it's reading week!

some amazing photos I found.. what inspirations! 

Boyfriend brought me to eat at MoRoCo Chocolat. 

I ordered a vegetable pie, they serve it without the crust and it was this fabulous creamy mash potato with every vegetable i could think of tucked carefully underneath. Also tried some mushroom puree soup, trout and  fries but the most exciting part was the dessert!

Lo and behold, the Malteaser! a HUGE ball of chocolate that when you pour the hot chocolate sauce over, melts to reveal three frozen ice cream! Very cool but not quite worth $20 something. But still, you gotta try it once.

wearing armani blouse, ellison beaded skirt

breakfast galore. 

Beast is definitely a place for the meat eater. Have you ever heard of french toast with duck? 

apparently the must have (if your into deep fried chicken is the following: mcbeastwich: buttermilk biscuit, fried chicken thigh, pimiento cheese, 2 fried eggs, pork sausage gravy and house potatoes 12

 Fran's is just a typical diner near me, I love that they're opened 24/7 and it just feels so homey :)

mood board I did in Adobe class

I died a little when I saw these shoes !

ciao4now

Happy Valentines day!

got to love George Brown's festivity ;)

I ended up taking up the hem and topstitching straight across which a lot better because there's already so much going on. I love what you can do with old table cloth ;) 

I used this fabric for a feathered skirt too.

ciao4now

Munching on Free Menchies in Red

I have probably talked about Menchies way too much here but... grand opening near Markham! (aka free menchies, photos (which they develop and put on a magnet for you), balloon and t-shirt colouring!

This absolutely made my day, you just can't stop smiling at a walking menchies cone!

Jacob skirt, Armani button up, Mexx necklace, new Lindsay Phillips short wedges!

inspired by cutepolish

ciao4now

p.s. check out the puzzles of sandra's life 's giveaway!

p.p.s. check out what mimi write's giveaway!

Graduate in three months!?

 @Marlow with the coolest people!

Lucy is wearing a maxi length Guess Dress and I'm wearing a Denise dress

I'm still having a crisis with what to do with myself after I'm done my fashion design program at George Brown, I actually applied for the business/ management program today at GBC... as it would overlap with the one I'm finishing so I can get my second diploma in less than a year.

I had my heart set on FIT in NYC but for some reason I don't want to commit to school for another two years. All I want to do is set up a studio and create for a year. What to do what to do!

It's so scary when there are endless options but each choice I make is going to determine my path into the "real" life! 

In the midst of trying to make a life changing decision, I've been hanging out in Laurier, sketching my bf's room, headed to London, Ontario(road trip!) for a photo shoot of some of my dresses for the Caisa Fashion Show (The show will be March 31st, 2012 at Western University! ) and then occasionally I chill at the Snack Bar at Nathan Philip Square serving Hot Chocolate.

Then at night I like to bar hop on Bloor street (very seldom, actually) ended up at Insomnia (chic bar with $5.5 martinis on Thursdays!), Yo Yo Yogurt (I can never get enough of my frozen yogurt despite below zero weather!), while wearing my fuzzy mitt from Jacob. Latest project I'm working on are five bride maid dresses for a client! Super excited!

ciao4now

P.s. I've been feeling like I'm not giving back to the community (compared to the grade nine girl I was, eager to volunteer anywhere and everywhere), I'm not quite sure where to start in the heart of Toronto, anyone have any tips? I definitely feel especially obligated to give back after watching In Time. We keep complaining about  the small things in life when truly, we are the fortunate and blessed ones compared to the hundreds of thousands out there who don't have family, shelter and/ or food. 

Hello School

School has started once again. & I finally took a deep breath and handed my resignation letter, it was a love hate experience in retail but I want to concentrate on my future (aka I'm applying for F.A.T.! and a part of CASIA fashion show) and my passion (which, as you know, my designing has been slowwing down dramatically due to lack of time).

I just noticed I don't do outfit blogs anymore... That might be due to a) messiness around my condo b) too little time (to dress up/ take photos) c) always in ugly b & w work attire.    BUT I will try harder to!

and I'll sign off with a super cute video... 

I can't believe I'm saying it but.. now I like coca cola. 

ciao4now

it's not the years in your life that counts, its the life in your years!

Merry Christmas and Happy new years!

I've been so MIA due to post-exam syndrome (drink, party & work).

Here are two of my final projects, one is a stylized lingerie outfit and the second is a dress (set style but we get to choose our own fabric). 

I am now in Waterloo aka middle of no where, and I'm going to get back on track with blogging!

my mom's wedding was the day after New years. It was a lot of fun, I made a dress for this day but on the day of I find out the zipper is busted......., open bar wooo! good food, great friends and lovely family. One great night!

My first time snowboarding at Blue Mountain, it was freezing cold -22Celcius apparently. Always delighted to reunite with maple taffy rolled up on ice and BEVER TAILS! Rented a cabin with 17 people, hot tub, beer pong, what more can a girl ask for? :)

 

ciao4now

p.s. ever had a kiwi grape?

p.p.s. my NYE was spent at work, woo. We did pop champagne tho!
and note to self: don't leave texting an hour before midnight for meeting up. Signals were so bad that I couldn't connect with my friends til hour past :(it's the most depressing thing wandering the streets of downtown alone at midnight on NYE!

let the rain wash away all the pain of yesterday

my bra is done! 

I'm surprised it's not a lot more work than it was. it took a bit over three hours but I did make a lot of mistakes and unstitched.

 (too bad I twisted the straps when I sewed it one... shh)

Christmas is coming! I'm literally counting down. 

I'm dreaming of christmas lights... 

so busy busy me. I really should sleep now, I have work at 7 am!

the last few days has been utterly crazy, no sleep for 40 hours, exam, sewing, coffees... and then relaxing at an Italian tappa, munching on delicious tuna tartar and escargots, and then Mary Popins musical! 

ciao4now

lingerie makes the woman

this is my favourite garment I had to make in lingerie class.

so far.

Next thing? tackling how to make a bra!

Would you rather read more posts that are brief and short or long ones with more depth?

ciao4now

p.s. I CAN. NOT. stop waltching this!! Hope this made you smile (or laughing like a crazy maniac like me)

Let there be INTERNET!

Finalement. 

I have internet at my new place (after 55 days)! On the night of Halloween, after my roomates and I watched a scary movie (Love Objects), we were grunting about how we gotta lug our sh*t to Starbucks (again) to use the wi-fi when all of a sudden, all four of our laptops got internet! (the rogers man actually came twice already to set it up. Guess he finally got it!)

First thing's first. catch up on my GOSSIP GIRL.

 dress my team and I made at the Creativ Festival 

 so how cute are these Frankenstein jellos! Super easy to make. oreo for hair, reese balls for the eyes and neck thing.. smear some melted chocolate on the candy and it'll stick like glue.

 Last night I slept for TWO hours because of a drafting assignment. How to draft and create a given stylized dress in Muslin, fully lined and zipper attached. It took me about ten hours! I never noticed how much work it is to draft and create a dress until now, I think it was always an enjoyment so I didn't notice the hours fly by!

I was running around between my drafting area, my cutting area, my domestic sewing machine (black thread), my antique industrial sewing machine (white thread), ironing board and mannequin. what a site for my roomies.

my friend brought me to the Mad Italian for a pizza in a cone. Quite interesting, not really worth $6 tho (Gelato is amazing), and it was my first time in the Little Italy of Toronto!

Ever wish you were like Chuck bass?

"you never had a childhood so you behave like a child in the worst ways. you pay for intimacy so you're always in control and no one can get close to you. your superficial connection and lack of authentic emotions leave you isolated and alone. not just tonight, but always."  

ciao4now

Happy Halloween 2011

I was super excited for Halloween, I've been planning it since I got the red wig from HongKong this summer.

can you tell I'm ariel?:)

I got the "best costume" award at Embassy night club aka $100 cash! 

and as always I sewed everything from scratch. the TAIL took a while, many layers of tulle and fabric!

@ the Designer Cookie Boutique

I had the Creme Brule cupcake! YUM.

I, now, will wear starfish in my hair.

ciao4now

p.s. some days i roll out of bed with the craziest hair. if you could feel it.. it feels like a cotton ball. and I can't even brush it out !

Intense "project runway" experience

I was chosen with two other students (through a mini project runway challenge to make a skirt, in the post below) to represent George Brown in the annual Creativ Festival's Catwalk runway competition.

Challenge? Create an outfits for a guest, inspired by a 50s style icon, to the royal wedding. 

 I must say it was one of the most crazy, draining, rewarding experience. 

First of all, throwing three designers with completely different visions together, is.. frightening. 

Especially when we are so passionate about our views!

and then we were faced with major fitting problems (try three inch difference at the shoulder seam)& technical problems ( we don't know anything about hat making, why did we think we can make a wide brimmed hat!?)

Did I mention, we were at a convention centre, FULL of people browsing and shopping? So we had to fight through crowds as we haggle for cheaper fabrics. We were given a budget of $200 and everything used in our outfit has to be found at the convention centre. Everyone was super sweet, many people donated things to us: threads, elastics..

we spent $198 in total. 

unfortunately we didn't win, but we still got amazing prizes including a steamer, swarovski beads/ necklaces.. and $50 cash :) 

It was quite the experience. Midway, when a supervisor saw that I put cardboard in the hat, she asked if I bought it at the convention centre (I did not) and she said I'll get disqualified if I used it and I almost broke down! It's so exhausting because we've been at it for about 12 hours for three days!

I love the result though. 

yellow. bouffon skirt. what more can a girl ask for! 

onto other things..

ciao4now

SM;)E giveaway

My school had a tiny Project Runway.

It was so much fun! We were given three hours to make a stylized skirt from scratch.

We were given a table of fabrics (tiny pieces tho) which we obviously fought for.

onto other news..

I'll be giving away this one of a kind top that I sewed together, size S/M (stretch fabric, exposed back and lace sleeves!).

So to enter this giveaway...

Take a moment please and vote for my essay at CROSS LITES. It's for a scholarship I'm in desperate need of to go study abroad in a fashion design program as an international student!

Here is the essay:

 They say the best thing in life is free and a smile is priceless. At a retail store that I worked at, their motto is always smile. After working there, I couldn't help keeping their motto for my daily life use; another tool in my life kit box, right next to motivation, patience and perseverance. The first person to notice the difference in me was a senior coworker, she knew me since I was a baby and we both worked at my aunt's bakery. She complimented me on how my "whole aura changed", was she exaggerating? I'll never know. I look up to her as she is one of the most warm and loving woman I know, not to mention how she can spread smiles onto every customer as easily as spreading butter on toast. 


    Working side by side with her started to opened up my eyes to the gift we can so easily give to strangers. I also started to grasp the value smiles hold. I believe in this modern society where no one seems to have enough time and everyone's face seems to be stuck to a phone, it is nice to slow down and have a chance to actually look around and say "hello" with a smile to the guy beside you. We don't expect for that to happen anymore and when it does it becomes a ripple effect; a movement to pass on joy to the next person. We would look forward to the subway rides more when every stranger is actually a friend in disguise, the only foreshadowing clue is a smile. 


    One of my best friends use to tell me that when she's emotionally down, she would take a lot pictures of herself so that she is forced to smile. They say smiling no matter what the situation is will send an automatic message to your brain that you're happy. Maybe that was why smiling became addictive, it not only makes others smile but it makes you feel good too. I can have the most horrific day, and when I'm gifted with a smile, the world freezes for just a small moment and everything bad just slides off my shoulders. Everyone can use a smile because life is tough and happiness is our only anecdote. Smiling to the concierge, barista, transit operator, professor, tourist, janitor, librarian, guy with a goatee... will make the world a rounder place.

Sneak Peek of Baby's collection @ Gladstone, amazing eco-friendly dresses.

So privileged to intern for her!

So busy busy days blurring into one. Friend and I hopped on greyhound at midnight to arrive at montreal at 6:30 am and we cafe hopped until the Jean Paul Gautier's exhibit opened. Here's one of my favourite editorial. Will share more with you! Too bad we could only stay in the romantic city for a day, jumped  back on the bus at midnight and arrived in Toronto for my 8am class.

Remember to leave your name and e-mail address when or after you voted :)!

ciao4now