Audrey Grace Boutique

A selection of custom dresses made for Audrey Grace Boutique.

The white dress with blue satin sash has really captured my heart. I may just make a couple more to put in the shop, perhaps with short sleeves for the warmer weather.

Also a big thank you to Josie (Organza whiz) for helping me out with the blue number. With her guidance and helpful tips I have come to love organza rather than fear it!

Cottingley Fairies

When listening to a podcast yesterday on famous historical hoaxes I was enthralled to hear the tale of the Cottingley Fairies.

Between 1917-1920 cousins Elsie Wright and Frances Griffiths took a series of five photographs portraying each other frolicking about in the woodlands wearing long white dresses and rag curled hair adorned with flowers and bows. What made the photographs (even more) spectacular was the presence of several dainty fairies!

As time passed the girls seemed to tire of their fairy friends and admitted the photographs were a hoax, they had created cardboard cutouts of fairies copied from popular childrens books. However for her whole life Frances continued to swear that the last photograph was infact genuine....

Hoax or not these photographs are so dreamy and make me wish fairy filled woodlands really did exist.

Images found here

Spring Dress for Li-Ping

Custom dress for Li-Ping made with Turquoise cotton eyelet

This number makes me pretty excited for the oncoming spring months!

Custom Dress for Joanna x

Custom Wendy dress for Joanna x

Made using 1950s style abstract print fabric

Lady Hamilton Love

Currently dreaming of the Pre-Raphaelites

and George Romney's paintings of Lady Hamilton.

The breathtaking beauty of these images make me positively weak at the knees and i'm consumed by the urge to grow my hair extra long and lounge about in flowing ivory gowns.

Madame Fancy Pants #2

The next batch of dresses heading to Madame Fancy Pants

For any Ladies and Gents out there in Wellington the store will be reopening on Saturday the 20th of August after a spot of sprucing! Madame Fancy Pants is as cute as a button and has a beautiful collection of darling dresses and trinkets.

Its on the top of my to do list when I one day visit New Zealand!

Ladies Night

My darling friend Dette has finally returned into my clutches after being in Queensland for several months. I missed this special lady so much and am incredibly pleased to have her back by my side! We celebrated with a few beverages in a tiny little bar, I was so excited to see her that my mouth began to hurt from smiling! I tried to wipe the cheesy grin off my face for these photographs... It certainly wasn't easy!

Luckily we will be seeing a lot of each other to make up for lost time, we will also be performing onstage together at the end of the year (eeeeep) but I won't say much more about that now... striped bathers, finger waves and sailor collars will be involved.

Caught In The Act!

I thought I would share these candid sewing snaps that were taken a few days ago. I've been working away on a bunch of new dresses which should be ready for photographing (and sharing) over the weekend!!

A word of warning.... I've become quite obsessed with velveteen, it is the fabric of my dreams! When I wear it I feel like a small child going to a Christmas party in the mid 20th century. I enjoy this feeling! Expect to see the wonderful fabric popping up a fair bit in the coming weeks.

Dairy Bell Love

Earlier this year I was out for dinner with some friends, on the drive home I noticed an old fashioned ice cream parlour and begged my pal to pull over. It was like a dream come true and thus my love with Dairy Bell begun. I swear the decor (and prices) haven't changed since the early 1970s.. it kills me!

This evening Melbourne was terribly dreary and rainy, so the Mr and I jumped in a car and headed to the one place I knew would put big sweet toothed smiles on our faces.... She did not disappoint. Although I over estimated the amount of ice cream I could eat in one sitting I smuggled the enormous Sundae out with me and am currently nestled in layers of blankets indulging in the amazing sweet treat. I kind of wish every day could end this way...

Summer Scheming

With a small mountain of dresses to complete in the coming weeks I have begun daydreaming of long summer days in the sunshine with not a care in the world! The lovely Josie and I have been plotting and scheming our summer wardrobes and we are hoping to see many handmade sundresses start to take shape in the coming months.

Inspired as always by early 20th century beachwear I also have every intention of lounging about in striped one pieces, bloomers, nautical playsuits and turbans all Summer long...

Ps- The top photograph was taken a few years back whilst in my ideal summer state... napping the afternoon away!

Some very darling seaside attire:

With A Little Help From My Friends

I have recently had the absolute pleasure of Josie from Frances Baker joining me in my little studio. Our days are filled with plenty of sewing and pattern making not to mention blog talk, giggles and tea.

Josie helped me whip up this little Black number named Thelma as well as two special dresses for a very talented lady who has a rather special day coming up....

We are currently working on a dress that I am very excited about and cannot wait to share when she starts to take form... a little different from my other designs this darling with feature organza and bows... Perfect for starry evenings!

Josie brought along a very special pattern making book that has countless tiny patterns from the 1950s. By using a simple scaling system they can be drafted to your size in no time at all... I have my eyes on some beautiful little outfits from the children's wear section!

It has been so wonderful to have a lovely lady working along side me, in fact it makes the days spent on my own a wee big sad... Thankfully I have our next date coming up very soon x

Thelma available now!