Share the Handmade Love Wednesdays - Mermaids

With my grandmother gone, my family and I are clearing out her house. I’ve found a lot of my own stuff there, and lots of bits and pieces that my grandmother kept, that she really didn’t need.

Each member of my family has picked out pieces that they want to keep for sentimental reasons and the rest we are selling, giving to charity or throwing away…. But some of the stuff that could be thrown away I have rescued to create with. Once we have finished I plan to sit down and make a necklace in tribute to my grandmother. I had this idea pop into my head soon after I arrived home and I have been finding the perfect materials to make it with all over my Nan’s house…. It’s almost as if she is finding them for me and leaving them in my path!

The necklace is going to have a mermaid come seaweed theme, so in preparation and for inspiration, I had a wander around Etsy to see who else had used this theme. Here are three of my favourites:

Sargasso Sea Choker by Skywatcher1121

This choker combines trinkets and fabric, and idea I have been toying with for my own designs.

The Mermaid Queen in Purple Charm Bracelet by Poetsummer

Yet more trinkets, I like the idea of lots of little bits on the necklace, just like Ariel’s collection.

Nautical Statement Necklace by Bionicunicorn

This piece uses several strands of varying length and construction to make up the necklace. Another idea I am toying with myself.

So keep your eyes peeled for my own creation, appearing here soon and go check out the stores of these creative peeps!

A Very Happy Unbirthday?

While being home for my Grandmother’s funeral, I’m also home for my birthday…. Which I almost forgot! It wasn’t until my nephew, who is two, ran into the kitchen this morning and sang happy birthday to me that I really remembered…. Ah well!

On the bright side, I got to see Alice in Wonderland in 3D while I’m here! I’ve heard mixed reviews about it but I loved it! I think Tim Burton might have read The Looking Glass Wars books as it really reminded me of them. Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter are fabulous as always and the costumes were AMAZING!! I’ve found a few images of my favourites to show you…

Costume Designs

Colleen Atwood, one of my favourite designers, often works with Tim Burton and I was very glad to hear that she worked on this film with her. Here are a few of her designs – The Red Queen, Alice and The White Queen

The Red Queen – Helena Bonham Carter

I was unsure how I felt about Carter playing the Red Queen, but she is excellent. Her costume is very much influenced by Queen Elizabeth I and is very intricate.

The Mad Hatter – Johnny Depp

This version of the Alice story was not quite what I expected. I think I was expecting the ‘usual’ story, just a bit darker, but I liked the direction Burton took. A lot of this is due to Depp’s Mad Hatter who is an integral part of the story and brings a lot of heart (no pun intended) to the table.

Alice – Mia Wasikowska

Alice’s costumes are probably the most exciting! They change so often because of her increasing and decreasing size that there were plenty to look at. My favourite however, was not her stereotypical blue outfit, but her red ‘Um’ dress worn in the Red Court. It is truly beautiful and if I had time I would probably try to find a way to make myself one!

My other favourite Alice costume is worn at the end of the movie and is hardly seen. I saw photos of it around Halloween as someone was trying to make it for themselves… however, is the movie you hardly see it! She wears a beautiful skirt made fro wide ric-rac that must have taken someone huge amounts of time to make…. But you never get to see it! It is hidden under her coat the whole time! I feel for this costumer and want to show the skirt here – it is gorgeous!

In conclusion – GO SEE THIS MOVIE!! You should try to see I in 3D as well, it was worth wearing the silly glasses.

Mary Jane Donn - My Grandmother

I am at home for about three weeks right now. On Saturday night I got an urgen text from my mother telling me to call home and when I did I discovered that my grandmother had passed away.

I am very close to all of my family. We all live very close together in the same town. For a short while my brother and myself even lived with my Nan and Granddad while my mum went to university to get her degree.

My Nan taught me many things. She taught me how to grow flowers and tend a garden. She gave me my love of animals and nature by taking me to every zoo and farm we could visit. She introduced me to peanut butter. She taught me how to look after my hair, which I always get comments on.

Along with my mother, she has always been an example of a strong woman who always did what she wanted. She raised a functional and happy family and had a loving husband.

Though I didn’t get to see her before she passed, I know she was proud of me and happy that I was doing what I loved.

To my Nan, Mary Jane Donn – your memory will live on.

Mermaid's Revenge Choker and Sponge Bob....

Today's entry is going to be a bit twee!! First off, lets do the good news!

I was rummaging through pieces of coral and shells I had collected in Aruba when I found this. A piece of coral with odd colours that inspired me to do something odd with it. I created the choker band out of pink metallic fabric machine embroidered with a scalloped design. I then played around with pink coated wire and made swirling links to attach the coral to the band. The choker closes with a pearl and loop made from knotted thread.

I think this choker is fit for any rambunctious mermaid making her way in the world!

It is available for sale in my store here.

And now on to the not so good news... depending on how you look at it. I was informed by my office today that I am going to receive additional training in April to work with Nickelodeon Character Costumes... Now in some ways this is a good thing. It is a new skill for me to learn and I will be able to put Nickelodeon on my Resume. However, I fear I will be cleaning kid's puke off Sponge Bob... which is not so good! I didn't sign up for slime and kid's snot, that's for sure. Right now it i probably best to focus on the positive ;-) So yay for new skills! Bring on Dora and Sponge Bob.... where they are going to fit in the dressing room I will never know!!

Oyster Bay Necklace and Relocation??

I found this little shell in Aruba and loved its strange colours. It inspired me to juxtapose materials when making it into the centrepiece of a necklace. I experimented with wire-wrapping, making looped links to hold the shell along with wrapped pearls from Germany in harmonising colours. I then lengthened the necklace with sea grass coloured hemp.

I think this piece is delicate and subtle, emphasising the bold colours of the shell itself. Let me know what you think!

This piece is currently available for sale in my shop here.

On a personal note, I’m thinking about relocating. With my cruise line phasing out my production company I have been looking for a new job, maybe on ships, maybe on land. I’ve applied for a few things back in England but I have a friend in Tennessee who might be able to find me something…. I’d just have to work out work visas and stuff. Anybody have any advice they’d like the share? I’d much appreciate it! - Leave me a comment!

Sharing the Handmade Love!

Geisha Cushion Cover by Sara Mahoney

In this post I wanted to share some of the Handmade Love! When I get home from my current contract (10 weeks to go!) I want to start having a regular blog post dedicated to showcasing handmade items that I really like. Let’s call this my first one, inspired by my good friend Sara Mahoney.

I hand embroidered a dress for my friend Sara (see my blog post Sugar Skulls Dress here) when she was on the ship with me back in November. In return I just received my birthday present from her…. A hand embroidered cushion case with a Geisha on it! Now the Geisha is poignant to us as we worked on a show together called Garden of the Geisha, but Sara also knows I love Ed Hardy stuff, and his Geisha design is one of my faves. Isn’t she gorgeous! I have it hanging on the wall of my cabin right now, but when I get home I am going to get a cushion for it, I can’t wait!!

Company Of Wolves Necklace by Hoolala

On to my second plug. It’s Euro Week on Etsy this week as they open their European Office in Germany. Even though my items are currently being shipped from the US, I am actually a European Etsy seller, being from England when I am not on ships. I decided to have a look around Etsy for fellow British sellers and stumbled across Hoolala. In particular I found her Company of Wolves necklace. This is going to be my birthday present to myself (my birthday is on April 10^th – remember the date!) as it has my favourite quote from said movie incorporated into the necklace – Sweetest tongue hides sharpest tooth. I am in love! Hoolala has many other amazing creations in her Etsy shop so check out this fellow British artist!!

Sea Gypsy Necklace

This piece I’m keeping for myself! I found the central shell slither on a beach in St. Kitts and knew it had to be made into a necklace. I felt like the Goddess had placed it on the beach just for me ;-)

I gathered together pale hemp thread and wooden beads to begin with, but then I had the thought to use glass beads as well. I wanted to use several strands of hemp to make a thick cord, but it also meant that I could string the smaller glass beads I found in New York onto a single strand. They then fell between the hemp cord, partially hidden, which I really liked.

I wire-wrapped the shell with white coated wire, making quite a chunky top which I liked with the size of the shell piece. I decided to call this piece the Sea Gypsy Necklace as I feel I am a bit of a sea gypsy. I travel around on different oceans seeing different places but never settling. This piece reminds me of the pull of the ocean, the curl of the waves and that for now, the sea is my home.

Don't forget to go check out the Salvaged Mutiny Store that is now open at http://salvagedmutiny.etsy.com