eBay Collections

I've recently started to sell on eBay. It's currently a small collection of mid to high end items from my closet or that I have found while thrifting. Everything is in very good to like new condition at great prices.

While I have been working on this "shop" I have seen a lot of amazing deals. As many of you know I'm really into fashion and I'm a sucker for a deal on high fashion item. My personal shopping philosophy is to buy what you can afford. While right now I may not be able to afford to buy designer I can buy designer on eBay. I think mixing well made, high-end items and one of a kind vintage statement pieces creates a dynamic wardrobe.

It's a lot like the thrift store in that you never know what you're going to find but, better because it involves a search engine instead of looking through endless racks. Also, if you know what you want you can favorite a search set up so that if that item gets listed you're notified.

I favorite searches for designers and things that I like and check my feed often. Since, I'm already on eBay looking at pricing and researching the market I have started to really add to my "Collections". "Collections" is where you save and organize eBay listings that you like. I've started with just a few categories but, my lists grow by the day. Some of the items you'll see the most in my Collections are designer shoes (especial Prada), designer clothes, designer accessories (especially purses), J. Crew (one of my favorite retailers) and, great vintage finds.

Check out my profile here. I would love to share, so follow so you don't miss any of the great things at great prices!

Have an amazing day!
Best,
Kacee

Getting Real with our Closets

Sometimes we have to "get real" with our closets. I'm not just talking to the ladies out there, gentlemen. Everyone, once a season needs to go through their stuff and look at what you're working with. The sun is out, the flowers are blooming, and I'm changing over to sandals. I drag out the "boot wearing season" every year because they're one of my favorite things. However, the time has come to say fair well to those gold studded ankle booties, those Ralph Lauren ridding boots, and those new brown lace-ups.

Okay, now down to the dirty stuff. I can't allow myself to fall into my Grandmother's path of being a semi-hoarder. I try and always keep what works and put the rest back out into the universe. So, in times of wardrobe transition I take a hard look at the things that I'm transitioning in and store the things that I'm taking out. This way I can evaluate if an item works in my current closet. Also, going through only half of your stuff is a little less daunting.

Most importantly, I keep it real. Do I wear it, does it fit, do I love it, and does it work with what I currently have. Yes, I know we have heard it all before but, you must above all be firm and strict with these answers.  Don't dream up "events" that will suddenly make this shift dress relevant. Just face the fact that it's kind of itchy.

Lastly, feel good about putting your things back out there. Don't dwell on the lose. Think of the person who will end up with your Ninja Turtle shirt from 10th grade. It will get to live a new life with someone who loves it. I know I'm sounding a bit dramatic but, if you didn't have feelings for the item then it would have already left your life.

Well, Happy Spring (and spring cleaning)! I hope this blog was the kick in the pants to some of you needed.

My cherished shoe shelf.

Best,
Kacee

New art on Etsy

I have so many new pieces that I need to get up on Etsy that it's exciting! I started with a couple new listings last night and I'll be posting through out the week. This piece is one of my favorite illustrations that I just put up.

Kaceesix Etsy shop

Remix Art

I really connected with this Ted Talk I watched this weekend. Kirby Ferguson's thinks that all art is a remix. He argues that artist's copy-transform-and combine other works to form new exciting art. I have always found this to be true in my art.

I think it especially pertains to my collage pieces. My "Fashion Collages" can be seen as an intellectual property grey area but, I see it as a respectful remix. Many collages are made from old materials, which is the safest way to go from a legal perspective. While, retro looking collages quite fantastic, my style is decidedly modern. While these "Fashion Collages" are not a new concept I make them my own creation or remix if you will.

My heart is in creating these works because I love the material I'm working with (mostly fashion magazine cut-outs). For me, fashion magazines are not just something to flip through while watching the evening news they are my part time job. I pour over every magazine that I can get my hands on and awe over the beautiful wearable art. During my very difficult pregnancy I was unable to do more than sit on the couch and flip their pages. I would day dream fitting into "normal-sized" clothes again.

After the pregnancy I was one of the many women who developed postpartum depression and started seeing a counselor. My wonderful counselor helped me with many things but, the best thing she told me was to "do something for myself". Without the creative outlet that was my work for so many years I needed something else creative to fill the void. I have always been artsy so it made sense to pick up the paint brush again.

So, while being a stay at home mother to my amazing son and two gorgeous Cavalier King Charles I also became an artist. My first works came from the same magazines that had got me through some extremely dark times. Since then I have incorporated illustrations (easiest to do around my son), paintings, and collaborative works. However, the Fashion Collages will always be the closest to my heart.

Thank you, to everyone who supported me in this journey! Especially, the women who brought me back to my creative, happy and blessed self.


Start your week off right and be thankful for everything you will have time to accomplish in the upcoming days.

Best,
Kacee

My first "Fashion Collage". 

Girl Crush Nikki Monninger

I love the band Silversun Pickups and at one of their concerts I also fell in love with their bassist Nikki Monninger. I think she's one of those girls that just has that "it".  I especially love her style. Rocking the perfect hair her style vibe is slightly retro and always adorable. Recently, she gave birth to twins and is sporting some hot denim in a Levi's add (my kind of momma). I think she screams cool girl who can hang with the boys.

Hope you have an amazing weekend!
Kacee

A Splash of Inspiration

Tonight, I re-watched Splash for like the millionth time. While it is definitely very "80's" Daryl Hannah's fresh faced style still manages to inspire me. I'm kinda thinking about wearing my hair crimped on my next night out.

This perfect cornflower blue Tahari dress on my eBay shop reminds of a modern-day Madison date night dress.

Kacee's Curations

I have always loved fashion, in fact I may be a bit obsessed. So, my new business venture has been extremely fun and rewarding for me. I've started what I call Kacee's Curations. It's essentially a collection of new and used items that I'm selling on eBay and at the Marietta Queen of Hearts Antique store. I love thrift store finds for so many reasons but, it boils down to getting that special piece that nobody else has. You know, that amazing item that screams out your personality and makes you shine. Don't get me wrong I love the "new" things too but, I think it's so important to strike a balance in your wardrobe. So, while scouring the thrift stores, antique galleries, discount stores (I love T.J. Maxx) and estate sales I come across so many great items that I decided to share. So, check out my eBay store and for the more vintage-inspired items visit my booth (KPJP) "My Deer Little shop" for some great finds at great prices!

Here's some of the curated pieces I currently have up on eBay:

I'm more interesting on Pintrest

I'm in love a few social media outlets. Pintrest is at the top of my list. I basically use it to organize my entire life. Well, not really but, kind of.

Sometimes, details slip through the cracks and you can't remember everything. Pintrest is a wonderful place have a personal reference center. I'm extremely into the fashion so, I would say that's what I pin most. I also pin a lot of food, art, design inspiration, and photography. However, you can pin whatever you are into. Feel free to be as obsessive or diverse as you want to it's yours to curate.

I invite everyone to check out this site. While you're there see what I'm pinning and hopefully get inspired.

Best,
Kacee

The Collage Puzzle

Today, I wanted to talk a little about my collage process. I think that the finished product means more if you know the story behind it so I just wanted to give you a brief look into my collage construction.

First, I paint the canvas. It's very rare that I have anything in mind other than I'm into a certain color scheme or I have an inspiration. I normally will work on a number of canvases at a time which is why, my pieces often come in series. Most of the time my color scheme is almost a direct reflection of the current fashion color trends. High fashion is my greatest muse and passion. My first coats of paint are strong base coats with Gesso and acrylic paint. The next step is to let the base coat dry. Then over time I paint layers on until I feel the base painting is finished. Sometimes, this takes hours or sometimes this takes weeks of work and drying time. Water color paints are normally faster than acrylic paints.

Next I take the magazine tears that I've recently ripped out of the fashion magazines that month and I choose my inspiration piece. I normally base my choice on an outfit that the model is wearing or the color scheme of the photo shoot I've pulled from. I then pour through magazine after magazine until I find a couple of things that can could work with the inspiration.

Once, I have a good collection of things that I think are going to work together I do a preliminary cut- out. Getting most of the major parts cut down but, saving the detail cutting until the layout phase.

Then, I just start playing with the pieces and seeing what makes sense in the scene I'm starting to create. Sometimes, this comes very easily but sometimes I have to leave a half finished layout for days before everything starts to fall into place.

Finally, I cut out all the detail work and lock down how everything must fit together to get glued. This is what I call the collage puzzle. I mark the pieces with tiny bits of blue painters tape and take off everything but the bottom piece glueing my way up to the top piece of magazine cut-outs. I'm a big fan of spray adhesive for a non-wavy look. The trick is to coat each back in about four light layers of glue, let it congeal (about 5-7 depending on how wet it is) and then lightly tap in with the tip of my finger to carry it over to lay in it's marked spot on the collage. If you try and tap the piece and it doesn't easily stick to your finger then the glue needs more drying time. It's important not to mess up here but, things happen (you rip the fragile magazine paper while trying to get in in the exact right spot). When something go wrong. When "mess" something up; I use it as a sign that I need to add something. Then, I find the missing piece of the puzzle that covers up my mistake.

Finally, when the piece is complete I spray it lightly multiple times with a sealer for protection. If it will be in direct sun and not under UV glass make sure to spray it with a sealer that offers UV protection. Depending on your collage materials different sealers work best. So read your can to see what the sealer works best on (paper, chalk, charcoal, paint). Also, be aware that there are Shiny and Matte finishes so know what end product you are trying to achieve. I use shiny on my pieces with a lot of shimmer, light, or metallic. I like Matte for my matte acrylic paints and to use it in combination with Shinny helping to cut down on the glare.

I hope this gave you a behind the scenes look at how I produce my art. Happy creating my friends!

Best,
Kacee

In "Puzzle" mode. Pre-tape phase.

Finished product.

Now you can find me on Etsy!

I've been so productive lately that I've decided to open up an Etsy shop. The store is still very new so it needs some improvements but, it's an exciting start! I want to thank everyone who supported me especially my wonderful husband.

I hope you like my new work.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/Kaceesix

I love shoes.

I quote I read went something like: A girl will never say she has too many shoes.
This truth is near and dear to my heart. I love shoes. I just love them.

So, I made a slideshow of some mine that I love the most. The song that accompanies it is "So Insane" by Discovery.

My Relationship with J.Crew

I love J.Crew clothes. They work well into my wardrobe, they have a good quality, and they have a good fit. However, I'm only wealthy enough to shop mostly their sales right now.  At J.Crew this isn't too much of a draw back because if you ever checked out their site or store you'll see there is always a lot to choose from. I have a few good tips to on shopping the Crew. Plus, I'll show you the pieces I'd like for this fall.

Since most of the time I'm with a two year old I don't get a lot of in-store shopping done before he's over it.  So, when have some time to actually try things on I test out their basics. This gives me an idea of which of their styles and colors look best on me. This also is a time to see what size fits you best (every store is slightly different).  I find that J. Crew is pretty consistent on their sizing which is especially helpful when shopping online. Just make sure to read the "description" of online purchases for descriptives on the article's fit. For example, now that I'm picking up a child all the time, "sit's low on the hip" is normally too low for me. I like a mid to high rise on my most of my pants.

My J. Crew basics are their vintage cotton v-neck tee shirts, their printed "popovers", their toothpick jeans, and their soft cashmere sweaters. So, when they are on great sale I snatch up my size. J. Crew is also a great store for some wild-card additions (things that make my wardrobe anything but basic). If you want a statement necklace this is your place. Fashion won't forget the explosion of the bobble necklace any time soon. I'm also a huge fan of the Lulu Frost jewelry they carry. On that note the "J. Crew in Good Company" section features all of the outside brands that J. Crew sells and all of them are great compliments to their clothing.

Then there are their shoes. They have so many styles, patterns, and colors I could probably go broke if I bought every shoe I want there. Below I made a very hard choice narrowing it down to three fall essentials.

So, in my perfect world here's what I would get from J. Crew for fall.

This is a seasonal item I would love as much off season. I need something to tote around my son's out-door toy (balls, shovel, pail, Octonauts) and I think this bag is the perfect size and material for that. 

I tried this dress on in black and I think it was one of the best looking shifts I ever tried on.  I waited and they ran out of the black but this bright blue is one of the best colors on me and completely on trend for fall. I'll probably through a tights and blazer on it in winter.

It's a good looking silk button down. It's basic and is also a perfect layer peice.

I love this bag for fall. It's slouchy but it has two strap options and a zipper.  It's pretty necessary.

I would feel like Kristen Dunst in the beautiful film "Mari Antoinette".

Yes, it's technically the same as the black shirt but, it has a completely different vibe to it due to the oxblood color. I would order the black one first, make sure I like the fit, and then order the other since they are final sale.

It's not a pricey addition but I always like a cute teeshirt. This one would also look adorable under a jacket.

I need a basic gold bangle set. These are not your "investment" bracelet but they will layer well with my higher end pieces.

The bracelett is an outfit maker. Black jeans and a white tee look dressy when you add this bracelet, some great heals and a bright lipstick.

I like studs if I have on a heavy or layer necklace on. These are a fun option. 

You need to see this necklace closeup to really appreciate it. The length is idea for a v neckline.

This is another wow piece. Just so you know I need jewelry and they are also a cheap way to change up the wardrobe you already have. 

I have a navy pair and they are so comfortable and versital. I wear a ton of grey and the wedge is good for carrying my son around.

I have stalked everything in this print. Truth be told I want them all. Not to mention the amazing price tag. I wold like this over skinny jeans or under a v neck cashmere sweater. I also can't wait to wear it next summer with shorts or as a bathing suit coverup.

On the mornings I don't have time to "perfect" my outfit I throw a lipstick color like this on and hope no one notices.

This scarf is adorable and the colors are on-trend this season so there will be a lot of things out that it will go well with. I think it might be cute over the Hawaiian popover above.

It's cashmere, chevron, and grey. Enough said.

This dress it pretty basic but definitely not boring. I would probably throw the black silk shirt above under it for a cool weather option. It would also look pretty hot with a black leather jacket, black tights, and black studded ankle booties. 

As it's getting cooler I like to just snuggle up in a sweatshirt.  I love that the fit of this makes it flattering and transitionl. It's adorable with jeans or a black skirt.

I'm a boot person. This one is lovely. I love that it has a small heel and the toe is a good fit for my foot.

Speaking of black skirts, this one is a shape that I don't already have and looks like it holds it's shape which is flattering.

Lastly, each year I like to buy a type of coat that I don't already have. This is a different silhouette and color for me yet it would work well with what I have. 

How to thrift it. Thrift it real good.

My son and I at brunch with one of my best friends. I'm wearing a vintage 70's full-length, wool coat. 

I love the thrift store finds but, I'm picky when it  comes to my wardrobe. I like luxury as much as the next fashionista but, I also want something different. I try and find a few pieces that work well in my closet at my local thrift stores. I look for things currently on trend, to wild to pass up or, total classics. My favorite sections are belts, jackets, jeans, and specialty clothing (most have this). I love throwing a statement coat over some basics or adding a fun, vintage belt to a modern dress.

I feel I have cracked the code of successful thrift store shopping. First, you need time. As you know there seem to be endless racks of totally unrelated clothing filling the store. However, you do not have to physically touch every piece on the racks. Most stores have other helpful sorting methods. Most things are sorted by item and color. If you go into the hunt knowing what colors and silhouettes work for you it helps. Also, know some designers you like so you can just quickly go through tags. If you see a piece with a higher end label on it most likely it will stand the test of time better, have a better fit, and be more "modern" looking. 

Next, once you see a piece you like, give it a once over. I make sure there are no holes, no stains, the zipper it zips, and all the buttons are there. I hold it up to me to see if it appears to fit correctly and if the helm is at a length that looks good on me (not a deal breaker if not). A piece of clothing can always be altered but: 1.you can never make things bigger 2. It's best not to alter a garment too much size wise (my rule is one size bigger or under) 3. Know if you need to change out the zipper you will have to find another zipper that works with the garment (size and style wise). 

Lastly, I try everything on. I know some thrift store dressing rooms can be sketchy but, it's a must for me. Unless: I don't have time, it's so cheap I don't care if it up works or, It's a high end brand that I could sell (Ebay or Etsy are two great sites to sell used clothing but there are so many more options). I'd also like to note that not all thrift stores actually have dressing rooms so in this case try on jackets and easy to put on items but, don't be the weirdo trying on jeans in the isle. 

Well, I hope my thrifty skills help you.

Best,

Kacee