Fruitful follows Colourful

Yes.. a fruitful Monday follows a Colourful weekend.

I shall limit my 'bla' to make space for more pictures.

Above & in clockwise order: A handmade carpet from morocco and my comfy bright red moroccan slippers, a blue 'lunch-box' bag I found at the flea market yesterday and a lovely shell!

Today's job interview made me re-consider abandoned projects. I do not want to keep running out of time. Here's an antique lampshade I painted gold.. it needs work and so I'll be devoting myself to it completely as soon as the opportunity arises. We pray for 'soon' but realistically, we're speaking of months here!

And a pair of skinny green cords I just finished.. hot off the press and ready to go.

This is what Crayola and a (relatively speaking) deprived childhood did to me .. it gave me Crayola-eyes .. I begged for a Polly-Pocket but I only got colours.. and somehow I'm glad it turned out this way.

to ink, to sew or to just dive under the quilt(s)

When I was younger I was set on getting tattooed in all the prominent places but then, as it usually happens, you grow up and you thank the heavens you didn't 'do it' just then. If I had I'd be stuck with a huge back piece of dubious roots and significance.. a couple of fishbone armlets and something silly round my bellybutton. However, this doesn't mean I'm at all comfortable with the fact that I haven't got something done yet. In the past I blamed this lack on several things, but mainly my being a control freak around anything I deem myself capable of doing slightly better, given the time (yes, at one point I was convinced I'd wait till I learnt how to do it myself.. mistrustful bitch!) But really and truly.. the real issue all along must have been the pain and the pennies. To cut a long story short, now that I have a pay and painkillers to rely on I want to embark on my lifelong ink plan.. I want to ink my legs.

But where to start!!? I now spend my breaks from work sketching to-size ideas for my first two pieces, amusing teachers and students who happen to walk past the art-room.

But I hurry, and blab on.. It's been a while.. It's been a very long while.. and it's been stressful and demanding on my poor constitution.. (yes I romanticize my persistent cold and hay-fever for sheer aesthetic reasons) Since the festive season, the general tone of affairs has been very 'post-', a whole month flew by, February caught me unawares as I desperately tried to re-organize sewing projects and life in general. I keep forgetting that it's really and truly no use trying that hard. Then again.. dresses have to be sewn and real people with brimming diaries need to be appeased. And something somewhere in this process pleases me and I keep at it.

... And when I thought the transition period between one major concept and another couldn't be any longer and any more trying.. a brainwave hits me as I head home on the bus, and suddenly this best-feeling-in-the-world feeling translates into several ideas and I get off the bus a happy girl. I know what my next mini collection will look like.. I've visualised most of it in one of those beautiful split-seconds that used to happen to me regularly before I hampered myself with day-to-day obligations. But I am grateful for each time. I am excited for what is to come.. I realize that the sewing of much needed curtains might have to be postponed yet again since moulds have to be made and slip has to be poured and much ribbon cut and placed and twisted and...

Aaa. pictures of some stuff I've finished..

an upgraded 'discarded' cardi for myself cos one just cannot safeguard their credibility unless they wear their own stuff (actually.. it's safe to say it was a case of 'just about time I did something fo myself for once')


A cosy knit skirt with yoke and piping detail.. cosy rule(z)!

A leather skirt, my first project in the material and the label says the rest.

Another upgraded jumper because addiction to this 'quick-fix-project' thing is so hard to resist.

I thought I should leave you with a small, not too revealing ideas-plate for my upcoming project.. but I changed my mind. It's a tiny baby in its big cot.. give it cake.. let it grow.. all in due time. Hope I live through this cold to tell the tale!! (*insert a wholly unjustified 'bbbrrrrrrr' here)..

Instead I'll leave you with a picture I fell in love with. I lifted it out of a very interesting photo album someone I know keeps.. I didn't ask for permission and for this I am sorry.. but this bird here is special.. I want to be him when I grow up.

Note to self: do not abandon dreams of learning how to tattoo.

Roman Holiday

The festivities are over, we were busy at work as well as at being festive.. being sick throughout the holidays didn't dampen my spirits one bit (inflamed throat and complementary sinus blockage beat waking up at 6 anyday!) .. I finished projects.. tried to get my life and my sewing bench in order, baptized my 2011 appointment diary, a new heavy-duty pair of scissors and a furry grey jacket I had no choice but to 'live in' since it happens to be the only thing, other than the gas heater I never got round to buying, which keeps me warm.

With just one last free day ahead of me .. I sit in bed, salty biscuits in hand.. and wonder.. how on earth did I manage to postpone watching Roman Holiday for so long. I cannot but declare my love for Hepburn, a new crush on Peck, my plans for holidaying (at last!) in the very city and my obsession with full skirts and blouses. I want to pay my duties toward society in full (aka. roll over work days.. welcome july!!) so that I can at last lounge in the sun with the promise of a negroni and long strolls in the air.

But being the bad planner that I am, I've already reduced my list of essentials to this hat and pair of geometric leather shoes.. with the picture of Hepburn in my head and the holiday 'high' (and a couple of negronis) I believe I could walk down into Piazza di Spagna wearing just these.
I guess it's a matter of visual power.. I'm succeptible enough to the romanticism of the Hepburn silhouette .. she carries her royal flair from night to day.. from the clinched ball-gown waist to the still tailored holidaying cottons. I too now want to translate my visual travelling aspirations onto that silhouette... It's a matter of expecting a destination to deliver and indirectly (or perhaps, as in this case, blatantly) helping it out. I plan a travelling set of dresses inspired by my last and most satisfying trip to morocco and my long term travel plan to visit japan. Hard wearing, two-tone full skirts with a long row of covered buttons.

I guess I haven't travelled enough to take the little details for granted. I'm one of the least well-travelled persons I know. Not being jaded puts pressure on one to make the best of it, to savour moments but sometimes also traps one into expecting too much. I was a good level-headed planner once; used to list down essentials and match stuff. I still follow maps and enjoy little successes every time I actually find my destinations. But somewhere along the years I realised that with 2 year gaps (min.) between one trip and the next I wasn't going to waste time trying to anticipate possible needs for certain things whilst abroads. Nowadays I only waste my time dreaming about the skirt that is (in this case) the essence of Rome.. and I do not necessarily propose this to be a change for the better. I now abstract my travel-essentials list and while the best of after-work hours 'solving' related puzzles.


I'm thinking too deeply into this. Cutting out 7 sewing projects must have taken its toll on me and the salty biscuits have done nothing by way of filling that empty void I had assumed was my stomach. How do you fill a 'travel' void with a full 2 terms ahead of one?

Babette says 'thanks'!

Ten days have passed already.. ten days from Patches-the special Christmas Market.. a mini (on the grand scale of things) fulfilling success. Must thank organizers, visitors and buyers alike. I loved every smile and every smirk, they were all well deserved..

Loved setting up beneath Our Lady's aluminium shrine with fake ponsiettas and a dead candle, loved the soup and the cupcakes, and speaking with people who care or are well on their way towards caring about such crafts. Also loved having some very unexpected buyers by the stall.. a day full of surprises.

It took me a full ten days to get back to a 'normal' routine where I can fit in a warm drink in between work and more work.. ten days to finalize most of the orders in time for christmas, meet up with people who reserved stuff, plan a meal for 8 hungry relatives, bid my 'students' a temporary farwell and ..breathe.. at last.

So in a sentence.. Patches was good.. actually.. better than anticipated.

*Note to self: do something about the bloody lighting next time round!

Here's me looking all suspicious at a sneaky camera lens. With that look on my face I'm surprised anyone stopped to look at the stuff at all.

Today marks the beginning of the Christmas recess.. days I've planned down to a T..with sewing , sewing and more sewing .. I missed it in the run up for the market .. I also mssed sketching ideas for future projects in my notebook. I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about a shoe collection ... would have sketched it down quickly on toilet paper but we were running low ... (withdrawal symptoms!?)
So I come back home to two surprises and I immediately sense that my holidays are off to a good start. A beloved great aunt sends this low waisted floral dress and lacy 'pink' confection of a skirt with my mum. I'm lucky enough to have her exact size from some 30 years ago, so all's good!

Although I've always been of the opinion that the cheapest buy is the most rewarding; I was admittedly forced to reconsider this belief a few days ago. I made an exception last Tuesday. I bought something exceeding my usual average budget of 5 euro (max.) ... being without a salary for so long has made me immune to the pleasure of shopping.. nowadays I only accompany friends on shopping ventures to scrutinize hems and closures for details, looking all dodgy like a friend from hell.. ''tut tut what a badly lined coat''.. ''tissss.. setghaw imqar jaqtaw il keffa dritta!''

Last Tuesday I spent a handsome sum (for someone who sews) for something absolutely beautiful from 'blush & panic' and only felt a little remorse. I felt like I was conducting a social experiment.. I was re-introducing myself to money-spending civilisation.. this cannot be anything but a short stint at it.. I tried it again today but drove absolutely no pleasure from trawling the capital's streets..

SO I'm taking it as a sign that this 'early 40s' dress was made to be mine .. and although neither this photo nor myself could ever do it as much justice as it's original owner, I still think it's a dress that could see me well into my 50s provided I retain the same size (implausible to say the least! but we pray, if only for the sake of this dress)

So a dress and a book about the history of dance are to be my wage-baptizing treats to self. Oh and regular Indian take-out because that, unlike the rest, is a necessity.

Off to work on a project that's coming along nicely.. just realizing that this pink and grey theme is acquiring a fan base, it's attractive in a practical but fun way.. I love grey.. but I guess I've already said that a couple more times.

WARNING: Photo-laden post!

I cannot but start off by mentioning the first ever photoshoot for Babettopolis which happened almost exactly a week from today. So first, think of a photoshoot, then remove all possible related stress conjured up with the image. That was our photoshoot, and I say 'our' because concerned parties did such a good job out of it that I simply want to share the spoils.

Thanks go to the very talented, unbelievably efficient and much-in-demand Denise Scicluna (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Denise-Scicluna/153994661312246 and/or http://www.denisescicluna.com/ and/or http://www.denisescicluna.blogspot.com/) for taking the reigns and making me feel blissfully useless (for once!) .. and to Tracey Gatt for being unpretentiously perfect and obliging throughout ... in the face of a short notice and other obvious lackings related to low(no!)-budget shoots.

The shoot took place at my new home so we had to do with very limited resources and a very intrusive cat as well.

Following is a fraction of the results, with which I am overjoyed!

EVIL FAT CAT

And even though I had promised myself a break after this something of a milestone.. I kept coming back from work exceptionally driven.. with only two weeks on my hands before the Christmas edition of PATCHES I should probably have the proverbial kit-kat and start logically packing my wares and tablecloths. Instead I'm staying up till really late (for an early-rising teacher!) finishing off stuff I'm kicking myself for not finishing earlier in time for the shoot.

Still, maybe if I did, then the results would have been entirely different and not half as satisfying.

WE ARE HOLY doll-head necklace makes it to my personal top 3

... and inspired by a particularly spoilt Tsarina who in the end got what she deserved: A NO IS A NO IS A NO IS A ... doll-head necklace (although at this point I'm seriously doubting whether I should have been calling them 'Neckpieces' instead)

This is my pending project..

don't forget to look through this site for more information about the big 12th...

http://www.patchesmarket.com/

May I just say..

It's been a bad week in general and I'd hate to dwell on it here as well since I've been doing just that since last friday.. and there's still a day to go.. a day full of pasty faced kids and ill treated palettes and paintbrushes in flight.. too close for comfort.. too much promises of a pay and no delivering.. my nail-beds are all shrivelled and dyed in primary colours .. over and above all this one must deal with staff and try and get home in one piece with enough energy to sew and create things.. May I just say ..
I simply want a scone and a cup of tea. Thank you.

The picture above shows a recent acquisition .. just my kind of framed scapular collection (thanks for the word Anita!) on a very nicely faded blue background that matches my new bedroom wall and the presently disconnected LP player for which we have big plans. I shall be hanging it up above my bed-side table shortly. I only have one worry .. every day, precisely at 6am, the cat jumps onto the dresser where the frame now rests and starts scratching the glass .. it is creeping me out.. but I'm going to ignore it and pretend he's trying to bring to my attention the fact that he's feeling peckish.

And below. Someone's awfully happy about the new bookcases. The other one has an empty shelf which I intend to stuff with cooking books I haven't yet transferred or bought.

On the creative front.. the run-up for Patches - The Special Market (Christmas Edition) has been leaving me breathless and really stressed. Trying to strike a balance between finishing work on time and not stressing it.. this is a redhead and peacock feather fascinator affair mounted onto a cosy brown faux fur band. That way one can look pretty whilst keeping their ears warm.

And this is a grey satin cap I've constructed out of scraps from material used for a skirt.. the embroidery took me ages to finish as I kept leaving my box behind wherever I went. But knowing what exactly I had in mind for this paticular project kept me focused throughout as I usually tend to change my plan mid-way through. I've baptized it 'DECO lotus root cap' and I intend to hold on to it unless someone really appreciative comes along.. It's a labour of love and it fits perfectly!

I shall now retire to bed.. it's a warm fuzzy place and it smells faintly of tea-tree oil, day-old linen, favourite companion and my cat's fur. I like the combination ..

This is my mum preparing wholemeal spaghetti for tomorrow. I like this combination too.

Learning to do without a Palazzo

At one point I assumed I was totally over the whole shenanigans related to dreaming about finding the perfect place .. before I used to stop in front of specific doors in Valletta, Mdina, Attard (and elsewhere), slump, roll my eyes dramatically, cry a bit, then 'humph' before I trudge on. I used to curse heavily at mansion-hunting, interior-decorating and palazzo-restoring tv programmes. It perlexes the cat and anyone else in the room. I also thought I was over the night-long, image saving, folder naming marathons (*INTERIORS YAY!, *Exteriors :O, *Venice palazzo DETAILS, *RUGS!!!!; being just few examples).

But I'm not.

Official, on-paper work gives one issues of entitlement. I was convinced I had exorcized all ability to yearn for something so beyond my means (yes even the rugs I have saved in that damned folder) in the time when I was jobless, I had somewhat accepted fate, eradicated hope and went 'fuck it, I'm working class'. I had also learnt to dream less which, in my case, was a healthy turn. But working gave the situation an even worse slant towards GRAVITAS.. I now feel like I deserve to have my own place with that extra room for the chaos that sewing and related crafts bring with them.. deserve but will never afford. It's tragic.. I have now started to cry again at the sight of those particularly heavy pair of knockers (sounds funny but is not!) on the huge faded-black door in Mdina.

Just look at this door below, not a pretentious door in any way, but the paint on the wall is peeling in just the right places and the lighting holds such promise for romance. There will be no stinky shoes lying around inside, the carpets are fuzz-free (the cats hover and brush themselves in the yard whilst I'm out). The entrance is painted light blue with dark red details and the place smells of cinnamon and tobacco leaves.. leather armchairs and a tapestry chaise lounge *sniff sniff die-in-a-corner-alone.

Oh and everyone coming or leaving is meant to wear a hat. Hats make life look like a beautiful Sunday morning in 1933.

Instead of driving the proverbial (daintily engraved ivory-inlaid gold) dagger further into my innards, I'll just go through a couple of favourite things I've finished recently..

Here is a pair of shoes I designed and had made-to-measure for a lady who wanted something special. I love an opportunity where I'm allowed to come up with something on the spot for someone.. and then follow it through the whole process.. I ended up asking my shoemaker to gather the extra leather scraps from the shoes, from which I constructed an abstracted pearl-dotted tropical bird to wrap around the front and sides. The chosen colours are two kinds of candy purple, forest green, coral red and two tones of caramel.. *nom noms.

The three following items on the other hand, are things I managed to somehow finish after work.. detailed work that sees me into the wee hours when I ought to be asleep gathering energy points for the morrow. A pair of emboidered, manicured vintage gloves with added embellished braid and glass button for closure.

The tattoed baby (one-off, slip-cast) skull is now part of a bigger picture. It has become a statement necklace cum mobile with added diadem and crystals.

And a small bracelet I kept from when I was young and had relatively smaller hands, was turned into a HOLY HEART necklace which I have a feeling will be leaving it's basket sooner than expected.