Photo booth Beauties Revisited

One of my all-time favourite themes for my designs is vintage photo booth photography. These tiny little photos let you have a glimpse of the past and the mood of the person posing for the picture, but in a way that is so much more interesting that today's selfies...don't you think? I have collected quite a few and every time I look at them I wonder about the person on the photo...some looking confident and fierce,some hopelessly shy or just giggly having fun with friends or a loved one. Now and then I seem to recognize a look or a smile that reminds me of a person I know today and I wonder what people will think of our photo's in 60 or 100 years from now and if they in turn will recognise themselves in a cheeky smile or a distracted glance. I have been using these old photos as a theme my for vintage restyled handbags and with success, as they have become a very popular item at Things British shop in London. 

I wondered if there was a way to take the theme to the next level and perhaps create a jewellery collection that could connect with the handbag collection. I wanted something light and fragile, something that could bring back that feel of the little piece of photo paper that captured that instant moment of happiness, sadness or shyness so many decades ago.
I think I might have found it.

I used vintage puzzle pieces and transformed them into vintage photo booth picture frames. I embellished them with embossing powders and then I tied them up in very fine metal wire decorated with beads, rhinestones and other small findings. The result is a unique piece, elegant and shimmering (a lot more than you see in the pictures) and almost ephemeral...so light it might vanish into thin air in front of your eyes. I am so pleased with the results and will include pendants, earrings and bracelets in this new collection. It will be possible to request custom made pieces with vintage pictures of your loves ones. To find when this collection will be available, please favourite my etsy shop.

New Display at Things British, Carnaby Street London

New Display at Things British, Carnaby Street London

I went to London yesterday to change my display at Things British and I am so happy with the result! I decided to go with the Jules Verne/ Travel theme of my Around the World in 80 Stamps Collection and used three vintage suitcases as a raised platform. I think it looks a lot more appealing than having the bags on the plain shelf. I wish I had thought of this idea before! 

Silhouette Lady Summer Jacket

I am not a fashion designer but once in a while i get the fashion designing bug and i have to pull out all of my trims, sequins and fabric scraps and attacht them...to something. The victim of my itchy designer fingers was this summer jacket, bought by my sister but a size small for her. " Maybe you can transform it, do something fun with it.", she said when she left it here on her last visit. I hate stuff sitting around. These things always end up in a big "to do" bag and are out of fashion by the time i decide to work with them! Not this time, though. I locked myself up in my work room the other day, pulled out all the fabrics and trims I could get my hands on and just started adding bits to the jacket. I can only work directly on the mannequin,not on a table. I dont know why that is, I just feel like a painter with his easel and the jacket is the canvas. I am really happy with the way I transformed this piece and almost wish it was my size so I could wear it myself!

I designed the cameo lady silhouette years ago, but I keep going back to it. ( her nose isn't really crooked, it just looks like that in this photo!) I really enjoyed stepping away from the jewellery and the bags for a day and do something different. I'm thinking of doing a few tops with the same silhouette...we'll see how it goes!