Color me RED!

Avast Matey...

Pirate Language for 'What's Up?'

TODAY IS 'TALK LIKE A PIRATE' DAY

Remember to answer your phone today with a hearty

"Arrgghh, what be your business?"

or

"Avast, matey!"

or

"Ahoy there!"

:0)

vintage Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes decal

Today I celebrate all things red!

Perhaps it started with my choice of mug for my morning cafe'-

black and white line drawings of Winnie the Pooh characters,

with the inside of the mug a bright true red!

Perhaps it was the water cup that I picked for today -

a black commuter cup with the red symbol of Lucent Technologies.

Perhaps I am inspired by the red 'Batman' phone that Michael keeps on the desk, covered with a glass dome, just like Commissioner Gordon has.

bat phone, http://www.oldphones.com/

Who knows what quirk in my brain went red today?

so, am I seeing red?

mushrooom felt pincushion,

http://www.wonderfulday.etsy.com/

"Seeing red" is American slang for 'being really mad or angry'.

many red butterflies, vintage clip royalty free from Dover Books

You can't think of red things, without thinking of the red rose -

c.1908

or Dorothy's Red Ruby Slippers -

necklace for sale at http://www.artyscapes.etsy.com/

a vintage cigar ad

and of course, I have to add at least one red costume from Liana's blog -

I have posted the 2 base paper dolls that fit this costume numerous times in previous blogs - search for 'Liana's"

Here are a couple more red vintage song sheet covers:

c.1895

a red cardinal for you -

http://www.gipolar.blogspot.com/

One red milk maid page from a vintage Alphabet Book -

Is my face red yet?

(American slang for 'I am embarrased')

("Boy, my face sure is red!")

Think I'll end today with a Happy red Mary Poppins poster!

:0)

inkspired

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

dominoes@myinkspired.com

http://www.inkspiredmusings.blogspot.com/

Pretty Morning Glories

Good day!

Today I will explore September's Flower of the Month - the Morning Glory.

This is the first of two flowers for the month.

The second flower is the Aster, and we will have fun with them later.

Morning glories are actually considered weeds in many places.

The common weed "bind weed" is a close relative.

So who chooses what is a weed, and what is a flower?

I have no idea!

vintage postcard from http://www.fairy-freckles.com/

According to www.victorianbazaar.com/meanings.html the Morning Glory stood for

Affection

in Victorian times.

Morning glory tray

http://www.lpmchina.com/

The current sites for Flower of the Month and

Meanings of the Flower of the Month

do not include morning glories.

I'm pretty sure this is because they are mostly run by floral shops!

It would be very difficult for a flower shop to

add morning glories into their bouquets!

http://www.fairies-tales-art.com/

Today I am in a pretty mood.

No not ME!

A pretty morning glory mood!

"Glory" photograph

http://www.fineartamerica.com/

Here are some pretty dresses from Liana's blog

for two of her paperdolls:

She does such lovely work.

You can find her site on my Favorites section to the Right.

http://www.sunriseseeds.com/

Morning glories come in a variety of colors.

You will see them most commonly in blue,

next in purple and deep blue,

with some magenta and pink too!

http://www.edenbrothers.com/

You will also find the morning glory a favorite among artists.

Perhaps it is the variety in color;

Or the variations of color within one flower.

Perhaps it is because the flower grows anywhere,

 so it is outside their studio window?

http://www.arpitablankverse.blogspot.com/

morning glory cake plate, http://www.daisydeecrafts.com/

morning glory light by Wendy Legro

"White and blue convolvulus!

At four it goes to bed,

With bell closed tight with all its might,

Perhaps you've heard it said?"

- little verse by Kate Greenaway

morning glory cloche

http://www.pregnancyandbabysheknows.com/

http://www.daisydeecrafts.com/

morning glory fairies on purse, closeup

Morning Glory Fairy Purse

If anyone knows who is the artist of this creation, please let me know.

My notes have gone bye-bye on this one.

:0(

Let's explore some vintage ads and vintage art!

vintage soap ad from http://www.polyvore.com/

Nope, I have no idea why Morning Glories and Coal Stoves go together!

I fancified this and decided those were morning glories.

They probably are some other kind of flower, but it fit in with this theme!!

a beautiful watercolor by Helen Crayenhoff

an illustration from the Art Nouveau period, 1920's

Here is a very nice and simple design for needlepoint

by http://www.nuts-about-needlepoint.com/

The thing is, you can super easily adapt this to a bead-woven project

or a bead embroidery project too!

Why not use some washable grid line paper,

and make some finger towels or pillowcases with this design?

Just because a design says it is for one craft,

explore!

Imagine!

closeup of morning glory, www.mikesjournal.com

Well folks,

that's all she says

for today!

Have a really nice day.

Look for the positive - it truly is there!

inkspired

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

dominoes@myinkspired.com

AND

YOU CAN NOW LEAVE COMMENTS ON MY BLOG

EASIER THAN BEFORE!!

cool!

M'Lady Faire and her Castle

shwmae

pronounced "shoe-my"

Hello, from South Wales

hair jewelry for sale at http://www.gardensofwhimsy.etsy.com/

Let us take a peek at the women of the Medieval Castle today.

Great Eras Collection, Medieval Barbie, 1995

From the scouring servants

to the kitchen

to the ladies in waiting,

to the master hall,

the castle couldn't have been run properly without women.

Duh!

(Of course, a properly run castle also needed men!)

card from Rubber Stamp Avenue's Gallery, using RSA stamps

I will be adding more cards from RubberStampAvenue's Card Gallery.

I love her stamps!

You can see most of her catalog here:

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

If you love pirates, mermaids, knights,

oh, just every category...

she has it!

Visit, order, and say Karen from Brighton sent you!

http://www.rubberstampave.com/

I like this one because it looks to me like the 'princess' is just enjoying  a nice day outside, and there are these knights on horses rushing around, but she doesn't seem alarmed at all. They're just silly knights you know.

That's what they do!

Donegal Castle Keep, restored, Ireland

Liana has made some wonderful paper doll costumes that fit with our theme:

She has stopped creating her wonderful paper doll costumes. I am very sad.

You can see her extensive old blogs here:

http://www.joechip.net/liana/

I think we should all inundate her with requests for more!

:0)

The traditional view of Maids in the time of Chivalry and Knights is

swooning

fainting

delicate

fragile

idle.

This is, of course, the romanticized view of women because of the Chivalry Code.


"The institution of chivalry forms one of the most remarkable features in the history of the Middle Ages."

- Horatio Alger

I will talk about Chivalry in another blog,

as today we devote our time to M'Lady Faire.

painting, a scene from King Lear, Shakespeare

Princess of the Irish Court, Barbie, 2001

Burresheim Castle, Germany

vintage illustration



Portrait of a Woman

by Robert Campin c.1420

Here are some paintings from the Medieval Ages that show women

doing a bit more than

swooning

fainting

being delicate

and fragile

and idle.

Women as Warriors, c.1430

Spinning

Hunting

writing

Why not take inspiration from some of the paintings above,

and draw and color some more outfits for this Lady.

Medieval painting, woman milking cow

Zarnek Malborku

Poland, 13th century

fantasy prince and princess to color

a Fantasy Lady's costume from Liana:

inspired from the movie "Voyage of the Dawn Treader",

based on the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S.Lewis

from an article about historical women's accessories

www.yesnet.yk.ca

I have enjoyed this adventure through Medieval Ages,

from the woman's perspective.

Oh yes, I still have more castles and knights and Chivalry to come!

hand tinted vintage illustration of Romeo and Juliet

Not quite the Medieval Ages, but still cool!

inkspired

http://www.inkspiredmusings.blogspot.com/

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

dominoes@myinkspired.com