Help Kalandra Jane Designs get to 1000 fans and win a hat!

My business is currently up to 928 fans on facebook! Blog about my company or share my page on facebook and I will run a competition to win a fabulous hat. I'm not sure exactly how I'll work it yet but the prize will be gorgeous anyway!


Photographer: Emmelie Aslin
Model: Chesty Von Ellem

www.facebook.com/kalandrajanedesigns
www.kalandrajanedesigns.com
www.stores.ebay.co.uk/kalandrajaneburlesqueandretro

Sewing Plans - 50s Blouse

A while back I got this printed cotton from the bargain bins at my usual fabric shop. It's a Robert Kaufman fabric, they make lots of retro inspired prints and I loved this atomic/tiki style. Unfortunately it was a one-off scrap which is only two metres long and has a one-way print, so not enough to make a dress from.


Instead I'm going to make a blouse - something lacking in my wardrobe and which I need to go with jeans and pencil skirts this Summer.


I love the winged collars and turn-back cuffs of these 1950s designs, and plan on making my design similar. Both of these pics are from Etsy, can't remember where.


If you fancy a cute retro blouse but don't want to make it yourself, Vivien of Holloway have a rather dashing design, as modelled here by the lovely Fleur De Guerre.


I shall be on the lookout for some cute (and cheap) vintage buttons too.

Tiki Time!

Last night we went round to our friends Martin and Carla's place for Martin's tiki themed birthday party. I've stolen all these pictures from Carla. Here is what I wore:


Dress: the one I got for modelling in the CherryBomb fashion show which is now actually about four inches too big for me - I'm going to have to make some adjustments!
Cardigan: new tiki design from Collectif, birthday gift from my friend Kathy
Handbag: Christmas gift from Paul
Shoes and Belt: New Look


Here is Carla with Martin's birthday cake which she decorated. The tikis and cocktail bar weren't just for the party, their whole flat is decorated that way, it's marvellous.


My friend Natalie brought round her ukulele and saw. I was supposed to bring my theremin too, but alas Paul's mum had used up all the 9V batteries!


Here I am torturing everyone with my first go at playing the saw! I love it, and am planning on getting my own. Prepare your ears for caterwauling!


Paul's ukulele face.


Here is Nat showing us how music should actually sound, and birthday boy Martin having a go at accompanying her on the saw.

Free Atomic Fabric and Paper Samples!

After seeing a post over at Atomic Tea Party about The Sanderson Company's reissue of several amazing 1950s atomic patterns, I decided to take advantage of their sample service and order some swatches. You can order up to four at a time, the samples and postage are free, and you can of course also sneakily order another four in your boyfriend's name. Here they are!


I want every single one of the reissued fabrics and wallpapers, they're amazing. Unfortunately Sanderson don't sell direct, only through very expensive department stores, where the fabric costs around £36/metre ($50/yard).

However, the sample pieces of fabric are 7.5" square - stitch four together, add a cotton backing and some kitsch pompom trim, and amazing atomic cushions will be yours! They're certainly going to be mine once my second batch of samples arrives and I have finished making them.

Here are the company's example rooms with atomic furniture and wallcoverings. Aren't they fabulous? I wish this was my house! (pictures (c) Sanderson).





This one has a Cmielow coffee pot like mine in the picture!

My First Blog Award!

Thanks very much to the lovely Emily of Sass, Sin and Fashion Design for my very first blog award!



The rules for this award state that you should share 7 facts about yourself, and then pass it on to 10 other stylish bloggers.

1. I have three aquariums, two guinea pigs and a dog - in a one-bedroomed flat!

2. I really dislike modern bands which try to sound 'vintage' - stuff like Imelda May etc. which everyone seems to love but I just think are a weak pastiche of the real thing.

3. I'm just about to launch my first proper website for my business - www.kalandrajanedesigns.com

4. I really wish I had spent more time with my grandparents before they died. I have none left, and really wish I knew more about their lives. Unfortunately you don't think about these things as a teenager, and don't realise until the moment has passed.

5. I have been vegan for over five years, and was vegetarian for about nine years before that.

6. After partially moving away from the punk scene when it became all about ketamine, crust music and boring warehouse parties, I often feel that I have very few close friends that I have much in common with, and would love to find some new girlfriends to go shopping with or out for drinks.

7. I have been dieting since January 1st and so far have lost 4.5kg, which is nearly 10 pounds.

Here are my ten nominations for the stylish blogger award! I don't expect all of these to play along, but all are worth a good read!

http://retromodelsari.blogspot.com/
http://www.andibgoode.com/
http://atomicteaparty.blogspot.com/
http://helen-highwater.blogspot.com/
http://ivyandruby.blogspot.com/
http://missmatildadreams.blogspot.com/
http://temperamentalbroad.blogspot.com/
http://vintagelesbianproject.blogspot.com/
http://vavoomvintage.blogspot.com/
http://welcometodeluxeville.blogspot.com/

An Aquatic Adventure

A couple of weeks ago we went to the Blue Planet Aquarium in Cheshire. Here are a few pictures!

Thai Moon Jellyfish


Tropical marine fish


Big starfish!


Lovely puffer fish!


I loved this fish so much, I did not want to leave him. He was so friendly.


Clownfish tending her anemone


Aerospace Boyfriend in the tunnel o' sharks.


A rather large crab!


Bitey caimans


Lovely tomato frog... I love his expression.

Fabulous Mid-Century Geisha Lamp!

I received some money from my Dad and our friend Paul for my birthday, and after some thought this is what I bought! I'd seen her in a shop in town years ago but could never afford her... well this weekend I went down there and snapped her up! Managed to haggle some money off too, I am cheeky.

So, without further ado, I present Anna May!


I think she's supposed to be a geisha but I'm not sure, as she's not wearing a proper kimono and could actually be Chinese rather than Japanese. She's the mid-century Western idea of an Asian woman... hence, I named her after the fabulous Anna May Wong... a stunning silent actress who due to her 'exotic' look and a hefty dose of typecasting played just about every Asian girl of the 1920s - 30s.




I've actually done a bit of work on her here. If you look closely at the centre of her right eyelid, you might be able to detect a slight change in texture - this was a chip in the paint of her eyeshadow and eyelashes which I've restored. I just used acrylics and am happy with the result.


Here's her light fitting... it's working and I really want a spectacular fibreglass shade I've seen on eBay which would look just like a parasol for her, but alas it's too expensive... I might make a shade or maybe just put on a small red tasseled one.


She's also missing a hand, which apparently is extremely common with this lamp, but having never seen another I don't know if it's true. I'm going to make a replica which will just slide into the hand-hole rather than being permanently affixed, and make her look complete. If anyone knows what her other hand is supposed to look like, please let me know!


This is the mark on her back - any info on a maker or date would be appreciated!

Birthday Goodies!

Here are the marvellous thing I got for my birthday this year! I have some lovely friends <3

The shoes from my imaginary wardrobe overhaul post! I've wanted these Irregular Choice beauties for months and the wonderful Aerospace Boyfriend got them for me! They're on sale at Schuh stores and online now if you want to snap up a pair.


He also got me the gorgeous matching handbag. It's enormous, plenty of room for millions of Post Office receipts and old tissues.


The cute anchor bag charm above and the owl pearl bracelet below are from his sister, my friend Steff got me these yellow vintage necklaces which I love, and Paul gained even more brownie points by getting me this cherry bracelet to match a necklace I have, by Classic Hardware at Rockers England.


Pink cake slice moneybox from my friends Ciana and Steve...


Lovely books from Paul's mum...


Ceramics book and Dia De Los Muertos fabric panel from Steff...


Cupcake washbag from my friend Fiona...


...and lots of Lush goodies too! Mmm, perfumey.

Birthday Buffet!

On Sunday 30th me and about twenty friends went for a meal at our favourite Chinese buffet (Shang Hi, Whitworth St., Manchester) for my 25th birthday (which was actually January 31st). Mmm! I wore my newly completed green dress...


Much tofu and crispy seaweed was consumed...



Novelty in-joke T-shirts were given and appreciated...



Babies were generally well behaved and lovely...




A lot of horrible gelatin-based ice cream was devoured...







And then I was presented with a cake that could take your eyebrows off!



Hurrahs!