new year's resolution

i vow to be more experimental in my projects. specifically, i would like to get more sculptural, which means pushing my understanding of fabrics and draping. i am currently working with peau de sois (butchered the word, no doubt) and i LOVE it! it holds a shape with minimal tweaking. i was looking through giambattista valli's S'09 collection (i am a happy recipient of the olsen's influence book, and he is listed as a big one), and was elated to see the sculpting i am looking for. perfect for pushing me in the right direction...

i also want to finesse layouts, something i noticed misha at dusty dress is well-versed in (also happens to be an amazing fashion designer and seamstress)...and of course eat healthy, treat all with kindness, recycle, don't drink out of the milk carton...

erdem

though it gives me goosebumps to see such skimpy clothing while i'm swathed in flannel, erdem moralioiglu's spring 09 rtw collection just blows my mind. the colors and the fabric, just like little easter eggs...

1 of ?

i have finished one of many projects to come: making tote bags out of old banners for work clients (lovely ladies from the california academy of sciences marketing department). i LOVE the mix of contrasty photos, with texture, along with typography. my chosen chariot: great grandma johnson's singer. this thing handles PVC like butta...

time to skip outside before the sun sets...*faux fur jacket from H&M

xmas gifts

christmas was very kind, i received many thoughtful gifts, and scored with the ones i gave out, high fives all around! downside, i am certainly coming down with something and have so much food stuffed in my gut i wont eat again until 2009. therefore i am about to launch into 5 projects at once that are all couch friendly.

paul and myself in our latest xmas acquisitions: he in his western style pendleton flannel, me in my new faux fur hat and ENGAGEMENT RING!!vintage ring, circa 1940sa few of the projects burning a hole in my brain include creating a portfolio layout for my favorite pieces of clothing or jewelry that i've made; a stop-photo music video for paul using stuffed animals; a blouse with sequin polka dots. i've already gathered the materials: the fabric is pas de sois, leftover from the wedding dress my mom made one of my aunts...

xmas party

i made my first foray into holiday party hosting with some friends this year, to satisfactory results. the venue was rosewood bar on broadway: an indiscreet wood-paneled dimly lit place in north beach. we had a reserved room in the back which we decorated in paper snowflakes and garland and a white plastic tree megan scooped up from borders, and a looped film of snow falling projected on the walls...i was hell-bent on finding a sheer lace top to wear under my inherited-from-mom black velvet dress (a random designer for saks), and managed to find a cheap one at H&M.

whats a holiday party without a little booty slapping...the party was a success, everyone was dancing, being merry, and belting out miley cyrus songs.

giraffes

i've made a few giraffes in the last year, one for a baby shower, one for a christmas gift. i cut the pattern free-hand, and used vintage fabric and yarn for both. they're one of my favorite projects so far, they've turned out far better than i thought. i also grow quite attached to them, so its been hard to give them up...

gerard, the first giraffe, went to julian, 1 1/2 months old...gail, will go to a friend's 5 year old neice...

varm vinter

the only way i will survive the current city conditions is by swaddling myself in layers. which turns into the daily challenge, "how many articles of clothing can i cram on my body?" today's answer: leggings, thigh high socks, long sleeve shirt, tank dress, small cardigan, big cardigan, jacket, scarf, gloves...my friend megan introduced me to the idea of such tall socks over leggings. normally i wear them over my bare legs but they always fall down, causing left eye twitching and teeth clenching by the end of the day. this is the snuggest i've been since the crib.

recent acquisitions that warm my heart:

i literally jumped across the room and tore this out of my boyfriend's sketchbook before he could shade any more. hes gotten very good at drawing portraits, this one is fantastic.not that they keep me warm, but these sandals from H&M. once laced, they will not come off my feet, i can run jump kick and scream, and they stay firmly in place. i will wear them to a holiday party, the rest of the outfit involves black lace and velvet. photos of that to come.

shiny gifts

*photo found on ffffound!*

christmas is roaring around the corner, and me, i have to finish getting gifts. i've tried to keep all shopping online, as union square is a riot scene and i grow fangs within half a mile's radius. this approach to shopping has proven quite efficient, as it seems all sites are having some form of sale/free shipping combo. in the end, i just hope everyone likes what i get them, without the awkwardly polite smile, served up with a stammered "ooh! thank you, i love it."

this is what i am getting, in my dreams...

(allll jewelry is tom binns)

red

after seeing the pulsating red sweater from rad hourani, i had red on the brain and decided to wear my lady danger mac lipstick and home-made red purse. i don't normally wear lipstick during the day, but i braved the elements (drinking, eating, talking, breathing...)anyway. i also debuted my latest crocheted-wire piece which received office accolades...

sweater: boyfriend/gap, jacket: miss me, skirt: H&M, tights: target, boots & scarf: vintage, necklace & purse : me!

reborn

i pleasantly stumbled upon natalia brilli's leather work on born-again magazine's website. everything she makes is swathed in lamb leather, from giant chain-link necklaces to skateboards, watches and purses. the work is a perfect balance of fashion and art, something i try to explore on my own. my favorites are as follows...

the photography on the site is fantastic! i love this photo (and the sweater!!) by rad hourani:

jeff buckley

how to wear a dressy jacket. aw...

portland, then seattle (contraband)

portland: we went to powell's bookstore, i left with some pretty good book deals including this olle eksell graphic design book..we also went to our share of vintage clothing stores, like ray's ragtime where i picked up this sequined jacket, a consideration for a new years outfit. i've been interested in dressy jackets lately, a liza minelli phase...?
seattle: i really just miss the food we got at pike's fish market. fresh produce, baked goods, and the best blackened salmon sandwich i will ever encounter...

portland, then seattle

i've been away for a week, strolling the portland and seattle streets with my PIC (partner in crime) paul, taking scads of photos and eating my weight in food. while slowly unpacking, i'm going over the contraband, deciding what was my favorite part. the sandwich as big as my head from kenny & zukes delicatessen? the miami vice donut from voodoo donuts? thats merely the food aspect. the ours show? the walk through portland's rose garden (which still managed to produce a few blessed blooms in december)? admiring seattle's thoroughly brick architecture? pikes fish market? ahhh... i will have to go back to both, for a few days in each enchanting city certainly did not suffice...

the photo booth in the ace hotel lobby, portland; the century-old moore hotel in seattle voodoo's miami vice donut; ice age preservation method at pike'smore to come...

crochet

my cousin sent me a link to arielle de pinto's look book. and i thought i was tough crocheting wire. this girl is crocheting chains! they are dainty and gorgeous, and really the perfect mix of feminine and rough...

golden

it could be the ginko leaves scattered across the sidewalks, or the site of christmas decorations up since the first of november, but i feel myself drawn to gold. i bought a piece of leather at britex thats cream with gold spots for a possible purse. i was thinking of taking a white tshirt and attaching gold sequins in clusters, maybe gold polka dots... regardless, i was thrilled when i laid eyes on the spring 2009 dries van noten collection! gold everywhere! and the bauble necklaces, exquisite! but my favorite of the collection was a glorious white and gold sequin dress...

fringe

the first time i saw the jacket was at the treasure island music fest: alison mosshart was creeping around the stage in it, i was in the front row, and was immediately bewitched. after some sleuthing, i found out it was a kate moss topshop design, and is selling for a discouraging $300 on ebay. i decided to make my own, and 15 yards of black fringe later, i have one. with a basic blouse pattern for the base, i attached the fringe from the bottom up. the sleeves i sewed up after attaching the rows of fringe, and then attached to the bodice. the top three rows of fringe i attached with the sleeves on, to cover up the seams.