The Bohemian Cats Calendar 2010 is here!

The calendar is now printed and available. Although I know it's rather early to begin thinking about 2010, interestingly the Cat Gallery here wanted some immediately. I suppose it's a really nice present for visitors to take home, very Bohemian, spectacular (I think), a good price - and easy to carry! Yes, makes sense.

We had a whole lot of fun making this - it makes me want to get back to doing more Cats pictures soon.

Our bags are on sale at Amazon

The first batch of our satin and pure silk tarot bags is now on sale at Amazon.co.uk. It's a real thrill to see them there. They are "fulfilled by Amazon" - in other words Amazon stocks them in their warehouse and you can order them - complete with free shipping - if you're in the UK.

If it all goes well we will be sending more styles and prints over this year.

And another quick burst of Bohemian fabric

Today the sun came out, I saw a green woodpecker looking for somewhere to build a nest and the cats went mad on the roof. First hints of spring!

I also got a wildly, wildly gypsy tablecloth that I bought. Minnie sniffed it for five minutes and was appalled, so I took it straight to wash (she checks everything that comes into the house). It turned out to be FILTHY - basin after basin of brown water was flushed away before I got it clean. I then drenched it in aroma fabric conditioner and hung it outside. After which it will be fit to use. It's falling to pieces really, but it looks like something from a Victorian circus and I love it. Once it's dried and ironed I'll photograph it.

For now though, some of the red-on-white embroidery that I love so much here. This is very faded and on an unusually thick linen (only a strip left, it's been cut just an inch from the embroidery) - I suspect it's a good 100 years old. We will scan it all and store it for use as a graphic later. Then maybe I will think seriously about sewing it on to one of my thick old french sheets, if it's wide enough. Any other ideas? I would really like to use it for real as well as using it as a graphics source.

Three of the new Flower Oracle "standard" bags

At last - the Brave Tabby messenger bag

We've been asked for this before, but it was one very determined (good for her!) Etsy buyer that finally pushed us into getting it done.

Great bag, if I do say it myself! For brave tabbies everywhere.

Some of the new drawstring pouches

These can of course also be used as tarot bags - they are the perfect size for that. But we find many people now buy them to store cosmetics or other small items in their handbag, or to use as decorative storage bags in bathroom or bedroom.

This weekend Alex met an elderly elf at a Bohemian Castle

He was at the Fx-Con Festival that a friend of ours, Vlad Taupesh organises.He came back with lots of photos including some hysterical ones of him applying body glitter to the woman he had to make up himself. Not sure if I will post all of those :OFor now, here is the first taste. One problem with a blog about life here is that almost every week we end up with more photos of amazing things and I never get a fraction posted. But here goes with two. I really like this costume.

A new "medieval" print bag. The Lady and the Unicorn

I asked for input about bags on Aeclectic Forum some months back. One thing that came out strongly is that people want Pre-Raphaelite and Medieval options. We like those images too, so we've been working on them. Here are a couple of examples.

It's really hard to find either type of imagery in high quality copyright-free form so Alex had to do a lot of work on both of these. I do think they look good:
Sorry - our sites just went down as I was putting these in (the host has an announcement up so at least they know). So here is just a small upload of one image for now.

Another photo shoot with Aida

She is a natural model really - great fun to work with. This time it was all a lower-key affair with Alex, Aida and some nice summer weather. We wanted a slightly more relaxed look. I think these worked out incredibly well, so you'll see them gradually appearing on the shops - and a few as updates on the slideshow on the front page of baba-store.This is at the John Lennon wall - and I love the sentiment written there.
The Faith, Hope and Chocolate bags look so good when they are actually photographed being worn - I still want one but am temporarily banned from "testing" more bags. The poodles were courtesy of an art event - here they are in glorious scarlet close-up -

Another from the shoot

I've been talking about us making an Elf Boy shoulder bag for many months. One of the good things about a photo-shoot is that it does get all these things done:

I ought to be in bed, but I just had to put this up. A quick picture from today's photoshoot. I LOVE the colours in this one:

Alice - before and after

I thought I'd put these up - just for interest. I'm always saying that we do a lot of work even on the imagery that we use from other artists. So here is Rackham's Alice (scanned from a turn of the last century book) before and after being cleaned and adjusted for fabric prints:






Arguably, I think we have sometimes overdone this in the past - in a way it's nice to leave a little of the "age" and fading showing.This print will be used on shoulder bags, tarot bags and messengers (when we make side panels that fit). I'm pleased with this - it's an image I've loved for years.

Our Strength messenger bag

I'm running off to shop - and yes, it is 9.45 on a Sunday night but well, needs must as we've run out of cat food.But here is just a very quick one - the "Strength" bag with a plethora of lions. I think this is our best selling bag - or maybe it's neck-and-neck with Alice.Oh, by the way, the jacket is an original 19th century one in perfect condition. It's designed to be worn over a bustle - utterly wonderful and all hand stitched (and if you madly want to buy it tell me quickly and I'll ask the selling price as on Tuesday it will go back to the shop we borrowed it from - I WISH I could find an excuse to buy it myself):

This was the little guy who also took part in the photography session. Completely unafraid - I suppose he's used to people.

The Gothic bags

This photo is by Alex. Modelled by Aida, hair and make-up by Eva (whose surname I need to find and post - eek) Eva is now about to begin work for Mac in Prague, so if you get a chance to go to the Mac shop ask her to do a make-over for you, she's fantastic and LOADS of fun - and speaks perfect English as she lived in England for years.Aida looks beautiful in these photos - I hope the bags do too! This photo is by Alex. Soon I'll post the images by the photographer we've been working with - Simon Chang.