Sketchbook snippets

So, I thought before I showed you all what I'm making for my current project, I'd just give you a little preview of my research and show you a few of my sketchbook pages that I have been working on :)

I have used these little scrabble tiles on each folder I have used, for my patterns, designs, research, samples, swatches and toiles :)

I have collected a large number of images that have a old 'granny style' sepia tone to them. I love the antique-y look to them, and also the colour scheme of browns, neutrals and cream colours.

...and I also found this editorial in Pop magazine, where the stylist had used clothes and accessories from the current season and styled them in a way which had a really awesome 'granny chic / bag lady' look to it, using beehives, granny glasses, head scarves and a huge number of vintage and retro luggage :)

Then to focus more on my concept, I have been looking at hidden meanings and interpretations. I really like how certain items of objects can hold different sentiments to different people, provoke memories and have many stories behind it :) I am not sure if any of you have seen the french film 'Amelie'- but I have done a page here that relates directly to my concept. There are several references to it in the film, when she finds the little tin box behind one of her bathroom tiles (with the little boy's keepsakes inside it, which she later returns to him as an older man) and when she picks up the mysterious man's photo book, and tries to deduce the meaning behind it with her friend Bretodeau :)

I then looked at things that people could keep for sentimental reasons, like letters. These ones I found were particularly special as they had been decorated as 'Mail art'. Oh, and stamps. I like stamps :)

I then asked my mum if I could rifle through all my Grandma's boxes of keepsakes and photographs, and I found so many wonderful things! I found loads of really old photos of family and childhood holidays from the 1920s onwards. It was odd as I didn't know who most of the people in the photos were, but after my mum explained it all to me, it gave them a meaning, and made them all the more special.

I also found a collection of love letters that my Grandad had written to my Grandma when they were young and in love :) It was so lovely to find these!

I also found a little scrap book of these postcards (the ones in my sketchbook are printed scans, as the real postcards were about 70 years old and very, very fragile!) that my Grandma's father had written to her and her sister when we was away fighting as a soldier in the war. The illustrations are beautiful, and you certainly don't get postcards sent like this any more!

Now this page here shows a photograph that I took of what used to be my Grandma's carpet at her old house. I had always loved the print and the colours, even though it was quite loud and floral and was a nightmare to find lost pieces of playmobil on :)

I have started to replicate the pattern on a piece of Aida cross stitch fabric, which I plan to use as a detail on a couple of my final garments- as bows and a peter pan collar made from this fabric, and decorated with this pattern!

Just another load of images that I am yet to stick in :)

...aaand this is just a few things I have collected that have that I feel fit well with my theme :)

I have a few more posts in the pipeline to show you more on this project!

I hope you are all having a good start to the new year :)

x