The (now pink) Edwardian gown arrived in Maine today and my customer absolutely loved it. She gave me fabulous feedback about it on my Etsy site (www.multitalentedmama.etsy.com). If you click on feedback it will come up with a photo of the dress before it was dyed rosy pink.
I have a new client (who's also going on a cruise) and I will be making 5 pieces for her! Fortunately, we focused on mix and match pieces in non-wrinkling fabrics so I will be able to make the deadline for her. She's going to be wonderful to work with!
Kevin is home on leave so I'm trying to balance spending time with him and family with meeting deadlines at work. Not so easy!
The Dutch Country Market finally opened in its new location which is so conveniently across the street (sort of) from my Studio. I went to the Grand Opening this morning in my capacity as Vice-President of the Laurel Board of Trade. It was wonderful!!! I certainly plan to adjust my grocery shopping habits and go there. It's interesting, I just finished reading "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver describing her family's experience with eating local for a year. It reminded me so much of when I was a country wife in Chautauqua County, New York. I've long felt uncomfortable with buying stuff from around the world and in a half-hearted way have spent the past couple of years focusing on shopping more local, no big box stores, shopping at Mom and Pop stores, reading labels for where something was manufactured or grown and dreaming about gardening and canning. I've always felt there was more value in something that was hand made, especially if I knew the maker. After this book, I am firmly re-committed to the whole concept of the locavore lifestyle. We did get a garden going this year and next year will be better. I have put some stuff up, not as much as I would like, but enough to feel good. I buy produce from the farmers market as much as possible and shop along Main Streets throughout the area looking for the small sole proprietor, family owned shops for everything. I'm back at the thrift and consigment shops for things. I'm back where I used to be in life philosophy and this time I won't let myself be led astray. So, Dutch Market, expect to see me a lot! Local, organic, family farms (locovore radius 250 miles maximum).
Gotta go, alterations to finish and fabric to shop for!!!

Rosy Pink---Dress and Hands

I've just finished dyeing the dress from the original cream to rosy pink. Fortunately I had some scraps of the main fabric in the dress so I could do some testing before putting the entire garment in the dye bath. When that came out the color I wanted, I wet the dress and gave it a dye bath! Everything went beautifully....meaning the color uptake was even, no dye spilled anywhere including on me (except my hands which are now pretty in pink). The difference in dye absorption by the different fabrics in the bodice created an interesting effect, very dimensional and textured looking, much more so than before it was dyed.
It's drying now and I'll ship it to Maine tomorrow where it will be packed to go on the virgin cruise of a new Royal Carribean liner. I must say, my creations do travel!
**PS: the fabrics in this dress are perfect for travel...no wrinkles!
***PPS: several suit alterations are on their way to Europe, a silk painting traveled to California, one gown went to a wedding in Paris another to Sweden and several more went on cruises, including one that I dyed blue and a skirt is now in London.

Spirit of Baltimore Cruise and Synergy

I'm excited! I signed the contract today with Sharon Harris to be one of the experts/vendors on the Women's Health and Beauty Cruise she is organizing. I've spoken with her on the phone a couple of times but today is the first time I've actually met her. She's a real dynamo and we hit it off right away.
So when's the Cruise? Saturday, May 16th! Tickets are $60 (group rates available) and there will be Speakers, Vendors, Fashion Show, Freebies and much more! We'll board the ship at 11:30 am from 561 Light Street in Baltimore and Cruise from Noon till 2 pm. Book now! Space is limited...call Sharon at 443-545-4901!
Hooking up with Sharon was one of those syngery things. I had a dentist appt and on the way out afterwards, I picked up a free copy of the Women's Journal. When I got back to the Studio I started flipping thru it, cut out her ad and called. She said she'd love to have me on the cruise as the fitting expert and wanted to see my Studio. She came today and loved the space, the peace, my designs and we brainstormed on some things. Just goes to show you never know which way a good thing will come to you. If I hadn't gone to the dentist I might never have met her and I see lots of good things coming from this for both of us.