i just completed this custom wedding gown, for Kassidy in Austin..

it’s been months in the making.. so many layers, ruffles, tatters..
it really kept me on my toes!

made entirely from reclaimed antique & vintage materials..
sculpted on a form with many pins + stitches.

silk, cotton, linen, saris, dress lining, eyelet, corsets, slips, pinafores..
a little bit of everything went into it.

the decollette` has lace from the 1800’s, hand stitched & adorned with
ancient pearls & tiny flapper beads. i sewed in bits of fur & feathers too.

it’s definitely one of the most complex bridal pieces i’ve made; with this dress
it really became apparent how much the process has developed over the years..
there is a large amount of planning, maneuvering, grace & forethought directing
the ship now. it used to be a lot more chaotic, with lunges forward and difficult backtracking.. sometimes an element of panic. that seems to have faded away..
my mind’s eye & sewing hands have gotten much stronger, steadier.
such a good feeling :)

<3s

Corpus Christi procession, Ireland~ Henri Cartier Bresson, 1952

felt work by Jacqueline Leblanc

Matilda Temperley

Diana e la Tuda by Luigi Pirandello, 1926

Alexander Graham Bell and his wife Mabel kissing within a tetrahedral kite, October 1903.

Alexander Vertinsky

some inspiring things i’ve collected from the inter ether..
a few images i couldn’t find sources for,, tell me if you know! :)
<3s

some lovely photos just surfaced from my dear friends’ wedding last year..

Mary & Emit are beautiful, inspiring musician/artists ( Nezzy Idy //the Vivid )..
i just love them to bits. the original posts about their dresses are here & here.

the headdresses were made by by House of Malakai

definitely the prettiest wedding i’ve ever been to!

all photos taken by Jessica Moncrief

<3s

there are 2 new collars in the shop,
paying homage to the sea & miss Havisham :)

i’ve also marked down many of the pieces that have been there for awhile.. <3

nearing the finish line with a very fancy wedding dress,
destined for Kassidy in Texas.. it’s turning out quite beautiful..
i’ve been spending all my nights with it & the Agatha Christie mysteries.

the grey blue wedding dress (my previous commission) was delivered to it’s bride today.. i was overjoyed to hear that it fits her well & she absolutely loves it.. it’s so strange and wonderful to make these dresses long distance without ever meeting the person!
it really feels amazing when the dress works out perfectly. these modern times, i say..

other things;
dressing up kitties, kundalini, raspberry leaf tea….. moon gazing, learning feng shui~
autoharp. nocturnal world// oppossums \ playing with silhouettes, passionflower.
polishing the new website, \calcite// fad gadget. seeds. the faery oracle;
hours of hand-stitching. studying amulets, color symbolism;
slowly recording songs.. AURYN.
clearing clutter.. it’s almost my birth day & i’m getting rid of alot of belongings.
space in all contexts is looking like the most valuable gift these days.

^beautiful foods from my window; french baby lentil, mung bean, radish & alfalfa sprouts

happy spring

<3s

last night i took a break from the wedding dress i’ve been immersed in, to finish
a few tiny treasures that have been sitting by for months.

a Long time ago, before i made clothes.. i made faery wings;
and traveled around to festivals selling them. well.. the very last batch
of wings i made were *not* cute.. they were real-looking, leathery,
like strange creatures that might bite you, rather than grant wishes.
i’d had a breakthrough, i thought.. they were surreal & stunning.
but..  no one wanted to buy them, haha..
they were too ‘creepy’. these wings went through many moves
& storage units with me until one day i just decided to
cut most of them up. i unearthed the fabric from them recently,
and am planning to give it new life. there is a bit of faery wing
stitched into all three of these fancies :)
you’ll probably be seeing more soon.

<3s

i just finished this dress makeover for Chloe Barcelou, art director
for a film in progress called Aimy in a Cage

it was a bit tricky for me, cause i don’t usually work with these seventies floral dresses..
it took a lot of pinning, staring & dismantling before i saw the path :)

i like the way it turned out, though.. it feels sort of like a sweet gothic church dress now~

i’ve been taking lots of pictures lately, but haven’t had much time to post here.
hopefully soon.. <3s

Hari-Kuyo, or the Festival of Broken Needles, began over 400 years ago..
each year on February 8th, women honor the needles that have given
them loyal service throughout the year and lay them to rest
at Shinto shrines and Buddhist Temples across Japan.

The ritual also honors the secret sorrows & burdens.
As a person sews, their essence permeates the needle with their energy and aura.
The needles are believed to share these burdens, and take some of them into themselves,
so this burial is a way to thank them and put these matters to rest.
also known as Needle Mass

i’ve been saving my broken needles for a long time, never quite sure why..
always just felt a strong attachment/power/loyalty to them.
this ritual makes wonderful sense to me.. it will be lovely to celebrate it next year :)

<3s

sources:
wikipedia
oddity central
the examiner