The Bees Knees

Where did this expression come from? We humans have cute knees but they give out after a certain amount of use. Bees have spindly knees but I've never heard of a bee knee replacement. Maybee we need to learn from them. Fly instead of walk. Does that lead to shoulder surgery? Just asking.

Tomorrow and Sunday I'll be at the Red Poppy Fest along with thousands (I hope!) Should be lots of sunshine. Please come and enjoy all the music, food, family activities. It's been a buzzy week leading up to it. Special orders coming in. Looks like I'll be buzzy as a bee in the month of May!

I am skipping the Wilmington Flower Market. I'll miss all my fans there. Always a good show for me with lots of returning girls. Fun to see them grow. Maybe next year. In the meantime if you are used to finding me there, try my etsy or facebook pages.

Bee good and enjoy whatever your buzzy weekend brings!! Remember you can find me on 7th street in downtown Georgetown on the street outside The Exchange's new location. Parade starts at 10. Come early and stay late.

Red Poppy Time

Some Georgetown Poppies. Proudly, we are designated red poppy capitol of Texas and celebrate with a 2 day music festival. Weather cooperating, more than 30,000 visitors crowd our streets to listen to good music, sample fair food and shop the best handmade arts and crafts vendors from inside and out of Texas. Mama Ds and I are part of it all. Love all the crowds, commotion and confusion!!! It starts with a parade at 10 and goes to the late hours with a street dance and concert on Saturday. Sunday opens at 12 and closes at 5. Come one, come all. Great family fun. And if you're not familiar with downtown Georgetown, it is a good time to explore the many restaurants and stores. If it has been awhile since you've been here, there are new shops and restaurants you really need to see.

Link to Red Poppy Fest Here

Earth Love

Annarella Girl is dedicated toward making our garments earth friendly. How,? you ask. I am weary of living in a disposable world. Torn, shoddily made with cheap materials became the norm as fueled by discount stores and big box, low priced warehouse stores. By wielding huge buying power, they demanded impossible standards for manufacturers. Quality was lost in the process. When I started Annarella Girl I wanted to make garments that lasted through many washings, much playing. Ocasiionally, I question my dedication to sturdiness, it does take longer to make a dress with all seams finished and more fabric for self-faced ruffles and bodices. After a show where I hear one too many times - "I (or my mom) can do this for a lot less," I think maybe I'm the only one who cares. Just churn it out, cut corners, who cares? But I can't bring myself to do this. I want the garment to have a long history, to be passed down to younger girls, to end up being sent to a resale store where it can make another little girl happy. It's an heirloom dress with a long life for several happy girls. That's  my dream. Ending up in many closets and out of landfill.

Happy earth day!!!!!

American Bandstand, Shirtwaist Dress and Penny Loafers

When I heard Dick Clark had died, I immediately flashed back to my teens. My high school years were spent in Wilmington, Delaware. At that time it took an hour to drive to Philadelphia, but only an instant each afternoon after school. Just a click of the on button and my friends and I were in Philly with Justine and Bob dancing on American Bandstand with Dick Clark and the regulars. Following all the current moves, teen romances, singing idols. Our uniform was the cotton shirtwaist dress with Peter Pan collar anchored by a circle pin and loafers with a shiny penny. Or in the winter a twin set in pastel colors with a strand of pearls. This was styling with Dick. He understood what music we wanted to hear and what was cooool! Philly was the center for awhile with Frankie Avalon, Fabian, and the Four Seasons. It was a less complicated time Less angry. Less mean. He was our shepherd through adolescence. He was a trusted  adult who understood how the music of the day spoke to us and for us.

I moved  on, grew up, fell in love with the music of the 60's and 70's, but my roots were planted in American Bandstand wearing my shirtwaist dress and penny loafers. Thanks, Dick Clark, for being such a positive part of my youth.

Sewing Steady

When I take a few days off, my fingers, brain and creative spirit are ready to work hard. I find myself just putting my head down and working to catch up. While I was gone this time, I lent my machine to my partner who had hers in the shop for repairs. Let her keep it for the weekend, and I did lots of cutting out and prep for this week. So yesterday was first one back with the machine. Sewing and thinking has ensued.  Love getting back to it. It is my comfort zone. If you had told me 15 years ago that this is what I'd be doing almost daily, I would have laughed at you. Told you all the ways that would be impossible,  but look where I am.

Do you find yourself on an  "impossible" path? Life is full of twists and turns. Gotta love not really knowing what lays beyond each bend.

New Orleans, I Loved You!!!

Just back from 3 days in New Orleans. Now I have a new city to love. Not Bourbon St which is for 18-30 year olds with its garish neon, bar by bar, general seediness and vulgar odor. No it was all the other parts as shown to me by passionate tour guides, chatty cabbies, pedi cab drivers. This was the friendliest place I have ever visited. Got to hear some good music. Took a tour of the ninth ward where the reconstruction of the poorest cottages still continues. Enjoyed a buggy ride as dusk turned to dark. Saw some blue heron and one very large alligator sunning itself on a lawn on a swamp tour. Ate dinner where a zydeco band played and the dancers ranged from an elegant couple who glided across the floor with every song to kids dancing with wild abandon. Spent some time at the French Quarter Music Festival listening to good N.O. jazz. A varied trip, but by the end I felt like we had soaked up some of the atmosphere of this unique city. Beignets. Streetcars. Smiling people proud of living in the city that survived such a devastating disaster. And I have fallen love with all. .

A Break in the Action

Taking 4 days away from the sewing machine. Will my fingers be able to stand it? My eyes will welcome it. As noted often in previous posts or maybe on Facebook, by the end of the day with so many allerens in the air, my eyes are tired, very tired. So from my brain to my eyes to my creative muscles, I'm taking a break.

Everytime I take off I lose some of my readers. I hope you'll bear with me. I want to see all of you when I'm back Have a good week!!!!