Family Heritage French Huguenot Dress

I had such a lovely time at Artfiberfest teaching and taking classes. One class that really thrilled me was a class in making Pinafores with Ruth Rae. Her main work is with little toddler sized dresses that she fashions like little sculptures on a special little hanger she makes. She had one in an adult size. I choose to make a Pinafore I could wear. This is a result. My friend Jan posed for me among the lilies.
I was honored to host Ruth on Sunday and take her around the city. We shopped at garage sales in a beautiful neighborhood near Reed College were Artfiberfest had been happening. Ruth is a very special and kind woman. She mentored me while we had lunch and walked the flower filled streets about this wonderful world of Mixed Media Art. We discussed teaching, publishing and relationships with all the kinds of artists and women that fill this little community. Thank you so much Ruth!!!

I am so happy with my Dress...it is so fun and special to wear!

All my friends that have tried it on feel like faeries.

I dyed some of the muslin a french blue...rite dye teal in the washer using 2 yards and 2/3rds of the package.

I used old lace I have collected..boy you burn through your stash...fast!

I found a photo of the first Protestant Bible in France from the 1500's. I thought it might be my like the one my family who immigrated from France as Huguenots to Delaware in the 1600's. I was very close with my Grandfather. I lived with him for 7 years as a child and he was my father. Though there were many marriages with other families..Irish, Welsh, English, German...he was raised by a French father and his Father was French and his father was French...an all that he knew about being a man was from his French Huguenot fathers. Many of them became Quakers. His name was Claude Bonine. When I saw the movie "Jean Florette" and "Mammon of the Spring" I finally understood my Bonine family....They came from a town near Lords was called Pau in the Pyrenees. Many Huguenots came from that area including the King Henry III of Navarre who was a Huguenot...but Catherine de' Medic his brides mother masterminded the Oct. St. Bartholomew's Day massacre

Millais' painting, A Huguenot and his Catholic lover on the eve of St. Bartholomew's day

Sweet Lulu posed for me...

With each class I take I become more free and fluid...I am so delighted with all the new skills and friendships I have made...

My camera finally died so I had to replace it...I depended on my friends camera's. Lulu's photo's I used her camera. And Jan in the Lilies was taken by her husband Tim with his wonderful new camera...
I got my Nikon D 70 replaced today...yeah!!!!