Baby Emma

Little Emma arrived one week ago and I couldn´t be a prouder aunt!

Since shopping for baby clothes, I´ve found that the enfant clothing industry is booming. Simple patterns, one sized everything, and sellers are taking advantage of the cuteness to charge waaay too much money.  Last week while searching for a gift for the newbie, I walked into the sweetest looking store in Barcelona which was literally Baby Couture.  It was filled with about 4 racks of baby clothes ranging in about 8 different patterns and 5 different styles that were duplicated for each color. A dress for an one year old costs 90 euros!!! The fabric couldn´t cost more than 8 per dress. Sure, they were cute but really there was nothing special other than they made the clothes there in the back of the store. Imagine the profit margin. I think I might be on to something and at the very least I can save the family some money. So today I wandered over to a gigantic cloth store a friend just tipped me off to the other day called Mondiale Tissus. The name fits because this was the largest fabric store I´ve ever seen and there was so much there I couldn´t even pick. So instead I went over to the section where the have the precut fat squares (about 50cm x 45 cm) generally used for quilting and I decided I would just make something for little Emma. After picking out fabrics I found some buttons, threads, ribbons and tassles. I could get in trouble in this place..

Here´s what I´ve got to work with..

First up, this adorable little baby romper. Not sure if 

I´ll have enough fabric but at the very least I can make the top and that headband is a must

Love this little summer dress.

For this I think I will combo the purple with the green. 

Another variation on the romper found at youcanmakethis.com. 

I found these adorable diaper covers from an Etsy store called pinkpoodlebows. Aren´t they adorable?

  

This fabric is nice and neutral for this project. 

I´m going to spoil this little girl!

Lucas Nascimento

A couple of pieces from his grafitti inspired collection for Fall 2012. 

Little Green Garçons

I just got my Little Green Dresses book in and I have to admit it´s much better than I expected.

There are lots of different projects that will keep me busy for the next couple of weeks. One of the more edgy pieces is a cage dress. Not sure if I would ever wear this but maybe with some tweaking it could find a way into my closet or at least into a Halloween costume.


Meanwhile in the high fashion sector, Comme Des Garçons was sporting a similar look on the 2012 Spring runway. Lots of nice fabrics and textures but not really wearable clothing.

old home, new home

I just read about these two lovely australian ladies in Be magazine and immediately did a YouTube search. First thing, they pop up in The Woodlands!


In the same article this Swiss/German duo are featured, their #1 single is filmed in Barcelona.


Skin gives me chills, so beautiful

black

something new


something old


Feeling blue after another cliffhanger and ultimately disappointing match from the blaugrana  (blue & red) Barça. Here´s a tribute to one of my many former towns, Pittsburgh.



A Classic!

Charm their pants off

Besides the fact that I love the print of his shirt, he offers some really great advice!

superman

Rip Off

Sitting at my sewing machine this morning, doing what I normally do and catch up on this season´s runway shows and listen to music. However something I couldn´t ignore happened. Moschino´s runway Spring 2012 popped up on my feed. It´s not a brand I am really familiar with but the opening look of the show is one that I´m very familiar with. As you might can tell I´m a huge Anna Sui Fan and when the Bullfighter Bolero paired with slim black pants and the typical matador hat came out, my jaw dropped. I have been taking notice that shoes are an item that get copied a lot between the designers. It´s just a downside of the trade, you can´t really patent creativity completely.  However, I think that in light of the ongoing trial of Gucci vs. Guess, we might be seeing a change in all the copycats out there.  It really is mind-blowing just how much creativity stealing these designers get away with. It´s part of the fashion game that really it´s all about timing. Just because you´ve come up with the idea doesn´t mean that the public will like it straight away. This gives someone else a shot at approaching the market again.  The worst part about this Moschino faux pas is they didn´t even try to be discrete about it because this look worn by Agyness Deyn is pretty much legendary. Right down to the hearts and all.....



and the bolero wasn´t the only thing copied. There are several skirts in there that are very similar to ones in Anna´s 2009 collection.

My Party Dress

I just got this book in! It has great tips and techniques for building your own bouncy and fun Party Dress. Most of the designer´s models are a little more theatrical and brighter than my tastes so I´ve been searching around for some more practical dresses to apply the lessons. 

Above:  French Connection €170.00
Wonder Flower Dress has a sweetheart neckline with structured bodice, zip fastening at back, tulip shape skirt with pleat details at waist and is fully lined.
* 100% Viscose. Length from Centre Back;62.8cm

French Connection Richie Strapless Dress has boning at chest, zip fastening at back, detachable belt, pleat detail at front hem and is fully lined throughout.

* 52%Cotton 45%Viscose 3%Spandex.  Length from Centre Back;62.5cm

French Connection Hail Helen Dress €190.00
Cotton Strapless Dress Is A Garden Party Favourite. Style It Up With A Statement Necklace And A Neat Clutch Bag For A Ladylike Look. Hail Helen Dress Has A Structured Bodice With A Concealed Zip Fastening At Back, Frill Detail And Tired Skirt. This Dress Is Fully Lined.
* 100% Cotton. Length from Centre Back;61.5cm

BCBG

Jean Paul Gaultier 2009

and my personal favorite from Anna Sui´s 2009 Spring Summer Collection. Totally Do´able. 

(studs and pearls): diy: Thread Wrapped Love Necklace

(studs and pearls): diy: Thread Wrapped Love Necklace: I was recently browsing Anthropologie's website, and came across this necklace below. It's adorable and fun, but I knew it could definitel...

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Tuesday´s Project

The end result was a little different as I prefer to have the length a little shorter and more fitter but overall it was the same. I doubled up on the straps and I didn´t put the eyelets in the ruffles because I haven´t found the needle that does that yet. 

The polka dots were about 6,4 from La Droguerie. The band was also from there and costs I think about 5. The Brown was left over from another project and it came from the sale rack at toto for about 4 Euro.  

Wednesday´s Project # 2

I´m on fire today but I´ve had this fabric for a while now and I had such luck with the vichy piece that I had to try to push my way through another project. It took a bit longer than I expected since I didn´t do such an exact cutting job, the hem came out crooked so I had to re-hem the bottom leaving the skirt a little bit shorter than I hoped but it´s not too bad. 

17.80 worth of fabric but I have enough left to make another skirt for a friend or maybe attempt a dress.

I´m really happy with the result! 

Checkered piece

I picked up two yards of black checkered (vichy) fabric yesterday from my fave fabric store Lydo. This tissu caught my eye because it was in the 10Euro bin in front of the store. Just too good to pass up.  I´m thinking in something similar Christopher Kane (above) or this great dress by Isabel Marrant.

Do I want to add to it?  Manoush 

Little of this little of that

Since I last blogged, I´ve had my good friend Elizabeth come in who I haven´t seen in ages.
We only had about two days and I wanted to give her the full french treatment. Here´s the trip en bref:

Cooking Class Tuesday night:

We made Squash souflée,

Saint Jaques with lentil salad and bacon,

& Tart Citron

Wednesday morning trip to musée de arte contemporaine. Robert Combas

Some light shopping and then a much deserved snack at Bernachons with our hand picked Café Gourmand.