♦ ♣ ♥ ♠ Anna’s Splash of Colour ♦ ♣ ♥ ♠

A new service is now available. Whilst at the latest fair in Newbury a lady was looking through my playing card greetings cards. She selected the cards and commissioned a bespoke piece. I think this might be the way forward.

♦ ♣ ♥ ♠ Teacup Fascinator & Matching Buttonhole♦ ♣ ♥ ♠

The latest creations for a tea party themed wedding...

♦ ♣ ♥ ♠ Queen of Hearts ♦ ♣ ♥ ♠

The Queen of Hearts Fascinator has been developed into a bit of a fancier version. The wired hearts can be adjusted into place and the extra heart shaped feathers add movement and height. 

This piece is now available to buy here.

This piece has come from the popular comb which can be found in my shop.  

The cards in this piece are slightly different with the heart pips having a black outline. 

The base of the flower is mounted on a rosette of ribbons and a felt heart finishes it. 

♦ ♣ ♥ ♠ The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee ♦ ♣ ♥ ♠

Busy preparing for the Windsor Fair on Monday 4th June. Lots of red, white and blue creations are currently being made. However, at this rate I am going to sell out before I get there. More information and prices can be found here.

♦ ♣ ♥ ♠ Flowers to be framed ♦ ♣ ♥ ♠

I had a request to create 3 flowers in black and white, one large and two to go either side slightly smaller. Three black mounts are currently being cut to size at the Eastleigh Picture Framing Gallery just around the corner. They were very complimentary of my work and also gave me lots of advice, which I appreciated a lot!

♦ ♣ ♥ ♠ Latest project ♦ ♣ ♥ ♠

Well, when Sharon at the Vintage Hair Lounge contacted me about the Southampton Boat Show in September I couldn’t contain my excitement. This is a theme I can run a mile with. I won’t go into too much detail now because I really should be making some spectacular hair pieces for the event but I had to share a few ingredients I discovered in my box of tricks...

Perfect...

♦ ♣ ♥ ♠ Introductions ♦ ♣ ♥ ♠

I love being introduced to new people, new things and especially new APPS! I had this on my Iphone, I get lazy. I take pics store them on my phone and never get around to doing anything with them. VintageJelly commented on how she loved the Pixlr-o-matic, I have it on my phone but had no idea it was online... I absolutely love it. Especially when photographing my cards, gives them that old school, knackered look. Perfect.

I also dabbled in the #ff on Twitter. Never really had a clue what everyone was FFing all about, then Sharon from the Vintage Hair Lounge explained all. Today it paid off. Little did I know that there was someone only a few roads away from me busy making exquisite headresses from vintage jewellery. They really are something to behold. So after a bit of ‘oh wow’ and admiring each other’s creations the links were made.

Lovely to tweet you Jo of Jo Barnes Vintage ; )

♦ ♣ ♥ ♠ Queen of Hearts Buttonhole ♦ ♣ ♥ ♠

From a private request through Etsy I was asked to create a Buttonhole to work alongside the Queen of Hearts. I personally really love it and now want to create one to mount on a vintage full size top hat...

♦ ♣ ♥ ♠ The Royal Flush with a bit more umph! ♦ ♣ ♥ ♠

So... more interest in the Queen of Hearts this week. Another request for a design similar to the one sold last week, but with the Royal Flush and a fixture enabling it to be attached to a hat. Here’s the result...

I actually like it that much I am in the process of making one with some veiling. Think this will be popular at the fair in a couple of weeks.

Now to start my entry for the Burlesque Sellers team challenge. Better late than never, deadline next Saturday, got to get a move on!

♦ ♣ ♥ ♠ The Queen of Hearts ♦ ♣ ♥ ♠

Latest Queen of Hearts fascinator, this time requested with an elastic for extra security. Wasn’t sure the pad would work but it has... sits perfectly on the side of the head. Now to create 18 hair pieces for Ascot!

♦ ♣ ♥ ♠ New Toppers ♦ ♣ ♥ ♠

I forgot to mention the newest additions to the collection... The Spitfire, The Tank and the newest flower in my collection the Auricula. After the summer I want to try and build up a range of flowers so that there is the option to mix and match cards, flowers and colours.

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♦ ♣ ♥ ♠ CRIKEY I have been a little lazy blogging ♦ ♣ ♥ ♠

Shoe clips - the best seller, I have sold out. They will be back in September.

Actually I haven't been lazy... I have had the busiest 2 months ever. After completing a handful of orders for weddings and parties all over the world I signed up to have a stall at http://handmadewinchester.blogspot.com/ in Winchester Guildhall. Inbetween working, exams and general stressing about this month long trip to Borneo that has been looming for the past 18 months, I had to make some new and exciting pieces to take along to the fair. I have added a few pics below, however you will find more on my website. http://www.soobird.com/

I found a teacup on the carboot and decided to have a go at making a head piece with the cup and saucer as the centre piece. I was quite impressed with how well it went. Now I have tons of cups ready and waiting to be transformed into wearable works of art. Shame I smashed this one as I was packing away at the fair, it took me ages to cut the leaves!

The second teacup, not to be smashed. Made as one of the options for a customer who is having an 'Alice in Wonderland' wedding in August. I was asked to create 8 buttonholes, a pageboy brooch, a fascinator for the mother of the bride and two hair pieces for the bridesmaids. This was one of the teacup options for the youngest of the two bridesmaids. The one below was chosen, I was quite pleased because this one is my favourite yet and I have a few weddings to attend at the end of summer!
The revamped and improved Teacup, the orginal design has been tweaked giving more options. The cup and saucer are still hand moulded from felt and stitched into place however, the customer now has the optio of selecting a fabric to cover the teacup in. Spots, stripes, velvet or furry, the options and colour combinations are endless.

A bridal wedding comb that made it's way to the USA in early June ready for a Las Vegas wedding.

Mandy's violin inspired mini topper. The perfect party accessory for the Head of Music.

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♦ ♣ ♥ ♠ New Brooch ♦ ♣ ♥ ♠

Here's my latest brooch. I have so many more to upload and get into my shop. Hopefully have them in there soon www.soobird.com Keep popping back because soon I will have the new 'eco' range available to buy. Recycled playing cards with khaki/appley green pips and brown papers... hmmmmm

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♦ ♣ ♥ ♠ Sunday Morning Inspiration ♦ ♣ ♥ ♠

A collection of bits... feathers, cards and hat pins ready for a Mad Hatter's top hat. The lawn tape just caught my eye, I don't think that will be getting cut up.

I never knew it existed. It smells so bad, not sure if that's the yarn or where it has been stored.

This I am very excited about. Only last night I was at my friend's house and the conversation turned to hats, as it often does when I am around. Monopoly was mentioned and here it is, fresh from the booty, 50p well spent!

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♦ ♣ ♥ ♠ Latest additions ♦ ♣ ♥ ♠

Things have been a little quiet since I went to the 'Hot Muffins' night in Reading. For some reason the holidays make me do less. I have always known I work better under pressure but until a had a bit of a nightmare a few nights ago everything had been on hold. Now back to business here are some of the latest creations that are on Etsy and soon to be on sale in Tiger Lilly's, Reading.

The latest addition

4 of a Kind (Kings)

Things have been slow the past week. The excitement of posting my first Etsy sale took it's toll and I have been too laid back about making more pieces to sell. So, I have finally managed to photograph the latest addition and get it up on Etsy. Of course there are two so one will be going to Tiger Lilly's very soon. I think this one is the best yet, the more feathers the merrier.

A busy weekend...

Here are a couple more pins that are now on Etsy. With there being 24 hours in a day I am sure I will have plenty more made by this time next week!



Full House (Kings over Jacks)


Royal Flush (Hearts)

I am really into Etsy, pin badges, playing cards and updating the blog... It's about time it happened and I feel as though I have now found something to concentrate on. I only hope it lasts more than 5mins (like most of my other projects).

After visting Scarlet on Saturday I raced home and produced 6 more pieces. I have decided to make two of everything, one for the shop and one for Etsy. That way I don't have to make any decisions about who gets what. It's difficult making two of something I am a one-off type of person so I am quite proud of myself.

Oh and here is an example of the hats I have been producing. This one is called 'Aces High' and it is the first to go on sale in Tiger Lilly's, Reading. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks I will get a few on Etsy. Just got to find boxes for them now!