Steampunk Hat D.I.Y!

Hi All. Today's post is of the geeky D.I.Y variety. This weekend coming up we have a Victorian Faire that is happening locally and I am very keen to get all dressed up and go and experience some old-worldly fun! I have an outfit, but felt I needed an accessory to go with and decided to make myself a steam-punkish hat to top off my outfit! I am sharing how I did it in case there is anyone else who wanted to try.

YOU WILL NEED:
1x costume hat
steampunk/victorian related embellishments
craft glue (E600 is brilliant)
netting
feathers
elastic band

 I got this hat at one of the local Chinese stores for a dress-up years back. It has 2 clips underneath to attach to the head.

 I wanted a slightly different look to the brim of the hat, so after reading about this method I decided to try it. It's not a huge difference, but I think it looks better than the purely flat brim.

 Sorry Typo is E600 not 6000... but it's the best BEST glue for D.I.Y and crafting- it's industrial strength and a little goes a long way! Good steampunk type of embellishments are clocks, keys, cages, gears, locks,cameos anything that has that old-timey/time-travel/Victorian aesthetic.

 I used a maroon leather to match the maroon velvet coat I will be wearing.

 Play around with placement before glueing. And make sure it's fully dried before next steps to prevent stuff falling off or moving!

You can see the new "brim look" nicely here .

 This step can go directly to step 9 as the glue doesn't have to be dry on this step before gluing it to the hat!

 Very important to let this dry fully, as it could move or fall off if used before it's properly dry!

There we go- a new steam-punk inspired hat. Obviously if you have more time and you want to paint-technique the hat base and add extra to the hatband etc you can go all out!

If this tutorial helped you to create a hat please send me a picture or a link to your creation so I can see and admire:D

I will add a pic of me with the hat in full dress-up mode after this weekend!

Happy Steam-punking All!

Ethnic and Eastern Bridal Inspiration August 2014

Hi All. Last time I promised a sister post to the western style Bridal Inspiration I had found. Today we look at some of the gorgeous Ethnic and Eastern Bridal inspiration that is around at the moment! As a Bellydancer I am automatically attracted to the beautiful textiles and adornments these weddings showcase and of course this inspiration is not just for eastern or ethnic brides but can hopefully inspire you to make your wedding look or theme a bit more exotic and luxe looking!

Here are a few  reasons to bring a bit more of an ethnic or eastern feel to your wedding:

TRADITIONS:

Many Couples move away from their home countries , meet other cultures through work or as a younger generation become more cosmopolitan in their lifestyles. However when it comes to weddings they want to either bring their nationality or ethnicity into the ceremony or theme as a way to honour their roots. This can make for a delightful mix of cultures or themes in a wedding and can really make something meaningful and unique.

Here are some wonderful takes on melding cultures:

http://www.stylemepretty.com/2011/06/10/african-wedding-inspiration-from-zoom-photography-mary-kinney/

http://burnettsboards.com/2014/06/inspiration-reality-neo-eclectic-balinese-wedding/

http://beautifulsouthasianbrides.tumblr.com/archive

http://www.indianweddingsite.com/california-outdoor-fusion-hindu-ceremony-1/

WESTERN WEDDINGS WITH A TWIST:

Ok so you don't want to go for traditional dress but still want a big cultural influence in your wedding? Well take a look at these examples of western style weddings which have a big dab of flavour with traditional fabric, head-wear, and colour.

http://yoknyamdabale.wordpress.com/2012/08/06/afrocentric-african-centeredweddings-dont-be-slaves-to-arab-and-european-cultures-on-your-wedding-day-honor-your-african-roots/

http://yoknyamdabale.wordpress.com/2012/08/06/afrocentric-african-centeredweddings-dont-be-slaves-to-arab-and-european-cultures-on-your-wedding-day-honor-your-african-roots/

http://yoknyamdabale.wordpress.com/2012/08/06/afrocentric-african-centeredweddings-dont-be-slaves-to-arab-and-european-cultures-on-your-wedding-day-honor-your-african-roots/

DETAILS:

It is the small details that really make a theme a reality , and the following details are just gorgeous.

http://burnettsboards.com/2012/09/safari-chic/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://blog.koyalwholesale.com/2012/03/bold-bright-beautiful-indian-wedding-ideas/

https://www.etsy.com/listing/37618071/mehndi-elephant-cookies-half-dozen

http://styleunveiled.com/storage/inspiration/wedins_moroccan_2010/wedins_2010_moroccan_inspiration__003.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1291850777961

https://www.etsy.com/shop/DSMeeBee?ref=seller_info_count

COLOUR:

I am a HUGE sucker for colour and texture and eastern and Ethnic weddings always seem choc-full of this. Just another reason to add a dash of these elements into your wedding day!

http://www.blog.indianweddingphotography.com.au/p/gallery.html

http://mehndiequalshenna.com/

http://gypsypurpleloves.tumblr.com/post/71486056149

http://www.welschphotography.com.au/

http://sunlitstudios.com.au/

I hope you enjoyed this take on the more traditional wedding inspiration, and it inspires you to think about what elements of your past, history and culture you want to include on your special day!

Keep an eye out, my next post will be a Geeky D.I.Y.

much love and sparkles

Wedding Inspiration July 2014.

NO I am not getting married! However I AM in the process of building up my Bridal range at Magpie Calls (called MC Bridal), and I often look for inspiration online to see what is trendy and what themes and looks my creations will work with. Today I have complied a few pics and links of stuff that is really inspiring me right now! This ranges from colours, to dresses, to themes , to hairdos. I hope you enjoy the beauty regardless of whether you are looking for wedding inspiration or not!

WEDDING DRESS DETAILING:
I am loving the fact that wedding dresses are now focusing on detailing. This used to be the case in the 17, 18 and early 1900's, but wars and frugality meant that dresses had to par down the pretty details for simpler looks. The 80's of course went Over the top and decided EVERY detail was necessary to put on a dress, the 90's rebelled against that and went ultra minimalistic. Thankfully in the 2000's and 20 teens detailing is making a comeback and it's beautiful. From pretty sleeves to beautiful backs, and vamping up a simple dress with a sash or beading, drresses are becoming less and less about tradition and more about brides personal style. LOVE IT!

http://www.stylemepretty.com/canada-weddings/2013/11/07/gods-mountain-wedding-from-well-hello-photography/

http://www.elizabethannedesigns.com/blog/2012/08/01/carol-hannah-2012-collection/

http://junebugweddings.com/wedding-blog/what-junebug-loves/nostalgic-summer-camp-wedding-in-maine-from-ira-lippke-studios/

SUBTLE COLOUR

Gone are the days of having to have pure white wedding dresses. Nowadays subtle colour, whether its in a sash, petticoat, decorative beading etc is perfectly ok for wedding attire. It can link the Bride into the colour theme beautifully and just adds to the uniqueness of the wedding!

http://ruffledblog.com/1950s-inspired-auburn-wedding/

http://www.colincowieweddings.com/wedding-photos/detail/image257766

http://www.crazyforus.com/?p=10650

COLOUR THEMES
Well definitely have to talk about the Pantone colour of the year 2014: Radiant Orchid. A beautiful colour which can go with bold and delicate colour schemes equally well. It adds just the right amount of colour and prettiness and would work in most seasonal palettes.

http://blog.luxeventsanddecor.com/

http://www.shesaidoui.ca/2014/01/wedding-color-palettes-2014-radiant.html

http://www.shesaidoui.ca/2014/01/wedding-color-palettes-2014-radiant.html

WEDDING HAIR
Flowers are back in a big way!  I am loving the new flower crown trend and it adds such a beautiful and feminine element to a bridal look. I also am a fan of the delicate tiara circlets with wire and beads. So delicate and pretty.

http://polarbearstale.blogspot.com/2011/03/like-diamond-in-sky-bridal-tiara.html

http://www.ebay.com/itm/291168919903?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

http://www.weddingpartyapp.com/blog/2014/05/30/fresh-floral-trends-for-2014-weddings/

http://bridalmusings.com/2014/04/romantic-elegance-daalarna-2014-wedding-dress-collection/

http://www.weddingpartyapp.com/blog/2014/04/08/2014s-biggest-bridal-hair-and-makeup-trends/

 So These are some of the things that inspire me right now and so much more. I have linked the images to their source under each picture. Please go and check them out further if you feel the need!

I know this was a very western centric post, so the next post will be on eastern and more ethnic trends and inspiration for weddings! Keep an eye out!

much love and shimmies

 

Colour Palette and Creative Mood board inspiration

Hi All. I know I know I have not posted as much as I should of in the last few months. *Bad Tarah*. Will blame it on  being  busy! ;)

Anyhow. Today I want to talk about colour palettes and creative mood boards. These are both amazing tools for all sorts of creative enterprises, from changing your room decor, designing a special occasion outfit, an event, party, ordering custom work etc. They help to focus your intent and to co-ordinate the overall look and feel of what you want. It is also very useful for any suppliers/ services you use so they can get into your head a little more easily.

As a accessory and costume designer I often ask my clients to give me some pics which inspire them,and to tell me what about those pics they like exactly. I DO NOT copy others work, but pictures help me to get an idea of the look the customer is wanting.

Now days it can be pretty simple to create a mood board or colour palette and that is thanks to the internet and pinterest. Besides pinterest there are other sites and even apps that can help you to figure out what colours and elements will work together.

One of the sites which is great for looking for Colour inspiration for weddings and events is Design Seeds  . This site allows you to search by colour or theme in very specific ways, great for those who don't want just "blue and green" search results , but who would rather actually choose the colour blue they are looking for by mixing it on the site.

Using one blue the results show all the pictures that include it and colours that work well with it. pretty cool!

Another virtual mood board tool which seems to be user friendly  is Moodshare . The basic premise is that you put in a query and it will bring up multiple options from a range of photo, font, video and colour palette sites. You then add them to your mood board, which you can edit and make look the way you want. You then can share it with whoever you want or get others to add to it. Great for group projects or working with vendors in other cities etc. (I haven't had a chance to use it yet- if anyone has or wants to try, let me know the results in the comments section)

The one I would use for fashion related boards is Polyvore. In fact I used it to help with my Magpie Calls accessory outfit inspiration posts here and here. Basically you can build a set around one piece of clothing or a colour etc. They have loads of clothes from the couture to the everday. It can be really fun. They also now do room sets, so you can even try make a board of your dream bedroom. You also have the option of sharing to facebook or other social media.

These are just a few ways to help you create visual feasts for the eyes and to bring a project or dream look together.

Do you have any other useful sites or apps you can recommend? Put in the comments!

much love and shimmies