La Fée Verte

The poet in his attic room paces by the dim glow of the oil lamp, fevered ~ again he is walking the thin line between genius and madness, waiting for his muse, a faceted goblet of potent green liquid in his pale hand.

But La Fée Verte is a capricious and cruel mistress ~ she murmurs promises of glorious lucid visions in your ear... but then overwhelms her acolytes with feverish passion for ever more until one sip too many ~ and she is gone in a vaporous flurry, leaving them muddled and weak. Still, the poet drinks… and dreams…

I am beamingly proud to introduce my newest design ~ Absinthe, with model shots by the brilliant Revel of Aesthetic Alchemy. Every time I look at this photo-set I fall in love again ~ the lighting, the mood, the grace and glorious beauty of the model, Ariel Collins...

I've had this one dreamed up for quite some time. In fact, the whole concept of Adornments for Tarts was born from an absinthe-themed gown ~ I made it for myself, and then needed really spectacular, unusual accessories to go with it... so I invented them. And thus it's extra special to me that I was able to use that very gown in these phenomenal images.

Some other bits and bobs of news: my Web site now has a Facebook "share" feature on nearly every page, courtesy of my impossibly talented Web designer husband, of Sassy Monkey Media, so you may easily share links to your favorite adornments. There's also a new interview with me on the lovely Gale's Tattered Rouge blog, where more details of the Absinthe gown story are revealed.

So... drive them mad in the Absinthe adornments, now available in my Etsy shop.

The Raffle of Revealing Riches!

This, my dearests, is my one-hundredth blog post. And to celebrate, I'd like to host a giveaway, to say thank you for being such brilliant supporters of my whimsy and my work.

I'm borrowing the rules shamelessly from the lovely TotusMel's tiered giveaway that many of you are familiar with. Indeed, TotusMel herself has kindly contributed the very first prize... an elegant Quadra Bracelet!

And here's the revealing part ~ if we reach 33 new individual entries, a $33 gift certificate to my shop will be added to the prizes ~ suitable for purchasing any style of earrings or a pair of Zephyr sleeve garters in your choice of color.

If we reach 66 entrants, a $66 gift certificate... and if, by some chance, we hit the magical zenith of 99 individuals entering, I shall offer up $99. These gift certificates can be used for smaller treasures, or put towards anything in the shop ~ a pair of cuffs or a a beaded silk collar.

So here are your various pursuits to enter my Raffle of Revealing Riches:

1. Visit my Etsy shop or the Adornments for Tarts Web site, and leave a comment here telling me which design is your favorite.

2. If you're not already a follower of this blog, click here to become one, and let me know about it in the comments.

3. Post a link to this contest to your choice of social network or your own blog ~ as many as you like ~ and leave a link to said post in the comments here. While you're there, follow me on Twitter, or fan me on Facebook, if you haven't already.

Each of the above pursuits completed grants you one golden (virtual) raffle ticket... you can put several entries into one comment if you wish. Your comment profile must include contact information ~ if it doesn't, be sure to leave a valid email address in your comment, or your entry is void. The winners will be drawn by random number generator on January 24th.

Multiple entries by a single person do not count towards unlocking the treasures, but most certainly increase your chances of winning something lovely by giving you more virtual raffle tickets...

So if you've been reading along quietly, now is the time to speak out! Fare thee well, sweetlings, let's get this raffle rolling!

Dark Sirene

Every sailor knows there are certain places you just don’t take a ship… mysterious and gloomy corners of the earth where one cannot predict the wickedness one might encounter. And every sailor knows that if you have the misfortune of finding such a corner – and if you hear the dulcet tones of a certain kind of voice - you are forever doomed to a watery fate, for you will fall in love with a siren from the deep.


Sitting on her rock, she waits, always singing her ancient song, always searching - her glistening salty skin and beckoning turquoise eyes both an offer and a warning to those who will listen. I'm ever so pleased to share my first new design listing in ages ~ Sirene.

Absolutely luminous model photography is by Lex Machina. If you'll recall, I've been giddy with anticipation about this collaboration, and I'm delighted and thrilled with the results. Lexie did all the styling and makeup artistry as well. Go give Lexie and this image some love on Flickr, and visit the model, Elise XY, on Model Mayhem.

You can find the listing for the cuffs here on Etsy, and I'll be posting the necklace and earrings as soon as a few more pictures come in - Lexie captured dozens of breathtaking images, and is currently working her magic on them.


Lure them in with the Sirene adornments.

100 Hearts and Garters

Last night I reached 100 hearts for my Etsy shop, Atelier Choklit. I must say it was largely due to my fortuitous first front page appearance in a treasury by CalloohCallay, which doubled my hearts in an hour...

I've also been quietly working on some adornments for the gentlemen, not least of which is a stack of silk sleeve garters, which, according to Wikipedia, were originally used to adjust sleeves on shirts that only came ready-made with extra long sleeves. Pictures soon - for now, you'll have to be satisfied with this one of Skyeboy getting ready for the Edwardian Ball, sporting the pair I made for him in a lovely silver silk.


I'd love to do hat-bands, as well, but I'm still figuring out how to make them adjustable enough to fit all sizes of hats while keeping the fabric-covered button closure.

I'll admit I'm also thrilled with the idea of a photo shoot featuring some of the dashing men in my life. Dandies on film, sigh.

Spring Has Sprung!

The vernal equinox was on Thursday, and it felt like everything around me was blossoming and opening up. Admittedly, since this is Northern California, it's been feeling spring-y for a few weeks already. But on Friday morning, the swallows that nest in the eaves of the building I work in had returned, and all the fruit trees were exploding with blossoms.

Celebration was in order. Fortunately, the ever-lovely Brooke had an extravagant Equinox party on Friday night, complete with fire-spinners, live music, and belly-dancers. Stache felt a Spring Pixie outfit was appropriate, and he spent a good part of the early evening gluing leaves to himself to elegant effect:


And I gussied up in a vaguely spring nymph-ish fashion to match him, sporting the Roux cuffs and choker.


We even found a Disgruntled Bunny to round out our merry band.


And proceeded to cause a ruckus at the party, in the usual manner - staying up far too late, having far too much tequila, and enjoying the warm spring evening and splendid company...

Happy Spring!

A Study in Black and White

What is it about black and white that we're drawn to? Is it the starkness, the simplicity? The instant feeling of old-timey-ness that's invoked?

Introducing Cirque. Dripping with elegance and mystery, but with a hint of playfulness. The ethereal trapeze artist, mesmerizing, swinging from her perch high above the crowds, and the silent trickster mime, black beret and painted white cheeks, a blank palette, with just a hint of the sauciness of stripes.

The Cirque choker... coming very soon to Atelier Choklit.


And here's Fudo, proving that men in cuffs are very, very hot.


Devastating. Seen onstage at Baby Seal Club's last gig.

Gigsville... once again.

My band, Baby Seal Club, has been hibernating since shortly after last years' Burning Man. We had a new drummer and needed to incubate and practice before we went out - really, it was for the public good. And last Sunday was finally our first gig back in the saddle. Wheee!

I had almost forgotten the feeling - the butterflies in the stomach... the exhilaration... the way we all have to go out on a limb together... like jumping off a cliff holding hands.

The show went swimmingly. A few loyal friends and fans turned out despite our purposeful lack of promotion, and it's always fun to do a double set with the enchanting Amber Lee, of Amber Lee and the Anomalies. And I don't I always relish the chance to wear bloomers and a corset?

I also took the opportunity to test drive a set of my cuffs and a choker, which you can see below - the design is called Mercurie. Detailed pictures to come.


It being the night before my birthday, we all ended the evening drinking ridiculously tasty old-fashioneds at the bar down the road... instead of the usual egregious maraschinos - they were garnished with real organic bing cherries soaked in Guinness. My new cocktail of choice - bliss!

Beauty Trickling Down

Another weekend in the finery sweatshop... I promised myself I'd finish six designs before I open the shop. I'm so close I can taste it, but I'm still missing a few last bits. This process sometimes feels like pouring honey, the beauty trickling down so slowly.

Just to tease you, my dears, here's another sneak preview... Aubergine. Plum-colored silk so rich you can almost taste it, topped with olive velvet and this lovely braid that reminds me of unripe grapevines. Dripping with bronze pearls, purple seeds, sterling, and green garnets.

Aubergine Choker and Drop Earrings

Aubergine Cuff

The Finery Sweatshop

Things have been quiet on the blog front because I've spent the majority of the holiday weekend stitching and beading like a mad seamstress. I've been ignoring all chores and listening to The Real Tuesday Weld for inspiration. If you haven't seen their video for Cloud Cuckooland yet, watch it now - it will make you smile.

And the results of my frenzy? Roux - a flurry of scarlet and gold silk, dark rose-colored velvet, garnets, pearls...

Close-up of the Roux choker.

Detail of the Roux Cuffs.

For some reason fabric-covered buttons make me very happy.

Juniper: A Sneak Preview

Over the weekend I nearly finished my first design for my Etsy shop, Atelier Choklit. Here's a little taste of it - in this picture I'm working on the Juniper Cuff.

Opulence with a hint of innocence.