Online Shopping

I have been gathering up the supplies I will need for classes this quarter. It was quite a list, but I knocked most of it out at http://www.dickblick.com/.
For Screen Printing...

Screen tape, $5.75. Plastic spreader, 6", $1.50. Two shades of Speedball fabric ink - one in opaque iridescent Black Pearl, 8 oz., $6.64, and the other in a water based Burgundy, 8 oz., $5.74. I also got a black spiral-bound scrapbook to use for my Costume Specialties process book, 10"x7", $12.99, and a metallic silver pen to go with it.

I needed two different kinds of fabric for Screen Printing - a red woven and green knit. If I go into a regular fabric store, I tend to get sidetracked and come out of there with much more than I intended to buy, so I cut to the chase and bought only what I needed at http://www.bigdaddygypsy.com/. I originally found them last summer when sourcing fabrics for another project, and bought some yardage during the fall. I have been very pleased with both of my purchases. The fabric is relatively inexpensive, good quality, and is shipped quickly. This time I got:

Red Damask, $4.99 per yard.
Olive Interlock, $4.99 per yard.

Thursday, just for fun, my boyfriend and I spent the day in Japantown. We both enjoy shopping and walking around there, not to mention the good food to be found. I picked up some treats at the grocery store -

C.C. Lemon, Golden Curry, Bulldog Sauce, Choco Flakes, and also Enoki mushrooms!

I have been wanting to buy a Japanese fashion magazine for a long time, but considering they are fairly expensive, I can never make up my mind while I'm in the bookstore in Japantown. This time I found one I liked, complete with a free gift!

The bag is a cute little hand tote, with a red lining and zippered top. I am going to use it for my beading and embroidery supplies - it all fits in there perfect!

Still have a bit of homework to get done for the weekend, best get to it!
Cheers!
Red

One Week Down, 10 To Go

First week of classes is complete! It seems like I will get to be a little more creative this quarter, with more of a focus on artsy-craftsy items and a little less on garments.

Monday nights I have Costume Specialties. We are all to choose an existing character, or create our own, for whom we will make first a pair of shoes, followed by a face mask and a hat. I think I am going to go with an Alice In Wonderland theme, but I'm going to have to expand on Alice's story and put my own twist on it. I picked up a pair of heels at Goodwill yesterday ($6.99!) to start with as a base. We must also keep a process book, documenting all our ideas, sketches, swatches, and work. In a couple of weeks we will be casting our own faces in plaster for those masks.

Tuesday nights I have Screen Printing, which I have been looking forward to for a long time! We won't get into the actual printing right away - for now we are collecting supplies and finding images to use. I found one of my dog that I tweaked in Photoshop and I think it will be kinda cute. We will also be doing hand embroidery and beading, which is right up my alley. I have the insane patience to do the details.

Wednesday mornings (not exactly awesome to get home at 11:30 from a night class and have to be up at 5:30 the next morning, but whatchagonnado) I have Applied Computer Design. It's more techniques and tweaks in Photoshop and Illustrator, but also learning how to package it all in InDesign, which we will be using for our final portfolios when we graduate. For our first assignment we are re-doing an existing fashion magazine ad. I decided I was not crazy about Calvin Klein Jeans ads, as they depict their wearers as oiled up, topless, and making out with each other in heaps. I'm pretty sure the majority of Calvin Klein Jeans-wearers do not do that.

So far, so good. I know I will be changing my tune when I am feeling swamped, but for now it's all good. I also entered an online bridal gown design contest, which I will hear about in a couple of weeks. Last quarter for Couture class I chose a local "socialite" who was well known for charity and committee work, as well as being seen out and about looking fabulous, and designed some gowns that I thought would suit her well. I made one of the gowns and then sent her a packet with information about myself, sketches, swatches, and photos, and lo and behold, she emailed me this week. She would like to work with me in the future. I immediately forwarded the message to my instructor, who giddily replied this evening. I would have chosen myself out of the class to be the least likely to get a response! It would certainly be a great first "big" job though.

That's all for now!
Cheers!
Red

I Have The Lazies.

I'll admit it. I haven't done much in the last couple of days. Classes start again tomorrow, and I think the laziness is kind of my way of bracing myself. Not productive at all, but pretty soon I'll be neck deep in things I must do and wishing for time to be lazy.
I finally took a look at the photos from last weekend and decided to post a couple that I really liked. These may not neccessarily make it into my final portfolio, but for one reason or another, they all spoke to me. :)

All photos by Amanda...all garments by Red...all modeling by Madi.

Cheers!

Red

First Deals Of The Year

With the exception of chilly temperatures, the fashion photoshoot over the weekend went well. Another session will be planned for the spring when it is warmer. Photos will be uploaded soon!

As for today, I decided to head to the mall with the Christmas money I received, before school starts up again and it gets too busy.

I had a gift card to JCPenney's and found a good deal on some nice, soft bedsheets.

Queen size microfiber sheet set includes one flat sheet, one fitted, and two pillowcases in a pretty green floral/paisley print. They were originally $50.00, but were on sale for $19.99.

Moving along through the mall, I didn't really have anything else I needed, but of course I was lured into Bath and Body Works by the ginormous sale signs they had posted all over. Holiday items were in bins marked 75% off, but most of the bottles and jars were greasy and messy from opened and spilled items and nothing on the surface really looked like it was worth digging through the bins and getting my hands gunky.

However, almost everything else was on some kind of sale or discount as well, and I found a few things for around $3.00 each.

The bottles are foaming body wash, which the salesperson said were "not coming back, ever". There were lots of scents, including some of the newer ones, but I stuck to classic Cucumber Melon and Mango Mandarin for $3 each. They also had something new I hadn't seen before, scented clippy things that could be used in cars, closets, drawers, or wherever, and the scents are refillable. I decided to try one for my car - Brilliant Citrus for $5. I also picked up a refill for my Wallflower air freshener and an aromatherapy room spray to promote sleep, each for $3. (I found when I got home I had picked up Lavender Vanilla instead of Lavender Chamomile in the aromatherapy spray, and what I have smells a lot like a baby....not exactly what I want to try to fall asleep to. Oh well!)

Still have a bit of Christmas money left, but I was happy with what I found today! Now I'm off to make my bed with new sheets...

Cheers!

Red

Goodwill Hunting

Happy New Year! Here's to a healthy, successful, and fun 2010!
In preparation for the madness that will arrive with graduation, I am trying to get some of the work out of the way now to avoid drama down the road. Later today I will be heading 3 hours north on I-5 to my hometown for a photoshoot.
The garments I have made up until this point need to be professionally photographed -I have around 8 dresses, 3 tops, and a jacket that I'm planning to shoot Saturday. There are many more items, but I figure that's a good start. My photographer is my brother's girlfriend, and my model is a friend of theirs. We worked together last September and they made what I had to accomplish so much easier, I signed them both on to do my portfolio shots.
I've been putting together lists of accessories and styling for each garment and found I needed to get my model some shoes. To Goodwill!

The first pair were almost exactly what I wanted.

Mossimo Dylan Round-Toe Platform Pumps

These retail at Target for $24.99. I paid $6.99! They don't appear to have been worn more than once. No scuffs, scrapes, or wear on the insole.

I decided to go back a couple of days later and found these.

Style & Co. "Handy" Mahogany Heels

These had not been worn at all. The price tag was still inside:

As before, I paid a whole $6.99 for them!

I also snagged a black sleeveless jumper by WD.NY for $5.99. I just loooooooove bargains.

I will be doing hair and makeup, so I made a quick trip to CVS for a few of those little things I should have on me, just in case: Band-Aids, a travel bottle of hairspray, a mini lint roller, and Tylenol. I found another deal in the makeup department.

Revlon Matte Eyeshadow in Venetian Blue

At 75% off, I paid $1.25 for it. It's a beautiful, peacock-y shade of blue.

Lastly, I broke down and bought something I have been wanting for quite a while. Being able to use them at the photoshoot as well was enough to push me over the edge. I hope they work and my model does not look like she just came from Jersey Shore.

I'm hoping for good weather and a fun time, even if we will be working! I'll post the results soon.

Until then...

Red