Tasha

Tasha was married on the coast with her little dog in the wedding party.

 Her five piece steampunk inspired ensemble was made of silk, dyed, distressed, and over dyed laces and tulle. Her silk dupioni over skirt was bustled up in three layers to be held out by the poufy ruffled petticoat. She wore a two-toned matching silk  corset with silver buckles and grommets at the hips and shoulders. The corset and skirt was piped in matching silk. Underneath it all, she was wearing my Fluffie Rufflie bloomers in dyed dove grey lace and cotton! We worked very hard to get this right because those perfect greens and greys were proving very hard to find in the right fabrics. The Peridot green came in from Thai Silks the wrong color (which may have been my fault -be careful with those color numbers when ordering!) but they graciously took it back and sent the right stuff. I made the groom a matching waistcoat and then over her dress, Tasha wore a dark green kinsale cloak from the Folkwear line that I made with silk/rayon velvet.

 She looked like she had stepped into some kind of time travel vortex when it was all put together. A beautiful bride, a beautiful wedding, a beautiful project!

Pattern Whores Of The World, Unite!

This recent Fluffie Rufflie Pattern Pre-Sale was hugely successful and Ive got reams of these patterns being printed up again! My next step is to actually go and do more homework to package and print them up in a more professional way. I really should say that I would like them to look a certain way, and they do not look that way yet. But they are perfect for what you need them to do at this point in time. And I must put my nose to the grindstone and  learn that whole PDF file pattern thing. I don't want to mess with it for larger garments, but for smaller things like hats, vests, corsets.............that learning curve I can handle for now.

I will admit that I had qualms at first about selling my patterns because I'm kind of a control freak about my work and these Fluffie Rufflies were my babies. But the fact is that unless you have garments made in some kind of quantity and at a price-point that is "affordable", you are going to have to make the same garment over and over again as long as the market wants it - if you are DIY like me. You will burn out. And I want people to be sewing and making things. So this makes me feel good about selling patterns. I WANT to continue to be making things that I like to make, and I WANT you all to do the same thing! Pattern Whores of the world Unite!

This is Laurie Lulu Martin wearing a pair of the Fluffie Rufflie Pantaloons that she made from my pattern. You can make them as long or as short as you prefer. You can make them in any fabrics that work for you. You can wear them to dance in or to travel in, as Laurie here is doing. They are romantic and comfortable and feminine. Adorable and functional. Win!

As soon as Ive got my pre-sale pattern orders all packed up and mailed out, I'll be listing both available styles on Etsy. See you there!!

Join Us at the 5 & Diamond Pre-Playa Loft Sale!!

I'll have a couple racks of Playa Wear at the 5&Diamond loft sale this year!! A bit of this and a bit of that - sequins, glitter, and cute, sexy stuff all geared toward adorning yourselves in comfort and style out there in the desert! Come by and say hi! Come get your Playa on!!

FLUFFIE RUFFLIE PATTERN PRE-SALE!!!!

FLUFFIE RUFFLIE PATTERN PRE-SALE!!!!
It is getting to be time to focus on getting more Fluffie Rufflie patterns printed up! Ive had requests for them, and I have a Want List. Consider this a Pre-Sale - and you get your patterns first before I start selling them on Etsy! As soon as I have enough names and email addresses, I'll invoice you via Paypal and get these printed up again. Please send me your name, email address and which style you prefer: A) the Fluffie Rufflie Pantaloons (wide leg) or B) the Form fitting Fluffie Rufflie Dance Pants.
  Send your info here: kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

They are both $20.00 plus flat rate postage. I send them to you very old school - in a plain envelope - nothing fancy. These are a very basic pattern - no pretty, fancy illustrations or pictures, and you have to understand how to use a pattern without a lot of explanations and details (although I have a link to a tutorial and Ive written out instructions, yardage, etc.) They are not hard to make, just require patience and a lot of fabric! The Dance Pant style requires cotton lycra or spandex/stretchy fabric for the upper body. The Pantaloon should be made out of wovens.

Thanks! X

This is Dance Tribe in South Africa! Tarah Van Wyk made the Fluffie Rufflie pants for their costumes using my pattern!! She made their belts and bras, Her mother made their Gawahzee coats!!
This style is the form-fitting Fluffie Rufflie Dance Pant - stretchy fabric upper body!

Stripes Glorious Stripes

 My Ivy pant design was described the other day as a capri pant with flowing petals - a "petal pusher" if you will. And I keep thinking that this is what I should be calling them. This run of Petal Pushers has two bias flounces - one of striped jersey knit. Ive got two left - a Small and a Medium.

So come get em! I more than likely wont have that stripe again!

Etsy Shop Here!

Sneak Preview Pattern Cover

Well, I have a ways to go before I actually can get these patterns printed up the way that I want them to look  - but Im so excited about the drawing that Katherine Summer did for me, that I just have to squeal with excitement, jump up and down, and show a sneak peek!!!!!!!!!!!

I 

Isnt it pretty? Damn, she's good!!!!!!! What talent! Im so lucky!!!!!!!!

kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

P.S. 

The Fluffie Rufflie Dance Pants tutorial is up here in my "pages" section - hope it helps! XXX

Tribal Fest Trunk Show!!!

Its that lovely Tribalie time of the year when we all head over to Sebastopol, Ca. for  Tribal Fest!
Salomes' Suitcase (the design collective that I am a part of) will be having a trunk show at the Fairlfield Inn - very close to the festivities - and right where many of us will be staying!

We will be dressing up the conference room with all of our decadent splendor!
You will be able to escape the overwhelming Tribal mayhem and try on our garments and adornments in comfort! Yes, I said comfort - not out in the open, or under a tent! (not that there is anything wrong with that!)You can hang out with us and shop - and then walk back up the road, or go party in your rooms - party central!

This Fest will be a blast! Cant wait!!!!!!

Salome's Suitcase Trunk Show
~Thursday May 19th 3pm - 10pm
~Friday May 20th 2pm - 10pm
~Saturday May 21st 2pm - 10pm

Fairfield Inn Conference Room
1101 Gravenstein Hwy. South
Sebastopol, Ca 95472

Email us if you have questions!
salomes.suitcase@gmail.com 
kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

The Madness Of March Sale

Just for one more day! Use this coupon code to take 20% off anything that I have listed in my Etsy Store -  that, my friends is a good deal!

Use this code at Checkout: marchmadness2011

kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

Here is a video of the Salome's Suitcase ShadowDance Fashion Show.
Enjoy!

You can contact any of the designers and artists by clicking on their pages or going to:
salomes.suitcase@gmail.com

Thank you to Ariellah for inviting us to participate in ShadowDance as both vendors and entertainment!

Thank you to the models for your patience, and for your grace and beauty!

Thank you to Jessie Cowan of Crops and Bobbers for your uber amazing hair and makeup!

Thank you to Melanie Shapiro for assisting with hair and makeup!

Thank you to Bellyscape for the video!

And we thank ourselves/each other at Salome's Suitcase - this is a rare group of strong creative women who work very hard to make the world a nicer looking journey for you.

Designers/Artisans  in this show:
FoolProof Studio
KathleenCrowleyCostumeCouture
Katherine Summer
HiBeam Bindis
Sandi's Ocean
Minerva's Antennae

Models in order of appearance:
Elizabeth Strong wearing Fool Proof Studio
Natalie Nayun wearing a Salome's Suitcase Collective look
Predislava Derugin wearing a Salome's Suitcase Collective look
Amaryst Bauer wearing Fool Proof Studio
Scottie Chapman wearing Fool Proof Studio
Rose Nisker wearing Katherine Summer
Sandi Ball wearing KathleenCrowleyCostumeCouture
Molly Mitchell wearing KathleenCrowleyCostumeCouture
Amber Burke wearing KathleenCrowleyCostumeCouture
Jamie Lynn wearing Katherine Summer

Some models were wearing HiBeam Bindis and awesome jewelry from the Sandi's Ocean collection.

Music:
Miss Levine by Beats Antique

The 11th Annual San Francisco Edwardian Ball!

 I cant wait for this one! But its right around the corner folks, and there is so much to do! There are some amazing vendors this year and Salome's Suitcase are no exception! This is truly the costume event of the year and you do not want to miss it!

The Edwardian Ball 2011
The Regency Ballroom
1300 Van Ness @ Sutter
San Francisco, Ca.
January 21-22
Afternoon Vendor Bazaar - Saturday, January 22!!!!! Free Admission and full bar for those over 21!!!!!!!!
noon - 6pm


Anything goes in the Edwardian/Gothic/Romantic/Steampunk/Edward Gorey vein!

Don't forget to shop my Etsy Store - I have a few corsets and Pants that would be lovely additions to your ballgown or costume!!!!!!!!!

I'll be bringing some of my better costuming to this event to sell: things that would be fun to wear to the ball - so come on in and let us deck you out!

Saturday afternoon is a special day of shopping with free admission to the venue before the ball!!!!! No pressure! Just walk right in and drool over all the finery! You will, I know you will!!!!!!

Not only is the Regency Ballroom full of history and a San Franciscan architectural treasure to boot, the whole vending room will blow you away!!!!

Come say hi, come support local artisans - many of us earn our whole entire living this way! We need you. If you don't support the arts, the arts go away. What a dreary world that would be!

And the entertainment is spectacular!

kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

1/1/11 Happy New Year!!!!!!

There is much a brewin in my humble little Sugar Shack. Its true, I live in a Sugar Shack! How many people can say that????????

The winter days are long and often gray and bleak, and the outside of things can  appear dismal and not very exciting right now. But its whats on the inside that counts - and I count my blessings and my lucky stars every single day. Here is where I will start to be more creative in the new decade and where I will focus on making this world a little tiny bit better if I can.

Thank you one and all who have supported me and shown me the path and the means to my new studio - my new place to stretch out and let my creativity take wing!

Ive got plans. Plans to make my Sugar Shack cuter and more pleasing to the eye. Plans for promotion, plans for patterns, plans for new designs - maybe new directions. Plans for a new little computer, a decent camera, a roadworthy car - plans to expand both in the physical world and the spiritual. Plans to get you out here to visit if I can and have a little studio party. (Can I say "plenty of parking"?)

It just doesn't work to have one without the other, now does it. And when both combine, we have creativity. And being lost in your creativity is to experience the Divine.

Enough of the New Age sentimentality: I'm just feeling inspired!

And in the meantime, I still need your support. All independent artists do. Please don't forget us after the holidays as this is usually our down time and life must go on as usual.........bills and rent to pay.....food and materials to purchase. Local artists and artisans (and I'm speaking for all of us) need support to keep making and doing nice things for the world. If we cant stay afloat until easier times, some may have to go work at MacDonald's. And I shudder to think it. We all suffer when this happens.

If you read this far, I'm offering you a 10% off coupon code for anything in my ETSY store during this weekend of new beginnings! Just enter this code at checkout and it will do the work for us both. (Yay!)
HNY2011

Happy New Year Everyone! Happy New Decade! Happy New World!!!!!

                                 
kc.costume@gmail.com

There Are Some Larges Left

Just a heads up for those size Larges out there:

Ive got some size Large Sampants and a few smaller sizes in my Ets shop right now! Ive got a few stretch velvet Bum Ruffles, and a bunch of other things! I also have some fingerless lacie sleevelets, Fluffie Pants and other pretty assorted items in my studio! Email me if you are interested in something and we can either make an appointment for you to come visit, or I can send you some pictures!

XXX

kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

  

Cyberweek Coupon

I've been asked many times if I offer coupons, but its just not something that I am capable of doing online.  I'm sure its fairly easy, but I have not had the time to mess with it. Etsy now offers coupons and I'm going to try it out this week coming up. I didn't get all the merchandise made up that I had planned to by Cyber Monday, so I'm going to list new stuff during the week as I get it sewn and photographed. Keep checking in!

I am posting the coupon code here and you can use it for 10% off anything in my Etsy store when you check out. This will last for 5 days only - until Friday December 3rd - and then the coupon expires. So lets see how it goes:

Use this code when checking out!
CYBERWEEK2010

Hunkering Down For The Winter

 Salome's Suitcase (the design collective that I am proud to be a part of) put on a wonderful fashion show at Ariellah Affalo's Shadowdance this last Saturday evening. Pictures will be out soon and I'll be putting them here as soon as I can.

As usual for me,  a big evening or weekend of vending requires a day or two of down time afterwards. Coupled with a fashion show, and I'm left just beat. But I was so wound up still after the day of our show, that I rearranged my whole studio! Its not perfect yet, but I'm ready to receive callers, KCCC is available to take on new commissions, I'm inspired to continue the process of getting out orders, and this lady is all ready to hunker down for the winter and stay warm and cozy. I want some wedding dresses to work on this winter, so I have been doing a bit of advertising. I'm hoping that with my studio conveniently located between SF and Napa, I can attract some business from all over. Its perfect! I'll make you tea!

Shadowdance was great - I didn't see much of the show as I was running around backstage, but all of our models were just wonderful. Jessica Cowan from Crops and Bobbers in Crockett did the most amazing hair and makeup - our show was fiercely elegant. Everyone pulled together, worked well together as always, and I could hear the jaws drop to the floor when the music started and the models walked their walk. Mission accomplished!

Halloween is over, winter is on its way, turkeys will be roasting in the ovens before we know it and Christmas will be here in the blink of an eye!
Its time now to start working on my patterns. I will be debuting them at Cues and Tattoos in March.
I'll be vending at the SF Edwardian Ball in January. Ive got new merchandise to make and fabric to buy! Ive got stuff to do!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kc.costumecouture@gmail.com
Model: Unsinkable Molly
Photos: Kristine Adams

The Dark Time Is Upon Us

                                                         Its time for Shadow Dance................


The Ethereal gang of Salome's Suitcase will be presenting a dark and lovely fashion show........
A show centered around the eerily romantic.........
The dark romantic in all of us.......
So in the spirit of All Hallows Eve and the time of the year when the veil between life and death is at its sheerest, come visit our booth and peruse our decadent wares!

kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

The Indie Bazaar - October 23rd

I will be vending at The Indie Bazaar at Brief Space in the Metreon!
October 23rd
Saturday 12-5 pm


Salome's Suitcase will be there too and we will be bringing our hand crafted treasures for your enjoyment.........please join us there.........see all the new beauty we will be bringing with us.....this will be fun!!!!!!

This is such a cool part of town. parks, museums, movies, shopping, dining.....................and so easy to get to!

kc.costumecouture@gmail.com 

A Review of Fluff

I was wondering how many Flounces Ive made over the last few years. I don't have time to do the math or go through all the photos, so I pulled a few pictures that Ive posted on Etsy and Im putting them here to see how pretty and fun they are. Fluffie Pantaloons, Fluffie Rufflie Dance Pants, Fluffie Leg Ruffles. That's a lot of Fluff.................next I want to post all the examples of pants I have sold.

Port Costa Art Show

 Yesterday was a vending day for me at the Port Costa Art Show. It wasn't technically a Salome's Suitcase gig, but those of us living nearby set up a booth there. It was such a great day! We hung out and schmoozed with the neighbors. I met a bunch of new people and made new friends, I sold some of the new scarves that I made last week, and my sister brought my niece and nephew - so the afternoon in Port Costa flew by. I had no expectations for the day other than to participate in a fun cause, hang with friends, and meet new ones.. I was kind of blown away by the high caliber of creativity in this area. Its not your typical arts and crafts event. We've got some fairly famous people in their particular chosen craft living here in this remote oasis.

I participated in an art show several years ago here at the school and they have done a lot since then to fix her up and keep her going. The school was built in 1911 and the community is working hard on preserving this landmark that I have grown very fond of.

 And then, after the day, after the four of us helped each other unload, we all headed over to Toots Tavern to unwind - also conveniently located. I proclaim the day a success.

Now to clean up the clutter that a vending excursions creates, and on to finishing up some projects. This will keep me out of trouble for the day!

kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

Moving Sucks

Where did I keep all this stuff? Oh yeah........I was constantly bumping into things! I cant wait to spread out - even though I'll fill any space up pretty fast! I move on Sunday. So I'll have no internet for a few days. I'll have to go visit my Salome's Suitcase neighbors and check in to see what Im missing! I cant believe that three of us will now be living in the town that time forgot. I'm thinking that this will mean less distraction and more creativity to be had. Maybe thats why its a town full of artists.


Vending at the SF Mecca Review on Saturday and then at the Mecca Bazaar on Sunday was so much fun! It is so nice to meet the ladies and gentlemen (there are men too!) of the belly dance community who buy/admire/wear our wares.  The creative buildup was intense - power sewing for two weeks just to have something nice to sell. And despite - or because of the economy, people were still buying. I will say this: the artisans in Salome's Suitcase strive to put out quality items. Not just pretty things, but good quality. And if something should go wrong - a popped seam, twisted elastic.........anything.......we do our best to make it right. Good thing that doesn't happen very often!

As many of you know, the fabric stores have not been doing very well these days. My main source for fabric was having a hard time staying afloat and finally folded. This put me in a very bad situation. So Ive been searching far and wide for more of the materials that I was using in the very beginning - and at a price that I can pass on to you. I found what I need and I am THRILLED!!!!!! So I'll see how this goes. If I can keep the cost down again, I'll lower the prices of the Fluffie pants a bit.

For those of you who have had to wait longer than you wanted to for your custom garments, Just know that they are going to look even prettier now! Most just cannot find these fabrics - and if you can find them, they are not cheap. They also cannot be reproduced the way that I make them. Just know that you are getting a work of art.

Even though I'll be out of commission for a few days, I'll be checking messages when I can and then its  back to biz - with a fresh attitude and room to grow

Thanks for all your support and patience with my growing pains!
XXX

kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

Topsy Turvy Designs - The Queen Of the Hattie Frontier

I Love Topsy Turvy Designs! She is the Queen of the Hattie Frontier, her hats are amazing, and she always works with the best - the creme de la creme. So when she asked if I would provide a pair of my Fluffie Rufflie™pantaloons for a photoshoot, I jumped for joy! How could I say no! What an honor! I was thrilled! Yay!

So these are a sneak peak of the photos from the shoot. Of course they are as beautiful as I knew they would be! True Steampunk at its' finest! Look at the sweet little Hattie, the f hole belt, the finery, the model, the photography, the ..........Fluffie Pantaloons.

Go HERE to buy or order her delicious hatties. Topsy Turvy is also on Etsy.........
And so am I! Go HERE to custom order a pair of these amazing pantaloons! Just go to the custom ordering section.

or email me at:
kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

Photos: Silent Shudder Photography
Model: Isabella Misery
Hat/Styling: Topsy Turvy Design