So I'm back from outer space...

... and couldn't resist sharing these amazing dresses, made entirely out of paper!! I found these at The Daily Mail's website, they're all part of Pret-a-Papier, an amazing collection of costumes designed by Belgian artist Isabelle de Borchagrave. Read more about it here. Not a stitch of fabric involved!

More Etsy delight

Etsy is probably the worst thing ever to happen to my personal economy. In any case, here goes this week's supply of beautiful must-haves I wish I could afford:

Handbags by Daphne involves two of my personal fetishes: handbags and beautiful, luxurious textiles. How can one say no to a combination of both, specially in sensational black and white?

As a creative person myself, I'm always on the lookout for pretty new ways to decorate my packages when I sell jewellery. Luvs2create2 makes the cutest gift tags you can come accross, and I've always been a fan of Peter Rabbit and everything Beatrix Potter:

Etsy jewellery maker Terrastratum makes incredibly original and stunning pieces. Personally, I adore these chopstick earrings, in oxidised silver and gold dust!

But my week's favourite has to be chriswrinn. Chris specialises in precious metals and PMC (polymer metal clay), and uses an infinite amount of imagination and patience to come up with special beauties like these:

Believe me, I will never purchase cheap, mass produced jewellery again! Stunning creations like these deserve all the attention they can get.

Happy hiving

I'm a big fan of Stylehive when it comes to browsing through all types of fashion and accesories. Though I'm not really interested in most of what people consider to be "in" or "trendy", there are always a few exceptions that catch my eye. Here are some of my most recent favourites:

 

Gia Lorenzi came up with these spectacular serpent heel black pumps. I think you could walk down the street wearing a sack and people would be focusing on the shoes. Not for the fainthearted, I think, doesn't seem to be much of a comfy platform on the front of these killer beauties. And of course there's some Swaroski to bling them up.

So I'm a sucker for black and white disco looks. Ami Clubwear offers very affordable party gear for the bold. I'd probably go for black tights with this, and maybe some faux-fur to give it an all round "I'm completely out of fashion but I don't give a damn" vibe.

And since we're going for black and white polka dots, how about Bebe's little monochromatic hobo bag? Maybe a bit teensy for my liking, I need large bags to fit my whole life into (yes, I carry everything around, I'm practical like that). Alltogether, these items might sum up a decent outfit, and just to be me, I'd have bright blue hair to match the baby blue swaroski on the shoes. Yeah, I got away with things like that long before Lady Gaga did, my dears (well, maybe not got away, but at least tried too).

Etsy finds I am currently loving

It's a good thing  haven't got much money, 'cause I'd spend it all on Etsy. Apart from the beautiful finds, there's something special about purchasing something handmade with care, and knowing you made that seller's day. Of course, not everything is beautiful, and that's what Regretsy is for (careful, hilarity and "whimsicle fuckery" ensues!).

So here are a few things I am reaaally loving right now on Etsy:

Heather Behrendt's lampwork beads are always spectacular and pretty affordable, too. These remind me of milk swirls in chocolate or coffee. I'd love to get my hands on these for Miss Cristal, aren't they delicious? You can find them here, or browse through  her shop right here.

SeaGemStudio makes lovely jewellery using sea glass, probably one of my famous materials in the world (remember my sea glass mosaic? It's still in the works!). It's hard to choose amongst her ocean wonders, but if I had to, I'd probably go for this necklace, I love how it hooks onto the front instead of using an average clasp at the back. This one's priced at USD 48,00.

I've always liked handpainted silk, and this one's slightly steampunky, so what's not to desire? I admit to having a certain narcissistic approach to my own shoulders, so I could really do with this flattering sleeveless cut. Priced at USD 45,00, I think it's not bad at all. Have a look at TanjaDesign's painted silks, she has a lovely shop.

What are your current Etsy favourites?