Wednesday, September 22, 2010

A Change in Seasons

Caught my first glimpse of the changing leaves this past weekend. Autumn  has to be one of the best times of year... well it is our favorite over here at REDCROW, that is for sure! A chill in the air. The changing leaves. The way the light is just different, softer almost. Love it! Not to mention being able to start wearing layers again. Though I don't think we really had much of a summer, weather wise, here in the Pacific Northwest. It was hot for like a week or two but that was about it. And I am not complaining....
Hope your week is turning out to be a good one, or that is will turn into a good one if not already.

Cheers.

Monday, September 20, 2010

R/Co. Project: Travel'n Trunk


Way back at the ending of spring we needed a way to do a nice presentation, something that could carry some of the goods in a somewhat easy manner.
I have had this old trunk since I was in junior high school. My mother had put fancy stuff inside it so she decided to line it with some kitschy country striped fabric.

Well that is not exactly the look that we are going for so it needed to be redone. I was in a time crunch so decided to just cover it with some tea dyed cotton sheeting that was laying around.

After that was all complete, with industrial staples and all, it needed a way to wheel it about with some ease. So gathered up some wood from the wood pile...
and built a platform.

can't do much without a way to move it so put on some wheels.

Needed something to be able to attach the base with wheels onto the trunk so I found some old rope up in the rafters of the garage and cut her loose.

Once all complete it packed up nicely and you just wheel her away...

Fun times....
What kind of goodies have you been working on building?

Cheers.

R/Co. Finds: NAVY Garb

A few months back hit up the local surplus joint and came away with some navy shirting...
Interestingly enough this shirt has a really good fit.

For some reason I have been super stoked on this shirt. 

Not sure how to exactly pull it off for daily wear by not looking to "costume" like... I guess you just rock with confidence and that is that.

Not really sure where this shirt ended up, still unpacking boxes and trying to find things..... So back to it.

Cheers.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

R/Co. Inspired: WWII Aviation Collection.

While digging through a few images files that I have stored on my computer I re-discovered this image that I must have scanned a while back from some book about collecting WWII uniforms and insignia. (Not sure of the name of the book)
What a fine tight knit and well edited collection! Just thought I would share.

"Keep 'Em Flying"

Cheers.

Thursday, September 09, 2010

Get'n Settled.

Wow Friday is almost upon us... again!
Sometimes time just fly's by. Throw in a short work week and it doubles in speed.

Last weekend the family and I, with some help from our friends,  loaded up the trucks with everything we own and moved house. It went very well and we are super stoked to be in the new abode.
Moved the machines & sewing tools into the 'Shed' out back and am really excited to set up shop... But all good things are not always perfect, and this story is no different.
The other night I was out moving things around in the 'Shed' and trying to get it into a workable space so we can jump back into getting the projects that are still up in the air accomplished. That involves unpacking a few boxes and packing up others that are not needed any time soon. Get out the 'ol tape gun and go to town on a box, all the sudden "COULD YOU TRY AND KEEP IT DOWN! IT WOULD BE VERY APPRECIATED!!!" (enter a forcefully shut window) Slam!

You know how when you get so into something the blinders kind of come on and you see nothing else? Well, that was me and the 'Shed'. I saw the shed and nothing else. Um, the house next door, well, it is really next door, like 2ft. away. With the window open and a crotchety old lady on the other side of that window! *Sigh* It would not be that big of a deal but most nights I am building goods well into the night not a good combo with an old koot  trying to sleep! So, got to move the work shop back into the garage. It is not a bad thing, but I was so excited to build out the 'Shed'. Oh Well. At least still got space to muck about in, right?

The next day added more silliness to my already troubled day and I had to just mess around with my newly accuried color markers (see above) That was fun.

Update on the show.
Lost my 2nd look because kids are not allowed into the venue that is a 21 or older club. Not so bad but it is a week away! Not fun news! Oh well welcome to life, it never runs smooth, but what fun would that be, right. So just pick'n myself up and keep it going.  Just working on my one look now.
Cut out the shirt.

Finished up the neckwear.

Well it is almost the weekend! Back to it....
Have a good one.

Cheers.

Friday, September 03, 2010

Somethin' To Think About...

"The biggest thing I learned is that less is more. Stay focused and treat everyone how you want to be treated. And be honest and turn up and keep turning up. It really is a big part of success.... " 

Thursday, September 02, 2010

R/Co. Project: Wood Block Printing

 Time is fast approaching for the runway show so instead of packing snuck in a late night fabric printing test run with the compleated wood block.

The collection of goods that I am planning to send down the runway involves headwear that is built from a nice washed out navy canvas so I want the print to match back to that color. I do not have navy ink so did it the old fashioned way and just mix it up by hand.
 Got out some fabric screen printing ink that I have been meaning to use, eye balled it and went for it. A little blue, a dollop of black, a touch of red, some more blue and a touch more black and.... looks good to me (for some reason color theory dose not click in my head but if I just mess with it for a bit it somehow works out)

The hardest part about block printing fabric is getting a nice transfer onto the fabric. Smaller blocks seam to do better but that is not what we are going for here so...
Laid out some ink onto a large plate glass and rolled the brayer through it and gave the block a nice good coat of ink.