It's been ages and ages since I've had time to look at my little blog - I've been a busy bunny!

Here is one of my recent projects. Wizards costumes for the new Disney store in Paris, France... fancy schmancy. Made from an assortment of fabrics and based on visuals from the client.

Pom poms

Some big tissue paper chrysanthemums for a local boutique. Cheap, cheerful and very sweet, these are fabulous for event decorations too.

YooHoo

I worked with the lovely chaps again on these windows for Hamley's. They supplied me with a nice big polystrene bodies and I covered them in fur and made all of their costumes and huge (4ft long!) bushy tails.

Here he is in progress in the garden with the tiny little yoohoo that I had to copy.

And a close up in the window

Nests

Beautiful prototype large nest, crafted from French Partridge feathers lined with ribbons in matching colours. Made for a very prestigious luxury handbag store.

Mini Dresses

Scaled down verions of Spring/Summer collections for men and women for this international High Street fashion store. Handfinished with every detail in perfect miniature.

My Big Fat Bunny Wedding for Hamleys

This project was for a fabulous team who do lots of amazing work for Londons top toy emporium. They asked me to decorate a giant wedding cake and make costumes for the Bunny Bride and Groom in this Sylvanian Family wedding window.

The decorated cake in the workshop

The bunnies in full finery

The window!

Rabbiting on for H&M

It's that time of year when one is asked for bunny things.
These were actually made as a prototype for H&M via the splendid Harlequin Design. These bunny ears were made from leather, specially printed fabric, and metal which I treated with a rust effect paint finish. There are wire frames inside the fabric and leather ears to create a variety of poses and screws in the bottom for fixing into panels.

Faking it

A recent project - prototypes for a summer scheme for a very well known retail fashion and homewares chain. I am happy to make samples that are then sent out to factories as finishing guides for mass production.
I was asked to make a pair of giant unfinished mdf doors and a cast iron bench look as though they had been out in the Mediterannean sun for years using paint effects, sanding, burning and glazes.

And here they are in the windows

Hip, Hip, Hooray!

Wow! The beautiful tinsel heads that I made won the 'Best use of Mannequins' award for Liberty at the 2010 Visual Merchandising awards - scroll down to see the pictures of them in store. One can always count on Liberty to dream up amazingly creative ideas and I was honoured to have worked on this project for them.
They were also featured in 'WONDERLAND' magazine...
http://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/blog/?tag=liberty-london

Vida Las Vegas (I know!) presenting Katie from Liberty with the award.

Picture by Melvyn Vincent

Minnie takes a Bow

Christmas is coming to Mouseville. Inspired by Minnie's delightful spotty frock, these half metre wide, padded satin bows will adorn stores around the world.

Rosey titfer

I have made this rather pretty thing for a well known jewellery shop. Unfortunately, as I took the photo at night time, they've taken all the bling away... diamonds mmmm! The frame is topiary and roses, and her bonnet is made from tightly packed red roses.

Topiary is obviously the theme du jour.

If you want to experiment a little you can buy marvellous topiary panels and flowers from the amazing flower market in Nine Elms, worth a trip for any flower lover.

Teatime at The National Gallery

Just had a minute to photograph my freshly made topiaries before they went off to their new home in the National Gallery. I can hold forth for a good long time on the subject of the perfect cup of tea so this was right up my street!

I took the picture very quickly in my actual street just before they went on the trusty van, I will post a more glamorous picture when they are in situ.

Tinsellitis at Liberty

Picture by kind permission of Liberty

Finally got around to posting the sparkly, tinselly loveliness from Christmas 2009. I was thrilled to be asked to personally hand make this giant tinsel fox and shimmery, shiny mannequin heads as part of the Liberty Christmas project.

Pictures by kind permission of Liberty

I hope you love them as much as I did, they are the very definition of stylish camp!

Poodling around

More Poodles! Bright pink with sparkly eyelashes and diamante collars... doggy style at it's best.
The two lovely girls were used to accompany a fashion collection. Sorry about the slightly shaky photo, the sun was just past the yardarm.

Burlesquery

Mini mannequins made for a very special customer. I am considering something like this for my Hallowe'en costume...no, it's never to early to start thinking about it. Just click on any picture to see it in glorious detail.
The Ringmistress wears a sparkly top hat and carries a whip. If you look closely you may be able to spot her strategically placed figleaf... an homage to Vivienne.

My burlesque ladies have intricately detailed costumes, all made my my own fair hands. Good job I have infinite amounts of patience and enjoy faffing around with fiddly things that would drive a normal person to distraction!

The designs are inspired by circus performers, burlesque dancers, fetish costumes and showgirls. Each one is different and the outfits are whisked up from my collection of haberdashery. The hair is made of embroidery thread.

Love Letters

Under my bed lurks not monsters but boxes and bags full of fabrics, trimmings, baubles, ribbons, fluff and beads. These are known to those in the trade as 'bits and bobs'. I thought perhaps I should put them to good use. I've made these lovely freestanding letters - one for me and one for a pal. The plan is make more so let me know if you have a request (for boys or gals) and I'll make one or more especially for you.

Anyone for croquet?

Gosh it's already February and I haven't posted anything new since before Christmas!

I was a very busy bee with Christmas projects, making all sorts of gorgeous sparkly things for London's most beautiful shop.

In the meantime I thought you might like a sneaky peek at some new illustrations I've been working on. I'm so overexcited about Tim Burton's new Alice in Wonderland film (due on March 5th,) that it made me want to put my own ideas on paper. Alice in Wonderland is very dear to my heart. Like the White Rabbit the refrain 'I'm late, I'm late' is never far from my lips and I've worked with quite a few short tempered queens.

Pen and ink on cartridge paper for those who'd like to know. Please click on the pictures to see them in more detail.

Please look after this Bear for Hamleys

I love, love, love Paddington Bear. I too am fond of keeping a tasty morsel or two under my titfer for emergencies.

This 4 ft tall Paddington was made for a very well known London toyshop. His body and internal structure are solid polystyrene covered with fur fabric. Being a licensed character it was super duper important that he looked exactly as he is drawn in the marvellous books. I do hope you like him.

Josephine

As well as making my menagerie of furry beasties, glamour girls and other marvellous things, I also turn my fair hand to a spot of painting and drawing. This little series of pen and ink drawings were inspired by reading tales of the intrepid Edwardian explorers of old.
 Like Quentin I find that a sturdy umbrella comes in jolly handy for fending off all kinds of unsavoury types.

I like to draw on quite a small but very detailed scale, postcard size up to A3. Please contact me for commissions or to see more detailed high res scans of my work.

Hello Dolly

Originally designed and made for a jewellery company I have taken commissions to make these in lots of colours for weddings and a well known drag queen's birthday.

Oh the glamour.

Her name was Lola....

As those who know me are well aware, my tastes always fall firmly on the side of camp, frills and fluff and I always welcome the opportunity to waggle my derriere. Given the chance (and a slightly different hip to waist ratio) I'm sure I would make a splendid Vegas showgirl.In the meantime I have amused myself by making these little ladies.

Trixie

A devoted chihuahua owner saw the poodles and asked me to make a life size version of her "baby".

A Primarni throw is what you need if you are ever called on to make one of these. The fur is exactly the right colour.

I call them Fifi

Another picture of the poodles. I call them all Fifi. You can call them whatever you will.
My friend Sarah (who lived through the dramas and traumas of making 60 of them in a fluff filled flat) called them all kinds of colourful and inventive things!
I'm happy to take commissions on these in colour you like.

In the beginning....

Apparently one shouldn't hide one's light under a bushel so I've started this blog to showcase some of my current and past creative projects. I seem to have made a lot of furry animals! These poodles have been a winner and I have made them in many and varied colours. They are uber camp with sparkly eyelashes and glittery coats with tassels on. If Dita von Teese was a poodle she would look like this.