A light refresher.

Trusty shop assistant Clara has a big birthday coming up, and I've promised to make her birthday dress (okay, I basically begged her to let me make her birthday dress). On one of her recent trips to Rwanda, she picked up a sixer of pre-mixed Campari and soda in the Kigali airport. When she got back she bestowed a bottle to me. You know where this is going. I've decided her dress has to (has to) be the color of Campari. Do you love this color as much as I do? Not red, not orange, not pink...and yet, all of those things. Playful, charming, and a bit effervescent--just like Clara. Now, off to find fabric...

I don't know what's cuter...

...the precious, perfect, Mint-Meltaway-green vintage Jaguar that parked outside my shop...
or the dapper gentleman in plaid coat and beret who came to claim it. He was dropping off some pants to the tailor across the street. I watched his every move. With that ride, you shouldn't have to pay the parking meter. So he didn't.

And yes, the steering wheel is on the right.
!!!!

Flowerpop.

Emily's wedding dress (yes, wedding dress!) is a divine explosion of fuchsia, violet, turquoise, white and black. Hammered silk charmeuse. 100% fun.

Ellipses...

Such a pretty word for that cluster of dots, indicating a pause, a trailing off...it's really what this dress reminds me of. Dotted net empire waist gown, photo'd by the inimitable Lisa. She just forwarded me all the photos from the fashion show, and I'm sorting through them to create a complete slide show of the event....coming soon...

Details.

I know this is a "bad" photo because that whole flowery corner is "blown out," but I love that about it. How luxurious to be sun-blinded in February! Blossom bolero...ivory silk taffeta, alençon lace, vintage velvet flowers.

In bloom.

Holly's dress is ivory silk shantung with fitted waist, sweetheart neckline and a lightly gathered skirt. The little lacy jacket is made from my favorite, favorite lace blossom embroidery (I love it so much there's a piece on my blog masthead). A crowd of flowers just in time for the first spring crocus (come on, Spring, you can do it...)

Miss Shrugs-a-Lot

I've been getting a stampede of orders lately for wee shrugs and boleros and capelets and little-somethings-to-go-over-something. Here's a new one for the etsy shop. Silver-grey silk taffeta and tulle...

Playing around.

Working on a design for a tattered silk organza shrug...more fluff? More, more!

A little more love...

...from the show. My Millefiori dress with a gorgeous headpiece by the amazing Twigs & Honey. These two pieces together make me so, so happy.

Yellow Dress No. 6

Photo by Lisa Warninger. Model: the stunning (and spunky) Kacy Owens.
My finale piece from the fashion show, a yellow cotton polka dot wedding dress. We've all been hearing so much about "the worst recession since the 1930s," that I thought I'd make a "recession dress" called "When Life Gives You Lemons." I should mention that Lisa Warninger, my new favorite photographer, is not terribly in love with these photos, but I had to share them because a little sour is what makes those lemons so sweet.

Sigh.

It's over! the fashion show, that is. The bridal season is just beginning. I had an extremely luxurious DAY OFF today, but I did want to share a photo or two from the day (thanks, Myra). More soon!