Hi all, I will be blogging here again soon! if blogger works!!!!!

Hi all I will be reposting on here again soon. A few little behind the scenes bits and bobs.
I will also be setting up a new supply shop over on etsy called Spiritflower Supply. With kits/tutorials/embroidery patterns/art you can use for a variety of things. 
I will be setting up a dedicated blog for that shop also here on blogger.

So please check in when you can.
See you soon.
Dxo

Finding your Muse: A FREE! Online Mini Class by Alisa Burke

Hi all! Just a real quick post about a beautiful free Online inspiration class that I found online. I Love! Alisa Burke's blog and while I was waiting for my partner to get ready this morning, i took a long overdue visit and found a free class she is giving as a thankyou to all her blog followers/visitors/supporters.

The theme and name of the class is Finding your muse, which is all about switiching off the internet and going outside and finding what truly inspires you, as well
as looking into your life for inspiration and ideas to create art.

In a world where everything is at our finger tips sometimes we just need to get out, breath,look,listen and refuel.Thats how the best ideas and most inspiring work comes!

So come on and join in! http://www.findingyourmuseonlineclass.blogspot.com/ and rediscover what really inspires you.

Ciao for now! and have a great weekend. Dxo

Behind the Seams: Show and Tell work in progress

Happy Tuesday all! I hope you had a great all Hallows Eve. I personally went dancing with my brother and my boyfriend and apart from my feet being tortured by my killler heels, it was a great night.

So what have I been up to? Well I have been sitting on my comfy sofa beading,beading and more beading! having photo's of work done by my boyfriend and getting more dolls stuffed and ready to be listed. Heres a sneaky peek at whats coming to the etsy shop soon. Also have you noticed a new page under the header on this blog? The Shop page? Yep I will be putting selected products from what i,m making currently onto a dedicated shop page on the blog! yay! surf my blog posts then go there and buy a piece that also comes with more colour options than the product in my etsy store. But of course you can also peruse my etsy store as well to see what other goodies are there to delight you.

so heres whats coming soon!

Amethyst pearl Goddess pendent

Delicate Amethyst Flower Goddess Pendant

Blue waves Flower Goddess Doll

The keeper of spirit Goddess Doll

Designs for Hope Dolls using a limited colour palette of blue,purples,yellow and orange

So thats whats done and whats in progress or on the beading table at the moment. What do you think?
Don't forget to check the etsy shop AND the Shopping page here on the blog.

Behind The Seams:Reading,Beading,Imagineering my week so far

Hi all! It's been a few days or more since I posted, I know! Especially as I listed on Twitter the next lot of Handmade Blog Features that were due this week. Don't worry you'll be getting all four over the this weekend starting from today.

So when not blogging what am I up to?

Lots of reading,beading and Imagineering new design ideas for my healing and spirit doll collections!
I,m opening my etsy shop http://www.opalorchid.etsy.com/  aka "House of Spiritflower by OpalOrchid" by the end of August so i,ve been stalking the forums on Etsy marking posts relating to photography,getting more views and sales.
I,ve also been checking out http://www.handmadeology.com/ as well and am thinking of getting their Pro membership to get access to even more fantastic bizness advice,e-courses and advice.

I,ve also been reading my favorite blogs http://www.totusmel.blogspot.com/ and her shop http://www.totusmel.etsy.com/ about the tattooed mother who does Tatting. A old textile artform that she uses to make some of the most gorgeous masks,necklaces and ankle corsets around.Embellished with tiny beads and sequins.Check her out her work is elegant,edgy and top quality. I especially love reading her no nonsense advice on business,Etsy and more.

Charm Necklace By http://www.totusmel.etsy.com/ Copyright TotusMel
As a sometime thread embroiderer I also love  reading about the work of british embroidery company http://www.guerillaembroidery.com/ and her blog http://www.guerillaembroidery.blogspot.com/ she used to customise clothing,make purses and tactile textile jewellery using her original artwork which she transfers onto cloth in various ways such as the acetone technique as well as using the mini japanese screenprinter called a Gocco.These machines are very rare to find but do check out Etsy as I found some there. If thats not for you (shipping from Japan is expensive and so is the machine) try http://www.dharmatrading.com/ and the Yudu Machine which is on sale at the moment for $120.00 and comes with everything you need plus a instructional DVD to get started.

Yudu Machine on sale for $149.00 at http://www.dharmatrading.com/ down from $299.00
Apart from that i,ve been beading like mad for the last few days.(pictures coming soon once i find and charge my camera).
I,ve been working on small dresses for a one of a kind (ooak) healing doll using a pattern from a book i bought, for both the dresses and the doll.The first dress has taken me 14hours to bead completely using size 10 seedbeads,4mm czech glass crystal beads and 4mm rice pearls in iris purple and royal blue. I,m now working on the secound one called "Bliss".It has the word beaded on the front on top of what will be a beaded flower motif. The word was traced from my book on blogging called "Blogging for Bliss Crafting your own online journnal.A guide for Crafters,Artists & Creatives of all kinds" by Tara Frey.

Whats Imagineering?
Imagineering is a word I picked up from one of my books on doll making "Designing the Doll" by   Susanna Oroyan                .I,ve two of her books,which I use mainly for inspiration. Imagineering for me is creating in my head.I daydream a doll idea while looking in a almost intense way at a doll pattern and my referance books on butterflies,moths and flora.I also think of a theme.At the moment it's mainly flowers,the four western elements : Fire,Water,Earth,Air (all met together in a garden fair bound in a basket of skin if you answer this riddle you'll never begin, from the kids book The Night Maze a old favorite I still own and read Oh and the answer is man/woman/you.)and the Five Eastern Elements: Wood,Fire,Earth,Metal,Air.

Book i,m lusting over and want to buy below.

So thats been my week so far along with meeting my business and progression mentors from the Princes Trust and lots of painting and decorating of a very large house with no end in sight yet! and no the house isn't mine.I live in a first floor flat in Hammersmith London Uk near the River Thames, and the cool cinema house/performance space,program recording place RiverSide Studios. With great views of Hammersmith Bridge especially at  night when all the lights are on that outline it like the lights on Harrods.

See you all soon with a sweet Handmade Blog Feature: Emma Dickie of The Candy Tree. Dxo

Inspirations of tattered finery

Here is a taste of some of the things inspiring me for my a/w 2011/12 Collection. It's going to be called
Lost and Found.
Here is a selection of images from designers who use vintage and found objects,recycled clothing,accessories and bits and pieces to make gorgeous garments and accessories.

First up Selene Gibbious of http://www.gibbiousfashions.com/

Selene both models in the photos along with her very creative friends as well as takes the photos and is one of the designers in the collective. Selene uses materials such as vintage silk slips,lace,corsets,girdles and fabric scraps from vintage coats,clothing and tees.Some of these she uses as the base for new coats and skirts.She also adds unusual details such as a glove as in the top image which doubles as a pocket.
Bits of broken jewellery and old keys are also sewn on.

Do check out the site for her blog,stunning photoshoot pictures and her online shop.
Selene also does a alteration,custom and make-over service all for reasonable prices.All her pieces are gorgeous one off originals.


Designs by Bonzie http://www.bonziedesigns.com/ Based in Waterford Ireland this Aunt and Niece duo make corsets,collars.cuffs,coats.fascinators and more in their unique style.Using Irish Linens,Tweeds,Silks, sometimes hand dyed.They embellish the pieces with jewellery,Pearls and handmade flowers made from velvets,tulles and silk.They now have a stunning must visit workshop in Waterford Ireland a image of which is below.Do visit their site,blog and flicker accounts for a slice of Irish Couture.

SparrowSalvage.(Below)

The work of Australian artist Penny. She creates the most beautiful worn,victorian inspired cuff bracelets using vintage fabrics,laces,beads,buttons that she hand dyes and hand sews layering  materials and textures together.The clasps are either antique buttons or antique coat frog clasps she also creates earrings,brooches, as well as sells some of her supplies and diy cuff kits in her destash shop http://www.littlebrownmagpie.etsy.com/ I wrote an article on her in Alt Fashion Magazine which really went into her inspirations.Penny also sells antique findings and materials in her other shop http://www.faginsdaughter.etsy.com/ and beautiful colage mixed media artwork using vintage papers and books at http://www.littlebrownsparrow.etsy.com/  check out more of Pennys work on her blog.  http://www.sparrowsalvage.blogspot.com/

So those are a few of the labels who's look i am aiming to channel in my own collection.I will be using vintage and antique beads,trims and fabrics cutting up secound hand clothing and hand dying and ageing fabrics.As well as layering textures smooth with torn,lace with tulle and jersey yarn with embroidery,pearls and silk.
As usual i,ll be using semi precious stones and old buttons sourced from Portobello market.
Look out for images of the collection in progress from June 2011.