The Sparrow Has Landed

Or her package, anyways.  She sent me a big box of gorgeousness all the way from Australia- some I'd bought, many I hadn't! 

All kinds of hand-dyed fabric scraps and strips in beautiful colors- like that flowery hanky in Bollywood pink.  2-count 'em- 2 millitery Vs, whatever they're called.

This endless strip of grungy rhinestone trim.  They are each nestles in a clear acrylic bit and sewn together w/white thread.  And worn and drool-making.  This photo's not doing them any kind of justice.

I'd been wanting these pearls from her supply shop forever. Nothing can replicate this kind of wear. I love really worn old faux pearls!  No one can accuse them of pretending to be what they're not.  I adore this military star like bonkers. It's what kept me coming back to this cuff I also got... which I forgot to photograph.

ANYWHO-

The pearl's above are on a big bunch of crystal points which she describes thusly:

"I buy them from a one-man operation, who gets them by digging small holes on private property in country Australia. He does it for a hobby, only selling enough to fund the next trip and always tries to leave the land as un-invaded as possible."

Here you see me already laying out strips for a cuff a la Sparrow.  I don't want to eat or work or sleep 

until I've made all of this into thiiiiiiiings.

Here's a cuff in progress featuring a big brass piece she sent long ago. the 3 fabric layers are hand dyed per her inspiration. actually, the middle layer was from her.  Along the left I made a row of holes and dangled chocolate cultured pearls on rhinestone headpins. They'll be the buttons if they dont snag. Here I'm laying out a row of brads also included in the package to see the effect.  I may have laid out everything in the box on that bit of cuff, including the box itself.

LOOK AT THIS!  I can't even describe it all, its too much.

Those are frosting tips, like bakers use? Totally earrings now. Keyhole like no other I've seen.  Black glass buttons.  Crazy cute pink chain.

This hank of antique jet stone nailheads, though, was the crowned jewel of the day. Cant see it here, but it has a matte effect. They feel like tiny pebbles.  They might be the most beautiful things I've ever held.

Look at these pink babies looking like they survived a fire. Can't fake that with no technique!  And the white guys for my tribal craze.  (Nothing says tribal like white guys. :P)

 

Oh, what wonderful creatures will these become?

AAAGH! Scary rabbit! 

Glass photographs from India. I know!  Where does one even...?  

And should I just prop them against a shelf or figure out how to cut glass to trim down the top and bottom, and solder these babies up? It's all too much.  I didn't even get it all in the pictures. (There's black glass beaded trim that may have made me orgasm on sight.) I feel like a pirate captain sitting on top of overspilling chests of treasure.

When Sparrow and I first introduced ourselves over the internet, we decided to exchange packages of booty. I remember when I got her first pack it smelled so strongly of incense, I had to put it away for a bit. In part because I was freaking somewhat from the awesomeness of what I scored. But also the incense happened to smell just like the first incense I ever smelled, back in early high school. And through that smell I remembered something I'd forgotten.  Before my massive adolescent depression- the fun of discovering the freak in me that wanted to cover her room in candles and hang ivy that would dry and curl around the frame of a mirror or picture, that would color her hair orange and green with markers everyday, would paint her eyes like the Egyptian Eye of Ra before classes in the school bathroom (couldn't do it at home, Mom would see), would discover music that the radio didn't know about and just dream and dream all day.  

ANYWHOO- this time she included a whole pack of the incense!  I guess that's all I meant to say. 

Oh, happy, happy day.