Handmade Watermelon Pram.. Perfect for a baby shower

Was uploading some photos and found some of these from a few weeks back.  Thought would be fun to put some photos up =)

Baby in a pram, a.k.a. Fruit bowl!  It is actually a lot easier than it looks.  I actually didn't believe it will be quite this easy, but got some assurance from a friend who loaned me her knife and a coffee scooper for my craft.  Thanks!!  =)

Anyway, all you need are these items:

*  Longish watermelon (I had to made do with a rounded size)

*  1 Wooden skewer (for drawing on the watermelon)

*  Toothpicks (use them to prop the head and wheels and for the eyes)

*  A not too sharp knife (Trust me..  Don't get a blunt or too sharp... I had a deep nick with a not too sharp knife.. I'm a klutz like that!)

*  Melon scooper (to scoop those flesh into balls.  If you don't have a melon scooper, use a coffee scoop.. or just use a spoon and scoop out those darn flesh)

*  Spoon (to scoop all those flesh out)

*  Pacifier

Fruits such as:

*  Green and red grapes

*  Cherries

*  Strawberries

*  Physallis 

*  Small honeydew/rockmelon (for the baby's head.  I couldn't find a rockmelon, had to made do with a honeydew) 

*  Blueberries (at least 2 for the eyes)

*  An orange (4 slices - Make sure they are slightly thick)

*  Basically any fruits which are in season! 

First find your watermelon and cut the bottom off (so, it could stand firmly by itself)

Next step was drawing on it with a skewer..  I decided to put a heart on the handle, I'm a romantic like that ;)

Then, off you go with the knife.  It's a lot easier to poke and then cut with the knife as the mark left by the wooden skewer is quite visible

Looks like a blood bath, aye? =)

But hey!  Do you like the scallops around the pram?  It's quite sturdy as well, cos the bottom is evened out

Back view..  That's the handle area

The final product.  Skinned the little honeydew head.  Used toothpicks so the blueberries could stick as the eyes.  Cut a little hole for the mouth so you could poke the pacifier in.  Scatter some fruits (watermelon and honeydew/rockmelon) inside the pram.  Then, prop the head onto the fruits in the pram.  With the head, just use a couple of skewers at the back into the watermelon husk so, it could sit up slightly

Have a friend help you scatter all the fruits around the pram.  

We added the orange wheels with a toothpick so they could stand upright

Looks like a baby in pram surrounded by flowers..

Had quite a fun time making it!  Have a lovely week!

Xx

My weekend creation - a 1920s yellow felt hat!

I wasn't feeling too well last week and as I was still attending my daily Swedish classes and my 4 hour work a week and loads of catching up with fika, parties, lunches and what not, I was extremely sick come last weekend so I decided to stay home and rest..

and this is what I got up to!

A yellow felt hat with red ribbon around it.  Attached on the side is a large silk flower in red and silver bluish leaves.  I actually wanted to do something red, but realised I've already made 2 red felt hats for myself already, so, decided to play with another colour instead.  I hand blocked and hand sew everything.

My poor fingers are quite sore as I forgot to wear my thimble until they started to hurt a bit.  Whoops! I quite like it.  I actually made this for someone, but I'm thinking of keeping it for myself as I believe it's more suited to my style.. ;P  I think it's quite cute and whimsical.  What do you think?!  I really hope they like it.. if not, I'll definitely keep it! =)

Loppis... to do or not... but positive side.. My bridal range will bestocked at this little boutique in Stockholm!

Have to say, was a HUGE HUGE disappointment at the Burleskloppis today.  Firstly, my table placement was hidden from majority of people (hidden in a far away room).. and to top it off, my product lines were with 2nd hand sellers which had nothing to do with my products.

Was having a sinking feeling when we rocked up there at 10am to set up and was led to the farthest area.. and by 11am (an hour before the loppis was due to open), I already knew that's no way this will be a great day

           My lovely friend Sej was up at 6am on a Sunday to help me!  She was with me the whole day!

It's not like everyone there were 2nd hand sellers..  There were proper store owners there.  For the amount I paid, which was the same as everyone else in the main hall.. I would expect at least a reduction of fee to have us hidden in a small room, where traffic was less.. and when there were traffic, it was so crammed, and things were being bumped off my table and noone could move;The whole place was so stuffy I could hardly breathe and sometimes feeling so light headed..

Good on the organizer for wanting to maximize all the space so she could squeeze every penny from the sellers, but big boo to her for charging the sellers hidden in a closed, crammed up room the full price. At least warn us next time or refund us the money.

So, yep, majorly disappointed... Until I saw this!!.................

This gorgeous gorgeous boutique, Plezuro in Stockholm, which stocked unknown designer goods and on their updated blog, a sneak peak of some of my bridal items on their blog.

but best of all, a sneak peak of their photoshoot which they did today, on their blog!  My hats!!!!

I guess baby steps at a time.. baby steps...

Anyhow, wish me luck!!

Xx

New Fascinators

Been a while since I've updated.  I have been a busy bee with all the travelling but now I'm back in cold Stockholm.

Have made a few fascinators since I came back..  They are all done by hand.. >_<

Black woollen fascinator with silver studs

Cream Italian lace on cream sinamay with rhinestones

Hand stitched a few extra floral laces on top for some 3D effects

Black woollen fascinator on buckram with silver screw on spikes

Have to say these lots took a while, especially the spikes!  Firstly had them just on the wool, but the spikes were really heavy, so I had to block buckram and added another dimension so it looks more sturdy.  Actually quite happy with my fascinators

Definitely will be making more spikes and studs =)

Till later!

Xx

Gifts advise for brides and grooms.. especially asian heritage ;)

With weddings happening everywhere...  Just a word of advise to brides and grooms to be.  ALWAYS ALWAYS have a gift registry... if you already have all the household items, always ask for cash from well meaning wishers...

If you have neither a gift registry, you are going to get a lot of duplicate items and even if you advise your guests not to bring anything, they will still bring something for you... and you will end up with either useless presents or more duplicate items...

and please if you are attending a wedding, anyone would always appreciate money gifts.. especially asian couples.. Trust me ;)

A handmade little bouquet made of red and pink roses - Thanks, YouTube!

A little hat for the bride to be - Pinkish beige with french lace and handsewn rhinestones on white buckram.  All steam and moulded on a round hat block.  Flower on top is made from white goose feather.  All 100% handmade =D

Xx

New felt hat.. sooo purrrfect for autumn!

I love the beginning of autumn when trees are filled with such beautiful vibrant colours of red and gold, but my heart gets heavier when the colours change to yellow and slowly they flutter down to the ground..  Now some of the trees are bare and look dead, getting ready for the cold winter.

When autumn came I decided to dust out my clouche hat block which I've only 'tried' using once.  I don't think I really like the shape as I think I prefer a brim... But here's the end result.

I love red, so, had red felt hood which I steamed and blocked on to the hat block.  As the block is  all one piece I had a hard time trying to stretch and pull the felt properly..

I had some trimmings I bought from Paris recently and thankfully it was long enough to go around the hat and made a little bow and I've also attached a vintage pearl button.  I think it looks quite cute, but it feels a bit tight around my head... (I think I have a big head, but I've measured and it's about 22 inch which is what the average size is?  I think my head feels bigger than normal as I have 'boofy' hair hehe) but I'm sure it'll stretch.

Putting through more orders for felt hoods, so, can't wait for them to arrive so I can start making and hopefully sell!

Loving the beautiful colours outside the window

Flowers, ribbons, sparkle sparkle? Yep, I have been busy!

Just some items I have been working on in the last few months.  Lots of hand sewing for sure, but I think they look pretty cute.  They'll be boxed up and hopefully I will be able to approach some shops here in the next few weeks/months..  *sigh*  =)

Lovebirds

Sequins and beads on top of a black satin wrapped headband

Pink silk flower on a straw base comb

Silk flower on a straw base comb

White silk flower on a straw base comb.  Lovely for the bride!

Handrolled sinamay flower on a sinamay base

Hand rolled sinamay flower on a sinamay base.  I found this vintage sparkly silver button in a cute little shop in London

Beaded flowers which have been individually sewn on a sinamay base.  So sweet and just great for the bride!

Large fuschia sinamay hat with petersham ribbon and silver 'pearls'

Bronze studs on sinamay base hat

Silver 'pearl' beads on a royal blue sinamay base hat

Approx 9cm width.. Side by side...

Till next time!

Xx

My little fascinator for a friend's wedding

Don't mind me mucking around.. but I just realised I can't find a close up picture of my fascinator... This has to be the closest one I guess.

Made from sinamay.  The base is handblocked with 3 layers of sinamay (2 pink and one black) and stiffened.. unfortunately, it came out looking kind of grey??  but it ended up looking pretty OK with my dress for the evening.  Handstitched a black line of sinamay at the top and attached another strip of sinamay so it looked like a bow on to the top and finished with a sparkling rhinestone button at the very top.

I've lined the inside with black dupion silk and wired around the edge and finished it off with black petersham ribbon.  A plastic comb and black elastic band is also sewn underneath so, it's double secure sitting on my head.  No fear if it's a windy day! =)  The whole thing has been handstitched by hand.

Walking around Helsingborg city centre with it on was fun.  A old lady near the station got excited and pointed at my hat and her head which freaked me out a little as I think she was homeless.  But she liked my hat =P

Smooches for you and me!  

Andres & Gemma's Wedding in Helsingborg...

Last couple of weeks has been quiet for us.  Other than our daily Swedish classes, the only fun thing we did was travelling up north for G&A wedding.  I met Gemma back in 2010 when we both attended Swedish classes at Folkuniversitetet.  She's a lass from Wales while he's Swedish.. =) (They are now honeymooning in Japan.  Lucky ducks!!)

We caught the train from Malmö to Helsingborg and from there, we caught a bus to a small village named Brunnby and we had to walk a bit to get to the venue.  Thankfully I brought a pair of flats with me to walk in.. The venue was at Brunnby Gärd..  A pretty little place, somewhere so remotely far.. It was nearly a 3 hours each way for us to get to from where we were staying! hehe

Helsingborg..  What a pretty city...

Pretty cloudy for during the day

Mr S striking a pose

Walking on the road to get to the hotel

Brunnby Gärd

The bride was pretty in red and looked so giddily happy =)

Her dress was made by her mum... with lots of tulles underneath to make it look puffy!  So cute!

This is where the ceremony will take place...

Champange on arrival

Me, my new hat (which I did the night before) and the gorgeous bride!

Me and the mother of the bride and our fascinators.  She made hers and I made mine.. =D

Lena came all the way from Stockholm to officiate the wedding and this is one of many kisses during the ceremony ;)

Bride outside taking photos with their official photographer..

It's very Pride and Prejudice I thought.. =D

Relatives and the two bridesmaids on the right who flew in from London...

An old wagon sitting in the gardens...

The venue where the wedding was held.. Just behind the main hotel

Guests looking on as the photographer clicks away at the newly weds

One of many photos of S on a date with his phone =PPPP

The groom and his best man.. Far away.. can you see a bathtub?? ;)

Mother of the bride and one of two nieces who attended the wedding..  They flew in from London..

Another one of Mr S, chatting with his GF on the phone =P

The buffet feast..  A mix of Swedish and English food..

Bread rolls are a must!

There's chicken pasta and smoke salmon and cream cheese as well as black caviar

Deviled eggs, fish and chips!!!, fresh beetroots, loads of vegetables...

bacon wrapped figs, stuffed mushrooms and different types of potatoes

Cheesy potatoes..

Delicious Roast beef and jus..  These were my favourite!!!!

Table setting..

The lovely high wooden ceiling...

A little bit of everything on my plate!!  The yorkshire pudding was yummy!!!  

and Trifles for dessert.. and muffins...

I opted for the trifle and a couple of figs!

Cake cutting..

White chocolate sponge cake.. yum!!  The red hearts were made from marzipan!

Ahh.. so, these were what's under the bride's tulles all the time.. British heels!!  How cute!

Sitting for a a chat with her bridesmaids and a couple of her guests

The lovely Annette and Jimmy..  The couple we were chatting with throughout the night