I am sooooo making this!

One of the first things I do every morning, while waiting for kids to get ready for their day, is to spend a few minutes browsing online museums. The V&A and the Met are tops on the list. I'm somewhere in the middle of the 7,000 plus items at the Met that come up when you put Italy into 1400-1600. This morning I found a really beautiful round bottomed leather case. It's description was "case for a coconut cup." I sort of assumed that was a name for the shape or something. Nope. Its a real cup, made from a coconut.

And it is not alone. There are English ones, Low Country ones, and even one from Hungary. According to the little blurb on the Timeline entry, its sort of like having a magical unicorn horn cup. They were thought to protect from poison and have miraculous powers. Getting a hold of a coconut is a so much easier than finding your own unicorn horn though.

I was also thinking it would be much easier to camp with than my pretty glassware. As well as looking less obtrusive for midnight reveling than a 16th century Italian lady walking around with a Viking horn full of mead. Yes, I understand that they would have been a big deal in period and not something you wandered around with, but I'm having too much fun with the idea to leave it alone. I'm not against buying a coconut and hollowing it out. Seems easy enough, and I'm a coconut fan. (Mmmmmm macaroons are my favorite.) However, I found these coconut cups already hollowed out for $25 for a dozen. Rip the stupid flower off and gild it or make a collar from some of the embossing metal from the craft store, and I think I could have a reasonable 16th century Italian coconut cup on my hands in a short afternoon.

Yes, there is the bit of me giggling like a madwoman in the back of my head as a contemplate mini silk parasols with fringe put into my gilded coconut cup. That's the same fool who is laughing herself hysterical with thoughts of swallows, and Graham Chapman "galloping" along. I'm so thoroughly amused that coconut halves are period. Even if they don't make galloping noises.

SQUEEEE!!!

I ordered "zibabies" from Holly at Sable Greyhound for Valentine's for my two oldest children and got to see pictures today. Aren't they adorable? The kids love my zibellino Arcano and I promised they could have their own back last fall. They reminded me just before Christmas and each designed their preferred "pet." As much as I worry about them being destroyed I gave in, with the requirement that they remember that they're not stuffed toys and that they be worn with garb and not played with. They're part of my grandiose plans for Easter/Mystery Event(March 31.) I'm the event steward for Mystery and figured we should look reasonable. Mostly its just an excuse to stuff my entire family into Italian though.

The green one is for my son. It's name is Ranocchio, meaning frog. I plan to decorate his jerkin with frog applique and make him brown Venetians with a matching Italian bonnet. The zibaby will be pinned onto the hat as its "plume." I thought that would be a cute way for a little boy to wear his totally inaccurate, but very fun favor.

My daughter's is named Cerulean. She's rather obsessed with blue these days and I had no input on the name. My daughter has always been my mermaid (she's a Pisces, born in water, with a mermaid name.) Her kirtle will be blue with silver accents and mermaid appliques. I'm planning to push the "fairytale princess" vibe while at least giving a nod to accuracy. Not a very big nod though. Sort of the "whaz-up" head bob really. . .

My two year old twins are also getting their own zibellinos, but theirs really will be toys. I'm working on a fake fur version with a stuffed head for them to wear so they aren't left out. My daughter's dress is purple with fairies and my son's is still up in the air. I might put him in more blue or possibly green. Maybe puppies or knotwork for the decoration. I really haven't had inspiration hit for his outfit yet.

I still have the sleeves to make on my husband's doublet I made last summer and this seems as good an excuse as any. I'll wear one or the other of my dresses depending on my whim. Sort of drifting towards the red, but I've only worn the orange and blue once.

Anyway, I pick up silly accessories Saturday and hopefully I'll have my sewing room organized and set up at some point his weekend so I can start to play with my little group of fairytale outfits.

16th century Steampunk- sorta

I've been looking around at the various types of pomanders as I'm determined to make one. Right now it will probably be more the Mary Rose carved wood type since that's manageable for me as opposed to the crazy jewelry types. Granted the Mary Rose one is more a masculine style, but one step at a time I suppose.

Meanwhile, I found this little cutie at the V&A. It is not, in fact, a pomander. it is a handwarmer. Reading the description, you find out that it had a little lamp inside on gimbals so it could be rolled around inside a muff or whatever and remain upright. How cool is that! I wish I had some idea of what the inside looks like. Regardless, my brain is percolating with the idea. My math and science geek husband is also intrigued. I love the clockwork quirkiness of it. And its brass. Stick a gear on the outside and its TOTALLY Steamy, right?