Accessories Galore: When I go a little bit nuts for handmade. Plus - new specs!

This month, I got my bonus. I should not have been spending it on frivolities, as we're supposed to be saving for our hols. However. I did buy a <ahem, cough> couple of things.

First off: DeerArrow

This is an Australian brand, and they sell all manner of delightful brooches, earrings and other accessories - all with a retro styling.

I was already looking at their sewing machine brooch when they announced a discount code on fb. How on earth could I say no. I also bought some flamingo earrings, and some sundae earrings to match my sundae best dress. 

Whilst they don't post straight away ( I think they waited 3 days after my order - which enabled me to add an item LOL) my parcel arrived extremely quickly. Within 5 business days - which is not bad from Oz. 

I was a tiny bit disappointed. Firstly, because the backs on my flamingo earrings were wonky. I know it doesn't seem like a big deal, but its obvious when I wear them that one hangs below my lobe and the other doesn't. I messaged them and they responded immediately to apologise and send replacements, so top marks for that. 

I love my brooch, but I kind of wish it had more colours in it. I knew what I was buying though, so I can't complain about that really.

I was also disappointed at the size of the sundae earrings, which as you can see from the picture below, are so small you can barely see them. I wish they were bigger, but they are still super cute.

Overall, not my most successful buy, but I would still definitely recommend them. Their customer service is fab, and delivery from Oz to UK is cheap. Just be aware of the sizes of the items you are buying.

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Second lot of accessory purchases were from Lucky Ladybird crafts.

Adorable packaging and currently bargains to be had! I'm wearing my swiss roll brooch above. I also bought a batternburg brooch...

...and a sushi purse. Such a lot of work has gone into this. I love it!! Thing I will stash my earrings in it.

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I also spotted this little apple bag in the charity shop for £3. Brand new! Noah has claimed it as his own, but I'm getting it back when he's not looking!

I have been hankering after this Ollie and Nic bag for ages (below), but I can't justify that spend on yet another bag, so whilst the quality isn't as good, it has satisfied my need for an apple wicker bag ;)

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Finally, since we're on accessories, I bought some new specs. Its always a bit of a gamble with http://www.selectspecs.com/ as you can't try them on first, however I've had three pairs now (See other pair above -  I had to buy them twice as I lost the first lot) and I am mega happy with my purchases.  They are supercomfy, and I can wear them out and about without feeling queasy (I do have a pair from Tesco which I can only wear whilst driving because they make me nauseous if I wear them whilst walking!)

They are prescription (I'm short sighted) and cost me £14.95 including postage. You can't really argue with that can you?!

(link to these glasses and also to the ones above)

Swing Dress Finished! Puppytooth framed handbag finished!! Vintagebrooch in use!!!

All at the expense of a poorly sick child, which meant I could not attend my place of work today, instead having to fill in the time between being at his beck and call, by having my foot firmly on speed-sew...

So firstly. I finished the swing dress. I will post more photos on a page soon, but for now we'll have a few of me posing in some dreadful shots that I must apologise for but its the best I can do on my camera-phone with a dusty mirror. I'm pretty pleased. I think it looks the part and I'd be happy to wear this to work on a summers day, not just to the vintage tea party I made it for.  

   

Check out my brooch. This belonged to nanny (my dads mum - who was born in 1910) and is a vintage paste brooch/dress clips.Its been sitting in my jewellery box since she died in 1984.

I only just found out what dress clips are. Its been bothering me for years. Basically the brooch comes apart and the two sides become separate clips - for many years I thought they must be earrings - but that would be too painful due to the metal 'grip' at the back. More recently I thought perhaps shoe clips. Then I read about dress clips - eureka - so that's what it is! I have chosen to leave it in its brooch form here, but they were commonly worn either side of the neckline to jazz up dresses and coats.

  (I have ironed this believe it or not!)

I made quite a few adjustments along the way. I sewed up the bodice front as I can't be doing with gaping wrap style necklines. I shortened the sleeves and added faux cuffs. I shortened the waist-piece. I had to add side panels cos I'm such a porker. And the sleeves for the same reason. I added a few gathers to the sleeves at the shoulder. I had to modify the neckline at the yolk because the patterns off (OK, it is probably my lack of cutting skills)

New skills learned:

gathering using machine stitching (have always done by hand)

Invisible zip insertion. You can't see a zip can you? No? exactly.

Modyfying a pattern to fit (without the use of a muslin or a dressmakers dummy)

Also - I made a bag. A bag with a frame. I used the puppytooth fabric as it matches my shoes (sort of - its not entirely correct as its white/black not cream/black but near as dammit) For a first time/practice run I'm extremely pleased. I decided to leave the bag plain and have a nice polka lining. The strap is detachable. The brooch I made - well I'm a bit so-so about it - I think the ribbon makes it look a bit like a horse show rosette - but the beauty of course is that I don't have to use it. I may have another attempt at a different type of embellishment.

I would probably prefer the polka on the outside for more frequent use, but as I said, first go and all. The inner pocket is also too far down. Never mind. Its still a pocket.  It wasn't as hard or messy as I anticipated. The sewing bit was easy. The glue/fabric/frame bit was fine. I did spend half an hour picking glue off, but it looks OK now.

I am now really really wanting to start on my graceful kelly bag. But I need to make Noah his fox trousers first.

Some fabric has arrived!! (claps hands excitedly)

I'm always happy to get parcels. This goes without saying. And I got three new fabrics today. For some reason I thought the penguin stuff would be jersey. No matter, I shall find a use for it. I'm a bit Meh about the black jersey with stars - but again, no doubt I'll find a use. I'm most thrilled about the dog/puppy tooth stuff. It is exactly what I wanted to make my bag to match my shoes! Hurrah!



In my head, I'll be making a plain bag I think, but accessorising with interchangable fabric brooches - something like those below? What do you think?





Ooh these brooch/barrette back thingys that I just spotted on ebay will be perfect!

Also, I'm very close to finishing the swing dress. Woo!!

The drawbacks and benefits of working v. near the Cath Kidston Outlet...

The drawbacks are obvious. I spend lots of money on things I probably wouldn't even think about if the shop wasn't RIGHT THERE and I have very else to do on my lunchbreak. I just bought this to keep my phone in. Yes I could probably make one. But this was the last of its particular kind in store - and we all know that THAT IS A SIGN. That I should have it, I mean. So I bought it.



The benefits: well they do occasionally have some amazing bargains - and CK stuff makes great pressies. I bought some bags recently that I'm stashing for such use, and they were down from about £45 to a tenner merely because they had a musty smell. That is what febreeze is for!



I also got a metre of this recently for a fiver - down from £35pm. Its sort of velvetty. I want to make a graceful kelly bag with it.



Then of course theres my polka wellies. Down to ten pounds. We all need wellies!

Present Purchasing

It was Tanja's 40th on Friday (surprise partay - yey!) and I was the one organising the joint gift(s)

I love shopping - so this wasn't a particular hardship.

I decided the way to go was to buy her some lovely 'forever' jewellery, and then something a bit more wacky.

The necklace I chose was this dragonfly by Emma Ginnever. We (we - the gals - moi, Lucy, Alice, Jess, Pauline and Sonya) all agreed from the selection I suggested, that this was the most gorgeous and just right for her.



I also decided that she should have these Iron Fist Indecent obsession shoes and bag. A bit (ahem) OTT. But I know she was eyeing them up on the Blue Banana website after I went a bit mad in the sale and bought four pairs of shoes.

Whether or not she ever wears them further than her local (two doors down quite conveniently) or not, I don't know, but she'll have fun teetering!

      

Finally - two finished frocks!

I've had this dress sitting in my cupboard for ages requiring modification. I bought it in Peacocks sale for a fiver because I loved the retro fabric and skirt, but hated the bodice which had round very high neckline and sleeves that were too tight. It was also too big. Sadly I now fit it, however we shall focus on the good things. I've chopped and darted and seamed and bias binded the edges and now have a dress that I really rather like. Result!



This jersey stretch dress worked out really well too. although you can't tell from the photo as it looks a bit all over the place. When its on I love it, but I'm not taking a photo of me wearing it! I got it in the tesco sale for £7, which is cheaper than buying the fabric and starting from scratch, but the body was too long (I'm short waisted) and the neckline too high, and the sleeves too long. It took me many evenings to unpick it all (they are stitched really well - who knew?) and re-shape and stitch the neck facing back in and make little gathers on the front and puff the sleeves, but its done. Ta-dah!



..and then there's this little cutey bag I got off ebay. Added some of the cute polka/lace trim I bought and didn't know what to do with - just to pep it up a bit.

Woo!