Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

***((((I'm so happy to have finished this piece that i had to write a blog entry about it))))***


I’m so thrilled to have finally finished this piece and offer it to you. This has been a labor of love for many, many months now.

Countless hours have been spent searching to the component and then designing and re-designing the pieces and i finally had it stage where i was happy with the piece. Not only is this a beautiful necklace but it’s also a piece of wearable mixed media art and a story book made from charms and jewellery findings.

To begin i started with large 92x52mm vintage steel filigree which for the base of the pendant. Mounted on top of the filigree is a selection of new and vintage charms which chronicle Alice’s adventure in wonderland. Forming collage background are tiny vintage doll house playing cards. The focal piece of this design is a large 38cm vintage brass basket wave locket with vintage “Paris” clock button. The locket has a fully working hinge and open out, with two sections for photos or keepsakes.

At present the pendant is hung from a 35cm think bronze tone cable chain, but i’m happy to alter the length of the chain or even replace the chain to suit your tastes

I remember toying with this idea back in late 2008, but it took a while to gather all the pieces and longer still to make the mock-up, and even longer still to put the piece together and have it finished, photographed and ready for sale. It piece is currently listed in my Etsy store but i should also have it listed on my website in the next day or so.

Steampunk Animals

I have created two new creatures to add to my ever growing, ever evolving steampunk designer collection. Initially the collection was expressly a winter collection for 2009 available thought my website and selected stockist but it now seemed to have taken on a life of it's own. As i've found new and interesting ways to work with my vintage brass stamping collection i've fused these with my collection of vintage watch parts and movements and now have a collection of interesting little creatures the latest of which are these cute owls and butterflies.

They can be purchased from my Etsy store or my website by the end of this week. And below are a few other design from steampunk menagerie.

Butterfly Kisses Make Me Happy

Being a self-taught artist and designer i’m still getting to understand my creative process, i.e what drives my creative process , why i make things the way i make them and why i get inspiration from some things and irritated by others. One thing i came to understand recently was the different moods we have an effect what i create, for example when i’m really tired, like almost falling asleep tired i get the most inspiration i can “see” designs and have been known to be up until the sun comes up the next morning tinkering with new ideas.

This past week has been one of those “horror” weeks where everything seems to go wrong all at once, it’s been most upsetting – however it’s not been all bad , as i’ve come to realised that when in such a mood i create the prettier, more delicate pieces such are this butterfly necklace. I was planning to make a statement piece with the butterfly charms but never envisioned that it would look like how it has come out – but i love. I think it would be perfect for a garden party or wedding or some other "happy" event. Interesting!

This piece now available for purchase through my Etsy store.

Inspired by Dandelions

The other day i was out in my backyard checking the fences and trees after a recent storm. I can't see much for the back yard from my house because of the slop of the property and the ugly garage blocking the view, so going out there sometimes feels like going on a mini adventure.
On this occasion i happen to have my camera with me in case i needed to document any damage. Whilst there i happened upon this beautiful Dandelion seed head and it got me thinking about the all the mythology relating to blowing the seeds for luck and such.
So i did a little research and found out that there are some many variations on the myth, for example there are the modern variations such as, when you blow the on the dandelion and make a wish; if all the seeds blow away then that wish will come true. Or depending on how may seeds are left after you take a deep breath and blow with determine how marry years to one gets married, how many children you wild have or how many years you have left to live.
Mythology centered around wishing on dandelions have been around for a millennia, most of the older myths seem to center around divination - that is depending on the direction the seed fly this will indicate where some kind of fortune will come from - usually good fortune of the heart.

So i plucked my little dandelion friend (which apparently means i'm going to wet the bed now!) and took theses lovely photographs. And reading up on all this dandelion mythology has inspired me to create a new line of "wish" pendants.

25 Miniature Plastic deer arrived in the post today

25 Miniature Plastic deer arrived in the post today. I don't know what i'm going to do with them or why i bought them in the first place...but geez they're just so adorable.

New Banner & Tag Line

My winter cleaning slash business face life continues - i finally have my new banner made, and i love it.It started off just as a premade banner which i purchase from Thompson Designs with fawns but they kindly changed the design and added horses to match my business name. I feel the text font, colours and patterns are a good represention of the styles and themes i work in.
I originally came across their beautiful work when i was searching for a banner for my new etsy supply store Flox & Me, i found the perfect premade banner within minutes and have finally got everything loaded on both site now.

Thomson Designs can be found on etsy at www.thompsondesigns.etsy.com

I've also changed my tag line to read "Inspired Creations" The word inspired not only applied to the design process but also what i hope my customers feel when they wear my pieces. I'm very happy now when the way the label is represented, all i have to do now is start making new swing tags again...aghh!!

Unmounted rubber stamps Mounted!!

It's taken forever but i've finally found the time the mount my ever growing collections of rubber stamps - truth be told i'm not really a rubber stamper but i now find myself with a collection of about 40 mounted stamps and 100's of acrylic clear stamps - i'm an impulsive shopper, if i like i buy, but always promise myself that i will use the random things i buy.
I've began using these stamps with polymer clay to make charms and pendants and also for printing my own range stationery. There are heaps more stampy craft project lock away in my brain just waiting to come out when i find the time...

Buttons Galore

I must admit Kawaii cutie style is not my thing but i just can't get past novelty buttons, especially vintage ones. I have no use for buttons in my work but seem to be accumulating them anyway.
So recently i began converting these buttons into cabochons and setting them on earring posts, for no other reason other than to make use of my button collection. Now my little button earring family has expanded to 14, and as much as i try to resist i just can't help but search "novelty buttons" so i'm sure there will be more additions to the family

3 New Coin Purses

It's been a busy week, not sleeping enough, drinking too much coffee and compulsively creating as per usual, but as a result i have 3 new coin purses designs now in store.

First we have cute little Russian Nesting Dolls, printed in red on cream coloured cotton. Next we have super sweet sleepy owl. Both these prints are imported from Japan although i managed to pick these up at a recent trade show i went to in Melbourne

And the third purse is from some of the most interesting cotton fabric i've seen. It features a reproduction print of what looks like a dictionary style bird species reference guide. I was lucky enough to score this fabric from my local quilters shop - we don't have too much in the town i live in but we do have a decented fabric shop.

All these new goodie can now be purchased from my online store for $30 (free shipping) but i only have avalible one of each (at present) so i don't think they will stay in stock for too long. Enjoy!!

Fabric Covered Button Goodness

For a while now i have been collecting kitchy imported and retro vintage fabric to use in my coin purse range. After cutting out the purse shapes there was always scraps left over, most were too small to do anything useful with but were too nice to through away. So but chance when taking my sister sewing machine to be serviced as came a across and old packed of cover button shells, these were perfect for the little scraps of fabric that i just couldn't throw away.
Now available for purchase through my online store are cover button bobby pins, sew buttons and earrings. Through selected stockists you can also purchase rings. And coming up very soon will be jumbo bookmarks, magnet sets and tack pin sets.

Steampunk Collection

So what is Steampunk Style??

Think H.G Well and Jules Verne's speculative history; think of international air travel in Hot Air Balloons and steam powered gadgets. Steampunk represent an alternative form of history, a technological pathway not taken. First appearing in the 1980’s and early 90’s and draws its roots from the Victorian & Edwardian era during the steam powered industrial revolution.

My lasted collection of jewellery draws on the industrial elements of the movement with Neo-Victorian influences.Pictured are my Neo-Victorian Cuff Bangle, Tree of Life Necklace and my Swallow & Gears Earrings