creativity is always good for the soul...

It's been over a year since I last posted on this blog... time flies when you're having fun!

Creative juices have been flowing and it's evolved into a true passion for chandeliers... old, antique masterpieces that just needed some love to bring them into the "now"!

We have designed many throughout this past year and I thought I'd share some pictures with you... all are one-of-a-kind creations!  Enjoy!

antique crystal chandelier "FRENCH BAROQUE" rustic 6-light

crystal chandelier "CROWN SMOKE" rustic 6-light

chandelier "OLD WORLD" rustic 10-light

crystal chandelier "CROWN" rustic 6-light

chandelier "RENAISSANCE" rustic 10-light

crystal chandelier "SHABBY CHIC" whitewash 5-light

buy handmade this Christmas... because you're worth it

 

 

Unique, one-of-a-kind and made with love...

a mendlbarr creation is sure to please!

 

HANDMADE...

because you're worth it

 

Sit back, grab a cup of tea and...

 

take a peek at our earrings, bracelets and necklaces...

 

enjoy! :)

 

 

The 6th Annual Deck the Tables & Holiday Tabletop Tour

 

Excited to be in the thick of preparing our Christmas table for Dauphin Sales, Inc... "The 6th Annual Deck the Tables & Holiday Tabletop Tour" at the Houston Design Center is a festive occasion for designers to create... this year we will be there :)

We've been planning this for several months already... shopping is almost complete... the antique Italian tole chandelier is getting wired... it's been Christmas in our home for a few weeks with all of the decorations and ideas!

Here are some of the pictures that made publication in the past... all gorgeous!

We will be installing on December 1st... pictures to follow...

Our jewelry making is also taking shape... we've settled in and are ready to do business... remember to buy "handmade"... because you're worth it...

Houston, TX... our new adventure :)

Hello from Houston, TX... our new home!

Thanks for your business and we hope that you are enjoying your purchases!

 

Now that we've arrived on Texas soil, there's so much to get used to... like having a car :)
We never needed to own a vehicle in NYC... subways, trains, buses and if we needed a vehicle, we had access to HertzOnDemand and could walk up to any type of car we wanted to rent!   Another large change is the climate... we left cold, snowy NYC and arrived to swimsuit and flip-flop weather!

Many opportunities have presented themselves in the short time we've been here... exciting new venues to show at... stay tuned...

Our upcycled furniture creations will be so much easier to do in Texas... more room for sanding, painting and waxing the pieces... dedicated space for our shipping department and for mendlbarr jewelry, too! 

 

 

 As always, you'll find everything we've created in our Etsy, Artfire and eBay shops.   Take a peek... we are creating new items just for you!

Handmade... because you're worth it!

FRENCH BOUDOIR ART DOLLS... ooh laa laa



handcrafted and handpainted



romantic details



gorgeous profile 

"Unlike most dolls from the mid 20th century, which were made for children, boudoir dolls were made to grace the beds of grown ladies. The dolls today are sought after because of their classic artistic styling and, often, their art deco look." 

As we unpacked boxes of treasures from days gone by... we came across our wonderful two French Boudoir Art Dolls that were handmade by an elderly French gentleman in the early 1980s.  One-of-a-kind and definitely art pieces for the collector. 

Our 34" cloth boudoir dolls were extremely expensive 30 years ago and have seemed to become more valuable since this type of craftmanship is hard to find. 

"These are generally large dolls, made to sit on their owner's bed. You can find dolls as small as 20 to 24 inches, although the vast majority of the dolls are over 26 inches in size. Boudoir dolls in the larger sizes seem to be in favor with collectors."

Here are some pictures of our second doll, with her "school marm" look... she appears bolder and more confident than her elegant counterpart.

hand sculpted features

 

soft cloth construction

 

period clothing with petticoat

This particular doll designer lived in France and started his career as a tailor before finding his true calling as a boudoir art doll maker.  We eagerly seek more information and welcome any tidbits you may have...

These dolls are available for purchase.  If you're interested, please click on any of the photos for more information :)

steampunk key necklace/ lariat...

Our first creative endeavor was Renaissance Rags... about twenty years ago... where we would bring new life to vintage/antique items that had lost their way! 

Purses, skirts, vests and jewelry were repurposed into "one-of-a-kind creations" using found treasures at wonderful shops throughout Texas... and now we've made full circle with our "steampunk collection"...



it started with two antique keys...
 



discovering vintage chains and treasures...





jewelry box full of history... hand selected and crafted...

yes...

 it's handmade...

 because you're worth it...



perks to buying handmade...

 

 

i just found this quote and had to share... how true it is :)

 

 

here is an idea...

love, love, love this... came across this on Facebook... just had to share :)

vintage San Antonino fine handmade Mexican embroidered dress

Original San Antonino work of art,
"Make me if you can..."
"Hazme si puedes, si no dejame para las mujeres"

Do you remember how popular these dresses were in the 80s? 

If you lived in South Texas, you owned one or two and probably had no idea of the wonderful history to these wearable art pieces!

Just unpacked my two beauties and did some research... amazing!  Here's a bit of info I uncovered... enjoy!

"The San Antonino dress (also known as the Mexican or Oaxacan Wedding Dress) is characterized by the delicacy of embroidery, as well as the preservation of traditional forms and motifs. Fine silk and cotton thread is used to achieve brilliant and precise floral motifs on cotton fabric. The reward for the patience and attention to the tiny details that the embroiderer creates is a world of diminutive hand-holding people on the smocking, and the picturesque birds and delicate flowers of different types that adorn the neckline, sleeves and yoke.

Before beginning any of the embroidery, however, the pieces that form the dress must first be cut out and the decorative motifs drawn on. Then the fine pepenado work begins, involving forming tiny, even folds, that are held in place with diminutive stitches to form perfect pleats. This work requires much patience and skill, as both the front and the back of the smocking must be perfect as it will become the background for the small, romantic, hand-holding figures.

Then begins the technique known as hazme si puedes, so named for the great complexity of work, representing a true challenge for the eyes and the hands. The sleeves as well as the yoke are embroidered with delicate designs, harmoniously combined, with great care as to quality. When finished, the garment is assembled--some areas with delicate lacework--and a large embroidered floral spray is embroidered vertically down the front of the dress. The whole process, from beginning to end, can often take several months to complete."

Neat stuff, huh?  :)

"iridescent blue... for you..." a curated collection

"blue flash labradorite... one of my absolute favorite stones! in these many art forms, we've celebrated the richness of blue :)"

iridescent blue... for you...

Curated By: mendlbarr

ArtFire.com

Unique Gifts