4/18/2010

Krista Raak, one of my favorite websites...












I first discovered Krista's website about 3 or 4 years ago, through a wonderful entry in 'Modish' blog. Back then she was making mainly bags & clutches, decorative cuffs & brooches. She's now added more to her repetoire.

In 2001, she began her journey by embellishing handbags for the most practical reason...she couldn't find one that was suitable for HER eveningwear. After that she started to make these bags for her friends as gifts.

As a former jeweler, she was intrigued by an idea to make jewelry out of scraps of brocades, silks, lace & beadwork. Combining her love of hunting in antique stores & secondhand boutiques, she collects vintage pieces of fabrics, laces, ribbons & buttons...washing them, cutting them into pieces and sorting by color & materials.

She uses her skills in ribbon embroidery & millinery techniques combined with hand embroidery & beading. The connecting thread is literally a reverence to the past eras...Baroque, Victorian, & Art Nouveau . It is not uncommon for Krista to study pictures or old movies where elaborate vintage gowns & accessories are shown with fantastic fantasy flora. Please feed your eyes with her website... and leave wanting MORE.

3 comments:

jelveh Designs said...

her art is lovely, thanks for sharing it...

Brandi Reynolds said...

wow...I see why you like her site-she makes gorgeous art!

(followed you over from the etsy thread)

Ellen said...

brandi..hope you saw her slide video a couple of entries above this one...it was delayed because i had to get her okay to use the images...AND WOULD YOU BELIEVE she's getting interested in making art dolls! and she now has a site on ETSY!!!!