Surprise me! De-hoarding the Brenda and Sacha way!

So everyone knows that Sacha and I have started an Ebay store together, no surprise there!

Boudoir-de-Paris

My barkcloth listed!

I wonder if we are the first people to ever do this from different sides of the world?

Now that's a question for Ebay. And I have such a funny blog to write about the service call to Ebay to explain that!  But that's another story..maybe tomorrow?

Anyway...I was talking to Sacha last night...and it occurred to me that everyone probably thinks we plan out everything...discuss listing stuff...have a strategy...a plan...and I had to laugh.

I drag myself out of bed...get my coffee..turn on my computer...and Sacha is there...having wine and dinner and a relaxing bath, already having finished her day in France.

Our conversations usually start something like this...

Sacha: "How was work last night?  Is your rosemary plant still doing well?"

Me: "Still alive! It and me. :)  Did you list anything today?"

If this poor Rosemary plant lives, then lavender should too...right?

Sacha: "You know you can separate your rosemary now to have more?  Yes, one of my favorite pillow cases! What are you going to list today?"

Sacha's Monogrammed Pillow Case

Me:  "I don't want more rosemary plants, I want your lavender!  I haven't had enough coffee to decide about listing anything yet, I'll decide later. Oh I love your pillow case, I want it!"

Sacha: "No we're selling!!  Selling!  And I love the lace you listed..I want that!"

Me: No! We're selling..not buying..just say no!"

Sacha: "Here's my recipe to the Clafoutis you asked for. I'm going to finish knitting my shawl, have a great day!  Can't wait to see what you list while I'm sleeping!"

Me: "Me too! No clue. LOL  Thank you, you have a wonderful night. Thanks for the recipe and say hello to hubby for me!"

And that's how Sacha and Brenda De-hoard!

I've shared here!

As always, I never know what I'll be getting into next.

This time it turned out to be a joint venture between myself and my friend in France!

We've always wanted to do something together, however the distance

obviously would be a challenge.

So we said "Ha! We say Phffttttt to that challenge!"

So now Sacha and Brenda are together at

Boudoir De Paris!

And an Ebay store...

boudoir-de-paris

It's going to be interesting to say the least!

Magnolia Pearl...really? Yes! Really!

 So what would YOU do if one of your favorite designers name showed up on your Etsy transaction page???  Well first...you stopped breathing...then you would stare at the email afraid to open it...surely you're seeing things right?...it's late...been a long night at work...would that make you hallucinate?  You walk away..come back...it's still there...an order for lace leggings...it's real..OMG..now what???

Some background...

I've always been pretty vocal about my love for Eileen Fisher and Magnolia Pearls designs. 

I know, that's about as far apart as you can get in the design world, but that's just

how my mind works.  I love the simplicity of Eileen Fisher and the romance of Magnolia Pearl.

  Someone awhile back told me my designs reminded her of Magnolia Pearls line. I had never heard of her ( I know, I know been living under a rock here in this small town)

but it didn't take me long to fall in love with her and her clothing!

The romance, the story and just the joy that radiates from everything she does is an inspiration.

I've always went my own way when it comes to creating and sewing garments, so I really love it when I find designers that do that same!

Anyway...enough about me...

Back to the Magnolia Pearl order!

So after getting measurements I started sewing the lace leggings she had ordered. 

They were for a friend, but still they are going through Robin's hands first so they had to be perfect, every thread exact...and can we say I was a tad stressed by this point???

Sewing a garment that was going into Magnolia Pearls camp was such a huge compliment and yet such a bigger OMG what if they hate them?...they don't fit?...the postal service eats the package?...

Well you get the picture!

Finally they are done and wrapped and on their way!

I've been dying to say something, but couldn't until I heard back from them...

And yes! They made it just fine and said she loved them. Whew.

So there was my brush with fame.

  Out of all the sellers on Etsy they picked my lace leggings!

  I'm still twirling around the room and pinching myself!  

 So thank you Magnolia Pearl for the boost in confidence and for being my sign.

My beautiful inside and out Whitney so NOT liking the feet and head on the mink stole props for the photo shoot.  At least I didn't try to make her wear it!

I had asked God for some answers whether I should just work like a normal person and stop sewing for the shop. It's difficult to work a full time job and keep a shop going at the same time.

  All I wanted was a sign..just any kind of sign..that I should keep designing and selling and boy

did I get one!

Sharing with link parties!


My Romantic Home

http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/ 

http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/

Sew many ways 

SILK Romantic Robe 1920s French Boudoir by TheWiltedMagnolia

The first garment in my new French Boudoir collection for my Etsy shop!

Thank you Whitney, you are gorgeous inside and out!

And Greg for being the photographer extraordinaire! 

Haven and Adrianne for cheering us on all day!

Love you all!

SILK Romantic Robe 1920s French Bordello by TheWiltedMagnolia

Fabric from www.michaelsfabrics.com
Ribbon from The Ribbon Store
www.ribbonstore.com

I've linked at blog parties Sew Random and...http://www.sewcountrychic.com, Sew Much Ado, and http://www.acharmingoccasionblog.com

http://www.sewcando.com/
http://sewchatty.blogspot.com/http://sewchatty.blogspot.com/

Still under wraps...

I'm working on a new collection for August inspired by my antique patterns from the 1920's....

Still very hush - hush....

Under wraps.....

Actually wrapped in tissue paper, hand dyed ribbon,vintage lace, antique calling card and vintage

silk millinery roses!

I think I love making the packages pretty more than I like sewing the garments!

Shared on Shabby Art Blog,  My Romantic homes and The Feathered Nest Friday link parties!
Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound blog.

Confession of a classic hoarder!

Confession time! I'm a hoarder. Not quite to the point of being on the TLC Hoarders show...yet. 

I refuse to be the little old lady who dies and gets eaten by her cats before the world can dig her out.

So.....I called an auction house...and I'm packing stuff up and it's going away!

Harder than some of you would ever imagine!

I keep EVERYTHING.

From my grandparents pill bottles (I'm 52, they died when I was eleven!) to all the pretty pottery and lace,

and just stuff that I've collected in between then and owning an antique store.

We won't even talk about me and Ebay...shudder.....

Here's a few pics of the things that are getting packed up and ready to move to some

other hoarders house!

Link-Sew-Clean

After a very hectic holiday work weekend, I've almost ready to get started cleaning the sewing room

and get started creating something new for the shop!

My three days off start next week, so if I want to keep on schedule the sewing room has to be ready...clean...organized...all the machines in perfect working order.

Sounds like work already!

I stopped by Sew Much Ado's blog to post on her Wednesday link party, and of course got sidetracked by all the pretty items everyone has made.

 

http://www.sew-much-ado.com/

But now, off to the studio, I have a legging order to fill and then clean!

I'm thrilled to say my creating mojo has returned and I have a definite direction to go with my designs!

That only took 30 years...not bad. Yeesh.

 Finally I feel like everything I have learned in the past has led me to this decision and that's it the right path.

So I've spent the past few weeks turning my hobby into a business.

Scary? Oh yeah!

Sales tax numbers, updated website, updated profiles and descriptions on my Etsy shop.

A marketing plan and lots of advice from Tara Gentile and other inspiring women to push me out of my rut and into the creative world of selling for what I'm worth.

After listening to several of her pod-casts (really, everyone should go listen) I sat down and seriously figured and re-figured my cost per item.

And yes at the end there was a GASP.  

I've been selling at wholesale cost. 

Which isn't horrible, but not if you want to succeed at what you're doing and actually get paid for it!

So here's the plan...yes there's a plan and I need everyone to hold me accountable to it!

How's that for putting it out there?

Starting next Monday, I will be working 3 days a week on my BUSINESS in my studio.

Yes, I took an extra day a week off from work. Another scary decision!

I have a schedule, just like a outside job. I will shut the door and not play with the dogs or nap with the kitty's all day. I will not play on the internet for hours. 

I will blog more often and list more often!

All input and advice welcome!

Join the link party at Sew Country Chick!

Chirstmas from l'uccello!!!! I won...can you believe it?

Anyone who knows me is aware that I NEVER win ANYTHING!!

It's a standing joke at work, when one of our regulars hands out lotto tickets every night,

that I WON'T be winning!

So when my favorite fantasy shop online l'uccello had a giveaway....I knew I wouldn't win...

never do...right???  But this is my fantasy store so heck yeah I was going to try!

OH. MY. GOSH.

I WON!!!

So the best Christmas gift ever. From my dream store. Free.

I'm still in shock, even after it got here!

The wrapping was gorgeous. The cards were fabulous.

And the vintage goodies are AMAZING!!

So thank you so very much l'uccello, I'm thrilled!

The Melinda Fingerless Double Ruffle Gloves

I'm in love with these gloves! They were so much fun to design and make. There will be lots of these in my closet this winter!

I'm linking to my favorite Monday blog partys!

Canoe Ridge Creations

Southern Lady's Market Monday

The Melinda Fingerless Double Ruffle Gloves

A customer requested a pair of these to go with the lace leggings I offer and I loved them so much I'm offering them in the shop too!

Made from the same stretch lace as my leggings, you can have these in cream or lilac.

3/4 length, they can be scrunched down for a shorter look. The thumb opening is reinforced for stability and because it's prettier than just leaving the serger seam. (My picky Mom would be proud!)

Soft ruffle on the hand and at the top, these are wearable all year.

Graveyard on Muslin

Linking to Show and Tell Friday. Not sure my graveyard fits the theme..
but I like it and it has roses!

I finally got started on my Graveyard picture I've been wanting to make, why is there so few hours in the day?

There's two graveyards I pass on my way to work everyday, very old, one with a weeping cherry tree and the other with old gates and roses....

so I'm combining them both because I couldn't decide!

I've started on the background, painting on muslin...

Soon as it dries I can start doing some free hand work on it!

Too much fun!

Show and Tell Friday!

It's been such a busy week!  My computer has almost died...I'm humming the funeral march for it as I type...

I'm still working on getting the booth at the antique mall stocked...washing and packing and pricing...

Found a luscious new lilac color of lace for my leggings....

Worked my day off at my regular job...really?

And finally just wore myself out, sat down and enjoyed my first roses of the year in a pitcher that a friend just gave me....whew.

Y'all can just see the edge of my bulletin board that I made from bark-cloth. I love it!

I'm linking this back to the blog for show and tell Friday at My Romantic Home!