Raspberry ’Eers*

I love raspberries – raspberries and cream, raspberries in my morning muesli, raspberry lollies  (the jelly kind), raspberry liqueur (that would be framboise). I have also been on a quest for the elusive raspberry-flavoured beer (*hence my lovely punning headline).

Now, I know it is more traditional to dangle cherries from one’s eers. However, I was inspired by the memory of a Marie Claire cover photo of Sarah-Jessica Parker many years ago. She was wearing a pair of eerrings that distinctly reminded me of raspberries, as do these very tactile pink Indian ‘beaded beads’. I decided to make me some raspberry confections.

For the stem, I used tiny jade rectangular beads bought years ago on eBay, attached to findings I made myself from sterling silver wire; the raspberry sits on top of a little round bead of pink candy jade. The contrast between the pink bauble and the translucent green jade is so pretty.

I love how lively these are to wear, as though they jiggle about with sheer exuberance just for being worn. But perhaps that’s only me: a non-alcoholic instant mood enhancer, they put a spring in my step.

But I still want the raspberry beer.

Birthday Bobbies

I turned one year older this week, and this is one of the sweet little gifts I received from a friend.

At first I thought of babushkas, just because of the image on the card, and the striped patterns on the pins. But then I realised, of course, they were little flapper girls, with bobs! Bobs on bobby pins. Too bad I don’t actually have a bob, although I’ve worn several incarnations over the years.

… they were little flapper girls,
with bobs!

My friend Rapunzel found these Monique Germon pins at a very cute boutique called i dream a highway, an evocative name if ever I heard one. She says she could easily stock her entire wardrobe from there, and after browsing through their gallery, I quite agree. Fortunately for my purse it’s quite a long way to go for me. I might just have to wait until next year.

The Wooden Bag

I do like this wooden bag. I did the moment I saw it: from the slender lengths of honey-coloured wood that beg to be touched, to its endearing, rickety construction. There is something friendly about it.

Its rigid, minimal shape immediately made me think of architecture: lofty city buildings (hence the Manhattan background); and it stands tall like a sculpture. It is no delicate bag either, measuring 30cm high.

I have not swung it yet through the city streets however, for fear of losing its contents. What I really need is a couple of clear pvc cases to keep smaller items safe. I like the idea of the contents being visible though: a rustic version of all those clear designer bags that came into fashion as in-flight baggage a few years ago. I wonder if this one would get through quarantine – never mind security?

Cinderella’s Plumassier

A little while ago I chanced upon a hoard of bejewelled fabric and spangled trim remnants that looked as though they had been snatched from Cinderella’s dressmaker (after she married the Prince). I wasn’t quite sure what to do with them, but at $5 for an enormous bag, they really were a steal.

The find coincided with racing season in Melbourne, and what with the abundance of feathered fascinators bobbing about town, I was struck by an inspiration.

Kate Moss by Corinne Day, 1990.Its source was years old: a feathered headdress I once glimpsed in the window of a now-vanished boutique. At the time it reminded me of an old photo by Corinne Day of Kate Moss, but priced over $200, such a frivolous accessory was out of the question.

But perhaps I could make one for myself? Now was the perfect time to purchase feathers – Cleg’s in the city stocked all sorts of hat decorating supplies for those who scorned the professional services of milliners. There was sure to be a super-abundance of feathers and other furbelows.

I sought the advice of a salesperson, who suggested I sew the feathers onto some sinamay – an exotic-sounding term for heavy mesh ribbon made from the abaca plant. The pink satin ribbon will be sewn on top to hide the shafts of the feathers (obscuring my dodgy sewing skills), and then the silver sequin trim over that. When finished, the headdress will be fastened with a bow at the nape, leaving the longer pink ribbons to trail down my hair.

If I finish in time (with my not-ugly sister Blossom’s assistance as she stands in for a plumassier) I may get into the festive spirit and wear it on Christmas Day, or failing that, on New Year’s Eve.

Now, I just need to get hold of some glass slippers…

Wooden Neutrals

I own a lot of costume jewellery (some of it made by myself) but there are always those few favourites that I reach for time and again. These wooden beads are some of them.

I find that they act like neutrals, able to complement many garments and styles. For example, wear wooden beads with a long floral print dress and call them bohemian, or with an avant-garde structured piece and call it sculpture. For that reason I particularly like them with some of my Veronika Maine garments; the combination also puts me in mind of Marni.

The intricately cut headband is actually made from very flexible birchwood, and is from Russia; I bought that unusual piece on eBay. The earrings, a gift, came from Design A Space*, and both necklaces were unearthed in local charity shops. At least those are carbon neutral too!

*Turn your sound down before clicking here!