It’s been a while since I took a photo on the subway. How about a photo of an empty seat!

I’ve been doing research on anchor shapes for a future tattoo… I vascillate between going totally old school or mod graphical outline idea. And I’m still not sure! I found a funny website with anchor necklace pendents. So if I can’t decide, at least I know where to buy some anchor jewelry.

I made this tote bag over the weekend using fabric that they were going to throw out at work. And I realized it is actually reversible! The fall weather has made me craft-crazy! I just want to be home, with the window slightly cracked, tea kettle boiling and music on with fabric, yarn, and paper scattered all around me! I started a new knitting project as well, Cynthia taught me how to purl so now I can do more than just the stockinette stitch!

… and it looked like this! Although in the semi-conscious state I visualized this image in, the trees had texture, and alternated between fuzzy chocolate brown velvet and semi-matte mid-brown. I love the creative visuals I have when I’m semi-conscious. Right before drifting off to sleep, often my mind plays a slide show of graphic visuals. I know I should jump up and sketch them (for ideas are sometimes hard to force out so it’s smart to collect them when they come.) But it’s the push-pull of sleep and I feel like if the image is strong enough, I’ll remember it later!

This image has been in my mind for a month now, and I felt compelled, while recovering from Bronchitis, to finally sit down and get the image out of my head… so I finally drew it up in Adobe Illustrator! It’s often frustrating to try to create something with your own limited tools, that your mind so clearly and perfectly imagined. It’s frustrating but I feel much better when I try get out some of what has been dominating me. I feed myself with loads of visual inspiration daily, from blogs and websites to books to magazines to photographs, etc, so it’s no wonder my mind starts assembling all this inspiration into something all it’s own. I try to not take in more than I can deal with, there is a fine line between inspiration and over-stimulation. At least for me. I can get so overwhelmed that nothing is clear and I don’t even know where to start. Ahhh!

And then, there are these nice, powerful visual dreams, full of whimsical shapes, colors, patterns and illustration that come to entertain me in my dreams. They help make it clear to me what I need to work out. This piece might not be done. I’m not sure. I would love to silkscreen it for a more handmade touch with a different depth level. Baby steps!

We purchase fashion magazines for work. International and Domestic, and we pour through them for inspiration. We tear out the pages that help us put together our themes. Once we have our themes, we put together our mood boards that the sales team then utilizes to showcase our collection and sortof explain our inspiration. And we design our lines featuring said inspiration. For example this past season we chose for our Spring/Summer 07 themes; Very Metal, Jungle, Cruise, Pretty Lady, and Brights. Because I now have to do this for work, it’s sortof taken the leisurely enjoyment out of magazine perusal. As much as I try to just enjoy reading magazines, like on the airplane, let’s say, I find myself searching for fashion themes, noting details and always looking at the shoes. I find myself working, not just reading or browsing. So this trained mind of mine has a different attitude about magazine perusal as a hobbie now. However I still devour the catalogs that come in the mail. Specifically, the Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, and Bloomingdale catalogs. I also like the International magazines (specifically the Japanese/Asian Accessories mags and the Italian fashion magazines) because i can’t read them so it’s a totally visual experience. And also because they seem to have more creative layouts. But there are also a lot of exposed nipples to deal with. Does that sound prudish? I’m not a prude, but hey when I’m looking for cool textures, I’m not talking about body textures okay.

Anyway, when I look at these catalogs and INL mag’s I can easily look at the nice fashion styling and photography, and not care that I won’t be buying any of it. I’ve found another purpose. I tear out the pages that grab me because of an interesting texture, pattern, detail or overall silhouette. Then I draw from these pages. Sometimes I just draw a piece of lace or only the outline of something. I’m doing homework in a way, but it doesn’t feel like mandated homework because nobody is telling me what to do and nobody is checking it the next day! I definitely need to continually practice my drawing, I need to be good at it for work. I need to be efficient at it so that I can easily and accurately communicate visual ideas, personally and professionally. And it’s just a personal goal I have. I want to be proficent at drawing because I’ve always been scared of it, yet admired it. Most people say you need to draw every day to get good and stay good. Ideally, over time, I hope to master line control, proportion and detail. I get sick of drawing shoes, and I am bored with landscapes and portraits. I’m not big into realistic artwork. It’s nice, but it doesn’t motivate me personally. I like drawing details, like fabric trims, jewlery, and print patterns, and nice silhouttes in which case I usually forego most of the details and focus on the overall shape. I like shapes. I like details. Mostly I don’t care about trying to represent anything specific or realistic.

So here are some random textures and patterns I found in the Mothers Day Bloomingdales catalog. And a woman wearing pearls. I much prefered drawing the pearls to drawing the woman, really, she’s just there so that the pearls are not floating in space. A holder, if you will. Often when somebody at work has a shoe that has some irregular, organic detail they need, they see me. I love drawing sparkle glitter fabric. My co-worker Lydia (Happy Bday Lyd!) loves the symmetrical projects (she’s such a Virgo… they like order!) I love the random textures found in a cork wedge, or a laser-cut lacey leather strap. In drawing class in college, I think I was the only one who actually liked doing the exercise where you draw the entire still life or model without lifting up your pencil. I think because it almost created a pattern and stylistic look of what we were drawing. It was not the most realistic rendition, but it had a certain distinct style. So anyways, take another look at those catalogs in your mailbox, anything good to draw?

apples_enlarged

Originally uploaded by FunCupcake.

I love granny smith green apples more than anything. I could eat one every day and never get sick of them! Tart, crisp, sour… Yum! I think this would look good on a big rubber rain boot.

enlarged_argyle

Originally uploaded by FunCupcake.

I have a small side project going on, I am doing some print patterns for some wellington (rubber rain) boots for a freelance project. I sortof miss doing graphic design work, I really love using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. I did this enlarged argyle but you can also see the smaller print with stripes if you click on this to see what else I made up.

mycolors_textures

Originally uploaded by FunCupcake.

One day a few weeks back I was looking at the photos on my camera and this was the view through the camera, of me and all my stuff on the train. See my white leg up on the right hand side? Needless to say I realized that I had a lot of color, texture, and pattern going on. I think I was channeling California on this particular day. I am looking at this now wishing I was sitting in some California sun, to help rid me of this disgusting sinus infection that is bordering on Bronchitis! If the Dr. prescribes me yet another medicine on top of the 82 I am already taking, I think I will start looking like a medicine cabinet. I am sick of being sick! Enough! Maybe it’s time I come to terms with the fact that I probably should take a sick day. But if I just look at the bright stuff… bright bright bright, maybe I can will myself back to health!

I had a really fabulous trip to London! I just kept thinking everything is really European here… It is as you would imagine, the accents, the tube, the beer, the weather, the history! We stayed in the West End in Notting Hill, shopped on Oxford Street, checked out Carnaby Street, visited the Victoria & Albert Museum, stumbled upon a Spanish festival, hit Spitalfields Market and Brick Lane in the East End. Ate and drank in 4 days more than I think I usually eat in 2 weeks, and met up with some old friends. We rode the tube around and walked a lot. The sun was out most of the time and the weather was really mild and wonderful. I put together a shopping trip report for work and took photos of shoes and fashion that I saw. You can see the rest of the photos by clicking on the UK set on flickr. Thanks for a wonderful trip Salvi!! xoxo

portobello_hotel

Originally uploaded by FunCupcake.

And this is the Portobello hotel. Comfy and restful and very nice, especially the warm croissants with marmalade in the morning.