I love how these boots turned out that I designed! Back in October I took an inspiration trip to London and this was one of the groups I designed after being inspired on that trip. I saw a lot of vintage shoes, and an obvious rewind back to the 1980’s influence. I was determined to find a fresher, more modern approach to an update, still respecting the popularity of the 1980’s trend, but with a more wearable silhoutte and more modern colors and materials. I’m so excited they turned out as I envisioned! I like the varying heights. And I think the microsuede and faux leather materials look great in the neutral greys, fresh golds, and deep indigo blues I chose. Yay! A project I can be proud of, because I would wear these! Now let’s hope somebody buys them, so they can make it to retail! We shall see!

It’s time to work on Spring and Summer shoes! Great! I’m ready to be done with the past 6 months of winter footwear, I’ve done so many slippers and boots that I don’t even want to shop for or wear them even though it’s winter. So now, I’m busy working on a big spring/summer collection. It’s ironic, to be desigining peep-toes and sandals, when it was 9 degrees out the other morning. But this is the way the fashion cycle works. You’re always designing a year ahead and in the wrong season. Anyway, I’m starting to see more samples come back from the factory of shoes I designed back in November, cute stuff that I had almost all but forgotton about. Things move so fast in the industry, it’s one of the things I don’t really like. You have to do so much, and do it fast, that sometimes you catch your breath, look down, and wonder if any of it really got all of your attention or if you just pushed it through to move on to the next thing. I admit though, it’s good for me to move a little faster because we all know, how much I really like to take my sweet time. I like to take my time with everything, if there were no clocks in the world, that would be fine with me.

So when my hands are gloved and shoved in my pocket to avoid frostbite, sometimes I take my camera out and snap a shot. But it has to be really worth it cuz it’s really cold. And windy. The other day I walked down the street I always do, to catch my subway, in my neighborhood, and I saw all these (mostly blonde) dogs tied up outside their apartment building, sunning themselves I guess! It was really funny. They were just hanging out, big ones and little ones. No owners anywhere near. I don’t think they could belong to all one person, maybe a dog walker brings them out for sun? I don’t know, but it was really cute, cute enough to take my gloves off and snap a shot. Happy Weekend!

Basil is so cute. He’s such a puppy, and such a boy puppy too. But absolutely hilarious and adorable.

Another one. She has pinchers for hands. Among other things.

Brrrr! David and Rose and I spent a frigid Sunday in Soho eating brunch (mimosas, yeah!) and watching a terrible puppet show that I won’t even mention so as not to give it any press at all. But it was fun to get out and walk around. And although I didn’t see Basil, we did shop for a toy for him and when Rose got home, she sent me this photo and said he loves it. I will be dogsitting him next week and I can’t wait!

And here’s the lightbox Markie made for me for Christmas. I love it! It’s spectacular. I wonder, if in some sick way, I am addicted to it because it’s like the computer, it’s backlit, so everything looks better on it. Anyway it’s a big incentive to keep up my drawing resolutions.

Another late night endeavor, trying to keep up with the drawing schedule I set for myself. Inspired by repetition, pattern, cute things, fun things, and things that just have a nice shape.

I have been working on updating my portfolio, which is an overwheming but neccesary task. I have many different pieces of work that do not relate, and many things that do relate. And the real objective is to highlight the best work. But I feel I’ve got to include the footwear, art, drawing, and trend presentations I’ve worked on, so I want a neutral page layout that can give the viewer something continuous to ground all the work. So I’ve been working with a layout that allows me to group things that go together, so each page you know where to look no matter how unrelated the page before was. Anyway, I’ve been staying up late and working on this project, and I still have more to do, but at least I seem to have a flow now.

It’s been so cold here in NYC, 28 degrees. I am wearing 3 pairs of socks at night. Brrrr. Definitely wintertime now! I know I talk about the weather a lot, but that is because when I leave the house, I am starting a day full of walking in the elements. No car to hop into, and our freaky climate is strange, you don’t want to be caught out in 70 degree weather with your down coat, or much worse, vice versa. Anyhow, I ate some delicious sweet potato pureed soup at Metro cafe today. It made coming into the city and into the office, completely worth it. Just to eat that soup. I also bought some really cool fabric for work for some upcoming shoes. Shopping, eating, and freezing. That’s me!

Meet basil (pronounced baz-el) Rose’s new puppy! He’s a boston terrier who came from Alaska to live with her in NYC! He is 12 weeks old and has one blue eye and one brown eye. He is absolutely charming and I love him.

I’m a week behind, but I’ll make it up this weekend so that I’m right on schedule with my weekly drawing-by-hand goal. Let me recommend that you NOT drink a coffee and eat dessert at 9:00 p.m., like I did last night, because you might not be able to sleep until 3:30 a.m. The only thing I could do to wear myself out was 1) unpack my suitcase after 12 days of being home (from new years, can you believe it, slobbish I know) and 2) try out my new light box that Markie made for me, and draw until my hand, eyes, and head were worn out.

It’s satisfying to draw whatever you feel like, without trying to make sense of it (contextually or otherwise.) I spend enough time doing things that are supposed to work right over in a factory in China, so it’s nice to every once in a while mindlessly use my hand and get back to drawing strands of pearls and other patterns and bits inspired by photography. Drawing without any technical requirements is like doing art again! Your own rules! And I find that music sounds even better when you’re mind is focused on something semi-automatic, too. I hear lyrics I have never heard before, in songs that I’ve been listening for a few decades!

And will you look at this insane winter weather here in NYC? Saturday, it was 72 degrees and I wore a t-shirt from day until night. Yesterday, it was 38 degrees and i had on a down coat, hat, gloves, scarf, and knee high wool socks on under my jeans. Wierd!!!