Michael models the boutonniere I made for him to wear at our wedding in October. The groomsmen wore them as well.

Craft notes:
Seafoam blue velvet ribbon hot glued onto brown grosgrain ribbon (all from Michael’s)

Velvet craft leaves applied at top of ribbons (from a great embellishments online store):

http://www.vintagevogue.com/onlinestore/item6846.htm

Copper wire and dyed freshwater pearls woven to form a bird’s nest and hot-glued on top of leaves (special thanks to blogger Cathe Holden for posting her great tutorial on how to make these sweet little bird nests:

http://justsomethingimade.blogspot.com/2009/03/little-wire-bird-nests.html

Fiddlehead fern-shaped swirl created out of thin gauge copper wire and tiny seafoam blue seed beeds, then hot-glued into place around the bird nest.

I made bird nests out of silver wire with seafoam blue pearls for the ladies in the wedding party. I didn’t have the loops made for the chains in time to distribute at the wedding. Check out more photos on our wedding blog. Many more photos to come!

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

Above: Michael models the boutonniere I made for him to wear at the wedding. The groomsmen wore them as well.

Craft notes:
Seafoam blue velvet ribbon hot glued onto brown grosgrain ribbon (all from Michael’s)

Velvet craft leaves applied at top of ribbons (from a great embellishments online store): http://www.vintagevogue.com/onlinestore/item6846.htm

Copper wire and dyed freshwater pearls woven to form a bird’s nest and hot-glued on top of leaves (special thanks to blogger Cathe Holden for posting her great tutorial on how to make these sweet little bird nests: http://justsomethingimade.blogspot.com/2009/03/little-wire-bird-nests.html

Fiddlehead fern-shaped swirl created out of thin gauge copper wire and tiny seafoam blue seed beeds, then hot-glued into place around the bird nest.

I made bird nests out of silver wire with seafoam blue pearls for the ladies in the wedding party. I didn’t have the loops made for the chains in time to distribute at the wedding—but you all will be getting them soon; I promise!

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

THESE ARE B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L

THE COLOUR, MATERIAL AND SIMPLICITY ALL WORK SO WELL TOGETHER

I had the best experience yesterday. I contacted Lupus Hirano to ask about some textures on a lovely open air ballroom that I purchased from her on Xstreet and I was just blown away by her kindness. She went out of her way to help me and was super nice about it.

Anyway, the building in question is somewhere beneath that pile of brightly colored blocks. We were going to work on setting up a bit, but somewhere along the way Velvet deleted the floor and the games began. The only evidence of our shenanigans left behind is a fairly deep hole beneath the building. I did manage to get one thing accomplished. I built a very simple pillow chair, my attempt at replicating my favorite chair at Kasbah. It’s just two sculpted pillows with an embedded sit pose, but I finished it in one sitting, so I’m pretty pleased with myself. I’m feeling a bit ambitious now and plan on making more furniture, but first I need to focus on setting up Reverie. Still have quite a bit to do.

Hm..my mind’s wandering.

Phoenix exclaimed, “Oh my god, it stinks” just as I took this snapshot. Nuff said.

Minnie Wilde toggle coat, thrifted velvet vest (meant for Michael!), H&M skirt, scarf from Delhi (gift from Karan,) Hansel from basel gold thread tights & socks, vintage Dexter boots.

When I was 19, “Les Demoiselles” by Harmonia was my favorite song, I played it before bed and during baths and during daydreams, it still sounds like slow cowboys to me, and the Picasso painting is good as well, only later, did I begin to like Brian Eno, even more when I realized he created the Windows start-up sound, even more when I realized he came up with ambient music while convalescing in a hospital after a car accident, even more when he said in a Guardian interview:

I started to notice that you could buy keyboards of such complexity that you basically press one note on them and you’ve got a career as an ambient artist. I thought, there doesn’t seem much challenge in that any longer.

That’s only the most brilliant and hilarious thing that Eno could have said and he said it.

In high school, I walked around staring at other people in buses and on the street and in parks, creep that I was, I wrote everything down in notebooks and reread it while listening to Belle & Sebastian and wishing I knew a skinny boy with glasses from Glasgow who could have tortured feelings about me. (Blair Waldorf would say, “Um, it’s called a cliche.”) I bought my red plaid toggle coat from the San Francisco label, Minnie Wilde, now defunct, and like all of the clothing I own by Minnie Wilde, I love it to death. I left a Minnie Wilde floral motorcycle jacket in Switzerland, and a skirt in Russia, and a long sleeved dress in Latvia because I’m the way I am, a flake in the midst of snowflakes.

My inspiration for my holiday outfit today was the nail polish my perfectly beautiful and beautifully perfect friend Sarah gave me last Saturday. Because I’m virtually unable to perform any detail oriented tasks, you can only sort of make out the color in the fourth and last photo–it’s a dark teal blue color called Muse from the brand Illamasqua. I’m obsessed with it, also obsessed with Michael Silverblatt, his extraordinary eloquence, his sincerity and ability to weave disparate narratives from the far-flung corners of every kind of personal and literary experience moved me deeply when he came to Iowa this Fall to give a Q&A. He told a story about going with his mother to the hairdressers and Lewis Carroll and carrying at least four different genres of books with him at all times and needing a lot of pockets, and disbelieving Ezra Pound (yes!) and I think I had tears in my eyes and the craziest thumping in my heart the entire time he was giving his talk!

His interview with Dennis Cooper on Bookworm is astounding. When he came to Iowa, he apologized for trying to dazzle us, in the interview, he uses the word ‘twinkling,’ and I realized I should use the word twinkling much more than I do, and dazzle, as I am dazzled by the package of books that arrived at my doorstep today.  Some of them I dumped on the floor in a puppy pile with my clothes and slippers and things, and the others are on my bed, in the same twinkling puppy pile shape, waiting for me now to say hello and let them know I have not forgotten about them.

Hi! I have not forgotten about you.

Love, Jenny

I first stumbled upon this image of Marcelina in Velvet and was stunned – her face and hair, complexion contrasting with her dark hair. Gorgeous!

Stats: Polish; Oct. 16, 1990; agency – Next; recently walked in: Dior and Galliano Couture F/2008, Armani Prive, Jurgensen, D&G, C. Lacroix… Nothing for 2009 though, which is a shame. I like her editorial stuff more than runway, generally speaking. I hope to see more soon!

Christian Lacroix, F/2008

Jens Jurgensen (or something… I closed the box already  :P )

Armani Prive Couture S/2008

Japanese Vogue

backstage at Christian Lacroix, 2008

backstage at D&G, 2007

Face of Sergio Rossi, 2007

Dansk, 2007

Flair, 2007

Igor + Andre’s take on Marcelina. Love her hair in this.

~ r

posted by:  audra

i think it’s close enough to december 31st now to reveal my jam of the year!  believe it!  it is the most perfect song of 2009.  it just is.  i’ve listened to it like, a gabillion times & never gotten sick of it.  i listen to it drunk while washing dishes–on repeat.  i listen to it sober while putting on makeup–on repeat.  i go to bed with it in my head & dream about it.  it’s beautiful, sexy, kind of sad, has perfect composition & i really fucking love it.  the video’s quite lovely, too.  and the lead vocalist?  he has that delicious kind of british lispy-thing happening, which is the ONLY time lisps are okay.  just watch his mouth.  i would totally sit on his face, never mind the spit-strings!  where am i right this very second?!  rocking back & forth in the fetal position inside my closet listening to this, shedding just one single tear.  god…  okay, ready?!  here you go.  you’re welcome.

the big pink  velvet

How To Cope With The Cold! After this weeks freezing iceberg temperatures in England we’ve frantically been pilling on the woolen socks, fleeces, long underwear, hats, scarves, mittens…yesterday I wore 11 layers…this would make for an infinite long game of strip poker.  But here at Brains and Beauty we do not feel like re-organizing our entire closet and take out all the summer stuff and not wear any of it anymore until April! So…how do you transform your summer wardrobe into winter without re-buying a whole new wardrobe?! Brains and Beauty will show you…

The past year we have loved chunky heels (see more: “Black (check) Chunky (check) High (check)”) but when we look outsides and see all those exposed feet we say: NO WAY, I prefer my (aahhhh) Ugg boots. But this problem can be resolved to easily. Just add a pair of (patterned) opaques (this season tights can be found for all tastes: from houndstooth to rainbow to hearts to

polka dots  to striped to fake suspenders to alphabet to multicolored to lace…etc.) we’ve also found a solution to that extremely annoying drop crotch type thing -wear a pair of underwear on top of your tights too! Topshop even has velvet and sequined underwear perfect for walking down the steep stairs of school.- Still too cold? Add a pair of thick woolen socks over your tights.

This summer we went crazy for the thin transparent stuff…skirts tops tank tops we have them all in thin floral fabrics (and they’re still selling them!) but how do you make these work? Simple: the answer to this confusing equation is: Layer! Take your chiffon floral tank top and layer it over a black lace tank top (we love this Urban Outfitters bandeau bra). Than throw on a pair of dark wash jeans (or corduroys!), a woolen cardigan, a blazer, a long woolen scarf, some

mittens and a little hat and some ankle boots. To finish it off pile on some chunky jewels and a cool cocktail ring for a lift of light glamour amidst this thick heavy winter wear  (see more: “Instant Bling…Cocktail Ring!”). The only *caution* with this one is to end up looking like a grizzly-bear so mind your proportioning (balance) by leaving either your legs or top a little more skinny skinny.

White. Mmmmm…tricky! Winter is the season of the muted coloring so where does white fit in. Well first of all you can let out your inner Rembrandt and go crazy with the spray paint (get some leather coating spray…amazing!) and studding on these blank canvases. If you’d like to keep them “the way I are” yea yea you will have to think or in this case well try and do it for you.

At least try and keep from all white (which in summer doesn’t really work either unless your going for a tennis player look). Balance your white things

with wool, velvet, cashmere, sequins, corduroy (in dark colors). On the other hand in opposition to white; cream and light pink really do work in winter e.g. we love to wear lacy nightgown with long cardigans, oversized blazers, textured tights and some creepers (with platforms!). Just experiment, there is -almost- nothing which you can’t always wear if you style it right. If all the above fails either: Go out cold (but this looks cheap and will get you sick!) or pile on aaaalllll your summer stuff with confidence and look so wrong you look so right.

How are you tackling the summer -> winter dillema? Send us your tips to brainsbeauty@live.co.uk and it you could be featured in a next post!

XX Brains and Beauty!

(Images: BrownsFashion.com, NET-A-PORTER.com, Topshop.com and UrbanOutfitters.co.uk)

Products Information (from top to bottom)

- Glitter Velvet High Knicker £10 via Topshop.com
- 3 Strap Heel by Vivienne Westwood for Melissa £110 via BrownsFashion.com
- Opal Leather Wedge Sandal by Diane von Furstenberg £260 via NET-A-PORTER.com
- Floral Lace Tights £12 via UrbanOutfitters.co.uk
- Houndstooth Printed Tights by Alexander McQueen £60 via NET-A-PORTER.com
- Rose Hook and Eye Dress £50 via Topshop.com
- Open Back Satin Vest £28 via Topshop.com
- Lace Slip by Premium Topshop £40 via Topshop.com

Dear Tights,

With the awesome vertical stitching and general cute-ness: you say one size fits all.

YET. I am 5′6″.

Also known as NOT THAT TALL and your crotch doesn’t reach my crotch and that means we have a PROBLEM. I am making the universal sign for crotch-to-crotch dysfunction right now. It came out of trying on vintage onesies and jumpsuits but it is applicable here and now so I am putting it into service. Someday there will be a youtube video. You heard it here first. Such a gesture exists and it comes in handy surprisingly often.

Also known as I went out and bought three different pairs of tights because it was the mall and there was a live band playing and children screaming and strollers blocking the escalators and my mother and sister discussing minute details of fabric compositions and salespeople offering “three for $27″ and the people and music and lights, my god, the very holiday spirit of it all throwing up all over me…

When I was little, I hated tights. They pulled in places that you don’t want things pulling, then now or ever. As a result, I forced my mother to buy my tights just a *little* bigger than I needed them.

A Very Merry Matching Velvet Christmas (and yes, I think that is a pizza)

As a result, I had saggy knees from the ages of about two to six (oh all right then, nine). At which point I refused to wear tights entirely.

It's like I'm wearing leg warmers for crying out loud.

Now I’m an adult, so I am fractionally more tolerant of things that aren’t comfortable. Thought I still mostly get dressed by the feel test: ie, how soft does this feel? does it have stretch? (Hey people, don’t judge. Some of my classes are three hours long and yes we sit in those individual table-chair amalgamations that might actually be relics from medieval days of torture.)

But above and beyond that, today my sister said, “I just got these tights that I’m wearing. And they’re a little too big. And they are so much more comfortable this way.”

Yep. That happened.

Love,

MM

PS– If any of you want to share your old Santa photos / matching-velvet-dresses-with-lace-collars pictures, you know where to find me.

PPS– What is that Santa looking at? How did two children manage to look straight into the camera, and he, who not only is an adult but looks into that cheeping stuffed animal’s eyes professionally, is staring way off into right field?

While I still am not playing Christmas tunes at the shop, I have moved up a little and am listening to the Jazz Music Network and their guitar and smooth voices  station.  Almost like Christmas songs.  And after I will have put up my tree at the house and get into the spirit a tad bit more – I will play the Christmas songs.  Especially the ones that are about snow – because we don’t have any and it would be so nice!!!!

I was also playing with accessories for the holidays and here is what I have come up with:

This dress is a dark petrol velvet by Hazel and it is very festive all by itself.  I have jazzed it up with a beaded scarf by Zazou.  The scarf has a little vintage look (20ies) to it.

This scarf is also by Zazou.  It has silver threads encased in sheer black fabric.  Stunning.

The kimono shawl by Zazou.  Burnt orange silk with a Japanese inspired motif all over.

Another floating thread scarf.  The picture does not do the intense green threads any justice.

All of theses scarves will look VERY festive on any outfit.  Now or for your New Year’s party.

I’m in London Town at the minute – possibly outstaying my welcome, but the shops (if not the snow) are better for that christmas present buying malarkey.

Yesterday, however, things went a bit wrong.

The point when velvet came back... Christopher Kane, Fall 2007. Photo: Style.com

I was walking across Brockwell Park headed for Brixton Station so I could grace Oxford Street with my less than healthy bank card, when I was accosted by a woman walking her dog.

She was bimbling along quite happily, as was I, when she suddenly looked up, saw me, indicated to her dog and said to him:

“That’s the type of dog that bites.”

What does that even mean?!?!? To be fair I was wearing a maroon velvet coat my mother got at a market for £2, so if the woman was mentally unstable (likely) then she could have mistaken me for a Red Setter - I have researched: Red Setters are quite angry but froth at the mouth more than bite – but I was not frothing.

I was under the impression people in London just don’t interact. In this instance I wish I’d been right, not blatantly insulted on the street.

I do think it was the coat though. It seems to be making me super touchable. 

I was wandering past Selfridges later on and got stopped by one of those ditherers who say they are looking for film extras. I was midway through a baguette so tried to be polite and meander away but as I tried to escape he started stroking my arm. Now I know it was soft and velvety but to be honest, I am actually quite a fan of personal space.

I felt a bit violated.

Not as violated as I felt when I got into Primark though. That place is three storeys of polyester and sequin hell at the moment.    

I just finished a hat last night that is for my babysitter for Christmas. It is made from a Vogue pattern. There are not very many hat patterns in the formal pattern books these days. This one is made of a unique fabric that has short fur on one side and  an embossed velvety fabric on the other. I didn’t have to use stablizer or lining so it only took me about 2 hours to sew together.

Here we are, Christmas is there!
My studio is full of holly, red ribbons, pieces of tartan fabric, gift wrap paper and my two cats are happily putting everything in a mess…
soo here veeery special releases for your holidays, and gift ideas too

and..what’s Christmas without a tartan dress? here for you a classic revisited in five colors

a few days ago I found an old jewel, belonged to my grand-grand mother…a very chic italian lady..and I thought to create a special necklace for you. The name in italian is “cammeo” and is a very old kind of jewelry work, used since romans.

for you in five colours

and a very special gift for my group…red gloves with ribbon and holly:)

Not in my group? just subscribe touching the board in my mainshop and you get the gift, plus updates, specials and exclusive gifts:)

wishing you all the best,
love
Nirmanakaya

p.s.

here’s a pic of the group gift..kindly posted by one of the most talented SL creators I’ve seen:)
The LOLO blog
have a look at their wonderful things The LOLO official site

*.*

you’re the dark font
the BIG FONT
the bold font
molasses drippin’ down
the side of my mouth
velvet smoking jacket
crème of the crop

wanting

it to stay this way
and that way
even

wanting

a second
helping of you
keeping my
cat door open
clawing at the screen
feeding me finger food
giving me

more than I can chew on

I’m getting used
to the idea of you
lounging on the
inside of my thighs
feeling my
lungs rise and
fall
for you

surprise

surprise

L. K. Thayer

All Rights Reserved

© 2009

Carmen called over for a cup of tea and a chat this morning, we actually hadn’t met for over a week as both of us have been so busy in the run up to Christmas. 

The finished felt bag, new handles attached!

I was delighted with her input re. adding handles to a felt bag that I had made, this bag is to be sent to a swap buddy in the States and I was very frustrated with the shoulder strap that I had already stitched on.  We both agreed that the long linen shoulder strap was awful, it really didn’t add anything at all to the bag.  I had a pair of  simple oval wooden handles in my studio and felt that they would suit the shape better, Carmen agreed.  My problem was wondering exactly how to attach them to the bag so that the metal ‘closure’ was not actually visable and Carmen solved the problem by suggesting stitching some fancy yarn over the join.  The yarn that I used is Icelandic knitting wool, not fancy at all but a perfect colour choice for the merino in the bag, stitching the handles on completed before lunchtime which must be some kind of record for me!

My second completed project of the day was a chunky felt and ceramic necklace, destined for …..’s Christmas present, don’t want to give the game away so not posting any pics yet!  The ceramic beads were another buy at the Knit and Stitch Show, they are a beautiful shape and each one is uniquly glazed in various shades of chocolate, rust, ochre and teal.  I used some of the Norwegian C1 wool that I ordered from one of the suppliers at ‘Felt in Focus’ this summer for the felt balls.  The colours of wool that I had complimented the ceramic beads perfectly and the felt balls didn’t seem to feel scratchy at all, I had been wondering would they but there was no need to worry.

Completed project number three is a crochet cowl, I know, I know, not felt but what can I say!  This is something that I started at the end of my American adventures when crocheting was my only connection to fibre and it kept me sane on the flights home before I seemed to get struck down with possible swine flu.  This is another Christmas pressie, this time for an old family friend.  I have finished it off with a beautiful resin stick from Woolfish, yet another Knit and Stitch find!

Lastly I have a confession to make!  Carmen fell in love with the velvet encrusted scarf from yesterday so it became part of her Christmas present, I forgot to take a photo before she headed off with it so here are a couple with the wool laid out and the velvet and silk ribbons embellishing the surface.  Apologies for the quality of the images, for some reason my camera has severe difficulties when taking anything in this particular colour combination!

Velvet and silk ribbons laid on top of the merino

Trapping the velvet with wisps of wool

Looks Almost Real.

Couch, Bed or Both?

Price: $ 950.

Source: Gizmodo

Paraphrased: Eriboss

Just a quick post this evening as the hours seem to have slipped away and it is now time for bed!  The last of the  trees were planted this morning and I was lucky enough to plant the final 8, far from the amount I had originally intended but time was not on my side.

This afternoon I decided it was time to try incorporating some fabulous hand dyed silk velvet into a scarf, this was part of the stash that I bought at the recent Knit and Stitch Show in Dublin.  I also wanted to try some of the hand dyed silk ribbons that I brought home from the States, both the fabrics were in gorgeous shades of hot orange through to burgundy.  I laid out a short scarf in some of my short fibred merino and overlaid with the velvet and silk strips.  Lizzie Houghton (in Felting Fashion) says to trap the velvet with some wool fibres and  luckily I did.  As I progressed through the felting process I actually thought that the velvet had felted into the wool, not the case as it turned out.  The silk ribbon also didn’t incorporate into the wool as well as I expected but overall the effect is quite rich.  A couple of seed beads in appropriate spots might just add to the opulent  feeling and the richly textured end result is worth trying out a couple more times as the velvet does add another dimension to the felt.

M – Dioni Tabbers, Margaryta Senchylo and Ragnhild Jevne

It's Velvet, with Strong Shoulder!!! must have!!

It’s on sale at www.shopnastygal.com for $98. If you’re interested, you gotta hurry, it’s only one!

Source: http://www.shopnastygal.com/products/Power-Up-Velvet-Blazer.html

Seventeen, originally uploaded by Steve Gray.

Captured this evening after the conclusion of the Pensacola Childrens’ Chorus’s annual production of “Christmas on the Coast.” The show was fantastic, and as always it was a joy to see my sister onstage.

The theatre itself was recently renovated. Having been a Pensacola institution since the 1920s, it was long overdue for some repairs and restoration. After a lengthy stretch of work, it re-opened at the beginning of the summer, restored to its former glory.

TOPSHOP

The last few Maxi dresses can be coveted at BonaDrag

What a fantastic kit! You get a whopping 8 yards of ribbon of varying textures! Click here or on the image above of the ribbon kit to be directed to the SNS store to buy.

I crocheted this amigurumi styled snowman ornament and trimmed it with the pom pom ribbon.  I think the pom pom ribbon adds to the playfulness of this little guy.

Supplies: free pattern from RoxyCraft, Lion Brand yarn, Misc. eyes, & of course the SNS December Mistletoe and Berries ribbon kit.

Here’s a paper origami Hello Kitty ornament I created.  This took way longer than I expected, but it was fun to dress her up!

Supplies: free pattern from CubeeCraft, Bazzill Swiss Dot CS, Love Elsie PP, Basic Grey pearls, Ranger Glossy Accents, Fiskars border edge punch, and the SNS December Mistletoe and Berries ribbon kit.

A cute little journaling title card.

Supplies: American Crafts CS, Bazzill CS, Love Elsie PP, CTMH ink, Fiskars border edge punch, Jenni Bowlin alpha stickers, American Crafts Thickers, Pebbles Inc. candy dot, Prima Sprites Antique Aqua flower, Misc pop dots, & SNS December Mistletoe and Berries ribbon kit.

A birthday card for my Grandma-In-Law.

Supplies: Prism CS, Basic Grey PP, Bazzill CS, Fiskars border edge punch, Fiskars circle punch, CTMH ink, Heidi Swapp stamp, WeRMemoryKeepers eyelets, Prima flower, Pink Paislee alpha stickers, Misc pop dots, & SNS December Mistletoe and Berries ribbon kit.

Another journaling title card.

Supplies: Prism CS, Unknown PP, Art Warehouse stamps, CTMH stamps, BlossomStamps stamp, Autumn Leaves stamp, Studio G stamp, CTMH ink, Maya Road Chipboard, Red Stickles, Copper Stickles, Misc. pop dots, Starbucks coffee sleeve cardboard, and SNS December Mistletoe and Berries ribbon kit.

And finally, a woodsy Christmas card to send out this holiday.

Supplies: Prism CS, American Crafts CS, Bazzill CS, Cosmo Cricket PP, Pebbles Inc. PP, Red Stickles, Basic Grey alpha stickers, Fiskars circle punch, Ranger Glossy Accents, Pink Paislee stamp, Staz On ink, CTMH ink, ZVA pearl, Misc. pop dots, Studio G stamp, and SNS December Mistletoe and Berries ribbon kit.

SHOWDOWN. Which velvet motorcycle would you rock? Jacket on the left by Corpus, jacket on the right by Alexander Wang. They are both priced in the realm of four hundred dollars.