My Victorian Costume (Dress) handmade using an old Disney Quilt Cover by Sharon J. Bainbridge

Here is a photograph of one of my first children's costumes I created for a photo shoot. I made the dress out of an old Disney quilt cover, and quite honestly the costume was a total fluke. I have to giggle as I have no training in making costumes or sewing. Just what my Nan taught me. My Mum and Aunties trained in tailoring and my Great Great Grandmother (Nan) LeFever had some sort of shop around 1918 selling materials and patterns, so it must be in the blood. Never got to meet her and we don't have any photos or information on her as Nan is no longer with us. If only I sat down and talked to Nan about her family history instead of partying all the time. Lets face it in the old days they made amazing dresses and outfits with no training. Sometimes art is just a gift, rather than something you can be trained in.

If you follow my work you will see that I make and create all sorts of things. I love to paint and draw, make costumes (fairy costumes in my book Butterfly Lullaby,) create children's stories, fairy tea sets and furniture, poetry, songwriting, digital fairy and Victorian photographic images, the list is endless. I even did a doll making course in Brighton years ago and used the doll in my Butterfly Lullaby book. A lot of my work is on You Tube and on my Butterfly Lullaby blog. I am like a colourful butterfly that cannot stay still, I flutter from one thing to another and I am always coming up with new things.

When I worked in the Hastings (East Sussex, UK) Pub Mr Cherry's, many years ago, the customers used to come in just to see what I was wearing, how I had my hair and what weird and wonderful make up I had on.  Lets face it not many people would go around town with painted seagulls on their face, ha ha. I used to make some of my clothes as I could not find anything I liked in the shops. I was not really a goth, more of an arty person expressing myself by the way I looked rather than on paper. Quite funny that I did not get laughed at or picked on because I was different and stood out from everyone else. It was a bit of a culture shock when I lived in London and got bullied for looking what this guy thought was Greek (I was called bubble.) I really feel for people who look foreign and stand out, they must have to put up with some rubbish from some sad people that really need to get a hobby. London is such a multi cultural place full of people from all over the world, I must have just been unlucky. I never had this problem in Central London.

I will have to dig out some old pictures of me so you can see a Gothic type of skirt and top I made. And my funny make up and hair. That's enough to brighten any ones Sunday.

Would be nice to find family and have an old picture to remember Great Great Grandmother LeFever and her son Stanley Myles who was my Great Grandad. We are told she did not like my Nans Mum, which is sad. I remember a picture of Nan's Mum, a stunning Burmese lady with a big umbrella. She was truly beautiful. I wish I knew her name, and could trace her family in Burma. If you have Burmese blood spread the word for me please. My Nan was called Sybil Stanley Myles. The names Myles comes from Germany, and was bought over here to the UK in Hastings after 1066. The name LeFever is of course French.  My Nan was a beautiful women, inside and out, what a shame she died thinking she was ugly. If everyone could spread the word for me it would mean so much. Thank you!
If you are searching for long lost family history and pictures leave me a message. Would love to know how you are getting on.

http://www.butterflylullaby.co.uk/ , fairy songs, fairy portraits, art and crafts for children, music, fairy music, true stories, poems, children's stories, free fairy network for businesses and stay at home Mum's (Mom's)