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Monday 16 February 2015

Carnevale! - Monday 16th February 2015

Hello Friends!

Despite it still being cold (very for some of you and not at all for some too!), February has a lot going for it...for a start the dreariness of January is behind us and we can start looking forward to Spring! Already I've noticed that the days are getting longer and bird song is starting to awaken me before the alarm, our hens definitely have a certain spring in their step when I open their coop and they bound into daylight!

There is something else about February of course and that is 'Love' - it's the month where our attention is turned to romance and looking at some of the fabulous creations on your blogs this past week really shows how crafters embrace this celebration. As a I explained yesterday, as I was laid low with a bug and before that busy at work, my romantic offerings are going to be across this week.

I'm starting with a bit of a labour of love, as this took a little while, made in various snippets of time, but I loved making it. Some of you know what a lucky gal I am...whilst many of my family are Californian and I've had the pleasure of frequent visits since I was a teen, Tom's family on his Dad's side are Venetian...said by some to be the most romantic city in the world. I have to say when Tom and his parents first took me there many years ago, I fell in love at first sight and have never stopped loving it.


 February in Venice is Carnival time (I have put a potted history of Carnevale at the very end of this post). Venice is so heady with colour, decadence and extravagance during this time...so many people in costume and of course masks. Some of Tom's family run a costume business. They make, sell and hire everything you could imagine wearing to a ball. They spend the festival time at one of the best hotels serving the guests. A few years ago Venice Atelier (their name) had their costumes on display at a Mozart exhibition in the Salzburg Museum.

I decided to make a mask and purse matching set...lol if you are going to stand around in St Mark's Square being photographed by tourists all day, you really would need a purse filled with chocolates methinks!

I'll describe the two items separately:
For the purse:

Sizzix Scoreboards Heart box die by Eileen Hull
Sizzix Butterfly die
Sizzix Flourish dies
Sizzix Doily and Jewel heart die
Spellbinders Bitty Blossoms dies
Indigo Blu English Cottage paint: Goldfinger and Aladdin

I die cut the box using plain card and before putting it together painted all parts with the purple Aladdin paint using a sponge. When it had dried I put the box together and then with a dry sponge and little paint, I dabbed the sides of the box and more randomly the front and back, just to have a hint of gold showing through.

I die cut the heart from the doily die set, the butterfly, the flourishes and the roses and painted these in the same way.

To finish I tied a bow with dark purple ribbon through the heart charm and added a gem. Once the box was complete, all that was needed was some tissue paper and chocolates.

The Mask

Paper light air dry clay
Plain white drinking straw with bendy top
Sizzix Flourish dies
Paints as above
gems
Butterfly stamps - Kanban

I drew the basic shape of a mask on some card, cut it out and used this as the template for my mask, modelling my clay around it. I made a hold in each top corner for ribbon. Once the clay had dried I painted the mask with a coat of gesso and then gold.

I stamped about 20 butterflies, heat embossed using clear powder and coloured them with Promarkers.  I cut each one out and added some sparkle with both clear wink of stella pen and embossing glitter.

I painted the drinking straw with gold paint, it's not intended to show but in case any of the straw did peek through I wanted to conceal the white. I used permanent glue dots to attach the butterflies to the straw and wound ribbon around the part that is used as the handle below the mask, finishing with a bow.

I decorated the mask with gems and threaded ribbon through the holes. Lastly I glued the remaining butterflies to the front of the mask and flourishes and feathers to the side


I would like to enter this project in to the following challenges

Eileen Hull  - Art with Heart - theme: Projects to Love
Artist Trading Post - Love is in the Air
Butterfly Spot Challenge -  #24 R is for Ribbon 


Thank you so much for stopping by, I really do appreciate it...if you'd like to read a little about Carnival, please see below by signature!

Love and Hugs
Carole X

Carnevale di Venezia...


The Carnival is held annually, ending on the first day of Lent and today is most famous for its elaborate costumes and masks. It originally began in the 12th Century when citizens came into St Mark's square to celebrate their victory over the Patriarch of Aquileia (1162). It became very popular during the 17th and 18th centuries as a way for Venice to show its prestigious image to the world. When the Austrians took over the rule of Venice in 1797, the Carnival and masks were outlawed and only crept back in during the following century through private parties and a way for artistic creativity.

The Carnival was finally brought back officially in 1979; the government wanted to bring back the history and culture of Venice and today the festival period sees the City teeming with about 3 million visitors...one of the highlights is at the end of the first week, when they hold the 'Flight of the Angel' in St Mark's Square. The winner of a beauty pageant zooms across the square on a zip wire (rather her than me). This year's grand finale is February 17th, when prizes are awarded for best costumes at a special celebration ..a fashion show for the 18th Century! If you do go as a tourist some time, be prepared to wear a mask at least, possibly a Venetian cloak or even a full costume. It's even more crowded than summer, but great fun!

Unfortunately it's been a while since we went for the event, so I haven't been able to find my photos, which are probably on a CD somewhere!

31 comments:

  1. Wow Carole, these are spectacular!! Love the purse and that mask is just out of this world crazy amazing!! Love the carnival colours and all the wonderful butterflies! Everything is so glimmery and shimmery, how wonderful! hugs :)

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  2. This purse and mask are just amazing. What a ton of creativity you put into this set, Carole. Just stunning. Thanks for the information on Carnevale. Enjoy your day.

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  3. Oh! My! Word! Carole, your creations are absolutely amazing.
    Love, love, love them they are amazing

    Patricia x

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  4. Pure opulence. Just love the vibrant fun colours. Now we just need photos of you parading with them. Hope you had a wonderful Valentines.
    Hugs Desíre {Doing Life}

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  5. Carole, what can I say? Your bag and mask are simply stunning! Fabulous butterflies. I've also been onto your family's web site - absolutely fascinating. Like you, I can feel that spring is on the way. Longer days, gorgeous snowdrops, birds flitting around everywhere, even some buds on the trees. Yep, it's definitely not too far away. Hugs Christine xx

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  6. Wow, these are absolutely stunning! I love those luxurious colours and the butterflies are so beautiful. I would love to visit Venice during the Carnival time and your creations are such a gorgeous tribute to it. Thanks for your kind words, I'm so sorry to hear that you've recently lost a relative too. Thinking of you and your family. x
    Rebecca.
    x

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  7. Oh wow Carole your creations are absolutely stunning. I love Venice but we have only been there on day trips. One day it would be lovely to stay there for a while sometime. Thank you for the explanation about the Carnival. Hugs Jackie

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  8. Carole your makes are amazing such beautiful colours ... I would love to go to Venice maybe one day I'll get there

    Anne

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  9. Morning Carole,
    Great post today thank you. Love the mask and yes we all need chocolates.
    Lydia
    X

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  10. Oh my goodness these are awesome! So much work and gorgeousness has gone into them - amazing! xxx

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  11. Oh my goodness from me too! I think Tom's relatives would be very proud of these stunning creations Carole! They really do both have the wow factor! The box looks gorgeous in purple and gold and the mask is quite gorgeous! Apologies for being a little late visiting, I have been under the weather too....
    Thanks so much for joining in Eileen's Art With Heart Challenge this month. Hugs, Anne xx

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    1. Thanks Anne, hope you are feeling better...sending hugs, xxx

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  12. Hi Carole,
    what superb creations.
    They are so stunningly beautiful, and superb designing may I add.
    Love them.
    Why don't you enter this into the Butterfly challenge, as it fits the bill perfectly.
    Lots of crafty love. Jenny L.

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    1. Thanks Jenny, I did try but have had trouble wit Mr Linky on the site..am going back later to see if it did work or try again, xx

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  13. Fabulous projects, very colourful and romantic, Venice is on my list of places to go to. Thank you for sharing with us on Artful Times.

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  14. As always Carole your creativity blows me away. All the details - did I miss how long this took you to make? I am guess many many hours. I too love Venice, it's a beautiful city and Hubby and I love to be on the water, so it is the perfect place for us. As you know we went there for my MIL's 60th and stayed in a fabulous Palazzo, my trips to Venice have never been so lux! Cx

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  15. Hello Carole. This is a magnificent creation...your range of talents is amazing. Thanks for sharing the history of Carnival...and wow what a range of influences...might explain your diverse skills.The package arrived today to my delight. Thank you...you're very generous. I love all the sentiment die cuts...they'll serve me well. The feathers are fabulous. I love the red door and the gold wedding bands are perfect. The motorcycle is awesome and the baby carriages adorable.Love them all. What company makes the sweet embossed bird? I'm very pleased and I hope you are too. Thanks again Cyber hugs Carole

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    1. Hi Carole, so pleased you loved your package as much as I did mine!!! The bird is from a Spellbinders set, big hugs, Carole XX

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  16. Hi Carole, gorgeous colours and so much detail. There looks to be loads of work involved in making this but it was definitely worth it.
    Hope you have a great crafty week and big hugs, Angela x

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  17. What a stunning creation - these are beautiful. So much work and so much detail has produced something to really treasure
    Jane - Butterfly Challenge guest designer

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  18. This is what I love about the blogosphere - not only do I get to admire your beautiful, whimsical, and oh-so-romantic looking creations, I get to learn about some history in the process! This must be such a fabulous time of year (other than the trying to get through the swarms of tourists, of course). I bet it's just got this magical feel to it - just like your projects do! LOVE this!

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  19. What a gorgeous beautiful project, and I LOVED reading your blog xxxxxx

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  20. Hello Carole and welcome to my butterfly challenge. Your link worked just fine but I'm glad you queried it as I found someone else who had tried to link up and it was sitting in Mr Linky!
    Wow your entry has completely blown me away. I love, love your mask. Have been to Venice carnival myself and have sent you a separate email as we have found our photos of 2001. (gosh was it really that long ago). The colours are georgeous and all those butterflies. I just want to keep touching the screen. Thankyou for fluttering by my 1st anniversary challenge. Hugs Mrs A.

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    1. Thank you! Also thank you for your lovely email...I will reply as soon as I can...it will be a bit more of a relaxing day tomorrow xx

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  21. A fantastic project, the butterflies look beautiful. thank you for joining us at ATP Exchange this time.
    Yvonne

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  22. Love the post you have written and you have made a beautiful bag and mask. I so love that mask!! Thanks so much for joining us at ATP Exchange for this challenge. Juliax

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  23. Fabulous makes Carole. Very clever the way you have used the butterflies on the mask. Lovely rich colours too! Thank you for joining us at the ATP Exchange . Toni x

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  24. I love Venice and have been there 14 times to date so you can see I love the place. I also visit California each January and went for Christmas this year so feel we have some common ground here. That is where it stops though as I am sure I would never have been able to come up with such a beautiful creation as this. Love the mask with the butterflies. I love masks too - and Carnivals/Parades.
    Hope you had a wonderful time at the Carnival - one day I might get there ... one day ...
    Hugs, and thanks for sharing such a beautiful creation with us here at Artful Times - Neet xx

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  25. Hi Carole, wow! These are both beautiful pieces & the purple & gold colours are gorgeous together. I was lucky enough to visit Venice when I was in my late teens & would really love to visit again now that I am older as I think I would appreciate it a lot more.
    Have a good weekend
    Amy x

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  26. Hi Carole, wow! These are both beautiful pieces & the purple & gold colours are gorgeous together. I was lucky enough to visit Venice when I was in my late teens & would really love to visit again now that I am older as I think I would appreciate it a lot more.
    Have a good weekend
    Amy x

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  27. I love these colours and the venezian look of this set. Gorgeous!

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