Victorian Love Token Brooch

"Darling" has been named after the lovely Victorian mother of pearl brooch which I placed on the bodice of the wool flannel petticoat.
The mother of pearl is very thin and finely cut....it would have been a gift to a sweetheart....a love token.
I ponder on who they were, and make up stories about their lives together which kept the brooch so safe for so long.

"Darling"

He...or she was once someones darling...wrapped in wool,comforted and warm...
the flannel petticoat kept as a memory...
looked at, perhaps in wonderment in years to come...
as I do with my own teasure...
did the man who now stands before me once fit into this tiny garment?
where did the years go...slipped away in busyness,
fastened tight in memory.

Detail from "Darling"

Today a friend took some professional photographs of my exhibition...I am excited as from what I have seen on his camera, there are some very interesting angles and closeups...much better than my offerings, so I will add them as soon as I have them.
In the meantime, here is a detail from the work on paper entitled "Darling".

Exhibition Images

My sketchbook and some antique treasures in the showcase....the needlecase belonged to my mother,and is made from blue kid leather with pages of cream wool.
it has a little christian poem cut from a magazine wrapped in celophane paper and pinned inside the cover....it has always been there and must have acted as an encouragement to her...mother's name was Jessie Betsy.

Minories "Darling"

Minories "Quilt Fragment"

Minories "Mother"

Minories "Perception" Wall hanging

Images From My Exhibition...corners of the lovely Georgian Garden Room

All Set Up & Ready To Go

Setting up could not have gone any better...lovely technicians, wonderful friends to transport everything and a beautiful room, it has been stress free and a pleasure.The room still has the original Georgian fireplace and white painted wood panelling and two huge sash windows with folding shutters which overlook the garden.
The building is actually Tudor in origin but was "modernised" in the 18th century so is typically Georgian in appearance.
A friend is going to borrow a "special lense" with which he will be able to capture the whole room apparantly...but I shall take simple photos myself too, and put them up on the blog very soon.

Going Well!!

Set up for the exhibition is going so well...the technicians are lovely and I couldn't have hoped for better.
The wall hangings and framed works are now all up with the technical issues all easily overcome, and the dresses are on their stands.
Tomorrow I shall be installing the three pieces of furniture...small country antique table, chair and a wonderful 18th century wooden rocking cradle I found at an auction last week....these, together with some simple scraps of fabric and needle and thread should help to create the atmosphere I am looking for.....one where it feels as if the maker from the past has only just absented herself from the room.
There are still lots of small jobs waiting to be done like writing, emails and all the odds and ends, so it will probably take the week, but now it is starting to feel exciting....I'll put pictures up before too long now.