Feminist/Womanist T-Shirts: Every Day is Women's History Month at Nelesc Designs

Angela Davis, Frida Kahlo, Julia de Burgos, Billie Holiday...every day is Women's History Month at Nelesc Designs! These are still available in my shop in various sizes. 

Check them out here! 

Update on Frida Kahlo Color Block Custom Order

Hello! Last Saturday I told you about this custom order I was working on.

Well, here it is! My client wanted it in blue and red. I really like the way it came out, very super heroish with this color combination.

What do you think?

Happy New Year! I'm Back! and with a Nelesc Designs Sale!

Hi ya'll! I've missed blogging so much but decided that I needed to focus on my shop if I was going to make it work which is what I have been doing since July and am happy with the results.

But I really missed blogging and decided that if I was going to do both (the shop and this blog), I had to have a clear blogging direction. So this coming year, I want to concentrate on sewing tutorials and shop news. Everything after that is gravy.

So to start off the new year, I am once again offering my BUY TWO GET ONE FREE sale. I am also offering free shipping with the sale. Here are a couple of new tops up in the shop now. I am going to continue adding new t shirts/tops here and there until I unveil my Spring/Summer collection.

So have fun looking and let me know what you think!

Nelesc Designs Tiny Little Fall Collection

Well, here it is, my tiny 2 piece fall collection. It's really a three piece collection but I still have not had time to photograph the last piece and I couldn't wait. I wanted to keep true to my passion for reconstruction/refashioning/redeeming so these are made from reconstructed sweatshirts. A lot of people really like the puff sleeve jacket which makes me so happy. I have been making various versions of it and it's been such a wonderful process. View more pics in my shop .

                                                          


Puff Sleeve Jacket, $60.00



Asymmetrical Big Collar Sweatshirt, $40.00



These are made to order and can be made with different color combinations and icons. You can check the shop for details. Tell me what you think.

I'm Not Just the President, I am a Client!

I was so happy when I woke up with a morning chill. I said to myself, "yay! I can wear one of my sweatshirt jackets this morning!" You don't know how much I have been longing for fall. I love fall fashion, especially jackets. Not to mention that I have been living with my crazy, frizzy, unruly hair in a headband and bun almost ALL summer. It's been so hot and humid in New York this year that I couldn't even wear it curly for fear that I would pass out.

Anyway, this is one of my first Frida sweatshirt jackets that I made for myself. I love it so much, it's so warm and cozy and such a conversation piece. My friends really liked it and it's what got me on the road to making more and selling them in my shop.

(don't you love my big forehead? Tyra Banks has nothing on me! LOL!)

I will definitely try to whip out some more this fall but with a little twist. Stay tuned. Love ya!

Nelesc Designs 2nd Year Anniversary = FREE SHIPPING!

I was looking at my journal the other day (yes, I keep a journal, nerdy, I know). On September 17, 2005 I wrote "today I have been thinking a lot about starting a fashion business..." September 19, 2005 read, "I am now ambivalent about the whole fashion/sewing business. I wonder if it's really worth it, if people would really buy my stuff, if I'm good enough..." On September 22nd I wrote, "I am feeling more and more comfortable with this duo, art and fashion. I think I want to design t-shirts with inspirational people on them..." It is so strange to read this back and forth. I totally remember feeling scared and nervous about launching Nelesc Designs. I had about 5 tops I had sewed myself and then stenciled revolutionary/famous people on them. Among them were Frida Kahlo, Angela Davis, Pedro Albizu Campos and Diana Ross. I had them around the house a long time until Sunday, May 25th, 2008. It was then, that I decided to just list them on Etsy already before I changed my mind. I then took the boys to my friend Sheila's house. I was so happy to just do it. I remember telling Sheila that I just opened a shop on Etsy.com and we went to the computer to check it out. Right after, I told my big sister and, bless her heart, she was my very first customer. So, go ahead, write your dreams down, even your fears about them. It's so cool to read these journal entries again. I am so glad God gave me the courage to dare take that first step. It's actually the dreams of the people on my shirts that inspired me and the encouragement of my friends and family that keeps me motivated. Thank you all so much!

So....as you guessed, today is Nelesc Designs second anniversary and to honor that, I would like to offer FREE SHIPPING on all of my items starting today until June 25th. You don't have to buy anything to help me celebrate. Just leave me a comment and tell me what you think. I always love feedback! Thank's again.

New to Nelesc Designs

Here are two new top styles added to the shop. The first is a semi sheer purple v-neck top available in S,M,L, and XL and the second is a semi sheer raglan sleeve top available in pink, grey and blue (check the shop for sizes). These are great for this in between crazy weather we are having in New York. One day it's 40 degrees and the next day it's 70 degrees. Crazy! Because they are semi sheer they are wonderful for layering. I am wearing them here with a black tank top. They are also great for those of you who don't like to show your arms even in the hot weather. I know a couple of people like that. Their sheeriness makes them comfortable to wear when it's warm.

Here, you'll see my usual icons. I did make a new screen for a new face but I need to tweak it a bit. I am hoping to finish it this week and unveil it next week. Stay tuned and tell me what you think! I love feedback.

New Sweatshirt Jackets in my Etsy Store

This is soooo long overdue! I apologize for not posting my new sweatshirt jacket pics. These are now up in my etsy store and have been getting some orders for them. Let me know what you think.

I'm Back!

Wow! I have not blogged for over a month and a half! I do apologize. I have not been abducted by aliens or anything like that. I actually have been working really hard on my business, http://www.nelesc.etsy.com/. I have been printing, sewing, listing and promoting on Facebook and etsy.com. It does makes sense to also blog but I just couldn't keep up with it all and I do love the immediacy that Facebook offers. However, there is something so special about blogging and I don't want to let it go. I am definitely committed to posting more often.

A major change that I made the last couple of months was to hire a babysitter for my little D. I realized that I needed to give creating some importance in my life. I was continuously feeling frustrated by the lack of time to sew or print and making things piecemeal was just not cutting it for me so I decided to do something about it and hired a babysitter once a week. That day I would sew and print all day. It has been glorious and I have seen sales go up because of it. Summer sales have been slow, though, so D hasn't been at the sitter this past month. I am taking advantage of the time to think about my fall fashion line and sewing for moi.

I also started a fanpage on Facebook for Nelesc Designs where I offer promotions for just fans and share tidbits about the business. To become a fan go to http//www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Nelesc-Designs/96002340477?ref=ts I will be offering free shipping this month so stay tuned.

Here are some items which I posted this summer so far. Some have sold, others are still available.

This is how my summer is going so far, how about you?



Angela Davis reconstructed top. This sold to someone in England!

Julia De Burgos top.

Frida Kahlo top made from scratch from shirting material.

Frida Kahlo dress made from reconstructed t-shirts.

Billie Holiday top made from t-shirt scraps. This one sold.

Monday Inspiration - Fabric Cuffs!

Once again, I am participating with maternalspark.com and writing about inspiration. As I mentioned in an earlier post (November 17), I have been looking for other ways to use fabric, my artistic medium of choice. I love designing clothes and printing on it but I have been wanting to branch out. I bought and took countless books from the library about fabric books, artist trading cards, fabric jewelry, etc. trying to find something that would call to me and I think I found it.....fabric cuffs!!! I have been having so much fun with the few that I have already done. It combines my love of faces (I just can’t get away from that! What can I say, people inspire me), my interest in wearable art, and my desire to use recycled fabric. It is also something I can finish in a small amount of time which gives me a great sense of accomplishment.

I decided to start by making some as gifts. The top and bottom are gifts for my sisters, they each have three kids so I decided to stencil faces of their children onto the cuff. I love stenciled faces and I thought that this would allow for a more artistic interpretation rather than just printing their photos on fabric. I also did one of my favorite people, prominent in my clothing line, Frida Kahlo. I am definitely going to make a lot more of these for my shop. One of my goals for the new year is to offer more variety on my shop in terms of products and sizes, continue working on my designing skills, and update my blog more often. Stay tuned!!!

New Addition to Nelesc Etsy shop

Here are two new additions to my shop on etsy, http://www.nelesc.etsy.com/. These are sweatshirt jackets made of 2xx sweatshirts I purchased. I love them so much, I kept the first two I made! The grey one has a hood and the blue doesn't. Let me know what you think.

Frida reconstructed men's shirt

About a year go I made this reconstructed men's shirt and screen printed Frida Kahlo on it. I recently went to the school I used to teach in and one of the teachers absolutely loved it. She asked me to make her one. So i am now on the journey to remember how I actually made the thing.