Personal Project Wednesday

So a brand new goody arrived in the mail today. Brand new as in new to me, but in reality 96 years old.

I finally managed to score a vintage child’s Singer sewing machine class 20.
It was listed as fully functional but there are 2 vital parts missing, one I can easily get a hold of, but the other is proving harder to research a dealer of.

It needs a good clean, but I should be able to get it up to some kind of sparkly goodness quite soon. The wheel turns extremely smoothly, I thought there may be some gunge or seizing, but no the handle turns like the day it came out of the box.
It measures around 7” tall. The foot plate has some chips and dings and the felt is missing from the bottom of the base, and by the looks has been missing for a long time.
All of this top bit should be silver under this crud. It even has the spool pin which is missing off a lot of these models, and the tension wheel is still in good nick too.

The foot will scrub up silver again too and the dog teeth move freely, but the screw that holds the needle in place is missing, but I already have a dealer I can get a new one from :)
The major part thats missing is the looper which hooks the thread from underneath and creates the chain stitch, it looks like it sheared off, a tiny remainder is still inside the centre of the round piece in the middle of this pic. This, I can’t find a piece for right now, although I have a clear picture of what it should be like.
I want to get it up and working so that I can use it to sew tight, small, fiddly pieces on my hats.
This wheel, all silver with 8 spokes means it the 1914 model.

LiD Designs World Domination

Today’s LDWD  features the fabulous Enise of purpurnaddel.

She recently purchased  a large selection of LiD Designs Supplies silk and rhinestone buttons to use on her new winter 2010 collection of hats.

Yesterday she released the first knitted and crocheted hat in a beautiful icy turquoise blue accented with a Turquoise Slash button, and right now it’s available HERE!

How yummy, soft and warm does the Italian wool she used look?

It’s Vintage Sunday!

As fall approaches I’m currently obsessing about the current trend of clogs.

I searched out my own fabulous vintage pair in my favourite shoe shade (I have like 8 pairs of shoes in this colour from boots to gladiators.)

From blacksheepVL and they are a great fit, they dont ‘fly off’ at all, a major clog wearing issue :)

But don’t despair, there are still loads of hot clogs still available on etsy, so get in there quick (before the snow comes)!

 
$42 from fabgabs

$194 from FashionHouseVintage

$24 from nickiefrye

$42 from StylinRecyclin

$95 from jamesrowlandshop

And finally, totally kitsch…

$75 from poppygenetierney

Perfect Griege….Nail Polish Hunt Over!

So for some time now I’ve been looking for the best Griege/Nude/Taupe Nail Polish along the lines of Chanel Particuliere . They have all been either too grey or too milk chocolate brown or made my hands look like I’d stolen them from a corpse! But this week I finally scored the perfect shade, Essie Jazz 304.

It’s beigey nude, with lilac undertones, and grey tint, and it doesn’t suck the colour out of my hands or make my nails look death blue.

It comes out darker than the bottle which looks very white based, but nicely darker. And it lasts, I’ve been wearing it since Tuesday, and have only touched it up for pictures yesterday as the edges were wearing down slightly.

Definitely THE most wearable shade for all occasions that I have come across in a along time.

I think it’s going to last through winter as well as fall.

Sack the Stylist

I’m sorry, but, what. the. hell??!?

It’s like Cyber-Barbie.

(And, um, is it only me but doesn’t she look pregnant?)

For those of you who don’t know (that would be most people outside of the UK) This is the British glamour model Jordan, real name Katie Price. Now I can’t knock a self made millionaire, this woman has made a fortune out of her body, and for her, this is A LOT of clothing! But seriously love, ever heard of the saying, Before you leave the house, take one thing off?

Check out the iPod tiara and matching earrings. I think it’s the fringed skirt that is too much for me, just the rhinestoned unitard and thigh high boots would have been enough to get the message across ;)

Famous Flags Collection.

Well the last 6 months have just flown by work wise. A LOT of bridal orders leading up to and right through the summer.

For my birthday I treated myself to a new mini hat block from Guy Morse Brown, and in between orders I’ve been working away on a lot of new designs using it as the basis. Some are already available in the shop, but soon to be released is this Famous Flags Collection. Mini hats decorated in the style of the US and UK flags, perfect for country pride!

This season I will mostly be rocking…..

The Trench Coat.

I have found mine & its fabulous!

It’s vintage Nordstrom from Westland and it fits like a dream. I wore it today for the first time. It looks best with the top two buttons undone. There are pleats down the back from the yoke to the waist then down through the full skirt at the back and the front and there’s a cute button on tab across the waist at the back (the ties only come through from the side seams) It has too many cute girly features, it totally steps aside from the unisex Spy coats that are normally associated with Trench Coats, and looking around this seems to be a major trend this season.

Even Burberry are girlifying their classic trench, taking it shorter and tighter in a softer shimmery fabric. Love the huge hook and eye on the exaggerated collar stand.

Jean Paul Gaultier for Target is releasing this nautical mix trench on March 7th. And at only $59.99 I guarantee it will be sold out in the first half an hour!

At Celine they have mixed it up totally, ripping off sleeves and moving the double breasted buttons across further turning it into a safari dress of sorts.

For vintage takes on feminine trenchcoats try:
  
$65 from Secret Lake has pretty poofy shoulders & cuffs, two tone lapels and a semi full skirt.

$54 from The Pudding Store Vintage is cut for a smaller frame.

$52 from The Pigeon Chest in leather adds another edge.

$32 from Gina Michele Vintage goes for a pop of colour.

Lee Alexander McQueen CBE 1969-2010

The sad passing of Lee 'Alexander' McQueen today has left the fashion world in shock.

After not being able to recover from the death of his mother last week, the designer took his own life last night and was discovered at around 10am UK time today.

He had just taken over at Givenchy before I started at fashion school & was very influential in my time leading up to & during my time there.

Its so sad that you couldn’t overcome the difficult time you were going through personally as professionally you were a genius. Hopefully you can now rest in peace now you have joined your beloved mother. x

Maybe I do have green fingers after all?

The gold roses as they started the weekend.
They are filling out nicely!

Its Vintage Sunday!

This week I am awaiting delivery of my new Dinette. I love that word (we don't have it in England) It conjures up images of 1950s housewives, with big hair & prim aprons serving a meat & two veg dinner to a husband in a sharp grey tweed suit on a check tablecloth with cutesy Japanese imported condiment servers. Ok, so mine is just a simple small dining table with 4 chairs to fit in our small kitchen to help improve my cooking/dirtypots/clean drying washing up 2 ft square worktop area but hey! So I was looking at quirky cute vintage salt & pepper shakers to furnish this new dining set with a hint of my imaginary 50’s housewife.

Possibly the funniest kitsch find, a big ole turkey on some scales, perfect for Thanksgiving.

And they come apart for the individual shakers.
From Susantique

A shiny toaster, where the shakers are the slices of bread.

And depressing the lever actually POPS the toast!
From mrsItfry

Perfect miniature coffee pots on glowing red burners.

Although wouldn't they be better as sugar & creamer?
From SASSYspaces

And now for the super kitsch all-in-one everything you would ever need, and all set in a picnic bench!
From Thegoodgranny

A little something I couldn't resist….

I’ve been lusting after this hat for a few weeks now & although it maybe half an inch too small, I bought it anyway. Well, what else are hat stretchers for??

Its just the redness & the height of the crown & the cute short brim – yummy!

The last picture shows Julie from ScottieinaCanoe model the fabulous little hat in her etsy store.

It’s Bridal Season Baby!

It is…no really! This week has blown up with requests for custom orders & quotes throughout both stores, and its only January! People are starting early this year, and they are looking for a sweet deal. In this downturn market people are turning to handmade for quality & to have their dream realised by someone with the tools, rather than run to the big bridal stores & just make do with the readymade stock that they have.

I’m currently working on a large order for some Gold & Ivory silk roses (as well as several others)
Here is where I was up to first thing this morning with the gold roses a.k.a layer 1.

Roses are red….

Since the sinamay Calla Lilies, I’ve been working flat out, but I have managed to develop some more faux flowers.

First off are Roses using two different construction methods, both are proving popular.
 

Handfolded & twisted Silk dupion rose head, have been bought & used by fellow milliners.

Whilst these roses formed with heat tools from individually cut petals are popular with bouquet makers.

Meanwhile I have put some of the sinamay lilies to good use