My Blog

Back from Wild Fire and Inspired!

xarcana_design — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 23:31:40 GMT

Hey all! Sorry it's been a while. I just got back from spending the weekend at Wild Fire and I must say that I met some amazing new & very talented people. (As well as seeing a lot of highly skilled and wonderful people I already had the pleasure of knowing!) I got lots of compliments on my ninja shrug that I was wearing to keep warm while not spinning or too close to the fire. I was happy to see others wearing my creations and met more who voiced interest. For those people, I hope that they will find their way here. :) I have found some fantastically fun new prints for the cooling down weather like leopard print as well as a print with green leaves and skulls with cute little pink bows (I think that one has to be seen). I've also decided to embrace the challenge of making a few pieces out of natural fiber fabrics so that they would be safe to wear while fire dancing. New photos and an etsy.com store are in the works.

Summer stock!

xarcana_design — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:52:21 GMT

Hey all! There is some fantastic new stock in the Future Fleece and beyond line (not fleece- but some lovely summer weight knits). Photos are coming soon! There is something for everyone- knit hooded wrap shirts and a revamp of the ninja shirt in pot-hole mesh. They are great as beach cover ups or something to throw on when summer nights get a little cool. I will get rough shots up as soon as possible. They are a representation of the things I am working on. As always, a lot of the work I do is made to order so contact me to get anything you see here or anything it inspires you to want to wear. :)

Frida Bee Fashion Show

xarcana_design — Tue, 27 May 2008 15:35:12 GMT

This past Saturday was the Frida Bee Fashion Show featuring my work (Designer Laurel Izzy's works- hats from the XArcana Design line and shirts from Future Fleece and beyond) as well as jewelry by Onyx Hardware. The lovely lady behind Onyx Hardware, Keely from Frida Bee, and I worked together to style the show. Check out select new photos in the gallery or see them all here: http://www.adoorable.org/temp/FashionShow/

Future Fleece shirt for auction @ the Benefit for Paisley tomorrow (Friday) night!

xarcana_design — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 17:06:14 GMT

I just wanted to note that I am donating one of my women's fleecey shirts for the auction to benefit Paisley Rojagato. So here's a perfect opportunity to be stylish while helping an amazing woman get back on her feet. The shirt is a medium-sized black wrap style hoodie with textural external stitching and a red furry fleece-lined hood. This dark overshirt provides cozy elegance and flatters a variety of figures. Benefit for injured cyclist 3/14 at the Dilboy Benefit Party for Paisley Rojagato Friday, March 14 9pm-midnight Suggested donation: $20, or pay what you can Dilboy VFW, 371 Summer Street Davis Square, Somerville, MA Event organizer: Regina Harrison badriya@rcn.com, 781-325-3039 In December 2007, while commuting to work in Boston, avid cyclist Paisley Rojagato was hit and dragged several feet by a truck. Her bicycle helmet saved her life, but multiple serious fractures, including to her pelvis, have left her unable to work for several months. The bills have not stopped while her life has been on hold. Join Paisley's friends on March 14, 9pm-midnight, at the Dilboy VFW in Davis Square for an evening of performances by local musicians, dancers, poets and other artists, open floor dancing, silent auctions and other entertainments--it's an old-fashioned rent party! All proceeds will go to help Paisley keep her housing and pay her bills while she literally gets back on her feet. Who is Paisley? She is a writer. She is a woman who helps friends move. She is a promoter and loyal supporter of gothic events. She is a regular volunteer at benefits--if she weren't the beneficiary of this one, you can be sure she'd be working at it. She rides her bicycle for charity causes. She is one of those rarest of creatures, the regular supporter of live music who is not actually in a band herself. She is someone who enlightens and enlivens the lives of those who around her. The world is a better place with people like her in it, and the aftermath her accident, in which she was faultless, is a truly unfair burden for her to bear. On March 14 we'll shoulder some of that burden for her, and we hope you'll join us. For more information, contact Regina Harrison, badriya@rcn.com, 781-325-3039. Donations for the silent auction are welcome, as are inquiries from artists who would like to perform. If you'd like to contribute a silent auction prize, please contact Columbine, redcolumbine@gmail.com, or just bring your prize on the night of the party (but please be sure to arrive early!)

Not only ninjas wear XArcana Designs, rockstars do too!

xarcana_design — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 19:58:20 GMT

I was sent this photo along with a little note from a rockstar who I am currently creating a custom hoodie for. He tried on these sleeves as we met to discuss design details and had to have them. Now if only I can find more of that black and white skulls fleece!

In preparation for spring

xarcana_design — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 03:56:05 GMT

So now that people are getting the word about the fleece overshirts here, spring is on the cusp. (Or it will be soon, granted never quite soon enough.) I have picked up a variety of lighter weight fabrics to play around and come up with some great designs that will probably shield you from the sun- think stylish cover ups for the poolside or playa. i will post photos soon!

More photos up! These are a few custom shirts that I wanted to document including a sample of menswear!

xarcana_design — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 20:51:10 GMT

There are new photos up and I am sorry to say that they are not of the more spiffy and professional variety but I wanted to document a few custom orders before they left my hands. Please check them out and if you find something you really really want I can see if I can get my hands on the materials again. (Note: I do definitely have more of that blue leopard print fur though.) I have the photos of my elusive menswear designs up! I thought that this one would photograph nicely since it has high contrast stitching and my lovely model was silly enough to help me show that the anime style turtle neck is long enough that you can wear it folded over like a regular crazy-big turtleneck or you can pull it up over your head for a slim hood or ninja looking thing. I made myself a black on black shrug with an anime turtleneck on it so that I can layer it in the wintertime and when it gets really nasty I can pull the neck up into a slim hood and I stay so warm! The basic pull over could so easily also be made with a hood (lined or not) so all of you guys who expressed interest should take a look and let me know what you would like now that there's a more concrete base to work off of. And last, but not least, the buying more shirts at once saves you money sale is still on! I promise to take some time soon and try to get a small swatch gallery up of materials I have in stock but in the meantime please ask!

Sale!!

xarcana_design — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 04:00:06 GMT

So the fun part of the making and selling of my designs is moving the inventory so I am forced to go out seeking new materials and get new ideas for new designs. The way this happens is to move the stock that I already have. So mother nature is conspiring with me and in honor and horror that we are starting into severe cold snaps already I am having a fleece sale. All of the regular wrap shirts priced $56 (regular women's wrap shirts) are now 2 for $90. Shrugs priced $45 each are 2 for $75. I also have fleece sleeves that go from about elbow to a pointed hem at the wrist and those are $20/pair.

Even more photos!

xarcana_design — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 17:55:45 GMT

So as of today I think I have back all of the best photos from the future fleece photo shoot we had a few weeks ago and they're up for the viewing. I wanted to make a quick note that the ones that I made this past summer (the Summer Stripe, Regular Blue, Lighter Blue) are all on Sale! The best thing about selling off shirts that I've had around for a while is that I have resources freed up to make new ones.

More photos up!

xarcana_design — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 15:27:03 GMT

Miss Ellen Claire, the lovely and talented photographer has found time in this busy season to get a few more edited photos to me and they are up in the photo album so please go look! :) I've been happily working on holiday orders and I'm glad that people have thought to give the gift of fashionably coziness this season. I was asked about if I had animal print fleece once upon a time and I just wanted to note that I currently have some nice white/grey/black snow leopard looking fleece and have access to regular looking leopard print fleece as well. (There are photos upcoming of a white wrap fleece with the snow leopard super soft fleece in the hood. It is far too cute and I'd love to see it against a snowy backdrop. Maybe I will have to make one for me as I go learn to snowboard!)

Photo shoot!

xarcana_design — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 16:14:57 GMT

About a week ago a number of my gorgeous friends braved the winds and weather to come out and participate in a photo shoot to show off the new designs (and give a better view of the older ones I still have too!). There are three new photos up from that shoot now and many more to come so check out the photos section and check back soon. I have indicated which designs are custom and those may or may not be available for replication but if you like what you see just drop me an email and I have a number of shirts ready to go and more materials for orders. Right now I can do a pretty darned quick turn around so they make great holiday presents!

Raks Spooki

xarcana_design — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 14:46:21 GMT

Wow! I am so grateful to have been able to vend this event. I was greatly encouraged by the enthusiasm show for my work and of the show itself. Thanks to all who tried shirts on or happily took them home. I'll have to recreate a few items for the photo shoot this weekend but it'll be best to have photos to post of designs that I can definitely replicate. (Some of the fleece I find leads to one of a kind items as some of it is special or seasonal and impossible to find more of after the fact.) I was also thrilled to be vending side by side with Onyx Hardware. She really has some fantastic work.

More photos of new shirts and a new design coming soon!

xarcana_design — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 15:06:08 GMT

I've been working on getting more shirts (both long and a lovely cropped version) made to vend at the gothic bellydance event, Raks Spooky. I was inspired by the whole bellydance thing and when I was shopping I found some amazing looking new hood lining fabrics. I've also had the idea of an anime-style turtleneck/tall collar shirt bouncing around in my head for a while and yesterday it was actually produced in fabric and was everything I'd hoped. It can be scrunched down and look cool or it can be pulled up over the head for a very slim, cold stopping hood. I will definitely keep one to use for an essential layer in the winter. I have some so/so causal photos of some of these new pieces that I'll post asap but soon I hope to collaborate with a friend of mine who is a professional and turn out some photos that will actually do justice.

The beginning

xarcana_design — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 16:09:11 GMT

This is a page for my creative clothing company, XArcana Designs. This way I can keep people up to date and informed about the items that I'm dreaming up and producing . I can also use this page to send out notifications as to where and when I'll be out vending this lovely stuff like this past weekend Onyx Hardware and I were representing at the South End Open Market in Boston, MA. It was a wonderfully educational event. Many photos will be up as soon as I can!