A Creative Week

I’ve been able to devote some time to making new pieces for my shop L’Atelier Talaru, and it’s been such fun making new treasures out of old ones. I’m also eagerly awaiting some fantastic new things for my supplies shop La Comtesse de Talaru, including original antique French fashion magazines from around 1900, more mini tintypes, French pocket watch chains, old letters in French for ephemera lots…it feels like Christmas has come early.

She Wept Bracelet

 

Melbourne General Cemetery

I love to visit cemeteries. They are always quiet and peaceful, and there is so much to see. So many talented stonemasons and artists have carved some amazing monuments. I am always amazed at some of the huge statues, all of which would have been carved by hand.

There are some fantastic cemeteries in Paris, with beautiful Art Deco and Art Nouveau stonework and mosaic decorating the monuments. In Melbourne the general cemetery is huge – you could spend a whole day there. I did notice a lot of familiar symbolism – the mourning symbols from a lot of the jewelry I like are also recreated on the monuments. Hearts, anchors, lambs, sacred hearts, clovers…

Here are some photos from yesterday’s visit. Ironically yesterday was 31st October, All Hallows Eve.

Went into the forest last night…

…such a beautiful evening at Sherbrooke Forest. Tall, tall trees, lush ferns, long whispy bark strings, birds twittering, the distant rush of a waterfall, signs of foraging echidnas on the side of the path, the scurrying of lizards, buzzing insects.  A warm breeze, a little cool in the forest – just a hint of summer.

What a nice way to end the day? Beats sitting at home watching TV.

 

Gone Potty

My dad has a large collection (hundreds) of antique pot lids. Most of his collection are the colourful transfer ware known as Prattware. He also has quite a few of these more utilitarian lids, used for toothpaste, cold cream and anchovy paste. I like the black and white ones better, but it is intriguing to see the difference in design which indicates the purpose of the item. The colourful Prattware used as souvenirs and the monotone lids used for practical items.

Potlid – Cold Cream

Potlid – Cold Cream

Holloway’s Ointment

Potlid – Golden Eye Ointment

Potlid – Golden Eye Ointment

Potlid – Cherry Toothpaste

Potlid – Cherry Toothpaste

Chateau Yering Farmer’s Market

The Chateau Yering farmer’s market was held yesterday, and we happened upon it quite by chance, but decided to pull in and follow the crowds to see what the attraction was. I’m so glad we did – not only did we find tasty local produce to sample and buy, but we saw some fantastic artworks and wonderful views. Chateau Yering is only half an hour from home, in the Yarra Valley, a renowned wine region and nice place for a Sunday drive.

Yering Gardens

Yering Gardens

Whimsical Contraption

Whimsical Contraption Interior

Ride a Horsey

Whimsical Contraption

Farmer’s Market

Spider’s Web Sculpture

Yering Station is one of Victoria’s oldest wineries and is now a luxury complex incorporating the winery, a Relais and Chateaux hotel, beautiful gardens and the art installations. We had some freshly prepared bruschetta with home-cured olives and nibbles on pates, jams and pestos while we wandered through the produce hall. We also stopped in at the Yarra Valley Dairy on the way home to buy some goat cheese and terrines for our Sunday supper.

 

I was so thrilled to find this amazingly wacky, delightful, whimsical mechanical sculpture. It is set into an old bedside drawer, and these little antique bisque dolls and animals spin around on their mechanical contraptions. It’s difficult to describe – you can look from the outside, or peer inside at a little carnival of creatures having a wow of a time. The whole piece was for sale for around $9,000 – I must say, I would not have to think twice if I had a spare $9K…it would be installed in my loungeroom in no time.

Mr. Squidley: Latest Red Bubble Tee

I just had to do something wacky with this Octopus print. It is an old engraving from France, dating to the 1800s. I love his eyes – they are so crazed and comical. It took a while to clean him up ready for a tee, but he came out really well. He can be purchased here: http://frogwah.redbubble.com/

Red Bubble Tee - Mr. Squidley

Creative Inspiration

I have a bunch of new treasures ready and waiting to create with. I like to look at things for a while and see what seems to work. If I hit a patch of creator’s block I just put everything away for a while and come back to it in a few days.

I am reading the biography of Marie Antoinette by Antonia Fraser, a huge block of a book but really well written, as far as historical biographies go. It’s nice how she focusses on the person and not the politics, which allows the charater of Marie to come through in the writing. So when creator’s block hits, I can attack the nearly 500 pages of this great book.

Here is what is waiting for me when I put the book down, along with some recent creations.

Tresors: My Georgian Era Jewelry

I have a small but special collection of Georgian jewelry. The Georgian era ran from 1714-1811 (though different dates are used by some people to describe later pieces as ‘Georgian) and jewelry and decorative arts from that time was very elegant, but not, in my opinion, gaudy, sombre or flashy. I particularly like mourning jewelry from that time, and most of what I own is in some form, a piece of memorial jewelry to commemorate a loved one who has died.

This paste and silver locket would probably have had a small portrait or painting, usually on ivory, inserted inside, and also a lock of hair or some other memento of the loved one. The picture I have inside is a reproduction but I hope to find something from the era to put in there. This locket dates to 1790.

Georgian Pendant Locket

Georgian Pendant reverseMourning Pendant

Some Georgian Jewels

The other reason why Georgian jewelry appeals is because it was handmade. It simply looks more special because each piece has a sense of uniqueness about it not seen with later mass-production pieces.

My most favoured pieces are the lockets and pendants with little paintings inside. Often these paintings were made on ivory and often contained strands of hair in the artwork – whether it was the branch of a tree or a spray of flowers. What a great way to commemorate someone you love?

Off to South Africa

We are going to South Africa for Xmas and New Year this year. Booked the flights tonight – nearly three weeks over there to visit Mark’s father in Capetown and see the country where he lived for nearly half his life.

I’ve never been to South Africa before – been to West, Central, East and North, but never the South.

While the main reason for the visit is to see family, and I know Capetown and surrounds is stunning, we hope to get away for a few days and see a game park or something adventurous. Will have to start researching.

It will be different being away for Xmas but exciting nonetheless. I believe it is summer and hot there, so it will seem like home. I must find out what the antique and flea market situation is like in Capetown…;-)

Mon Nouveau Ermine, a la Amy Hanna

I love the ermine, a little ferret-like creature used in antique French jewelry as a royalist symbol. Sometimes mistaken for a dog, the crowned ermine appears on brooches and pendants. I have a few of these little critters, some made into jewelry, some still waiting transformation. When I saw this beautiful neckalce  made by Amy Hanna I knew I had to make him mine.

Amy’s work is stunning and very inspirational to a whole generation of revival jewelry designers and collectors. She also has a beautiful blog where she writes about her art and life. Always a lovely read.

Here are some pics of my treasure. He came beautifully wrapped so I decided to photograph the unveilling.

Ermine Unveilling

Detail

Ermine Necklace

Ermine

Ermine

Ermine Detail