Window shopping in New York

I escaped from my work world of carpenters, plumbers, 

painters, electricians and gardeners 

and spent a few days shopping new inspiration in New York. 

 The weather was classic fall, and perfect for traipsing all over town 

with my camera and iPad to capture these photos and share the fun here.

Enjoy!

Lord and Taylor

Tom Ford

Ralph Lauren Store

   

 
             .        

Tinsel Trading

                       

                                                                          Free People

Louis Vuitton

.          

Waldorf Astoria Wedding Display

 

Ralph Lauren inspired choker necklace

I've always been a fan of Ralph Lauren and his design sense.

He has a classic timeless quality to his designs that I am drawn to

So when I came across this choker necklace in his

2011 spring collection runway show

* * * * *

my imagination sparked !

I had a fabric swatch in front of me for a clients window treatments

and a pile of fun jewelry bits and bobs

( yes, I seem to live with little piles of creativity throughout the cottage )

folding the fabric on the bias gave me a more interesting pattern

and the swatch was just large enough to fit a neck size

my excitement with the possibility builds !

I know I may be odd this way but it is how my imagination works...

Bits of chains are laid out for visual, and the fun begins

needle and thread, glue and wire cutters are rounded up

and the actual design begins to take shape.

Want to see what I ended up with and the cost nothing ?

.

Speaking of shoulder weight...

I've had the opportunity to page through most of the paraphernalia collected at the CHA show. My mind filling with ideas, visualizing much more than what is being shown in the pile of collected catalogs and after several hours,

It is time to take a little creative break.

There is a heavy canvas bag calling for my attention....

Unexpectedly, I find myself back in my studio digging through some of my past clients upholstery fabric samples for a swatch with dark blues and white as I was drawn to the heavy cotton canvas bag so generously supplied by the company

named Merchants Overseas.

I was thrilled to come across an Italian cotton paisley swatch from Ralph Lauren that was a perfect match, and considering the company's logo had served its purpose,

being exposed at a trade show, I chose to do a remake of the tote covering

the wording with this fabric.

The new look is simple, chic, fun and a super quick sew.