Time For A Catch Up!

Hi everyone, sorry I haven't really been posting much. Between university, nights out and work I haven't had much time (or life) to blog about!

What's Happening in Classes...

We've recently started the design process, so my life is all concept boards and colour stories right now! My university project is to design and create a capsule collection, featuring a key piece, shirt and outerwear piece, based on engendered fashion. Gender is a huge thing in the news at the moment with the transition of Caitlyn Jenner and her advocate work for the transgender community (I highly recommend watching her 'I Am Cait' series for an inside look at her beginning to work as a advocate and the people she meets along the way, AMAZING!), and Ruby Rose's gender fluidity comment at the recent MTV EMAs as examples, so I am very excited to start this!

I'm planning on designing a unisex collection which follows the concept of women's lingerie (the shape, fabrics and prints) paired with masculine codes and colours. Below are 2 images of which I took inspiration from:

Of course, I took inspiration from Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's collection for M&S, 'Rosie for Autograph' and this beautiful green car!

I'm excited to see how the soft, sultry lace and silk combined with deep greens and rich navy blues. I'll keep you posted with how it all goes!

A Few Nights to Remember...

In the past few weeks I've had.. lets say a few nights out but here are the two that I will definitely remember!

A few Thursdays ago me and three friends went to Nancy's Bordello in Newcastle for the quiz night and even though we didn't win, the night was fantastic - although my chat up line for the interactive round was absolute gold! But the night was also a sad one as it was the last night out I had with Brighton Bryony (the girl with the glasses - and yes, I did just call her Brighton Bryony) before she left! Gutter!

At least we've got a few cute polaroids together to remember the night!

This Tuesday just gone we had a fashion's night out in Bonbar, Newcastle. Everyone from the three fashion courses at Northumbria University (Fashion Design, Fashion Design and Marketing and Fashion Communication) were invited to the VIP section at Jaluminati's Club Cobana event so we could get to meet each other. The night was absolutely brilliant - I even ran into a few friends from high school who are also studying in Newcastle!

One of the many photos from the fashion night out and oh yeah, I got a fringe cut in!

I Best Get Saving...

Well, it sounds like the nights out and endless clothes shopping has come to an abrupt end! Not only have I realised I've been spending way more than I had thought, but it's time to get into the 'every penny counts' frame of mind.

One of the main tutors from my course sent out an email this past week about a trip to New York.. NEW BLOODY YORK! (If I could, there would be a million emojis to celebrate my excitement!) So now I've got to buckle down and start saving asap! The trip is expected to be in March which is only, like, 5 months away! The excitement is real.

YAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!

From now until then it will be Welcome to New York and Empire State of Mind on repeat while watching Gossip Girl and Friends. Ahh, the Big Apple!

Yves Saint Laurent: Style is Eternal & Barnard Castle

Yesterday I went on a trip to the Bowes museum, in Barnard Castle, to see the Yves Saint Laurent: Style is Eternal exhibition with my university course.

"Bowes Museum" -Instagram: @rebeccageorginaa

The exhibition was absolutely amazing! The garments were all so detailed. Even the toiles were flawlessly made, it was such a brilliant thing to experience. Before going I watched the 2014 Yves Saint Laurent film which gave me more insight to Yves Saint Laurent's life and a better understanding of his creative processes.

(These are his toiles! WHAT?!)

I was thrilled to be able to see one of Saint Laurent's most iconic dresses of the 60s, the Mondrian shift dress - one of my most favourite dresses within fashion history.

"Yves Saint Laurent: Style is Eternal exhibit" -Instagram: @rebeccageorginaa

Looking at Saint Laurent's suits were incredible inspiration for my current design and illustration module where we are looking at engendered fashion. The masculine suit being translated to work with the female figure was really inspiring and gave me an idea to work with. 

Although the suits were amazing, it was the heavily embellished jackets which really caught my eye. They reminded me very much of the modern Balmain collections (I love Balmain) so I was very drawn to them. There was one jacket in particular that I fell in love with. It was heavily jewelled and featured gold embellishments all around it. It was my favourite piece of the entire exhibition.

"The most beautiful jacket I ever did see" -Instagram: @rebeccageorginaa

After looking around the exhibition and taking a few sketches, me and two of the other girls from my course walked into Barnard Castle in search of a pub lunch. After walking through a narrow alley we came to the main street in Barnard Castle filled with shops and cute cafes. Just to the left of the alley we saw The Turks Head pub. It was such a cute little pub and the food was absolutely amazing! I had a steak pie with mashed potato, carrots and peas. It was lush.

The portion size was HUGE!!

Overall, the day was brilliant. I'm looking forward to using the inspiration I got from the exhibition in my own designs.

Bex x

First 4 Weeks at University!

Hi everyone,

It's now been just over 4 weeks since I've moved to Jesmond and during those first 4 weeks I've started my fashion design and marketing classes at Northumbria University, managed to drop an industrial sewing machine needle, snap an industrial sewing machine needle, miss my library induction and lose my voice (probably from singing Beyonce to loud in the clubs, but it's Beyonce!), so I guess you can say I'm off to a good start!

'Lemon and ginger tea to try and fix the disaster that is my voice' - Instagram: @rebeccageorginaa

(Lemon and ginger tea courtesy of the lovely French cafe, Les Petits Choux)

I've settled nicely into Jesmond, got to know my flatmates and coursemates and managed to spend entirely too much money on nights out and Dominos pizza (I'm a fresher, that's what I'm supposed to do, right?)

I have also mastered the metro (between Jesmond and Monument - any further is still a complete mystery to me)

A slightly autumnal looking walk on the way to uni this morning

Jesmond Metro Station

The Northumbria School of Design is so nice! The sewing and pattern cutting technicians are lovely - so are the design and illustration tutors and lecturers. The first week of full lessons were (hella) tiring, but well worth it at the same time. I'm learning to use industrial sewing machines (mentioned before in the needle snapping incident), overlockers, pattern cutting techniques etc. 

Images of the pattern cutting studio in the School of Design

The first weeks of university have been fabulous! I've met some amazing people! I've also managed to cook a meal for myself and the flatmates - it actually tasted good!

'Last night at Players and Bonbar' - Instagram: @rebeccageorginaa

My successful sausage stir-fry! It was delicious, I promise!

This week I have a night out with my best friend from home lined up (guaranteed to be a hilarious night, but followed by a full day at uni? not so hilarious) and a visit to Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle to view the Yves Saint Laurent exhibit!

Expect a few pictures from the YSL exhibit,

Bex x

Les Petits Choux, Newcastle

Tomorrow is the day I finally move away from my druggy filled hometown and into beautiful Jesmond! In my excitement I thought I'd share my favourite little spot in Newcastle's city centre: Les Petits Choux!

Les Petits Choux is a cute little French cafe near St James' Park (the football ground). It's situated right next to one of the entrances to Leazes Park - another of my favourite places in Newcastle, especially in the autumn.

It's a family run business which does the most AMAZING pastries, cakes and other treats as well as fab coffee. There are even salads and flatbreads on the menu for during lunchtime. The prices are also so cheap, which is even better considering I'm about to start university within the next few weeks and will be skint a lot of the time.

A few photos from inside the cafe.

The inside is so cute and cosy, perfect for sipping coffees and having a gossip while having one of their fab pastries (I personally favour the Ferrero Rocher profiterole and the white chocolate and strawberry/raspberry eclair). Although, you can also grab your drink and treats to go -something I think will happen frequently when I want to have a little walk around the park.

"In my favourite cafe in town with momma" - instagram: @rebeccageorginaa

I think they should expect me to become a regular when I'm not at my classes!

Bex x

University and the Summer Project

I haven't posted on here in a while now so you will have missed my results day news on how my grades were and whether I got into Northumbria...

I DID IT!

I was quite shocked but I actually managed to get into Northumbria University in Newcastle with a D* in fashion and clothing, a D* in business studies and a B in art! As you can imagine I was absolutely over the moon. I still am!

But shortly after came the hefty equipment list and the summer project.

Don't get me wrong, my excitement is still very much alive! But forking over even more money than what I already have doesn't exactly have me thrilled. I've already spent a bomb on decorations and other things for my flat in Jesmond (eek!) and now I've spent even more on arty equipment, and I still don't have everything I need!

Now onto the summer project.

We've been given a little project to do before actually starting the course in September. We have to do observational drawings of 8 items from our wardrobe; this could be clothes, accessories or cosmetics. So far I have started (but not completed, oops) 6 items: a Barbour coat which was my dad's in the 80s, a Next tan leather bag, a silver Marc by Marc Jacobs watch, a floral top from Warehouse, a striped New Look shirt dress and my Rosie for Autograph perfume.

So far I am absolutely loving my summer project and if anything it has made me even more excited to start my course!

Bex x

Art Exhibition

Last night was the art and design exhibition at my school. The exhibition displayed work from year 11, 12 and 13 (so they showed the GCSE work as well as AS and A level). This year I have been doing AS level art and I completed my BTEC subsidiary dimploma in fashion and clothing.

I completed two projects for art titled Collections of Everyday Objects and Light, Weather and Landscapes.

For Collections of Everyday Objects, I focused on tools that can be found in sheds and studied artists such as Jim Dine. I worked textiles into this project and experimented a lot with different materials such as fusible foil and a type of fibre that bonded together with the application of heat (I can't remember the name, unfortunately)

 A piece from Jim Dine's Tool Box collection.

For Light, Weather and Landscapes I started by looking at snow, as that was the weather the day I started. However, the snow vanished by the end of that day which is when I started looking at various artists for inspiration. I mainly studied Hiroshi Sugimoto and Gerhard Richter in this project, whose work heavily influenced mine. I produced a set of seascape images and went on to make Sarah West style sculptures featuring tracing paper panels with some of my seascape images printed on.

 Some of Gerhard Richter's seascape images.

I've attached some photos of my work at the exhibition:

Images from my Instagram: rebeccageorginaa


Bex x

Photos from a Walk

A few days ago I went on a walk with my Gran's dog, Cassie, to Bluebell Woods. While I was there I took a some photos so I thought I'd share a few of them.

 

 

Bex x

Ted Baker up to 50% Off Sale!

Hi! A few days ago I was scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed, which isn't the most exciting in the middle of the day during the week, when I came across the advertisement of the Ted Baker sale.

I have to admit I am 100% obsessed with Ted Baker, who is easily one of my most favourite designers, even more so now that I'm getting closer to university which means getting closer to a Ted Baker student discount, YAY!

After having a good scroll through the sale section, putting all the items I like into my 'bag' then realising I have very little money to actually purchase them, I decided it was time to empty the bag and filter the sale items starting at the lowest price first. We all end up doing this when we know we are skint only to continue to look past the £20 price limit we have set ourselves. But this time I was strong, stopped at £20.. By adding an item which cost £19 (it's under £20, so it still counts.. right??)

I bought this bright pink (or orange? the site says orange..) makeup bag with a bronze bow to replace my old tatty Primark one. At £19, I couldn't resist. I don't know if it's because I'm in love with Ted Baker or because I knew the original price was £27 (wtf?) so I saw this as a bargain. Also free delivery is always a treat too!

So whether skint or not so skint, I would definitely say the sale is worth taking a look at!

Bex x

Free Malin+Goetz Samples w/ ELLE Magazine

I'm subscribed to ELLE magazine and most months there is a sample of some kind of beauty product, skincare or a one-off discount card for some overpriced shop (but I will shop there regardless, just because I get 20% off or something around that). In this months magazine I received three Malin+Goetz samples which are worth £10.

The magazine had some Malin+Goetz samples last year which were very popular, so I guess they are back this year from popular demand.

For those who don't know Malin+Goetz, they are a US brand which prides themselves on creating skincare which can be used on even the most sensitive of skin using natural ingredients. Being someone who has very sensitive skin and is limited to a number of products, I love these samples. They've even branched out into haircare and candles, which after trying these samples, I'm quite interested in giving a go.

Grapefruit Face Cleanser

I applied the face cleanser last night and this morning. Just from those two uses I've noticed my skin feels quite soft, softer than what my regular Neutrogena cleanser leaves my skin. It sinks into the skin cleanses the skin effortlessly and smells lovely. The best thing? It doesn't cause my skin to flare up in an uncontrollable rash! It's so lightweight and perfect for everyday use.

Vitamin E Moisturiser

Again, applied this last night and this morning. The results? Baby smooth skin. The smell wasn't clinical like I've experienced with vitamin E products in the past so that was an added bonus. The cream is lightweight, smooth and sinks nicely into my skin. It's also oil-free, which in my books is always a good thing. And again, no rash.

Lip Moisturiser

This product took me by surprise. I expected something that I could roll over my lips and, like other lip products, would leave them soft for a moment then back to their regular chapped appearance. When I took off the lid I quickly realised I had to dab some of the thick clear product on my finger and apply it to my lips that way. It felt as though it would be a thick and sticky residue which would sit on my lips but it wasn't! It softened my lips instantly and was nowhere near as sticky as I had expected. It's appearance reminded me of a clear gloss and left my lips soft for hours before they became dry again.

I fell in love with all these products, they are perfect for my sensitive skin and seem to be a must have essential. And that is exactly the problem. I hunted around for the full sized version of these products and lets just say the price tag on them isn't the under £20 each that I was hoping for. Malin+Goetz's online shop is priced in dollars (as it is a US website) and although it does provide international delivery to the UK, I prefer using sites either UK based or with UK pricing and no customs fees, so I turned to net-a-porter.com which had the cleanser and the moisturiser. The cleanser comes to £27 for a 236ml bottle and the moisturiser to a whopping £37 for a 118ml bottle.

Even though I love these products, I doubt I'll be paying them prices for bottles of those sizes. Hopefully ELLE will send out another three Malin+Goetz samples sometime next year..

Bex x

Lingerie Illustrations

This September I will be attending Northumbria University to study Fashion Design & Marketing (hopefully) and I have realised how long it has been since I have designed anything at all, so my illustration skills are average at best.

I've decided to try and get back into designing, starting with lingerie. I love lingerie and adore the Rosie for Autograph collection for Marks and Spencers. I LOVE designing lingerie as it can be so personal, feminine, sexy etc. and I love the materials that can be used: silk, chiffon, lace, cotton.. I'm just a little obsessed.

 

Anyway, using the figure templates from Tamar Daniel's Fashion Sketchpad (which I would recommend to anyone who struggles with drawing figures, available at Waterstones) I started to design a few pieces of lingerie, just to get used to drawing the garments again before going back to (poorly) attempting to draw figures again.

Here are the results:

First Set:
The designs feature a variety of patterns: spots, stripes and an arched pattern. All these patterns are on a sheer material and contrast against the opaque fabric. I wanted these pieces to be sexy but still give off a romantic aesthetic.

Second Set:
The first two are quite similar and give off a sexy/provocative aesthetic. The high waist knickers feature cut out detailing, as does the bra to show off the figure's body. The body is a snug fit, made to highlight the figure's curves. These pieces are more raunchy in comparison to the last two. The last two are more romantic and have a more relaxed fit. Silk would likely be the material for these pieces. There is also lace detailing on both pieces along the hemline and neckline to provide a vintage and romantic aesthetic.

Think I'm going to have to carry on doing little sets like this until I get used to illustrating again.

Bex x

Follow Me On Tumblr

Just thought I'd say, if you want to, give my Tumblr a follow.

Bex x

Hello!

I've decided I'm going to give blogging a go! I've always fancied creating a blog, I've just never gotten around to it. I enjoy posting my images from walks, shopping and other randoms things on other websites such as Tumblr so I thought why not give it a go on a blog of it's own.

So, I guess I'll introduce myself; my name is Rebecca (or Becca, or Becs/Bex if that's what you prefer) and I'm 18. I currently live in a small village in county Northumberland in the North East of England. Right now I am a sixth form student studying art, fashion and clothing and business studies. I'm so excited because in September I will be starting uni, hopefully Northumbria University to study Fashion Design and Marketing but if I'm not so lucky I will be going to Sunderland University to study Fashion Product and Promotion.

I'm pretty much going to post about my walks along the beach, fashion, shopping, art, films.. Anything that takes my interest really!

Bex x