Spring Racing Carnival 2013

The Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival is well and truly upon us…  Very conveniently I finish up my job at the Woods on the 26th so have the week prior to Cup week wide open for last minute headpieces, this being said 2 days production time would be ideal - I do have some stock however that may suit you if you need a last minute piece at a good price.

So… if you are in need of a hat, headpiece or silk flower message me and we can discuss :)

2013 - Back on track, nearly….

Sorry for my absence!

What a crazy, busy end to 2012, as usual I tried to do too much with not enough time
I started a new job, now you can find me at Circa, a beautiful Melbourne institution in the Prince of Wales complex in St Kilda.
I love it!  There seemed to be no end to the masses of bookings and christmas functions over the past 2 months, however with a new year and Melbournian's relaxing and enjoying the sunshine before plunging head first into 2013, we now have a chance to breath again, and today is the start of my first weekend off in months (2 days off in a row, very excited about this)

I've also moved house and so can finally finish unpacking.  I moved between a breakfast and dinner shift, crazy - don't do it, it was a terrible idea, for days all I had was my bed set up!
I'm now in a beautiful 3 bedroom turn of last century house in Elsternwick.  Super high ceilings, shiny pine floorboards, amazing ceiling roses in all rooms, and a very large and relaxing backyard with the beginnings of what will no doubt be a very successful vegi garden

The lovely Bree will be moving in in the next few weeks and our new household will be complete along with our new shower curtain!

Salvador is becoming more comfortable with his new surroundings too, we have progressed to stalking butterflies and beetles in the backyard, but still commando crawling inside at the first sign of a slightly aggressive sounding bird

 Christmas presents:  mugs from Susan and the girls as displayed by India and a leather wine holder for my bike from my sister - she always laughs at the amount of bottles I lug around in my satchel

Mexican in my backyard under the trees with some lovely new friends

 I've been doing a bit of work for Kyha and her amazing shop One Day Bridal on Ormond Rd in Elwood, plus more hankies for Northside Wheelers.  All this has made it a very busy lead up to christmas straight after the crazyness of Melbourne spring racing season

These are some of the pieces from that week which i never got a chance to post….

So, the first day of my weekend has consisted of updating mailing details, lunching with my gorgeous friends, Regan, Sally and Rachel, checking out Bike Galleries super stylish shop - thankyou for the complimentary jersey!  Very lovley of you!  And riding around the eastern suburbs enjoying the sunshine and hills till I found my way back south to Elsternwick

 

Now off to dinner with my sister to Radio Mexico but we must keep laughing to a minimum, she popped a rib helping a friend move :(

Oh and new year new colour

I'm now a red head

Ciao!

Handkerchiefs

I've just delivered a second drop of Northside Wheelers hankies

Handkerchiefs are 16" x 16" with zig zag hem and hand embroidered bike in the corner

Available in off white with navy blue or green hem and bike, or burnt red and cream polka dot with blue, green or pink hem and bike.  There is also a mauve and yellow 2 sided cotton check on the way

Both fabrics are really lovely, soft 100% cotton, pre shrunk and perfect to take along on your next ride - there is nothing worse than ridding behind someone clearing out their nose into thin air…

So, get along to Northside Wheelers and pick one up.
Available in store for $15

Northside Wheelers
2/155 Greville St
(enter via Izett St)
Prahran  Vic

1 Month to Go!!!!!

The Melbourne race season is upon us!!!
A month to go!

As always I'll be making custom pieces to order, matching that new little number you just bought to wear trackside as those beautiful animals gallop past

I can make to your price range, and preferences

Send me an email and we can work something fabulous out for you
enquiries@byshelleygreen.com

Some of last years custom pieces

Wonderfully Pretty

Wonderfully Pretty is a vintage & handmade market at 29th Apartment on Fitzroy St in St Kilda held the 2nd Monday night of each month
I'll be here for the September and October markets, 10th September and 8th October

If you're in the area pop in and say 'Hi' grab a cocktail and do a spot of shopping

Circle Skirts

I LOVE circle skirts
They are so flattering on almost any body shape
They swish around your legs as you move making it hard not twirl around just a little when you think no one might be watching, and I have found them extremely easy to wear while ridding around on my racer, they stay down over your suspender stockings and fluttering behind you around the sides of the bike in the wind, kind of romantic really.

I have just added a lovely black, red and cream checked skirt to my etsy site, just in time for spring

I will be adding some lighter weight 1/2 circle skirts for the warmer months.  They are quickly approaching with the days getting longer, you can almost smell spring in the air, bulbs are flowering and jasmine will be blooming any day now!

So if you fancy the spring breeze fluttering your skirt hem have a think about at a circle skirt
I can also make these in a particular fabric and colour if you had an image in your head, just email me at: enquiries@byshelleygreen.com

Liz and Luke's Engagement

The sun came out on Sunday to help us celebrate the engagement of the lovely couple and dear friends Liz and Luke
Wishing them both every happiness for their future together, I hope it is filled with many adventures and good times

To match Liz's (who looked stunning) beautiful black and cream dress I made her a silk rose with freshwater pearls, glass crystals and veiling

The lovely couple

It was also really nice to catch up with some people i haven't seen in quite a while.  Everyone has so much on that life really does get in the way sometimes, I'm grateful for such lovely events as this to give us a chance to forget about everything going on and enjoying each others company, meet new people and have a laugh

                            Mauve and gold hearts                                               The girls

Liz the cupcakes were divine!  Everything looked beautiful and The Bay Hotel in Mordialoc was the perfect venue.

Being such a beautiful day I though I would take advantage of the weather and ride my liddl'ol fluro pink bike down.  I've had this bike since my Dad bought it for me when I was 12 and recently re vamped it a little getting it shiny black mud guards, matching black handle bar tape and seat, and as I don't own another single item of pink anything I went out to Cottage Industries on Gertrude St in Fitzroy and got myself an amazingly luminous fluro Pink Cambridge Satchel Company satchel.
And I do mean luminous!

By the time I rode home the sun was well and truly on its way over the horizon but just as well I had the brightest bike lights I've ever seen with me and no more batteries, they charge in your laptop, Knog Blinders.  Picked them up from Northside Wheelers in Prahran.  I have mentioned this really cute shop previously, they also just received in some unique printed t-shirts from the US of A as well as some shop branded T's based on the book the Rider, really soft cotton, fantastic coloured print and with a back pocket for those small valuables when out on your bike or off for a run.


Why not brighten someones winters day with a little touch of fluro

A stitch in time….

A little more embroidery
This time to hide a patched up hole on a really lovely merino wool cycling jersey

Just because you have a hole in that jumper or cardi don't throw it away… the possibilities can be endless!
And the result can look quite classy if I do say so

A bit of customisation in chain stitch

A bit of this and a bit of that...

I've been working on a few random things this last few weeks…

A while back a very inspirational, good friend was telling me about this amazing bag he had found made from rope woven together.
Graham is incredibly fit and active.  He has a roll at Jiu Jitsu at least 3 times a week as well as paddle boarding, kite surfing and a long list of other activities.  He is also the inventor and proud owner of the quickly expanding cereal Kapai Puku

Graham thought this amazing rope bag of his would be ideal for transferring all the necessaries for these activities around with him, but didn't want them to damage the bag so came up with the brilliant idea of lining it with sail cloth.

I've never sewn with sail cloth before and was definitely up for the challenge!

And this is the result….

I also attached a long leather strap with some of the rope detail from the previous handles I removed so it can be carried over the shoulder or across the body

I must admit I've fallen a bit in love with this bag and its massiveness, I could carry sooooo much around in it… really don't want to hand it back!


I've also been doing a little needle work.  Aside from the personalised babies bibs and patchwork dolls I make from time to time (random I know but they make for great baby shower presents) I embroidered a friend's shop name onto one of his woolen knit cycling caps (yep, even more random)

Malachi has a very cute and eclectic shop in Prahran called Northside Wheelers; purveyor of fine cycling wears.  If bikes are your thing, and not just super tight lycra, pop past and have a look, he carries some very fine gear along with an ever changing, always well composed widow display!

So this is how the cap turned out…

Apart from these bits and pieces I have been back to my pattern cutting and sewing.
Aside from things to fill my own wardrobe I just finished this 1/2 circle houndstooth skirt for my very good friend.

There is just enough left over to combine with something else along with some creative pattern cutting and laying to make a little matching cape.  Very exciting!

Houndstooth so classy

Loved making this - don't be surprised if some clothing pieces start appearing for sale on my Etsy site, maybe even some with a tad of embroidery…..

Two Souls, One Heart

There seems to be an abundance of weddings and engagements at the moment!  everyone I speak to seems to have one or the other to go to!

I had my lovely friend Regan Burns' wedding to Cameron Baines this weekend just gone at the beautiful St Johns Church in Toorak

 Regan had a gorgeous Botchini and Hill gown and her 'epic' silk tule wedding veil beaded all the way round… yep, this is the veil from my post back in feb, all finished and sparkly.

The comb at the top was covered in fresh water pearls and Swarovski crystal to match the design on the beaded belt of her dress.  These then dispersed as they progressed around the edge of the veil giving it a shimmer as it moved catching the light.

For when the veil was removed after the ceremony I made Regan a headpiece.  This consisted of lace with a gunmetal thread detail backed with white silk and wired, then embellished with fresh water pearls, Swarovski crystal and glass beads.

I will be making this beaded headpiece to order via my Etsy shop.

It can be made bigger or smaller by request, just send me an email to enquiries@byshelleygreen.com

It was a fantastic night!  Thankyou Regan and Cam, you are a gorgeous couple, I wish you every happiness for your future together, not that you will be needing it.  Looking forward to a Mexican meal with you when you get back from the US of A ;)

I also got my new vintage acquisition repaired and together to wear…

Thankyou to the always fabulous Shannon Rose for yet another amazing up do!

Sally, Abby, the beautiful bride Regan and myself

Hair by Shannon Rose

Yes, it may have been Sally and I that set the smoke alarm off….. oppps

Not wanting to end this amazing night just yet I found myself at a bazaar but sensational house party in North Carlton.  They had a band in one corner of the lounge consisting of a double bass, drums, accordion and a DJ in the opposite.  Amazing!

So as the sun rose over the northern suburbs I raced home southward, still in 60's dress and vintage mink stall, to say goodbye to my lovely friends Jade and Al off to South America for 8 months of travel, cannot wait to see photos - thankyou Instagram! 

I also received the photos from Loretta's beautiful wedding in the Phillipines.  Her headpiece you might remember from the Bridal Swirls post.

Loretta looked stunning… see for yourself below.

Thankyou for the photos Loretta!

This is an example of the bespoke headwear I make to suit any bridal dress or any occasion you may have…
Just send me an email to discuss the possibilities:  enquiries@byshelleygreen.com