Introducing Expressions of a Woman - 2015 Spring/Summer Collection
With December coming to a close, I am so excited with what the New Year will bring for my designs. Anyone who knows me knows my wheels are always turning with my next big idea or project.
One project in particular that I'm excited to unveil, is my 2015 Spring/Summer collection of designer body chain jewelry.
This concept has been percolating for years. I started creating prototypes years ago and the concept has taken shape ever since.
From having Canadian singer-songwriter Sierra Noble wear a prototype at a performance to exploring opportunities when I was in Los Angeles, this collection has been something I’ve been excited about for a long time.
Finally I am confident this is the perfect time to debut the collection of 22 unique body chain accessories in Winnipeg.
I always knew that I didn’t want a collection that just anybody could create. Much like the other projects I’ve taken on over the years, I wanted to create something ornate, something unique. Something you can’t buy just anywhere. I wanted people to look at the collection and feel that each piece was truly a work of art.
The way I achieved this was through the mixture of intricate techniques and high quality materials. Each piece is so special because it combines an alluring combination of lead-free, nickel-free base chains and high quality Swarovski crystals and semi-precious stones. The collection comes to life with interesting textures that range from plush accent feathers to hammered gunmetal.
The hours of heart, soul and hard work came to life one of the first times I saw my finished body chain jewellery on a customer. She was admiring one of the pieces, but wasn’t sure she had an outfit to wear with it. She was wearing an adorable little black dress under her blazer, which was absolutely perfect to complement the body chain jewellery. As soon as she put the piece on over her dress, her entire being changed. From head to toe she was radiant, it draped over her like a glove made just for her. Seeing what was once simply ideas in my head for so many years in living colour on a smiling customer made all the challenges of creating this collection worth it. Experiences like this inspire me to make this collection the best it can be.
I am delighted to finally debut this exclusive collection on my website an other retailers throughout Canada
Cheers,
Stella
Good things are coming at Stella Mazza Designs!
I am thrilled to say that things are coming together in the transition of my Corydon studio.
Need a refresher? To recap:
My studio on 703 Corydon Avenue is elegantly designed to be an inspiring workspace to meet with clients and think up ideas. Some of my greatest accomplishments are on display as well as various collections of bridal accessories. The studio, located near the Stella’s Bridal original location, is a very appropriate wedding space. However, plans are in the works to move toward a more artisan concept with other retailers in a variety of facets.
Imagine a handful of Manitoba’s most exciting artisans working together in a funky space to produce vintage jewellery, wall paintings, couture, décor and more. The artistic talent in Winnipeg is outstanding and at times underrated. I am so looking forward to broadening my craft into other mediums of design to complement the other art being produced in the new studio.
My studio is perfectly located in the centre of bustling Corydon Avenue. Along with restaurants, patios, boutiques and shops, the studio it a perfect fit for this trendy location. I am used to it being a meeting space for customers, but with the changes I hope to open it up to the Corydon foot traffic, as it is located in the centre of the action.
I will continue to unveil new plans as they come. We are making progress every day and working toward a grand launch in mid September. That is all I will tell for now, but stay tuned to hear more details throughout the summer!
Cheers,
Stella
Celebrating Dad on Fathers Day
Happy Fathers Day!
There are very few moments as special as a Dad giving away his daughter on her wedding day. It’s an endearing time as a bride cherishes her relationship with her father and embraces a new chapter in her life.
The tradition of father walking his daughter down the aisle was originally a very literal giving away of his daughter. Daughters were considered their fathers property in the days of betrothals and arranged marriages that often included other property and money exchanges. Of course times have changed, but the tradition continues. It modern times it is a touching sentiment and a more symbolic giving away of care from the father to the new husband.
I figured, since it’s 2014, we could explore new traditions and ideas to incorporate Dad into a the wedding ceremony.
Wedding photos
Get creative and take tons of cute shots with dad. Look up poses online beforehand and find a seasoned photographer who will have lots of suggestions. This article on www.bridalguide.com has some great ideas:
http://www.bridalguide.com/planning/wedding-planning-basics/father-daughter-wedding-moments
“First look with Dad” (www.bridalguide.com)
Fun father daughter dance
When it comes to the father daughter dance, choose whatever song suits your personality and or relationship. But why not shake things up and do something different? Even if a choreographed flash mob isn’t your scene, you can still find a playful tune that showcases Dad’s hilariously embarrassing dance moves and shows off your special relationship. This article on www.offbeatbride.com has a good starter list for non-conventional father daughter dance song choices:
http://offbeatbride.com/2007/06/non-sappy-fatherdaughter-dance-songs
DIY wedding day gifts
Since emotions will be flying anyway, why not take it up a notch with touching wedding day gifts from Dad to Daughter? For an emotional and inexpensive way to show you care, print your favourite quote on nice paper and place it in a rustic frame. You and Dad exchange frames on your wedding day, or you can surprise him this a touching gift. Tip – consider doing it before you get your makeup done, or at the end of the evening. Happy tears may occur.
Recreate photos
If you’re already married and reading this just for fun, have a daughter or niece or special young girl in your life take a photo of her dancing on Dad’s toes. It is absolutely adorable to recreate in years to come.
If you have a wedding coming up, find a cute old photo of you and Dad and re stage the photo. Try to dress the same as best you can, do the same pose, in the same location etc. The comparison between then and now is very cute and nostalgic. A great idea for the groom and his dad, too!
What's brewing at Stella Mazza Designs?
The wedding industry is my passion, it has been since I started working as a florist when I was young and opened Stella’s Bridal in Winnipeg in which I owned for over eighteen years. In 2002 I made the decision to sell it and explore my creativity through crystal bouquets, handbags and various other designs. While most of my current products are very much in line with the wedding industry, I am constantly creating and designing in a variety of mediums.
My studio on 703 Corydon Avenue is elegantly designed to be an inspiring workspace to meet with clients and think up ideas. Some of my greatest accomplishments are on display as well as various collections of bridal accessories. The studio, located near the Stella’s Bridal original location, is a very appropriate wedding space. However, plans are in the works to move toward a more artisan concept with other retailers of couture, jewellery and more.
You’ll notice a slow transition over the summer as the studio embraces a new image. I am so excited to updates with you as they unfold.
One of the reasons I am excited for this process is to unveil some of the other designs I have been working on other than my bridal collections. For example, I have been working late nights to put together a body jewellery collection for the Lennard Taylor store earlier this week.
When it comes to crafting accessories and artwork, my imagination is endless. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting new venture!
Cheers,
Stella
Introducing the 2014 Evening Purse Collection!
Because I wanted my purses to embody whimsy, elegance and timelessness, I thought that there was no better way to name my collection than with Shakespearian names. From Aemilia to Viola, some of Shakespeare’s great plays helped inspire the names in this collection.
Aemilia
Names aside, one of the stand-out features of this collection of handbags is the intricate detail work front and back. Wedding dresses are designed with beautiful corsets, v shaped backs, scooped backs and more so they look beautiful from behind as well as from the front. Wedding cakes are iced and decorated all the way around so that they look beautiful from any angle. Why should handbags be any different? Though I enjoy adding a focal point on my pieces to draw the eye in, I make certain that the detail work reaches the front, back, sides, and insides because a handbag deserves to be so much more than one dimensional.
Cordelia
You’ll also notice the detail put into the chains which enhance the design of each handbag including beautiful gems and pearls. Swarovski crystals and other gemstones are, of course, found on many of the bags as well as bridal appliques and rhinestone brooches. Each bag contains a different combination of elements that are carefully chosen to ornament the handbags, while still maintaining a clean and classy look.
Helena
What I really love about these handbags is their versatility. Though you may purchase a handcrafted handbag for your wedding day, these decorative pieces of art can certainly accompany you on future occasions. Anytime you head out on the town in a little black dress, your handbag will be your best accessory. These handbags are perfect to jazz up a winning outfit you’ve previously worn a few times, or to add a dazzling element to a plain, bright dress.
Check out all the handbags on my website, or go directly to them by clicking this link:
http://www.crystalwedding.ca/collections/evening-purses
Cheers,
Stella
XGrand Reveal: The Kelly Clarkson replica bouquet
Why not go out on a limb? Isn’t that where the fruit is? ~Frank Scully
One of the best risks I took recently was during the Royal Wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. I was very much in awe of all the eye candy that the royal wedding was embellished with. The entire production was memorizing from the dress to the décor to the flowers to the choreography of every small detail. Of course I was in love with the beautiful English country garden bouquet carried by Kate Middleton, so I duplicated it in silk and French beaded flowers. I knew I had to do something bigger than just display it in my studio, so I researched royal protocol and sent the bouquet to London in hopes of reaching the newlyweds. Success! They accepted my gift, and I now have a thank-you letter on behalf of the Duke and Duchess which arrived from Buckingham Palace with the Queen’s special emblem.
This royal replica retailed in my store afterward for over $1,500 because of the materials used, and more importantly the time it takes to hand make all the details. When I created this piece, I had no idea if it would even reach Buckingham Palace. But you don’t know if you don’t try, right?
Which brings me to my next big mission…
I have recently created a silk and French beaded flower replica of the beautiful wild flower bouquet that Kelly Clarkson carried in her 2013 wedding to Brandon Blackstock.
The bouquet is glamorously rustic with a colourful assortment of field flowers. The sunflowers stand out magnificently against a bevy of lilac and other purple field flower accents.
In my re-creation, I used silk flowers to recreate the lilacs, bluebonnets, purple statice and greens. Then to make it pop, I hand-strung several French beaded sunflowers and light blue field flowers.
Sometimes you can’t beat the beauty of fresh flowers found in nature, but this silk and French beaded recreation is a unique and beautiful keepsake that will last forever.
Perhaps luck will come my way once again and this beautiful hand-crafted bouquet will end up in the hands of the beautiful Kelly Clarkson!
Cheers,
Stella
April showers bring May flowers
I am absolutely ecstatic for spring flowers to start blooming. I just spent some time in Las Vegas and Jamaica and was so dazzled by the abundance of beautiful colours. Now that I’m in Winnipeg, the rain can’t stop soon enough because I’m sure we are all waiting for the overdue flowers and plants that will soon come. Though I love flowers of all kinds, I work with flowers made from silk and French beading. I love working with these mediums because they allow me to be creative with gem and beaded accents. However, one of the most wonderful aspects of these bouquets is that they can be created year round. Flowers don’t grow year round and importing can lead to unexpected costs and uncertainty. Whereas an heirloom keepsake bouquet can be comprised of whatever flower your heart desires, and it will last forever.
Since it’s fun to dream big, below are some of the most expensive flowers you can buy to incorporate into a fresh flower bouquet.
Hydrangea - $6.50 per stem
Hydrangeas are relatively common in wedding bouquets. It’s easy to see why, they are stunning and rich in blue, purple and pink tones. These flowers have a relatively long blooming season, but are very difficult to harvest and cultivate. They also easily droop and wilt, so they must be bought on the day of the event itself or the night before. That tight timeframe adds dollars when it comes to working with this flower.
Lily of the Valley – $15-50 per bundle
This dainty, sweet smelling flower is actually quite common in gardens in Winnipeg. They bloom for a few weeks in late spring. The tiny bell shaped flowers look beautiful in a bouquet, but come on stalks only 15-30 centimeters tall. Since it takes so much to make a bundle, and improper picking significantly shortens lifespan, these flowers can cost a pretty penny when they’re not in season.
Gloriosa – $6-$10 per flower
This flower is found only in South Africa and Asia. It is a bold, multi coloured flower usually containing deep reds, oranges and yellows. These flowers are showy statement flowers with long, bright tendrils and pronounced, flexed petals. These rare and unique flowers are also very poisonous!
Lisianthus - $10-$35 per bundle
These soft, fragile flowers are sometimes called “paper flowers”. They bloom annually, but can be pricy because one cut from its plant, lisianthus flowers perish quickly. They are known for their ruffled, oval petals and pale white, purple and blue colour.
There are also some flowers that are so rare that the only place we’ll ever see them is in our dreams.
Juliet Rose – 5 million dollars
This rose is known as the “£3 million rose” because it took that much to create this unique apricot-hued hybrid flower over the course of 15 years. It was the most expensive rose ever cultivated when it made it’s debut at the Chelsea flower show in 2006. They can now be purchased for much less than 5 million, but the originals were worth that much to create. I think these would look stunning in silk!
Kadupul – Priceless.
This flower is so extremely rare that it cannot be sold. Native to Sri Lanka, this white fragrant flower blossoms at night maybe once a year, but dies before dawn. It dies immediately after picking and has never made it to shops.
(www.therichest.com)
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Recent Articles
- Introducing Expressions of a Woman - 2015 Spring/Summer Collection
- Good things are coming at Stella Mazza Designs!
- Celebrating Dad on Fathers Day
- What's brewing at Stella Mazza Designs?
- Introducing the 2014 Evening Purse Collection!
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