Just in time for Valentines day, my Castle class last Sunday made 'sweetheart pillows'. Inspired by WWI pillows, these are made of felt, beads and pins. The perfect sentiment for someone special! Each were as different as the lovely women in my class.
I was recently gifted this wonderful 'Heart Token' - Thank You Lana!!! Covered in black velvet, and beaded with what looks like an anchor and flowers, it has a surprise on the inside! Open it up and there are tiny little precious scraps glued to handcut paper hearts. It is truly delightful and precious (3 inches in length) and I am hoping to create a class inspired by it!
I also recently aquired my own WW1 'Sweetheart Pincushion' on ebay. I was surprised by the weight of it, being stuffed with sawdust. It is also larger than I had imagined, about 6 inches in width. The beading is bold and covers the entire pillow. My pincushion classes have been so fun and inspiring, I can't wait to create a new version.
Tomorrow is my 'Mermaids Love Token' Class at the Castle. Summer is in the air!
Oh how time flies! I've just posted a few of my summer classes on the sidebar. I'm especially excited about my Sea Dragon Fabric Bracelet, (Class On July 1st) pictured above and below. Inspired by my 'Dragon Familiar that I posted about HERE, this one is a tiny dragon or serpent, easier to wear and oh so fun! I need to get a photo of it on, they are quite wonderful. I added a bit of elastic under their heads, so they perch on your hand as you wear them!
Spring was filled with wonderful classes including a Rabbit Theatre, Dressed Figures, and Waxed Flowers... My last class of this session will be 'Cake Toppers' (Class is full) to be held at the Castle!
More Soon!!!
This last weekend I taught a 'Sweetheart Pincushion' class at the Castle. Inspired by pincushions created by soldiers during WW1 these were a joy to make and the results were stunning! It's believed that soldiers were given kits by the nurses to make these lovely keepsakes, while on a short leave from the front or recuperating in hospitals. Almost all of the remaining vintage examples come from either the United Kingdom or France and were covered with Infantry colors and names, flags, ships, words of love and of course pins, beads and sequins. Ours are made of felt, and entirely decorated with bead studded pins. (apologies for the lighting, I seem to have misplaced my good camera...)
Here are the class samples for next Wednesdays (October 19, 2011) "Haunted Skeleton Nicho" class. I was inspired by my own antique Mexican Nicho (see last photo). These are constructed from old cigar boxes, layered with wonderful papers that the Castle is known for. The inside will feature a dressed skeleton and waxed flowers. There are still a few spots left, if you are interested, please call (510) 204-9801 for more information or to reserve a spot.
I'm afraid I have not been a very reliable blogger lately. My apologies... Life has been filled with a variety of obligations, and blogging has had to take a backseat. Despite, or perhaps due to the full schedule, my creative juices have been flowing like crazy! Recently I had the pleasure of taking John McRae's 'Santos' class, at the Castle. Using wonderful composition German creche figures, cotton batting, and delicate wood pieces we constructed our own personal Santos figures. I decided to make mine with a kitchen theme. First I designed a center reliquary with tiny clay vegetables and cutlery. Then I added my collection of mexican kitchenware onto her wooden brackets. Bronze numbers, representing times of the day that we eat, are on her waistline. She holds 2 delightful vintage 'cakes' made of wax, offering her bounty to all who enter our little kitchen. I've wrapped her head in vintage velvet, but hope to someday find a small demitasse teacup to top her head. She sits quietly on a ornate shelf, welcoming all who enter...
I have added a few more Summer Class offerings to my sidebar on the right. Press on each for more details. Above is my 'Sacred Heart Reliquary' offered on June 4th. Below is my 'Costume in Miniature' sample for July 17th. I'm thrilled to be teaching at both Castle In The Air and Chateau Sonoma this year. Hope to see you there!
