Back To School Party At Arcadia Tavern

Synergy

Last week Evonne Bowling asked me to be a part of Mesa Community College's Fashion Advisory Board. She wanted valley locals connected to the fashion industry to give their input on how MCC could improve its fashion program and better prepare their students for the real world.

It was a fabulous place to meet people! I met Lisa Bayne the owner of the VERY adorable boutique Here On The Corner located in Tempe (714 South College Ave/SW Corner of College and University across from ASU's campus). I brought my pieces into Lisa's boutique today and she took several headbands and barrettes. I also did a bit of shopping -- she has really fresh, fun and affordable items. I love it!!! It is going to be my go to place for birthday and Christmas presents!

I also met the stylist Shannon Campbell at the advisory board meeting. She is in the process of photographing my headbands for an editorial spread. Shannon told me to go over and check out Robert Black (of Ford Modeling Agency)'s new vintage shop in Scottsdale -- Fashion By Robert Black. Robert fell in love with my photography and the look book Ashley Bugg had created. Ashley now has one of the biggest gigs of her career. I hope this launches her into the big leagues!

And this doesn't even include the lovely lady I met through Tracey Martin of Baby Butter Clothing on Saturday. This friend of Tracey just bought a children's television on Nickelodian and I am going to assist Tracey with the styling of the characters!!! Jennifer Paige Headbands will be rocked by actresses :-)

I love networking. I love connecting with people. I love when things fall into place!!!! I love the genuine. The Authentic. The real! Viva those with a soul!!!

I had a dream

I love music that makes you sit back and be quiet and reflective. I even like when it stirs you to get a bit misty-eyed.

Ashley Bugg set this song to Tracey Martin's Baby Butter photo-shoot that Blake was a model for a few weeks ago. It is the song I journal to. So many thoughts dancing through my head -- my headband business, if I want to make the leap and buy another house, and where I want to be in 10 years. But the thoughts that won't stop lingering is how much I wish I could just see my mom. I may be all grown up, but at the same time I am a "little girl who just misses her mom."

DREAM

By Priscilla Ahn

I was a little girl alone in my little world who dreamed of a little home for me.
I played pretend between the trees, and fed my houseguests bark and leaves, and laughed in my pretty bed of green.

I had a dream
That I could fly from the highest swing.
I had a dream.

Long walks in the dark through woods grown behind the park, I asked God who I'm supposed to be.
The stars smiled down on me, God answered in silent reverie. I said a prayer and fell asleep.

I had a dream
That I could fly from the highest tree.
I had a dream.

Now I'm old and feeling grey. I don't know what's left to say about this life I'm willing to leave.
I lived it full and I lived it well, there's many tales I've lived to tell. I'm ready now, I'm ready now, I'm ready now to fly from the highest wing.

I had a dream

100% Sure

People are constantly asking me if I miss New York City, and if I am happy with my decision to move back home to Arizona. I can say with 100% certainty that I made the right decision to move home. I am soo happy right now, I feel like I am in my element and things are falling into place like I would have never imagined.

I have grappled with the issue of East Coast/West Coast since the day I arrived in New York 4 years ago. New York was an adventure that I always wanted to experience, but it was never home. I am a south-west girl through and through and that never changed while living in Manhattan.

Parsons, working in the fashion industry, the thrill of living in the West Village, my fabulous roomates and celebrity friends was all an absolutely incredible ride. However, deep down inside I knew it would someday need to wrap up because I missed the calm and wholesomeness of Arizona and my old life too much. The four years of living in New York, I never lost touch with my Arizona friends and of course family -- and I constantly felt like I had put my life on "Pause" to experience New York and I was aching to hit "Resume" on my old life.

Earlier this year, as well as a year ago, I wanted to move home, but than I changed my mind and decided to stay in New York because I felt I still had things to accomplish in the big apple, but this time things are different. This time I am no longer on the fence and I have no qualms about leaving the vibrant, sparkling city for something slower paced and not quite as frantic.

Yes, Blake Emery, my adorable niece is a huge factor as to why I moved home. Spending time with her and my wonderful sister is priceless and all the success and splendor of New York could never make up for that. But Arizona also affords a lifestyle that New York could never give me.

I had a lot of email exchanges with my friend Ryan Hyland, as the issue of moving back west started to weigh heavily on my heart. Ryan said something about just having the Faith to follow my heart and to see what unfolded if I just made the leap. And then one of my now fashion mentors, Tracey Martin (Baby Butter Clothing) told me "The Business Is You! Not where you reside!"

Those two ideas stuck in my head. And I am seeing how absolutely true they both are! My business is taking off in ways I could never have imagined and it does not matter where I am, because I am the business, not the city I reside in. And God is faithful when you are faithful to Him. I am surrounded by super creative people and artistic projects ( in the past I was leary of moving home because I was afraid of living a "Vanilla-White-Rice" life as compared to what I had in NYC). And now that is anything but true....God has laced my life with creativity and fantastic people who I couldn't be more happy to collaborate and surround myself with.

I am so happy, so certain and so excited to be back home :-) I'll always remember New York, but the sun has set on that chapter...and of course the sun is still shining in Arizona...as is Blake Emery...