An early 17th C Beaded Basket

The Colors! 

 Not many things make my hands tremble these days, but this basket is one of them that does. I hate to even touch it, its so fragile, yet so absolutely beautiful. Glass beads do not fade over time like silks do~ the color it is today, is the same as it was when made.  It was brought to my attention last year, from a Rhode Island estate of a deceased glass collector. That is all I know if its history~ it could certainly be Continental,  and just as equally English.  What brought me to tears, literally, is the wrapping of the frame~ nearly identical to the basket at the Corning Museum in NY, and as well, one in the collection of the Holburne. It is simply superb in form~ absolutely Grande~ one can only speculate what momentous occasion it was made for~ a new home???? A presentation gift of some sort....a prize for a worthy competition?   I have left the photos large~ so please do click on them as study the details!

 The basket in itself is a unique form, I have not seen another of its type or shape, nor has any of the Museum's I have asked. It stands a gracious 13" tall and 14.5" from bow to stern of the basket itself. It 's shape rather reminds me of a boat~ very classical in form. All of the beads strung on very fine wire, with stems wrapped in filament silk~ ah! just like how I made mine last year

 There are all sorts of flowers~ roses, the most wonderfully  detailed rosebuds, fuchsia,  daisies, trailing vines~ all sorts of flowers I haven't even begun to look up yet~ every time one looks at it, one sees something new and fabulous. There are even flowers and leaves around the base

 The techniques are mixed, I have seen some similar to on the Braganza Basket at the Met. It has been kept fairly dust free, tho there are spots that should be cleaned and will be in the near future

  The orange buds are worked over forms of a natural wadded material~ could be wool or cotton or linen

 The basket is made of a wired net in blue beads which is quite transparent~ one can see thru to the flowers on the inside~ yes, the inside too!

 At first glance, the handle and body of the basket look to be the same~ they are both wrapped in a netting of opal and silver metal beads...but upon closer inspection,:: enter a huge gasp here from me::...the handle is wrapped first in a silver metal tape that has now tarnished to black.

 While the body of the basket is wrapped in a narrow linen ribbon first before the beads went on. When new it must have been absolutely the epitome of 17th c sparkly 'Bling!'

 The flowers are made in four separate bouquets~ two large ones and two smaller ones that fit to the middle of the basket

  They can be taken out and arranged how one feels fit, tho I have kept them as close to the original arrangement that I first saw in Rhode Island as possible

I hope you enjoy it as much as I , and thank you for being so patient waiting for me to post it

New Higgs Type Queen Anne on eBay this week!

You can see Ladye Anne Mary Higgs here on my eBay specials this week!

Thankyou Early American Life

2014 Directory of Traditional American Crafts

   I am once again so very honored to have been jurried into Early American Life's 2014 Directory. Each year I strive to make my dollys better than the last, with a more humble, quaint early American feel to them. This year, I chose two of my more simple dolls for my entry, each very different from the other

  It is with great pride and sincere gratitude that I will hang my seventh consecutive plaque in my stairwell~ Thank you to Early American Life Magazine for allowing me the opportunity to share what I love with others,  and  to all of the judges~
Shantina Anderheggen~ National Trust for Historic Preservation
Linda Brubaker~ Historical Society of Early American Decoration
Todd Burdick ~ Hancock Shaker Villiage
Michael Canadas & David Robinson~ Carmel Doll Shop
Barbara Carroll~ Woolley Fox
Larrie Curry~ Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill
Lee Davis~ Southern Highland Craft Guild
Michael Dunbar~ The Windsor Institute
Linda Eaton~ Winterthur Museum
Craig Farrow~ Museum Consultant
Darlene Gengelbach~ National Museum of Play
Suzanne Findlen Hood~ Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Thomas Kelleher~ Old Sturbridge Village
Lisa Minardi~ Winterthur Museum
Aimee Newell~ National Heritage Museum
Candace Perry~ Schwenkfelder Library & Museum
Tara Vose Raiselis~ Saco Museum
Betsy Krieg Salm~ Author, Women's Painted Furniture 1790- 1830
Peter Seibert~ Millicent Rogers Museum
Ann Wagner~ Winterthur Museum
Carolyn Weekley~ Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Richard & Jan Wilks~ Keystone Antiques

 Thank you for choosing my dollys for the Directory~ I am honored to be in such accomplished company with the other participants.

Strange Weather & 17th c Beadwork.....

  I had set aside today to take photographs of an original, wonderful early 17th c beaded basket to share with you all...but I guess Mother Nature was in disagreement. The light was not good, and besides the tornado warning we are currently in, she is throwing stones. Bad form ol girl, ruining my plans!   The above are just a sample of some of the hails I picked up from in front of my doorstep, one dare not go outside when the stones are this large...which we dont have here very often. The tornado that touched down in Trinidad on Thursday was just an f-1, winds over 110 mph, but was on the ground, according to the news on the tele, for over an hour!  I am not liking the strange weather we are having...but I guess, if I was forced to pick, I'd rather have hail and rain, than forest fires.

So until the weather cooperates, and I get another free day, here is a lil peek at my beaded basket, a large boat form basket with frame wrapped in silk and silver tapes~ I can't wait to share it with you in more detail!

What a Special Treat!

Hyalophora Cecropia

 Emma was out playing with her loopsy dollys in the yard this evening and had a visitor come calling... I left the picture huge so if you click on it you can see how furry this wonderful creature is!  The fur on his body is so thick~ moths usually give me the heebie geebies, but he was so huge he didn't bother me

 Now! Wow! Can you believe how big he is? He..or she, (I don't know how to tell and didn't feel comfortable asking ) is a Cecropia moth~ a kind of silk moth~ the biggest in all of North America! What a special gift to have a visit from, we just had to share  :)

Time is Flying By As Usual...

If I blink...I just might miss it!

  Wow~ what a start to the summer! I can't believe my baby is all graduated...when did they all get so big?  We are so proud of our girl~ and I can now relax that she is home from Hawaii for a day! YES~ just a day, then off to the west coast beaches and up to Washington with my parents for a month. I don't know about Tressa, but I'm poop tucker'd already.  Things will settle down soon, and I will have more dollys to offer for those who keep gently, kindly asking ;)

 Work is progressing nicely on my padded mirror case as well, as you can see! I am working on the lid currently~ if you would be interested in making up your own, in beadwork or stumpwork, you can find out all about them in the Diamond K Folk Art Shop~ just click on the link to the right.  I am now also making some of my tiniest antique beads available to those in the class~ you don't know all the f-u-n your missing! (enter huge smile here!)
 I hope Summer is treating all of you well~ don't forget to slow down and enjoy it, if we blink, we just may miss it!