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!

Why name it The Wilted Magnolia?

One of the frequent questions I get asked is WHERE did you come up with the name "THE WILTED MAGNOLIA"?  I always laugh, but it's a name born of hope, hard times, strength, and just plain old stubbornness. (As my Mom would say!)

My sewing groups always called me "The Southern Magnolia" because I type just like I talk...which is at the  least VERY southern. Born in GA, raised in GA and regardless all my travels, this is where I come back to.

I'll try to make this short, but if you've ever known a southern raised person, you KNOW we can't just spit it out, there's always a story!

At age 44, my life took a very sudden turn with a divorce, which in turn caused a bankruptcy just to keep my home and lots of stress! I had been a housewife for l0 years with not a lot of job experience at that point. So off I went to work. A few months later I was in the hospital for l0 days, very ill (thankfully to drugged to know much about it). Ironically enough, the hospital bill was exactly the amount of the bankruptcy!

To say life was difficult at that point in probably an understatement! I just kept thinking, "This Magnolia is very wilted right now".

 I started writing about my crazy, funny, days (it was laugh or cry, ya know?) and sending letters to the troops who had just been deployed overseas. The dad of one of the soldiers started a program where he sent all these letters to his son, who gave them out to soldiers who didn't have family and never got mail. So funny stories about a crazy life seemed to fit. The letters I got back saying how I had brightened their days with letters kept me going. Who was I to complain?

So the pen name "The Wilted Magnolia" was born. It reminds me of where I've come from, what I've overcome and that I will always have the strength to "make something from nothing".

Thank you to all of my customers who have loved and worn my creations. I love you all!

Brenda
The Wilted Magnolia

Week two declutter and Eileen Fisher Inspired closet

My de-hoarding is going pretty well!

I started by just getting my bedroom straightened out and all the clothes put away.

I started with my small closet that I have decided will be my "Eileen Fisher" closet.

The plan is for every garment to actually be an original EF piece or garments inspired by her and made by me..... How nice it would be to reach into a closet and everything just WORK together!

I have a decent start on it....

Two pairs of tight/leggings in a steel gray color, a tank dress in grey, all made by me and a EF long tank top with sequins..... horrible picture!

 

Made by me scarf, tights, tank dress, and EF Sweater worn to the movies. 

You can tell by the pics below the colors are much prettier than my first picture shows!

Made by me linen racer back tunic...

I started moving everything around and cleaning out and burning....

I did have great fun with my bonfire.

  Furniture, clothes, blankets, shoes, trash, you name it, it went into the fire! 

 Kinda scary when I get started I don't want to quit!

Even Cher was a little freaked out!

Only one panic attack yesterday when it came time to do something with one of my grandmothers bedroom dresser. It was cat scratched and would never have sold for anything. One of those with a huge mirror and two side drawers on each side. Takes up a whole wall that I wanted for sewing supplies. So it was useless for what I needed.  What to do? What to do? I couldn't quite bring myself to throw it on the fire...thought it about though...so I dismantled it.    So now I have a huge mirror (still waiting to see where that goes) and two end table with drawers that can be moved around.  So I freed up my wall and have extra storage. Whew.

And all this because I've started on cleaning out my bedroom! Good Lord. Move one darn thing and you have to move it all!  I actually moved my HUGE jewelry chest into a closet.  How funny is that???  Lots of jewelry will be going to auction also.

Now I'm trying to decide whether to burn, donate or put patterns in the auction boxes. Would they even sell? Guess it's worth finding out.
Anyone want some patterns, now would be the time to say so!

And the funniest thing...when I walked out the morning after the bonfire...one of the dogs was curled up right in the center of the ashes.  Guess it was still warm.  Crazy dogs.

Soooo....after work tonight, I'm off for a few days and I'll start again!

Wonder what will hit the bonfire this week???


Shared on
http://www.sugarbeecrafts.com
http://thecreativeitchboutique.blogspot.com/ 
http://www.shwinandshwin.blogspot.com/

Friday Linky's and Roses...

I love summer, but I miss my Spring roses!

Good thing I take pictures...and more pictures....

to remind me.

When that doesn't help, I head off to the sewing studio to make some.

And then I put them on EVERYTHING!

Doggie bags....

Clothing...

Walls...

I've posted on Feathered Nest Friday's, and

Show and tell Friday
and.....

Happy Pink Saturday !

 

...
 everyone links are so gorgeous!

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!

I swear...by I-Dye!

Don't you just love creative days that turn out fabulous?

I've always used Dylon cold water dye with great results.

So of course I had to try the new I-Dye for polyester.

I loved the color so much (violet) that I just kept putting garments and fabrics
in the pot and this is what came out!

A pair of my cream lace leggings....it was difficult to capture the vividness of this color!

These are poly or nylon, I can't believe how well they took the dye. Amazing.

I grabbed a cream sweater that I've had for a year and never worn.....and I will be wearing this tonight!

Some vintage cream satin....turned out a gorgeous soft tie dyed purple (ish) color.

Did someone say Roses???

And last but not least, a silk cashmere shawl that I've cut into skinny scarves and I'm going to embellish with sequins and beads......

And I'll be keeping ALL these for MY closet!

  So this will count as my Brenda's Closet Thursday edition too!

Obviously I don't wear a lot of boring colors....♥

Another layer to the graveyard...

Now I remember why I haven't done this in a while....

 Very time consuming...but I love the tree so far!

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!

Photo shoot with a girl, a boy and horse!

A fabulous Sunday afternoon photo shoot! 

It's taken me forever to find a photographer, a model and a horse all in the same place! 

Heaven forbid I should want it all. 

It was too much fun, we had pizza, the horse had grass and all was happy!

Whitney is such a trooper! We had her climbing...

 Riding....

Posing precariously....

Wading in cold creeks...

Perching percariously....

 

Hanging on...

Laying on briars and anthills....

And just plain having fun.

And then of course, you know I was across the field taking pictures of Greg taking pictures!

A huge thanks to Greg and Whitney!

Romantic Robe/Chemise1920's Flapper Pattern by TheWiltedMagnolia

Finally I'm back in the sewing room, making one of my favorite garments! I love using antique patterns for new clothing that's wearable for today.