Tag Archives: rayon ribbon

She'll be Running With Scissors!

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This is a post I've waited a long time to write. Sometime around 20 April, my precious daughter and son-in-law will make my dear friend, Cathy Lind, and me grandmothers of a little girl named Zoë. I won't bore you with a doting grandmother's ramblings. But I will take this occasion to launch a creative project I've had in mind for several years: a couture line for little girls, called Running With Scissors. I'll be introducing prototype styles here at atelier chéri, like the dresses above and below, created for Zoë. These two tiny frocks are repurposed couture -- each was a wispy adult blouse that I restructured as a baby girl's "float," as I like to call them. Chouette (meaning owl), at top, features the tiny pleats and clever buttons of the original, along with olive rayon ribbon rosettes at the shoulders. Lapins aux violettes (rabbits amid the violets), right, was recreated from a voile blouse with the tiniest bunnies all over. The rayon ribbon violets were added. No layette would be complete without the ubiquitous Onesies. I've added some flounce with ruffles all around. Ciel moderne (modern sky), at right, is trimmed with a retro flour sack print that I found at Scott's antique market in Atlanta. Rose baroque (baroque pink), below, is ruffled with a pink and baroque print with tiny bunnies hiding amid the swirls and flourishes. Both feature tiny ribbon blossoms.
Another layette fundamental is the receiving blanket. Nuages à la campagne (clouds in the country), right, is crafted with green cotton flannel, with a Venise trim edging and a felted lamb or bunny at each corner. If you haven't yet touched any of the bamboo sustainable fabrics, do so at your earliest opportunity -- it's as soft as a puff of spun sugar. I found a pack of three bamboo receiving blankets and created Rosier des nuages (rose bush in the clouds), below, featuring roses made of ombre picot ribbon and old French lace. I'll make Zoë one more of these comfy covers and reserve the third one for my own snugly needs!
Nothing says baby like a hand-knitted pair of booties. The pair below, Crème de beurre (butter cream), are set off with flowers fashioned from pastel lace tape and pearls, and silk ribbon ties. I have a collection of old baby knitting books, and I turned to an Australian volume for these.
Every little girl needs a treasure box, and I restored the doll trunk below for Zoë. The figures on top are from a sheet of French paper dolls, and above the clasp is stamped "Mademoiselle."
I filled the chest with all the layette items above, plus a few more, and presented it to Olivia and JR at the magnificent baby shower given by my sisters, Sissy Watson, Kit Reuther and Mickie Marberry; JR's aunt, Kathleen Dillehay; and my best friends, Rebecca Pierce and Carolyn Long. Just a few of the yummy things on the menu: Carolyn's handmade pastel marshmallow peeps, Sissy's pork tenderloin and chicken salad on rolls, and Olivia's favorite, petit fours from Sweet and Sassy, topped with, what else, pink icing booties. It was a wonderful day with dozens of friends -- only to be topped by the day coming up in a few weeks, when we welcome Zoë, as we did her mother, at Baptist Hospital. It sho' will be a happy day! à bientôt...Tatie  

With Marie on my mind

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Trianon cheri

Trianon cheri

The story of Marie Antoinette – her world, her demise – fascinated me early on, as I studied French in high school. It was seminal in my lifelong affection for French culture and civilization. All things Marie Antoinette have captivated creative imaginations lately. Take a look at the recent Somerset/Stampington publication, Marie. I adore the way so many artisans have picked up on the robin’s egg and pale pink of the era.
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We French hand-sewing enthusiasts would call the warm pale blue and pink of the trianon "Giger" pink and blue, after goods made by an old manufacturer of Swiss batiste.

Anyway, looking through Marie, I was inspired to create my Trianon chéri. The original Petit Trianon on the grounds of Versailles is especially fetching.

I began with a papier mâché house box, which I painted with a simple robin’s egg acrylic color, then spattered with brown. For the roof, I started with a base of flat chocolate brown acrylic. Once dry, I applied Tim Holtz’s Crackle Paint in Tattered Rose, which makes me very happy. 
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Torn pieces of Martha Stewart's Flourish paper in palest pink, the edges aged with distressing ink, give a hint of exposed brick or stone.

As a reference to exposed brick or stone, I applied torn pieces of Martha Stewart’s Flourish paper in palest pink. Edges of the paper were aged with Tim Holtz’s Distress Inkpad in Tea Dye.

Next came stamped images in brown from various sources, including the popular Paris set from Cavallini. It’s a lot of fun using an unexpected image as an architectural element. Particularly whimsical is my treatment of the back of the trianon. I really enjoy working with these houses because the back gives you a full surface, a kind of stage if you have a narrative. The couture fashion show is my favorite narrative, and for this one, I used stamps, including one from the incomparable Sandra Evertson. Then, I took some old pink and cream plaid twisted paper rope (wish I still had a source for this stuff) and fashioned a skirt, edged with scalloping scissors, and gathered and wrapped with a piece of Martha Stewart’s wonderful coffee bean-edged pink ribbon.
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Wish I could find more of the old cream-and-pink plaid twisted paper rope I used for my mannequin's skirt.

Finishing touch was the tiny paper roses at the front windows. I applied a couple on the side of the house with their wire stems, which gave the look of wild roses climbing up the side of the house. The foliage is model train moss. (I’d like to hear other ideas for foliage – not thrilled with the moss.) It’s only natural that my first collage house would be a trianon and that it would carry so many Marie Antoinette nuances. I’m thinking my next inspiration will draw from Provence or the European garden folies – or maybe a little of both. À bientôt…Tatie

Lambie Pie

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Lambie Pie, from a 1938 pattern

Lambie Pie, from a 1938 pattern

This snuggly little fellow, from a 1938 pattern, was created from a wonderful old piece of robin's egg felted wool that I found at Baer's fabric store during a visit to Louisville. Sadly, Baer's closed last year, and I got by there on one of the last days. It was one of those grand old downtown stores that sold "piece goods" -- they grow scarcer every day. I bought the bolt that produced Lambie Pie. Add a little chocolate brown felt and a few stitches of hand embroidery, and voila! A first toy for my godson, Hank.   
Lambie Pie's little bell is securely attached to a brown rayon ribbon, from Martha Stewart crafts.

Lambie Pie's little bell is securely attached to a brown rayon ribbon, from Martha Stewart crafts.

  I collect original old patterns (I'll be sharing my creations from them here), but I have been known to acquire a good copy, including the one for Lambie Pie. It came from MJ's Vintage Patterns  on eBay -- well worth a visit. MJ's patterns come come complete with a color copy of the front cover (below).  
From the original Lambie Pie pattern, available through MJ's Vintage Patterns on eBay

From the original Lambie Pie pattern, available through MJ's Vintage Patterns on eBay

If you'd like to purchase a piece of the felted wool I used for my Lambie Pie, please contact me at ateliercheri@gmail.com. A bientot!...Tatie