Polymer Clay at Claires Beautiful Beadshop

What a busy week! I've just finished leading a polymer clay workshop in the newly opened Belper store, Claires Beautiful Beads which was lots of fun. Everyone made wonderful things, it's always great to see how different things look when individuals bring their own taste in color and style to a project... we did millfiori, photocopy transfers and a few faux precious stone effects too. Not bad for an evenings 'play' :)

I'm off tomorrow to Stafford College to teach millinery to the HND students. we're doing "fascinators" loads of feathers and net, perhaps some Dior roses and ribbon manipulation, we need to pull out all the stops for their end of year fashion show! It's a great opportunity for the students to ask all those questions about working as a designer in "the real world".

It's a very tough and competitive world in the creative arts, no matter what area you want to go into. You have to be really focused and extremely hard-working to be successful. More so now than ever...

Embroiderers Guild bag Lecture and Workshop

This weekend I had another lovely time up in Durham with the Embroiderers Guild.

The subject of my lecture this time was "The History of Handbags and the Rise of the Frivolous Flapper!". Much laughter ensued when I directed the willing model of my pocket hoops to reach inside and display what she found there.... several stuffed toys and bottles of wine appeared as well as a large box of chocolates, the perfect way of proving 'the usefulness' of these super articles of clothing :)

The workshop next day was "Frilled Rose Bags" and the group sewed for all they were worth, combining colors and textures, frilling and gathering like women possessed.

Tiara Making disk

Hurah! at last the tiara disk is available... It seems ages since I first started work on this, but the finished product has made the wait worthwhile. I'm so pleased with the clarity of the instructions and easy to read page design, clear and simple.

It's available from rainbowdisks and has loads of gorgeous things on it, both tiaras and jewellery. I've tried to design something for everyone and the finished pieces are now available to buy on my website for those who don't fancy having a go at making them.

Lecture at N/E region day

It was a great honor to be asked to give a lecture for the North East Regional Day of the Embroiderers Guild.
I was very nervous, looking out at the sea of faces in the lecture hall, but the audience soon put me at ease as I talked them through "The History of Dress and Undress" with accompanying slides, some of which were rather saucy!

I had some examples of outfits on stands, which I unveiled in turn and undressed layer by layer. I took a sack back wide panniered gown and a Victorian bustle ensemble and Lyssa was most kind in lending me her gorgeous regency gown with painstaking embroidery all over the train.

Overall it went down very well, and everyone laughed at my jokes which is always good, considering how bad they are ;)

My life in Corsets

Just returned from Durham where I was welcomed with open arms by the Embroiderers Guild.

I gave a lecture on the saturday entitled "my life in corsets" with lots of great corset trying-ons, then on sunday I lead a polymer clay and jewellery workshop. Fabulous hospitality from The Hardys with plenty of yummy thai food...

My lovely red "mata hari" shoes from red or dead were much admired too!