My Little Library

Junior Year finals have been under my wing. But, guys guess what it's been a year since I started my blog!

Happy First Birthday Blog!

Books are always a great essential to have. With being a designer I like to obtain ideas from a little bit of everything. These are books that I use a resource for anything and everything art.

Shabby Chic is my interior design go to book. You'd think why would a fashion designer need this; well home decor is just so fun & her ideas are amazing

Pillows in Rachel Ashwell's book that I would die for.

Singer Sewing Essentials - Sometimes youtube videos aren't precise. This lives in my purse and it's super easy with more pictures than words.

P.S - I made this - I just got this book the other day and let me say Erica Domesek is genius. She reinvents 

herself a project at a time with affordable & fashionable DIY's

By far my this is fav DIY! Who remembers playing with these colorful bouncy balls when you were a kid. Well all you need is pantyhose and tons of bouncy balls. Fashionable or what?!

17 style guide is all about creating outfits tailored to your style.

Also with lovely collages; this one being my fav!

Even though I'm not much of a painter, there's many other tools that I use that I never thought would be in this book.

The Fashion File I got during my internship at BR. Advice, Tips from the costume designer of Mad Men.

 Jewelry inspired by the era of Mad Men

                            

 Teen Vogue Handbook has been by far the most helpful book, that has answered most and all of my questions about the fashion world & designing

Besides about designing  there's multiply sections for other careers in fashion too!

Actual for much younger girls but, I'm such a big kid that my mom bought this book for me. It's the pre-teen version of the 17 style guide.

Gave me lots of resource of fabrics

Tiny Treasures is the most heart warming book. It's all about making mini things using materials around the house.

It's been awhile got this book when I was 7 now I'm 17!

This will always be my fav tiny treasure. Bubble Bath :)

Where there is inspiration there is something waiting to be created..

Purple Tulle Bow!

 So far this week has been easy Monday field trip with my gym class; which was super fun. I'm a helper for kids with special needs at my higschool :). Tuesday first day of my ACT and Wednesday was my second day. ACT was a mixture hard and easy; let's cross our fingers that I did good :). But, with this extra time I wanted to relax from all the pressure and have fun. I'm bored in the house with my computer and I found tulle. Which lead me to this! 

Here's pics from my mini DIY!

Sometimes I have doing nothing lol

Where there is inspiration; there's something waiting to be created  

Making clothes, puts smile on my heart!

So just recently my grandma came from Nigeria and visited

for three months. I wanted to make something special for

her to take back home. So I though she loves clothes and I have

all these fabric scraps from this Nigeria seamstress I met. So

why not make a shirt out of scraps!

This was before I showed her; I took a pic with my phone

She was to happy to think someone made her something

from scratch - from her granddaughter!

Out in the backyard. I made sure I took tons of pics to

put in my portfolio; anything I make gets remembered!

But, the biggest thing that I love is that a piece of my work

is half way across the world. One day I hope that all my clothes

are around the world. She even calls me and tells me that people

back home are so amazed and wonder were she got it. Business

in Nigeria? People keep on asking me to sell, so is that the next

big thing?

You realize you love something when so see how much you've grown!

It's been awhile but, Ello! I have gotten alot of q's on when I

started to sew well here we go! I have been sewing ever since

I have been wanted to create. Being a kid especially you want

to explore everything and seeing your mom or grandma have

purses and clothes; would always make me think how they were

made. Luckly enough where my grandma lived, down the street

their was a fabric store. Me I would always pick out little stuff

that I could play with. I didn't know their was such thing as a

sewing machine so, most of my first creations were hand-sewn.

Besides learning to sew I loved art period. Painting, clay, you

name it I was there. So I'm about 6 but, when you start realizing

that art can be created by clothes that makes designing what you

want; literally sky's the limit.

This "purse" seems ancient to me because, this was the

first of the first lol.

I though hemming meant, glueing the fabric down lol!

And I doubt that my "purse" would hold anything with my

weak stitches. :)

But, even though what I made isn't useful the creativity isn't.

Now I see all the stuff I'm making and everything has to be

perfect!

About ten years later and this is where I'm at now...

Even firgued out how to make a garment tag :)!

Next big thing for me is; just work work on more clothes,

scholarships and atleast have my first fashion show!

Halloweeny Earrings!

Earrings I wore for Halloween - Spidey, Dryed

out flowered earrings; I got these earrings at

H&M in NY! And my cartilage a cross.

Hard work pays off!

I haven't blogged for a minute but, yet so much has happened.

Lots of the pics for my upcoming blog is on my camera and I'm

in the mist of looking for the cord. I've encountered everything

from inspirations I'm excited to share with you guys to winning

people's choice award for a green art show. But, I have a great set

of news to tell right now! When I was dropping off my dress for

the green art show, I came home and did the usual. Make a coffee

and do my homework. Being busy with my school life and education,

I always check my e-mail for new updates from people I'm working

with and what not. I so happened to check my junk mail and there it

was. The Acceptance letter from Teen Vogue. I'd never won any type

of prize and this one was huge for me! The app for The Teen Vogue

Fashion U was put up early June. The whole month of July I spent

my time by incorporating juicy info about basically who I am, what

area of fashion do I want to be apart of, who inspires, sketches,

clothing I've made. The whole 9 yards. The app was supposed to be

due August 1st but, they generously extended it to the 10th. For me

this meant putting a little bit more umph into 200 words or less.

Sent my app about August 5th, they stated that acceptance e-mails

will be sent out September. About a month had passed by and there

it was! I'm SUPER exited! October 21-23 I'll be in NEW YORK taking

seminars by the best in fashion. The classes I signed up for are Chris

Benz, Peter Som, Lulu Frost and what not. Opening statements will

be with Michael Kors! Friday night kick-off at H&M and Topshop

Saturday! Free Goodie bags, shopping with Mom. It's my first time

going to NY but, it's not just going there but, for fashion! So in this

week in a half before I go I planning the packing and what I need to

bring and my schedule. I will be taking pictures and video of everything.

Fashion Filled Summer!

So it's back to school for me in less than a week or so.

I remember blogging when I got out of school about June

10th or something thinking to myself what the heck was I

going to do with myself for about 2 months, fashion related.

Well, I have accomplished lots in that time frame from finding

a endless fabric store in Chicago, to getting a dress recognized

in my city's newspaper and a lovely internship with Banana

Republic.

Lovely pic of Chicago in the summer!

In-depth

Fabric Store in Chicago - Oh My Gawd! Well if you are near the

Chicago area and look for interesting fabric choices and every

trim in the book this is the place. Owned by a family of at least

five, you open the door to ads posted of costume designers. Than

the real search begins. Jewely trims, buttons, ribbons, lace and

all that good stuff. Rooms out done with fabrics and it keeps

and going. Hidden stairs take you to secret other places in this

mysterious warehouse. Like I said so many choices and out of

all the fabrics and nick nacks haha.. I made a choice of loading

up on appliques with glitzy beads and corset buttons. Am I boring

or what!? Out of all the choices I chose that but, I telling you if

you went their you wouldn't know what the heck to get. I mean

it! So with meeting fellow sewers I met and an quirky young

guy student who designs costumes. He gave me his website

address. I love making fashion connections. As, me and my

mom pulled off you could see the beautiful Sears Tower

peeking over Chicago and a wisp of warm air and also

happening that week was the yearly Taste of Chicago yum!

This would be the Sears Tower (One with the two antennas)

Ahh! looks cooler at night

Dress recognized in my city's newspaper- So IFY! I have

a post about this already check that one out but, to keep

it sweet and short, I wanted to design a dress that made

a literal connection to my hometown which I did. I sew

on stickers, flyers and anything else I could find that

represented my town. Put it together with watermelon

lining, purple/tulle and bias tape and my soon to be brand

name on a muslin tag. Presented my creation to the mayor,

she loved it dearly and from there on out I have been getting

more opportunities! Yeah!

Heres the link to the newspaper article http://www.cityofevanston.org/news/2011/08/evanston-dress-art-piece-on-display-in-mayors-office/

the other one check out My Biggest Accomplishment

Here's the Dress..made by moi

Internship with BR - So if you haven't been following through

with my blog. I endured what it means to get a real job from

getting my first paycheck to dealing with customers. I went

through tips on interviewing, mock interviews and the the

real deal interview. Passed the first interview Yeah! Then the

2nd interview was the last day of school for me and a big day

too. Two days later got a call from my youth job counselor

telling me I got the position. I remember the first day with

orientation and now I have one week left :(. I have a choice

to stay with them or move one. But, guess what I'm the baby

their being only sixteen and the only hire 18 and up which

makes me special :)! But, I can't carry on because, Junior

year of highschool is alot with the ACT's and lots of testing

and it's really hard to manage a job, homework, school and

sleep. What do you think? But, in all of this I'm going to miss

is co-workers I have interacted with and got to know and of

course all I got to learn. From the stock room, support, selling,

being a cashier and working with mean to happy customers. I

guess it's the life of being involved with retail, people come and

go and you learn something new everyday. So thankful for the

chapter in my life that will soon be over with but, everything

kinda has to come to an end.

Ohh! By the way Banana Republic just came out with

their lovely inspired Mad Men collection. Very Chic!

School maybe be starting but, I not stopping my fashion career

- Enrolled in a high school portfolio class that will get me

ready for college and we make a trip to the School of Art

Institute of Chicago (That's were I took my last class Yeah!)

- Got asked for my dress made for my town to be on display

for an Eco-themed Art Show. Which hopefully I'll be getting

an award.

- Then my dress will be on display in a window in the downtown

area of where I live

- I so passionate about fashion that; I strongly believe that

I'll be flown out to the big NY for Teen Vogue U this year. Basically

lots of seminars helping young teens in the fashion business.

Read more - http://teenvoguefashionuniversity.com/

Summer you have been great to me. Not so thrilled to start school

but, theirs more greatness that going to happen this Fall from all

things fashion-related, too of course fall fashion. So happy to dig

into my uggs, mocassins, my zip up boots and lavish in layers

with scarfs and warm coffees.

Some intriguing casual fall fashions by the lovely Zara

Tunes that Inspire Me!

When I'm either working on my garments for my next

collection or I'm at my internship with Banana Republic,

music keeps my going :).

Here's some of my favorite tunes that not only inspire but,

keep me going to know that everything is alright.

This song is basically MY life, with designing fashion

and just puts a smile on my face!

Come on'. This song I heard off of the Coke commercial and

feel deeply in love. Why! So soothing, fast paced, thrilling

and of course the best part

"Like no one's watching you

A moment
A love A dream
aloud A kiss
A cry Our rights
Our wrongs A moment a love
A dream aloud
a moment a a love A dream
aloud"

Who!? Doesn't love Nicki..? Her fashion sense is ill and this song

is my fav cause' having the moment for life means a lot and I know

the lyrics.

My Biggest Accomplishment - Yet!

So I made this ah-mazing dress for my town to represent and the people that live there. I took me most of my springbreak to finish and create this piece, still going to school and the Art Institute. As I finished it I went to a local church to present this piece, added it as a part of my community service project and everyone was thrilled to be apart of this town now. When summer began I e-mailed the mayor of my town and I could never catch because, her day was packed. But, on lonely Wednesday, June 28-ish to be exact it met the most to me. I presented her the dress and she was estactic took the dress to display in her office :)! Basically the whole month of July my masterpiece sat there, local newspapers and many important people came to see my dress. Now, tomorrow I going to be in my local newspaper. But, when I woke up this morning I checked my hometown's website and YEAH-HH! They wrote an article about me, makes me feel so great. Please read, thank you readers ;)

Home Town Website -http://www.cityofevanston.org/news/2011/08/evanston-dress-art-piece-on-display-in-mayors-office/

Local Newspaper Website - http://www.evanstonroundtable.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=4561&TM=64635.35

Here's some better pictures -