ULLABENULLA

Grimoire Of Grace...

I've started a new tumbler account filled with the little things that give us joy.  Called 'Grimoire of Grace' I hope its magic filled pages will inspire simple pleasures in your day to day...

Click HERE to see more.

More IPhone Love...

IPhone Love...

Who knew a phone could be so addictive???  I've been playing with 'Hipstamatic' and 'Instagram' on my Iphone.  But the best $1.99 I've spent in a long long time has been on '8mm' a video app that lets you film in a look reminiscent of the 1920's... Now to figure out how to load it onto a computer...

Sunday Smiles!

A Few More Masks...

A few more masks that I've been creating.  Fanciful fish and a gruff old goat!

What Owls Like...

I was thrilled to hear that one of my customers, after purchasing one of my owl masks, wrote a little poem and posted it on You Tube!  Thank you Margie!!!  You and Owl are truly delightful!

Dragon Familiar at Healdsburg Center For The Arts

I've been invited to participate in a group textile show at the Healdsburg Center for the Arts, June 29th thru August 1st, 2011.  Along with my textile masks and jewelry, I will also be showing this 'Dragon Familiar Wrap' at the show.  I've always loved the idea of having a pet dragon that one keeps wraps around ones neck.  This one has scales of flame bubbled polyester, and bright pink silk wings. His face is created from a multitude of textiles, fur, felt balls and sequins. Although ferocious looking, he is actually quite friendly!

Kitchen Santos

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...

 

New Summer Classes Online Now!

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!

Mask Class At The Castle...

Yesterday I taught my 'Fabric Mask Class' at the Castle!  This class is so satisfying, as everyone goes home with a finished mask (some with 2)  and its always a treat for me to see what students come up with, when using my patterns.  The mask above is my Krampus pattern, but oh how wonderful the transformation! Below are a couple of 'Firebirds, a horned 'Greenman', 'Jackfrost' taking a Carnival twist, and a new student designed and created 'Tiger'!  Bravo!!!

 

Waxed Flowers On Etsy!

I've just added a few Waxed Flowers to my Etsy Shop, and hope to add more very soon!  Enjoy!!!

Woven Heart And Hand Valentine Tutorial...

I've had a number of requests for my 'Woven Heart And Hand Valentine' so I've decided to create a mini tutorial on how you can make your own.  My Mother taught me this technique when I was a little girl, and its always been a favorite of mine.

Step1:

With a pencil, trace your hand (from wrist to wrist) onto the back of a decorative paper .  I've used old sheet music.  Refine the lines, by straightening them - making elegant fingers.

Step2:

Flair out your tracing at wrists on both sides - creating cuffs.

Step3:

With scissors, cut out hand and cuff.

Step4:

Using decorative scissors (I used a small scallop) cut a curved end where cuff will be.

Step5:

Now cut out a heart from a pretty red decorative paper.  I've used a handmade Italian Marbled paper from the Castle.  Make sure your heart fits into the palm of your papercut hand.

Step6:

Gently fold hand in half lenghwise, without creating too hard of a crease.

Step7:

Fold heart in half as well, matching lobes.

Step8:

Now place folded heart over folded hand, so that the heart lies upside down in the center of your hand palm as shown.  Make sure folds are tight together.

Step9:

Holding your heart and hand together, cut 5 slits into both layers, making slits equal distant apart and equal distant in length, and slanted up towards heart curves.   Be careful not to cut slits beyond hand papercut.  I like to start with the center slit and then cut slits above and below.

Step10:

Pull heart from hand and turn so that the hand and heart are facing upwards together.  Place heart on top of hand, and gently slip each cut notch of heart into cut notches of hand.

Step11:

Now gently push down on each tip (starting from top) so that another heart layer shows through.

Weaving will vary depending on length and width of your cuts.  Try a heart with more than 5 cuts for extra complexity!  Hint:  odd number of cuts will always give a pretty end result.

Step12:

Finish off your hand by adding a crepe-paper or doily cuff on the end.

Sign the back and send to your Valentine!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!

Folkart Valentines at the Castle!

Five lovely women joined me in creating Pennsylvania Dutch inspired Folkart Valentines yesterday at the Castle.  Quiet as mice, they cut and painted truly lovely romantic artwork!

Perfecting Violets...

Over the weekend I made these tiny little 'waxed' white violets, following a pattern from a vintage crepe paper flower book. (they are stuffed into a vintage salt shaker)  I was mighty proud of myself, and thought they looked lovely.  Later that day, while walking the dog, I found some real white violets growing in our neighborhood and picked a small bouquet to bring home.  To my dismay, my crepe paper bouquet suddenly looked clumsy, thick stemed and awkward next to the real thing.

So today I decided to try again.  I trimmed my patterns, twisted in spots where I hadn't previously, and used thinner wires.  I know I will never achieve perfection, but I do think I'm closer to the real thing now. Lesson learned - patterns are good, but real flowers are better!

New Waxed Flowers Sample...

This spring, I am offering my Waxed Flowers class in two venues.  First at the Castle on April 16th, and then at Chateau Sonoma on April 30th.  At the Chateau we will be focusing on white flowers, specifically orange and apple blossoms, inspired by my collection of vintage wedding wreaths.  I created this lovely wreath above, as my sample.  See side-bar on right for more details.

Fairy Chariot Birthday Party!

Saturday was a very special day for one of the resident Castle Princesses.  To mark the occassion I was asked to create a 'Chariot pulled by Butterflies with a Fairy inside' class for this 9 year olds Birthday party.  (A students finished chariot is shown above)  Its been a few years since I taught 9 year olds, and I had forgotten how attentive and focused they can be!  They were as quiet as mice for the first half hour - watching, following and creating.  

 

I hadn't expected them to finish their project so quickly!  Karima, Queen of the Castle, came to my rescue and suggested that the girls also create tea-party settings, with toadstool bowls and golden Dresden cutlery.  Suddenly their imaginations were set free...  The Chariots continued to be embellished, some with umbrellas to protect the fairies from rain.  Fairy's were given jewelry and belts.   Little tables appeared, created from crepe paper and corks - kids are so ingenious!   I was thrilled that they could expand on the theme and create magic!  

A table was set up with 'grass' and Fairy Houses, so that the Fairy's had a place to fly their Chariots to, and perhaps even rest on a hammock!

Topping off our party, was a 'Princess Cake' covered in candles, joyous singing and smiles all around!

Fabric Jewelry Party...

I was invited to teach 6 lovely women 'Fabric Jewelry' one evening last week.  What fun they had!  Just look at them modeling their results above!  Wine and Hors d'œuvre were on the menu, conversation flowed and creativity soared!  BRAVO Girls!!!

Chateau Sonoma Heart Box Class Samples!

On February 5th I will be teaching my Valentines Papercut Heart Boxes at Chateau Sonoma, in Sonoma, California.  Press HERE for more information and to sign up!  I just love making these heart boxes, and last week finished quite a few - see below - which are now for sale at Chateau Sonoma.  I also made a special box for my Father, a sailer at heart, with a romantic fairytale ship and plenty of water creatures...

Mask Class Results!

Last weekend I had 10 women join me in creating masks at a shop in Healdsburg called Fabrications. What fun we had!  Wonderful variations on the theme, like turning my 'JackFrost Mask' into a true Mardi Gras confection above, a couple of different Roosters, a Kestrel, and even a green Rabbit!  Just look at these amazing masks!

They Draw And Cook - A Blog!

Every Friday Morning we receive a 'Farm Box' filled with organic fruits and vegetables grown in California. All three of us eagerly await each weeks edible treasures, and I have been loving the challange of cooking with in season, fresh and sometimes unusual vegetables.  Often the best solution is the easiest, a simple stir-fry or raw as is.  Other times, I need inspiration - and will spend hours looking through my cookbooks or going online in search of the perfect delicious recipe.  Today, I discovered a truly delightful blog called "They DrawAnd Cook", filled with wonderful recipes - each illustrated by a talented artist!  What a Joy and feast for the eyes as well as the stomach!  I only wish I had known about this blog when I taught my 'Fairytale Cookbook Class'!  Such Inspiration!!!  Do visit this blog HERE, and brouse the many wonderful catagories for hundreds of recipes that are sure to make you smile as well as feed your soul!

(Press on each image to see it larger)