Bloomers

           I got an itching in my hands to finish up a project that has been sleeping on the bottom of a wardrobe for some two years... bloomers. They were my learning piece, attempting to make our about century old Excella sewing machine and me friends, and though I love it to pieces for its age and design and fond memories of great-grandmamma, I must say with sadness this mission failed. I just don't seem to have the fine motoric skills mechanical sewing machine requires:-( So this scared me away for said two years and when I felt the itching, I jumped and finished it. Or better to say, finished the base. Being me, I doubt I won't adorn them further:-)


              Another project is an upcycling one. When my dear jeans I slowly kept adorning with ribbonwork got torn, I wondered what to do with them next.


And I decided to cut them and Fairy-kei them up a little...


                I like them this simple so far, but I may add some lace yet... and perhaps paint and rhinestones... ahh, alright, there is a lot of work left to do on this still:-) I will cut the embroidered part and re-use it on a new pair of jeans... but I won't probably wear them this time till they are finished. I wouldn't have a use for another pair of jean shorts:-)

Fluffiness

                I found this wonderful tutorial by lovely Violet LeBeaux and I just had to try it out! I'm quite happy with the results:-) Thanks so much, Violet! I'll add more once the light is favourable again...

  
                That's all for today:-) More projects are to come soon, as well as free mini printable wallpapers!
    Love, RosaJ
     

We start our tour at a gate leading to beauties unknown and secrets untold...

Whenever I remember this garden, this song keeps popping up in my head: I know an old garden where the grass is silken, the gate locked with seven locks, and I keep dreaming of it...


I can't wait to see Libochovice in the early Spring.

    Love, RosaJ

Back in mid May 2011 I discovered this tutorial and decided I have to give it a try, despite I've never made a bonnet before - considering in the end the Opera Bonnet won the April Flowers Contest on egl, I suppose the result is not that bad:-)

A small funny fact: the bonnet actually got its name due to the fact I had several Russian and Czech operas on repeat non-stop when I worked on it, particularly Eugeny Onegin and an older version of Rusalka. I think without Dvořák and Tchaikovsky I'd never ever have finished this.
The moral of the story? Opera is good for willpower!XD

The initial state:




The 1st mock-up:


Progress:



Halfway done:


Pretty much finished:

I may add a bit of lace here and there, but I think it's very close to being finished.

The tutorial I followed to make this: http://www.darlinganddash.com/strawbonnet.html 
Materials used: Habotai silk, cotton for backing the silk, voile for the ruching, vintage net lace, cluny lace, 
                        synthetic ribbon, fabric roses
Start date: 15. 5. 2011
Finish date: 4. 1. 2012

Oh, and perhaps a little sample from the playlist:-)

Or rather, a dump of finished pieces of two unfinished series...:-)

                         
An altered Bokhara cushion and bell pull, the chart a courtesy of the amazing  Tudor Dollhouse blog. How do I love thee, oh blog, let me count the ways:-)
I'm thinking to add one chair bolster to this series, but I'm not sure yet.

                                     
 The first from my would-be apple blossom series for the bedroom... I'll probably make a cushion for the sofa, a footstool and a bell pull with a variation of this design. Maybe, but only if my will and sanity fail me, I'll add a carpet and an embroidery frame.

    Love, RosaJ

The Libochovice Castle in Central Bohemia, photos taken by my sister. To see them better, just click on them:-)