Tiara King's Blog: Jewel Divas Style, page 78

HEALTH & BEAUTY STYLE: Crown Purses

This last year I’ve been thinking about my business and writing and getting my new website going, www.tiaraking.com.au, which is a never ending website as I’m always adding places where my books are for sale at, and my name in particular. 

I’ve often wondered in the last year whether I should just make it easy on myself and live in a castle and buy stuff with crowns on it and basically have anything that has to do with my name.

So when I found these BLUE purses on ebay I had to have not one, but ALL THREE of them. Sadly, no pink ones. Even the lining inside has the same pattern as the outside. I’m a purse-a-holic and have so many it’s ridiculous, but they do come in handy for so many things.

MY STYLE: WHAT I WORE

OUTFIT #1
TSHIRT: Tamworth Golden Guitar from 1998

OUTFIT #2
TOP: Best and Less for $10
PANTS: Millers for $15 
SANDALS: Rivers
JEWELLERY: Jewel Divas Hamsa Hand bracelet stack on left hand, necklace and bead bracelet on right hand, ebay and chain store everything else.

MY OBSESSIONS: Nancy Drew wallet and paper dolls

Quite a few years back a company called Alicia Klein released several Nancy Drew pieces in wallets, purses, bookmarks and key rings. This year I managed to get the new Nancy Drew Taxi Wallet. It’s probably a year or so old now but you gotta grab them when you can. They are made of leather and have impeccable colouring as well as their own little dust bag and tin to store it in.

I also received the Nancy Drew paper doll book last year, yes, just getting around to telling you all about them now, and below are a few pics from the book. Even Togo gets his own pic. The bottom left are small charms that I get online.

Gotta love Nancy Drew, still going at 84!

TRAVEL STYLE: Sea World

This week we’re going on a trip to Queensland’s Sea World. Yes, like America, we have our very own, full of rides, animals and attractions. Sea World has been open since the 80s, like Dreamworld, and has renovated and refurbished their grounds and ride over the last 30 years. 

I’ve been several times over the decades and much has changed, just as with Dreamworld. Rides have come and gone, their rollercoaster ride called the Corkscrew has been replaced with Storm. The Bermuda Triangle ride is no more, even though the volcano is still there. At least my favourite Flume ride (below) is still there.

Castaway Bay is a newer ride as they seem to feature more for children these days.

Jet Rescue is another new ride and you can watch video footage here.

At least the monorail is still there, since they opened I think. You can board and take a meander around the park, see the beach, as it’s located on what’s known as the Spit, and see the shopping centre across the water. You also get to go through the lush Sea World Resort where you can stay for the duration.

The old Bermuda Triangle (which I loved and am glad I have a tshirt of)  ride was replaced with the Storm Coaster.

There is an abundance of children’s attractions with Sponge Bob and Dora taking centre stage.

They also feature animals such as Henry the polar bear, penguins, sharks at Shark Bay, dolphins, pelicans and seals.

Sea World is on sunny Queensland’s Gold Coast and opens at 9:30am with the rides starting at 10. Gates close at 5:30pm.

Visit their website here, and their Facebook page here.

Here’s a pic of my Bermuda Triangle tshirt. I added the glitter paint and have had it since 2009.

WANT IT WEDNESDAY: SUMMERTIME children’s set

This week for WANT IT WEDNESDAY it’s into the children’s sets I made. SUMMERTIME, available here, was made back when I had cute butterfly, dragonfly and flower charms. The colours used are summery fun colours for kids and made smaller for them instead of huge adult size products.

There are only five sets made for kids as I prefer to make for adults. You always worry with kids that something will be bitten off, swallowed or broken and lost.

I used glass crackle and acrylic beads for this set in pinky yellows, greeny blues and purple. The charms are attached with double looped jump rings so they will only come off if the elastic is broken. The earrings are 7cm from the top of the silver hooks and the bracelet fits a 3-5 inch wrist.

I was never one for naming pieces when I started but took one look at the five sets and automatically named them after something from summer, this one being Summertime.

There’s no real story behind this piece, it was whatever came to mind at the time. That’s the way I work. I lay out everything I have and play around until I’m happy with the end creation.

HOME & DÉCOR STYLE: Glass Trinket Jars

One of my recent finds is this blue glass trinket jar for $10, just right for storing bits and pieces in. It matches the pink one I bought from Target earlier in the year. I know there’s a yellow one somewhere that I’m trying to find as well.

While they both currently sit in my office on a cupboard I photographed them on a $3 blue glass tray on my jewellery roller cabinets in front of my goddess books that I stood inside of my glamour box. They look quite pretty.

MY STYLE: WHAT I WORE

OUTFIT #1
TSHIRT: Kermit the Frog, Unpigged, from Muses about 20 years ago
BAG: Ebay from a few years ago
SWATCH: Zamels from about 15 years ago

OUTFIT #2
TOP: Millers for $5, recent
PANTS: Millers for $18, recent
SHOES: Kmart for $19, recent
JEWELLERY: Jewel Divas necklace, chain store earrings and rings, Zamels Swatch, eBay everything else.

MY PERSONAL COLLECTION: Early Spring bargains

With Spring here and Summer coming in just a few months the stores are full of spring/summer bargains to be had. If you need sandals, hats, or even tote bags for the beach, a picnic, or even a day out, then start looking in stores such as Kmart, Cheap As Chips (here in Adelaide), or even eBay.

Left: Sandals, Kmart $19. It’s rare these days that I can find shoes, especially sandals, to fit my size 10 flat feet. These are not only inexpensive but comfortable for flat feet and back issues. I walked in mine for about three hours and the only problem I had was the attempted blister on my right leg, sadly, something one must deal with when wearing new shoes.

Right: A gorgeous summer hat for spring and summer for years to come. $8 from Cheap As Chips (discount type store) The colours are bursting with rainbow brightness and I couldn’t resist. It also comes with a white elastic strap for under your chin so it doesn’t blow away with the lightest of breezes.

Ebay USA stars and stripes tote for $14.79 AUD with shipping. I’ve been using it for shopping every Saturday when I go out. It comes in so handy.

What current spring/summer bargains have you guys been buying in preparation for the long warm months ahead?

IN MY LIFE: I AM A DESIGNER!

Can you still call yourself a jewellery or fashion designer if you buy jewellery or clothes?

OF COURSE YOU BLOODY CAN!

I’m following on from Tuesday’s post about comments from a few week’s ago where I was accused of hideous things by a very rude, insecure, immature child.

She wrote:

And by the way, your jewellery & “style” is absolutely horrendous! I am embarrassed FOR you! I have never seen anything as disgusting, cheap & tacky as what’s displayed on your page. You really shouldn’t be using the terms “couture” or “fashion designer” either, you are buying cheap crap online & mashing it up together into a hideous mess, THAT IS NOT COUTURE OR DESIGNING!!

The definition of designer, be it jewellery, accessory, clothing, household furnishings etc is this:  A person who devises and executes designs, as for works of art, clothes, machines, etc

So yes, anyone designing, making and creating jewellery or clothes is a jewellery or fashion designer.

This does not prevent or stop you from BUYING jewellery or clothing. If you make your own clothes or jewellery you don’t have to refuse to buy or wear any other designer or even store bought.

Just because I buy most of my clothes does not mean I have not designed clothes before and therefore cannot call myself a designer. The same with jewellery. You’ve all seen what I make, be it for sale or for myself, just because I buy a tonne of it does not mean I am not a designer.

This person is clearly confused. Does she believe that because I show the clothes I buy I must be claiming to make them? I don’t and never have as I leave the details of where I buy them from and how much the article cost. The same with jewellery. I have always kept my jewellery that I sell separate to what I buy or make for myself. That doesn’t mean I don’t make it and therefore can’t call myself a designer.

I am a designer because I design, make and create jewellery. More so than clothes, but I have also done that over the years. Abusing someone and telling them they “really shouldn’t be using the terms couture or fashion designer” because I buy online and mostly in store is rude and shows a lack of maturity and security in your own self and own style.

Attacking someone about their style is also not on. Style is what you make it. Just because it’s not “on trend” doesn’t not mean it’s not style. I dress in what I like. I don’t dress for anyone else, least of all immature, insecure children like her.

I AM a jewellery designer because I design, make, and create jewellery, for myself and for sale.

I DO make couture pieces because couture also refers to jewellery.

I AM a fashion designer because I have made and decorated clothing for myself in the past.

I have style and flair because I am not immature or insecure in my looks, the way I dress or what I wear. I dress for no one but myself, I buy for no one but myself and know full well what I can and can’t call myself.

I CAN call myself a jewellery, accessory and fashion designer because that is what I am. Whether anyone else likes it or not in their jealous hate fuelled anger.

I have also taken photos, to prove my point, of just some of the clothes and accessories I have made, created or designed and put them into those three categories. Made; because I made it from scratch. Created; because I took an article and recreated it. Designed; because I designed it but someone else made it.

As I am not a sewing pro I have only MADE three articles of clothing. My Hawaiian print dress and skirt cut out, sewed up and decorated with sequins by me. My jumper/sweater I made, from scratch, in high school, cut out, sewed up and decorated by me.

Hair accessories MADE by me when I had long hair. I still make hair sparklies in my collections for sale.

A pocket kerchief and scarves, MADE by me! I may not be a pro but I can sew the basics.

Now we are on to CREATED, where I took an article of clothing or accessories and painted, crafted, sewed on bits and pieces to CREATE something new. Below are denim jackets, tshirts, shirts and jeans.

Below are hair combs, hair clips and basketball boots I took and CREATED something new with. The combs are painted or have Swarovski crystals. I completely redid the maroon hair clip, added the blue pieces with crystals to the middle one and painted the bottom clip. The boots I painted.

Below are just some of the clothes I DESIGNED but had made by someone else. My mother knits everything I have so the cardigan and music jumper (along with other jumpers and matching beanies and scarves not pictured) are by her but my DESIGN. My shirts and rock n roll jacket were done by a local seamstress back in the late 90s when I line danced. I DESIGNED everything and drew up the pic, she made them. She worked just down the road so it was easy enough to go there on the way out or on the way home from somewhere. Sadly, everyone found out where we got them done from and copied.

I’ve also DESIGNED tshirts through Vistaprint. Yes, we can all use their designs but when you add words and craft things differently you DESIGN the product.

So there you have it, my definition of made, created and designed and yes, I CAN call myself a designer!

What have you guys made, created and designed for yourself and have you ever been told you’re not allowed to call yourself a designer?

WANT IT WEDNESDAY: BOWLING MAN earrings

This weeks WANT IT WEDNESDAY piece of jewellery is the Bowling Man earrings, available at Jewel Divas.

There’s no big back story to this piece.

Back in 2008 I bought about ten bulk lots from the same person on eBay in America. At least 100-200 pieces in each lot consisting of charms, brooches, pendants, all sorts. Every time I got a new batch I opened them up with wide eyes and a huge grin. I just couldn’t wait to see what I was about to unfold and the things I could make with them.

The Bowling Man were a batch of 5 pendants that I turned into a pair of earrings, a necklace, a bracelet, and a bag bling. I kept it simple, teaming it with silver chain, gunmetal grey glass beads and Swarovski crystals with surgical steel earring hooks.

The pendants themselves are very unusual and I have no idea where they originally came from, but I figured that there were plenty of bowlers out there who would want a piece of jewellery to represent what they love.

Each piece is only $40 AUD, quite inexpensive for something that is, as far as I know, an original one off piece of designer jewellery that no one else is going to have.