It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Hey,

With Christmas just around the corner, I’ve decided to offer free worldwide shipping at Wonderland Boutique!  This super-special offer will run from now up until the big day itself, so come check out Wonderland and snap up all those festive goodies for you and yours by simply clicking on the link below:

Amy at WB x

Welcome to Wonderland

Hey,

Well it’s been a while!  My supposed mini leave of absence turned into an age and it’s been forever since my last post – so first things first, I must introduce to the world (or more accurately, to the 3 people who actually read this blog!) my new baby nephew Alfie:

He was born on October 5th and weighed in (I always wonder why people want to know baby weights – it’s the last thing on my mind when being told of a birth, but I still feel compelled to ask about it!) at a rather whopping 10lb 2!  He’s an absolute dream, has the bluest of eyes and a mass of soft blonde hair.  His older brother Harry, is not too sure about sharing his home with a baby, but aside from the occaisonal dirty look he does warrant a fleeting kiss or cry of “baby!” every so often too.  They’ll be little playmates in no time at all.

In other less cute news, I’m having a rather large sale at Wonderland Boutique!  For 1 week only from Novmber 1st to the 8th, I’m offering free worldwide shipping on everything in stock!  This is my attempt at creating the pre-Christmas rush that never seems to materialise on Etsy and which, after a shockingly slow October, would rather like to boost my little Wonderland somewhat.  Though I have somehow managed to complete all of my own Christmas shopping and it’s only just turned November which I think warrants a “yey me!”  I find it the most stressful thing to do and would rather spend the Christmas period enjoying the festivities and company of those I love instead of fretting over the money I have to spend and the queues I have to die in - so I have list after list of ideas for various people and just give myself a few days in which to research the best options and then I attack the shops in person and online, and this year it’s all done and dusted (save for the usual sundries of gift wrap, bows, bags etc) in very good time indeed!  So, if you’re not as organised as me and are beginning your seasonal shop, why not check out Wonderland Boutique for that great modern Clutch, fun useful Make-up Bag, or cute stocking filler Coin Purse and take advantage of my free worldwide shipping:

Clutch Bag - HEART OF GLASS

Make Up Bag - WOODLAND DREAMS

Coin Purse - IN BLOOM

Amy at WB x

New, new…and a bit more new!

Hey,

I’ve been trying to write this blog post all week but I’ve been so busy that it was verging on ridiculous!  So, lots to report with newness aplenty, so first things first – the store is filled with lots of lovely new designs:

Clutch Bag - MOON RISE

 

Make Up Bag - MATRYOSHKA MOMENTS

 

Coin Purse - FRENCH RIDE

 

There’s lots of Clutches, Make Up Bags and Coin Purses all newly listed, as well as some de-stash items from my fabric cupboard – it was heaving, so really long overdue for a clear-out!

This brings me on to my next bit of new – my new nephew!  He’s not quite here yet but it’s only 2 weeks and counting, hence my mass of Wonderland-shaped productivity of late.  I wanted to get the shop stocked with goodies before his arrival so that I’m free for lots of cuddles once he’s born - not to mention the fact that I’ll be looking after his older brother for a week whilst his Mum’s recovering from the birth and my brother from the shock!  Needless to say a week as a faux-parent to a toddler would make sewing  a little bit difficult!

My final bit of new involves a story of pratfalls, slapstick and tears – I’ve had to get a new sewing machine!  This is devestating for me as not only had I not planned to bruise my already poorly bank balance by shelling out for a replacement, but I just loved my old machine.  It was a bit of a beast, far noiser than it needed to be and had the most tempremental bobbin casing ever, but it’s loss has made me appreciate it and all it’s little quirks all the more.  It made sure that it’s loss was felt though, as I was essentially attacked by my sewing machine during it’s final throes…

I’d been sewing solidly for about a week – filling up the store, making presents and finishing up all those little home alterations that I’d put on the backburner.  I think that all this effort made it just give up the ghost, and mid curtain lining it gave out a horrible death rattle and I heard a snap, a bit of a wheeze and the wheel turned no more.  So, for the next 2 hours I tried to fix it (not actually knowing what was wrong, so for all I know, I was killing it more!) but to no avail.  I found myself sitting there, sobbing in my pyjamas (it was morning still, don’t judge me) as my hands were covered in machine oil, scratched from messing with the needle and shuttle and I had the worst sore throat known to man – true, this last one isn’t the machine’s fault, but it wasn’t making me feel any better.  Frustrated and annoyed, I swore at it under my breath and stomped off – it must have heard me as I then rather balletically trip over the power wire and fall head first onto the coffee table.  To quote Moss from The It Crowd, I think I was slightly concussed and soon developed a beast of bruise across most of my forehead in a rather fetching shade of purple. 

I’ve since had to venture into Boots for some industrial concealer for my sewing machine related injury (a new contender for my wierdest sentence ever?!)  as I’m off out tonight for a fabulous birthday dinner for my lovely friend Emma, as a bunch of us take over a wonderful Mexican restaurant – and I’m not altogether sure that the assitant believes my story of violent domestic machinery as the cause of my glowing brow!

So, all the newness is ago – the new machine is in it’s box waiting to be let loose and the store is full of new goodies for you to peruse.  I may be online a bit sporadically for a while as I prepare for the arrival of the new little man in my life and I’ll be sure to introduce you all to Alfie when he debuts….

Amy at WB x.

I Am….Stocked!

Hey,

I’ve been meaning to post about this for an age, but I seem to have lost my online mojo lately and am only just getting on top of things!  Anyway, exciting Wonderland-shaped news – I’m stocked in a boutique!  I mentioned a few posts ago how it had always been my aim to get my little designs into an actual bricks and mortar store, and now I’ve achieved that, all with the help of the lovely Aimee of I Am…..Boutique.

Based in Prestwick, Scotland, I Am….. is the vision of Aimee, and here she stocks gorgeous fashions (Mina being my absolute favourite!) unique accessories and wonderful jewellery (including my fellow Etsian and all-round darling, Lindsay of Funky Junk Jewellery)  I so enjoyed the process of choosing fabrics and designs for her shop.  I got to source some stunning prints, in brights and monotones in the hope of creating pieces that would appeal to everyone – so here’s a sneak peek at just some of the designs that are now stocked at I Am…..

I am beyond thrilled that she’s chosen to stock a little piece of Wonderland, so if you’re in the Prestwick area, pop in and say hello and maybe snap up a Clutch Bag or Coin Purse – or two!  Oh and be sure to check out her fabulous blog Things A Boutique Owner Sees – and get inspired by her wonderful style too!

Amy at WB x

Wonderland Loves…. SOMEPLACE ELSEWHERE

Hey,

It’s well past time for another one of my Wonderland Loves…. posts, so fresh from sharing with you the exceptional designs, creations and vintage treats of  Swell Vintage, Sisicata, The Koru Branch , Gaia Trove Chicago and Soms Studio - I’m devoting this post to the beautiful jewellery of Someplace Elsewhere.

Created by the lovely Melanie Garton, Someplace Elsewhere is home to the most stunningly contemporary and vintage-inspired jewellery designs.  From her studio on the Seattle coast, Melanie lovingly handcrafts every piece from concept to completion.  Working with a variety of raw materials that encompass her modern astethic, she weaves wire, sheet silver, copper and gems into wearable works of art.  Melanie also works with vintage finds and has recently created an exceptionally stunning and unique range of pendants and rings made from vintage milk lamps sourced from antique stores along the Seattle waterfront:

DOTTY DOTTERSON PENDANT

BACK TO SCHOOL RING

CHANGELING PENDANT

OPEN UP ZIPPER RING

So if you and yours are looking for jewellery that relsihes in the use of texture, quality gemstones and sleek settings -  then look to the inimitable and distinctive designs of Someplace Elsewhere ,where you’ll find an array of pieces that marry vintage and contemporary design into pieces to last a lifetime.

Amy at WB x

Busy Doing Nothing

Hey,

Well I seem to have somehow managed to spend/waste the entire weekend doing nothing.  I appear to have become permanently attached to my desk chair/itunes whilst attempting to work on ideas for Wonderland Boutique.  I have been a raft of indecision all weekend – from the small (do I want hot chocolate or water to drink) to the middling (do I head to a gig on Saturday) to the monumental (do I grow my hair or not – seriously, this was a huge decision for me!)  The latter was answered when my friend/hairdresser told me that I’d basically cooked my hair by insisting on using my straighteners even after I’d applied product – which apparently boils down to me burning hairspray and was into my already drier-than-the-Sahara hair.  Ooops.  So I now have a slightly-shorter-than-usual version of my usual haircut, which I happen to love, emo fringe n’all!

So, indecision and inactivity aside, I think that to clarify my stagnant thought processes, I need to re-organise my approach to Wonderland Boutique – both metaphorically and literally.  The former will hopefully see me expand the reach of my brand, by approaching some independent boutiques who may *gulp* want to look at stocking my little wares, as well as taking the inspiration I am constantly scribbling down by developing strongly branded collections within my store.  Until now, I have always just used fabrics that appealed to me and I’ve found the prints to be a bit of a mish-mash on occasion.  So, I think it would provide some cohesion if I concentrate on developing a seasonal or cyclical range of collections – ranging from florals, to vintage-inspired prints, to kitsch fabrics, to a pleated and embellished range of pieces.  Any suggestions or comments on any of this would be greatly appreciated – do you think that collections are the way to go, or do you prefer the rather scattered and whimsied approach that I’ve previously adopted?

The literal re-organisation of  Wonderland Boutique will fall down to going through my ever-increasing collection of fabrics, threads, ribbons and the like and storing it like I’ve never stored before!  New boxes, dividers, containers (not just an excuse to buy cutesy apple-shaped pincushions and the like, I promise!) and all manner of storage solutions are calling me – clear workspace equals a clear mind after all, and hopefully a more lucid approach will invigorate my love of my own piece of Wonderland.

Amy at WB x

Oh, and here’s a random Juliette & the Licks video, for no other reason than because I just adore Juliette Lewis – she seems to illustrate the rather fractured state of mind I find myself in currently, she’s my kind of crazy!

Win a Piece of Wonderland

Hey,

I have a little bit of delicous Wonderland Boutique-shaped news to share with you all!  I somewhat oddly, owe it all to Twitter, but I’m about to have some of my designs stocked in an actual boutique!  The lovely Aimee of I am…Boutique got in touch with me recently and a few tweets later, we’re in the middle of working out a wholesale deal!  I am beyond excited to be doing this, it’s always been a bit of a dream of mine to have my creations for sale in an actual bricks and mortar store, and soon enough that’s going to come true.  I’m honestly so thrilled about it, as I’ve never had much faith in my little corner of Etsy before now, but fingers crossed this much-needed boost will inspire me to enhance my store and my brand and take Wonderland Boutique just as far as I can take her.  So, come Christmas, if you’re in the Prestwick area and you have a hankering for a Clutch Bag or Coin Purse – then just head over to I am… and snap up a piece of Wonderland!

As part of our little endeavour, Aimee and I have joined forces on a fabulous giveaway of some Wonderland Boutique goodies!  There is a Clutch Bag and matching Coin Purse up for grabs over at her wonderful blog Things a Boutique Owner Sees, both are  in my trademark polka dot print and have ribbon trim and buttons galore:

WONDERLAND BOUTIQUE AND I AM... GIVEAWAY

 All you need to do to be in with a chance of winning, is head on over to the Wonderland Boutique blog post and leave a comment there – it is as easy as that!  However, if you really love them and want extra entries then Tweet about the giveaway if you are on Twitter and post a link to this post on your own blog – each gets one more entry into the giveaway!  The giveaway is open worldwide and will close on 28th July 2009.

Good luck!

Amy at WB x

Wonderland Loves….SOMS STUDIO

Hey,

Thought that one of my Wonderland Loves…. posts was long overdue, so having previously shared with you the wondrous creations of the independent designers, fashionistas and Etsians that are Swell Vintage, Sisicata, The Koru Branch and Gaia Trove Chicago - I want to dedicate this little blurb to the lovely Soms Studio. 

Established by the wonderful Som, this fabulous corner of Etsy is home to her stunning self-taught jewellery creations and supplies.  Utilisng her self-proclaimed status as a gem-aholic, Som teams the most beautiful stones, beads, metals and pearls to design jewellery that is truly elegant, understated and wholly unique.  Made with uber-professionalism and striking attention to detail, Som takes customer service to a new high.  Wearing one of Som’s designs is akin to wearing art, as she layers rhinestones, emeralds and rubies with touches of silver, copper and florals to create pieces that speak of classic inspiration and subtle modernity: 

BRIDAL RHINESTONE HEADBAND

LAYERED PEARL NECKLACE

MAGNOLIA HAIR BROOCH

SILVER BANGLE

 So if you and yours are looking for some simply stunning jewellery, or the supplies to make some of your own with (she is actually having a massive gemstone sale at the moment, so now may be the best time to pick up your own pieces of jewelled heaven), then look no further than the wonderful creations of Soms Studio.

Amy at WB x

Matters of the Heart

Hey,

Well I’ve finally finished making the Clutch bags for the lovely Tess and her bridal party, that I told you about a few weeks back.  So several damask lovelys are currently winging their way across the pond to her and her bridesmaids – I hope she loves them!  Together we decided on a neutral cream and white damask print cotton as the basis for the bags.  We then trimmed this in a gorgeous layer of ribbon in deepest plum, classic ivory and touches of gold.  The bags were all lined in cream cotton and had a beautiful mother-of-pearl effect button stack as closure.  I so enjoyed working closely with someone other than my often design-fatigued brain, to create something special – even though measuring, cutting, pinning and sewing 5 Clutches turned out to be more demanding than I thought it would!  So here be the spoils:

 

I’ve had quite a few custom orders lately actually, which is really good for the old sewing self-esteem! I’ve had some successful bids through Etsy’s Alchemy system, which is great as I really enjoy undertaking a specific design and creating something unique and giving someone exactly what they had envisioned.  So feel free to hit me up if you want something wondrous made in a certain fabric, as I’m always more than happy to flex my thread into creating your specific ideas.  I’ve also been toying with the idea of introducing a few new designs into the store – namely glasses pouches (after an alchemy request for one was snapped up and I’ve since made a few of them, so sensing a possible gap in the market!) so watch this space if you’re on the lookout for somewhere to store those vintage sunnies!

Today finds me rather pooped (read exhausted – yes, exhausted at 7pm!) after spending a day at my nephew’s 2nd birthday party.  So an afternoon of too much cake, too many egg sandwiches, too high a number of screaming toddlers – plus a playhouse and sandpit – does not a happy Amy make.  Here’s the little man in all his birthday glory, now this is mischievousness (word?!) personified:

In other news, I am currently most loving Florence and the Machine.  Caught her on Jonathon Ross (which I don’t normally watch I shall admit now, but the wall-to-wall Michael Jackson coverage was starting to grate somewhat) last night and I am instantly in love with her style.  She has a vintage, romantic yet edgy look about her and her music – perfect Summer fare.  So I shall love you and leave you with Rabbit Heart…

Amy at WB x

Gimme Five

Hey,

I’ve been a bit blog-lite of late so I must apologise (I know you’re all rooted by your screens to read my latest banal offering – so here it is!)  I think I’ve been too busy reading other peoples and generally looking at the joy that is on the interweb – I blame Claira, I really do – she’s all about the lovely links that are designed to distract!  Also, Wonderland Boutique seems to have kicked up a gear as I’ve been asked by a fellow Etsian to make the Clutches for her bridesmaids at her upcoming wedding!  I’m so excited, not to mention honoured and a little bit terrified (huge gulp) but it’s been lots of fun working closely with someone else picking out fabrics and deciding on trim colours together – even though the time difference on Etsy can result in what I am now calling ‘convo-tennis’.  I shall let you know how it all goes, and post some lovely pictures when these lovely bags are all ready to wing their way to some special nuptials.

Oooh, and a quick pat on the proverbial back for the wonder that is exercise.  If you’ve ever had the (mis)fortune to stumble upon my Twitter updates, then I’m sure you would see that I tweet mostly about gnomes, food, gnomes – and the horrific notion of exercise.  Before, during and after undertaking it, I usually think I will die, am dying, have died.  It does not come easily to me – I’ve never been a runner (I’d rather miss the bus than shame myself by legging after it) or someone who buys trainers to train in, so when I decided to try the possible lowest of the exercise low (home workout dvds) I never thought I’d stick at it.  Any regular followers of this blog will know, that over the past year I’ve lost a lot of weight due to some rather huge and poo-shaped emotional upheaval.  A hellish way to go about it, but a silver-lining none-the-less.  I was determined to lose more though and to keep the weight off (a good tip for doing this, is to get rid – either via Ebay or charity shops – all the clothes that are too big for you!) so exercise dvds were my answer.  With their help, and the boring inevitability of healthy(ish) eating, I’ve gone down 4 dress sizes and am now on my way to 5.  This is a huge achievement for me and it’s been a real incentive to get through the rougher, darker times.  So exercise, my love – I shall never complain about you again!

Anyway, on to the actual point of this post (yes, I do have them sometimes!)  One of my recent internet-shaped discoveries seems to be the appearance of lists.  It’s all about naming your top 5 this, or your 5 least favourite that.  It’s inspired me to compile a few 5-flavoured lists of my own.  So here’s my five – gimme yours….

 

5 FAVOURITE FILMS:

* Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

* Pan’s Labyrinth

* Some Like it Hot

* Tale of Two Sisters

* The Hauting (the original one – no room for CZJ in my lists!)

 

5 FAVOURITE BOOKS:

* Wise Children

* Alice in Wonderland

* Fragile Things

* London Fields

* Mrs Dalloway

 

5 FAVOURITE MUSICIANS:

* The Killers

* No Doubt

* Volbeat

* Bat For Lashes

* Ladytron

 

5 FAVOURITE ARTISTS:

* Seonna Hong

* Tara McPherson

* Jason

* Yoshitomo Nara

* Roy Lichtenstein

 

5 POINT PLAN FOR MY FUTURE:

* Move out into my own wonderful place

* Find work in a field I really feel I belong in

* Get  Wonderland Boutique stocked in an actual boutique

* Be appreciative of the people I do have 

* Make a difference and be different

 

Amy at WB x