2018....Lets get started in here!

Well this year definitely didn't start out as planned (not sure it ever does).......we  took a bit of a dive at the start of the year with a number of tragic and unexpected circumstances. We had more change then we could shake a stick at - the loss of someone too close for comfort, moving house again, menaces with agendas, pet death, 2 job changes and the older fledglings (referring here to my older children) finally started spreading their wings to leave the nest - as you you can imagine it's been quiet distracting!

Onto the second part of the year....... and we are all finally finding our feet again! I have a part time job I like, working in retail and partly in haberdashery (how cool is that?? something to compliment what I love to do). My photography antics have kept growing and my renewed happiness has meant I can actually allow some focus toward my plans for Forge again and get back to my creativity with some conviction (which had dwindled under the pressure, was getting pretty exhausted for a bit).

Anyway my favorite thing to do here lately is picture dump......but fingers crossed for more relevant regular ramblings too...

Onto the good stuff  a couple of my favorite collaborations for 2018 so far:-

INSTAGRAM

Hair by @anthonybayerhair
Styling @gathum 
Corset @forgefashion
Shirt @paddyperrett
Makeup @nzmakeupgirl for @blac_cosmetics 
Photographer @hamishmelville
Model @carrot_blood
Cage work @raewynbayer 

FACEBOOK

Photographer:- NEWO

Model:- Simone Stocks - Model

Collar:- FORGE

Crown:- The House of Boo

End of year sum up....

This year has been a year of change....it's contained lots of personal and family milestones and has reminded me there is nothing more constant then you guessed it change! I'm sure a lot of you out there also experienced some of this for yourself in 2017!

So onto the sewing stuffs:-
I have recently gotten back a studio space in which to work, and man am I excited - you could even say it has renewed my creative interest which seems to have dwindled severely of late. I can't say sewing at my kitchen table really floated my boat or left me much room to really be all that productive. Fingers crossed for much creativity and productivity in 2018!

Onto images from one of my favorite collaborations over the last few months......

Photo: Silver Pearl Photography
Model: Elisanth
Jewelry: Alchemy Gothic
Corset: FORGE
Top: The Gothic Shop
Hat: Jazzafine. pieces full of verve

Since I'm still photography my work (aka Trinitynavar) whenever I get a chance I have some new images from my own shoots over the last few months also to share....

 

Model & MUA:- Valentina Grim
Wardrobe & Claws:- FORGE
Photography:- Trinitynavar

Cindy Kim wearing
Crown & Collar by FORGE
Photography:- Trinitynavar

Model:- Siobhan Cuttance
MUA:- FingerGlitz - Melissa Wilton MUA & Nail Artist
Collar & Corset:- FORGE
Photography:- Trinitynavar

**LOL This post should really be called the big picture dump!! 

I'm not a big Xmas person but - Happy Holidays Everyone!!

My Briar Rose.....and the low!

This year started off with a bang, I got all creative and made this little beauty for a photoshoot:-

Sometime after it was presented online, a potential customer asked if we could discuss custom options (as this piece was made for a very slim model, and also from a limited supply of fabric I would need to upsize and find replacement fabric).........she also wanted to see more unedited pictures? After I provide high res images of the back and front she completely disappeared. Not much longer later give a month or so I spotted this on FB:-

  

Of course I thought to myself holy heck that looks like mine.......as it turns out this is an exact copy from the images I provided this potential customer - because she had flippen taken those images to another corset maker to copy it!!!!! Whats worse is the corset maker was being hit up to take more orders for it????? OMFG really.....when your just above being a starving artist and you see other people making money off your work......you do wonder what the point is!!! I mean really there was no imagination used.....lace up front, vine fabric, lace up straps, colour, and roses across the bustline!! It wasn't inspired - it was just copied!

Here is mine.......next to the imposter:-

I'm really not sure why this upset me so much it happens all the time.....literally, I have had all kinds of things copied (not usually as fast as this incident) , but I guess it was because I was approached first so it was not like the designer was unknown to either the customer or the other corsetmaker  :( 

Anyway I have to believe I have lots more creating to do and hold onto idea I can create something even better, because in the end creativity is it's own master and exist more for the pure joy of expression then just for $$.

AND then it was 2017....

Well that went fast!! It's been nearly a whole year since I've attended to my blog?? The days have keep on rolling by and I haven't so much kept track of myself like I use to (I maybe getting a little feral lol)!

Where am I at? My collection hasn't quite unfolded like I would have liked....but I have kept on creating and making so I guess that is something ;) I took sometime to have a clear out and am having bit of a Forge Etsy Sale, this is all directed towards sorting things out so I can get to my new projects as desired. Prior this I had a bit of a flop into the - 'I might just throw in the towel now' after having some mighty underhanded customers and dishonest folk scold me good! Along with that I found myself sewing at the kitchen table which hasn't exactly being ideal for taking custom commissions. But  really I  aways fall back into it......inspired excited and motivated toward some new project that fires up my heart again! Looks like I'm back, making plans, getting excited - so lets see what happens shall we!

Alan Bishop Photography

A month or so back I had the pleasure of working with Alan Bishop Photography on providing wardrobe for two separate shoots.  Here are the results:-

Model: Angelika Svetlove
MUA/Hair: Asha St Claire
Assistant: Alex Glen Bishop
Wardrobe: FORGE
Photography:- Alan Bishop Photography

Model:- Mikki Wild
Wardrobe:- FORGE
Photography:- Alan Bishop Photography

***You can look forward to a few more collaborations before the end of the year, both here and further a field - always excited to have a few projects up my sleeve :)

Productivity and staying motivated for winter...

I finally got myself settled into our garage......it's a little on the cold side, but actually more space in the long run, plus my teenage daughter and preschooler no longer have to share a room, and my 16 year old son is really appreciating his own space (giving everybody a bit of what they want really is the answer).

As we are heading into winter here in Christchurch, keeping healthy and motivated can be a bit of a struggle. This year I am determined to stay on task, and keep myself busy, creative and above all positive about what I'm doing. Small and big goals are being made, with some 'give' for all the waywardness of general life.

Currently I have a couple of orders to finish up, and then it's onto my planned project......
A new collection!! I hope to start as soon as possible, the intent is to keep my passion/interest in corsetry alive, in the spirit of this I hope to not only try things I've never done before, but also to expand on what I already know. Exciting!!!

But back to the present, I have been busy making stock for a local shop and also my ETSY Store https://www.etsy.com/shop/Forgefashion, as obviously my sales will help fund some of what I do (not that hoarding stuff for years will go astray either, I'm bound to work with what I have to start with). I also have that 'Trinitynavar' thing going on where I do my own photography with friends and local models. I've become quiet passionate about this sideline and actually shoot outside of Forge now, anyway I'll leave you with something from one of my recent playdates.

Model:- Cindy K - Model
Wardrobe:- FORGE
MUA & Photography:- Trinitynavar

ELISANTH for Forge Fashion.....

Model:- Elisanth

Lingerie Set:- FORGE

Jewelry:- Typical Paradox

Photography:- Zatsepin Alex

*** Can't wait for the rest of the images......