Arm Candyz

'Sup ma single cells! Bro fist for summer, a week left until holidays. I am happy, sad and scared, I know it's a lot of feeling, but that is what is so beautiful about us humans, we get to feel everything at once and not explode.

Life has been slow moving at the moment.  I bought a groovy patch from Ebay a week or so ago to show my love for Bowie even more without going that extra cheesy mile of a T-shirt or a huge cardboard cut out (although that would be kind of cool...). This was a vintage circa-70s sewn on patch which I got for next-to-nothing and at first I had no idea what to sew it on, they I had a brain wave of brilliant...ness (if that's a word) and found my Wax Jacket to be the perfect patron to display and model it on. I now feel like a Mod even though It's not a parka I'm wearing, it's a wax. Still, the vibe is there, and it's nice as it gives my jacket a little edge. Also the patch itself is a little more understatement than some of the other gaudy Bowie memorabilia which is out in the world, so even though I am making a statement I'm not doing it by flailing my limbs around wearing a bodysuit or a red mullet. I really do love the look of patches, however they also need to be handled in the right balance like tattoos, either have one on it's own or a whole bunch together, because sometimes having them sporadically spread around looks, well, ridiculous.

(Mmm, him in his 'Thin White Duke' regalia)

Oh, and my nails are looking snazzy with alternative polish in Sothern Lights and Indian Ocean. 

I've also been listening to Moby recently, which is a bit old school but he is great. I only have his album Play and only really like four songs on it at the moment, but even so he is lush! I think I also find his weedy appearance a big attraction as well.

I am lovin' how dated this video is lookin' even though it's only fourteen years old.

A little light music, for an early week meditation moment. I don't physically meditate, but sometimes songs like this help my brain de-fuzzle. Over these past few days I've been realising how I act upon what I feel like doing regardless of how others feel, I sometimes think I have some kind of brain problems as well as for ages now I've been sad. Not the kind of sad which is always on the horizon but the kind that boils deep inside of you, and at times will jump out. I can't explain well on here because it's a bit private I guess and I can't find the right words. The one thing which bothers me most is that I really have nothing genuine to feel sad about, it's all trivial. Oh well, there are always things to help you feel numb when you need to...

'Cus

I am honestly loving COS right now, I know it wouldn't seem the type of clothing company I would be into however I have such lust over their clean cut lines and extremely simple clothing. So modern and so chic! Of course their prices are slightly higher than (only slightly), lets say, some high-street shops. However, considering the quality and staple look of each item, I would say the prices are well worth it for a timeless piece. I am hoping to soon own my very first COS item, however we'll see how it goes because I may not be getting one for a little while yet! Still, doesn't mean I can't flood you all with some images of their beautiful threads:

                Roll neck wool top £45                 3/4 sleeve knit dress £69

          Cotton and silk tunic £69         Metallic yarn  cardigan £59

                    Cotton and linen dress £69                 Metallic yarn jumper £55

                    Double layer cardigan £39             3/4 sleeved cardigan £20

All images from the COS website: http://www.cosstores.com/

Indian Yarn Man

Ugh, mama ain't feelin' too cool. I don't know if it's hormones or just life but I is feelin' a little sad, maybe it's the overcast weather outside... Who knows. I've been obsessively listening to Life on Mars? today, about seven times so far, just because it makes me happy and I absolutely love the video, it's so simple but so rad.

Anyway now I'm back at school for a month we've been set slightly more chilled work in classes. I am especially excited about Textiles right now, as if you hadn't already guessed I love knitting but we'll get to that in a second. So yesterday we were set a challenge to pick an item of clothing which our teacher had found and provided for us and transform it into something different, just a wee 'up-cycle' to do for a couple of weeks. At first I had no idea what I wanted to do, however after talking to a friend I suddenly had an insaane brainstorm and decided to make my own yarns via using the fabric of the product I chose and knitting with it! I know, cool right? Well convenient for me as I have no confidence when it comes to tailoring or making clothes, the only useful skill I have is taking up hems 'cause of my short legs.

Woah, tangent! So whilst I was rummaging in the pile I found an interesting skirt which was Jigsaw and made of 100% silk (I know, dayum!). I did feel slightly bad because it was really beautiful feeling and also an expensive brand, however with determination and courage I have been slicing and shredding it to pieces merrily since yesterday.

I first stripped up the lining and although bright I am lovin' this fushia pink.

This was the main skirt fabric which I have been shredding pretty much most of the evening and tying it together to make one long piece of ribbon. 

And the final product after I bound them together with the machine. I honestly love the very raw state of the yarns, the uneven look and all of the little tabs of fabric which happen to burst out sporadically, and the gorgeous vibrant colours which remind me so much of India. It's going to be so fun knitting with this, although I'll have to keep the tension quite loose as it's not very elastic.

I'm thinking of making a purse with it as I got a free clasp when I bought the magazine crafty a couple of months ago. Obviously I'ma put some bells and tassels on the bottom... I know, I get a little obsessive.

Thanks as well, doing this post cheered me up a little.

I Maketh

I have finally finished yet another knitting project, I surprisingly absolutely loved making it. I say 'surprisingly' as I thought I would get bored before I was even able to finish, it's happened before yo see! However, low and behold (if that's how the phrase goes) she is finis and tres tres magnifique! I did not drop, nor add any stitches and there are also no holes, wew. It was such a glorious project as I have never made a full length scarf like this before and although it took me roughly two weeks...(?) to make her it was just a such relaxing process. I knitted at night, during films, whilst eating lunch and even when I went to the park to see my friends. I first thought it would be too difficult to knit and be around me chums as I presumed I was being antisocial, however (rather than being constantly on my phone) it was super chilled and didn't distract me too much from talking to everyone. I have even started to knit without looking! I mean how much more skill could yo home girrrl have?

So, um, tadaa! this is her in as much glory as I could try and capture. I attempted photographing her in my room, but there is literally no clear spot for you to see her without distractions in the background... I know, I should clear some space, but I just can't (I'm a hoarder ya seeee... Sad but true).

To spruce up the look I made some tassels for the bottom out of the same yarns, and I even found these gorgeous brass bells which I bought oh so many years ago and seemed to have forgotten all about. I  think they are the groove and create a sort of Tibetan aura around the whole piece. I decided I only wanted tassels on the one end just for an uneven and unique look, as I think we are all too equal now'a days haha, I'm sorry if that sounds ridiculous to you.

ain't the texture delicious...

So, yet again another project ticked off the list. I think I'm just making all of these small pieces because I have such daunting ones coming up. Still I must not try and delay them anymore, they must be made! Otherwise I shall be angry with myself... I honestly get way too serious about my freetime projects. 

Also, I draweth a vein heart. Me no know! 

Whisperr

My friend kindly let me borrow his DVD Whisper of the Heart which is a well known Ghibli film (well all Ghibli films are), after watching it I felt/feel so positive and inspired. It is such a beautiful and gentle film, showing how reality and fantasy can come together to create something beyond this world, something unique and special. The characters, though mature for their age, were so much more believable than some of the other anime characters which I have seen, and the background artwork was also tres beautiful. A well thought out and seriously wonderful film, now I remember why I love Studio Ghibli so much.

Conceptual

So I've been drawing again recently. It's so much more relaxing drawing when you know there are no deadlines and you're not trying to create something amazing to please people and get successful grades.  Well I suppose the first one is trying to please someone as it is a birthday card for me dad, where as the second is... well I don't know. I need to start using block colour for the backgrounds so they actually look complete. 

It's all muggy over here, and I don't feel amazing, I think I'll draw something else now. Maybe some mushrooms? 

Candy

Oh boy am I loving the Prada 'Candy' perfume ad. Not only is it shot by one of my favourite directors at the moment, the glorious Wes Anderson, however it also features the beautiful  Léa Seydoux (who you guys would probably know from Midnight in Paris). Oh so incredibly quirky, beautiful and filled to the brim with Parisian charm I do love this trilogy telling the classic tale of a love triangle, surprisingly enough this one ends up quite successful. I think the last time I fell in love with a perfume advert like this would be the Dior one featuring Daphne Groeneveld sometime last year. I want to eat cake now...

Skipped An Era

(yeah, down here on Panda we like our photos blurry...)

I totes felt waay 70s yesterday in all of my vintage gear for work. It was one of those outfits which just makes you feel all groovy and cool and when I looked in the mirror I felt like giving myself a pat on the back for the glorious-ness that was my reflection... I know, vain right? Anyway, I got this totes (last time I say that...) rad paisley shirt from a vintage fair I went to last week. This incredible beaded waistcoat also from a vintage fair last year, and surprisingly proved to be effective on the ladies as someone commented on how tasty it was, (ok she didn't say tasty but I knew she was thinking it!), and my little bow tie was just a homemade project I made sometime in the past.

Since the sun is out and I don't have work today I am going to sit in the conservatory and read my apartamento's and get crackin' into my Bowie books, I don't know which one to start first... Oh the choices!

POST

I had an amazing post day today. I ordered quite a few things and thangs over the past week, and woopers, they are all finally here baby!

Since I've been taking up knitting I decided to have a little project on the run, aside from all of the other ideas I have planned which I still need to do. Anyway, I got a little bored with knitting in only one colour, so I searched intensely for something groovier and I stumbled across these beautiful hand spun recycled sari yarns. They are made from 100% sari silk, and is all recycled as they use the materials which would usually be destroyed or thrown away, so not only are they funky-as-fuck but they make you feel good when you're knitting too.

Then I wasn't really planning on showing yo ma new booky-wooks, but they are just so unbelievably mouth salivating that I had to share. Yes, I ordered two delicious BOWIE books, what's cool is they both have the Aladdin Sane set of photographs on the cover, which I think just makes them all the more insaane. I absolutely love my David Bowie Style as it's written real nicely and the David Bowie IS book, is... well, it's orange. Which I think is just too groove to move...

Then on an unrelated note, I also bought the new apartamento from work the other day, so I have a lot to catch up on. Seriously, I'm'a show you all one day the reading list I am aiming to plough through this summer, (Mags & Books). It is literally intense... I'm goin' be a busy lady this upcoming week.