Alice and the White Rabbit Playing Card

Its been a little while since the last time...
so lets make it a good one!

i picked up a cute japanese craft book for making greeting cards based on Disney tsum tsum range.
totally kawaii!

Anyways, i took one of the card designs and appropriated it into my cartonnage - fabrics instead of papers.
Just a tad more challenging due to the tiny cuts that can be made on paper compared to fabric.

i turned this card design into a vertical top handle clutch purse/bag.
I used a push lock to secure the opening - first time using a push lock!

Here it is!
Adorable playing card design featuring Alice and the White Rabbit!

 Simple leather top handle with silver tone hardware

 My own little signature at the back

 Of course, how can i not include a giant mirror! Its totally what every bag needs to have built in (where possible)

Tiny little stitches... hand embroidered felt pictures...

My very own Box of Joe

Its been a long hiatus.. isn't it annoying when a day job gets in the way?
Even more annoying when the day job becomes a night job as well ☹
All the pain but none of the glory *sigh*


Getting back to it.
The last few project were sewing projects so its past due for some boxy fun!


The latest creation is based on the humble milk carton (stumpy version).
Presenting Caffe Latte in a carton.
My very own box of joe (although i do not drink coffee at all) =P

The chain strap/handle is removable; in fact, i pinched this off my Moschino Cheap & Chic bag.
Currently its cross body, but can be replaced with a shorter hand held chain strap.
Its spacious enough to hold the essentials and more.


just a thought, why is it that people order a 'latte', but they obviously don't mean (just) milk, but milk/white coffee?

Vintage style caffe latte graphic

Front and side.

 

Front & other side

Open wide!

Tick, tock, tick, tock...

What time is it?!

 

 Its time for a surprise!!

.. or maybe is time for something "engaging"...

Abracadabra!

I designed this novelty ring box for fun.
Ring boxes out there are quite run of the mill, plain-ish, and "regular".
Most ring boxes i see on etsy are associated with engagements so what better than a clock to ask what time is it?

Of course, its not limited to only engagements. It can be time for anything!
The insert for the ring can be easily changed to an insert for a necklace chain or earrings.
Stay tuned for more.

More Clutching Maddness

In keeping with the box clutch maddness, and buoyed by the relative success of the grapefruit box clutch, i was itching to get cracking on another one (to take a break from studying for a certification).

Not anything original (Charlotte Olympia has done it, Chanel has done it, Lanvin has done it...) but is a cute and ladylike accompaniment to any outfit. It is the Perfume Bottle clutch.

Here is a sketch of what i wanted to it resemble. Proportions are abit off.
I wanted to go for something a little bit vintage/art deco.

and here is the end result..

The main body of the 'bottle' is covered in champagne coloured silk twill. The front and back panels are padded with some thin wadding. The bottle 'top' is covered in white cotton with a dainty floral print.
The name plaque is also padded and is hand embroidered in metallic gold and gray thread.

It is roomier than the grapefruit as i added an extra half cm to the thickness of the clutch. The deco style 'bottle' top was certainly a challenge to make. It ended up being abit more well 'rounded' than the sharp deco corners i originally envisioned.

A peek inside...

 

the vintage blue posies seen previously (keeping in with the vintage feel of the clutch)

Next!

Next project in progress.

What is it going to be?

Crazy Cartonnage #2

I enjoyed making the first cartonnage box muchly.. although my hand needed a good rest from all the thick card cutting o_O;
I jumped right back in with a second project.

This time i wanted to make a flower pot bag.

I didnt have anything to follow off so i made up my own pattern. totally crazy!
I didnt have a giant compass either so my round bits were sorta free handed. even more crazy!
...lol yes, thats how confident i was >.<;

without further ado, presenting project #2

(excuse the background, just boxes of my other ♥ - designer shoes!)

I used the left over 'retro umbrella girls' fabric to line the interior. They are so cute!

Group shot!

Trying my hand at Cartonnage

im a very crafty soul and i am always trying out new handicrafts. The problem i have is that i enjoy making things, however, i dont enjoy keeping things. Like plushies... what to do with them after that are complete? im not big on buying soft toys as i find them kinda useless, as cute as they are.

I stumbled across cartonnage: the age old french art of box making. Awesome. Something i could make and could be kinda useful at least :)

i was keen on looking up some cartonnage or fabric covered box information before trying my hand at it, however, sad to say, there was much on the net... other than recycling existing "packaging" or "postage" boxes and hastily covering it a giant sheet of fabric for "pretty" storage solutions; or the small handful of site/bogs found were in french or the boxes were very .... matronly and outdated.

So without further ado, my very first cartonnage box!
It is a 'business card' box in the style of an envelope.

i referenced the japanese craft book that the box is sitting on... even though i can barely read japanese. You know what they say - a picture is worth a thousand words :)

I have always loved the Yve Saint Laurent "Y-mail" collection, so i borrowed that for front envelope design.
Call me crazy but i hand embroidered the design on... even though this was my first attempt at cartonnage, and the box could have turned out badly and with all that extra effort in hand stitching it, would have ended in tears o_O;

lift the lid and love the retro umbrella girls print! adorable!