Anna Karenina: A Study In Theatrical Cinema

Let me begin by explaining that I am not a big Keira Knightly fan, and yet I seem to LOVE the movies she is in. I get it, she's British, she's gorgeous, she's cheeky... there's just something about her that irritates me. HOWEVER... apparently when paired with a classic storyline, a BRILLIANT director and the most fabulous sets/costumes in... ever... she's a winner!

It's no secret that I am a sucker for great packaging and I will sit through multiple viewings of really tedious films to take a closer look at hairstyles, corsetry and set design. There is no question that Anna Karenina is opulent and extravagant in it's gilded and carved props and backdrops, but since we have now "been there, done that" a few times too many for that to be a draw in 2013, this film relies on an ingenious use of motion through the sets and scenes that is at once fluid and fractured to create a visually innovative masterpiece. Sets are manipulated on screen the way a theatrical play would be on a stage but with the actors moving through the sets as well as through the scenes.

As a Russian socialite in pre-Bolshevik Moscow, Anna travels to visit her philandering brother in an attempt to explain to her sister-in-law that it is in the woman's best interest to let him have his cake and eat it too while she cares for the brood. In one of those cinema norm string of coincidences, she meets the fabulously moustached Count Vronsky, who is near as well dressed as she is and almost as cocky. The two fall head over fur lined boots in love with the first glance and so begins the ruining of Anna.

The IMPORTANT part of this film is the return of the veiled hat, train travel, creative ballroom dancing and blue silk wallpaper. I'm not kidding, the tragedy of the storyline, the intensity of the passion... all well and good, but the choreography! It's gorgeous. And the blue room where Anna eventually loses her sanity, that alone is worth whatever they paid to have the film produced. Also I am taking up Ice Sledging. 

Anna Karenina isn't a new tale, but in the light of our fairly recent fascination of over the top grandeur and bolts of silk a la The Duchess, Elizabeth I, Marie Antoinette et al... the way this movie was filmed is what sets it high above the rest of the aristocracy. Joe Wright isn't a name that I am overly familiar with, but surprisingly the man of the house knew immediately who he was, based on his direction of Hannah, which was equally refreshing, albeit a genre as far from opulence as one is likely to get. So I suppose it's fair to say I dig this guy's style. In 2007 he became the youngest director in history to have a film open the Venice Film Festival with Atonement. There also seems to be rather an obvious link between Wright and Knightly... which is sort of ironic.

Lavender Hot Chocolate

Now that there is no denying the cold that has befallen us, I am open to trying new things in the world of hot chocolate. Because, well... I might just have to make this a few times to perfect it, right? My new obsession is Lavender Hot Chocolate. Mmmmm...

Go here for the recipe...

Snow Bunny

As per usual Anthro has the most genius display up for winter that includes a bunny that is so excellent, I might just attempt to make him. For Easter. Maybe. Because I really haven't had time lately to do ANYTHING. Which is why I haven't been around here. I apologize for my absence. You know that lull that happens after the holidays where you get to recoup and refresh? Well there wasn't that. AT ALL! I had scheduled some projects to keep me busy and tie up some loose ends through that typically white and cozy "at home doing nothing" period, but it never happened. And then not only did I have these projects, but also the things I had been working on all last year suddenly EXPLODED into fruition overnight... and I am just starting to get caught up! So I am happily puttering away, trying to stay ahead of the game by just a few strokes... and in the meantime my inspiration folder for this blog is bursting at the seams... so I might have to spend a few posts just cramming all the neat stuff into a few posts to get it out there to you :) Stay tuned!

Paper Quilling Snowflakes

Spent the day making gorgeous quilled paper snowflakes at our Crafternoon Extraveganza. I found this photo on pinterest and made it big so I could figure out how it was made, drew out a diagram and guessed at the lengths of paper. Turns out, if I had just clicked ON the photo (I should know that by now) it takes you rather haphazardly to three or four tutorials for even more gorgeous designs! It's time consuming, but one of those projects that you get much faster at as you go, and actually really fun. The post I did awhile ago involving paper quilling has consistently be one of the most popular, so there must be people out there trying this! I thought you might be interested in a tutorial (or in this case five!)

If you are looking for a pretty detail for your Christmas decorating, may I suggest a few of these delicate and intricate beauties hanging about? You can make them any size and use them in any application that you can use a medallion or paper flower, they are crazy inexpensive... and they would look gorgeous dusted in opal glitter! Don't get frustrated with your first one, I was teaching people today and by the time they were finished their first they had just finally "got it"... so consider your first to be a practice and carry on :) Send me photos!

Felted Gorgeousness From Dana Barnes

Last night I was catching up on some blog perusal and one of my mainstays, Fiona at Cafe Cartolina, had posted these rather brilliant stools from Claire-Anne O'Brien.

 I love huge chunky knit things, and it reminded me of these rugs I found awhile ago, probably via a post on Facebook, I can't remember now. Either way, thought I would dig up that bookmark and post 'em.

The rugs in Dana's SoHo loft.

These photos are a few of the rugs that were conceived by Dana Barnes in her SoHo loft as a way to lessen the noise that having such a wide open space can create. With her two young girls living in the loft with her and her husband, she needed some underfoot padding, and with a background in textile design, the obvious choice was ginormous granny squares crocheted out of merino roving. Her collection is called Souled Objects and features felted contemporary versions of traditional crafting styles such as crochet and macrame. I am completely enamored with both the round crocheted bubble type ones and the flat felted one that has small dome shapes (below, in her bed/bathroom).

Dana is on to her fourth front loading washer, as she uses the machines' hot cycle to felt the large squares after they have been crocheted by hand and they seem to be less than thrilled to be her workhorses... a bag of wet wool roving is pretty hefty. It would seem that Dana is infatuated with felting. Indeed, her home is filled with her work, and she uses a wide variety of techniques to create a number of different styles and functions. Her technical skill is evident, an obvious trait from years working with designers such as Elie Tahari in the New York fashion mecca.

What is perhaps less evident, but more relevant, is her connection to indigenous craft. She has spent a great deal of time in developing countries to be close to the hands that felt, weave and manipulate textiles in a quest to fully relate utilitarian function with the beauty of the handmade. She also credits her upbringing, in the Southeastern US watching a community of crafters and artisans that relied on local sources.

She has help, in the form of a group of young artists and crafters, one of whom is Megan Novak. Megan enjoys the time she spends at the loft, out on the terrace crocheting huge squares with a dowel and her hands in the sun.

Ms. Novak wears an organdy apron to keep the fibers where they belong. Not only do I love the image of giant crochet stitches, but her hair is darling!

Dana has shown at the International Furniture Fair, and her pieces (ranging from $95 to $200 per square foot) are sold at BDDW in New York.

Designer Dana Barnes

Photos from Souled Objects site, and from this wonderful NYTimes article.