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Saturday, August 25, 2012

Carlotta Comes Home





About a month ago I did a post on the art of Carlotta Edwards.  In it I mentioned that two of her ballet prints hung in my bedroom when I was a young child.  The originals are long gone but last year I was able to replace one of them - Margot Fonteyn as Giselle.  The other print called L'Aiglon remained elusive.


L'Aiglon

After I published the post Kylie from  Lucy Violet Vintage left a comment that she had a copy of L'Aiglon she could give me.  True to her word Kylie posted it to me - all the way from Australia! - very carefully packaged as the print is framed under glass.  I think we were both holding our breath that it would arrive intact - and it did.  This post is an enormous THANK YOU to Kylie for her wonderful kindness and thoughtfulness.  

The print I had as a child was exactly the same as this one - in an identical white frame.  Last year I missed an eBay bid on a L'Aiglon print with a brown wooden frame.  I think I was always hoping that if I did find one the frame would be the same as my original copy - and here it is.  Carlotta has truly come home!



I was going to hang just the L'Aiglon print next to my dressing table, but my husband suggested we put my two childhood memories together.  They are now the first thing I look at when I wake up in the morning.




My bedroom has always been blue and white.  My knick-knacks are all passed on to me from either my mother or grand-mother.  This pretty little ceramic house (to the left of the pot-plant) is actually a container.  The top section comes off and you can keep small objects inside.




My dressing table is also full of handed down memories or gifts that my sister has given me.  I can remember many of them on my mother's dressing table when I was a very young child.  Sometimes I'm sad I don't have a daughter to pass them on to, but hopefully one day I might have grandchildren!




It almost looks like the room has been modelled around the Carlotta pictures, not that they are the new arrivals - they fit in so well.  Kylie also gave me this blog link to an early post of hers that includes my picture as part of a ballet theme.  I had not discovered Kylie's blog when the post was published so did not know it was there until now.  If like me you enjoy vintage ballet-related items this post is a must-see.




All of my duvet covers are plain-ish white, but some of my pillow cases are embroidered vintage ones that originally belonged to my mom.  (I never thought of them as being vintage until recently but I guess they must be by now!)    



Taking these pictures has given me another idea.  This week I also won another surprise parcel from Barbara at March House Books - a beautiful embroidery transfer and skein of thread.  I'm going to scan and copy the transfer so I always keep the original but I've decided I want to try something new - I'm going to buy some new pillowcases and use the lovely flower patterns on the transfer (and perhaps the birds as well) to embroider them in a similar way to this one.  But that will be another story . . .




5 comments:

  1. The picture fits right in with your bedroom. It is a charming room and I am sure you have many peaceful sleeps there. Isn't blogging great!

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  2. So nice to see the Carlotta hung in your room Sharon. I couldn't have found a better new home or a nicer person to give it to x

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  3. How wonderful to now have both of the pictures you have always loved together again. I am sure they put a smile on your face every time you see them! They are so lovely!

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  4. Boy, those pictures add a lot to the room. As for those embroidered pillowcases, how endearing. thank you for sharing these pics.

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  5. It really does look as though you decorated your bedroom around the pictures. It was sweet of Kylie to send L’Aiglon to you, and it feels as though it is in exactly the right place.
    I’m so pleased you can make use of the embroidery transfer and skein of thread and look forward to seeing the pillowcases.
    It’s nice sharing things like this. I’m excited to have won a prize on Donna’s blog but more of that in a future post!

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