A Few Of My (current) Favorite Things

I seem to go through periods where I will buy "multiples" of a similar product. If I love something, I seem to want it in an abundance. Right now, I am into collecting pretty cake plates. They are perfect for visual merchandising and displaying my headbands at trunk shows. Kelly gave me a beautiful baby-pink cake platter from Miette a delightful pastry shop in San Francisco.

The other item is boots -- actually, that is a lie! I am not in a boot-phase, I am always addicted to shoes! It doesn't matter how many pairs I have, there is always going to be another pair that screams out to me that it needs a home in a my closet and a place on my toes! I found the cream pair of boots in New York City. They are so ballerina-princess meets sassy New Yorker, I just had to have them....

And lately my lingerie collection seems to be growing. I love the intricate details that come with lingerie.Working with the Aerie designers at American Eagle, I saw first hand the design process behind intimate apparel. It was quite fascinating, and it made want to grow my collection....but I'll leave those pictures off the web :-)

Unwritten

I know I blog a lot about songs and song lyrics. But to me, song lyrics are my poetry. I have so many songs that I feel "fit me" are or "my song". I guess there are a lot of artists out there who are able to capture the thoughts and feelings inside my heart and my head.

2009 set me on a new path and led me to experience some really incredible adventures. When I started this blog I was gearing up for Henri Bendel's "Open See", and all that has transcribed since then is at times mind boggling.

Kelly made me a picture slide-show set to music four years ago when I left Scottsdale for Manhattan. The very first picture on the cd was a picture of when we went to New York to look for apartments, I was standing in front of Parsons. Kelly set that picture to Natasha Bedingfield's song "Unwritten".

And then Brian would play "Unwritten" over and over again on his computer because it reminded him of the opening scene of "The Hills" which made him think of a happy, sunny place -- I know, I know ;-) So the song reminds me of both of my awesome roommates and of course as I re-listen to the lyrics I see how fitting they are for this next adventure and for the fact that it is a new year...

I am unwritten,
Can't read my mind
I'm undefined
I'm just beginning
The pen's in my hand
Ending unplanned

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words
That you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions

Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten, yeah

Oh, oh

I break tradition
Sometimes my tries
Are outside the lines, oh yeah yeah
We've been conditioned
To not make mistakes
But I can't live that way oh, oh

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words
That you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions

Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins

Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
drench yourself in words unspoken
live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
the rest still unwritten

(Gospel)
Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words
That you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions

Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open *****
Today is where your book begins

Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open *****
Today is where your book begins

The rest is still unwritten

Things Have Come Full Circle

I started to reflect on my own "fashion-history-time-line", thinking about where things began and how far a long they have come. 

Kelly and I used to go to French Connection at Keirland Commons in Scottsdale all the time in search of the perfect party dress or outfit for  Axis Radius. Nicole, the manager of French Connection, had graduated from PRATT and was a trained fashion designer. We would always chat about fashion and New York City. 

I was wanting to do something more creative with my career and I was toying with the idea of design school. Nicole suggested I take some of the fashion illustration classes she taught at Mesa Community College. That truly was the beginning of this current adventure. 

The first night of Nicole's class, I met Evonne Bowling, the director of the fashion program at MCC. Evonne was handing out flyers promoting the New York Fashion Trip she does every May. She takes a group of students on a tour of the fashion industry -- you meet with designers, photographers, stylists, journalists. You name it, Evonne covers it. But mostly Evonne just shows you "Fashion" is not a pie in the sky/Hollywood dream. It is very attainable if you work hard enough and apply yourself. 

And that is what I did. I applied to Parsons Fashion Marketing Program, all the while taking fashion classes at MCC. I took a history of fashion class, color theory, visual merchandising and 2D design. I met some incredible people a long on the way, one of whom is my current intern, Katie. Katie and I instantly hit it off, when we realized we would laugh at the same crazy things that seemed to be unfolding during class.  One of these days Katie and I are going to write a book about all the "Characters" we seem to bump into, especially those in fashion. 

One of our projects was to create a window display. My brand was "Juicy Couture". I bought a case of styrofoam cups from Costco and I had labels made with the Juicy logo. Then I got pink straws and tons of pink tulle. I stuck the cups to the wall, and lined the ceiling and the floor with the pink tulle and I made a poster that proclaimed "Juicy Couture quenches your thirst for fashion".  Evonne suggested I look into visual merchandising, and I actually got paid to "dress" a window on Mill Ave in Tempe. 

I did not go into visual merchandising, but in a way I guess I did. Creating and designing headbands is creating a visual for a live person versus a display. 

Tomorrow is the start of Henri Bendel's Hair Atrium. I still can't get over the fact that I am selling at Henri Bendel. When I set out to do all this, Bendel's was a goal, but it seemed like the golden dream to actually get in! And that I got in, and now my merchandise is going to be on display!!!! In the 5th Ave window no less! It is all pretty amazing to me. All those trips to Keirland Commons, all those shopping sprees, well they paid off! I just wish I could get in a few more trips to Keirland Commons with Kelly, I hate that we are on exact opposite coasts. Dreams really do take you to far away places...

Memories of Friends that will be Friends Forever!

I am so excited for April and May and July!!!! Jaime is coming to visit, then Sarah is coming to visit, and then I fly home for Jaime's babyshower. Kealey and Sarah are helping me throw a "Harajuku Lover's " themed shower  for Jaime. 

July will bring baby Tischler and maybe a weekend trip to LA with Kealey for some trend shopping and vacation time! I sure miss my crew of girls back at home! And it is not easy being across the entire country from them! I  miss our weekly happy-hours out in Scottsdale, our Last Chance runs, running to get tea at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf or Gelato Spot. All the hours we spend standing around in a parking lot because we have soo much to talk about and we spent most of the time bent over in laughter at the restaurant. The crazy dance parties with the Wielers that last until 6am, watching Kealey try and explain to Sarah R. Kelly's Trapped In The Closet music video!....ahh amazing friendships, they mean everything to me!