Catherine Moore

Artful Storybooks, Having my Cake and Eating it too!

In just a week or two the release of Terry Taylor's book The Artful Storybook will be available for purchase, at long last!  It may come as a surprise (or perhaps not), just how long it takes for a book to come to fruition.  Terry Taylor wrote to me the first week of March 2007 to invite me to participate in this project, just a few months after the release of the Copolla movie in video (and I have since watched it no less than a dozen times).  I had just introduced my newest collection of stamps, The Mad Tea Party, and had several Marie-type projects underway, including the Mad Tea Marie shadowbox shown above, and answered Terry with a proposal to do a Queen of Tarts story based on the life of Marie Antoinette.  I was pleased to be invited and even more excited that my proposal had been accepted.  I spent many many weeks completely immersed in my storybook project until I reached the mailing deadline just prior to leaving for vacation.  It was a complex multi-faceted project, with a story to write and illustrate, as well engineering the actual doll-theatre-book.  Since then, it has been a roller coaster ride for me because a photo of my storybook was selected for the "fake cover" (the one shown on Amazon) with no guaranty that it would be the actual cover.  A few weeks ago Terry wrote to say that I had in fact made the cover, although the art department went with a different photo. 

Though this was my first cover, the project was a win win proposition for me.  The introduction of Artful Storybooks on Amazon (fake cover and all) just happened to coincide with the release of my newest line of stamps, The Queen of Tarts.  Though I had several ideas percolating for my new collection, I had also spent the better part of the previous year reading Marie Antoinette biographies, and Queen of Tarts won my heart! 

In just a few short weeks, I will be off on my summer vacation once again and hope to have a copy of Artful Storybooks when I leave.  I have a few copies on order too, so if you need one they will be available on my web site www.CharacterConstructions.com 

Marie, the nature loving queen, really captured my heart and imagination.  There are several more Marie inspired projects that will be published in the coming year, most of which I am not at liberty to discuss.  What a magic carpet ride I have been on, and come May 31st we will have a grand finale of sorts when the Theatre Troupe submits work for a Marie Antoinette -- Project Runway-style -- Theatre des Modes production.  Stay tuned . . .

The Queen's Little JewelBox Theatre

Restored in 2001, but not open to the public until now, the Petit Theatre de la Reine (the Queen's little theatre), one of the finest historic theatres in Europe, is a true jewel (bijou) hidden amid the greenery of the Trianon gardens, which now reveals a little-known side of Marie-Antoinette's life. The Archduchess of Austria learned how to act in preparation for her marriage to the Dauphin of France, the future Louis XVI. Her mother, Empress Maria Theresa, had her surrounded by French actors in order to improve her French pronunciation. Marie-Antoinette adored the theatre, to the point of later daring to have The Marriage of Figaro by Beaumarchais played at the Petit Trianon, even though it had been banned by the king. The delightful little theatre built for her in 1778-79, is a jewelbox, with blue hangings, decorative pasteboard sculptures, a gold-embroidered silk taffeta curtain and a huge stage larger than the auditorium. Here she performed pieces by her favourite authors in the King's presence and in front of members of her inner circle and sometimes in company with some who regularly played opposite her. She played soubrettes or shepherdesses before her servants who, in a reversal of roles, applauded the Troupe des Seigneurs (Lord's Troupe).

   

Theatre des Modes

For those of us in the Theatre Troupe, fashion week is just two weeks away.  Time to put the finishing touches on our theatres and fashion designs as the May 31 deadline approaches. 

I found this little homage to my great grandmother Catherine while going through an old journal this morning and thought I'd share as it reminded me that she was the one who inspired my love of fashion.  I wrote this back in 1999 and called it The Gift.

The old trunk had been stowed away many years ago, but I am determined to find it no matter how long it takes.  How could something so large escape my attention for so long? After weeks of searching, finally the dusty trunk reveals itself in a dark recess of the garage loft.  In my delirium, I nearly fall off the ladder heaving the unwieldy trunk to the table below. Raising the lid, the object of my treasure hunt is at last exposed. For inside the trunk, I find the time-worn box covered in a flowery remnant of wallpaper from my grandmother's bedroom. It was in this box that I had placed gran's gift. My mind wandered as I gazed into the open box, transported back in time to my gran's sewing room. The air is perfumed with her rosewater and the sound of our laughter charges the room. I can feel the cool china buttons on her dress pressed against my flushed cheeks, as we whirl around the room.

You see, as a pre-teenage girl, I spent all my summer vacations with my grandparents in Pennsylvania. I would leave home as soon as school was out and return the weekend before school resumed. For three consecutive summers, my great grandmother Catherine, for whom I was named, had been sharing with me her love of fashion and design. We whiled away the hours in her basement sewing room. A largish room with massive curtain-less windows. It was here that she placed her work tables to make the most of the sunlight and hillside vista. Along the remaining walls were the many bookcases which housed her vast collection of fabrics, threads, laces, trims and tiny drawers of every kind of button imaginable. A life-long lover of fabric, she had collected textiles from all over the world, and the expansive collection was meticulously arranged by color on open shelves. Her finer fabrics and treasured buttons were stored in armoires away from the light.

In spite of the size of the room, it was cozy. She had arranged two magnificent armoires mid-room, like partitions, making the sewing areas more intimate. The worktables were shop-worn, recycled from an old textile mill.  Their patina was dark and distressed, and they resonated a history all their own. Her three mannequins, stately remnants of a former life, were positioned near the work tables. Two of the three were always swathed in fabrics and various elements of in-progress designs. The third, a french one, was my favorite. It was adorned with black velvet ribbon from which dangled silver scissors. The flaxen form also flaunted antique hat pins, glass quilt pins, an assortment of jewel-toned Hermes scarves, and was crowned with a pink pillbox hat and veil.

Each morning, gran would bring out the over-size sketchbooks and we would sit in the garden perfecting our drawings for the end-of-summer show, which was expertly modeled by a melange of trendy dolls. Once our designs were ready for production, we would spread newsprint on the cutting tables and gran would instruct me on garment construction.  When we eventually stitched the outfits together, the quest for the perfect trims and buttons would ensue.  This was my favorite part of the process, as Gran would permit me to search endlessly through the drawers and drawers of beads, trims, sequins, pearls, ribbons, feathers and buttons.

This summer, like the previous two, gran had put together a basketful of fabric scraps and trims accumulated from projects over the course of the year.  The basket was brimming with colorful treasures, which I would linger over for many months, savoring each fragment and dreaming of new creations. While gran had hinted of a "special something," I was unprepared for what was about to unfold. Next to my scrap basket, was a doll-sized mannequin.  The linen form stood approximately 18 inches in height, complete with black stenciled serial numbers (a mark which appears on all fine french mannequins), and was poised atop a black iron stand. My very own dressmaker's mannequin had been meticulously stitched and now awaited me. In my exuberance I reached out to hug gran, and we began to dance about the room.

Sadly, this was to be our last summer in the sewing room. I treasure the time I had with my great grandmother and the special memories she crafted. It is those memories from which I draw upon now to share with you my affinity for fashion design.

A Night at the Georgia Aquarium

Ocean Voyager is one of the exhibits that we had the pleasure of seeing last night at The Georgia Aquarium.  This is my husband Dale poised next to one of the denizons of the deep.  Our group enjoyed the rare pleasure of having the aquarium all to ourselves for several hours.  We spent a most enjoyable two hours roaming the exhibits and then sat down for a dinner show of sorts, entertained by a trio of Beluga whales.  We were surprised to learn just how sociable they are, and seemed to be enjoying the "human show" immensely, particularly the younger members of the group whom they played with endlessly over the course of the evening.   

Upon entering the Ocean Voyager exhibit, a glass tunnel that took us through the deep water tank, I discovered Mr. Blue Fish lurking in a dark corner.  I engaged him in a brief conversation, and we bonded.  He followed us from window to window as we made our way through the exhibit.  I have yet to do my research on exactly what species he is, but it was wonderful to interact with and bond with such a charming fish (and he truly was)!

 

 

Good Wine, Good Food, Good Friends

Greetings from The Assemblage Studio (well sort of, I'm now back at my computer)! 

Thank you Lisa Cook for sharing your pics.  Lisa Cook drove in from Amherst, WI and joined us Friday night for the Paper Doll Social.  It was so nice to finally meet her and Linda Warlyn (St. Charles, IL), my fellow nature study friends.  Our Earth Day weekend event was organized by Teresa Gifford, owner of The Assemblage Studio (a studio, a gallery and a shop chock full of all sorts of indispensible items for mixed media artists).  The first pic is of me shortly after my flight from Atlanta touched down in Green Bay on the evening of our social, and what a special evening we had, thanks to Teresa's thoughtful planning and a little help from Joanna (aka Shop Girl).  The wine was exquisite and the cheese, well we were in Wisconsin what else do I need to say folks?! 

From left to right, here's Linda Warlyn (check out her beautiful feature in the current issue of Somerset Studio), Lisa Cook (one of the contributing artists in Terry Taylor's new book The Artful Storybook), and myself.  The next pic is of the lovely Teresa Gifford, talented artist and workshop organizer, followed by my friend Mary Ann McKeating (Janesville, WI).  And that's Pat modeling a fabulous paper crown (notice that it is made with Character Constructions paper dolls) artfully designed and hand-crafted by Teresa Gifford. What a brilliant idea, a paper crown crafted with paper dolls . . . I love it!  Finally, a pic of Joanna, aka Shop Girl, who treated us all like royalty and gave Teresa a much needed break so she could have a little fun too!

Thank you Teresa No. 2 (best friend to Teresa No. 1) and Mary Ann for sharing your pics.  Thanks to their generosity, I have tons more photos to share and will be posting them in a separate photo album.

The Artful Storybook

Terry Taylor's book, The Artful Storybook, should be available for purchase around late May early June.  I received an e-mail from Terry today with this photo.  He was writing to let me know that though I am still his cover artist, they are using a different pic.  This is Terry holding up the final edition with an illustration from The Queen of Tarts on the cover.  My family and Character Constructions keep me pretty busy so I don't find a lot of discretionary time in my schedule and therefore don't submit all that much work for publication, so it's really exciting to find my artwork on any cover but particularly this one as so many highly respected artists contributed to this book.  Check it out on Amazon for the star-studded line-up!

In January I received an invitation from Quarto, a London-based publisher and sister company to Quarry here in the U.S., to author a book for them but had to turn it down because I didn't feel I could give it the time and attention it deserved.  I hope that some day I will have the opportunity to write and publish a book or two, but in the meantime I am so very honored to be asked to contribute to books by talented authors such as Terry Taylor at Lark Books, and Sandra McCall. 

Sandra McCall's new book, The Savvy Crafter's Guide to Success, just arrived in the mail.  Many of you have written to me for advice on getting your work published, producing a product line of your own, as well as teaching and a whole lot more.  I am always honored to be asked and highly encourage others to follow their bliss.  This book answers a lot of questions for those of you interested in taking your artwork to another level.  I counted 25 contributing artists offering sage advice on how to get started, get organized, get noticed, teaching, and just about anything you would want to know about this business.  Hey, and I only  just noticed that my Delicate Nest altered book made the final cover, albeit the back cover.  I'm taking this as a good omen, as I will be teaching The Delicate Nest altered alphabet book this weekend at The Assemblage Studio in DePere, WI.   

Thanks for dropping by for a visit.  See you at The Paper Doll Social on Friday night! ~ Catherine

Paper Doll Social (Marie at le petit hameau)

Happy Earth Month! 

Because my visit to The Assemblage Studio falls on Earth Day Weekend, I wanted to do something to honor the earth.  For the occasion of our Paper Doll Social on Friday night , I designed a project with vintage seed packets. My friend Jackie Peters shared these seed packets with me and when she did I promised to put them to good use.  In fact, I promised to make paper dolls with them, and re-purposed and recycled most of the materials used in this project.  I selected Marie Antoinette, the original nature girl, to wear the seed packet dress.  If you've seen the movie Copolla movie or read Queen of Fashion, you know that Marie enjoyed a more casual attire during her days at le Petit Hameau.  La reine and her friends would dress in simple muslin frocks like shepardesses and the sheep would be bathed and beribboned for their parts in the fantasy. 

The paper doll on the left is wearing a vintage seed packet, Forget-Me-Nots (Myosotis) No. 2155. Most of the other elements of her costume are of a neutral palette.   I aged some old paper doilies, used snippets of lace from a large commercial size bale I found at the thrift store ages ago, old buttons from Lakewood Antiques, a spool of white ribbon (also aged with paint), and a few other items I unearthed in my studio. 

I also want to share the seed packet paper doll that Jackie sent me this past fall. 

Looking forward to our upcoming art retreat, visiting with old friends, and finally having an opportunity to meet some new friends!

Cooper's Hawk

This is a Cooper's Hawk, one of a pair that nests nearby.  Each Spring he or she returns around this time and our neighborhood is awed by its presence.  The trees have not leafed out yet, so they are easy to spot.  Last week while working in my studio on a particularly beautiful day I had the windows open.  It was sunny but cool and breezy.  There was quite a lot of fussing among the bird population outside the window and I glanced out to find the pair sitting in one of the oaks just a few feet away.  I don't know what all the excitement was about but I was spellbound watching them.  Little did I know that I would be having an even closer encounter on Easter Sunday. We were relaxing after dinner in our family room and I saw one of the hawks gliding across the backyard.  I walked out onto the porch to get a better look and just as I did, it came floating up to the screen and clung to it.  We were eye to eye and I was every bit as terrified as it was. I think it was surprised by our cat Prince and just barely made it to the screen and out of harms way (I think Prince was in just as much danger).  Unfortunately one of it's talons became caught in the screen.  After reading Mary Alice Monroe's book Skyward last summer, I knew that freeing it was risky business.  These birds have powerful beaks and talons, and can do some damage if they feel threatened.  My husband (who did not read the book) gently worked the talon loose and freed the hawk.  It's mate was posted in a tree and screeched loudly throughout the rescue, adding to the drama.  By the way, I highly recommend any of Mary Alice Monroe's books, she is a naturalist as well as an author and all her books are nature centered.  Last summer I happened to be reading Skyward while visiting Colorado Springs.  The story evolves around a wounded Bald Eagle that is rescued and taken to a sanctuary to convalesce.  Coincidentally, one night while visiting a local ranch we were entertained by a wildlife group accompanied by four birds of prey, one of which was a Bald Eagle.  If you read the book you will understand just how affected I was to have had the rare opportunity to see one of these exquisite creatures.  The last pic below shows our Cooper's Hawk just seconds before it flew away with its mate. 

The Delicate Nest

"We are but birds of passage and must build our nests out of what materials we can find." ~ Lady Wilson 1889

The Delicate Nest is a class for alphabeticians, collectors, and lovers of birds and nature. 

Join me on April  18 - 19, 2008, at The Assemblage Studio in DePere, Wisconsin.  In the studio, we will be working with a found book, or a journal, to create a vessel within which to tuck found feathers, scraps of paper and thread, quotes, snippets of poetry, love letters, etc.

During our weekend together, we will also be working with Silhouettes, a project for figurative artists and conceptual couturiers.  Our paper figures will be layered with memories as well as paper and paint.  Dresses embody histories and prompt memories.   They are archetypical.  They are corporeal, the dresses worn by our mothers and grandmothers.  They are the building blocks of a visual language.   We will discuss ways in which to display your work in antique doll trunks and shadowboxes. 

  And do plan to attend the opening night reception and paper doll social Friday, April 18th.  It's Earth Day weekend and I have something special planned for our paper doll! 

Please e-mail me if you have any questions! ~ Catherine

Palimpsest

Palimpsest (pāl'ĭmp-sěst') A manuscript that has been written on more than once, with the earlier writing incompletely erased and often legible.  This wonderful word seems to perfectly describe altered books, and particularly my Reliquary Journal. As a lover of books and words, I had to share. 

My reading today, Orvieto Dust, is pulling me ever so gently away from Marie Antoinette (but only momentarily) and further back in time.  I am feeling so distracted by many things in my life currently, but most particularly by my plans to teach in Orvieto in September of 2009 (only 19 months to go).  I know I need to get re-focused on my fashion theatre.  Oh there are so many wonderful avenues to explore and so little time.  But, my back is feeling so much better and come Monday morning, I will be back in Rose Bertin mode.

Hope you are all enjoying a spectacular weekend.  It feels like Spring here in Peachtree City today!

Join Me on an Adventure In Italy

September 27 - October 3, 2009

Good News and More Good News!  I feel great and thank you all for your thoughtful notes while I was giving my back a rest.  The other good news is that two weeks ago I received an invitation from Kristin Steiner to lead a workshop in Italy in 2009.  I knew that the last thing I wanted to do was travel to Italy and spend all my time locked away in a studio, so when this invitation arrived I was very excited because Kristi and her husband Bill approach their "travel to learn" Adventures in Italy in an entirely different manner.  The day's intinerary is planned so that we can experience Italy and take impressions back to the studio to inspire our journaling. 

After much discussion and planning, I invite you to join me on an adventure in Italy for The Journal as Reliquary. During our studio time we will transform a book into an illuminated manuscript and journal of our experiences.  We will EXHUME the richly layered history of Orvieto, EXPLORING her medieval Etruscan influences, gothic architecture, and Renaissance art.  Each day's EXPERIENCES will inform the work we do. This workshop retreat is experiential, as well as process and project oriented. At the end of the week, you will travel to your next destination with a host of new and exciting art processes, an appreciation for Orvieto's Art & Architecture, and a beautiful memento.  My workshop adventure is entitled, The Journal as Reliquary.  By definition, the journal is both a relic and a reliquary. 

"The pearls were split; some lost, some stolen, and some as relics kept. ~ Tennyson"

Reliquary - (Rel"i*qua*ry) [LL. reliquiarium, reliquiare: cf. F. reliquaire.] A depositary, such as a journal.

Relic - (Rel"i*c) Something that has survived the passage of time. An object kept for its association with the past; a memento. That which remains; a remnant. Anything preserved in remembrance. An antiquity that has survived from the distant past.  Something of sentimental value, such as memories of a journey.

ITINERARY:  September 27 - October 3, 2009

BREAKFAST:  served at Lodovico from 8 - 9 )  The nuns put everything out at 8:00 am. This allows most everyone to eat, visit a bit and still get to the studio (or tours) by 9:00.
LUNCH (siesta):  1 - 3 PM
DINNER:  Varies according to tours and activities planned
10:00 PM Return to Lodovico each evening by 10 PM

ITINERARY: 
Sunday:  Check in
6:30 - 7 PM:  Meet in courtyard, introductions, group dinner in Orvieto

Monday:
Breakfast
9-9:15 Introduction to Lodovico by Bill & Kristi
9:15 Studio Session:  (Orientation and RELIQUARIOS:  Gilding, collage and layering techniques)
1 - 3 Lunch
3 - 4 Etruscan Influences: Cave tour
4 - 5:30 Citta Slow Introduction to Italian culture, Guided Walking Tour & Wine Tasting, then we break for Dinner.  (I will post more on local artisans, art supplies available, etc. in subsequent posts)

STUDIO ACTIVITIES:   We will use gilding and collage techniques to create our Orvieto cover story, then divide our journals into historical chapters (Medieval, Gothic, Renaissance).   Demonstrations:  I will also demonstrate Specters and Calligraphica, two mysterious techniques for blending handwritten entries onto the pages of an altered book style journal.

Tuesday:
Breakfast
9 - 1 Guided Architectural Tour with a focus on Orvieto's Medieval and Gothic influences (San Giovenale, Sant'Agostino, St. Andrews)
1 - 3 Lunch
3 - 6 Studio Session  (ARCHITETTURA: Layering techniques)
7:30  Dinner

STUDIO ACTIVITIES:  In the morning we will enjoy a guided architectural walking tour of Orvieto, taking note of the exquisite details of her pre-Romanesque churches, Byzantine carvings, and Gothic portals.  In our journals we will begin the process of creating layered architectural compositions.   

Wednesday:
Breakfast
9 - 10:30 Guided Tour of the Orvieto Duomo and Capella Nuova
10:30 - 1 Studio Session (ANGELI e DEMONI: Continue work on architectural compositions, incorporating imagery influenced by the art and architecture of the Duomo.
1 - 3 Picnic Lunch at Lodovico
3 - 4  Studio Session (work toward completing architectural compositions)
4 Cooking Lesson (Pasta-making lesson which results in our dinner)

STUDIO ACTIVITIES:  A guided tour of the Duomo's Gothic architecture; bas relief and bronze sculptures on the facade, Maitani's portals, Emilio Greco's bronze doors, and the Renaissance frescoes of Luca Signorelli, will inspire further layering of our in-progress architectural compositions. 

Thursday: 
Breakfast
9:15 - 10:30 Weekly Marketplace (shop for group picnic lunch to be held at Lodovico)
10:30 - 1 Studio Session (VERDIGRIS: Surface treatments for the final layer of our architectural constructions)   
1 - 3 Picnic Lunch at Lodovico
3:30 Palazzo Vineyard tour and wine tasting.  "Things at Palazzone are so full of Italian hospitality. It is hard to know exactly when we might return. We just let Giovanni talk and pour and we soak in every morsel of the landscape and the history. We'll get back well in time for dinner. Perhaps we will even see the sun setting, casting its amber glow on the golden mosaics of the Duomo. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh."
Dinner

STUDIO ACTIVITIES:  In the studio we will tie together all the elements or our in-progress architectural  compositions, working with oil pastels and stamped textural elements.

Friday:
Breakfast
9 am - 1 Studio session (VENI VIDI VINO:  Incorporating photo transfers from wine country)
1 - 3 Pizzeria Lunch
3 - 6 Studio session (tie up loose ends)
6:30  Bring journals to the enoteca (wine bar) to drink some vino and share

STUDIO ACTIVITIES:  Working with photos of the surrounding valley, we will create a watercolored landscape of our day in wine country.  (After a demonstration of the photo transfer technique in the morning, participants will be free to stay in the studio, or wander Orvieto, take in any last minute shopping, etc.) 

Saturday:
Breakfast
Depart Orvieto

A few notes from Kristi on Lodovico, B&B and studio space are situated at the same site:  "We have stayed there 6 times over the past 5 years and have found it to really be like a HOME. It is run by 3 nuns who do not wear habits. This huge old building once was a very active convent, then a school for young girls, and now is living a very new life.  For the past 3 years or so, the convent has been reinventing itself as a Bed and Breakfast hotel. The rooms have been fully remodeled, are very modern, clean and well looked after.The bathrooms are impeccable, with towels replaced once during the week. What I love about the rooms is their simplicity. Each usually has a charming piece or two of antique furniture....like an old wardrobe or desk. It feels like you are in an Italian home, with cherished belongings around you. Most every room has a wonderful view of either the valley below or the courtyard. There are two elevators if students need them, internet availability in one of the studios, and the most inviting courtyard and garden. It is one of the things our past participants have raved about the most. They love it and really find it hard to leave."

AND on the evening stroll or PASSEGGIATA,

"About evening strollings, sippings and dinings. Yes...evening is such a wonderful time in Italy. Starting around 6:00 or so, village folks come out from everywhere to participate in the passeggiata....the evening walk. Grandmothers link arms with granddaughters, small children chase and play, young mothers push baby carriages. Everyone comes out to visit and to be seen. It is the most fun to grab a table at an outdoor cafe and watch the whole thing unfold. We love doing this, sipping an aperitif or a cold beer and just people watching for an hour or so before dinner.

There are several wine shops that offer tastings throughout the day and into the evening as well. We also have 2 favorite wine bars to suggest - one is the enoteca where we will meet with our journals on Saturday and it is fun and available most evenings. They do a good job of discussing their large
selection of wines.

About dining...yes, we can suggest many of our favorite places. Some take reservations and we have their numbers. We both have phones that work in Orvieto and would be happy to make reservations. You may very well spy places in your own wandering that intrigue you. We can advise wherever possible. In all the years we've been going to Orvieto, we have yet to eat everywhere. So much good food, so little time!"

COST:  Six nights' stay in Orvieto (breakfast included), plus all Daily Tours listed above and the Reliquaries Workshop is $2395.00, with the Companion Tour being $1795. 

 

Vogue

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day Greetings,

Wanted to share a beautiful Valentine that I received from my friend Barbara Smith. I just visited her blog and, as always, was completely WOWed by how many beautiful new pieces of artwork she has created.  I had not visited her blog for a while, I've been off line a lot lately due to an injury I'm trying to heal from.  I forgot to do my usual stretching regime before spin and injured my back.  Nothing serious, but I've not been by to visit any of my favorite bloggers lately, and if you've been getting one line e-mails from me, that's why.   

I also wanted to share a petite toy theatre that I received from my friend Jackie Peters.  Jackie incorporated one of the papers from my Nesting Grounds paper collection to create the theatre curtains and stage, and stamps from Queen of Tarts to create this exquisite little jewelbox of a theatre.  She also sent me this sweet little Valentine sachet and tag-style card.  Did you notice, she used the large bird cage stamp to create the body (that's thinking outside the box), and the face from The Mad Tea Party collection. I love how she used the text bubbles and tiny tags to embellish the costume.  I have more beautiful, Marie Antoinette-inspired artwork to post, so check back often!  Happy Valentine's Day! ~ Catherine 

French Macaroons

Ever since I saw those luscious Laduree macaroons in Sophia Copolla's Marie Antoinette, I have been tempted to order a box from France.  My only hesitatation has been that they would arrive stale and I would not have the opportunity for the full Laduree experience.  Milena Canonero, whose costumed confections earned her an Oscar for Marie Antoinette, was said to have been inspired by Laduree macaroons.  Of course Marie Antoinette herself may have also been inspired by the colors.  Those of you reading Queen of Fashion along with me know that she was fond of pale colors and tiny prints.

Yesterday, the March / April issue of Tea Time magazine arrived and in it is a recipe for "french macaroons."   French macaroons are delicate, meringue-like and almond flavoured (unlike the dense, chewy American coconuty version -- which is also pretty good).  According to the article in Tea Time, this sweet treat became popular in France in the mid-17th century and didn't evolve much for nearly 300 years.  In the 1930s, bakers at the famed Laduree tearoom and pastry shop in Paris started sandwiching frosting between two traditional macaroons.  They have been described as "at once fluffy, a little chewy, and lightly crisp."  I may still splurge on the Parisian variety, but until then I think I will try this recipe from Tea Time. 

Strawberry Macaroons (makes 40 - 54 cookies, 20 - 27 sandwiches)  1 1/4 C confectioners' sugar, 1 1/4 cups almond flour (available on Amazon.com), 3 large egg whites, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/4 C granulated sugar, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2-4 drops red food coloring, and Strawberry Cream Cheese Filling (see second recipe).

Preheat oven  to 300 degrees F. Sift confectioners' sugar into a medium bowl. Blend in almond flour. In a large bowl, mix egg whites at high speed until foamy, add salt.  Slowly add sugar, blend until soft peaks form. Add vanilla extract and food coloring, take care not to overmix. Gently fold the almond flour mixture into egg whites to incorporate, take care not to overmix. Gently fill a pastry bag (no tip required) with mixture and pipe into 1 - 1 1/2 inch rounds onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake until bottoms of cookies are just set and tops are firm, approx. 20 mins. Take care not to overbake. Remove from oven and allow to cool on parchment sheets. When completely cool, spread a thick layer of Strawberry Cream Cheese Filling on the flat bottom of a cookie.  Sandwich with a second cookie, repeat with remaining cookies.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Filling (makes 1 1/2 cups)  4 ounces softened cream cheese, 3 Tablespoons softened butter, 1 1/2 C confectioners' sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 cup strained strawberry preserves.

Mix butter and cream cheese at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, sift in confectioners' sugar, add vanilla extract and preserves, and blend until smooth.

Fashion Facts from The Queen of Fashion

Queen of Fashion, as you know in fashion one day you’re in and the next day you’re out (and it’s off with your head)

Gazettes des atours – marvelous 18^th century look books containing fabric swatches and shorthand dress descriptions, preserved in France’s Archives Nationales

Pouf – thickly powdered, teetering hairstyles that recreated current events

Poupees de mode or “fashion dolls” were the precursors of both the store mannequin and the runway model – outfitted in doll-sized versions of the latest Parisian styles, commonly known as Pandoras.  These dolls were crucial in disseminating the latest trends coming out of the city that was already recognized as the standard-bearer for international style.  As soon as the Archduchess turned 13 scores of pandoras wearing miniature versions of the robes and gowns proposed for her and included ball gowns, afternoon dresses, robes and petticoats in a score of delicate shades, the silks embroidered with floral designs or silk ribbon appliqué, the borders trimmed with serpentine garlands of silver and gold lace . . . already over-decorated fabrics (trimmed) with fields of artificial flowers, feathers, tassels and silk ribbon bows, rosettes and ruffles, passementerie and beading and costly metallic fringe.

Grand habit de cour – formal court dress of Versailles, cut from the most lustrous brocade that money could buy, lavishly beribboned, tight-fitting low cut bodices, voluminous hoopskirts draped over panniers (baskets fastened to the hips underneath the dress), with long matching trains hanging from stiff pleats behind the shoulders.

Echelle – a “ladder” of billowy satin bows attached over the bodice

Rouge - Makeup of the grand habit de cour included hair briskly coated with powder, pasty white face makeup, cheeks bearing large precisely defined circles of rouge.  This makeup was not so much intended to beautify as much as it was to symbolize royal standing. Heavy rouge was the province of high-born ladies, designed to set them apart from the more drably attired social inferiors.

Marchande des modes, female fashion merchants, offered their services as stylists focusing on readily modifiable, ever changing trimmings and ornaments designed to alter and enhance already made dresses and skirts.  Far more than the garments, they adorned, it was the artful decorative touches of the marchande de modes that established a woman’s flair for dress. Rose Bertin was the marchande de modes that launched Marie Antoinette’s matchless chic.

Rose Bertin’s boutique, was located near the Paris Opera on the rue saint-Honore, which was then and is now, the epicenter of European fashion. Her establishment boasted large windows filled with displays that were designed to divert foot traffic from the Palais Royal.  With their artistic arrangements of bonnets, shawls, fans, spangles, furbelows, silk flowers, gemstones, laces and other accessories, the displays set up a bewitching siren’s song.  Once lured inside, ushered through the door by a liveried footman, potential customers found himself or herself in a setting as luxurious as an aristocrat’s salon:  gilded moldings adorned the ceilings, full-length mirrors and fine oil paintings hung on the walls, and expensive furniture was scattered about among the piles of damasks, silks, brocades, and baubles that announced the place’s true purpose.  Rose Bertin presided over a team of elegantly clothed shopgirls with an air of supreme authority, sometimes even issuing recommendations from the comfort of her personal chaise lounge.

Revolution in Clothing – the last three decades of the 18^th century are considered a fashion revolution as the marchandes de modes emerged as a major force in the French garment industry, driven by increases in textile production and changing attitudes toward consumption. 

Toy Theatre Invitational: Theatre Troupe Formed

Notice to Members of the Theatre Troupe collaborative, if you have not already received your membership invitation to join the newsgroup on Yahoo, please apply for your membership in the sidebar on the left. 

Merci! 

Theatre Siting

I discovered the lady with the theatre in her skirt on the left in Somerset Weddings. She was designed by Lisa Guerin with a stamp from La Belle Epoque collection, Character Constructions of course.  I call her Southern Bella, but if you're looking for her on my web site, it is Clearly Constructed Belle Epoque Plate No. 1, and the bird inside the theatre is Messenger and he/she can be found in the French Laundry Collection, Clearly Constructed Plate No. 9.

Just another thought on theatre making,  Wouldn't it be fun to create a larger scale version of this . . .

It's Saturday morning, so I'm off to the gym for some spin.  Hope everyone has a spectacular weekend!

It All Began With Marie Antoinette and her Shoes!

  I just received an e-mail from Nancy who shared with me a link to her dreamy blog site where she has posted photos of a project that she just finished, Marie Antoinette's shoes rendered in paper.  You must visit her blog Fete et Fleur a place to dream and see two of the most dainty little paper slippers! 

Toy Theatre Invitational

This evening, while researching toy theatres on the internet, I found this magical little blog site:  http://pennyplain.blogspot.com/.  You could spend hours and hours perusing this site and the linked pages.  For those of you participating in my theatre invitational, this should prove to be an invaluable research guide while you are creating your own personal toy theatres. 

The plan is for each of us to create a toy theatre individually that will be published down the road in some format, such as a web site and/or a zine.  We are still organizing and looking for players . . . interested?  If so, please post a comment so that I can keep track of who is playing.  As of yet, we don't have a deadline but this can be an intricate process, so I want to give everyone plenty of time.  I am thinking perhaps late May.

THEATRE TROUPE GROUP:  As of this date (1-22-08) we have fifteen members in our group, but silly me I don't have contact information, so s'il vous plait, please, everyone e-mail me with your contact information:  PostoDelSol@aol.com.  Merci ~ Catherine 

Objects of My Affection and an Invitation

Fashion -- a la Mode, The Pop-Up History of Costumes and Dresses, by Isabelle de Borchgrave, is a book that falls into the category of "objects of my affection."  I wanted to share it today because it is in line with my current obsession and our discussion of Marie Antoinette, as well as that of fashion theatres.  My fascination with dolls grew out of my love of fashion at an early age, but my love of paper theatres developed later in life after I started designing paper dolls.  If you love paper dolls, theatres are a natural progression.  If you are not already there, this little paper confection just might be the inducement!   In this book, there are seven vignettes in all, the one above as well as Egypt, At the Court of Elizabeth I, At the Opera (I have always wanted to create an opera theatre), Art of the Kimono, Coco Chanel, and Fashion as Art.  It's not the best engineered pop-up book, but it is sumptuous in every other way. 

Another book that might be of interest, Theatre de la Mode, an exhibit catalog memorializing the miniature mannequins of the Theatre de la Mode.  The Theatre de la Mode was a collaborative among the most celebrated French fashion houses of the day, and has been said to "visually summarize the espirit de corps and espirit du temps of 1945 - 46 in clothes, accessories and theatrical sets.  The exhibit originally on display at the Musee des Arts de la Mode in Paris, spent four decades at the Maryhill Museum of Art.  I prefer earlier periods in fashion, but loved the theatre sets.

My first real look at antique paper theatres was on a visit to the Folk Art Museum in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  At that time, their collection was housed in niches along an entry wall and protected by a glass barrier. You could see the fronts of the theatres and not much else, a tease that left me wanting to see more!  A few years later, I would have the good fortune to visit Pollock's Toy Museum in London.  I'm going to add a photo album at some point so that you can see a few of my pics from that visit.  Pollocks has a large number of Toy Theatres on exhibit as well as reproductions for sale.  You can also find reproductions for sale at Pollock's Toy Shop also in London, at Covent Garden.  The toy shop is tiny but I found some real treasures there during my visit, including some reproduction jumping jacks.  In fact, it was my visit there and my interest in jumping jacks (the French version of this is the pantin) that led me to design my French Laundry collection which features my contemporary interpretation of a female (Jumping Jaqueline) and male (Pantin ATC) paper doll of this sort. Great fun.  In my research I learned that these articulated paper dolls were actually developed as amusements not for children, but for the wealthy!  Toy theatres, contrastly, have been for generations playthings and enchantments of children, and a handful of adult collectors. 

English toy theatres date to 1811, to a man named William West, a maker of children's theatres and a theatrical print publisher.  He joined forces with another gentleman who had connections in the theatre which led to the creation of a Mother Goose pantomine theatre, and from there the obsession grew to include other children's and adult plays.  Some of West's original creations are on exhibit in Pollock's Toy Museum. 

Over the years, I have enjoyed creating a library on paper toys and toy theatres, but my favorite book is one that my husband surprised me with this past Christmas, Toy Theatres of the World, by Peter Baldwin.  This book is listed on Amazon, but no editions are currently available.  Imagine my surprise when my husband presented me with this rare gift.  Actually, my husband was a great sport and accompanied me to both the toy museum and toy shop during our visit to London, and he found this book without any imeptus from me.  You can find it on Pollock's Toy Shop web site under the heading of Toy Theatres, where you will also find some reproduction theatres for sale.  I also collect reproduction toy theatres, but when I want to create a theatre of my design, these little cardboard ones can be a lot of fun.  I discovered these in a shrine class I took in Federal Way, Washington back in February of 1999.  My journal entry says that I signed on for classes in dollmaking and shrine building.  There were over 50 people present and I was one of only four signed up for dollmaking.  Art dolls were just beginning to pique the interest of the paper arts community.  I chose to make dolls the theme for my shrine as well.

A few years later I reworked my doll shrine (right) to create my first paper theatre, The Theatre of Dreams.  I had just completed my catalog design for the collection and my husband suggested that I create a three-dimensional version for my RSM visiting artist spot (photo below).   

I warned you that I wasn't good with secrets, as you can see I am having a difficult time not sharing my current project, a petit theatre of fashion for The Queen of Tarts, a Jewel Box.  Actually by sharing my "secret" I am sure to stay on task, so check