Blog Hiatus

Where have I been you ask? Why has there been no comparison shops, colour crushes or trend updates? Well, I have been extremely busy lately training for my new job and fitting in freelancing on my days off alongside settling back in to life at home. I am now writing three times a week on my other blog, This Haven, so I haven't had a chance to write up any posts for this blog. And, in all honesty, as much as I was dedicated to writing my comparison shops and colour crushes I feel like I want to take things a new direction, maybe more of a professional one. I still want to post about trends I am loving, designers and colours that I'm being inspired by and what projects I am working on, but in a different way and I haven't found the ideal direction of the future of this blog yet. I am currently so busy freelancing I am not going to be working on my own projects for a little while longer and once I begin to design again I can start posting again. But posting will be less frequent so it is not forced to write up about things and I don't have the added pressure alongside everything else that is going on. 

I have naturally just taken a step back from this blog recently due to a combinations of things, including all the other mentioned. Even though my new blog is a lifestyle blog, I want to control how much of my life I put online and make everything I write positive. But, once I find the direction I want to take myself as a designer with a blog to promote myself, I am sure you'll here about it. For now, I will be on a blog hiatus until I can sit down and think about what I am doing and where I am going as a designer and which platform is best for me to promote myself on. I've got a bit more confidence in my work recently, not only did I sell three designs to a big client but I've also been experimenting more with my theme, Dark Flora. 

Anyway, head on over to my lifestyle blog for a read up on all the things I am doing and look out for any posts on my Instagram @lisajaynetextiles as I still wish to utilise that medium of social sharing and promotion.

Thanks for reading and speak soon.

Leave a Comment life

Share:

A Life Update

How cute is this Art Hoop by the littlelow Etsy shop? I think her work is amazing and would love one to hang on my wall (hint if ever there was one). It is very true to life I think!

My aim for this blog was to only discuss my work and my career to keep family, friends and keen followers up-to-date with what is happening in the creative sense but, sometimes, I have found myself writing about life when certain things happen. If ever I go to write a life post on here I always try to make it as honest as possible as I never know who is reading, whether it be my mum (a frequent reader) or a student looking for some advice. 

The last time I wrote a blog post about life I had been made redundant, which was hard to write as I still hadn’t come to terms with how much it had change my career and life plans. Everything was truly up in the air and, I’m not going to lie, the whole situation knocked my confidence massively (quick shout out to all my family, friends and boyfriend for helping me through that). However, since becoming a crew member at Fat Face here in Nottingham and getting busy with freelance/blog work my attitude and confidence has completely turned around and I am finally excited and happy about all the goings on again and planning lots of exciting things I hope become reality. 

So I thought, whilst sitting in Starbucks on a rainy day, I wold type away about what has been going on and what is around the corner. I still have good and bad days when it comes to how my career is going and how slow my progression can be, but as long as I know I am working hard then that is sure to pay off. I have found it’s all about trusting yourself and your decisions and not rushing in to things. Inhale then exhale and keep going forward!

I am still freelancing (which comes to an end in a couple of months) so I want to produce as much work as possible which isn’t always easy as I work a lot of hours at Fat Face. I love being busy and knowing I have spent each day working as hard as I can juggling two jobs at once plus finding the time for a good gym session, time with the boyfriend before he goes to Borneo and a catch up with friends. But, overall, its a great challenge and I am aiming to take on more things very soon. I am moving back home to live with my parents for a adult pit stop (as I like to call it) in the next couple of weeks and will continue to work in fashion retail. Once my freelancing contract ends I plan on spending my spare time working on all the projects I have written down and new ones I think of continuously in my busy mind so I have a fresh, new portfolio that utilises all the skills I have learnt over this last year. Of course all this sounds achievable and exciting in my head but I know that in reality I will have to work harder than ever to stay focused and get stuff done. I’m quite excited to get back home, clear out my room from top to bottom to make it a little studio and begin working on new things such as these projects, working on my new personal blog I am setting up and getting back in to photography.

I’ve realised over the last few months that its ok to be sad and a bit down when things aren’t going right, just don’t allow the focus on that to take over and to get back up and “just deal with it”. I have had a lot of interviews and a lot of rejections which is always difficult to take when all you want to do is design and better yourself. But, hey, thats ok! I got this! It got to a point a few weeks ago when the stress of job hunting and constant interviews took its toll and made my body shut down with exhaustion for a couple of days and since then I have been a little easier on myself to slow down and focus on one move and one goal at a time. My goals haven’t changed, they are just a bit harder to grab right now and that’s ok! 

As Lauren Conrad once said in The Hills (and one of my  favourite quotes to use) “life’s tough, get a helmet”!

My current portfolio is up on Behance (click the portfolio link above) and you can follow me on Instagram @lisajaynetextiles

Leave a Comment life, work

Share:

Competition | Bohemia

"Inspired by the catwalk shows of Etro, Valentino and Burberry, "A Travellers Dance" captures the Boho style. A colourful and unique print designed by hand that layers a fee-flwing repeat with a visually eye-catching boarder".

I recently entered the latest Textile Federation competition entitled "Bohemia" which I somehow manage to squeeze in to my busy schedule. I was quite excited by the project so wanted to give it a go and use this as a base to test my graphic tablet skills. I designed the print using various internet found paisley and indian woodblock designs which I then changed slightly using different brush marks that had a sketchy and relaxed edge to it. I then use copyright free designs for the boarder (which were slightly modified) that fit in with the half drop design of the main print. I was really inspired by the way Burberry had simple straight block repeats in a two colour way in their A/W 2015 collection (bottom right) and wanted this for the boarder rather than Etros dip-dye hem from their S/S 2015 garment (bottom left). This print, however, gave the the idea for the main repeat of my design which I decided to make slightly more busy and use warmer colours as well as the purples and blues. There is so much inspiration for the Boho style print and pattern so I could have spent a lot longer design this print in real depth, but competition deadlines call and submission is a must! I am quite pleased with the overall look which still carries my handwriting. Every project definitely teaches you something and this one taught me to not be afraid so much of an open brief. And yes the mood board is a great reference, but what it does and should do is in the name and allow that mood to be felt but not have to follow whats on the board so tightly and restrict design freedom.

Lesson learnt! Next project please!

See the design over at Textile Federation.

Leave a Comment competition, designing, drawing, life, moodbaords, photoshop, print, textiles, theme, work

Share:

Interior Inspiration

 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

As a print designer, I find it really important to not always be so focused on one area on the textile industry. The textile interior industry is an area of design I have always dived in and out off over the years. For my graduate collection, the beginning drawing process drew a lot of inspiration from the beautifully crafted prints by Bluebellgray. Fi Douglas, the creator behind the brand, established Bluebellgray in 2009 after graduating from Glasgow School of Art. Just like myself, Fi has a "love for colour and all things floral" which result in these gorgeously painted pieces which give your home a unique touch. 

The design philosophy behind the brand adheres to the ‘eclectic mix’ school of thought, encouraging the designs to sit beside vintage finds and modern design alike.

Each design is painted by hand in the Glasgow studio before being printed on natural cottons and linens. 

The printing methods used enable every brushstroke and colour to be captured, enhancing the feel of the hand-painted design.

The prints are colourful, eye catching and, overall, aesthetically pleasing. I would love to have one of her cushions on my sofa or bedsheets on my bed. I am really drawn in to this style of interior design, it is a style of designing that I love and miss the most. The prints have an essence of freedom with the running inks, loose florals and scratchy marks that are in elegant repeats. 

Head over to the website for more collections.

Leave a Comment designing, fabric, inspiration, interior, life, print, textiles, theme

Share:

Alexander McQueen | Savage Beauty | Review

This weekend just gone I spent a very fun and busy day in London. I haven't been back to London since leaving after my placement ended there back in September and it was great to go back and visit. I felt quite excited about going back on a day trip and visiting old spots I went to when I lived there last year. Once the crowds used to be normal to me and I could easily work through them and on to a tube, but I found this time I was actually scared of busy London was. I do miss that London vibe though.

My reason for going to London was to see the Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty Exhibition with two good friends from University at the Victoria and Albert Museum  And I honestly do not think anything has left us speechless before ... until now. 

Sadly, you weren't allowed to take pictures, but this Youtube video below by Vogue explains and guides you through the exhibition. However, it does not do the exhibition justice. It is really something you need to see for yourselves. 

It starts off with a video of past runways shows and him speaking, which made us all feel a bit emotional. It's is hard to remember exactly which room of creations came first (probably should have wrote it all down) but they ranged from his themes such as animals, romanticism, tartan, jungle, a mix of his creations (including accessories and head pieces) and florals. I couldn't believe how up-close we could get to some of the dresses, you could literally smell the leather and feel the dire need to touch the fabrics, the animal hair, the embroidery. 

Each rooms interiors related to the collections themes and had different atmospheres. This resulted in royal musical tones, jungle overtones, golden baroque frames, misty glass stand stages, floral wallpaper and walls illustrated with bones. It was regal, romantic, exotic, sexual and emotive in the true McQueen form. 

My favourite room of all was the last one, which featured dresses and a video from his collection - Plato's Atlantis. The digital prints of this collection was amazing to see up close and inspired me so much to work harder on my designs. Alexander McQueen was never afraid to push boundaries and test his limits, which is something I really took away from this last room (and the exhibition as a whole). He put all his energy and passion in to this collection, which was sadly his last runway show. 

I think I speak for many when I say that Alexander McQueen was not just a fashion designer, he was an artist and a passionate creator. He thought so far out the box and brought every idea to life with structure. amazing materials and layering. This exhibition takes you from the very beginning of his career from the Central Saint Martin days to his last. I found the fact we got to see his journey quite emotional, and that fact he would never see how much and how many people appreciate and love his work. He has inspired many people in so many ways. How I saw the exhibition would be different from my friends, the people who saw it the same day as me and the people that saw it on other days. Listening to people overly review his work and try and get in to his mind and others who would quietly focus on the one creation before moving on to the next gave you a real sense of how different people have enjoyed and taken in this show. 

Overall, I came out the exit door with a thousand more questions than what I had about his work when I went in. How did he does this or that? What was his thinking behind this or that? It amazed me how many ideas one person can have and how you can truly bring them to live with hard work and passion. Sadly, we won' get to see any more of this ideas but the collections live on and stay true to the McQueen brand. 

If you didn't make it to the exhibition you can purchase the book on Amazon. Or visit the V&A website for more.

Leave a Comment fabric, fashion, inspiration, life, London, print, textiles

Share:

Tea, Cake & Lace

Yesterday I spent a couple of hours at one of my favourite little finds here in Nottingham - the Debbie Bryan Shop. An afternoon spent drinking tea, eating cake and hearing amazing stories about lace.

As part of NTU's (Nottingham Trent University) research for the collection of stories from or about lace workers from the 1900s onwards, Debbie Bryan hosted an afternoon gathering for anyone with a story, wanting to hear stories and those who wanted to help collect these oral stories. The purpose of gathering these stories is to enable Nottingham's lace heritage communities to preserve lace history.

So, with my tea and cake I sat back and listened to some amazing stories that these people had about their family members working in the lace industry and how they wanted to fill in the gaps that were missing in these stories.

Facts I learnt (and remembered to note down) ...

- Methodism was a popular religion with the working class and lace factory workers around the 19th century.

- Around 1810, lace machines were smuggled out of Nottingham to Calais, France. 

- Nottingham lace and Calais had a big connection with families moving to Calais or families moving to Nottingham. 

- Nottingham lace is renowned as Nottingham lace because its machinery. 

- Apparently, Hooters in Nottingham used to be a lace dye house.

I don't have any known stories of any family members working within the lace factory, but I found it very interesting to hear these stories and learn things about lace I never know. I remember learning about lace back at school when I was in Year 4 (I was about 9/10 years old) and how fascinating I found it back then and how, even now, I do find the history of it all interesting. Hearing personnel stories from peoples past made me want to ask my family if they have any stories (my history, if any, would be about Bedfordshire lace rather than Nottingham lace).

Do you have a story about lace (especially Nottingham lace) you would be willing to share with me for NTU's research? If so, then please get in contact with me as I would love to hear it.

I also couldn't recommend a visit to Debbie Bryan for tea, cake and a wonder enough.

Leave a Comment fabric, handmade, inspiration, life, textiles

Share:

Future Brightness!

JIMMY MARBLE - ETSY

How cool is this handmade banner by Jimmy Marble as featured on his Etsy store?

It's very true and nothing but relevant in my life at the moment. It has taken me a while to get my head around things and be brave enough to write this blog post. But I want my blog to be honest and for my readers who follow by designer / blogging journey whether it is going good or bad. Mostly, I want to look back at this in a fews years and realise how far I have come.

A couple of weeks ago the future seemed a bit murky and miserable as I was made redundant from my Junior Print Designer position. It came as a shock and hit me harder than I expected.. Despite knowing this job was a stepping stone to reach better things in the future, I was still quite upset. When all you've ever wanted to do was be a textile designer and it is taken from you it can knock your confidence a lot. I managed to stay positive and hide my disappointment from everyone as much as I could (I'm an ugly crier, so crying in public is not my favourite thing to share). But, my family, friends and boyfriend have been nothing but supportive (thanks dudes!).

Back on the job hunt just like I was five months previously felt tricky and I was scared. I didn't (and still don't if I'm honest) know where I wanted to take my career as I thought I had more time to figure it all out. I searched for many jobs using my tips and tricks that got me my first job and, before I knew it, I now have a few offers on the table.

Now, with a couple of doors I could open in the next coming weeks the future does look bright again. A few opportunities that have come along I couldn't have relinquished without my friends, so Thanks Gals / Guys!

I'm currently freelancing full time which has been a great learning curve and a challenge I've actually enjoyed. You can't always get things right first time, whether that be a design or a job. I'm still learning about designing, about myself as a designer and about the industry. It can all be overwhelming at times and doors may close unexpectedly, but other doors will open too.

In life, you can get things wrong and I'm slowly learning that its ok for this to happen. I did my best with the opportunity given and it just wasn't meant to be. What is next? Who knows. But the The Future DOES Look Bright if I want it to. No one but me can get me to my next job and my next learning curve as a designer. So, good luck to me I guess!

Leave a Comment life, textiles, work

Share:

Hello March

TUMBLR

Pinch, punch, it is the first of the month!

I cannot believe March has arrived already, where is the time going? It has been a crazy time for me recently, so please excuse the lack of blogging. I try to keep up to date with my blog as much as possible, as I enjoy writing down (mostly for my own benefit) how life and work is going. I think a lot of the time I want to blog about a lot of things, but have a confidence crash and believe no one will actually want to hear about my goings on or what I find inspirational. But, I love blogging and writing, so why stop huh? 

My I currently in the process of chaining my blog to make it more "me". I am creating a logo for myself (not easy when you have no idea about branding) and making my blog much more updated with a new layout. So, keep your eye peeled for that!

This year, as I promised myself, was the year of doing more and staying positive. So that means more blogging and staying positive about something I have built up slowly since the good old days of University. I am being more creative, but can't quite share any of that right now and I would certainly like to do more but spare time is spare for a reason. 

With the new season of Spring now upon us with more sightings of the sun and the spring showers about to begin, work is getting very busy with lots of request from all the stores we design for. It has been quite challenging recently, more for myself a designer and testing my boundaries than anything. I love (yes, I did say love) the routine that I have to put in 9-6 every day and the satisfaction of knowing I've worked my hardest when faced with all kinds of challenges. But, as much as I want to be more creative, I need to learn that it is ok to not be busy all the time. If I need a moment of doing nothing then thats what I need. I'm writing this with a cold because I have pretty much run my body down and its a tad tired now. Just remember, slow and steady always wins the race and sometimes instead of going slow you just need to stop and let yourself prepare for the next stage of the race.

It is still quite a scary time for me. Having just graduated a couple of months ago I am still working out what kind of designer I am, what I can now and what I will be able to do with more practice, patience and positivity. (The three P's is something I need to remember). I am someone who is slightly afraid of the unknown and not knowing what way my career will go is scary. But it can also be exciting as there are endless possibilities out there if I look hard enough and be brave to take the leap. Over the next month I will take another step forward in my career with as much determination as when I started it last year. 

So, HELLO MARCH! Lets see what you have in store shall we!?

Leave a Comment designing, life, work

Share:

New Seasons

February is well and truly underway and the sun has finally made an appearance which can mean a few things. Yes, its the month of Valentines Day with all things being a hue of pink and red, but it also means the fashion weeks are about to commence. As of next week, all eyes will be on New York before hitting is over here in our capital London. Since I was quite young I have followed the shows and tried to look at as many as I can, and since becoming a designer in the industry it is more important than ever that I keep my eyes open to new trends and what designers are creating for us to translate towards the high street market.  My favourite weeks? Why, London and Paris of course.

Elle, Vogue and all other fashion bibles have released their March editions which means getting ready for Spring/Summer 2015. Runway specials are also out in the stores and I just had to pick up a copy of Marie Claire. I was drawn in to the close up images of the fashion shows and featured articles that reveal more about how a the collections were put together. With the sun beginning to shine I cannot wait to hit the shops and buy a summer wardrobe (to go perfectly with a cold Starbucks of course).

It also means its time for all the glamorous awards shows, meaning lots of gorgeous dresses that I could only dream of wearing. I remember as a kid drawing a lot of couture dresses and admiring actress after actress looking very elegant and taking inspiration from that dresses to inspire my own.... Those are now very hidden away.

Lastly, it means Premiere Vision. This time last year I was going to my first event, which sadly won't be repeated this year but reported to me via WGSN at work. One day, I am definitely going back there (hopefully with work or selling my own designs).

With this month being full of exciting fashion moments I will be pinning a lot on my Pinterest. So, why not go and follow me!

Leave a Comment fashion, life, print, textiles

Share:

New Book | New Brain

This year I wanted to learn more so why not start right now to "start the year as I mean to go on". As a special Graduation present I received this book which I've had my eye on for quote a while. It is packed full of information from fibers, yarns, dying and weaving. Deeper in to the book is page after page of information on various fabrics, their origin, their use and their future in fashion and textiles. The process to make these fabrics are also broken down. It has information on fabric I haven't even heard of before. It is truly rich with information that (as a bit of a textile geek) I am enjoying learning and telling anyone who will listen my facts about different things I have learnt.

Textiles technology is where, after my love for drawing and colour, my love for textiles grew. You know those days when you're at school and you have to learn what and how different fabrics burn and their use in fashion? I can re-call learning that many many times at school, college and University. With this book I can learn so much more and begin to recognise how important fabrics are to textiles and fashion, their uses, the best way to treat them, this history behind all the variations of fabrics that we are hailed by in the industry.

If you're a student, designer or just looking for a little more knowledge in the area of fabrics, I highly recommend this book. I know for sure it will definitely help you get through the winter months ahead and, if you're like me, the cold commute to work. 

  Read on .... 

Leave a Comment fabric, fashion, life, textiles

Share: