As I've already mentioned before I've got several projects to do during my fashion classes this semester. The one that inspires me the most and which I find the easiest at the same time because of a huge variety of possibilities is a prêt-à-porter collection inspired by any chosen etno culture, region or country. And for me it's like never ending inspiration!

Firstly, I love my country and its regional richness - every region in Poland has it's own tradition and historical costumes. Of course they're somehow coherent and based on Slavic style and way of living. But at the same time each region had developed it's own weaving pattern, it's own shapes and cuts and it's own details. A few months ago I did some research on Southern-East  (region called Lubelszczyzna) and I found at least 5 different styles (pictured below) so I cannot even imagine the vastness of inspiration hidden in the whole country.
 
Secondly, the world doesn't end on my closest surroundings but includes uncountable amount of other cultures! Thought, for the purpose of the project I decided to do some digging and to open my mind on regions I've never ever thought before. I started exploring Africa and what I found first was the Maasai people. But to be perfectly candid, they're quite well known over the world and taking their culture into consideration while doing my project would be a bit cliché. So I decided to browse deeper and I found Southern African people called Ndebele. And they are awesome! What they wear and how they decorate their houses is unbelievable! The sense of style is very graphic, based on geometrical black frames fullfilled with wide range of colors, extremly matching and synchronized all together.
 
I noticed some similar elements in the style of Maasai and Ndebele people as wide neck jewellery similar to collars, ankle wide bracelets, ponchos etc. So I decided to mix those to South-Eastern African cultures on my moodboard and I did few sketches. My further development will show if the direction I've chosen is ok. I'm also not sure if what I did is politically correct, but I hope that if it isn't, in the name of art it will be forgiven to me.

It took me some time to organize this Etsy shop. It wasn't difficult at all, to be honest, but I wanted it to be done properly and fully, with all needed descriptions and photos about my shop, my artworks, about what I do and how it all started, and about me as a seller too. From now on, you can visit me there to see majority of my artworks collected together. Some of them you might have seen before on the blog (secretly hidden in the last post), others I'm showing you in this post. There are a few which you haven't seen yet and I'll publish them on Etsy soon.
 
I'm wondering about changing the title of the website for my logotype. I did that partially on Etsy and I'm still convincing myself to that. Maybe it shouldn't look exactly as it looks on Etsy because it's rather a headline there. And I need a logo... What do you think? Should I? Maybe it's a good question to rethink during my upcoming Christmas holidays?

Anyway, I hope you'll like it and you'll find interesting what I've written. Feel free to browse and to share your comments with me! Have a nice day!

I do like having several different directions within my everyday errands. It's because being active makes me happy and gives me additional energy to force those prosaic duties which I had to and I don't like to do (you know - like cleaning my kitchen, ironing shirts and so on...) And it works really great when, after a really busy day, I come back home truly fulfilled, knowing I've done something creative and, honestly it's cool for me that there's laundry and the hoover waiting. Feeling that my life balance is good.
 
But obviously it's not always like that. It's getting harder when there's a deadline on the horizon, and it's getting even harder when there is a few of them. Then, in extreme situations, from my well balanced life it turns rather to workaholic existence with a lot of "fanny hours" spend with my projects.
 
Yesterday I briefly explained to you what I was doing lately e.g. with Breka. I admitted I needed some rest too and promised to share my tricks for that. So that's the point! We talk about so many different projects in here, why can't we talk about relaxing as well? Everyone needs to recharge the batteries and when you are the creative your relax might slightly differ from the relax of your non-creative friends. It shouldn't surprise you, as it's obvious you work in a diffrent way, it's clear you relax in a different way too.

Having a spare week?
 
Just go for a holidays!
 That's a whole new theme for another time... Do what you love the most, visit your favourite places - monuments, museums (my favourite one is Louisiana Museum of Modern Art near Copenhagen and Museum of Art MS2 in Lodz), art studios, attend to your favorite events - concerts, exhibitions, and have fun!

​
When you have a whole day or two..
 
Sleep well.
Let yourself thinking that you doesn't need to do anything that day, you doesn't even need to get up if you want! The awareness that you can do what you want (and you can simply do nothing) really helps to enjoy your sleep. It's ok that you overslept till the afternoon, got up two hours late, lounged with your eyes semi closed, had a brunch with your friends and went to bed again. It's really okay. It means that your body (your hand and manual skills will be thankful for that) and your brain needs extra hours of sleep to regenerate. Here you have the scientific explanation Why do we sleep? on Ted and how it helps us to relax. Hmm... I love having those sleepy days! 
 
Socialize!
I do believe that meeting new people opens your mind and can truly inspire you. The question is where can I meet the "proper" people to talk to? And this is what I do - I go for the opening of an exhibition. It's not really important if I like the gallery and the artist or not, if I have a companion to go with or I rather like to do it alone. I go there, enjoy the art , share my reflections with others and ask the others opinion. I love asking questions about the art. Sometimes you find a common language with a stranger, sometimes you don't. But the most important is the interaction and the freshness which always allows you concentrate on your interlocutor, not on your work.
 
Exercise!
I've never heard about someone for whom it doesn't work. I used to like the jogging but since I had my hip injuried I rather prefer to take yoga classes or workout at home with a little help of BeFiT youtube channel. I like to concentrate on the sport, to sweat, and to push myself to my limits. After that (and a shower of course) I'm like a newborn. It's even better when you do your workout outside - you additionally oxygenate your brain. So choose your favourite workout and just do it!
​

When it's only one evening/afternoon to take a breath
​
Take a bath
I love having my bath, with some aromatic oils or salts. I often darken the light and take a glass of wine with me. Calm down your breath, close your eyes, and dip your head under the water. Let the sough relax you! After the bath I always nourish my body with a coconut oil or some cacao balm because I simply just love sweet fragrances and that makes my bath even more enjoyable!

Read a story
With a mask on your face and wearing my favourite bathrobe (the best one is warm, just took out of the tumble dryer) I like to read one of my favourite books. For some of you some favourite magazines might be a better and more chilling option than a book. I'm the person who reads fashion and architecture magazines on a daily basis, searching for news and inspirations, so it doesn't relax me any more. Moreover, I have a few favourite books that I simply like to have in my closest surrounding (most of them on my fingertips from my bed) and I love reading them again and again. Not from cover to cover but one chapter, one paragraph or even one sentence which is to be thought about. The most important is to read a story which interests your mind! (Currently reading "Blue is the New Black" - really great one)

Listen to the music
It might sound mighty trivially cause music is an inseparable element of our everyday lives (and creative process as well!). I listen to my fovorite energetic songs during my morning routine, to the radio when driving to the studio, when working, when spending evening with my other half and so on... But do I really listen to music though? Can I literally hear the music? Or it's just a pleasant background for all my other activities? Yeah... Then, what I totally love to do is to turn off the light, leaving only my bedside lamp and/or aqarium, to close my eyes and to enjoy the sound. Of course for every one of us there is a different kind of music working, for me it's e.g. Gramatik. 

There was so many amazing things happening in my life lately, so it's been quite long since I wrote something here for the last time. But as it is with extremely busy periods, they always bring us many inspiring experiences and stuff to talk about. I think I owe you a quick update before I'll tell you more about each thing... Briefly, with Antilight we had a few amazing shootings for the blog and for Breka (and we're still working on the main website content, on the shop and the Breka's blog so stay tuned!). She is so talented! I love the atmosphere she creates on the set and I love how stirring all photos are. Moreover, I launched my personal shop with watercolor paintings on Etsy (<- click here to see it now, and I'll tell you a bit more about my experiences shortly) and I already started next semester of my studies and, honestly, there is a lot to do but I really enjoy each single project! And finally... I work on my master degree in architecture which is totally different from all previously mentioned thinks and keeps my brain truly concentrated and in form!

I really needed a rest and some spare time too, to recharge my betteries and to rethink my calendar. And because it's the most current issue, please forgive me my absence, and just give me one extra day, and tomorrow I'll tell you about my tricks how to relax well and how I deal with a stress (cause abviously I'm the one who get stressed from time to time as well). See you tomorrow!

If there is something what interests you the most, please leave me a comment and let me know what you would be pleased to read first! :)

I mean I'm really well organised. At least I think so... You can ask my friends if you want. They surely would confirm that I always keep my calendar filled to the brim and get things done gradually.
Or maybe don't. Don't ask my friends, it would be weird. Just believe me. Being in love with so many things makes me want to have them organised, simply to be able to just fit them into my 24 hours. I have my goals wrote down, my plans, duties and meetings. But do you know what is always missing? Holidays.

Of course I don't mean missing vacation as such. I'm not a workaholic and honestly love to relax and recharge my batteries! But when it comes to Saint Patrick's Day, Valentines, Boyfriend's Day or Halloween I'm literally hopeless. I'm lucky enough when someone reminds me a week before but it doesn't happen very often. Habitually I orient myslef a day before (and unfortunately sometimes even the day after... for what I'm truly sorry...). It usually ends up with searching in panic for a gift, costume or any occasional decorations. And... Let me surprise you... It's kind of crucial moment. This time I've thought about Halloween two days before! Bravo me.

But it cannot be as crucial as I would like to. Therefore I've prepared something extra especially for you the day before Halloween so that traditions could be observed! Firstly, on Breka's blog you can find my 

 - tips what you can do when you totally forgot about upcoming party and it's only 30 minutes left till your first guest. There is no better person than me who can tell you what to do under a time pressure, believe me. I've been mastering this for my whole life ;) So you can be sure tips are easy to do and effortless.
 
What's more? To make it even easier for you, I prepared several mice and spiders for you to print in black, grey and white, to choose, to make it appropriate for your apartment. All you need is a printer and scissors. Printing takes 5 minutes, cutting 5-15 and finding the best place for your new "flatmates" another 5. Can it be easier???