Hello Dollies

Searching for my pictures from the last big British royal
wedding and finding everything else but. Including some
projects from my creative past. Tons of illustrations
along with some dolls and puppets.
The slides are old and beginning to yellow, but with a 
little help from Photoshop thought I'd share these.

Always interested in clothing and costume, I made these

for fun when an idea occurred. A college friend Jane T.

was the inspiration for this one. The first couple of years 

in college, I made doll portraits of friends which I gave

as presents.

Wally Neibart, well known satirical Illustrator, an early

mentor, purchased my 18th century gent which he keeps 

under a glass dome on his mantle. 

http://www.wallyneibart.com/index.html

I gave these folks bendable knees, elbows etc. so they could be posable.

A few potty (as in nutty) flowering plants. 

The stems were green wire so they could also change pose.

My attempt to portray famous 60's model, Peggy Moffitt,

designer Rudy Gernreich's muse.

fashion photo of Peggy Moffitt

   included for comparison

May be a few more, if I have time.

A Really Good Yarn.

Erika Flory's, Calypso Hat

(click on images to enlarge)

My friend Erika Flory is a knitting virtuoso.

She knits for pleasure. As for business she is 
Knitwear Designer for her own KidKnits© label 
for over 20+ years of the 45+ years she has 
been knitting.

Erika is also the youngest daughter of my old

dear friend and mentor, Jane Flory.

(see my 11/25/2008 post) 

Erika Flory wearing her own Sunset stole

What began as a hobby grew into a business.

Starting with her hand knit sweaters and hats

for babies and toddlers which Erika sold at

crafts shows, KidKnits© has grown to include

its own website http://www.kidknits.biz where

kits and patterns of Erika's marvelous designs

are available.

Yellow Cardigan, KidKnits

Baby Kimono, KidKnits

Sweet toddler dress

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, these small socks

For knitters on your holiday lists consider Erika Flory's books, 

Head To Toe Knits with 23 designs to knit for babies. Or maybe 

A Baker's Dozen, a collection of that number of lovely hats for babies.

And now Erika Flory's gorgeous knitwear is available 

at KidKnits as patterns and kits. Took me hours to 

choose several samples to post here, they are so

delightful.

Shrug, KidKnits

Bec's BBQ, KidKnits

Along with running her business and with her Architect 

husband, Michael Hauptman, taking care of her family

Erika leads a group of volunteers teaching knitting and

crochet to the blind and vision impaired.

You an learn more about Erika Flory and her beautiful

work at:

http://www.kidknits.biz

http://www.ravelry.com

(type kidknits in the search box)

And her blog: 

http://itsabouttheknitting.blogspot.com

A Call To Arms (And Necks)

click on image to enlarge

Beading right along. Some new pieces 

at CiaoCarolina, myEtsy shop. 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ciaocarolina

The jewel colors of these rectangular

carved Czech glass travertine beads

remind me of Egyptian scarabs which

inspired this bracelet. The links are

fashioned by hand from antiqued brass

wire which compliments the bronze

colored edges on the beads. Beads with

this mottling are called picasso beads.

                                     click on image to enlarge

This necklace is really a shapes and colors

sampler of 27 different Czech glass beads

from my collection. I've hand tied them on 

silk cord so each lovely bead can be appreciated 

separately as well as together with the others. Most

are also picasso beads. Some are clear, others 

translucent, all luscious. (OK, I'm a beadaholic). 

click on image to enlarge

These wonderful beads imitate African agate,

but are so lovely and rich as themselves. The

Czech bead masters make them so each differs

slightly from the next, just like stone beads.

From a distance they appear as earth colored.

Closer, the exquisite colored banding in the

glass is more apparent. The colors deepened

by their translucency.

Not finished yet. Many new ideas stirring behind

my beady eyes in my beady brain.

More soon. Bead patient ;-)

Every Which Way But Loose

Listening to the evening news.
Beading tray across my knees.
And I know better.
Slight balance shift.
A gazillion bead pick-up.
Funny thing, gathering loose 
beads. Diminutive art, color, 
texture, form. 
Calming, untroubling my
weary mind.
A floor's worth of worry beads.

Some of my beautiful new Czech beads.


Some have already become new earrings at
CiaoCarolina, my Etsy shop.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ciaocarolina

Eye....Uh Make That EAR....Candy

At last, Finished some new earrings and listed 
them on ETSY at my shop CiaoCarolina.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ciaocarolina

At the moment I am completely besotted by the 
delicious glass beads coming again from 
Czechoslovakia. Eye candy. Transparent 
watery colors, milky translucent gems and 
those reminiscent of vintage beads, before 
the world wars in Europe decimated the 
craftsman and their ancient craft.


Learn about Czech beads on Rings And Things blog
http://www.rings-things.com/blog/2009/05/28/featured-bead-czech-bohemian-glass-beads/

Earrings are just the beginning. Hope you will
stay tuned for other signs of progress. ;-)

Lend Me An Ear, Part II

Asked what are my favorite beads, I have to answer 
that I always love the beads I'm with. Lately, that 
means glass beads from Czechoslovakia. The colors, 

the shapes,the textures, So addictive yet fortunately, 

not fattening

Been making some new ear bobs from my small but
delectable personal stash. Czech window beads cut and
polished so you can see through the translucent colors.
Slightly off center mottled gold/bronze bordered
picasso beads. A sparkle of Swarovsky aurora borealis 
bicones. A fine dessert...... beads ala mode. Yum!

Available at my ETSY shop, CiaoCarolina  
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ciaocarolina
And more to come.

Old Fashion

                                    From my high school portfolio, 

                                   Jackie Kennedy influence 1962-63

I wanted to be a Fashion Designer. When I got to 

The Philadelphia Museum College of Art, they 

canceled that major. Without a thought about the 

life long consequences, I changed to Fashion 

Illustration, which was also canceled the

following year. And the school became the

Philadelphia College of Art.

college work, pen and ink and film color overlay 1967-68

Undeterred, I switched again, to major in 

Illustration. The Illustration department 

had a proud history, having been started by

Thornton Oakley, who had studied with Howard 

Pyle at his renowned Brandywine School in 

Chadds Ford, PA. 

decorative costumes, pen and ink and color 1966-67ish

As part of my student aid, I worked after school

in the office of the Evening Division Director. 

The result of another snap decision, having been 

offered either that, or work in the college store 

between classes. I had no idea that Jane Flory, 

the night school Director was also a published

children's book author and illustrator. (See my 

November 25, 2008 post) Jane became my great 

friend, Mentor and collaborator.

my first fashion illustration job for a newspaper ad 1968ish

Two days after graduation I got my first freelance job, 

neither fashion nor children's books. Fire engines and 

a picnic ground full of people in 2 colors.

Four months later I was drawing shirts, skirts,

dresses, shorts and slacks in pen and ink for the 

salesmen's catalogues at Villager/ Ladybug, the well 

known (at the time) women's clothing company. 

Meanwhile, the Art Director of Villager's advertising

company, gave me my first fashion illustration 

assignment (above) for a newspaper ad. 

kid's fashion portfolio sample, early professional portfolio, pen & ink and watercolor 1969-70ish

For  a while I had two portfolios. One for fashion. 
The other with samples for book publishers. 

                                                     

Trick or Treat

My illustration from QUESTIONS,by Lee Bennett Hopkins

The smell of the greasepaint (literally), cold cream,

spirit gum, horse hair wigs and beards and false 

mustaches and black out wax for teeth. A beat up 

top hat and Mom's old black velvet opera cape and 

assorted old clothes, accessories and sheets as needed. 

Greasy faces, painted freckles and scars, blackened 

teeth, red lipstick, itchy wigs. I longed for a glitter 

mask, a little tulle, perhaps a magic wand. 

Something pretty.

One year when  I was 5 or 6 and had a Halloween 
party to attend, our next door neighbor, Ann Roth 
made my costume. A modern dancer with many 
beautiful costumes and accessories.

Ann Roth and me 

Over my blue cotton leotard a long swirly dance skirt 
pulled up under my armpits and tied at the waist 
with a long silk scarf. Pinned with a perfumed 
nosegay of handmade silk pongee roses. More on 
the skirt, another on my shoulder and some on my 
hair. Pink lipstick and cheeks.
So pretty I walked on tiptoes.  :-)

Early Inspiration

click to enlarge

Pages from one of my oldest treasures.

Given to me as a child, by my Aunt Minky. 

She was an artist too.

Aunt Minky

A 1948 catalog of French couture fashion.

Illustrated in exquisite detail.  

Every visit to her home, I asked to see it. 

Finally one day she gave it to me.

Pure joy!

My childhood pencil embellishes many  pages. 

When I grew up I wanted to be a fashion designer. 

Blank pages with some early attempts at dress design.