Kait Makes Things

Come Out, Creative Cave-Dwellers, Let's Start a Fire.

Hallo! Happy Tuesday!

I am pleased to announce my new creativity-building series!

Answering the Burning Questions: How Do You Say What You Do?

Mmm, who am i? What do I do? How do I tell people?

I've been reading a ton about being a multi-potentialite (via Miss Emilie), so this week's burning question really stuck out for me: 

How do you say what you do?
(Give your self credit.)

It's the question you answer when you meet people at parties, when you see a relative after a long time, and is essential to the "elevator speech" for off-the-cuff self-promotional pitches when the opportunity hops in the elevator with ya.

So how do I say what I do?

Well, right now I'm studying fashion at UMN. I'm hoping to do a natural dye summer research project through the university. After that, I'll probably pursue some further creativity research. 

I also dabble in some graphic and surface design. I took a class in screen-printing, and weaving, OH MAN, I love weaving. Package design is one of my new favorites. I really want to play around with that.

Ideally, I will build a sort of design collective where I could combine all of my little loves, I'd make garments and accessories, style events and fashion/beauty styling consultations.
Oh, and write about all of the above. :)

It's a bit of a mess (If you've seen the floor around my workspace, this can't possibly surprise you), but I'm learning different things all the time.

In short: I'm a consultant and an informal stylist; a designer and a restless maker, always learning, and a little bit in love with everything.

How about you?

xoxo,

Kait 

Color Story: Baby Blue and Neon Green

1. Look 14 (Spring '12) by Katie Ermilio - 2. Serpentine and Metal Necklace by The Vamoose - 3. Azure Range Inka Gift Wrap by inkyco - 4. Kenneth Jay Lane Enamel Bamboo Cuff Bracelet via Bloomingdale's

Pinterest Pretties - 03/14/12

It is a whopping 66 degrees outside and believe me, I have been dancing in the warm sunshine!
Winter has been kind to Minnesota this year, temperature-wise (mostly to make up last year's nearly unbearable frigid though fantastically snowy weather).

 

So, in honor of happy thoughts of summer days to come:

A crisp salad

Source: sweetpaul.typepad.com via Sweet Paul on Pinterest

 

Soft pink petals

Source: fast-growing-trees.com via Susan on Pinterest

 

A bangle in tasty geometric pastels

Source: iamthelab.com via I AM on Pinterest

 

This amazingly beautiful blue-green spotted bird

Source: flickr.com via Susan on Pinterest

 

And a delicate beach scene

Source: flickr.com via Bonita Rose on Pinterest

 

May your toes feel warm sand and your bones delight in some delicious vitamin D.

If you can today, go play out in the sun.

(oh, and happy pi day!)

Be mine, Simplicity? - Pattern Heaven

No plans this Valentine's Day?
Looking for a sweet craft project? (Oh, the puns are too easy. I'll stop.)

Or maybe you just live up here in the North where it is too cold and you don't want to go anywhere for ANY reason.

Well, put on some heart pajamas, grab your hot chocolate and call up your girlfriends.

A little birdie told me that they are having a Valentine's Day Sweetheart Sale at Simplicity.com - all Simplicity patterns $5.99, New Look patterns $2.99!

I for one, am going to make my own Fashion Week.



This pattern:

( Simplicity sewing pattern 2512) 

+ this red satin (Fabric.com)

 

+ a little creative problem solving (*cough* helpinsertingaflounce and some coffee)

= My very own Jason Wu skirt.
 

AWESOME SAUCE.

 

Soooo, will you be my Valentine, Simplicity?
(just don't tell my bf...) 

 

Have a Happy Valentine's Day!
Craft it up for me, why don'tcha? 

(And show me what you plan to make!)

 

Full Disclosure, cuz that's how I roll: Heck yes, this post came from me being an affiliate of Simplicity Creative Group (How cool is that? They told me about the sale before it went public.) I am also a fabric.com affiliate. I pair up with companies I support. If you want to read more on advertising and what not on this site, it is here.

Happy Birthday, Ashley! Crazy Cool Giveaway (srsly)

If you haven't seen it yet, Ashley of After Nine to Five is having a massive giveaway as part of her birthday bash! (Her birthday was a few days ago, but better late than never. The party is still going on!)

To celebrate, she has some amazing sponsors and a boat-load of prizes including some serious ad space, darling necklaces and $25 shop credits to some great online shops you've may never have seen before (which is part of what makes this party so exciting!). 

It's been a treat just to hop around the different shops and see what creative goodies are out there!

Thank you, Ashley for treating us for your birthday! How sweet!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ASHLEY!

Love your Style: Glitter Nails

Source: creaturecomfortsblog.com via Sarah on Pinterest



Source: google.com via Tahnee on Pinterest

 

 

I couldn't pass this up. Here's how I did it: 

First a shiny base coat.

    I used Sally Hansen's Chrome Nail Makeup in #09 - Jewel.
This color is just so cool. It's an intense chrome but with a blush of pink. I wore it like this for a day before adding the sparkle.

Then onto the glitter!

    My sparkly polish of choice was Sephora by OPI - Looks Like Rain, Dear.
I like that it has tiny golden sparkles and also larger chunks of glitter to catch the light. 

 

Would you wear glitter nail polish?

    If you do, what's your favorite? If not, what's your nail style lately?

Apparel Design Students Support Haitian Kids One Stitch at a Time

Apparel Design Students Support Haitian Kids One Stitch at a Time. (<--click for original article)

See that little girl with the purple balloon, blue dress, pink ties? I made that dress. I hope she likes it.

I am so happy to have been able to participate in this project. I know it's just a small thing, but how great that they have something made just for them?

This is certainly a great foundation for a design program, keeping at its core the real reason that we create. I can only hope that as we grow as designers and makers that we continue to find ways to donate a little thread and a little time to those in need.

 

Fit all your clothes in a suitcase

This semester I am taking Fashion, Ethics and Consumption, a required course in the Apparel Design program so that we are prepared for the time when, as leaders in the professional retail and apparel industries, we are faced with ethical decisions.

In this class we were given a task that nearly killed us all,
(I jest, but I don't know, fashion people are sensitive...)
choose 6 different items of clothing from our closets and that is all we are allowed to wear for 25 days -- including holidays, dates and work.

6 or fewer, people.

6.

After much deliberation, I chose mostly solids, heavy on neutrals:

6 or less - could you do it? by platypus-in-boots 

(Clearly this is a representation, but the items are stylistically similar.)

- black straight leg jeans
- one long-sleeved jersey top in ruby red
- one soft blush tee
- one tan jersey dress 
- one black shell dress 
- one brown printed cardigan 

 

That's it. for 25 days.

 

Well, those days came and went and I survived.
And you know what, NO ONE NOTICED. 
 

Or at least, not enough to say anything or for it to have any effect on their view of me (as far as I can tell). I even learned a couple of things about accessorizing, which in the grand scheme of things, is far a more cost-effective way to dress than having an overflowing cloest of several different styles (especially particularly trendy or cheaply made garments). More on that later.

So, 

Can you find 6 pieces of clothing to last you 25 days of mixing and matching?

 

xoxo Kait

Food For Thought Friday: A Model for Honest Retail

I am deep into my apparel coursework, a part of which emphasizes the business of retail, ethical practices and consumer behavior.

    If nothing else has been gained by this study, I have been prompted to think a lot about how we as business owners, do business, and as consumers, what our role is in the support of business and ethical implications.

Most recently, we watched this video about the founder of JCPenney's , James Cash Penney. I had no idea about the humble roots of the now quite large retailer. And J.C. Penney himself was a man of character we sorely lack in the 21st century. He believed that through hard work and high moral standard, a man held the key to a good life and could accomplish his goals. Fitting that his success began at a store called the Golden Rule.


(image via nps.gov) 

    In accordance to his high moral standard, one principle that J.C. Penney firmly believed in was a cash-only policy, for the reason that you do not want to unwittingly drive a family into financial difficulty through credit lending. A quick peek at our current consumer debt crisis and it is not hard to see why he held firm to this stance. This policy wouldn't change in his company until he was well advanced in age and out-voted by the board who wanted to issue credit cards like all the other department stores, seeing as a way to stay competitive. While I wouldn't say that I agreed with all of the ways in which he chose to operate his life and his business, I will say that he is a man to admire for his outstanding resilience and solid moral foundation.

As we venture into the holiday season, preparing our hearts for Christmas, I just want to prod you to think about who and what you are supporting with your purchases, give a little small business love (and any big businesses that have managed to keep their soul) and never forget the dignity of your fellow man whether they are ringing up your purchases at the store, delivering your Christmas mail, waiting for your Food Shelf donation, or driving slowly in front of you in traffic.

Next week: An exercise in Thanksgiving (a simple thing that you can do too)

Happy December!

xoxo Kait

 

---

It's good to give full disclosure: link to JCPenney Biography provided via my affiliation with Amazon.com. I make a small commission if you find it worthy of purchase; content remains unchanged for you, and I only provide links that I personally recommend, Amazon does not suggest, request or dictate any content published here whatsoever. All other links are simply via my own suggestion, not affiliated with any organization at all.