Victorian Homes Magazine

  When  I was young, I always dreamed of having my home in a magazine. I would turn through the pages of various magazines and think,someday I will have my house in one of these magazines. Well,it looks like I am going to finally   get it done. Last October, the people from Victorian Homes Magazine ,came and spent several days and nights taking pictures. When they called to make the appointment, after I fell out of my chair, they asked if we had a Hotel. well, we don't. So I offered them a room at my house. they took me up on it, and I went into a tale spin. I called every body I knew who could sweep, dust and mop, to come help. I had only 2 weeks to prepare. I did yard work in the day light and hit the inside at night. Then I had to get 2 beds ready and the bath rooms. The last day I was stealing flowers all over town, not a lot to pick from in middle  of October. I rather have garden flowers than flower shop flowers. I made a pie ,home made bread and cooked a turkey. You think I over re-acted. Well we had fun, was a lot of work. Long days, but early nights, as they liked to use natural light. So in the evening ,we would set on my screen porch and eat pie, drink wine and watch the Mississippi River go by.
  They will not  tell me when I will appear. They said they would give me heads up about one month ahead of print. They usually do 6 months in advance, so I figure the  first time it could appear would be summer. I am so excited. I could just bust. I will let every one know as soon as I can. Imagine me, a little farm boy from Missouri, with his house,  in a national Magazine. I just got my lastest copy and that is why I thought I would share this with you.

  Can you believe, my family and I took 13 chandeliers apart and cleaned them , put them back together and did not break one piece. It was a miracle.And I made the announcement that, that was the last time, they will ever be clean. Well unless another magazine calls.

MARBLIZING

   Marblizing or Faux  Marbling, is the preperation  and finishing of a surface ,to imitate the appearance ,of polished marble. Faux marbling is a special case of faux painting ,used to create the distinctive and varied patterns of marble,the most imitated stone.
  First used in Pompeii, but really took off in Europe during the Renaissance.
The Italian school of faux painting was loose and artistic, while the French, was formal and realistist. True marblizing should be so good that people frequently are unable to distinguish the real from the false. The techniques were perfected by the 17th century and have been used in all style of construction, well into the 20th century.
  The art of Marbling reached its apogee between 1845 and 1870. Some of the best examples are found in Buckingham Palace,where the pillars in the Emperors Room, were done to perfection and  imitate marble. Most visitors are amazed when told they are faux.
   It is a process of layering tinted transparent glaze over a base coat, to create a marble like look. The glaze is manipulated while still wet, to form patterns and textures. Feathers were often used to paint the veins.
   About three houses ago, I visited the Missouri Governors Mansion in Jefferson City, Mo. The Double parlor was seperated by 4 floor to ceiling columns, that had been marbled. I was so taken by the look, I came home and wanted some in my own home. After calling several local faux artist and getting bids to have some marblizine done, I soon found that I could not afford it. So being an Artist, I did gradulate with a BSE degee in Art from Missouri Univeristy, I thought, I am going to have to do it myself. I bought a book, and read up on the techniques. I went to the hardware store and bought some paint, glaze and a sea spoonge and I sat down with a piece of real marble ,close by and started out. I have learned through the years and each project seems to get easier and a little better. I think I do the Italian version, as mine is more loose and artistic.

Dining Room Mantle.Siencse Marble Style, from Italy.

Close up detail, Dinning Room Mantle.My Marblizing.



Side of Dining Room Mantle and Base Board.



Marblizing, I did on Dining Room Mantle.

Marblied Base Board in Dining Room in Siencse Italian Marble Style. 

Entrance Hall Base Board in the style of Tennesse Pink Marble.



Powder Room Foor of real Tennessee Pink Marble.



Powder Room Floor,  off the Entrance Hall base Board.One Real and One Faux.

Entrance Hall Base Board with my Marblizing.




B

Close up of Marblizing, Down River Parlor Mantle.

Real White Italian Marble, table top, Down River Parlor.

Base Board with My Marblizing ,in Down River Parlor.

Full View of Down River Parlor Mantle with My Marblizing.

Actual White Italian Marble Mantle in Up River Parlor.

Top of Gold Gilt Pier Mirror in Up River Parlor with my Marblizing.

View of Gold Gilt Pier Mirror Up River Parlor.

Coming soon in a future post, Chandeliers of My Old Historic House.

  In this post I will share with you the projects that I have done at My Old Historic House. The Dining Room mantle and baseboards, Down River Parlor Mantle and baseboards, The baseboard in the Entrance Hall and the top of a large gold gilt Pier Table in the Up River Parlor. I have also added some photos of the mantle in the Up River Parlor, which is the real thing,  so you can compare the real one to the Faux.
  If you have time and feel like it, please drop by my online store after you are finished with this blog. Just click, http://www.richadsgreatstuff.etsy.com/
  Thanks for stopping by. Come visit any time. I will leave the light on and Sissy Girl will meet you  at the door with a jump and a kiss.

Cherubs And Putti

A Large German Meissen Cherub Compote from the Down River Parlor.

  Cherub or Putti, is a figure of a human baby or toddler, almost always male, always naked and having wings, found especially in Italian Renaissance and Baroque Art. The  figure derives from ancient art,but was rediscovered in Allegorical,non-literal figures and latter in Christian Art.
   Cherubs  or Putti are associated with Aplrodite and so with Romance,Love and also with Heaven, Peace,Prosperity and Leisure. No wonder we all love them.
   Putti is a Latin word,"PUTUS," meaning little man. Not so much babies-they are not human,but spirtual beings,winged little people of mostly undetermind gender.
 Cherub or Putti art, came to represent the precense of God. They have been painted since the 13th Century.
  A Cherub is sometimes thought of as a divine being-often mentioned in the Bible, usually understood as a high ranking Angel.
   In modern English, the word, Cherub, is usually used for what are strickly baby or toddler Angels in art.
   No matter what the meaning, Cherub or Putti are very addictive. Some what like drugs. The more one has of them, the more they want. I want it, I have to have it, I can not live with out it. It is almost impossible for me to turn one down.


Large German Meissen Figure Group of  Angels and Cherubs from Entrance Hall.



Beaded  Framed French Needlepoint in Up River Parlor.



Italian Capa De Monte Figure Group of Aplrodite and Putti on Entrance Hall Table.



Pir French Bronge Cherub Candle Holders from Mantle in Up River Parlor.

Entrance Hall, Lee Jofa Wallpaper.



Pair German Bisque Plaques from Powder Room.



French Fireplace Screen, Down River Parlor.

French Carved Wood Gold Gilt Pedestal.

French Sevres Box.

German Meissen Figure Group.

Meissen Cherub Shoes.

French Old Paris Fan Vase.



Etergee in Purple Guest Room With German Meissen.



Italian Majolica Urn on Pedestal from Up River Parlor.

French Terra Cotta Bust  from Library.

German Dresden Lamp in Purple Guest Room.

Dining Room Wallpaper Boarder by Raymond Waites.

Pair German Dresden Candle Holders from Master Bed Room Mantle.

 Italian Carved Wood with Gold Gilt  Sconce in Up River Parlor.

Plates I use for parties from Nieman Marcus.



A Verson of a large German Meissen Compote in the Down River Parlor.

    Designers and Decorators have been using Cherubs and Putti for years. They are found in art,candle holders,clocks,china, furniture,wallpaper, needlepoint and every part of the interior and exterior of a home. I am no exception. I have been collecting them for years. Almost every room in my home has a least one, and most rooms have several..
  I hope you enjoy seeing my collection as much as I enjoyed collecting it. And I am sure I am far from done collecting.
  Please check out my on line store. Thanks and enjoy shopping.
http://www.richadsgreatstuff.etsy.com/   Note you must leave the "second r" out of Richard.Its a long story, I will share someday.