Ermilovski toy ("Ermilovski" is a name of a style)

What a wonderful item for my virtual wish list! This is a vintage Russian souvenir toy. I used to have a very similar horse... Then another one... They were very fragile, no wonder, it is hard to find them now. I loved both of them and happy to have it my blog.

 

Hm... let me check google one more time... Yes! I have found it! I had exactly that little horse from the picture!

Wow, I see people are still making them! If I can reach this store owner, I will buy one!

 

Kokoshnik that tells a story...

While pinning my previous post onto my pinterest board, I've come across this picture. I tried to find the original web-site for it... but I could not figure it out... However, this lady is worth mentioning :) This is probably the most famous Russian ballerina of all times. Her name is Anna Pavlova.

This is her costume for her Russian Dance. There is a little bit of her bio here. I do not think there is a good reason for copying it...

Interesting enough, there are videos of her dancing on youtube! Not in this costume, alas... Evidently, she was famous for her Dying Swan dance. Here is a short video of it:

What is Russian kokoshnik?

Peter the Great's (1672-1725) attempts to Westernize Russia were partially manifested in changes to the traditional costume of the court. Though they were not required by law to adhere to the reformations, the peasant class commonly adopted aspects of Western styles blended with folk dress. This headdress in particular is an excellent example of the melding of cultures found in Russian history. The shape of this headdress is nearly identical to a French style from Alsace illustrated in Auguste Racinet's "The Complete History of Costume". This type of crossover is characteristic of the evolution of Russian dress. Married women were required to cover their hair entirely lest they be considered immodest, therefore headdresses, or kokoshniks were often accompanied by a venchik, a forehead covering made of fabric or metal.

The picture and text is from The Metropolitan Museum web-site. I have found it very interesting that something like this can be found in the North America! Definitely should go see it if I am ever making it there!

Nika Shmeleva

I like good designer pottery. No wonder that this jar caught my eye! Hand painted vase with lots of details. What an eye candy! (I like candies even if they are just eye candies :)  There were a couple of jars in my mom's home... That is maybe another reason why I am indifferent to the jars specifically... My eye is used to be caught by nice jars... :) 

Etsy Finds. Paintings by Sergey Piskunov

My virtual wish list is getting bigger :) Who knows, maybe one day one of my lottery tickets will allow me to buy everything from it. I do have an expensive taste (poor me... :) This is art by Sergey Piskunov (click on his name to visit his etsy shop). Just breath taking pictures...

 

(I am on my way to the closest corner store for my lottery ticket... Wish me good luck!)

Etsy finds. A tent, that I wish I had a reason to have :)

 

I love my virtual wish list! I can put here things, that I love, even though I have no reason to own them :)

This etsy store sells only one item, and rather successfully, I think. What a wonderful tent! Just an eye candy!

 

 

DIY - Crocheted black lace

 

This video is from the author of the lace collars that I've used for my lace necklaces, Irina Astratenko. The video shows how to crochet this lace motif. Note, that this is not how the tatted collars were made. This is a simple way to make a lace for anybody who knows how to crochet (or even if they do not know yet and wish to learn). There is a picture at Irina's website that shows a top made with these motifs. I am in love with it! I wish to drop jewellery making for a week or two and make such a top! (I won't, of course, but I sure wish to)

 

Here is the original page for this tutorial (in Russian, though)

My virtual Wish List. Glass Beads by Kerri Fuhr

I've met Kerri at a local bead show a few years ago. Her work is unbelievable! It is easy to fall in love with something like this... Thinking about it now... I do not know why I have not bought anything from her yet! It is easy now, I do not even need to go to a bead show, as she sells at etsy. (She has a web-site too)

Maybe-wearable art :)

I showed once my chainmail experiment here, but never showed how I finished it. Well, here it is. This is not an every-day piece of jewellery by no means. I am not even sure that it is wearable! :) Nevertheless, it is finished and it is for sale at my etsy shop :)

 

Canadian maple leaf that reminds me of Russia

 

 

I have stayed in Russia for a few month with my mother a few years ago (those months will always be in my heart). My life was quiet and rather lazy, I should admit. I really did not have much to do. Lots of time to think of jewellery and come up with some new designs. Lots of sketching and drawing... Visiting my old University friend, who stayed at home with her new baby at that time... This maple leaf design was her idea. I liked it... and created it when I went back to Canada (did not have any tools in Russia). This maple leaf will always remind me of Russia, my happy months I spent there with my mom and my friend Lena.

 

The leaf is not OOAK, I made a mould and can cast it. So, I do not mind selling as many as there are people there who would like to have it :) In fact, this one is for sale at my etsy shop right now :)