I LOVE LACE!

I LOVE LACE AND RIBBONS!
and bows and girly things!

I've noticed how much lace i go through when i am creating both for myself and for eventual sale......
Almost everything I make has lace on it at the moment... and bows and frills and flounces! ahhhh! life is good when you can wear pretty things every day of your life if you so choose!

Still inspired somewhat by the anne of green gables / colonial style dresses i have made recently, i wanted to make some new "colonial underwear"....... I started out doing just the simple pantaloon - ey things pictured here, i cut out two pair - one in plain white cotton, the other in lace.

There was sufficient leftover lace to make into a skirt - which I was planning on selling separately.... until i stuck them together.... and how adorable do they look? soooo, the lace skirt and pantaloons have now become an inseperable pair.

In the (hopefully) near future I plan to make a cincher - type top, in the same white cotton and lace as the pantaloons.....
which will then become an inseperable pair with the plain pantaloons.

One of the best parts of being a "fashion designer" is that i always get to keep the first samples of everything! The "first sample" is the trial run of a pattern or idea (I don't always make a pattern... perhaps I should haha) and sometimes as the garment is made I learn different ways - better ways - to make them as i go. So in theory the "second sample" (or whatever it's called) should be better quality therefore to sell. (that theory sometimes doesn't quite work, as each skirt or garment seems to become it's own creation somewhat - i really do one - off things best....)

I also get to give away a lot of fun things too.... This is designed by 11 yr old Tamika.... the day after she showed me her design (complete with descriptions of the colours and fabric samples pinned on) Mom gave me a gold piece of fabric.... it was "meant to be" that the dress was made... I put a gold bow at the back and there is a row of "pearls" along the top bodice band.... which was a slight deviation from her design (which stated pearls and diamonds on the bodice)... I settled for fake pearls.

Tamika liked it, so I am happy :)

After making a bunch of aprons recently, i wanted to use up some of the pretty broderie anglais that i have, so "whipped up" a run of mini skirts in broderie.... and still a little colonially inspired, decided to try a "bustle" - ey kinda back on the skirts.

I am pleased with the results, but it has made me think of another bustle - back that i want to try sometime soon - ish also.

I have only in the last fortnight got my overlocker back from mr fix - it, and i am soo gratified to be able to say IT IS FIXED AND WORKING GORGEOUSLY!!!

yayy to that!

BUT! after being gone for a full month, the poor overlocker has it's work cut out for it now!! (haha i just made a sewing joke tehehe)

I did not spend the month idle by any means... oh no... in typical Renay fashion, i cut out and sewed, to the point of needing overlocking, many many new projects.... maybe even upwards of forty....

(eww that sounds bad!)

The broderie skirts were one such project, as were the pantaloons and the other few skirts pictured. It is kinda nice because each garment only takes a short time to finish when i pick them up half done, and a lot of things will be finished quickly; allowing me to restock the hangers... but it does look like an awful lot of work just piled up waiting.

As well as numerous more mini skirts (as soon as the sun comes out people buy mini skirts - haha go figure! gotta make lots to supply the needs of my buyers!); i have a number of costumes partially made and waiting to become the next on the list to be overlocked.

I have a medieval style ladies costume on it's way, a german beer wench kinda costume waiting.... and more...

A toddler - sized mouse costume will be finished today......

MERMAID FOOTPRINTS

Here are a random selection of photos of my creative works...... my photography, sewing, painting.... whatever!

* I have always enjoyed taking photos and showing them off.
Although i have submitted several of my nature photo's into shows and competitions, I am yet to win a prize for them.

I have, however, won many many prizes and awards for my arts, crafts and sewing. I won't show prize winners on this page - or I might be here forever - and that leaves me open for another day's blogging.

;)

Smart huh?

* These rocks are located in Western Australia, in Broome. I went to Broome in the year of my 28th birthday. I can't remember the name of the beach, or point moreso; but this photo was taken close to where there are "dinosaur footprints" fossilised in the rocks. On super - low tide apparently the the point where the footprints are can be seen, BUT due to necessity, I guess, the public are only allowed to view the point from behind fences. This photo was entered into the Nowra Show in about 2005.

* This is a mini tutu I made out of the leftover pieces of a wedding dress; with several layers of tulle underneath and an elastic waistband.... It sold a while ago for about $20.

The wedding dress itself was cut up and re-made into two little girl's dresses, both with flowing skirts that had cut out lace pieces and colours matching the girl's personalities on the bodices and peeking through the cutouts.

* I have a special place in the cockles of my heart for Frangipanni's.

When I was a youngster, my family and I used to travel up to Coffs Harbour to see Nanna and Poppa. Right at the front of their driveway was a glorious white Frangipanni tree, that I just adored! I would spend hours of my school holidays just smelling the flowers, sitting in the branches daydreaming, or making flower - chains. I suppose soaking the flowers in water to make "perfume" was not the way to go about it, coz that never worked, it just made a soggy mess.

That Frangipanni tree was like being in heaven, with an aroma that must be like God's breath!

As it happens, my love of the Frangipanni has not dwindled, and I spent several years growing and selling them, taking more and more cuttings, and in more and more colours than just the white; photgraphing them..... MMMMmmmmm love Frangipanni's!

* I also love pieces of timber and bark - which I collect and have around my yard and in pots and such... so pretty!

* This is a flower called a "Heurnia" (or it might be "Stapelia") - but Josh and I alwayd thought the name was rather funny - especially as the flower smells like rotting flesh! Josh used to love playing panks on people and getting them to stick their nose right in it for a smell, and then laughing his head off whem he got the gagging response he was looking for.

* Triceratops Incominggggg!!!!!!!! Ahhhhhh!

Ok, so not so scary really.. haha. This is a costume I made for the Josh about 8 years ago. When I made it he was too small for it (it was too big for him??? whichever.) It has been a very well - loved costume - been to many schools for book week and such, and for many kids been hours and hours of fun, and even a few moments of utter terror! Josh, now at 14, has jusssst outgrown it.... and despite the many years of love / torture the costume itself has endured extremely well, with only minor repairs needed over the many years.

* This is a place us kids call "Hidden Valley" - it is off the Ben's Walk track, up a pretty freaky - in - places kinda path. Not too many people ever went there, so it was always a quiet haven when we wanted one, both as kids back then, and still now as a ... umm... "big" kid!!

One year Adrian and I thought it would be fun to take some bottles of shampoo and detergent and such and pour them down the "waterfalls" (they are only small - maybe "mini-falls" would better describe them). It was fun, but not as bubbly and crazy as we were hoping for it to be. I guess you need "maxi-falls" to make the sort of bubbles we wanted.

* One of the first ever quilts I made was about the size of a lap quilt, and was meant to be sort of a story quilt. The pictures were of a birdhouse (coz we had the Mickey bird back then), a puppy (coz we had the Trevor puppy back then), and there were two cottages on the quilt also - one for Josh and one for me. The Picaninny's just looked good. I kept the quilt for about a million years, but sold it a few years ago for about $70.

* Mother - in - Law's Tongue" - takes such pretty photos - a very photogenic plant indeed!

* This is a jacket I made for myself last year - I modified the pattern of my Prize - Winning Tuxedo, and added the frilly collar and layers frilly - edged skirts at the back. It is made out of velvet , and Oh - so - comfy! I think it has an artistic / musician kind of flavour to it....

* Through the fence into wonderland......

Well it's actually only through the fence into the neighbor's yard...but my imagination is great.




* Fungi display on a live tree at Thompson's Point.

I think fungi is so photogenic - if fungi (or plants) can possibly BE such!

* Meet:


"Jackington"


Velvet overcoat with satin bow. It has a velvet waist tab and "pumpkin" - like buttons on the front. Originally it wasn't going to necessarily BE Jackington, but as it grew and developed he just BECAME. It is very warm, perfect for the cold weather we've been having.

* "Pirate Pants"


Part of my 2008 Pirate Range. Sold one pair on Ebay for about $40, and kept a pair. They are so comfy and go with so many things!

* "Pocahontas"


Made about 4 years ago for my "Cowboys and Indians" party. I have worn it many times since though.

* Custom order for Tamika - mini skirt with bustle at back - needed for a "high Rollers and Showgirls" fancy dress party. I charged her $55. The mini skirt is all black with a red glass beaded hemline, and the red and black organza bustle.

*My new doona cover......

*Pirate Cat*

* This is a photo of rocks and roots and such on Cambewarra Mountain - which used to be one of Josh and my favourite places to go and muck around / walk / climb/ picnic.

* I love taking photos out in the yard, in the street or bush when I am walking, (or was - haha - haven't been for a bushwalk for a while - I could pull out the "it's been so cold" excuse.....), photos of flowers, water, rocks... the fence... whatever I see that takes my fancy at the time, really. I suppose that's what most people do, isn't it?

* "Denimorphasis" - made for the 2008 Jeans for Genes Denimstration. I also entered it into the 2008 Meroogal Women's Art prize. It looked great on display in the gallery for several weeks.








* Bark is another thing I like to take photos of. It is so abstract and just .... well.... unreal. No two barks are ever the same I reckon...

* Photos from the farm.
Taken at Berry about 3 years ago.

* Satin, 10 - gore mini skirt with apron. Sold on ebay for $22.

* Fungi beautiful Fungi... Oh how I love theee.....

* Patchwork quilt made using recycled upholstery sample books. Given to Dean for his 25th. I actually had fun making this one - usually i don't structure my patches into any order - I prefer to do crazy patches. I might even try it again one day.... (I had a "before" picture of the sample books pre - chopping and sewing them... but I cannot seem to find it. Hmmmph! (Isn't it funny how we say "can't seem to find it" and other such hedging - like things instead of just saying "I couldn't find it"..... ))



(...but not for a while - I have banned myself from starting any new patchwork quilts till I finish all the ones I currently have part-way done - which in say February, was 20! I have at least half of those finished... a couple of which have sold, a couple I have given away, and some I still have yet to sell.... ).

* * *Photos from the beach....
Taken at Gerroa.

* Back in the Bunny Breeding days I used to let the bunnies out in the yard to roam free and stretch their legs and all that. The little darlings would run around for a bit, eat everything in sight, and then lay down together for a siesta. Spooning Bunnies!!! How adorable! This was Bella (the mom bunny) - a "dwarf angora lop" - and the daddy was justa dwarf. They made many beautiful babies for me.

* Rock 'n' Roll shoes!!!

.....or The Elise Shoe - which is one of the PAIR of Rock 'n' Roll shoes.

I painted Elise's face and the Rolling Stones tongue symbol onto one shoe; and the sex pistols' flag onto the other. the other side of the Sex Pistol shoe was MEANT to be MY face (.....because Elise and I are ROCKSTARS....).... but I got uninspired after several months of not working on them and have sewn an aluminium Rockstar Energy drink symbol onto the remaining side instead - which still works realllly well!








* Made for my Punk Range in 2008, I entered this jacket into the Nowra Show this year.
* As yet unsold.....

* Satin, gored mini skirt with zippers and patches and funky bits - Punk Range '08. Sold on ebay for about $17.

* "Bam-pire-ate Gnomes" - I just felt like giving the gnomes a makeover....

* Barina make-over!

Elise and I decided (or maybe I co-erced her - I am not sure) into giving the Barina some racing stripes.We spent most of an afternoon taping, sanding and spray painting.... and she looks awesome!

* More photos from the yard....

I am so lucky to have such an awesome yard to play in, and plants to enjoy, and eyes to see them!

*"Velvet Snow" (I dunno just coz I like naming things...) I made this for Kara with the leftover velvet pieces from my "Jackington" (Jack Skellington velvet overcoat) - we went out one night rather skimpily dressed in one of my tiniest skirts each and I got sick, so I decided we both needed super warm jackets for winter! And boy! Velvet IS so nice and warm!

* Carrying on with the Pirate Range from last year, is more Pirate gear... garb? I was fortunate enough to have sufficient of this stunning PVC to make myself a jacket. It is floor - length, and fully lined, the ribbon detail at the front continues right to the hem. Ihave had a lot of comments when wearing this one, on how eye - catching it is!



* Photos from the farm......

*Custom order - $40. Made for Ben to give to his daughter, Georgia. Georgia is 4 yrs old and didn't want a "girly" pirate costume. Vest is fully lined. Pants have super - comfy elastic waist. I made a waist sash and eyepatch to go with it.

* This is a custom order I made for a lady called Kim, who needed a dress for a 40's party she was going to. I charged her $90.
Kim actually won a prize for best costume on the night. She wore the dress with black lace gloves, a fascinator and black shoes.

* Costume tie - I made this one just for fun! And it was fun! Sold on ebay for $0.99 - hahaha - I thought I would be tricky and start the bidding price low - ......but only one person bid! Ah well - it's getting my stuff out to the peeople - spreading the peace and all that! It's a learning curve.... something!

* Mor stunning Bark!

And last but certaily not least, don't ya love Lavender?

Not only does it foto well, but it smells great, looks great.....

*sigh*
I could quite happily while away hours at a time simply smelling flowers!
What a wonderful world!
;)