Behold: UNICORNDOG!!!

I've got a new t-shirt design in the running at Threadless!

Please help increase my chances of getting my T-shirt design printed (and getting paid $2000 for it!) by following the link below, scoring it and making a positive comment, if you are so inspired.

The best score you can give it is "$5", which means you select the 5 to the right of the image, and check the "I'd buy it as" box next to that.

Your support is MUCH appreciated!

Original Art FOR SALE!

Before I began my Cristina's Angels series of digital pin-ups, I explored the notion of sexy angels in my "Erotic Angels" series: original acrylic paintings embellished with sparkly sequins, jewels and 3-dimensional mosaic elements made from recycled cardboard.

The inspiration for this series grew out of my experiments with integrating embellishments and textural elements into my paintings.
Early Christian iconography often features the addition of precious stones, gilt and ornate borders that create a sumptuous effect that glorifies the subject matter – indicating divinity and holiness to be revered.
Combining these hallmarks of religious art with the sensuous female figures common in my work creates an interesting juxtaposition – a blending of the “sacred” and the “profane”. This seemingly incongruous pairing suggests a divine aspect in female sexuality.
The saintly halos and angelic wings transform these bold and sultry pinups from mere sex objects into sacred beings worthy of reverence.

Half of these paintings sold during their debut show, and I still have a few left. I'm offering them now at discounted prices.

"Marie", above, is a vision in perfect pink with lush powdered wig, roses and plumes, lace-trimmed corset, and sexy striped stockings!

This one-of-a-kind original painting measures 11 3/8” x 14 1/4.
Acrylic painting on hardboard, embellished with sequins, acrylic jewels and collage mosaic. Ready to hang- no frame required!

To purchase, simply click the link below of the image above and use the "Buy Now" button to make a secure purchase through PayPal.

http://www.cristinasangels.com/CMMariePage.htm

Aranwen Jewelry

Vicki, from Athens, Greece, is the creative mind behind Aranwen Jewelry. She offers a wide selections of adornments, including antique-fusion-style necklaces and chokers, earrings and finger rings, cuff links and brooches....but her most stunning works (IMHO!) are her unique cuff watches.Each adjustable cuff watch features a working clock face (with replaceable battery) surrounded by gloriously rich detailing in lead-free silver-plated or antiqued brass. Swirling scrollwork, graceful floral accents, delightful dragonflies, coy cupids, regal wings - accented with Swarovski crystals, pearls and Czech glass beads - all of these elements are harmoniously arranged to create ornate, yet elegant pieces that are suitable for both ladies and (flamboyantly inclined!) gentlemen.Check out more Aranwen Jewelry designs at their Etsy shop:
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5451132

DeviantArt Gallery:
http://aranwen.deviantart.com/gallery/

Blog:
http://aranwen.blogspot.com/

Just in Time for Talk Like A Pirate Day

Aaaaahhhrrr, Mateys!
Tomorrow be International Talk Like A Pirate Day, and I be celebratin' by introducin' new apparel featurin' our own piratical pin-up Angel, the timber-shiverin' Lady Claire.
This flamboyant filly has buckles to swash and a bodacious booty, and she's now available on a treasure trove of fanciful finery - T-shirts, tank tops, hoodies and more! Aaaahhhrrr!

http://cristinasangels.deco-apparel.com/shop?c=80818

NEW! Steampunk Apparel Design!

Introducing: Madame Remington's Corsetry & Armory - for the Formidable AND Fashionable Lady Adventurer!

Express your feminine daring-do and your love of Steampunk style with this indubitably delightful design. Cleverly mimicking a vintage advertisement, it features a singularly lovely (and sturdy!) bullet-proof corset, with cunningly-fashioned built-in holsters for pistol and dagger, as well as a handsome ammunition bandolier and state-of-the-art aetheroptic goggles.
Everything the intrepid Lady Adventurer needs to boldly go where no man has dared go before, and look stunning all the while!

Available now on T-shirts, tank tops, raglans, hoodies and more!
I've chosen shirt colors that I think compliment the design, but you can choose whichever color you wish from the available selection.
More apparel options available on zazzle.

http://cristinasangels.deco-apparel.com/shop?c=80703
http://www.zazzle.com/madame_remingtons_corsetry_armory_tshirt-235134157777229612

"La Rosa" Apparel now Available

Get T-shirts, tank tops, hoodies, raglans and long-sleeved shirts featuring this unique image - Exclusively from the Cristina's Angels Heavenly Apparel Shop!

http://cristinasangels.deco-apparel.com/designs/design?d=196163868

NEW ANGEL: "La Rosa"

Introducing "La Rosa" - a bit of a departure from my usual "pin-up" genre. This Angel is more somber, but still seductive.
This image was inspired by my recent exploration of the Mexican folktale La Llorona, as well as a long-time appreciation of the Dia De Los Muertos traditions.
I just love the look of calacas - the whimsical skull and skeletons, often embellished with colorful designs, that are associated with that celebration. I've also incorporated the elements of intricate Spanish lace and twining vines and roses.
"La Rosa" is now available as fine art prints and greeting cards.
Apparel coming soon!

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/la-rosa-cristina-mcallister.html

Swingin’ Pasties from Gothfox and some Nipply History

…and I don’t mean the meat pie kind!
Gothfox offers unique made-to-order nipple pasties, many of them featuring “easy-twirling” tassels (also handmade!), which are “*magically* placed in an eyelet” to facilitate smooth swinging.
Gothfox is owned and operated by Loretta Jackson, a retired burlesque performer with the experience and craftiness to design tempting, as well as sturdy pasties for personal and professional use.FYI- pasties are, indeed, pasted on - using spirit gum, eyelash glue, latex adhesive or double-sided toupee tape or Fashion/Flash tape.
Please also note that Gothfox's pasties are not just one-size-fits-all. Four sizes, gently cupped to conform to femenine curves, ensure a perfect fit for every body - measured not by the size of the breast, but the areola.
Gothfox offers a wide variety of shapes, colors and designs, embellished with rhinestones, feathers, shimmery/sparkly/patterned fabrics, bows, lace, trims, tassels and more!

Of particular note are these gorgeous peacock-feathered pasties, the whimsical stripy-goth Beetle Juice pasties, the elegant Lo-Pan's Desire pasties, and the out-of-this-world Star Trek insignia pasties. Phasers set to stun, Captain!
So what's the deal with these saucy, sticky little tit-toppers, anyway?
Well, I did a bit of poking around and here's what I found out.

In early burlesque and striptease performance, revealing costumes were often preferred over blatant nudity. Dancers wearing strategically-placed seashells or sparkles enticed the audience with the promise of exposure, but left the details to their imaginations. Of course, topless shows were also popular, so whether to reveal or conceal the titillating tips of their tempting tatas was up to the performer.
In the Roaring 1920's, burlesque - a form of entertainment that included satire, performance art, bawdy comedy and erotically-charged dance performances, flourished. Around this time, the term "strip-tease" first appeared, and the art of tantalizing the audience by slowly removing clothing became increasingly popular.
This of course, freaked out the moralists, and restrictions were placed on just how much naked flesh could be shown. These codes made exposing the female nipple in public against the law, and pasties became a required costume element.This did little to dampen anyone's enthusiasm, however.
The barely-there coverups merely served to enhance the mystique of the forbidden nipple.
Early stripper Carrie Finnell is credited with adding tassels to pasties and pioneering the art of tassel-twirling. Is is said that she had such control of her bountiful breasts that she could twirl the tassels at different speeds and in different directions with such panache that her breasts were compared to propellers readying for lift-off.
Dancers skillfully turned what was supposed to be a limitation into yet another enticing weapon in their erotic entertainment arsenal.

Nowadays, with toplessness once again prevalent in the "exotic dance" industry, pasties are generally considered old-fashioned. Luckily, with the recent explosion of neo-burlesque preformers, the true art of striptease is once again being appreciated, and pasties are an essential element of the seductive restraint that sets it apart from the less artful bump-and-grind of most modern stripping.

Steampunk Angel Costume

This young lady won 1st place in the costume parade at the 2009 Elf Fantasy Fair Haarzuilen, Netherlands.

She would fit in perfectly with my Angels, would she not?

More wonderful pics of some truly spectacular costumes from this (unfortunately rather far away!) event can be seen here.

http://www.elffantasyimages.com/index.php?view=gallery
Above photos by Photos by MeAndMyMachine and xxxVitanixxx, respectively.

Scoundrel's Keep Corsets and More!

Designer Heather Luca, out of St. Paul Minnesota, is the formidable force behind the gorgeous creations of Scoundrel's Keep apparel.
Her main forte is corsets - so far she has a line of 14 beautifully crafted corset designs with delightful details and distinctive flair, including three unique corset dresses.The superlatively inventive Ms. Luca can take even a basic design to new levels of creativity with various fabrics, adornments and embellishments - take a look at her Lola corset variations for a sampling.I'm particularly enamored of her unique Sabine corset design (shown at the top of this post), a unique underbust corset that features a high back with charmingly steamy buckles and straps.
She also has a lovely selection of other steampunk/Neo-Victorian apparel, including jackets, blouses, skirts, bloomers and petticoats and accessories.

Check out more of Scoundrel's Keep's gorgeous and beautifully photographed creations here:
http://www.scoundrelleskeep.com/

Custom Avatar Portraits - Only $65!

Did you know that you can commission me to create a uniquely expressive portrait for use on your profile or website?
Just send me a clear (and flattering!) photo to work from to get a good (perhaps slightly idealized!) likeness, and the rest is up to your imagination. I can embellish you with fantastic clothing, accessories, even a fabulous new hairstyle! If you can describe it to me, or better yet, point me to a reference picture of what you have in mind, I can do it.
You can even be an Angel!

Express your true self with distinctive style and artistic flair!
These also make great gifts for someone special.

This sample features my dashing and debonair husband, who is already quite fabulous as-is, but I added some groovy steampunk goggles for extra panache!

Avatar portraits are only $65 - a bargain for a one-of-a-kind custom portrait.
Please note that this is a special price for a small format, head-and-shoulders portrait only, with a limited level of detail and is intended for personal use only as your profile picture*.

Shoot me an email at cristinamcallister@sbcglobal.net and we'll get started on creating your perfect avatar.


*Large format, full-body, more detailed and elaborate portraits are available, as is full copyright to the image, for $250-$500, depending on the level of detail. More info here.
http://www.cristinasangels.com/CustomAngelsPage.htm

Steampunk Nouveau

by Italian illustrator Martina Cecilia.
Online portfolio:
http://www.sarapica.net/
DeviantArt Gallery:
http://mary-chan.deviantart.com/gallery/

Featured Angel: Estelle

The name "Estelle" means "star", and this glamorous bombshell is glittering like the jewels of the heavenly Firmament! With the sweet charm of Marilyn, a sophisticated sweep of Art Deco, and a shimmering sprinkle of sparkles, Estelle has got megawatts of star power!

Available exclusively from Cristina McAllister as high-quality digital art prints on fine art papers or canvas and customizable greeting cards.

Addicted Image

An enticing moment captured by Addicted Image:
http://addictedimage.com/

Kat Bret Photography

My first glimpse of San Francisco photographer Kat Bret's work was the above image, which I spied on a steampunk site some time ago. Recent web wanderings have lead me to more of her lovely imagery - here is a small sampling.
More of Ms. Bret's work can be found on her website:
http://www.katbret.com/index.php
and her DeviantArt Gallery:
http://katbretphotography.deviantart.com/

Lacy Chokers by Art of Adornment

Art of Adornment is a Canadian jewelry studio that creates "historically-inspired vintage Victorian, romantic Renaissance, daring 1920's and dark modern Gothic style - limited edition and one-of-a-kind accessories made from rare, unusual and exquisite components".
I'm especially taken with their lace chokers made from fancy trim and appliques embellished with jewels and pendants.
Beyond their elegant jewelry, they also carry a selection of hair accessories and hats, hosiery, fans and wooden "cigar box" purses and jewelry boxes.

http://www.artofadornment.ca/catalog/index.php

Lush Imagery from Aesthetic Alchemy

Multi-talented Darien Revel, the mind (and apparently body) behind Aesthetic Alchemy, masterfully combines moody sets, lush costumes, fierce makeup, props and lighting to create unique fine photography for the fashion and portrait markets.
I adore the glasses!
http://www.aestheticalchemy.com/

More Fantastic Hats...by Elsie Massey

I just received a letter from Ms. Purdy, whom I recently featured in a post about her fabulous hats. She informed me that the hat pictured at the top of that post was not one of her own creations, but was, in fact, made by one Elsie Massey – another delightful hatmaker and colleague of hers.

Elsie Massey Originals is a fourth-generation family business that originated in New Castle-on-tyne, England by Elsie's Grandmother. The shop has an extensive selection of finery to choose from: English garden hats, French riding hats, Walk-in-the-Park hats, Touring hats, small brim, large brim, chiffon brim, hats for children, and more.
She has even thoughtfully gathered all of her black hats into one section for the Gothic purists, or perhaps for those looking for mourning attire.

I just love all the rich colors and charming details. They evoke a bygone era of elegance and style that’s rarely seen in everyday life nowadays. How fun it must have been to swath oneself in fine silks and brocades and feathers and flowers!
But I’ve read enough historical novels to know that wearing extravagant outfits every day was no Walk-in-the-Park, so to speak. We’re lucky that these days we can choose to play dress-up when we want to, and relax and be casual when we don’t.
Beyond her marvelous hats, Elsie’s shop also features Victorian accessories such as lace and crochet gloves, decorated parasols and fans, feathered hairclips and these wonderful Victorian collars – delightfully simple garments that can effortlessly turn an ordinary blouse or dress into a fabulous period costume piece.

My favorite creations, though, are her fanciful Victorian Witch hats – a unique twist on the ubiquitous pointy chapeau traditionally worn by spell-casting sorceresses. Adorned with whimsical bats, spiders, autumn gourds, fall leaves, even a crow familiar…these outrageous concoctions are pure wicked fun! Seeing these makes me want to design a whole costume to go with them – a fabulous, flamboyant Madame Magick to cluck and fuss over the wee trick-or-treaters on All-Hallows Eve.
We do still have a couple of months till the end of October...hmmmm...

Find Elsie Massey hats and more at:
http://www.elsiemassey.com/

The Pyramid Collection

This print and online catalog features a selection of apparel, accessories, art and gift items that focus on “Magick, Myth, Fantasy & Romance”.
Their “themes” include renaissance, gothic, wicca, Celtic, pirates, and more. They don’t have Steampunk listed as one of their themes, but they do have a number of items that happily fit into this category.
Here are some highlights:

The Pyramid Collection

http://www.pyramidcollection.com/default.asp