Etsy Shop!

I’ve finally opened up my etsy shop!
Take a look at some of the items I’ve posted!

Unfortunatley I wasn’t able to fit Quintessentially Eccentric as our shop name as it was just a bit long! So I’ve merged the two words together, giving us>

Quintessentric

 

Link > http://www.etsy.com/shop/Quintessentric?ref=ss_profile

 

 

 

Some Good News!

persistance really does pay off! And I’ve finally received some good news,  I’ve been able to secure myself a part-time job, which means I can now move forward and launch Quintessentially Eccentric in to the market place! All thanks to KFC! I’m looking forward to working for them, and know that the customer service training and experience I’ll gain will benefit myself and my business .

I’m incredibly excited about this, I find out my start date tomorrow, and hopefully after that, we will see some real progression with QE!

I have a lot of people to thank for this, I’ve received a lot of support, from my parents, grandparents, fiancée, my sister who bought me business books for presents! All the girls at Avanta for helping me secure a job , and Keith, my business mentor! Who has been a wonderful sounding board so far, and a great source of information and encouragement.

Waste Not, Want Not

I was hoping yesterday to have been able to go out and take  photographs of the clothing that I’ve made so far, perhaps in a beautiful yellow field, or an english country garden. The weather was horrible, it poured with rain, but, that’s England for you. Perhaps it didn’t work out so well for my photo shoot, but my vegetable patch is thriving! So instead of dazzling you with some real photos for a change, I’m going to have to leave you with my fully lined, Tartan bag, made from  recycling the material of a kilt, and including Military accents, the handles are made from a military tie, the gold buttons and patch came from the same jacket that I used to make my previous recycled military bags. Waste not, want not …

Menswear Just Got Interesting

eye-catching pinstripe bag made from a recycled waistcoat.

Menswear just got interesting with this eye-catching pinstripe bag! As part of my campaign to recycle and create ethical, sustainable fashion I made this beautiful waistcoat bag from a John Collier suit I found on one of my rummages’ through stores. The front of the waistcoat makes the flap of the bag, with two original, useable pockets. The rest was made from the trousers, including the bags strap, which was ingeniously created using the waist band of the trousers, and some very fetching Shaun the sheep fabric to line it.

Facebook!

 

Recycled Military Jacket

I was 16 when  I picked up my first Military jacket from a market stall in Durham. It was bright red, with shamrocks on the collar and elaborate sleeves and back. After that came my black dress jacket, a commanders in the artillery division. Ever since I have picked up Military jackets from market stalls and bootsales, as well as swords and weaponry, simply because I love the sleek  tailored design. My red jacket now hangs by my bed, alongside a replica of a sword used during the English Civil War.

A couple of months ago, I decided to give some of my purchases a make over, those that were somewhat sentimental I kept. I was surprised by what I was able to produce, but I feel they are beautiful, effective pieces of work. You can view more of my designs on my Facebook page @ https://www.facebook.com/QuintessentiallyEccentric

Here’s one of my favourite bags I made by recycling one of my jackets, the bag strap I created using the belt that came with the jacket, it has an interior pocket in the lining, and two exterior jacket pockets on the back and front, aswell as the original metal belt hooks.

Sarah

Shoulder bag, made from a recycled Military Jacket and Belt.

Shoulder bag, made from a recycled Military Jacket and Belt.

Spoilers!

I love spoilers, I’m the type of person who actively searches for spoilers about my favourite TV shows, I just can’t help myself! So, here are  just a couple of  photos to keep you looking forward to the release of part of my collection at the weekend! unfortunately I couldn’t find a model for today’s blog, so the clothing are displayed on hangers. Like the designs? Why don’t you like us on Facebook? Don’t forget, all our clothes are upcycled!

East Meets West Military Top With Side Frog Fastening

East Meets West Military Top (Red and Green, Back)

African Inspired Peplum Wrap Top

Recycling Vintage Silk Scarves

Last year I picked up half a dozen vintage scarves at a thrift shop,with the intention of using them in a craft recycling project, a few of those scarves were silk and silk-like, decorated with beautiful patterns!

It felt such a shame to waste them , especially considering not many women these days actually wear scarves anymore.

So I decided to see what I could make with them, one of them failed miserably,I suppose you could consider that a “practice piece”, but the ones I feel that have been successful, are using the scarf as a lining for a bag, and for creating the skirt of a dress. I’ve decided to do a separate blog entry on the bag, as it has so many unique and funky features I didn’t feel I could do it justice at the moment!

I really love the dress, the clashing prints and colours, the fitted bodice with the free-flowing skirt! It’s currently only “pinned” to the bodice, whilst I decide if I want to add a waistband in order to length the dress by an inch or so. The bodice I created by unpicking the seams of a chinese jacket and then re-cutting the material using a dress pattern.  The skirt itself was as free thinking in design as the material is in the wind. Recycling at its’ finest.

Sarah Louise Brandon

Upcycled Vintage Sideboard

A few years ago I became inspired by the idea of recreating vintage furniture,  If I’d jumped on board at the time and started upcycling furniture could have had an established furniture business by now. I however, didn’t, I concentrated on my University studys and left with a 2:1 degree,  having rarely received a mark in any of my modules lower than this.

I finished University, and started looking for work, what I should have done, was dedicated myself to starting my own business, but I didn’t, untill this year, when I finally felt, enough was enough. So here I am, starting to bring everything today, and I want to share with you my first piece of upcycled furniture, what used to be my Grandfathers sisters sideboard. I didn’t mange to take a before photo, however I actually managed to find the exact same design and make in a charity shop a few months ago, out of sheer luck, so I bought it! (Pictured below) I now use it to file away all of my paperwork, materials, and use the top as a book shelf, with two vintage singers as book ends.

My original idea, was to sand the entire sideboard down, and re-paint it duck egg blue! I did sand it down, and I removed the doors for ease of painting, and decided to do these first. I decided that I would make the  painting very free-flowing, like my paintings (Fine Artist) and if I didn’t like it, I could always paint over ! I didn’t start with a plan, I just painted what came to mind at the time. What I ended up with, was a beautiful expressive painting in gold leaf picturing the journey of dragons, leaving their castle, flying over the mountains, to set alight the village on the other side. Perhaps the design may not be as quaint as you may have originally thought!

Whilst I was checking them against the sideboard to see how they “flowed” together, I realised that I really loved the painted doors and the bare wood combination, and decided not to paint the entire sideboard.

I’m inspired a lot by the far east, and have always had a love of the fantasy genre, which I feel really shows in this upcycled vintage sideboard.

Sarah Louise Brandon

Quintessentially Eccentric Artwork

My Work Area

I thought, since I’ve been promising for a long time on my various blogs, that I would show you a few photographs of my work area! So here we go…

The most important part in any home or office! The books!! (and magazines) Cleverly stored between two vintage singers  on top of my beautiful sideboard I use to store my materials and files!

 

Followed by my antique writing desk I use for my laptop and to store stationary and important letters!  Not to mention my charity store find! A 1940s’ chair I picked up for £10, very comfortable!

Then of course, last but not least, my sewing desk, which I am afraid is looking a little bit messy as I haven’t bothered to clean it up today!