Thursday, April 29, 2010

upcoming workshops

As promised, there will be another 'etsy success' workshop within the next few weeks, just deciding on the location for the event. Several of you have emailed me and either had a friend take the other workshops I've taught, or heard about it on facebook.
It is a really nice overview of the basics of setting up a shop to different strategies you can use to make sales and get your name out there. Feedback on all the workshops I've taught so far has been wonderful! I really started teaching these due to the overwhelming questions and advice sought by so many Omahans, and I never realized how many budding entrepreneurs were living so close to me!
Also I'll be doing some artsy/craftsy workshops as well, and I've really been enjoying teaching adults since most of my teaching for the last 11 years has been kids- (although I have so much fun with them:)
Please leave me comments as to what types of crafts you all would love to see in some of these workshops, and remember I love sewing, but also have taught workshops on watercolor (which I love and don't get a chance to do as often as I'd like to), wire sculpture, collage/ mixed media, and even photography.
I usually use an LCD projector and show lots of examples, since most of you are visual learners as I am, it really helps.
By the way, thanks to all the wonderfully talented ladies at the American Sewing Guild- my speech was very well received and I learned so much from them as well! What an amazing array of talent and skills they possess!!
Please add me on facebook if you'd like to see dates and times for the workshops :)

Friday, April 16, 2010

Weekend plans

I am honored to be giving a speech tomorrow for the Omaha Chapter of the American Sewing Guild. The group invited me to talk about my interest in sewing and how I turned that into a business. It will be fun to meet so many other sewing enthusiasts!
Then I'm off to the second softball game of the season~ hoping it will be a little warmer than the soccer games have been. We are actually going to try and grill out on Sunday afternoon after another softball game, so it should be a fun-filled weekend.
although I'm sure spending time in the backyard will just make me think about all the upcoming yard work that needs to be done. That kind of sounds cathartic right about now though, after such a cold, snowy winter.
spring is finally here!!!
Still catching up on dress orders though, and everyone's prom date is looming, so I have to do a lot of sewing tonight before I can take a much needed break.

Monday, April 12, 2010

nice weather plans

things I want to do within the next 2 weeks:
~ visit the zoo with sasha and let her take lots of pictures with her new camera

~ dreamily sketch new designs for summer, without actually doing any work on them until I've had time to rest
~ meet with a bunch of new girls who may be joining the craft mafia :)
~ have lots of tea/coffee dates with my friends, preferrably on someone's patio or deck
~ shopping in the old market

~ work in the yard, it is sooooooo ready for some attention

~ actually go to the gym a few times a week, rather than telling myself I don't have time
~ finish all pending orders and SHIP THEM OFF! (before all above tasks)
~ get a hair cut

~ find some cute summer shoes!

~ sell things from shed and house to clean out space
~ sit through a LOT of soccer and softball games watching my girl! aaaahhhhh, spring is finally here!!!

Saturday, April 10, 2010

hmmmm.....

~ been doing a lot of soul searching lately.... I know, what else is new? What's that? Ellene is analyzing things? I guess growing older makes you do that. I prayed for change recently, and the few times I've done that in the past, boy do I get change. Kev says 'stop doing that, will you?' As long as it's good change he's ok with it though.

Found this advice today over at carnival by the sea , and it made me smile:
If I could offer you one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.
The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience...
I will dispense this advice now..
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh, nevermind, you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded. But trust me, in 20 years you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in away you can't grasp now, how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. You are NOT as fat as you imagine.

Don't worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real toubles in life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind the blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing everyday that scares you.

Sing.

Don't be reckless with other peoples hearts. Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss.

Don't waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long, and in the end, it's only with yourself.

Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults. If you suceed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch.

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. the most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don't.

Get plenty of calcium.

Be kind to your knees, you'll miss them when they're gone.

Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't.

Maybe you'll divorce at 40. Maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary....

Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either - your choices are half chance, so are everybody else's.

Enjoy your body, use it every way you can... don't be afraid of it, or what other people think of it... it's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.

Dance... even if you have nowhere else to do it but in your own living room.

Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.

Do NOT read beauty magazines they will only make you feel UGLY.

Get to know your parents, you never know when they might be gone for good.

Be nice to your siblings; They're your best link to your past, and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go, except for the precious few you should hold on.

Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard.

Live in Northern California once, but, leave before it makes you soft.

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths. Prices will rise, Politicians will philander, you too will get old. And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble, and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you'll have a trust fund, maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out.

Don't mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia; dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts, and recycling it for more than it's worth.


....But trust me on the sunscreen.

Tuesday, April 06, 2010

thanks dan richters for the video!!!

My designs are first on the video:: all white :)

Omaha Fashion Week 2010 Preview from Dan Richters on Vimeo.

Saturday, April 03, 2010

more omaha fashion week

a few more pictures from the runway show...

jasmine:

shelby:

more later :)

Friday, April 02, 2010

omaha fashion week preview - done

shelby in tattered bustle dress:

jasmine in victorian inspired gauze dress:

more pics to come!
add me on facebook to see all the pics from everyone :)