I missed the opportunity to take Barbara Tison's "The Frog Prince" seminar, by not getting signed up in time. I won't make that mistake again. She's a very popular teacher. Barb is the author of "A Part of Barb", "Barb Part II", and "Many Mini Dolls Transformed". All valuable books.

I finally got to take a seminar with Barb in 2002. The packet was full of ideas and the main egg design, wonderful. It was inspired by Faberge, and has Austria's beloved Queen in decal form over the top of sheet Mother of Pearl. This product is no longer available, not even in flake form. There are faux products that some use, but they don't compare to the real thing, of course. The original design was hand painted on Mother of Pearl. We were very fortunate indeed that Barb shared with us.

Foil paper is applied to the outside and several layers of finish are applied and then the "frame" opening is cut and the decal applied. A velvet easel is made on the back for picture to stand by itself. The double leaf finding on the front is formed for the frame to sit on in closed position. The inside back is tufted with satin and pearls with a mirror on the bottom. The swan pin hangs on a special formed finding. The pin can be removed for wearing. The crown is as close as Barb could find to the original, as is the double-headed Order of St. Andrew Eagle.

The lady in the portrait is Elizabeth, (nickname Sisy) born in 1837 and assassinated in 1898. Here is a link, if you would like to know more about Emperess of Austria - Queen of Hungary. She was extremely popular with the people all her life and was really quite extraordinary.

Barbara Tison is a teacher that encourages you to "use your own head", to create something beautiful. There were head-scratching pieces of things in the kit, for instance, for you to "create something" with. One in particular was the cap from an orange juice carton. I've got the idea of what I want to do with this piece, just haven't gotten it in tangible form yet.