If you're happy, then you're successful

So, I've finally started to organize myself.

I've got a facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/eclecticollection)

and twitter (@Eclecticollecti) up and running! Yay!

Now, I don't know if you remember this post:
http://misskemble.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/to-climb-steep-hills-requires-slow-pace.html
where I said I had a shirt I wanted to make into something?

I have made it into something! Denim pants. Yay!

What dya think?

I'm afraid it's just a short post today. I have to go sort some other things out

Those who tell the stories, rule the people

I've been glancing at the trends for autumn/winter and I've seen some of the usual cropping up again: oversize, layering and military. A few new ones like cobalt and the orient.

But, I admit I'm not one for following trends and am fully on board with Peruvian and Navajo styles. Not the 'tribal' standard stuff that was all over the high street in summer; rather the fashions that took the colours and other characteristics to channel the spirit.

I have a beautiful bit of Peruvian style fabric which I want to use, so I've been looking for items to inspire me

It is never too late to be what you might have been

So, I feel I should apologize for the lack of blogging recently. I've been here there and everywhere meeting people and being creative. Fingers crossed I'll get a few new posts up in the next week!


Now a few of you know I'm going to start my own business. I thrive off challenges, experimentation and making mistakes so I can learn from them. I have bags and bags of old clothes and fabrics just waiting for me to make a masterpiece... And nearly as many bags full of mistakes and clothes I may not be able to salvage but I'm keeping them just in case.

Well, since most of my ideas are based on recycling or upcycling, I figured I'd start with using recycled business cards.

For some reason, before I had a car, I was obsessed with collecting the train tickets I used. Turns out they may just be quite useful for me:

Keep Calm and Go Swimming

In a weeks time, I'm headed out to see my parents who have moved to Doha.

They have a new house, with a pool (lucky them)

However, the pool is overlooked by other villas and I'm going to be out there during Ramadan. It's 40+ degrees and the likelihood is, I won't be out for a tan.

So, I've been trying to find a one-piece. I can't find ANY in the local shops, it's all bikinis or swimsuits that I will drown in because of the sheer size. There aren't even any in the sports shops... So back to the trusty internet.

Asos.com

The English Tea Party

In eight days time, on the 27^th June, 30,000 people are expected to flock to Henley to watch the regatta. Of the 15 different countries that compete, I believe nothing screams casual-elegance more than the dress code stipulated by the event. Below the knee hemlines, no trousers or playsuits for the ladies and lounge suits or blazers with flannels for the gents.

I went, back in 2009, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. But the one thing I’ve taken away with me is that you can’t beat the feeling of drinking Pimms and eating strawberries in the sunshine surrounded by people who look like they’ve stepped right out of a traditional English tea party. I also went to a wedding last year, which had the same beautiful vintage vibe with parasols, picnic mats and bunting in the trees along with a stunning array of colourful blazers and summery dresses.

In light of this, I think that there are some silhouettes which will never go out of fashion and can’t help but make you feel beautiful and happy. Here's a few of my favorite finds that I've stumbled across.

To climb steep hills requires a slow pace at first

So, here's what has been going on in the moustache world.

 I'm back from the absolute trip of a lifetime (3 days in NYC followed by nearly 4 weeks in the Hawaiian islands...)

So, what's taking up my time currently?
Going through all the photos, that's what.
There is definitely a downside to being snap happy.

But I'm being productive too, I'm making myself more organized slowly, but surely.

I have discovered an absolute wealth of fabric awaiting their transformation into garments. However, all I've made so far are a big bow, a little ring and a detachable collar...

Bad artists copy. Great artists steal

Picasso was a genius wasn't he? A bit nuts maybe, but a genius.

Well, here's whats been going on recently.

I still have to take in a bridesmaids dress (I should really stop faffing and get on with this)

I also still need to sort out my dissertation proposal

I have, however, got a sort-of commission for a drawing (part of which currently looks like this. Not going to say no to drawing a body like that in detail...)

I'm not gonna teach him how to dance with you

Song is by Black Kids... totally stuck in my head right now.

So, mini update - I'm currently trying to get through some little projects. Which would be great if I didn't keep getting distracted...

So my distraction was this:

nom nom nom

Loopholes and Infinite Fashion

Well, I'd like to say I've been slaving away, creating amazing fashion and finishing all my work to the highest quality I can manage.

That would be nice.

It would also be a lie.



What I've really been doing, is attempting to work, doing bits and bobs here and here and basically moaning about how stressed I am.



Sound familiar?




Howsoever, I have managed to drag out a small stop motion. One of our uni briefs is to do a fashion shoot, promotional brochure, website or a video for a company of our choice.

Seeing as my own work is veering towards recycling and upcycling, I chose Junky Styling and ended up with a video based on the idea of space, dreams and the fact that upcycling almost means that clothing can be eternal.

SO, with Ryan Davis' "Loophole" (on repeat) and Coldplay's 'Strawberry Swing' video going round and round in my head (which, by the way, is one of the most amazing stop-motion videos I have EVER seen... go search it) I grabbed by better half for a day of photos, glitter, felt planets and giggles.

And then spent another day editing it.

For the Boys

So lads, I feel a tad like I've been neglecting you somewhat.


Therefore, I wandered off in search of something to customize for you all. And I came across these:

Pretty bog-standard work shoes right?

Well not anymore

Already Out There

I am pretty out there. Not gonna lie. Sometimes I look at myself and just think

 "what...the. Really?"

In a literal translation though, I do have some pieces floating about out there that I made for pressies (or specific occasions)

I was only reminded of this by a Facebook post I was tagged in. Check this out!

"You Cannot Put the Same Shoe on Every Foot"

So I had a bit of a panic. The model I was supposed to be using, became unfortunately unavailable - but luck has it that Lucy was free :)

So here they are! Three new pairs of shoes out of three old pairs of shoes. Matalan, New Look and a Charity shop have now been transformed.


Model: Lucy Ruffler
Customization, styling, photography and editing: Me

Quick Little Taste

Ha, got toooooo excited to wait


So I've created a quick little taster of three different pairs of shoes I've customized... The proper photos will probably follow tomorrow!

Cheesin'

Things Sound Better Through Headphones

So, got another styling shoot to do for uni. I've got 101 ideas streaming through my head as I block out all external sounds with mega amazing headphones.

Bought a wig for the shoot, mainly because I have an idea that won't really work if the model has short hair. It's just a synthetic thing, bought in the local costume shop.

And suddenly I remembered a post that Emma from uni (a very cool blogger) posted about chalking her hair! What a brilliant way to dye things, without making them at all permanent... especially since most hair dyes don't actually work on synthetic fibers... (her blog is here   http://emmalouque.blogspot.com/   check it out)


It means I can take the my little pony hair trend to my own level :D (only for the photoshoot mind, because the wig actually looks awful)

Class results though


Even if i'm not photogenic haha

Restless Fingers

So, a few people know this about me - I fucked up my ankle a while back, and since then haven't been able to wear many heels.

I do, however, own a lot of them.

So what am I going to do?

I'm gonna get well over excited with glitter, old t-shirts, sequins, sharpies and these:

Anyone who says Sunshine Brings Happiness has Never Danced in the Rain

I think I own only 2 pairs of shoes that I couldn't live without. The first, a pair of black and chrome boxing boots a girl from america gave me and have been worn down to threads.

The second, a pair of hi-tops.

Never been massively keen on Converse, or Nike's. But I found a lovely white pair in Norway similar to these:

Not quite the same, but I couldn't find a proper picture...

Bare in mind, I bought them about 5 years ago... so it was quite an effort to trawl through the internet trying to find a pair of shoes that are 5 years old.

The point is, after re-discovering my collection of coloured Sharpies, and getting a tad light-headed from working in a non-ventilated space... 

My amazing Subsoil's look like this:

This Weeks List:

To Buy:

• Food
• 4 cans of spray paint - preferably metallic. One has to be chrome.
• 3 pots of glitter - run out of red, blue and gold.
• More pom poms
• A few cheap 2nd hand shirts

To Do: