Lack of Posts

Sorry for the lack of updates.  It's finals week and I'm about to fly out to California for the holidays :D  I''ll have plenty of things to share with you guys and hopefully get you'll get a better idea of what I'm like :)  I've been looking forward to this trip for a LONG time.  Despite the length of the trip, I'll definitely take advantage of it.  I'm going to take pictures of my "Natural Habitat"  and show you guys what California winters are like.  I'm really excited to see my friends whom I haven't seen for almost Two years!  It's crazy how time flies!  I'm really excited to wear sweaters and scarves, drink HOT drinks and bake my ass off!  I'm really excited to see my CAT!  UGH!  Her judgmental stares, dislike for peasant cat food and hogging half my bed.  When I have more time, I'll try to post something more substantial and kooky :)  Sorry for the delays!

Elevate, Escalate Fashion Show

I've been EXTREMELY busy developing a small collection of garments in collaboration with a good friend of mine Joco Comendador.  He's a fabulous and bold shoe designer and always thinks beyond when it comes to creating his unique shoes.  I was extremely fortunate when he invited me to design for his upcoming show!

To be honest, I was kind of nervous because my aesthetic is not as dynamic as his, but with a little brain storming, Endless re-runs of Big-O, Black Coffee and help from Joco, I got back on the horse and worked my ass off!

The theme of the show was Poison Ivy, photosynthesis, black and neon green.  This was a fun challenge for me.  When I usually create, I usually sketch and plan everything out.  This time around, I found that using that method made me not like the work as much.  I just laid out the fabrics and started to piece them together.  After that, it's all history.  I just started to manifest on its own and this love child/bastard came to be :)

Joco designed these shoes for his show.  Pictures don't do these justice.

This was the only decent pic I took during the show.  I couldn't focus on taking pictures, but thank Buddha that Tricia was there to take pictures. The rest of the photos were taken by her :)  If you like her work, just shoot her an e-mail! :)

Another worthy note, Nadine, and Armin did the hair and make up for most of the models :)  I think they did a really good job at capturing the mood and theme of the show :)

 I played with texture and mixed wool, pleather and Hounds tooth together.  Raiza embodied the girl that wears my clothes :)  Strong and sophisticated :)

This is a baby doll dress with pleather sleeves and trimming.  I thought Melissa looked so elegant in this look. I kept changing who would wear what because sometimes a look just works and sometimes it does not.  When I first saw her I knew she was right for this look!  

I hand dyed an old teal blouse charcoal and made a pleated pleather skirt. :)   

Bey is an Amazonian.  She was really tall and I liked the thought of the skirt making her even more statuesque and gorgeous :)

The coat took me FOREVER to get it right!  It has a pleather collar and the zipper placket is the same thing.  The purple dress was actually an old piece I had lying around.  Joco and Bernie just  freshened it up with embellishments :)

This is a trapeze dress rendered in the same fabric.  They both had 60's vibes to them.  

Hhahahah Andie is game for the show! The giant to the left is Darren.  He was the stylist for the show and I think he embodied the overall theme of the show very well.  Excuse how exhausted I look.  I'm very haggard prone unfortunately.  

That's the end of the show! :)  I love these pieces a lot.  A lot of time went into sewing and designing these pieces.  Thinking of parting with them makes me sad hahaha.  I'm really thankful for Joco for being one of the few people that believe in me and giving me the opportunity to show my work.  I'm also thankful for everyone who was involved, the models, make-up and hair artists and friends who came to see the show :D  I can now rest for 10 years! 

Any comments, suggestions or questions?  Leave me a comment or feel free to contact me. 

-Jason

No Bake Oreo Cheese Cake

I recently went shopping at Daiso (Japanese Dollar store) and  went nuts when I saw heart shaped pans for baking :)   I'm a sucker for anything heart shaped and food tastes so much better when it's prettier.  I like to pretend I'm an Aztec God feasting on the hearts of sacrifices.....what? At least I pretend without the help of bath salts, but I digress.

I decided that Oreo cheesecakes at local Coffee Shops are SOOOOOOO not worth the price.  It's just Oreos and cream cheese having a party on a cookie crust.  it's not even baked!  ugh It bugs me when I see people buy things they can make for less than half the price.  Besides, I doubt Starbucks makes metaphors about Heart-eating Aztec Gods so home made is an added bonus.

I didn't follow a recipe, I just remember a friend's mom making it and it just stuck because it's ridiculously easy.

You need

A box of Oreos *or the bootleg kind, I really love the ones from Safeway because they have penguins with bow-ties on the cookie*

*Safeway is an American Grocery store*

1 package of Cream Cheese (8oz. package)

1 packet of unflavored gelatin

1 cup of white sugar

1 tsp of Milk

Melted Butter

Oreos here are slightly different from ones in the U.S.  I'm living in Manila, but these are from Indonesia :o.  That's crazy yo!  Sometimes I crave for "Biskuit Sandwich Coklat" from time to time.

These Indonesian Oreos are smaller and look more brown :o  The cream has a more milky taste and these were easier to open.  There was a smaller amount of cream in this one too! :(

Separate the cookie from the cream and CRUSH them!  Mix with melted butter and press onto a pan.  It looks like soil, but this soil causes diabetes.

TA-DAH!  Compressed the crust.  I forgot this wasn't a spring form pan so yeah, fail on my part, but it looks cute :3  You can give it to a special person.....or just hoard it to yourself and huddle in a dark corner.

For the filling, just put in softened Cream Cheese with the milk and sugar.  For the gelatin, follow the manufacturer's instructions and dump it in as well.  I started to fork the cheese and It looked like it was screaming.  I just put a face on it and made it go "ah yah"!

What it looks like when you add everything in the bowl.  I think I ate like a third of the mixture.  

Fill this up!  

Through Sailor Moon like magic, It chilled really quickly.

Flip the pan over a plate and pray it comes out.  I forgot to add, just pace the mold in warm water and make sure it's submerged halfway, then flip it over.  It came out but the crumbs started to fall out, whoops.  I should have put more butter but oh well, less calories I think :0  My brother was drooling over this and I let them take the first bite hahaha.

It tasted FUCKING delicious.  This took about 6 hours to make, but less than 20 to finish.  Oh the cruel Irony T-T  This is really easy to make!  No baking required, unless you like to "bake" at the same time to stimulate appetite, then by all means "bake".  

I'm might post about my heart shaped eggs for a mini post.

Have any suggestions/comments/concerns?  Feel to e-mail me or comment down below, I don't bite, unless you're made out of Oreo Cheesecake or an Aztec God that eats hearts.

What food would you like to see me make?  I'm up for a challenge :)

Strapless

Sorry I've been M.I.A for a couple of weeks.  It was midterms at my school and I had to haul ass and rearrange some things.  I have basic design foundation classes and so far (they're not very challenging) granted that I have already taken these before at my old school before I transferred here.  Can I just say that the color wheel is the BANE OF MY EXISTENCE?!  Anyway, I finally had some time to  blog :)  I really missed blogging, even though I was only gone for a little while.  It's starting to get all rainy and typhoony (yes, I made those words up,)  it's a blessing and a curse.

I recently got referred to some people looking for designers and they asked to see samples :)  Of course I was excited and their style is up my alley.  Wearable, street chic fashion is what they're all about.  They're new players to the market and I can't wait to see them emerge and offer Fashion with a Korean flavor to the Philippines.

I've been sketching like crazy and just whipped something up for my clients.  I decided to make something sexy but demure at the same time.  I thought something simple like a strapless mini dress.  Not the skanky kind you see people at clubs wear and they end up looking like Vienna Sausages.  I was thinking something Taylor Swift would wear and write breakup songs in for 10 tracks in an upcoming album.  I digress, here are the pictures :)

I chose these two textiles because I love the texture and pattern.  If you read further, you'll see  that the navy fabric is woven into a houndstooth pattern as well.  It's really gorgeous and really thick.  I like to think that if Zooey Deschanel wanted to be a hipster Batman, she'd wear this dress with black tights and booties and a cape with a mask.  Quirkiness is charming.  Being charming >Slutty

The bustier was the most difficult to sew.  Drafting the pattern was pretty simple, but constructing it and putting in the boning was really time consuming.  I'm really happy the way it turned out though.  It took me about 5 hours from start to finish.  I would work in 2 hour increments and rest in between.

That's not puckering, my iron broke -__-  I chose to do a gathered a-line skirt because I like the silhouette.  Think of the prom dress Andy made in "Pretty in Pink" BEFORE she ruined it.  I always tend to make the dress slightly larger in fear of it not fitting correctly even though I've trued the pattern numerous times, I just get so paranoid hahaha.

 Close Up of the material.  I bought the last bolts of this houndstooth and It was only about 1 to 2 USD for 5 yards.

One thing I love about fashion is Texture.  It looks so comfy and safe you know?

I used a plaid lining fabric.  I love cute linings.  It may sound weird because you never see it anyway, but It's the fabric closest to you and you don't notice it.  It makes sure you're comfortable and at ease and doesn't expect anything in return.  Think of it as Ji hoo from Boys Over Flowers and the outer fabric as Gu Jun Pyo.  Sorry I got all cheesy hahaha.  I almost forgot, I used a 10 inch zipper.  I used a normal one because Invisible ones are really annoying to put on with out the invisible zipper foot for the sewing machine.

 My preliminary sketches.  I couldn't find a black to match the houndstooth so the navy was the next best thing.  My friend saw the sketch and said the girl with black hair looked like Lupin the III.  I agree.
The post-it notes were suggestions I wrote down so next time, the dresses would be perfect.  I need to use more fun colors.  I always default to muted or subtle colors out of habit.  You know what they say, branch out :).

I'm planing to create more separates.  What do you guys think?  Hopefully, when time permits, I can have an actual person TRY on my clothes for the camera :)  Got any suggestions, comments, passive aggressive ramblings to throw my way? Feel free to leave them in the comment box and I'll respond as soon as I can :)  

News

I've gotten super busy with school projects, clients and other things to blog good quality content for you guys :(  I'd rather tell you guys now that I won't be updating as much for the next couple of weeks.  Rather than update normally with sub par/vapid content that's rushed for the sake of posting, I'd rather be honest. I hope you guys understand!  Btw, thank you for all the support you've given me so far, I really appreciate the feedback and comments you leave me :)  I will update this week though :o  I'm super excited to tell you guys :)

Little Plaid Dress

When I used to live in a place with colder weather, my closet was FILLED with plaid.  I think I wore it everyday and it came to the point where the only thing missing was a full beard, an axe and a fetish for chopping down trees to make my log cabin.  Since lumberjacks consume massive amounts of smoked and cured meats, I was prepared for such situations. (As long as you took away the manual labor, I'm only it it for the bacon, axe and clothing.)  Back to the topic,  uh, plaid, yes plaid!  I think it's a very classic pattern and everyone should have at least one plaid shirt.  They're so warm and soft when they get worn in and they give/have so much character.  But this time, I'm talking to the ladies(or lady boys).  I love plaid, and I love baby doll dresses.  I've always been into 60's silhouettes and the 1995 movie Clueless.  Put the two together and you have a plaid, baby doll dress!  This dress isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I'm sure with some personal styling it could appeal to a wide audience.

I started by drafting a pattern from an existing garment and I altered it drastically by making the bodice shorter and eliminated the zipper.  I love these tools!  They make sewing and my life much easier.  The tracing wheel makes me think of a pizza cutter and I get so hungry for pizza when I draft patterns.  JESUS, WHAT I'D GIVE FOR A PIZZA RIGHT NOW.

Please excuse the HIDDY lighting.  I'm just starting out with my fancy camera and it's gotten so cloudy that I was lucky to get these in.  It's super short and I would hope the wearer would pair this up with tights and a pair or flats or ankle booties :)  She'll have legs for DAYS!  Think Twiggy and Cher from Clueless combined!  

 The fabric is a navy plaid with maroon and green accents that are quite subtle.  I left the selvage edge  because it doesn't fray and I think it adds a nice charm to something so neat and clean.  The belt is detachable and it can be slipped on really easily.  I just wanted to practice my sewing and made this dress in a couple of hours.

I little sketch I made when I was planning out the dress hours ago.  I love how long her legs look (well I drew them that way so hurr durrrrr)  I'm planning on having a 60's themed photo shoot with a friend modeling it.

I think it looks really gorgeous in natural light.  I miss simple, Classic pieces rather than those sheer blouses and blog shop dresses that have become fast fashion and girls end up reselling them or throwing them away :/  Maybe it's the hoarder in me but, clothes should be an investment and not a way to keep up with others so you can fit in.  Find the best quality, not quantity.  Nothing is more stylish than a piece that has you written all over and is classic.  I'm not the most fashionable person, but I can see it when someone just puts something on just because they think it's the new 'it/in' thing.  Excuse the preaching, but I really abhor people becoming Lemmings.  (Apparently, mass suicide among these rodents are a myth Disney created, creepy!)

P.S
I've recently had an exciting opportunity come up and I have to postpone my personal projects and focus on a new project :)  I'll fill you guys in once stuff starts to get get finalized.  I can't wait to share with you guys :)

Any comments, suggestions, refutations against my stance on fast fashion, therefore labeling yourself as a lemming? Leave me a comment.  I'd love to hear from you!

Korean Food

I always try to frequent this restaurant once a week.  It's one of my favorites near school because this place offers more than fried chicken, McDonald's fries and douches playing beer pong during the day.  It's pretty quiet and cozy, Although, I wish the tables were different because I hate sitting with strangers/sitting near them.  The restaurant is called Korean Fellow Feeling.  The name makes absolutely no sense.  It's one of my favorite places to spend time with friends when we just want something simple and wholesome to eat. Btw this isn't sponsored or anything like that.  I just love food and I really felt like this place is special enough for me to share with you guys!

 Every time I wait for my order, I love to analyze the meaning deeply.  Perhaps it's about feeling the   camaraderie with fellow diners as we partake in Korean food.  The Tiger with a chef hat is nice touch too!  Nothing is more comforting than a Tiger capable of holding utensils and no eyelids.

 I love practicing my Hangul here.  If you can read/understand some Korean it's fun to practice here.  Sprite on the menu is written as "sa-i-da" Or cider.  I thought they sold Chillsung cider/칠숭사이다 here and I got kinda disappointed.  ㅠㅡㅠ

 The stuff my dreams and blog are made of...KIMCHI!  Their kimchi is handmade and you can order a head of kimchi on their menu for take out :D  You can almost taste the Ahjumma's blood, sweat and tears in every fermented morsel.

 I always default to Bibimbap whenever I go here.  It's so filling and waaaay better than the other bibimbap  that whack joints nearby try to sell.  The veggies are super fresh and they're not stingy at all!  I wish they added a hot stone bowl/Dolsot/돌솥 and Gosari/고사리/I have no Idea what it is in english Google it maybe?

Bibimbap means Mixed rice, literally!  

                Bibim/비빔=Mix

Bap/밮

They have this wall on the 2nd floor where you can write on it :)  I wish people had more interesting/clever stuff to write on the walls.  But I still laughed hahaha. If you look closely, You can see Darren and Ally's writing on the wall.  I think CL is a lost relative of Darren and Ally clearly loves Park Bom haha.The guy in the middle is holding something...how do you say it politely?....something ...dick shaped.  Well, this is my favorite place to eat at and I can't wait to greet the Ahjumma.  If she likes you, she might give you free ice cream!  If not, it's because you were being a 새끼


Fellow Feeling is located by the Ministop next to the SDA building.  Got any questions or comments?  Feel free to leave some, I'd love to hear from you, unless you're Mitt Romney.

Made by hand

I love making things by hand.  My philosophy is, If I can make it, I don't buy it.  So Vodka, Macarons and yarn all have to be store bought for me.  You also save so much more money if you make yourself a knitted hat, rather than buying one at H&M/Forever21.  They over price their sweat shop labor goods.
Here are some projects that I recently finished. :)

My friend recently gave birth and I haven't had the time to give her the baby hat I made for her baby boy :)  It's the black one with the red pom-pom on it.  I also made and hand stuffed a whale from fabric scraps I took with me from San Francisco.  The orange hat is for me.  I hate hats that are thin and sewn together from knit fabric.  So cheap and flimsy, YUCK!

I hope her baby doesn't grow up too fast!  I love the pattern the yarn makes.  It's so fun and if you squint, you can pretend that the specks of color are racing to get to the top.  Who will win?!

It can be worn slouchy or you can turn the brim up if you're more pragmatic.  I can't wait to wear this when I go back home for Christmas :)  The yarn is an Alpaca wool and it's super soft and not scratchy.  If you could knit kittens, this is what it would feel like. (Don't knit kittens, that's gross)

I made this lumpy stuffed whale from a template I saw online.  I thought it was cute and gave it it a try. Well, her pattern was meh so I just added button eyes because it looked more sad hahahaha.  I'm looking for a small horn so I can make a Narwhal.  I remember dying this fabric a looong time ago.  It was an organic, woven bamboo and it was a really hideous Ecru color.  I decided to hand dye it a dark navy and I made a shirt out of it for a friend's birthday present a couple of years ago.  Wow time flies.  Now the scraps have become a Whale.  I love the little imperfections.  It means I have a long way to go and that I would have failed if I took Marine Biology.  I apologize to all marine biologist and whale enthusiasts for my gross interpretation of sea life.