Top Bird And Her New Jewels

Photo from Top Bird (by Mister Top Bird?)

#28 - A Galaxy Of Neon Grids - in London! On one of my oldest and dearest bloggy-pal, Top Bird.

When she received them in the mail some time back, she said she had to buy a new outfit to wear them with. And she did! This pretty white smock-y number. Look at the fine embroidery on the sleeves! I love!!!!

And she's recently written a really glowing post on her shopping blog, the cute Wee Birdy, about The Empress Dowager's New Jewels! *blush*

Thank you, Top Bird! It's a real honour to be featured on the same page as all the very cool and lust-worthy objects that I go to your blog to perv at daily. xx

Pals And Jewels

I love it when pals and customers send me photos of them wearing The Empress Dowager's New Jewels! I get pretty attached to the Jewels seeing how much time I spend making them so it's really nice to see them on their new owners in their new homes. You can view them in my photo album.

My pals "Carla", Tangerilla and The Powerpuff

My Singapore pal The Powerpuff sent me this recently (about time too!).

I made the brown suede-y #29 for her after her visit here quite a few months but the cheeky girl got our pal Carl (but we call him "Carla") to wear it in the photo instead!

Thanks, pal! And I'm smiling big cheesy ones back at you guys! xx

Back From The Market!

A good day was had by all at A Little Bazaar, I'm happy to report.

We didn't have a good start - the wind was mad and brought in a lot of dust.

I couldn't set the stall up the way that I had wanted to, with the Jewels off their backing boards (for ease of trying on), on platters like colourful desserts and on plate stands (for height) because the crazy wind kept blowing everything off the table.

It blew my pretty mirror off the table and broke it five minutes after I put it up! Bah.

The display was not ideal but I got over it because people did like the Jewels! I would have been a happy girl if I had sold only one but I sold seven! Whoopeedoo! And two girls bought two pieces each! Thank you, Flore and Laura (and sister) if you are reading this!!!!!!

And to Ms Carpet's mommy and friend Julia for allowing yourselves to be "swindled"! Also Monique for taking my one of my favourite pieces home!

Big "thank you's" also to all who stopped by to fondle the Jewels - "real" pals, bloggy-pals, Ms Carpet's pals and strangers!

And to Zoe Brand, a properly-trained jewellery maker (you can see her work here and here) who made my day by saying she loved my work. And for inviting me to take part in a Christmas show that she's curating!

These bunny ears that I sewed a day before the market made their debut yesterday and I've already got a few orders for some made-to-order ones!

More "thank you's" to the good folks who loved them enough to ask for a pair! I will start working on them soon and email you when they are ready.

What should I call them? The Empress Dowager's New Ears?

Cixi, the Empress Dowager behind the label name, actually wore head-dresses all the time.

Here's Ms Carpet, with matching bunny ears (her "wage" for helping me out yesterday) and necklace, at the stall.

I wouldn't have had coped if I didn't have her helping me out the whole of yesterday, from start to finish. Also meant that I couldn't have had as many cheeky drinkie-poos as I had yesterday.

She also got her lovely mommy to loan us her precious antique Bakelite mirror for the day. And got all her cute friends to come to shop. Thank you!!!!

Pals from Singapore who couldn't come play, I know I promised loads of photos but I was too busy chatting to customers, holding the necklaces down everytime there was a gust of wind (which was pretty often!) and making beer runs (tee hee hee).

But we made a new friend, Miss SmipsyHologram, who ordered a pair of ears (I've drawn some on her here...until she gets the real ones) and was covering the event for 2Threads.

You can view all her photos here.

I'm still slightly overwhelmed by the good response and reeling from the happy-high.

Thank you again to everyone who stopped by and made my day!

And to Gena (who also does a cute range of wearable jelly's) for organising the Bazaar!

Can't wait for the next one!

A Clump Of Bubble Baubles (SOLD)

#57.

Back to some colours. After the last few in neutral tones.

My first piece in polka dots!

From a piece of 100% cotton meant for kids' clothes, according to the lady at the haberdashery.

I like it. The multi-coloured dottiness makes me happy.

And they cause a riot on the ruched side. Yay!

Product Information:
~ All pieces are 100% handstitched with love.
~ Each piece is a one-off - no two pieces of The Empress Dowager's New Jewels are the same
~ The smaller "gems" measure 2.5cm in diameter and the larger ones are 4.5cm
~ From the first "gem" on the left to the last one on the right: 28.5cm
~ Length of ribbon-tie: 41cm on each side (to allow for the wearing of your "jewels" at various lengths)

Price:
~ SOLD!!!

Blades Of Granite Grass (SOLD!)

#56.

From another piece from my beloved collection of Marimekko fabric.

Heina by Maija Isola - my favourite textle designer in Marimekko's books.

I love how well the shape of the "gems" hold up with this piece of 100% linen. Crispy!

Again, I feel like keeping it for myself. To wear with a stark white dress. But I have to be good...

Product Information:
~ All pieces are 100% handstitched with love.
~ Each piece is a one-off - no two pieces of The Empress Dowager's New Jewels are the same
~ The smaller "gems" measure 2.5cm in diameter and the larger ones are 4.5cm
~ From the first "gem" on the left to the last one on the right: 29.5cm
~ Length of ribbon-tie: 41cm on each side (to allow for the wearing of your "jewels" at various lengths)

Price:
~ AU$65.00 (for currency converter, click here) - cheap for a one-of-a-kind handmade piece compared to those mass-produced chainstore trinkets

To purchase:
~ Please click here for shipping and payment information

A Clump Of Silver Plums (Sold)

#55.

Haven't worked with my favourite Marimekko textiles for a while so I dug some out from the the vault.

Lumimarja by Erja Hirvi who also designed one of my all-time favourites, Papu (sadly no longer in print).

It is a beautiful heavyweight 100% cotton sateen with a glossy shine.

You can't really tell from my crappy photo but the grey branches and the silver "plums" have a real shimmery finish.

A piece that I'd wear for both day and night.

SOLD!

Dewdrops Of Carved Ivory (SOLD)

#54.

Took a break from all the colours to complete this piece of lacy nude-ness.

I started work on it some time ago, after I was done with her sister #27 - cotton crocheted lace over calico and finished with lengths of velvety ribbons - but ran out of lace and had to wait for the exact same one to be re-stocked at the shop.

This will look hot against bronzed Summer skin, I think.

SOLD!

A Trail Of Yellow Sapphire Tweets (SOLD)

#53.

Another happy birdy piece.

Cut from textile designer Lotta Kuhlhorn's "Annamoa".

Cheery and gay against crispy Summer whites. I like!

SOLD!

A Galaxy Of Turquoise Birdsong (SOLD)

#52.

Loving the retro feel in the colours and stripes. Very tempted to keep this one for myself. Again. *smacks wrist*

From the same piece of fabric by Lotta Kuhlhorn. Like #51.

Looks pretty good on the reverse too.





















SOLD!

A Galaxy Of 70s' Gems (SOLD)

#51.

A Galaxy Of 70s' Gems because the piece of fabric that it's made from reminds me of the advertising posters for government-led campaigns in Singapore from that era - the colours and the style of illustration.

Another brilliant piece of textile by Lotta Kuhlhorn!

I've completed two pieces featuring the birds which I'll be putting up soon.

The ruched back of the necklace - loving the combination of ultra-bright and muted shades.

And worn long here. See the cute little pink boat? Tee hee hee.

SOLD!

A Clump Of Garnet Seaweed (Sold!)

#50.

The last of the "Under The Sea" series. For now.

There's still quite a bit of this delightful piece of Lotta Kuhlhorn fabric left so you might see more of them.

Something that a mermaid would wear? A necklace made from luscious green sea grass?

SOLD!

A Galaxy Of Ruby Coral & Sapphire Shells (SOLD)

#49.

The second piece in the "Under The Sea" series.

From the cute Annamoa designed by Lotta Kuhlhorn.

Two-dimensional printed blue shells on the front and three-dimensional shell-like ruched "gems" on the back!





















Product Information:
~ All pieces are 100% handstitched with love
~ Each piece is a one-off - no two pieces of The Empress Dowager's New Jewels are the same
~ The smallest "gem" measures 1.5cm in diameter, the next one up is 2.5cm, followed by 4.5cm and 6cm for the largest
~ From the first "gem" on the left to the last one on the right: 42cm
~ Length of ribbon-tie: 39.5cm on each side (to allow for the wearing of your "jewels" at varying lengths)

Price:
~ SOLD!!!

A Galaxy Of Tangerine Coral & Jade Seaweed (SOLD)

#48.

This first of three in the "Under The Sea" series.

From this piece of cute Ikea soft furnishings fabric by Lotta Kuhlhorn.

I like how the "gems" look like shells when worn with the ruched side showing.





















SOLD!

The Jewels Are Going To "A Little Bazaar"!

Hello all!

Exciting news! The Empress Dowager's New Jewels are going to the markets!


A Little Bazaar:
"An Out-of-the-Ordinary Handmade Jewellery and Objects Market"

brought to you by Dialogue PR, the good people behind

the very successful Fringe Bar Markets

Where:
The Beresford Hotel

(in their gorgeous and spacious courtyard)
354 Bourke Street
Darlinghurst
Sydney
(see map here)

When:
Saturday 26th September 2009

From 11am to 6pm



They have been once before but the tiny collection of five pieces were part of the Leeloo stall.

This time round, I have a whole stall to myself to show them off - all 25 pieces that I've spent the last month (and more) frantically sewing. I hope to bring the number up to 30, if I have the time.

So, if you're the sort who needs to touch and feel things before making a decision to buy, do come down and try them on.

Or just to say "hello". And have a frosty beer (I love that their bars have Asahi, my favourite Japanese one, on tap!).

Of course there will be loads of other stalls too. All selling really beautiful things (I'm hoping I won't be spending more than I make on the day). The organisers have put up images of a selection of them here.

I hope to see you then! xx


*Please note: I will not be selling any pieces via this blogshop
from now until the end of the market day.
Mail order will be back to normal on Sunday 27 September 2009.

A Clump Of Jungle Gems (SOLD)

#47.

Again from the mad mad piece of Saralisa by Cilla Ramnek.

The last one for now. A few more pieces from another length of fabric coming up soon.

Not playing favourites but if I have to pick one out of the four (see the previous three here, here and here), I'll pick this Clump Of Jungle Gems.





















But I can't keep every piece that I love...

SOLD!