My Horns, Let Me Show you Them

When I came back from Vegas I had a huge order for horns, and I thought that somehow my supply was depleted. I guess not. Turns out I had finished a metric tonne of them before I left and sort of forgot about them! I thought I'd pass these along as the first post of the day. Keep on the look out for a double post today, because I have pictures and announcements and all sorts of neat things. Onto the horns! 

The La Doree horns on the left are one of my new favorites. It's this neat pale gold I had lying around mixed with a great deeper gold. These came out super duper awesome and have that marbling effect I've been favoring. I'd link to these horns but apparently they've already sold! This is a good thing.

My next pair of horns are a twist on the

 traditional Devil Horns! The Sweet Copper Devil Horns are fun and flirty. Done in a really kick ass iridescent red, these horns have delicate

 copper running through them and have nifty

copper tips! Tomorrow or tonight I'll post something similar, but not quite. Why am I telling you this? Because these too have already sold. It looks like I need to write faster folks. :) 

Another set I've released into the wild is my Rococo Fae Horns! These haven't sold yet, so don't worry!

 I love these horns sooo much. Probably because I love the Rococo period. 

The art... the furniture. Well, now you can have the horns! These are some seriously textured horns folks. Seriously. 

They're done in pale pink, lavender, shamrock green and gold in a mottled texture. Super fun and right up the alley for girly girls of all ages. I have several friends who inspired these horns with their sweet disposition and sunny imaginative personalities. 

My big reveal is my Pumpkin Queen Horns! 

These were truly inspired by Fall, Halloween and all things cheeky and spooky. They're horns made to be done up like a pumpkin! The top is iridescent green. The middle is a rich orange copper and the bottom is pumpkin striped! These were lucky enough to be featured on Saucha's blog. Check them out over there! 

Back From Vegas!

Whoo! I'm back from Vegas!

I'd like to tell you I won like a trillion dollars and we took a bunch of pictures, but the truth was we stayed in bed and read and caught a show. That's about it folks. The Violentbelle Household is deliciously boring that way. But I had fun, and that's what matters.

I will say that I enjoyed La Reve a lot. Lots of highly attractive nearly naked bald men in water doing feats of strength? Yes please! As an artist I thought the sets were fantastic and the costumes delicous. All very steampunk/tribal/art deco. As a former person of the theater it was meh. No real storyline, but it is fun to watch. Speaking of which here:

I Swear I haven't Fallen Off the Face of the Planet

Things at ViolentBelle were...tiring and sick ladies and gentlemen. I went to Disneyland last Friday and came home with some sort of stomach flu that put me out of commish. TMI? Maybe. Maybe not. But once I got better I worked double time to make you guys a whole new batch of horns! *SQUEE* Let's introduce you to some of them shall we? 

I had some sort of a Greek mythology kick so many of the designs were based on Greek Goddesses or monsters. Then I just got a general legend kick so some of these are also inspired by that.

On our left we have the really gorgeously painted Phoenix horns! I may have to retake that picture, because honestly it doesn't do those horns justice. That paint job is one of the best I've ever done. The gold and the bright yellow really bring out the fire in these horns.

On the right are the Woodland Fae Horns. These are some seriously textured horns. They're super rich in detail. Golds and browns and greens and bronzes all on a pink base. Though honestly you can't tell the base is pink. It adds a little lightness without being *GAH THIS IS PINK!*. 

I like it. Very mottled. 

Another paint job I'm proud of is the Hera horns. I wanted to do Hera horns that were reminiscent of a peacock, since peacock's are Hera's sacred animal. 

So I splattered and mottled these horns with lots of iridescent peacock colors. Lots of rich bronze, topaz, and greens. I almost don't want to sell them. I kind of want to keep these for myself. Ah. Ces't la vie. 

Here is a new option that may make many of you horn enthusiasts happy. I'm now offering CUSTOM horns. Yeah, that's right. For a few dollars extra as a base price I'll make you whatever color(s) you desire. You want sparkly crystal encrusted horns? Sure. A bit o' extra and I'll make those too. 

Many more updates today, so keep posted here folks! It's my way of saying sorry for abandoning you for a few days!

Squee Thursday!

I'm not just a seller on Etsy, I'm a buyer too. So I love looking around for quirky things I can wear, or art that I can hang.  So here are today's Squees!!!

1. ThePairabirds- Plumage Redux-

This media work is pretty stunning. I happen to love beautiful afros and curls ( I used to sport one myself) and I think its great to see a painting that compares that style to a graceful creature. The lines of the piece are amazing too. All in all a funky piece I want to put in my hall. 

           

                         

2.

  Nebulamystic- Absinthe Soap with Embedded Sugar Skull          

Holy Awesome Batman! I think I'm in love. I hope they're lying by saying that's the last bar.  One it's an adorable and spooky soap that would look great in any bathroom.  Two the skull is made with goat's milk and the soap is made with anise seed. This probably smells delicious and the effect on your skin must be heavenly!

3. Snappy Shop- Coffee Loves Milk

I can't even explain to you the cuteness of this apron. I mean it's coffee in love with milk. I want this so bad. You see in my household of tea drinkers we're the color of coffee and milk. Plus I love to cook. So I can profess my love in a kitschy way and avoid splatters! Score! 

 Enjoy!

Horns, Downtown, and Halloween

Good afternoon lovelies! 

I've been busy all morning shipping and taking snaps of the brand new Horns! I just started to play with some of the neon colors in my paint palette and lo and behold I got some really neat effects with this set. Sulfur, the horns on your right, have this super neat marbling effects I did. Let me tell you sealant is a gals best friend. Srsly.

The most time consuming pair was surely the Studded horns. I used about six layers of hot pink dots to get the effect, which really works. 

I'm hoping to make a trip downtown to the Fashion District this afternoon. It's like Wonderland. I'm hoping to pick up some jewelry findings for some of the Mesdames X collection. We'll see how that goes. 

Also one of my favorite Holidays is approaching which means I'm cranking out horns and such like no tomorrow. That Holiday is Halloween. 

I still don't know what I'm going to do this year, but I might go as Artemis and wear a pair of my own horns. Artemis is my favorite Greek goddess.

There's just something about her strength that makes me happy. 

As a random side note, I get to send my Drago horns to Greece, which is uber exciting! 

 

Updates and Cut-ups!

Ah yes, I've been a busy little Belle. I'm still editing the massive amount of pictures I took at this weekend's photo shoot. There were hats, ruffs, cuffs and silliness abounding. 

Today has a sizable update.  Last night I posted a mini hat that was inspired by chocolate.  My model K, (she's on the left) told me it looked like a truffle. I was going to call it just chocolate, but she's far more inspired than I. My favorite part about this hat is those strawberries. I had to wade through boxes of vintage fake fruit in order to find an unsullied pair. Also that veil is probably the best veil I've ever done. I love it to pieces. Pieces I tell you. K did a fantastic job modeling this one. Love her. 

Then today comes a hat inspired by the legendary Joker. 

 I have serious thing for that character. Not just the whole Dark

 Knight movie, but the character. I'm an avid comic book collector, so this one was so much fun to make. I really enjoyed making that absurdly cute little bow. Also I found those feathers stuffed in the vintage fruit box. How could I not? B was the model for this one, and the smile she took on in some of these pictures freaked me out to no end. How she managed to still look hot I have no idea. The girl's amazing. 

Also the Mesdames X items are up finally! I'm starting to really love how these things are turning out. The buttons, lace and frills are just getting my imagination far too excited. My base model so far has been L, who has such a stunning classic beauty that I've started to design new ones with her neck in mind. Fantastic. My favorite on her was the Dark Lady. It was a little fairytale and a whole lot Victorian.  The way she looks with her windswept hair is just fantastic for these! 

I think my favorite photo of the shoot had to be this little behind the scenes moment. Here is L and B wearing some of my horns.  Devils. Deliciously beautiful geeky devils. 

Can't Sleep Blues.

Okay, I can't sleep. This is par for the course, because I'm just used to nighttime. However I *know* I should be in bed, and so I'm going to take a cuppa of sleepytime tea. 

Tea, you say? Yes. Tea. I'm a big fan of tea. The entire house is. I love tea so much I give it away with purchases. The sleepytime tea is a tea I concocted that actually helps me sleep better. So because I believe in sweet dreaming and the like, I'm going to give you my recipe:

1 tablespoon peppermint leaves

2/3 Teaspoon saffron

2 teaspoons Marigold

2/3 Teaspoon ginger

1/3 teaspoon Valerian root. (You can sub for Jasmine too!) 

Wait five minutes after the water has boiled and pour over the herbs. Brew up to ten minutes depending on the strength you like. Flavor with a little honey and drift off to sleep!

All of these herbs produce sweet and easy dreaming. Mr. Fascination often comes home to find that I haven't even finished it because I've fallen asleep! 

Monday's Rebel Yell!

I know. I know. I should be writing to all you lovely lovies on Saturday and Sunday, but I've been hard at work. Saturday was photo shoot day at the Fascination household. My ladies came over to model some of my newest creations, and hopefully you'll adore them. How can you not? I mean there is a femme fatale hat with an OCTOPUS on it. Gives you a little bit 'o mystery. Today I'm hoping to get downtown to the millinery shop and pick up some new supplies for a whole line of Fascinators. Already I'm considering making a hat with real starfish. What do you think?

   Oh, and here's another little tease, the Bellatrix. When I started this hat I thought, "What would happen if I mixed circus and steampunk and can can dancers?!" That would be the Bellatrix. So f'in cute folks. F'in cute. The model is too. She's a new one for the VB camp, and I think she's just about the sweetest fireball to walk the planet. I new her groovy mop and great eyes would be perfect for this hat. 

Two new hats go up today as well as a slew of new horns, our most popular seller! 

Go! Shoo!

Music to Work By

I find that I get my best inspiration late at night when I'm too tired to even lift my needle or paintbrush. Why? It's usually because I'm listening to music. Lately I've been wondering if my choice of music is influencing my design atheistic, though I think it works both ways.

Here are ten songs I've been creating to lately, and the reasons why.

1. Adam Ant- Prince Charming

One of my favorite music videos of all time. In the last post I kind of explained this one. Rather than repeat myself, I'll just tell you to look down. :)

2. Dresden Dolls- Gravity*

I found these folks from a friend who loves crazy music. Now they're one of my favorite bands. There's something so fun and weird and sexy about this song. I can only hope that the sexiness of the new collection will live up to it. *this links to an awesome live performance with a burlesque troupe and the band.

3. Mirah- The Garden

Yes, I'm a SYTYCD fan. I admit it. This fantastic jazz piece was one of my favorites. The song itself always conjures up a swank party and a pretty girl in a thirties backless dress. That's just what this song invokes for me, and since I like thinking about vamps its perfect.

4. Ben Harper Please Bleed

A sexy laid back song about a dangerous love. Dangerous love is one of my favorite ideas, so this is always a favorite of mine.

5. Damien  Rice- Woman Like a Man

Another Dangerous sexy woman. Really this new line is taking a toll on my music, because I can't stop listening to this one. 

6. Adele- Chasing Pavements

One of my favorite songs in a long time. This is really just a pretty reflection song. It helps to lead my brain on different paths. Plus I happen to think the video is fantastic. 

7.  The Cure- Charlotte Sometimes

I am absolutely obsessed with this song currently. Why? It's creepy, and makes me dream. Nice to space out to while sewing.

8. Emilie Autumn- Rose Red

9. Mylene Farmer- Je Te Rends Ton Amour

Okay so I've been in love with the French language since I was a girl, and I have a suitable grasp of it. This is another haunting little love song with a great video. 

10. Smashing Pumpkins- The End is the Beginning is the End

Okay so the movie was crap, but Batman and Robin's soundtrack was awesome. This song is very futuristic and kickass. I like listening to this while making my horns. 

What music do you work to?

The New Romantic

Since I was a little girl I've been obsessed with the 19th century, which includes both the Victorian period and the Regency period. But being an American girl I wasn't just in love with the Regency period, I was in love with the Federalist style. I was in love with a new America and its desire for passion and industry.  At the time I wish that we still dressed the same, with ruffles and lace for everyone. 

So imagine how stoked I was at eight years old (the same time I was reading Pride and Prejudice) when I first saw Adam Ant.  The Prince Charming video was so incredibly awesome. It was then that I steeped myself in the ideas of New Romanticism which by then had gone out of style. My grandmother kept her ruffle shirts though, and in high school, a decade too late, I was wearing big black boots over jeans and a ruffle shirt. This only got me nicknamed the Hessian. I wore velvets and bolero jackets all vintage from my grandmother's closet. I couldn't help it.  Despite the occasional ridicule I kept in mind the lines from Adam Ant's song Prince Charming:

Prince charming

Prince charming

Ridicule is nothing to be scared of

Don't you ever, 

don't you ever 

Stop being dandy, showing me you're handsome

The mix of punk and lace to me is really a beautiful convention. Here at The Violentbelle, paradox and being two people in one body is a beautiful thing. Being able to celebrate all of you is a beautiful thing, and so mixing elements of a gritty social movement with Federalism and Regency (which seem total opposites) is what I consider one of the best fashion ideas ever. 

So because I do love collections the Mesdames X collection will be launching this afternoon. It is all hand sewn, with vintage supplies(even the needles!). Here's a sneak peek at the Prince Charming cuff.  Done with a vintage zipper, buttons, and lace. Even the hooks and eyes are vintage.  

Kinda awesome right? I hope so. Last night produced a slew of chokers, cuffs, and maybe today I'll bring out the headbands. 

Rock on lovelies, in all your leather and lace!

Hollywood in Pictures

So occasionally while traipsing around Hollywood I take a bunch of pictures. Why? Well I live in a place that I swear is on absinthe 90% of the time. Like to the right we have a viral marketing campaign that confused the hell out of me when I walked out of my door. There was just this creepy yet cute little cardboard guy sitting here waiting for the bus. I'm glad I took a picture because he was gone by the time I came back. 

  

I also take pictures because some of the old ruins of Hollywood are just so damn beautiful. I mean, how could I not?  Below is a great jazz mural on the wall of the capitol records building. How can you not love it? Nat King Cole is in the middle of the mural, and that may be Ella Fitzgerald behind him. Sweeet huh? Like they're blessing the building with cool. 

Horned A Plenty

So recently I've been trying to figure out how to reinvent the barette. As a kid I always had a ton of cheap pretty plastic barettes. I've looked at a bunch of the barettes out there and I've been trying to figure out how to grow them up.  What can I do to change those little girl barettes into something bright and fun.

Well, thanks to a trip to a local discount store I may have found my process. 

I found some groovy sets of Halloween horn barettes. Coming in standard black and what I suppose a color passing for red. I don't know folks, it was red and kinda splotchy. So maybe maroonish? 

Moving on...

 I sanded the living heck out of them and pulled out my detail brushes and went to town. I turned some good,  albeit cheap looking barettes into some swanky looking glossy horns.  There's at least seventeen coats of gloss on these. 

I'm going to begin selling them today as a part of The Devil In Miss Belle collection. A spookier kookier collection of hair stuffs and neck stuffs. 

Perfect for the upcoming Halloween season or just to wear around. I personally plan to make a pair and wear them on the Blvd. this afternoon. 

Hollywood Lovely

A little more than a year ago I wanted nothing more than to run away. 

You see I spent my young lifetime working my ass off to get to an exclusive liberal arts college. That college and I fiercely loved each other for two years. Then like friends in middle school, it decided I just wasn't cool enough.

 So at the end of my four years I ran screaming from the natural beauty of western Massachusettes to the urban fairy land of Hollywood, and I haven't looked back since.

Hollywood essentially reminds me of a layer of worlds. On the top it really is a family friendly happy place. My neighborhood is safe and welcoming, and the people are always happy to see you. Then when the sun sets the city changes. The bottom floats to the top and you see all sorts of things that go bump.

 Personally I love the spooky kids. The girls in harajuku wear and the boys in magenta eye liner. 

I miss the creativity in clothing. I really do. Anyone can rock the pages of Vogue as long as you have the dough. However it takes a gutsy girl and boy to rock their own unique style unapologetically. I try and do that every day, and so should you.

In fact its why I created my accessories line ViolentBelle. I wanted to make accessories that didn't look like every trendy piece you find laying around. I wanted to use rich fabrics, rusted metal odds and end found guitar picks. A little bit of everything really.

So what'll you find here? Well, my life in the Hollywood underground,  art, and of course dish on my line. You'll also score short stories, essays, and tutorials. 

See? Don't you want to come along for the ride?