Life can be short, like me :)

Well the past few days have been a roller-coaster, and I really do feel bad but now I'm back on the bloggers wagon and ready for this!

Oh yes the celebrity I was partying with last Saturday night was none other than the beautiful and talented Miss Derry 2013 - Ashleigh Coyle! <3 Here's a pic with me (cropped out), it's hilarious that I'm actually up to her hip!! 5 months older than me yet a foot taller - love ya Ash x Stunner! https://www.facebook.com/MissDerry2013?fref=ts
For anyone looking to get away for a weekend, or you're visiting Ireland for the giggles, visit Letterkenny, I beg you. It's funny how it's so far away from everything, yet it has everything so you don't have to go anywhere else! Handy enough!

I'm going to do a short little review here now for PhotoBox.ie. I remember a few years ago, chilling with Miss Derry over there, and watching her put together those online photo album things! I always wanted to get one done so last week (or the week) before I was searching online for a good site and I found http://www.photobox.ie, so I went in and clicked on 'Books' and got the 30 pages for 14.95 (euro), did my theme (I would have like to be able to stick my own pictures or own patterns as the theme, but they have a wide selection in their range), then I added in my pics, and TA DAH! Said it would be here on the 10th and it was :) happy outwith my lovely photobook; I was able to put in captions, expand or decrease the size of pics, added in about 55 pictures in total - looks great! The only thing I would say to anyone, and I'm sure this applies to every site - make sure that the pic is in good resolution, few of mine don't look too good (or maybe that's just my face... :/ ).

Fashion, fashion, fashion  - live, sleep, and breathe (cuz no one eats!) fashion <3 This week at GTI has been fun yet busy! I really can't complain; not only am I in a course with a lovely bunch, I'm doing something that I love! Not everyone can say "I've to go design an 8 piece collection tonight and look at magazines" :) I'm lucky and I know it. What's even more great is that I enjoy the work and I can say for sure that this is what I want to do with my life  - THANK YOU GTI!!
This week we had to create a mood board, or inspiration board, for the trends and designers of S/S14! Paris, New York, Milan and London - so many paper-cuts :) Will have to put a pic up for ye all but unfortunately my board is in school for the weekend. We also had to get a skirt type we like, e.g. pencil, flare, etc., and create 8 flat drawings of the skirt and edit them in different ways - now we are going to make one of the eight :P Sounds fun, and it is, but I had to make the most complicated thing I could think of - because I'm just awkward and difficult like that.... My skirt is a pencil that then flares out at the knee (1950's Inspired). My pattern looks like the blueprints of a maze but hopefully, granted I don't make a ruin of it, I'll get high marks for my troubles :)
It's crazy to think that I've only one more week at college, and then I'm on my mid-term break. 6 weeks have gone by since I started this course which is mind-blowing. Like they warned us it would go fast but you really never feel it!

Oh great news! One of my darling friends and I have gotten ourselves (actually our super sound teacher did) work experience in BROWN THOMAS GALWAY, helping at the window display! For all of you not from Galway, this window display is THE window :) Everyone knows that once the BT's Christmas window display comes up, Christmas is here! I'm actually so chuffed to be apart of the experience, it's a huge deal and massive honor!
Galway at Christmas time is my favourite place to be! The lights go on all around the city, window displays go up, everyone is happy, the Christmas Market comes to town and all the stalls smell like Christmas! The Christmas Market is great; people from all over the world pay a butt load to have a stall at the Market, and then all these tourists come and there's loads going on all the time.
I think I'm very fortunate to live in Galway, and be from Galway; the City of Tribes, the City of Festivals - you'll hardly ever get bored here because there's always something: the Arts Festival, the Film Feadh, the Oyster Festival, Christmas Market, the Comedy Festival, the Galway Races, and sooooooo much more!

Anyways I think that's all I have for ye! Please please PLEASE  give the page a like guys, would really be nice :) https://www.facebook.com/freakysmudgeishere AND AND AND I'm on Twitter https://twitter.com/FreakySmudge :) Bad news, Instagram is off my to-do list because I can;t get it on my new phone... Did anyone even know there was an Instagram???
Laters,
XOXO
Freaky Smudge

Bambi

Sorry about my not posting last night, I have to say with college and everything, all the work piling on, I'm getting lazy and this is unacceptable! I'm going to change the font on this thing as well maybe, make it easier to read.

My reason for last night, it was Arthur's Day- a notorious (mainly aimed at students) event which dictates that everyone drink, preferably Guinness, to their hearts content... Today I rocked into college feeling like Bambi learning how to walk. Lesson #1: Guinness is disgusting, and Lesson #2: Going into college on a hangover is not the smartest move to make. Live and learn I guess..

But what really perks me up is looking at all the style on the runways and then talking about them in class :) It's times like this when I praise the Lord for WWD.com. Been following them for 2 years now so I know my research and what have you! Oh and if you have a chance check out this amazing photographer, TOMAAS (right) - has definitely helped inspire me for my recycled garment project.
Anyways yes gotta love Paris! So far I've been looking at brands like Azzaro, Balenciaga, etc. Everything is either fitted or shoots out, white being a favourite of the season, as clearly seconded by Nina Ricci. I have to say there are quite a few cold and pastels colours that seem to be coming our way. But Dior is having none of it - beautiful oranges and blue (a tasteful combination). A shredded look as well which I haven't seen much of except for ThreeAsFour.

Metallics are in according to Lanvin (left), I love anything that sparkles or shimmers and the light simply glorifies this collection.  I have to say that from pretty much every collection I've stalked so far there has been such an emphasis placed on the neck- whether their wearing a scarf, chunky necklace or elongated neckline, all road signs point this way.

Loving the 'Sailor meets Grease' vibe I'm getting off Olympia Le-Tan. Between this under-water adventure and Orla Kiely's preppy Explorer, it's so hard to chose. And where can I get a pair of those low cut cowboys shoes featured in the Paco Rabanne collection?? Not normally my thing but cute.

Well that's all from me tonight gang. Again sorry about the sloppiness on the posts but if there is one thing you can count on it's that the Pinterest page is up to date! Facebook and Twitter doing well as well! Hope everyone had a good Arthur's night if you were out! One lesson I learned last night the hard way  - there are some awful weirdos out, and if you feel you're in an awkward situation it's okay to "overact" or whatever, as long as you get out of there! I didn't freak out in time but thankfully there are some decent people in the world!

Anyways, night my readers :)
XOXO
Freaky Smudge

Assignment #1

How's everyone doing today???

Well I'm very proud of myself because I finished my first assignment as a fashion student  I made a pin cushion :) And here's a pic of the front (right) and back (left) . First I had to make the pattern, get the fabric, cut out the pattern and pin it to the fabric, and cut. You do this twice for the front and back. Then I used the sewing machine (switched it from straight line setting to zig-zag - because I'm awkward like that) - I got the two fabrics and put them like a book, with the cover on the outside because you'll have to turn it inside out. Sew it on three sides. On the last side sew to a quarter way from top and quarter way from the bottom. Turn inside out and stuff with cotton or whatever, then  hand stitch it together - Happy Out!!!
                                                                                                                       
We also learned about our recycled project - it's for the finished piece we will be displaying to the world at the GTI Fashion Fiesta in April 2014, can't wait! For Friday we need to fill out a mind map with stuff that we like in relation to colour, garment shape, fabrics, inspiration, etc. So I'm here on the couch with the last three issues of Vogue (I honestly don't think I can put the scissors to them!), and ELLE's 2013 S/S Collection Book. Oh almost forgot the HUNGER issue 4. Let the inspiration flow! :)

I'll tell all on my views on London's Fashion Week tomorrow - oh wow patterns and prints go leor lads ;)

Night Night
XOXO
Freaky Smudge

Fashion Week from my couch!

Heya!

So I wasn't No.1 on the NYC'S Fashion Week guestlist but no worries! Live (I think) coverage coming to me from Fashion TV - the soul purpose of TV!! :)

Some great stuff coming our way it seems - patterns of a ... tribal sort if I may call them that. They kinda look like the Lily of France design ??! Floral making a lovely appearance on the whole. We can also see pastels mixed with darker colours (a new autumn look). Animal prints and fringes - where would we be without them? :P  Fall 2013 has a certain.. I don't know I guess boldness about it! Something striking... Violent is not the word but there's a real feminist power like mixed with fire, if ya get me! Not the best with conveying this, sorry!

Hopefully someday you'll be seeing my designs on these runways, coming to life! That's my dream (apart from the whole regular family, house, kids, etc.) but that's what I want. I want a line that says "Alexander McQueen meets Vivienne Westwood, and did a swingers thing with Balmain and Meadham Kirchoff" - strange I know but if you keep reading my blog you'll get to know I'm a little... weird and corny!

LANVIN - wow that jewellery is bright! Loving the velvet! And the "you" heart necklace :) Actually I'm really just looking out for the necklaces here, they are pretty cool!

I'm going to do more from my end here and report back!

Oh and I successfully set up a Twitter and Facebook page, also an Instagram and Pinterest so please check it out guys, give it a like so I know you're out there :)

http://www.bloglovin.com/freakysmudge
https://twitter.com/FreakySmudge
https://www.facebook.com/freakysmudgeishere

Later
xoxo
Freaky Smug