Clean House…Clear Paths…

Illustration by Robert Best

Hello Darlings! Just dropping by to send greetings and say that Madame X has been busy “cleaning house”….both literally and figuratively!  It has been a few weeks of rearranging priorities, bouncing around new ideas and taking a moment to reflect.  Sometimes one can’t see the woods for the trees and we must take a step back in order to see the bigger picture.

I had a friend who recently sent me a little formula for a “Karma Cleanse”… and to be quite honest it could not have come at a better time.  Sometimes in the day to day we become wrapped up in bills, friend dramas, emails, our own insecurities and being “busy.”  I found it necessary to stop, take a deep breath and prioritize better. I have been trying to incorporate a bit of meditation, small goals for the day, and eating healthy.  It has made a big difference in my day.

Here is what you can do to implement a “Karma Cleanse” if you are feeling you need a daily boost of awesome!

Until next time, Darlings!

xoxo

Madame X

http://madamexapparel.storenvy.com

Oooo a “Sparkly!”

Hello Darlings! I was thinking to myself today how much I am attracted to and enthralled by anything sparkling and shiny. Whether diamonds, crystals, rhinestones or glitter, I cannot help but be transfixed by the way light reflects and refracts from it.

I remember when I was a little girl one of my favorite animated features was The Secret of Nimh. In the film, one of the characters is a klutzy crow (one of my favorite birds) named Jeremy.  In one particular scene he is hypnotized by a magical sparkling locket…and I immediately recognized crows to be one of my spirit animals, ha ha!

In any case, I have found myself making some new items for the shop and noticed how much sparkle I have been adding to some of my latest creations.  I made some pretty bracelets using rhinestones, cabochons, crystals, and yes, glitter. (You can never have too much glitter, Darlings!) I hope you enjoy them, I enjoyed making them and adding a bit of happy to them.

“Sparkly” new floating bracelets. http://madamexapparel.storenvy.com

Silver shapes decorate this floating bracelet. http://madamexapparel.storenvy.com

“Sparkly” new floating blue hearts bracelet. http://madamexapparel.storenvy.com’

Until next time…

xoxo

Madame X

http://madamexapparel.storenvy.com

Slumber Pretty…

Hello Darlings! Madame X here, giving you your weekly dose of my musings and random posts about life, fashion, food and whatever else tickles my fancy.

This past week, I finally went through my stockade of hoarded fabrics and wondered how to go about creating some special magic with them.  I thought of what I love to do and one thing I love is getting my beauty sleep!  There aren’t many things that can compare to living a full day, winding down in the evening and then hitting a good book before heading off to the boudoir.  8 hours usually does it for me, anything less leaves me tired, and anything more gives me a head ache and feeling grumpy.  I do believe it helps keep me young!

Kawaii you so cute? Sleep Mask available at http://madamexapparel.storenvy.com

I notice there’s too much light coming in through my windows at night, so I decided to make some sleep masks to help me filter out the glare.  I hand made and sewed several styles, all decorated with a bow, a dash of pearls or rhinestones for added panache and even managed to find some matching vintage golden lamé bias binding. I used brocades, silks and unique cotton prints and was happy with the results.

Pink & Ivory silk brocade sleep mask available at http://madamexapparel.storenvy.com

They are over the top, delightful and YOU-nique! I hope you enjoy them…

xoxo

Madame X

http://madamexapparel.storenvy.com

 

Plugging along…singing a song…

Hello Darlings! Thank you for joining me each and every week, I know my mental meanderings weave in and out like a drunken bumble bee sometimes…but I am a girl of many talents if I dare say so myself.

I have (finally) got myself on some sort of a schedule the last couple of months, which helps to keep me on track. I don’t know about you, but being the gypsy heart, I tend to need a bit of discipline to be productive…otherwise I would just sit in the boudoir frittering my life away and looking at pretty books and sipping tea (though, not a bad idea if one thinks about it)!

Let’s have tea, Darlings! (artwork by Helen Dardik) https://www.etsy.com/shop/helendardik

So it is, that each week I map out the week, this past week, I’ve been working with cute pink stars, crystals and lace.  I have been concentrating more on some pretty accessories.  Soon I hope to get back to more boudoir pieces, such as the lingerie…so many ideas!  See, Darlings, how my mind flies to all things?  In any case…you know where to find me…

Transparent pink star earrings with crystal touches! http://madamexapparel.storenvy.com

Transparent pink star earrings with crystal touches! http://madamexapparel.storenvy.com

xoxo

Madame X

http;//madamexapparel.storenvy.com

A hedgehog on my desk…

Oops…the hazards of the work space!

Greetings from Madame X, Darlings!  Today’s topic may seem a mundane one, but I for one think it’s fascinating!  Have you ever wondered what other people’s living and work spaces look like? The curious girl in me is always looking for ideas to spruce up my surroundings and it’s always inspirational to see what others do.  Today I present you with a “behind the scenes” peek at my work space…which resides in my living room.  It is a hodgepodge of thrifty finds residing on top of a small table on which I write, draw, eat, sew, craft, edit and do research.

My daily work space (cleaned up just for you, Darlings!)

 

Probably the most expensive item on my desk is my laptop/camera.  The mason jars that house my scissors and pencils were spray painted with gold.  My brushes sit in a tiki mug that i decorated…there is a large chip in the back but I think that adds character and it’s perfect for holding my brushes.

The flowers are silk (because I can’t keep plants alive to save my life) and matches my point and shoot camera perfectly…I LOVE purple, Darlings, it’s my favorite color!  The ribbon board was a thrift shop find and the flower pot was picked up at a farmer’s market.

A Carmen Miranda inspired vintage toy on the board over my desk.

My ribbon board holds several quirky postcards, cut outs, business cards and this vintage “noisemaker” inspired by Hollywood entertainer Carmen Miranda, I acquired it at an outdoor flea market, i love it!

Harris the hedgehog pencil sharpener.

This is “Harris the hedgehog”… my trusty pencil sharpener, because Darlings, I love to journal and do it the old fashioned way, pencil and paper!

How about you, my Darlings? What does your work/creative space look like?  What are some favorite items on your desk? Do you even work at a desk, if not, where do you do your best work? Do tell…

xoxo

Madame X

http://madamexapparel.storenvy.com/

Cupids, hearts and kisses…

 

Oh…to receive roses and love letters!

 

Hello Darlings from your marvelous Madame X…we are almost half way through February…how time flies and now we are near St. Valentine’s Day. I for one make EVERY day Valentine’s Day, there’s no need for a special holiday to celebrate love …yet thinking of it certainly piqued my curiosity.  It was fun remembering all the valentine’s cards exchanged in school…one year my teacher made everyone write something nice about everyone in the class and put it in our very own valentine box so at the end of the day we could read all the nice things the other children wrote about each one of us.  I received a lot of “very creative”, “artistic”, “nice person” notes, it gave me warm fuzzies!

Have you ever wondered how some things have become a part of our holiday traditions? Here are a few fun facts…

• As far back as the 1840’s candies were being stamped with witty sayings and served at weddings.  The heart shaped sweethearts sold today have been around since 1901! They are known as “conversation hearts” and are produced by the Necco Company.
• Flowers have, for centuries, held symbolic meaning…so it is no surprise that the red rose is the most popular flower sold on Valentine’s Day. The red rose often represents love and passion…its vibrant blood color often associated with matters of the heart.

Valentine card, 1850’s

• Valentines’s cards evolved out of the love letter, and England was where these paper greetings first rose in popularity.  Apparently not all young men back in the day could express their feelings in the way that the poets could so the card was born.  The advent of the industrial age produced cards with printed prose which could be manufactured and easily available to consumers.  Some of the earliest valentines were elaborate, using ribbon and lace.
• Hershey’s kisses have been around since 1907! No one knows why they were called kisses, one theory is that machines that deposited the chocolates during production made a kissing sound.  The famous foil wrapper with paper “plume” were added in 1921.

Cupid and his bow and arrow

From Greek and Roman mythology we get Eros/Cupid, he is the son of the Goddess of Love, Venus.  He is known as the god of desire, erotic love and attraction, so in other words, a natural choice to have him be associated with Valentine’s Day.  Most often depicted as a cherubic angel boy, he carries a bow and arrow.  According to myth, he carries two types of arrows which he shoots into mortal hearts.  One arrow is gold and pointed, it fills a person with desire and passion. The other arrow is blunt and full of lead, it fills a person with aversion and a desire to flee. No wonder love is so messy!!

Have a wonderful week my Darlings, ’til next time.

xoxo

Madame X

http://madamexapparel.storenvy.com/

 

 

 

 

 

OH, your cheetah heart…or a leopard will never change its spots!

Grrrr Darlings…Ava Gardner in leopard print and fishnets

Hello Darlings! February already and you know what that means…yes..we are bombarded by a plethora of hearts, flowers, candies and cards in all shades of sweet pinks and reds.  Come to think of it, those things should be in your life most days, which for me it is…I love to surround myself with color and light…EVERY day is special Darlings…so make sure you take the time to visit loved ones and to reach out to the forgotten.  Sharing smiles is the BEST accessory!

As is usually the case, Madame X has been working on some adorable little toppers for those who wish to put their best foot forward….or paws, in this case.  I simply adore a beautiful leopard print, (faux of course!)  This week I created a little chapeau to crown one’s hair, made of blushing felt leopard spots…sprinkled it with shirred red heart tulle and placed a glittering scarlet heart in its center.  It clips easily to hair and can be worn to any occasion.  Gurrrrrrrls beware of breaking hearts and racing pulses…it’s purrrrfectly enchanting … just make sure to avoid the cheetahs though, they’re players.

http://madamexapparel.storenvy.com/

http://madamexapparel.storenvy.com/

 

Wishing you a wonderful week ahead…

xoxo

Madame X

http://madamexapparel.storenvy.com/

 

Mon cherries, cheri!

Good day Darlings, Madame X here…I have been cooped up in the boudoir making cute creations for my Madame Xers…I’ve a stash of beautiful fabrics, bows and other treasures which I have been adorning my collection with…just in time for St. Valentines Day…whether you have a spouse, lover or cherished friends…what better way to step out for a lovely walk or dinner than to dress up your wardrobe with a splash of color, glitter and flair?  Wear one of these lovely chapeaus, a titillating topper to polish your look. They can be worn on either side and clip in securely for easy wear. Best of all, they are unique and and hand embellished…very limited release.

Madame X cherry hearts fascinator (i.e. small hat) http://madamexapparel.storenvy.com/

These small fascinators are adorned with everything from cherries to tulle hearts and blushing ribbons.  They will be available this week so keep an eye out for these flirtatious finds.

Madame X hearts and leopard fascinator…http://madamexapparel.storenvy.com/

xoxo

Madame X

http://madamexapparel.storenvy.com/

Stars can’t shine without darkness…

Stars…

Hello Darlings…lately I have had a lot to ponder, which sometimes gets me into trouble, admittedly.  My thoughts tend to spiral at a fever pitch and before I know it, I am writing them down to share with those who happen upon them.

Of late, I have been revisiting my love of film, especially the classics…and it is on these occasions that I wax nostalgic for all things past.  It feeds into my obsession for all things vintage, hand made and one of a kind.  When I watch films, my senses soak in all the details, from the sounds of the background, the decor of the sets, the beautiful costumes and fashions of the time.

Most of all I am obsessed with the beautiful starlets and goddesses that fill that silver screen with their magic, drama and softly glowing faces…they even make teary eyed scenes seem surreal…no ugly crying…just dew drops glistening against skin as they weep reservedly in their white gloves, bouffant hairdos and couture gowns.  It’s smoke and mirrors of course, but when I look deeper, the idealism of films of those times masked the harsh realities that many of these beauties lived.  Marilyn Monroe had her addictions, Liz Taylor gambled at love and lost many times, Jayne Mansfield died young…the list goes on and on. Yet, despite the darkness they dealt with, they shone so bright.

Screen legend Anita Ekberg…photo by Georg Oddner 1953

This week, the world lost beautiful blonde bombshell Anita Ekberg, the star of Frederico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita…who could forget Anita in her black strapless gown and flowing locks as she splashed about the water fountain.  I watch that scene over and over and I think how lovely she was, captured forever in a timeless moment, youthful and strong in spirit, indomitable and perfect. That magic is what a lot of the greats had and their star power is what makes them special…and I believe we need stars to look up to… we all carry that magic in ourselves and that is the connection we feel when we are in the presence of greatness.

xoxo

Madame X

http://madamexapparel.storenvy.com

What’s the news, Darlings?

Hello Darlings! I hope everyone is enjoying their first week of the new year! While I do so love the holidays, it does bring a touch of madness to it all and I for one am glad to be getting back to business.

Though Madame X is still a new and budding venture, there is so much to do and learn!  I am excited about all the possibilities…my mind reels Darlings!  Admittedly it is quite difficult to remain focused with so many ideas brimming in my mind.  Madame X is poised to bring more lingerie and embellished items to the online store.  However, Madame X plans to partake in trunk shows and pop ups with fellow creatives, maybe even branch out to home decor, accessories and one of a kind tea parties…oo-la-la…I am getting ahead of myself…but we must dream big Darlings and visualize in order to manifest our desires…

 

Oh, to live in a world surrounded by glitter and golden moments…I think to myself, how all these years that is what was missing in my life…so I will continue to follow this passion for magic and when the patina has set in, I can at least say I have danced, Darlings…and whether big or small, remember to DREAM!

Sparkle and magic…always a part of Madame X dreams… http://www.madamex.co

xoxo

Madame X

 http://madamexapparel.storenvy.com/