A trip down memory lane....

In the last couple of days i have been looking through my old sketches and pictures and found loads of good (and not so good) stuff. Its fun looking through and to see how i develop and change my style over the years. Coming from a very creative family, i think the need to create things is in my blood and my strongest memories from my childhood is sitting in my grandfather`s studio and showroom, watching him cut patterns and create the most amazing coats. He was a tailor and one of the best in his field - I remember trying on the coats, wearing the tape measure round my neck and the pin pad on my arm, pretending i was creating too. I think this was definitely (although unaware at the time) the pivotal point in my creative life :) Anyway, i digress - I started making clothes for my dolls, then tops and t-shirts for myself and eventually started getting some sewing lessons from my equally creative mum and attempted dresses and coats as well. I stopped for a few years but after having children, i started again and last night i found a picture of the very first commissioned dress i had. Looking at it now, i have no idea what i was thinking but it was a success and very appreciated. Take a look ;)

I can hear wedding bells....

After what feels like a lifetime, i have in the last few months been working on another wedding dress and bridesmaids dress. I am really loving these challenges and it really is an absolute honor being given the trust to source fabrics, design the dress and then to make it. But i have been lucky this time too - She is the loveliest bride and so happy with her dress - She did look a dream on her big day! This time we took inspiration from a 50s rockabilly dress but went more 20s with the lace. The main dress is in a beautiful oyster colored silk fabric and the top layer is a heavily beaded net fabric. All the tiny glass bead flowers on the bustier top has been handstitched by my very clever embroidery expert and assistant. I dont know what id do without her :) Picture of the happy couple

The bride and the maid of honor, also in a Hennie M dress

The bridesmaid in a LITTLE MISS SOFIE dress

Details on the MoH dress

The bear & the hare...

Nothing says Christmas like the John Lewis adverts and this year is no exeption. Love this new animated short story :-) Have a look!

Tis the season to be jolly..... in a sparkly gown

I am so excited about being back on a roll now. After a lot of back and forth i am now in talks with someone very special about making up my very own collection. Exciting but nerve wrecking days. Fingers crossed!! But for now, you can enjoy some lovely sketches :-)

We're gooo-ing to the cha-pel and we're, gonna get ma-a-a-rried

Finally...after 18 months of sketching, designing, shopping, pinning, sewing (un-stitiching) an fitting, the day finally came!!! Mr and Mrs Wandsvik are now married and i must say, bride of the year did look stunning indeed!! So, for all of you who have patiently waited to see even a little hint of white silk - here's the dress i've so secretly been working on. A beautiful vintage style three layer silk dress with a long train, fitted one-shoulder top with silk chiffon wrap-over waist piece...and a gorgeous butterfly sleeve. It's a dream!! Also adding the maid of honor dresses i made in a greyish green chiffon.

Nip, Tuck...Violetta..

Picked up a half finished project earlier today, nearly done now but needs a few finishing touches here and there and then we're... This dress is a complete mix of old patterns, new patterns, trial and error-patterns and a lot of elastics and last but not least, patience! The lilac silk is the fabric i dyed a few months back which i thought would look cute with a white pencil skirt. I could picture this dress on no problem but i did struggled to think of shoes to wear with it so i decided black killer heels would do it and that's how the black straps were born :-) I will upload a few pics later (a few pounds later...)wearing it ;)

For something similar, email me for details and price x

Macrame Bracelet...im in L.O.V.E

Another inspiring DIY post by HonestlyWTF - I can't get enough of this site - I could spend hrs and hrs DYI'ing their stuff :) These will look so pretty on tanned summer arms :) For Instructions, CLICK HERE!!

here are my first two attempts - I haven't bought any materials so just used what i had in my little box. I used a charm from an old necklace and embroidery thread (not ideal, chinese knotting cord is better) which makes it a bit looser but works for now. Now that i remember how to do it, i will 'invest' in some better materials. I made the coral macrame bracelet with silver charm and the glass bead 'friendship' bracelet...