2015 has been a great year of learning. My most cherished passions--fashion, art, and travel--have been good to me. I took inspiring fashion design classes at the Academy of Art University. I visited many a museum and gallery to see amazing pieces of art. I got to travel to interesting places in the United States, the Caribbean, and Europe. I feel grateful for the opportunities I have in my life. 

My love for art and travel feed into my fashion design and I want to take this opportunity to reminisce about three major lessons I learned from my design work during this year. These lessons will play a prominent role in my future work. 
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1. Draw inspiration from what matters to me - I believe in looking at the world around me with intent and appreciation. For instance, when it comes to travel, I created garments and textiles inspired by China and Amsterdam and New York City. I find that designs that come out of my interests are the strongest ones. 

2. Work hard and dig deep - I like a good challenge. I sketch a dress every day and have consistently improved my fashion illustration skills. I take classes and push myself to learn as much as possible about the creative process. I have completed many fun projects this year. Digging deep pays off!

3. Stay true to myself - Sharing ideas with the world is a matter of vulnerability. Although it is scary to present a new dress or a sketch, what is the other option? The biggest lesson for me is to believe in my ideas and be proud of everything into which I have delved! I believe there is no other way but a "just do it" attitude. 

I have had so much fun sharing ideas on fashion, art, and travel with you. A huge thank you for your ongoing support! Here's to 2016 being full of beauty and creativity! New horizons are calling! 

World from a kayak. Rock Hall, Maryland.

Photo taken in September 2015. Credit: Martina Sestakova.

​I am a huge believer in comfortable clothes. This is particularly true during the chilly winter days that await us. The more layers we wear, the more important it is for these clothes to fit properly and be comfortable while keeping you warm. 

With style and fit in mind, I recently designed and sewed a tunic I am excited to wear during this time of year. Tunics are popular garments all around the world. They can be easily styled with pants or leggings and dressed up and down for a variety of social occasions.  

I love the loose fit and the boxy silhouette. The knit fabric drapes wonderfully and hugs my frame. It is a lovely dark shade of green with tiny golden links of thread. I introduced a "butterfly" ​fold on the sides to add visual interest to the tunic and to highlight how the fabric cascades down. 

Do you own a tunic? What does it look like? How do you style it? Let me know!

Fashion designer Sonia Rykiel. 

I have already shared with you details about working on a custom hand-painted collection of t-shirts. This collection is now done! So, let's take a look at it. 

I am a strong believer in documenting my design process as I learn about myself and at the same time can easily tell the story of my inspiration and creativity. The three pages below show how I worked in my sketchbook, got on my kitchen floor to do test t-shirts, and finally transfered my favorite designs onto actual t-shirts. 

While the best part of my collection is its custom and hand-painted aspect, it is also really useful for me to play around with color schemes on the computer. I used PhotoShop to take each of my three designs and to change the colorways to see what would happen. Endless possibilities! 

As the Fall 2015 semester is nearing its end, I realize how much I have learned about textile design and how much confidence I have gained in my work. I have enjoyed all of the parts of the creative process and am looking forward to my next projects. But now ... I am off to wear one of my t-shirt designs!

You can see other projects of mine on Pinterest. 

Wandering through the National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C. last week took me to an exhibition called "One Life: Dolores Huerta." Sadly, I admit to having never heard of this iconic woman. After seeing the show, I believe we should all know about her life and cause. 

Dolores Huerta, 85 years old now, has been an international icon of freedom and dignity for all members of society. She has devoted her life to a variety of causes but some of the most notable ones include fighting for improved conditions of farm workers and field laborers and a national campaign (1965) to boycott table grapes from growers who refused to address labor union requests. 

I believe it is essential to learn about social causes and people who fight for freedom and social equality. Dolores Huerta's life has definitely prompted me to think about history and where we are today in terms of laborers. If you find yourself in the area, stop by the exhibition. I promise it will open up your eyes!

"One Life: Dolores Huerta" is on display at the National Portrait Gallery through May 15, 2016. 

Urquhart was once one of Scotland’s largest castles. The Castle was a witness to major conflict throughout its 500 years as a medieval fortress. Its history from the 1200s to the 1600s was exceptionally bloody. Urquhart changed ownership between the Scots and the English several times.  ​

As my photos suggest, the Castle and Loch Ness are a popular tourist destination. Don't worry, though. You may be surrounded by groups of fellow travelers but as you walk around the Castle, you will still feel like the place is all yours. And the story of Nessie will add to the excitement!

Nessie, as the Loch Ness Monster has been called since the 1940s, is a cryptid that supposedly inhabits the lake. It was first brought to the world's attention in 1933. While evidence of its existence is anecdotal, the locals are rather serious about their beloved monster. ​I may have not gotten to see the real one but a cute Nessie was painted nearby! 

I encourage you to venture to the Scottish Highlands and visit Urquhart Castle, learn about the local history, and search for Nessie. 

View of Greenbrier State Park from Annapolis Rock. Boonsboro, Maryland.

Photo taken in October 2015. Credit: Martina Sestakova. 

My final project for "Textile Printing for Product," a graduate class I am taking at the Academy of Art University, is a collection of custom made t-shirt designs. The project presentation is soon, so I am in the final stages of the creative process. What a fun project this has been!

I started working on the final project a few weeks ago. First, I selected my inspiration. As inspiration, I enjoy combining different topics within the same project since it pushes me to think creatively and look deep into the original idea. For instance, I am investigating the idea of landscapes for this project. I recently visited New York City and Amsterdam. My travels prompted me to search for images of city scapes (e.g., skyscrapers) and country scapes (e.g., rows of tulips). Both of these are man-made but offer different color schemes and textures to implement into my t-shirt designs. Below you can see a board that pulls my favorites photos/imagery together to communicate the collection's inspiration. 

Second, I got to hand-paint on t-shirt shaped muslin cutouts. This allowed me to practice and generate many different designs. The t-shirt designs combine the inspiration: I use cool color schemes and geometric shapes to portray the city, and I use vivid color schemes and organic floral shapes to portray the country. 

Third, I created different color schemes for the t-shirt designs in PhotoShop. I took photos of the t-shirts that I painted and altered the colors using various tools the program offers. This is a great way to produce additional design ideas without having to actually paint them by hand.

The last step of the final project process is to select three designs and paint them on actual t-shirts. I like to give myself time to make this selection as I want the collection to be visually appealing and balanced. I will keep you posted of my final collection! Stay tuned!

Canadian fashion designer Linda Lundstrom. 

​Most inspiration for my fashion designs comes from observing the world around me. I collect interesting images that I find in magazines, photograph things that catch my attention, and then I sketch in my sketchbook. From time to time, however, I drape on the dress form to generate new design details and ideas.

The human body is a tricky form to design for. One, we are all very different. Two, our bodies move constantly and thus a garment needs to function properly as well as look great. Testing ideas on the dress form addresses the 3-dimensional aspect of our bodies. I can see how a piece of fabric behaves on the body--how it drapes, where it makes sense to add volume, and how to adjust the silhouette.

See below for an example of my work. I cut out two large pieces of muslin (a cheap fabric great for testing of design ideas). Then, I got to work! The sample on the left is a skirt or a bottom to a dress. The sample on the right is a top (as a separate piece or with a skirt added to create a dress). The sketches show you how I interpreted what I saw on the dress form into my own designs. 

It is great to have a variety of ways to generate new ideas. And while I tend to prefer photography, I realize how important draping is. So, I will make sure to incorporate it into my work more. The options are limitless!