Costumes and cache

It's that time of year when my living area looks like the work room of Project Runway. I have costumes in various stages of creation all over the place.  Three of my grandchildren love this holiday and "place their orders" a month ahead of the date.  So I am working on a Mulan gown, a steam punk warrior lady and a Star Wars scout trooper.  Had to put the fabric and sewing down on Saturday to make a treasure hunt run and then I needed to finish up a few Halloween pieces as well as most of what I brought in to my spaces has long sold.  

I won a box lot, from a summer auction, of vintage Florentine pictures that had long faded away and I thought they would make a great backdrop for Halloween images.  Really like the way they turned out and they are now in my spaces at the Buford Queen of Hearts.

Black cats and tombstones are delightful Halloween decor.

Victorian gal on her broom.

I have a soft spot for lithophanes.  Love the idea of seeing a pretty Geisha at the bottom of the cup.

Dragonware saki cup and saucer lithophane. 

 I've been eyeing this lovely, antique gravy boat for a few months now and finally gave in and acquired it.  Can't wait to serve gravy this holiday.

Lovely pair of etched crystal salt and pepper shakers with weighted sterling bases.

 Haven't seen one of these in years, pretty late Victorian jewelry box.  This will be in my Victorian space next weekend.

Pretty, Antique Northwood Opalescent footed bowl. Twig and branch design. EAPG. Circa 1906

Antique Northwood Opalescent fluted scrolls, EAPG creamer.  Klondyke pattern.  Circa 1901-03

Acquired a pair of engraved fern and leaf EAPG pieces.  Nice spooner.

Then a large EAPG pedestal compote also engraved in the same fern and leaf pattern.

Be still my heart, I so adore antique transferware and this lovely piece is a keeper.

This vintage fez was a summer auction win but I had packed it away and forgot about it.  While digging around for fabric I found it.  Brilliant rhinestones and the original case.

Love, American Style --- the cocktail glass that was popular in the 1960-70s.  Glass on a rope allowed you to free up your drink hand to manage an Hors d'oeuvre plate.  The perfect accessory for your Mad Men costume.

Now, back to costume construction, grandma-ma has her marching orders.  Blessings to you and those you love.  Sea Witch

Costumes for the Raviolis

The costumes have arrived at the raviolis houses so I can now post a few pictures of what I sent.  I should be receiving photos of them in those items around Halloween and will add those later.  To recap, about 3 weeks ago I received a call from my 5-cheese ravioli in NY.  She called to "put in her order"...her words...for a Strawberry Shortcake costume.  I know when I've been given marching orders for a costume, so off to the fabric store I went.  Since it is cold in upstate NY during Halloween, I had to ensure that she would be warm as she went from house to house with her family. 

Couldn't find wide green and white tights so I made the fabric by sewing green and white strips of fabric and then cut and sewed the pants for her to wear under the strawberry shortcake dress. Top it off with a strawberry type hat and you have Miss Strawberry Shortcake. Yes,Kit Kat, I added the sparkles to the strawberry on your shirt as you asked.  It is such a bright and cheerful costume, I hope she enjoys it.

Now, never one to pass by really cool fabric when I see it.  I fell in love with this hologram fabric at the same fabric store.  I'm thinking, wouldn't this make the coolest Ghost Princess dress.  So after I constructed Shortcake, I went and made this ghost princess outfit.  I love it, right down to the black netting with holagram ghosts and a silver veil to wear.

 This princess gown makes me laugh.  I can just see sweet Kit Kat wearing the veil and pretending to spook her mommy in the kitchen and her daddy in the study as he writes papers for his Masters degree.  WWWOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Can't forget the twin raviolis.  They will be dressed as Pebbles and Bamm Bamm.  Soft fleece and bones for her hair.  Will keep the little ones warm as I have fleshtone tights and tan polo's for them to wear under the costumes.  Don't want chilly twins on this night either.

 

 My Aurora raviolis did not request costumes but Miss Lili is doing her book report on Helen Keller and it must be delivered orally.  So she asked if I would make her a Helen Keller skirt and apron, just like the one in the movie, "The Miracle Worker".  Of course I would and she will look terrific in it.

As long as I had the sewing machine out, I figured I might as well whip up some flannel PJ bottoms for the Aurora ravs.  Fell in love with this soft, flannel spider camouflage...perfect for the twin boys.  I added an orange and a black t-shirt to the mix as half the fun about wearing PJs if you can were them to just hang around the house.

Oh, and the monkey PJs...for our budding gymnast who swings on apparatus like the little spider monkey that she is.  Added a soft polo the color of the pink monkey cheeks for her comfort as well.  This is sewing that I always enjoy, making costumes and clothes for my raviolis. 

Have a wonderful Tuesday.  Sea Witch

Italiano di pensiero (Italian thoughts)

Yes, I'm thinking, dreaming, feeling Italian at this moment. My lovely daughter in law, is expecting twins in early September and I am so wishing I could be there right now. So I found myself looking at photos I took of my visit to my son, his wonderful wife and my sweet granddaughter over Thanksgiving last year. They live in Vincenza (just outside Venice) in a lovely Italian stone home with surrounding olive groves. This was my first visit to Italy and I must share that of all of the places I have visited in this world, it was Italy that captured my heart. Extraordinary architecture, delightful people, words that cannot describe art and a marvelous clash of ancient and contemporary. I really didn't want to leave. So below are a small few of the hundreds of photos that I took while there.

The front entrance to their home. An unexpected snow storm laid a lovely blanket of white over everything and only the day before it was summer temps.

Snow covered persimmons in their yard. I love the brilliant orange against the field of black and white.

Looking down the olive lined path behind their house. It was magical.

The snow had just melted off the pink hydrangeas found in the Olympic Gardens in the Teatro Olimpico.

The Teatro Olimpico or Olympic Theater is one of my favorite stops in Vincenza. This theater, built above the dungeons of a ruined castle, was begun just six months before Andrea Palladio's death in 1580 and completed by his son, Silla Palladio, and the architect Vincenzo Scamozzi in 1585. It is the oldest surviving indoor theatre in Europe. The Olympic gardens are beautiful with marvelous sculptures everywhere.

This sculpture of the woman bearing loves of bread & persimmions in her apron makes me smile.

A perfect example of the clash of the ancient and the contemporary. I love the artistic layout of this old Vicenzin road and yes autos still drive over it.

This ancient fountain is found in Florence and is part of 5 cherubs that spill water into a trough for the cities horses. Now it is used for children to play in and birds to drink from.

...and the reason I came to Italy last year, to spend time with my granddaughter...my little 3-cheese ravioli as I call her. She knew that grandma-ma would arrive with a bag of tricks full of costumes made just for her of her favorite Disney characters. Here the little Tinker Bell is pretending to awake because if you truly believe in fairies than you clap your hands. Now I must plan play costumes for two more grandchildren...how much fun for me.