Fabergé Friday

It's Halloween! So what better Fabergé object to show you than this - a pumpkin-shaped box! It was made sometime before 1896!

The little box - 1'' x 2'' (2.5 x 5.2 cm) - is carved from a piece of carnelian. One section has been cut out to form a sort of lid. Around the edges of this lid runs a white enameled border set with rose-cut diamonds. The pumpkin-box is now part of the Royal Collection. 

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Beata Rydén

Swedish photographer Beata Rydén likes to criticize the society we live in by creating surrealistic, fantasmal and dreamy pictures. She wants to make the invisible visible by creating photos that can visualize things we can't really touch, and she wishes to contribute to letting people get a deeper knowledge about themselves through her work. When I look at her photos it feels like my subconscious opens up, and I float away like in a dream. I hope you'll like them too...

To the Moon and Back

Letting Go

Homesick

Summer Memories

I Found a Rainbow

Wade

In the Distance

We Used to Play

Void

Path

For more of Beata's lovely work, visit her Facebook page here, and her website here!

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Bohemique Lingerie

I have blogged about fashion brand Bohemique before, but a while ago Kizzy of the blog The Dainty Dolls House posted a picture from one of their collections I hadn't seen before. After a bit of investigation I found out Bohemique has created a new demi couture capsule collection of garter belts! Thank you Kizzy!!! I love the look of these garter belts, and it would be a shame to wear anything over them so they couldn't be seen! Haha! I could definitely go to a party in one of these. Here they are!

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Fabergé Friday

A few days ago I was hemming a dress, and the fabric was so sturdy I lost quite a lot of skin on the finger I used to push the needle through the fabric. That would never have happened had I owned a thimble though. And since Fabergé created most things you might need in life, of course I found a little thimble among his creations! It was made by workmaster Feodor Afanasiev, around 1890!

The thimble is 0.9'' (2.2 cm) high and made of gold. The base is decorated with a Greek key ornament in turquoise enamel. It can be yours for 11.500 USD, and it is for sale at John Atzbach Antiques.

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The 4th International Stockholm Burlesque Festival - Saturday Spectacular

After a night of well needed rest after the first evening of the 4th International Stockholm Burlesque Festival I took a peek outside and saw my whole balcony sparkling in the sunshine! This was the result of me spraying my pointe shoes with glitter spray a few days earlier for my performance on the first day of the festival - which you can read about here! I think I have raised the value of this apartment to a great extent by making the balcony so pretty! Anyway... After showering off last night's sparkling remains on my own body, it was time to throw on an old rag and skip away to yet another evening of flamboyant burlesque!

 

The second night of the festival took place at Nalen, and yet again Reuben Kaye talked and sang us through the show.

First the Octbooberfest took place on stage. This is a tassel twirling competition done to support the Pink Ribbon. Tassels and assels (tassels attached to the ass) were shaked - some were even shaked so much they fell off - and in the end Judita Látigos - in the middle, wearing a hat and moustache - won the competition!

Then the performances started with Chrissy Kiss! A few of the other performers this evening were:

The Valentino Sisters!

Bana Banana!

Fräulein Frauke!

Havanna Hurricane!

Sina King!

And let's not forget our fabulous stage kittens!

And of course - the amazing producers Fräulein Frauke and John Paul Bichard!!! Here with performer Sheila Wolf in the middle. Without them this festival wouldn't keep going, and getting better and better every year. THANK YOU my darlings! Love you... 

Then the night continued with dancing, wine and other shenanigans. Here is Reuben and Tigger having a nice moment together. After this amazing burlesque weekend I was completely beat, and my pain demon wasn't happy. But it was so worth it! Already thinking about what I'm going to wear for next year's burlesque festival. Will probably have to get a new dress. Or two...

To see more pictures - and the rest of the many performers - from the festival, follow this link!

Photo: John Paul Bichard.

The 4th International Stockholm Burlesque Festival - Friday Extavaganza

The 4th International Stockholm Burlesque Festival - produced by Fräulein Frauke and John Paul Bichard - just went off with a big bang! The first, completely sold out, evening - the Friday Extravaganza - took place at the beautiful Södra Teatern. This theater was inaugurated in 1859, and is Stockholm's oldest playhouse. As I LOVE old theaters I was happy to be one of the performers on this evening! When we arrived to our dressing rooms, we all made sure to spread all our stuff out as much as possible, to create that feeling of burlesque mayhem that usually goes on before a show. Then we got ready, while drinking wine and snorting lines of glitter. Then it was showtime!!!

Conférencière of the evening was Reuben Kaye. This gorgeous man was probably born on a stage. He sings beautifully and I fully believe he could talk constantly until the the world ends, without ever be at a loss for words. I have no idea where he gets it all from, but when it was my time on stage, he gave me the best introduction I've ever gotten! I do think it's a bit mean to hire a conférencière who outshines the rest of the performers though... Haha! Oh well, here are a few of the evenings other 24 acts!

Blackbird Burlesque Cabaret!

Me! I did my Moonlight Sonata act, and I like the fact that in this pic the moon on my head looks like two horns! Haha!

Anja Pavlova - who made me want to learn how to dance the charleston!

Roxy Diamond!

 

Colette Collerette!

Sydni Deveraux!

Natsumi Scarlett!

And Tigger - who did his Father McTigger act! I'm now a believer... The next evening I asked him if he wanted to be the priest when I got married to Reuben. But then Reuben said he's allergic to cats, so then I put a stop to it right there and then! The fact that he's gay I see as a smaller marital problem than the cat thing. Oh well... Still have a huge crush on him though!

And here we all are on stage after the fantastic show. The audience was amazing too, screaming and shouting throughout the whole evening! Thank you audience!!!

Then we spent the rest of the night dancing our asses off, until it was time to go home and fall into bed - only to get up and get ready for the second day of the festival. But more about that on Wednesday...

To see photos of all the performers click here!


Photo: John Paul Bichard

Fabergé Friday

You have to excuse the loss of Fabergé Friday last week. I was performing in the International Stockholm Burlesque Festival that day. So, well, I was a bit busy getting my striptease on... But here we go again, and today I have a pine tree for you. It was made around the year 1908!

The gold pine tree sits in a pot carved from bowenite on a platform of aventurine quartz. Amidst the pine needles sits little brilliant-cut diamonds. This botanical study is said to have been modelled from life at Sandringham, perhaps in 1907 when Fabergé's sculptors were there working on a commission for animal portrait models for King Edward VII. In 1908 the Prince of Wales, later King George V, bought this plant from Fabergé's London branch. It can now be found in the Royal Collection.

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Fleurs Du Mal

My friend and fellow model Lenore Caine isn't just gorgeous, she makes gorgeous jewelry too! Under the name Fleurs Du Mal she creates handcrafted ear gauges, earrings, necklaces, rings and other accessories.

 At the latest Burleskloppis (burlesque flea market) I bought this beautiful black rose-ring from her, and here are some more examples of her work,

Seduction rose set in purple.

Seduction rose necklace in red.

Rings.

Red rose gauges.

Gold rose gauges.

Tentacle hanging gauges.

The bottom pic is Lenore herself, modeling a pair of her rose gauges. She makes her jewelry in many different colors, and has also started making lovely crochet collars!

For more info about Fleurs Du Mal, check out her Facebook page here! If you have any questions, or would like to place an order, you can also mail her at: FleursJewels@gmail.com

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Vintage Fashion Show

Designer Linda of O.L.D - Obviously Linda Design has a large collection of vintage clothes she takes inspiration from. And sometimes she creates fashion shows with these vintage garments, when people wants to adorn their party/event with a bit of old fashioned flair. A few weeks ago she organized one of these fashion shows, and she asked me if I wanted to be one of her models. Of course I said yes, and she put me in a gorgeous 50s dress with matching belt and shawl! It fit me perfectly, but Linda refuses to sell it to me. Outrageous!!!!! Haha! Well, here are a few pics from the show!

The blond girl wearing the green dress in the bottom pic is Linda herself, and if you want to hire her for a vintage fashion show, or to have her design and sew something for you, you can contact her by mail: info@o.l.d.se, or visit her website or Facebook page!



Photo: Magnus Gustafsson