current obsession: antique buttons

I was very excited to visit BABE this year, the annual Bay Area Bead Extravaganza convention. It was my first time in attendance, and I was shocked by the large turn out of avid beaders! The room was filled with a multitude of various bead vendors, as well as demonstrations and classes. A particular vendor that I really enjoyed sold antique buttons.

I absolutely love going into antique shops. Its a trip back into time, and I love imagining the people who may have owned the items. Each piece is unique and rich in its own history and to me that's such a beautiful thing.

Take a look at these gorgeous jeweled buttons I found...

These date back to the early 40s, and even the mid 20's!

I'm looking forward to incorporating these vintage elements in my new pieces.

real bride: theresa

I had a great time working with Theresa. She is so down to earth, and has such a cool sense of style, which shows in her gorgeous purple themed wedding. Standing out from the typical bride, she was looking for something unique and different than the common white hair piece. Together we designed a look that matched her personality as well as her shoes : ), eventually leading us to this purple bloom that you see her wearing below.

The plum colored bloom is accented with lime green Swarovski crystals and guinea feathers.

Congrats to the very happy couple!

Photo credit: Gabriel Harber

a reason to smile

A couple of weeks ago I received a call from Pilar, the very sweet owner of Lilac Dress Boutique in Alameda. She called to ask if I would be willing to donate something for a raffle she was doing at her store. For years she has been donating to Smile Train, an organization that treats cleft lip and palate around the world, and she decided that a raffle would be a great way to raise awareness as well as funds.

This particular cause hits very close to my heart. Several years ago, I traveled to Rosarito, Mexico on behalf of Thousand Smiles, a similar organization. As a volunteer, I helped screen children suffering with cleft lip and cleft palate. It was hearbreaking to see how such deformities impaired simple functions such as eating, drinking, talking, and even smiling. Not only did these facial deformities impair their physical abilities, they hindered their social abilities even more. In addition to screening untreated patients, we also did checks with previous patients. It was truly amazing to see patients return with such confidence that shined through their smiles.

I really can't think of a better way to support such an amazing cause.


Tickets go for $10 each, and the raffle will go until late September. The goal is to raise $2,000 and help treat 4 kids. There will be 3 prizes. The grand prize will be comprised of dresses and clothing donated by designers including Susana Monaco, Nicole Miller, Butter by Nadia, Lynn Lugo, Kensie and more! The second prize will be jewelry and accessories by various designers including myself. And the third prize will be an assortment of different gift certificates including a haircut and facial!!


To learn more about any of the above information, visit Lilac Dress Boutique.
Photo credit: Lilac Dress Boutique

grace and charm

I was very flattered when my sister asked me to make her jewelry and hair piece for her wedding. I wanted to make her something that exuded grace and charm; two characteristics she embodies beautifully. I knew I wanted to carry out the same beaded detailing from her dress, and I did so in the flower as well as the jewelry. The magnolia flower is lightly framed in an cluster of goose feathers, and made of a combination of dupioni silk, french netting, and organza to give added texture, while the center is composed of various sized Swarovski crystals, and pearls. For the earrings I used Swarovski crystal tear drops as the base and a medley of different sized pearls and crystals that trickled along the chain.

Photo credit: Jerry Yoon

on a side note...

You can put away your magnifying glasses! I finally fixed all the images on my blog. You can actually click on all the images now and enlarge (some) of them. Yay! I'm getting blog savvy by the day. jk of course. I don't even know how I did it. : )

many thanks!

Many thanks to Jerry Yoon, and Aubrey Aquino, who independently posted little blurbs about me on their blogs this week.

Jerry was the amazing photographer that shot my sister's May wedding. Both he and his partner Ingrid are such kind, down to earth people, with a whole lot of talent. They were so fun to work with, and so comfortable to be around. They did such a phenomenal job, and really captured the emotions of the day.
See for yourself on their blog: Sharine + Zack Santa Cruz Backyard Wedding
as well as slideshow: http://www.jerryyoon.com/slideshow/Sharine_Zack/sharine_zack/
I am also very grateful that they took many beautiful images of my work for me to post in future blog entries to come! So be on the lookout!

Aubrey is my friend/model Alison's older sister. She is a TV reporter and host in Miami, and recently created her own show called On the Flipside, where she explores the lives of professional athletes when they're not working. You can learn more about her on her website: Aubreyaquino.com.

the birdcage... unveiled

I have been tossing and turning over birdcage veils for quite some time now, and after way too much time spent theorizing and planning, I decided to just do it! Made with fine Russian netting, it is attached by a handmade magnolia flower clip, that can be detached and worn separately. The magnolia flower clip is handsewn and made with a combination of dupioni silk, organza, french netting, Swarovski crystals, pearls, and soft pheasant feathers. This birdcage veil is feminine and delicate, all while exuding vintage glamour.

Many thanks to my gorgeous model, and dear friend Alison. She is such a beautiful person in so many ways, and I am extremely grateful to have her in my life. Though we were in the hot, gruelling sun, with my terrible photog skills(or lack thereof), she was so easy to work with! With so many great images, I'll have enough material to post for quite a while! She'll be a very familiar face on my blog. : )

in full bloom

One of the most satisfying things about doing what I do, is knowing that I helped create something special for the biggest day in two people's lives. Another very exciting part is getting to see all the pictures from the big day, including images of my hard work!

For Chris and Eileen's big day, I created a pillow delicate and beautiful enough to honor the sacred values that the rings symbolize. With a lily centered on the pillow, it represents a marriage that grows with time, patience, and nurture, and eventually blooms into something unique and special.

Since their wedding colors were sage and ivory, I decided on a soft, ivory, faux suede fabric for the lily petals, and a rich, sage, silk dupioni for the base.

Photo credit: Garvin Tso

baubles for bracelets

Lately I've been obsessed with bracelets, and I've added a new design to my collection! It's classic, chic, and understated. Handmade with gold filled wire and toggle, these Czech glass rondelles are paired with gold plated crystal balls, to make a beautiful addition to any outfit! Matching necklaces coming soon!

Clockwise: Clear Czech glass rondelles paired with gold plated clear crystal balls; Black Czech glass rondelles paired with gold plated black crystal balls; Black Czech glass rondelles paired with gold plated clear crystal balls.

new additions

Take a look at some of the new designs I added to both my jewelry and bridal collections! All of which will be available on Etsy and at Lilac Boutique!

Beaded french silk bow bracelet

Ivory silk dupioni flower hair piece, with Swarovski pearl and crystal centers, accented with peacock feathers, and white coque feathers, crowned with assorted guinea feathers.

Taupe silk dupioni flower hair piece dressed in dark brown coque feathers, peacock feathers, and guinea feathers, with a center consisting of smokey quartz, Swarovski pearl, and crystal.

wedding preview

For the last year, I've been hard at work planning my sister's wedding, and it finally happened! Here is a sneak peak of Zack and Sharine's gorgeous May wedding, courtesy of my cousin Jeff Gunawan. More images to come!

you can find me...

At Lilac Dress Boutique in Alameda! This boutique has a great selection of dresses for all occasions, including beautiful wedding gowns and cocktail dresses. They even featured me on their blog!

Here is an image captured by local photographer Maurice Ramirez. Taken at Lilac Boutique in Alameda, this model is wearing a cap sleeve Nicole Miller gown, with one of my signature feather hair pieces handmade with a combination of dupioni silk, french netting, marabou feathers and freshwater pearls.

welcome!

Hi, and thanks for visiting my blog. This is the space where I'll be showcasing my latest work; all of which will be available to purchase on Etsy. Come back soon to follow my newest designs for bridal accessories, jewelry, and more!