No restrictions

I had gotten the latest email blast from Coletterie and I just had to smirk a bit. Not that it was bad or I was being especially snotty or anything but it was about a little trip to NYC and different fabric stores. One of which was Mood. Then they described this draping class that was being taught there and this beautiful piece was made.

This is what made me smirk. Of course it is gorgeous but also how many yards of fabric do you think it took to make this? My rough estimate with those wide pleats would be somewhere between 15-20 yards. That is also not muslin which makes a large difference as well. Even muslin at Mood prices for that much yardage it would be about $120. It just amazes me how unrealistic some of these things are that they present to people as options. I guess they can get away with that in NYC but you would find yourself hard pressed to get someone in Columbus to shell out the class price with an additional couple hundred in just draping supplies.  I would know, I teach draping in the summer at CCAD.

I dream of the day when I have copious amounts of money or means to drape amazing unrestricted garments but alas, I must work with what I have and be conservative with each piece. Once upon a time in college I was able to do this regardless of cost, not because I had the money but because I was an oblivious youth with big dreams and very supportive parents. The last time I gave myself unrestricted allowance for fabric was my wedding dress. That took about 8 yards of silk organza because of all the pleats.

 Well anyways that was just my little two cents on that post from Coletterie and their trip to NYC and Mood. It is hard to be a designer without any support and income and especially harder if you are an adult with an interest in it and looking to take classes. Fashion design is not cheap nor is it easy. I try to be as sympathetic as possible to my students pocket books but I feel their pain between the creative expression and the reality of the situation you live in.

Best of luck my friends and don't be discouraged by your resources. Continue to create and learn and be happy in what you are doing for yourself.
Cheers!

Ups and Downs

Polyps #1 by Jonah Jacobs

The past week has been a little bit of a roller coaster! Being able to finally announce my participation on the new TLC show Craft Wars. I've been juggling a flood of e.mail from friends, day job, organizing craft vendors for two upcoming festivals, teaching my Pattern class at CCAD, and prepping for my College Preview High School Class also at CCAD. My best friend called and asked me how I find the time to do all of this as I was sitting in a gallery doing some volunteer work for Ohio Art League. I told her I just do. My day job is so unfulfilling that I need to fill the rest of my life doing things I love to counterbalance it all. The above art was one of the pieces that was on display at the Columbus Metro Library exhibit I was volunteering at for artist pick up. I loved all the colors in it and how it reminded me of a deep sea surface covered in barnacles. It reminded me that I need to get back to making art myself and finish up some projects I have been holding off to the side.

I sat down this weekend and took another long look at this Overshot weaving pattern and finally decided to just dive in and get it started. I have my warp threads measured out over a month ago it was time to just try it all out. I was hesitant because I haven't been able to go to my weaving classes regularly with my teaching schedule conflicting this summer and it is a format I have never tried before. I'm one of those people that also hates to waste anything so I feel like if I mess up that I will have wasted some decent wool yarn and a lot of my time.

 I got about half of it threaded in the heddles yesterday and I hope to finished the rest tonight and give it a test run. I've also been obsessed once again in finding a loom for myself to keep. I'm thinking even a rigid heddle is better then nothing. I've taken a gander at Inkle table looms as well but I have a feeling they are not my cup of tea.

In other news, not sure if it's because of the weather or just because I have been much more productive the good ole hands and elbows have needed braces as I work on knitting, tatting, embroidery or typing. I know several other ladies my age who are having the same problems being long time crafters in needle arts. It makes me a little scared that if it's this bad now how much worse will it get as I age? I could never imagine life without being able to craft and create. I think I would just down a bunch of pain pills and carry on.

Do you have any slightly embarrassing injuries to claim?
Tonight is another Episode of Craft Wars! I'm not sure I will get to watch it as it airs due to Red, White and BOOM! tonight but I'll be sure to find a way to catch up on it and blog ASAP!

Cheers and Enjoy the Holiday my Fellow Americans!

Summer approaching

With Summer pretty much on the doorstep I keep thinking about how great my last summer ended with getting married and our amazing whirlwind honey moon to London, Paris and Rome.
As I daydream of the fantastic time I had I am avoiding the reality of things that will be this summer, the kitchen renovation.

Everyone looks nice and dandy right? Wrong....... when we did the Tear out the cabinets were from 1948 shipped from California and made proudly in the USA by Union workers. The oven is failing, 2 of the three stove top burners are no longer working and there is no dishwasher. The counters and cabinets are also too narrow to fit in with modern appliances. I loathe the vinyl flooring so that will be replaced with the same Bamboo throughout the rest of our first floor.  We are also getting a wall demolished to open the area up, moving the window by the oven to the opposite side and installing a half bath.

In other news the beginning of summer also means the start of summer classes for me to teach.
Over at ye' olde stomping grounds of CCAD for teaching I'll be doing Pattern Drafting and Sewing Construction per usual, then my favorite Summer program College Preview teaching another summer of heart wrenching fashion elective! Sadly my Draping and Fabric Manipulation class did not have a large enough enrollment to happen this summer. I love teaching draping, it is just more my style and such a fun loose class to get creative in.

I also will have a few classes over at one of my favorite local stores Wholly Craft. I'll be teaching beginning crochet and also an Amigurami class for a little Jelly fish doll.

I'm trying to work on some new pieces of art and just jewelry in general that I'd like to sell on Etsy. It's very annoying to be out of my element and without a proper work space. I'm making do as much as I can with just the small handicrafts that I can transport around with me. It is seriously stressing me out not to be able to sew and work in fabric freely when ever I want. Today is just Monday so hopefully the rest of the week turns around. Tomorrow is my first day to teach with the summer class so that'll be exciting to meet some new people and find out why they want to learn basic pattern drafting.

Cheers!

Decision, Decisions

Hello Friends!
I've been a bit absent for several reasons mostly aren't excusable but I thought I would tell you anyways.  My older brother for some reason thought it was a smart idea to take my 4 years old netbook instead of his snazzy new macbook with him on a business trip to Korea so my photo uploads have been bunk.  Usually I would upload photos as I watch dramafever and knit on the couch (it's still multitasking even if they are all fun things).  My wonderful husband has also updated my computer which is amazing!  More memory updated programs for my Macmini but it also put my scanner out of commission because it is so out of date it won't install the drivers so once again none of my snazzy fun fuiji instax (polaroids) have been scanned or uploaded (major fail).  Lastly these video submissions I have been working on have been gobbling up more time then I had expected.  It's tough to film something and then try to edit or even upload some 2 hours of footage. 

The image at the beginning is a new piece part of my "delicacies" series that I photographed for my current portfolio.

Aside from giving you all this amusing excuses that isn't what I really wanted to talk about here.  I've been working on another Graduate School Application and this time it was for CCAD where I teach Continuing Education. I had a long talk with the current President of Enrollment Johnathan Lindsay about the state of the school and it's goals and a lot about that fashion department which is my end game goal here.  This application is slightly different then other MFA's.  Instead of asking for a letter of intent they want a project proposal.  This sounded like a fun idea until I read more into the details.  They wanted examples cited and pictures, materials etc etc.  It sounded just like making a proposal that you would make as a working artist for a grant or gallery submission.  This got my wheels turning a bit faster then normal and then to a halt.  As I began my outline of different projects I could possibly propose I thought to myself I don't really know what I am doing and this is kinda what I wanted to go back to school for, to learn how to write a proper proposal as an artist.

Taking a break for a few days I met up with a friend at a coffee shop who has been helpful in my grad school applications and just shooting the shit artist to artist.  He formerly worked at CCAD which is how I knew him.  We discussed the CCAD program which is very exciting and conceptual.  Basically every semester you work on a project for which you proposed, it is an interdisciplinary program so you are free to take classes in any medium.  This also allows you to choose a different mentor/professor to work with each semester as well.  From what I've heard, a majority of these students are also teaching undergrad fine art classes, which I think is excellent. I agreed with my friend that I think this is a great MFA program for someone who is aspiring to be a fine Artist full time.  For majority of artists if they are going straight from undergrad into a grad program this would be useful before they are flung into the real world as it seems they are always able to show their work at the end of the semester.  As my friend pointed out it will enforce people to make their own schedule and deadlines, teach them how to source and network as well as gallery presentation.  As useful as these things are I have been out of school for about 9 years, these are things I have already mostly learned and would rather not learn by trial and error at my stage in life.  After this conversation I found more that it isn't the fit for me in terms of grad school.  As fantastic and open and it is I feel like I would not be getting enough of out it for myself.

On the flipside is OSU who I am still praying that I get accepted.  If not this year I will try again next year.  I look through the coursebook online and I see the potential of things I could take to make my education a cut above other artist and fashion instructors I know. I see learning about practical business skills because let's be honest a fine artist is still a business, you have taxes to pay and deduct you advertise yourself and your work.  You are a merchant for your art.  There are possibilities in getting to critique and discuss with a wider audience of people as majority of the campus are not fine artists but their insight is still critical.  I was discussing with another friend how silly it is sometimes when artists don't branch out to get critiqued by others.  How can you compare yourself to yourself?  I know how to write a proposal but still to take a class to help me make a more powerful or concise artist proposal and statement is what I need.  Perhaps OSU won't have the same close mentorship program that CCAD does but my education does not just stop on what is available on campus. 

Outside of Grad school there are also a plethora of opportunities that I can take advantage of.  I am a committee member now of the Ohio Art League and they continual have Art Informal, which is a meeting of members and free talking/critiquing of the arts in our community.  Through Ohio Art League I know that I could find someone willing to be a mentor for me in my work and it would be just as personal as someone assigned or chosen from school.  There is also no harm is asking a fellow teacher at CCAD to look at my work as a friend and give me a little guidance here and there.  My education is certainly not limited to going to a school but in the end for what I want it is necessary.

End game I want to be a fashion instructor/full time faculty as my JOB.

Disappearing Act - Senoir Thesis

This is LaTosha Stimmage

aka Tosha aka Wolf Mutha

She was my TA at CCAD for about 3 years.  She is one of my most favorite people to have met over the past few years.  She is a real person, no masks no illusions and she translates her personality and flair into all of her art.  Check out my favorite selections from her Senoir Thesis - Disappearing Act.

 

If you want to track her progress check out her Tumblr Ham & Banana's and her Blog The Pop Bang Fizz.

In my world today

There hasn't been a lot of personal stuff on the blog lately because a lot of it is hush hush or I'm so cussing busy that I can't see straight therefore I don't want to talk about it.

Well today I am going to talk a little bit about what I can.
We are currently on week # 2 of fostering this darling kitten.  She came to us as Fluffy and we have since re-named her Miss Rambo Fluffington the 1st or Rambo for short.  The Fiancee could not endure her to have a sweet pretty name so he chose Rambo, we just needed a more formal title to get along with the rest of the family.

Our other two kitties are the wiley looking woodland creature Sir Benjamin Franklin and the always proper Orange girl Princess Sophia Loren, or Franklin & Sophie aka Stankles and Chubbs.

Suffice to say she is a keeper and we are going to officially adopt her after she is fixed.

I am amidst another semester of teaching at CCAD for Pattern Drafting and Construction.  It is going well but I was in a bit of a funk at the beginning.  I think the break from winter accompanied by all the wedding planning was making me feel bogged down and not mentally prepared for this semester but I am totally on board now mentally and things are wonderful.  The summer CE classes for Pattern Drafting and Construction as well as my Draping into Pattern class are now open here if you want to apply!  Also this summer I am doing the High School 10-12 grade work shop and College Preview once again.  College Preview is probably one of my favorite programs to be a teacher in at CCAD.

I have been working on writing my testimonial for a international sewing machine company and there are several other exciting projects that may come from them as well.  I've already been talking to a company rep so it's another great thing in the works.  Once it's official you can expect a ton of awesome things.

I have some repeat client work gearing up for spring/summer.  Along with new client projects and work which is very hush hush right now ( I know it's sooo boring when I say Hush Hush but it just means it'll be that much better when I can talk about it).

Oh and I am going to be a guest lecture/workshop teacher for a local Private High School on Fashion design and the Pattern drafting process.  We are just sorting out the details.

I will have a great review about a Class I took at the Columbus Idea Foundry this week on Laser Cutting so look forward to it!

I am currently avoiding my wedding planning again...... perhaps later this week I will get back on board but I have a Jacket for a friend to finish.  It's a variation off of my Fencer Jacket.

Amy Butler

Randomly I got to meet Amy Butler at a Sew to Speak event that was rescheduled.  It was just one of those random awesome things.   I had actually forgotten about the event because I had another appointment and earlier had to take my fatty kitties to the vet who just confirmed they were fatty kitties.  With my other appointment canceled I figured I would have a great open night to spend working on my wedding dress.  Then magically I remembered that Amy Butler would be at Sew to Speak and I still had an hour to possibly meet her.  I had missed her previously when she spoke at CCAD.   If you have no idea what I am talking about she is a pattern designer and seamstress who lives in Granville, Ohio but is known worldwide for her unique fabric prints and colors. 

Anyways it was PACKED at Sew to Speak and they are not a large store.  She took the time to sit and chat a little bit with every single person in line.  I think that alone is pretty amazing.  I told my friends there "If that was me I would have a power point presentation and do a Q&A session because I hate to repeat myself when people usually have the same questions over and over again".  

I was about to leave after being in the store for an hour but then I saw the line was only halfway and no one else was coming in so I continued to chat to my friends Olivia from Wholly Craft, Emily of Umbrella Girl Productions and Michelle of Baby Gee's.  Michelle was thrilled she loves Amy Butler and has met her several times.  This is the Picture we took with her.  I look a MESS!  No makeup and super tired from wrestling with the cat's at the Vet just before this.  Amy Butler is TALL, she also was very well accessorized with hints of ice on her hands.  I like how her smaller diamond bands and solitaire stones probably equated to 5 carats on just one finger yet she dressed more conservatively but fashionable like someone who appreciates Diane Von Furstenberg  (yes I am probably over identifying her because I have been watching too much NYFW)

My one honest fan question was pretty lame sounding but it was "What sewing machine do you personally sew on and what brands do you like?"  She said he used a Husqvarna Viking Designer 1 but it had too many bells and whistles so she preferred her 1972 Singer ( which is of course a beast but great classic machine and well built).  She had a Janome at one point which she really liked but she gave it away to a friend and she somewhat regrets that since it was a great machine that she really liked and it was gifted to her by Janome.

Another funny fact is that an old friend of mine from high school's parent's moved to Granville and they are neighbor's with Amy butler "We live on the same Hill"

To be honest I like her fabrics and patterns but I wasn't a huge fan.  I thought they were nice but didn't quite understand the entire rave about it.  I am selective about my fabrics and even more my color choices.  But after the trunk show and meeting Amy in person I was really wowed by her how personable she was and genuine.   I also got to take a look at her new line Soul Blossoms and was happily impressed with the more complex patterns in the fabrics.  I think my favorites are from "Passion" below.

 Images of Store are from Michelle at her Baby Gees Blog

Other images from Amy butler website clipped by me.

Keep with the Times

Hello Friends!   How is this blustery cold week making you feel?  For me it's all about the warm weather items such a gloves, mittens, scarves, cowls, Neckwarmers, and Wristlets.  Yes I know you think my life is a little excessive but there is a reason! 

That reason being that I have been very diligently (moreso then ever before) updating my Etsy website!  Usually I don't have the need of this but with the wonky Indian Summer we had here in Ohio I needed to unload my cold weather gear into the general masses. 

This has been a long lesson in Photography, lighting, photo editing and most importantly patience.  It is very awkward and uncomfortable for me who is in fiber and fashion to switch gears to a nearly alien art form of photography.  Don't make any misconceptions that there "simple" etsy photos are not using the same skills as any other trained photographer.  If I had better skills you know I wouldn't be spending so much time editing my photos.  Nearly all of them are too dark.  Then as I lighten the exposure I find some that are completely out of focus.  There is much sighing.

Here are a few of my amateur tips for taking your photos to display.

1. Use the MACRO function on your camera, doesn't matter if you aren't even that close you never know what details the camera might bring out in a stitch or detail or even mistake.  Yes, I said mistake.  The Macro has saved me from several potentially embarassing and angry comments by showing me that thread pulling or stitch that didn't quite get covered into the waistband as my meticulate 1/2" seam allowance told me it would.  Since I can see it then I can fix it, cutting off one less potential reason for a buyer to complain.

2. Lighting, good natural lighting or close to it.  I never use the Flash on my camera for product photos.  I find that it usually adds unseenly colors or makes the background look like crap.  If it's sunny I take it outside or by a window. 
Look how harsh and terrible it looks even after trying to do some touch ups. Then next to it is without flash and just some exposure lightness.

3.  Knowing your editing program.  I know a lot of people default with PhotoShop but all those bells and whistles can be overwhelming to the newbie or lazy person (like me).  It also takes up a lot of running memory on your computer while you are using so depending what else you are doing at the same time it could make everything run slower.  My current favorite to use right now is Picnik.com .  It is web based so it will be wherever you are, connects to facebook, flickr, picasa and other various photo dumping places you might use.  It is very simple to use with the Silder bars and explainations of each option

4. Set up- yep the set up is just as important if not one of the most important things to worry about when putting your items out there to sell.  Just like the window displays at the mall, the way your photo looks will determine the traffic to the rest of your inventory.  When you look at the photos on the Etsy front page they aren't always the greatest most exciting items but they are visually stunning in the photos.  Some of them are just a detail shot of that lace fringe to a skirt or Soap set up in a pretty victorian sink.  

If you can master these very few skills then you my friend are in a good place.  If you are still having troubles consider getting a better camera (borrow and test them from friends), taking a class at a local college or art school of digital photography (I know CCAD's Continuing Education has one), or if all else fails hire someone.

If hiring someone it doesn't have to break the bank,  you can simply put up an Ad with a local college or Art School to find a student to help hone their craft for a minimal fee or even as an intern to do it for you. 

These are the a few of the things I've learned since my journey with Etsy and the Craft Scene started about 3 years ago.  I'll be giving a few other tips and tricks that I've learned over the years in some up coming posts!  Good luck out there!

Haute Couture - What it really is ~rant on~

One of my biggest pet peeves is people misusing words because they do not bother to educate themselves on the meaning or value before they use them.  I feel like ignorance and laziness are a big factor into this.  If you are a professional in a designated field then you really need to have all the definitions, and vocabulary covered for what you do and what you are involved in.

One of the biggest and most aggravating words that I see tossed around the fashion scene/industry is the word: Couture or Haute Couture

Wikipedia has the best simplified definition of this below:

Haute couture (French for "high sewing" or "high dressmaking"; pronounced [ot kutyʁ]) refers to the creation of exclusive custom-fitted clothing. Haute couture is made to order for a specific customer, and it is usually made from high-quality, expensive fabric and sewn with extreme attention to detail and finish by the most experienced and capable seamstresses, often using time-consuming, hand-executed techniques. Couture is a common abbreviation of Haute Couture, which refers to the same thing in spirit.
It originally referred to Englishman Charles Frederick Worth's work, produced in Paris in the mid-nineteenth century. In modern France, haute couture is a "protected name" that can be used only by firms that meet certain well-defined standards. However, the term is also used loosely to describe all high-fashion custom-fitted clothing, whether it is produced in Paris or in other fashion capitals such as Milan, London, New York, Tokyo and Madrid.
The term can refer to:
-the fashion houses or fashion designers that create exclusive and often trend-setting fashions
-the fashions created

In France, the term haute couture is protected by law and is defined by the Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Paris based in Paris, France. Their rules state that only "those companies mentioned on the list drawn up each year by a commission domiciled at the Ministry for Industry are entitled to avail themselves" of the label haute couture. The criteria for haute couture were established in 1945 and updated in 1992.

To earn the right to call itself a couture house and to use the term haute couture in its advertising and any other way, members of the Chambre syndicale de la haute couture must follow these rules:
-Design made-to-order for private clients, with one or more fittings.
-Have a workshop (atelier) in Paris that employs at least fifteen people full-time.
-Each season (i.e., twice a year), present a collection to the Paris press, comprising at least thirty-five runs/exits with outfits for both daytime wear and evening wear.
However, the term haute couture may have been misused by ready-to-wear brands since the late 1980s, so that its true meaning may have become blurred with that of prêt-à-porter (the French term for ready-to-wear fashion) in the public perception. Every haute couture house also markets prêt-à-porter collections, which typically deliver a higher return on investment than their custom clothing [citation needed]. In fact, much of the haute couture displayed at fashion shows today is rarely sold; it is created to enhance the prestige of the house [citation needed]. Falling revenues have forced a few couture houses to abandon their less profitable couture division and concentrate solely on the less prestigious prêt-à-porter. These houses, such as Italian designer Roberto Capucci, all of whom have their workshops in Italy, are no longer considered haute couture.
Many top designer fashion houses, such as Chanel, use the word for some of their special collections. These collections are often not for sale or they are very difficult to purchase. Sometimes, "haute couture" is inappropriately used to label non-dressmaking activities, such as fine art, music and more.

With that being said I really really wish they would push terminology on the students more in art schools and other fashion programs.  I wish in my heart that the French Commerce would ban together and take legal action against people misusing such a sacred and honorable reputation and affiliation.  Something similar to when they cracked down on the black market fakes and reproductions in Asia and China towns in the states.

It kills me even more to see it so widely misrepresented in my own home town.  I always ask my High School Students and even Adult students if they know the meaning and 99% of the time they don't, they think it means "high fashion" or "Runway fashion".  Another big kicker is on the news when they are doing their little "fashion" segments and they are using the word couture to describe something.  A lady from WBNS I believe used it during her presentation of the CCAD Fashion show this year.  I'm sure it has happened numerous years.  I choked and winced as soon as the words escaped her mouth.

To me it really is a slap in the face of countless generations of couteriers, tradition, and fashion history itself when people throw this word around. 

Below are current and past Member's also pulled from Wikipedia

Members of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture

The fashion houses listed on the definitive schedule for Haute-Couture Spring/Summer 2010 are:[3]

Official members
Adeline André

Anne Valérie Hash

Chanel

Christian Dior

Christian Lacroix

Dominique Sirop

Franck Sorbier

Givenchy

Jean Paul Gaultier

Maurizio Galante

Stéphane Rolland

Correspondent members (foreign)
Elie Saab

Giorgio Armani

Maison Martin Margiela

Valentino

Guest members
Adam Jones

Alexandre Matthieu

Alexis Mabille

Atelier Gustavo Lins

Christophe Josse

Felipe Oliveira Baptista

Jean-Paul Knott

Josep Font

Josephus Thimister

Lefranc.Ferrant

Maison Rabih Kayrouz

Marc Le Bihan

Jewelry
Boucheron

Cartier

Chanel Joaillerie

Chaumet

Dior Joaillerie

Mellerio Dits Meller

Van Cleef & Arpels

Accessories
Loulou de la Falaise

Maison Michel

Massaro

On Aura Tout Vu

Recent Guest members have included the fashion houses of Boudicca, Cathy Pill, Richard René and Udo Edling,[4] as well as Eymeric François, Gérald Watelet, Nicolas Le Cauchois[5] and WU YONG.[6] In the 2008/2009 Fall/Winter Haute Couture week, Emanuel Ungaro showed as an Official Member.

Former members
Donatella Versace

Elsa Schiaparelli

Emilio Pucci

Chado Ralph Rucci

Erica Spitulski

Erik Tenorio

Fred Sathal

Guy Laroche

Hanae Mori

Jean Patou

Jean-Louis Scherrer

Lanvin

Lecoanet Hemant

Loris Azzaro

Louis Feraud

Mainbocher

Marcel Rochas

Nina Ricci

Paco Rabanne

Pierre Balmain

Pierre Cardin

Ralph Rucci

Torrente

Yves Saint Laurent

Gai Mattiolo

Anna May

June Riots!

Sorry I have been behind on the blogging and especially on OTD's but as I mentioned before with lack of camera it has been painful.

Also I have been extremely busy with my teaching at CCAD.  Let me tell you when it rains it pours but in the good way for me.  I am teaching both the Beginning Pattern Drafting and Construction class as well as my newly approved Draping into Pattern and Fabric Manipulation Class.  Both of which are completely full with waiting lists once again.  It's no joke with the waiting lists either.  Today is the second night teaching and first night of the pattern class and I had someone drop this afternoon and a few hours later the spot was filled.  I am supposed to be maxed out at 15 students but I have 16 in each one!  It is madness in a most delightful way.  I even have the pleasure of using a TA which they don't usually allow for Continuing Education classes.  Even more Lucky for me it is my FAVORITE T.A. Tosha who has her own fabulous blog called The Pop Bang Fizz. 

On the down side I will not have a life for the next month as I work my 8-5 monday-friday and then immediately teach 6:20-9:45 monday-thursday.

Back on the bright side I was approved for two sewing machines for my classes exclusively!  I got them both from Westerville Sew N Save (whom I will do a little intro post later).  I got two Brother Innovis 80's.  Something about these electronic machines are easier for the high school students to understand and work with. 

I got new cards ordered from Moo.com again.  I had been dragging my feet on it and thankfully so since I was able to hold out for another photo shoot with the fantastic Mr. Chip Willis (NSFW).  I also have some reprints from Adam Leigh Manuell and one from my first shoot with Matthew Roharik

Since I can't get a lot of sewing accomplished while I focus on teaching I might be able to get my website updated finally after ummm.......... 7 years? ohhh that's been a while.

It was a wonderful Weekend!

This weekend was quite lovely.  It was not only my birthday but a myriad of events and Mother's day!
I was actually born on Mother's day in 1981, what a gift that was eh?  My mom said it really wasn't bad.  I was her last child and thus she was well prepared for me.  I also was not a long labor.  Enough with the TMI though!  I'm sure you want to know what else happened.

Such as the CCAD Origins Fashion show.  It was very interesting this year.  A lot more ready to wear pieces with really good tailoring.  The jackets and pants the kids presented blew all the dresses out of the water.  I saw very little knitwear which was sad but not the fault of the kids.  If only CCAD offered some sort of fiber class.  I think knitwear not only because I'm enthralled with it but in general is a very important clothing essential.  It is one of the more historical methods of clothes to be produced the world over.  Functional, creative, artistic and natural.  Anyways back to the show!
Origins was based on different cities that the students chose to inspire their collections.  We had the old world represented in Milan and then the new modern Las Vegas.  It is hard to see a students intentions for the collection with only two pieces being presented.  Most of the time a third look is worn by the designer themselves during the final walk through.  Below are a few measly pictures I snapped and I dumped the rest onto my Flickr account.

Afterwards I headed back home to redress into something more warm.  On the way I stopped at my friends place to drop her off and to check out another friend's yard sale participation in the Grandview Heights open Yard/Garage sale day.  Picked up two lovely wooden shelves and this nice gentleman gave me Sex and the City Trivia Pursuit when he heard I was a fan!  How sweet is that?  I love to live in a small community.

Following that little jaunt was the "Handmade Nation" screening and Crafty Cotillion trunk Show.  I am always surprised by what people buy that I am not expecting.  I made all these new fabric flower pins and then it turned out all my Cat's Bane Yarn Guards were the things I sold the most of.  I don't think I made even $30 on this event but it was a fun way to spend my day.  Immediately after the show my oldest brother and his wife came late to greet me and check out the crafts.  We stayed and watched Iron Man 2.

After the Movie we headed to meet the rest of the Family for a Birthday Dinner.  My family pretty much all failed on the presents end and gave me Cash instead.  Which really isn't a bad thing since I am going to put that towards getting my DSLR camera, looks like it will be the Nikon3000 series.  I also wanted japanese food and we ended up at the usual Korean BBQ joint, Kaya.

To end my long day I met some friends and we hopped over to Dave and Buster's for some video game fun and old school games such as Squeeball and rifle shooting range.  Of course we had to win tickets and get some stupid pointless prizes such as a small wooden bat and giant Pixie Sticks.  Only to be followed by me playing Final Fantasy 13 FINALLY till about 2am at home alone with the cat.

Mother's day was an easy day almost like another birthday.  I woke up early and read my book "The Gathering Storm" in bed of several hours then lesuirely got dressed and headed up to meet my parent's and second brother for brunch at the Country Club.  Did some facebook stalking with my dad to see what our relatives in Canada were up to.  Then I came home and waited for Andy to return from TOSRV and played more Final Fantasy 13 and watched two movies "Sisterhood of Traveling Pants 2" and "Zombie Strippers".  I know really random!

That was my weekend......... this week expect a little dye bath post and more in depth view of the Documentary "Handmade Nation"

Everything has it's place

I have been sitting here staring at my monitor twirling this Bic ball point pen for what seems like ages (in reality 30 mins).  Inside my head I am screaming kicking and crying in nervous horror.  

What in world have I gotten myself into?
I am talking about all my projects that I am currently working on.  Two competition submissions, a photo shoot, possibly two next week.  Packing for my weekend trip to NYC and what in the world am I going to submit for the Ohio Art League event this year? Also finishing my samples for my Kilala Meows class this month.  And finally getting together some simple things to sell for the Crafty Cotollion Handmade Nation Viewing on May 8th.  I am sincerely not trying to be negative here just collect my thoughts instead of mindlessly straing and twirling.  Writing it all out always makes me feel better and calmer.  I can construct a game plan that way.

First and foremost is my photo shoot next wednesday.  I have my models 80% booked, Mua/Hair is 70% booked, photographer is 100% booked.  No more then 5 outfits to shoot for my PR application.

Tonight I think I am going to unfortunately skip figure drawing as much as I love it I need to get a lot of things done before I head off to NYC for the weekend.  I started to work on my samples for my Kilala Meows classes but I need to finish them before I leave otherwise they will never get done.  I also need to get this leather skirt embroidery done before I leave so I can potentially take it and wear it there, not to mention I need it for next week's shoot.

There is nothing else I can do for my Hand and Lock competition piece until I order the fabric and get that in.  I suppose I could work on the muslin but I still have 2 more months so I'm not that stressed.  If I leave an entire month for my embroidery I will be just fine.  The smocking details will get done as I sew the body of the piece together.  I might double this up and use the body before the Embroidery to submit as my OAL piece for the "One Night" Show.  I would prefer to put up a piece to sell but maybe just an impact piece will be enough.

For the Crafty Cotollion I think I am going to make kanzashi fabric flowers in arrangements for pins and hair clips maybe do some cute sweater clip type of thing with chains.  I don't need tons just a few things since this is going to be a small shared space. 

There are many good things that have been finalized for this summer such as securing my favorite TA (teacher's assistant) to be with me during my High School Summer Fashion workshop and College Preview programs.  Having this wonderful Fashion Illustration Teacher Irina to help me with my College Preview on my monday critique and illustration days.  My adult Continuing Education classes are filling up nicely and will make me very busy.  My Favorite of these classes is the new Draping into Pattern Class that I will be teaching. 

Ahhhh!  I already feel so much better and it doesn't seem as impossible now that I have it all planned out and capped it off with some good news!
Sorry this was an all txt post but I will have pictures for you in the next upcoming posts this week like the Leather skirt and a sewing book review!

The Truth: Bigger is not Better- Part 1

Once again Fashion is reminding me with a sledgehammer of distasteful styles that I am smaller then petite.  Not only am I short but my limbs are all too small as well.

Shopping for Fashionable diggs when you are 4'10" and 110 lbs puts me in basically the kids/tweens sections if I were to go to a Macy's.  Which I only frequent when I need some Makeup on the go and sometimes browse the shoes.  Living in probably the most midwest city that is large but not Chicago or Philly I am left to the internets, Urban Outfitters, Express, Antrhopologie, Forever 21 our tiny H&M and Nordstrom with the occasion Sak's visit if I want to drive out to that particular mall.   None of these stores help with the situation for those of us shorter squat but lovely individuals.  For some reason all theses stores seem to think the wider you are then automatically the taller you become.  OH what a cruel Joke.  Majority of the midwest population are not super models ~SURPRISE~  We are in fact normal ladies with short comings and big personalities.    Due to these literal short comings we have to get creative.  A lot of women pay a lot of money for getting their clothes altered.  I have women taking  my pattern drafting classes at CCAD just to learn how to alter their own clothing and hem their pants without it looking wonky.  Lucky for me I sew and pattern draft so I can usually avoid buying a pair of pants, skirt, blouse what have you that can't be altered.  That is still extremely limiting.

If you want quality clothes they are much harder and painstaking to pick apart for alterations because they were made well to begin with.  Clothes made well are made to last and not to be torn apart.  Cheaper clothes can easily be torn apart at all the seams which makes it easy to alter but then usually the fabric quality is so poor it may not last the alterations process.  It's a battle that us short girls just don't win.

My personal creative way to go around all this is with skirts.  I wear skirts and dresses as much as I can because then I never have to worry about pants at all and their lengths.  I hardly wear jeans even.  Oh and the blessing of leggings coming back into style was superb!  Allowing me to wear all my dresses and skirts through the dead cold of winter and still being warm and cozy and sexy.  Alas my skirt days may need to come to an end at least at my new job.  Working at a library that has a very casual dress code and bending, squatting and lifting books is not so attractive in a dress or skirt.  This has made me realize that I need to get back to wear jeans and pants.

Pants are a problem, even the short lengths are too long for me by at least 2-3 inches.  Jeans are also annoying because they actually have shape these days.  They get wider in the knee and skinnier around the "ankle".  So the tapering on these skinny jeans and cigarette jeans just looks funky on me.  I can cut them off and hem them to the right length but then they are too big around my ankle and my shin has extra bagginess as well.  The best fashion solution to all this is getting wide leg pants.  They make you look taller and are easier to hem because you don't have to worry about the shaping like in a skinnier cut.

The Bad and Good by tornangel012 featuring Fremont pants

On the Shelf - The Art of Manipulating Fabric

If you are seriously interested in making some fascinating textures then you NEED this book. It is one of the most fantastic books I have had in a long time by far.  It explains everything so clearly and has loads of step by step images and diagrams.  I am hoping to get approval for teaching my Draping class and incorporate this book into it.  Eventually I want to get the approval to teach an entire college course on this.

 

Making yo-yo's is just one of the fun little things from the capture in gathering.  Even though I have made these a million times before it is just so fascinating to read more about them. 

In doing all this reading it makes me feel more and more that I need to pursue Graduate School this year.  As always the big debate is either for Art Education K-12 at OSU or following my passion with a Master's in Fine Art and exploring fashion and body modification by Fabrics at CCAD.

Reboot and begin again

I feel like I change this thing around so much.

First of all I hate the layout and picking the color themes is a pain to change them all around every time I pick a new template. I've resolved that on top of now 2 custom orders, finishing things for the shoe photo shoots, 3 new looks and costume of Halloween Highball and at least 1 craft show if not two, I will be adding "Making a new Blog template" to my list of things.

I know I am crazy.......... I have been without inspiration for so long and now I am bombarded with everything at once. Also getting my new phone upgrade dumb as it sounds has made me

inspired also to create new work so that I can share it with everyone. I need new things desperately to shoot and also for contests and for when I audition for Project Runway whenever that is going to happen.

It is amazing how many devices I now own for sharing and photo taking.

DSI

Blackberry storm

Casio Exislim digital camera

Poloroid Pogo printer

Today is day two of "eat the meat" We had a grill out yesterday and heavily overestimated out appetites when throwing in a "bacon log". I am taking today as my final day of not sewing a single stitch before I dive headlong into my intensive creative program and upcoming life.

Also to add to it all I start my new part time Job at Express so the wearing everything I make motto is going to have to go on pause or be extremely creative. Maybe it will be "How to wear only express and not look the part" It was kind of amazing that they offered me a position the day after I did the interview. Gave me warm fuzzies that I was not totally overqualified for a retail job which is all I can handle right now. My main goal is still to be a Full Time Instructor over at CCAD.