megaluno studio :: celebrating childhood style

Handmade fall fashion for the wee one

2011-10-13T22:15:00.000-07:00

On Thanksgiving, Ella wore a blouse that I made her from one of Jonathan's old shirts. It was a wrinkle-free one, and I love how the fabric stayed so crisp all day! She looked so adorable with those puffed sleeves. It made me think of Anne Shirley's beloved puffed sleeves!

A Christmas Greeting

2010-12-14T15:50:00.000-08:00

Dear friends, it has been so long since I've spent time here with you! As you can see, my past months have been full of excitement! My daughter is 3 months old now, and I do hope that I'll be able to spend more time with you here in the new year. I'm so excited to share what I've been creating over the past months, and what I've enjoyed seeing from other artists! But I'll remain sporadic for a few more weeks, as the Christmas season holds its own flurry of activity and fun. Until then, I wish you a Merry Christmas and an abundant 2011!

Free printable Valentine's mini cards!

2010-02-04T13:29:00.000-08:00

Adorable v-day minicards for you to print! Just a little thank you for being wonderful customers and blog readers! Use them for your kids' classroom friends, to send to your sister or best friend, or leave anonymously!

To get yours, send a response to judith[at]megalunostudio[dot]com, and I'll send the PDF file to the email address that you use. The file includes an envelope template as well. Enjoy!

There are more Valentine's Day products in the shop.

Canadian Artist Corinne Aelbers

2010-01-29T09:44:00.000-08:00

Today I'd like to introduce a special artist to you. Corinne Aelbers of Burnaby, British Columbia, has been selling her watercolour paintings in galleries in the Pacific Northwest for over fourteen years! Her painting "The Red Barn" (shown below), captured me with the wonderful feel of the Fraser Valley. I asked her to share a little about her creative process and materials.

Corinne:

The creative process has always fascinated me. When I was four years old I remember making doll clothes with my godmother, I loved making the tiny outfits. I had a prized collection of colouring books and spent many hours filling the pages. After I graduated with a Graphic and Communications diploma I took watercolour classes. I felt confined by the structured world of graphic design. Painting filled my desire to be spontaneous. That was many years ago.

Artist: Corinne Aelbers

Title: The Red Barn

Image size: 1 3/8 inches x 3 3/8 inches (3.5 x 8.5 cm)

Front panel size: 3.5 x 4 7/8 inches (9 x 12 cm)

Medium: Arches 140lb cold pressed watercolour paper

I use Arches 140 lb cold pressed, for most of my work and occasionally 300 lb, mostly for larger works. I have found these heavier weights do not warp when water is applied and can be reworked without damaging the paper Arches is PH neutral, very durable, has a warm natural tone and a beautiful texture. Made in France, it is found in most art supply stores.

Watercolour papers used to be made from old linen rags that were cleaned, broken down into pulp, poured onto a wire mesh, transferred to a felt blanket then pressed to release excess water. Linen paper was highly prized by watercolour artists. Today artist quality watercolour paper is primarily made up of cotton fiber produced using a cylinder mould. Cotton fiber ensures a neutral PH (acid free) paper, essential to longevity and stability over time. Sizing (a gelatin) is added to allow mediums such as watercolour to adhere to the surface. Too little sizing and paint will bleed through, too much and the paint will not stick to the surface. Watercolour paper comes in different weights measured in pounds per square meter, the higher the number the thicker the paper.

Arches watercolour paper has three surface textures to choose from. Hot pressed which has a very smooth, fine texture. It requires a good understanding of the paint's characteristics and works well for controlled results. Cold pressed has a medium texture. I find is the most versatile and forgiving to work with. It can be used to produce controlled and uncontrolled textures and washes. And Rough which has a very coarse texture and produces interesting textures and granular washes that cannot be achieved with the smoother surfaces.

Artist: Corinne Aelbers

Title: George (sold)

Image Size: 21 x 29 inches (53 x 73 cm)

Paper size: 22 x 30 inches (56 x 76 cm)

Medium: Arches 140lb cold pressed watercolour paper

The little art cards I paint daily help me stay loose, comfortable and unforced, kind of like practicing playing the piano it keeps my in tune. Each card is an original miniature piece of art and are often framed by those who purchase them.

Pursuing artistic endeavors has enriched my life in so many ways. I have met so many interesting and talented people, have and continue to learn a great deal and have been to many places I might not have otherwise visited. The lifelong journey I started as a child has been well worth the effort.

Thank you for sharing, Corinne!

Inspired by a great belt

2010-01-28T12:57:00.000-08:00

I found this gorgeous belt on Etsy a little while ago, and would love to build an outfit around it! Maybe something like this:

Coral silver belt by dafnadagen

Pretty Birdie's High Waist Bamboo Leggings by stephanieteague

Vintage leather boots from OldBaltimoreVintage

chic dress by MyLolaFashion

Dahlia ring by amaniworks

Watercolour gift

2010-01-07T23:18:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things to do as a gift is make something special. This year I've made mittens, scarves, paintings, and even a casserole! A very special lady had a birthday recently, and here's what I made for her.

Recognize my inspiration for this one?

Top six pics of 2009

2010-01-07T23:15:00.000-08:00

2009 was a pretty memorable year, especially in our travels! Here are my top 6 pics of 2009.

What's keeping me away...

2009-12-23T10:21:00.000-08:00

...is a little bit of this

and some wonderful family time! (I can't show any more, because it will give away secrets!)
I hope that you are busy celebrating with your friends and family, too!

Art Show on December 15!

2009-12-09T13:50:00.000-08:00

We're home from California, and it was such a whirlwind! The convention was packed full of great training, and we actually managed to spend half a day in Disneyland as well! I haven't uploaded the photos yet, but I will very soon!

Now I'm jumping right back in to my studio, and getting ready for an art show next Tuesday! I really love having shows in my home, so this one will be great!

Candle light and suitcases

2009-12-02T18:24:00.000-08:00

It's so good to sit down in front of my computer for a minute! I just finished delivering my boxes of art to a friend for a craft show this weekend. I had NO idea how much time it was going to take me to get ready! That said, it is the first craft show that I'll have Megaluno Studio work at! I'm so excited to see the results!

In the time that I've not spent getting ready for the show, I've gotten the house all Christmas-ed up! I love all the soft lights and angels!

We're hitting the road for California for a few days tomorrow. Unfortunately, it won't be just for recreation, but I think we'll manage to squeeze in some fun time anyways! Besides, I can't wait for the 23C! We've had some really cold days, so I'm ready for the sun!

Until next week...

Pine Cone Wreath with a twist

2009-11-26T13:49:00.000-08:00

I stumbled across this gorgeous wreath on Etsy today. I love simple and earthy Christmas decor, and this wreath would look great on my front door! What do you think?

Image copyright by Allison, NHWoodscreations.

Craft show coming soon!

2009-11-25T16:18:00.000-08:00

I've had my hands full preparing for my first art and craft fair! It's taking place at 4574 Raymer Rd.
Kelowna BC, on December 5, from 9 am -1 pm. Since it's my first art show as Megaluno Studio, I'm not quite sure what to expect or prepare for. All I know is... it's going to be great!

Here's a little peek at what's in the works for the fair!

A mug for Amber

2009-11-13T15:28:00.000-08:00

A little project that I got to work on this week... I think she's gong to love it!
It's a gorgeous porcelain mug, with a deep cranberry enameled illustration.

Wedding Gift Guide on Etsy

2009-11-10T13:47:00.000-08:00

Have you seen the wedding gift guide on Etsy? There are some really great items here!

I especially love the wedding cake toppers by Red Light Studio. Cynthia does some really lovely work!

Etsy's front page!

2009-11-10T12:58:00.000-08:00

I'm so honoured - my Girl with Pumpkin stoneware plate was featured on the front page of Etsy!
Here's the treasury, as it appeared on the front page on October 21.

Thank you, Etsy!

A custom order...

2009-11-08T18:02:00.000-08:00

I had such fun working on this custom order. Doesn't this little munchkin look like she's up to something?

Thanksgiving Tradition

2009-10-20T10:53:00.000-07:00

My family has a wonderful Thanksgiving tradition - pear picking! My Grandparents have an incredible pear tree in their field, and it produces an unbelievable amount of pears every year. So on Thanksgiving, the tractor is driven out to the field, full of grandkids riding in the bucket, the buckets and sacks are brought out, the ladder is set up, and the pears start coming down. The actual picking is mostly done by "the guys," while the younger kids feed pears to the cows, run around, and enjoy the sunshine. The wives usually end up in the field too, praying for their men that are standing on a ladder that's perched in the bucket of the tractor! It gets a little precarious when they start shaking branches to get more pears down...

It's a rather dramatic tradition, but I think it's pretty great! And check out the incredible sunshine that we had last weekend, too!

My favorite gift!

2009-10-15T11:18:00.000-07:00

There's been a lot happening around here since the last time that I posted! Jonathan and I had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend in the Fraser Valley (more on that later), and a great anniversary yesterday.
We don't really do a huge celebration on our anniversary, and often don't exchange gifts, but Jonathan surprised me with this.

I love it!

I had also been plotting last week, and had a secret photo shoot with a lovely friend and talented photographer, Maria Almusa.

It was pretty fun, and Jonathan was surprised! Good thing, for how many times I almost gave myself away!

Bespoke Press

2009-10-09T09:08:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across some incredible illustration letterpress this morning! Bespoke Press in Brisbane, Australia started an great project, where they chose 10 illustrators, and created a limited edition letterpress print of their work. Go check it out, and be inspired!

Image by http://bespokepress.bigcartel.com

This illustration is one of my favorites. It's called "Christophers Ears,” illustrated by Chelsey Freyta.

Autumn loving...

2009-09-25T10:01:00.000-07:00

I'm going to the wedding of a dear friend this weekend, so I've got autumn weddings on my mind. I was married in the fall too, though it was October, so it was a lot colder than tomorrow will be!

I did a little searching for some fall wedding inspiration. There's no wonder that fall is my favorite season!

I've got to head into town now, but that's not all that I have to share! More autumn wedding links to come!

autumn leaves and pumpkins

2009-09-23T16:49:00.000-07:00

I feel like my head is totally into the crisp mornings and incredible colours of the fall. I think that fall is the season that inspires me the most! Here's what I worked on this week after those monogrammed dishes were done. These are listed in my shop, too!

How do you feel about fall? Are you ready to pull out your cozy sweaters?

In honour of fall...

2009-09-22T15:37:00.000-07:00

In honour of the first day of fall, a little nesting to share...

A dear friend of mine is getting married this weekend, and I love to give personalized wedding gifts. I've been discovering the fun of painting ceramics lately, so I decided to make her a set of dessert plates.

So, what do you think? I'm absolutely thrilled with the result! They're totally food safe, and even OK in the dishwasher (though I'd still wash them by hand, so that they last longer).

Next up in my shop... ceramics! Any great ideas?

PS, if you know Leanne, ssshhhhhhh! It's a surprise!

Welcome, fall!

2009-09-21T10:36:00.000-07:00

We're home from our trip, and settled again. It feels like we were away a whole lot longer than 10 days! Maybe it's because we packed so much into them...
Here are some of my highlights!

Exploring Grant park...

Chicago has some incredible syscrapers! The buildings in the downtown are so tall that our GPS wouldn't work!

The Shedd Aquarium was fun!

The Field Museum was fantastic! Yarrrrr!

At the Field Museum in Chicago, there was an Ancient Egypt exhibit, with incredible artifacts, and even part of a pyramid burial chamber that had been brought over from Egypt! I love the workmanship on this burial shroud.

Cotton bols, from a fiber exhibit at the Field Museum.

We also wandered through a stained glass museum. Isn't this beautiful? It's part of an Art Nouveau piece called The Four Seasons, c. 1907-08, by an unknown artist.

Our favorite part of most trips is getting off the beaten path, and just exploring the city. We went for a walk in a gorgeous older neighborhood on our way to find a really great piece of architecture...

The sun was going down the whole time that we were on this walk, so we had lots of fun taking advantage of the great lighting!

So we found it! The Robie House, by Frank Lloyd Wright (below). Unfortunately it was too late to get inside, but it's a pretty neat place! Here's what they say about it.

"The Robie House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for his client Frederick C. Robie, is considered one of the most important buildings in the history of American architecture. Designed in Wright's Oak Park studio in 1908 and completed in 1910, the building inspired an architectural revolution. Its sweeping horizontal lines, dramatic overhangs, stretches of art glass windows and open floor plan make it a quintessential Prairie style house. Although it was designed more than ninety years ago, the building remains a masterpiece of modern architecture. "
http://www.wrightplus.org/robiehouse/robiehouse.html

Once we got to the Robie House, we turned around to cross the street, and this was there! Wow, hey? The Rockefeller Chapel. It's a really amazing building!

You can read about the incredible architectural and sculptural details here:
http://rockefeller.uchicago.edu/architecture/exterior.shtml

The skies were pretty clear for all of our flights, so we had some incredible views!

We saw the first leaves changing as we were driving between Chicago and Detroit, and when we got home, the first few were changing here, too! The mornings definitely smell like fall, so I guess it's time to embrace it!

Welcome, fall!

Vacation notice

2009-09-04T09:12:00.000-07:00

I'm signing off for 10 days, while my husband and I head out for a camping trip, a convention, and a bit of down time. Once I'm back, I'll be diving headfirst into fall and winter!

photo courtesy of http://www.christianet.com

Some amazing vintage finds!

2009-08-28T13:05:00.000-07:00

I went to the thrift store the other day, just because I was in the area, and I found these two amazing items!

Vintage sheets and pillowcases. There's enough fabric there for many projects!

I dug this amazing Learn To Crochet pamphlet from the bottom of a bin. I'm actually borrowing this same booklet from my grandma, and the instructions are really great.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Natural body care

2009-08-25T10:22:00.000-07:00

I have been doing a lot of background work in Megaluno Studio lately, so it has seemed like there's been nothing happening, hasn't it? Now that I'm feeling more comfortable with some new software, and have some fall and winter plans in place, things will be back to normal soon!

In the meantime, I've been thinking a lot about how I take care of myself. I've especially been taking a closer look at what I'm putting on my skin! It's pretty convenient to just buy mainstream products at the supermarket, but my skin has not been too happy with that lately. Because I'd like to support other small business owners, be more responsible with how I take care of myself, and take better care of this earth, I'm slowly moving towards handmade, natural products.

I got some eyeshadow from poshwashsoap in the mail today. It's fantastic! This is Christine's "Iced Coffee" eyeshadow.
Another product that I've been using and loving is from Saje. It's the Morning Glory daily moisturizer, and it is the most pretty and healing lotion I've used ever! They have a store here in Kelowna, and the people that work there are so kind and knowlegeable.

I've been checking out some other sellers on Etsy that have some neat skin and body care products.

lighthouse minerals
this soap from bellagracedesigns looks fantastic!
I love the idea of toothbrushing soap at livelaughlove
can't wait to try this bar shampoo from DressGreen

I'd love to hear some of your suggestions! Do you make your own shampoo, lotion, or soap?

Vacation update

2009-08-18T13:28:00.000-07:00

We're back, and what a holiday that was! It was so good to visit family (some relatives from the Netherlands visited my parents at the same time that we did), and we had some great adventures together! Here are a few highlights:

A hike to Crater Lake. We went on one of the best days, and the view was absolutely breathtaking! Yes, in case you're wondering, that water is indeed as cold as it looks!A panoramic view from the ridge above Crater Lake. This is the Bulkley Valley, with Smithers in the middle.
Up, up, up with husband, brother and father!
We went on an overnight adventure to Prince Rupert, BC, and dropped by the North Pacific Cannery for a visit. The morning mist from the ocean, invigorating fresh air, and spectacular sights made it a great place to play with the camera!

After a dinner in Prince Rupert, this deer and one other were just hanging out by the train tracks. They walked about one meter away from my brother!

Hudson Bay Mountain, in Smithers, BC.
All in all, a really great time. I feel refreshed, and ready to love this last bit of summer and dive into fall!

A little update...

2009-08-13T21:41:00.000-07:00

Megaluno Studio has been featured on things-we-heart! Thanks, Mieke and Erin!

I'm still in northern BC, exploring the outdoors. Tomorrow I'll head up on a great hike (I did the first half last year, and now I have better boots, so I'll make it up farther!) and Saturday we'll be driving home. It has been an amazing adventure, so I can't wait to get back to my own computer to share some pictures with you!

Summer road trip

2009-08-06T12:05:00.000-07:00

I'm signing off from regular blog posting for a week or so, for a holiday! We've been looking forward to this road trip for a while, and it's finally here!

I'm going to do my best to post some photos of our trip up to Smithers, but I won't make any promises. There will be LOTS of visiting to do, amazing mountains to hike, and glacial lakes to jump into!

Ciao!

A sad story of plagiarism

2009-08-04T14:34:00.000-07:00

I just read a really disturbing story. An art student stole the artwork of amazing artist Lauren Nassef, claimed it as her own, and even won a contest with it! You can get the whole scoop here.

I know that working as an artist online always includes the risk that others will not always respect your copyright, but such a blatant theft such as this is just sad. I wish that the student had more respect for her own creative abilities!

Ian goes puddle jumping

2009-08-01T11:30:00.000-07:00

It was pouring rain, and we just knew that the puddle at the end of the street was at least ankle deep by now. So Ian and I would pull out the rain boots and coats, more for decoration than anything else, since we’d be wet from head to toe in 10 minutes, regardless of our protective gear! Then we’d run down to the corner, and go puddle jumping!

I was reminded of this very special memory this week, during a few days of summer storms and dramatically dark clouds!

Limited edition prints of this illustration are available in my shop today!

Step-by-step marker illustration

2009-07-29T13:42:00.000-07:00

Today I’m sharing a step-by-step outline of my method for a basic marker illustration. Naturally, this varies in the details from one piece of art to the next, but this is sort of the skeleton of what is involved in one on my marker illustrations. Historically based illustrations involve a fair bit of research before I begin, but the illustration shown is just a fun image that popped into my head the other day.

That takes me right into step...
1) inspiration. I get inspired by all kinds of things: a movie; magazine photo; image in a book or online; or just an image in my imagination. This particular illustration is the result of aimless doodling while listening to a great audiobook!

2) Preliminary sketch – Flesh out a figure based on my inspiration. In this sketch I’ll work out proportions and garment details. If I’m working with a historical inspiration, I’l get pretty detailed here, to be accurate! Sometimes this step comes naturally on the first sketch, and sometimes it takes four or five tries to get to something that I’m satisfied with.

3) Transfer to marker paper. I use a light box that I have rigged up using a glass tabletop and a lamp.

4) Work out a colour scheme. It’s important to work our colours first, to avoid frustration halfway through my work when things aren’t looking like I’d pictured. I will especially play around with flesh and hair tones, to make sure I’m getting the look the aI want. If I am working within a historical time period, I’ll do some research to make sure that the colours that I’m choosing are true to that period.

5) Blocking in colours. I prefer to work with the most challenging areas first, so that I’m not risking hours of work if I’m not satisfied. On large areas of flat colour, like a background or a dress, I’ll block in the area with a blending marker first, which allows the inks to stay wet longer, and float into each other. The background and flesh areas are trickiest for me, so that’s what I tackle first, then the hair.

6) To begin with the garments, I work in the shadow areas first. This ensures that I’ll get good depth of colour, and balance the rest of the garments’ colours against these areas. Next I work in the rest of the area, suggesting the contours of the body and the garment. Since a marker drawing tends to have flatter areas of colour and not as much detail, it’s important to be intentional with shadow and white space. Dimension will be shown through suggestion of contours, not from actually drawing them in.

7) Finishing details, like footwear, and facial detail. I use black pens of varying thicknesses to tidy up the image and give a bold finishing touch. This is especially important on faces and hair, to make them stand out, and makes the whole illustration look bold and clean.
8) Sign and scan, and that's it! Next I'd get my printing and pricing together and post it in my shop, but that's another story for another day!

My materials:

Sketchbook and pencil
Bee Paper Aquabee Artist Marker Pad 110 lb
Chartpak AD markers
Prismacolor markers
Letraset Promarkers
Copic Sketch Markers
Staedtler Pigment liner pens

Coming tomorrow... step-by-step creative process

2009-07-28T16:17:00.001-07:00

Today's post is a little short, but tomorrow's post will be quite in depth. I promise!
I'm working on putting together an outline of my process for a marker illustration. I'm putting it together as I work on a new piece today.

In case you're getting curious, here's a peek at what's going on...

So, can you wait until tomorrow?

A nutty week!

2009-07-22T08:16:00.000-07:00

Well, after such a productive week last week, this one's been a little hairy so far! I'm glad it's only Wednesday.

Monday brought about a rather sour smell in my kitchen (apparently that's what a refrigerator smells like when it's on its last legs. Now I know...), and Tuesday arrived with thawed freezer contents and sour milk! So I did the fastest appliance shopping that I have ever done, and raced home to get everything settled before our company arrived at two! Thankfully, everything is all in order now, so my week can get normal again!
I hope that by Thursday afternoon or Friday, once our company is gone, I'll be able to get back to my regular workweek.

Until then, here are two quotes to mull over:

“The poorest man is not without a cent, but without a dream.”

Unknown

“I have learned silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet, strange, I am ungrateful to those teachers.”

Khalil Gibran

Shop Update

2009-07-17T14:50:00.000-07:00

Monday's start to Children's Week gave me plenty of inspiration! Do you want to see what I came up with? Here's a sneak peek, and you'll have to check out my shop to see the final results! They have been listed!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Etsy picks

2009-07-17T14:25:00.000-07:00

My top 5 Etsy picks for today:

1. UrbanEclectic's Flat Spiral Earrings
2. rokdarbi's Dew Lariat
3. JesseDanger's Seafoam stacking rings

4. The Inspiration Apple from lapomme

5. mimicharmante's linen flowered brown headband

Technorati claim code - please excuse the admin!

2009-07-17T11:07:00.000-07:00

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Work in progress...

2009-07-15T17:16:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Monday's post, here's some of my work in progress.

Have you read the latest "This Handmade Life" article on Etsy? It has a great video clip on Etsy seller and illustrator matilou. And an excellent link from Design*Sponge today, an article on business planning by Meg Touborg.

Children's Fashion Week

2009-07-13T12:29:00.000-07:00

This week at Megaluno Studio I'll be focusing on children's fashion history, especially as it relates to social reform. I am starting off with this article that I wrote, and I'll post some inspiration and new artwork later on in the week. I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject! If you have any links to contribute, feel free to post them in the comments!

(Sir) William Beechey (British, 1753-1839). The Oddie Children, 1789. Oil on canvas. 182.9 x 182.6 cm (72 x 71 7/8 in.).

Children’s Fashion History From Medieval Times to the End of the Eighteenth Century, Particularly in Relation to Social Reform

Fashion is constantly influenced by social changes and ideas. As the 18th century began, children were looked upon as evidence of original sin, and were made to grow up very quickly. Children before the 18th century wore miniature replicas of their parents’ clothing after the age of four. A shift in the attitude of raising children occurred in the 18th century, but this change was not reflected by their clothing until later in the 1700s. Contrarily, children were actually introduced to restrictive clothing at a younger age than before. After the child outgrew swaddling (at around one year old), both boys and girls were dressed in boned bodices and long, full skirts. At the age of three for boys, and two for girls, they were introduced to adult fashion.

John Locke’s essay Some Thoughts Concerning Education (originally published in 1693) brought about the revolutionary idea that children should be allowed the freedom to play and discover the world. He believed that the mind of a child was a blank slate, and that tabula rasa must be developed intentionally, particularly through a more practical form of education than was prevalent until that time. Artwork from this period shows the slow progression of children sitting quietly indoors, to the boys playing out of doors while the girls remain indoors, to boys and girls playing together outside, wearing clothing far less restrictive than that of their predecessors.

The French Revolution beginning in 1789 brought social reform with “The Enlightenment.” The extravagant style of the French and English courts were questioned, and then shunned. More comfortable and practical styles that had previously been associated with the rural and working class gained popularity. In France, people who dressed in a manner that seemed too extravagant were actually in personal danger. Classical styles grew in popularity, and white was the most common colour for a child to be dressed in by the close of the century. This “angelic” appearance reinforced the growing belief that children were innocents.

Between 1770 and 1780, a major change occurred in the care of infants. The Americans and English abandoned the ancient practice of swaddling their babies, and the rest of Europe followed by the end of the century. Babies were instead dressed in long gowns of up to a metre in length during their first year, and wore both fitted undercaps and frilly overcaps both day and night.

In the 1760s, the dress of girls began to differ from that of women. At first only the young girls, but eventually those in their teens as well had adopted a classically styled and simple form of dress. Low-necked, high-waisted muslin dresses with short sleeves were common attire. They were usually white with a coloured sash at the high waistline. The skirt was worn straight to the ankle or midstep. A girl of the late 18th century would wear this from babyhood until her late twenties. This style started to influence adult fashion around 1785, and was extremely popular after the turmoil of the French Revolution.

The late 1700s brought about a new freedom for boys in the form of trousers. They were worn after the frock of a baby until the coat and breeches of a man (adopted around the age of 10). Boys’ trousers were either wide legged or tight fitting, and worn with a short jacket without tails. Sometimes a sash was worn, but no waistcoat. As women’s and girls’ waistlines rose, boys’ jackets shortened. By the 1780s, trousers were cut well above the waist, and buttoned over the jacket. This was called a skeleton suit, and was worn by boys of 3 -7 years of age, from the 1780s until about 1830.

Resources:
Baclawski K. (1995). The Guide to Historic Costume. New York, NY: Drama Book Publishers.

Nunn J. (2000). Fashion in Costume 1200-2000. London: The Herbert Press.

Some Thoughts Concerning Education. (2009, July 8). In WIkipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved July 13, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Some_Thoughts_Concerning_Education&oldid=300923153

Children's week next week!

2009-07-08T15:56:00.000-07:00

I'll start off with some shop talk: next week is children's week! All new items in my shop will be about kids, and I'll do a few blog posts about children's fashion history. Stick around, it's going to be fun!

Also new in my shop: A Portrait of a Dress. I was so inspired by the commission I worked on last week that I've decided to develop a body of work focusing on "a portrait of a dress." My goal is to create timeless visual celebrations of memorable moments and the beautiful things that we wore. You can see my concept in detail in my shop here.

Thank you all for the emails and encouraging words that I've had from you! It's been so good to know how many people believe in me and my new work!

Now I have to share what has inspired me this week.

I read a wonderful Design*Sponge Biz Ladies article here. Actually, all of the Biz Ladies articles are great, but this one was stellar!
I have some knit fabric that's begging to become a summer top in my spare time (or rather, the spare time that I'm making for the weekend) . Before I start snipping and sewing, I went here and here for inspiration.
Shopping at the farmer's market this morning. It made me regret not planting a vegetable garden this year! If you want to see some inspirational gardening, look what's growing in this garden!

Inspiration for today...

2009-06-29T17:51:00.001-07:00

Today...

Outside my window... amazing sunshine, and a robin eating berries off the tree in my front yard.

I am thinking... that it’s getting close to dinner time. What shall I make with that sole?

I am thankful for... a peaceful and very productive day!

From the kitchen... the aforementioned sole, and a glass of grapefruit juice. Yum.

I am wearing... capris, my favorite blue summer top, and bare feet.

I am creating... a custom order that I’m just finishing. It was a total blast to work on. I LOVE being inspired by vintage wedding photos!

I am going... to fold socks tonight while watching NCIS reruns.

I'm reading... "A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens

I am hoping... to make a cup of coffee and sit for a bit before dinner.

I am praying... that my brother drives safely on his road trip this week!

I am hearing... an airplane and the washing machine.

Around the house... I’ve been thinking of ways to re-arrange a few things, just for a change!

One of my favorite things... to work hard during the day, and then have a quiet supper on the deck with my hubby

A few plans for the rest of the week... get some new work into my shop, read a few more chapters of my book, call my mom, and celebrate Canada Day with a barbeque!

A picture to share... just a small corner of my vintage wedding inspiration photo.

“Today list” from:
http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

It's launch day!

2009-06-23T12:12:00.000-07:00

It's snuck up on me pretty quickly, but today is launch day! As of noon today, Megaluno Studio is open!

If you're curious, you can check it out:
http://megalunostudio.etsy.com

Now that I've got all that up and running, I will be making some new work this week! Time to get inspired! My book of the week is History of 20th Century Fashion, by Elizabeth Ewing.

I'll be sharing some inspiring images later this week, so stay posted!

A new start

2009-06-19T11:44:00.000-07:00

Welcome, readers! It's a wonderful day to be starting something new! Let me tell you about it.

I'm Judith. I live in sunny Kelowna, British Columbia, with my wonderful husband. I've been spending several months planning this new adventure - Megaluno Studio. I'm an artist and designer, and this studio takes me back to one of my great loves - illustration.

megaluno • \meg-al-OO'-no\ • verb
: to make great, enlarge, magnify, exalt

The creative mission of Megaluno Studio is
• to celebrate creativity, and embrace this celebration in everyday life
• to explore experiences though visual interpretation
• to create illustrations and illustrated products that stimulate the imagination
• to be responsible with talents, time, relationships, and the earth

I'm blogging about creativity, inspiration, and life in my world.

I love hearing from my readers! Please leave comments and email me to your heart's content.

Now, shall we begin?