Faux Tortoise Shell Finish
Tortoise shell with its warm neutral tones has been used in design as a decorative veneer on furniture, boxes, jewelry, and picture and mirror frames.
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Style Notes 1
Lingering over the Sunday New York Times Style section and T Magazine insert is a pleasure not to be missed. My focus is on these sections that provide me with ideas and inspiration related to lifestyle, fashion, and interior design including stories about the people who create fashion and interiors. When we lived in Galveston, Texas we used to walk to a local shop where they made breakfast burritos and sandwiches. You could buy a paper from the stack and sit on a stool at the counter, alternately reading the paper and watching traffic go by on the Seawall Boulevard.
On Being a Vintage Book Bibliophile
As defined in Wikipedia a bibliophile is “an individual who loves and frequently reads or collects books. This image of a painting by Pierpaolo Rovero, ‘Past Present Future,’ is indicative of the way we readers understand the power of books to take us to unknown places, allow us to try on the lives of others, provide information and inspiration, give us comfort…there are infinite connections between books and readers.
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Decorative Wall Panel Restyling
When the Milieu Magazine comes in the mail it’s time to stop everything and take a first look, wandering through the images and previewing the text. The 19th century Japanese folding screen covered in painted leather in the bedroom of Didier Gomez and Jean-Pierre Tortil’s Paris apartment made my heart pound.
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Toiles or Muslins in Clothing Design: Test Pattern or Wearable Art
In 1950 designer Jean Desses created this miniature toile or muslin of a dress design. (photo courtesy of the Victoria and Albert Museum). The folds, draping, smocking and tie at the waist wrought from inexpensive fabric evoke images of both ancient and modern sculpture. Toiles or muslins are created as test pieces for designs and include markings and perhaps written notes. Once finalized, the toile may be taken apart and the pieces used as a pattern for the garment. We might liken a toile or muslin to a prototype.
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Food and Fashion Fun
If you have ever traveled to Italy you will know the pleasure of Italian open air food markets and cozy restaurants where dining is art. If you have ever carried your suitcase up a flight of twenty-one steps to catch the train from Florence to Rome, you will also know the value of packing a tiny bag of minimalist, mixable fashion.
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18th Century Inspired Embroidery and Beading
Conceiving and setting up to work on project of extended duration can bring as much pleasure as seeing the completed work. The renewed emphasis on hand crafted and embellished fabric in fashion and interior design inspired me to delve into this art.
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Framing Nature
Highlighting a naturalist or botanical print with a French mat is an artisanal and historical method of framing the work. This reproduction of a naturalist drawing of a lizard is one of a small group. Read on for the back story.
Millinery Madness: Have You a Hat?
According to masterclass.com, a milliner was originally a word used to describe a resident of Milan, Italy. Milliners are “hatmakers who specialize in bespoke headpieces…” The millinery profession gained prominence in the 1800’s and is still practiced today.
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What I Am Wearing
Monochromatic dressing in latte colors is appealing to me as a break from black. What happens when a sample of unknown latte colored fabric from the remnant rack is upcycled into maxi slip skirt?