SONO Arts Festival - WOW

This weekend we were vendors at the SONO Arts Festival right here in CT. I wasn't sure how Jessiegirlclothing would do at this one, but we have always attended and it was close to home. We had so much fun! People were great and Jessiegirlclothing was so well received. I loved watching the little girls come into the booth and pick out their own skirts. The Moms were fabulous also! I told DH we have the coolest Moms and girls as customers. I don't mean to leave out the dads they were great too.

I need to remember a mirror next time - alot of girls tried on their beautiful clothes in the tent and I would love to have a full length mirror for them to see themselves. Alot of ladies asked about adult skirts and I may try that next spring on a small scale.

I am also in SisBoom country and use alot of her fabrics. A few creative ladies noticed and we had our Paganelli love moment - she does craft shows at her home in Wilton that are out of this world!

There was beautiful art at the festival, great music and a puppet parade to top it off! The only issue we had was the wind. We were near tall buildings and felt like we were in a wind tunnel - Thank goodness for the cinder blocks holding the tent down. I spent alot of the day trying to make sure papers, cards, tissue etc. didn't blow away!

One of the advantages of being close to home is seeing alot of old friends. Saturday was our 11th wedding anniversary and about half our wedding party stopped by very cool!

Off to continue working on Velvet Ribbon (my new fall/holiday) line! Preview pics will be coming this week...so stay tune!

Thinking of Velvet Ribbon in July...

I have been behind in my blogging and I hate that! I am very busy on my fall/winter line and have been trying to stay away from the computer. For two reasons 1. The internet can suck up my time so fast. I get lost in a beautiful world of blogs, facebook, flickr etc.. By the time I look up two hours have passed. During the summer I love to spend time with my kids at the park, pool or even in the yard...so I have to use every free moment wisely!
The second is though I love to view other designer's creations it also can make me feel insecure. I start to reconsider certain design elements because I think they might be popular - lots of lace or a certain fabric line. But when ever I start to incorporate these elements it doesn't work - because it is not my aesthetic and I end up throwing the garment away half finished. So I turn the computer off, take a trip to NYC - people watch and visit tiny fabric and ribbon stores in the garment district - and rediscover my own vision. - That's what I have been up to!
Thought it's taken awhile - I think my fall and winter designs are really cool and a little different then everything else. I am finishing up this week and contacting photographers so I can start posting pics! Stay tune!Check out this great statue that was lining the street in the fashion district in NYC - there were a bunch of them all decked out in different outfits - Only in New York!

So many details....

Lincoln Center was fantastic! I got the pleasure of selling my skirts and dresses to families not only in NYC but Israel, England and Argentina. The vendors in neighboring tents were so nice - I was unsure how that would go and they were so inspiring and helpful! The American Girl Doll dresses were such a hit! The highlight of the weekend was when a five year old girl insisted on wearing her jessiegirlclothing skirt that moment! We later saw her parents taking pics of her by the fountain in Lincoln Center -- pure heaven! Best feedback ever - is watching the girls run to the booth and choose the skirts and dresses THEY want to wear! That is when I know this might work!
The only downside was the heat! It was 90 degrees and HUMID. If you live on the east coast you know what I mean - ugh! I drank smoothies, diet coke and water all day. My Mom and best friend helped me in the tent and we had a blast. I hope to return next year. A great opportunity which I will post about later appeared and is keeping me very busy!

My next show will be a bit closer to home. the SONO Arts Festival in Norwalk - I will have alot of the same items and some new patterns!

OMG! Lincoln Center is less then two weeks away...

Lincoln center is less then two weeks away! I am so excited and overwhelmed with to-do lists! The good news my Mom is coming in to help on Wed. But now I face the battle to keep working on the clothes for the show or clean the house for her visit. Right now I am trying to do both without much success.

I love these photos by Erin Schuler - check out her blog on my links - she is always having a giveaway! These photos are so much fun and her daughter is gorgeous! Told you - I'm totally addicted!

Ouch!

Busy day was planned for Saturday - two soccer games, Jessie's dance recital, and the June Fair...maybe squeeze in a Costco trip? I figured on two hours to get some work done in the morning if I rushed. Not the brightest idea when cutting fabric with a rotary cutter - ouch - let's leave it at 45 minutes later I ended up in the emergency room getting my finger wrapped and receiving a tetanus shot. Ouch!

I will spare you the details - I will be fine - but a lesson was learned. I think ancient philosophy talks about living in the moment and attaining full consciousness in everything we do. I have always tried to accomplish that when spending time with my children but perhaps life is telling me that I need to slow down. The irony is I am back to cutting and sewing - it is truly a passion for me and Lincoln Center in the 26th! DH and I went to Joanns and apparently they sell "Klutz gloves" and suction ruler handles to prevent rotary accidents like mine.

The good news is thanks to some wonderful friends I did see Jessie in her dance recital and she was wonderful. Dance is such a joy for girls at that age - they are truly in the moment on that stage!

"There is no consciousness without pain"
Carl Gustav Jung

Trends come and go...but every girl loves a ruffle!

We went to the Bruce Museum Craft Show last weekend in Greenwich, CT. The grounds of the museum are filled with statues and the craft tents were not in rows but instead scattered throughout the museum grounds. But one of the coolest things was that the museum was having an antique clothing exhibition. On display were dresses and other items from the late 1800's to the flappers of the 1920s. They were gorgeous - and so well done. What is so interesting is many of the techniques popular in boutique clothing such as ruffles, ruching, bows, petticoats, fabric flower embellishments can all be found on these century old garments. These embellishments make a dress look beautiful today - just as they did then.

I was waitlisted at this Craft show - but the letter the Museum sent was so kind - I had to read it twice to realize it was a rejection - now that's class. I will reapply next year and hopefully will be able to return with an exhibitor's perspective. It was a really nice day - DJ was off with a friend - and it was just DH, Jessie and myself. Jessie rarely gets a day alone with both of us so it was a nice treat! She loved the animal bronzes at the entrance of the museum.

Fortytoesphotography does Frida right!

Gorgeous! These photos are by Jennifer and Stella-Marie of FortyToesPhotography! Jenn is a great Mom of four beautiful kids! She sweetly agreed to photograph my Frida skirt and she knocked it out of the park! Check out her blog - she has a giveaway right now - she sews too!

http://momof40toes.blogspot.com/ or click on the link in my blog list!