The Holidays have slowed me down a bit...

This is just a post to let everyone know that I'm working to get some new images on this little blog. The recent goings on with publishers, etc. haven't gone to my head! ha! It's hard to get time during the holiday season for my artwork, between family time and my nutty day job.

The next image has quite a few characters that have been challenges. Lately much of my work here has worked out surprisingly easy, so this is where things even out I suppose.

Stay tuned, something will appear soon.

And also, Happy New Year!! (although I have to be at work at my usual 5 a.m., so I doubt if I make it til midnight).

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

Just wanted to pop in to say hi to all and hope you guys are having a fab christmas! I am having a great day at home with my family, mam is dancing like a lunatic to random christmas tunes, my neice doesn't know where to look there is so much stuff around, dad is cooking up a storm in the kitchen and me bro and sis are chillin out counting down the minutes to gobble gobble fest!

To this day I am not really sure how many peeps check into my blog to have a browse as comments are always scarce ( or if its of any interest to anyone) but I know from the stats that there are a few readers and I have not met or chatted with many of you, but I do hope that you get some enjoyment out of it and that I know I do, I will be bloggin on in 08, with many new stock on plan for my etsy store! So to all those that just stop by for a nose, stop by some day and say hi! its lovely to meet other bloggers, and to be honest its always a highlight to log on and find a new comment from someone sharing there thoughts, it makes my day! So see you in 08, and HAVE A LOVELY CHRISTMAS , HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY.
XXX
BONZIE

So Many Books, So Little Time...

I made this one for my wonderful agent Sorche Fairbank, to send as a calender image to her clients in the book publishing world. [She's the very agent who helped me pick a publisher for my book, haven't you heard that news already? If not, read my previous post, hehe.]

Anyway, I had grand plans to make a special holiday image for this little blog, but the real world (my real job), has gotten the better of me the last few days. The picture here has a lot of red and green in it, so it's got that little bit of a Christmas feel, I guess. Also, there isn't anyone being shot or whatever here, so it's kinda of a cheery image. I know! For the sake of this time of year, let's call it "Reading Christmas Lists". Er, no, let's call it, "Have You Been a Good Little Book This Year?". Yeah, that's it!

Bent Objects Book is on its way!

I've been given permission to say which publisher we've chosen to go with (for the job of getting a Bent Objects Book out there in the world!) We decided to go with Running Press (part of the Perseus Book Group). I'm excited to be with the same publisher as Don Martin and Marvel!

The date that my book actually hits the shelves is still to be determined, but I've had so many curious emails asking about it, I thought I'd share the news!


If anyone has any last minute shopping to do, please visit my new friends at the links above, or

here!

A Victorian Doll!

I have just finished the Victorian coat for the little girl , and it turned out really special! (kinda hankering after an adult version for meself!) This coat was to match the little wine and cream dress with the petticoat in a previous post. I also finished the look with a pair of lace trimmed bloomers in a fab victorian style pinstripe fabric.

Something tells me this little girl will be having a stylish Christmas! ;)

xx

Bonzie

Couture Bubble Scarf

Couture Bubble Scarf, is my latest item to be added to my etsy shop!! Its a beautiful sculptoral piece that can be worn over your favourite winter coat to give instant designer appeal! Also looks fab over a polo neck jumper! Fancy one for yourself .....check them out here!

xxx

Bonzie

The Bag Lady!!!

Yep Sus, you know who you are!! lol

This custom order is the second bag for my etsy pal SimplySusan! (aka from now on the bag lady)! Thanks Sus!

Go check her shop out , makes beautiful cards, top quality ( I know because I got one for xmas!) ;)

One of my faves!

I came upon these photos recently of a coat I did for one of my very stylish clients here in the studio!! I wanted to share it with you guys as its something that you wouldn't typically find in my etsy shop as its more of a couture piece thats custom made for studio visitors. Its embellished the whole way through the back, and always draws a lot of attention when its worn.

If/when ( *she giggles*) I have my own boutique, I would envisage rails adorned with these type of pieces!

(well a girl can dream can't she!)

xx

Bonz

Rubys Steampunk affair!

Its been very quiet recently for me on etsy because I am not able to list much or do any marketing (have limited internet access at the mo), but to be honest its been suiting me as this is the time when the studio gets hectic with private commissions for christmas! So if the etsy shop was too busy I would be in a heap!

The most recent activity on the shop is a custom order for my etsy buddy Ruby. Its a couture scarf/neck piece made from black/charcoal Irish tweed and embellished with various steampunkesque bits and bobs, chains, vintage key charms, antique buttons etc. There is also a splash of leatherette trim for extra punkyness! I love how this turned out, aswell as the matching clutch!

Contest Winner

Wow, that was tough to try and pick a winner. I mean really tough.

In the end, I went with Ashs' limerick-

safety pin scorpion knows
how poisoning people should go
but because of his size
he had to get wise
so now he just goes for their toes!

Thanks to all who participated!

I'm still without a computer, but I'll try and find a way to post something new Wednesday.

The Sad Songs Channel: Des'ree - Kissing You

Contest Time!

Here's a little fella that I've had for a while. Does anybody want him?
Best limerick about him wins. Oh what the heck- haikus are welcome also.

Judging will be held on Saturday.
[edit- entry time is over! no more to be excepted for this tiny prize!]





[edit--I'm holding this contest right now because I have no computer! That's right, I'm at the local library typing this! I had to take my p.c. in because of some problems and to get it suped-up a bit. I am still working on some really decent objects to photograph though, so be patient!]

Christmas with the Waltons!!

My youngest client is a little girl (aptly named) Sally Ann! She is a little doll and her mum loves to dress her in clothes inspired of yesteryear! I love working on her outfits and the most recent one being her commission for christmas! A beautiful burgundy number with petticoat frilling, antique lace and petticoat bloomers for underneath! I always enjoy this kind of work as I get to indulge in more ruffles and frills than any adult would possible get away with it!! lol

Just for fun I added a little hat and scarf with complimenting victorian ruffles!

Riah's Corset Belt

Custom Corset Belt for Riah

This is the most recent custom order for my etsy pal Riah and author of Riah's Review Blog! A must read! I chose a black tweed for this number and embellished it with a Parisian vintage theme! I adore the little key charm amongst the lace, another purchase from etsy! I find so many things on etsy that I would love to buy, its a treasure trove of talent. Many a day has been lost just perusing through the pages of items, a pass time that I love, (when I have time to do it of course!)
I have many variations of this particular corset belt in my etsy boutique and if you fancy doing a collaboration with me just get in touch and we can come up with one especially for you!

Shrugged!

The Big and the Small

Bridal anyone???

Ok, so I decided to pop a few of my bridal pieces into my etsy shop ( for the sheer joy of fluffing it up a little! ) I am totally aware that its impossible to sell an higher end items over the net and especially something as special as a wedding dress, because lets face it , that baby needs a lot of fitting before the wedding day! But I thought it would be a nice element to add to the shop just to show a little of what can be done with that particular victorian/steampunk style and not being afraid to introduce a few frayed edges (sacre coeur!) into a wedding gown! (well why not!)

An etsy pal Rubyclover asked me how did I get that ethereal quality to the photos and to be quite honest Rubes, (nothing to do with camera, or photoshop) I think its the venue! They were shot in a renovated lepers hospital here in Ireland and I think that foggy dewy atmosphere is more about the fact that its haunted and nothing else! Mwah ahaha! (am I too late for Halloween?)

Wishing You a Happy Thanksgiving!

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving in the U.S., a day set aside to be thankful for our blessings. What it has become for a lot of us is a day of eating a lot of food, the marquee item being a turkey. A ritual for many is the breaking of the turkey wishbone. Whichever person ends up with the longest piece of the wishbone gets a wish.

I have no idea what a vegetable would wish for, I'll leave that to your imagination. How did they get ahold of a wishbone anyway? Are they not vegetarians? Hmmm.

More Custom Work......................

The thing I love about custom work is the fact that you end up inventing something that you wouldn't have necessarily come up with if you hadn't had a brief to stick to! Take for example the scarf and bag above! A dear etsy pal Susarto commissioned me to make her a bag and matching scarf to give her new grey coat a designer edge and instead of designing a scarf in the normal rectangular realm! (I am allergic to symetery!) I decided I wanted to do a real couture type of neck piece with lots of structure! In doing so I have come up with a really coool new product for my etsy store in the midst of a creative dry spell! (So thanks Sus! )xxx

Little Hour Glass Timer theme.

All of these images more or less belong together. What they say is up to you to decide of course.

I have plans to add more images here at this post, whenever I have...time (heh).

Yes, the sand is falling quickly as I take these...

Probably the most colourful spats in the world!!

Every now and again a really cool client comes along and gives you a carte blanche to go off and design something really out there!! I had one such client recently in my etsy shop and she adores colour (which is a tough one for me given that I am usually drawn to aged antique type colours such as nudes, tea stain, brown etc.) But I gave it a lash and to my surprise I really love them, colours and all! just goes to show what can come out of reaching out of your comfort zone! This is why its really important to take on clients input because it pushs you as a designer to step out of your box and use things you wouldn't have necessarily thought of before!!

TRUNKT BABY YEAH!!

I recently applied to become part of www.trunkt.com (a really cool website for designers to host there portfolio for added exposure etc). There is an application process to be selected for this particular site and I gave it a lash not expecting anything! only the following morning I had an email confirming that I had been chosen to be part of there website. I was really delighted about this and am now looking for an extra day in the week to get some time to play with it! ;)
go check it out for yoursmelf!! xx
http://www.trunkt.org/client.category.cfm/gcat/9

Bonzie

A Slight Chemical Imbalance

I don't know why, but I've always loved these pill bottles. This is the third different piece that I've done with them as the star object, and there will be several more. The cannotations of "drugs" are sooo many, good AND bad.

I happen to believe quite strongly in the benefits of drugs to help many psychological problems, and this photo is not my way of taking a stance against them.

Bonzie Bags!

Its been a good week for my etsy shop! Thanks to my gorgeous pal Ira on etsy, one of my pieces made the front page again!!! Its a really fab feeling to have the spotlight on your shop for a wee while and its always great for traffic too! I was away for the weekend and when I returned my etsy buddy Blake had taken a screenshot of the frontpage for me!! (it doesn't get much sweeter than that!! ) For those of you who are not members of etsy, thats the general community spirit that exists between members from all over the world and its wonderful!
This week I have been working on some custom orders for the etsy shop and I was thrilled to send of the gorgeous bag above to SimplySusan! Sue just left me off to design a mystery bag, she gave me a rough idea of colour and then let me loose, my favourite type of client! (Thanks Sus!)

Cuffs Away!!

So I pop online the other night, as ya do, and I come across another one of my pieces sold, first of all I am thrilled and excited and then I realise that it is actually a fellow buddy of mine on Etsy, whom I have grown to love!!! She is an absolute howl and is just a great person to know. When I first started chatting in the forums on Etsy I met this lady and knew that she was from Ireland , but didn't realise that she was only 30 mins away from me!! I mean how small is this world, out of a site containing hundreds of thousands of people I met and became friends with someone only living down the road from me! (also baring in mind that Etsy is more based in America than in Europe!). Well she bought one of my pieces from me, and I will get a chance to see her wearing it next week over coffee!! oh the wonder of the world wide web .

(oh and if I don't post for a while send out the emergency services, not quite sure if this ones a lunatic for real just yet!!! ) lol.............only kidding (no seriously!) :)