Amazing Costuming and Needlework!

I just discovered the Hermitage's online catalog, which is amazing and filled with inspiring costuming... 

I've been emailing my mom, who is a textile artist, images all afternoon. 

The embroidery on these dresses is amazing! Click on the images to open them up larger in another window. They're all so detailed you almost have to look at them larger! 

 Ceremonial Court Dress of Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna, 1850's

Ceremonial Court Dress (according to legend, belong to Empress Maria Fydorovna, 1820's

Chamberlain's Ceremonial Uniform and Key, late 19th - early 20th century

Empress Alexandra Fydorovna's Masquerade Dress (17th century Ceremonial Dress of a Russian Tzarina) 1903

Evening Dress of Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna, Early 20th century

Priest's Vestments: Stole and Chasuble, First half of the 19th century

Shawl, second half of the 19th century

All images from the Hermitage Museum

Plush House and Pumpkin Patch

Sunday was a busy day for me. I spent most of the early afternoon on a group outing and all of the evening until pretty late last night making my plush house.
I do get a little bit of a break this morning though.
Open studios are today on campus, so I'm catching up on blogging in my studio as it's all clean for visitors and I don't want to muss it with making things. I'm trying to enjoy the quiet and be un-obtrusive to my visitors.

This is my plush model house. The line work is all embroidered on natural muslin with three strands of a really dark navy color embroidery floss. I wanted the house to have a similar line weight and feeling as my prints do. Hopefully I achieved that at least a little. It's about 15 inches long x 8 inches wide x 6 inches tall. I really love it, and I hope I can make more soon. I have plans for different types of plush model houses if I can only find the time to create more!

Also as promised, here are pumpkin patch pictures!

In total, seven of us went. We got pretty medium to small sized pumpkins (We all live in row homes, so where do you put a jack o lantern? On your fire escape?). I'm excited for our carving party this week... I'm also excited for roasting the seeds. Delish!

What a great Sunday.