1940s Turban Headpiece Tutorial

This is a great vintage way to cover up a hairdo that's past its best or a head full of rollers or pincurls while they dry! I was inspired by the Carmen Miranda look while creating this turban. My head full of rollers! You can of course just do this style on tied or pinned up hair, and it'll work with or without a fringe (bangs). Take a large scarf or square of fabric, mine was about 30", and fold it diagonally into a triangle. Place it so the long...

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Queen of Hearts

I've been working on a couple of fabulous made-to-order hats for bridal customers recently. This design is for the bride to wear at her wedding reception, and is based on the scene in Disney's Alice in Wonderland where the cards are painting all the white roses in the Queen's garden with red paint, lest they lose their heads! I popped it on to model the design, and was rather enamoured of it. It's a red satin heart-shaped pillbox style embellished...

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Holiday Sale!

I'm heading to Rebellion Punk Festival on the 4th of August, and need some extra funds. This is the only holiday we ever take, so support us on our trip to smelly old Blackpool by buying one of my glorious designs with 15% off! Sale starts at 6.30pm BST tonight. Kalandra Jane Designs eBay Shop Here! All these beauties and many more are in the sale. You can also 'like' my business page on facebook!...

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Art Deco Beauties

When I first moved into my flat, there were three framed prints in the hallway waiting to be thrown out. I saved them, of course, and they have languished in a corner ever since. During a cleaning frenzy the other day, I decided to take a closer look at them. One of the frames is coming apart a little, so I managed to take a peek beneath the backing paper. The pictures are artwork prints given away by the Pompeian Beauty Company, and date from 1924!...

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Brandy Basket Peach Melba!

We have just enjoyed these for our dessert! Makes 2, but you can easily multiply the recipe.Brandy Snap Baskets:1tbsp. Golden syrup25g / 1oz. vegan spread (or butter, if you eat dairy)25g / 1oz. vanilla sugar (made by adding a split vanilla pod to a jar of sugar, or you can just use plain sugar and add 1/2tsp of vanilla extract)2tsp. Brandy1/2 tsp. ground ginger25g / 1oz. plain flour, plus 1 heaped tsp.Small pinch of saltMelt the first three ingredients...

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Hilda, Curvy Pinup Queen of the 1950s

Some people on the vintage scene would have you believe that ladies in the 1950s were all tiny, that nobody fancied fat girls, and that Gil Elvgren or George Petty were the be-all and end-all when it came to pinup art. These people are wrong, and to them I would like to introduce Hilda. Hilda was the creation of artist Duane Bryers, and was the subject of calendars produced by printers Brown & Bigelow from 1958 until about 1970, and apparently...

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