SAVE THE DATE: 02.14.09 LOVESICK
Now in its 3rd successful year, LoveSick3 is a lingerie and fashion show with a sexy edge that showcases the Bay Area’s hottest local fashion design talent & models on Valentine’s Day. LoveSick3 will have live music by local rock band The Goldenhearts, Gabby La La and DJ’s Irene Hernandez and Martin Collins. LoveSick3 will also have a trunk show, art exhibit, kissing/photobooth and more.
More info here : http://www.lovesick3.com/_/Home.html
Tis’ the season…
This is my first time writing for Bleed Magazine, and I certainly hope it will not be the last. I’ve been contemplating what I should write about for my first official entry for this online magazine/blog. Should I be introducing myself to this community and sharing with you all the fascinating details of what I do in my spare time?? Eh, I surely hope that if you really wanted to know about me, you’d just research my name on the internet and learn all you needed to know. Then I thought, well maybe I should open it up to the world of fashion and politics since that’s what seems to have been posted previously. However I feel it’s a bit too close to Christmas to be speaking about fashion and politics, or perhaps the politics of fashion. So I’m starting with this, my current view of San Francisco, the 2009 Christmas Holiday season and gift giving.
For those of you who do not know who I am, My name is Ashton Miyako. I am a San Francisco area based fashion designer who has a million other hobbies. You can find out more about me at www.ashtonmiyako.com. For those of you who DO know me, thanks for following me around the world-wide web, it’s nice having your company and support.
Today, December 20, 2009, I left my home in Pacifica with a splitting headache. I have a list of 36 people to make gifts for before Christmas, though I won’t seem most of them until AFTER Christmas, so perhaps I won’t stress myself out too much, and will wait to get started. Anyway, I was driving in to the city and I started to realize that my headache was slightly going away. Even with all of the stress I have been under (getting my car stolen, having it found, releasing it to auto returns, trying to move out of Pacifica… etc) somehow the city is starting to feel like home and home makes the pain go away.
Even though I had to drive around the block for 30 minutes searching for parking, at the end of it all I finally parked right across the street from where I was going, parallel parked perfectly the first time, (I’m Asian and a chick… I that has to count for something) got out, took a deep breath and felt like I was home. That headache I spoke of before, gone.
Now the feeling of home could be because I have spent the last 3 weeks staying at my boyfriend’s house and that’s where I was headed. He feels like home. BUT, he’s in LA now… so I’m unsure. I just felt happy and content. Last night trying to sleep without the sounds of sirens, cars and people was so difficult. Perfect silence. I could hear myself breathe.. AND THAT’S WHAT KEPT ME UP… WTF?
My holiday past has not been a great one. Mine is usually filled with break-up’s fighting with family and the overall feeling of disappointment. The only thing that gets me through the holiday’s is wrapping gifts. There is nothing I love more about the month of December then a good gift wrapping week, where I spend all of my time wrapping gifts for people. LOVE IT. Granted this year I was a bit overwhelmed since I did most of the wrapping at my work office, but it was still fun. This holiday season is making a turn for the best and I couldn’t be happier. I am truly in love, in happiness, in faith and in belief that anything you set your mind to WILL indeed come true. Wait for it long enough my dear’s and you too can have that dream you’ve been waiting for all year-long.
Back on topic, here I sit thinking of what to make for 36 people.
Here are my ideas. First off, I LOVE gift baskets and in this economic down turn people are turning more and more to handmade gifts this holiday season, which I of course appreciate. I live for online how-to sites like Burda Style, Instructables, ETSY, E-How, Martha Stewart online, Threadbanger and Decor it Yourself. Receiving a handmade gift from someone is so much more meaningful to me, even if I can’t use or eat whatever it is that was received. No matter what I know that the gift giver put a lot of time and energy into thinking about what they were going to give, to how many people and to what extent they would go with extravagant details. I love, love, love that feeling of being on someone’s list for a handmade gift. What about you?
This year I want to do gift baskets of homemade hot chocolate mix with mini bottles of Bailey’s, chocolate dipped spoons (3 flavors), homemade marshmallows (2 different flavors) and handmade truffles (4 different flavors)… and if I can find cups.. throw those in there too. Who’s with me? I might need some help on these.
Enough about me, I really want to hear about what YOU are doing for this holiday season. Are you making your gift? Buying online? Did you get up at 3am for Black Friday and wait in line for 6 hours?
I want to know.
For those of you who have taken pictures of your adventures…. please email them to me and I will post them in my next Bleed Magazine submission.
Happy Holidays, I look forward to seeing what this place has to offer.
- Ashton Miyako
www.AshtonMiyako.com
2 Days Till Christmas…
I know that most of us are overwhelmed by the craziness of the recession. On the bright side though, which Christmas right around the corner I have found many great ideas for handmade gifts. With $10 in hand you can make anywhere from 4-6 scarves. Now, I like the sound of that.
Check out the sites below for some great holiday ideas:
1. Zippered Wristband Purse
http://javajem.blogspot.com/2008/02/wristlet-tutorial.html
2. Reusable Shopping Bag
http://www.burdastyle.com/patterns/charlie-reusable-grocery-bag
3. (My Personal Favorite) – Owl Ornament
http://www.burdastyle.com/patterns/mini-owl-ornament
You can use scrap fabric for these. Also, if you have a fabric sample book, these are the perfect size for those. YAY..
4. Envelope Clutch
http://www.burdastyle.com/patterns/envelope-clutch-bag
5. Origami Hairpin (fabric)
http://www.burdastyle.com/techniques/make-fabric-origami
5. Ruffled Party Necklace
http://www.burdastyle.com/projects/ruffled-party-necklace
6. Themed Baskets (and other great ideas)
It’s difficult to go wrong with themed gift baskets. Did you can your own pasta sauce over the summer? Use a colander for a basket, add some garlic bulbs, gourmet noodles, and a wooden spoon — a little taste of Italy. Or consider a breakfast basket. Or a breakfast basket (syrup and pancake mix), a movie basket (popcorn, candy, and a movie rental coupon), or a gardening basket (a trowel, a gardening hat, and some packets of seeds).
Still need more inspiration? Head over to www.threadbanger.com for even more great DIY ideas. If you don’t see anything there, many Etsy sellers are creating rush orders, some may even live in your area, so you can schedule hand delivery.
Ok ok.. back to work for me…. I will add more LATER!!
Compelling Photography Project
Group Identity, Family Tree, where are you from and so on. This is a photography project from Photographers from Rotterdam: http://www.exactitudes.com/book.php
HINT MAGAZINE
Marike Le Roux
Born in South Africa, raised in South Korea, now living in Los Angeles, leggy Marike Le Roux had already been getting her move on before walking for Alexander McQueen, Rochas, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Marc by Marc, Miu Miu, Roland Mouret, Ann Demeulemeester, Haider Ackermann, Celine, Chloe and Sonia Rykiel at the spring shows. The otherwise clean-living Sagittarian will, however, slow down for chocolate. Sweet! (Wilhelmina)
