Things...

...are busy, busy, busy. But I still always find the time for a nice cuppa. I do like this Kikki.K mug :)

Why so busy? Well, it's all go with my designing and market preparations. The market is on Sunday 28th July at the Masonic Temple, in Sandy Bay Road from 10-3 I think. I had better check those hours!

After weeks of tooing and froing with my printer via email I finally have a shipment to collect tomorrow. I am always nervous to see my new designs as you never know what they will look like. I am blowing up a postcard size image (literally) into something that's around 1x2 metres in size. Anyway, cross fingers they look good!

I have all of next week off work (yippee) to sew as I still have a heap to do for the wearable art event. Model fittings are in 2 weeks' time and I have very little ready. Very little. Gulp. I will just have to try my best and see what I can get done.

I think that's it. I'm so tired and scatterbrained at the moment!

Hmm, must be time for a cuppa! Sounds good to me.

Thanks so much for dropping by and thank you ever so muchly for your lovely comments.

xx

Sewing chaos

You would be forgiven for thinking that a robber had broken into the house and ransacked my studio.

Nope, it's just me sewing.

All hell seems to have broken loose in there and I really wish I had a door that I could shut so I wouldn't have to see this chaos every time I walk up the hallway.

So what am I up to? Some time ago I agreed to create a collection of garments for the local Art on Legs wearable art event. I thought I had a tonne of time to spare, not taking into consideration that it takes time to fit models and rehearse choreography. So, my 3 months to create my pieces is now 6 weeks and as you know, I work part time in the gallery as well.

I currently have two dresses (I think) and a pair of pants under way, but who knows what I will end up with as I change my mind constantly. I have ordered fabric from overseas as our local store didn't have what I wanted along with pearls to adorn one of the dresses. I have also put in an order for some new scarf fabrics and plan on using some of those in the show as well. I might even use some of my fabric to make a top of some sort. Decisions, decisions!

When my work is further along I will post more pics. Nothing like a deadline to get me moving!!

xx

More new scarves

Hi everyone, I hope you are all well. I wanted to share some new scarf designs with you. I had ordered these for my market stall a few weeks ago but wouldn't you know, they turned up two days late.

This is the Eiffel Scene scarf. It is the same image as the blue scarf from my first batch, but this is in neutral tones. I had a couple of these made in a Modal fabric (viscose, made from wood!) and they have already sold. The other two are on Etsy :)

Below is my "Correspondance" shawl, also in modal fabric, 28 x 80 inches in size.

The image is the reverse of a postcard.

Below is a close-up. You can see the slightly open weave of the fabric. It is quite soft to feel.

And this is the Zephir and Persephone shawl.

I was actually expecting it to be a bit more black and white than it is, there is quite a bit of colour in there and I am assuming this is just the printing process.

The image actually show the marriage of Zephir and Persephone, with the odd chubby cherub thrown in for good measure.

I'm going to do another order of the first fabrics and get those on Etsy as soon as I can.

Thanks for dropping by!

xx
ps I will be back soon with a bit of Christmas action.

My Parisian pouches

Thank you for all of your  supportive comments about my Parisian Scarves the other day.

It makes me feel I am on the right track. Only 2 days to go until it's market day for me so I thought I'd share more goodies with you.

Here are my Postcard Pouches.

Handmade by me from digitally printed organic cotton sateen I had printed by Spoonflower.

It's a lovely fabric. The designs have come from my postcard collection and the pouches show the front and the reverse of the postcards, with a zipper and simple calico lining.

"Red Stamp"

"Eiffel Scene"

"Bois de Boulogne"

"L'arc de Triomphe"

What do you think? I'm pretty happy with them.

I have my jewellery to show you as well, but that might happen after the market. I still have a few things to do and am still avoiding the pricing.

Below is the details of the market. It's a good one and hopefully a few of you can drop by to say hello.

Well, thank goodness for Friday. It was been so warm! Today is another warm day but might end in a bit of a storm, so that will bring us some relief.

Also, a friendly reminder that if you wish to join in on the Christmas Good Mail Club, sign up ends on Sunday night. Info here.

xx

Designed by me... Parisian Scarves!

Silk chiffon scarf approx 1x2 metres.

I am really thrilled to be sharing my new creations with you. I have been working on these for what seems like a year and finally it has happened!

I present my Parisian Scarves! Using digitally printed images from my antique Parisian postcard collection, I have created a range of scarves. The fabrics I have chosen are silk chiffon (it's a nice, weighty one), a simple cotton voile and a very soft 85%wool/%15 silk blend stole. There's also a modal fabric stole that I am currently waiting on.
 

So why has it taken so long and what and I going to do with them?

Well, I have been trying to source a printer for such a long time. Spoonflower in the US is great, but the fabrics do not print through to the reverse, making them unsuitable for scarves. There's a printer in Australia but when I investigated with them, they did not print on scarf fabrics, plus their higher costs would have made it very difficult for me to make a dollar from selling them (though I would have loved to have sourced locally). I found another in the UK whose fabrics looked good, but the costs were just beyond my means. Then, earlier in the year I spoke with a scarf designer at the Finder's Keepers Market in Melbourne and she suggested India as a place to look. So, tonnes of emails to different companies later, I found one (a family business) with reasonable pricing, good communication who could offer a range of fabrics that I desired. Yay!! I took the plunge, sent off my massive image files and waited for my parcel to be couriered to me just a week later!

Cotton voile approx 1x2 metres

Cotton voile approx 1x1 metres - more of a necktie style

And I'm really happy. I had a couple of samples of the wool/silk stole printed, though as these are ready-made they are much more costly, I think they're worth it. The other fabric I had printed in lengths that I have cut into a couple of different sizes and hemmed the edges myself.

Sorry about the creases! This is my (almost) square Eiffel scene in cotton voile.

I am going to present these at a local design market this coming Sunday, but have to admit, I'm rather shy to put these new goodies out there. What if no-one likes them? How do I price them so they are affordable, but make me a little money (so I can get more designs printed)? When I look at stores in the city, like Country Road that sells their scarves for around $60 or more, I think that a similar price for my scarves must be reasonable as they're much more exclusive! I'd like to get them up on Etsy as well, but I'll wait until after the market.

As usual, I'd love your thoughts and feedback here :)

xx

Stripey shopping

Do you ever get to the point when you are sick of everything in your wardrobe and everything seems worn to death and worn out?

Well, that's definitely me. I don't tend to buy a lot of clothes, and as much as I love fashion, I wear the same basics over and over. I live in jeans, tshirts and cardigans along with scarves.

I think the weather must have something to do with my 'blah' feeling and desire for colour. I'm a bit over winter and want the nice, warmer weather to come.

Today I treated myself by popping into the Country Road section at Myer. And this is what I came home with! Stripes + colour! I think I have a slight addiction to stripes. But that's a whole other story.

Have you noticed all the nice colour coming into the shops?

I'm so excited by it all, hence my choices today. Goodness only knows if the colours suit me and what I have to wear them with, but I know I'll feel a cheerier with these guys on. The linen scarf will come in handy and I'm told they go nice and soft after a few washes.

Are you a strictly neutral gal, or will you be delving into some spring/summer colour with me?

xx

ps Country Road now ship overseas :)

pps NOT a sponsored post but happy to accept more stripey tops if you are reading Mr/Mrs PR at CR!

Ladies, this will get your pulses racing...

Oh my.

Every so often an email gem pops into the inbox.

I just had to post some images from one I received yesterday.

Oh yes, are you man enough to wear it?

(click to enlarge this one - it's worth the read)

Fancy your man in one of these spunky numbers?

Look at those fetching collars and cuts...

And below, the piece de resistance...

Men in belted sweaters! Were these beauties ever in fashion?

Don't you just want to get your knitting needles out?

(I'm pretty sure Lyndon will want me to leave my knitting needles alone)

xx 

Books -- happy and sad

It has been a good and a bad book week. I received two lovely books in the mail from Amazon.com -   belated b'day pressies to myself. As you can see, I purchased Dogs in Vogue (a century of canine chic) which as some fabulous photographs combining two of my favourite things: fashion and dogs. And no, it's not dogs in fashion, just dogs in the fashion photos.

I also chose the new book on designer Orla Kiely. Such a beautiful book...

Wonderful patterns...but I wish she'd use more blue and a dash of pink and aqua..

My sad book news is that whilst I was lucky/talented (?) enough to be selected into a book about Australian and New Zealand Textile and Fibre Artists, the book is now not going to be published. I'm a bit gutted. How exciting would that have been? I hate getting my hopes up to get them dashed.

I suppose at least I have my beautiful submission photographs (like the one above) ready for a future book. *sigh*

Vintage Glamour

Mum brought over this vintage dress yesterday when she dropped in to visit. It was given to us by a family member who was cleaning out a very old family home. If I breathe in it fits me pretty well.

What beautiful lace work. It came with a small bolero jacket that isn't shown here.

The skirt of the dress is so heavy! 

The lace flowers have a pearl bead in their centre.

The lovely fine straw bonnet came from the same place. I just love this hat and would love to wear it to the races one day. The black purse came from Lyn's mother's friend. I have some other vintage bits that I'll show you next time.

As you can see from the first photo, I still haven't properly fitted and painted the skirting and picture rail in my room. I have almost unpacked and sorted all my bits and pieces so that's good.

I hope you are all having a nice day xx

Things that I've made

I was very pleased to receive the Sunshine Award from Amanda of Small Acorns fame. While I have previously posted some supposedly interesting things about me (here too), I thought this time I might post some things I have made. I hope that's ok :)

The Rose brooch above was made at an Anna Davern workshop last year. I have posted it before but many of you wont have seen it. It is made from recycled biscuit tin, silver sheet, darkened copper and a pearl.

The birdy brooch was made at the same workshop. I have a few ideas similar to these that I can't wait to try out in my soon to be finished studio.

This is another of my dresses, made a few years ago now. This one is called Versailles Ballgown and is made from little pieces of lace that has been stitched together and a spiderweb-like skirt made from stitching onto water soluble plastic. It has been embellished with swarovski crystals, crushed silk organza and even old chandelier pieces.

The little stool below was a $4 tip shop find that I painted with a classic Georgia O'Keeffe painting. I can't remember the title. The writing around the side is a quote by the artist,"If you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it's your world for the moment".

To put my art in context, I have always studied and been interested in art. Thankfully my parents were okay about me going to Art School instead of studying pharmacy so I went on to do a major in photography as well as studying drawing, ceramics, printmaking, graphic design and art theory. Lots of fun but once I left uni it took me a few years to get into art again. I started creating my wearable art about 6 years ago and jewellery about 3 years ago.

So many things I wish to create yet so little time!

Part 2 of this post to follow....need to go dig out a few more things!

ps we had a crazy reno weekend so images to share once I locate the camera downloading cable....

xx

Photoshoot

I was very happy to have a couple of my wearable art creations photographed last week by Helen Okey. I am so pleased with the results. What do you think?

Both outfits feature handcut garlands made from fine sailcloth, vintage lace, hand dyed silk along with other embellishments. The red one is called Dante's Rose and was included in the 2008 World of Wearable Art awards in New Zealand and also came 3rd place overall in the Fashion Fantasia awards in Hobart last year. The black dress is called Nocturne and was lucky enough to be overall winner in Fashion Fantasia in 2007.

For any of you in Hobart, Helen is having an exhibition of her work "Silhouettes Etcetera" at Off Centre gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre, opening at 6pm Friday 13th, running through to 31st August.

Below are some behind the scene shots as model Grace and photographer Helen work their magic. I was make-up artist, strategic pinner, dress poofer, cardboard flapper/wind maker! 

Thanks to Grace and Helen for all their hard work!

First two images copyright Helen Okey