Lovely blouse! What.....this old sheet?

Every now and again, we all need a second chance.  So too, did this 1950's fitted twin sheet that was discovered at the local Salvation Army.

It was one of those blah kinds of winter days.  The kind where you turn on all of your home's interior lights in hopes of escaping that haze of salty gray lurking out the front door.  It was blah and I was feeling extra spicy that afternoon, so I scoffed at Winter's weathered face and thought, "You can take Spring away from the girl, but you can't take the girl away from Spring!"  And on the note of spring and green, why not do a little repurposing?  And so I give to you:

Before you email to ask, no, I didn't make that wonderful pillow in the background.  Homegoods--LOVE it!

It's a blousy top that's reminiscent of a ballerina.  I envision Sabrina running through flower fields with the sun passing through its voluminous ruffles.  If only we were somewhere near flower fields!

Today's happiness:  Due to an old sheet being so sheer, I originally planned on fully lining the whole thing.  But after I cut out all of the cotton lining, I realized this would be way too HEAVY with all that lining.  So I made up a pristine all white dress out of it that looks just like this but with a third tier added for length.  If you have beach photos on your brain for this next year, it may be just the dress for your little snow beach angel.  Email me at: aLaModish@gmail.com

Roosters part deux

If you read my last posting, you will recall that I vowed to make both my daughter and son Christmas pajamas.  This is monumental because I never sew for my poor boy.

So to satisfy any potential curiosity, I have dutifully posted a picture of his recently completed senior citizen costume.  Please note the full monogram on the left breast and the bathroom reading material in the right pocket.

And a recap of Sabrina's jammies.  Note the ties on her jammies are the same as his fabric :)

Both of their fabrics have black, green, and red.  This is what I refer to as an "APM", or Accidental Perfect  Match.

I hope that all of you have a splendid holiday!  If I don't see you before then, have a happy New Year too.

Today's happiness:  Completely unrelated, but happy nonetheless.  I found a good use for the drink carriers from McDonald's today.  Put cups in all four slots, flip it over, and BAM!  Instant castle for Woody and Buzz.  Add a fabric napkin (flag) to a turret (cup) on top, and then you're really getting fancy.

But what will the roosters say?!

I must say that it's been a long while since I've sewn something just for fun.  At least a month :)  But I've been a little inspirationally challenged, I guess you could say.  Feeling a little overworked and overwhelmed and ZAP!!  There went my creative itch.  Until...I realized that Christmas is less than two weeks away, and my kids don't have any homemade pajamas yet!  Oh, and I saw some super cute scotty dog fabric during my last trip to the fabric store.

Sabrina is the benefactor of a really long Christmas nightgown that features funky little pups perfectly poised for Christmas.  Gavin is going to look like a little old man in his black, green, and red plaid pajama bottoms, paired with a monogrammed robe in matching fabric.  Here is Sabrina's nightwear:

I thought this angle looked artsier, but it kind of distorts the shape of the gown.

And here it is at an angle where you can actually tell what it looks like:

If you look closely, you can see where the dogs in the center are half one color and half another.  That's where the seam is. I like that it turned out just a little "off."

So with all of the fervor over what my children will be wearing as thoughts of sugar plums are dancing in their heads, it made me laugh to myself.  I slave at the sewing machine so they look like little dolls on Christmas morning, while I intentionally dodge the camera for fear of what the early morning roosters might think of my hair.  I mean, it's not that I don't care at all.  Sometimes I even think far enough in advance to wear my hair straight on Christmas Eve to guarantee that it will still look good on Christmas Morning (Heaven forbid I mousse up my post-pregnancy curls the day before; that style has absolutely no PP {Post Pillow} longevity.)

Today's happiness:  Even if my children don't pass down all of their tediously hand made articles of love to their children, at least I'll have some satisfaction in knowing that the roosters, if not hens, were jealous of their Christmas morning digs.

She believed she could....

so she did.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/valentinadesign?ref=seller_info

Wow, what a liberating 3 days it's been.  Free from work.  Free from stress.  Free from solitude.  My best friend of twenty years has flown up to visit for four whole days!  I feel fortunate to have know someone for this long, let alone to have maintained this relationship.  It's changed; oh how it's changed.  But lovely all the same.

So in one of our much missed conversations this weekend, my (above) framed inspiration became a point of discussion.  It's in the corner of my work studio.  You can't see it when you walk in.  Because it's not really meant for you to see.  It's strategically placed where I can see it from my sewing table with a quick sidewards glance.  Just a note of encouragement to myself on those rough days when I feel like I just can't.  And so she and I got to talking about the plight of the stay-at-home-mother.  The desire to be with your children, but wanting to make some income too.  And the seeming lack of work in that job market.  And so we brainstormed about her gifts and what could be done with them.  And you know what's interesting?  It was me that was quick to reel off one talent of hers after the next.  Not her.  Which made me wonder, "At what point in our confidence-inspired childhoods do we forsake the truth for the lie?"  The lie that we can't.  It's too hard.  That won't work.  I'm not good at that.....

Of course, this is absolutely no slight on my friend.  I truly think that most of us think this way.  We are afraid and slow to take action because we just don't think it's possible.  

So I encouraged her--the next time you get the slightest inkling that you might find something interesting, Go with it!  Let your mind go down that road, and anytime you get to a "roadblock" of why it couldn't work, turn directions and keep going, and you'll get there.  *If you want to.*

Today's happiness:  I have one more day of childish fun til it's back to the SDF airport for her.  But we are making the most of it by having a "date" tonight :) .  Dinner suggestions?

Ho, ho, ho! Win this SUPER quick!!

Well happy-almost-December!!  I think it was last week that I was lamenting the neighborhood pool closing (*sigh*).  But alas!  December means the holidays!  And for many of you that means Christmas.  Sooooo...I raided my stash of new pillowcase dresses, and look what I pulled out!

Your girl NEEDS to wear this to her Christmas program.

So to my fantastic readers both old and new, I offer this dress up to you.  Remember a couple of months ago when we gave away that dress for reaching our facebook fan goal in like, 2 days?  Well this is about the same, but we only have one week!  (I mean, what good would it be to give away a Santa dress when the season's already gone by?!)

One week from today I will choose one of you as the merry winner if we get to our facebook fan goal of 550 fans by next Tuesday!  Click on the facebook link on the right and it will take you to the page.  Then suggest the "a La Modish" fan page to those that you think would love it! 

Today's happiness:  Hip, hip, hooray for rubber boots!  As I trolled the streets of Lexington today looking for fab vintage finds for some of you, my toes stayed toasty, and my feet stayed dry.  Aah, it's the little things.  And oddly enough, with my braided pigtails I felt a bit like a cowgirl.  Yeehaw!

Tiny Bear

Every now and again, a person comes into your life as a stranger, but is quickly transformed into a friend.  

A couple of weeks ago, I had the fantastic opportunity of setting up shop at the Holly Day Market.  The Market was incredibly successful in so many ways.  But the common thread among all the shows I've ever participated in is the extraordinary people I inevitably meet.  One of those people is the fantastically talented Maui Crane.

Yes, I am going to tell you how beautiful his artwork is.  His medium is jewelry; his canvas might be a wrist, a finger, or a decollete.

Featured on the Today Show.  Vintage lace; hand-dyed.

He let me wear this all day!  Pearls were hand-sewn, with a single pink pearl at the top center.  Love.

But the main reason I'm telling you about Maui is not just because of his jewelry, but because of his kindness.  I was a relative stranger to him, but he was offering to watch my booth, get me lunch, and even made me a Nest Ring!  And the instant he met my little ones, he brought over two necklaces from his "kiddie couture" line.  One had a football charm and the other showcased a sweet little bear holding on to a Swarovski crystal ornament (he was immediately dubbed "Tiny Bear" by my Sabrina).  I knew I was smiling, and it wasn't because of the haute new jewelry.  It was so refreshing to cross paths with a person who shows kindness just for the sake of spreading love.  

Tomorrow starts a new week!  Let's all do something nice for a total stranger and see who ends up being the one rewarded.

Today's happiness:  If you like Maui's creations, you're in luck!  On Tuesday, December 7th from 7:00-9:00 PM, The Lexington Fashion Collaborative will be showcasing some of his work at the Kentucky Theatre Gallery.  Go check it out!

Immune system, don't fail me now.

Preschool pickup in an hour.  Still one more errand to run.  But in a desperate need of a mani/pedi.  What to do?!  So in a zealous attempt to be Super/mom/woman/business owner, I try to do it all, and slink into the nearest nail salon I could find.  In this case, I was already in a big box store that offers everything from wonton wrappers to plant fertilizer to, well, nail salons. 

I think it was during the calf massage portion of the pedicure that I literally thought to myself, "Immune system, don't fail me now."  I assumed that the equipment was sterilized, but as I glanced nervously about the room, I saw traces that led me to believe otherwise.

The manicure/pedicure turned out to be mediocre and about $10 less than what I was used to paying.  (If you're looking for an awesome nail tech, go see Chaun--pronounced 'Shawn'--at Nail EnVogue in Hamburg.)

So now that I've painted myself to be a high-maintenance nail snob, I must explain why the "spa" day was necessary.  

Who can tell me what starts this weekend in Lexington?  Why the Holly Day Market, of course!  This was the one part of preparation for the Market that hasn't brought tears to my eyes, but after today's sketchy experience, it came close.

Today's happiness:  The Holly Day Market officially starts on Friday, the 12th.  But for me, it starts tomorrow night when the Preview Party begins.  If you read my blog, come by and say "hi" sometime this weekend!  I would love to meet you.  And don't look too closely at my fingernails.

The Miss Evelyn. 

How to tie a pretty bow

And the holidays are upon us.  With all of the feasting, family, and travel, the least of your concerns may be how to tie a pretty bow.  But I assume that since you are reading this, you would disagree.

The idea for this blog post came when my friend, Brandi, asked me to show her how to tie a nice, symmetrical bow for her daughter's new a La Modish dress.  And so without further ado, I give to you the "secret" for tying a pretty bow.

1.  Make sure that the tails of the bow are of equal lengths.  If you are tying the sash (bow) on a dress, they should already be even.

2. Cross the right tail over the left.  This is a very important step for keeping your bow from being wonky.

3. Pull the right tail under the left tail and up through the opening on top.

4.  Make a loop with the tail that is now on the right side.

5.  Place the new left tail over your loop and pull up through the opening.

6. Perfectly symmetrical bow!

Feel free to post pics of your newly found bow-tying skills on the a La Modish fan page!  Not a fan?  Click the facebook icon on the right, and it will take you right where you want to go.

Today's happiness:  Well, pretty bows!  Or the happiness that surrounds them, rather.  Maybe it's on a wrapped gift, Christmas tree, antique mantle, holiday dress, or a little girl's lovely locks.  Wherever you find them, you will almost always find something good and joyous.

Stella is getting her groove

Last night's sewing session earned an entry into my personal Book of World Sewing Records.  This dress was so tiny that American Girl fashions don't have anything on it.

My son's  preschool teacher was recently blessed with a new baby granddaughter, Stella.  Little Miss Stella was born at 32 weeks, at 2 lbs. and some change.  So my first thought was, "Oh dear!  I hope she's doing okay."  And then, of course, my second thought was, "Stella needs a pretty dress like any other baby girl, no matter how small it has to be."

I still wonder if it's too big?

Truthfully, I don't even know if she will be allowed to wear it.  I'm quite certain she's in the NICU, and they might frown upon her wearing something other than hospital wear.  But maybe they'll let her wear it for just a moment.  Long enough for Mama to be afforded that happy moment of dressing her real live baby doll in something sweet and pretty.  And one more moment to snap a picture.

Today's happiness:  I'm guessing most of you have daughters, and that there've been many  reasons to dress her up.  Give her a hug today because she's here, she's precious, and she's yours.  Then say a special prayer for Stella to have many more occasions to wear fancy dresses too :)

xoxo,

Andrea

"Have mercy on my out-of-state soul!"

Just when I think I'm a big-metropolis kind of girl living in a medium-sized city of 300,000, I find myself shouting commentary to all of the other Chicagoan drivers.  "I'm not a cab driver and don't prefer to drive like one!" or "Charlemagne (This is what I imagine my GPS girl to be named should she be a real live person.), give me a little more heads up next time!"  Usually Jeff drives, but he had driven the first five hours of the trip, and I thought I'd give him a break.  I should probably be more strategic with the break next time so as not to end up driving the crazy, big-metropolis portion.

He had a work trip to which I promptly tagged along.  Three day break from children--check.  Quality time with hubby--check.  Beautiful hotel--check.

I read that this artist also helped restore the Sistine Chapel.  Not sure that he was properly qualified.

Oh, and let's not forget, Chicago Fabric and Trim Show--check!  This show was like candy for anyone that loves textiles, design, or pretty little sparklies.  So, for you and your daughter's pleasure, I have found some Oh so cute! trimmings that will be adorning a La Modish fashions next fall.  It will be enough to make you wish you could fit into a 2T again.

Today's happiness:  Well, actually it was yesterday's happiness.  If you are in Chicago and are looking to have a completely spectacular dinner, check out Gene & Georgetti. It's an old Italian steakhouse.  The kind that makes you suspect that if you pull on the candle sconce, the dark wood paneling will rotate to reveal a room full of card-playing, cigar smoking mobsters.  And they have a really cute menu cover that hasn't changed since 1941.

It's also "air conditioned for your comfort"!

Handkerchiefs catch both sad and happy tears

I made a handkerchief today for a friend that just suffered a great loss.  It's not the first time I've done this--crafted something with my hands for someone else in need.  It's as though I automatically shift into crafter mode when I hear of someone's heartache.  I think it's an extension of my desire to show that the recipient is cared for beyond a mere "I'm sorry" or "I'm thinking of you."  But sometimes it's simply because I just don't know what else to do.

I was stressing a little while I was stitching the cluny lace onto the edge of the charcoal gray, pin dot hanky.  Not because it wasn't turning out right, but because I had so much other work to do.  And then I was reminded of the saying that when it's our time to go, we won't regret not spending more hours working, but not spending more hours with the ones we love.

And with that, I am sorry, J, for your loss.  Thinking of you.

Today's happiness:  What is it that you do?  Do you make a meal?  Babysit a child?  Take magazines to a hospital?  The obvious truth is that it really doesn't matter what you do so long as you do it.  Thank you for making the world a better place.

What?! Another freebie already??!

Yes, it's true!  Mark your calendars for the Junior League of Lexington's fourth annual 
Holly Day Market which takes place November 12th-14th in Lexington, KY.

The Holly Day Market features some of the region's top boutiques and vendors, so be sure to come by and check it out if you're in the area!  Admission is $8, but this is where the freebie comes in!  If you would like the chance to win two tickets to this awesome shopping adventure, simply post a comment on this blog or the a La Modish Facebook page on why you love the holidays.  You will be entered for a drawing that will take place Monday, November 1st.  

Of course, a La Modish will be represented at the Holly Day Market with a fine array of children's holiday fashions not available elsewhere.  Unless you pre-order like others have ;)

Happy shopping!

Today's happiness:  Sunday, November14th is kid's day.  Children can have their pics taken with Santa while wearing their holiday jammies.  Joseph-Beth Booksellers will also be at the Holly Day Market for story time that day.

Strawberry Wine, 17.....

Can't you hear it now?...........He was workin' through college on my grandpa's farm......I was caught somewhere between a woman and a child....it's funny how those memories, they last......

I was seventeen when Deana's song came out.  I do remember when thirty was old.  And here we are at thirty or beyond.  Really, the music's all the same.  We just listen to it on Pandora or our MP3 players instead of our shiny new CD's, right?

To demonstrate my love for you, I have voluntarily posted a picture of myself at 17.

So next week I will be the recipient of one of the greatest honors ever endowed upon me.  I have been asked to speak to some Sewing 101 high school students.  I'm being totally serious here.  I can't believe that I have the privilege of talking to one of the most valuable groups of people in this world.  Yeah, I'm going to talk about sewing.  But their teacher is astute enough to know that there's so much more to Sewing 101 than sewing.  I get to speak to them about how you don't have to be "trained" to love and excel at something.  If you work hard enough, it will take you places.  

In my own eyes, I am so very far from "excelling,"  But if a former seventeen year old can say anything that ends up sparking a fire in another seventeen year old, now that's success.

Today's happiness:  While going through an old box of photos for this blog post, I found some exceptional pictures of some of my friends from high school.  If you knew me in high school, be on the Facebook lookout :)

Need a good laugh? Or better yet, a costume idea?

I have a good friend that admittedly clicks on my Facebook profile from time to time just to see pictures of my daughter last Halloween.  It always gives her a good laugh.  So I thought you all might appreciate it as well :)  I got the idea while watching the Amazing Race last fall when they were having one of the Roaming Gnome challenges.  I turned to Jeff and said, "Look at his belly!  He's shaped just like a toddler."  And so Sabrina the Roaming Gnome was born:

My only regret about this costume was that no one noticed my son's mediocre bat costume.  Fortunately, the candy was so plentiful that I don't think he noticed.

Today's happiness:  Ebay delivered part of Sabrina's costume today!  Well, part(s).  Assembly required ;)  Will post after October 31st!

Bite your nails with me as we pull out a winner.....

So before I get to the part that you really care about, let me take a moment to say how amazed I am with you folks.  

Let's go back to sales training 101.  Set stretch goals for yourself.  "If you reach for the moon, you'll land among the stars!", right?  So a La Modish set the goal of 250 fans by the end of September.  That meant gaining about 70 friends in 3 weeks.  Well, you all blew that out of the water by getting over 250 fans in just 8 days!  Thank you to everybody for sharing the love of a La Modish with your friends.

And for the part you've all been waiting for.....congratulations to Sarah R. of Goldsboro, NC!  You are the lucky winner of the coveted candy corn dress!

Thanks again to everybody for joining in on the fun.  Be on the lookout for a La Modish updates soon!

Today's happiness:  a La Modish will be at the Holly Day Market in Lexington, KY, next month with a slew of holiday fashions.  Can you believe it?!  It's already time to be thinking about that.  Oh, gee!  Christmas card photos.....

The Jackie Dress.  60's style dress with reversible capelet.

Original gift idea *alert* !

Nooooo, this isn't something made of fabric this time.  :)

Last week I found myself in need of an original gift, like pronto.  I didn't have enough time to get something off of Etsy (which I HIGHLY recommend for just about anything).  So I decided on my usual backup plan:  Artique.  But just as I was about to trek across town to peruse its array of original works, my artist friend/SIL, Shelly, called me to have lunch.  I mentioned in passing that I can meet after I go to Artique for a unique gift.  Well, the rest is history.  

This Forever Flower utilizes an old wine bottle for its vase.

I knew she made these metal flowers, but I didn't think there was any way she could have one ready for me that fast.  Now I can't guarantee that she's always able to work so speedily, but I can guarantee that the recipient will love it!  If you are interested, you can reach her at scorbett75@yahoo.com. 

Today's happiness:  Forever Flowers are made by repurposing reclaimed materials (copper wiring, sheet metal, etc.).  Waste not, want not!

"C" is for...

Chickened out.  Or maybe--Changed my mind.  On the framed buttons.  As beautiful as they are on my mantle (and that is where they are going to stay), it reminded me of another time that I had a gift idea go awry.  It was the time that I saw some really cool bars of soap that had wool roving felted around them.  (You know, for exfoliating purposes.).  But I chose a really bad color of roving to wrap around my lavender infused soap--black and white.  It turned out looking like a dead skunk had been coerced around a hockey puck.  So instead of producing original gifts, I have several unused bars of floral soaps adding to the pile in my crafting graveyard.

So Jeff suggested I go the traditional route of dish towels.  I made a couple:

Tea towel #1

Tea towel #2

 But somehow, tea towels just seemed a little too, well, traditional for my tastes.  So I had to do one more:

Welcome to the 'hood, M family!

Today's happiness:  Perhaps it's too early in the relationship to let on to the new neighbors that my sense of humor's a little quirky.  But I gave myself a good laugh, anyway :)

"M" is for...

Mistake.  Well, it was supposed to be for my new neighbors' monogram, but it kept turning out to look like Mickey Mouse.  Imagine two round, shiny black buttons on either corner of the top of the "M".

Yeah, so we've been really excited about our new neighbors that are about to move in.  They're really nice, considerate people.  The kind of friends you'd be proud to bring home to Mom.  So I decided to make them a house warming gift.  You know, like make their monogram out of buttons, affix it to a cute-fabric covered backing, and frame it.  You already know the rest of the story.  So this is what I did instead:

Hmm...this looks quite nice on my own mantle...

The problem is, these are our new neighbors.  Meaning that I only know approximately 3 things about them.  One of those three isn't whether or not she has an undying affectionate love for all things vintage, namely a vintage button collection.  So upon opening, the bearer will immediately be informed that the gift can be shamelessly regifted to someone else who would love it should it not work out with her decor. 

Oh, did I mention she's an interior designer??

Today's happiness:  She/they might like it.  If not, I might end up with some nice vintage buttons displayed in a pretty faux gesso frame :)

Quick! Win this!

Displayed with a black turtleneck underneath

Please excuse the shoddy photography.  I know you can see over the top of the backdrop.  (If I'm self-deprecating enough, does it make the picture good??)

So I thought it was high time for another give away.  Up for your winning pleasure today is a candy corn pillowcase dress.  Just in time for fall!  For some reason, people seem to enjoy the way these candy corn dresses look WAY better than the way candy corn actually tastes, but I digress.

This is how you could win:  Suggest that every person you know that knows a kid, become a fan (or "like") a La Modish on Facebook.  If we get to 250 likes or more by October 1st, one of you is going home as the lucky winner.  See the cute little FB badge above and to the right?  Click on it.  It starts with you.

Today's happiness:  It's looking a little gray in the Bluegrass State today, but I'm okay with that.  It means that fall is almost here.  Aunt Harriet's apple cider, the beautiful foliage change, chili at football tailgates.  They all rank right up there with heaven.

No going home outfit for baby?!

That's what would be the equivalent, I told my husband. 

I know I am not alone when I say that there are LOTS of things I would like to do/accomplish, but time constraints simply won't allow for all of them to come to fruition.  Making a first-day-of-school outfit for my daughter is not one of them.  

So I go back to my previous statement to Jeff.  Out of his good-intentioned desire to keep me from adding one more thing to my plate, he suggested that Sabrina just wear some other outfit that I'd already made for her for the first day of school.  For shame!  So I compromised with myself.  I found a cute tee-shirt, and made a little dress out of it for her. 

The skirt lining is the same pink that's in the tee shirt. Aren't peek-a-boo details fun?

Sabrina took one look at it and said, "Dat's coot" (That's cute). Enough said. I was one happy mama.

Today's happiness:  Mailing a surprise package to one of you!  Hmm...who could it be?! :)

To my fellow (circle one) crying or happy mothers,

Back to school. 

Okay, so I guess it was "back to school" for my son.  But it's just "to school" for my daughter.  Her first week of preschool to be exact.  I know back in my day as a toddler, none of us went to preschool.  But, alas, times have changed.  For one reason or another we usually send our kids to preschool, right?  Maybe it's the socialization.  Maybe it's for Mom's Day Out.  Or maybe it's a form of childcare for the working family.

But this week of September brings the start of a lengthy road of school for our youngest.  And along with her first glimpse of school came a super ugly, neon green tote bag that we were supposed to decorate and affix/apply/adhere her name.  So after I got over my high-falutin designer's evaluation of the tote bag color choice, I realized that this was actually the perfect opportunity to repurpose some vintage sheets that I had on hand. 

Anyone else's daughter obsessed with HK?  I must admit that I secretly share this sentiment with my child.

Today's happiness:  Her name is actually covering up a boo boo in the original monogramming.  Yay for happy accidents that end up making things better :0)

To sum it all up with one interjectory sentence:

What a phenomenal experience!  The place went on and on forever.

Children's World was all the way on top.  Good thing I'm not scared of heights.

Of course, I'm referring to the Atlanta market.  I met some super gifted designers that helped me understand the business from "our" side of things, and the line got fantastic exposure in front of thousands of buyers--all with orders, of course! 

The Sweet Sabrina in the showroom window.  Look at how cute those pantaloons are underneath.

Today's happiness:  Did I mention one of the highlights of the trip? You may have seen my FB posting of a model asking to a) borrow my lip gloss and b) know what agency I was "with".  Bwah, ha, ha!  But thank you :)

MAC Viva Glam VI--It was "too pink" for her.

Headin' for the big "A" and don't mean Atlas....

Hmm...that doesn't sound quite right. Anyway, as I set forth on my journey down south to--AmericasMart!!--Atlanta, I thought it would be appropriate to blog my preparation checklist for the trip.

 Obtain mani/pedi
o French for both

 Pack 9 favorite pairs of heels for 4 day trip

o Even the really uncomfortable ones

 Pack line sheets and order forms

o Hopefully, I won’t be returning with any

 Spontaneously awake at 3 A.M. and return to sleep at 5:30 A.M.

o Rampant thoughts powered through the Tylenol P.M. like a freight train

 Console crying children because Mama’s leaving for a few days
o Tear :’(

 Stop at roadside flea mart(s) on the way there

o Check-in is not until 2:00 P.M. anyway

 Put aside wild butterflies in my stomach and enjoy the anticipation of an awesome beginning

o Still working on this one

Today’s Happiness: Okay, through all the craziness of the past 24 hours, this is in fact, a very exciting time! I know that once I’m rolling into downtown, I’ll shift into career mode and live off of the buzz that fills the air. Until then, I’ll tell you what I’ll be doing. Enjoying 5.5 hours of solitude of windshield time. Maybe 6.5 if you account for the flea marts.

All together, there are a dozen of them.

Not eggs, but throw pillows, rather.  A baker's dozen if you want to count the "throw" blanket.  I know I'm not the only one,either.

Love the look?  See James at http://www.finderskeepersmarket.com/

So why do we do this?  Why do we take the time to gingerly place each pocket of fluff in its exact GPS location, day in and day out, only to be (appropriately) tossed onto the floor every night?  Well, I can't answer for you, but I can answer for me.  If you come to my house, you will likely find several toys laying about and intermingling with the dust that's settled across the wooden floors.  But there are two other things you will also find.  My dishes are done.  My bed is made. 

Jeff and I had "the talk" yesterday.  The talk that outed the fact that I am no longer a stay-at-home mom, but rather a work-at-home mom.  Given this, let's go back to the toss pillows.  You see, it's the last bastion of Orderliness for me.  Before kids and before á La Modish, even when I was working my corporate job, my house looked so tidy!  Not so anymore!  But at least when I walk into two of the most important rooms in the house--our room and the kitchen--I can dupe myself into feeling like I still have it together.

Today's happiness:  On the note of morning routines, I urge you to try this:  Wheat Thins dipped into black coffee.  I don't even like black coffee, but there's something about the bitterness of dark java mixed with the semi-sweetness of a salty Wheat Thin that's just perfect.  Had it this morning, in fact.

Hair ornamentation and other sundries

I struggled with what to call this because a) "hair piece" was already taken by that thing that some follicly challenged men resort to and b) "head piece" conjured up images of either a blushing bride or a Native American headdress.  So we go with "hair ornamentation."  It makes it sound like a present, anyway.  So I give to you:

To be attached to a head band

I made this last second when my recent client, J, asked me to make something to go with the party frock I just sewed for her daughter, W.  So I whip this up and think, "Gosh, this is really cute!  I wonder if I should offer accessories like this in my collection?" 

Okay, this is where I really want your opinion.  I am not asking if you like it or not, although feel free to comment on that!  My question is:   (Scenario)  You are going boutique shopping for your daughter and find her a stellar dress.  Perched prettily next to this dress is some hair ornamentation made from the same fabric as the dress!  Would you: 

a) not notice it

b) think to yourself, "Oh, that's sweet." 

c) grab it immediately before someone else scoops it up

d) none of the above 

My quandary with this design gig is balancing the love of designing with the business side, AKA, what will sell.  So any thoughts are welcome and appreciated!  Please send them my way.

Today's happiness:  Baby W!!  J brought her by today.  I got to squeeze her toes, and she smiled at me :) !  Yay for mamas that get to stay home with their babies when that's where their hearts really want to be.

PLEASE do not feed LION.

Does anyone know what today was?  Well, besides just another Tuesday...Okay, no answers.  It was Francie Day!  A.K.A.  Mom's Day Out for me.  Which means that I can do whatever I want, be it work or play, without the lovely hindrance of my children.

Stop #1:  11:00 AM haircut appointment with the smashing Emily of Vocé on Clay Avenue. I highly recommend her if you are looking to look fabulous.

Stop #2:  Peruse the racks at Calypso on East Maxwell.  Score 3 Indie pieces that are all on sale.

Stop #3:  Scour vintage patterns at The Salvation Army on E. New Circle Road, but  return with--JACKPOT--2 yards of this:

"New" vintage fabric for $0.99

What am I going to make with this fabric, you ask?  To which I ask you, "Does it matter?"  I mean, which of you didn't have at least a blip of happy come across your being when you saw the balloon trio in trademark shades of the 70's?  Or surely the ice cream umbrella did it for you.

Today's happiness:  After raving about the joys of what I like to call "thrifting," I thought I should share some of my personal pointers on this underground skill:

1.  Keep hand sanitizer nearby.

2.  Have an idea of what you're looking for, or you'll get overwhelmed with all the junk.

3.  Remember that some of that junk is good stuff.  Especially if you can think outside of the box on an alternate use, or   if  you have time to refinish/repair/refurb it.

4.  Don't pay with a credit or debit card.  It lowers your credit score.  Or so my mom says, anyway.

5.  Finish the trip with said hand sanitizer (This is the worst part for me!  I still get the heeby-jeebies when I'm rifling through used stuff.  But it's produced so many good finds that I'm willing to bite the bullet on this one.)