A History of Fashion

My friend Janney invited me to an art exhibit at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.  It is called Fashioning Fashion: European Dress in Detail, 1700-1915.

The museum's description:
The Exhibition tells the story of fashion's aesthetic and technical development from the Age of Enlightenment to World War I.

Janney and I were fascinated with the amount of layers that people had to put on everyday.  And we couldn't get over the equipment like corsets and bustles that had to go under a dress.

This one reminded us both of something Jane Austen might wear.

Then after viewing all those beautiful dresses, we had to go get 

coffee and pastries at the Farmer's Market to celebrate the fact that 

we don't have to wear corsets and bustles!

Here's my friend Janney enjoying her treat.

On the LACMA website there is even a chance to 

download some of the patterns of these amazing garments.

http://www.lacma.org/art/ffpatterns.aspx

Party Invitations

My daughter is turning 5 and wants a Pink Princess Dinosaur Party.  You may have guessed, there are no pink princess dinosaur party invitations out there.  So, I decided to make one.

Here's the drawing.

Here's the watercolor painting.

Here's the finished invitation and a very happy little girl!

Amazing Studios

I have been planning to redo, or at least reorganize my studio for some time now.  I have recently moved into a smaller space and I have to rethink what I really need.  I don't know about the rest of you out there but, I really hate to throw away art supplies when I think there is some possibility (however remote) that I may use them in the future.  I also need to rearrange for a better work flow.  I spend a lot of time just searching for what I need.  Somehow I always end up having piles and piles of STUFF covering every work surface.  So first item on the agenda:  PILES OF STUFF have to go.

In my search for how other artists arrange their studios, I came across this really organized and pretty studio belonging to designer Nicole Balch on her Making it Lovely blog.

Disneyland

My daughter's little cousin, Makena, just turned 5.  

We went to Disneyland for her birthday.

Keri (Makena's mom), Makena and Sandra on Main St.

With Minnie Mouse.

Makena and Sandra in front of Walt Disney and Mickey's Statue

First stop, the tea cups of course.

Tea cup twirl!

At the Princess Fantasy Faire getting some face painting done.

Sandra with her pink dinosaur and hearts.

Posing at the Princess Fantasy Faire.

In Minnie Mouse's kitchen.

Driving the fire truck in Toon Town.

The Apartment

I love Gillian Holroyd's apartment in "Bell Book and Candle".  I think it is amazing that this stage set from 1958 could easily be in a current issue of "House Beautiful".

The tea set I need to have!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Here are the little heart flower lollipops we made for my daughter's preschool class.  I saw them in an old issue of Family Fun magazine.  They are called Friendship Blossoms.  I thought they were so cute.  And I want to teach my daughter that people appreciate hand made gifts.   But after I realized how many I needed to make in a short period of time, I was wishing I had just  bought some pre-made cards.

I do this to myself for every holiday, whether it is baking or making a craft.  I always pick at least one project I really don't have time for and then I am scrambling to finish it.

But after seeing how proud my daughter was to take her pretty basket full of Friendship Blossoms to class I'm glad I took the time to make them.

directions here