metamorphosis.

FINALLY, finally, finally gotten around to taking photos of my necklaces to post up on etsy. it's been quite some time. i did take some a few weeks ago, inside, at night, with some bright lights but it made everything orange and not even photoshop could fix it. so i gathered up all my motivation for the month and took them today. i've only uploaded a few for the moment, as spreading them out over time makes for the best exposure.

on sale now at rupert and sherlock.

the set of necklaces above is my metamorphosis series. the center necklace is the base then you buy the attachments separate to suit your mood, mix and match. i was quite pleased with myself when i thought of this one. plus it means not having to spend lots of money on buying a new necklace each time. so far i only have the two turquoise nugget attachments shown here, but there will be quite an assortment to come.

the necklace im wearing in this photo is one yet to be released. it is made from the most beautiful faceted druzy agate in a wonderful navy colour. i bought two lots of these beads lengths before i even started using them. i adore them so much. this one is my own, as i said in my previous post, i make them then end up keeping them myself. but luckily i have still quite a few leftover so it will be making an appearance in my etsy store.

i will also be updating my photos on my already existing cuffs plus adding some new colours i have made up. plus some limited edition ones (they have vintage heart shaped studs on them, available in limited quantity....minus the ones i keep for myself...)

so please check out my store regularly for new items. i am also open to doing custom orders or wholesale. i have also updated it so postage in australia is now free and it's express! if there is a listing with postage still charged, contact me to change it or i will refund it after payment.

- her.

introducing chester.

this is the chester series. chester is the name of the style and it will essentially be the same length of chain with different stones and the threading of the smaller chain will be different each time, or the same depending if it's any easier to follow a previously made one. although at the moment i have no more chain to thread with so i have to order it in bulk from the states as spotlight doesn't have any. i'm pretty happy with the outcome and also how it is so versatile in the sense of being able to have different gemstones each time. most of the time i will have two of each kind as the 16" strands (which is the standard to buy gemstones as) can accommodate two necklaces.

this will be up on etsy by the end of the weekend, as it's now nearly 3am and taking photos in sunlight isn't really possible right now. i used a mirror to reflect more light onto the necklace in the photos above. pretty clever.

i also have another necklace i have designed and that will also be up on etsy soon. exciting times. if only we have more than one neck to adorn with handmade goods with. maybe one for drinking with and one for eating with then maybe another for breating with, so then we don't get things down the wrong one and choke. genius.

- her.

turquoise chain necklace

i told you i would re-do the turquoise necklace. it was quite a feat taking it apart and untangling the mess of chain. but i got there. then i redid the mess. but better. i'm letting it go on etsy and madeit as i'm still really picky at how the turquoise doesn't sit straight. i don't remember if i mentioned that previously or not. doesn't matter. it doesn't affect the aesthetic of it, i just don't personally like it. although, if the stones did sit right then i would keep it, as i don't have enough stones to make another. but i am looking into buying round stones. they will sit right. so hopefully it sells and it can fund more necklace adventures. buy it. now. thanks

buy on etsy here.

buy on madeit here.

long past due.

this post is long over due. it's been more than a week, i admit i haven't been posting as much as i was when i started. but that seems to be a habit of mine. i start something new and interesting, i go crazy with it, then it dies away when i see the next new shiny thing. short attention span. having a non-addictive personality has it's pros and cons. pros - i dont smoke nor drink. cons - i'm sure i cost my mother a pretty penny when i swapped from jazz ballet to piano lessons and something else as a child and now ben with all my crafty ventures. although i will admit i have stuck with the crafty-ness, albiet a range of different crafts (in which i need to purchase new materials) but still craft all the same. yay for me. it's progess.

which brings me to my newest projects. i've been lusting over the jeffrey campbell 99's for a while. also the alexa wedge à la acne atacomas. because i know i would never be able to afford the atacomas. when i found stock of the 99's on needsupply.com (half the price of what someone on ebay was selling them for), i kept my eye on them. when i saw that 4 of the sizes already sold out, not mine thank god, i clicked 'add to cart' along with a 'funktional' necklace and some happy socks.

so i'm pretty excited and i can't wait until they arrive in my post box. the next day the 99's sold out of another 3 or 4 sizes, so they only have size 8 left. but what i'm trying to get at is, when i was showing ben my prospective buys he asked if i could just make that necklace myself. it doesn't seem that hard. it's just a bunch of chain messed around. right? well if you have slight ocd in the form of, everything needs to be organised and symmetrical, then it's not as easy as a bunch of mess. i gave it a go, but because i'm always trying to have it balanced it was harder than i thought to complete an 'unorganised' mess aesthetic. plus i wasn't quite sure how i would keep the chains from moving around from my strategically placed loops and drops. my first attempt, i will admit, was kind of pathetic. so when i bought the shoes, i also bought the necklace.

as you can see its dramatically different to the funktional one. but i didnt want mine so long and i used turquoise (it matches the socks). as you can also see its pretty pathetic. the chains move around and it's no where near symmetrical which annoys me a bit. but the most annoying bit is that the chains move around too much, so it clumps together in places. i have although figured out a solution to this while i was attemping my second necklace tonight.

i love moonstone. it's one of my favourite gemstones. that and turquoise. it's needless to say that i will be taking apart the turquoise one and re-doing it completely, to something more like this one. it's not a simple task. this took me close to 2 hours, i guess if i wasn't so pedantic about how each chain falls and where, it wouldn't take as long. but it's attention to detail that really ends up making the necklace work as a whole. my mum and i bought those moonstone beads like 2 or 3 years ago at a yearly bead expo they have somewhere in eastern melbourne, so it's about time i used them. i have enough left to make another one of these that will be going on etsy. but i need to get new chain first, it's amazing how much chain goes into it.

well i think that's it on this topic. i'll be writing up another post about how its twothousandten next. i have a feeling i was going to say something else, but the mac decided to bring down the grey curtain of death and make me restart, so i've forgotten. thanks steve. i also think the length of this post makes up for the lack of posts.

- her.

poofy mc pom.

went to spotlight today to find some sort of stiff backing for my octavia necklace. got some interfacing, success. so i'll be finishing that up tomorrow, plus i added some extra chains to it and it looks heaps better. so stay tuned for them on etsy! also decided to buy some wool to make pompoms for my head. cause thats clearly the only place pompoms belong.

hot glued onto a barette clip. since they are so simple, quick and cute i might put them up on sale on etsy for cheap. i saw one on there that's slightly smaller and it was US$10 ! crazy. plus i don't have the patience to knit, so i have lots of wool now that i need to use.

i also don't intentionally hide my face in my photos, just so happens the better photos are where my face isn't actual shown properly (plus it's more artistically creative.... or something). our photo up there in the side bar has my full face, so i'm not shy.

- her.

i'm a PRO. ... crastinationator.

well. i still havent finished my redecorating. i'm kind of stuck on where to go from here. but i will say that the only reason i'm redecorating is because the jeffrey campbell clinic shoes fell through (possibly cause of a dodgy ebay seller) so i spent all my money at ikea instead. with still more to buy. oh ikea, i should be a stock holder.

cardigan - supré

dress - no name from ebay

belt - no name

skirt - rupert&sherlock

shoes - michael antonio

wore that the other day to go to the op shop to buy some little golden books for a project i'm doing. i only found one though. so ebay is my friend and ive got a few more. but those shoes i'm wearing are new i got from the states. they are super tall (they don't look it in the photo but they are close to 5" with a platform). the highest shoes i own. they defy my gravity skills plus they also exaggerate every bump and slope in the uneven footpaths. they are also half a size too big (ssshhh don't tell ben) but cause of the straps it's no real problem. i also look like i'm dancing with myself. la la la.

RAWR.

to the left is a new prototype for a necklace i'm working on. its got a leather backing with, well obviously chains. i think it's a bit lacking and needs more chains. it also doesn't stay very flat and that, i need a stiff backing on it. don't know what to use yet though. so i'm going to work on that tomorrow. or something. i believe i have too many projects to do at once.

just cause it's funny that someone went to the effort to wash the jar out then return it to the shelf.

- her.

EDIT: i just realised the title says procrastinationator. it was originally 'pro. crastination'. then i added the 'ator' without deleting the 'tion'. i'm not going to change it though. it's funny.

prototype one. cleared.

ok. so i started on this a lot sooner than i thought i would. i usually use the weekends for my sewing. but thanks to summer programming, i had nothing better to do. don't get me started on what they've replaced M*A*S*H with.... ALSO, we have recently aquired the ps3 playtv, which records shows, pauses tv and all that. it's amazing (playstation, please forward me an endorsement cheque). so watching tv when it's actually on tv, is no longer a need. if i must sew, i can watch it later, plus ben has a really really bad habit of talking during the only 2 or 3 shows i watch religiously... now i can PAUSE, let him babble on and then watch him walk away during the ads.

SO, my clutch. after all my brainstorming yesterday or the day before.. i cut out all my pieces today (well i didn't actually cut out all the pieces, as you can tell that the strap and buckle part of the design is missing) and then proceeded to figure out how they should all go together. although the design looks fairly simple, it was more complicated than i thought as i have a problem sometimes putting things on backwards cause i loathe working off proper bought patterns and instructions. i much much prefer making things up as i go. i have tons of patterns i've bought from lincraft and such but i've never actually finished any of them, or started. i really thought i was going to stuff up the zip/inside zip pocket bit but i managed to pull that off nicely, cept the stitching isnt quite straight.. at one point i thought i completely messed it all up because the bottom of it all wasnt lining up when it was inside out. flipping it the right way round and everything was fine. because i completely forgot about the strap and buckle, i put in the pyramid studs instead. i think it looks pretty cool with the pastel teal colour. sewing the inside lining was difficult, as i think i shouldv'e sewed that in before sewing it all together. so the inside seams are a bit scruffy, but it's inside so you can't see it.

ummmm. i think that's about it. it's turned out better than i thought for a first sample but i'll definitely have to work on it if i want to put them up in my etsy store (need more leather!). which is actually up now! you can find my things at rupertandsherlock.etsy.com . i have a few cuffs up in different colours, headbands and clutches/bags to follow. i think as well as making the proper achimedes with buckle, i'll do a range with the pyramid studs. i'm also currently working on a design for a larger bag which will prove to be my downfall.

going to see ted e bears farewell tour tomorrow night(well technically tonight). should be good fun. i'll use my new clutch, take it out for a test drive.

vroom VROOM.

- her.

archimedes. part one.

with all the leather i have (plus the more i'm getting), i've decided to move on from the cuffs and try out clutches. i actually tried making a wallet last night but didn't realise how tedious it is. bah. i'm definitely now not going to think $100 for a wallet is crazy. i think it's definitely well worth it. i would much rather pay the money then try my hand at wallet making again. especially since my puppy is a notorious wallet eater, i would cry if i spent all that time sewing for it to just become her toy.

also my downfall for yesterday was because i didn't sketch out a design, or anything at all really. i was just cutting out shapes and hoping they would all go together (which they did, just ended up being really thick with all the card slots for it to sew together). soooooo today i've fixed both my problems. ditching the wallet, to make a clutch, sketched out the design and all the components. yay.

well the above picture is the first drawing of the archimedes. so now comes the construction. for another day....

- her.

art deco leather necklace.

so sore. ive been playing around with the leathers i bought and today decided to branch out with a new concept. i googled images of art deco necklaces and wanted to transfer that into a leather neck piece. i think the concept is nice and something that i didnt really find on google. which was good, cause it meant i'm delving into something new and exciting! oh my! well. i drew up a couple designs and focused on one of them then went to cutting it from my leather. using a scalpel on tough leather is not really something i would enjoy doing on an everyday basis. but it is necessary to get clean cuts. using double sided tape to hold the pieces down onto its backing, i went to sewing. because my pieces were small and to get close to the edge, i had to hand turn the needle the whole way through. fun times. well i spent a good part of the day hunced over my machine and this is my finished prototype:

im pretty happy with the outcome. theres a few things i need to work out. like the stitching. as most of you would know, you need to back stitch on garments to lock the thread in. i can't do it with this as it bulks up a part of the thread and doesnt match the rest of the border. i think ive got a solution for this, but its really tedious. need to clean up the lines on the sections aswell. the chain hanging out from the left is where you adjust the length of it.

statement necklaces are in. but i havent seen any like this. im on to something here. arent i? why not. once ive perfected this it will be up for sale on my etsy store.

plus my nail polish match it.

- her.

rain rain go away. no no no, i mean please stay.

ah the rain. i welcome it with both arms and the arms of anyone else in reach. and yours. it's been quite hot here in melbourne and it's been awful. the rain is wonderful, it's cool, it's refreshing and it smells good. also gives you the best excuse to stay inside. ben and i have joked previously that it's the perfect gamers weather.

i recently bought a whole heap of leather to make some cuffs, bows for headbands, clips, etc and some clutches. i got inspired from a leather cuff i saw on etsy and ben asked if i could just make it myself. so instead of paying $40 + postage from the US for a cuff, i spent a substantial amount more on some australian leather. the colours are divine and the leathers so soft. so today because it was raining and the weekend (i actually stay inside on most occassions, i just think its a good excuse), i moved my sewing machine into the lounge room (so i can simultaneously catch up on gossip girl) and got to creating.

this is my mess:

i have the most basic sewing machine (as it was my first and didnt want to spend heaps on something i mighn't of used much) but it does everything i need. ben bought it for me at a mothers day sale (i have pets, that counts, right?) at a local store, with owners who are amazing. she gave me a quick how to and said i could come back for help with sewing anytime i needed! my stubby holder on my coke zero can is from rhyll fishing, a rainbow trout farm on phillip island, everyone who eats fish must go. you catch your own fish, then cook it yourself or they cook it for you.

well, after some trouble shooting, pauses for gossip girl and lunch i finally completed my first cuff! i plan on making lots more and selling them on my etsy store. i have a store at the moment, it's empty but i plan on making a new one with the same name as my blog so its easier for people to remember. i also made a headband, i'll post pictures of that another day. i'm pretty happy how the cuff turned out, but i need more buckles! i didnt realise how hard it would be to find decent sized and styled ones. the one i used today was of an old belt from the salvo's but they are pretty expensive for an opp shop. well here's my cuff:

i don't usually like snake pattern and such, but i loved the colour so much i couldn't resist. plus i thought a clutch with this leather would look amazing. that sort of tacky but to-die-for kind of thing. the background colour is actually another piece of leather i have, it's so soft. i'm pretty happy with the outcome being my first one, i can only get better from here. plus im such a perfectionist and can get really grumpy if one little thing isn't right, i know they will just get better. can't wait until i make enough to put up for sale, then sell them, then buy more gorgeous leathers. how excitement.

- her.