I made this baptismal gown last spring for my nephew, Dmitri. It’s similar to the gown I made my other nephew (and others), except my sister chose bold colors instead of silvers, whites, and blues. The gown is hand embroidered with a traditional Ukrainian pattern and silk lined. ...
Burdastyle Charcoal Modal Cotton Cross Over Long Crop Dress
I made this dress for my trip to Europe last year. I heard Europeans wear pants and long dresses, so I made the dress long with side slits. I didn’t take photos of the dress in Europe, but I grabbed a few photos when I wore it to a dinner & dance last May. I don’t like tight dresses so I made size 38. (I normally wear size 36.) The shoulders were a bit too wide...
Burdastyle Hand Embroidered Linen Easter Dress 2018
Every year I chose my Easter dress pattern and embroidery at the beginning of Lent. I then work on it and any other spiritual goals I may have until the big day arrives. I am joined by my entire family who tries to take advantage of this seasonal opportunity. It is often a chore, especially when the weather is so dreary. But prayerful persistence is rewarded with a colorful riot...
The NEW Bergé (Flower Girl) Dress
Here are some photos of the new Bergé Dress. (Some photos show the early skirt samples- with no embroidery and different fabrics.) Ukrainian Easter eggs, Imperial Fabergé eggs and Beranger, a musician who I worked with while I finalized the dress design, inspired the design and name, Bergé. This design is for the fun and chic girls! There’s a separate petticoat to wear under the skirt- for a fuller/bubble appearance. (Gigi is not wearing the petticoat in the b/w...
Brown Tweed and Cherry Brown Leather Asymmetrical Matching (Dinosaur Themed) Jackets
Making matching jackets with my nieces has become an annual tradition. This year Gigi requested a dinosaur jacket. This was a tall order especially since bomber jackets with dinosaur appliqués was not an option. Therefore I had to be a bit more creative with the limited materials and time I had available. I decided upon burnt orange/brown tweed wool with sequins, which remained from a previous purchase in NYC. I...
The Calling of the Artist
The best things in life uplift us. I am not talking about elevators when we need to get to the top floor, (although that is nice). Rather I am talking about lifting our spirits as we go about our day-to-day activities. This is the role of the artist, who “give us enthusiasm to do our work” as St. John Paul II said in his famous Letter to Artists. Beauty speaks...