Any takers on where this was snapped? On my way to Glen Echo Park, I walked past an open studio space and found this pretty scene.

Having just barely grown out of my rainbow-obsession phase of childhood, I couldn't help but notice the pretty pattern of these pigments. The delicate pastel pink contrasts so strongly against the harsh texture of the asphalt pavement.

The small dots of color remind me somewhat of pontillism--Monet's claim to fame, which relied on the use of tiny dots of colors to create beautiful scenes.


bisous,

 I was, of course, drawn to the shelves upon shelves of brightly embroidered oversized throw pillows. The intricate detail and quality of these pillows can really only be admired in person, and I of course gravitated towards their international pillows. A little digging and some rearranging later, I found what I had been hoping for--a Paris pillow!

Always looking for a way to pay homage to my former home, the city of lights, I was in awe. Unfortunately the only thing keeping me from taking one home was the price tag, a steep 149 USD. As a sewer I can appreciate the value of hard work, and these pillows are hand embroidered--no easy feat. But as a student searching for a post-grad position that will pay enough to support my spending habits, I couldn't bear to walk off with one, today.

 Vintage patterns may be one of my most favorite things to collect. Affordable and widely available, these paper patterns  draw on my interest in fashion trends in history and offer me the opportunity to make a version for myself, in a textile of my choice!

My obsession with thrifting and vintage fashions is a clear reflection of my preference for old over new. These monogramed stencils are no different: I love the detail to the design, as well as the wide range of styles. These patterns were the inspiration for my final fashion project of my undergraduate career: decorating the top of my cap!

Drawing on the timeless, yet current trend of monogramming, I used pink puffy paint to stencil my person monogram on the top of my cap. You can see the final result below!






I am more than happy with how it turned out. Not only was my family able to spot me in a crowd of thousands of black robbed-students, but the cap was a hit with my sorority sisters--so much that a few decided to paint on their own initials in time for the ceremony.

With most vintage patterns, one must be delicate in handling the raw printed paper, and risk damaging the outline of the pattern by using it as a template for creating sewing pieces. With this particular embroidery template, I was able to trace on my design and paint it free hand, working around my rough sketch.

I'll definitely be using this again for future projects.





bisous,

As the child of an avid sewer, I've been surrounded by sewing machines my entire life. The number of antique sewing machines in our attic is my minimalist mothers' secret shame. So naturally, antique Singer machines are our holy grail.




bisous,

The past weekend I ventured up to Towson University to see some old friends and explore the bar scene. A welcome change to the low-key pace of my neighborhood with very little to offer thirsty 22 year olds. Our bar crawl eventually led us to an Irish bar for some good old fashioned (and oxymoronically-named) Irish car bombs. My gluten-guzzling friends knocked the drinks back while I opted for a cocktail--and was left admiring the bar taps. Sure, this wasn't my first time (or hundredth time, sorry Mom) at a bar, but the taps at this particular place were so unusual, I had to snap a photo.

I only had my phone on me, so the quality isn't great, but the second tap from the left, author Edgar Allan Poe, mesmerized me. Upon further investigation, pushing past eager sports fans who didn't understand me, I found out that his head rests on top of a wooden block, carved into a copy of the The Raven. Too cool. (Oh and it's a nod to Baltimore athletics....I get it!)

It turns out that beer tap handles have quite the history, for being such an undervalued piece of the drinking equation. After the end of Prohibition, legislation was passed requiring beer brewers to denote their specific tap with an individual handle--so that customers could be sure of the type of beer they were getting, and to protect them from being overcharged by greedy barkeeps. With the rise of "craft beers" in the late '80s": smaller, independently-run microbreweries, companies attempted to appeal to customers with unusual and spunky handles.

My gluten intolerance keeps me from drinking beer anymore but I'll start keeping an eye out for unusual designs when I go out.

bisous,

This post is semi-inspired by my recent addition to the iPhone game, words with friends, and my frequently dealt consonant-rich hands that only let me play single-letter scores! I'll blame it on the computer and not my small vocabulary!

Word has it that the fashion house of Missoni, known for their colorful geometric prints, and equally beautiful heir, Margherita, has partnered with mass-retailer Target, for a collection due in fall of 2011. Boo! Unwelcome news to this blogger--I've always been less than pleased with their designer collaborations, and  against all odds, have continued with their GO! International campaign. Designers simply cannot suceed when they attempt to translate their visions into a mass-produced collection designed to appeal to the average customer!

Sure this seems vain, or shallow, but consider this point: high-end, haute couture or runway designers have a clear, often bizarre vision. There is a reason these designers do not work for mass-retailers to begin with! While it is not always financially saavy to stick to a clear personal vision of fashion. (consider the amount of customers of late designer Alexander McQueen) it is equally important to encourage them to stick to their visions, and not to degrade their visions onto polyblend and viscose fabrics in muted colors that customers are apt to still purchase, even in a recession. Progress wasn't made by Coco Chanel in the 1930s by having her collaborate with Woolworths'!

In addition, these leaked photos don't accurately reflect the Missioni vision. Check out the two photos, modeled by Margherita herself. For those consumers who have heard of the brand and iconic family of fashion before the ads run, these sky blue, orange, and brown stripes of color will be a let down.

Of course, we must wait until October 13th, when the collection hit stores to see exactly what the complete collection will look like, but from these teasers, I can't imagine anything remarkable, let alone worthy of purchasing. I never thought I'd see the day when Missoni would be printed on cheap fabrics and sold at double-digit price points, but I was wrong.

So, for the rest of those insulted self-proclaimed fashionistas, here are a few personal favorites from the Missoni collection and ad campaign.