what I've been up to, in question and answer form

Whew! The last 5 months have been quite the whirlwind. As promised, here are the highlights in a simple question and answer form:

What the heck is going on with your active-wear line??

Well, actually I like to call it a life-wear line. And, it's still on my desk. I began designing in September and then, decided to move so all my energy went towards that. So, I'm in mid-design phase.

Are you still planning on doing it??

YES! I still plan on creating the designs, having patterns made, and going through the sampling process. I will then test the market. If it makes sense to go forward, I will!

Where did you move to?

I moved to Asheville, North Carolina.

Do you like it??

No. I adore it.

Name 7 exciting things that have happened to you in the past 5 months:

-- I changed jobs; well, sorta. It's a work in progress.
-- I have formed a strategic partnership with Royal Peasantry Design House in Asheville, NC & begun selling vintage clothing, and making other stuff.
-- I got a boyfriend!
-- I have teamed up with The Laurel and will be writing a weekly article. I will be writing on arts, culture, and community and I look forward to exploring the area's rich culture. I have some sweet ideas; maybe I can even get my editor to go for them!
-- I am really a writer. I am still trying to get my life structured so that I can have dedicated time to write. That's what this whole self-employment thing is about. Even though I have faced the fact that I will probably not be able to have dedicated time within the next 6 months, I have promised myself to never forget that I am a poet -- that all this work is for that. And meanwhile, I get to build something I really enjoy and that I think I'll be pretty good at. My last job taught me the importance of enjoying one's vocation.
-- I learned how to swing + blues dance.
-- Chiropractic treatments. I am actually taller now. And my legs are the same length. For real.

Why did you pick 7 exciting things to share?? Isn't that an awkward number??

Why yes, it is.

What are you most looking forward to in the New Year?

-- Getting myself established financially by growing my business + whatever the heck else it takes
-- Naming my business; how does one pull together costume pieces, kitten-ish vintage, and playful garments like tutus, jazz pants, and corsets anyway?
-- Getting myself to a point where I can have dance, pilates, and silks lessons every week!
-- Writing lots of fun articles
-- Going blues dancing and drinking lots of whisky
-- Going to Mexico with my boyfriend & cajoling him in the event he changes his mind
-- Getting into a writing routine
-- Making pretty stuff that makes people feel good
-- Being in front of a camera
-- Hosting the first annual "Dirty Girlz" Scrabble night at mi casa. A delightful way to warm up a cold January evening.

What are some of the things you're making, or thinking of making, these days?

I am making very sassy tutus for big girls. These tutus are perfect for a sweet night out or Valentines day. I am also learning to make corsets. If all goes well, I can't wait to fuse the corset form with some Japanese elements. I am particularly inspired by traditional Japanese rope bondage, shunga prints, and the unusually bold color palettes. Folding and other elaborate manipulations also intrigue me. My items can be found at Royal Peasantry Boutique on Lexington Ave. in Asheville. And, I will be on ETSY soon (gimmie a minute on that one!). I am also finishing up a headpiece. Well, it only took 6 months.

Do you like making stuff?

Not really. I like designing stuff. Until I can get others to make the stuff I design, then I have to make it.

Do you consider yourself an artist?

No. I consider myself a writer, and in the absense of that, a highly creative person.

What are you reading these days?

I just found a very special magazine called BULLETT. It's amazing. And beautiful. The most beautiful and thoughtfully edited arts and culture magazine I have ever seen.

What are you doing for New Years?

Well, I want to go to the LindyFocus dance but if I decide to go more thrifty, I will go see My Week with Marilyn.

What is your favorite letter?

L.

quiet time is homework time

well, this is business. you take the good with the bad. and like the rest of life, there is always a lot going on under the surface. as i mentioned in my last post, the active parts of the business are in a quiet phase.

what i can concentrate on at this moment and for the immediate future is product design and fabric testing.

i have chosen some test fabrics. therefore, i can order a little bit and start making and wearing stuff. wait - doesn't sound like business?? ah, it's called product development -- in particular testing the way a fabric feels, wears, and washes over time. most lines do not have time to do this because the faster a product gets to market, the faster money can be made. i'm not tryin to argue with an economic law, but a sweet lil' start-up like mine can take a little more time in this phase because sometimes there is more time than money! and my product will wear beautifully over time -- guaranteed.

so, i'm taking advantage of my quiet phase to do my homework.

that said, i found a handy little site that might be a great help to me raising the seed money for this project.

check out Indie GoGo. This is a nice and effective way to raise funds for your project and i do plan on using it once my august changes have passed. i'm thinking: fall.

that said, check out this little tapestry i scored from e-bay!!!!

yes, i know it's obnoxious to feature it twice in the same article but isn't it lovely for a dancing, gypsying laydee like me???

i just can't wait to add music, candles, a handmade top and headpiece, and a money basket to it!! i am learning some nice ATS moves in sparrow's class at Studio Zahiya in downtown Asheville that will come in very handy!

see ya on the streetz of asheville, folks.

dreams are fragile

i have been enjoying the fabric sourcing phase.

that sounds so industrial, and not at all inspiring.

what i mean to say is that many of my samples have come in and now i get to see, smell, and feel them. only a few of them made the cut and my sourcing is far from over.

i mapped out a bunch of other stuff i really need to get done such as: creating color boards and designing, choosing fabrics, starting fundraising for the initial seed funds, brainstorming possible investors, naming the line, and of course, thinking about marketing.

whew! that is a lot of planning & execution to take care of. in one item metioned above, there is a huge process that needs to take place.

it will be important to keep things as simple as possible.

a transition of a different sort is taking precedence right now so the business is on the back burner, simmering quite nicely.

once this other effort is done, i can pick the business up full force (you know, that gargantuan list afore mentioned). and i do promise to let everyone know what the heck i am talking about as soon as i can. it is something i am very excited about and also something that needs my undivided attention.

undivided attention is a challenge for me; there are so many things I want to do! i can definitely fall into the trap of dividing my attention so much that nothing is really ever complete. i think this is something most creative people experience.

i was thinking about Jen Louden's basket theory. she proposes that we can only have about 4 baskets at any given time. each basket represents a project or goal.

i have been working with about 8 baskets and i got burned out this weekend! so i reduced my baskets and now i feel a lot better.

granted, one must accept some loss in this negotation. for example, i probably won't be able to busk this year. drats! i was just dreaming about my busking adventures, taking pictures of my fellow buskers (real pictures -- you know, as in coffee-table book pictures), and simply having some good stories to tell at parties.

however, there is always next year.

however, the energy i'm concentrating towards a couple of great, big goals are more likely to be realized.

first: my big mystery goal. then, my business.

it's really important when you have dreams you are working towards to know when to give yourself a break and to realistically assess other demands on your time and your current sources of support.

dreams are fragile; we need to be gentle with them as we also advocate fiercely on their behalf.