Saturday, December 25, 2010

Pink And Red Most Certainly Go

I was helping my mother choose her outfit for Christmas day with the family, and suggested she wear a pink sweater on top of a white shirt decorated with beautiful red flowers.
She made a face and told me "Pink and red don't go!"
I replied "They most certainly do 'go'!"
I would like to know who told people that pink and red don't 'go'!
Who is to say what goes now a days anyway?
People wear brown with black, denim with denim, bright neon green with bright neon purple, and maroon with even more maroon (Rihanna).
And to be quite honest, it usually looks really nice!
In fact, I would even dare to say it "goes"!
Especially in this holiday season full of mashing silver and gold who can say that pink and red are a bad combination?

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Sketching


(Sorry If the image is sideways)
Today is the shortest day of the year!
I think its very inconvenient to have the shortest day in the week before Christmas, when people need long days the most.
But since there is nothing we can do, we might as well enjoy it.
I'm enjoying this day by sketching, and later I'll do a little Christmas shopping.
Gotta get those stocking stuffers..
Anyways, enjoy my sketch!

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Back To the Basics



This has to be one of my favorites!
It took me 3 tries to make the bow just right, and even more tries to get the bow on the headband with no stiches showing.
I dont know what to name this headband...
It'll come to me eventually, but for now we'll just call it the bow-iest headband.

Friday, December 17, 2010

I Simply Remember My Favorite Things...




And then I don't FEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLL sooooo bad!
Its been pretty rainy lately, and rain kinda gets me down.
I like having at least 15 minutes of sun shine every day.
Sooooo, today I got my sunshine by putting together a collage of my favorite stuff.
The books are some of my favorites, and one of them Generation T, started my love of making clothes.
I made all the headbands in the picture, and the bouquet of pink flowers is from JoAnns Fabrics.
The blue high heels are from Fergalicious by Fergie, and the maroon are Sofft.
The little blue elephant is a gift form one of my friends from her familys trip to Thailand, and the small painted piggy is from my other friend. I think its from her trip to Germany...
The fabric underneath it all is actually my favorite scarf :)
I dont want to seem matrialistic.
These are just some of my important belongings, and they make me happy.
"When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I'm feeling sad...
I simply remember my favorite things, and then I dont feel so bad"- The Sound of Music

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Express Yourself















I took all of my old jeans that recently "shrunk in the wash" and have made them into art!
My white-and-blue striped shorts express my love of the beach (while they also show off my horrible drawing abilities).
My dark blue shorts represent how things can seem complex from one point of view, and more simple from another.
The light blue jean shorts show joyfulness and all the fun there is in the world!
And my medium wash jean shorts have a story written on them that tells the story of a girl who decided to make and art project out of her old clothes.
I am planning on hanging them up on a clothes line across the wall in my bedroom.
My creative idea behind this is: it expresses how high and dry a person can feel sometimes, but if they just make lemons into lemonade it can turn into something cool.
My less creative idea is: it will look very cool!
(I also have some pictures of some headbands I made recently... so yea... not as cool as the shorts :) )

Sorry if some of the photos are doubles, im just getting used to uploading on this site.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Business

I have been a very busy girl lately.
At school, but also in designing.
Plus I have a very important announcement to make...
I learned how to make a pencil skirt!
Muhahaha!
You more accomplished sewers may laugh at my trivial accomplishment (which it may be).
However, the pencil skirt I have made is beautiful.
I don't mean to brag, even though I totally just did, but I wish you all could see it.
And you would be able to if my camera was working which it's not. :(
Besides learning how to make a pencil skirt, I have made a million new headbands.
No, seriously, I lost count how many new headbands I have made.
Well... thats not entirely true... if i only new how to count up to 23 I would have lost count...
Well, I'm lying again.
I only made like 10 new headbands.
Never the less, you get my point, I made new stuff.
When my camera is working again, I will put up pictures.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Too Long

I have taken way to long to get a new post up which means I'm officially to busy for myself.
I finished the Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum costumes which turned put to be adorable!
Now, I am in the process of learning how to make a dress.
I've made smaller sized dresses before, but I mean small enough to fit a barbie
If anyone has any advice, I would love, love love it!
I'm thinking of going to buy a pattern for the first dress just to get the hang of it..
We'll see how it turns out!

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Tweedle Dee, and Tweedle Dum

I haven't been blogging at all lately which is very sucky.
I'm working on Halloween costumes for my friend and I.
We decided on being Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum.
At first it sounded simple, then it became complicated.
Which version do we want to model the look after?
What's our color scheme?
Where do we find cheap fabric to make this?
All I can think of doing right now is sleeping, not making costumes.
Lucky for me there are 24 days until Halloween.
I will get this done!
Go team Caroline!

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Summer Goal

My goal this summer was to make 20 headbands, and I suceeded. Yay!!!

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Blue, white and Pink





The Blue one is called Math Class due to the geometric design on the bow.
The white headband is called White Wedding.
And the pink headband is called Dainty in Pink.

Friday, August 27, 2010

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Etsy

Theres something called Etsy, which I heard was neat.
But can someone give me the details please?

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Magazines

Fashion magazines seem like they pity women for being women, and say "Here, if you buy this magazine you can be strong and powerful, beautiful and wanted. Just like the lady on the cover."
Yet, I'm a reader of magazines.
Not all magazines, but a fair few.
I love them to pieces, but usually not for the articles (which are usually about depressing things) but for looking at what different sorts of women are wearing.
There are magazines that celebrate women (Vogue, Elle), and oddly enough the women on the cover of these usually aren't sex icons, or druggies. They range from Dakota Fanning to First Ladies, and reach out to the average woman.
I recommend that you look for magazines that appeal to your sense of self over anything else, and then its hard to go wrong.

Monday, August 9, 2010

The Headache Relief Headband



I made a headband.
I really liked it.
Until my mother said it looked like I had a large aspirin on my head.
So that put me ut for a while, but determined to like it (because it is really cute) I looked for all of its good qualities.
And I realized how very comfortable it is, almost soothingly so compared to how most headbands are hard and painful.
(mine aren't because I pad the tips)
This particular headband was extremely comfy, so I've named it the headache relief headband.
I feel clever. :)

Sunday, August 8, 2010

The Secret Life of Bees

I watched the Secret Life of Bees last night, and decided that it is an amazing movie.
Now with that said, I've also decided that the next time I go fabric shopping I'm going to buy fabric with bumble bees printed on it and make a bow for a headband. Then I will name the headband the bow goes on The Secret Life of Bees.

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Do You Mind?

A question I get more often then I would like is "Do you mind if I copy you?"
And my answer is always no.
I wouldn't lie about that. I really don't mind if one of my friends sees some of my work and then decides that they would like to make bags, or headbands, or even cut their hair like mine.
I can't own any of these things.
I don't own bag making, headband designing or even my haircut.
I think if you like doing something then it doesn't matter if some else did it before you.
Do we tell artists they can't paint because cave people were drawing long before them?
Or do we discourage new teachers to teach because people have been teaching longer then them.
Copying is a serious thing to accuse someone of.
If one of m friends used my specific designs then that would be copying, but if they drew inspiration from the little I've done, then I'm flattered beyond imagination.
So my friends, if you're reading this, please stop asking for permission to sew. I don't own it, and neither can anyone else. It's what you make of it, and I encourage everyone to enjoy it with all of their hearts.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Make Up

Make Up.
Girls wear it to look older.
Older women wear it to look younger.
So what is the true purpose of this thing that is a beloved security blanket for the women of our world today.
Maybe it's just that, a security blanket, and when we wear it we become better than we are.
My question for today is who is to say what's better or worse?
Would Beyonce still be Beyonce if she didn't have the glam eyelashes and sparkly lipgloss? Would Reese Witherspoon still be the all american sweet heart without her flawless completion? Could drew Barrymore still be the covergirl without her smoky eyes?
Do these powerful women rely on their talent to get them places, or their looks?
I'm not questioning the fact that these women probably could go places on talent alone. I'm just wondering why did beauty help to get them their.
I'm a make up wearer just as much as the next woman, but I'm starting to wonder why I started wearing it.
I started breaking out with zits in the third grade, and was always taller than anyone else. By 5th grade there I was. A tall pubescent girl of 11 who started feeling more and more akward each minute. I guess thats why I wore makeup. Coverup, eyeliner, anything to make me feel beautiful.
Whose standard of beauty was I trying to measure up to? My own, or the one commercialized by the media, and my peers.
After considering this, I've realized what i consider to be beautiful, and that is everyone.
I have decided everyone is beautiful.
I feel my design are going to reach out to women who feel confident enough to wear them and secure enough of themselves to know that they look good.
Anyways, I've decided that if I ever use models to show off one of my articles of clothing they will not be wearing makeup.
I'm not trying to say makeup is terrible (once again, I wear it) but I think that it should only be worn by people who are confident with themselves so that its not used as a shield against who they really are.
You, my dear reader, may think I'm weird but I think I'm right.
Makeup is fine and is fun if you know that its not making you better because only you can make you better, and no one can tell you how you're supposed to look because no one looks the same.
Well, thats my 10 cents worth. Bye for now!


P.S. I stink at spelling, so the stars names I mentioned are probably spelled wrong.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

The Fashion Goddess, or Following Your Passion

I was reading a monologue called Ask the Fashion Goddess and thought about the reputation fashionistas have.
The main character in the monologue is a woman who has her own radio station that gives out fashion advice. The Fashion Goddess receives different phone calls from callers throughout the monologue and she answers in a ditzy, funny way. For example;
"'Britney, you're on the air with the Fashion Goddess!
(another voice)Is, like, glitter, you know, still, like (giggles)- in?
Britney, my sweet, you are a simple simple person with a simple, simple question. And the answer to that question is: YES!!! Always and forever, glitter is in! Disco, Roller Derby, Mardi Gras, Queen for a Day, glitter is the essence of our nations fashion heritage! Glitter is as American as cheese ravioli. Didn't President lincoln use glitter bombs to defeat the British at Pearl Harbor? I think she did. Glitter absolves even the most truly fashion impaired of their gooberness, and, Britney, if you truly- in your simple-simple heart-of-hearts- want to please the Fashion Goddess, beyond all reason, fill a salt shaker with glitter and sprinkle it merrily-merrily on every single outfit you own.'"
Now what do you get from that?
Personally it makes me think all fashionistas are crazies and dummies, and that is not true because I am neither crazy nor dumb.
Though this monologue is enjoyable and funny it is true to the stereotype that most people apply to fashionable peoples.
I'm going to correct that right now.
People that have a passion for fashion work just as hard as the person who teaches, or fights fires all day. However, they work in a different way. Making clothes, designing, or anything that has to do with a fashion mag. requires that person to be aware of the wants of the people they are trying to sell their product to. They need to be able to work long hours with many disappointments and few huge rewards that mainly rely on luck and timing. They need to be able to deal with the frustration of a broken needle several times in a row, picky customers who are rude and ruthless, and of course the continuous criticism of unknown, and known people.
However the rewards that come frequently enough to make someone passionate are the ones that you feel inside after you have made something you love, and that no one can ever take away from you no matter how hard they try. These are the hardships and reward that not just any halfwit or ditz could work through and towards.
The ultimate goal in people who make clothes shouldn't be to become famous because thats mainly luck. The goal should be to make clothes, bags, and accessories that they are proud of. Everything else is inconsequential, and when it becomes important you're no longer an artist following your passion, you're following the dollar.


The monologue was from The Ultimate Audition Book For Teens 2

Friday, July 9, 2010

San Diego

(I have made two new headbands for my collection. One of which has a large white bow on it, and the other one has a smaller white bow on it and a button. )
When I go to San Diego with my family chilling at the zoo, and hanging out at the pool will be very relaxing. I could tell you about how I really don't want to suffer around the bad fashion in San Diego, but I won't because I'll be too busy with my family to notice/ care too much. Yes, I will be tempted to pull some people over and let them know the error of their ways, but I won't. I should put up banners letting all beach bums know that it isn't ever okay to wear socks with sandals, oversized ketchup stained sweatpants, or cheetah print gogo's but, hey, we all need to learn on our own time.
I'm not saying that everyone in San Diego is badly dressed, I'm sure there are fashionistas. My experience has made me a little prejudiced against unfashionable San Diego-an's because its not like they don't have the resources to be stylish. They have the beach! The zoo! The Sea World! All of these inspirations and yet little results. Maybe San Diego will surprise me when I go. Maybe it won't. Bottom line, I won't be able to focus on that because I will be with my family.
Those of you who know me, know that I can be a sweet, sweet girl, but those of you who know me better know that I have a weakness when it comes to fashion.
I will have a good time looking at lions, tigers and bears (oh my!), watching Glee with my cuz, and jumping into cold pools. It might even be refreshing when I come home to see that most of the people in my town dress pretty decently.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Mad Hatter Headbands

I have decided to make a summer collection of headbands! I've made tons of headbands before, but now they are actually going to be part of a set. The name of the collection is called the Mad Hatter Headbands. Why did I chose this abnormal name? Well the same reason I named my blog Platypus designs. When I was making these headbands I felt very muchnessful (watch Alice In Wonderland to understand), and when I was making the blog I was feeling like Perry the Platypus, unstoppable and admirable.


The one above is called Sugar and Spice because the large pink flower is sugary, and the cool print on the cover is the spice.

The one in to the left is called Kitty Kat because the pattern has mice and yarn, and the one to the right is called sea urchin due to its bright colorful flowers that ended up looking like a uber pretty sea urchin.

I call the one to above Frannie Mae, because it reminds me of something someone called Frannie Mae would wear( I don't know any Frannie Maes).
The one to the left I call pink lady because (you can't see it) the inside of the flowers is a light pink.











I'm not entirely done. I want to make 20 headbands so I have 15 more to go. I need to get more supplies...
Anyways, next time I put up pictures I might have some models. :)
Adios for now.




Wednesday, May 19, 2010

My Middle Finger

It finally happened. I sewed my middle finger with the sewing machine. I knew that it would happen, but I had no idea which finger it would happen to. I was sewing a bag and reached right in the needles line of fire trying to pull out a pin. I broke the needle and severely hurt my sewing machines ego. I mean really, it couldn't even handle skimming my finger. What a shameful sewing machine.
I only put a small dent in my love for sewing, and as soon as I learn how to replace a needle I will be sewing more.
I went fabric shopping and bought $100 dollars worth of fabric and ribbon its just a bummer that I cant sew it right now.
I have to go put a band aid on my finger. Bye!

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Computer

The computers keyboard broke so I have to use my ancient labtop. Anyways, today I'm going fabric shopping i'm thinking of buying some eyelet. I think it looks pretty and I could use it for lots of different things. Ugh... its to early to focus on writing so I'll just end it here.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Neglecting

I have been neglecting my blog. I'm sorry blog...
Now that I've said sorry I feel less guilty.
Anyways, I made a bag to give to one of my picky clients, and this person didn't like it. This person has done this to me twice now, and its not like i did something completely stupid looking, but whatever...
So I'm making a new one :) Its very cute and silly and fresh. With a green background and white daisies for the main part of the bag and then diamond shaped pieces of yellow fabric stitched on top. They aren't stitched around the edges, they are about an inch away so that the edges kinda move in the wind or if the person holding the bag is walking fast. I love it more than the first bag, so I guess good things happen when customers are picky. I looked up customer in my dictionary, and it said
customer (kust tem mer) n. 1. a patron, buyer, or shopper. 2. a person one has to deal with.
Then I looked up "what is good customer service" online and from an article got the idea that if the customer is happy, then thats good service.
I'm hoping to put the finishing touches on the bag to night and give them to the customer tomorrow. If they are happy, then I have succeeded in my goal of being a good saleslady.
( thought to self *Even though it was good for me to remake this bag, if the client asks again I might ask them to make it themselves and to go poke their finger on a pin while at it. Do you know how many pins it took to get all of those yellow swatches straight? More than you would expect!)
I'll always remember to put the client first, because when their happy, my job has been done correctly.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Shopping and Fabric buying


I went fabric shopping at the Del Amo mall yesterday and bought the most amazing yellow fabric!
I haven't made any thing with it yet, but i did make a white and orange giraffe print bag.
Since my mom and I were out we stopped by H&M and looked at their new Garden Collection, in which most of the clothing was a light pastel pink. I'm not sure if I like the collection or if I hate it, but I bought a dress anyways. It too is light pink and it has lots of fabric flowers on the shoulders.
There is a big difference between shopping and buying fabric in my opinion. When people shop, they aimlessly roam around stores looking for something that might not even be there. Shopping is laid back and relatively low key for me, I go, and look around my favorite store and pick out at least 7 items to try on. First I make sure it fits and looks good, and then I look at the price tag, and decide whether or not iI want to buy it. However, people who buy fabric know almost exactly what they want, and if its not there they will find the closest darned thing and call it a day. When I buy fabric price is usually not the issue, and I don't try on my fabric because that would be weird and inappropriate if I did. I feel the fabric, look at the washing instructions, and think how it would look on someone. Generally people in clothing stores aren't very friendly, or social. They appear to be sulking around looking at the hangers and going about 2 mph. On the other hand, people in fabric stores are friendly, upbeat and excited about what they are getting. When you pass someone in an aisle you might even get a smile and a "Hello."
Thank you to my followers! I'll post again tomorrow.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Good Morning




How ironic, my first post on my new blog is in the morning.
I am a young designer with new ideas and ways to create.
I make bags headbands, and most recently, skirts and tanktops.
Here are some of my designs (above).