Corset Diaries: September's Corset

By the skin of my teeth, the Corset Diaries presents your corset template for the month of September. The diary page can be downloaded by clicking the image for full size and then either dragging it to your desktop or right click to save.

corset diary Sept journal page 5" h x 10" w 

You'll notice that I'm not using the template this time.  Yep, I've changed things up a bit just to keep it interesting. I won't be offering a tutorial.  After all, a girl's gotta keep some secrets, right?!  Doesn't mean your corsets won't be beautiful though. :)

Video instruction is provided to give you ideas for embellishing your pieces.  Feel free to cut the straps off, alter it, adapt it and otherwise play around with it to make it your own.  Just enjoy and let your creativity flow.

Terms of Use: Selling Your Work

I'm beginning to notice Etsy listings (yes, I troll the listings occasionally) for paper outfits created using my templates and since I don't specifically talk about selling your work in my Terms of Use I should probably address that now.

You are welcome to sell your original, handmade pieces created using my templates.  You absolutely may NOT create copies of my work and offer them for sale. Mass production of items made from my templates is also prohibited without first obtaining a commercial license. Contact the studio for details.

This means that if you are following along with the videos, please use the imagination you were given and come up with your own ways of covering and embellishing your outfits. The videos are for inspiration only and not intended to help you create copies of my work for your own monetary gain.

Some kind of link back to me in in your listings would be great. I spend a lot of time putting the templates together each month and making sure the pieces fit just right so a mention is greatly appreciated.

I'm sure you probably knew this already and I know you would all rather create your own originals anyway right? Of course you would. :) That said, please carry on and continue to enjoy!

A Sneak Peek Inside Alice's Paper Corset

Don't you just love the arty look of this paper corset?! I'm trying out a new and different approach to artfully handmade paper fashion that I think will open up more possibility for embellished detail

paper machè corset front view

Happily my perfectionistic inner critic with a penchant for symmetry seems to be embracing the small variations that give handmade items their charm. Have I have triumphantly beaten her into submission at last? Ha!

paper machè corset back view

These photos are a down and dirty sneak peek that don't really do this corset justice but at least you get an idea of what can be done with paper once thinking outside the flat paper box begins.

paper machè corset side view

So, what's next? I did write in an earlier post that adding fabric was too easy. I think I'ma have to eat a little crow on that one because that's exactly what I wanna do. Paper will still be the major design element with fabric added only as an accent so maybe this was the distinction I was originally trying to get across. We'll see how well that works out for me. (tee hee :)

Reading Minds - Psychic Hit

I've been working on developing my psychic ability for several weeks now. I've had many psychic hits, mostly traffic related, so I've spared you the boring details. Something different happened this past Sunday though. I actually read someone's mind. I don't mean that in a "finishing someone's sentence" kinda way. I actually heard words in my head!

the third eye is the seat of imagination

I received a mail order item and hand thrown the box in my recycle bag. For some reason my father got into the bag and had removed the crumpled paper in the bottom of the box. I had my back turned to him as I was working on something so I could not see what he was doing but I heard him saying something to himself even though no words passed his lips.

so true! Einstein quote

I could not make out the words as they were more like a mumble which would be typical of my father. In my mind I heard myself say "What?" "What do you have to tell me?" He immediately walked over to where I was sitting to tell me there was still something under the paper in the box and asked if I had intended to throw them out. WOW!

mind magic on Pinterest

What I am learning about all this psychic stuff is that we are all receiving psychic information all the time. The key is to listen to and trust your intuition more. I'm trying to pay more attention to how it feels in my body when I do receive this information as this is the key to being able to distinguish between solid psychic information and just plain mental chatter.

Something Vampy This Way Comes

In the spirit of the Halloween season, how about something a little gothic and vampire-ish for October? The bottom part of this beautiful corset is a little different from the norm which is what I like about it.

Kell Belle Studio's corset board on Pinterest 

I've been doing things the same way for so long that it's time to shake it up a bit and make some changes so I've been experimenting with some new techniques. Keep your eyes peeled for September's "Alice" corset coming soon!

Just a Little Victorian Corset

Here's a little Victorian corset top I found that I thought you all might like to add to your corset diaries.

1891 corset cover from agelesspatterns.com

Add some digital collage, perhaps a little color and this could be really pretty on a pocket or journal card. Enjoy!

Cottage Chic Starbucks?

Who knew an empty Starbucks bottle could look so good as cottage chic decor? The tinting trial and error process has actually helped give this blue bottle a more weathered look so my persistence and even my mistakes have worked in my favor!

cottage chic reclaimed Starbucks bottle ©Kellie Reynolds

Le Charmed Life has the first of what I hope will be many french vintage inspired home decor items just like this one. Visit the boutique for more views and to find out how little it would take to send this beauty home with you! Cheers!

Your Jam Wants Digital Collage

Are your jams, preserves, Halloween potions and elixirs looking a little stodgy these days? Why not dress em up with labels in french, cottage chic style.  Who says Halloween has to be full of orange and black anyway? I'm not particularly fond of fall colors so it's gonna be spring all year here at Kell Belle Studio. Yeah!

digital collage vintage inspired french labels

Okay, I may create a Halloween style corset or maybe even something a little vampire-ish but that's it! That's where I draw the line! (tee hee :) That said, I've created these digital collage vintage inspired french labels because I just know that brocante home of yours can't get enough pretty into it. Enjoy!

Adventures in How to Tint Glass Jars

Several methods for tinting glass jars can be found all over the internet which use everything from glue and food coloring to nail polish remover and glass paint. The writers of these tutorials tout how well their methods worked for them but for every one of those I can tell you there are many who have tried their techniques only to produce one glass tinting disaster after another. Thank gawd I wasn't alone!

left: tinted on the inside with acetone and glass paint
right: glass paint and thinner painted on the outside

Mod Podge and food coloring technique? Seriously? By the way, don't get that wet or it will come right off so why bother with it? Glass paint is going to be your best bet but the other problem with that is the heinous streaks it leaves behind when you paint it on. Sure it looks great if you get far enough away from it. Hell, I've got ex boyfriends who definitely look more attractive from a few thousand miles away so there ya go! There's nothing like a little distance to make your crap look good.

both tinted on the inside with paint and acetone
more paint used on the left jar for deeper color

Acetone and glass paint swirled around the inside of the jar had promise. The writer of that tutorial recommended nail polish remover with acetone to her readers which just turned the paint into a congealed mess that slid right off my jar. Great! That was helpful. She'd probably never even tried the nail polish remover. By the way, pure acetone will basically curdle the glass paint thereby rendering it useless so I mixed small amounts of the thinner to the paint before adding the acetone.

Pebeo Vitrea glass paint and alcohol ink - wonder if these people
could have spared a lager size container for the thinner?! 

I probably tried at least 15 different times to get the effect I wanted and while it still isn't perfect (rims are still a bit of a mess), at least I have results I can live with. I did use a touch of alcohol ink in my mixture. You may be able to use just the alcohol ink with the blending solution to produce the results you want but I have not tried it. Don't be afraid to make a mess because I guarantee that you will. Start with jars you don't mind ruining and be prepared to make this a learning experience. Good luck!

Vintage Inspired French Labels

So what's up with the vintage inspired french labels? Ah! The epic story of a quest to repurpose some empty bottles is about to unfold before you and Le Charmed Life is about to be stocked with its first cottage decor piece. Haha! I'm so proud.

6 styles available for purchase at Le Charmed Life

Voilà! Digitally designed labels for added cottage chic style. It took me all weekend to come up with this design but never fear, more will be available soon plus you'll have reference material to inspire your own uses for these chic french labels.

Note: Image and labels are ©Kellie Reynolds and Kell Belle Studio. Visit Le Charmed Life to view all 6 styles.

DIY Vintage Spools

I recently came across this DIY tutorial for making your own vintage spools. My vintage brocante, junk seeking self thought this was such a great idea that I'm sharing it here in hopes that someone besides myself will find it useful.

DIY vintage spool tutorial

This vintage spool tutorial was originally created by Beth of Home Stories A to Z. If interested, you can get all the juicy tutorial details and view more spool goodness by clicking caption link or the photo. Enjoy!

Photo credit: Beth of Home Stories A to Z

 

September's Paper Corset Inspiration: Degas

There is something so wonderful about Edgar Degas' La Petite Danseuse de Quatorze Ans. (little dancer of 14 years). The crisp, paper look of the corset juxtaposed with the fine softness of her antique mesh skirt is so incredibly inspirational that I just can't get over it.

Edgar Degas - Little Dancer of 14 Years

This month I will create a corset in a similar style. I'll be creating the corset from paper whilst incorporating a little bit of a fabric frill at the bottom edge. I wish I could see other views of this particular piece but alas, this one will have to be enough for now. :)

Corset Diaries: Savannah Underbust Template

Your paper corset diaries templates will be moleskin style journal pages designed to integrate with your corset diary. I recommend printing on Canson watercolor paper which can be found in some spiral bound journals for sale in book and art stores. 

corset diaries journal page - approx. 10 x 7

The monthly template will be located on one side of the page while the other page will be reserved for your own notes and musings about how you want to design your paper corset or inspirational ideas. Pockets, journal cover and other elements will be made available for sale separately.

This first video installment is about a half hour but it covers basic cutting and assembly techniques for the diary pages and the corset that you won't see in subsequent videos.  Get thee to thy scissors and glue and get ready to have some fun. Enjoy!

Note: The paper can be found with The August Underbust Corset post.

The August Underbust Corset

Now that August is a memory, I've finally finished the paper corset of the month. I'll call her Savannah. A little sultry, a little vintage and lots of charming pretty.

August underbust corset

I changed my corset inspiration to this frilly antique number. Not only do the lines look better but it's a little more inspiring with the antique lace at both the top and bottom edges.

 vintage underbust corset

Here's my treat du jour. The paper I used to cut out this beauty is the third one from the left and can be downloaded for free from Far Far Hill.

Far Far Hill free vintage paper downloads

I resized the pattern and altered the color ever so slightly (I needed a little more pink) to suit my corset needs but it's still very pretty even without altering it. Enjoy!