Marla Calandra-Designer profile picture

Marla Calandra-Designer

Fashion Designer, Occupational Therapist/Director, Professional Model

About Me


Anyone who knows me will tell you I am not your average girl. I am an independent, successful and ambitious person. I am not afraid to be on my own or to go against the general flow of public opinion when it comes to something I am passionate about or strongly believe in. I love ART and Medicine and I am fortunate enough to live the best of both worlds. I am a Registered and Licensed Occupational Therapist and currently work as a Regional Director of Operations where I manage 17 outpatient rehabilitation facilities. I also worked as a Teaching Associate at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia where I taught Neuro-Anatomy Lab to the Junior therapy students--Yup! You read right--Human Brain dissection! Loved it~! I am also a Jewelry and Handbag Designer. I craft custom design jewelry pieces from wire, Czech glass, Swarovski crystals and semi-precious stones-I also sew and design handbags and totes from vintage and contemporary fabrics. I just have recently returned to my original start in clothing design and now have encompassed the entire gamut of the fashion industry by designing the dynamic trio (handbags, jewelry and clothing). Working in the Fashion industry for over 20 years, I am also a Professional Model and have experience in the areas of print, runway and commercial work. I can honestly say I am never bored!...And SLEEP has now become something of a commodity to me..I bargin with it..However, I find it rather a nuisance, as there is so much more I want to do but not enough time in the day.


My Interests




My PASSION is for the UK and the CELTIC culture. It's history, people and Folklore is very fascinating to me. Hobbies include: **Making all natural handmade soaps from essential oils & herbs **Photography **Sketching/Painting portraits of people in various mediums **Writing poetry--(I'm a published author in 12 books & anthologies). **Listening to music keeps me alive(mentally) as working on my "FITNESS" does (physically). **I can always go for a round of kickboxing or a MENSA "brainteaser" puzzle Challenge.

I'd like to meet:


Music:



I play the harmonica and the pennywhistle. My favorite instrument is the Violin/Fiddle. Currently teaching myself to play-This is a challenge as I only have a right-handed violin and I am LEFT-HANDED! ..

My favorite music to listen to is CELTIC!!(traditional & contemporary). Singer Loreena McKennitt is Phenomenal! Other Celtic artists I enjoy are: Scalags, Dave Harnetty, Clannad, Enya, The Clan, The Pogues, and The GlenGarry Bhoys.
I have an eclectic interest in music but tend to be most attracted to World and New Age sounds, Electronica, Reggae, Folk, Bluegrass mountain music-(banjo, fiddle, harmonica), and Contemp. Swing. I do NOT like RAP or SPEED Metal!
I love music from the 60's-Woodstock! but 80’s music has a special place in HEART because that is MY generation. I am still IN LOVE with my 80’s Bands: The ALARM, DEXYS, A-Ha, Depeche Mode, Big Country, The Fixx, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Def Leppard, Culture Club, Sade, Psychedelic Furs, U2, Bananarama and so on…To me, that was the BEST ERA OF MUSIC.

Movies:



Lord of the Rings (all 3), Merlin, Willy Wonka (1971 original version), Oliver Twist (Roman Polanski directed 2005) Dangerous Liasons, Elizabeth, Time Bandits, White Chicks, anything Monty Python!!, Scary Movie 2, Pirates of the Caribbean (Dead Man's Chest), Shawshank Redemption, Name of the Rose, The 6th Sense, In the Mouth of Madness, Photographing Fairies, any Ray Bradbury story, any type of ghost story movie and of course Comedies--I LOVE TO LAUGH!

Television:



TV?? What is THAT?? I really don't like TV and hardly ever watch it. Mindless thing....Too many stupid reality shows anyway..If I do, it is usually the Learning and Discovery Channels, XFILES or VH1 Behind the Music.

Books:


Alice in Wonderland--Lewis Carroll is either brilliantly mad or madly brilliant! I also like to read any kind of Art book or Natural Health and Healing book. I love the Griffin and Sabin 6 book series by Nick Bantock-You won't be able to put it down!

Heroes:



My Blog

what American ACCENT do You have?-QUIZ

To most Americans, an accent is something that only OTHER people have, those other people usually being from  New York, Boston, or the South. Well, strictly speaking, the only way...
Posted by Marla*Fashion Designer on Tue, 06 Feb 2007 02:56:00 PST

For all MEN..What FASHION ERA are YOU! VOTE in my quick MINI POLL!

*MINI POLL* Men? WHAT FASHION ERA ARE YOU?   IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME TO WEAR THE FASHIONS OF AN ERA GONE BY FOR ONE DAY, WHAT ERA WOULD YOU CHOOSE?   Click link below to vote in my min...
Posted by Marla*Fashion Designer on Sun, 14 Jan 2007 11:20:00 PST

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR 80'S POP BANDS? TAKE MY TRIVIA QUIZ!

So you think you know all about our beloved 80's pop bands now do ya? If you love 80's music as much as I do, then this trivia quiz is just for you! I dare you to test your knowledge and really find...
Posted by Marla*Fashion Designer on Thu, 11 Jan 2007 03:09:00 PST