Postcrossing: US1255759

My first contribution to the Postcrossing project! My goal is to do all handmade postcards - for this postcard I chopped up one of my Hortense and Millicent prints and re-ordered it randomly to make a photo collage. This postcard went to a young lady in Minsk, Belarus.

If you love snail mail and postcards you can sign up for postcrossing here:
https://www.postcrossing.com/

The Making of a Bridal Fascinator: Final Fitting

The beautiful, blushing bride Julia modeling the completed bridal fascinator in her wedding dress (a revamped vintage prom dress) on the day of our final "fitting".  It was such an honor to make something unique and personalized for such a special event. Congratulations to the newlyweds!

Tickle My Keys : Sign for the Northside Public Piano

The list of local Northside businesses that donated to the project is handwritten on vintage penmanship pratice paper, the paper frame layers are made from old manila folders and a sheet music booklet titled "Boogie Is My Beat". There are five layers of paper products (all upcycled) which make up the sign. The boogaloo hands and keyboard were from the cover page of the sheet music. 

Illustrations from the sheet music booklet promoting more boys playing piano and less t.v.dinners. Right?

Here is the table of contents from the "Boogie Is My Beat" sheet music booklet I used - hopefully these boogie-woogie beats will infuse the Northside with some "Mutiny on the Boogie"! 

The Making a Bridal Fascinator: Putting It Together

Cleaning and repairing 1940's era floral corsage spray. The flowers and leaves shown here are colored nylon stretched over wire. The single cream chrysanthemum shown below is a beautiful antique white fabric.

Arranging and attaching the tea dyed feathers - individual and spray to the base I made from felt. I am using my hat maker's cloth mannequin head which items can be pinned to very easily.

Stiffening the felt base with Sobo craft glue, covering the wires in the feather spray with felt. The wire will allow for more control over how the spray lays, curvature and height.

Close-up of a tea dyed feather spray. I hand dyed the feathers last week and the turned out a lovely variegated cream color.

Trying on the partially completed fascinator to check how the feathers fall, how the flowers sit, etc. It will be attached to a ribbon covered headband when complete.

5-1-11: TKO in Custom Jean Jacket

High fashion glamour photo shoot of Tonya "TKO" Kehoe in her own customized jean jacket. Poppa, don't preach!

Haircut and color by JoAnn at GSpot, hair feathers by Christy at FeathersLuxe, make up and jacket Tonya Kehoe! (Jean jacket from Artifacts - originally debuted at the Lexicon Collective "Beyond the Hemline" fashion show.) 

Get your own customized gear by Tonya of Glitter Mafia Derby Gear:

https://www.facebook.com/GlitterMafiaDerby

Get feathered by Christy of FeatherLuxe:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/FeatherLuxe-Iowa-City/202457706438379

Make an appt with JoAnn atGSpot:

https://www.facebook.com/gspot.hairdesign

Shop at Artifacts:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Artifacts/135981890505

The Making of a Bridal Fascinator: Rough Draft

I have the honor of making a bride's fascinator from scratch. Here is our rough draft (it doesn't look like much now - think of it as a rough sketch) on my millinery head - the colors will be different - I won't give anything away but you can watch my progress as I create this topper! Next step - building the base and dying the feathers!

4-30-11: Custom Headbands for Aurelia

Aurelia is four years old and she is a little style maven! She is cute as a bug's ear and loves my bird headbands - which is quite an honor! Sadly, I was not able to find her a cardinal(the bird, not the senior ecclesiastical official or dinosaur topper... yet. With the help of her mother, she chose these birds to adorn her precious widdle head!

Miss Havisham's Paper Flowers

A current crafting obsession: handmade coffee and/or tea stained paper flowers. I cannot stop making these paper craft blooms - dyed, collated, trimmed, displayed. So many uses and ideas...

Grouped in a large arrangement as the focal point of a coffee table (shown here with dried thistles)...

Tucked into a bookcase to add texture, dimension and color (that is a brown bear skull, a x-mas gift!)...   

As a single bloom in a unique bud vase, in this example a ceramic faux stone...

Strung together as a bunting for a celebration or just for fun (bunting = FUN!!!)...

 A bouquet in the entryway - shown here with dried cock's comb (don't say cock), pheasant feathers and twigs...

 As an accent on a headband - this is a great conversation starter (or ender)...

As a decorative brooch or corsage!

Don't you feel these flowers could have been picked straight out of Miss Havisham's garden? They are even highly flammable!

A Very Quaint Object: A Ferroprussiate Photo Booklet

Front cover: Our Kitten

Interior Right: Cactus Hedge at San Gabriel

Interior Left: Some of the Natives

Back Cover: An Old Maid & Her Cat

We need to note a few things here:

1. Is this the most stylish little handmade photo book ever? It is only two pages with four images tied with a pale blue silk cord. Also - kittens!

2.How awesome is the handwriting? It was done using a fountain pen and blue (cyan) ink. I find the liberal use of dashes jaunty.

3. Cyanotypes were first used for photography by Anna Atkins who is considered the first female photographer!

4. Cyanotypes are also referred to as ferroprussiate or blueprints 

5. Why is the old maid an old maid? Did she have a love affair end tragically? Was she a hermit, swearing off men (or women?) for a life a kittens and cacti cultivation? 

What do you think???

2-10-11: MORE Heartfelt Handmade Inspiration!

Three new additions to my handmade valentine collection:

Crushed ribbon red rose and green leaves.

"Be My Valentine". The tiny heart in the center says: "Junior I Love You".

"I love you" pastel colored cupcake liner hearts and flower.

Paper Photo Frame: Handmade Valentines