Just dropping in to say...

HI!

Over here it is still snowing and it seems we're endlessly shoveling! Visits to friends and family have become quite an adventure with slippery roads to navigate...glad to be back home.
Anyway, I hope you all survived the main event, had a fabulous time and received all you wished for :)

Three days of festivities and feasting -- and I find I seriously need to wind down tonight!
So, I've been browsing Etsy. And browsing and browsing. It's addictive, something Lisa pointed out to me straight away ;-)
I love interactive sites. I love the idea of treasuries. I've certainly heard a lot about them, I've read about them and I've seen and admired them on a number of blogs and now, to my astonishment and delight, I've been featured in one of them!

The talented jewelry artist Anna of Anna's Adornments who resides in Sweden curated this lovely treasury called Valentine Dreams. Love that title! She wrote that my Darla Rose sleep mask inspired her to create this beautiful treasury. That is so sweet of her and I feel honoured to be included, especially since I'm a total newbie on Etsy! Anna's fabulous jewelry can be admired in her shop here. I especially like her dainty bracelets that come in a wide range of colours. So pretty!

enjoy the rest of your holiday! Until next time!

MERRY CHRISTMAS from our home to yours...

Frohe Weihnachten! Joyeux Noel! Vrolijk Kerstfeest! God Jul! Buon Natale! Feliz Navidad!

I wish you a joyous holiday season and a serene, balanced and loving New Year!
I'm taking time out to visit friends and extended family so posting on my blog will be sporadic in the next two weeks, but I very much look forward to another year of interacting with you, dear blog readers and friends, tons of fun and a giveaway or two! 

take care,

She's here :)

...the store mannequin is! I wrote about it here. I got her for a good price off ebay, but I wasn't sure she'd get here before Christmas, because it's total snow chaos outside and lots of roads have been closed off due to ice!
She came in several pieces (I know, gross), however once I assembled her I was amazed at how a hunk of plastic could weigh that much, even without the pedestal she came with. Manoeuvering her around plus getting her dressed/undressed will definitely require a second pair of hands.
Of all the mannequins available I chose her for several reasons:
 1. her stance was just right for showing off pants
2. she's not as 'Barbie' thin - again great for showing off my larger sized pj's
3. she's got a reasonably 'natural' face; her features don't look 'painted on' (I know her face isn't relevant to showing my pajamas, but I will be looking at her every day...)
4. she doesn't take up much space


The pajama pants at left are called China Rose - large roses in red and pink on a pale blue background - yummy. These are a size M, would fit a US size 8/10. As soon as I have all the required photos I will be listing my wares in my new Etsy shop . I have seen that many sellers just put 'small, medium or large' in the description, but I find that this is too little information, so I will be adding waist/hip, length and rise measurements as well. That way buyers can compare these with one of their own basic pants before purchasing.

The only down side to my mannequin was that she came hairless. Poor thing. So I had to purchase a wig. I got one for about USD 20,- that didn't look too tacky. After some combing and styling it looks okay, I think. It's just for my benefit, really. The photos of the pj top won't show her head and just the lower part of her hair. Anyway, the main thing is that she fulfills her purpose and makes my pajammies look good :)
I fully realize she'll be the target of any male visitors to my house...and I can already hear the tongue-in-cheek remarks. So predictable!

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you're done with all of your holiday shopping by now!

Let's Party!

I have created a kisslock frame purse specifically with special occasions in mind - be it the upcoming New Year's Eve party, a cocktail party or a visit to the opera house - this bag will fit the bill perfectly! It's made with dupioni silk in understated black and suprises with a bright fuchsia interior. The icing on the cake is the handmade Kanzashi flower - admittedly a fiddly job using slippery silk - attached to the front and embellished with a rhinestone. This purse is an exclusive.

p.s. I fixed the wonky sidebar title and colours. phew, what next?

I love surprise gifts...

...don't you?

I couldn't believe my eyes when I received a package all the way from Malaysia from lovely, kind-hearted, generous and funny Anny! I opened up the package and found these goodies inside:

GORGEOUS Batik Fabric. I love the beautiful floral design! Just think...Anny went to the shops and specially selected this fabric/pattern with me in mind. Isn't that just the sweetest thing to do? This is definitely going to be made into something very special. I love it, Anny! Thank you so much!
Ever thoughtful she also included this cute pair of chopsticks for me and hubby :)

And not to be forgotten -- an adorable little 'catnip fish' for Sammy.  
Here he is 'inspecting' his new toy and...

it's love at first sight  :)

Sammy really loves his little fish and sends many purrs, headbutts and nosetaps your way, Anny! These are beautiful gifts and I appreciate them all! Anny, your wonderful surprise made my day! Thank you!
Do check out Anny's blog where you'll meet:                                 

Piper & Dommy, two of the cuddliest and cutest dogs I've come across in the blog-world. I very much enjoy reading about their everyday adventures and so will you!

Thank you so very much, Anny! Blog-friends are the best :)

PeriDot by Duni is shaping up!

Okay, a couple of you clever Etsians have already figured out that I'm about to open up my very first shop on Etsy. I've only just registered and filled in the policies & bio, so don't go looking -- there's nothing listed yet!
Apart from sewing like crazy, I've been thinking about the concept of my new shop and how I'd like to present my wares. Along with the pajamas I introduced to you here I will be offering my popular sleep masks as well as cosmetic pouches. I figured they go together well...sort of like a shop for all things *bed, bath & beauty*!
Another thing that will need serious consideration is how to display the pajama set and bottoms, because I obviously can't/don't want to model all of the sizes. Hiring a professional model is beyond my budget, and unfortunately the model friends I knew from when I used to work in the fashion industry have since moved on, married, started a family. So, the only logical thing to do imho is buy a store mannequin within my budget. I've been asking around and searched the internet. One thing's for sure -- I do not want a faceless one, nor a bald one, much less a headless one! The hubby doesn't want a 'dumb' one, whatever that means, and we both don't want a scary one! You'd be amazed at the scary-looking mannequins out there! Haha. I welcome any suggestions or better ideas on how to display clothing (other than on a person). I'm really excited about this new venture, and I must say that I really like the look and feel of Etsy. Just so you know I do remember all your kind comments and suggestions from when I asked about Etsy last time. I'm also looking into joining teams and have earmarked the Etsy Germany Street Team!
Meanwhile I've sold two of my designer bags, and I will need to replenish soon. I do have two new bags in the making - a silk clutch and a handbag made from OOAK screen-printed fabric - can't wait to show you!

take care, until next time!

Snow!!!

Snowstorms everywhere.
We've never had this much snow in our area before. It's even worse in the south-west and east. Hundreds of accidents have been reported so far and people are stranded at train stations and airports. Even Frankfurt Int'l Airport had to close for a day...and I'm desperately waiting for a parcel of fabrics from overseas. Well, all I can do is wait and hope it isn't damaged during transport. I for one am really glad I got all my gifts and cards sent out well ahead of time.

Here is the wreath I made. I've kept it very simple with just a few shiny and matte baubles, a delicate bead and gold star wire garland, a few dried berries and festive ribbon. I keep the fir branches looking and smelling fresh by spraying with mineral water every two days or so. You may have noticed that all four candles have been lit already, even though it isn't Christmas yet  (we celebrate on the 24th). Well, that's just me - I like them burning down all at the same time. Everyone else of course lights them one by one every consecutive Advent Sunday until Christmas!

Oh, and I've been featured on Showcase Sisters! Thank you Cheryl and Sheila. Do check out their blog chock-full of handy tips, decorating ideas, giveaways and reviews.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you're all keeping warm, unless of course you live in a sunny place: in that case, send over some sunshine pleeeeeaase!

Handmade Xmas Stockings

Hi there!

with St. Nicholas Day only three days away I made some festive stockings for a change (traditionally kids put out their shoes, but we don't have any - kids, that is)! So I made these for us grown-ups, because I quite like this tradition of giving small gifts and have decided to uphold it. It's so much fun and between you and me I'm actually more excited about this day than Christmas! I have fond memories of me as a child waking up early on the 6th, quietly sneaking to the door and then - surprise - finding my shoe miraculously filled with yummy sweets and chocolates!
These days, with our food-allergies and various intolerances, our stocking fillers won't be sweets of any kind... but rather goodies of another sort, handmade and most definitely useful. Oh, what fun!!!