Panniers and Paper Corsets

This paper corset has to be one of the more interesting ones I've done so far with it's paper pannier. This is not the finished piece but I had to share.

paper pannier and corset

Did women really wear this kind of thing? It looks like battle armor to me. To say the least, without getting into the history, panniers are fascinating to look at.

18th century pannier via Making History Tart and Titillating

At any rate, I see tattered fabric dripping from this corset and oozing with vintage charm. I don't know though. I'm really at the whim of my muse and what she decides is fashionable.

Note: You can read a little more about the history of panniers at Making History Tart and Titillating.

Botanical Prints and the Ephemeral Re-org

Ever find that your Pinterest boards end up taking on a life you never intended for them? How do you a browse and find a proper botanical print for your next collage project when you have to wade through a smorgasbord of 1,600 images of all things ephemera?

almond blossom botanical print

It's called a re-org which is short for reorganization. It's true, I'm a bit of a Pinterest junkie. The dangerous part of this equation is that I could be looking for a flower and see a really great image of an apple. Here's what happens next.

pink mushroom botanical print

When my first exposure to this image is a source that wants me to pay for it, obsession takes its grip. I've now made it my personal mission to find that image thereby raising the level of the desire-o-meter from mere "like it and want it" to "no way in hell will I live without it."

deutsche pomologie

Since I know that images dated in the 19th century or earlier are going to fall somewhere in the public domain, it then becomes a personal challenge for me to find a copy of it free of watermarks and in a respectably useable size.

lily of the valley

Much of the time I am successful however I don't recommend this method because it not only sucks up time like a Hoover but 400 pins and half a day later you now need a new board that you never imagined you'd need before today.

vintage rose ephemera

Does anyone else out there do this or is it a Virgo thing? Ha! At any rate, please enjoy the images and if you get a moment, stop by and visit my Botanical Ephemera and Prints board on Pinterest.

Vintage Baby Fun

Just to do something fun and different today I'm posting this vintage baby ephemera. I have no idea where it came from but it seems to be one of my more popular candidates for repinning on Pinterest.

vintage baby girl in pink illustration

Hope you will enjoy and if you know the original source, please let me know so that I might give proper credit here. Happy Tuesday!

How to Make a Paper Violet Flower

I thought I would post a stand alone tutorial on how to make a paper violet flower. The video gives tips for cutting the template as well as offering an idea or two about how to get creative with your flower petals.

paper violet flower

Don't you just love the idea of a pressed paper violet? I think there is something kind of romantic about it because it transcends the rules of reality. Then again, that's what art is all about.

paper violet flower template

Here's the violet template in plain and simple format. I would love to see what you create. Of course, a credit back to me as the source is appreciated.

Note: If you have already viewed the April corset video you can skip this one. This video is simply an extract of the portion of that video pertaining to the assembly of the paper violet.

May Corset Inspiration

I'm always on the lookout for something just a little bit out of the ordinary as far as inspiration for my paper projects go. I mean, who wants to settle for tired and mainstream when you can have unique and unexpected?

via corsets and lingerie on Pinterest

A slight deviation from the ballet tutu in that only the sides are flared out. The panier style similar to that worn under skirts by ladies of 18th century Europe makes this a tasty morsel of a corset idea. It's definitely got a unique charm!

Little Miss April Paper Corset

Light and airy, little Miss April comes on with all the subtlety of a spring whisper. As she tip toes her way through my thoughts I am reminded of life's more ordinary pleasures.

april paper mâché corset

Warm rainy mornings, bird song, rustling leaves on a breezy day, a shooting star on a clear evening, the pleasing sights and sounds of pure nature that I love so much. Miss April embodies all of these and more.

april paper mâché corset back

The edges were left rough, tissue paper was used which gives the pice a little bit of translucency and twirled paper was added as greenery around the bottom. She is indeed a delicate flower.

Corset Diaries IX: April Corset Template

Corset Diaries for the April corset comes with a change in the template offering this time. I've created two styles for you to choose from. One is free and the other is not. The free template appears below. To find out what you're missing with the other template, visit the Kell Belle Boutique.

corset diaries template for April

The diary pages are meant to be beautiful additions to your journals in a Practical Magic kind of way. Remember the book of shadows the aunts kept in that movie? That was my inspiration for the second diary page found in the boutique.

The inspirational video for assembling the April corset includes instructions for putting your paper violet together and hopefully offers some ideas about what you can do with the petals instead of making the whole thing the same color. Enjoy the new offerings this month.

How to Make Sugared Violets

It's true, I'm not quite finished with my series on violets so why not extend into May right? I've never had sugared violets but they sound absolutely decadent and they are easy to make if you can find enough violets to make it work.

via Spa Goddess

wikiHow describes 4 different methods for making sugared violets so it's easy enough to pick the one that appeals to you most. These can be placed in a little jar with a pretty label and given as gifts or serve with cake and tea. Tis the tea party season. Enjoy! :)

Paper Dresses and Corset Trousseau

There I was, minding my own business and pinning away to my little heart's content when the most adorable little doll trousseau just jumped out in front of me. This box looks to have sold on e-Bay because I can't find the original source.

poupee modele doll trousseau

Click the image to make it larger so that you can truly appreciate the detail of these little outfits. I'm sure you know where I'm going with this. Can you envision paper dresses and corsets in something like this? The idea of it is pure sweetness.

I'm not a Side Show Freak

To the serious practitioner of the intuitive arts, divination is not something we take lightly. While it certainly can be helpful at times to work from an attitude of playful, light heartedness when engaging in any kind of creative or intuitive pursuit, our intent is to use our gifts to help, give guidance, hope, peace, comfort and sometimes closure to those we serve.

the intuitive power of the High Priestess

In addition to developing my intuitive gifts (and we all have them) through a psychic certification program, I am also learning to apply my psychic awareness to reading tarot cards professionally. So here's the deal. I'm interested in finding out how many of my readers would be willing to take me up on a free, one card tarot reading. Simply head on over to the poll located in the top right sidebar and cast your vote. I'll let you know the results next week.

Pretty Paper Flower Tutorial

When hunting for paper craft ideas I always find it difficult to pass up a pretty paper flower tutorial. We celebrate mom this month and since the weather is not too hot and not too cold it's a perfect month to host your tea parties.

other styles offered in this flower tutorial
via Ideas Mag

Move over Martha Stewart because Ideas Magazine has put out a paper flower tutorial complete with petal templates that walks you step by step through the paper flower making process. How gorgeous would these look on your party table? Enjoy!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

I'm not Mexican nor does that heritage exist anywhere in my ancestry but who doesn't love a great reason to eat yummy food and drink tasty margaritas?

via GipsyParlour on Twitter

Here's hoping your celebrations are happy and fun. In keeping with the vintage theme, here's a bit of vintage Cinco de Mayo ephemera.

Happy May Day!

Today is the first of May and traditionally one would place fresh flowers on the neighbor's doorstep, knock or ring and then run away so as to remain anonymous to the recipient.

children's party dress - Graphics Fairy

Instead of flowers I offer you a little May Day cheer from the Graphics Fairy. This is an adorable little Victorian style party dress that I imagine would have been perfect for dancing around the May pole. Enjoy!