Tooth Fairy Photoshoot

Yet another Fairy has come to flourish. Last night completed the Tooth Fairy chapter in my fairies collection. Because the dress had so many details to it, in the end the whole look really spoke for itself without the need of a massive set. I found some small lavender satchels to serve as ‘pillows’ for her to leave the money underneath.  Another touch was the scattered coins at her feet. Sadly, my mother refused to cough up the teeth she’s kept all these years (seriously, what else is she gonna do with them?!) so I substituted teeth with small pearl beads in her small pouch. Hopefully to the viewer will see the similarities and recognize the theme.

For the final touches to her look, I decided less was more. Instead of an elaborate headdress I made a cowl/mask that covered her face up to her eyes, still making her look ready for surgery with an air of mystery. For the wings I wrapped some cotton around wire to make a structure that suggested the skeletal framework of wings. All together it looking cutting edge (literally), eerie and constricted-everything I had envisioned for this character.

I’ll be putting the Fairies collection on hold briefly, for as you may have noticed, October starts next week, which means the dawning of the most fabulous festival for any costumer....HALLOWEEN! Yes, I’ll putting all my efforts into the creation of my yearly Halloween tribute collection. Details to come!

Tooth Fairy (so far...)

My pattern making skills must be pretty sharp these days, because this was the first time I didn’t need to make a template! Not to mention finally dipping into my satin fabric stash with confidence now that my overlocker and me are on terms most amiable.

Reflecting on the look as it stands right now, it’s leaning more towards ‘surgical’ than ‘skeleton’, but I’m OK with that. The gathered bodice centre, my own pattern came out great. As to the skirt, the crossings really do look quite boney like-in fact, I’ve gone into the skirt panels and added more miscellaneous slashes.

The biggest question right now is a head piece. Unfortunately what first comes to mind is some kind of ‘ninja’ mask, since I want her entire face covered except her eyes peering through, keeping with the lashed theme and have it seemingly clumsily stitched together-think Michelle Pfeiffer’s handmade Catwoman costume. A part of me is a little worried this could come out a little too Hannibal Lector. Hopefully with a more romantic approach, maybe some kind of bandaging forming a cool hair accessory or mask, this could stay true to the theme of the mystery behind Tooth’s existence in our childhood memories.

As the icing on the cake, I’ve found out my Mom has actually held onto all the teeth me and my sisters lost when we were little, and plan to make a small organza sack to hang from her side, so you can see the actual teeth. Or I may make some teeth myself-I’m been really into into mould making lately. The look could have some ‘tooth’ accessories, but without going too Wilma Flintstone. 

Tooth Fairy: Mood Board and Inspiration

After a couple of weeks of traveling, not to mention celebrating my older sister’s engagement, it’s back to work. And while Titania is still undergoing construction, I’m presenting the mood board for my next fabulous fairy; Tooth.

The Tooth Fairy-probably the one sprite we’ve connected with the most as kids and are therefor the most connected to. Yet despite all the publicity she receives, it’s funny that there’s no corporate set image of her! In Dreamworks’s Rise of the Guardians, she’s a militant humanoid hummingbird, but in Hellboy 2: the Golden Army, tooth fairies are savage flying piranhas who devour bones (always going for the teeth, the most visible bones, earning them the title ‘Tooth Fairy’.) Either way, the tooth fairy remains illusive visually.

Not to mention that despite the hype she causes, there’s one thing that’s never answered; what DOES she collect the teeth for? Some kids believe she uses the teeth as construction materials for her Tooth Castle. Personally I prefer the answer in a children’s book my little sister used to read, explaining that actually the teeth are processed and used as pixie dust.

Either way, with a clean slate to worth with, I’ve decided to go with a more grotesque vision of the Tooth Fairy, centered on her obsession with bone marrow. 

Ever since seeing the Oscars footage, I have been in love with the Dior gown worn by Jennifer Lawrence! I mean, if there was a more exquisite dress to fall in, that was it-she floated on the steps in it, and despite her embarrassment I felt that moment on the steps was stunning! Seriously, Jen-that was the ‘Grace Kelley’ of falls, you looked amazing. That profile is what I want to work on as a base.

Fairy Godmother Photo Shoot

After finishing the Eloise James Regency novel A Kiss At Midnight, I went into the Fairy Godmother photo shoot with a mind fresh with ideas. I was amazed with the results, especially with the styling choices made at the last minute.

Inspired by the wigs from this period, I pinned Erika’s locks up in twists, but let some of her ringlets cascade down onto her bare shoulders. For the final touch, remembering how my Fairy Godmother incarnation is a fashion trend setter, stitching sequins onto eye-and-button clasps and fastening them into her bun. The result was messy yet immaculate, like a blonde Helena Bonham Carter. It’s one of those times when I truly felt the whole look, hair, accessories, the gown, all embody a singular theme I want to present in each character.

Maybe the poses aren’t as extravagant as I envisioned them, but in the end, seeing the details and work I’ve put into these looks really makes me proud as a designer. Doing this collection has really pushed me to finish one thing before starting the next. True, I do believe in using up whatever resources you have available, from little oddities you find lying around the house to the fabric from old clothes, but to achieve a particular effect to be achieved in a look, these days I’m patient and determined to make that idea a reality. So maybe it does take more time, and yes, one does get inspired a little too easily for the next project, but with some perseverance and dedication a true crafter can create something wonderful.

Titania Phase 1

I’m in the mood for something regal, majestic...say the Queen of the Fairies herself? In Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, Titania is impulsive, passionate in her mood swings, and slightly volatile. The name Titania itself invokes a sense of danger from the uncertain; not at all like the glitzy ditzy dames we picture when imagining Fae monarchs as kids.

A little background; this is not the first time I’ve designed a look for this character, but I’m maintaining some of my initial concepts. The first Titania I created was half woman, half deer. Mainly, I’ve tried to stir clear of presenting Fairies as wispy beings of light. I believe they’re more grounded (literally, with non-functional wings), and very in tune with their surroundings. Take the fairies from the film Pan’s Labyrinth, in disguise as insects and  all around us though we fail to notice them.

And speaking of insects, that was my first vision I had for this Titania. Butterflies are regarded as the most visually beautiful of all insects, coming in vibrant colors that allure and fascinate. I’m especially drawn to blue butterflies, loving that deep indigo wing decorated in tints of black, so that design is the core of this costume.

My mood board for this project consists of a color palette of corals, browns and oranges. Some inspiration came from things such as the cover art for the novel Splintered, or different insect wing shapes. I’m thinking of creating some sort of tiara for Titania from antennae, and for the wings, I was inspired by Storm’s cape from the anime version of X-Men, something that coils and folds around the shoulders, more demure for someone of Titania’a rank. I want her to seem delicate and seductive, but with an air of intangibility, like she could suddenly become fierce and unpredictable in the blink of an eye-or in this case, the flutter of a wing.

Tinkerbelle and Lilac Fairy Photo Shoots

What better way to spend a hot afternoon in the summer than doing a fairy photo shoot? Ok, so maybe there are some things you can think of, but I still had a great time doing my first on site (aka my back garden) shoot for my Fairies collection. Prepping Rosalind and Jaime for the shoot had an interesting twist-I put them in those dresses at first just to test the size, and wasn’t intending them to be the models for those look. This actually made the characters more striking and unique-for example, a red headed Tinkerbelle is fresh and new.

But on site, the original concept of this all being a purely outdoors photo collection was put on ice. Tinkerbelle is an attention addict and just doesn’t fit in the great outdoors. She’s a diva, she needs bling, pizazz, the spotlight, a fully prepped set! 

Lilac, on the other hand, had the exact opposite results. Jaime looked amazing out there in the garden! An iron plant frame made a perfect set-the scale looks just like a tower. Setting Jaime there, how her dress cascaded down, the profile was stunning. I especially love having a serious of photos for this collection where the model is off centre. True, the wings weren’t essential in the end-I even tried draping them around the bars, suggesting bed curtains, but it did zip. I then placed it in the small pathway between some rose bushes that leads to a fountain. The image alluded to the image of the fairy walking through the grounds of the Palace while it's under the curse, admiring her handiwork. 

It’s is so chic, couturesque...if there was  Vogue for Fairies, this would be on the cover! It’s everything I’ve wanted in this project, a modern interpretation of classic characters with edge.

Ever After High Launch Review

I’m taking a small detour to reveal this epic news for the doll community. 

Now, some of you MAY have noticed I’m kinda a fan of the Monster High doll line. The individuality of each character, how clearly its expressed in their looks, even their colored skin tones. But mostly on the fact that finally there’s a toy line out there directly for those of us who are not afraid of break the mould!

So you can imagine, months after I created my Twisted Fairy Tales, the thrill of hearing that Mattel is launching a sister line to the Monster High Dolls based on fairy tales!! Doll World, welcome to Ever After High, the place of learning for the children of the Fairytale characters we know and love. And to top it off, one of the head lining characters is actually not your expected Princess heroine, but actually the daughter of the Evil Queen (I know, finally, a dark Fairytale themed doll!!). 

Who out there can’t relate to the conflict Raven goes through, resisting her destiny of becoming a fairytale villain. A bit like Frankie Stein of Monster High, there’s a clear parallel in this protagonist to that sense of being an outcast, but I’m personally drawn to her headstrong attitude and gothic fashion sense, contrary to Frankie’s shy and optimistic exterior.

As we speak, I’m already making room of my shelves to welcome these gorgeous ladies to my family! Yes, I much as I’ve worked with my Ellowyne Wilde dolls, I think I may take the path of the doll collector at last. Raven naturally is my first chance, but since the Madeline Hatter and Briar Rose dolls were revealed, I feel the fairytale lover in me won’t be able to resist the rest of the gang. I’ve been checking daily for the UK release date, and intent to be leading the stamped to grab one of these amazing dolls when they come out.

If only dolls like this had been already fifteen years ago....oh, Ever After High, where have you been all my life? I was lost, but now I am found!!