Come See My New Etsy Store!

I've been making plans for my 2009 business direction and I decided that this is the year to work on more wedding related items. So to that end, I decided to open a new, separate Etsy shop just for weddings.
So for your shopping pleasure, please visit FairyTaleWedding!!!
I posted a few things to start, and many more will follow!




In other news, I visited a new specialist last week and he has declared that I need to have surgery in the next month or so. I am not so thrilled about this, and we both think it may not help, but at least it's a start. So don't be surprised in a few weeks when you see my stores are inactive for about a week because I can't make it to the post office.

My blog is feeling neglected...

It's been a few days, so I thought I'd share what I've been up to.
I picked up some lovely tulle this past weekend for bridal veils and I made one in black and another in white. They are very simple and elegant: the design has a long bottom piece that hangs to mid-arm length and a blusher on top that just covers the face. I used my beloved serger to finish the ends and give them a feminine lettuce edging. The tulle was hand gathered and sewn to a 4" silver comb and finished with ribbon and beads. Here are some pictures:





AND I've been stashing away time to work on my new STEAMPUNK wings. Oh yes, they are in the works! I am building the frame right now and it is real slow going. The base wire is aluminum and the connecting/wrapping wire is 16 gage stainless steel. My hands are killing me and I've been wearing my wrist braces again but it will be so worth it when they are done. This pair is going to be movable too! I will post some pictures as soon as I get a little further along. :)

Opening soon: Chatfields Boutique!

A new kind of bridal boutique is opening in St. Louis, MO, early May 2008. Run by the fabulous Debbie Welcher, this shop will cater to maternity and plus size brides and bridesmaids.

And I am sharing this because I just finished a new line of bridal hair accessories that will be sold exclusively at this charming new store!
Here are some quick pictures I took just before shipping (I apologize-they are not up to my usual standards!)
This is a unique opportunity for brides and bridesmaids because all of these items are fully customizable. Wire choices include silver and gold, but a rainbow of colors are also available to meet individual needs. I use Swarovski crystals, Czech glass beads and pearls that are available in a range of color palettes to match personalized wedding color themes. If you are interested in purchasing one of these designs, please contact Chatfields Bridal!

Here Comes the Bride-Run for your life!

In honor of the new Etsy Wedding Team, I decided to share my own bride experience-or at least as close as I'll ever get to it. My Halloween costume three years ago was a homage to Tim Burton's Corpse Bride.
I already had the dress-I had made it two years before for a project in college. I slashed apart the bottom of the skirt added black Venician lace to the corset top. Then I airbrushed the colors to mimic the movie version, Burton-esque swirls and all. I made the veil from scratch with decorative stitching, paint and the blue rose wreath-and the bouquet to match. Then I made ribs out of porcelain craft clay and stitched them to a piece of black velvet for the hole in the corset.
And here is the finished product:I made a glove with bones to mimic her skeletal arm, painted my skin bluish-white and wore a black and blue wig to complete the outfit. The pirate is my sweetie J, I made his costume too. :)

Brand Spankin' New: The Etsy Wedding Team!

Yes, it's true! a bunch of etsy members have banded together to to form the new EtsyWeddingTeam. Within mere hours, the numbers of interested parties had swollen to 30+ in answer to Middleburg's query in the forums.
I personally can't wait to see what all the new members make! Hand crafted elements are the perfect touch for weddings; handmade favors make your guests feel extra special. My sister is getting married in January of 2009 and I am making silk mango calla lilies for the favors-I am still in the design stage but they are going to be breathtaking.
I have always love the pomp and circumstance surrounding weddings. All the time and energy and planning spent on making one day as perfect as possible. Well, now there is a whole team of artisans that can help make your day as special a possible!
I am going to be directing my energies to making a line of bridal tiaras and wedding wings. There may also be veils and ring bearer pillows in there too!