A Galaxy Of Bejewelled Creepers (SOLD)

#102.

Cut from this happy piece of 100% Ikea soft furnishings fabric - Annamoa (in blue) by Lotta Kuhlhorn.

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 2.0cm in diameter, the next one up is 3.0cm, followed by 4.5cm and 6cm for the largest
~ From the first "gem" on the left to the last one on the right: 41.5cm
~ Length of ribbon-tie: 40.0cm on each side (to allow for the wearing of your "jewels" at varying lengths)

~ SOLD ~

For Sale: A Clump Of Pearly Daisies

#101.

Cut from my current favourite-fabric-to-use - Annamoa (in blue) by Lotta Kuhlhorn.

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: 30.5cm
~ Length of ribbon-tie: 40.0cm on each side (to allow for the wearing of your "jewels" at various lengths

Price:
~ AU$55.00 (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 Kiwi Green Stones (SOLD)

#100!!!!!

The 100th piece of The Empress Dowager's New Jewels! Every piece unique and never to be repeated.

I can't believe that I've done that. Within a year.

Big "THANK YOUs" to pals who wore them from the start and to customers, both old and new, for allowing yourself to be swindled by The Empress Dowager's New Jewels!

#200, here we come! Once the Christmas markets madness is over, I'm going to start working on new and exciting "settings" that I already have in my head but haven't had the time to trial. Look out!

Alright, back to the business at-hand...this Clump Of Kiwi Green Stones made from another piece of 100% cotton fabric designed by Cilla Ramnek, also from her Saralisa series.

The two pieces made from these "green stones" were the first two to be sold at the recent Finders Keepers so I thought I'd make another which looks completely different from the other two, of course!

It's going with me to A Little Bazaar this Saturday so if you want it, you have to come and grab it.

If I don't sell it, I'll put it up here on the blog-shop with full product information on Sunday.

Edit-to-add: SOLD!!!

A Clump Of Reclaimed Onyx (SOLD!)

#99.

"Reclaimed" because the "gems" are cut from whatever suitable bits, in size and in print, that I have left from the very popular Saralisa fabric by Cilla Ramnek.

This and #98 were all I could squeeze out from the off-cuts.

Might go buy more of the fabric. Or I might not.

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: 30cm
~ Length of ribbon-tie: 39cm on each side (to allow for the wearing of your "jewels" at various lengths

~ SOLD! ~

A Galaxy Of Reclaimed Onyx (SOLD)

#98.

The pieces I made from the crazy black-and-white Saralisa print by Cilla Ramnek have been so popular at the markets. (Thank you to Ms Carpet for being so generous with her remnants!).

This and #99 are made from whatever little pieces of the fabric that I have left.

The last two in the series of the mad mad print. Until I go buy more. Or maybe not.

They are both going to A Little Bazaar this Saturday so I'm not including product information here. You'll have to come and get them. Haha!

Will add information after the market if no one takes them home.

Edit-to-add: SOLD!!!

A Galaxy Of Pearly Opal Tweets (SOLD)

#97.

Like #96, the gems are cut from this piece of Ikea soft furnishings fabric - Gunilla by Sissi Edholm and Lisa Ullenius.

I made them both for a lovely customer who wrote me after Finders Keepers asking for pieces in bright colours. A few emails with fabric sample attachments later, she picked the happy orange Gunilla.

She only wanted one (a Christmas present for her aunt who's a ceramist!) but I made two to give her options. She picked this Galaxy Of Pearly Tweets.

I hope her aunt will like it too!

A Galaxy Of Fire Opal Tweets

#96.

From this piece of 100% cotton Ikea soft furnishings fabric - Gunilla by Sissi Edholm and Lisa Ullenius.

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: 38.5cm on each side (to allow for the wearing of your "jewels" at varying lengths)

~ Given away to my pal The Powerpuff ~

Another Market + A Show

It's been a week since the Finders Keepers markets. Sarah, Lauren and Brooke, the girls who made it happen, did an amazing job organising the event. I don't know if I'll be back as a seller at the next one (would love to but they have very a very strict selection procedure) but will definitely go as a customer like I've always have.

Big big "THANK YOUs" to all who popped by at the stall. I had a wonderful time meeting loads of nice new people, both customers and stallholders. I've compiled a list of things (and the people who made them) that I liked on the other blog. If you still have a few names to strike off that Christmas shopping list, here they are:

~ Finds At Finders Keepers (Part One) - Kristen Doran Design
~ Finds At Finders Keepers (Part Two) - Finchbird
~ Finds At Finders Keepers (Part Three) - The Red Thread
~ Finds At Finders Keepers (Part Four) - Simply Phoebe
~ Finds At Finders Keepers (Part Five) - Bride & Wolfe
~ Finds At Finders Keepers (Part Six) - ChiChi

If you need more gift ideas, do pop down to A Little Bazaar #2.

A Little Bazaar #1 was where The Empress Dowager's New Jewels made their market-debut in September and I'm very happy to be back for the second one.

It's a strictly contemporary jewellery-and-accesssories market with more than 30 designers showing this time around.

A Little Bazaar #2
When:
Saturday 19 December 2009 from 10.00am to 5.00pm

Where:
The Fringe Bar
106 Oxford Street
Paddington

I'm frantically trying to make up more New Jewels and New Ears to take with me so do come down and view the new pieces!

And...the day after A Little Bazaar is the opening of Feast, a group jewellery show that curator Zoe Brand at Studio 20/17 has so kindly invited me to take part in.

The Empress Dowager's New Jewels first ever show in a proper gallery! With 24 much more accomplished jewellery (like real jewellery) designers! I feel so hounoured and fortunate to be asked.

Feast - a celebration of the predetermined as well as the gloriously spontaneous moments that happen around the Christmas feasting table
When:
Opening (and Christmas drinks): Sunday 20 December 2009 from 3.00pm to 6.00pm

The show runs from 20 to 24 December 2009 from 11.00am to 6.00pm daily

Where:
Depot Gallery I
2 Dank Street
Waterloo
NSW 2017
Phone: (02) 9698 7999

I've made three one-off pieces just for Feast from fabric that I hand-printed. I hope they measure up to the other beautiful work that they'll be sitting next to.

Alright, that's all the news for now. Hope to see you at A Little Bazaar and/or Feast. If I don't, have yourself a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! xx

PS. Will be updating with new pieces the moment I complete them.

One More Sleep...

See you at...

The Finders Keepers Design & Art Markets

When:

Friday 4 December 2009 from 6.00pm to 10.00pm

Saturday 5 December from 10.00am to 8.00pm

Where:

The beautiful old CarriageWorks

245 Wilson Street

Eveleigh

(see map and directions here)

For a sneak peek at pieces of The Empress Dowager's New Jewels that I'll be selling, please go have a nosey-around in the blog-shop.

The Empress Dowager's New Ears will also be making their first ever appearance at a market!

And there will be loads of other cool stuff (see here and here) for sale by other designers too.

A great time and place to get some Christmas shopping done!

Hope to see you there!

*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 6 December 2009.

A Clump Of Chaldedony Poppies

#92.

Another piece that is not for sale.

After frantically sewing soooo many pieces for The Finders Keepers Markets this weekend, I think I deserve to keep a piece for myself.

Made myself a pair of matching happy New Ears too.

Cut from the same piece of fabric - Annamoa by Lotta Kuhlhorn for Ikea - as those that I made for Ms Carpet so we can play "twins". Tee hee hee.

Dainty Bullets Of Ruby Berries

#91.

It's not for sale.

I made it for my pal Ms Carpet who has kindly agreed to help me out again both tomorrow and Saturday at the Finder Keepers Markets.

And of course she has to have a pair of The Empress Dowager's New Ears to match her New Jewels!

A pair of mini bunny ears! Smaller than the usual ones.

They are her wage for the two days. And also our uniform. Tee hee hee.

Again, cut from this cute piece of Annamoa by Lotta Kuhlhorn for Ikea.

A Clump Of Geometric Garnet

#90.

The happy lime green garnet "gems" are cut from this piece of Annamoa by Lotta Kuhlhorn for Ikea.

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 4cm
~ From the first "gem" on the left to the last one on the right: 30cm
~ Length of ribbon-tie: 39.5cm on each side (to allow for the wearing of your "jewels" at various lengths

~ NO LONGER AVAILABLE ~

A Galaxy of Pink Tourmaline Blooms (SOLD)

#89.

From this cute piece of 100% cotton Annamoa by Lotta Kuhlhorn for Ikea.

SOLD!

The Ultimate Galaxy Of Cartoon Gems (SOLD)

#88.

The last of five pieces made with Marge Simpson in mind.

I've always the admire Marge's necklace, something that I've not seen her without.

In fact, it's one of the things that inspired me to make The Empress Dowager's New Jewels from the start. It's a very simple strand of round things yet it completes her look. Just imagine her without it.

When my pal Ms Carpet kindly gave me her off-cuts of this piece of Ikea soft furnishings fabric, I thought they'd make great necklaces for Marge - happy and cartoony and in the Simpsons' colours. And it's how I would draw gems, I think, if I had to for cartoons.

The rest of The Empress Dowager's New Jewels "Cartoon Collection" are here, here, here and here. I hope you'll like them as much as I've enjoyed making them.

SOLD!

A Clump Of Cartoon Blood Diamonds (SOLD)

#87.

The fourth piece made with Marge Simpson in mind.

Also the fourth piece cut from this piece of happy cartoony 100% cotton Ikea soft furnishings fabric.

SOLD!

Dewdrops Of Pink Cartoon Diamonds (SOLD!)

#86.

Another piece for Marge! For when Homer takes her out on a very rare dancing date and when she gets to wear a ballgown.

The 100% cotton Ikea soft furnishings fabric that the "pink diamonds" are cut from.

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 dangling "gems" measure 3cm in diameter and the larger ones are 4.5cm
~ From the first "gem" on the left to the last one on the right: 30cm
~ Length of ribbon-tie: 40.5cm on each side (to allow for the wearing of your "jewels" at various lengths

Price:
~ SOLD!!!

A Clump Of Solid Cartoon Gold (SOLD)

#85.

The second piece that I would love to see on Marge Simpson.

She would have to wear something other than her usual strapless dress, though. Yellow on her yellow skin might not a be good look. Haha!

The happy cartoony fabric that this piece is cut from. More in the other colours to come!

SOLD!

Dainty Bullets Of Pink Cartoon Diamonds

#84.

When I first started making The Empress Dowager's New Jewels, Marge Simpson was a muse. I love the necklace that's always around her neck, for its simplicity and clean lines.

This piece and the other four cut out from the same piece of fabric were made with Marge in mind.

If I had to draw gems for a cartoon, this is how I would draw them.

This is the piece of happy Ikea soft furnishings fabric that the "pink diamonds" are cut from. Very kindly given to me by my pal Ms Carpet. (By the way, if you've got bits of off-cuts and remnants lying around somewhere which you have no use for, I'll be happy to take them in!)

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
~ All "gems" measure 2.5cm in diameter except for the tiny one at 1.5cm
~ From the first "gem" on the left to the last one on the right: 35cm
~ Length of ribbon-tie: 39.5cm on each side (to allow for the wearing of your "jewels" at various lengths

Price:
~ Given away to my cousin for Christmas!