Novelty Brooch Friday - November

Happy November and happy Novelty Brooch Friday for another month! 

I am so happy this maker agreed to be showcased this month because I love her work, I have purchased 2 of her creations and pine after many more - they are gorgeous.  And to tell you the truth I really wanted to find out more about her background and her business.  

Another Australian business that gets me excited and am so pleased to bring to you....if you haven't already discovered her.  Thank you Ashley for your time and for offering 2! Brooches, so this month there will be 2 winners!!! You really are lucky ducks.

Demure Couture

When did you start your business Demure Couture and what got you interested in making jewellery? 

Firstly, thanks so much for having me for November’s feature – I’m honoured… and mega-nuts about novelty brooches (clearly!), so it’s all very exciting.
 

I started the line back in 2009, under Pistol Packin’ Designs, but it was quite different then. I was (and still am) mad for vintage hats; the felt, the detailing – The wackier and kitschier the better!  When I continued the line, after moving to Australia, I found the culture to be quite different and not as receptive. A lot of the feedback I was getting would relate back to horse-racing and seemed to be most acceptable during this season; a completely new concept to me, as horse-racing isn’t such an affair in California, or at least, not that I was ever aware of. I began to focus my work towards special events; custom pieces for wedding, parties, etc. Demure Couture was born.   

After many lovely, local designers began creating pieces in the same vein, I decided to expand Demure. I’d always created bits and pieces of jewellery for myself and started to explore that space further. I’m ridiculously obsessed with novelty brooches and old plastics, and pine for those hard to find Bakelite pieces. I started toying with concepts and sketches of items I loved and wanted to reproduce, and hoped there were just a few like-minded folk out there that would dig what I was doing.  Throughout these years, I’ve finally found myself in a place where I’m absolutely in love with what I’m creating and I hope that shows. I have my mits on every little piece, down to the initial sketch, to carving and casting, sanding and hand-painting, and knowing others are stoked when they receive their orders makes it all that much better!  

 Are there any themes or imagery you like to include in your designs?  If you’re familiar with my work, there’s no denying I’m heavily influenced by good ole Spaghetti Westerns and all things South of the Border! I do love a splash of tropical Hawaiian and an under-the-sea theme as well. Pretty much, if you’re looking for donkeys, sombreros and lobsters… I’m you’re gal! Ha ha 

Can you tell us a few of your favourite artists/designers and what it is about them you admire?  Ah! How much time do we have??
1930s/40s jewellery (and fashion for that matter) had this beautiful balance of structure and complete imagination!  

My biggest icons, hands down, that steady that scale would have to be Elsa Schiaparelli, Carmen Miranda, Lupe Velez, Jean Paul Gaultier, Christian Dior, Nudie Cohn… the list goes on…  A few of my fave modern designers, that I seriously recommend checking out, would be: Forbidden Charm, Cork Stuff, She Accessories, Nudie Rodeo Tailors, War Path...all, seriously tops!   

Are there any materials you would like to work with that you haven't already?  I’d love to get into silver and stone work - It is an absolute craft, so I will respectfully leave that up to the pros! Ha ha  

Is there any advice you could give to someone who wants to start their own business?  Sit down and brainstorm, really nut out a vision, even if it starts out small – be sure it is something you believe in and would still want to continue doing, even if you were your only consumer. Talk to people – research your market. Be unique and true to yourself. Most of all, have fun… when the love for what you’re doing leaves, get out, or evolve! We’re always learning and growing – Allow that to reflect in your work… and don’t judge yourself too harshly when you look back.
 

If you’re keen to check out more of Ashley's work, you can find her here:  

Instagram: @demure_couture 

www.demurecouturedesigns.etsy.com
www.facebook.com/DemureCouture 
www.demurecouture.net

So would you like to see the the brooches you could be in the chance to win this month?

You guessed it its the lobster and the sombrero!

Thank you so much Ashley again, and remember post a picture of yourself with one of your favourite novelty brooches on any Friday in November with the hashtag #noveltybroochfriday to be in with a chance to be one of two lucky winners.

The winners will be announced on Monday 1st December.

Have a wonderful November and see you on Friday xx

Novelty Brooch Friday - September winner

What a wonderful brooch and maker we had for September! Thank you Jennie (A Little Vintage Etsy shop) for your time and generosity and donating one of your Frida hand-sewn brooches for one lucky person to win.

And thank you everyone for joining in and showing everyone your brooches over the past month.  

The lucky winner who used the hashtag #noveltybroochfriday on Instagram on a Friday is.......

Congratulations @ashlapin!! If you could email me your postal address to tunabake@hotmail.com Jeannie will forward you your prize.

Next month's brooch is a return to the beginning of Novelty Brooch Friday more than a year ago.  This special maker is such a generous person and a fantastic creative, stay tuned for Friday's reveal and another Novelty Brooch Friday.

If you're a brooch maker/designer or vintage seller of brooches and would like to donate a beautiful brooch to the giveaway and have your shop featured, please email me with a little info about your designs and shop and hopefully i'll get you a spot on the calendar.  

Novelty Brooch Friday - September

Since the beginnings of Novelty Brooch Friday (over a year ago) the driving force behind it, other than seeing everyone's brooches, was meeting brooch makers and sellers.  There is such a passion and excitement about their craft or the selling of others craft I find so appealing.  

I don't often get to meet the generous people that answer my questions and offer one of their creations to a lucky person, but recently at a craft market Finders Keepers I was lucky enough to meet a few of the lovely ladies who I have met online.

One of those lovely ladies was Jennie, Jennie is the person behind A Little Vintage Etsy shop, specialising in soft material crafts.  I am lucky enough to own one of Jennie's Frida brooches and this month she is offering one to a lucky winner!

And so in the monthly tradition I asked Jennie to answer 5 questions about her work and shop.

When did you first discover you liked creating your work out of soft materials and sewing?

My first real discovery in textiles, was actually when my Grandmother passed away. I was given her old linen tea towels. Linen makes the best tea towels – so all my cotton ones became redundant. Then one night I decided to sew them all together to make a table cloth. The only thing was, that I didn’t have a sewing machine .. so I did it all by hand! All I can say is, it must have been a very strong urge to make that table cloth! (some of the tea towels were beautiful Laura Ashley that I had been collecting over the years in England).

Do you have reoccurring themes you like to base your works around?

For the last year or so – the main theme has been Frida Kahlo. I have made a Silk Collection of dolls, some wall hangings and of course the little thread drawn brooches. Apart from admiring Frida’s artistic talent and amazing strength of character, I think what draws me back to her is how expressive and extreme I can go with fabrics/face/jewellery etc. It’s also fun to see how each Frida turns out, as they are all recognisable as her – but none are the same! Another reoccurring theme is flora/fauna, I have always been drawn to flowers in art, let alone fabric. I remember painting a huge floral wall hanging in high school for the library – so much fun! And when I was a nanny in England for many years, one of the ladies I worked for used to pay for the flowers every week when I went to a floristry course. Then, the flowers were displayed in their home (where I lived too)! It gave me way more scope, being able to buy what ever flowers I wanted – especially in expensive London.

Can you tell us a bit about artists/crafts people you admire?

Obviously Frida Kahlo – as mentioned above.
I also admire Annemieke Mein – she is a clever textile artist who creates such amazingly realistic images – mainly of insects/fish/birds. I adore how she captures movement in her works – such an inspiration.

Are there any particular materials you like working with or would like to work with?

I love working with texture. Any fabric that has the touchy – feely element. It gives another dimension, is a lot more interesting to look at - and creates depth.


Is there any advice you could give anyone thinking about starting a business? 

Go with your instincts, there is only so much you can be told about how something should be done. I’m talking about the creative side of business. What is going to set you apart is being different. This is probably where it was a good thing that I haven’t had sewing lessons – the way I sew is not the way other people do! Which has helped me be different and original.

Thank you Jennie for your offering one of your wonderful brooches and giving us a little insight into your interests, loves and inspirations............and so here it is, the fabulous Frida brooch you could win.  Just use #noveltybroochfriday on any friday in September on Instagram and show everyone your brooches.  

See you on Friday!
x

Pom pom urge

I had an overwhelming urge to make a pom pom necklace on the weekend, I don't know why? It could have been the very strong cup of coffee or the impending cooler weather that made me search through my huge box of material, paints, wool, paper goods....



I think it turned out OK, I platted the wool to make the chain around my neck and somehow fastened the pom poms together with wool. It may need a few more pom poms when the winter arrives to keep my neck warm.

It was a fun thing to create on a cool, rainy day.

I have a feeling pom poms might appear a lot this winter in my wardrobe.

Christmas cards all made and sent

This is our Christmas card this year.

I always like to make them, it is often cheaper and makes not receiving ANOTHER bog standard Christmas card in the post a little more special.



Instead of using the Gocco printer I decided to make a lino print.

As inspiration for the image I scoured the Internet for 1950's inspired Christmas images, this is what I came up with - Rudolph, instead of the typical snow related image which just doesn't seem right in our hot climate.

Christmas has arrived

We put our tree together on the weekend, well Little Miss A threw a bit of tinsel on and I fixed it all up in the evening. I'm pretty happy with it even though it doesn't have lights - we thought it best not to in case a little certain someone comes along and decides to pull it down.

The decorations we have had for a long time, although this year we bought some more baubles and bells.



I have been working on a little head band that I may wear on Christmas day. I just took apart some Christmas decorations, wired them all together, wound some ribbon around it and Vwalla!



I think it needs a little more work.

Craft hatch this Saturday!

Craft Hatch is having a super duper, big craft market at the State Library this Saturday 23rd October.


Bags by Minnt Design

I might just have to purchase one of these little cute bags...


Crocheted homewares by Teddy Bears Wednesday

and one of these little cuties.