WOYWW 170

Wow, it's been a while since I participated in What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday...so long ago in fact, the week numbers were down in the 140s! For those lacking a previous introduction, here's today's invitation - join in the global desk-hopping courtesy of fab host Julia and become just as nosy as the rest of us!

So, what is on my desk this week? My pink Smash Book! I'm sure most of you already know about these, but my good friend Zoe showed me hers (she has one in every colour...yes, really!) and explained they were the new scrap/journalling craze sweeping across from America...and the pink one was so lush I had to have it! This is a promotional image to tempt you if you haven't already taken a fancy...

Being a writer, I'm using mine rather differently to how most people would and to explain this, I need to let you into a little secret... 'The Dressmaker's Daughter.' Hey, who's that, I hear you cry? Well, it's the title of my next book, which I've been nicknaming Novel Number Two here on the blog...and this is the first online reveal of the proper title! In previous posts, I've detailed how I've found it hard to get into the narrative writing and even planning of this story...but now with the Smash Book in my life, I can make this ideas-process fun, fresh and fuelling!

 

'The Dressmaker's Daughter' gives away the fact that there is a dressmaker and her daughter, but the rest of the plot I'm going to keep quiet, as I don't want to jinx my writing mojo! I've been collecting magazine snippets of clothes/fashion for ages, and this past week I've been working on putting them together as my dressmaker's collection...

 

So, scroll down with me to see some select pics of how I did...

 

You are lucky, you know... Not only do you get to know the title of Novel Number Two, but you also get to meet visual prompts for the two main characters! I've not used this technique before but I'm liking it so far. Now, which do you think is the dressmaker and which the daughter?!

This is a retrospective page in terms of process - it was only after I'd compiled the fashion pics in their 'stories' (as capsule collections tend to be known) that I could narrow down my dressmaker's style and produce this, her Design Signature list! It should help me stay on track when writing about the designs/outfits, as well as inspiring me anew...

 



Each fashion 'story' has its day half and night half, each of which which gets a Smash double-spread, but I've just picked my favourites to share with you here.

Originally, I was going to leave these papers blank as I love the birds and didn't want to swamp them or overdo the page, but then I noticed this fab fashion sketch, lonely on the side of a gift bag in M&S! I spent ages wandering around the wrap section, but when I found the greetings card I was disappointed - it was half the size and yet more expensive! I'm really pleased with how it's turned out, especially as I had no idea how I was going to use it when I bought it!

And to end with today, here are the end pages of my Smash Book - oops! You've caught me in an unfinished moment - I've used the slogan from the side of the M&S gift bag on the right, and am waiting for that to dry before I stick down the other femme fatale sketch on the left...!

 

 

That's it from me, hope you're enjoying your WOYWW - I'm going to make a cup of tea after linking this post, then I'll be a-visiting for the rest of the afternoon! See you then :0)