Tag: Resa McConaghy

Contessa Fiori

On By ResaIn Romance, Royalty148 Comments

Could I create an Art Gown, who is both romantic & castle worthy?

I turned to romance novelists Shehanne Moore & Carolee Croft, and castle photographer Inese.

This Art Gown is dedicated to them. They are as gorgeous as the Contessa Fiori.

My fave fabric shop had a going out of business sale. (boo hoo!) I bought black curtain sheer for $1.00/yd. & a men’s suit lining for $0.75/yd.

However, the challenge actually began when a friend gave me an East Indian vintage vest (with inset mirrors) and part of a collectible saree.

I took apart the vest, & over-dyed the fronts black.

The saree ran from a red floral print to a black w/floral print. Cut into squares, 10″x 10″ & 4″x 4″ they were backed in black curtain sheer, & bagged out. The squares were gathered from the centre out to all 4 corners, forming the flowers. Torn strips of the sheer were braided, and used to trim the sheer side panels.

The bow pieces, forming the bustle, came out flat. They were stuffed with used bubble wrap to fluff them out.

It was about then that Mini-Me told Contessa Fiori about the castles in Ireland.

To visit Inese’s post about Kilkenny Castle, click on pic.

Well, the Contessa began to dream about how perfect she would be for castle life.

Contessa Fiori told the other Art Gowns about castles, & showed them pics on Inese’s blog, where you will see more than castles. Visit Inese’s blog by clicking on pic below.

All Castle photos © Inese MJ Photography

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When I told the Art Gowns I was definitely not buying them a castle, they all got in quite the huff. The Contessa strew her flowers all about herself.

OUTTAKES

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Contessa Fiori & Mini Me thank all for visiting Art Gowns.

🌹Special thank you’s to Carolee Croft, Shehanne Moore & Inese 🌹

To read the blurbs about these fab books, click on the covers, or banners Please note the 2 books from Carolee are 18+

💐 I’ve read Carolee’s  books, “Ariella’s Escape” & “The Greyhounds of Sorrento Book 1”. I enjoyed both a lot, but the 2 books offered today, reflect the era of Contessa Fiori. 💐

Visit Carolee’s Blog

http://viewBook.at/EngagedtotheEarl – by Carolee Croft

♞ I’ve read “Splendor”, & really enjoyed it! I’m 1/2 way through “Loving Lady Lazul”. I adore being swept into a different era. ♞

 

https://t.co/Bmdr9TlIEa  Amazon UK  Kindle 99p

https://amzn.to/2NZ11dq   Amazon UK Paperback 10.99

https://amzn.to/2P7x87l      Amazon.com  Kindle 1.29

https://amzn.to/2DSmznC   Amazon.com Paperback  14.00

Visit Shehanne’s Blog

 

https://amzn.to/2QDwejp  2.98$ Amazon.com

https://amzn.to/2Oid8CK  £2.27 –Amazon uk

https://amzn.to/2PjuETp

https://amzn.to/2zYd5De

 

Art Gown Contessa Fiori created by © Resa McConaghy – 2018

All photos of Contessa Fiori © Resa McConaghy

Art Gowns & all Art Gowns Stories © Resa McConaghy 2012 – 2018

After the photo shoot, Mini Me sulked in a corner. She claimed her outfit wasn’t perfect.

Art Gowns Dazzle the Runway at the Coop

On By ResaIn Art Gowns Art, Art Gowns Guests120 Comments

✨✨ The runway was aglitter with the glamour of the Art Gowns modelled by some of the Coop’s most gorgeous Chicklets. ✨✨

“Good evening! My name is VIRGINIA, and I had the honour of being first onto the runway begowned in Empress D’Amore“

“Off the top, I’d like to thank the original Empress D’Amore for being here with me tonight. Together the Empress and I will be discussing the highlights of the Hallowe’en Fashion Show at the Coop.”

“Thank you, Empress!”

Hello Virginia, and the pleasure is all mine! Let me just say, in my most humble opinion, that yours was the most regal Art Gown in the show!

“I won’t argue that! Now, on with the show!”

Presenting: MIA in Mystic Lake

“So Empress, what can you tell the folks at home about Mystic Lake?

Well, Virginia, she was inspired by ducks, specifically a ceramic duck created by  Belén Soto

“So, are those feathers I see?”

They are faux feathers made from hours and hours of hand shredding an over-dyed cotton gauze.

“Fascinating”

Presenting: INA in Athena ⭐️Graffiti Goddess⭐️

“Do my eyes deceive me? Is this Art Gown entirely hand painted?”

Yes, Virginia! She took 6 months to paint. She is covered in Tarot and Astrology symbols that relate to the Goddess Athena.

“I supposed Aquileana helped Resa with that.”

It is Obvious, isn’t it!

Presenting: LACY in Mnemosyne

“Ah, Mnemosyne, mother of The Nine Muses.”

That’s right, Virginia! A statuesque beauty in anyones books.

“So does Aquileana help Resa with all of the Goddesses?”

So far, yes. According to Resa, she is very inspired to make Goddess Art Gowns.

 

Presenting: ISABELLE in Tenesa

“Hmm, how did this …erm.. gown get into the world of Art Gowns?”

Don’t be too, harsh on her. She really is quite modern, in a street way. She’s an alley rescue, you know.

“From the alley?”

Yes, Resa insisted on making her an Honorary Art Gown. One day it’s a cat rescued from the alley, the next day it’s a rescued gown.

 

  ⭐️ 💥 ⭐️ BEHIND THE SCENES ⭐️ 💥 ⭐️

” Last week, The Empress and I got a special behind the scenes peek.”

Virginia, it was a thrill to see the skilled & talented Chicklets working the art.

“Let’s take it away!”

IRIS – Working on Lady Anne

“Well, she’s a wild one! Kind of rock and roll.”

Some say steam punk, others say she’s a biker gown.

“She appears to be all leather & lace.”

It’s up-cycled leather, from Resa’s boyfriend’s old leather coat and pants.

“She looks familiar?”

Yes, Holly modelled this Art Gown for one of Resa’s sketches, recently.

LOIS & LILY pinning the flowers on Flora Blanca

“Flora Blanca seems to be one of the more popular Art Gowns.”

True, she is quite the refined Art Gown, made for Resa’s niece, Sherrie, and you know, people love flowers!

“Where can the fans see more of Flora Blanca and the other Art Gowns?”

All one has to do is scroll down the Art Gowns sidebar. When you find the gown you love, just click on it. It will take you to the original post.

Well, Empress, it’s been a wonderful evening!” 💖

Yes it has, Virginia! I’m hoping we get to host another event very soon. Perhaps, a Red Carpet!💖

🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

All © Art Gowns are designed, made & photographed by:

Resa McConaghy 2013 – 2018

All Chicklets art © Georgiann Carlson

🌹🌹🌹THANK YOU, GEORGIANN🌹🌹🌹

Breaking News: Art Gowns Bicker over Chicklets’ Picks

On By ResaIn Art Gowns Guests51 Comments

It all began with Hollywood gossip that a couple of Resa’s Art Gown’s would make it into the Hallow’een fashion show at the The Coop.

Resa had sent leftover Art Gowns fabrics to The Coop. So Iris began using Resa’s fabric’s for the upcoming Hallow’een celebrations

Mnemosyne  was put in charge of keeping the Art Gowns entertained.

After all, she is the mother of The Nine Muses, and they are at the zenith of new age entertainment.

You may already know, but Lady Anne , (Holly) who is assisting, will be providing Motorcycle rides to The Coop participants on the big day.

Of course every Art Gown wants to be selected for this honour, but things have gotten carried away.

Empress D’amore thinks this, Blue Venus thinks that.

Still, the Art Gowns continue to argue over who will be picked.

For crying out loud, they are so spoiled and vain that each believes she is the most gorgeous.

Chicklets art by: Georgiann Carlson

💖 Thank you Georgiann! I am honoured to be in with the Chicklets! 💖

Dream of Love

 Oh, BTW, Dream Of Love is giving odds.

Interested?

Contact her at dol@dol.dol

Who do you think will be the chosen Art Gowns?

Do you have a fave?

 

Splendor – by Shehanne Moore

On By ResaIn Book Review, Romance98 Comments

 “Never judge a book by its cover, unless there’s a gown on it.”

Genre: Historical Romance.

Much like a game of chess; this tale has moves, and counter moves. Is it checkmate, or stalemate? Read the book to experience the final play!

Although a woman in days when women were mostly property, Splendor finds a self chosen path. She will marry Gabe, the man of her breast’s heart. He will become a man of the cloth. Together they will help the poor.

Enter: the Earl of Stillmore, a chessboard, two Kings, two Queens, four Bishops, four Rooks, four Knights and sixteen Pawns.

Shehanne’s characters are vivid, interesting and all with purpose. I particularly adore the settings she recreates of time and place. I’m amused by the very appropriate, and humorously creative names Shehanne has given her characters. All throughout the novel her wry sense of humour prevails, but never assails nor assuages.

The thing is, it is romance. It’s romance with all the ardour lovers find in love’s wake. The main scene of passion is quite worth the reading and waiting for. It reaches just a tad deliciously beyond cutting to waves crashing on rocks, fireworks or a volcano erupting.

Furthermore, the Art Gown in me feels a hearty prick of the needle at the main peril Splendor puts herself in. Drawn like a moth to the flame of fine silk every time she passes Madame Renare’s shop and without means, Splendor finds herself sinking deeper into debt. T’is dire! The turnkey of the debtor’s prison workhouse  is upon her doorstep.

“In italicized quotations” are excerpts from the book.

“Mrs. Ferret set the beribboned hair comb Splendor had found impossible to resist, the robin’s egg blue one with the tiny cream rosettes attached,”

A bill is presented:

“She had spent a little money, it was true. She hadn’t meant to, but now she was back in credit again. Why shouldn’t she have the odd this and that?”

Splendor is a Fashionista:

“she had perhaps gone a little far with the silk parasol and the shoes to match, but if she hadn’t, Topaz would have stolen them and ended up in Newgate. Then there was the matter of just how respectful Madame Renare had been when she’d seen the address and the name, the new one she’d furnished herself with. Lady Winterborne, Countess of Stillmore.”

Although unrequited, Splendor retains her arrogant impudence:

“And that comb, this peignoir, the new day dress with the lace insert in the bodice, were all very nice. Too nice to leave feeling neglected in the shop. And the comb had been reduced by half a guinea. She had saved him half a guinea by buying it.”

❦ ❦ ❦ ❦ ❦

I needed to ask Shehanne, whose blog runs the tagline “Smexy Historical Romance”,  a few questions.

1.  What does SMEXY mean?

A…an easy one this. It means smart and sexy which I like to think my heroines are even though they can behave incredibly stupidly at times.

2.  Where does the historical location inspiration come from… the castles and halls near where you live?

I squirrel. I find locations and ideas everywhere. With Loving Lady Lazuli– another book in the series–it was from visiting Mount Grace Priory, especially the monk’s cell there. It’s in Yorkshire actually and not what we’d know as a cell either. Catterton House in Splendor was based on a Georgian cottage where I then lived in Newport-On-Tay, except it wasn’t a cottage. It was a mansion build down the cliff face.

 3.  London Jewel Thieves – Where will I be able to read the ongoing serial?

As we speak Loving Lady Lazuli  which features Sapphire as the heroine and Ruby and Pearl as her sidekicks, is being formatted for kindle.. Now I have my rights back to this series I will be giving you the stories of Diamond, Jade and Amber. I may even yet turn Ruby into a heroine. I have an idea there.

Shehanne Moore is an author who writes historical romance novels. If you visit her Home Page , you will find out about all of her books.

Click on pic for better view

Take some time to visit Shehanne’s Blog Page, and you will realize that a very cute Pack of  Hamsters have hijacked her book reviews, interviews and other relevant endeavours. If you haven’t visited her blog, you should. You will enjoy the Hamsters & get to read a fab post! As crazy as it seems, I was inspired to draw a Hamster in a hamster gown, Hamstor Splendor. I hope Shehanne & all of her Hamster pals enjoy it!

You can pre-order “Splendor” in ebook format, on Amazon! It comes out October 1, 2018, with a hard copy following soon after.

Click on “Splendor”  to pre- order!

 

Art Gowns Art Update

On By ResaIn Art Gowns Art77 Comments

LADY ANNE, aka “Lady Rene Anne” modelled by Holly – House Of Heart.

⭐️ Thank You, Holly! ⭐️

Lady Anne was created for a lover, a musician & composer. He gave me his old leather coat & studded pants. I added Chantilly lace.

Below: I did a fantasy gown for “Gasperilla Pirate Festival”

Held almost every year since 1904 in Tampa, Florida, my creation (on paper only) is nostalgic of the festival’s Early days.

I adore this poem, which is definitely an Art Gowns poem.

                                                                         by: Leonard Durso ©

remembering
the way your gown fell
to the floor
as you almost shyly
stepped away
leaving it forlornly
abandoned
like my heart
this night

⭐️Big Thank You to Leonard for letting me use his poem!⭐️

Thank you to editor Louise White! She did an article in Asset Intelligence Newspaper  on me & Athena ⭐️Graffiti Goddess ⭐️, which was a tandem project with  Aquileana of La Audacia de Aquiles. She also gets a credit in the article.

Click on image if you want to read the article.

🦄 Big hugs & thank you’s are on their way to Aquileana in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

She has inspired me greatly with her posts on Mythology, Tarot and more. 🦄

I’ve sketched her in 2 of the goddesses we did together, Artemis & Mnemosyne, and am excited to sketch her in Athena in the near future.

Click on the sketch to the left to visit the post.

All Sketches & Art Gowns © Resa McConaghy

Visit any Art Gown by clicking on her pic on the side bar!

Art Gowns Art Cards

On By ResaIn Art Gowns Art, Art Gowns Brand100 Comments

🌹Thank you🌹to Georgiann Carlson.  She made 10 “Art of Glamorous Fantasy” business cards for me. I chose the one below.

Rubber stamp art by: Georgiann Carlson

“Not so fast! As one of  your very first Art Gowns, first to get to 175 likes, dedicated to your niece, Sherrie,  and first post after the Art Gowns were evicted from Queen’s end,”

Flora Blanca

“I think I, Flora Blanca,  am entitled to a say in this! I’ve picked out the card below, as I see it embraces us, the Art Gowns, and Resa.”

Rubber stamp art by: Georgiann Carlson

“Don’t be absurd Flora Blanca! Resa would never run around naked, not since that incident when she was 22. She makes the Art Gowns, and we are all very elegant.”

Mystic Lake

“Something sophisticated, like the Fitzgerald’s “Romantic Egoists” is in more order. The card below is the way to go. I’m sure Zelda would approve!”

“Mystic lake, I adore you and Flora Blanca, but really, the two of you are so pretentious! As the Empress d’Amore, I am highly educated, and qualified to be royally opinionated.”

Empress d’Amore

“Resa’s card should express the fact that we, the Art Gowns, are a collection. That she makes us from scratch, by herself. She is, after all, classically trained.”

Rubber stamp art by: Georgiann Carlson

“I treasure the Empress’ opinion. Her taste in fantasy business cards is impeccable.”

O Royal Treasure

“All due respect Empress D and O Royal T, you may both be royalty, but you are not from Fairy! Magic only happens in Fairy.”

La Esencia de Titania

“Resa’s card should express the coming of glyphs, a name askew & the bottom line. Simple, fun and to the point of magic is the way to go. As a 5 thousand year resident of Fairy, I say this card delivers that message!”

“Hello! I might be standing in the dark over here, but I can see you all clearly in the moonlight. However, I just don’t see your logic.”

Artemis by Moonlight

“The card should enforce the fact that Resa’s work is original, unique and glamorous! Voilà “

Rubber stamp art by: Georgiann Carlson

“I expected this cacophony from all of you Art Gowns, especially Artemis. You are always over analyzing the situation.”

Goddess Mnemosyne

“Simply put, the card should be of contemporary street art style and pointed at the brand. May I present the only obvious option!”

Rubber stamp art by: Georgiann Carlson

“I’m sorry Mnenosyne, I just don’t see the brilliance in that. Where’s the gleam and glow of the Art Gowns?”

Ballroom Lux

“I have no choice but to insist on the card below. It’s simple, yet emphasizes Resa’s ability, which results in us, the Art Gowns.”

“Wow! That is just not sexy enough. Lady Anne and I discussed this last night, and believe we have the perfect selection. Lady Anne!”

Cecilia Lionheart

“Thank you, Cecilia Lionheart!”

Lady Anne

“We now introduce, to all of you, the perfect card!”

Rubber stamp art by: Georgiann Carlson

“Look, you’re all right, and all wrong. Why can’t she just use the one she wants? Why can’t we all just get along, instead of bickering about the minutia of Resa’s life?”

Atlantis Mermaid Love-in

Hey! How did all of you gowns get out here? I thought I locked the door to the back yard?

Resa wears Tenesa

“You left your keys laying around one day. I found them and sent Mini-Me out to have copies made for all of  us.”

Autumn Orchid

“Having explained that, I’d like to put my two cents in! This card is a modern classic, and really the one for Resa.”

Photo © Sherrie Yager

As you can see, Georgiann, I’m being bossed around by a bunch of Art Gowns.

Well, they are my girls, so I love them. AND I adore you! How fabulous & generous you are  to have made these cards for me. Thank you x all the cats and flowers in the world!

All Art Gowns & Art Gowns stories © Resa McConaghy

All photos of Art Gowns © Resa McConaghy

All Art Gowns Art Cards designed and made by © Georgiann Carlson

Mini-Me in the Nine of Pentacles

“Don’t look a me! All I did was run out and get a few keys cut. By the way, has anyone seen my set? I seem to have misplaced them.”

 

Aquileana Interprets Athena’s Graffiti Goddess Symbols in Relation to Tarot

On By ResaIn Goddesses33 Comments
Click above to visit Aquileana’s entire post

Aquileana from ⚡️ La Audacia de Aquiles ⚡️ has taken all of the symbols from my last Art Gown – Athena ⭐️ Graffiti Goddess ⭐️ – and put them into a relatable mystic perspective.

Aquileana places the symbol beside the Tarot Card it references, which aids enormously in understanding the interpretation. Here is one example.

Other symbols and meanings are presented equally.

Athena, Goddess of Knowledge seems to me to be much like Aquileana in many ways. It is within knowledge and sharing of it, beauty, appreciation of the arts and crafts, essentially urbanized and civilized and a feminine figure of wisdom that I speak of.

Many thank you’s to Aquileana for this fabulous collaboration, from me, and it appears that Leo’s and Scorpios can see a lot between them.

Visit Aquileana’s enitre post and see for yourself how fabulous it is!

⭐️ ⚡️ ⭐️ ⚡️ ⭐️ ⚡️⭐️ ⚡️

⭐️ Athena ⭐️ Graffiti Goddess

On By ResaIn Goddesses157 Comments

Ever felt a fire to design an Art Gown for Goddess Athena, & cover it in Tarot graffiti?

If you have, I understand. We share a fascination for gowns, graffiti style street art, Tarot cards, and Greek Mythology.

It’s like 1 + 1 + 1 = 3.  Art Gowns + Mythology + Tarot = ⭐️ Athena ⭐️ Graffiti Goddess.

Aquileana from “La Audacia de Aquiles”, (where I’ve learned a lot about mythology) and myself are Scorpio and Leo. Including both symbols was a must. Yes, they are Astrology symbols. Tarot incorporates them all.

On 120 ” wide silver satin, intended for curtains, I painted ATHENA  in graffiti writing style.  Acrylic paint mixed with a fabric medium was used, and heat set.

Then, the symbols were painted: Venus/Woman, Leo, Libra, Scorpio, Pisces, Third Eye, The Queens of Wands and Swords, an Owl,  Infinity, The Star & stars and Nine Pentacles on Mini-me.

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To find out how all of these symbols relate to Athena, you’ll want to read Aquileana’s next post in her series on Tarot, which will be out in the near future.

 The entire gown is stitched together by hand.

The paint had made the satin extra heavy, altering the drape.

A petticoat was in order. It added a mere 3 weeks onto the project.

The next point of construction interest was the blue spandex  bodice.

Athena is oft depicted in armor, as she is a warrior.

I basted pleats into a strip of the satin. An ancient Greek motif was painted on it.

When done, I picked out the basting and opened the motif. I draped her armor over the spandex, then did a final press.

Even without her petticoat and back lit, she is marvelous!

Scorpio & Leo, a Third Eye lurks between.

OUTTAKES

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 Athena ponders the menu for her first dinner party.

Mini-me advises Athena not to hold back on the courses. After all, Resa will be doing the shopping, cooking and dishes.

 Athena  contemplates the possibility of a sommelier for the event.

Art Gown “⭐️ Athena ⭐️ Graffiti Goddess” © Resa McConaghy

Designed & made by Resa, December 2017 – May 2018

Photos © Resa McConaghy – Toronto, Canada, May, 2018

Check out La Audacia de Aquiles, a very popular, and highly informative blog. Aquileana’s articles on Greek Mythology are impressive, and her current series on Tarot is fascinating.

VISIT:

► “Athena, Goddess of Knowledge” / “Athena, Art Gown by Resa McConaghy” 🦉.-

You can also follow her on TWITTER (@aquileana) by clicking on her photo.

Mini-me demanded her own close-up in this post!

Jennifer in La Esencia deTitania – Classique

On By ResaIn Live Model Collection76 Comments

Climb into the crystals of one hundred chandeliers,

Spread a wing

Think of love

The light it brings

Then your heart’s

Strings sing.

Art Gown “La Esencia de Titania” © Resa McConaghy

Photos © Resa McConaghy – November 28, 2017

⭐ Even fairies can wear lipstick. ⭐

My heartfelt thanks to Jennifer Choy for modeling“La Esencia de Titania”

Jennifer is an upcoming Costume Designer in Canada, who I am mentoring. You can check out her work on Jennifer’s Website or  Jennifer on Instagram

YES, she can really play the cello!

La Esencia de Titania

On By ResaIn Fairies137 Comments

Did you ever think to yourself,  I’d like to meet an Art Gown fairy?

She would look like the sun shining on rippling pink water and her tail would be made from the forest’s leaves.

Her wings would fold behind her, in many wonderful different ways.

Well, you’ve come to the right place. We make fairies here. This may be the first fairy, but it will not be the last.

And who better to dedicate the first fairy Art Gown to than Brenda Davis Harsham from Friendly Fairy Tales.

Okay, a few notes on the making of La Esencia de Titania

It began with leftovers from “O Royal Treasure”. As I was cutting the circles out of  white voile to make her flowers, I noticed the long scraps were fairy airy and romantic feeling.

Using up old things is very Art Gowns apropos.

Shimmering pink stretch cut velvet was draped on Judy, with the white voile scriffles. It was too, pale.

Using metallic bronze and copper acrylic paint with fabric medium, the scraps were painted. A ladder was used for hang drying the pieces.

The result is what I call autumn leaves. After I draped the leaves around the gown, I brought my cat, Jeep, in for consultation

Once she was made, it was a lot of fun folding her wings in different ways.

Of course spreading them for flight was very important, as well!

OUTTAKES

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La Esencia de Titania heads to the dining room to plan a dinner party for the Art Gowns.

Apparently, the Art Gowns want to move to a place with a larger dining room, more the size of a ballroom, so their tails will fit in better.

La Esencia de Titania and Mini-Me discuss changing Mini-Me’s name to “Mini-Muse”.

Art Gown La Esencia de Titania designed by Resa McConaghy – 2017

© Photos taken by Resa – November, 2017

Brenda Davis Harsham lives in New England. Her site, Friendly Fairy Tales, is for kids of all ages. Her poetry and prose have been published at the places listed in the “Publications” Page on her blog. Fine art prints are available to purchase on  Society6 . 

Brenda wants to pen a Fairy Tale based on Art Gown La Esencia de Titania sometime in the future! Would love it!

La Esencia de Titania takes off for a special midnight mission.

La Esencia de Titania & Mini- Me (Muse?) dream of running away to Hollywood to become stars in black and white movies.