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.