Malvena Pearl’s Emporium

Today is a special day. Remember those who went before you.  Dance, sing, draw, paint your face, celebrate. Your grandparents wanted you to be here. They may even have prayed for you to be here. So embrace the life you have and give thanks in a way you know they will still hear. Decorate some sugar skulls. Light a candle for those who are no longer with us and tell them a story.

I designed and made the quilt square using fabric from my stash and  gave it away, here. It will be part of a quilt that raises funds for a national domestic violence prevention program called Becky’s Fund.

Skull A Day quilt square donation

I recently designed, produced and completed this sparkle collar for the owner of a very lucky Brittany Spaniel

Here’s some progress on the quilt square, which traveled with me to the home of Ms. C. yesterday. I went to help her paint a mural on her baby’s bedroom wall. The baby is due in a couple of weeks. Ms. C. is the friend who drew a bird a day for many long months in 2010 and has a nice collection of illustrations to enter into an exhibition or two. And she’s going to be a mother very soon.

Here’s the latest:

with some leaves

more flowers

This quilt square also went with me to my first meet up with four other members of the Oakland Needlers group. What a hoot! They were working on cross stitch, knitting, crochet and hand-sewing projects. I am so glad I was invited. Lovely folks, good conversation, funny stories and advice given and accepted on the “needle arts” or “fiber arts.” I feel like i made some new friends and they are all in the East Bay so that’s wonderful. We meet again in two weeks. I want to have this quilt square complete and in the mail to the project person, Abby at Skull a Day,  by next Monday.

Ninja Becky Thomas vs. Breast Cancer: Pink Warrior

I want to let my readers know about a great charity investment they can make to a great local cause. Becky Thomas, who has been teaching  role playing workshops at Dr. Comics and Mr. Games in Oakland for 20 years, needs our help. She’s fighting the good fight against breast cancer. Becky’s partner, Steve Kani, designed some very cool t-shirts to raise some funds for Becky’s medical treatments for cancer. Becky teaches math, studies Ninjitsu and works with a number of autistic and special needs kids in the role playing groups  and tutoring after school.  I feel very grateful for Becky’s work in our community. I am not sure I’d be here if I hadn’t had some wonderful teachers when I was younger. They helped me find my love of history through role playing games and I learned to sew FOR those games. If you’re so inclined, check out Becky’s blog and the t-shirts here.

If you know of other ways to help Becky, please be in touch with her or with Steve through their blog or web site. Thanks!

Here’s the latest work I’ve done on the quilt square: the teeth of the skull.

I’m thinking of different stitches I can use to outline it and then make the wreath of flowers and leaves around it.

And here’s another evening of work on it, now with more definition:

Here are some photos of the completed bonnet. My friend made the lace that I used to trim the inside:

After many hours of hand-sewing,  I have completed the embellishments on the Victorian dress. The pattern of the trim is based on a number of photographs and fashion drawings from the 1840s - 186os. It’s two layers of trim: the top one is thin, red velvet ribbon. The collar is antique lace and so is the lace at the cuffs. All hand-sewn onto the garment, which was provided to me by the person who asked me for assistance.

I listened to some great digital recordings of J.K. Rowling’s first three “Harry Potter” books, while I sewed.

Here are a couple of pictures.

back of bodice

completed trim on Victorian dress

Progress! Hand sewing some gorgeous trim onto a cotton dress that will be worn to dances and to the Dickens Faire!

Yes, that is 2 layers of trim: the first layer is three colored and the top layer is thin, red velvet.

On the dvd player: Freaks and Geeks, Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 2 and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, the Jeremy Brett production.

It’s the most Wonderful time of the Year!  Project List

With school starting and the little goblins and ballerinas getting ideas for their outfits, we’ve got a full plate here at the Emporium. (not to mention, our recent relocation a few zip codes away from the old MPE studio.) 

 Here’s a few of the ongoing projects:

8- 10  aprons for a kindergarten class so they can cook and do art

1 “Stitch” costume and 1 “Max as wolf” costume for a little boy, size 4-5; I have a size smaller piece to transform and re-use

1 Klingon costume for our friend Corvus, for whom I made a wizard costume, somce years ago, to his specifications - I like specifications!  (he sent me a photo of an action figure for a model this year - yay)

Completion of the two bonnets for the fabric-obssessed friends in the costuming group who have been promised the completion of these lovelies;  and then the preparation for Dickens Faire 09 gears up…

Now to find the copy of “Bleak House” dvd; you see, her majesty, Roo, has been clamoring for it, now that Autumn is on its way.  I think I might have to settle in with some “Jeeves and Wooster” on the dvd player,  in the background. 

I have converted two unsuspecting dvd-watchers to the wonders of  British television series: “House of Elliot” and “Jeeves and Wooster”.  And you pondered what I had been doing, when I was too busy to blog.  Hah! There’s no need to fear! The super-distractor is here!

Oh, and there are all these boxes of fabric and books to unpack, sort, label.  Ahem.

I completed the costumes for the character of Augusta Tabor, in “The Ballad of Baby Doe”, played by Lisa Houston.

Thank you again, Ms. M. I couldn’t have done this without your moral support and your loan of various garments to alter!

The show is set in the 1880s and 1890s and based on a true story.  You can see it at the Julia Morgan Center for the Arts, 2640 College Avenue, Berkeley

Saturday, July 11, 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, July 15, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, July 17, 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, July 19, 2:00 p.m.

The names of Baby Doe, Horace Tabor, and Augusta Tabor have become mythical, but they are actual figures in Colorado history. An exquisite period piece of Americana, The Ballad of Baby Doe is based on their story of love, honor and politics, set against the boom times in Colorado in the 1880s when silver was king. Douglas Moore’s lush score depicts this gripping riches-to-rags epic through lyricism of irresistible beauty, soaring arias and rousing chorus scenes. A star vehicle for the late Beverly Sills, the role of Baby Doe will be sung by soprano Jillian Khuner.

CAST