Photo of the Week

Be so THANKFUL that we don't have to dress our little ones like this anymore! This poor, sweet little girl, imprisoned by her finery and that bonnet to end all bonnets. It's her best dress, immortalized for this photo, and she was carefully ironed and styled by her proud mama, but all I can hope for that's positive is that it was not summer when this photo was taken.

Bonnet ruffles lovingly starched and fluffed out totally mashing down her hair, that huge yoke on the dress that you couldn't eat in lest a drop of anything ruined it, the heavy pleats, the pantalettes just visible, the hugely long sleeves and those itchy-looking stockings...toddler girl, you were a good sport.

It's an antique photo to buy here.

Costume History

As a costume designer, details make me so happy, and I especially love the 19th century. I am addicted to BBC dramatizations of my favorite novels and am glad that they are churning out a tenth adaptation of Persuasion and Jane Eyre.

I started making these widgets last year and looked for images in my costume history books and from digital image sellers so I could make my own graphics. Often the images consist of an amazing amount of layers; item itself (say, a corset), a background layer, maybe some period handwriting, lace, a fabric pattern, type, and added color. They are very time-consuming to make and afterward have to be reduced for the tiny domino tile, yet be readable. Fortunately, I have Photoshop, and have learned by doing, which has worked out nicely for me so far, though I'd love to take classes in advanced techniques someday.

The images are then printed out on heavy paper and attached to the tiles, then sealed. I run brass wire that I have oxidized through the tiles, add bead caps if I want a more period look, and then add the embellishments that I think will complement the subject.

They are rather labor-intensive but are fun to make. I hope to add more costume pieces from other periods - I'm currently moving into the 18th century and slowly but surely intend to go backward as far as costume history allows.

I made a bracelet using a medieval illumination that I found, and it's one of my favorite pieces.

In Which I Snag And Lose A Treasury, Unexpectedly

There was a huge hiccup in the Treasury this afternoon and I grabbed one. Naturally I blanked on a title as I had nothing planned.

I chose the Victorian Gentleman as my subject - it won't get a lot of views or clicks, but I like it! Some of my items are alternates.

But guess what? It was deleted sometime in the afternoon when I was out. Oh well, I'll just have to re-create it someday.