2014...

Currently I'm in school holiday mode.....my little people are home joining me in some creative endevours and recreational activities. Which is really lovely and fulfilling, though sometimes a little bit crazy, you know siblings they're either all 'in' or all 'out' (but you know motherhood is a wonderful challenge at the best of times - it also accounts for why my brain is all over the place).

On the Forge front I'm busy doing what I always am, planning dreaming and trashing the house!! Yes you did hear that right here's something I found on facebook that sums it up:-

But back to what actually comes from making a mess, here's a piece I made after getting all inspired from a jewelry making session with my 11 and 13 year old. The shoot was done briefly during a playdate with my friend Cindy while she was over with her daughter....

'Aqua Avaca Dream' Necklace:- Forge Fashion
Model:- Cindy K - Model
Photography:- Trinitynavar

And as I always do in the holidays I have been finishing and refurbishing old stock...

Countess Feathered Collar:- Forge Fashion

Model:- Cindy K - Model

Photography & Editing:- Trinitynavar

OK other things going on  - I've been sending my stuff off for various photoshoots with lovely folk overseas, still have my Fashion Show bits to finish plus some more samples and pieces intended for my ETSY store.

Lot of pics to come......

Out and about.....

I'm pretty busy at the moment doing orders, but I was lucky enough last week to take a wee excursion out of the house with both Sarah Barlow (aka Ladydread) and Vicky Quenault from Vicyrein Photography & Graphic Art.  Just the kind of break I like!!

Here's a few shots from our outing:-

Photography: Vicyrein Photography 

Editing/Retouching: Trinitynavar

Corset & Jewellery: Forge Fashion

Model: Sarah Barlow

Photography: Vicyrein Photography 

Editing/Retouching: Trinitynavar

Corset & Jewellery: Forge Fashion

Model: Sarah Barlow

Copper Styles....

Here's some more pics from my shoot with Rebecca Fischer, this time featuring Forge Fashion's Copper Body Harness.......

 This Copper Body Harness is heading off to my ETSY Store latter this week along with my Corset Bone Jewellery Collection :)

PS A few of you may have picked  this up already, but if not my photography adventures have taken on a life of their own via my Trinitynavar alias !!

'Entwined' Shoot...

Here is the first set from my shoot with Rebecca:-

 'Entwined' Necklace

Model:- Rebecca Fischer 

Wardrobe & Jewellery:- Forge Fashion 

Photograpghy:- Trinitynavar

2013.....big love for the new year!!

Here we come....another year of fun & frivolity - well potentially and really anything is possible at this point! So far it's just loose ideas and partially formed plans, but it's kinda like the moment you step on a plane to a new destination - full of optimism and hope for the future (let's hope 2013 brings all the good things we desire) :D

I must make a real effort to blog - at least weekly (or close to).......I totally love reading back over my recorded rants and seeing my progress year to year. Livejournal definitely contains a lot of years worth of my memories and work (seemed to have a bit more of a relationship with my LJ, guess the active communities helped entice me more regularly), but out from under the umbrella of the mushroom I shall try to hang.

Ok thinking about the last few weeks and those immediately ahead.....

The last few weeks has seen me playing photographer again, this time for both  'Forge' and also 'Trinitynavar'. I did a shoot with a lovely friend specifically for editing/retouching practice, which was awesome and the difference with not having my garments as the central focus is huge (another creative outlet). Also my lovely Canadian model Rebecca popped though over the xmas  break so I was able to have a quick jewellery shoot with her as well (pics to come).

The garden has really started to take off and I feel very excited by all my growing produce, since I really haven't had as big a garden previously I am finding it quiet the learning curb. But the rewards are just  awesome, time outside with more diy projects happening, totally unintended (I should start a 'pinterest made me do it' folder to keep a record).

Coming up......

- More damn 'Underworlds', though I am quiet excited by the addition of 'Sonja'
(variation to my bread and butter).

- Collaborations (a few already lined up for 2013)

- 3 Piece Collection = 2x  Corset Dresses and x1 Matching Underbust (all cut and ready to go)

- More Basic Curvy Overbust and Underbust going into stock


PS Have I mentioned how adorable my daughter is, she 14 month now - how quickly that went......she's no longer my tiny baby, instead a strong active toddler running rings around me (but mothers little helper just like her big sister and brother never the less) :)

Any size, any occasion.....

I started a jewellery course in 2011 (which I was super excited about), unfortunately due to the shakey shakey earth my plans for last year ended up on their ass. Despite this how ever I am continuing to explore the Jewellery side line - DIY styles.

The wonderful thing about accessories/jewellery is anyone can wear it, generally no fitting is required and it's acceptable for nearly any occasion. So it makes sense to provide a few alternatives along side the corsetry/costumes don't you think :)

The corset bone collection is coming along nicely I have a lovely Canadian model on board for a photoshoot, so as soon as I can pin her down I should have some spanky new images of these.....may even finish a couple more by the time we get together. Here's the collection so far:-

  

Other new items include this lovely copper piece:-

And a new collection of earrings:-

Corset Bone Jewellery 1/4"

I'm still slowly working on my Corset Bone Jewellery Collection (this entails using spiral steel bones as the base for various neck & body adornments).

Here is my my most recent addition using 1/4" spiral bones as a base:-

Oooh I'm so looking forward to making more of these - once the collection is finished I hope to get some modelled images :)

Corset Bone Jewellery

I've been wanting to do this for ages, as a corset maker I use spiral bones all the time......every since I first saw them I couldn't help but imagine them used for other purposes. So here we go finally, the first of my corset bone collection:-

Corset Bone 1/2 Breast Plate

More corset bone jewellery to come!

*Looks to be a busy month, I'm just finishing up my 'Underworld' orders to send for Halloween  then it's onto the next project!  Definitely need to get cracking, so many things I want to start but so many things I have to finish!!  Thankfully now it's spring and the motivation is coming back  I'm feeling much more inspired :)

Night Fury Collar

Here's my most recent dragon scale creation on my model Rachel:-

Night Fury Collar

 

And Rachel wearing a set of my Dragon Scale Earrings:-

Please check my ETSY for more scale items:-

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Forgefashion

I am totally in creative lust with these wee scales (as fiddly as they can be)......with a little more experimentation and practice I'm sure I can find plenty more uses for them. More to look forward to!!

Lace and Swarovski Crystal Necklace

I've got a wee bit of catching up to do - so it's time to get posting with more regularity so I can keep this blog up to date with where I'm at and what I'm doing next (I want to posts pics of pretty fabrics and design ideas I've been playing with but I better do things in order) :)
So I had a real blat on accessories recently, which I  have been taking photos of  on a couple of models and slowly sorting/editing (as you may have seen as in the previous posts). Boy do I have a load of editing to do - but since I love it anyway I'm not going to complain.......anyway lets get to some of those finished images.

Lace and Swarovski Crystal Necklace

http://www.etsy.com/listing/95646705/lace-and-swarovski-crystal-necklace

This is really pretty in person, my camera hasn't picked up the sparkle very well unfortunately....but you get the idea. I have another lovely Swarovski Crystal piece with lace trim and fringe which is more 1920's looking (still on my editing list, but at least it's been photographed on a model....I'm making progress).

Scales, scales and more scales...

Firstly Happy New Year!!
Secondly - why, why, why must the earth keep shaking here in Christchurch!!!
Thirdly - Updates......

What have I to report? well lets see - still making smaller items.......mostly of the scale variety, I had a pre Christmas burst, even got cards to hang them and did some handmade boxes.

My orders are starting to come forward, so have had to start organising my sewing room which hasn't been touched since we moved into the new house. But it's actually fun digging into boxes and refreshing my enthusiasm with long forgotten fabrics supplies.

I've also been having a lovely time with a good friend of mine indulging in some leisure activities, gardening and crochet (well actually lots of learning on my part and teaching on hers). And of course it's school holidays so there are few other creative projects getting done with my little people.

Sampling - Dragon Scale Maille

Since we've had another big relocate (explains my absence) back home to Christchurch, and I'm close to the end of my pregnancy I have had to settle for small creative projects as opposed to big sewing orders or indepth work......so I've taken to 'sampling', it's  a  great way of keeping my creative mind active and my hands busy :)

I've been doing embroidery/flossing samples for a while (I'll do a post about that latter), but more recently I've taken to playing with dragon scale maille, trying various techniques and figuring out how to acheive the effects I want.

Tradition Chain Maille Weave

Crochet & Scales

5 Petal Flower

Earrings

*The earrings are sort of the beginning of my DIY Christmas gifts (excuse the blurry shot).