The scoop on Lil May Jones

Well here she is....May Jones in the real and now available!!!

So most Sparky products are named after peeps i know that either have the same character that lies within that accessory...or they just have a really cool name::giggle! But this particular number has been named after a broad i know............She is stubbornly independent, thinks outside the box, is way too much fun, always deliciously dressed.......and without a doubt...a supa cutie...a real show stopper!

so all in all....it was the perfect name.....and really what name doesn't go with 'Jones'!!!

The brim swoops across the face and buttons up to the side...kinda retro cloche style(which is a style i have always loved, but this i guess is my version of it!)
with the ever popular same same yet lil bit different coloured band
(And don't ya love the box!!! The beau and i found this really cool shop/garage on the side of the road that sells all vintage goods...i could have spent days n' dollars in there!!!!)

And the inside....mmmmmm comfortable snug coz of the jersey band!!!

I only have 2 in the shop, so for some more pics...look here::

NOw::: onto some different news.....the new Sparky Season has brought some new changes.....and well the long and the short of it is....a while back i read a blog post by Moop(one of my favs etsy shops/blogs to stalk) which you can here::

and for those who are in business i highly recommend the read!!......it got me to thinking and thinking and thinking. Many sleepless nights ahead!!!

Then i hired a bookkeeper/lifesaver to sort out the past year of my life - which really i should have done ages ago...i'm okay to admit that i'm the creative type not the organized numbers type!! But i'm getting better and thats my new goal for 2011.....And i guess when you actually do your taxes....YOU GET A HUGE REALITY CHECK!!!! All the numbers are starting to add up now and things are not quite as i thought!!! All the columns give you a snap shot of where everything is going and where you need to be going and where you want to be going and what kind of business you really want to be!!!

Now the changes are not because of a financial freak out lets get that straight....its because...you can get a baseball cap from Walmart for $48!!! Its going to look like everyone elses, its going to fit okay and it was mass produced in a sweatshop for 50cents....And thats... not the Sparky standard!

It made me realize how unique my products actually are. i find the perfect upcycled trousers/fabrics,wash them up real good, snip n' stitch ever so carefully so you can see the details of its last life, triple stitch everything coz i'm totally AR and don't want my products to fall apart, make sure that each one is totally one of a kind, so that you won't walk down the street and see someone wearing the same thing..........everything is totally thought out and that takes time and passion............and i think that is a very cool thing/dream/standard/uniqueness(and i could keep writing things...but i better not...because i could really be coming across as being full of myself, and thats not really what i want you to think::giggle) to be able to offer peeps

bye bye for now

lil jj

ps:: i've been busy making things....you can see on the side bar hey!!!

May who?.........

MAY JONES is who!!!!

She is the latest addition to the Sparky family!!!! I'd been dreaming of this character for a while.....and in and out of moving had a few spare moments to create this totally fantabulously styling lil cap!!!

I'll be doing some updating tomorrow:: in the shop and here.....just thought i'd give you a sneak peek...but in black n white, so as not to give everything away!!!!
bye bye for now
lil jj

La Tea Parties + Aubergine

I'm totally in Spring mode now!!!

And what goes well with Spring...but a lil linen, floral, teaparties.......and Aubergine!!! + Here's a lil Fabric History for ya:
My cute lil Momma was organizing her own fabric stash....and thought this linen was absolutely perfect for making some Sparky goodness!! Linen, a touch of aubergine trimmings and a kitschy floral make up this summery number!! So whether you wear it with a dress, blouse or tank top....she would look superb at a teaparty with all the other ladies being completely jealous!!
The lining is a light purple and pink floral to keep it in the theme...whilst she has a white cotton jersey band to keep her perfectly snug
EACH HAT HAS A DIFFERENT BUTTON but ALL ARE MARVELOUSLY CUTE!!
You can check out the last 2 here::Bye bye for now lil jj

The return...

So quite a few peeps were wanting to see the 'Cosmopoliton Blacks' again....so there are now are 3 in the shop.....and how fantabulous is that lining fabric!!!!

you can check them out here::

The Swan......

I just watched the movie 'Black Swan'

last night...lil bizarre ::: but it totally reminded me of my sista!!(Not coz she is deranged in anyway::giggle...but because she used to be a Ballerina!!)

In every way she is my complete opposite curvy blonde, blue eyes, short straight hair and used to wear point shoes for a living......Me on the otherhand:: could seriously pass for an Italian...and instead of point shoes i wore steel caps!!!

I didn't see her much when we were growing up, she went to ballet straight after school and weekends..but i do remember being totally grossed out by her beaten up ballet feet!!

So whilst i was watching the movie, it brought back all the memories of my dad snorring thru every concert, my brother and i having tantrums about going to see yet another ballet....but then the minute my sista would come on stage....my heart would race and i wouldn't be able to take my eyes off her....so proud that she was my 'famous' girly girl sista in a tutu!!!

This is my favourite photo of her...this is the coastline just south of where she lives!!!!)

So what better bit of SpaRkyness to tell you about than these frou frou lacey lil numbers!

(Yes i have posted them before....but i am seriously in love with them!!!)

'Apricot delight'

and

'Plum Delight'

A while back i had picked up this red tablecloth and it had this kitschy fuschia lace trim all around it and i had been dying to use it for ages.....when the idea for these wristlets popped into my head!!! All of the fabrics in these characters were from my waste basket, which i think is pretty nifty....and then i padded them up with a woolen blanket that i had washed and felted (on purpose) so they are deliciously thick and supa sturdy!!
And
what i love doing most when designing my Waste Wonderful Wristlets, is making the inside a total suprise...so they are almost as way out as the outside!!
Bye bye for now lil jj

ps:: i must be the most turned out gardener there ever was!!!

one lil one left :::

So guess what??? I actually have a medium size 'Peppermint Breeze' in the shop right now!!!

This is what she looks like on

and this is the actual hat!!!!

(the fabric is a lil different but pretty much same same) You can have a look see here::

So the great thing about moving is you find.....this and that.....and the cool thing is, i have a couple of 'ready to ship' from the last season hats that are currently just hanging out in my new HQ's, and really, there is no point just hanging about - they may aswell be worn RIGHT!

So everyday i will add a lil goodness at last seasons prices!!!! Yippy Yo Yo!!!

bye bye for nowlittle jj

Rhubarb + Mint

So i think i'm going through a bit of a girly pink stage!!!

Meet the latest Jemima Jones....her name is:::

'Rhubarb + Mint

Her Fabric History: A swatch of upcycled shabby chic upholstery makes the dreamiest Jemima Jones!!!! The handmade mint bias binding goes swimmingly with the kitschy Rhubarb + Mint flowers, whilst her fawn upcycled strap with thick mint stitching brings it all together......making her the perfect lil clutch for Spring!! Her lining - retro blue with fantabulous big white polkadots!! And the pocket...you guessed it... in Rhubarb with Mint !! And last bit of info...a mushroom zip keeps all your goodies safe inside......no matter which way you hold it!!!

You can also see her here ::

Bye bye for now

Happy sleepy sunday!!!

okay here it is!!!

okay here is the story:::

(and no Danielle...you were totally way off!)

About a year and a half ago, i had broken up with the fella i had been dating for a few years, and i was not doing so good: i was pretty bummed out all round lets just say. I was like...well i'm in my 30's and my life seemed to be nothing like 'it was supposed to be', not like in the magazines, not like my friends and i certainly was no where near having the white picket fence, 2.5 kids and a golden retriever.

I loved my grown-up job, yeah i even liked my co-workers (there was this one that was a bit annoying tho! oh hi Danielle!) - but there was just something that was always missing!!

Thats when i said....F....K IT!!! You have one shot at life JJ, so you may aswell live your dream!! And who the hell cares that you don't have the white picket fence anyways?

No one except yourself is RIGHT!!!

So i made up 3 goals for myself:

1) really give my business a go, instead of just talking about it

2)make enough $ to be able to do what i want

3)have nice shoes!!

and with that...i gave up my job, caring what people thought and my pension/medical plan!!!

It hasn't been easy i gots to say...i've lost some important things along the way but i have also gained things that i wouldn't have otherwise (like you guys!!giggle)

So why is today, well yesterday so important???

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY SPARKY JONES!!!

We made it!!

I think i might add this totally shabby chic 'Rhubarb + Mint' Jemima Jones clutch to the shop tomorrow!!!

bye bye for now

little jj

Today.....

Well today is a special day......

but

i think i'll tell you why tomorrow!!!

But while you are here..meet 'magnolia bliss' the latest Kepp Jones that is just perfect for the spring + summer

And yeppers those were the trousers that i snipped + stitched to make her...i figure i really should take the before and after for the 'how cool is that' factor!!

And the photo of moi - well thats how i look when i get outta bed:::YEAH RIGHT!!!

I LOVE PHOTOSHOP!!!

This is Kailey's fav photo of the bunch...so i thought i'd stick it in::: i think its a lil creepy!! so don't forget to tune in tomorrow for the gossips!!!

bye bye for now

little jj

Bye bye 243....hello.....

Well i had to say goodbye to 243!!! Which was kinda a weirdly sad day ::: i had a bit of a love hat relationship with that house.....it was so retro, but..... things were really starting to fall apart- so i took lots of photos to remind me of the good stuff!!!

I had planted this Winter Jasmine last year and it had just started to bloom when i moved(good sign i think + hello spring i say!!)

My once busy and packed to the roof studio - ahhhhh i looks so naked and tidy:::giggle!!

and i think its always cool idea to leave something secretly behind - a kinda luck, peace and moving on thing....so i left this hanging in the

'fine china cabinent'

Those stinky boys probably won't even notice it!

And this was the colour i WAS going to paint the HQ's.......but after i did a quick photo in my painting grubbies...i decided that perhaps 'i wasn't as bold as the lady behind the paint counter told me i was'.............it lasted a day!!! There was no way i was going to be able to work with that all day without getting a headache and wanting to run outside for the open sky

so........

here's a little sneak peek of the colour that is totally MOI!!!

It funny coz there i was sewing away stressing about what colour to paint after the fluoro disaster - when i looked at a spool of thread and i thought....man i love that colour

AND whammo....that was it, off i went to the paint shop!!!

Ummmm so this a snippet of the next batch of Kepp Jones hats...called 'Magnolia Bliss'....they have a lighter feel to them, to bring in the spring....and are based on the colours of the beautiful Magnolia that are coming into bloom

and the picture???

Ain't it just the coolest bit of kitschy koo koo you've ever seen....picked it up for a real deal whilst rummaging for fabrics!!.....My new HQ is not just going to be a workplace.....its going to be comfortably me!!

Bye bye for now

little jj

lesson 536 in life::: ummmm if you are going to eat cheesecake everynight before you tuck yourself in.....be prepared to buy bigger jeans!!!! Another pair of jeans....busted!!!!

P.R.O.T.O wednesday :::

So what the hell is P.R.O.T.O wednesday ???

Well Sparky Jones was a long time in the making....years infact.....so i have actually made bag after bag after bag + hat after hat after hat....and the thing is i kept every single prototype along the way!!! So my recent move...i found some boxes...and what was in the boxes ::: but a huge collection of these goodies!!!!

And whats great about em' is that they are supa dupa unique and took me weeks to make, as i was starting from scratch, every stitch was ever so perfect....so what i'm really trying to say....is these special little guys are bomb proof!!!

This cute lil guy is ultra retro ::: with his minty hues, vintage labels

and odd buttons ...well he is a lot of fun lets just say!!! He has a tumeric zippered pocket in the back, and a floral pocket on the inside to match, whilst the cream handmade bias binding matches the kitschy cream and navy lining to a tea!!

The Front side - well that navy with geometric red + white pattern is probably the first bit of fabric i ever bought...so its pretty special (i have a tiny scrap of it left, and i just can't bear to use it, guess it reminds me of my crazy journey and how i got to where i am today!!)

Now that i have written all that ::: i think i want to keep him!!!

But alas i can't keep everything, and not now since i'm on a huge bender of getting organized and clutter free!!!

I'll be posting him in the shop this afternoon

Bye bye for now

Little jj

where to start??

well sorry kids about the MIA manoeuvre....there just was WAAY too much going on!! But i'm all moved in now - the headquarters still needs a little work, but i now have the exact colour that i dreamt of, and my workspace is getting its vibe back (i couldn't find things for a while there or my hand was reaching to the wrong tool or i was tripping over stuff, mostly my own feet)

It was actually really great to get myself organized...like start with a fresh slate...which i gots to say is THE bonus of moving!!! I got my machines tuned up, got myself a trusty bookeeper...and actually threw out some of my clutter.....and worked on some new designs ::: which i guess didn't leave me too much time or energy to blog(or make any money for that matter...but sometimes you just gots to do what you gots to do right!!!!)

But i'm back and ready for a supa fun season of creating eco - accessories!!!!</

And i'm also supa excited....because i have a PHOTOgRAPHER....by the name of Kailey :::

She did a fantabulous job, considering it was a cold day, i had a serious case of pms(thus meaning i was a complete nutcase!) and we got a little bit silly!!

here is the first batch of spring time Milly Jones headbands..

and

the New + Redesigned O.B Jones obi belt........

I'll give you a bit more of an update on those lil cuties tomorrow...but you can see some in the shop

already!!!

bye bye for now

little jj

ps:: tomorrow is wednesday....and wednesday is officially going to be 'P.R.O.T.O' wednesday ::: what is that you ask??? well guess you'll have to stop by to get the scoop - oh so cheeky!!!

schedule

okay today is the 4th(i was going to re-open my etsy shop today!)...and i just FINALLY got my cable hook up!!! That was seriously the longest few days of my life.....guess when you run an online shop....you suddenly realize how much you USE and NEED the internet!!!

Anyways i'm pretty excited because not only am i bringing out some new products....i have a supa spunky photographer and retro-licious model lined up!!!! LIFE IS GETTING PRETTY SWEET!!!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh so much to do and must get back to paintin' the new headquarters!!!

bye bye for now

little jj