Life on an Island

This is an experiment. As some of you are already aware, my new life on a tiny Carribbean island has had its challenges with communication. Today my friend and IT specialist, TD, is trying something new to connect me to the web. So I'm trying every system I used to use to keep friends and family updated on my life and my business - email, facebook and blog. Who knows this may be a permanent fix, or as with several tries in the last month, a temporary glitch - not understood or repeatable.

 

 

I'm taking this opportunity to say hi to all of you with a few pics to show you that I really am in paradise. If this experiment works (the internet connection not the island adventure), you will be hearing from me more regularly. I have a backlog of possible blog titles I might bore you with - such as "when going astray be sure to take your IT person," "chicken run," "ship's in," and "talking to myself."

Here's the first dress I've created on the island. Annarella Girl is going to take a new form, but I'm not sure what or how yet. This is all part of the adventure.

Warm, sunny thoughts going out to all. I hope to sign on again soon.

Another Sleepless Night

Okay, enough is enough. I need my sleep.

Does anyone have any ideas about how to get rid of stuff? If it were you, what steps would you take? Your thoughts will be listened to and appreciated.

J is helping me with pictures of furniture this week.

 

 

This is the master bed, or should I say BED! I found this in a barn in Pennsyvania in 1970's. Love it. But we have no idea of age. Looks like it is handmade. Much of it is pegged. Through the many family moves it has some splits in the frame, but it is still sturdy.

I'm finding that craig's list is a limited tool. Most responses are spam! "Send us your private email because we like your 'posted' so much." That is one example of the responses to my listings. A little aside, I have met 2 amazing crocheters who between me have given great homes to my yarn stash!) Now we (J and I) are thinking about trying Etsy. We'll see if that is a better audience.

AND, what am I going to do with Annarella Girl? Any ideas? I've never been wildly successful but steady orders and a few shows have been good to me. I've kept busy while exercising my creative muscles. At the end of a year I usually break even or a smidge on the plus side. I can't see quitting - I need a reason to get up in the morning. But what form will my business take? One idea that niggles at my dreams is to do 3-4 shows a year. Keep participating in Red Poppy Festival, Georgetown, and Wilmington Flower Market, Delaware. I'd love to find a late summer and fall show - maybe near Chattanooga or Jacksonville.  Now all I need to do is sucker, oops mean entice, someone into helping me. I'll be toying around with this dream for a while, so you have plenty of time to give me input. (If you think the time has come for me to stop making dresses, I'd like to hear from you, just be gentle!)

Oh, my, I see more sleepless nights heading my way.

A Different View

Since we've made THE BIG DECISION, I find I'm looking at all my stuff differently. I open a drawer, and I see it as a space to be cleaned out. A closet becomes a sorting opportunity. Not that I've really been so efficient as to get to all the nooks and crannies, but I have been mentally making a list. Where to start? What to do?

Most of my time this week is spent getting ready for the Annarella Girl Sewing Room and Craft Sale. (Doesn't that sound grand.) Now as the day, Thursday, approaches I'm at the point where I worry if anyone will come. There is so much stuff I can't believe that it all came out of my workroom. How did it all fit? The variety of fabrics, yarns, trims and craftiness is amazing. I can trace my crafting life from needlework - embroidery to crossstich to free hand crachet, to baby stuff - flannel to softest faux fur burp clothes; purses using upholstery fabrics - I even have a few to sell; finally to Annarella Girl with all the cotton fabrics.

Gathering it all together, touching it for one more time, reminds me how much I've enjoyed my creativity. I joke about it being my mental therapy; but, in truth, working with my hands, the process of visualizing an idea and then crafting it is important to my well being. Although I've never made a scientific study, I suspect everyone needs to exercise his/her creative muscle in order to be happy. Like food and shelter, creation is a human essential. How else can we explain cave paintings?

With Apologies

I've been neglecting you, my followers. Somehow I keep running out of time. Do you have people in your life who are always productive? Who seem to have time to run up a quick skirt, bake a couple of loaves of bread, run 3 miles a day, clean their baseboards, have cookies and milk ready for the kids, and even more? Where do they find the time!!! Does their day have 28 hours?

Well, my day only has 24. Truthfully, the morning hours between 7 & 11 are the ones that really count. After lunch I begin to slow down. For me that means going from a saunter to a crawl. I guess I really only have 4 hours in my day. No wonder the rest of you are so far ahead.

Tomorrow is set up for the Red Poppy Festival then with just a little help from the weather man an exciting weekend connecting with old friends and making some new ones. Come on out to say hello!

This little reversible pillowcase dress should be ready and hanging in the booth for some smiling little 2 year old.

 

 

After the weekend, I have one day to pack car and set out for Wilmington, DE. For all of you on the East Coast Annarella Girl will be at the Wilmington Flower Market from May 9 -11. See you there.

www.wilmingtonflowermarket.org  has all the info about the event.

 

I'll try to stop in here once in a while to chat with you. If I'm neglectful it's because I've run out of hours, but I'll be thinking of you.



Saturday Countdown

The sun is shining through my sewing room window, but the temperature is unusually chilly. Who left the refrigerator door open last night?

sunny skirt, size M (5-6)

I'm into the final countdown before the Red Poppy Festival which kicks off next Saturday. So much left to do. That dreaded to-do list is soooo long. Most of the sewing is done, but I have a few "if I can get to it" dresses and onesies I'm dying to do. a lot of the tasks are now organizational and business details. Print off handouts; tag everything; iron, iron, iron all the goodies; make headbands; gather all display items; stamp receipts. Seems endless, doesn't it?

Why go through all of this work for a show? I love meeting all the customers. I look forward to talking to the girls. The feedback is invalauble. For months I work in the solitary confines of my sewing room. A show gives me a chance to see if I'm designing and creating clothes that a little girl wants. Every smile affirms that I'm on the right track. Each excited buyer gives me a shot of love.

Recently a reader left a comment saying that Annarella Girl clothes made her smile. That is the ultimate compliment for me! When someone walks into my booth and smiles as he/she looks, I feel it as a warm hug. Does anyone remember the Oscar acceptance speech of Sally Fields when she exclaimed, "You love me! You really love me!?" I want to shout those words with every smile and each purchase. Yep, these are my creation "babies," and you think they are cute!!! I am a proud mom.

I hope you will be able to put up with my obsessing about Red Poppy. And it doesn't end there. Two days after, April 30, husband and I start the long drive to take Annarella Girl to the Wilmington Flower Market. Hooray!! Another dose of love, I hope.

Hey, if you are close to either show, stop in and say hi. I'd love to see you!! Now, I'm off to make some headbands. Busy, busy , busy.

Why You Haven't Been Hearing from Me

Busy days. There are 3 projects that are converging. I'm as busy as a one-armed paper hanger.

Two weeks until the Poppy Fest. Georgetown's Square welcomes 30,000 visitors to hear the music, see the cars, eat fair food, and visit all the arts and crafts vendors - that means me!!! Go to the website to see the stars and schedule for all events. www.poppy.georgetown.org.

I'm also helping the Georgetown Art Works create an outstanding  booth to spread the word about the new art center coming to Georgetown. Look for the big blue elephant at the Red Poppy Fest. There you can find out what the art center will be doing this year, how you can become a member and support this exciting project.

Then 2 weeks later, May 9th - 11th I'll be at the Wilmington Flower Market. I had to skip it last year, but I'm back!!! Great show which benefits lots of worthy children's charities. Come out buy a plant, famous flower market mustard and a colorful sundress!!!

All this has kept my fingers flying at the sewing machine and attending more meetings than I'd like. Here are a few new creations for my booth at Red Poppy and the Flower Market. Spread the word. Mark your calendar. Annarella Girl is coming.





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Personal Assistant Needed

I used to think I would like a wife. You know for all those picky detail chores that fill our lives. But I'm updating my attitude and daydreaming about a personal assistant. What has pushed this latest fantasy?

Last night talking with the poet sister who was outlining all the many steps ahead of her to self-publish a chap book, I was totally stricken by the load of work ahead for her. Having written her poems and chosen which ones to include, I thought she had maybe 3/4 of the work done. No! Her list of the remaining steps and decisions before the book is a hold-in-your-hand reality leaves me exhausted, so I can't even imagine how she feels.

She needs a personal assistant. Someone you can look at and say, "Macy, after you answer all the emails, research and present me with types of paper, find out pricing for cover - color versus black & white, take this to the printer. Oh, and pick up my dry cleaning on your way back." In my fantasy for my sister and then, of course, me, I see that perky, energetic, tireless assistant who can take care of the endless organizational tasks leaving us to create and make the creative decisions.

Don't all of you creative artists, writers, artisans who are trying to run a business need a Macy?

In my case, if I didn't have to be on the phone or email shepharding my business through shows, etsy and stores, I can be awash in fabrics, piecing together the dresses and watching them emerge, creating new designs. Ahhh, bliss! Instead I'm up to my neck in paper - email and  microsoft office. I need to create a time line for the Georgetown Art Center, email artists and artisans for the gift shop portion, talk budget for the art center booth at the Red Poppy Fest, plus a few more necessary and urgent tasks. Oh,  if only I could swivel my chair around and say, "Macy, take care of this." Then I could work on the next onesie.

Well, a girl (truth in advertising, an old lady) can dream.

Here are 2 dresses that are making their debut at the Red Poppy Fest in the Annarella Girl  booth. I'm in love with the vivid colors.

 



Notice one fabric is common to both, but the pallette of each is totally different. That's part of the fun in what I do. I hope you are smiling as you look at them. The joy I take in looking at their vivid colors and the pride I take in a job well done, give me a push forward to the to do list. I'm going to corral some of that paper work!!! 

A Tuesday Muse

The world out of my workroom window is green. The new green of budding leaves, my favorite color. So bright. Clean. Clear. It is  filled with hope. An affirmation that life continues anew. My spirit says ahhhhhh.

Here are a few skirts and dresses with some spring green.

 

 

Wallow in the new green with me!

Order Reigns

Thanks to my son, Jeff, I now have an orderly, organized sewing room. YEA!!! It was such a pleasure to walk in this morning with my first cup of coffee in my hand.

Before

After

 

I predict it will be a good week



Ah...the Possibilities

 

This morning I made a drive by drop off at the Austin airport. Butler and I are now on our own for several days. As I drove home the sunrise was was painting the sky in vivid pinks and golds. My eyes drank in the changing clouds and colors. What an awesome display!

I could feel my spirit opening up to the possibilities of what I could do in the coming days. If nature can produce such a brilliant tableau, certainly I can mix my colors and patterns, too, with wild abandon! I'm inspired by the sky, the coming spring blooms, the rows of fabrics in the store, the beautiful dresses online. My creative soul is singing!

Blooming!

Good and Bad

Can the ugly be far behind? Hope not!

My good....my lovely second sister is going to be working with me on some sewing. I am so excited! She is talented and clever. (I can't believe it, but once while living in Turkey she made a dress for my niece entirely by hand! I am in awe.) So this weekend I'm busy, happily so, organizing a box to send to her. I'm writing lots of notes and including some pictures. Keep your fingers crossed that she will looove the process of creating with me. (I even have my toes crossed.) Beam us your good thoughts!!!

I can't express how wonderful it is to be working with both my sisters - Linda, the poet, and Marsha, the seamstress. If I could think of some way to involve my 2 brothers, I would. If for no other reason than to talk to them regularly. My admiration for the talent, intelligence and sense of humor that runs throughout my family, knows no bounds.

And the bad. I've written fairly recently about the joy that comes from successfully completing a project from the spark of an idea to the finished project. On the flip side this week has seen me struggling and temporarily putting aside a less than successful project. In my mind the design for a dress with sleeves was fresh, sassy and whimsical. In reality it is none of those things. It is tired and muddled. So I must set it aside while I decide if any of the ideas it incorporated are viable. I'm a little sad. And I hate that I've wasted 3 days on a failure. I have always told my children that failing is progress. "You know that you don't have to do that again. You can move forward to the next idea." But this morning failure feels just like itself - a bit like falling down.  Painful!!!

If I'm not posting as regularly as before, it is because I'm busy. Picking myself up, putting on bandaids, and moving on.

Sew Happy

 

The new combinations of fabrics I'm working with are making me so happy. They are a bit crazy like that upside down owl you can maybe make out. I'm feeling sassy, whimsical, and colorful. And that is how I hope my Annarella Girls feel when they wear these dresses.

I'm preparing for a photo shoot in February. That's when I'll begin posting these on facebook. My fall/winter jumpers are still on sale until the end of January. Check them out. Only the sizes shown are available. At $10 off they would make a great gift for now or, thinking ahead, next winter. Click here for my link or go to the sidebar and click.

 

 

Above is another teaser. You didn't think I was moving away from pink? It's going to be a grreat spring, I can just feel it in my bones.

Beauty Calls

It looks like a random jumble of fabrics at first glance, but to me I see 4 dresses calling. This is my playground. Yesterday, after finishing a special order, I started lining up different colors and prints to make some sample dresses for spring and summer. There is a mix of new and old materials. Definitely a blend of colors - bright but often slightly ivory rather than white. Flowers, paisleys and geometrics. My imagination runs wild.

 

With anticipation and excitement I'm ready to take up my shears and cut! Create!

 



New Dress

As I start this morning with sunshine and coffee, I celebrate a new sample dress. I love the way it came together. I found myself smiling at each step.

 

 Tiny changes. I've started putting my labels inside in stead of on the back. What do you think? Leave it inside or go back to outside?

Also, just for fun, different straps.A takeoff on the wearing different socks or wearing different earrings. I think it is a bit sassy and whimsical.

I'm always tweaking my patterns. I just can't help myself. That's the beauty of having my own business, I can do what I want. So far I've been lucky to have all my wonderful customers applaud my tweaks. Thanks, guys!!!

 

 

 

 



Blooms in My Garden

 

 

This Monday morning my eyes and fingers are dancing through my fabric gardens.

 



 

 

A bit of whimsey in Valentine's Day hearts for a couple of special orders. I love mixing them with flowers.

 



 

 

Then some new fabrics for spring dresses. I'm absolutely in love with the teal and orange. Designer calls it curry. Sounds so much more exotic.

 



 

 

And my garden must have some butterflies - soaring and swooping among the blossoms.

 



 

 

Although I don't dig in the dirt, plant seeds or design garden paths, I am happy, happy, happy among my sewing room blossoms this Monday morning.

 

Enjoy your day. Breathe deeply and smell the roses.

Excuses, Excuses

I'm suppose to be writing daily, but I've missed a couple. When last heard from I was getting ready to have my second eye operated on; this time I'm a little slower getting back to computer. All is fine. Not the miraculous result as before, but with slower improvements expected. For some reason not known to medical science, doc says every eye is different and responds differently. No surprise to anyone who has been pregnant. None are ever the same. The body is complex and has a mind of its own. Okay, so that is so non-scientific, but it is true. Life is full of mysteries, and the human body continues to be one.

Secondly, I mentioned that I was all caught up with work. And I was, until Monday. Happily I got some special orders. I say happily bcause I love working. I'm now busy at my sewing machine trying to get 3 skirts and a jumper finished by Friday afternoon. Wish for me no mistakes!!!

First Friday

Tonight is October's First Friday in downtown Georgetown. This is a tradition that brings a large audience to our Square. Always energetic. Always fun!

I'm so excited for tonight because "Little Loft" (above The Exchange on 8th st) is hosting a trunk show for Matilda Jane. This children's clothing line is what inspired me to create Annarella Girl. It is funky, colorful and different. I try to channel that same vibe in my clothes while creating a different look. While we both combine colors and patterns in unexpected ways, I'm a bit more color crazy. And I'm still producing everything from my sewing room  by hand, stitch by stitch. My line is limited edition and often one of a kind.

Make sure you stop by tonight to see some Matilda Jane and some new Annarella Girl. You can have the best dressed daughter, granddaughter, cousin, niece, goddaughter around!!!

PS. I'm pairing leggings or leg warmers with most dresses and skirts. Some have a handmade crocheted flower and some are without. So cute!!!! I love the idea of flowers on legs.

Welcoming a "Normal" Day

I still have car problems, but I'm taking a day off from worrying about that. I'm declaring this a "normal" day. A bit of washing and ironing, a quick swifter to the tile floors, and then time in the sewing room.

I'm working on a corduroy jumper with a fall vibe  pink, brown, cream and yellow zinnias on an orange background. Here it sits on my ironng board awaiting the bottom ruffle which is hot pink. So Annarella Girl!

Above the jumper style is beautifully modeled. She shows how cute it looks with a tee and leggings. Very comfortable! I'm working on some leggingts to go with the jumpers and dresses. Hope to have some soon to show you.

Here in central Texas, we are having flashes of autumn. Mornings are cooler; afternoons not quite so hot. It is inspiring me to work on pieces for the coming seasons. What do you like about fall?  I love plaid flannels and corduroy. I love curling up with a good book under a warm throw. I love colorful, funky knee socks. How about you?

Labor of Love

Happy Labor Day!! It's time to celebrate the winding down of summer. Although the thermometer is stuck at 100, the morning is slower to come and evening turns our lights on sooner. The seasons of the year march on. Fall approaches. Can Thanksgiving and Christmas be far behind? Oh my.

I'm busy sewing for fall and winter. My palettes become deeper in shades of magenta, golden yellow, and rich browns. I've worked on some plaid jumpers. When I was a schoolgirl, I always had a new dress for the first day of school and it was always plaid. So I associate cooler weather with plaids in greens, blues and reds. Having found some wonderful brushed cotton flannels, I'm happily channeling my inner girl into an updated plaid jumper. Fun,funky and comfortable. Ah..... It may not be a color of my youth but it satisfies my memories.

A labor of love from my sewing room.

Back to Work

Happily I'm able to spend more time in my sewing room. I'm finishing up a sundress, size 2, which will be in "Little Loft" unless someone snatches it up first. As you can see in pic, I'm trying to decide between blue ribbon or black. I'm letting my mind percolate on the choices for a bit.

Next I have an order for 2 dresses for sisters in Boston area. Mom wants them to be similar but not the same. I enjoy this challenge - any excuse to play with color and fabric. Happy me!!

Finally I have another design challenge. I've been talking to someone who wants a Halloween dress for her daughter. Although I've always thought I was a colorful designer, this mom wants BOLD and BRIGHT. I'm not sure I can do this project justice in her eyes. So I'm deciding how much to compromise my style. Sounds like a dilemma on Project Runway. I'm channeling Michael Kors when he counsels contestants to not desert totally their aesthetics for the wants of their clients. Sometimes the designer does know best. It is a matter of having a dress go out into the world with my name on it. I have to be proud of what I produce. I am limited by my eye and passion.  In my heart I feel that another maker would make this customer happier than I can. Stay tuned for solution. I'm taking the time to make the best decision for both customer and me.

Rehab for husband continues. There are some frustrations. Doctor missing in action, so our questions are piling up. My sister tells me that I'm talking about food in every post, but I must mention it again. For 2 nights in a row I've been delivering meals, and 2 mornings in a row coffee. I'm beginning to think we might be better off at home. Is this a sign that he is getting better that we are complaining more?

Have a great day!! I'm off to start cutting out for the 2 girls in Boston.