New Collection and Pictures from Everyday Life

Here’s a picture what my workspace / studio looks like when I am actually working on things. I have a talent for working within chaos and finding order within it. It’s quite evident in many of the things I make or do. From afar it will look like a cluster but when you look closer it has a kind of balance or order. Very few notice it - but when they do I am very impressed.

Here are some of my latest pieces. I have yet to add to Etsy but they will most likely be going to stores instead. I haven’t made up my mind yet. I’ve really liked carved bone pieces. Especially cooky fish with really funny expressions. :) I’ve also found a way to use the silk and rayon tassel samples I bought from the Textile Museum Fabric Sale. This makes me happy and I hope it diminishes my hoard a bit.

Here are some of my latest works. I’m a total romantic bohemian at heart. Sometimes I feel more bohemian then usual. I think recently, it has really been a reoccurring theme in my life. To me, it’s just the essence of free-spirit. My latest pieces are inspired by islands, windswept beaches, sun-bleached fabrics, summer, salt, natural colors and just being free.

At the same time. My style has slowly gone towards the Hipster fashion for the Winter. Trust me, by no means am I a Hipster. I only identify with the fashion itself but not the subculture. I’ve also begun experiment with strange colors and different silhouettes. I bought green oxfords. Haha. 

Quaintrella Etsy is Updated!

I listed things on my Etsy Shop. 90% of my Ofelia Ljuv May Collection is on there.



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New Products: Wood Pins + Necklaces, Taxidermy jewelry, and fiber-ceramic jewelry!

Today, was a bit of an unproductive day. Being a night owl (not by choice) usually means I get the most workta done in the dead hours of the night - I live in downtown Toronto which means that there are no sirens, crazy people yelling, or traffic to interrupt my thoughts at 2 AM - 5 AM in the mornings.

I mentioned in my previous post I worked on a lot of product for consignments. Here, are more pieces which are mostly going into consignments. Ransack the Universe carries most of the wooden pins and a unique wooden necklace! Don't be afraid to check out their rather awesome store!

Wooden pins - waterproofed with an matte acrylic glaze.

Sparrow skulls casted in plastic - these are the pieces I worked on with a taxidermist in the US for months. :)

More recent wooden pins. If I don't drop off the rest of these to Ransack the Universe then they will be going to ETSY by the end of this week. I have more wood-based jewelry on my new ETSY: http://TheQuaintrella.etsy.com

My newest piece to date. Bird skull rings. I have a huuuuge pet peeve regarding costume jewelry rings (necklaces are a-okay in my book). I hate how they always turn my fingers green. So, I decided to only use sterling silver ring bases. Unfortunately, they only come in size 6 and I have yet to find gold bases. :( Also, I used gold chains on all my necklaces which means there'll be a switch over to half of the stock to silver chains.

While these pieces aren't particularly reflective of all my latest fiber-based pendent necklaces. They represent a new foray into using ceramic beads and charms. I'm not sure if I should put these into consignment so I believe they will be on ETSY soon enough!

I'm the biggest supply hoarder - I always think there's a use for everything. You guys, have no ideas how happy I am to find a use for my ceramic bead charms!!! All my Mori Girl and fiber-based pieces are stuffed with the exterior cut-outs and left overs. No waste. I also recycle shoulder pads for forms. Sometimes, I like to think of Mori Girl fashion as earth-loving since there is such a close affinity to nature when I think about it.

Another project I am going to start is the dismantling of all my super-long upcycled and vintage fox tails. I have waited for the listings to expire on my Marionette Atelier ETSY so now the surgery can begin! They will be half in length and price! :) I know many people have asked me for shorter ones. Well, now - there will be shorter ones!

Sent from my iPhone

Sleepless Nights of Preparation and New Handmade Items

Here's what stock preparations look like for my upcoming meeting with a local boutique tomorrow afternoon. :) Looks orderly doesn't it? It was tedious to label and organize but well worth it. :)

So far, it's been a busy few weeks. I've been soliciting local boutiques in an attempt to push my product locally. I managed to get my Mom's crochet goods into Propaganda - but, that backfired a little due to miscommunication. I'm a little saddened by this setback but I learned a lot from it while talking to those closest to me. I now know how to better handle myself in these situations of business. It's my first consignment so I won't beat myself up over it. I have a large line up - I am highly adaptable, skilled, and my tastes are so varied with many different influences. Good for me, that clientele can be just as diverse as my tastes. :)

Since my last post I have accomplished quite a lot. Ransack the Universe now carries some of my wooden pins, crochet cellphone and bag charms, and wooden necklaces.

If you are local or visiting Toronto I would highly recommend their really nifty and kitchy store at:

Ransack the Universe
1207 Bloor Street West (Lower Level)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

At the same time I am also in contact with the following boutiques, stores, and collectives:

- Nathalie-Roze & Co.
- Tomorrow Never Knows
- Freedom Clothing Collective
- The Drake General Store

I will be updating ETSY after I sort the stock relocation out. I have two applications to do for collectives, a art gallery proposal to submit, and a likely craft event to prepare for... I also have an interview for Apple this Friday. And, I also signed my lease over the weekend for my new place - I'll be living near Liberty Village and right by Queen West by June. :)

Below are new products by my Mom and I. Enjoy!

Brand-spanking-new handmade headpiece! Sparrow Skulls! Finds!

The weather has been absolutely horrible here in Toronto. Hot, cold, hot, cold, rain…and I hear there’s going to be snow on Monday. Seriously, it’s mid-late April and we are getting SNOW?! 

I don’t get it. My program has been all about global warming and how weather patterns / phenomenon such as El Nino and El Nina dictate these shifts yet I still am unable to believe just how directly it effects everyone.  This also means a late growing season for farmers and it’ll effect so many things. I can’t grow my edible flowers yet because I’m too afraid to let them grow outside and starting them inside with such dreary weather doesn’t get my hopes up, either.

That aside, I’ve been out of town and away from my studio due to a slight emergency. But, as always I’ve dragged most of my immediate portable materials with me and I whipped up a headpiece two nights ago (along with a few necklaces but I didn’t take pictures). Currently, I am working hard at expanding my collection for the meeting I have with a local boutique owner this coming Friday. I hope she likes my stuff and buys/carries it at her store!

It’s so beautiful. I can’t bear to part with it unless offered a small fortune. :) It’s very Dolly-Kei and I can’t wait to coordinate it. I really love the warm copper charms I imported which add to the overall warmth and richness of red accents and the red wool bow. 

I begin with a brief laying out of what I prospectively want the headpiece to look like.

I don’t sleep for a whole night working on things like this and at 7-8 AM the sun shines.

I bless my items with the first rays of sunshine. Haha. Then photographing commences. 

On another note, I also got my custom order of plastic casted sparrow skulls from an across the border taxidermist after literally almost 2 months of waiting. It was a long and somewhat tedious wait but well worth what I got. I really wish I had gotten most of the skulls drilled because they look really awesome as necklaces. What do you guys think? 

Also, made a nice find at Dollarama recently. I’ve been desperately looking for millenary branches with buds - I tried Queen West, Fabricland…but was then recommend Michael’s. I found exactly what I was looking for at Dollarama instead - with at least 5 colortones in a huge branch for a mere $1. Score! I left with pale green and cream buds.

Anime North Preparations

I've created a lot more products for Mori Girl and Gothic Lolita.

Mostly earrings - I will be trying tierred pricing to hit up customers who may not be able to afford my more pricy items. No, pictures for now since I'm typing on iPad at the moment which can't upload pictures unless I buy the app. I've begun compiling the Lolita and Otome clothing materials I need to make OPs, JSKs, and Skirts for an upcoming convention in May. I will be heading a table separate from my business partner, Aya, because I have a lot more stock this year. At the same time I am working on a top secret project related to Anime North. I'll post tidbits on here but I don't want my competitors to know my little surprise. My skulls will take longer then usual to make since the taxidermist I ordered them from is working on some large scale projects. I hope I get them by the end of this month or early April. :/

I may also be helping out at an Anime North panel titled The Enchanted Forest: Mori Girl, Dolly Kei, and Natural Kei fashion. I need a date and time to confirm it before committing. I'll be helping out with information, modeling, and even giving away loot bags of my created products. I had a horrid experience last time with fashions show since some of my clothes got damaged and I never got recognition. But, I hope this time it'll be better. I still feel bitter about the whole thing and it's my fault I never told the organizers. I will, but in due time.

I also feel bad about Japan's situation. My next sales post for the communities will feature 10% of all proceeds of my items to selected charities helping Japan right now. I think Docotors without Borders would be my best bet. So far, made one sale and raised $5.