My Retro Heart

© Melissa Gaggiano

From the world, to my head and my heart. I put these things to paper, reflecting back to the world the beauty that I see.

Lady Down the Street

© Melissa Gaggiano

I'm the Bat

    One of my kids loves, loves, loves superheroes, and none more so than Batman. She will sometimes walk about calling herself The Bat [need I say more].

    For her birthday she was given Batman Lego which she has been playing with everyday.

    And because she loves her denim jacket and Batman so much I brought the two together. Tonight I stitched a handcrafted Batman logo onto the back of the denim jacket. The Bat was ever so polite and thankful.

Pen and Red Nail Polish

    I did some late night doodling. I pulled out a fashion mag and chose a couple of photos to draw from. I didn't worry about perfection or getting the proportions just right [that would have meant starting with a pencil and eraser]. I just went straight in with a black pen. And on the girl in the middle I added some colour using nail polish [I was too tired to pull out my water colours at the time]. Sometimes you have more fun when you are not trying to be perfect.

Illustrations by Melissa Gaggiano.

Witch Style

    I absolutely love, love, love watching the Charmed television series. I cannot tell you just how many times I have watched the show. Innumerable really. I think I can safely say I know the show like the back of my hand. If there was a board game based on the show I would no doubt win every game.
    I like the family/sisterly orientated themes of the episodes and some of the witchy-poo humour [I am remembering Prue Halliwell stirring a cauldron brew, murmuring to herself, "I feel like I should be cackling".
    But those aren't the only things to enjoy about the show. Then there are the gorgeous glad  rags worn by these witchy women. My ultimate favourite dresser in the show is Paige Matthews [played by Rose McGowan]. My second favourite in the dress up stakes is Phoebe Halliwell [played by Alyssa Milano]
    Today I am gushing and drooling over these Charmed looks as seen in season 5...

Summery Doodling

Illustration by Melissa Gaggiano

Doodling Along

I have little to say, but that is because my brain is doing a whole lotta thinking.


Here are some of my journal doodlings…

And here is something I am going to further develop. Not sure what I'll ultimately do with it though…

Yummy Food

What are you reading?
Mansfield Park — Jane Austen


Who totally rocks?
Countess of Abbingdon (aka Lara Croft)


What do you wish to watch?
The House of Elliot (British TV series)

4 Lil Achievements

This week I finished making Gwen's lil outfits, one of which Gwen is modeling in the above photos. I am so very proud and pleased that this sewing project turned out well. And I actually finished!?! Well, I did have a very real incentive — I had a kid who was fast running out of clothes (trying to only do the clothes washing once a week). Hopefully these new outfits will also deter Gwen from playing with her nappy.

Best Laid Plans of Mice & Me

Earlier this week I had every intention of taking part in the NaNoWriMo. However after much thought this morning, there are so many other things I want to be working on in the coming weeks. So I decided to not go ahead with this particular activity.

Though I do come up with great ideas for creative writing. I am definitely more at ease with illustrating my ideas.

I recently picked some lovely wool — Dazzle 8 ply Heirloom (as pictured above). I am not entirely sure what I'll do with it. Though I was thinking of making some doll clothes with it, or even leg warmers for Gwen for when it is cold again next year.

My Creative Space...

Life inside a kaleidoscope

Okay! So here's the thing... I haven't been blogging a whole lot lately. I have been in that vague space between projects. Also lately I had been spending way too much time following blogs... like as in... all day. So I really needed a timeout. Also I didn't really feel that I had anything of interest to contribute, hence the radio silence.

Now that I am back on the train let me tell you/show you what I have been up and what I would really love to do in the future.

Since May this year I have been fixing up two old photographs which had been taken over fifty years ago. The photos are of my mother in law and her folks. I am now at the stage of almost feeling that I can stop doctoring the photo in Photoshop. When I am satisfied with the result I'll show a before and after. So stay tuned for this one.

• This past week I have been doing a makeover of myself, taking inspiration from Alice Cullen of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight. I started with a haircut.
  

• I then found some items that could easily belong in Alice Cullen's wardrobe.
  

• I tried to find a similar dress that Alice wears in the promotional photos from the first film, of course to no avail. So I decided that I would try to make the dress myself. I bought some grey/silver fabric which I will have a go at.
  

• I also would like to knit/crochet my own version of the white jacket that Alice wears in the cafeteria scene in Twilight, which is simply a delight.

I am also making production notes and preparing to make an animation short in Flash. This will be my first real attempt at a proper little animation, so I cannot say if this project will even get off the ground. Here's hoping though.

My Creative Space...

Reality sets in as the candle burns from both ends. Last week I had hoped to have completed pattern making and sewing Gwen's new Autumn clothes. But with so many other things that also needed doing, this particular project has been on the back burner. However today is my day for making some corrections to the shirt and pant patterns. Then hopefully tomorrow I will be able to get a couple of outfits all done for Gwen to wear by the weekend.

Last week I showed some drafts of a new illustration series. I worked a bit on that over the week, and if you follow this link, you will see the first completed illustration. If you follow this second link you will see my latest draft for the second illustration in that series.

Also tonight I plan to prepare a shepherd's pie loosely based on Claire Robertson's blogged recipe. I bought myself a casserole baking dish the other day so I can pull this off. This in itself I consider to be creative because heaven only knows how my cooking turns out.

I am now reading "Sense & Sensibility" by Jane Austen. Where would my sanity be without my reading books?

Peri's Second & All Things Design

This sketch is an early draft for my second illustration in the Peri series.

I will continue work on this illlustration tonight. However today I need to carry on with designing and sewing Gwen's Autumn weather clothes. So that is my plan for today.

Yesterday I picked up the latest issue of IDN magazine (Vol 16 #2). It is always a fine day when I pick up my latest IDN. IDN keeps on track with designers and illustrators the world over. This makes for invaluable resource, and a fantastic source of inspiration.

Here are two fashion illustrative efforts for today. For a person who doesn't spend a lot on them, I am fascinated by shoes.

Illustrated Sunday

Yesterday I worked on the following Derwent and pen illustrations.

I just love the smell of Derwent pencils!

Retrospective Fashion

This illustration was something I did a couple of years ago. It was from one of my crazy fashion idea phases. I love going through those phases for any form of art. So many interesting ideas get put to paper, and this illustration was certainly no exception to the rule.