“Love is lovely to look at.” As Diane Boyce pronounces this sentiment, she holds a dainty handblown satin-white heart in one hand and a string of coral beads and a nineteenth-century chromolithograph cupid in the other.
She turns to her mother, Beatrice Blum Boyce, and asks affectionately of the Valentine Victorian Whimsey ornament that’s a work in progress, “I want it to be lighthearted. What do you think?”
“The silhouette could be a little bit stronger,” Beatrice says matter-of-factly.
For nearly a quarter of a century, Beatrice and Diane have been putting their heads and holiday ideas together in their Ridgewood, New Jersey, atelier. Here, at D. Blümchen & Company, they create vintage-style ornaments and decorations that have become treasured family keepsakes for thousands of collectors around the world.
“I run everything by my mother,” Diane says. “She’s been critiquing my work since I was 3.” The online company’s Old-World-sounding moniker, a combination of Diane’s and Beatrice’s names, is German for “little flowers.”
Whether they’re designing a Victorian Easter egg with a chick peeking out of the shell, a Christmas angel swinging on a shining star, or a pumpkin pixie all dolled up for a haunting Halloween ball, mother and daughter follow the same process. Diane, working at a custom Stickley art desk that replaced her kitchen table, comes up with a concept, and Beatrice helps her refine it.
A trio of artists, armed with jewelry pliers, embroidery scissors, tweezers, mini paintbrushes, and a plethora of patience, works hours assembling the creations with vintage and reproduction components. The items then are delicately decorated with glitter, tinsel, semiprecious stones, beads, and diamond dust.
Utterly amazing ! This brings me back to wonderful times with my mother and grandmother – if only I realized at the time how valuable these memories would become!
Thank you for reminding me of this wonderful 2009 article!
Brandon Hartford
Te Deum Cottage