Creative Ingenuity

Hello Final Year

2011-09-29T09:26:00.000+01:00

Image is from here.

Well, I was still really busy... I think I just need to come up with a new routine around university, work and everything else in life. But as soon as things really get going, that'll be easy I'm sure! At the minute my timetable keeps changing and we are just going through ideas, so I am just going with it at the minute until things settle down.

Final year has been really exciting so far (I started back on Monday) and I've been brainstorming my ideas so I can do something (hopefully) spectacular over the next year. It has felt quite strange to go from what I was doing in my placement to back to university. However I am still really excited about the next year and I cannot wait to get stuck in!!

I just thought I would show you something that was on campus as part of the first week at university, Harvey Nichols had brought a huge trailer onto the campus to stage a fashion show, and live bands. It was during my lunch break that the fashion show was staged and I reached for my camera to show you all some photos.

I hope you enjoy!

Do you have the time?

2011-09-22T18:23:00.000+01:00

I'm really sorry for my lack of posts lately! I was really getting into it, but I've been busy with work and doing research for my university course, so I haven't felt like I have time. Yep, it is that time again, I've had my year in The Real World so now I get to be a student one more time. There will be a lot of work involved but this year we get to choose about our projects and I love the idea of getting to do things I am truly passionate about. It is really exciting. This is the year I get to make a Final Collection, which will be most favourite part of the course (even if I do complain about everything going wrong at some point or other). So here is a little post with photos from weheartit.com to do with studying and reading, that will just about get me through until tomorrow when it is time for my Friday Feeling.

Some of these study areas are really inspiring, and will be going into my flat inspiration folder! I'm starting to create some personal collages on the walls in my flat, so these are really interesting for me.

What is the study area in your house like? Anyone going back to university this year?

Friday Feeling #2

2011-09-16T11:52:00.000+01:00

Image is from here.

That's true, Friday is here once again and this week feels as though it has gone so so fast. This week I have Friday off work (I did work last night though!!) so I am going to have a day where I clean and tidy the flat in order for my lovely friends Heather and Josh to come around for a Wii Night. Heather is bringing the treats, which I am rather excited about... I don't even know what the treats are!!

Image is from here.

So I think the evening is going to be filled with Mario Kart Wii tournaments and various games from Wii Sports... I can't really remember what games I have but I definitely have a few more and these two will definitely be entertaining!!

Image is from here.

I will also be going to work in York, which means a train and bus journey for me on both Saturday and Sunday, but I like train journeys!! I have plenty of books out from the library and I can read these and listen to some lovely music while travelling. I'm really enjoying work, who knew working in a clothing store could be so much fun. I also get to be a perfectionist without looking silly!

Image is from here.

I also so badly want to do some sewing. I have some alterations to take care of for my friends but I am part way through making a bag, and I want a big sort out of all my fabrics at some point!! I plan to turn some of my storage shelves into my own little sewing storage where I can keep everything I own sewing-related organised and tidy! This might have to wait until I rearrange the flat though!!

This is my sewing desk, which will only get better as the year goes on!!

So that is my weekend, as planned this Friday morning.

What have you got planned for the weekend?

I love Leeds

2011-09-15T13:07:00.000+01:00

This beautiful image is from here.

As you might know, I live in Leeds. I have done for three lovely years now. I've studied and worked 9-5 in Leeds and well I've grown up A LOT! I am about to embark on my final year of my course and I am rather excited!! Oh the creativity is about to burst out of me just at the anticipation. (I am also aware that there will be a whole year of work work work to do before I graduate but I'm not going to let that scare me - well not right away).

Now, I must admit I haven't even started making the most of living in one of the most fashionable cities in the UK... but all of that is about to change.

It really does!

So yesterday, me and my new lovely friend Lil went to the Victoria Quarter in Leeds to the official launch of the Leeds Loves Shopping Festival which starts October 13th 2011. This was loads of fun, we met independent designers, the people behind the Leeds Guide, Marketing in Leeds, Leeds City Council and even the organiser of the Leeds Fashion Show Anjula Davidson!

It was great fun to talk about my little blog and what I am intending to do with it over the next few months. We also chatted about upcoming events as part of the festival and about the planning and dedication towards planning these events.

We were given lovely goodie bags, with lots of information about the upcoming festival and two little presents!!

I received this beautiful hair clip from Life's Big Canvas and a bath bomb from Patisserie De Bain.

I have made so many contacts in Leeds, which hopefully will lead to me getting involved more with Fashion Activities all over the city!

Look for companies and organisations in Leeds on Twitter if you live in the area if you'd like to do more to get involved too!

Check out leedslovesshopping.com for everything you need to know about the festival, and I will keep you updated with everything I get upto as part of the festival right here, so don't forget to check back!!

Who Lives in Leeds and would like to get involved too?! Leave me a lovely little thought below!

"Who wants Charlie Sheen's face?!"

2011-09-14T11:50:00.000+01:00

Who doesn't, eh?

Well last night I went on a little trip to Sheffield for spontaneous cocktails with some fellow bloggers! I was so excited to meet some of the people behind the blogs I read, and meet new bloggers! It was such a fun night filled with giggles, cocktails priced with Charlie Sheen's face and watching in eager anticipation as to who would get the best "extras" on the cocktail of their choice.

I hadn't been to any sort of blogger event before but since joining Twitter I have found so many new blogs and seen how the little blogging community comes together, and I wanted to be a part of that. So last weekend when Claire (from jazzpad - links to follow at the bottom of the post) asked if any Sheffield bloggers wanted to meet for a spontaneous night of cocktails on Tuesday night, I couldn't resist (seeing as I am only in Leeds)!

I got the train from Leeds with Lil (from A Storm in a Teacup), which was great because it meant we got to have a natter on the train in! We met Claire at the station who gave us part-one of our "Tour of Sheffield" as she guided us to The Wick at Both Ends bar on West Street. This bar was lovely, with comfy sofas and chairs and even an old school desk! The second part of the tour was on our way back to the train station (and even though I've been to Sheffield quite a few times, it was good to see it from her point of view too!).

Lil, Clare and Claire!

Alice and Steph!

Emily and Me!

Emily, Clare (with no 'i'), Alice and Steph all arrived in no time and we got on with ordering cocktails and getting to know each other. Each cocktail came with little accessories such as mini parasols, lollipops, strawberries, flowers and the little treats that came on my cocktail...

Banana flavoured candyfloss and a little plastic ring!! (This was a Pink Ripper)!

I was so glad I went and met these lovely bloggers, who knows it might even become a regular thing!!

Claire and her "Gun" Camera... or is it a microscope?

Claire - jazzpad

Lil - A Storm in a Teacup

Steph - MISSMATHFUL

Clare - pinklittlebean

Alice - The Sartorialice

Emily - Emily Charlotte

Thanks girlies for such a lovely night!!

Soothing Sunday #3 (On a Monday!)

2011-09-12T10:57:00.000+01:00

Image is from here.

Well it isn't anymore... it is Monday but last night I got home at 8PM and just wanted to sit somewhere like below!

Image is from here.

So I started this post last night and put it to one side to watch TV and eat pizza and lots and lots of sweeties. So here is what I would have posted yesterday:

My week has been filled with lots of time to myself, but I have loved it. I have visited CWI twice (that's where I did my placement) I'm pretty sure if I keep visiting that much they will think I still work there! The second time I visited, I took cake. Homemade marble cake to be precise! It was tasty and they all enjoyed it! I will be posting the recipe and photos on The Other Blog very very soon! The image is more blurry than anticipated but nevermind, it still looks tasty.

I also did a spot of baking with my friend Heather (and I supposed I should mention her boyfriend Josh seeing as he did help a little bit). Another recipe to be added to that Cakey blog of mine, but with less photos! They were called Chocolate and Pear Muffins, however they aren't very muffin-looking (as you will see in the next photo) but they sure are very very yummy!

I have also started working at GAP Outlet, in the McArthur Glen Designer Outlet in -or should I say just outside of- York. I love it!! I have to travel but it is worth it and it has encouraged me to buy one of those Young Person's Railcards. So all is good, just can't wait to feel more settled and actually know what I'm doing a bit more!

Travelling will also encourage me to read on the train, so I visited one of the University Libraries and picked up a few books. This time (where I cannot go on facebook or play silly internet games) will actually enable me to do some reading without too many disturbances!

Getting up in the morning and switching on the telly has somehow got me a little addicted with One Tree Hill. It's quite early in the series (I think) so it is quite easy to get into.... and well I'm really enjoying it!!

So I think that rounds up my week. There will be lots more to come next Sunday (and I will really try to post it on the SUNDAY!).

The Tote Bag

2011-09-10T18:12:00.000+01:00

Image is from here.

Hello, I've had a productive day today. I have tidied and sorted the flat a bit more (there is still a lot to do) and I have been to the library to get some books out to do some reading for my dissertation.

I am usually awful at finding the books I want, no matter how organised I am, I just can't seem to follow the little symbols on the sides of the book to "help" you find them. Anyway, it was going well, until I could only find the Reference copy of one of my books (it didn't really matter because I picked up 2 extra books in its place) but I double checked and there was a standard copy available somewhere. I decided to go have another look and on my way to where the book should have been hiding, another book caught my eye...

It mainly caught my eye because it has the most interesting cover in the whole library but then I wanted to know what was inside this beautiful cover. It is basically filled with hundreds of designs found on the fabulous accessory the Tote Bag. Here are some photos I have taken from inside the book:

You can also find out more on this website: http://www.jiteshpatel.co.uk/totebagbook/.

If you could design your own tote bag, what would it look like?

National Sewing Month

2011-09-10T11:13:00.001+01:00

Image is from here.

Ooooh how exciting!

September is National Sewing Month!!!

Some lovely sewing facts!

Every year there is a theme and this month's theme is "Sew for the Love of it!", which I think is great for the first time I will be taking part in my very own National Sewing Month! Not that I really need an excuse to sew, but it is all about home sewing and the things you love to make.

If you head on over to http://www.nationalsewingmonth.org/ you can find out all about it, and they even have a **Competition** for all you lovely lucky people in the US! And even though I can't enter because I am in the UK, I will still make something featuring the "love heart" just because I sew for the love of it!

What are you doing to take part in National Sewing Month? What are the kinds of things you love to sew?

Friday Feeling #1

2011-09-09T23:35:00.001+01:00


Image is from here.

Don't you just love the above image? What a perfect little picnic that must be! In a way it makes me think of Fridays, the day of the week that everyone looks forward to, the beginning of the weekend. "Thank God It's Friday!!" I hear you all exclaim, "Living for the Weekend" sang Hard-Fi and " Get that Friday feeling" with Crunchie... clearly, Friday is the best day of the week.

So, I thought I would make sharing my Friday feeling (on a Friday) a regular thing! I might have to start writing it in a morning, maybe about what my weekend is going to involve (as you can tell I've not thought it all through properly yet) but seeing as I had this idea tonight, I wanted to start it now.

Image is from here.

I've had a good Friday, I worked for four hours at Gap Outlet in York (it was only my second shift but I love working there already!). I then spent my afternoon catching up with my lovely friends Heather and Josh, baking muffins (pics to follow soon however they don't look very muffin like...) and planning what we can do to help us relax around doing uni work that is likely to drive us insane over the next year. It was great and we had a good giggle, just what I needed! Normally I'd spend Friday nights sat at home watching telly, so I will be catching up on what I missed tomorrow morning on BBC iPlayer, probably after a little lie in.

Image is from here.

I plan to spend my weekend reading books, drinking a lot of tea and doing some work towards university, which I am really getting into lately. (I do have to go to work on Sunday but I can still do these things around this!).


Image is from here.

I am planning to start filling scrapbooks too, one for my blog and little ideas to make it more "me", and one for me to stick things in and keep little things that I like and find inspiring. I have always been meaning to do this, but I never got round to it. I would just love to keep scrapbooks and journals that I can always rely on to inspire me, and now is the time I am going to get this into my habit. I guess it could be a New Uni Year Resolution!

Image is from here.

One last thing for my weekend, and probably next week and the following weekend and a few more weeks and weekends after that... I want some inspiration for my flat as I am now living alone. It isn't a bad thing, I quite like it, but I want it to be homey and cosy and a lot more girlie! I think the below photo is a good start to the kind of flat I want.

Image is from here.

Any ideas or inspiration would be great!! I plan to make my own cushion covers and have throws and blankets at hand, but I dunno what more I can do with it! Obviously my flat doesn't have that amazing window but it is pretty impressive, and once I have finished tidying and getting things in new rightful places I will take some photos for you all to see!

Hello September

2011-09-08T19:12:00.000+01:00

Image is from here

Hello, it has been a little while since I posted on here. I have been meaning to but I just haven't got round to it. There has been a little shake-up in my personal life (that I won't bore you with) however I am really really going to get back into blogging, so you can look forward to seeing many more posts soon!

Well, here is September, the month where the leaves go orange and start falling from the trees. I quite like Autumn, it isn't too chilly and everything is so colourful! It is also the season that my Birthday falls in (I tend to get excited about my birthday even though I still have 2 months to go!).

My summer ended well, I had a weekend trip to Lincoln (photos to follow), I have finally got myself a part-time job (Yay!), I have moved back to Leeds and I went to Alton Towers (where I went on ALL the big rides and completed one of my 30 things before 30!). Life has been busy for me, but I have been enjoying myself too, which is always a bonus!

So this post is all about my trip to Lincoln, where I spent the weekend with Jamie, one of my older brother's, and his girlfriend Cherryl. We went for a little walk down (which meant we had to go back up) Steep Hill, which unless you have been there you do not know just how steep it is, where we visited vintage, craft and little homey stores that just filled me with inspiration all day long! We walked around the cathedral, and ate out for Sunday lunch and we even had some very tasty ice-cream. Here are some photos that I took while on my little vacation:

Here I am sitting on the roof terrace at The Cloud Bar in Lincoln

B-E-A-U-TIFUL

2011-08-30T21:24:00.001+01:00

Hello all, I've been a little bit busy this last week and will probably be busy again this week too (I'm moving back to Leeds on Saturday so I should be able to blog more from next week!). Anyway, I'll update you all very soon with the things I have been doing over the past week, but tonight I am going to do a special post....

Earlier today I received an email from Meagan at Splendid Communications, who have been working with, none other than:

Jessica Lowndes from 90210!

Recently, Jessica and Splendid Communications have been working on a campaign together for the Norwegian glacial mineral water brand Isklar. This is all part of a campaign called "Do Different" where, basically you make a change in your life whether it is a new hairstyle, a new wardrobe/look or trying new hobbies. Jessica has been working behind the scenes as a makeup artist, as part of this campaign, and I have been given the chance to share her beauty secrets with you so not you can look just as gorgeous as Jessica does above!

Tip 1: "I always drink lots of water and when I’m in the UK I drink Isklar. It’s probably the best beauty tip that I was given. Water is a natural purifier and aids in detoxification, so make sure you drink 6-8 glasses a day!"

Tip 2: "I love dramatic eyes for my night time look so I always use Laura Mercier cream eye shadow and L’Oreal Voluminous mascara to give my lashes lots of volume. Always try and use a mascara applicator that’s more of a comb rather than a brush for more defined, fully coated, voluminous lashes"

Tip 3: "I like body lotions and perfume that are sweet smelling - anything that smells like cake is a favourite of mine. I always apply body lotion after I get out of the shower to help seal in moisture to keep my skin supple and hydrated"

Tip 4: "I’ve just been introduced to Bare Minerals makeup on my trip to the UK and it’s great because it doesn’t clog your pores and allows your skin to breathe. It’s ideal for sensitive skin as the minerals are so pure and absorb excess oil giving you a matte, fresh finish"

Tip 5: "Whilst in the UK I’ve been introduced to Givenchy lipstick in sweet shine, this is a great lipstick colour that can be worn in daytime or with smoky eyes for night time look, make sure you choose a lipstick colour that suits you and is wearable with more than one look!"

Tip 6: "For a great glow I like to use Armani Cream Blush Duo- gives a great sun kissed look without being too much. I apply mine with a soft brush and it leaves my skin dewy and glowing!"

Tip 7: "It’s really important in summer to keep your skin hydrated so I love to use Dermalogica cream on my face. A good moisturizer is imperative for healthy skin, as is an SPF. Make sure you choose the right moisturizer for your skin type too!"

And they are the lovely tip top beauty tips from Jessica Lowndes, some of which I will definitely be following!

To find out more about the "Do Different" campaign visit Isklar's Facebook Page where you can also find competitions and become part of the campaign yourself. I'm going to start making some changes and follow the Do Different campaign as I feel some things in my life need a little bit of a kickstart! Feel free to let me know what changes you would make to your lifestyle.

Top image is from We Heart It.

Many Thanks to Meagan from Splendid Communications for providing me with photos of Jessica from the photoshoot for the campaign.

The "Other" Blog

2011-08-26T12:00:00.004+01:00

Well, I always thought of myself as a one-blog kinda girl. I absolutely LOVE writing my blog, and I am really getting into it lately. I don't know what it is about it, but there is really something therapeutic about keeping this little online journal.

I kinda wish I'd started blogging earlier in my life, or that I'd got more into it in October 2009 when I first started this as part of a uni project. I feel as though Creative Ingenuity is becoming a little part of me, I think about it while I'm doing other things and think to myself, would I like to mention this on my blog? With this in mind, I have started to say yes to this question more and more over the past few months!

Anyway, over the past year I have really developed a love for baking, which I believe is from working in an office where "cakes and treats" were available most days of the week. I wish I'd baked more for the office over the year, but I'm gona visit them with homemade treats over the next year (it'll give me a break from uni work!).

Whenever I make a cake/cakes, I always follow a recipe. I mainly get the recipe off the internet, adjust it slightly to suit me then make my yummy treats. Then I put the recipe somewhere and move on to the next recipe. I never ever remember where I put the recipe and spend more time looking for it again as opposed to the actual baking!! I decided that I needed a recipe book of some sort, or a file/folder to keep the recipes I use in one place... then I thought I would like to share the recipes with people, and I'd like to give my reviews or to hear other people's comments, so I have made myself a Cakey blog. Now I have even more motivation to bake and make cakes, as I have my other little blog to write on.

So please feel free to visit my other blog! It only has one recipe on at the minute but I can PROMISE you that more will be uploaded very soon. I'd love for feedback and comments about the recipes and cakes seen on the website!

Click on the image above to visit *cupcakes and sweet dreams*....

Top image is from We Heart It, *cupcakes and sweet dreams logo is designed by myself.

30 Things...

2011-08-25T16:12:00.000+01:00

...to do before I turn 30!

Well I am 21 (nearly 22!!) years old and there are many many things I would like to do in my life. I have seen a few blogs with the 25 before 25, 30 before 30 etc etc and I would quite like to motivate myself to actually do some of the things that I think of doing. I will add this into a tab so it is easy to keep track of and cross things off my list!

So here it goes...

Run a 10k
Ride in a hot air balloon
Visit New York
Buy a VW Beetle
Graduate from university (hopefully with a 1st but a 2:1 will do!)
Go to Paris
Go on a roadtrip in a VW Campervan
Raise over £500 for charity
Start my own business (maybe open a little Haberdashery?)
Go to Glastonbury
Attend a Blogger Meet-up
Own an industrial sewing machine
Complete an Otley Run (Yes I have lived in Leeds for 3 years and have not done an Otley run!!!)
Go to Ireland
Arrange and organise a fashion show for College/University students
Get a real job once I graduate university
Start shopping in charity shops and blog about my finds
Buy a house
Run a full marathon
Take part in breaking a world record
Go on ALL the rollercoasters at Alton Towers in one day (hopefully I will do this in September!)
Visit the Grand Canyon
Go to Disneyland!
Meet someone famous who I actually know things about so I could say something intelligent
Get a little Westie for a pet
Try to read at least one book a month as a regular thing (minimum of 12months for this to be crossed off!)
~~Start a Cake Recipe Blog~~ Visit cupcakesandsweetdreams.blogspot.com
Appear on Deal or No Deal (this seems a bit silly but it's a game show purely based on luck and not skill! And meeting Noel Edmonds would be cool)
Join some Socials during my final year at university!
Learn more about HTML to make my blog truly unique to me!

Phew, that was difficult... much more difficult than I'd anticipated! Hopefully, it'll be easier for me to complete all the things on my list.

What kind of things do you have on your lists? How have you been getting on with doing the things on your lists?

Above image is from here.

Little Surprise For Me!

2011-08-22T19:52:00.000+01:00

Well, the other day I was playing around with my camera (this tends to be something I do when it comes to Technology because I like to now everything it does, and how to do everything on it). Anyway, there I was flicking through the settings and trying different styles when I found this BEAUTIFUL setting!

I absolutely love it, and it was such a great surprise!! I think I'll use it every so often to capture tiny little details! But it doesn't work too well for certain things so it'll just have to be a special setting for me until I figure out how to use it properly! The camera is an Olympus X-940, which I bought in February, and although it is a bit temperamental it is a pretty good camera. Look below for some more lovely photos using the same style:

Have you found any interesting features on your camera?

Top image is from here and the rest are from my camera.

Soothing Sunday #2

2011-08-21T21:21:00.002+01:00

Well, I haven't had many chances to blog this week, which I actually really missed (considering I'm not very good at blogging regularly, I have been trying to post more in the past few weeks). I'm currently at home for the summer after a few personal problems, and after having a delightful visit from my sister we had limited internet downloads left. Which meant I was rationing off the last few megabytes to use Facebook and Twitter. Well from today the download limit has been set to zero again meaning that I have full use of the internet to blog blog blog!

So, what I am trying to say is that Blogging makes me happy! Just having a record of my thoughts and inspirations is what I love the most about writing a blog.

To be honest, I have a few posts in my head lined up... but I haven't taken photos along the week to put up here today for my Soothing Sunday! I can tell you a little something about my week! I had a road trip to Leeds on Thursday to see people from CWI, sort out a few things at the flat and to have a look for some part time jobs. My auntie and uncle visited Mablethorpe and we found some very old cameras in a market (I might go take some photos of these interesting old-fashioned cameras to share with you!). Today I travelled to Luton with my parents to get my sister and the journey was filled with 90's music and tasty sweets, so I can't really complain about being in the car for 6 and a half hours. I have also spent my week reading, watching Men Behaving Badly, going for early morning runs and seeing friends.

Finally here is my most favourite song this week:

The lovely Mouthwash by Kate Nash!

Image is from We Heart It and the video is from Youtube.

The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets

2011-08-15T18:49:00.001+01:00

As I am home for the summer, I have borrowed my dad's library card to take some books out for me to read. I chose a couple that I would probably not have read/bought and now that I have finished the first book, I am glad that I did.

The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets is a book set in the 1950's following the life of Penelope Wallace, an 18 year old girl who would just like to grow up and fall in love with her favourite pop star Johnnie Ray. The story begins with how she met Charlotte, a girl her age but very different in personality to Penelope. This is definitely a very girlie book, talking about fashion, shopping, falling in love, pop stars and food. I absolutely loved the book I couldn't stop reading it at the end, as I just had to know what happened! I really connected with Penelope, she was so honest with herself and how much she admired Charlotte's confidence.

Even though this novel was set in the mid 1950's it was lovely to read and I would recommend it to everyone!

Images are from WeHeartIt & Amazon.

Soothing Sunday #1

2011-08-14T20:08:00.000+01:00

I have noticed a couple of blogs do a "weekly round-up" on the same day each week, which I love the idea of!! It would be good to look back on my posts to see what I've been doing with my time, it will encourage me to keep taking photos (something I seem to be bad at remembering) and it'll be a regular post that I can stick too.

I always like to think of Sundays as long, relaxing days full of cups of tea and TV watching, long walks and lie-ins. That is why I thought the adjective "Soothing" would be a good choice to name my new regular weekly post.

So what have I been up to this week?

Earlier this week I treated myself to a recipe book, Cooking with Chocolate, and a cupcake stand. I love baking and I would like to start collecting more recipe books and developing my own recipes... look forward to seeing more cakes made by myself!

I have finally sent off the book Northern Lights to Emily who writes the blog emily--charlotte.blogspot.com for her to read and pass on to another blogger. I'll be keeping track of the journey of the book, and I hope that it travels far and wide. Emily, enjoy reading it again!

Today I went to Skegness to watch the Carnival with my friend Hannah today, it was actually quite fun. There were some impressive floats, we think the theme for this year was The World but all in all it was pretty good. My favourites were the brass bands and drummers( playing some classics such as YMCA), as well as the Zumba dancers who practically danced all the way around Skegness!

Above is my new playsuit from Missguided which I absolutely LOVE! I haven't had a playsuit before, and without thinking about the struggle of going to the toilet, it's great to wear! It's such a nice summery print and is really comfortable, even on warm days.

I hope you've all had a great week!

Sunday image taken from here. All other images are my own.

Don't Stop Believing

2011-08-09T22:44:00.000+01:00

I hope all those affected by the riots are safe and well.

Today I have seen the more lovely side of our country in those offering their services and help in the clean up (on Twitter!!), and it is these people who make me feel proud to be British.

Image is from We Heart It.

At home for the Summer

2011-08-08T21:11:00.000+01:00

Well it finally feels as though Summer has started, there has been beautiful sunshine and warm breezes most days, with the occasional spot of rain and exciting thunderstorms. A few weeks ago I came home for the Summer in my home town of Mablethorpe, in Lincolnshire. So far it has been filled with days out with friends, drinking lots of tea, reading in the sun and now family have come to visit. I just thought I'd share with you a couple of the things from here at home near the seaside.

A little while ago my room was decorated cream with a feature wall in pink. I have the little "box" room in my house, but it's lovely and ever so cosy that I love it. It's so girly and (now that I'm at uni for most of the year) it's clutter free and minimalistic, with pine furniture and pink and cream accessories. Below are some pictures I have taken of my room.

I also decided to have my hair done for the summer with red streaks and a slight change in style. I'm planning to grow my hair long again, so I have opted for the simple centre parting. My mum was a hairdresser so she has cut (only slightly to allow for the new parting) and dyed my hair.

As part of my new hair style I treated myself to some new products by Tresemme (2 for £5 in Boots at the moment) which are to give my hair more volume. After using them for a couple of days (along with my Aussie Leave in Conditioner, which I would absolutely recommend to all) I have noticed more bounce and a beautiful shine in my hair. I love the smell of Tresemme products, and they leave my hair feeling soft and sleek to the touch. I think these are my new must-haves for my hair.

Top image is from here. All other images are my own.

Kind Hearted Blogger Pledge!

2011-08-07T16:58:00.002+01:00

While looking around some other blogs for a bit of Sunday Afternoon Reading I came across this:

This is something that I would like to be a part of, so here is my pledge:

AS A KIND-HEARTED BLOGGER I PLEDGE TO:

create, inspire, and admire rather than compete with fellow bloggers
be understanding of each other -- in the blogging community, as well as in the world
stay away from internet/blogging bullying
speak my opinion freely, while still being mindful of other's feeling s-- be tactful.
make an effort--no matter how big or small the gesture, to spread kindness or joy to others
acknowledge that I will make mistakes, (I am only human) but remember to learn from them
know that at times I will post about the negative stuff in life, and maybe even some complaining (I am only human) but I will always follow up with something happy/positive too.
believe that this world is a good place, filled with good people.

Top image is from WeHeartIt.
You'll find your own code to add the campaign image to your blog, as well as more information on the campaign, here.

I've had a little idea...

2011-08-05T20:32:00.000+01:00

In March, when I was working at my placement, I was given a book by my friend Chantelle as part of World Book Night 2011. This was quite an exciting thing to be a part of as Chantelle had 30 or so copies of this book and was handing them out to people to read, for free!! Once the book has been read, it can then be passed onto someone else to read (for free) and the process is repeated through friends and families. There is a tracking number in the back of the book so that you can register that you've had the book, and where you had it. Then a little while after you've passed it on, you can track where the book has been!

I was really interested in this idea, and since I started reading the book earlier this week, I have been thinking about who I'd like to pass the book onto.... Well, here is my idea:

Why don't we keep this book "Blogger Themed"? There are two ways this could be done, people request the book and an order is made and the book is passed along in that order, or, each blog nominates another blog and passes it onto them individually! Any ideas on which idea is best would be really helpful.

I suppose I better tell you about the book then! The book is called Northern Lights, by Philip Pullman, and is one part of a three part series called "His Dark Materials". I'm not going to lie... I LOVED this book, I could barely put it down! The book is really different, it contains mystery and superstition, following the story of a young girl and her dæmon and how her life will be changed forever. It's really gripping, and with so many twists and turns throughout the whole book. At first I didn't really like the main character, probably because she was the complete opposite of me, but as I got to know her more in the book and her tale, I found myself connecting with her. I would highly recommend this book, and cannot wait to hear what others think!!

So let me know what you all think, if anyone would like to request to be next then comment or send me an email!! I think it'll be a lovely way to unite Bloggers (in a sort of book club kind of way?) and this one little book could travel the world on Bloggers alone! When I pass on the book, I'll include a little note to let you know how to write a journal entry on the book, so everyone can track it, and you could all sign it with your blogs to show who has had it!

The image above is taken from the World Book Night website. The image of the book is taken from my camera.

Designed with Purpose

2011-08-04T20:46:00.002+01:00

A little while ago, I received an email about a website called Goodfibres... I wasn't really sure what it was about however since then the site has opened and I think it's a nifty little idea!

So, what is Goodfibres? The website (you'll find a link below) states in it's mission that:

"Goodfibres is building a community for artists, and those who appreciate art, to share their tastes and talent to promote cool designs for a good cause. We believe that the individual spirit of many can be used to collectively inspire, and directly impact many people’s lives. We hope to build a unique relationship between our artists and our customers by providing a venue for artists to showcase their other projects and by allowing customers to voice their support and feedback on new designs. Additionally, we hope to create a forum where users can discuss causes that they feel strongly about and collectively choose the future recipients for our clothing donations (and hopefully soon other items like art supplies, medicine and drinking water)."

Goodfibres allows just about everyone, to design a t-shirt that is then showcased and voted for by people who actually want to buy it. Once it has received enough positive feedback, the t-shirt is then made (sustainably and ethically!) and for each one that is sold, Goodfibres will donate a t-shirt to someone less fortunate! The good news for the designer is that they hold all rights to their artwork/design and they receive some of the royalties. Therefore the designer is rewarded for their work, and they're helping someone less fortunate in the process of selling their designs. I've included some examples of artwork that you can vote for online, just some that caught my eye.

Anyone can get involved in this cause, whether it is designing a t-shirt or simply just purchasing one!! Simply go to www.goodfibres.com to see what you think!

All images were taken from the Goodfibres website.

Twisted Shoes

2011-08-02T21:51:00.000+01:00

While casually browsing the internet, I came across something quite unusual.... Twisted Ankle Tie Ups! Yes guys, not only can you get twisted jeans, you can now get twisted shoes! Check them out below:

Instead of the laces sitting on top of the foot, they now start at the bridge-side of your foot twisting to the front of your ankle. I can't imagine them being easy to put on, but they will certainly look quite dandy on your feet! The contrasting nude sole compliments the dark brown leather top, and even though they are innovative in terms of shoe design, they are quite classic in terms of style. I can really see these becoming very popular very soon!

The shoes are available from Gourmet Footwear and I found out (and used the photo) from Trendhunter!

Future Fundraising!

2011-08-01T16:08:00.000+01:00

I have just done something that I have been planning to do for a while.... I have just registered for the Jane Tomlinson 10k in Leeds!!! It's a long way away, so I'm really quite optimistic about it but I actually feel quite excited. I now have something to work towards when I go running! I know quite a few people who have taken part in an event much like this, including my brother and cousin, however this will be my very first 10k event.

I have chosen to run for the charity Macmillan Cancer Support, which is one of the race's partner charities. Over the next year(ish) I will train, start collecting donations and I will prepare myself for probably one of the most rewarding tasks in my life so far!

Does anyone who has completed a 10k run for charity, have any advice for me?

I'd love to hear about your experiences!

Also if anyone else has registered or is planning to for the Leeds event then let me know!

Image is the logo of Macmillan Cancer Support, taken from their website.

Summertime Fireworks

2011-07-30T22:56:00.000+01:00

In the little seaside town where I live, there is a yearly event where the Summer Illuminations are turned on by someone famous to establish the start of the summer holidays in the town.

Mablethorpe has been my hometown since I was about 5... which was a long time ago... And the illuminations were always something my family and I looked forward to. In the beginning we went out the watch the illuminations (and pretty impressive firework displays) as they weren't too far from home, but we soon realised we could enjoy it just as much in the comfort of our own garden! Various celebrities of different status' have come to Mablethorpe to turn on the lights, from Corrie stars to Gladiators! The event is always a big hit with the holiday makers and locals alike, with many waiting outside for hours near the seafront for the even to begin.

This year I have video'd the fireworks for you guys tonight. I've edited my video so that you all can see some of the best bits! (This could be very poor by the way, as I am not a professional at this sort of thing). The fireworks were not well placed above our back garden so some are just above our bathroom roof, however they're still very enjoyable.

I hope you like it!! Why not let me know what your hometown's do to celebrate summer?

Video is from my camera and edited by myself.

My Tailor's Dummy

2011-07-30T22:15:00.000+01:00

When i left work on Friday, my leaving present included a menswear tailor's dummy. I absolutely love it and can't wait to use it in my final year! At university there are stands for us to use however it'll be great for me to have one to use at home too.

It's got a metal stand and a black body cover, so it's looking pretty stylish. Especially in Nathan's superman costume so far that I made him that you can see in the photo below.

This gift will allow me to adjust patterns, fit toiles and garments and to display the finished product. It will also hopefully encourage me to start more personal projects.

Image from my phone (sorry for the poor quality!)

Goodbye CWI - Hello Summer

2011-07-11T21:03:00.000+01:00

Just over 12 months ago I started my placement at Cohen and Wilks, now it is coming to an end... it'll be a sad week to leave my work friends so that I can enjoy the summer before my final year at university. I'll be tying off loose ends, packing up my stuff and saying my good-byes.

I've absolutely loved the experience CWI has given me, I have learnt so much about the industry and even more about garments! I've made some amazing friends that I'll definitely stay in contact with, who have helped me so much throughout my experience. Working at CWI has changed the way I work, so hopefully I'll be much more organised and better at using my time more effectively. I can also use my technical knowledge to fuel my designs develop my final collection! I don't think I can even put into words how much this year has and will continue to help me...

As much as I've enjoyed working, the 9-5 days aren't quite what I'm used to and I'm looking forward to being a student again! I'm looking forward to having time to visit Art Galleries, Museums and to finding inspiration every single day! I've missed being creative over the past year, and I cannot wait until I get to start my final collection!

So as I sadly say Good-bye to CWI - I am saying Hello to summer, to creativity, to inspiration and to living the life as a student one more time!

Image is from here. Thank you!

Home Sweet Home...

2011-07-03T11:26:00.000+01:00

Here some pictures of my little trip home. I actually forgot I had a camera most days apart from the Christening so there are only a few around then. However we had a fun-filled day out at Butlins, with gigantic deck-chairs and camper vans, as well as more relaxing days with the family and a few beer garden drinks. It was a beautiful start to the Summer.

Now with only two weeks to go of my placement, I can start planning my summer before I begin my final year journey!

Photos are my from camera

Going to the Seaside

2011-06-24T12:53:00.000+01:00

This weekend I am going back "Home" (where I came from before I moved to Leeds, which is also home) for 5 whole days! Now, some of you might have heard of Lincolnshire (it's that shire between the Humber and the Wash, on the east side of the UK) and I'll be staying in a small town called Sutton-On-Sea! My home is in Mablethorpe, where I will go visit the parents, and I'll also be going to Wainfleet, and probably a bit of time in Skegness!

I am going back for a Christening, as well as to see family and friends! I'm very excited! I'll take some photos and post when I get back to Leeds, to let you know how my little holiday home went!

Here is a little picture my sister Adele took last time she went home. I hope it's this sunny next week!

Thank you to Adele Coady for allowing me to use your photo!

Fenech Soler

2011-06-22T22:14:00.001+01:00

I am absolutely in love with the band Fenech Soler at the moment. Their album, named after the band, is most likely to be my album of the summer. Check out their website here.

A few of my favourite tunes are Battlefield, Lies, Stop and Stare, Demons and Walk Alone. Why not take a listen?

My favourite site to hear music for free is Grooveshark. It's much like Spotify, however the adverts are on the screen as opposed to in between songs, which works better for me! You can create a profile for free and save you favourite songs into playlists too!

Image is from the Fenech Soler Website!

Baking and Caking

2011-06-22T20:48:00.000+01:00

Work has been a little bit hectic this week, with people away / travelling to the Far East, and us all getting the AW11 samples in as well as SS12 development samples. Not only do we have all that to cope with, we are inspecting various styles in the warehouse too! Time always seems to go faster when you're busy and everyone is just about coping under all this pressure.

There is a little task that I have had to ask for help with, and quite frankly I couldn't get it done with just me and Hannah, so everyone is lending a helping hand. To reward those who help I have done a little bit of baking to keep up their strength.

I might not make the best looking cakes but they always taste good, even if I do say so myself!

Photo from my camera.

Check this out...

2011-06-21T21:40:00.000+01:00

I've just made a Welcome Page for Creative Ingenuity's Facebook Page! Why not have a look at it?

I wanted to make it interesting and yet give enough information about the blog to make people want to follow!

Converse - A Timeless Design

2011-06-21T12:53:00.000+01:00

I was putting on my Converse shoes this morning and they got me thinking, I've had these shoes for about 5 years now and although a bit faded, the are still in good condition.

Over the past 5 years these shoes have been through quite a lot, I might not wear them everyday however these have been used quite well and are still going strong.

The converse design is well known and is most probably unlikely to change. The shoes are available in pretty much every single colour, various lengths and styles, patterned or plain and the best part - they're for boys and girls! After getting my first pair, I talked my boyfriend into getting some, and he must admit he is a fan now.

David Tennant wore them for his role as Doctor Who, and was recently seen in an interview wearing Superman Converse, which are really very cool! Have a look at them below.

It seems as though pretty much anything can be put onto Converse, which makes them so versatile. In black or white, they can look quite smart; as opposed to yellow or green, which is much more retro!

I definitely plan to get more, maybe in different styles as well as colour.

Image 1 is from my camera, image 2 is from Google.co.uk image search.

Changes...

2011-06-20T12:41:00.000+01:00

A few of you might have seen that I've made a few changes to my blog lately. I've been adding new things in between my posts, such as my projects and CV pages at the top!

Today I decided to completely change the look of my blog. Although I loved the pink, I wanted something a bit fresher looking, so decided to opt for a clean white background behind my text. I used the Blogger Template to create my new-look page and I'm really impressed with the final outcome.

Why not have a look around and let me know what you think?

The Green Lantern

2011-06-20T07:44:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I went to see the Green Lantern in 3D at the nearby cinema, and I must say I was quite impressed. As a bit of a superhero fan I thought this would be a film I'd enjoy however I don't know much about Green Lantern so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Ryan Reynolds stars as the Green Lantern, and his usual kind of role (a bit of a clown going for jokes and looking cool, and also not being someone you could really rely on) is played on a little bit at the beginning of the film and gives you that "will he be able to save the day?" question that you're supposed to get with these kinds of films.

The 3D effects were very good, I've nto seen many films in 3D so it's all kind of new to me, however once I'd got used to the perspective it gives you, I quite enjoyed the visual effects.

The film's storyline could have probably done with a little bit longer screen play, but it wasn't too packed in that you'd completely lost the plot, it maybe could have been developed more for a superhero movie. It was a good storyline however, you watch as the good guy and the baddie develop into their characters, you have the girl that they both want and there's some humour in it too so that it's not dark and twisted.

All in all a good film that I'd recommend, and if there is a sequel then I'll definitely be going to watch that too!

Image is from imdb.com

Waiting At The Window

2011-06-19T07:37:00.000+01:00

When I was little there was a book in my house called "Now we are Six", I can't remember it well, but I remember one poem from inside it, very well. The book was written by A.A. Milne (the very famous person who wrote Winnie the Pooh stories, and the poem featured an illustration with Pooh Bear in the window) and was about raindrops on the window. It didn't matter where I was or the window I was looking out of (be it at home, in the car, at school) I'd remember this poem, and think about it as I watched the rain hit the window.

Well, when I opened my curtains this morning and found it was raining, I was reminded of this poem, I still love it! I hope you enjoy reading it too.

These are my two drops of rain
Waiting on the window-pane.
I am waiting here to see
Which the winning one will be.
Both of them have different names.
One is John and one is James.
All the best and all the worst
Comes from which of them is first.
James has just begun to ooze.
He's the one I want to lose.
John is waiting to begin.
He's the one I want to win.
James is going slowly on.
Something sort of sticks to John.
John is moving off at last.
James is going pretty fast.
John is rushing down the pane.
James is going slow again.
James has met a sort of smear.
John is getting very near.
Is he going fast enough?
(James has found a piece of fluff.)
John has quickly hurried by.
(James was talking to a fly.)
John is there, and John has won!
Look! I told you! Here's the sun!

Poem by A.A. Milne and featured in the book "Now we are Six" published in 1927.
Image is from here which features more poems from A.A. Milne.

What a Beautiful Day!

2011-06-13T12:08:00.000+01:00

In April, my boyfriend took me on a little surprise day trip to Wakefield. We got up early, took the train and walked (for ages and ages) through Wakefield to Newmiller Dam, which was absolutely beautiful.

The surroundings were tranquil and the view over the dam was outstanding. The weather was gorgeous, and it completely took both of us away from stresses of work and university, as well as giving us a break from our normally busy Saturday mornings. Once we were there we walked, talked and sat around the dam, basking in the glorious sunshine and enjoying the peace and quiet away from Leeds City Centre. I've attached some photos below that I managed to take before my camera battery ran out! Enjoy!

Photos are from my own camera.

New Shoes for Topman

2011-06-12T14:56:00.000+01:00

Marc Hare has designed a collection of shoes just for Topman which goes on sale in August, online and in selected stores. I read about this collection on GQ Online and automatically loved the style of these shoes. Priced from £85, these shoes are stylish, smart and sleek, which contrasting outer materials ranging from suede to alligator print collaborated throughout the range.

All images from gq-magazine.co.uk.

Superhero Costumes - Part 3

2011-05-31T15:07:00.000+01:00

After making the specifications I could then begin to draw up the pattern for the Superman t-shirt. This is something I have learned to do since working for Cohen and Wilks and I think it will be really useful for my final year at university.

Once I knew how wide the top would be then I made a small pattern for the Superman logo to be appliqued to the front. This was done by cutting out the outline shape in 3 layers of fabric - 2 yellow (to stop showthrough of the blue) and one layer of red. I then cut out the red part to give the logo and pinned this in place onto the yellow fabrics. I used a zig-zag stitch to completely secure the "S" in place.

I really love the effect of this as it looks smooth, and neat and I know there is no chance the fabric could fray or spoil. If I was to do this again however I would use an interlining just to stiffen the red fabric as little, as I found it did move as I stitched it.

I then placed the logo onto the front of the fabric and stitched this into place. Next I stitched the front and back together at the side seams and shoulder seams.

My next steps to complete this part of the costume is to finish the seam allowances, stitch in the sleeves, stitch the hem, cuffs and collar. and this part will be complete. I will put up a photo of Nathan wearing it once it has been completed.

All photos are from my camera.

Running Away to Liverpool

2011-05-29T10:35:00.000+01:00

In February, I found out I'd won some money in a competition so me and my boyfriend Nathan decided we'd run away to somewhere for the weekend and have some spontaneous fun!

Liverpool was my first choice with so much culture, and I knew Nathan would enjoy it because of the city's links to the Beatles. I'd definitely recommend the Tate Liverpool, the Maritime Museum, spotting the "Lambananas" and also heading to the Hard Days Night Hotel and looking around in the nearby Beatles' shops. It was definitely a weekend to remember and

I've added some photos below to show our weekend away, which was so much fun I wish I had the money to run away every week!

 Photos are from my camera you can see the full album here.

Thanks to Nathan Whitehouse for allowing me to post the pictures with him in!

Upcycling - Turning Jeans into a Skirt

2011-05-28T16:31:00.000+01:00

Over Easter, I had a few days off from work, and during this time I decided to do a big Spring Clean. This involved everything (except my boyfriends things of course) from clothes to collected clutter. I then went through all my clothes to decide which fabrics I wanted to use, to those things that were suitable to give to charity. I found I had a pair of Topshop jeans that weren't too battered and beaten to be chucked away, and that were a nice denim that it could be useful to use in design journals next year.

Then I thought about Upcycling these jeans into a denim skirt - it is summer after all! So here is how I did it:

I took the jeans pictured above, and I cut them at the knees (as in the picture below), much longer than I anticipated the skirt to be, so that I could choose the desired length later, and leave enough extra on the hem the skirt.

I then opened the Inside Leg seams to open the jeans into a skirt. The Front Rise was unpicked to the bottom of the zip fastening and the back rise was unpicked up to halfway of the seam.

I then changed the way the back rise sat, eliminating the curve as much as possible to create a straight seam. I then added the extra top-stitching as in the original design of the jeans.

At this point, I cut the skirt to the desired length with added hem depth. I then pinned the front rise so that it overlapped under the zip and lay flat. I cut up part of one of the remaining legs to add an insert into the front where the inside legs now opened out. I then stitched this in place following the original design of the top-stitching.

To finish the skirt I hemmed it, and pressed it. The finished result can be seen below!

I would really recommend Upcycling your old clothes, maybe you find something boring now and would like to update it's style? It took me 2 and a half hours to change these jeans into a skirt, and it is definitely worth taking the time to do it.

Feel free to let me know what you've upcycled!

Images are from my own camera.

Superhero Costumes - Part 2

2011-05-27T12:21:00.000+01:00

The next part of my superhero journey was fabrics - this always gets me more excited about a task as I can start to visualise it. I know I should have really made specifications first to minimise fabric waste, however I like having spare fabric left over afterwards.

So below is a photo of the fabrics for both costumes, I already think they look very superhero-esque!

I bought these fabric from Samuel Taylors in Leeds, you will find their website here.

Image is from my own camera.

Superhero Costumes - Part 1

2011-05-25T12:47:00.000+01:00

Well, it's been a while since I have posted on here, but I'm about to start a little project in preparation for a night out to celebrate my boyfriends 21st birthday.

So the plan is, to go out on a pub crawl with a bunch of friends all dressed as different superheroes. As a fashion design student, who loves a challenge, I have decided to make our costumes. I will create specs, make patterns and sew, sew ,sew until my heart is content.

Our choices for heroes are...

Superman

and...

Wonder Woman

It's all very exciting! I'm really looking forward to making our very own outfits, so I thought I'd document the little story on here and show you my journey along the way!

There will me more posts to follow soon!! I hope you enjoy.

The images are from google.co.uk

Show me your party dress!

2011-01-25T19:41:00.000Z

The company where I am doing my year out in industry at, Cohen and Wilks, have suppliers in China, who we work with on a day-to-day business to make many of the jackets you'll find in our customer's stores. Our main supplier is Suntex, and today I received an email with some photos from their Chinese New Year Party.

There were two that stood out to me, the dresses in these photos were beautiful.

The sculpted shapes and beautifully stencilled patterns are just so inspiring. I just really wanted to share them with others! I don't think I've ever seen anything like them and I wanted to keep a record of them to inspire me in the future. Maybe they'll inspire you too.

Many thanks to May Cheng and Suntex for allowing me to use these photos.

Inspired

2011-01-25T08:23:00.000Z

When I got my new laptop, it has Photoshop Elements already installed on it. As an Illustrator fan, with some knowledge of Photoshop, I decided to play around with it and see what it could do. I had a photo of my boyfriend Nathan and decided to see if I could make an Andy Warhol inspired picture. The results are below:

Firstly I duplicated the original photo and arranged in the four quarters. I then draw 4 identical squares as the background of each quarter. Next I changed the style of the photo to an artistic style called "cutout". I coloured in the square backgrounds and I used the Smartbrush to change the faces to match the colours of each background.

I feel that this worked well and although not exactly like the Marylin Monroe portraits created by Warhol himself, I feel I've achieved a similar effect.

Image taken from my camera and edited by myself.

Just a little something...

2011-01-23T16:55:00.000Z

Well, it's been a while since I have written on here. I've been very busy over the past 6-7months doing my placement in QA at Cohen and Wilks. It has been an amazing experience so far and I am still learning so much from it. I have been working with Childrenswear, which is a new experience for me, and my role mainly consists of requesting tests on fabrics and components (so the garment will be safe) and measuring and checking garments for quality. I personally work with TU@Sainsbury's, Littlewoods, Dunnes and Peacocks as customers. Other customers Chen and Wilks supply to are M&S, Debenhams, Next, Mothercare, George, Tesco and John Lewis, as well as many others. I have worked and inspected garments for all these customers, which has shown me the differences in childrens clothing in the High Street. I have gained so much experience, more than I could imagine, since I started working there and I love my role as a QA, and although I don't get to make things, I am certainly considering working more in QA after university.

It'll be weird going back to university but I am looking forward to the work and projects I will be set in Final Year, even though it will be a HUGE amount of work. I've already started considering what I'll write about in my dissertation and what my designs and final collection could be based on. I think what I'm looking forward to most abotu going back to uni is the fact I'll be spending more time being creative again.

Well to end this post I thought I'd show you the suit jacket and trousers that I made for Nathan, which he wore to the Cohen and Wilks Staff Christmas Party.

Image taken from my camera. Thanks to Nathan Whitehouse for allowing me to use this photo of him.

A Level Art - Using Fabrics to Create a Picture

2010-05-14T16:48:00.000+01:00

The image of the work above is one of my A Level pieces that I constructed with fabric. First I laid out some fabrics and placed a shiny, reflective vase in the centre and painted the composition. Next I redrew the picture but more simply onto some calico fabric and used the key colours from the fabrics to recreate it. As I had previously painted it, it was quite simple to portray it with fabrics, using the painting to give me the reflections in the vase. I attached the fabrics in an applique style with a zig-zag stitch around the outer edge, preventing the fabrics from fraying. I then used organza over the vase part to give the vase its shiny appearance. This worked well because the organza is translucent so you could still see the other fabrics underneath. To finish the piece off I embellished some sections of the fabrics (the ones that were patterned) with beading.

Image from my own camera.

Ting Tings - Standing In The Way Of Control

2010-05-12T12:36:00.000+01:00

I absolutely love the Ting Tings' cover of Standing in the Way of Control. Mixed with I've got the Power, it is really inspirational as though to say I'm taking control of everything and I can do this! This is the kind of ethos a fashion design student needs, what with the hard work, time and effort we all put into completing each element of this course. Enjoy! The video is from here.

Mark Ronson and his shoes for Gucci

2010-05-12T12:09:00.000+01:00

"Run DMC had their Adidas. Kanye's still the Louis Vuitton Don. So it makes perfect sense that Best-Dressed Mainstay, former GQ Man of the Year and self-confessed "avid sneaker addict" Mark Ronson would try his hand at a footwear collaboration. After bonding with Gucci's Creative Director Frida Giannini over her impeccable musical taste, Ronson has designed a limited edition range of trainers that will be sold exclusively in a new pop-up store, Gucci Icon-Temporary that opens in London on 22 April."

These trainers reflect Ronson's style completely. In the picture above you can see one is Polka Dot (a favourite of the musician's) and the other is a stylish grey flannel, these are the two that are unique to the London store. His obsession for sneakers started at a young age and after sharing the same taste in music with Frida Giannini they began working together. The article on GQ's website talks about the joint venture, Ronson's inspirations, his new CD and his style.

Watch a video about the new store here. To read the full article and interview click here.

Paul Smith - Paris - Autumn/Winter 2010/2011

2010-05-11T10:27:00.000+01:00

For a little break from revision I decided to have a little look at some of the catwalks for Autumn/Winter 2010/2011. Paul Smith is a favourite designer of mine so I decided to look at his latest collection, which I found was quite inspiring.

Smith has designed a range of garments in both casual and formal style, teaming together over sized coats with modern, sophisticated tailoring. His used of contrasting patterns throughout the outfits compliments the Paul Smith brand well, allowing stripes, checks and patterned shirts to be teamed together without a second thought.

The collection, suitable for a range of ages, is made up of dark, subdued colours with the occasional bright. The reds, blacks and blues are pieced together to give the collection warmth, but also as key pieces that will work with whatever else you buy.

The overcoats are asymmetrical, with exaggerated features such as hoods collars and shoulders. The heavy fabrics have been played with the create the best drape so that the coat sits right no matter how it is worn.

Not only were patterns used with each other, Smith has designed shirts with contrasting collars and cuffs, Jackets with contrasting lapels (mixing some with knitted features) and lustrous and matted fabrics have been used together to create unique, stylish ensembles.

See more of the collection here.

Edgar Mueller

2010-05-10T14:42:00.000+01:00

I remember seeing some of the street art by this artist in the newspaper a while back, and I still enjoy looking at his work now.

Edgar Mueller creates a 2D painting on the street, which from a perception point looks 3D. This is a great skill and is truly inspiring. The scale of the artworks are huge, often taking up most of the road or path, using it as his own personal gallery.

Mueller has worked in the UK, Germany and Slovenia, creating caves, waterfalls, lava and ice crevices. Each one is just as breath-taking as the others.

People have reacted in different ways to each of these, often believing them to begin with, and even taking part in photos making them more "realistic".

I would love to see one down Briggate in Leeds!

All images are from here.

Nonwovens Nonsense - The Trousers

2010-05-10T12:19:00.000+01:00

A few weeks ago, I posted about the second semester's Garment Technology project FASHION: Decoratif, and showed a sample of a jacket front we had made based on a piece from Margiela's current Spring/Summer 2010 collection. We were given a floral jacket, which we decided to replicate in two different ways, and to also make a pair of trousers, to go with both. The deadline for this project was last Friday, however we have been limited in the construction of the jackets so these are not complete for me to show yet, but pictures of all finished garments will be up as soon as possible.

Originally we wanted the trousers to be sonic bonded, but with pressure growing we decided as a group to make them ourselves. The fabric we had chosen for our jackets and trousers was PVC, which we have now found out is a difficult fabric to sew and make garments from, but the challenge was worth it in the end. The trousers have laser cut strips and back pockets, based on a floral net curtain we purchased from the market. Below you will find the construction pages we put together and also a photo of the trousers we took before we put the waistband on.

All Images of Group work by Amy Gibson, Emma Clarke and myself, image of trousers is taken from my own camera

Deadline Week

2010-05-04T18:41:00.000+01:00

It's that time of the semester again, the week we all dread (and sort of look forward to it being over) "Deadline Week". This is where hours of hard work go into completing projects that we have been working on for about 3 months. Sometimes we're sick of these projects, can't wait for them to be over and just power through the late hours of the night adding the finishing touches. Other times you can feel satisfied with the work, and just glad that you'll get a good mark that you can be proud of, this is usually when you'll have been really organised throughout the whole semester and put a lot of time into the project. This semester for me, in my Design Development module has been mixed emotions. I was fairly organised, worked hard and planned my time well, however you can never stop the little things going wrong can you? Anyway after a long weekend of non-stop Adobe Illustrator and putting the finishing touches on my work, I am quite pleased with the final result, especially the flat drawings and illustrations which I think have improved greatly from last semester! Here are some examples of my work:

Images of my work from my camera

Little Secret - April

2010-04-30T08:32:00.000+01:00

I have decided that at the end of every month, I will post something I have noticed that has inspired me, made me think and maybe even just made me smile. I have decided to call this "Little Secret". I thought of this idea while walking towards Leeds Rail Station last week and looking at some of the architecture on my way. Like many old buildings, this one had little heads sculpted into it, mainly of lions. I love to see these and see the differences between each one, you can really admire the little details of the building as a whole this way, not just of the sculpted heads. So, as I was looking I noticed one that stood out, and this is April's Little Secret:

Image from my own camera.

A Level Art

2010-04-27T11:03:00.000+01:00

In my A level art classes, instead of drawing and painting in the conventional way, I used my talent from textiles, sewing. I enjoyed this so much more, I found my work to be unique and completely different to what everyone else was doing.

I took some inspiration from Gustav Klimt's painting called "The Kiss" for one of my pieces. The colours and All Seeing Eye seen throughout this painting inspired my piece.

First I embroidered an eye using different shades of green and blue on silk. I then stitched some gold fabric with red swirls and twists in different ways. The eye was then attached to this and I embroidered the golden and red swirls with beads. The piece was designed to look luxurious, which was achieved by the intricate detail in the eye, the golden fabric and the beading.

Image of the painting is from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gustav_Klimt_016.jpg and the image of my work is from my own camera

Cassie's Therapy Video

2010-04-26T13:05:00.000+01:00

The other day I came across a blog, which I think is just lovely. Every month the author completes a blogger tag based on "Cassie's Therapy Video" from Skins. I hadn't heard of this seeing as I don't watch Skins. However, I find this very interesting and it looks like a lot of fun.

I would like to tag: Erimentha - it is her blog that originated this, and is such a great blog to read.

Jasmine - I always look forward to your posts, and I think your blog is amazing.

Paige - A really good read, lovely posts and such creativity.

The task is: fill in 12 likes, 1 love and 8 hates like Cassie in her therapy video. Below, the bolded things are what you MUST include. Also, please link it back to me, and link it onto 3 other blogs you admire!

Abracadabra, Wow!

I like boys with good a sense of humour and girls with natural curls in their hair

I like when the sun shines and everyone is happy

I like spending time with family and friends

I like having dreams that are out of the ordinary

I like snuggling under the duvet with Nathan when it's cold

I like to be creative and make things
I like getting post, it makes me feel popular
I like reading the newspaper the morning after it was bought
I like cups of tea
I like cakes and sweet treats
I like reminiscing about funny stories
I like feeling like a child again (even though I'm 20)

I love dancing and singing along to music

Today I feel tired after a long but very fun weekend
In some ways, I love everything.

Its less, its less of a thing to like, its less distinct, its less particular

I like things that I like but I love everything

There’s more choice in like

Cos even the worst things have things you love in them

I don’t know what you mean about things I hate

I hate when it's rainy and windy

I hate how bed socks aren’t fashionable

I hate deadlines that seem to creep up on you

I hate being late... for anything

I hate not being able to sleep
I hate how people think Fashion Design isn't a real subject but in a way, it makes me want to prove them wrong
I hate waiting for a bus that never comes

I hate the word hate, it's an awful word

I hate this, wow. . .
Sorry.

Interview Technique

2010-04-23T10:15:00.000+01:00

When I found out I had an interview with Cohen and Wilks in February, I wanted to do all I could in preparation for this. I didn't feel confident about my interview techniques, and I was feeling excited but also nervous. Cohen and Wilks is situated in Leeds and this was where I wanted to stay to complete my placement year, and many students have recommended the company from their past experience there.

In my design development module, we were advised that if we had time to produce an extra project for the company, showing how your skills can be related to them. This, to begin with sounded like a lot of work but I wanted to be remembered at this interview and this seemed the best way. I did a little bit of research into the company when I was applying for the placement, and found out they supply clothing to a number of high street stores. George at ASDA was one on the list and I decided to complete a childrenswear project for them, as I haven't got much experience in this sector of fashion.

I started by looking into George at ASDA as a company; their history, website and future products were just a few sections I wrote about. This was very interesting for me to look into and I felt more prepared for the interview just by doing this small amount of research.

Next I looked at their current products for girls and boys aged 4-12 years. This allowed me to see shapes, style, colour, print and fabrics and also enabled me to get a feel for the childrenswear sector so that I could analyse trends and predicted shapes to see how well they would work in a collection for George.

After this I researched childrenswear trends for Autumn/Winter 2010/2011 on WGSN and began to look at colours, shapes, moods and concepts of these trends. This was quite different to menswear and womenswear trends as they were less about the world around them but the experiences and lifestyles that you lose as an adult. The predicted shaped I looked into were coats and jackets, which incidentally is the area Cohen and Wilks provide the most garments in for chidrenswear.

Next was the creative part, and the most fun part for me, creating moods for both the boys and girls collections. The boys collection was called "Nostalgic Nature", which inspired the mood for my current Design Development project for Burton Menswear. And the girls collection was called "Favourite Fantasy". I then designed a page of jackets for each collection, and analysed them by hand after they were printed.

All this was completed on Illustrator, to show my skills in using this design package. As simple as this project looks, it was designed this way. Each decision in terms of layout, colour and font were all thought about carefully to display the right feel for the project and to provide clarity in my work.

I was told during my interview that this was a really good idea to do in preparation for the interview and is something I will probably aim to do as part of my research for future job interviews. It creates a good starting point for a conversation and also allows the company to see research and skills based purely on them. I would advise other designers to try this in their interviews, it will definitely make you stand out!

All images are of my own work; trend images are from wgsn.com; information about George and the current collections are from http://direct.asda.com/george/clothing/10,default,sc.html.

Nonwovens Nonsense?

2010-04-22T15:17:00.000+01:00

This semester in Garment Technology, we have had group work in a project called Nonwoven: Decoratif. My group, made up of Amy, Emma and myself (all menswear designers) were given a leather jacket with embroidered cross-stitch roses embellished over the front and sleeves, designed by Martin Margiela. We were also asked to design and make some nonwoven trousers that would work with the key piece. Unsure on where to take this, we tried out a number of different experiments to help us decide on the route we would take with this jacket. We tried tie-dye, beading, painting, sculpting and just about everything you could think of. Eventually we came up with some very inspiring ideas.

Using PVC for all our nonwoven garments, we have come up with 3 very different, but well themed items. The trousers will be pretty basic, sonic bonded with laser cut strips and pockets as their decoration. The first jacket is clear with green coverstitched seams and bright red and blue felt roses placed in a similar fashion to Margiela's original jacket. Our second jacket is painted silver and gold with a haybale netting texture teamed with sequins and beading stitched to create abstract flowers over the jacket.

All of this has been challenging but very inspiring, and now as we watch the garments being put together, it is getting very exciting and we get closer to the end of year show that will document our items.

Below is an early sample of the jacket with roses, to display how these would work in the final garment.

Image from my own camera of work by myself, Emma Clarke and Amy Gibson.

Springtime!

2010-04-21T11:05:00.000+01:00

Well it's been Spring for about a month, and I'm only just seeing some leaves and blossom forming around Leeds. The sun has started shining (even if it is still a bit cold) and you can start to hear the birds singing early in the morning. I love Spring and Summer, I think the sun makes everyone happier than the cold, even if they do sometimes complain it is too hot!

Back in Lincolnshire over the Easter holiday I took some photos on the beach of the sun glistening over the sea. I thought it would be a treat to share some with you! These are all really inspiring, and are scenes that were readily available for me visit everyday when I still lived at home.

All images are from my camera

Wii like to play

2010-04-16T10:17:00.000+01:00

I remember when the Nintendo Wii first came out, it stood for family gaming where everyone can be good at sports, racing and playing games that regular controllers made difficult. The wireless technology, range of fun games and probably the fact that it was made by Nintendo was what appealed to me. Gamers complained about the graphics and all the kind of things that I didn't really expect from a game's console, I don't need that to enjoy something. What was really good was that you could play tennis and bowling, and for once it was more of a challenge for everyone, it required more skill in a way, but that was what made it fun. No one could be perfect at it first time and the range of games, even just in Wii Sports, allowed there to be at least one game you were good at, and probably one you weren't.

I've had my Wii for nearly two years now and I love it. I have games such as Mario Kart, which is probably my favourite and the most fun game I've ever played, Rayman's Raving Rabbids and the New Super Mario Brothers. These are games that encourage you to play with others, sometimes up to 4 or 8 people in some games. They're enjoyable for all, everyone can take part and in some games, two players are needed to complete different tasks and parts of the game.

You can buy channels, allowing you to surf the net, check the weather and news, find out about the latest Nintendo games, and also to interact with others. You can buy Wii Points to buy games from older consoles that you can re-live on the wii, and you can create your own character (or Mii), and many other characters to enter them in Mii contests. There is something for everyone of all ages on the Wii.

I love the Nintendo Wii and I'd encourage everyone to get one, they're no PS3 or Xbox 360, but it's a console worth having.

Images from nintendo.com

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2010-04-15T12:29:00.001+01:00

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Sustainable Style

2010-04-15T10:48:00.000+01:00

Since the new term began in January, I have been researching into slow fashion and designing for a sustainable brand for Burton Menswear in my Design Development module. This has been extremely interesting as we not only had to look at the world around us and how fast fashion affects it, but we were also made to think about how we affect fashion and how we let fast fashion dictate our lives.

I am someone who rarely chucks anything away, after living in a small town in Lincolnshire for most of my life, I would rarely go shopping (due to lack of time and travel facilities). This would mean I was encouraged to keep hold of the clothes I had and to make the most from them. It also meant when I did go shopping, I'd buy something I loved rather than something that would be liked for a small amount of time. However that doesn't mean I haven't bought things and then only wore them a few times, surely that's is every girl's weakness?

I decided to aim my collection at a young market, to make them aware of sustainable fashion and to give them the option of affordable clothing that lasts longer. After researching into the more affordable end of the market for young adults, I found that Burton Menswear does not currently sell a "sustainable" collection or brand, so I decided to create one for them.

The brand is called Sustainable Style, and is aimed to be stylish, fit in with their usual seasonal collections, but to also contrast towards usual features and stand out as something different but also something good. Below you will find the Customer Board for this brand:

The customer is aged 20-30 years old, and would have a low disposable income. This fashion conscious gent, is creative, appreciative of music, has a great social life and loves to travel, however, he is also very aware of his personal social responsibility. He would choose this collection so that the items would last longer but would be in style with other items from Burton Menswear. The mood for this collection is also the mood for the brand, using natural shapes, features and fabrics. Below you will find the Mood Board for this collection, entitled Natural Nostalgia:

I am currently working on my design development for this brand, including unique features to make garments long lasting, but also very interesting.

Images are from my own camera.

Fashion is so busy busy busy...

2010-03-18T13:55:00.000Z

This term I have been so busy keeping up with work, deadlines, placement applications and interviews, while still trying to have some me time, just so I don't go crazy.

Firstly I'll start off with good news, I have been offered and I've accepted a Placement at Cohen & Wilks in Leeds, securing a job in Quality Assurance (QA), which I am really looking forward to. From July 2010 I will be starting my rather practical placement (this is what I love most in Fashion) and I will get a taste of what my future might hold for me.

Over the past term at university I have had a marketing project, a brand audit, a design project on sustainability and a Nonwovens project titled "FASHION: Decoratif". All of which have been interesting, exciting and a lot of hard work. You can look forward to seeing some examples of the things I've been doing over the past 8 weeks in the posts to come.

Iceberg Spring/Summer 2010

2010-01-27T11:51:00.000Z

Looking at Spring/Summer 2010 for men is inspirational for me, and allows me to see what other designers have been inspired by, the colours they have used and how their collection comes together. Looking on GQ online, I have found a great collection by Iceberg. The colours, prints, patterns and even style features and accessories work well within themselves as a collection, but create a range of styles.

To most of the garments there is a lightweight, airy feel, very suitable for the season and the colours add to this in their pastel hues and greys and neutrals.

Links in accessories and footwear make this collection connect, which is something I hope to achieve in my next design project's final illustrations.

Thee is a very simple shape, which fits close to the body, but gives a structured look to the outfit. Blazers, short jackets, cropped trousers, colour blocks t-shirts and checked shirts all feature within this look.

Features such as the placings of the flowers on the lapels and breast pockets create links between the jackets where only one or two would be bought within a collection. This gives their collection a signature so that people might associate flowers like these with this specific collection.

Click here see more of this collection.

Images are from www.gq.co.uk

Garment Technology - Rever Collars

2010-01-25T12:23:00.000Z

The next area in Garment Technology that I researched into was Rever Collars. This gave me a better idea of what exactly I would be making in that lesson. Rever collars are made up of two pieces, the lapel (or rever) is separate to the main collar which gives more variety in shape and how it sits against the body that many one-piece collars. The board shows a variety of rever collars in knit, coats and jackets as well as flat drawings of them. Below this is the example of the rever collar I made. If I was re-doing this sample, I would change the shape and style of my rever, making it narrower and wider.

Images are of my own work and are taken from my camera. Thankyou to Nathan Whitehouse for modelling my final garment.

We're with Stupid

2010-01-24T16:13:00.000Z

Diesel's latest advertising campaign is really quite interesting. Opening the front page of February's GQ, the first thing I saw was "BE STUPID", opening out the ad further explains that "only the stupid can be truly brilliant". This got me thinking, what could this mean? Is it that their customers are stupid and buy their jeans because they're brilliant? Probably not their intentions. I looked into it further and actually Diesel have a point. After watching the video on their website, I kind of understand where they're coming from. Smart people think about what they're doing, planning their next move and making something of themselves, whereas the "stupid people" are brave, live life to the full and are spontaneous. Who are Diesel aiming this advert towards? The people who find life a bit boring, the same thing day-in day-out. The want people to believe that being "stupid" can actually enhance their lives, make it more fun and adventurous. Diesel are selling a lifestyle to the consumer, and it's the lifestyle everyone wants to live.

Image from www.diesel.com

Best Dressed Men

2010-01-13T17:48:00.000Z

When I returned back to Leeds after the Christmas holidays, I found the latest issue of GQ had arrived in the post, and with this months issue is the GQ Annual Best-Dressed List 2010. This is a list of Britain's 60 best dressed men, including Ronnie Corbett, James Nesbitt, Prince Charles, Bill Nighy, David Walliams and Jude Law.

The top 10 consists of: 10. Dizzee Rascal (New Entrant)9. David Beckham (Last Year's 10.)
8. David Cameron (Last Year's 8.)
7. David Furnish (Last Year's 7.)6. Daniel Craig (Last Year's 4.)
5. Tom Ford (Last Year's 3.)4. Fantastic Mr Fox (New Entrant)3. Alex Turner (Last Year's 13.)
2. Take That (Re-Entry)
1. Robert Pattinson (Last Year's 39.)
These top entrants range from animated to sporty and political to actors and singers. The number one, Robert Pattinson, has moved 38 places to reach first place, which has probably been influenced by the Twilight films. Dizzee Rascal is well known for his hip-hop style and is quoted as "the most stylish rapper this country has ever produced" by Andy Morris at GQ.

Images from GQ

Garment Technology - Shoulder and Sleeve Details

2010-01-13T11:56:00.000Z

The next research board I had to complete was for 'Shoulder and Sleeve Details'. I found this interesting in menswear because some of the details I found were very discreet. I was surprised at the range I found from appliqué to embroidered details, as well as stripes and tabs. The sample we had to make in relation to this research was a 'Strap-Shoulder Sleeve', which I hadn't really seen before. This was good because it showed me a different type of shoulder detail and how it sat on the shoulder, which could not be achieved by the other shoulder styles I knew.

Images are from my camera and are of my own work. Thankyou to Nathan Whitehouse for modelling my final samples.

Garment Technology - Waistcoats

2010-01-07T16:19:00.000Z

Here is the research board i did when researching into waistcoats. There is a wide range of both primary and secondary images on this board as well as some historical. Below are the front and back views of the waistcoat sample i made. This was the most interesting sample for me because we made a complete garment and the fabrics were interesting to work with too.

Images are from my camera and are of my own work. Thankyou to Nathan Whitehouse for modelling my final garments.

Garment Technology - Hoods

2010-01-04T17:18:00.000Z

Over the past two years at university, we have studied a module called Garment Technology. In this module there are two main areas, these are the analytical side and the practical side to garments. For the analytical part, we have to visit a range of stores and research into garment styles and features, find images and take pictures, and then analyse these to give us a greater knowledge about the differences found in each area. This knowledge is then applied into the practical side, to allow us to make a pattern and construct a garment featuring an aspect of this area. The first area we were given this year was hoods. Below is the page displaying the different types of hoods I found. These included those found on outerwear, dressing gowns and in academic dress. Below this are photographs of the hooded garment I constructed. The research in this module can also be used to inspire a wider range of designs in other modules and personal projects.

Images are from my camera and are of my work. Thankyou to Nathan Whitehouse for modelling my final garment.