flashing back to some hot days in Prague

I'll never forget setting foot in Prague for the first time.  I took an early morning flight from London and arrived in a sunny, steamy Prague that afternoon.  Excited to see the city, and even more excited to meet up with two of my most favourite people in the whole world, Bobbi + Dan!  I've known Bobbi since kindergarden, which feels like lifetimes ago.  I love how she knows things I can't even remember -like, how when we were 5, and I was so shy then that I wouldn't even talk!  Probably because since I can remember, I always thought she was the coolest, most pretty girl ever!  Long story short, she's my sister, one I can be my weirdest self around, and I am so grateful that I have her in my life because she's the lemon-to-my-ade.   As for Dan, he's a one in a million and I love him for it - especially when he eats whole cloves of raw garlic, not realising their intensity.

Since so much of what I do and believe in is based on adventure, living and loving life; I share with you, our adventure in Prague:

Bobbi and I :)) mimicking the door man..

Exploring the grounds, and very chiselled statues.

The very neat, very mod light fixture in our AirBnB.

Us.  Dan's going to Texas.

Lunch and many leftovers to be consumed after those late nights out drinking..

My obsession over line, colour, and texture found in the hallway.

Daydreaming on your birthday..

An afternoon spent eating grapes on the window ledge, listening to the Talking Heads..

All the better to hear you with

While visiting my family over the holidays, back in rural Chicagoland, I spent a few days carving up a few new fun pieces.  As usual, you can keep the work away from me, but you keep me from working away on something.. no matter where I am..  The creativity just needs to find a way out.  Always! 

Found Van Gogh's missing ear..? What do you think?

After casting the freshly carved wax ring into sterling silver, I polished it up to a shiny mirror finish for extra pop.  I love the shine, but would love to do one with a matte finish, too.  Could be cool!

Thought I'd just through in a sneaky photo of the cold NYC --herrre-- !!

Feeling...

Home is where I want to be      Pick me up and turn me round       I feel numb - born with a weak heart      I guess I must be having fun

The less we say about it the better      Make it up as we go along       Feet on the ground      Head in the sky

It's okay I know nothing's wrong . . nothing

Hi yo I got plenty of time       Hi yo you got light in your eyes       And you're standing here beside me      I love the passing of time

Never for money      Always for love       Cover up and say goodnight . . . say goodnight

Home - is where I want to be       But I guess I'm already there      I come home - she lifted up her wings       Guess that this must be the place

I can't tell one from another       Did I find you, or you find me?
There was a time, before we were born      If someone asks, this where I'll be . . . where I'll be

Hi yo We drift in and out      Hi yo sing into my mouth     Out of all those kinds of people       You got a face with a view

I'm just an animal looking for a home       Share the same space for a minute or two      And you love me till my heart stops       Love me till I'm dead

Eyes that light up, eyes look through you       Cover up the blank spots       Hit me on the head Ah ooh

Inspiration comes from everywhere.  It can hit at any moment.  For me, a lot of inspiration comes from music.  The sounds whirling through airwaves and vibrating the ear drum sends my insides dancing on a magic carpet ride of motivation.  As much as I love to discover new tunes, it's really the old ones that spin round the most regularly - I'm just an 80's girl at heart, and there's no changing that!  Talking Heads have been making lots of headway lately.  This being one being a favourite! Enjoyyyyy This Must Be The Place!  It makes me think of London.. Where does is send your mind crawling?

It's funny how things align and collide at times.  I was just looking up some some photos of the Talking Heads and came across these talking heads, artwork for an album that new was.  (Which I LOVE)  It's right in line with my recent obsession for teeth, lips and mouths.. how ironic! ;)

[xo] the garage gypsy

Dodgy Denim Badges

What started as a little down-time hobby while working on set has clearly become my new busy time obsession!  These puppies take a bit of time to hand embroider, the edges especially, each patch being between 2 1/2 - 4 hours, but the sassiness is worth it.  I love that each one has developed a personality of it's own, even though they all come from the same material of recycled jeans and embroidery thread.

If you want one of your own, head HERE to shop what's in stock  Or email me HERE if you have an idea and would love a CUSTOM Dodgy Denim Badge :)

The funnest part is applying them to you clothing you can walk around town with some attitude in you step ;)

Ears to Miilk Tooth

At the start of this month I found out my mates at Miilk Tooth released a new single.  The guys (JP & Raphael) had taken a little break from this project to pursue some other musical endeavours, but I'm pretty grooved to see them bringing back Miilk Tooth!!  Something our ears can definitely appreciate.  But don't listen to me.. go listen to them ;) and share the hyyype!

Download now the double A side 'Reprise'/The Way'.

https://miilktooth.bandcamp.com/album/reprise-the-way

'Reprise' is a meticulously arranged psychedelic ballad sung by Raph, whereas 'The 'Way' sung by J.P. is a straight to the point, fast-paced garage rock song.

& here's their debut single 'Desert town':

Everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.

Last night I was skimming through old journals filled notes, logs, thoughts, random little doodles and jot downs to see if there were any gems that I should copy over into my currents journal of doo-dads.  On one page in a notebook from when I lived down under in oz was a list of websites and blogs.  One by one I visited them to see what kind of surprise would lay at the end of each http.  There was one blog in particular that really grabbed me.  The words on the screen connected with my heart, compelling me to share them with more eyes of the world staring deep into glowing screens ;)

Now without further uh do.  (Forgive me but I'm going to start with the passage that gripped me, then will include a link to read the story from the beginning..)

“Hello, sir. I was rude to you yesterday,” I said, “and I’m sorry.”

It felt strange and vulnerable to say this to a stranger, but I was sorry.

I was sorry because I imagine his job isn’t easy. And the sun was beating down on him too. And he didn’t get to run out when I did, to eat lunch, go home, and de-stress.

He was doing his job—and a good job at that—and I was sorry I treated him poorly.

“It’s okay,” he said. “I know how it is when you have an important appointment to attend to.”

“I was just having a really bad day,” I said, “and you were right. I should have instructed you which route to take.”

“It’s okay,” he said again. “We all have bad days.”

Where I stood just yesterday, feeling rude and guilty, I now stood feeling gentle and considerate. I doubt he knew it, but he gave me an amazing gift. He reminded me that my worst moment didn’t even have to define me.

I have the freedom to choose to do something differently. I could choose to take responsibility, admit my faults and accept the consequences, and do better today than yesterday.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve come to realize I’m a lot like that smartphone application “Waze—messy and far from perfect. I make mistakes. I’m not always very gentle or polite. Sometimes I let my feelings get the best of me. Sometimes I don’t deal with things very well.

But maybe these little messiness are big opportunities. Maybe the worst of humanity can give way to the best of us.

Maybe every moment of impoliteness is a good day waiting to happen. Okay, so that’s kind of corny, and maybe a little idealistic. And I realize there are certain scenarios when people are far harsher than I was, and far less understanding than the driver.

But I know next time I encounter someone who seems rude, I’ll remember how I felt that very day. I’ll keep in mind that I’m likely not seeing them at their best, but this, in any way, doesn’t define who they are.

Then I’ll look them in the eye and think to myself, “It’s okay. I understand how it is. We all have bad days.”

When we plant the seeds of what we really want in our lives, trust that in setting our intentions, love and patience out there; our dreams will eventually come true. What we put out and what we expect are EXACTLY what life will deliver to us. I want to share my favorite Zig Ziglar quote to inspire you as this month ends: “What you send out – comes back. What you sow – you reap. What you give – you get. What you see in others – exists in you. Remember, life is an echo. It always gets back to you.”

From OF LONELY HEARTS, SPILLED BEERS & MELTED ICE CREAMS

To read the whole story click HERE

Happy Hip New Year Lovelies!

Holy smokes! Did that really just happen? Is it seriously 2016 already!  Father time doesn't mess around, his clock always ticking.  I guess this is when we all start making those crazy "new year resolutions" - for me this is just a time when I take a long look at all my goals, see where I'm at, if there's anything I can check off and if there are any new ambitions to add to the list.  And then I say, "Alright! Let's have fun and make sh***t happen" ey ey!! 2016! Cheers to the best year on earth yet.  What do you have planned for the bright new year??

There will be loads of fun stuff to come from GG this year, WE ARE OFFICIALLY OFF HIATUS.

[xo] the garage gypsy

Studio Time In Wax City

Hi there! Hope you're having a nice weekend!  It's been a buseeeeey week in the studio for me ;) a cross between stocking up on pieces for the Graffiato collection and working out new ideas for the coming collections.  I think I might be coming down with a serious case of studio fever though.  I've had to escape my jewelry bench which is turning into a city of wax and take a nice walk around my Bushwick neighborhood.  I'm following that by a flat white and some computer time work at a local cafe..only to find myself blogging about the studio which I'm trying to take a break from.. ahhhh!!! :) Oh well, I love it even when I'm a bit sick of it!  Here are some snapshots at the bench =  =  = and well one of me when I was playing with my hats..

Double Lives

We all experience change in our lives, all in varying degrees and at different times, things are always going and continuously evolving.  In my opinion, its the best thing.. and the worst.  The most reliable variable about change is that you can always expect it to throw you for a loop if you're not ready for it.

For any of you who may not already know, aside from making jewelry, I am also a stylist and costume designer / costumer. The latter is my bread and butter, my first love, and second passion.  Okay, I may have a few first loves..but it's definitely up there at the top.  Of course, I would love it if Garage Gypsy could be my bread and butter, too, but that's what I'm here working on :).  Due to the nature of the film industry, having spent 4 years building relationships in LA, and having been in NY for less then a year working mostly on jewelry and a few editorial shoots..I end up back in in LA quite a bit for work.  Since being gone, I can't quite say I love LA more than ever, but it's a bloody close call!  I spent the entire month of May working on the west coast, and officially feel like I live a double life.  It's weird.  Super weird.  Mostly because my life and lifestyle does a 180 degree flip when I go from the east coast to the west and vice versa.  

In NYC, I usually start my mornings by walking around the corner to AP cafe in Bushwick for my morning flat white and croissant or lemon poppyseed scone, where I work on my computer until about noon or 1pm.  Then I either head to my studio to work on some jewelry or I'm running errands/picking up or dropping off in mid-town's jewelry district.  Before having dinner I muster the courage to hit the gym finalllly (after swearing to myself the night before that I would go first thing in the morning).  That's basically the routine, if I ever have one.  NYC also consists of yoga and brunch on Saturdays with my friend, Otmane from London (via Paris and Morocco), lots of Aussie style coffee, walking, reading, and street art admiration.  Oh, and freezing my bootie off..!

Now take me to LA and all of a sudden my life becomes a book of multitasking, driving, and rays of sunshine.  The day usually starts with either a juice from Lassan's or a coconut cardamom smoothie from Nature Well (because I'm obsessed) - if it's the weekend I'm probably eating pear pancakes at The Kitchen.  Then I'm off to work, either pulling at Universal or Warner Brothers, headhunting for clothing at the Americana/Galleria or something of the like, or all of the above.  If I have time to breath, I get lunch, otherwise I go until the day's to-dos are crossed of the list.  Sometimes, I'm painting creepy faces onto masks or sewing things.  And, if it's not a prep day, then I'm either on set for 12 hours or finishing a job with a day of wrapping and returns.  All the moments in between are usually spent squeezing in dates with friends - my super favourite part to being back in LA.  Luckily being on set also aids in seeing/hanging with my favourite people, as there just never is enough time.   This last month was a little extra crazy, as at one point I worked 36 hours straight without sleeping (due to some work hiccups).  The next night I had the chills, was nauseous and shaking so badly that I went to the ER.  After finding out I had an infection, some muscles relaxers, antibiotics and a couple hours sleep later I was back on set working with my body feeling like it had been run over by a semi.  It kind of sucked (especially at the time) but I get such a rush of adrenaline with my job that I kind of feel like I can do anything, and I can't help but to admit liking that.  All in all it was a bit of an exhausting month, but I'm quite a bit sad it's over.   

Now I'm back in NYC, trying to adapt back to life here.  It's weird.  It's also my last month in New York, pretty soon I'll be starting my little adventure in London.  So while I'm missing on LA, I'm massively distracted by the fact that I have only 25 days to live up the rest of NYC.  Yikes!

On that note; I'll head to the photo diary of last month in LA.. bc why not..  :)

 

Meaning Behind the "Brand"

I've been working with a dear friend recently on the "branding" of Garage Gypsy; it's been an interesting, dig deep kind of process.  I'm not sure how I feel about the word "brand" because to me it just feels and sounds so commercial, but I've been wanting to address it for a few reasons.  Garage Gypsy has been my little baby since it was discovered and brought to life in 2009.  It's aesthetic and mission has basically been an extension of myself, which is wonderful because it's real, honest, and organic, but for that same reason it always feels like there's a bit of aesthetic chaos lingering in the clear waters.   In order to really solidify the voice of Garage Gypsy, I figured a bit of branding work was necessary to establish the world in which my creations will live.  So far it's been an extremely fun and challenging mission for me.  That being said, I thought I would share with you some of what's been established during the journey thus far :)  

In one phase, I had to come up with a list of key words that really described Garage Gypsy.  This is what list came to be..

JEWELRY     HONEST     BEAUTIFUL     EXPRESSIVE     ELEGANT     ETERNAL     FUN     INDIVIDUALISTIC     FREE     CELEBRATORY     CONFIDENT     WABI SABI.

And in another phase, I had to look for images and designs that would give off the vibe of these words.  Essentially creating a mood board for GG.  This is what I came up with.. 

AND THERE WE HAVE IT.

The world of Garage Gypsy ;)

Hope you enjoyed!  I'd love to hear your thoughts, feedback and any advice you may have when it comes to this subject matter - as this area of things is constantly a learning process for me. 

[xo] the garage gypsy