NB: Very limited client spots available in 2011. Depending on what orders come in, I’ll be closing this service from early December until the new year.
You: you’re brilliant, you know? You’re totally a pirate queen or a god-emperor or – at the very least – some kind of superhero.
It might not be obvious to everyone else, but you know it. Or, you don’t know it yet, but you’re keen to move in that general direction.
And of course, you get that this is not about being an autocrat or an overlord or top of the heap. (That wouldn’t be very Revolutionary, would it? Although I suspect despots do end up fairly Stringy, what with the stress and the rich diet and so on…)
No. This is about sovereignty – the state of being absolutely comfortable in your own skin and your own space, able to assert sane and healthy boundaries, in touch with qualities of joy and light and love.
Yeah, it’s kind of hippie. That’s cool too.
What is?
Oops. Getting ahead of myself.
I’m talking about sovereignty you can wear.
I’m talking about crowns. And capes.
With words and symbols embroidered on them to make them uniquely meaningful to you.
Are you the sort who’d get a kick out of wearing an actual honest-to-goodness cape or a sparkly crown? Or do you prefer the idea of going incognito, in a secret crown or a secret cape?
Clearly, circumstances vary. You probably won’t be wearing a golden crown to a job interview (unless it’s a phone interview, in which case, please write and tell me how it went). And you might decide against turning up to a first date wearing a big, swirly cape, no matter how magnificent it makes you feel.
To the uninitiated, however (the bank official who’s discussing your overdraft, say), your secret crown resembles a perfectly innocent headscarf, your secret cape is easily mistaken for a wrap. And you can wear one or other of them pretty much anywhere.
What do they look like?
Here’s my secret crown. The emblem, embroidered on the under-layer, features a crown and the four words that surged to mind when I asked myself what creativity brings me.
I make them from high-quality, sustainable materials, finish them with meticulous care, and embroider on them the words, symbols, or emblems that you’ve chosen. I can design the embroidery for you, or I can stitch an existing personal emblem if you have one. (I’ve been sewing for thirty years, by the way – even my inner critic thinks I’m good at it. And she’s hard to please.)
What’ll mine say?
Well, the question is, what do you need? What qualities do you want to amplify in your life? What words or symbols resonate with you? What if you could wrap yourself in those concepts, and stride forth into the big bad world with all their interlacing meanings surrounding you?
What would you choose?
One person simply chose “Sovereignty”. Another chose “Faith, Hope, Love”. A third chose an image of a leaf and some stars. A fourth chose “Nourish, Presence, Enough”.
(You know, for me this is the best bit of the whole deal. People’s choices are so interesting, so moving. I love meditating on the qualities myself as I stitch.)
What will yours say?
Tell me more!
Why, certainly.
A secret crown
That’s a double-layered, triangular headscarf or wide hairband. It’ll keep your hair off your face – but it’s also a secret crown because the under-layer features your hidden embroidery.
A secret cape
That’s a large scarf or wrap, such as you might cast nonchalantly around your shoulders as the evening draws in and the breeze begins to pick up. It measures about 6 feet by 2 feet (negotiable!), it’s double-layered, and features your personal embroidery either in the corner or half way up one of the long sides.
An actual crown
Shiny, pointy, jewel-encrusted golden crown, yo. Made of fabric and stiff interfacing, to your personal head measurement. Embroidered, if you like, with a word or phrase – “sovereignty” springs to mind, doesn’t it? – either inside (secret!) or outside (sparkly!).
An actual cape
Swishy. Really swishy – the full-length, hooded version uses over nine yards of fabric. Thigh-length or longer, with or without a hood. Double-layered, fully reversible – and if you choose one zingy and one drab fabric, you get a visibility/invisibility cloak! Long ties in self-fabric to fasten. Can feature embroidery of words or symbols, as above. But it’s mainly about the swish.
Whoa, so many options!
Well, now. Does that cover it?
No, I have questions…
Splendid! Ask away.
Shipping?
Included, to anywhere.
When you say “high-quality, sustainable materials”…?
Secret crowns and capes are made from fair-trade organic cotton. I have two suppliers in the UK, who in turn source their fabric from India. It’s hand-woven and hand-dyed, and it stitches up like a dream. For the embroidery, I currently use standard cotton floss, but I’m on the lookout for a more eco-friendly option.
Note: the golden crowns will not be made from fair-trade organic anything. They will be made from shiny synthetic goldy fabric I have in my stash. Until it’s all gone, at which point I’ll rethink.
When do I choose colours, fabrics, etc.?
After I receive your order, I’ll contact you with questions about fabric, sizing, and embellishment. At that point you’ll be able to choose your fabrics, give me the relevant measurements, and let me know what you’d like embroidered on your piece. I’ll be delighted to advise you on any of these decisions.
Can I pay you in instalments?
Absolutely. Pay me a minimum of $50 now, and tell me (a) what you’re buying, and (b) how many instalments it’ll take you. Here – have a button:
(Obviously, it’s not really a donation. I just don’t quite know how to break that to PayPal.)
I love this idea, but you don’t have exactly what I want
No problem! Contact me, tell me what you’d like, and I’ll quote you a price.
So, what now?
OK, so, you want a piece of the crowny-capey joy. Excellent! Here’s what you do:
- Choose an item and buy it using its handy PayPal button.
- If you like, tell me what you have in mind in the “message to seller” box.
- Reply to the e-mail where I ask you for any further details I need.
- Sit back while I get stitching.
Hooray! Let’s do this thing!
Those handy buttons one more time
NB: Very limited client spots available in 2011. Depending on what orders come in, I’ll be closing this service from early December until the new year.