Time for Tweed?
June has been a strange month. As I am currently living in Melbourne Australia, the temperature has dropped drastically. We are in Winter, whereas back home in Scotland it's summer and I'm missing the heat! I know it's not usually sunshine and heat you think of when you think of Scotland, but the summer's can be pretty magical there. The days last forever, it doesn't get dark till 11pm and sunrise starts at 4am.
June has gone by in a flash - It's the month for tweed, so at the moment I am working on several commissions of tweed jackets, coats and kilts. I've got into the routine going to my studio each day, where I share a warehouse style building with many other creatives. It's a good way to stay creative and interesting to see everyone's different projects.
I am now stocking in a wonderful gallery boutique on the very cool Greville street in Prahran. It's called Incube8r Emporium and I'm really impressed with the range of artists they work with - work ranging from jewellery, fashion, pottery, art and accessories. And I'm delighted to have gained more clients through this new space. I just love my clients, they are all so different and just the loveliest of ladies.
On a side note, I'm so lucky and I give thanks that I am able to create the career I want. After years spent working in offices and in the wrong jobs, I knew I needed to be doing something that was creative. It all started for me being unemployed and seeking office work during the recession. Hours of looking for work everyday, never to find anything. So in my mornings I took a book from the local library that changed my life - 'The Creative Entrepreneur' by Lisa Sonora Beam. It made me ask myself what do I want in life. It can be quite hard to answer at times, but when you've no distractions and no work it made me focus on completing the whole book of journaling. I would recommend this to anyone who is at a crossroads and needs to stop and take a look at where they want to go.
In my spare time I have started writing a novel, something that I would like to do as long time. After receiving encouragement from friends I have decided to write something and see where it takes me. I like a lot of fiction, but I would class mine as contemporary romance, women's literature. It's all a bit of fun at the moment, I love reading those style of feel good books and wanted to create my own. Also I like learning a craft, then practicing to get better. With dressmaking and tailoring there is always more to learn, and I believe it's the same with writing. I found myself thinking that designing and owning a clothing label should just be it for me. But then questioned myself, why not look at other avenues too? I think that's the beauty of being a creative, you don't need to follow rules - think outside the box, think creatively.
So at the moment I am busy with fittings, drafting patterns and sewing. Hopefully I will show you some detailed examples of the bespoke coats in the next blog post. I can't believe how fast time goes, I remember my mum would say that - and I'd be like "Yeah right". But it's true! It's said we all turn into our mothers, I just didn't think it would happen this soon!
L x