Aurora's Circlet from 'Once Upon a Time'

This post was originally published over at Confessions of a Seamstress, my friend Elena's blog. If you like the costumes in Once Upon a Time-- or any lovely clothing-- you should go visit her website! Elena makes beautiful outfits and costume replications and I highly recommend her!

This post is a lot longer and more image-heavy than the original guest post because I've had the chance to work on a couple more of these circlets!

Image from ABC's Once Upon a Time

With the latest season of Once Upon a Time, we were introduced to an awesome new character: Princess Aurora, the Sleeping Beauty.

I'm watching this show as much for the costumes, props, and sets as for the actual story... it's not unusual for my eye to wander everywhere except the actor's face! Right from the start, Aurora's headpiece caught my eye. ~*~*~ THE SPARKLES ~*~*~

A couple of days later, Elena recommended me to a bride who wanted a replica of Aurora's circlet to match her wedding gown! Eeep! This was my first time ever creating a replica piece, my first time ever working with rhinestones, and the first time making a bridal piece this large. I was a little nervous, but so excited.

Everything went well, though, and I can't wait to hear what the bride thinks when it arrives on her doorstep!

I started by re-watching the first episode and snagging screencaps to analyze. I analyzed it to death. :)

Her circlet is made from rhinestones and ribbon which are plaited together into a band that rests on her hairline. At least two small braids are woven around this band, creating a lovely mix of ribbon, hair, and sparkles.

Additional rhinestones are woven around her hairstyle in a very asymmetric zig-zag. This top part fits much more like a cap than a tiara, as it folds snugly over the crown of her head.

I noticed pretty quickly that Aurora seems to have found plenty of time to do her hair between scenes...  :)

The rhinestone placement is not consistent, especially at the edges, and she wears at least three hairstyles in the first episode.

At first, her braids are woven around the top, zig-zag-y part, so that the rhinestones are barely visible. Later, the braids move down and are intertwined with the bottom band. In the last scene, the circlet rests on top of the braids, above her forehead.

I wanted to make the circlet versatile enough that all these hairstyles (and more) can be worn. The bride didn't want dangling rhinestones, so I simplified the design at the edges where it wasn't consistent.

Aurora always wears the back of her headpiece tucked underneath her hair. I think the actress had her hair teased and curled and then extensions added.

(This is a beautiful crown... I'd love to be a props/costume designer, I really would. It must have been so much fun for the designers to come up with a sparkly, girly headpiece that wasn't your typical tiara. Aurora's whole costume is lovely. I hope she doesn't get put in pants like the rest of the royalty. I feel that we need at least one kick-butt princess who can wield a sword while wearing a frilly skirt!!!)

After I figured how how the circlet was made (and planned a few changes of my own to make it sturdier), it was time to get started!

First, I wove a base from silver-plated copper wire.

The next part-- making the band of braided rhinestones and ribbon-- proved very tricky. If I simply braided the strands, they would move around too much.

I used two different sizes of silver-plated rhinestones and twisted them around each other, using temporary jewelry glue to hold it in place.

After this was done, I wove the ribbon in and laced everything together with wire before removing the glue and polishing everything.

The ribbon in the show looks like a champagne or a pink (depending on the lighting and editing) but this one was requested in bright white.

The asymmetric zig-zag design was made from more rhinestone chain twisted onto freeform silver wire.

The circlet can be attached with bobby pins, or tied with ribbon. It's just heavy enough that it won't stay on without being secured in some way.

And then... it was done!

After I took these pictures, I tweaked things a bit more... I "de-fluffed" the ribbon and adjusted one point of the zig-zag so it isn't so tall and pointy. (The zig zags are slightly adjustable so it will fit any head size or hairstyle like a glove!)

The bride was kind enough to me model the circlet before shipping it!

I usually have friends model for me, but I'm the only one with long and dark enough hair to attempt Aurora's hairstyle. So one cold autumn morning, I put my hair up in braids and taught my lovely mom how to use my camera.

________

After I completed this circlet, I received two more orders for replicas of the Sleeping Beauty's crown! This one was practically identical to the first:

This next one, however, has several requested modifications that were a joy to work on!

I specially ordered 100% silk satin ribbon in a creamy champagne color. It's a vintage French ribbon line, and there is something about those words that makes me so happy to finger the shiny ribbon.

They wanted a very sturdy circlet that would not require ribbon to remain securely on the head, so I used my vise to twist silver plated wire into a strand which I attached to the plaiting. 

It holds its shape very well. I think that I will always use this technique on future circlets (or at least the higher-end ones, because it requires a lot of wire!).

(excuse my workdesk mess). Two full feet of wire and ribbon and beading to wrangle into a circlet! 

I replaced every other large rhinestone with an amethyst crystal. I really like this look, as it adds a touch of color and interest. 

Replacing all those stones in their settings was a great learning experience. Those are fiddly little sparkles, there, guys!

If you would like to request a custom item like this, don't hesitate to email me at shealynnsfaerieshoppe@gmail.com I can usually accommodate many kinds of budgets on more intensive pieces like these, depending on how much customization you want.

I'm also in the process of using the leftover odds and ends of the rhinestones to create some Aurora-inspired cuff bracelets. There are a couple on my workbench right now which are going to get colorful ribbons!

The Water Fairy

click to enlarge

I have a really wonderful sister.

A couple of days ago, I realized that I needed a few photos of a water fairy for the magazine. A fairy with wavy blonde hair, a white dress, and blue wings...

I've made my little sister dress up in all sorts of costumes and pause in the middle of many games in order to experiment with my camera. Most young girls would be completely tired of this-- but not 'Rosie.' She is a tireless, cute model and loves seeing where pictures of her wind up-- be it on my facebook page or at the library (the photo of her in a book page skirt won a contest there).

When I told her that I needed her to dress up as a fairy and wake up early some morning so that I could photograph her in the sunrise, she squealed and hugged me and called me the best sister ever.

Really, what do I do to deserve that?

While I was at a four-hour long chemistry lecture two days ago, she apparently asked Mom and Dad to put her hair in curlers. She woke up yesterday morning bright, chipper, and excited to see her hair curly. 

I wasn't so bright and chipper; I'm not a morning person and I certaintly wasn't prepared to get a photoshoot started a six in the morning. But I rushed around the house, forming two coat hangers, a pantyhose with runs in it, and some glittery paint into a pair of makeshift fairy wings. After a few minutes in the garage (and after making a messy pile of boxes) I found my old petticoat dress. Next came the rush to find some small water shoes. 

Rosie wasn't dressed until the sun had already risen, but the sky was adorned with brilliant clouds and the lighting wasn't stark and overwhelming. So we waltzed outside...

We have a beautiful little pond in our backyard, and thanks to the drought it is only a couple of feet deep. I wanted Rosie to wade into it and let me photograph her standing in it.

What I didn't know?

She's afraid of the touching the pond water. One of our brothers had told her that venomous snakes live there (we've never seen a snake!), and the single splash of one frog jumping into the water was enough to make her squeal. I thought she was just being silly, and said as much (what a mean sister I am!). She put on her brave face and took a few small steps towards the water...

Squish, squash, bluuuuuuurp. The ground was very, very muddy. She sunk a good three inches into the mud and made a strange gurgling sounds in the back of her throat. I could tell that she was thinking of those stories about people sinking in quicksand.

That wouldn't do; Rosie would not succumb to quicksand and become a snake's breakfast. She skadoodled back onto solid ground.

"I'm so sorry, Shaylynn! I just... ick... I was sinking!"

I suggested we go inside, but she felt bad that I didn't have the photos I needed and gave it another shot-- this time walking towards the water from her favorite fishing spot.

That didn't work out, either.

Rosie's nose and ears turned bright pink. She was almost in tears.

I asked her if the mud was too icky. She nodded, then shrugged sadly, and said, "But you're not going to get the pictures you need!"

It just about melted my heart.

Forget about all the times I complain about her annoying way of interrupting me or pestering me to do things or never ever cleaning her part of the room. She really is the sweetest little girl, ever.

I tried to convince her that it was okay. I shouldn't have expected her to walk in the mud-- even I wouldn't want to do that, after seeing how gooey it was! But it was to no avail.

We found some nice solid ground and took some more fairy pictures.

I didn't have the heart to tell her that these won't work for the magazine's short story. (Who knows? Maybe I can manage some fancy Photoshop and make it work?). She was just so worried about me!

She looked like a little angel!

Rosie still kept saying "sorry" between every couple of sentences and it took a fair amount of time to convince her that no, I did not need her to try walking in the scary water again.

My brave lil' sis!

When I opened up the pictures I was excited to see that they turned out quite well! They may not work for the short story, but they are pretty in an of themselves. Well, and because of Rosie, of course!

She was swordfighting and wrestling my brothers with her super-curly hair and brand-new fairy wings earlier, so I think it's all OK now. (Wish I had a picture of that!)

And this, my friends, is why you should always exclaim AWWWWWW anytime I post a picture with my little sister in it. She isn't just cute. She's super sweet.

The Dragon's Treasure Chest

A red flower necklace-- perhaps brought to life by an Autumn Fairy? Handmade, of course, by moi. :)

Fair maidens dwell in fairytales. So do chivalrous knights, courageous children, evil monsters, magical creatures, and treasure chests. It's a world full of marvels, and once we've come out and returned to the real world, the stories remind us that every real thing is in itself a wonder and a marvel.

This post isn't supposed to be a rambling on the land of Faerie, however. I just wanted to let you know that I have made many new pieces of jewelry!

My last "big batch of jewelry" post was inspired by everything Elvish. This batch comes to you straight out of the dragon's treasure trove. Most were inspired by fairytales!

These jewels all have that touch of whimsy that will bring the sparkle and marvel of the Land of Faerie into the Land of Earth.

Click for bigger images!

Blog readers may be familiar with this design-- it was my first attempt at some extremely complicated wirewrapping techniques. Named the Flower Garden, it was inspired by the sorts of gardens that are so beautiful you expect a fairy or a magical portal to appear!

edit: pink ones sold! I'll be making more!

Pixie Dust earrings! You can't go wrong with swirls of color and sparkling beads. :)

Another wirewrapped necklace. I could just see a mermaid or naiad wearing this... :)

And earrings to match. :) Oh, btw, what do you think about the earrings stand I made?

A royal necklace. Man, am I proud of this. :) Made with copper wire from A Beaded Affair. LOVE the wire. And having too much fun learning how to make filigree style necklaces!

Just another shot of the same necklace. :)

A snowflake set. I was actually inspired to make this after re-watching Tilda Swinton play the White Witch in Narnia, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. But don't worry. This jewelry set will not turn you into stone!

Another new technique! This filigree beaded necklace is made with copper wire that I carefully twisted and twisted around on a jig. It's surprising how much wire and time it took-- but I think I need to do more like this. It was so much fun to make.

Another Fairy Garden necklace-- only this one is made entirely out of copper and green glass beads.

Some leafy earrings that remind me of Mirkwood from LotR.

A seashell swirl pendant! I think it must have washed up on a beach... perhaps a little peasant boy found it and it started a whole new adventure. (Can you tell that I like making up stories as I work on designing jewelry?)

So this one isn't exactly fairytale-ish. But it's chainmaille and its black and its cool. :)

You can't get more fairytale-ish than a royal circlet... but this headpiece can also be worn as a sparkling headband and would totally not look out of place with a modern outfit.

These silver-plated chainmaille earrings would go equally well with jeans and a t-shirt or a noble gown.

More long and slender Elvish earrings! I've made several of these in all sorts of colors. :) This one is hand-formed silver-plate wire and two deep purple leaf beads. The swirls could pass as music notes, too!

My workbench is full of many more things that still need the final tweaks before I get them uploaded. There should be a new batch coming soon!

In the meantime, check out all the Elven jewelry I made earlier.

Rivendell's Twilight

All of this jewelry is available in my Shoppe as well as being fairytale eye-candy for you today. I hope these designs made you smile!

(And perfect timing, too. Right now it's Christmas in July! The entire store is on a 10% off sale until the last day of July 2011!)

The Evenstar Set.