~ Flapper hat girls ~

You know I am always on the look-out for unique, groovy, sassy, swanky, hip, bright, bold & funky stuff that gives you the wiggles & giggles! From there to here, from here to there, Funky things are everywhere!

So now I found these totally cute, adorable and sassy flapper hat girls made from felt and embroidery by Yali Paz-Gilboa. She is a full time Israeli artist, a wife and a mother to a 1,5 year old baby. She lives near Tel-Aviv and thinks New York is a city in where inspiration is entangled with everything: movies, people, places. Being free is key to everything she does and her art is, she says “meditation, passion, soul”.
Her brooches – the flapper ones especially- have some highly evocative power attached to them, something able to take us back to the magic of cities like New York in the roaring 20s.

People like her always inspire me to make more cute things, I LOVE handmade gifts!! But I just don't have the patience myself to make a lot, some days I get inspired.. a lot, and then some creative juices flow through my body and I have to make something, but most of the time I just get bored after an hour or so.... and then well, not much was made :-(

But then luckily there is ETSY, an online shop were only handmade stuff is sold and you can just buy it with 1-click.... IF you live in any other country than South Africa, since the mail doesn't get delivered here... they simply steal and open packages when they feel there is something in it.... so sad I am about this part of SA!! (Although the hubby is probably happy to save some cash... ;-)

But look below and drool over these gorgeous handmade jewels!! I just Love, Love, Love them!!











Her latest addition is Frida Khalo, how gorgeous! Look at the details!





She has her own website and ETSY shop, so check her out!

Have a FABULOUS FRIDAY!
Mireille

Out of Africa: AfriChic

There's a bold fashion phenomenon emerging in urban cities throughout Africa more and more designers are incorporating African-inspired aesthetics in their collections and accessories.
Africhic is vibrant, daring, original, colorful, sexy and different and its taking the world by storm. Even celebrities like Beyonce are wearing designer outfits with African wax prints these days... and I really like it! These days I am hooked on African fabrics, they are just so colorful and 'make you happy' kind of designs.



So by researching, I found this local website AFRICHIC with established, budding and emerging Indie Artists, very unique styles. The website is a platform for South African designers to sell local made garments, thus enriching local areas, supporting local designers and workers. (Felicity look into this one!)

Its the continent's newest e-boutique for luxury African designer fashion. With stylish South African design, from designers from Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and other parts of the continent. On the website you find exclusive fashion while supporting local trade and designers. And I LOVE that part!!

Look at these impressions I got from the website and blog, there are just FAB! You hardly hear anything from the African continent in the rest of the world fashion wise, which is a shame because there are so many talented people here, so by giving you these links I hope that it will become a bit more known in the rest of the world too, because it is too beautiful to just keep only to myself!!



At the website you will find these designers and their FAB designs (just click on name and it will redirect you to designer).

IDA ELSJE ~ MIXING VINTAGE WITH MODERN

URBAN AFRICA ~ STRONG SHAPES INSPIRED BY NATURE

LA LESSO ~ SUMMER FEEL WITH VIBRANT KENYAN PRINTS

MICHELLE LUDEK ~ SIMPLE AND ELEGANT FEMININITY

MISSIBABA ~ COLOURS, PATTERNS & TEXTURES

NAZIR ~ FEMININITY WITH EASTERN INFLUENCE

PHILIPPA GREEN ~ PERSPEX CUFFS WITH EYE-CATCHING DETAIL

SUPERELLA ~ ORGANIC STREET FASHION

SUZAAN HEYNS ~ CONCEPTUAL HIGH FASHION

THULA SINDI ~ EXTRAVAGANCE & GLAMOUR

And if you are living here or really interested in AfriChic go to their BLOG to find daily updates and inspirations!



Another GREAT South African designer is STONED CHERRIE, I can't finish this posting without mentioning her, she has really funky designs for women with curves, like most African women have... and me as well ;-)





And of course there is ETSY who also sells a lot of African wax prints in all variations like bags, dresses/skirts, shoes, check it out, you will fall in love with these vibrant fabrics just like me!

Have a Terrific Thursday!
Mireille

The new Martha Stewart.... NOT! LOL

I am trying out a new hobby... actually an old hobby that I tried again lately, and that is sewing.

I learned it more than 15-20 years ago, but hated it. Thought it was so boring, but with little girls in the house I thought to give it another try, and now I like it, so here some skirts I made for the girls. Of course I started with an easy pattern that I found here. However, my trademark will be some hand-sewn beads on each clothing item, an African touch :-). You won't see the details on these pics but there are some beads scattered over Jasmine's skirt and some other designs on Juliet's skirt. I also made a dress for a daughter of a friend of mine, but forgot to take a picture, so that will come later!

The girls weren't really in the mood to take pictures or wear the skirt, although they like it, with PE at school it is hard to run mommy! But I told them, in this skirt you can run as hard as any pants ;-) It's about the right shoes....



These skirts are made from fabric from West Africa, Nigeria. I love the bright colors and the funky designs on it!

My inspirations I get from these handmade sites like ETSY, DAWANDA and INDIEFIXX, check these out if you are also a lover of handmade stuff, you will love it!!

My other inspirations I get from my friends Dunke and Felicity, we copy each other's clothes and make patterns out of these. Most with the help from Felicity, since she is a clothing designer and starting her own business. So we keep each other occupied with new patterns, new fabrics Dunke gets from West Africa and sells it to us, little entrepreneurs here. Now it is my turn to start something, but I am working on it!! So keep coming back....

Tell me, what is your hobby, do you like to make things, create something out of scratch... TALK TO ME ABOUT IT!

Have a Fabulous Friday!
Mireille

spotlight on: Indie artists at ETSY

As you have read before I LOVE arts & crafts. So Etsy is the perfect platform for (individual) indie artists. Here everybody who makes something can sell their crafts. This is the coolest website for unique, one-of-a-kind gifts and in the meanwhile you support the artist her/him self. So the concept is just great and fabulous!!

I would like to put the spotlight on the artists I bought something from, so here a list from the pictures of my collage. These are all items I bought from this month to last year.
Star of the east; Sea urchin ring. Just plain beautiful!
Gigi Gems; Peachy keen bracelet. Georgous!
Blue Ruby; ~Forget me not~ Mixed media ACEO collage. So well done!
Tumble Weed and Rose; Ladies at the marketplace, paper collage. So sweet and artsy!
Garden Painter4; ~pASSing Time~ Mixed media ACEO collage. The donkey feels at home here ;-)
Pea Soup; A true beauty pin. So cute, get a lot of reactions on this while wearing!
Enamor; Forest Friends handbag. Beautifully painted!
Aorta; Vintage photo pin, tiny football player. Great with my other crafts!
Photo Glass Works; Mother & child -Gustav Klimt- hanger. So delicate!
Nikki74992; Japanese Garden magnets. Adorable on my fridge!

PS: I don't know how to add the link directly to them, so you have to go to Etsy first and put their name in the search link.

All these artists are unique, great at their craft and I hope they are doing well and keep people happy with the art that they make and sell at Etsy. Go and check it out, I am sure you will find something that suits your taste. And these are artists who live around the world, and ship around the world! Isn't that the greatest?!

You can even search from different perspecitves, like color, categories, geolocator or time machine to name a few. You will fall in love with this website, go google it!
Have a great weekend, y'all!