SSG's Wanderlust collection out tomorrow!

So after the longest wait, Summer Soul Gypsy's Wanderlust collection will finally be out tomorrow! I can't say how excited I am over every piece. Each piece is definitely worth the painstaking process and the wait. The new ones are even better for layering and stacking and you'll find the designs and colors complementing each other. 

The new collection will be made available first through the website but later this week we'll also begin accepting orders thru facebook. Remember, release will be at 1PM at the site, so make sure to be there! 

Summer Soul Gypsy's Gypsy Galaxy Giveaway

Summer Soul Gypsy's having its first ever giveaway contest! The contest is happening over at Facebook and will end on the launching day of our next collection. Launching date is still indefinite but we'll definitely post it a few days prior to it to give everyone a chance to join. 

To join the contest, follow the mechanics below:

1. Like our Facebook page then share the contest photo seen there.

2. Comment "liked and shared" on the photo. One comment per person only.

Contest is not applicable to residents outside the Philippines. Winner will be picked via random.org and will be announced on Facebook and here. Prizes will be delivered via courier within the Philippines for free. 

The launching date of the next pieces is just around the corner, probably in a week or so so make sure to join now!

New collection out soon!

I don't want to keep everyone hanging for so long so here's a sneak peak for the new pieces. We've actually come up with two different themes for two different collections and these new pieces are all pretty rad that I see myself wearing them till they're all worn out. We're just finishing shooting the photos (and I tell you this process can actually be a real pain in the neck) and they'll soon be up in the listing. Can't drop the date yet when the listing will be up but promise, it won't take too long.

For the meantime, please follow us on facebook and instagram to get exclusive updates. See you there!

Alfred Motors: Vintage Car Haven

1. Alfred Motors' signage against an awesome wall of mags. Wish they'd repaint that signage though think it'll look cooler in retro cherry red.

2. A 1918 restored Chevy pick-up. Read somewhere this was found somewhere in Bicol.

3. A restored Minica. Even its engine is teeny cute!

4. & 5.  A restored Chevy pickup. 

6. Ferdinand Marcos's Rolls Royce presidential car.

I know I have always said I love the laidback feel of the South and the almost peaceful atmosphere our place here has but whenever I find myself in a busier city like Quezon City, I admit I can't help thinking if it's nicer to be living there. For one, Quezon City has a significantly larger number of art-inspired establishments compared to the South. And now, I discovered compared to the South, QC also has a bigger number of vintage car owners and collectors, and even these amazing auto restoration shops particularly, Alfred Motors.

Discovering Alfred Motors was actually kind of a sight-for-sore-eyes for us. After a stressing road mishap, we found ourselves in Quezon City, Kamuning particularly, for the second day, to have the car repaired. Thankfully, Mark's friend Derek who lived in the area took the time to help us with the repairs. He's also a vintage car owner and a member of a vintage auto club so he gladly gave us a mini tour of the shops and streets doing restorations of vintage cars. At first look Alfred Motors look like your ordinary auto shop but then you'd notice the brightly painted sleek bodies and the flashing silver grills of some of their vintage cars, some of which are parked just beside the road. The men in the shop were kind enough to let us snap a few photos and even gave us some info on their more popular vehicles. There was probably a dozen or more vintage vehicles there but unfortunately, we didn't really have the luxury of time to do check all of them. Although the shop is still a far cry from Rick's Restoration's yard, I was still pleased knowing that at least there still are shops like these in the country that gives value to the automobiles of yesterday.

Hopefully, we'll be able find the time to visit the shop again or visit one of the car shows they participate in. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing more muscle cars and even coaches and buggies. 

Going back to shooting the pieces for the next collection. Will be doing a sneak peak post on them anytime this week.

Summer Soul Sale!

Just a few more days and the new pieces should be finally up on the listing. I'm just waiting to finish an item that requires an arduous process and then photograph everything once they're all done. I have to say the creation process of this new collection was such a pain on the neck literally but I enjoyed it nonetheless especially because I got to work with new materials and techniques. I'm pretty pleased with how everything turned out and yes, I can't wait to get them out! 

For the meantime, while evereyone's waiting for Summer Soul's new babies, I'm giving everyone a treat. Everything in the site is on sale at 10% off! No need to enter a discount code since I already reduced the prices. Go see the original prices to see how big you'll be saving. The sale will last only until the release of the new pieces so make sure to place your order now.

Creative Chaos

What's been happening lately... 

1. Desk mess post supply restocking.

2. Creating, creating...

3. Did a bit of rearranging again.  My stuff and supplies are ever growing that my desk is already running out of space.

4. My main muse standing pretty beside the door.

5. Contemplating on a design concept.

6 & 7. Few of the first finished bracelets.

From these photos alone you can already  get a hint that the pieces I'm working on are a bit different from the first set of designs released in the site. I've made pieces before similar to them which I sold through The Vintage Chick. These sweet arm candies got an amazing response from my customers last year that I thought it was only fitting to include them in the first set of pieces for Summer Soul Gypsy since they look really bohemian. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to work on them so I promised to include them for the next set. 

These are just a few of the bracelets I've finished. I have yet to work on a couple of necklaces, earrings and rings. I'm also thinking of including a few sewn pieces, but not sure about that yet.  My artist's adrenaline must be really kicking in because I often find myself not wanting to leave the desk for fear I'd lose my creative momentum. 

Ending this post with this dreamy video from Benjamin Dowie. Amazing what talent can do with a GoPro huh? This one makes me wanna ditch work for a while, bury my feet on the sand, stare at the horizon and sip pina coladas. 

Lovely Monday everyone!

Late sunday afternoon wall walk

OUTFIT DETAILS

Floral top - Landmark / Skinnies - Landmark / Bag - thrifted (bought for 100 pesos!) / Beaded sandals - SM / Beaded  bracelet - Don Bosco church / Knuckle ring - Quiapo / 

Wraparound watch - Regalong Pambahay (gifted by Mark) / 

Sunnies - Quiapo /  Cree necklace & headwrap - Summer Soul Gypsy

Last week was a really tiring but good week. Mark and I went all around Manila making supply purchases and looking for one very important but rare material that I needed for a necklace design. It's been a huge headache looking for that material since it's not common in the Philippines but I finally secured a supplier for it last Sunday and made a good deal with her. I can finally be happy for the rest of this week!  

So, after that runabout, Mark and I dropped by Intramuros for a short walk. We passed by the area a few days ago but found it impossible finding a parking space so we decided to just drop by on a weekend. Good thing there weren't that many people last Sunday and parking was available everywhere. 

For those who aren't from the Philippines, Intramuros is a walled fortification in the city of Manila built during the Spanish colonization of the Philippines late 16th century. The place is rich with history and a few structures with amazing architecture and interiors that have been there since the Spanish era can still be seen around this small "city". War has ravaged a great part of Intramuros though, and today, the place mostly houses a number of the city's top colleges, government offices, restaurants, museums and parks. 

I'm a big architecture and history fan and although I've been to Intramuros countless times, I have to say every visit feels like a new one. I would've wanted to stay longer but we only had less than an hour to spare so we were only able to walk the wall. Which explains why I wasn't able to really take photos of the structures. And there also was the fact that I forgot to recharge the camera. Thankfully, it allowed us to snap a few shots before finally draining out. 

Second day of another work-filled week. Lots of work to do. Hoping to finish the new pieces real soon. Inspirations and ideas are running like mad in my head and I just can't wait to see them for real.