Easter hat inspiration.

  

Image from Chanel Couture spring show 2009.

As I said last year….Easter hat parades have nothing to do with Jesus.…. So stop beating yourselves up about the bunnies and the eggs.  Easter hats are all about spring, fashion and celebration.

“Easter was once known as the “Sunday of Joy.” After the Civil War, mothers and daughters who had donned the dark colors of mourning for such a long time began wearing colorful flowered hats and elaborate corsages as part of the Easter celebration. Their hats were adorned with blooming and fresh flowers. If the flowers were not blooming they would make them from paper, ribbon, feathers or sea shells.” quote from dgreetings  

Unfortunately, it’s autumn here and there aren’t any rabbits (or bilbys) or chickens roaming the streets of the inner city… anywhere for that matter.There aren’t any new flowers in bloom and things are much more in the dying phase than the regenerating one.  So  I have decided to just go with the whole feel of it and enjoy the spectacle.

I recently calculated that I have made or co-made more than 15 Easter hats so far…Yes that’s a lot of visits to $2 shops! Our school also has a rule that you are not allowed to put any chocolate eggs on your hat! You can see some easy hats you are welcome to copy here and here.

Beautiful soft flowers and feathers by Loboheme via chic bridal hairstyles.

I was a little  low on inspiration this year and we had only a small window of opportunity in which they could be completed….this week being pretty full.

So I thought where better to get my inspirations than from the catwalks of Europe. After all, who does fashion, spectacle, spring and extravagance more indulgently than them.

I was keen to focus on the flower….. which would have to be fake, so as to keep the cost down, and allow us to make them earlier in the week.

I started having a look around and this is what I found.

Fabric flowers. Image from Martha Stewart.

So fabulous !

Fortunately, there are lots and lots of how to videos and web sites out there on how to make all sorts of flowers.

I have listed them below in case you are in need of some inspiration….

Martha’s paper and fabric flower tutorials.

How to make Crepe paper flowers.

Thai paper flowers 

Tissue Paper Flowers.

Roses from Coffee Filter Papers.

Giant Tissue Paper Flowers 

Origami Flowers 

Image from tiskin.com. Ascot style millinery from the Paris Catwalks.

I wanted to keep it inexpensive, so decided on paper.

After sitting through some of the videos with my 8year old and a little sharing of ideas we put together something pretty special…… Which of course you will have to wait until thursday to see.

Happy Easter hat making…..

Three upcycled outfits in 3 days.

Day 1: Big smile in her skirt into dress....oh and a sneaky owl!

Day 2: A Mary Poppins impersonation before leaving home. Another skirt made into a dress.... yes and am "Over it" Brooch to finish it off.

Day 3: Orientation done! I think a song is in order. Men's shirt into a skirt and top.

Leading up to orientating 5 year olds to school, she began getting very excited about upcycling skirts into dresses.

We had made one in the past, and she really enjoyed wearing it….bit small now…

On a recent trip to the Op Shop, 5 year old bought me the two ladies skirts and suggested we make dresses for her ‘try out days’. She called them this because  she was under the impression that she would try it…ask the teachers a few questions (Like what is 2+2… because if they didn’t know, then she thought they wouldn’t make very good teachers)…..

Anyway we thought we would turn it into a fun activity together. She would pick some pieces from the Op Shop and I would make her some things to wear. While I sewed she sat on the floor and floated around watching and learning what Mummy does.

These are what we ended up with!

The first one is simply made by attaching ribbons to the top of the skirt and tying them together at the shoulder.

With dress two, I made fixed straps with ribbon and attached the ties. I also added a little ribbon on the skirt yoke to draw the ribbon print into the overall dress.

The skirt and top is a little complex to explain in a sentence, but I hope to share a tutorial of how to do it soon. It’s a great (cheap) way to introduce children to sewing…..

Another Penhall!

Silvery grey Penhall..... with floral lining.

I’ve just posted this new one on etsy

It’s the second promised bag made using the colours inspired by you. You can see the green and blue version here.

I’m loving it, and was glad of the opportunity to put a silver grey bag together….as I have been wanting to use this colour combo for a while.

So thanks…..

The repositional rosette....

....and the back.

...the oval base with pleats...

The bag is also completely reversible. The other side is lined with a liberty-esque floral in blue green and grey tones with a touch of pink….so it’s a bit girlie.

...a peek at the inside....

The Penhall is now available.

The first Penhall for sale on etsy..... $140

Close-up.

Even closer. Rosette brooch detail.

The back.... or front (you can choose)

The base.....a pleated oval.

....a peek inside.....navy velvet.

But wait...there's more.... it's totally reversible!

Even switch the rosette to the navy side.

....and of course....it's a harrysdesk.

Lots of you will have an extra 10% discount on this price…and some even 20%….. due to the special anniversary bag give-away.

Thanks again to those who entered.

If you would like to sling this on your shoulder (or someone that you know) let me know and I will give you your special code word, so you can access your discount.

For a more detailed description and measurements ….. go here.

The winning bag

The anniversary bag.

The drawing

The first of the anniversay bags is done…. and delivered.

Although the 5 years old says it looks like an upside down pair of undies, I have resisted the urge to name them knickers, undies or y-fronts…. or to enter into any conversation with her about who these ‘undies’ would fit…. even though she would love to.

The Penhall bag in small and medium. I added a button clasp which pulls the sides in a little.

No. The new bag will be called the ‘Penhall’.

Customarily I name new bags by the surname of the first person to own that style. Because …. as I mentioned earlier, Heidi already has a bag named after her….the “Broadbent’ (her married name) so this time I have used her maiden name.

So …introducing the “Penhall” with absolutely no reference to undies!….I think it’s best.

Now I better get cracking on the etsy ones…..

Yes!….Steph’s bag was featured on 30 projects 30 days.

Steph's 'Ultimate Custom Purse'

This one was lots of fun to make!

Yesterday I posted about something harrysdesk that was featured on 30 projects in 30 days.

This was it.

If you missed it you can check out the original post with more photos here and on Steph’s blog.

 

 

 

Last chance peeps on the give away harrysdesk bag.

Midnight tonight is it.

The last entries for the giveaway bag have to be in by midnight tonight.

Don’t miss out.

Green is leading the way as the base colour of choice…although red is doing it’s best to catch up.  Grey and silver tones are making a surprise showing up there in the top colours…as is yellow.

Your entry could change all this…

Random winner to be chose tomorrow….also a cute new product to show you.

Click through here to see how and why you would want to enter.

 

Anniversary bag: A give away

For colour inspiration.

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It’s not too late to enter the anniversary bag give-away.

Really all you need to know is…… tell me what colour your would like it in…. and let your imagination run wild.

I will make three in the most asked for colour, give one away  and put the other two in my etsy shop….. with the possibility of massive discounts, up to 100% Leave your comments here… or on the original post.

Commission for Cathy.

 

Cathy's Maid of Honour dress and upcycled purse... complete with rosette.

This is not one of my usual commission pieces. But it was a very special one.

During my time in fashion College and for some time after, I was ‘gainfully employed’ making all things wedding. This is my first wedding involvement in ages!

Not that surprisingly, Cathy’s wedding pieces aren’t made from ties… the other photos are purely to show you some other beautiful things I had no hand in.

I love this weddings feeling of joy.

God bless Taire and Josh in their new beginnings together.

Ben Adams is now my newest favourite photographer …. currently residing in Australia.

I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I did.

 

Photos thanks to Taire/Josh and Ben Adams (photographer).

For more photos of the gorgeous day (complete with jumping castle and ‘Crazy Booth’ go here

More brooches for Dani….

… and more on the brooch choosing….

Earlier I posted on 4 tag brooches as alternatives for the ‘Bronte’ bag , for my friend Dani.

After talking to her more, she thinks maybe a rosette would hit the spot better.

So here we go again….

Rosette brooch 1: Waratah with tails.

Rosette brooch 2. Covered button with crochet.

 

 

Rosette brooch 3: Black starburst with lace tail.

Rosette brooch 4: Circles on circles.

I’ve got a hunch which one she will choose…. which one do you think it will be!

Rosette 2.

 

Rosette 1.

Rosette 3.

Rosette 4.