As I walk and drive through life I am constantly thinking, constantly inspired by what I see around me and I try to jot down ideas as I go along. I'm lost without a pen and paper, a check list, a brief note. YazBerry Fashion is my outlet to bring that which inspires me to life, in a tangible, wearable, useful way. I create because whatever it is that keeps me up at night with ideas spinning through my head must be fed by putting my hands to work manifesting my visions.
I am obsessed with recycling; I think I was a first wave 'reduce, reuse, recycle' student and it stuck with me from an impressionable age. I strive to recycle as much as I possibly can; this comes through in my design work. I love working with recycled materials. I almost prefer them to new materials, though I do use a mix in my work. There is something about picking up a discarded material, taking in its limitations and characteristics and finding a way to breathe new life into it. I consider this sustainable fashion.
In the last fifteen years I have made my way around the world. I am inspired by the colors I see, vivid tropical hues, bold eastern pigments and delicious color combinations. I try to capture these colors, textures and sights in my work.
I enjoy examining everything I can with my fingers and my eyes, learning its texture, seeing its ornate details. I pay attention to these things and create with the details and hand in mind. I am inspired by vintage garments, architecture and the textiles themselves. Because I work with a lot of recycled materials, often the material tells me what it should become. I enjoy designing this way and find it more challenging to design from a drawing or a vision and find the materials that work to make this vision come to be.
My work is colorful. It has strong shapes, bold colors and patterns and subtle details reminiscent of vintage craftsmanship. I create with people that enjoy treasure hunting in mind. People that enjoy the art of dressing themselves in special items, pops of color, three or more colors at once like me. I design for people wanting something unique, one of a kind; something not available in malls or department stores. My work is wearable art.
- Virginia E. Berry
TO VIEW THE YAZBERRY PRESS KIT CLICK HERE.
Monday, March 14, 2016
Sunday, March 13, 2016
I'll Have the YazBerry: Now You Can at the Downhome Expo, April 15 - 17, 2016, Mt. Pearl, NL
For $2 off your admission to the Downhome Expo get the coupon here. My Etsy.com store is empty right now as I am busy creating inventory for the Downhome Expo. After the Expo I will be adding any leftover inventory to my Etsy shop. Meanwhile, if you'd like a sneak peek of what I am working on and what I have for sale, please follow me on instagram and check out my photo albums on facebook. If you see something you like and can't wait for the Expo or live in another province or country, I ship worldwide and take payments via PayPal!
Monday, January 25, 2016
Shop Now: Carefully Curated YazBerry Vintage Jewelry Collection
I've spent the past year collecting vintage jewelry to add to my YazBerry vintage inventory. I just finished photographing the current collection and have it all available to view on Facebook.
*Message me to purchase, payments via PayPal or in person.
*Worldwide shipping available $5-$10 depending on item and destination.
*Everything is under $50 with most being $5 - $25 depending on materials, age, condition etc.
Friday, January 08, 2016
Time Management Tools for Creative People
I am a procrastinator. I am a dilly-dallier and I can lose hours a day to Facebook and interesting news articles.
I am trying to be come a good time manager and goal setter this year. Last fall I started a practice that I have impressively continued into 2016 (I start things with good intentions often, soon to abandon them to distraction). It's called Morning Pages. You can read more about it in my previous post on Morning Pages.
Morning Pages: A master tool for getting out of your head and on to paper. More space in brain for thinking & productivity!
Basically you spend time with yourself and a journal in the morning. I use it to write down things I am worried about that are blocking my mind from being productive. For me that is usually paragraph form. Then I write down today's to do list - bullet form (with a line in front so I can go back and put a check mark in it another day, once complete). I also use it for brainstorming ideas, setting goals and this year I am trying to write myself daily affirmations. This feels a bit awkward to me but I am hoping the idea will grow on me. Otherwise I am a big fan of Morning Pages and look forward to writing each morning.
I am also revisiting a time management technique I had read about a few years ago but never implemented, The Pomodoro Technique. You know those vintage kitchen timers that look like tomatoes? Well that is your main tool. (Pomodoro is Italian for tomato). I've been trying this for a week and find I lose significantly less time to Facebook (I call that a good tool already!).
Pomodoro Technique: A master tool for keeping on top of the clock and not losing time to distractions.
I am only starting to use this technique but can say a week into it I feel more productive and in control of my day. I have not wasted hours on Facebook like I am often prone to do. I am also finding time in the breaks to do other tasks I have been putting off. The basic idea is you set a timer for 25 minutes and then after 25 minutes you take a 5 minute break to do what you want. Then after 4 pomodoros (sessions of 25 minutes) you get a longer break. I have been taking 30 minutes. Each session you complete mark a check mark on some paper so you can keep track of your groups of 4. The more advanced use of this technique involves carefully planning the tasks you need to accomplish in a day in to how many pomodoro sessions it will take you to complete the tasks. I am not that good at estimating time at this point and am happy just using a timer to keep myself on task.
Additionally, though I have yet to decide if I like it or if it is necessary for me; I am trying one of the techniques used in Bullet Journaling called the Daily Tracker. Which I am hoping will help me develop a more managable routine and gain some work/life balance. I have dodged routine for most of my life thinking it boring, but as I am navigating working from home, I am craving it. I learned of this technique from a post by Retta Richie Holbrook, an artist. If you sign up for her mailing list she is giving away a 2016 monthly tracker with her original artwork on each month. I know there is so much more to Bullet Journaling beyond the Daily Tracker technique, which some day I may explore or incorporate into my Morning Pages, but for now I'm dipping my toes in the Daily Tracker to see what I think.
Daily Tracker: A master tool for sticking to routine and completing daily tasks.
I admit, I can be a bit of a space cadet and not eat until dinner or miss my every other day shower (ew I know). Or good things like drinking daily lemon & turmeric water first thing in the AM, or using my new blue light to combat the chronically grey winter skies here. Basically you have the numbered days of the month at the top of the sheet and blank spaces down the left side to add your routine items you wish to track. Then there is space across the grid to put X marks as you accomplish the tasks you have set for yourself.
Wish me luck on with my time management goals for 2016. I hope they help me make much more YazBerry Jewelry to share with you. Maybe you'll find some of these useful too! Happy New Year!
I am trying to be come a good time manager and goal setter this year. Last fall I started a practice that I have impressively continued into 2016 (I start things with good intentions often, soon to abandon them to distraction). It's called Morning Pages. You can read more about it in my previous post on Morning Pages.
Morning Pages: A master tool for getting out of your head and on to paper. More space in brain for thinking & productivity!
Basically you spend time with yourself and a journal in the morning. I use it to write down things I am worried about that are blocking my mind from being productive. For me that is usually paragraph form. Then I write down today's to do list - bullet form (with a line in front so I can go back and put a check mark in it another day, once complete). I also use it for brainstorming ideas, setting goals and this year I am trying to write myself daily affirmations. This feels a bit awkward to me but I am hoping the idea will grow on me. Otherwise I am a big fan of Morning Pages and look forward to writing each morning.
I am also revisiting a time management technique I had read about a few years ago but never implemented, The Pomodoro Technique. You know those vintage kitchen timers that look like tomatoes? Well that is your main tool. (Pomodoro is Italian for tomato). I've been trying this for a week and find I lose significantly less time to Facebook (I call that a good tool already!).
Pomodoro Technique: A master tool for keeping on top of the clock and not losing time to distractions.
I am only starting to use this technique but can say a week into it I feel more productive and in control of my day. I have not wasted hours on Facebook like I am often prone to do. I am also finding time in the breaks to do other tasks I have been putting off. The basic idea is you set a timer for 25 minutes and then after 25 minutes you take a 5 minute break to do what you want. Then after 4 pomodoros (sessions of 25 minutes) you get a longer break. I have been taking 30 minutes. Each session you complete mark a check mark on some paper so you can keep track of your groups of 4. The more advanced use of this technique involves carefully planning the tasks you need to accomplish in a day in to how many pomodoro sessions it will take you to complete the tasks. I am not that good at estimating time at this point and am happy just using a timer to keep myself on task.
Additionally, though I have yet to decide if I like it or if it is necessary for me; I am trying one of the techniques used in Bullet Journaling called the Daily Tracker. Which I am hoping will help me develop a more managable routine and gain some work/life balance. I have dodged routine for most of my life thinking it boring, but as I am navigating working from home, I am craving it. I learned of this technique from a post by Retta Richie Holbrook, an artist. If you sign up for her mailing list she is giving away a 2016 monthly tracker with her original artwork on each month. I know there is so much more to Bullet Journaling beyond the Daily Tracker technique, which some day I may explore or incorporate into my Morning Pages, but for now I'm dipping my toes in the Daily Tracker to see what I think.
Daily Tracker: A master tool for sticking to routine and completing daily tasks.
Wish me luck on with my time management goals for 2016. I hope they help me make much more YazBerry Jewelry to share with you. Maybe you'll find some of these useful too! Happy New Year!
Monday, October 12, 2015
I Orderded a Glowforge 3-D Laser Printer!
I am going to own a laser!
I have been stewing over this for a month. Should I buy one, can I justify the pricey purchase? Do I really need this? Making lists of pros and cons...the only thing ever on the con list is the price...so today I placed an order for a Glowforge 3-D Laser Printer
If you want one for 50% off the retail price you can pre-order for another 15 days or so (check the website to be certain) and you will get $100 off if you use my link and so will I! I just pre-ordered a Glowforge 3D laser printer. It was an earlybird unit, so it was half price. They still have half-price units available, and this link is an EXTRA $100 coupon. Please, help me pay for this thing so I can make you amazing creations.
There are sooooo many things I can make with this and want to make. This tool will replace many processes I currently do by hand. Cutting of leather lace, cutting of vinyl records, cutting of fabric pieces. It will also bring in the ability to etch and pierce so many things! My favorite feature is I can hand draw anything, and place it in the Glowforge 3-D Laser Printer and it will cut that design into anything! As many times as I want. No need to train myself on Computer Aided Drawing though I would like to learn someday.
Wow, ok, so I am considering a GoFundme/Kickstarter Project which will have amazing laser cut gifts at the different donation levels. Stay tuned.
Here are images of some of my work I hope to improve by using the Glowforge 3-D Laser Printer:
If you want one for 50% off the retail price you can pre-order for another 15 days or so (check the website to be certain) and you will get $100 off if you use my link and so will I! I just pre-ordered a Glowforge 3D laser printer. It was an earlybird unit, so it was half price. They still have half-price units available, and this link is an EXTRA $100 coupon. Please, help me pay for this thing so I can make you amazing creations.
There are sooooo many things I can make with this and want to make. This tool will replace many processes I currently do by hand. Cutting of leather lace, cutting of vinyl records, cutting of fabric pieces. It will also bring in the ability to etch and pierce so many things! My favorite feature is I can hand draw anything, and place it in the Glowforge 3-D Laser Printer and it will cut that design into anything! As many times as I want. No need to train myself on Computer Aided Drawing though I would like to learn someday.
Wow, ok, so I am considering a GoFundme/Kickstarter Project which will have amazing laser cut gifts at the different donation levels. Stay tuned.
Here are images of some of my work I hope to improve by using the Glowforge 3-D Laser Printer:
Thursday, October 08, 2015
Busy in the Studio
After leaving my studio to its own devices for 8 months, I finally have dug it out, organized it and have it at a point where it is functional. Hallelujah!!
That said, I've been busy. Here's some proof for you:
That said, I've been busy. Here's some proof for you:
Want more content like this? I have been really enjoying using Instagram recently and post a couple images a day most days. I had no idea this was a good website fit for me interest-wise but have really been inspired by seeing great photos of life all over the world, every day. Follow me on Instagram yazberryfashion.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
50% Off Jewelry Sale Now - September 30, 2015
Hello YazBerry lovers, I am having a rare handmade jewelry sale - 50% off select items!
To shop visit this album on my facebook page.
To shop visit this album on my facebook page.
Friday, September 18, 2015
3D Lasers & Leather?
I have been thinking about learning how to use and incorporate laser printing and cutting in my leather design process. While I love hand cutting leather, and will likely continue to as a sort of "originals vs. prints" concept, I have been wanting to automate the process by making my hand drawn ideas CAD designs and then learning how to program a laser printer or cutter to cut these designs.
There is a new product out there Glowforge which could make this possible at home! You can cut wood, leather, etch glass, cut felt...so many interesting applications. If you get a chance flip through their galleries because there are already so many amazing things this printer has made...
I want a Glowforge so bad! Meanwhile, I think last year I read about a makers group in St. John's that has a laser in their collection of tools. I may need to further investigate...
If you want one too, you can sign up for their mailing list to get this awesome tool 1/2 off.
Our first Glowforges will be half price.
There is a new product out there Glowforge which could make this possible at home! You can cut wood, leather, etch glass, cut felt...so many interesting applications. If you get a chance flip through their galleries because there are already so many amazing things this printer has made...
I want a Glowforge so bad! Meanwhile, I think last year I read about a makers group in St. John's that has a laser in their collection of tools. I may need to further investigate...
If you want one too, you can sign up for their mailing list to get this awesome tool 1/2 off.
"The 3D laser printer that makes beautiful things, quickly.
Our first Glowforges will be half price.
We don't want you to miss out."
 |
| Screen Capture from the Glowforge website available 9.18.15 |
Thursday, September 17, 2015
Morning Pages Inspiration
I was recently turned on to a creative practice called "Morning Pages" put into words by Julia Cameron. I've just relocated again and have been trying to develop a new routine with professional and creative productivity in mind, while doing my part time day job and cooking meals, and focusing on mental and physical health.
I really like the way Julia presents this idea, a focused form of journaling as the first thing one does in the morning. Start the day by emptying the brain of anxieties and ideas so that you may better focus on them throughout the day without worrying about forgetting them...confusing yes, but the near constant state of an anxious, creative mind.
I have always been partial to list making. That is how I am using this project. I'm starting the writing with my immediate to-do list: things I hope to accomplish during the day or the following day. Then I spin big ideas. My favorite part. Things I hope to accomplish or would like to spend more time thinking about. Ways to grow my business, things I would like to contribute to the community, all sorts of great things.
I really like the way Julia presents this idea, a focused form of journaling as the first thing one does in the morning. Start the day by emptying the brain of anxieties and ideas so that you may better focus on them throughout the day without worrying about forgetting them...confusing yes, but the near constant state of an anxious, creative mind.
I have always been partial to list making. That is how I am using this project. I'm starting the writing with my immediate to-do list: things I hope to accomplish during the day or the following day. Then I spin big ideas. My favorite part. Things I hope to accomplish or would like to spend more time thinking about. Ways to grow my business, things I would like to contribute to the community, all sorts of great things.
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
YazBerry on Instagram (& Twitter)
I've been tweeting for a few years now but mostly YazBerry related stuff. In an attempt at soul searching and figuring out what it is that makes me tick this past winter, it occurred to me that I read A LOT of articles online daily. I enjoy cruising my facebook feed for interesting articles friends post and also all of the news sources I follow. I started tweeting links to the things I read, to take a pulse on what interests me. Deep down I think I am hoping it will inspire a career shift and focus.
I love making things, but I also need to make a living. I am hoping it will help me hone in on something that allows both jointly.
In a further layer of soul searching, I've given myself permission to experiment with instagram. To see what visually makes me tick and how I spend my day. I am a very private person and don't often invite people into my home - in which I am the boss of every creative detail! I also don't like to overshare on the internet (shockingly I have experienced stalkers in the past...wtf I know).
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Collaborative Twins! Earrings Project, Round 2
I've completed my batch of recycled, repurposed, refashioned earrings for the collaborative earring project I've been working on with Industrial Grace Restoration. I am excited to see what she makes to match these perfectly mismatched earrings!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
