nature and the dead.

i really shouldn't be posting these up yet, because the real artist of the day (the photographer) hasn't released her photos yet. but i really want to share my happy snaps with you! i'll just post my fave ones okay? i can't wait to see Victoria's shots, her lighting will look magnificent, i just know it!

p.s Merry Christmas you creative/stylish/intelligent bunch of people!

any given sunday.

aahh photoshoots are so much fun! today's location was at a pretty graveyard across North Sydney TAFE. weather was fantastic, the sun was out and the breeze was cool. i met our model Tereza and hair & make-up artist Sofia for the first time, and of course there was the talented photographer Victoria. it was a great pleasure to work with these girls! here are some prep shots, will upload my amateur pics tomorrow.

p.s happy anniversary to my better half! x

end of season sale.

size small. was $40 now $20.

size s/m. was $55 now $35.

size s/m. was $40 now $20.

one size. was $35 now $15.

size small. was $45 now $30.

here's your last chance to grab a Maiden original at a discounted price. first in, first serve - don't forget there is only one of each style.

take a bow.

here's the detail on that neckpiece from the previous post. and that's a new bow tie i made that we shall be using this Sunday for the shoot. two more sleeps...

it's black, it's white...

the next collection for Autumn/Winter '09 is going to be based on black & whites. here's a sneak peak...

prepping up.

i've got another photoshoot coming up this Sunday *hooray* i love a good day out styling and taking pics with a team of beautiful girls! i'm teaming up with Rika-Heke Photography once again, she is so great to work with! here are a couple of sketches of styling i have in mind, need to get back in the studio after this to create them.

vintage meets summer.

i return, with this for you.

here's the end result from hours of hacking at this dress. it looked soo hott on Jess, too bad she forgot to bring her heels. sexy and chic is all i can say!

t'was a busy day for me in the studio today, first i had a visit from my high school friend Glenda and her two beautiful rugrats. she happily left with two Maiden threads, (she just called me then to put the "kernel bow top" on hold for her!). then after, Thea & co. who came to pick up Tia's formal dress for tomorrow, the girl needs to be persuaded into getting higher heels (i hope Thea succeeds in her mission). and last but not least Jess came by to get her kaftan dress and also to model it for me.

i found my inspiration...

in the form of Canadian supermodel Jessica Stam.

i have seen this face a million times before in my magazines, on the television and even on Dior advertisements at the mall (this word sounds so much more classy than 'my local shopping centre'). i didn't know her name until last week when i tried googling 'D&G models' or something along the lines of 'cute - skinny - blonde model', which doesn't really narrow it down to much but her face appeared on the first page along with her bff Lily Donaldson and our own Gemma Ward. i think Stam is a doll! these photographs are gorgeous, who said too much lighting can ruin a photo?

"to hell with you and all your friends, it's on.

hmm i miss TBS, should listen to them sometime during the day. 

so this was what i had in mind for the dress i made the other day. i tried making it different from the other one i had already made Candice awhile ago, but no go, Jess likes the other design better. the style of the neck line actually takes quite longer than the other cut, but at least i know how to sew it now. i'm going to make these for Winter, they look so lovely with the patterned stockings my bf hates so much. i'm going to have to unpick it all, so i will be back  a little later on with the end result. stay tuned...

it's Maiden, bitch.

dragged myself back in the studio to create this vintage piece for Maidenette, Jessica Lee. she's going to wear it to a work christmas party this weekend, i'm sure she'll rock it out! the buttons take awhile to make, but it's time put to great use, they're so precious.

i tip my hat off to you...

i saw a pic of cute Isabel Lucas in a magazine earlier this year, and i fell in love with this fedora hat she sports around with different outfits. i finally found a pic of it online, so here is the cutest hat i have ever seen. i wonder where i can find me one...

p.s i also heart Isabel Lucas, although i have never met her she looks like the kindest celebrity you could meet. she is both talented and passionate, making her uber cool!

in love with Keira.

this is the English rose, Keira Knightley, if you didn't already know.

some will say she is too skinny and unhealthy, but i think she is pure perfection. i love her style. i love her talent. and i love what you may call her flaws.

"there's gotta be more to life...

...than chasin' down every temporary high to satisfy me..."

so i went to my exam/interview yesterday to try and get into my fashion industry practices course. i'm kinda of having mixed feelings about it. i thought i did pretty well in the aptitude test, alot of the girls there were abit intimidating but i didn't let that get to me this time. i was one of the first to go into my interview. eeek!...and that's when my little happy positive bubble burst...

so i was told, not in these exact words but along the lines of "these are quite simple outfits, you have basic sewing skills". hmm i know i'm still learning and everything i do is pretty much self taught, but was that really all they could gather about me and my potential? *sigh* my creativeness was also questioned and all of a sudden i felt rather discouraged. i've also been thinking, how am i ever going to fit into this industry? it's competitive, brutal, bitchy, intimidating - everything i'm not! and to add to that, i have no idea where my parcel to NZ is?! it's been over two weeks since i sent the stock, and the people at Australia Post are far less than helpful! the stupid lady at the post office practically laughed at me and asked how it got sent to America instead of NZ, how am i supposed to know i left the package with them?! i was so excited about stocking overseas, my first boutique debut, and they mess up the delivery! see what i mean about the high's and low's of being me? i'm feeling even more uninspired right now...

 

back to black.

i love ruffles. i love pockets. and i absolutely love a black dress with both ruffles and pockets!

this is a dress i made for one of my high school friend's maiden of honor a.k.a her little sister. not a traditional choice of colour for a bridal party dress, but i love it!

if the shoe fits.

i'm already quite excited about Autumn & Winter coming up, although we have been getting cold stormy days this Summer. i'm at home bored on a Saturday night with nothing to do, so i decided to go blog hopping - i've been really inspired by some girls from abroad, both such great styles. i'm in search of these Dr. Marten's that were on sale at Dangerfield in Melbourne when i went down there last October, i knew i should have bought them! but i went on the website and saw other potential buys. and guess what i came across... Aaliyah docs! i just might have to get them! i originally was looking at the pair of Chloe shoes, then i found them in high boots. neither of these are the ones i saw in Melbourne, but i like them all! can i have them all please Santa?...

my black Docs i bought about five years ago are still in pretty good condition, they are quite heavy for my little ankles but i love them so much. i wish i could wear them out to clubs without getting looked at weird by underdressed hoochies :s

journey to the past.

a collation of fallen hip hoppers and others who left a big impact on the world.

medium: acrylics

i was crawling before i could walk...

...and i was drawing before i could sew.

i have been looking thru alot of illustrations lately, i'm in awe of the talent out there! feeling abit nostalgic last night, i decided to looks thru my old art books and portfolios from six years ago. and then i started to reminisce about how much i loved sitting down spending hours sketching and painting. looking back at my work from Senior High now i wonder - "how the hell did i do that?" . i remember i hated drawing hair and hands, but i didn't do a bad job of it. 

my year 12 major art project was called Death Tells the Truth, a celebration of the life of my most favourite music artist Aaliyah, who died at the age of 22 in a plane crash in 2001. She was my inspiration since my early years of primary school thru till now. 

until the end of the week i will be posting up any artworks of mine that i can find. i really want to get back into visual arts, it was such a big part of my life. is it possible to forget how to draw?...

medium: lead and coloured pencils.

lights off.

i'm so eager to start on my Autumn/Winter 09 collection but i have some other things to get out of the way first ugh. but i did make a couple of harem pant/leggings. i'm sending one over to Texas to fashionista Michelle who i met thru Chictopia. the light in my sewing machine is out, so i had to finish the second pair in the dark. i hope dad can fix it for me or else i'm screwed, i have one more formal dress due on the 11th. i'm having trouble finding nice fabric, i've been so uninspired...

p.s that's my new mirror, i had to buy a new one after i accidentally pushed my mannequin against it causing it to break. with my dad being over superstitious, he threw my 'shattered effect' mirror in the bin without letting me know.

all hail Elbaz.

most of you wouldn't know it, but i'm not really one of those fashionistas who follow trends and talk designer wear every twenty seconds. i probably can't even name ten if i had to, okay maybe i'm exaggerating, but what i'm trying to say is i really don't follow the catwalk much. but i've been so inspired by the Lanvin fashion house since I was introduced to the purple faille ruffle dress earlier this year. like my love for the art noveau era, i love the use of sinuous lines and the fluidity of the fabric. only recently did i find out who was behind these beautiful clothing. Alber Elbaz... you're my hero! he's a cute little dumpling isn't he?

proven guilty.

getting stock ready to ship off to NZ. i hope they love it. i put so much love into packaging these things, it takes me hours. i need to get proper neck tags made, anyone have contacts?