Christmas decoration. Russian style ;)

 

 

It is very usual to see this style on jewellery boxes and brooches. However, I have never seen it on the Christmas decorations for a fir tree! I think, something like this could be a very special and absolutely gorgeous Christmas gift! Here is a link to see more spheres  (the web-site is in Russian)

Autumn, do not leave yet, please!

My favourite season of the year is... anything, but winter! :) Spring is far from here still, but autumn... we had it just a few days ago, it seems. Do not leave yet, come back, come back! You are too beautiful to leave so soon.. In autumn this shawl would be too much, but now... now it would be perfect, as if I am still holding it by a corner of its biggest maple leaf that is just about to fly away...

What Cinderella would wish for? :)

Thin layer of snow came down two days ago. I consider us being lucky to have it for at least a few days. It is like a fairy-tail coming right out of a book! This feeling (I think) is to blame, that a coat like this is going into my wish list :)

It has nothing to do with fashion, of course... This is a coat for a princess from a fairy-tail... It reminds me of fairy-tail that probably all girls of my age still love... even now, when they are not little girls anymore :) Maybe, because this is the only winter fairy-tail that I know is similar to this style..

It is called "Three Wishes for Cinderella". Timeless film. If you have not seen it yet, winter is a perfect season for it!

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)