...:::alignment:::....

Things change, energies shift.We have plans, ideas as to how our life should go. Then the Creator steps in and destiny occurs: sometimes good, sometimes bad. But destiny nevertheless. All you can do is be present in it.With finishing up my PhD studies, the death of my beloveded cat, and various other personal concerns, I was been pretty consumed with self-pity and sadness. And the gloomy weather didn't help much either. I'd spent weeks engulfed in my blankets, finding security in the dark solitude of my bed. Not thinking, not really sleeping, just there.Yeah, was that kind of time.

Today I've decided enough was enough. I had fully acknowledged and wallowed in my circumstances and it was time to heal and move on. As a person who has had person struggles with Affective disorders, I knew I had to do something about my mental state fast or I would get stuck and become totally non-functional. So I pulled out my yoga mat.Took a deep breath and exhale into downward facing dog, flowed through several sets of sun salutations and got grounded with some balancing poses. I finished the session with a quick meditation (10 mins) and 3 chants of "ohm shanti shanti shanti." I felt better.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanti_Mantra


Afterwards I energized my body with some fresh juice. A mix of cucumbers, asian pears, spinach, etc. I call it my Goddess blend. Then flushed with some alkaline water.

I try to live my life in a wholistic manner, recognizing that the mind, body and spirit are connected. Therefore, if an area is out of balance (the mind and spirit in this case) I correct this by doing something that will recharge this energy. Now I'm not saying go run a marathon. But do something to gently recharge the energy. Yoga and consuming live (raw) foods does this for me. It takes me to a place where I'm present and aware of my physical, mental and spiritual body. It grounds and recharges me. I especially like meditating directly following a yoga session. I'm way more centered and am able to maintain my posture for larger periods without discomfort.This practice really helps me manage depression and anxiety. Needless to say, the "dark cloud" really impeded my productivity and I've not been posting (bad blogger). I'ma do better. I promise.

On the Cutting Board

Greetings fellow Crafters!
In an attempt to save money, I've decided to update my fall/winter wardrobe with garments I make. Nothing too fancy at first. Just a few basics. I've found a few patterns for this update in my pattern stash. Have a look below:

For the jacket, I want it to hit past my waist. Option B seems like it does that. I'm still looking for some dope fabric to bring this to life. Also thinking about adding some festive buttons, but that maybe to much... This would be the second jacket that I've made. I hope it turns out okay... 

I absolutely LOVE color! A nice pair of orange wide legged pants and a brightly colored top would look so funky, yet sophisticated. Looking through my stash, I came across this pattern that may work. As mentioned before, I'm going to do a muslin of the pants first to achieve the perfect fit. Hopefully, I can start on them sometime next week.

I also found these two dress patterns in my stash. Going to use some nice printed fabrics for them.  Basic dresses are essential. You can dress them up with a nice belt or some statement jewelery. Dress them down with a nice blazer or cardigan. Or throw on a simple scarf to add a touch of flare. You can never have to many.

Though this wasn't on the original list, I've decided to make a coat as well. I've never made a coat before and figure this would be a good way to save some money and get some practice in. I think the drape coat is sick and looks very comfy. 
Now that I have the patterns picked, I need to take a trip to the store for some funky fabrics.
Wish me luck!

OmiD

Current Projects: On the cutting board

I would describe my esthetic as a mixture of cultural and modern fashions. I have a great love for indigenous cultures and enjoy mixing and matching with vintage and/or classic pieces. Bright colors, tacky prints and lush fabrics bring a big smile to my face :)

It's getting cold out and a sistah is on a major budget, so I need to dust off the machine and get to work on creating some fab looks for the fall/winter. There are 3 items on the cutting board for this season:

1. Tailored slacks in a bright colors. A few weeks ago I ventured to find a nice pair of orange wide legged slacks and had no success. So why not take the challenge and make them myself. I can make a mean pair of draw string pants. However, making tailored pants always frightened me. I definitely think I should start with a muslin first!

2. African printed blazer. ASOS had a sick african printed blazer last summer, but the price tag was a bit steep. This piece will also be a challenge due to the amount of tailoring required and I'm really trying to work at perfecting fit.

3. Fall/winter african inspired dress. I love dresses! It's my go to piece of clothing. At close examination of my closet, I realized that I don't have any winter dresses. Most of my dresses are for the spring/summer and living in GA covering it with a denim jacket or cardigan does a good job of keeping you warm. I'm in search of the perfect winter dress pattern. I'll keep you guys posted. 


Please stay tuned as I document my progress on these items.

OmiD