Step 1: IMAGE - Part 9

Practice Makes Perfect

To read the rest of the series: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8

Instead of learning something new up to a mediocre level, I decided to work on something I already know how to do - but need more practice at. The lucky chosen mastery was sketching. Saying that I know how to sketch would be a vulgar exaggeration. I can transfer what I see onto paper, to some degree. However, I'm completely ignorant when it comes to shading, color mixing techniques ... (the list can go on, but I'm just not in the ranting mood). 

So, here are my sketchbook attempts, in chronological order. (Please cover your mouth when you laugh at me; my sketching skills still fall into the "sensitive subjects" category). 

What do you wish you were better at? 

Dinner Time!

A dining table for the dis-functional family

[ Imagine me saying the following paragraph in a low-budget-TV-commercial-voice]

Are you a rebellious teenager, going through the "I hate my parents" stage? Did you just find out that your husband is cheating on you? Did your wife just spend your entire paycheck on a new Valentino clutch? Did your sister steal your boyfriend?

If you've answered "yes" to any of these questions, this is the dining table for you! 

[ back to normal voice now ]

Dining table for dis-functional family, a design by Juliette Gold

The dining table seats four people, and gives each of them a private, personal space. For further privacy, you can put on your headphones [aka, those pink circled on the chair], and even lower your curtain and ear your family meal in complete solitude. So, what's for dinner?

Dining table for dis-functional family, a design by Juliette Gold

Dining table for dis-functional family, a design by Juliette Gold

Do you eat meals with your family? 

Step 1: IMAGE - Part 8

Inspi-space-ion

To read the rest of the series: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7

My room is my world - I sleep, create, and lounge in it. But it's more than just a space. It's my source of inspiration as well. Thus, I've chosen to surround myself with it:

Framed pictures on my desk, a photo by Juliette Gold

Audrey in watercolor, a photo by Juliette Gold

Chevron flags, a photo by Juliette Gold

The Holstee Manifesto, a photo by Juliette Gold

A drawing on my wall, a photo by Juliette Gold

Some good reads, a photo by Juliette Gold

How do you keep yourself inspired?

Step #1: IMAGE - Part 7

Style 101

To read the rest of the series: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6

One's personal style is more that a few rags thrown together. Style is identity. It's both a social statement and a way of life. When redefining my own, I've focused on three aspects: shape, colors, and theme. 

Shape:

Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes, that we already know. However, we usually have unrealistic perceptions of their bodies (let's take a moment here to rant about media, society, and everything else that comes to mind). Or, in other cases, we just don't know how to work with what we've got. I used to fall into that category as well. I'll spare you the horror of my middle-school's (and frankly, some of high-school's) "amazing-and-totally-pretty-my-crush-would-sooo-like-me" outfits. (Sarcasm heavily intended) A simple tool I used to find my shape is InStyle Magazine's shape finder. It suggests pieces of clothing that can guide you at your next shopping spree.

Photo source: screen capture from InStyle

Color:

Colors play a big role in our appearance. Wearing the wrong color can make your skin look dull, and emphasize dark circles and blemishes. (And no one wants to see those) Whereas the right colors, should light up your face and accentuate the color of your eyes. You can always hold up garments to your face and evaluate them; but it's best to know where to start. Quick, easy, and astoundingly precise, this article from College Fashion helped me find my perfect colors. It gives you a diagram that leads you to your "season", and then goes into some more specifics, by giving you a list of colors based on the color of your eyes. 

Photo source: screen capture from College Fashion

Theme:

The "theme" - the vibe that your outfit broadcasts - is the embodiment of your preferences and personality.
The Etsy Taste Test can give you a broad image of your preferences. It lets you pick nine items, of a list of six each time. Once you're done, it gives you a list of many pretty things. When you look at them critically, and try to find common denominators, you find specific attributes of taste you can later incorporate into your wardrobe. I really like this one - I see it as a justification of my weird obsessions.

Photo source: screen capture from Etsy

Do you have any tips for defining your style? Share them in the comments! 

London's Calling

I have to admit that I don't watch the Olympics, or any other kind of sports for that matter. However, the UK craze that followed the Olympic games inspired me to create my own little tribute -a  stylish one.

I challenged myself to a "sketch-athon": 100 years of UK's East London Style, 6 sketches, 4 pencils, 3 pencils, 2 pages, and 1 me. Go!

What is your favorite style era? 

Step #1: IMAGE - Part 6

Break - fiesta

To read the rest of the series: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

“Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”  ~ Unknown

"My mom always said that the morning determines the day. She preached to never get upset and to never deliver bad news in the early a.m. hours. I haven't comprehended the true sense of her words until one traumatizing morning in the eighth grade. I left home in a bad mood and on my way to school that day I stepped on a "doggy output"– I was too preoccupied with glum brooding to notice it. Then, when I went out to drink water during class, I opened the fountain too abruptly and in return it sprayed me with water in a way that made it seem like … something else. This occasion made my return back to class beyond embarrassing. And if all of that wasn't enough, I also performed poorly on a quiz since I was so worried with my appearance and smell.

Walking home that day, I've developed a value that has guided me ever since: "The Art of Breakfast". Inspired by my mom's theory, I've concluded that a joyful morning can not only keep us in a decent mood, but might motivate us to enjoy the rest of the day, and consequently, enjoy life. Thus, I make sure to celebrate each morning with a "break-feast" – a meal with my loved ones, eaten to the sounds of French music from the 60s and the scent of vanilla.

Knowing that the morning would be so incredible, I wake up every day with a smile on my face, ready to make the most out of the day. And isn't it what's life is all about? Being happy every step of the way, enjoying everything life has to offer, and being open to miraculous opportunities we might otherwise miss?"

So, what's in that bowl?

What is your renowned (or infamous; no judging here) habit? 

Do you have a plan?

The Planning Corridor

A plan is a path that gets you from point A to point B; theoretically at least. In reality though, you might have to stop and think about your plot -perhaps you want to just keep going forward, perhaps you want to pull out new resources along the way, or perhaps you want to abandon in all together. 

The planning corridor lets you see your course, and asses its length. Its sterile walls act like a scrapbook / inspiration board / pining board for everything you might need along the way. Once in a while you can stop and take a sit on the built-in stools. The seats are also storage spaces. If, in any stage, you decide that the plan doesn't work, that it cannot be improved and must be abandoned, you can hop out of the window (in a completely non-suicidal way). 

The Planning Corridor, a design by Juliette Gold 

The Planning Corridor, a design by Juliette Gold

The Planning Corridor, a design by Juliette Gold

The Planning Corridor, a design by Juliette Gold

Have you even abandoned a plan?