Dear followers of my blog,
From my family to yours... remembering the reason for the season.
To read more please click here
From my family to yours... remembering the reason for the season.
To read more please click here
Handmade fabric and leather flowers, designer bridal hair pieces, millinery flowers and accessories with them. Silk flower tutorials, silk flower patterns, fabric flower classes. Come and join the world of magic flowers which never wilt!
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Monday, December 2, 2013
Free delivery on Cyber Monday!
Finally Cyber Monday 2013 is upon us. The term itself is very new and was coined only in 2005. But since then this day has become a part of our pre-Christmas shopping offering online deals, discounts and all sorts of promotions.
As announced before this year we are happy to offer a FREE INTERNATIONAL DELIVERY on all ready-to-ship accessories at our ETSY SHOP.
It is a great opportunity to get a fab gift for yourself or your loved ones and save on shipping fees!
Happy browsing at OUR SHOP!
As announced before this year we are happy to offer a FREE INTERNATIONAL DELIVERY on all ready-to-ship accessories at our ETSY SHOP.
It is a great opportunity to get a fab gift for yourself or your loved ones and save on shipping fees!
Happy browsing at OUR SHOP!
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| Click here to explore our range of designer butterflies |
Thursday, November 28, 2013
BLACK FRIDAY AND CYBER MONDAY '13 PROMOTION
Today is the fourth Thursday of November which means it is Thanksgiving Day in the US.
It is time for many of us to give thanks for what we have, celebrate with a family and share a little feast. And... move on to Friday, or as it is called Black Friday, which traditionally marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. To make shoppers even more excited since 2005 on-line sellers have got their own version of brick-and-mortar Black Friday which is called Cyber Monday. Cyber Monday is a marketing term for the following Monday after Black Friday, the Friday following Thanksgiving in the United States, created by companies to persuade people to shop on-line by offering them special discounts, promotions and capsule collections.
The opinion poll I conducted myself amongst my fans and followers has shown that the majority of customers would prefer a free delivery rather than a discount on a purchase. With this in mind I am pleased to offer a FREE DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL DELIVERY on my READY-TO-SHIP range of accessories at my ETSY SHOP, not including the items which are currently on sale. To get your free shipping use BLACKNCYBER13 coupon code at the checkout between 28 November and 2 December 2013.
Please use this chance to purchase something for yourself that you have liked and always wanted to get or buy some Christmas gifts for your loved ones! Feel free to browse my ETSY SHOP full of silk and leather floral pieces!
It is time for many of us to give thanks for what we have, celebrate with a family and share a little feast. And... move on to Friday, or as it is called Black Friday, which traditionally marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. To make shoppers even more excited since 2005 on-line sellers have got their own version of brick-and-mortar Black Friday which is called Cyber Monday. Cyber Monday is a marketing term for the following Monday after Black Friday, the Friday following Thanksgiving in the United States, created by companies to persuade people to shop on-line by offering them special discounts, promotions and capsule collections.
The opinion poll I conducted myself amongst my fans and followers has shown that the majority of customers would prefer a free delivery rather than a discount on a purchase. With this in mind I am pleased to offer a FREE DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL DELIVERY on my READY-TO-SHIP range of accessories at my ETSY SHOP, not including the items which are currently on sale. To get your free shipping use BLACKNCYBER13 coupon code at the checkout between 28 November and 2 December 2013.
Please use this chance to purchase something for yourself that you have liked and always wanted to get or buy some Christmas gifts for your loved ones! Feel free to browse my ETSY SHOP full of silk and leather floral pieces!
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| Click here to explore the leather accessories range |
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Velvet orchid headdress from my bridal collection
I mentioned before that I am collecting Japanese silk flower making books. Although in many of them you can find some orchids, be it phalaenopsis or Lady's slipper orchid, one of those books is devoted solely to orchids, different orchids and nothing else, more than 20 varieties. One of the varieties, miltonia, has inspired me to create a bridal piece for my Blanc de Blancs collection. These striking orchids, which are also known as pansy orchids, are characterised by pointy petals and sepals and an often oversized lip.
Here is the photo or some real miltonias:
Being inspired by their unusual shape I created a bridal headband with velvet miltonias.
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| White orchid headband |
I used some of the finest materials to create this bridal piece of headwear: silk and viscose velvet, silk organza, silk dupioni, silk pongee and freshwater pearls.
This white headband is ready to ship but a similar one in other colours can be made to order to match your outfit or a wedding theme.
There are many more different orchids to try and recreate in fabric or leather and no doubt I will be doing that shortly. My next favourite is Lady's slipper orchid. Do you have any ideas what kind of accessory this impressive and unusual flower can be turned into?
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Silk roses
Please be kindly informed that we have moved! To read new blog posts, purchase our floral pieces and learn more about how to make flowers you are welcome to visit out new website.
Fortunately for us, handmade silk flowers are still there where the fresh ones might have gone. They please our eye and lift our spirits. Old English roses continue to flower despite the autumnal darkness.
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| Old English Rose brooch |
I am often asked to do a rose tutorial. To be honest, roses are one of the most complicated flowers to be created out of silk and before one attempts to try and make a complicated silk rose dozens of less complex flowers have to be made to gain enough experience, get to know the tools and properties of the silk, learn coloration techniques and flower shapes. Obviously a .pdf tutorial will not suffice in this case. Although a one-to-one session is ideal, in the modern world of technology the Skype lesson is next best. And now let's concentrate on Christmas pieces!
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Veteran poppies
Please be kindly informed that we have moved! To read new blog posts, purchase our floral pieces and learn more about how to make flowers you are welcome to visit out new website here
It is the beginning of November and I am busy making veteran poppies! Buyers manage to find my flowers on some obscure websites I forgot I was using to sell my handmade brooches :-)This year I slightly modernised the look of 2 brooches I am selling as veteran poppies: one of the corsages has more petals and no leaves or stems
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| Veteran poppy |
the other one (although with less petals) features 2 hand painted pure silk leaves
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| Veteran poppy |
Another idea which is hanging in the air is to make a leather poppy. I wonder if my dear customers like it... I am definitely going to give it a go especially that I have all the needed materials including gorgeous thin red leather for it.
As a kind reminder I would like to mention my poppy tutorial again. Using this tutorial you still have plenty of time to create a poppy (or two!) to wear or give to someone special before the 11 November.
The poppies are available for sale at my Etsy shop. The tutorial can be purchased from my Tutorials e-store.
Sunday, October 13, 2013
New tutorial out! Ever so popular poppy - let's get creative this autumn
I have been meaning to do that for quite some time and finally today I am happy to share with you my latest tutorial!
With Remembrance Day just round the corner the timing seems just right. But red poppy flower is not only for Poppy day. This stylish accessory is ideal for complementing an outfit or making a unique gift for your loved ones.
Honestly I do not know anybody who would not like poppies. But the real flower seems to be so short-lived that there is no other option left really but to capture its beauty and preserve it in fabric. And this is when my tutorial comes in handy. It is suitable for beginners as well as more advanced artists.
Although more complex designs requires special millinery tools, the design I have for you today requires no special tools or expensive fabrics but still allows you to create a fantastic handmade accessory.
With more than 60 pictures explaining in detail the whole process of creating your own designer accessory, this 49 page .pdf ebook (no hard copy is available) will teach you how to create a bright fabric poppy to be used in accessories, as wedding decorations, in millinery and much more. I have included the pattern too.
The tutorial costs only $12.99. But you as a reader of my blog can get it even cheaper! I would like to offer you a 15% discount on this tutorial till the end of the week (till the 20th October 2013). Just use the NEWTUTORIAL15 code at the checkout.
To find out what tools and materials are needed the tutorial please head to my Tutorials e-store
How to make a fabric poppy? Now you know too :-)
If you'd like me to comment on your creations and give advice what needs improvement, please share your poppies in the comments to this post and I'll be more than happy to give you my feedback free of charge.
With Remembrance Day just round the corner the timing seems just right. But red poppy flower is not only for Poppy day. This stylish accessory is ideal for complementing an outfit or making a unique gift for your loved ones.
Honestly I do not know anybody who would not like poppies. But the real flower seems to be so short-lived that there is no other option left really but to capture its beauty and preserve it in fabric. And this is when my tutorial comes in handy. It is suitable for beginners as well as more advanced artists.
Although more complex designs requires special millinery tools, the design I have for you today requires no special tools or expensive fabrics but still allows you to create a fantastic handmade accessory.
With more than 60 pictures explaining in detail the whole process of creating your own designer accessory, this 49 page .pdf ebook (no hard copy is available) will teach you how to create a bright fabric poppy to be used in accessories, as wedding decorations, in millinery and much more. I have included the pattern too.
The tutorial costs only $12.99. But you as a reader of my blog can get it even cheaper! I would like to offer you a 15% discount on this tutorial till the end of the week (till the 20th October 2013). Just use the NEWTUTORIAL15 code at the checkout.
To find out what tools and materials are needed the tutorial please head to my Tutorials e-store
How to make a fabric poppy? Now you know too :-)
If you'd like me to comment on your creations and give advice what needs improvement, please share your poppies in the comments to this post and I'll be more than happy to give you my feedback free of charge.
Saturday, October 5, 2013
10 reasons to buy handmade
Here are 10 awesome reasons to buy handmade gifts this year:
1. You support local artisans, and therefore their local economy and community. Supporting local business has a huge list of benefits all to itself, far too many to list here, but it’s a good thing, trust me.
2. You get high-quality items that are built to last, not all the stuff that has the “How cheap can I produce this?” mentality. It’ll probably fall apart in a year or two, but handmade items have longevity. Artisans have pride in their work, and want it to last. Even the materials are hand-picked by an individual, and what big manufacturing company can say that?
3. Your gifts are the best on the block. Cool, trendy, unique, and usually one-of-a kind, you can find some really awesome handmade stuff that’ll make everyone ask “Where can I get one?”
4. Customization! Since each and every item is made by hand, and you are usually talking directly to the person making it, you can tweak the color or size of something you are interested in, or even get a fully commissioned custom order done. This avoids you having the excuse of “it was all the store had left.” Want a cool case for your new gadget, but maybe you have some weird size the store doesn’t offer? Get is custom made to your exact dimensions! Doggie sweaters from the store never quite fit your beloved pooch? Customization to the rescue! The possibilities are endless really.
5. You’re helping the environment. It’s always a nice feeling to ‘go green’ isn’t it? Handmade items aren’t made in a waste-producing factory and shipped halfway around the world using fuel and energy. Buying handmade (especially really locally) can greatly reduce your carbon footprint on the world.
6. You gain a unique connection with an artisan. You can be in direct contact with the person who made the item with their own hands. For some reason this is just really cool. I mean, think about how awesome it’d be to meet your favorite clothing designer, artist, author, or chef. It’s kinda like that feeling, but on a much smaller and more intimate scale.
7. Let’s not forget the warm fuzzy feeling of knowing you helped support someone very directly. For example, when you purchase something from my shop, you just helped put food on the table for another meal (and I thank you deeply for that). You don’t have to pay the shop’s cashier and the various levels of management and the supplier and the designer and the manufacturer, because just one person is all those things!
8. Avoid crowded stores. How annoying is it to maneuver yourself (and your cart, and possibly kids) through packed store aisles only to fight with someone for the last thing on the shelf then wait in a line for hours with a cart full of stuff and realize you still need to get something for your mother-in-law or coworker or neighbor? Talk about stressful. Buy handmade items at local craft fairs, markets, and boutiques, or shop online to avoid people altogether.
9. Get it gift wrapped. This may not apply to all handmade goods, but a large number of sellers do offer a gift wrapping service (sometimes even free). Even if it’s not free, the few dollars it costs you may be well worth it, especially if you can’t find the gift wrap you bought last year so you have to go out to another crowded store to buy more, then find a free afternoon to clear space on the crowded dining room table for all the wrapping paper, tape, scissors, gift bags, tissue paper, and gifts. Save time and energy!
10. Get it all done at once. Find a large craft show in your area and get all that holiday shopping done at once. Craft shows usually offer a much wider range of goods than your typical store, so you don’t need to run to a bunch of different places to get everything you need. This is even easier if you shop online. Online marketplaces have goods from thousands of handmade artists all over the country, and from around the world, so you’ll have no excuse not to find that perfect gift for everyone on your list.
Source:
http://www.handmadeology.com/10-awesome-reasons-to-buy-handmade-gifts-this-year/
Where are you planning to buy gifts for the family and friends this year?
1. You support local artisans, and therefore their local economy and community. Supporting local business has a huge list of benefits all to itself, far too many to list here, but it’s a good thing, trust me.
2. You get high-quality items that are built to last, not all the stuff that has the “How cheap can I produce this?” mentality. It’ll probably fall apart in a year or two, but handmade items have longevity. Artisans have pride in their work, and want it to last. Even the materials are hand-picked by an individual, and what big manufacturing company can say that?
3. Your gifts are the best on the block. Cool, trendy, unique, and usually one-of-a kind, you can find some really awesome handmade stuff that’ll make everyone ask “Where can I get one?”
4. Customization! Since each and every item is made by hand, and you are usually talking directly to the person making it, you can tweak the color or size of something you are interested in, or even get a fully commissioned custom order done. This avoids you having the excuse of “it was all the store had left.” Want a cool case for your new gadget, but maybe you have some weird size the store doesn’t offer? Get is custom made to your exact dimensions! Doggie sweaters from the store never quite fit your beloved pooch? Customization to the rescue! The possibilities are endless really.
5. You’re helping the environment. It’s always a nice feeling to ‘go green’ isn’t it? Handmade items aren’t made in a waste-producing factory and shipped halfway around the world using fuel and energy. Buying handmade (especially really locally) can greatly reduce your carbon footprint on the world.
6. You gain a unique connection with an artisan. You can be in direct contact with the person who made the item with their own hands. For some reason this is just really cool. I mean, think about how awesome it’d be to meet your favorite clothing designer, artist, author, or chef. It’s kinda like that feeling, but on a much smaller and more intimate scale.
7. Let’s not forget the warm fuzzy feeling of knowing you helped support someone very directly. For example, when you purchase something from my shop, you just helped put food on the table for another meal (and I thank you deeply for that). You don’t have to pay the shop’s cashier and the various levels of management and the supplier and the designer and the manufacturer, because just one person is all those things!
8. Avoid crowded stores. How annoying is it to maneuver yourself (and your cart, and possibly kids) through packed store aisles only to fight with someone for the last thing on the shelf then wait in a line for hours with a cart full of stuff and realize you still need to get something for your mother-in-law or coworker or neighbor? Talk about stressful. Buy handmade items at local craft fairs, markets, and boutiques, or shop online to avoid people altogether.
9. Get it gift wrapped. This may not apply to all handmade goods, but a large number of sellers do offer a gift wrapping service (sometimes even free). Even if it’s not free, the few dollars it costs you may be well worth it, especially if you can’t find the gift wrap you bought last year so you have to go out to another crowded store to buy more, then find a free afternoon to clear space on the crowded dining room table for all the wrapping paper, tape, scissors, gift bags, tissue paper, and gifts. Save time and energy!
10. Get it all done at once. Find a large craft show in your area and get all that holiday shopping done at once. Craft shows usually offer a much wider range of goods than your typical store, so you don’t need to run to a bunch of different places to get everything you need. This is even easier if you shop online. Online marketplaces have goods from thousands of handmade artists all over the country, and from around the world, so you’ll have no excuse not to find that perfect gift for everyone on your list.
Source:
http://www.handmadeology.com/10-awesome-reasons-to-buy-handmade-gifts-this-year/
Where are you planning to buy gifts for the family and friends this year?
Friday, October 4, 2013
Leather flowers to cater for all tastes this autumn
Please be kindly informed that we have moved! To read new blog posts, purchase our floral pieces and learn more about how to make flowers you are welcome to visit out new website here
This week I have been working with leather. With autumn on our doorstep it seems to me to be the right material for flower making as silk flowers are more fragile and in a way more refined for decorating outerwear.The first floral brooch made of genuine beige leather will spice up your trench coat in classic beige shades. This leather flower also perfectly complements natural fabrics such as linen, cotton, raw silk, as well as straw and genuine leather and suede in light colours.
The diameter of the flower is about 9 cm.
Available for purchase from my Etsy shop
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For those of you who find the calmness of beige too boring I am offering this bright alternative: a floral brooch in intense colours to beat the autumn blues.
The flower is made of genuine suede of 2 hues: fuchsia for the petals and emerald green for the leaves. At the moment it is also available for purchase here.
Are you prepared for the coming autumn?
Friday, August 23, 2013
My newest creation
I do not usually share personal information in my posts but this occasion is a very special one.
Although this may be a surprise on Tuesday this week (20th of August) I gave birth to our first daughter, Eva. And even if I say so myself, she is an absolute princess. As we all know princesses can be very demanding. Therefore, if I miss a newsletter or two I do apologise in advance. You can still order floral accessories and hairpieces from my Etsy shop and get inspired viewing the pictures of my creations here on my blog
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Although this may be a surprise on Tuesday this week (20th of August) I gave birth to our first daughter, Eva. And even if I say so myself, she is an absolute princess. As we all know princesses can be very demanding. Therefore, if I miss a newsletter or two I do apologise in advance. You can still order floral accessories and hairpieces from my Etsy shop and get inspired viewing the pictures of my creations here on my blog
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