Staying... organized?

I hope one day I can pay my parents back... because i'm more of a human tornado than a daughter lately. This week has been a rough one, full of stress, sketches, shopping, spending, and sewing. To be completely honest I think the clutter in my work space is also contributing to my insanity. I try to put things back in their place when i'm finished, but what happens when stuff doesn't have a place?


I think my mother has given up that I'll ever be a perfect housewife and be able to keep a nice clean house, but then again who wants to be a perfect housewife... not me. I really really wish I had a ton of money to have my own studio space, then my bolts of fabric would have a place, I might not need to use my ironing board as a desk and my parents would get their love seat back.

This week I want to clean up, for really, honest and truly... but at the same time, I do have orders to fill, which is more important to me because I don't get paid to clean... and this is why my work space looks like it does. AHHHH!

Blackhawks back in Philly!

Immediately after the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup back in June, I got the idea to make a Blackhawks themed dirndl to celebrate the win! Coincidentally, the greatest weekend of the year, the Tag der Donauschwaben USA und Kanada was going to be held in Philadelphia. I made one for myself and my favorite sales women, and sister, Monika. And I thought there might be a few other people who would want one as well.



However, I didn't expect to bring the entire team! I was so excited when nearly every girl in the American Aid Society Jugendgruppe wanted one! It was a huge hit in Philly and even the Flyers fans like them! We danced in them and if the Blackhawks players were there, they would have been proud of our preformance. It was a great showing and we all can't wait to wear them again for the Oktoberfest season!

Meeting with GGP!

Back in July I was able to finally meet the founders of the Global Goods Partners. The GGP is the charity that i donate 10% of my sales to on a bi monthly basis. I could never image not being able to do what I love and giving to the GGP allow women around the world to create goods and make a living doing what they love!



During the Beckman’s Handcrafted Show at the Merchandise Mart here in Chicago, I was able to go and meet the founders, Joan Shifrin and Catherine Shimony. They were so nice and happy to see me! Once i started talking to them i realized how much my donations really help the organization and the people.

I was so happy to see their new products, especially this Alpaca Floral Hat, which i have to have for winter, its soooo cute!!!



I was so happy to finally meet Joan and Catherine and we began talking about perhaps working together for some Rare, Fair Trade products! I'm so excited about this new adventure and that it is something i believe so strongly in.

Mix and Match

You can wear the summer pieces with multiple aprons and multiple blouses... a great buy! Its like a 2 in one. E-mail to ask about multiple apron pricing and one-of-a-kind aprons.

Because these issues need to be addressed.

Lots of things happened today! I was working on dirndls today... like most days, but i got a very disturbing phone call from my friend, the great matthias wissmann, who told me the terrible news, dustin Byfuglien was traded by the blackhawks to the atlanta thrashers. What do they have in Hotlanta that we aint got here?!?! apparently, money, but i don't think he understands that i don't live in atlanta... whatever his loss, but he is probably more mad at the blackhawks for giving him up before we could be together. ah well, i'll still wear #33 loud and proud!


Next order of business, i learned this evening while out to dinner with my sister, Monika, that she likes it when i mention her in my blog, so this one is for you Monika. The best lil sis in the whole wide world! Ah! Mi Nave Espacial!

Monika and I at our cousin, Aimee's wedding.


Speaking of wedding! Lets take a look at the headpieces i made for the event! Aimee's Headband is a satin covered 1" headband with feather detail on the side along with a handmade flower from the extra fabric for her lacing and beads from the removable straps. French netting extends from the front of the headband showing off her beautiful happy bride face!

Also for the event, I made my Aunt Heidi's jacket (pictured with Aimee)


And last but certainly not least... MINE! Nothing like something subtle to match my little dress! I made this feather and french netting headpiece with blue silk center and a little seahorse to bring it all together.



So, while i'm just blabbing on... (this has nothing to do with dirndls by the way) i feel it necessary to talk a little about the great movie that i just saw... Toy Story 3. #1- it was so funny, and i might go as far as to say it was better than the 1st two #2- It reminded me of when i was little. #3- it bring me back to my thought... "what if my toys came to life?"
They might be a tad jealous of my giant shoe rack, my Barbie (circa 1989) is probably salty because she is currently topless, i don't know how my collectable dolls get in and out of the glass case, and bunny would probably be their leader. Bunny is a special toy. He has been with me since my Grandma Rosina gave her to me on easter when i was 6. He has traveled everywhere with me! Johnny Becker so kindly pointed out to me that he thinks that bunny is creepy and he doesn't like her, but I'm not ashamed to say that i sleep with him every night. Your probably wondering why she/he keeps switching genders, well its always been like that, sometimes he is a he and sometime she's a she... i don't know, so i'm wondering what her voice would be like? Ellen Degeneres maybe... Neil Patrick Harris? Who knows. Thats all thats on my mind... thought i'd share my insanity with you all!

Me and my Bunny!

Here Come the Hawks... The Mighty BLACKHAWKS dirndl!

About 5 years ago my sister, Monika, and I went to a Chicago Blackhawks game for $8 (student ticket) with a bunch of our friends and we instantly fell in love with the team. As little girls we used to skate around at the summer haus on the frozen lake while my dad slapped around a puck, but we never new the logistics of the game beyond get the puck in the net. Over the past few years we've learned the players and the way of the game... but in the past 2 years we weren't able to go to as many games as we would have liked because tickets became expensive and more difficult to acquire. But its all good... we just watched the games on tv.


But nothing is like being there! This year for Christmas, my cousin Steve and his wife Teresa got Hawks tickets for Christian and I and we were stoked! It was the only game I was able to go to this year. We had a great time and loved being in the Madhouse on Madison watching our favorite Chicago team.

But wednesday, June 6th was unlike any game we had ever watched. In game six of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Philadelphia Flyers, Patrick Kane scored in overtime to win the mother f*ckin STANLY CUP! After I got a mini champagne shower my friends and I celebrated until 1am (it was a wednesday... most of us had to work). But we all planed to try and get friday off for the parade and rally!


Getting up at 6am for the Rally, Christian, myself and seven of my friends went down to Michigan and Wacker for the parade. We stood at the rally site from 8-11 waiting for our team to arrive. We got to see the cup, our favorite players and celebrate with the other 2 million people who joined us downtown.


I was so excited to see my favorite player and "boyfriend" as Christian calls him, Dustin Byfuglien! Thats when I got a great idea. The Blackhawks Dirndl! Turn my Byfuglien T-Shirt into an awesome tribute to an awesome team!


This kickass red mini dirndl with deep scoop neckline, white and black lace up center front, and white accents at the hem is the perfect way to support the greatest team ever. This dirndl has Byfuglien's name and number on the back and the black apron has the logo on the side and black and white ties.

Website Nightmares

During the summer of 2008 I attended the Business of Fashion Seminar Series held by the Chicago Apparel Industry Board. I learned a ton about how to start and run a fashion line. However, the best advise came from Marsha Brenner who said, "If you don't know what your doing, hire someone!" Thats exactly what I did for my website. I had never done any type of website work besides updating my facebook and make a "ok" looking site using iWeb. I knew that the core of my business was going to be this site, so I needed it to look super professional and very representative of my aesthetic. I hired Greg Bandy whom I knew threw Anna Johnson a classmate and great friend from Dominican University. He maintains and designs for the Dominican website and does great freelance work for a variety of clients.


The landing page of my website

He send me ideas regarding the design from what i told him my style was, art nouveau meets graffiti... messy elegance. I love love love my site... but now I do not love love love figuring out how the hell to maintain it on my own. I had a sit down session with Greg where he gave me all of the files and gave me a websites for dummies lesson. I took copious notes, but those notes are no help when your up to your red lips in code and there is one thing that is sending the whole thing into a tizzy.


My Website... as I see it and edit it.

I was more than intimidated as I drove home from the "maintain your website" session, but I was relatively confident in my ability to figure stuff out and my patients for things that don't talk back to me... like my computer screen.


so why can't I get the photos to line up nice? Why is there a gap?

After a few hours yesterday I was happily adding new photos and information to my site. I was stoked! I was updating store options, making new pages, designing new images... but when it came down to something simple, like adding more photos to the store grid of photos, I went wrong. I have no clue where, but I did. ARG. I'm currently communicating with Greg to resolve my problem, but until then I still staring off into the wilderness of html and hoping for the best.


me... right now