warsaw.  How wonderful that the artist used photos for the faces, along with printed papers for the clothing.  I adore the flowers around the couple as much as the costumes.    

Via Den Store Danske

Russian Myths and Magic...

Konstantin Kalynovych is another Russian Illustrator whom I adore.  His work is as finely drawn is Durer's with wonderful surreal overtones and true fairy tale imagination woven in.  One has to look many times to catch all the details he has created.  Whimsical plays on reality stir our imagination - ice skating on a neck ruff, origami birds flying through the woods, and bigger than life shadows leading the way.  Delightful!!!

Link via Visual Arts Blog

Microscopic Beauty

These antique microscope slides are delightful in their peek into what intrigued years ago.  Like little museum specimens with their own special labels and handwritten notes, each tiny treasure is encased in a circle of mica and often mounted on a slide of bone or ivory.  They appeal to our modern eyes, looking a bit like found specimens from another planet perhaps - Little reliquaries frozen in time.  Lovely... 

 

Link and more images can be found at The Nonist.

Beetle Wing Tea Cozy...

Truthfully I would rather wear this as a Hat then put it over my teapot - but thats just me...

Via Hampshire Museum.

Insecta Fantasia...

Jennifer Angus has made an Art-form of creating wonderful installations using hundreds and hundreds of dried insects!  Her sense of design is whimsical, creative and truly original.  Originally from Canada, she now teaches in Madison, Wisconsin.  Most of her insects come from Southeast Asia, and non are endangered species.  She 'recycles' - reuses her insects for each new exhibit and encourages viewers to get involved in Rain forest Preservations Projects. 

Now I am fantasizing about having a wall with a 'Dancing Insect Ball' in my house - time to start collecting!!!

Images via FLICKR

Fall Classes At The Castle And In Ulla's Studio Now Scheduled!

I have finally added my Fall class selection to my side-bar for easy review, and sign-ups!  I am really excited about the classes being offered at the CASTLE and hope you will be too!  I have also added a few studio classes to the list, including a weekend of Soldered Jewelry Fun. These are wonderful 'get-away' opportunities, for yourself, or you and a couple of friends!  I look forward to seeing many of you as the weeks progress!  

Where oh Where did Summer go?

Feeling a bit melancholy today, as Husband and Daughter start school... Sweet summer days seemed to fly by so quickly!  These lovely images have been sitting on my desktop for a bit, wish I could remember where they are from - if you know, don't hesitate to tell me...

French Wedding Chair Class Sample for the Castle!

The Castle In the Air class schedules for the Fall are finally here, and I truly believe this is the best selection of classes we have offered yet!!!  My first class this new session is a delightful Globe de Mariee known as a French Wedding Chair.  These highly collectable antique treasures were created to hold the brides wedding bouquet after the ceremony and kept as a treasured keepsake.  Filled with symbols such as 'rectangular mirrors' marking years of engagement, 'oak leaves' for longevity of union, 'roses' for love, grape clusters for prosperity, and 'diamond shaped mirrors' for how many children the couple desired - these charming chairs tell wonderful stories on their own.  My miniature version is approximately 10 inches tall and created of wire, Dresden trim, and hand dyed velvet.  Castle Class Description follows:

  

Ulla has designed a magical wedding chair resembling those contained in Globes de Mariee, or Wedding Globes. Popular with the French bourgeoisie in the 1800s, Globes de Mariee are now highly collectible. The elaborately decorated chair contained within was fashioned to display the bride’s coronet and flowers after the wedding. Ulla’s version has a tufted velvet seat and a fanciful back featuring traditional motifs crafted from Dresden paper trim. The Dresden looks just like the ormolu of the originals. This is a truly delightful and joyous piece! Fee includes materials.

$95.00
Instructor: Ulla Milbrath. Limit: 10 students.
Thursday, September 10, 10am-5pm

Please call 510-204-9801 or go online HERE to sign up!  Hope to see you there!!!

 

PAPER SHOES, SHOES, SHOES!

Just look at these crepe paper confections above.  Don't they just sing and dance and make your mouth water?  Yesterday Nancy and I taught 'Paper Shoes' at the Castle. What a glorious day...  The morning was spent fashioning truly delightful shoes - as only Nancy can style.  Like fairy cobblers, each student ruffled glorious creations that speak of 18th century rose gardens bursting at the seams!  Nancy truly excelled in her premier teaching experience!  After lunch, we changed centuries when I taught everyone how to make regency inspired round toed slippers and medieval pointed slippers.  The day was filled with laughter, sharing and sweet sweet inspirations!  I'll let the photos speak for themselves...

    

vision of wings...

via a touch of vaudeville

via

ABC Wedding Party...

 

While poking around on the web, I found this delightful (albeit very CUTE) wedding party, that was for sale at ABC Carpet and Home in New York.  

Via Breakfast at Anthropologie.

Otherworldly Fields Of Light...

These stunning images were created by Lighting Master Bruce Munro.  Inspired by a visit to the Red Desert in Australia, this installation consists of 6,000 acrylic stems - through which fibre optic cables run, each crowned with a clear glass sphere.   On one hand his vision evokes a magical alien encounter, never to be forgotten, and oh the other hand, a fairytale like quality - as if we have just jumped through the rabbit hole, and found a new world!  Stunning!!!

Desktop Velvet...

I like this idea, recycling an old velvet photo album into a desktop organizer.  Details on how to make your own can be found HERE.  

Via Country Living.

The Stag and The Stag Beetle...

I wish I could recall where I found this LINK to these wonderful Russian Illustrations!  Dense with details, they remind me of The Unicorn Tapestries.  I am imagining a story about a stag and a stag-beetle, perhaps finding friendship in their mutual similarities - seeing the world through one another's eyes and becoming richer from the discovery...

See more illustrations HERE

Sea Nymph

This wonderful painting by Sir Edward Burne-Jones.  Long lost, and from the height of his career it came up to auction at Christies recently and sold for 2 Million!  How lucky we are that it is now in public view again!!!

Read more on this facinating painting HERE!

peace...

“Peace is not something you wish for; It's something you make, Something you do, Something you are, And something you give away.”

—Robert Fulghum (b.1937); author, pastor

Summer Bliss...

This makes me think of some of the happiest moments of summer!  

Via one of my favorite French blogs La Mule Du Pape!

color...

“ Color is my day long obsession, joy and torment. ”

Claude Monet

image link

advice...

via