glossed & found spring fashion 2013

{ photos by Billy Rood, styling by Helen Burkun, creative direction by D. Graham Kostic, photo illustrations by Elise Bergman }

Bold rules in this Glossed & Found spring fashion editorial. I had a blast working with Graham to create the illustrations, backgrounds, and layouts for these colorful photos. Click here to see the entire story.

spring awakening

{ photo by Elise Bergman }

Here we are. Nearly two weeks into spring and months since I've posted any sort of update. I've spent the last several weeks doing a combination of traveling, creating, processing, detoxing, working, cleaning, organizing, reflecting, teaching, studying, cooking, and playing music. Change is in the air. 2012 was by far my busiest year for business and by December I was exhausted and in serious need of a break. 2013 has been decidedly more quiet. Blog posts will continue to be irregular for the time being, but I am excited to share some of the places I've been visiting, the food I've been cooking, and the projects I've been pursuing. Stay tuned.

bold blossoms

{ one and three: via Design Love Fest | two: via Stone Fox Bride }

pink and gold

{ one: Jennifer Behr brand book via Ro and Co | two: Kristin Reiter via her blog Bleach Black | three: Little Lucia necklace via Pinterest }

holding on to summer

{ one: via Things that Sparkle | two: via Pinterest | three and four: via Eskell | five: via My Damn Blog | six: via Natalie Off Duty | seven: via Vena Cava | eight: Les Demoiselles D'Hamilton via Miss Moss | nine: via Fashion Picanteria | ten: via Hanna Skoog | eleven: photo by Bennet Bergman | twelve: photo by Julia Felsenthal | thirteen and eighteen: photos by Elise Bergman | fourteen: via See Lanvin | fifteen: photo by Bennet Bergman | sixteen: photo by Rommel Pecson via Inspiration Station | seventeen: photo by Jose Villa | nineteen: via Retronaut | twenty: via Google | twenty-one and twenty-two: photos by Billy Rood | twenty-three: via Inspiration Station }

The entire summer has nearly come and gone without so much as a peep on the blog. I have been fortunate enough to have an especially busy season with weddings and custom projects. It's meant many extra hours spent at the sewing machine or cutting table, surrounded by piles of silk chiffon and crepe de chine, organic cotton, leather, sketches, and sewing patterns. It's also meant that email communication, blog posting, time dedicated to designing new styles, personal time, and summer relaxation have fallen a bit to the wayside. I shouldn't complain, because being busy is an indication that business is going well and that I've had the chance to collaborate with lots of amazing people on garments that I am extremely excited about. But, a few important things have been neglected and I'm looking forward to making sure I have a better balanced fall.

Even though I didn't have the chance to plant a garden or finish that furniture project that was on my list for this summer, I was able to do a little traveling (a late spring trip to Oregon and our annual Forth of July drive to Tennessee) and enjoy some of what makes Chicago so magical in the summer (farmers markets, bike rides, beach volleyball, Miko's Italian Ice, and the occasional boat ride on Lake Michigan). Here's to trying to squeeze in a few more adventures, outdoor drinks with friends, bike rides to the lake, jumps in the pool, tennis matches, little white dresses, family time, sing-alongs, local produce, meals cooked on the grill, and restful Sundays before summer is officially over and fall sets in.

a small collection: all things blue

{ one: via Wren Handmade | two: via Oh Joy! | three: Kelly Wearstler vibe tray | four: via Scout & Catalogue | five and six:

a collection of some of my own little blue things }

Clockwise from top center: books of blue, a teal-toned misprint of some of my Suitor packaging, a postcard from an open house at Dock 6 Collective, my mom's turquoise beads, a tape measure, an antique tin, security envelopes, a cyanotype test from a college photo class, some sewing notions and a fabric swatch, and a photograph by Donna Moore.

seeing spots

{ one and two: thrift store find | three: Anthropologie Luxe Shine Wallpaper | four: Emerson Fry Airy Dots Blouse | five: thrift store find | six: via The Sartorialist | seven: via The Design Center |  eight: Anthropologie Circles Galore Maillot | nine and ten: Hound SS12 Collection featuring an abstract dot print by Michelle Vondiziano of January Prints | eleven and twelve: thrift store find | thirteen: via Fashion Gone Rogue | fourteen: Nicole Cari via Closet Visit | fifteen: via The Sartorialist | sixteen: via Fashion Gone Rogue | seventeen: Madewell Silk Dotty Dress | eighteen: via Pinterest | nineteen: via The Sartorialist | twenty: via Atlantic-Pacific }

On a recent trip to the thrift store, I unintentionally loaded up my cart with multiple items covered in polka dots. All the dotted prints I've been seeing must have snuck their way onto my subliminal wish list because I ended up taking home a blouse and two dresses covered in spots. All fun, colorful, and just in time for some updates to my summer wardrobe.

birthday camping

{ photos by Elise Bergman (plus a few by Collin Moore) }

Collin's single request for his birthday every year is that we go camping for the weekend. Unfortunately, busy work schedules and testy midwest weather usually prevent us from taking a trip. Since his most recent birthday was his thirtieth, we decided that no matter what—rain, shine, looming presentations or the like—we were going to make it happen. I'm so glad we did because it was the perfect way to bid adieu to his twenties. We loaded up our packs with far more goodies than a seasoned hiker should (enough food and snacks for about five people, a full bottle of bourbon, extra layers to keep cozy, travel Scrabble, a couple different cameras, et cetera) and headed to the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois. We picked a trail that went along Kinkaid Lake and hiked until we found the most inviting spot to pitch our tent. Despite a damp couple hours on our first day and a few startling encounters with critters in the woods, the weather and the weekend were flawless. A delightful birthday celebration!