thesecretrose

The last supper... for a while

2012-01-29T05:22:00.000-08:00

Even though this is another food post - making that two in a row - it will probably be the last in a while, so I thought it'd be a shame not to share it with you! The reason why I won't be sharing photos of culinary escapades in the near future is a simple (and boring) one... you see, I aim to be on a health kick for the coming weeks, so any adventures in the kitchen will be understandably limited!

Seeing as healthy eating has been scheduled to start from tomorrow, this weekend I was (of course!) especially naughty ;) For lunch I whipped out this yummy tuna pasta bake that was a favourite of my brother's when he was on the island and went down a treat.

No naughty day is complete without dessert, so back I went to my new baking book and produced these vanilla cupcakes. Unfortunately, they didn't turn out to be the greatest tasting cupcakes to come of my cupcake-baking hands, and I think I'll stick to my other cupcake recipe book in future, but hey - they still look nice, and will certainly not last long regardless!

Happy Sunday everyone :)

- S

Testing out the new baking book

2012-01-22T09:28:00.000-08:00

I know, I know - from nothing for a while to three posts in three days, but I've just decided to roll with it :) Today was the first chance I got to make use of part of my Christmas present from T - this book, which covers all manner of baking, sweet and savoury:

Seeing as I normally bake sweets (and very well, might I add :p), I decided to go for savoury this time round, and see if my amateur baking skills would stretch. I first started out with relatively simple crumpets for brunch. After a couple of casualties which stuck to the pan, I switched frying pan and viola! Behold delicious crumpets, which were eaten drizzled with butter (in my case) and smothered in rasperry jam (in fruit-loving Teo's case).

Next came lunch, for which I opted to make Scottish Forfar Bridies. Despite slight overstuffing, these turned out to be delicious - from the homemade dough (might aswell go the whole hog, right?) to the meaty stuffing... they were consumed with gusto. So far, so good, new baking book!

-S

An award and swap party acquisitions!

2012-01-21T08:24:00.000-08:00

Hello all! Today's post is a two-in-one(r)! Firstly, I want to express my gratitude to Maria of Babettopolis, for awarding me the Liebster blog award! 'Liebster' is German for 'dearest' and the award is meant especially for those brilliant bloggers & blogettes with under 200 followers. Thanks so much for passing this on to me, dearest (see what I did there, hur hur, ahem) - I shall wield it with pride! Now, to award four blogs of my choice in turn... well, she's already awarded my obvious choices hah, save two other good reads: Capers and Olives & Rouge Reveries - thumbs up girls!

The second reason behind this post is to show off items acquired in last night's swap party. As you may remember, a group of lovely ladies and I got together for our first clothes swap party a few months ago - an evening which was a great success. After the first one, the decision to 'do this again' was made instantaneously, and what better time to organise a clothes swap than post-January spring cleaning? The second swap party was held at Claire Ciantar's cosy abode, which, after a funnily frightening drive around spooky night-time Mtarfa, served as welcoming shelter from the freezing cold and a perfect swapping spot; dotted with lovely nibbles including salmon sandwiches and lemony-cream stuffed tomatoes and the best mulled wine you've ever tasted (the secret ingredient was vodka - don't ask me how that works) .

The ladies involved were mostly the same as last time, with a few new faces (and fresh meat!). I trundled my specially assigned 'Swap' suitcase, waved goodbye to some items and welcomed a few new ones; ate my share of nibbles; guzzled more than my share of mulled wine and jelly shots (with real jelly beans!) and generally had an all-round good time, to the point of not noticing how late it had gotten - that's women and clothes for you, I suppose :p

Here are a few of my newly-acquired treasures...

A draped silky top with graphic pattern, previously Alexandra's

A dress with poof skirt & fancy collar (I can't remember the girl's name who previously owned this, just that she had gorgeous hair!) The neckline is slightly tight & the collar slightly much, so am considering recycling the collar, attaching it to a plain jumper & altering the top of the dress to make it a little more modern & comfy - maybe a boat neckline?

A really cute Asian-y tunic, previously Maria's

An embroidered linen top from Carla's collection

An elegant wrap-over cardigan, previously Alison's

Not bad, right? :)

-S

At the risk of being a douche...

2012-01-18T09:20:00.000-08:00

Do you know that feeling you get when you do something you've been meaning to do for ages? Or cross something off your wishlist that's been there for the longest time? That's the feeling I have right now - so much so that I'm going to risk looking like a douche to the handful of people that read this blog. This is, in effect, a post declaring my love for a material item that I have recently acquired - namely a pair of sunglasses from Prada's Minimal Baroque line.

mine!

After that long-winded intro, I feel the need to explain myself. Having recently joined the ranks of full-time employment, I wanted to mark the occasion of having more than a few euros in my bank account at any given time (yes, I have grown accustomed to being a poor student) by purchasing something completely frivolous for myself.

I had first happened upon Prada's covetable Minimal Baroque eyewear line when researching for my fashion page on Vida magazine last summer. Of course, they went into the 'Label we love' section. Several months down the line and they remained toward the top of my wishlist, so when I spotted them across a crowded shop (yes, I do have a penchant for the dramatic, so sue me) I simply had to try them on. I did, they looked great (if I do say so myself) and that was it - match made in materialistic heaven.

my new babies & I, gone out for lunch :)

Friends and Felicitations

2012-01-09T10:44:00.001-08:00

Welcome one and all to the first post of 2012! A lot has happened since I've last posted, and I feel I must apologise for the prolonged absence... still, I intend to make up for it (it's one of my resolutions - one of the long list actually).

These past couple of months have brought many happenings and changes, all of which have kept me so busy that I've barely had time to shut my eyes and take it all in. That's where the resolutions come in. I've never really been one for resolutions, but this year it seems strangely apt. I've started working full time at Vida - have been for just over a month now! - and following the departure of our much loved editor Richard Muscat Azzopardi, it now falls to me to take on the role (at least for the foreseeable future), and I intend to give it all I've got.

Other resolutions have come via natural progression, including the 'Great Spring Clean' which I'd been putting off (you never know when you might need those JC physics notes...); getting my driving license (after numerous lessons and one failed test, the time is NAO); saving up now that I have full-time wages (one hopes that by this time next year I'll be in a position to go house hunting!); not sacrificing that which makes me who I am for the benefit of others, even if I may be perceived as weird or, as I prefer to put it, eccentric; and generally being more organised and self-sufficient (this goes for The Secret Rose too, for which I intend to go onwards and upwards!)

And just so this post doesn't become too text heavy, I thought I'd regale you with some pretty photos taken at yesterday's posh girlie lunch at Maria's - a belated seasonal gathering of some of my favourite like-minded ladies! Instead of buying each other gifts as we normally do, we each contributed a monetary donation to the supremely capable host, who in turn provided us with a meal fit for a queen. Not a bad way to start the year...

Cream of chicken soup Seafood vol-au-vent

Duck breast in soy & citrus sauce Rhubarb crumble

Rachel & Carla, looking delightful

Alex, avec daisies

Gustav samples the crumble...

-S

Bridal Bliss

2011-11-21T08:39:00.000-08:00

Maria, the bride & myself - victory shot!

I’m very excited to finally be able to show everyone the end result of a project that took up numerous hours of my time, love and attention this summer. Having hinted at it and posted teaser photos over the course of its coming into being, I can finally reveal the product of a very fruitful and rewarding collaboration with the talented lady behind Babettopolis – a custom-made, hand-embroidered wedding dress!

Having wanted to collaborate with Maria (the talented lady in question) for a while on a project such as this (and having done so very successfully on various smaller projects throughout the course of our friendship – we’ve been friends since the dubious colour coding days of sixth form!), I jumped at the chance when she approached me with the idea.

She informed me that she had been commissioned to make a wedding dress for a customer, and they had decided together to include special hand embroidered details rather than ready-embroidered fabric for a truly unique wedding dress. Maria passed on her design for the dress (which was right up my alley, uncoincidentally) and informed me that the bride-to-be wished a selection of her favourite love quotes (in Latin, Maltese and English) to be included in the embroidery design.

sketching the embroidery design

Armed with the designated portions of the dress to be embroidered – that is, the yoke under the bust and all around the skirt edge – I set about coming up with a design including the chosen quotes in an elegant calligraphy font and dressed up with a simple floral design. The design was approved and the fabric bought, following an impressively smooth trip to JB, in which Maria and I customarily agreed on the precise fabrics to go for – great minds!

test patches & embroidery progress

It was then that the grand plan hit a hurdle from my end. With the deadline for my MA dissertation looming, the workload became more demanding by the day, so as to make even the slightest embroidery break completely impossible. The embroidery hiatus lasted a good month and a half (or was it two? The period is quite a blur), but Maria’s patience with me was unfailing. I repaid her faith (it’s not easy when the wedding date is only getting nearer, and she had a dress to sew!) by leaping upon the embroidery for the dress the moment my dissertation was handed in, and proceeded to speedily, but no less lovingly, finish the embroidered pieces and pass them on to Maria’s waiting hands for sewing.

A number of fittings, adjustments and countless cups of tea later, I was invited to witness the fruit of our combined labour on the bride’s wedding day last Saturday. She looked stunning, and even though I admit there may be the tiniest bit of bias from my end, she seemed as pleased as we were. This was by far the biggest project I’ve ever been a part of embroidery-wise, and remain very grateful to Maria for thinking of me – I hope there will be many more!

the finished dress, looking lovely on the big day!

details of the hard work - all worth it in the end

Check out Maria's side of the story on her blog :)

The Secret Rose: Home

2011-10-31T10:25:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are some offerings from the newly-appointed Home section that will be available at Patches market on November 27^th. This is only an ever-so-slight taster, and lots more, in both sections, is in both the process-of-being, and patiently-waiting-to-be made.

Notebooks/Diaries

These proved quite popular last year, and so I’ve come up with some new ideas and designs. There’ll be plain-ruled notebooks as well as brand spanking new 2012 diaries. The first of the bunch is this dressmaking-themed one, for which I embroidered a sewing pattern – an idea which came to me a while back but had to wait patiently in my sketchbook till circumstances allowed its birth.

Cushions

Comfy and gorgeous all at the same time, cushions are brilliant because they really allow me space to play around with embroidery ideas – and I aim at having quite the variety (in terms of colours, patterns & sizes too)! This particular one features the first of a series of embroidered anatomical drawings which I’m calling ‘Biology’ – the detail of biological diagrams is something that’s always struck me as so beautiful in its precision, so me being me, I wondered whether I could transfer it into needlework (yeah baby)!

Bookmarks

Bookmarks are a favourite of mine both due to their nature (I really wish I had more time to tackle my personal reading list) as well as their shape. They’re fun to make because no pattern/colour combination is the same, so its always fun to see how they turn out, coordinating fringe and all!

The Secret Rose: Boutique

2011-10-29T02:12:00.000-07:00

Upon receiving word that my application to take part in this year's Patches Christmas edition was accepted, I think its high time to share what's been happening in my crafty world! Having been unable to participate in any of Patches' editions for the past year due to other (largely academic) commitments, I'm really *really* excited to be able to take part again, and to feel the creative juices flowing at such a steady pace once more! (I'm not even exaggerating - my hands need to be creatively occupied in order for my brain to continue functioning properly). So, without further ado...

In a bid to achieve some semblance of order on the stall and for The Secret Rose in general, I’ve decided to split my wares into two sections: Boutique (for all wearable items) and Home (decorative items including stationery, frames & cushions). The following are some of the first items from the Boutique section.

Embroidered frame necklaces

Made from recycled wall frames, these two are from a set of an eventual six. The embroidered motif or pattern is placed within an antique frame, which is in turn connected to a coordinating chain. There will be a longer and shorter length for these - as featured here. The necklaces will all be assembled differently and each will receive its own unique touches and add-ons.

Peter pan collar

Another item that will hopefully be forming part of a set, this collar is made so as to be easily worn with any high, round-neck item in your wardrobe for added pizazz (sp?)! Featuring hand-sewn pearls, rope braid and satin ribbon tie, I'm a little in love!

Stay tuned for another post, detailing some of the first items to go in the Home section, soon!

SPCA item #5: Leopard Pouch

2011-10-24T07:37:00.001-07:00

I'm pleased to (finally) present the fifth and final item of the SPCA/Patches series. After several attempts to take clear photos of it due to dastardly weather resulting in a very dark house indeed, I have given up, and simply offer my apologies - the photos don't do it justice!

For this item I teamed some lace from an old skirt with some leopard print fabric (making an oblique animal reference!) to make a simple pouch, going on to embellish with black feathers (second oblique animal reference!) and felt flower.

Since finishing the series, I have been hard at work on The Secret Rose items for Patches, and will post some photos of what I've been up to soon! :)

SPCA item #4: Tweet Cushion

2011-10-18T06:01:00.000-07:00

The fourth item is here, once again sporting an example of the avian portion of our animal friends. The items I used from the SPCA charity shop to make up part of this cushion were a sheet made of brightly-coloured 60s style fabric and a pair of brass rose-shaped earrings.

The sheet went into the basic fabric for the cushion, whilst the rose earrings went toward embellishing felt birds adorning the cushion. A stray earring of my own (I have since gotten over the untimely loss of its partner down the drain of my bathroom sink) was used in the same way on the third bird. Tweet tweet!

SPCA item #3: Oscar the owl

2011-10-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

I'd like you to meet Oscar, squishy owl & item number 3 of the SPCA/Patches collaboration series. Starting life forming part of a skirt whose whimsical fabric caught my eye, I teamed it with some of my favourite polka dot fabric.

Loving the way he turned out, and his slightly confused expression! Stay tuned for the fourth one, which is well on its way to being finished, and set to be posted tomorrow!

SPCA item #2: Feather Notebook

2011-10-16T02:50:00.000-07:00

Introducing the second item from the Patches/SPCA series! What started out as a tweed skirt that looked like it had seen better days has been reborn into a notebook featuring embroidered peacock feathers in a deep teal colour.

The idea for the feathers was inspired by the curved seams of the skirt, which I thought created some interesting movement. This was then echoed in the direction of the feathers. It was all topped off with some coordinating beading in the centre of the feathers and a velvet ribbon along the spine.

Since my last post, Denise has got going on her gorgeous SPCA creations, which you can see here! Keep watching this space for items 3, 4 & 5 :)

SPCA item #1: Roky Cushion

2011-10-12T01:37:00.000-07:00

With the largest embroidery project to date finally under my belt (all will be revealed soon!), it is finally time to set upon SPCA/Patches items. For the first of the five I am required to make, I used my very own bestie beastie (or is it beastie bestie?) for direct inspiration.

The charity shop item I started out with was a pair of linen blend trousers. I first drew a portrait of my little pooch Roky, then went on to use that as an embroidery pattern to feature on a little cushion from the charcoal trouser fabric in a contrasting pinky/orange thread. Once sewn, I used the drawstring from the trousers to add a little interest on the opposite side via a neat little bow :)

It had to be approved by the subject...

I'm really happy with the way it turned out, and am definitely tempted to use the pattern again to make something for the subject himself to snuggle up on! Let me know what you think :D

Stay tuned for item number two in the coming days! In the meantime, have you seen Maria & Carla's gorgeous contributions to the project? If you haven't, you can find them here and here x

Tea & Thread

2011-10-06T10:29:00.000-07:00

Things are well and truly back in full swing in the world of the Secret Rose.

Upon returning from the office, afternoons are spent embroidering away, and while I *still* can't fully reveal to you the details of this particular piece of work yet, here's some progress! I'm really quite excited about finally seeing the finished product soon :)

The positivity continued yesterday at a tea party in which, armed with homemade orange & pecan biscuits, I caught up on some much needed girly time with some of the loveliest ladies I know. Poppy seed cake (among many other things including Gozitan confections from my favourite bakery & some particularly yummy prawn sandwiches) was consumed and much tea was had - but now it's back to the needle and thread for this self-confessed workaholic! I'll leave you with some pictures till next time... (at which point I hope to have something SPCA-related to show you) :D

SPCA & Patches Collaboration Project

2011-09-25T03:02:00.000-07:00

I'm back after my thesis-enforced craft absence, and boy is it exciting to be back and forming part of such a great venture in aid of a worthy (and cute) cause! Let me tell you all about it...

(photo: maria muscat) (photo: me)

Three very talented ladies and myself (namely Denise Scicluna, Maria Muscat and Carla Said) will be collaborating on a project to be presented at the next Patches Market (27th November folks, write it down!) with all profits going to the cute and cuddlies in the care of the SPCA. This is how it's going to go down:

1. The fantastic four (yes, what? :p) are unleashed at the the Sliema outlet of the Happy Paws charity shop, in search of items to be used as raw materials & transformed! (photos of this part are interspersed throughout this post!)

2. We will then individually work, via our own customary methods of choice, at creating five separate items each out of the loot from the shop, to be displayed (and hopefully sold) at a specifically allocated stall at Patches.

3. The process of making the items is to be documented closely by all four of us via our own outlets (i.e. blogs & Facebook pages) so you get to see all the good stuff!

The joint haul

We're all very excited about this collaboration and I personally can't wait to get started on my own items, with a theme loosely inspired by our four-legged friends at the sanctuary - the Animal Kingdom :) As anyone who even remotely knows me by now will undoubtedly know, I have a very special relationship with my dog Roky (who could possibly provide more direct inspiration for one of the items..hmm!) as well as every creature I happen to come in contact with and automatically want to take home. As this is, of course, impossible, this is definitely my way of doing my part to help them out.

(photo: denise scicluna) (photo: maria muscat)

(photos: me)

So stay tuned for lots of photos of our creative ventures in aid of the SPCA, culminating in the stall at Patches on November 27th - where you can snap up anything you might have had your eye on throughout the process!

Links:

The Patches Market site and facebook page

My own blog and facebook page (for those who are as yet unfamiliar with it!)

Maria's Babettopolis blog and facebook page

Denise's blog and facebook page

and Carla's Cholita tumblr

Be sure to check them out and like/follow as necessary for regular updates on how each of us are getting on in our puuurrfect project :) Now, may I introduce you to my freshly laundered personal haul - i.e. the items I will be working with & hopefully transforming:

a pair of rose earrings & 60s-ish patterned curtains

anchor earrings, patterned skirt & raw silk trousers

velvety earrings, tweed skirt & lace skirt

Can't wait to get started, and to see what the girls come up with! :)

Wonderful Life

2011-07-26T10:14:00.000-07:00

dress zara, bangles monsoon

I think it's about time for another fashion post, fellow bloggers! As usual, it's late - but I really have been too busy, honest! Vida goes to print this week, and with deadlines come heightened stress levels (and good old fashioned man hours) at the office - please forgive!

top new look, skirt zara, shoes mango

Here are some of my favourite shots from July's fashion story, inspired by the clean lines and moody sound of Hurts' Wonderful Life. The model is the gorgeous Ben Azzopardi of Supernova Models, and the photographer this time was our very own editor, Richard MA.

skirt & shoes, zara

I'm very pleased with the way they turned out overall, despite almost having a melt down when affronted with a forced change of location at the very last minute (i.e. that morning)... the beautiful newly-finished flat in Portomaso we were going to use managed to get flooded due to a pipe bursting so 'ooh er damage control' was necessary! Despite the setback however, the team handled it admirably and I think that really shows in the final product!

dress zara, bangles accessorize

Sicilian Sensations

2011-07-09T03:50:00.000-07:00

Following a long weekend getaway in the picturesque island of Sicily, I feel my energy is restored. There is beauty everywhere - within the old countryside farmhouse we stayed in courtesy of a (very lucky) friend, as well as every single place you turn your head.

You know it's special when the drive leading up to a 'place of interest' (as the guidebook/friend's advice dictates) turns into a visual feast of scenery that will make even the most insect-fearing, artifice-loving city girl swoon.

I know what you're thinking. Living in an Mediterranean island paradise, I really can't complain, or want for beautiful scenery; but, what is starkly obvious after a few days in Sicily, is our distinct lack of countryside. I know I need to visit pretty places, and often too - it's good for the soul, it grants peace. For now however, it's back to work - not that I mind, of course :)

Bathing Beauties

2011-06-28T08:50:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to write this post for a while. Still, circumstances beyond my control dictated that it was not meant to be (as I'm sure you can tell by my slightly rambly insistence on using long words to say something relatively easy, I'm currently writing my MA Thesis) so, do forgive!

The premise behind my post this time is to unashamedly show off Vida's June shoot, for which I was creative director. I had wanted to do a 50s-style beach shoot for a while, and not just in order to have an excuse to feature a pair of old-school bathing caps!

So, here you have it, fellow bloggers - Bathing Beauties for Vida June 2011. Photography by Jacob Sammut Carabez. The bathing cap shot is extra close to my heart because they are my doing, and the product of a few hours of bonding time between my scissors myself - precious little time at the moment, what with the shackles of academia holding me captive! Apologies for the low resolution of the photos - my computer hates me!

Enough of the drama for now folks, till next time ;)

Double Whammy: Swap Party & Birthday Presents!

2011-05-27T09:18:00.000-07:00

Braid waist belt from 'Sexy Lola' Carla

I'll start off this post with an apology, for what will surely be a very photo-heavy entry indeed. Well, if a picture is worth a thousand words, perhaps I could get away with submitting it as a thesis? Hmm, no... thought not.

So last week I was invited, along with a handful of other charming ladies, to Maria's handsome abode for my first ever Swap Party. In case you're unfamiliar with these (as I myself was a few months ago), the party centres around everyone bringing along their unworn and unwanted items of clothing, shoes and accessories and, quite simply, swapping them with someone else's. Reasons for wanting to swap something might be that it doesn't fit, it doesn't look right or for whatever reason, you simply dont wear it!

A fabric covered necklace from Martha & charm bracelet from Claire

Understandably, I was at first a little apprehensive - I didn't really know what to expect. Now, as Maria has said herself, I'm not sure whether it was the stellar company (I love meeting new, like-minded people!), the general relaxed atmosphere of Babette's house, the delicious food strewn about, my impressive haul or the punch, but the evening turned out to be a great success indeed! It went on for hours and hours, and besides acquiring some things I'm really, really pleased with, it was just a really good time :)

And now, for a healthy dose of pictures!

A gorgeous purple midi skirt with buttons along the front courtesy of Carla! The colour shows properly in the detail pic!

A cute little polka dotted dress (again from Carla)

A pussybow blouse with a ditsy print from Alison

One of my favs - a vintage shirt with an amazing cut from Maria

A cute little crop top from the affectionately named 'Hurricane Vanessa'

A pencil skirt made from beautiful fabric which fits like a glove!

A sweet high-necked dress in a cloudy grey colour (thanks to Karen!)

A sailorific anchor brooch! (hello to Mr Owl there too hehe)

A very pretty top with a lovely texture which skims the rear perfectly, and which incidentally, I wore this morning ;)

And for the piece de resistance, a vintage teal dress from the lovely Karen, which I've already worn - for my birthday!

And now for the second part of this post, speaking of my birthday.. I thought I'd share some of my fav presents with you, even though some, ahem, are still on the way :P

Maria's beautiful handmade bag & card - the girl never disappoints!

A gorgeous heart locket (thanks Jenny!) and my very own Cthulu necklace from Rachel :)

And to finally close off, a trio of beautiful rings from my most recent market trawl... self-gifting anyone? It's good for the soul!

Roundup of Recent Craftings

2011-04-28T11:02:00.000-07:00

After a longish absence - not because I wasn't crafting you understand, as things are constantly being sewn, glued and embellished, but simply because I just didn't get round to collecting them all in one post (woops!) - here it is, what has been keeping my fingers busy these past few weeks...

Despite not being able to show you detailed photos of each yet, I've been working on (and have just finished) a mini 'line' for a friend's shop. Consisting of money pockets (or general whatever-you-want-to-put-in-them pockets) and tobacco pouches, I really played around with some gorgeous new fabrics I had been dying to use and I think the collab of aesthetics worked really well.

I promise to show more detailed photos soon!

In other news, I finally finished the embroidery for Babette's pillowcases that she had ordered AGES ago (for shame!) and am really in love with the way they turned out! Can't wait to see them fully finished in all their glory - I hope Gustav the naughty cat keeps his paws off :)

Besides the pillowcases, another little treat for Maria's birthday - my first ever dolly. She 's not your run-of-the-mill pigtailed, freckly cheeked dolly though, oh no.. she's a real badass, with embroidered tatts running down her arms and legs, and a cheeky little face to boot. I don't know yet, but she really makes me want to make her some friends!

Some bookmarks and notebooks followed, and even a special anniversary card pictured below. Wasn't initially sure whether the heavy embroidery would work in this case, but it turned out to be one of my favourite things (it also helps that the couple it's for are the nicest people ever).

Aaand hot of the press this afternoon are these cute panda seatbelt covers for an old friend. There's so much more to do and the list keeps growing (not to mention things I would really like to find the time to do for personal occasions - boyfriend's birthday, anyone?) so I best get back to it! Till next time, bloggers x

Fashion as Distraction?

2011-03-12T02:14:00.000-08:00

Hey all! Lots has been happening in the world of the secret rose lately, what with uni assignments having had to be written and work taking up the rest of the time, orders were left to pile up in my newly purchased 'orders' book - seemingly unloved and alone. Alas, now that the deadline is behind us, they have been taken to hand, and this week marks the beginning of what I hope to be quite the creative frenzy!

To start, some photos I'm particularly proud of from Vida's February & March fashion shoots, for which I am creative director. Especially when I'm busy, these are what I use as my creative vent, having no time to pick up my needle and thread!

Vida's February Shoot had a 'modern vintage' theme, inspired by whats happening over at Louis Vuitton and Prada. The wardrobe is from some of my favourite shops, including Blush n' Panic vintage boutique, run by the adorable Sam, as well as fav high street brands Topshop and Mango. It was shot at the gorgeous Castello Zamittellu and the model is one of my favourite new local faces, Madeleine.

The March Shoot was rather different, playing on the theme of Carnival (which is quite big here in Malta) and giving it a fashion twist. The masks are handmade by yours truly - yes I gave myself an excuse to get crafty in the midst of assignments, what's not to love? The model, Mandy, was so professional bless her, working hard to get the shot in the blistering cold at Isla - and, at least I think, it was worth it!

As for crafty ventures from the secret rose, many are currently underway, and I promise a post showing off the latest offerings sharpish! Have yourselves a good weekend y'all :) Oh, and before I forget, those on the fair isles should really get there arses down to Patches Market tomorrow at Valletta's indoor market - I won't have a stall myself due to aforementioned assignments, but there's sure to be lots of talent on show!

Valentine's Day & First Creative Ventures of 2011

2011-02-13T06:02:00.000-08:00

valentine's day cupcakes

Hello all, and welcome to the first blog post of the year :) Whereas I feel I should apologize for my silence in January, the reasons behind were frightfully logical - most items made happened to be for people who wouldn't be receiving them till much later! Hence, putting photos of them up on this here blogsy would be a little silly!

paisley frame

Still, I've been dying to share what I've been up to, so finally - here they are! To start, a sweet little frame for a girl with a thing for paisley. I took this opportunity to use my brand spanking new 'handmade' labels which I love. They're made out of Tibetan silver and contain cute phrases like 'Made for You' and 'Made with Love' - perfect for presents, no?

personalised seatbelt covers

Another frame showing off another of the new tags is ready, but as yet, still under wraps due to its 'birthday present' purpose!! Next came a relatively new venture - customised seatbelt covers for a lady who's into her footie. Despite never having made any before, they proved very popular indeed, and more are currently in the making!

bonsai oven gloves

Another project I'm particularly fond of are a pair of oven gloves. Made out of pure linen and featuring an embroidered antique bonsai tree illustration, the colours just go so well and make me want to bake up a storm! Following a minor fit error though, I resolve to make bigger ones next time - seems Teo's hands aren't 'traditional' man's sized after all! Oops ;)

bonsai oven gloves label detail

A variety of projects are currently in various states of being made, and I'm excited about a great many of them to occur. Sadly, assignments are all set to take me away from my creative ventures till the end of February, but after that - the return will be vengeful! That's it from me for now, I leave you with a teaser :)

Presents Post!

2010-12-31T05:29:00.000-08:00

Now to close off the festive season and 2010 on an even better note - a presents post! Here are a few photos of my favourite presents received this year. Why, you may ask? Well, I've never been above gloating ;) Still, I love giving presents so much too, as well as making the wrapping look as unique as possible! Therefore, above is a photo of a couple of gifts I gave, and their presentation :)

a selection from Carla's santa sack of goodies - a vintage decoration, eyeshadow, nailpolish, little bowl and arty postcards

a pair of beautiful brogues from my love

a floral mug from Rachel, beautiful handmade brooch and carpet book from Babette

Sending much love to all those present-givers out there, and I really hope you like the gifts I gave as much as I like the ones I received!

some more of Carla's treasures, including a unicorn keychain and vintage book

an elegant cake stand with mirror top from the brother

another selection from Carla's santa sack of goodies - postcards and baking forms

and lastly, a very unclear photo of me wearing a gorgeous hand-knitted scarf from Dani and crocheted palm-warmers from Carlita :)

Christmas Craftings

2010-12-31T03:07:00.000-08:00

a musical bookmark for Bettina's musical mum

After the all-round success that was Patches Market on December 12th, I've been keeping busy with Christmas orders. The pressure was really on to get a good deal of stuff finished in time for the big day (as most of them were intended as presents) as well as to free myself up for the vast array of food waiting to be consumed on and around Christmas Day!

petal necklace with gold braid for the lovely Lara from her doting boyfriend, Daniel

As has become customary, I decided to post photos of a few of the things I made this festive season, now that gifts have been given and surprises have been had!

map journal for Dani's mum, who's into travelling, cats and apparently, turtles

2010 has been a good year for The Secret Rose, as I slowly began to establish myself as a proper crafter whose wares are worthy of taking a look at, if not taking home ;) Here's hoping 2011 will bring more crafty adventures and *mum's the word* - an Etsy shop!

Neville's gift to Irene - a VW notebook

Some of my own gifts for friends :)

Lara's cute puffin ornament for Daniel

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas

2010-12-11T08:36:00.000-08:00

Patches Artisan Market is here!

It's off to Patches we go this morning as the long awaited date is finally here! Everything is packed and rearing to go, so hope to see everyone there today! We'll be there basically all day (that's from 10:30 am to around 8:00pm) so steal a little snatch of your lazy Sunday and come on over for a looksee! xxx

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas

2010-12-11T08:19:00.000-08:00

Fanciful foliage...

It's one day till Patches market and all my eager items are currently in various states of being packed, ready for their big adventure! One item I finished relatively early on is this fern necklace. Each individual leaf was cut by hand out of a beautiful, bronze coloured faux leather and sewn onto the rope braid. It certainly was time-consuming, but I feel, well worth it!

The wearer of this statement piece is no ordinary girl, but will have to have the personality to match it's drama! Here's hoping she'll love wearing it as much as I loved making it :)

On the Tenth Day of Christmas

2010-12-10T09:40:00.000-08:00

Feeling hot hot hot!

Or not, but you could be, were you to fill this adorable babushka themed hot water bottle! Covered in a beautiful printed fabric and lined on the inside with foam to prevent it getting too hot, the cheeky little slogan is lovingly cut out of red felt... and who could resist those plump little pom poms?

Patches market is just two days away and it's already almost the twelfth day in this post-athon! Excitement is building to be sure, and here's hoping the backache, gluey fingers and getting the iron confiscated (yes, you read that right) is worth it! :)

On the Ninth Day of Christmas

2010-12-09T11:05:00.000-08:00

Travelling the World...

It's around the world in 365 days with this special little diary! Aimed at all those who love to travel, or simply love packing their suitcase, the travel theme makes for a cute and quirky little touch.

What's more, even if the furthest you've been from home in a while is the sister isle of Gozo, the realms of the imagination truly know no bounds. A girl can dream, can't she? You can be in the tomb of an ancient Pharoah one minute and off to work the next!

On the Eighth Day of Christmas

2010-12-08T11:50:00.000-08:00

Grinning from ear to ear(muff)...

As the days get steadily warmer on this insane little island, the evenings seem to be getting colder, enabling me to reach for my much-loved gloves and scarves. This little gem combines two things I'm particularly fond of: flowers and being warm. Whereas, being made of felt, they will ensure you won't overheat in our none-too-nasty clime, they'll keep you toasty and look oh-so-cute too!

In a little Patches update, the excitement is steadily building as the market gets closer and closer. Today's public holiday was certainly much needed and proved very useful in terms of table decor and final tyings up of loose ends!

On the Seventh Day of Christmas

2010-12-07T09:50:00.000-08:00

Marking Down the Days in Style...

Remember those everyday essentials I like to pretty up? Well, a calendar is truly something you'll get good wear out of, as it applies to every single day of the year! This one is ultra feminine and a little ditsy, with an embroidered '2011' framed by a dramatic Baroque design.

Are you wondering how the text came about? Simply using my typewriter on some willing cream cotton! I really doubted whether this would work back when it was still a baby idea materializing in my sketchbook, so you can imagine how chuffed I was when it did! To top it off, every month is garnished with a dainty little bow in one of my favourite colours.

On the Sixth Day of Christmas

2010-12-06T11:53:00.000-08:00

Fabulous Fabrics...

Patterns patterns everywhere and not much time to sew! When you're into sewing and needlework, fabric is pretty much an essential part of the equation, but as anyone who is unfortunate enough to be privvy to my moaning and groaning would know, one of my pet peeves is the poor selection available to us on the island.

Don't get me wrong, I've found a few gems in my day - but such finds (unless I'm looking for basic linens for embroidery projects) are few and far between. This is why I've taken to ordering fabrics from abroad, ensuring my items are made from fabric that's gorgeous as well as good quality :)

On The Fifth Day of Christmas

2010-12-05T13:31:00.000-08:00

such a softie...

Sunday is, or should be, the day of rest, and where better to lay one's head than on a comfy cushion? Alright, so these aren't specifically made to serve as pillows for your head, or little pooch, (or are they? I did catch Roky looking at them longingly), they're squishy and pretty - the best kind of combination :)

One of the things I specifically like to do is turn everyday household items into the sweeter, more pleasing version of themselves; making them both functional (as loose as that may be) as well as easy on the eyes. One of these mini cushions is fondly called 'Crafty Mind' and probably most suitably depicts the state of my very own (mind, not cushion) at the moment!

On the Fourth Day of Christmas

2010-12-04T08:23:00.000-08:00

Petals - as far as the eye could see!

True to form, the assortment of items I have prepared for the next edition of Patches all possess that little girly element I feel pervades the majority of my work, with a few new techniques and touches here and there. I've recently been experimenting with sightly more structural pieces which, above all else, require a great deal of patience and a very steady hand.

The reward comes when the item is finished. When in pieces, I may start to doubt my initial idea and hurried sketch, but I generally ignore this feeling and abide by the mantra I can't judge it until its finished. In these cases especially, I feel it serves me well - they came together beautifully.

On the Third Day of Christmas

2010-12-03T03:14:00.000-08:00

I thought of the importance of my diary...

With the new year coming up, I started thinking about my insane schedule (mostly made up of work at Vida, my MA course and crafting as well as meeting the odd friend here and there!). Coupled with my rapidly deteriorating short term memory, it really necessitates one pillar of hope: The Day Planner.

If you, like me, have to have your diary with you at all times, ready to scribble down every single meeting and appointment, it becomes akin to your best friend. Now your best friend doesn't have to look pretty, but won't it just make you feel better if it was? Wouldnt it just be more fun to jot down your dentist appointment in? I can't guarantee that it will take away your childhood fear of dentists, but as they say, every little helps...

On the Second Day of Christmas

2010-12-02T11:45:00.000-08:00

...we gathered around the tree.

It's that time of year again - decorations time! I love looking out on the bus ride home, spotting all the new decorations popping up in the windows. I love the brightly coloured bulbs in the streets, making it all look so festive. I love decorating the christmas tree. The truth is, I love everything about the holiday - the gifts, the food, family time, parties and the general high-spirited atmosphere. I even like the carols!

The only downside to decorating the house to me is having to take it all down in January - the house just looks so bare without the twinkly lights and garlands! Here's our own Christmas tree this year.. lovingly put together by my brother and I!

On the First Day of Christmas...

2010-12-01T02:56:00.000-08:00

... an Idea Came to Me

The countdown to the Christmas edition of Patches Artisan Market has begun - 12th December is so close now! As today is the first of December therefore, I thought I'd mark down the days with a photo post a day, documenting the process and/or things that will be accompanying me come Patches Day! Let's get into the Christmas spirit ;)

Today's snippet brings us to my workspace. Due to the fact that we don't actually have any extra rooms in my house in which to do my thing (I can't wait for the day I can have my own studio!), it inevitably tends to get a little cluttered. Therefore, a couple of days ago I went on a crazed cleaning/decluttering spree, so now I can locate things a lot more easily! Still, there's more work to be done, which will have to wait after the actual market :)

Until tomorrow, dear readers...

Definitively Delicious - Fumia

2010-11-21T01:03:00.000-08:00

Mussels in Fumia's Special Sauce

That's right boys and girls, time for another foodie post! This time, our solemn pact took us to a place very dear to both our hearts - Valletta, more specifically Sicilian-run Fumia, on Old Bakery Street. Hailed to be one of the best seafood restaurants around, my seafood-loving life would have just not been complete without a visit to this gem. So, seeing as I nor the boy had been before, we set off with much excitement and hunger.

Spaghetti with Seafood Sauce

The first thing that struck me was the beautiful interior. Romantically lit but still bright enough to see what's on your plate, the little underground cavern suited us perfectly. Eager to get my seafood on, we ordered and settled down. Not 5 minutes had gone by when the waiter brought over complimentary bruschetta (and bread with some unidentified spicy dip) - both were gorgeous, and they were scoring points with me already - I do love my bread.

Mixed Seafood Platter

For starters I had mussels in Fumia's own special sauce (some tomato based splendour) while the boy opted for a mediterranean platter of cold cuts and cheeses - he doesn't worship at seafood's alter with my same devotion. As a main, upon being informed that they didn't have lobster spaghetti at the moment (boo!) I opted for a seafood mix pasta, which was yummy. The boy had a mixed fish platter, which looked equally enticing. Paired with some lovely Gavi and (yes, more) complimentary garlic bread, the meal went down a treat! We finished off with understated lemon sorbet, which was the perfect ending.

Spiced Pretzels

Upon leaving the restaurant in a happy stagger however, it seems we hadn't yet had enough of food. Off we went to the bestie's house for some baking. We made spiced pretzels, cheesy crumbles, honey & lemon cookies and even marble cake! All were met with resounding success and much happy munching. My jeans hated me the next day!

Cheesy Crumbles

My personal favourite - Honey & Lemon Cookies

November Shoot & Latest Projects

2010-11-06T06:24:00.000-07:00

In an arm-chair, with an elbow resting on the table and her head leaning on that hand, sat the strangest lady I have ever seen, or shall ever see. She was dressed in rich materials - satins, and lace, and silks - all of white. Her shoes were white. And she had a long white veil dependent from her hair, and she had bridal flowers in her hair, but her hair was white. Some bright jewels sparkled on her neck and on her hands, and some other jewels lay sparkling on the table.

I proudly present the shots from the latest VIDA shoot inspired by Dicken's Miss Havisham. The shots are portrayed alongside quotes from the original text above, and I'm very pleased with the result.

The usual suspects were behind it, with styling by me, photography by Jacob, hair by Julian and makeup by Marian. Special thanks also go to Richard and Claire (especially for taking my constant slew of moaning on board) Well done all!

As for crafts this past week, it's been a busy one, despite the inevitable melancholy in the house. I always try to keep busy so that I don't have to think about things I don't want to think about, so that fact really reflects in my work at the moment - making it quite prolific.

Of Love and Loss

2010-11-05T03:48:00.000-07:00

happier times

I intially intended (as specified in my last post) to write a post about crafty ventures that have been undertaken of late, but after certain events that have taken place over the last couple of days, I find my usual cheery crafty spirit somewhat diminished.

I'd just like to post a little tribute to our recently passed dog, Joey. We found out a few days ago that he had contracted a sort of virus resulting from a parasite in his blood, and despite his generally strong countenance, various trips to the vet for treatment and round-the-clock care, his brave fight came to an end yesterday at around 6:30am. We love and miss you little one, RIP.

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T09:51:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween little creatures and creaturettes! Here's a photo of some skull biscuits I made to celebrate :)

The boy and I visited the jumble sale at Marsascala today, bringing back quite the successful haul. It had been a while since we visited the market (particularly this one - which is one of my favourites) so we were very pleased when the sun rose to reveal a bright and sunny day!

My haul consisted of an adorable little ceramic babushka charm, two skirts (one floral and one belted navy number for work), a rose print scarf, black pumps (I had been looking for a decent pair for ages) as well as some sewing supplies and a tattered copy of D.H. Lawrence's Sons and Lovers. The pretty little plate in the top picture was also a product of today's junk trawl :)

In general I'm not really a morning person, but when I have the jumble sales to look forward to, I wake up with as much energy as a kid on Christmas morning! Among the gems we came across were an entire rack of children's costumes (it is halloween after all...), duck-shaped clothes hangers, military paraphernelia ('dik minn ta zmien King George ta!') and a heap of delightful but infuriatingly too-big shoes.

As for crafty goings-on in the Sasseh household, I'll post later in the week - promise!

The Indian to His Love

2010-10-22T04:01:00.000-07:00

"HE island dreams under the dawn
And great boughs drop tranquillity;
The peahens dance on a smooth lawn,
A parrot sways upon a tree,
Raging at his own image in the enamelled sea."

Time is rolling on, the temperature is dropping (or so my freezing fingers tell me) but all this really means is that as I work, a blanket is draped about my shoulders, half covering the sleeping dog at my side :)

Purely for your viewing pleasure we bring you...Jackie the cat!

Since my last post, I've started work on Christmas decorations - it really is never too early for seasonal cheer - and been busy with a number of other projects. In between encouraging my brother to practice his new craft (so exciting!), I've been working on some lovely little festive fowls to decorate the Christmas tree. Besides these, I have so many more seasonal ideas clamouring for attention in my ideas notebook, I really have absolutely no idea which I'll choose first!

Embroidery also features heavily again, and I really find nothing more therepeutic in the evenings than settling down with the little wooden frame and threaded needle in my hand. I have a feeling I'm going to need my drug of choice in the weeks to come, as I've returned to MA lectures after the summer break, and besides often having to go straight to campus after work, my reading list is as long as my arm!

As a side note, I've been working on a very interesting little something for Schlock Magazine (that's http://schlockmagazine.net) but more details on the exact nature of that something will be divulged later ;) As for now, I'm very excited about my current project, quite a big undertaking given the details I insist on including, which currently looks like this... I'm so mean to myself, non?

I'm a total junkie

2010-10-08T11:04:00.000-07:00

Finallyyy here are the photos from this month's Fashion Story for Vida Magazine! I really must say, this is my favourite shoot to date - everything just came together so well and I'm so pleased with the final product. Well done to all involved, let's keep this great energy going ;)

Styling by ME :) Photography by Jacob. Model is Sophia. Hair by Mandy. Makeup by Marian.

Definitively Delicious: The Kitchen

2010-10-04T08:13:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago the boy and I came up with a fabulous plan. A plan that involves good food, wine, (usually) stimulating conversation and a happy stagger home afterwards. We decided to take Malta's 'great' restaurants and well, test them.

Tiger prawns in crispy potato strings with asparagus, seaweed and green pea sauce
The idea is that once a month, without fail, we'll visit a restaurant reputed to be 'great' and, ideally, somewhere neither of us had visited before (although rules are made to be broken after all!) Upon selecting the place, we would proceed to 'test' it. That's right, your full on three-course starter-main-dessert meal and will-we-won't-we-oh-go-oooon bottle of wine. Last month's expedition saw us visiting Mdina and the famous Bacchus, but due to a shoddy memory (not helped I fear, by the aforementioned wine) I didn't get down to documenting it. This month's pick was Sliema's family-run gem, The Kitchen.

I am by no means qualified enough (my food likes and nuances leave much to be desired and my palate is as far from refined as you can possibly imagine) to properly review food, so the comments I make from this point forward are to be taken with a pinch of salt. This experience was divine ( I warned you!).

The boy's duck main

I started off with salmon and crab ravioli in a curry sauce with a side of spinach draped artfully over the lot. It tasted divine. Teo's highly interesting breaded fried egg went down a treat too. The best was still to come however, as my main course - Tiger Prawns wrapped in crispy potato strings with asparagus, seaweed and green pea sauce - totally hit the spot. The prawns were tender and wonderful, perfectly complimented by their crispy potato coats; and the green pea sauce had me licking the plate clean. The boy's happily munching face confirmed that his duck was equally satisfactory. Topped off with our favourite Chablis, the plates were cleared quickly, and followed by a home-made vanilla ice-cream for myself and sickly sweet creme brulee for T.

We emerged happy and full yet remarkably, not in the heavy, luxurious way that you normally would after a decadent meal of excess, but strangely light and energized. I can't complain ;)

And just so you know it really is me and I haven't let a suspicious foodie take over my blog, here's my latest - a notebook for the bestie's birthday - hope she likes it!

The Morning (well..) After

2010-09-26T06:22:00.001-07:00

Owl City Notebook

So yesterday was Patches Notte Bianca Edition and it went really great - an afternoon and evening spent among owl friends, A-door-able 'eh?' customers, atractive doggies, a brotherly helper and even a salty treat!

A-door-able Notebook

I thought I'd pay homage to and put up a few photos of some of the things that went to happy new homes yesterday - bye bye babies, mummy will miss you!

Embroidered Bookmarks

Penny for Your Thoughts Notebook

Think I'll give myself a tiny little craft break over the next couple of days... but don't worry, the fidgety fingers will be sure to return sooner than planned ;)
Spectacles Pouches

Felt Camera Cases

This little guy and some of his brothers and sisters got adopted (and I sneakily kept one for me too!) :)

Patches September Edition

2010-09-17T10:50:00.000-07:00

"Happiness, oh happiness,
waiting to burst forth from me,
happiness. "

As most of you know by now, I'll be taking part in Patches street market at the end of the month - Saturday 25th September to be precise, as part of the Notte Bianca celebrations. We'll be there all day (from 9:30am!) so come and have a look-see should you find yourself wandering aimlessly with nowhere to go ;)

With a little over a week left to go, work is piling up at the rosey household, and there's still more to be done! Happily, the weekend is finally upon us - one in which I intend on finishing (and starting, but shh! don't tell anyone!) a good number of projects. The boy is hard at work on his MA dissertation, so we'll both be heads down working at our respective babies!

You can see some of the things I'll be selling on Patches' website, here specifically: http://www.patchesmarket.com/?p=859

Hope to see your shining faces on the 25th! :)

My Workspace Today

2010-09-11T08:57:00.000-07:00

Work is well underway for the September edition of Patches Special Market! Despite working during the week, weekends and evenings are generally my sweet crafting haven, and I try to cram as many things into the time I have as possible! Today I woke up inordinately early in the hopes of ploughing through a very ambitious 'To Do List'. Luckily, willpower makes all the difference in such situations and luckily again, it has never been something in short supply in Sasseh World :)

So here I bring you, (although I can't give away too much - I'm big on the element of surprise!) my workspace today, with a few highlights into what I've been up to! Hey, it's also an excuse to show off the work of my brand new SLR camera... everything looks so much tastier through it's lens!

“It is difficult for sorrow to intrude on a busy life.”

2010-09-04T06:44:00.000-07:00

As promised on my last post, here's a photo of the 'thing' I was working on for a friend - a sketchbook with embroidered front panel!

This commission came at quite a busy time (I was writing my last MA assignment for the year) so took me a little while to complete, but I think the finished product is rather worth it! I love how the style is reminiscent of an old religious text or bible... I love the colour combination.
I've since been working on loads of stuff - from bookmarks and notebooks to some newer ideas and experiments. I'm hoping to apply for the next Patches artisan market which will take place at the end of this month, but I have sooo much to do till then! Still, I never have been one to enjoy idleness!

Bit of a sneak peak at some new stuff...

Gozo & Birgu

2010-08-13T03:09:00.000-07:00

Time has really been flying lately, and what with deadline week at Vida and the craziness that that implies (as much as I enjoy it), I've barely had any time to post! *sob*

Well, almost two weeks ago now my friends and I went on a mini trip to Gozo - the motherland (literally - it's where my mum comes from)! We did some more touristy things than normal, visiting the Citadel and the Azure Window at Dwejra - places I haven't visited since my childhood - seeing as some foreign friends accompanied us. It really reminded me of the beauty and tranquility of the little island - two things I miss terribly from my childhood summers.

cat love
Last weekend, the boy and I headed off to the Birgu jumble sale (something I also haven't done in a fair while) and, despite the heat, enjoyed it (and my staple cheesey toast from the nearby kiosk) tremendously. I picked up some fabric, embroidery thread and ribbon (not that I needed it, but just couldn't resist the vintagey goodness), an old coin purse and an crumbling book on The Animal World to add to my collection. Teo, unsurprisingly, bought some dusty old books :)

As for creative ventures, I've spent most of the last week working on *something* a friend ordered. Unfortunately, I can't post any pictures of the finished project yet, because it's going to be a birthday present, but I promise I will as soon as the surprise has been had! In the meantime, my desk:

Through the Looking Glass

2010-08-04T13:37:00.000-07:00

Drum roll pleaaase!! Here are the fashion shoot photos for the August issue of Vida, the magazine I work for. Styling by me and my beautiful fellow editorial assistant Claire Camilleri, Photos by Jacob Sammut. Model is Christine Mifsud.

Please excuse the low res nature of the photos, but I'm just so excited about this shoot and simply *had* to post them up here now that the magazine is finally out! Well done to the amazing team of people who were involved! I'm equally excited about tomorrow's shoot - hope it's just as great!:)

The Secret of Kells

2010-06-23T02:33:00.000-07:00

Upon watching the (there's no other word for it) gorgeous The Secret of Kells animated movie a couple of days ago, I simply had to follow up with a raving post on my end. The stylized illustration had me struck dumb with awe throughout, and that's not to mention the incredibly up-my-street subject matter!

The movie tells of how the (real-life) Book of Kells - an illuminated manuscript created by Celtic monks - came to be; although the real focus is on artistic imagination and perseverance. The awe-inducing illustration was also accompanied with an incredibly fitting soundtrack, resulting in an unbelievably rich mythological atmosphere. And that's not even mentioning the faerie/wolf spirit, Aisling.

On to real life on the creative front, I've been keeping busy fulfilling orders placed at Patches market a couple of weeks ago, but have found the time to work on something new... I haven't decided where she's going to go yet, but I love her :)

Patches Special Market

2010-06-13T23:46:00.000-07:00

I'd like to thank everone that came along and made yesterday such a successful and special event. I'm so chuffed at the positive response and would like to thank everyone who just came by to have a look see as well as the ones that bought or ordered my work!

I'm posting a few photos of the handmade items I had on my stall yesterday, if you would like to order anything you see on the photos, please feel free to comment on this post or send me an email on sarah.micallef@live.co.uk. I also do custom orders with your name or well, whatever it is you want to add on there, so don't be shy ;)

You can see more of my work here: http://www.patchesmarket.com/?p=80
:)

Run up to Patches

2010-06-09T11:19:00.000-07:00

First off, apologies for my long absence - the reasons for it were many, but mostly to do with the manic run up to Patches artisan market (at which I will have my very own stand!!) which, after an initial setback due to foul weather, is all set to take place this Sunday. So, upon finding a rare moment of calm, and following a number of prods from people who DO actually follow my blog (who'da thunk it?) here it is - my monstrous, long overdue post!

Market Finds

A few weeks ago the boy and I got ourselves over to our favourite jumble sale in Birgu for a root around. The search yielded up some fine results for me - including a very pretty mirror, antique perfume bottle, brooch & lipstick holder.

Għanafest

Last weekend the Malta Mediterranean Folk Festival Għanafest was held at Argotti Gardens. Besides għana (Maltese folksong), the festival also hosts a number of stalls selling all manner of beautiful Maltese crafts from weaving, lace, homemade soap and jewelery. Obviously being partial to that sort of thing, I enjoyed every minute and bought some lovely homemade soap (called Rose Garden - what else??)

Aaand the beautiful handmade necklace I'm wearing here:

Earth Garden

There was another festival on this weekend by the name of Earth Garden which, besides performances by a variety of artists and exhibition area, includes an ethnic market. The vibe there was brilliant, with swathes of patterned silk swaying in the breeze among the stalls, beneath the shade of the trees at TaQali National Park - I felt a strong urge to take up a set of bongos and join the hippies in their tree-hugging more than once! I'll let the photos speak for themselves :)

Denise's adorable jellyfish monsters!

Patches Market

I'm really really really excited about this one. It's the first market I've ever taken part in so the experience is a completely new one for me. The amount of time I've devoted to preparation and making things for my stall is really racking up, but it's so worth it! Instead of pictures of actual items I'll be taking along with me on the day however, I thought I'd post a few teasers - in the hope that your curiosity will overcome you and I'll see you there on Sunday!! ;)

As for other stuff... work at Vida Magazine is going well and I feel like I'm really settling in now in many respects. An idea for a shoot I had a while back came to life today and I'm literally buzzing with satisfaction! The photos I've seen so far are really something, and it just makes me so proud to think I had so much to do with it. Unfortunately I can't post any photos until the mag itself is out in July (booo! hiss!!) but here's a photo of me relaxing afterwards on the sailing boat we shot the photos on :)

Happy Bunny Day

2010-04-04T03:48:00.000-07:00

In Malta, come Easter time we make what we call Figolli. Figolli are almond pastries cut out to represent symbolic figures.This year, I chose to just have heart shapes (because I'm just so full of love!!) and went a little crazy with the icing and Easter Eggs!

Here's what several hours covered in sugar(accompanied by the cooking genius that is a friend's aunt) have produced:

Happy Easter everyone :)

Daylight at 7pm

2010-03-31T09:32:00.000-07:00

Yep, I've officially started drawing again. Here are a couple of sketches I did this week.
Also, whilst in possession of the opportunity, a photo of the yummy orange and peanut cookies I made for my dad's birthday earlier this month... I had never got round to uploading them!

I've been making loads of figolli this week too, in preparation for Easter Sunday, so watch this space for photos! (Wouldn't like to put them up yet as I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise for the recipients!)

Promise little and do much

2010-03-25T12:24:00.001-07:00

As promised, photos of Maria's gift :)

The girl don't lie!

Candy Girl

2010-03-21T06:36:00.001-07:00

I'm really pleased with Accessorize's new range of Spring/Summer jewellery, so pleased in fact that I snapped some up for myself ;)

My new candy charm bracelet from Accessorize!

Bird & pearl rings

Also, to congratulate myself on my new job (which inevitably means I have even LESS time to get crafty - although I will not be deterred!!) I bought myself the lovely little 'An Outfit A Day' Notebook from Modcloth, to help get myself into drawing again. Browsing through fashion and illustration blogs, it just makes me want to make more time for cultivating that area.

Speaking of which... my first outfit drawing - aVintage polka-dot prom dress, pearl necklace and rollered hair for a Spots & Stripes party a little while back :)

On the embroidery front, I've been keeping busy embroidering cute motifs to go into a felt statement necklace/s. So far I've got a gramophone, fortune teller's card, pocketwatch and heart made up of keys...

And lastly - Maria's birthday was this week so in addition to a necklace from www.galibardy.co.uk (FABULOUS) I made her this card and embroidered her a little something something which she seemed pleased with. In characteristic forgetfulness, I neglected to take a photo of it, but if she would oblige me and help me out with a photo, I'll include it in my next post ;)

Love & Junk

2010-02-22T10:27:00.000-08:00

Wow, I can't believe it's been so long! In my defense, I did go abroad for a fortnight and have been absolutely bogged down with work of all varieties so yeah.. I guess I can believe it. Well, right back into it then! Haven't had the chance to post this yet:

My little baking adventure as a gift to boyfriend and BFF for Valentine's day :)

Went to a jumble sale yesterday morning - bright and early as usual - to one of my favourite places 'Ir-Razzett tal-Hbiberija' in Maltese (roughly translates into Farm of Friends haha) and was really bowled over by the amazing stuff I found!

Some fabulous brown leather T-bars, crocheted rose in a gorgeous brown wooden frame & a couple of blouses (winners for my new publishing job, yay!)

A beautiful little bow brooch with pearl drop.. very me indeed!

Aaand *drumroll* a great messenger bag for uni (just in time too, I start my MA in Contemporary Literature next week!)

I also got a lovely silver cake tray for muffin adventures, but it needs a good scrub, so will post photos when it's all nice n' shiny :)

Not bad eh? In terms of creative projects, I'm embroidering again... and am working on something I'm particularly excited about at the moment! Stay tuned ;)

Feliz Navidad

2009-12-27T13:54:00.000-08:00

My my, this Christmas season has proved itself to be my busiest yet! What with last minute Christmas present making, baking of gingerbread, meeting up with family and friends and crazy shifts at work, I barely noticed it go by. If it wasn't for the presents, that is... ;)

This year I decided to try my hand at making a gingerbread house, which turned out, to my surprise and pleasure, to be quite a success.. and I had enough leftover gingerbread to make an army of gingerbread men to go along with it (and feed everyone in abundance!)

Aside from kitchen adventures, I also made bookmarks for my closest friends with their inital embroidered on and fancy braiding :) These took up most of my free time from November through December, but I think they were well worth it in the end. I always like making a little something extra special come Christmas time, and since this was the first Christmas I'm not actually studying (I don't start my MA till Feb) I had a little more time on my hands to figure stuff out!

And now, here are photos of a few presents I received from my craftier friends :) Regrettably I stupidly didn't take photos of the things I made them, but if might get them to take photos themselves - in which case I'll be uploading them on a future post!!

Vintage-y soap set, bookmark and kettle-handle cover from Maria

Frame with pearly bow and handmade hairband & bangle also from Maria

Vintage tights, sewing chalk, special notebook and tool of the devil for the cats from Carla :)

December Luck

2009-12-05T12:52:00.000-08:00

Junkshops and Bazaars have been kind to me lately, and it's a good thing too, what with Christmas being round the corner and all! I've been keeping the itchy hands busy too, as this year (besides still working on presents for friends and family) I've decided to make some Christmas ornaments to hang on our tree, alongside the bows and angels :) These are the first two:

Two very successful Bazaars led me to find a number of lovely things, some of which I can't show on here, as they'll be forming parts of Christmas presents! I found a few vintage hardbacks to add to my collection, my favourite being a book on caring for clothes and sewing called 'Clothes: Their Choosing, Making and Care' by M.G. Butler, which the boy bought for me :D

I also found this beautiful little tapestry handbag for under a euro!

Thanks to a heads up from Carla, I visited another three Bazaars in her hometown, and found an assortment of treasures. A tapestry floral purse and vintage gold handbag:

A woven placemat depicting an (I'm assuming, thanks to the clogs) Dutch couple and ceramic box:

More books!

A stiff black satchel bag with gold fastening and beautiful silk lining:

A fabric covered box and little gold basket to put sewing paraphernelia in [in an attempt to organize my workspace]:

Phew, that certainly made for a photo heavy post! Happy December everyone! It's back to ornament-making for me :)

Gifts, Pins and My Life Story

2009-11-08T01:57:00.000-08:00

After a minor setback with the website plan (it all seems to be, thankfully, back on track now - fingers crossed!) I busied myself with other crafty things this week. I made two matching frames for my friends' Peter and Andrew's double birthday celebration; using much the same method as for my previous ones - covering them in embroidered fabric.

I'm really quite happy with the way they turned out, but because of the tight time frame I had to do them in (2 days - I have never been much for time management) I don't feel I really gave them the TLC they needed. Ah well, they seemed to be enjoyed :)
I also found a lovely little pattern for a home made pin cushion which I tried out, my worn fingers fully welcoming the break from the embroidery needle (oops!) I especially like the ribbon and button detail.

I bought a gorgeous large journal from a bookshop in Valletta a little while back, and I'm eager to start filling it. It's meant to tell the story of your life so I figured I'd start with the oldest ties I have - black and white photos of my grandparents and my parents as young 'uns. I wish photos still looked like this!

Also, just finished this little bangle with embroidered bow detail :)

The busy man is troubled with but one devil; the idle man by a thousand

2009-10-29T04:24:00.000-07:00

Ghadma tal-Mejtin (Dead Men's Bones) - Carla, a friend of mine made this for me in commemoration of the feasts of All Saints and All Souls celebrated on Nov 1st and 2nd. Isn't the presentation outstanding? The taste certainly was ;)

Seems every time I come on here to write a post it's between one thing and another, but despite all my whingeing and panic at being so busy, I really quite like this period in life. I'm still working at Monsoon of course but also have a few projects on the side - the website I'm setting up with my friends is well under way, I'm doing some fashion writing and collaborating with a friend on a little comic for the upcoming Comic Convention. Therefore, it really is all of my favourite things vying for time - here's hoping I can keep up with everything!

A trip to the Charity shop in Sliema produced an amazing haul of ribbons, lace, buttons and general sewing paraphernelia - all absolutely free! Turns out people don't buy these things anymore, as they don't take the time to sew anymore - sometimes you've really got to love Malta!

And now for a cheeky sneak peek at what I've been up to for the website:

The Modern Domestic

2009-10-18T03:36:00.000-07:00

buttery scones
Whoa I've been busy this month! With a new (and very exciting) project in the pipeline I've barely had the chance to think about anything else.. I've teamed up with a couple of very talented friends of mine to set up a website showcasing our work - definitely will be talking more about that when things are more finalized. Argh I'm so excited!
tea and crumpets
Because of this, I've rarely put my sewing weaponry down for long enough to do much else ;) Yesterday I was invited to a friend's house for a British Tea Party. He had been dying to use his new tea service, and the dress code was strictly floral dresses - definitely up my alley then. Everyone contributed by making crustless sandwiches, scones, crumpets and lemon muffins (those were mine) and everything was so lovely and scrumptious I simply had to share the experience :)
my homemade lemon muffin

What I've been up to lately...

2009-09-07T11:39:00.000-07:00

Its mostly embroidery again this week, experimenting with different ideas that have been flying into my mind for a little while now...! a frame I covered with embroidered fabric: (I decided to get a few of my favourite photos developed and framed, and intend on embroidering different designs on each frame - only problem is, it takes time!).

Apart from that, I've been getting into drawing again, slowly but surely trying out different techniques and stepping out of my comfort zone. Here are a couple of sketches I did this week:

With the boy going to visit family in Serbia next week, and to keep the boredom/missing him at bay; I have a feeling I'll be keeping busy with more creative happiness, and hopefully get a sewing project or two done! Fingers crossed!

One Man's Junk...

2009-09-06T09:25:00.000-07:00

Its been too long since I've gotten up at an inhuman hour of the morning for a much-loved traipse to one of the local markets, so when the boy and I decided to go to the Birgu jumble sale yesterday evening, I was really excited. And, since he hadn't been, hoped it would live up to the expectations I had built up! Luckily, despite the bleary-eyed ride to Valletta and Birgu, we both found lovely things and, after the obligatory snack (toast with melty cheese for me, cheesecakes for him) and watching the hilarious The Proposal at the cinema, I find myself very pleased and a little eager to show off my finds :)

Teodor (as expected) made sure to clear out many of the books available within a mile radius, fumbling happily through many a musty box (I was so proud); but I did manage to get my hands on these three: a rather worn out copy of The Masters of English Literature, a criticism book on Modern Poetry and a very amusing vintage copy (it doesn't have a date, but I'm assuming it's 50s, judging by the ads and info) of The Mothers' Advice Book.

Whenever I go to these things, jewelery tends to be my staple find, and I always go home with some item or other. This time it was three pairs of vintage earrings that caught my fancy.

I also found a beautiful metal peacock letter holder, little metal antique phone (I might use it as a paper weight or string a chain through it and wear as a necklace) as well as two little plates with an old Scottish saying imprinted in gold on the faces. It means 'be careful with the butter' - sweet!

All in all, a lovely day :) On the creative front, I'll post tomorrow with what I've been up to!

Blame it on the Sickness

2009-08-27T02:53:00.000-07:00

Wow it's been quite a while since my last update, what with foreign family coming over to visit and constant ferrying to and fro, its only now I've been struck down with illness (dramatic, me?) that I've finally found the chance to take a few photos of what I've been up to lately. Also, because of the time I'm spending indoors, often in bed, I needed to find something for my itchy fingers to do!

On a week-long break to our sister isle of Gozo a couple of weeks ago, all I had to content myself (apart from sun and pool-lounging, of course) were my books and sketchbook (a lovely present from my boyfriend x) which resulted in a series of summer-themed drawings in simple pen and ink.

My latest craze however seems to be embroidery. Following my first attempt with Rachel's sheep, I find myself intrigued by the possibilities (im always like this when I discover something new). I found a wonderfully useful book on different kinds of stitches and techniques a couple of days ago, and whereas it mainly focuses on floral designs, it may be applied to any design I dream up.

I'm toying with the idea of making little gifts for my friends come Christmas time (it's usually some culinary delight - gingerbread men and cookies in the past). My idea is to make little jewelry boxes for the girls and frames for the boys; but if Im seriously going to get these done on time I'm going to have to start asap! My trial jewelry boxes:

Next embroidery project which I will hopefully start this afternoon involves a peacock motif, which I'll be turning into a bag if it turns out well. Also, I've got numerous sewing ideas on the shelf, fuelled by some fabric the boy's mum kindly donated for my perusal - I feel a busy period coming on :)

And for the hell of it, a top I bought a little while ago which Im absolutely in love with:

I could live in pearls and lace for the rest of my life.

Gold Ink

2009-07-31T02:32:00.000-07:00

Here's a little drawing I did yesterday to test out some gold ink a friend brought me back from Florence (as well as a few of the nibs I had found at the junk shop - the ones in the beautiful box). When it comes to drawing it seems, I always fall back on that which I am most comfortable with, the female (either facially or form-wise). I guess I just like to capture softness and femininity in general (qualities which I myself don't often master fully).

Carla, the girl that brought me back the gorgeous gold ink from her Italy holiday, also brought me a lovely little alabastar jewelery box in a dewy light pink. Much love to her!

The week in general has (again) been quite busy, but in between bouts of work and play, I did manage to snap up this excellent brown leather bag from the thrift shop in Sliema (near my work). It's really spacious and useful, and has a lovely traveller feel about it.

Oh, and before I forget, the lovely Cinnamon Eve bestowed upon me my very first blog award - the lemonade stand award! Thanks so much :) Yay!

I now pass it on the following blogs, all of which I find beautiful and not in just the visual treat kind of way :)

Deerlings and Ghostthings

little boat

Little Byrd Vintage

Strawberry Koi ♥ Vintage Style

tales of a jUnkaholic

Now I'm off to prepare for a gig my friends are playing later! Hope everyone's having a great summer :)

Mexico Calling

2009-07-23T08:33:00.000-07:00

Whoa has it been a week already? Well yeah actually, I can believe it.. it's been a bit of a mad rush lately what with preparing for a Mexican Moustache-themed party I'm helping to organize, starting work at Monsoon/Accessorize and general rapping up of Uni stuffs!

I found out a couple of days ago that I got an A for my BA thesis (I wrote about Irish poet William Butler Yeats' Spiritual System and interest in paganism and magic ^.^) and am soo happy and proud! Without further ado, I present chapter 1:

This is my 'pimped out' and illustrated version, complete with William Morris-style bordering! - the one I had to supply to the library and secretary was a *slightly* more boring one.

As for the aforementioned Mexican Moustache party, I've been getting up to lots of little crafty mc craft activities for it! Streamers, piñatas, confetti, tickets and poster were all down to us:

Party's on Saturday, hope we get a good turnout as it's main purpose is a fundraiser for our University's English Students association :)

Also got some lovely new jewellery from Accessorize to wear to work (I still can't get over the amazing discount I get.. all to buy things I would've probably bought anyway!) There's a gorgeous rocking-horse charm necklace, as well as the ever-present abundance of bows - a cuff, little earrings, chuncky necklace and chain bracelet with anchor:

So yeah, busy busy little bee... still, I love being busy when it involves things I love doing :)

Junk Shop Finds

2009-07-14T07:18:00.000-07:00

Went to order the hardbound copies of my thesis today - major milestone here - I'm so pleased, and proud at what I have accomplished.. I really can't wait to see the finished product! Later, while looking for a present for my boyfriend's dad (for his birthday party tomorrow) with a couple of friends, we went, on a whim, to the junkshop across the road from the university. It is here we found him a perfect lino print poster (dating back to 1958) and silver cup (trophy for some dog show back in the 50s)!!

Whatsmore, we all found our own little gems. I happily picked up a gorgeously ornate engraved copper jewelery box at a ridiculously low price, an adorable little box of fountain pen nibs (I'll definitely be using these for some projects later on, so watch this space!) and an unopenable tin container with beautiful blue art-nouveau detailing.

The fountain pen nibs.. I love the box aswell:

The gorgeous carved jewelery box... at least I'm assuming its a jewelery box - it's got three compartments on the inside, made of wood:

And finally, the art-nouveau style container:

And now I'm off to play the proud mother role - polish them off and find them a home amidst their soon-to-be friends in my room :)

Customization Crazy

2009-07-13T01:15:00.000-07:00

This last week has proved quite productive on the sewing front :) I finished a skirt I was working on (haven't gotten round to taking any pictures yet but I will soon) as well as jazzing up a plain brown hair band and making a custom purse for a friend.

The hairband was relatively simple: I just paired some silky wine fabric with cream lace, added a few buttons for a homemade feel and attached the lot to the side. Im quite happy with the end result, I feel all girly and silly when I wear fancy hairbands (a nice change from the 'polished' look I'm so normally fond of)!

The purse I decided to make as a thankyou gesture for my best friend, mainly for her patience in putting up with me and giving me lifts when we go out (sadly, I have not yet started driving). Her name's Rachel, which is derived from the Hebrew word for 'ewe' and she has adopted the sheep as her symbol; so I simply had to embroider the sheep on. It's my first proper embroidery experience so Im very pleased with it! The bow and pearl were added later for decoration :)

As for outfits this week, haven't really been out much (hence the creative happiness indoors) although my new hair did get a test run at a party for a friend who is leaving to Australia in a few days!

ModCloth Terrific Transformations Contest

2009-07-11T01:04:00.000-07:00

Well here goes...

Being someone who has undergone quite a number of shifts which may safely and fittingly be labeled transformations, one would think it would be hard to put my finger on one that made, so to speak, all the difference. When anyone talks about an experience which puts everything in its place, smoothes over life’s difficulties and makes everything fit, one may be forgiven for assuming that the experience being described is one induced by narcotics – this, in this instance, is not the case.

Events that have formed major parts of my character nowadays (and contributed greatly to my growth in general) have included my parents’ annulment and the events leading up to and directly resulting from that, the constant emphasis on the importance of my education (I’ve just got a university degree in English Literature, announced last week – tick!), my grandfather’s death (he was, in my eyes, the gel that kept the family together, and my hero), the arrival of my dog (the most precious gift – he helped me discover that there was a protective maternal instinct waiting to be discovered within me), the chopping off of my hip length hair into a bob (metaphorical, of course) as well as a spiritually and emotionally draining three-year relationship with my first love -- all of which have not only shaped me, but always infused me with a certain guarded sense of responsibility and hardiness.

It is for this reason that I tend to come off as ‘strong’ and nonchalant to those who have just met me – needless to say, they were never witness to the evening breakdowns and floods of tears. Nevertheless, it is no secret that pain and hardship has its upsides – well let’s just say I don’t take any crap and can handle most things with a smile on my face. The transformation of which I speak, the one that has made all the difference to my seemingly withered heart and mind, is experiencing the most difficult months of my life (final year at university) leading up to meeting he who appears to be, my male counterpart. What was weird to others was refreshing to him, he saw what was cynical and doubtful to be a product of circumstance, and easily pushed it away, what was hard was soon softened and well, here we are. Two birds of a feather, two peas in a pod. I wouldn’t change anything that happened to me, anything that I went through; because I know it brought me here. What’s more, I know I’ve done the same for him.

A sonnet he wrote for me on my birthday:

On her Eyes

Their shifting hue was no surprise

It was in fact fitting to find

How your rich, varied beauty shone through your eyes

With which you would bind

My heart so infinitely stunned

By the clotted brambles of half-starts

And the Cupids arrows I had shunned.

But you came, and with your natural arts

Unfurled me into me by all that made you you

Nerd, fashionista, the way you quietly rebel

Without knowing, you made me feel new,

Everything conspired for me to fall under your spell.

And on your birthday, I just want to say what is simple and true:

The reason I am here and the reason I hope to stay,

- is because I love you.

http://blog.modcloth.com/2009-07-09-announcing-the-terrific-transformations-contest?=6_9_transformations

Five Months and New Haircut

2009-07-08T09:37:00.000-07:00

Yay.. the much-awaited haircut has arrived.. and on my five month anniversary with my boyfriend no less! After growing up with a mane of long curly hair, I snapped and got it cut into a bob a couple of years ago and worked that for around a year or so. Don't get me wrong, I loved having short hair, but I always missed what I could do with long hair - particularly up dos and styles such as the beehive and french plait among the more intricate ones! I've been growing it for the past few months now and I'm quite happy with the new clean cut (now I can experiment again!)

I absolutely love that dress in the photos.. got it on sale from Topshop and have been in love with it ever since!

Teodor (the boy) and I had some lovely chinese to celebrate our first five months together, followed by a wander round some happily kitsch souveneir shops on Tourist Street in Bugibba (where my grandmother lives) and a few episodes of newly discovered True Blood. Happy day!

Ode to Bow

2009-07-05T15:17:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine once joked that everything in my wardrobe has bows on. Whereas this may be a teensy bit of an exaggeration, I do love me a good bow, really - I'm not even sure why. Theyre just so pretty and innocent and create such a nice little shape. Gosh, I'm a bow addict! And to prove it, well,...{click on photo to make it larger}

Featured in the little collage are cakes and cupcakes I've made in the past (I was beside myself with culinary joy upon learning - from Youtube of course - how to make icing bows; as well as photos of me wearing them in different ways. There are of course, many more (shoes, bags, scarves, blouses etc...) I couldn't help but include a photo of the much-coveted Topshop shoes which I will probably never be able to afford. As a student, I am, as ever, absolutely skint :(

Drawing

2009-07-03T10:29:00.000-07:00

Just a little something I did today.. it's not much, but I like the dreamy quality of it - seems to reflect my current state of mind - summer, here I come!

"Begin at the beginning,", the King said, very gravely, "and go on till you come to the end: then stop

2009-07-02T12:41:00.000-07:00

I've decided to start this journal in order to document creative activity. I've got too many hobbies than I know what to do with really, and I figured this would keep me active and organized. I have several projects lined up for the summer, as I always like to keep busy! In addition, I intend on using it as a fashion/sewing diary, in which I hope to display outfits or items I'm particularly proud of (assuming there are any to speak of!)

Let the documentation commence :)

First Sewing Project Yayy, so my first blouse of the summer is finished! Its made of a pretty little leaf-print cotton with a v-neck pussy-bow neckline and sweet cat-face navy buttons. After a couple of days on-and-off work on it, I finally stitched on the cat-face buttons this morning; and I'm quite happy with it overall :) Save a few glitches along the way, it seems to have come through very well for the first project of the summer (and there will, hopefully, be many more).