My chaotic wanderings through creation and restoration.
So. We left off last time with a delightful trip into respiratory distress lacquer thinner hell blue-grey shabby chic fuckery removing the shell from the upper portion of the tansu. For a quick recap, here: Cleared off the shit paint without managing to damage my teeth from all of the fucking clenching, restored the locks, … Continue reading Abused Antique Tansu Round Two: Electric Boogaloo
Decadently Woven Black Silk Adorned With Gilded Cranes In Flight Over Treasure Ships. In three days, I will have had this kimono for an entire year. And as a delightful songwriter once crooned, when it comes to this piece, the waiting was the hardest part. Nevermind that I had to sit here and scream at … Continue reading Meiji Takarabune Uchikake–Restoration Complete
A Haughty Majestic Phoenix Entangled With Blooming Flowers On Black Silk. That's right, I'm calling it a birb. It's a word I use every day. I have parrots, after all. To be honest about this one, I bought it domestically in a bundle with a maru obi that I'll detail later. I wanted the obi, … Continue reading Taisho Kurotomesode–Sassy Birb
Bright Red Silk With Blooming Spring Flowers And A Touch Of Gold. Sugar pop! Those were the words that flew out of my mouth with a cutesy little gasp when I first saw this piece. If you know me personally, and some of you do, then you know that my personal fashion aesthetic is...I don't … Continue reading Showa Haori–Sugar Pop!
Bright Summer Flowers And Books On Sheer Black Silk. This one is a rare bird, also covered in adorable little plover birds. I believe it to be late Taisho to early Showa Era, probably not any younger than the 1950's. That's an inspired guess based on the feel of the fabric, the themes, and the … Continue reading Vintage Furisode–Summer Reading
A Proud Peacock In Flight Over Crashing Waves & Snowy Mountains The finished piece. I often refer to this piece as my "crown jewel." And that's actually not because of its classy-AF colours and themes, it's because it took me two years to restore it. I also refer to this furisode as the piece that … Continue reading Taisho/Showa Furisode–The “Crown Jewel”
Black Silk With Sugar Sweet Flowers And Cranes In Flight "How many of these do you have?" I hear them asking me, their faces stricken with nervous half smiles, teetering between delight and concern. Haha! Oh, we haven't even gotten started yet. I am doing these in chunks by date-ish and then type sort of. … Continue reading Taisho Furisode–Sweet Candy Colours
Silk & Bones 