19th century – Malvena Pearl's Emporium

December is upon us

In the past few years, I’ve made an effort to either volunteer at the Dickens Fair in Daly City, California, or to spread my enthusiasm about going to the Dickens Fair to other folks. I’ve made a bonnet or two for this occasion and assisted a number of friends with their outfits. Here’s a photograph from 2005, one of the first years I went to Dickens Fair with pals Beth (on the left) and Aimee (on the right). I made Beth’s gray and plum-colored outfit, my outfit, helped Aimee embellish her jacket and skirt; and I made both my bonnet and Aimee’s bonnet.

dickens-05

If you like live music, live theatrical performances, dancing, games and general holiday fun set in the time of Charles Dickens’ city of London, then you may want to go to the Dickens Fair. Happy Christmas!

bonnet complete

Here are some photos of the completed bonnet. My friend made the lace that I used to trim the inside:

making a bonnet

This bonnet is for a dancer who is doing workshops to perform in Fezziwig’s at the Great Dickens Fair in San Francisco. I built it from buckram, millinery wire and cotton fabric. I’m sewing it by hand. For inspiration, I used several sources. The Dickens Fair folk provide guidelines for costuming for their event here. I also found many books to inspire me at Costume College, two years ago. One is a British publication entitled, “Hats and Bonnets” by Althea Mackenzie with photography by Richard Blakey, published by The National Trust, London, UK, 2004. The photos and descriptions of hats and bonnets are wonderful. I’m looking forward to embellishing this bonnet with ribbon, trim and lace, to match the dancer’s dress, that I embellished for her earlier this year.

dress trim project

Progress! Hand sewing some gorgeous trim onto a cotton dress that will be worn to dances and to the Dickens Faire!

Yes, that is 2 layers of trim: the first layer is three colored and the top layer is thin, red velvet.

On the dvd player: Freaks and Geeks, Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 2 and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, the Jeremy Brett production.

Big Do-in’s

A client came by Casa Roo for a fitting/hemming of a pre-bought 1850s-style, cotton dress that she has asked me to embellish. Yay! She came by during the rainstorm, so that’s motivation for you.

Ms. Sahrye Cohen expertly helped us put together an entry for inclusion in the exhibit at the Nova Albion Steampunk Exhibition in Emeryville March 12 – March 14, 2010.

On March 20, 2010, Malvena Pearl will have a table and display set up at the Greater Bay Area Costumer’s Guild Costume Academy.

I’m also working on the White Queen outfit, the Red Queen outfit and Queen Alice’s outfit for the 9th Annual Blind Babies Foundation Annual Beeper Egg Hunt in San Francisco. I’m organizing the first-annual Tea and Raffle with the theme of Alice through the Looking Glass. Come join us! Here is Zasu helping me complete the White Queen dress:

costumes for “Ballad of Baby Doe” at Berkeley Opera

I completed the costumes for the character of Augusta Tabor, in “The Ballad of Baby Doe”, played by Lisa Houston.

Thank you again, Ms. M. I couldn’t have done this without your moral support and your loan of various garments to alter!

The show is set in the 1880s and 1890s and based on a true story. You can see it at the Julia Morgan Center for the Arts, 2640 College Avenue, Berkeley

Saturday, July 11, 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, July 15, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, July 17, 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, July 19, 2:00 p.m.

The names of Baby Doe, Horace Tabor, and Augusta Tabor have become mythical, but they are actual figures in Colorado history. An exquisite period piece of Americana, The Ballad of Baby Doe is based on their story of love, honor and politics, set against the boom times in Colorado in the 1880s when silver was king. Douglas Moore‘s lush score depicts this gripping riches-to-rags epic through lyricism of irresistible beauty, soaring arias and rousing chorus scenes. A star vehicle for the late Beverly Sills, the role of Baby Doe will be sung by soprano Jillian Khuner.

CAST

Baby Doe …….. Jillian Khuner
Augusta Tabor …….. Lisa Houston
Mama McCourt …….. Marney Margules
Horace Tabor …….. Torlef Borsting
William Jennings Bryan / A Politician …….. John Bischoff
President Chester A. Arthur …….. Ross Halper

Also featuring Elizabeth Wells, Angela Hayes,
Cary Ann Rosko, Elizabeth Gentner, Cass Mann,
Kelcey Poe, Darcy Krasne, Adria Swan,
George Arana, Wayne Wong, Michael Crozier,
Alex Taite, Kenny Louis, Michael Beetham

Buy tickets to The Ballad of Baby Doe
or order by phone at 925-798-1300

Production photographs by Ching Chang