Steampunk Bugs

 amazing creations made with real insects!
http://insectlabstudio.com/

We're totally in love.

Romantic patchwork shrug in pink and white

https://www.etsy.com/listing/105235437/romantic-patchwork-shrug-in-pink-and

We're absolutely in love with this latest little confection we put together, all full of lace and satin and pink ruffles!

Lovely Busty Corsety Goodness

https://www.etsy.com/listing/104209332/pretty-patchwork-bustier-in-pink-blue

We loved our last bustier so much that we couldn't resist making a new one, only this time, it's got a slightly bigger cup out of black & silver pinstripe. Pretty hot, right?

A fantastic upcycled wedding

So - Shai and I are getting married (again - it's a long story) in December, and being designers, of course we're making all of our own wedding garments.

It's quite an adventure, and the beauty of it is that we're going to have full control over how everything turns out. Being the control freak that I am, you can imagine how happy that makes me. So keeping in theme with our Eco-consciousness, we're each creating our own upcycled outfits.

I think what I love most about upcycling, reclaiming, recycling etc. is the way that you can take something someone else has completely dismissed, has no interest in anymore and create this amazing thing out of it.

For Shai's outfit, we are working on a funky upcycled collarless dress shirt with some studs on the shoulders for added drama, with a vintage blazer and pointy silver shoes.  The dress shirt will be made out of two boring and plain mens dress shirts, deconstructed and reconstructed to become a super-tailored fitted sleeveless shirt. Color scheme will probably range between the blacks, gun metal, silver and blue. (Photos of the work in progress to come soon.)

The wedding dress will be a real challenge, to be unique and classy at the same time. Thoughts of  big poofy skirts starting at one spot and drifting off into flat or pleated areas, asymmetrical hems and other surprises. Pink and white will probably be the color scheme - either way, it's going to be a fantastical creation.

We're going to spend some time sourcing the materials at our local charity shop and getting to work on it.

Can't wait to share more with you!
<3
Shai & Andrea

Sunglasses that'll make your jaw drop

We discovered these awesome sunglasses by Emma Montague - they seriously made our jaw drop, particularly when we found out that they're made of actual jaw bones. Pretty awesome. Talk about upcycling!

DIY & Sustainable Lifestyles

Nowadays, consumers are becoming more and more aware of what goes into the products they consume. With this knowledge there are many who refuse to be a part of a system that endorses sweatshops, child labor, chemical additives, GMOs, out-of-control pollution, etc. Knowledge is power and in the days of instant information just Google that chemical listed as an ingredient in the cereal you like or look up the production for that brand of clothes that's so hip right now.

Besides just the ethical comforts, there is a charm in going back to the way our grandparents and great grandparents used to consume. It seems like the world was completely different back then. There wasn't "fast food" and there were no more than a handful of multinational corporations.

Though it's also key to remember that shifting over to a more sustainable lifestyle won't necessarily save you money. That said, you will get more value from your money, both for yourself, your family and for the planet.

There are a few simple steps you can take to ease into a more sustainable lifestyle:

1. If you can't make it/fix it it yourself, support a locally run business that can, rather than a multinational chain.

2. Learn to pull yourself away from the TV/computer and get outside. It's easy to forget about the importance of the environment's health on the drive from home to work/school in the morning. It's  especially important for us city mice to see what trees, birds and fresh water actually are. Otherwise these things just seem like images from travel websites or nice desktop backgrounds. Take a day trip and hike around in a nature reserve. Breath in the fresh air and just appreciate nature!

3. Make your own health a priority. Once you start doing a little research, you'll find that there are basic habits that most of us have that are ultimately unhealthy - and we're including mental health here as well, because mind and body have to work together. I mean, how many times have you come down with a cold when you're under a lot of stress? The key is to understand what stands behind the strange words that make up the ingredient list of all of the foods that we eat, more or less processed. The movie Food Inc. is a great place to start.

4. Exercise! Jog, run, do yoga, lift weights, pilates, anything Just keep your body active. We are creatures that are meant originally to hunt for our food, not just push buttons and sit comfortably eating it...

5. Step out of your comfort-zone. If you really want to make a change in your lifestyle, it means that you're not only going to have to stop certain habits, but you'll also have to try out some new things that may be uncomfortable at first - it's called building character. Don't be afraid to visit groups, places, forums, anywhere where you don't know anyone, and be willing to do it alone. Your current group of friends and family may not yet be willing to take that step with you, but that's OK. This is your opportunity to meet some new people who can help you. In fact, if you show up at a grow-op on your own, you'll be surprised at the enthusiasm from complete strangers willing to teach and help you learn!

It's often fun to fantasize about living a more sustainable lifestyle. It would be so much fun to be able to re-use, re-purpose and even fix the broken and worn out items that surround us instead of throwing out an buying new.

These are just a few possible ways to move towards this type of lifestyle. It is not something that is possible to simply switch into right away. There are no magical shortcuts, however these are some basic steps and methods that can be used to move your life in a more positive direction. 

<3
Shai & Andrea

Everyday Beauty

We do our best to try and find the beauty and mystery in everyday situations. Just take a look at the little pile of scraps we noticed on the floor the other day:

This silver tulle caught the light so prettily. It's the little things that bring moments of joy and light to our lives.

Pink Punk Patchwork Clutch

Check it out, we've got a new clutch-bag we put together!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/102623774/colorful-punk-patchwork-clutch-purse

We covered it in all kinds of pink patchwork pieces, chains, jewelry, studs and other goodies!

Alice Inspired Dress

I've always been a big fan of Alice in Wonderland, so I guess it makes sense that we'd eventually create something inspired by her.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/101582617/pretty-blue-ruffle-lace-dress-with

 I know it's a little abstract, but then, so's Alice in Wonderland.

<3
Andrea

Punk cuff!

Check out this new punk cuff we made. It's orange, gold and pink and is decorated with various sized studs, safety pinks and chain!

Available online:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/101295114/punk-cuff-with-studs-saftey-pins-in-pink

Patchwork Bustier

https://www.etsy.com/listing/101046740/pink-blue-pretty-patchwork-bustier

Our newest bustier is pretty sweet. You can see all the details in our Etsy shop, but we just had to share it here with you too! We're really happy with the way everything turned out - the colours, the fit, the whole look of it. 


Not sure why, but we've really be digging the patchwork look lately, like on our corset-belts as well. I think you'll be seeing a lot more of this style from us in the near future!

Our studio - a beautiful disaster!

We thought we'd give you a little glimpse into our working process...

It's a beautiful disaster, just the way we like it!

The Gold and the blue

Don't you love our latest textile art necklace:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/100542145/blue-and-gold-feathered-fiber-art

We were going for a blue & gold theme, but we couldn't resist adding a little pink into the mix.

We're real proud of this new men's shirt we put together. It is all deconstructed-reconstructed and has a super urban feel to it.

Check it out here:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/100312813/mens-geometric-patchwork-shirt-in-gray

Corset Skirts

We've been working on a few new pieces lately - a few wonderful corset skirts

https://www.etsy.com/listing/100024624/high-waist-white-and-turquoise-corset

https://www.etsy.com/listing/98750391/high-waisted-maroon-plaid-corset-skirt

https://www.etsy.com/listing/97964000/high-waisted-firey-gold-corset-skirt

We have some more awesome stuff on the way, we'll show you soon!

Ruffly jacket in progress

We thought we'd share our latest work in progress with you:

It's just a sketch for now, but we thought it looks pretty cool!

We're very proud of our latest design. It's a classy tank top with a collar closure at the top and a tuxedo style hemline at the bottom. you can see some photos of it below and check out the following link for the full listing:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/99800698/sleeveless-tunic-purple-and-black

Poplove works in progress

I absolutely adore this close-up of our latest creation. You really get the feel for the detail and beauty of the work. 

Not to brag or anything, but this one really is beautiful!

Silver Strapless Dress

It wouldn't be the PopLove blog without the occasional PopLove item thrown in!

Take a look at our latest strapless dress:

Available online: http://www.etsy.com/listing/96628006/strapless-silver-and-black-dress

Press, boutiques and new designs

Long time no see! I know we've been really bad bloggers lately, but being a designer and a blogger can be a really tough job sometimes. We've been pretty busy with a lot of great new designs and some really cool news!

Since we haven't had a chance to shoot any of the new designs yet, we'll have to settle for the other stuff that's been going on.

First of all, we're back in a great boutique - Mefoze! If you're lucky enough to be in the TLV area to wander & shop, be sure to stop by and tell them we sent you! I love that shop, they're totally our style. 

Secondly, we were featured in a great article in the Jerusalem Post's Metro magazine! Unfortunately, to read it online you have to be a premium member, but trust - it was a great article! They also featured one of my other favorite TLV eco-designers Neutra. LOVE her bags.

Neutra's Adi bag - can you believe this is made of recycled truck inner tubes?!

Anyway, we're planning to shoot our new camisole and (cross your fingers) our latest dress design in the next week or so, so be sure to stay tuned!  In the meantime, take a look at this furry caterpillar! Don't you just want to collect 100 of them and make them into a sort of live boa?!

Hrm... *subversive organic fashion*