Changing my life and being re-dedicated

Today while lounging at the house in unemployment and pondering my life with the cat while doing only domestic chores such as dish washing, laundry, cleaning and folding; one of my most beloved movies came on, "Devil Wears Prada". Call me dumb, materialistic, or fashion obsessed, I care not. This movie inspires me to continue and contribute and to be beautiful and put my mark on the world.

Seeing once again the famous "James Holt" leather bag actually by "La Rue" I got the inkling again that,"I can make that"

so...... why don't I? in fact I can make that and make it better.

"toot toot" right? But this is where it gets more interesting. Along with the pondering today I have been doing some separate pondering on assignments for my interns. Of course there is open an Etsy Page, apply for an art/craft show, photo shoots, portfolio. The most interesting thing that I have come up with which I am doing myself is to contribute to the lovely "Uniform Project". This is a brave girl who has 7 dresses that are exactly the same that she is to wear every single day for the next year. She is accepting donations of accessories and clothing to compliment the dress. All of the proceeds from this project will go to schools in India.

How does this this affect me aside from my donation to come? Well I know I need to do something to change my life. The mundane and ordinary is no life for me. I've missed my boat for this year's Project Runway trials and I need an assignment. So as silly as it may sound I am re-dedicating my life to fashion in a most extreme way as a designer in midwestern city where Abercrombie and Big box stores rule. I am going to stop buying new clothes with the exception of High End designers whom I will make a list even if I may have never owned nor will own one of their pieces. This does not include Shoes but it will accessories under the same terms. Everything else will be made by me or in collaboration with another artist if I do not have the knowledge or means to make what I want. Any and all special events and occasions I am to make an entire new outfit. I would like to set it up to take donations in some form to donate to a good cause. I must research more on local charities because I live here in Columbus, Ohio and I am not moving. I will make my mark from here and show that it is possible, thus I want to give back to the community that I am a part of first.

Today was my last day of shopping for anything mediocre and less then extrodianary.
Fashion is my life in everyway. I love it, I teach it, I preach it, I make it.

Running errands and prepping

Today was a worthless day of no designing but it was all prep work that had to happen.

Luckily Andy did make my pattern table! I'll post pictures tomorrow of it.

I had to get my phone replaced at Verizon and talk to my Insurance company for when the security guard at CCAD hit my car in the parking lot. I hate that the security guard admitted this was not the first time this happened to him and made a joke of it while my mini cooper got injured. My poor dream car baby!!! Yes how material of me but this has been my dream car for YEARS I'm not going to let something that I know is not my fault keep me down. Even though they are trying to claim it as my fault.

Sure it looked like it but they weren't there to see the Guard driving in the middle right at me amidst my turn not even breaking till it was too late. It is a narrow lot and there is no avoiding wide turns when leaving. It was all clear when I started my turn and BAM he hit me. The other guard thought it was me because it was my front bumper and the other security guards back side of the car.

My Interns start tomorrow. I can't wait. I know one of them can use a knitting machine and they other can do basic handknit. I hope they are fast learners because they both need to machine knit and handknit at an intermidate level for me. I have lace stockings and shawls in mind for the fall/winter. Steam Punk is the theme. Heavy Victorian accents and lot's of leather strapping and vests. Tomorrow will be introductions to my style, inspirations and maybe a movie to watch. I also need to prep them to used the serger a lot and help me with pieces for the July Lingerie Trunk show.


This Collar of mine has made it into a book that should be coming out this winter. It's a variegated open lacework collar out or Noro Kureyon worsted weight.

I wish my Men's ninja Collar had made it but I had such terrible photos I don't blame it not making it in. I will have several of them for the Fashion show though.

Its all starting up again

Another long overdue post.

Several things going on in my world right now.
I just sold a piece at the OAL (Ohio Art League) Event One night in a Hundred. It was a great event. I wish there were more people who had come to support us but I think they ended up doing pretty well. I connected with several people there such as the Collier West owners and my Golf Buddy John from the CCAD Golf Outing I did.

Speaking of which that was a good time and another good connection. My Scramble team WON the CCAD Golf outing and I am forever immortalized on a Plaque in Canzani. Having been the ONLY actual representative of CCAD on that team I am also ingrained in the memory of the president of the School ~points~. Also my cart buddy was once a well established woman's accessories designer who sold to Saks, Henri Bendel, and many other high end stores. Also happened to be alumni of the same High School that I am from but many many years earlier.

Along with CCAD news I just finished my first workshop with the High School students and it went perfectly. They all loved it, had a great time and had a lot of things to take home to show their parents. A lot of parents also spoke to me and thanked me for such a great program. Those kids were amazing. They Accomplished more then I ever thought they would. I can't wait for the College Preview to Start.

I have a trunk show coming up at Undone on July 25th. I am trying to get a lot of pieces done that can be worn and interperted with the lingerie. Good thing I have my two interns starting next week to help me get this going.

Yep that's right I have interns this summer. How crazy is that? I hope this will really help me to focus and jump start on advertising myself and getting into some boutiques outside of Columbus.

Other interesting news that has nothing to do with me is that two of my former college classmates have made themselves pretty famous. First is Ra'mon Lawrence-Coleman who is going to be on the new Project Runway coming up on Lifetime. Second Matt Ames was just in an article in W as a rising fashion designer to look out for. Congrats guys seriously! I will be there someday. I'm severely contemplating that I need to do the Project Runway route before I get too engrossed but I hope that I do well enough on my own to perhaps not need that.

Only time will tell.
In the meantime I am going to try several different formats and things with this Blog. I am also going to be moving all my www.torn012.net content to my www.tornangel.com site. As well as making updates with the help of my trusty Andy!

Agora

It is fast approaching on me and I am not ready at all!!!

I have no idea really what items I have and I haven't been making all that much new stuff maybe only 4 new pairs of arm warmer/wristlets.  Several headbands and some odds and ends clothing wise.  

All vendors will be outside also so this will be interesting...........

I'm Lame........

As odd and boring as this sounds I prefer most of the times to stay in and sew rather then going out.  I mentioned this to a student of mine last week and she said that is surprisingly sad.  Is it bad to actually love my craft/medium that much?  I noticed that almost all of my facebook status when I am on a roll sewing are probably quite boring to everyone else.  I mean seriously who else would care about a 15 panel bias shift 1920's style dress that I made just for fun on a whim because I had nothing to wear to my friend's Theme Birthday party.    I think even my friends who are also into fashion/sewing/knitting don't get as excited as me about projects.  The weather was so gorgeous today and I spent it all happily coped up in the basement sewing and cutting fabric.

As for being not so lame, I got a vendor spot at AGORA on May 16th at Junctionview Studios!  I can't wait and of course I don't have hardly anything to sell that is summer/spring appropriate.  I also still need to finish my order for Undone.  I have about 4 more sets to make.

My birthday is also coming up fast.  I will be 28.  Not so old relatively speaking.  I mean my Grandma was 90 when she passed a couple weeks ago and my Grandfather was 99 when he passed over the winter holidays.  Sure I will never be the Korean pop sensation I always dreamed of, nor will I ever pursue my Pro Golf career,  I also may never get back to Ballet or Taekwando but I feel accomplished still and satisfied for where and what I am doing in my life at the moment.   The only thing that could be better is getting married and having a Fashion show of my own at this point.   Perhaps someday I will venture out and apply for one of those ridiculous Fashion Reality TV shows.  I wouldn't be like anything anyone has seen before.  I honestly don't know anyone else even close to being such a fashionable geek as me.   In fact I know very very few fashion people that I have even met who are into Anime and Comic Books and RPG's at all.

In the Works

I know I don't update as much as I should.  unfortunately my life only seems to be exciting once a month?

I do have some very promising things going on.  I am making lingerie for a Local Lingerie and Shoe Boutique called "Undone".  It is super exciting for me because they will be the second person that has ever whole sale bought from me and the First who has whole sale bought from me that is actually clothing!   I am also going to do a trunks how there once I get more of my stuff together and organized.

I am also meeting with a potential connection to have my clothes in a commercial Photo shoot for some new shoe company and to possibly provide the clothes for their runway show in November.  There is the possibility of me being a Part of the next Agora which is very exciting to me.  

I am still searching for a Male Fit model that I can use that is dependable.  I really want to start to get into menswear again.  I think I may just have to give up and use the male mannequin body that I have.  

Also in CCAD news this summer will be QUITE busy for me!  I am also very excited to be teaching so much.  I will be doing two summer workshops and I think I am going to make it almost all challenge projects like "Project Runway" or just stuff I remember doing in College that made an impact on how I design and look at Fabrics.  In addition to the Work shops for high school students I will be doing the Advanced Pattern Drafting and Construction class for Continuing Education and College Preview for the High School students.   I will be so busy this summer and it will be AMAZING!!!

I just love to create, teach and collaborate!

Speaking of Collaborate I did a custom order on Etsy a while ago and the Artist always said he would name the ring after me if he kept making and selling them.  I thought he was just being polite and yanking my chain a little but he actually did!  The Esther Ring!

I'm so Behind

So it has been awhile since I blogged....... I'm just very busy these days and very social.   I happen to be able to Blog today because I am sick and procrastinating on getting my materials together for class tonight.

I was in the Columbus Alive a couple weeks ago.  It was pretty fun.  The article can be seen here

It was fun and cute but I was not very excited for the photo even though everyone tells me it looks great.  I think I have some mental issue with my appearance that I need to work on.  Considering that I have lost 15 lbs in the past 5 months is incredible for not doing anything particularly athletic or aerobic.  

I am very excited that I am teaching a lot of classes this summer at CCAD.  Advanced pattern draft and construction.  College Preview and 2 Summer Workshops for high school students.  I will also continue next semester to teach my Beginning pattern Drafting and construction and take on the SMAC high school fashion classes.   In preparation for all this I need to collect some items, such as 9 heads book, better drawing skills, making some easier to read handouts.  Ok so mostly I just need the 9 heads book and everything else is stuff I need to work on as an individual.   I'm just praying and hoping that this summer will launch me into placement for a possible full time position come winter/spring.  

I did propose to the Fashion Department Chair Suzanne that I could teach some fiber art classes.  She was really enthusiastic about the idea so I am glad.  I was thinking of spinning, hand knit/crochet, shifu & saki-ori, loom work (floor or table), felting and needle felting.  Even some hand embroidery/smocking and machine embroidery.   I also picked up teaching the crochet portion of Ric Hurley's class.  I really can't wait to start that so they can get a taste of my experience and what I can offer to the school and not just the Fashion department.  I want it to be open to other students.  I know a lot of Sculpture students were in my fiber classes at SAIC so I would love to spread the knowledge.

Other things that are going on is that I've failed to post my line sheets in time so that sucks.  At least I have my options open with my accessories that Collier West is still very interested in.  I need to work on that underwear for LeAnn also at Undone.  More importantly I need to find the time to go in and talk to her.

Also in somewhat depressing news I heard that my friend Kelli Martin closed her store "Black Market"  because of the construction that has been going on locally for the past several months.  It's just bad timing and really unfortunate.  I hope all the best for her.  You can read the full article here

Well I best get back to work...........