Columbus Arts Festival Report

I apologize for my belated report on the Columbus Avenue Art Fair. The first day was fabulous - sun shining and such great people cam by our tent - Moms, kids, grandmas and even fabric lovers. Everything went well - our tent stayed up, everything fit in the car, credit card machine worked and our craft neighbors were wonderful. The best part was talking to everyone who visited the tent - they really seemed to like my skirts and DH even said to me "they get you here"! He's still a little unsure - but it was fun. I could sit in NYC and people watch all day - the fashion that people wore from funky to high end was a show in itself and so inpiring!

Unfortunately on Sunday it was thunderstorms all day. We drove into the city just in case but it was a downpour. We ended up at an upperwestside diner for breakfast and local indoor flea market - it was a nice morning, but I would have preferred to set up our tent. I have the video below of our tent, I thought I was taking a picture and the video was on. I will do better in June. Where in June...? Stay tune tomorrow....

If you can make it there...

I have never been one to apporach challenges cautiously and have applied to some big art fairs this summer. I would rather go big and fall on my face then play it safe and wonder what if? I believe a large part of success in life is just taking that first step - so here I go!

I have been accepted into four art fairs this summer. I was rejected by one and wait listed by another. As my confirmations come in I will post the info. The first one on the calendar is April 24 and 25 and is the 31st annual SPRING Crafts on Columbus! I am so excited it is held right on Columbus Avenue in NYC in front of the Museum of Natural History.

Right now I am in the middle of my planning stage. I have so many ideas and patterns reeling in my head and need to narrow my focus so I can get these garmets completed. When I was backstage at Westside story the Wardrobe Supervisor showed us the costume bible. They had sketches, descriptions and fabric swatches of each costume in the show. I realized this kind of organization would help me in keeping focused. I have always created Jessiegirl garmets with the fabric I have on hand and not really documented what I used. It's time to keep record!

The new Jessiegirl labels arrived today and they are woven! I think they will work better in the back of the skirt and give it a much more polished look.

From this to that...19 days and counting to the art fair

Nineteen days left! I am starting to get very nervous! I have so many ideas and time is running out. I posted a calender in my sewing room to help keep me focused. My problem is I get distracted with new ideas and fabrics and fabric combinations. It all goes back to editing. Obviously the answer is to stay out of the fabric stores - but for some reason they are all having fabulous sales this month.I think my skirts are almost complete - though I may do some more Halloween twirls if I have time at the end.

Remember how I "organized" all the fabrics on my dining room table (picture above) well here is a first peek at the results.

First look at the green, pink and zebra fabric with the ribbon on the table...well it became this:

I love this skirt - I call it the perfume twirl. The top fabric is an Alexander Henry pink fabric with cute old fashioned perfume bottles on it. The main fabric is sisboom casey scroll - this fabric goes with anything and the trim is obviously sisboom's zebra. I found the ribbon in NYC while exploring the garment district and should have bought more. The green and zebra is kind of my homage to the Gymboree Mod Zebra line, which I loved.

This is where I find the joy in sewing these clothes....to see a pile of fabric and ribbon become a skirt that will be worn by a girl as she conquers the world!