Year: 2011

Kiwi-isms: Throwing a wobbly

I thought it would be fun to translate, and illustrate, some of my favourite kiwi-isms Throw a wobbly (also, Chuck a wobbly) 1. To have a meltdown, temper tantrum, hissy fit, etc. P.S. Don’t you love Toulmouche’s painting? How he caught the delustred satin of the grey dress, the duchesse satin of the brides frock, the rust-coloured velvet (it’s an 1860s version of Maria Josepha’s dress!), and the apricot taffeta. My favourite is the littlest bridesmaid, who seems to be saying “whatever, have your wobbly, I’m just going to play dress up with your wreath”. I suspect she is the bride’s little sister!

The 1866 Crinoline in action

Published by The Dreamstress

I’ve realised that while I make lots of undergarments, some of them very pretty, I don’t often show models in just their undergarments, so I don’t get good photographs of the undergarments on real people. Last Saturday solved a bit of that. One undergarments I was especially pleased to get images of in action was the 1866 crinoline. Mme Denise Poiret wore it, and looked fabulously 1860s and not at all Poiret-y. The one inaccuracy with this wearing is that I put the corset over the crinoline for aesthetic impact. Audiences like to to see corsets in the full. I fixed some of the issues that I was having with this crinoline for this wearing by slipping an extra set of very strong wire boning into the extra channels that I had providentially included in the crinoline when I originally made it. The extra wires keep the crinoline from warping under the weight of the back ruffles, and help create a back-heavy shape, but also make the whole petticoat quite a bit heavier, which is …

Friday Rave: Things Unseen Jewellery

Published by The Dreamstress

Mr Dreamy got me the best Valentines Day present ever this year. It is a custom floral necklace by my favourite jeweller, Nini of Things Unseen. Nini is based in Wellington, and her line sells in a couple of posh shops in town, such as Rex Royale, and on etsy, but if you want to be able to buy any of her really good stuff you have to get up very early: anytime she shows up at a jewellery or craft fair she sells out, and there is a little mini-riot in front of her stall as everyone tries to get their hands on a fabulous piece of jewellery. Of course, you can circumvent all of that by contacting her in person and getting a custom piece, which is what Mr D did. Lucky me! Nini’s jewellery is steampunk, with an elegant, feminine, and very witty twist. She uses cogs and gears and bees and dragonflies and all sorts of other fabulous stuff. She uses other motifs too. I particularly like her hare line. (hehe …