Upcycling a Rococo dress.

I'll admit, fashion is not something that crosses my mind all that often in the real world. When I say 'real world', i mean actually wearing it and the shoes and bags which go along with it. Maybe twice a year, I'll have a compulsion to go out and splurge on a bundle of cool and eye-catching garments, which I can wear in place of a personality (and just occasionally, that compulsion will coincide with me having a good-taste day!), but I'm not one of those girls who wants to shop whenever they have a spare moment. I can't. I feel rather useless and as though I've totally wasted a day. Retail therapy doesn't work for me. Aren't I tedious?! Still, sometimes if I go out, I'll suddenly want to go crazy - wear something different - and then just end up wearing some strange concoction of leaves, lace and bread. Or something. So mostly, I play it safe/boring now.
However, I am a little obsessed with this dress at the moment. I'd wear that. Not sure where, but I'd find somewhere! You wouldn't normally combine yellow, pink and gold, would you? But there we go. It works here. It's genius. I painted a little 18th century lady wearing a similar dress

 

Click here to find her IN THE ETSY SHOP.

Then, I thought "What if the dress WAS a little more pret-a-porter?" and came up with this:

A little fifties lady, like many of my paintings. So, has she redesigned a fabric similar to the original Rococo one? or...SHOCK..has she 'upcycled' that actual dress?! Surely, a face like this couldn't perform such a heinous act?

 I shudder and hope for the former. You can find her by CLICKING HERE.

Prince Elwyn

"Prince Elwyn" Watercolour on Paper (approx. 3" x 4")

I'm so in love with Prince Elwyn! He studies the stars and dreams of elves.

For sale in the shop at the beginning of September.

xxx

Princess Gretchen

"Princess Gretchen" Watercolour on paper. (approx 3" x 4")

Gretchen. She dislikes being indoors and being told what to do. Unfortunately, much of life at court involves both of those. Whenever she can, she runs out to the forest to spend time with the wild things.

Put A PomPom On It!

(Thank you Martha for inspiring the title!)

Last night, I begun a little project I've had in mind for a few months.

 The plan goes like this:

a) See a gorgeous skirt.

b) Realise you really can't afford it.

c) Customise your own, using the closest materials available.

So, I found a really cool skirt online

 (this one, from the cutest ladies clothing Etsy shop POPMANGO). Now, don't get me wrong - I LOVED it how it was and I don't want to take anything away from the original designer, but it just didn't quite seem like me. Quite. It was too grown-up and, at least in my mind, I'm not a grown-up yet and will probably never be. So anyway, to fun it up, I'm adding pom poms.

This is a pretty close second to the skirt which inspired me (from my favourite shoe peeps Irregular Choice). Unfortunately, I can't find the original anywhere now - it was gorgeous felty grey, with MULTICOLOURED pom poms. Ahh! ...and where do you find those pom poms? I've only sourced one-colour strips of the stuff. Do I really have to cut up the fringing and stick them together myself? Maybe one day ;)

I'll post more when it's finished!

Toodlepip!