Junk Shopping and Tangents

After I took the backs of the watches ( I say I, my dad did it after my attempt to whack them with a hammer)

The watches and stuff before I destroyed them to get the parts.

Was looking around Edinburgh at some antique shops, A lot of stuff is rubbish but u can find a gem or two. This brass decoration was found in the one across the street from me. It has a little bird on a perch with a little opening. Got some keys and handles and odd bits for inspiration for the steampunk stuff.


This picture shows the inner cogs and pieces that came from the watches as well as from a pack from ebay. This will be good for some drawing inspiration as well as potential applique for a jacket or top! Looking forward to getting my teeth into this project. Rx

Looking ahead

Roberto Cavalli SS12

Alexander McQueen

Dolce and Gabbana AW12-13

"Retrofuturism"
After looking at corset of the day from Corsets Uk (as seen in the picture above) I am very much intrigued with "Steampunk". Can't say I have particularly heard of it before apart from some costumes at Comic Con (which were looked at when discussing halloween costume ideas). I like the use of brass, gold and leather.

It is a science fiction genre of books which is generally set in the 19th century and uses steam as the main power source. From what I can grasp it is an inventive and explorative style, solving probelms in a unique way. Its art and fashion are based around browns, golds and bronze in colour and show the working mechanism details. Flight, birds and insects as well as globes and watches seem to be regular features in their design. It is a very limited view as I havent studied it in depth so this is very much from the surface.

I had a look at what Dolce and Gabbana, Roberto Cavalli and Alexander Mcqueen are doin for 2012-2013 and although it is not directly linked to the 19th century there are aspects of their Design which could influence designs. Dolce and Gabanna are focusing on Baroque embroidery whereas Roberto Cavalli is also focusing on heavily gold/bronze sequins and beading. I don't want to create something that is too heavily gothic but I think for winter you can get away with heavier fabrics and applique. rx

I would

very much like this t-shirt. From the brand Life Long. Can I really treat muself?? rx

http://shop.lovelifelong.com/product/sailor-perry-blue-red

New Years Resolutions

Grief is an obscure thing.
I am not sure that upset covers it, trying to be strong and move forward but it hasn't been easy.
Going from being fine to bursting into tears at even the slightest trigger, someone just being nice or giving you a pitying look but never really knowing the full extent to which you loved that person and how much they meant to you.

It has made Christmas quite a trying time, the obvious missing presence and the sadness each one of us felt mixed with the guilt of laughing and trying to carry on as normal. The reality hitting you as you open the gift from her, the time and effort she had put in to make it and the fact she is not there to see how much you liked it. Really thought she would be here for this one and that this feeling would be put off till next year.
If I had just gone home that weekend to see her like I said I would... if I had gone home when I heard she was in hospital... if I hadn't underestimated the seriousness of her condition.
Kinda want to retreat into just being with immediate family and friends in the know and not wanting to face others for fear of "going on about it".
What really gets to me is the guilt for not putting in as much effort as I could have done and dedicating much more thought to Gran now than I did when she was alive.

So in terms of looking forward and making these resolutions I don't want to make a whole lot of false promises about fitness or weight or money but really what has been highlighted as the most important is that "I do what I say I am going to do!" at least it should be managable and will incorporate the values my Gran had. She was such a considerate person, anything she did had careful thought behind it. She was the center of our family.

I loved my Gran very much and how fortunate that she was so involved in my life and that there are so many happy memories. I hope even in death I can make her proud. rxx