ULLABENULLA

Its all in the Details

Look at this outstanding 'Barbotine' found on Ebay Belgium! I also adore the pieces known as Palissy Majolica, which often have snakes, ells, frogs, fish, shells and other exotic creatures on them - all in three dimension - like this amazing plate found on the sight belonging to Laurence Vauclairs French Antique shop.

Barbotine \Bar"bo*tine\, n. [F.] A paste of clay used in decorating coarse pottery in relief.

Palissy \Pal"is*sy\, a. Designating, or of the nature of, a kind of pottery made by Bernard Palissy, in France, in the 16th centry. Palissy ware, glazed pottery like that made by Bernard Palissy; especially, that having figures of fishes, reptiles, etc., in high relief.

Le Boudoir et sa Philosophie...

Don't these photos just make you want to visit this shop??? (Anyone have a spare ticket to Paris???) Owner Carla Vizzi invites you to discover the first Boutique Museum of Living History. The Boudoir Philosophy is to allow you to rediscover the Art of Living in the 18th-century around the daily activities of the Boudoir. Oh la laaa... link from ParisMarais.com.

How to Make a Girl Beam!

I was totally flattered to find this BEAUTIFUL COLLAGE in my email today, from one of my favorite bloggers Crust Station! I just love it knowing that so many of you appreciate the wonderful things that I find and share with you!!! Thank you Babelfish for your generousity and creativity as well!!!

Blog Design Changes - New Class Offerings!

In case you haven't noticed, I have been changing the blog around a bit. I decided it would be nice to have my current class offerings posted up front (currently on the left). When you press on the photo you will get a full description and info. on how to sign up! Eventually, I will also add an album that has all of my past class offerings and descriptions in it as well. I hope this will be a nice way for those of you who are interested in my classes, to learn more about them. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY INPUT OR SUGGESTIONS!

I am also thinking of setting up an Etsy shop, where I can sell my finished samples and other goodies... I want to eventually offer 'kits' for some of my classes, for those of you who can't make it to California, so I may set up some other way of purchasing these as well. ANY IDEAS?

(The above photo is for 'Victorian Christmas Ornaments' - a really fun and productive class I will be teaching in November)

Belinda, the Lovely Cheat...

...has a wonderful wardrobe and accessories any girl would love... one could even be slightly tempted to 'cheat' for such a trousseau - well almost...! (Look up-side-down at the last image for a surprise!) again from the John Darcy Noble Collection.

Doll Treasures

A few more treasures from the John Darcy Noble Collection. I especially like the 'wax fruit' mini theatres... can you imagine???

Lobster Anyone???

From the John Darcy Noble Collection.

Wishbone furniture?

Ever wonder what to do with those wishbones you collect? (that is IF you collect them...) Look at these little seats from Antikhaus online. I am not sure if this will entice me to collect more...

Fashion Mongers of the Day

From the blog BibliOdyssey.

Bird Automaton Clock

I couldn't resist showing this one to you too, also from EBAY! Oh to have more money then one needs...

Winter Automaton

In the mood for snow yet? Just look at this wonderful automaton for sale on EBAY! Aren't those little skiers and sleders on the side adorable? I wonder what the selling price will finally be? WOW!!!

Ulla's Dollhouse - Creative Cooking in the Kitchen - part 1

Yesterday I spent a delightful hour or two cooking up some ideas for my dollhouse kitchen mural. I was inspired by a couple of my favorite books: Sara Midda's - 'In and Out of the Garden' and Dorothee Duntze's - "The Emperor's New Clothes'. My thoughts were that I would re-draw the illustrations and make all the little people wear white 'Cooks uniforms and dresses', so that the vegetables were all that had real color on them. Ultimately I think they are fun, but too fussy for such a small space. What do you think??? ... more later.

Little Houses...

These illustrations are from one of my favorite childhood books by Swedish artist Elsa Beskow! (my book is in Danish, and is a compilation of her short stories, that I have never seen in print in the states.) I love the idea of a village where each house looks like the owners occupation. WHAT WOULD YOURS LOOK LIKE?

Ulla's Dollhouse - Tiny Splurge and Process

When I was out and about today, I had the wonderful opportunity to take direct inspiration from yesterdays post, and create a 'Marie Antoinette Cake Stand' just for the dollhouse! While brousing a local antique shop I found the tiniest little 'half doll' to use for the top. I hurried home and created the bottom from little wooden odds and ends I had laying around. Just needs a little varnish and it will be all done - Isn't it sweet? I can't wait to make mini 'petit fours' to lay all around it!

I thought you might be interested in seeing how I 'figure out' what I want to do with each room... This is a 'In Progress' photo of the Bedroom, which I have not shown you yet. As you can see, it looks like a teenagers room with clothes etc. scattered everywhere. I am toying with different wallpapers, wainscoting, and using shoes for beds. I also have some wonderful old textiles I want to somehow incorporate into the room. The photocopies leaning on the left side are 'color' inspirations, and a possibile ceiling mural. I get so many ideas, I have to throw everything together, and then slowly eliminate. Hopefully I will be able to show you progress on this room sometime next week...

Princess Cakes

These delightful illustrations were in Cleo Papanikolas 'image books' seen while taking her class last weekend. The top one has a lady made out of paper doilies! Marie Antoinette Cakes anyone???

MUSTARD AND CRESS

Last week I found this wonderful antique children's book, called 'Mustard and Cress - and the Downfall of Burdock', that I wanted to share with you. The inscriptions inside are dated 1879, and 1915 - perhaps handed down from one child to another...

The story is about two little elves, Mustard and Cress, one prickly old elf, Burdock, and a beautiful fairy princess. The illustrations are truly wonderful, and full of nostalgic charm! I wish one could find children's books with as much imagination and whimsy today as this one created over a century ago...

Ulla's Dollhouse - Part 2 - Itty Bitty Progress

This time of year (with Halloween only 2 months away!) so much is happening around here, that I seem to be meeting myself coming and going. I did however have some time to continue work on my dollhouse last week, and as promised, will keep you posted! First, I stained and put in a 'chestnut' floor in the boutique. I also gilded and framed some wonderful old chinese embroideries for the walls, and base painted the 'french door' white. The dressing table has its first layer of pink paint, and the new 'shoe stool' from Mrs. Staggs, was given a hand-dyed velvet cover - hope you approve Lena! I also made a 'ceiling mural' from a 'sky' scrapbook paper and gold Dresden birds. Hopefully it will keep the little ladies calm while they are enjoying their delicious pleasures...

Next came the Monet-green shutters and flower boxes on the front. The house still looks 'too sweet' on the outside to me, but these help. I added a 'House Muse' sculpture over the front door (a ceramic brooch I bought at an art-fair in Minnesota years ago). Every house should have its own muse - don't you think?

On to the kitchen! I was inspired by Carl Larsson's wonderful blue and white kitchen, and put up blue wood paneling that will have a little shelf over it. I am thinking of adding the 'painted' blue/white tiles on top of the white tile floor - the white is so stark... Fresh from Cleo's class I am also envisioning a 'foodie mural' and perhaps even a quote over the windows like Carl has done...

The next room I started was to be the 'childrens bedroom' but has now become the 'children's playroom'! I decided that all the little ladies visiting the boutique (those with small children that is) might find it nice to have a safe place to drop off their little dears, while they enjoy themselves downstairs... I found these wonderful celluloid swans on ebay a few months ago, not really knowing what I needed them for. Now they are to be a special 'Swan Merry-Go-Round' for the playroom. There is of course one Drake in the bunch, for the little tomboy who visits occassionally. (I found a 'lazy susan' mechanism to put underneath so that the 'merry-go-round' will truly be merry and really spin!

Laure of the wonderful blog Laurelines has graciously given me permission to use these Swan drawings for a mural I am planning on doing at 'childs height' on the walls. I also found the original 'christmas card' that my parents gave me when they gave me this dollhouse kit, when I was in my early 20's. Its so sweet, that I am going to frame it and hang it in this room as well. So progess has been made - in itty bitty steps. More soon...

Creating Art 'Mise En Place'

'Mise en place' is a French term referring to having all the ingredients necessary for a dish prepared and ready to combine up to the point of cooking. (Definition from Food Lover's Companion)

Yesterday I had the real pleasure of taking an art class with Cleo Papanikolas (yes she is Greek!) who calls her journals and books "Mental Mise en place" - a place where she can put all her thoughts and ideas in place. I blogged about Cleo in April Here, and was so excited to have the time to take her class at the Castle! Her book Cook Until Desired Tenderness is an inspiring and very creative 'cooking journal' - and a must have for any of you who like to play with art supplies and paper! (the above photo is one of my favorite illustrations from this book - I would love to have this chandelier 'dripping' in my kitchen!)

We spent our day learning 'secrets of the trade' from Cleo and painting, sketching and inking wonderful 'foodie' art... We each worked from one image all day long (I found this very liberating and fun, to do different techniques with one image). First she demonstrated a few of her personally favorite art techniques while drawing and painting a charming little goat. Next she set us loose to play, while she treated us to her own personal 'cooking prose' on the ins and outs, trials and tribulations, of being a cooking writer who creates art 'mise en place' - such a treat!

I chose a photo of a glass pitcher and delectable salad of sorts with a pink background. First I transferred the image onto various papers (Cleo is a master of using found materials in her art) and sealed them in place with medium. Then came the fun part! Using Gouache we painted to our hearts content and dibbled and dabbled - cooking up a wonderful assortment of delicious art... As you can see from my samples, my salad became 'chocolate with whip-cream' at one point, cooking always makes me think of desserts... It was a wonderful day, and my mind is spinning with ideas on how to use my new-found techniques - I am thinking that my dollhouse needs a 'foodie' mural in the kitchen, among other things...

Ulla's Dollhouse - Dreams of a Boutique!

When I put together my dollhouse years ago, the idea was that it was to become a 'Hat Shop'. Well now my visions are grander - and more complicated... I have painted one room on the ground floor a lovely Laduree green, in hopes of making this room a shrine to delicious food (pastries and cake specifically!) and beautiful things to wear (hats in this case!) A place where a woman can feel special and pampered! I created two lovely epergenes out of tiny teacups and 3-tier round shelves which I painted a darker 'Laduree' green. I am thinking of painting the shop counter pink or gilded gold - what do you think?
Next came the tea tables, I still don't like the chairs, (wanting something a bit more substantial and French looking) but these will do till the 'lady of the house' has more money... The dressing table has dreams of being pale pink with pretty little flowers painted on it. And the silver shoe, from dear Mrs Staggs is destined to be the seat one must recline on to admire oneself! The birdcage in the window, (with tiny little birds inside!) was purchased for almost half-off - as some of the little finials are missing. I can't tell - can you?

I have another tiny little teacup, that I have put on top of an old chess piece, in the thoughts of it becoming the vace for a luxurious bouquet by the front door - now I have to learn how to make itty bitty flowers... In the 80's I actually taught a class on how to make dollhouse size hats at a local miniatures shop. The shop is long gone, but I still have the hats! I hope they will be happy in their new home.

I am debating about hanging either tiny mirror tiles in lengths on the walls or pieces of old faded embroidery (you can see a tiny bit of them on the floor) or both... any ideas? I also am thinking of using both gilded and white trim on the walls. I love the idea of using things you wouldn't think of using in a dollhouse - for accessories and furniture (like the teacups). With this in mind, I went searching at one of my favorite places to find old and unusual things in Berkeley called Addison Endpapers and managed to leave with all kinds of wonderful treasures!!! The blue silk will make lovely curtains - don't you agree? And those fish have got to go into the Loo somehow!
Last but not least, I have been toying with the idea of having a mural in the hallway leading into the boutique. One of my paper theater backgrounds (with a lovely Italianite scene) looks fun there. I also thought it would be fun to have a life-size (doll size that is) figure painted on the wall - looking like he is going upstairs! More to come...

Ulla's Dollhouse - Beginnings of the Loo

So what does one do when faced with the daunting task of decorating a home? Start with the smallest room first! - or at least thats what I did! I had these funky old ceramic loo fixtures, and knew I wanted to personalize them. So I covered them in seashells, and added a rusty jewelry finding for the toilet lid. I really like how they turned out. I have a brass chandelier that I want to encrust with tiny shells too, just haven't figured out to do it - gravity wise... Adding to the ocean theme I glued a mexican wooden mermaid ornament onto a big shell, glued tiny shells around the perimiter - and now its a unique backsplash for my 'tea-green' porcelain tub! I want to white or blue wash the wood floor, and add some kind of mosaic or ?? fish-pond scene onto the floor... any ideas??? I am thinking of a ocean-blue paper for the walls over wainscotting... Itty bitty pondering...