A FLOWERY AFFAIR...

Any day spent among friends is pretty wonderful.  Throw in creating something you really love, and it turns into a delightfully PERFECT day - that was my Saturday, and a great way to start off the new year.

At Suzan's (OLD GREY MARE PRIMITIVES) Christmas PalooZa Gathering last month, talk turned to spring flowers, and coercing another dear friend into teaching a Ribbonwork class before the garage/studio is returned to it's original/boring state.

Dating back to the Victorian era, Ribbonwork was extremely popular in the 1920's...beautiful flowers created through the manipulation of ribbons, adorned hats, clothing, powder puffs, lingerie items, eye masks, garters,  etc.  Carole Sidlow, of THE RIBBON STORE here in Vegas, is so VERY well-versed in the craft, and always eager to introduce newcomers to the art form.  Carole deals in specialized ribbons (not your standard run-of-the-mill craft store variety)...beautiful silks; French wired; vintage and contemporary, alike; vintage laces.  If she doesn't carry it, she can usually get it, but I even shudder to think there might be something out there that she doesn't carry.  Carole lives in Ribbon PalooZa, which is the equal to the Christmas version that lives at Z's!

Our Carole, demonstrating large, beautiful silk pasties flowers...

Busy at work - there were actually a few moments, in between the laughter and chatter of friends, where you could hear a pin drop...those were the lip biting moments of concentration.  Each participant turned out five complete flowers, and two different leaves - a great jumping off point...and I know everyone was excited to go home and give it a try, on their own.

The technical art of measuring a yard of ribbon...

Sarah's masterful hands, tackling a delicate, yellow Love Knot...she was wearing the prettiest sweater...

More concentration - Margaret, engrossed in her ribbon.  Look at her speedy hands - almost too fast for my camera (actually this was the first day I pulled out the new camera - I'm gonna' love it, once I figure it all out...it made Margaret look like Speedracer)...

A little help from the master...

And a big smile at the end of a big class - what doesn't kill you makes you stronger...right, Carole?!

Our purple/orange girl (Steph's) flowers, packaged up at the end the afternoon...

A silk, couturier rose, complete with my own little "Love Knot" and multi colored puffy leaf.  The lighting in the garage casts a soft, yellow/white glow on everything - make sure you go back and check out the true colors of these ribbons on the first photo of this post, taken in natural light...rich and yummy!  Actually, I didn't want anyone to think there was something wrong with the color configuration on my new camera.  Tis' simply the anomoly that is the lighting at Z's...

And my own, complete stash - we're hoping for the start of the real flower season soon.  In the meantime, create a little color in your own winter world.  Thanks to Carole, for another fabulous class (there were already rumblings among us, for the second, more advanced version), and to Z, the "Hostess With the Mostest"...gracious and giving beyond your wildest imagination, that's our Suzan.  Know how comfortable people are with your open arms and beautiful home, Z - it's always the coziest, most creative, most wonderful day anyone could spend among friends!