It really lights up!
And then this is what I'll do to website hackers.
New Ring
Here it is, the answers to all of your ring questions:
It really lights up!
And then this is what I'll do to website hackers.
It really lights up!
And then this is what I'll do to website hackers.
Between Holidays
Hi all. I've been waiting for true, quiet downtime to update the blog with links and pictures of christmas gifts (pictures using what, you might ask, since my digital camera crapped out...?...yes, my sweet brother researched the heck out of Canon PowerShots and rode his bike from Brooklyn into Manhattan during the transit strike while he was sick to pick up the wonderful Canon PowerShot A610
for it's superb color capture abilities, little flip screen for taking crazy angle shots, and cool manipulation features so I can get true color on fabrics), but of course, I have not had down time like I fantasized about.
What I have done, however, is developed a new and healthy addiction to Sudoku (thanks to the free and convenient one in AM New York)! My first day of it, I scored a 36%. Then last night, David cooked meat spaghetti and I sat on the couch to complete the puzzle, and today I got a 76%! I was supposed to complete a sketch of the dog treat pouch (chow chow) in order to give it to a hopeful pattern maker to add little details, but that will have to happen today after work. Last night, in-between Sudoku indulgences on the subway and before I made it home, I stopped at the fabric store to get tons of vinyl swatches of the prettiest colors for the pouch. I can't wait for the finished product!
Which brings us to the web site...which is ready for the next phase of major overhaul. I have lots of copy to add to it and a few more designs to create. Plus, I hope to launch it with the addition of the new dog treat pouch and a key chain that you have not seen yet, but you wear it on the wrist in the fashion of an oversized shirt cuff, or a "key cuff."
So, that's the news from Lake Wobegon for now!
PS: I'll forget the fact that I just provided you with a link to Sudoku online. That could be very dangerous, and I'll stick to the one in the morning paper.
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for it's superb color capture abilities, little flip screen for taking crazy angle shots, and cool manipulation features so I can get true color on fabrics), but of course, I have not had down time like I fantasized about.What I have done, however, is developed a new and healthy addiction to Sudoku (thanks to the free and convenient one in AM New York)! My first day of it, I scored a 36%. Then last night, David cooked meat spaghetti and I sat on the couch to complete the puzzle, and today I got a 76%! I was supposed to complete a sketch of the dog treat pouch (chow chow) in order to give it to a hopeful pattern maker to add little details, but that will have to happen today after work. Last night, in-between Sudoku indulgences on the subway and before I made it home, I stopped at the fabric store to get tons of vinyl swatches of the prettiest colors for the pouch. I can't wait for the finished product!
Which brings us to the web site...which is ready for the next phase of major overhaul. I have lots of copy to add to it and a few more designs to create. Plus, I hope to launch it with the addition of the new dog treat pouch and a key chain that you have not seen yet, but you wear it on the wrist in the fashion of an oversized shirt cuff, or a "key cuff."
So, that's the news from Lake Wobegon for now!
PS: I'll forget the fact that I just provided you with a link to Sudoku online. That could be very dangerous, and I'll stick to the one in the morning paper.
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Christmas Eve Morn
It's 1:20am, Christmas Eve, and I sit awake reading One Writer's Beginning's by Eudora Welty, a signed edition by Welty to my great grandmother. I've been saddened this trip because I haven't much felt in the Christmas spirit, and I love the Christmas Spirit. Maybe it's because I didn't make it to the mall this year, since I completed so much shopping earlier in the year and then quickly online. So it could be that I'm not in a car so much, driving to the mall, that I'm not hearing regurgitated Christmas songs from the Beatles to Springsteen to Madonna to the old fogy stuff.
But it's also that I'm missing my boyfriend, I guess. We decided that he would not spend Christmas with me because he spent Thanksgiving with me (but then saw his family for one week right after). This means that I denied spending Christmas with his family. Plus, in my mind, we made this decision after Thanksgiving, which means that we did not plan for Christmas. If it's not planned for, it cannot happen. Not at Christmas.
In my mind, Christmas is all about one thing: stockings. My joy of Christmas is waking up with a fat, knitted (by my grandmother) stocking lying at the foot of my bed. Accompanying this is my sister bouncing into my room to open the stocking, and then the two of us leaping into my brother's room (which is always cold) to shiver and open his stocking. Then the morning begins with moving parents along. Grapefruits are sliced, coffee is poured, trash bags are opened and presents are exchanged. Nana comes over at 11am, makes her bloody merry mix, sets up the shrimps and puts sticky buns in the oven. Having looked forward to this all year, one can understand that to have me wake up in a bed not my own with no stocking would be jarring. I would need to prepare for this.
I'm not sure that David understands this. I tried telling him that even though we live together, since we did not make plans for Christmas, I wasn't so sure how I felt about him actually staying here for Christmas Eve. It's a very big night for me. I've lived with someone before during Christmas Eve, and I actually don't remember what we did. We very well might have fought over the fact that he didn't want to come to Christmas Morning because he didn't have Christmas presents for anyone due to low funds due to no job. So that didn't really count.
I digress. My grand point is really to ask this question, because I think it's affecting my Christmas Spirit: at what point do you stop waking up with a stocking on your bed? Or do you? If David was here, first of all, where would he sleep. If he slept with me, no stocking could arrive. If I slept with my sister, stockings could happen, and it would just be a new experience having David there on Christmas Morning, and for the whole day. Perhaps we're just not there yet as a couple, even though we live together. You have to earn that spot, on Christmas Morning. You have to earn the right to bound and leap, or watch others bound and leap until the heat has warmed up the house, coffee is brewing, and we can finally go downstairs to open presents.
This is truly a wonderful feeling that I'm evidently trying very hard to hold onto. I'm not very old in the grand scheme of things. Only 28 or something. And I know this whole romancing of Christmas Morning is childish. But I don't know how else to feel, and I don't know how to explain this to David, or if any of it even made sense.
Oh no - I think I hear floor boards creaking - the stocking-passer-outer is trying to find me. I guess that means the end of
this meandering thought. Have a good morning!
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But it's also that I'm missing my boyfriend, I guess. We decided that he would not spend Christmas with me because he spent Thanksgiving with me (but then saw his family for one week right after). This means that I denied spending Christmas with his family. Plus, in my mind, we made this decision after Thanksgiving, which means that we did not plan for Christmas. If it's not planned for, it cannot happen. Not at Christmas.
In my mind, Christmas is all about one thing: stockings. My joy of Christmas is waking up with a fat, knitted (by my grandmother) stocking lying at the foot of my bed. Accompanying this is my sister bouncing into my room to open the stocking, and then the two of us leaping into my brother's room (which is always cold) to shiver and open his stocking. Then the morning begins with moving parents along. Grapefruits are sliced, coffee is poured, trash bags are opened and presents are exchanged. Nana comes over at 11am, makes her bloody merry mix, sets up the shrimps and puts sticky buns in the oven. Having looked forward to this all year, one can understand that to have me wake up in a bed not my own with no stocking would be jarring. I would need to prepare for this.
I'm not sure that David understands this. I tried telling him that even though we live together, since we did not make plans for Christmas, I wasn't so sure how I felt about him actually staying here for Christmas Eve. It's a very big night for me. I've lived with someone before during Christmas Eve, and I actually don't remember what we did. We very well might have fought over the fact that he didn't want to come to Christmas Morning because he didn't have Christmas presents for anyone due to low funds due to no job. So that didn't really count.
I digress. My grand point is really to ask this question, because I think it's affecting my Christmas Spirit: at what point do you stop waking up with a stocking on your bed? Or do you? If David was here, first of all, where would he sleep. If he slept with me, no stocking could arrive. If I slept with my sister, stockings could happen, and it would just be a new experience having David there on Christmas Morning, and for the whole day. Perhaps we're just not there yet as a couple, even though we live together. You have to earn that spot, on Christmas Morning. You have to earn the right to bound and leap, or watch others bound and leap until the heat has warmed up the house, coffee is brewing, and we can finally go downstairs to open presents.
This is truly a wonderful feeling that I'm evidently trying very hard to hold onto. I'm not very old in the grand scheme of things. Only 28 or something. And I know this whole romancing of Christmas Morning is childish. But I don't know how else to feel, and I don't know how to explain this to David, or if any of it even made sense.
Oh no - I think I hear floor boards creaking - the stocking-passer-outer is trying to find me. I guess that means the end of
this meandering thought. Have a good morning!
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Merry Christmas Eve!
I've been out driving around a bit to see some last minute shops (found the cuuuutest coin purse that hangs from the wrist) and realized that everyone needed a free last minute surprise! So, as a little sneak preview to the look of the new Katie James shopping cart that will be ready in the new year, here are two free desktop wallpapers from Katie James.
inspired by a Reader's Digest book and my great grandmother's lace
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inspired by the last of this Ralph Lauren fabric used for a Katie James bustier
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Just click on what size monitor you have to download it. Then save them to your computer, and change the settings.
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inspired by a Reader's Digest book and my great grandmother's lace
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1078x768
800x600
inspired by the last of this Ralph Lauren fabric used for a Katie James bustier
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1078x768
800x600
Just click on what size monitor you have to download it. Then save them to your computer, and change the settings.
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Christmas Comes Early!!
David and I just had our Christmas tonight. He cooked the biggest stakes ever, and I made my couscous and veggies. Yum.
Onto the presents! Yes, I got David an iPod video. Very exciting. Very black and very sleek. David's a little afraid of it since it's a new toy he has to learn, but I think he's going to catch on in no time. I got him two accessories (iTalk for voice memo recording and iTrip for the car or any FM radio), but we found out that the accessories don't fit the super new iPod! So I got to keep them for my ghetto old iPod. This means I can easily make random podcasts! Here's my first one. Watch out. I talk a little too close to the mike, so there is some clicking. But you know what this means. More Gladys, and new recordings of my crazy neighbor so you can finally believe me!
We opened to a lovely new CD of Kate Rusby called The Girl Who Couldn't Fly. Really lovely. David got me an also lovely, soft and stretchy corderoy jacket with a ruffle at the bottom from Anthropology, more specifically Louie, who's fabric tags, talking about how the fabric is designed to fade, I really like. David also outfitted me with elbow-knee-wrist pads for the roller-blades I got last year for my birthday. We forgot that I don't know how to stop, so going rollerblading together hasn't happened much without me pitching a fit in frustration. Oh, and David got us matching helmets.
All in all, a very filling Christmas. Dinah played with balls of crumpled Christmas paper and then panted and fell over with the sudden rush of new excitement. We drive to Ohio tomorrow, so wish us luck that we don't get stopped behind another tractor/trailor pile-up on I80.
Happy Holidays!!
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Happy Holidays MTA Style
This is my response to the strike: back in June, this was the greeting I received when getting off my train to go to work. This was when the MTA was NOT on strike. This was an open station.
The MTA is backwards. They are crooked. They announced a deficit, raised fares, and found a 1 billion dollar surplus. So, to 'give back' to the riders, the MTA granted us 50% off on certain days just before Christmas. Which now, with the strike, it doesn't matter. It didn't matter for me before b/c I have the 30 day 'unlimited' card (which really means every 18 minutes, so if you swipe at the wrong side, your screwed and disgruntled MTA workers won't give you a break) so we get something like 4 extra days on the card, which is bullshit because I'm not in town to spend the rides. I hate the MTA. Not the workers, although they can be pretty mean. But the corporate, or whatever they're called.
How mean can the MTA workers be? One day, I was visiting my friend at 86th Street. There were signs up saying that the trains were making express stops from street X to street Y. I didn't know where either of those streets were, so I asked the ladies in the booth if local trains were skipping local stops. This was the reply I got:
Mean Lady: (leans over to her replacement on the shift) "I'll get this one." (turns to me, through the glass case) "Read the signs!"
Me: "I did. But I don't know where those streets are. Is the Uptown local train running express?"
Mean Lady: "Read the sign!"
Me: "I DID read the sign. But I don't know where that..."
Mean Lady: "GIRL! I'm not going to BREASTfeed yoU! Read the damn signs!"
The Mean Lady came out of the glass case with her bags in hand, ready to swipe herself through the turnstyle, still yelling at me as I scampered away up the stairs.
Mean Lady: "*(&$(*&W#$!!!"
Me: "I didn't ASK you to BREASTfeed me! I asked you about the TRAINS!"
Then I ran. She still works at 86th Street on the C/B line, and I'm still scared of her.
This pretty much sums up the MTA:
This is the 23rd Street station for the 6 line running under Park Avenue. This day, the station was open. It was 9am, and no one is there. No one. And when they are there, the attendant stands outside of the booth. He's not aloud to stand inside of it and sell tickets.
I'm speechless at this. It should be noted that the union workers are losing 2 days pay for every strike day. They don't want new hires to have to pay a dime into their health care. I work in nonprofit. I do not have a very large salary, and most of it goes to pay bills. But I do contribute to my health care every paycheck. The Union wants about 8% raises each year for three years, wants to keep the retirement age at 59 for new hires, and no participation into health care.
There is gridlock on all major streets. David has to pick up a letter today in order to get into his union for film, and it's all the way downtown, which means that it might take him hours to get there. Taxis are packed, and cars outside my otherwise quiet neighborhood are honking more than usual. Oh, and it's cold (yet very sunny).
But, thankfully I am able to work from home. With my contributions into my health care, I get flexability and great people to work with. I am going to step out into the elements to go to Starbucks (if it's open) to see what's open and how people are doing. I was going to get a binkini tonight, but my girl lives in Brooklyn, so I'm not sure if she was able to make the hike to the salon in the upper west side.
I'll close with what a conductor on the A train always tells us in the morning when he reminds us to watch our packages and bags, that we are subject to random searches: Please have a safe, blessed and prosperous day.
And a final message from the subway stations: "Happy Holidays. We're on strike."
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The MTA is backwards. They are crooked. They announced a deficit, raised fares, and found a 1 billion dollar surplus. So, to 'give back' to the riders, the MTA granted us 50% off on certain days just before Christmas. Which now, with the strike, it doesn't matter. It didn't matter for me before b/c I have the 30 day 'unlimited' card (which really means every 18 minutes, so if you swipe at the wrong side, your screwed and disgruntled MTA workers won't give you a break) so we get something like 4 extra days on the card, which is bullshit because I'm not in town to spend the rides. I hate the MTA. Not the workers, although they can be pretty mean. But the corporate, or whatever they're called.
How mean can the MTA workers be? One day, I was visiting my friend at 86th Street. There were signs up saying that the trains were making express stops from street X to street Y. I didn't know where either of those streets were, so I asked the ladies in the booth if local trains were skipping local stops. This was the reply I got:
Mean Lady: (leans over to her replacement on the shift) "I'll get this one." (turns to me, through the glass case) "Read the signs!"
Me: "I did. But I don't know where those streets are. Is the Uptown local train running express?"
Mean Lady: "Read the sign!"
Me: "I DID read the sign. But I don't know where that..."
Mean Lady: "GIRL! I'm not going to BREASTfeed yoU! Read the damn signs!"
The Mean Lady came out of the glass case with her bags in hand, ready to swipe herself through the turnstyle, still yelling at me as I scampered away up the stairs.
Mean Lady: "*(&$(*&W#$!!!"
Me: "I didn't ASK you to BREASTfeed me! I asked you about the TRAINS!"
Then I ran. She still works at 86th Street on the C/B line, and I'm still scared of her.
This pretty much sums up the MTA:
This is the 23rd Street station for the 6 line running under Park Avenue. This day, the station was open. It was 9am, and no one is there. No one. And when they are there, the attendant stands outside of the booth. He's not aloud to stand inside of it and sell tickets.
I'm speechless at this. It should be noted that the union workers are losing 2 days pay for every strike day. They don't want new hires to have to pay a dime into their health care. I work in nonprofit. I do not have a very large salary, and most of it goes to pay bills. But I do contribute to my health care every paycheck. The Union wants about 8% raises each year for three years, wants to keep the retirement age at 59 for new hires, and no participation into health care.
There is gridlock on all major streets. David has to pick up a letter today in order to get into his union for film, and it's all the way downtown, which means that it might take him hours to get there. Taxis are packed, and cars outside my otherwise quiet neighborhood are honking more than usual. Oh, and it's cold (yet very sunny).
But, thankfully I am able to work from home. With my contributions into my health care, I get flexability and great people to work with. I am going to step out into the elements to go to Starbucks (if it's open) to see what's open and how people are doing. I was going to get a binkini tonight, but my girl lives in Brooklyn, so I'm not sure if she was able to make the hike to the salon in the upper west side.
I'll close with what a conductor on the A train always tells us in the morning when he reminds us to watch our packages and bags, that we are subject to random searches: Please have a safe, blessed and prosperous day.
And a final message from the subway stations: "Happy Holidays. We're on strike."
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Conversation with Yasmena
25 prototypes+ 3 patents
+ $15,000 in savings
Goal of 20,000 bags sold for next year, which is 10x last year's goal for Emily Blumenthal of Yasmena
The Yasmena bag, the mini purse that is worn on the wrists of many women all over the country (including on Sex and the City!), was a little idea by Emily Blumenthal, then an M.B.A. student at Fordham University. She was going to parties with her then dj boyfriend and was tired of lugging around a purse. So, she invented a mini bag and patented it. The little idea is now sold on QVC, in 10 department stores including Macy's, Nordstrom, and in shops like Modell's.
Much of Emily's success is a result of her researching her options, standing in line outside of Henry Bendel for a potential order, and finally strategizing a licensing deal with Westport Corp., a New Jersey distributor for men's and women's leather goods for clients such as Kenneth Cole and Perry Ellis. She signed a deal with them to represent her two lines of bags, the Yasmena bag and the Yazzy bag (sportier), where she gets a portion of the sales. And the sales come in from all over the map. Here's how she did it:
Is Yasmena Inc. a one-woman show?
Yasmena has always been a one woman show. It was only until recently since I started having licensees that other people have been involved full-time.
Where does the name come from?
I started Yasmena while I was in business school and looked at every aspect with market research in mind. I didn’t feel comfortable with the premise of an eponymous line, especially with the name ‘Emily Blumenthal.’ I never wanted to go through what Jil Sander went through either. In addition, I wanted it to be something that could stand alone without the word bag, be feminine and unique enough that anyone, anywhere, would find it native to wherever they were from. After much research, Yasmena seemed to carry the most weight in terms of individuality, prospective domestic and international branding and potential and would have the least amount of conflicts with trademark issues.
When you went full time with Yasmena Inc., did you have a day job to quit? If so, how did you make the transition?
I was actually working, going to school and going out with my dj boyfriend at the time when I started, which is how the idea of the Yasmena bag came about – that there wasn’t a little bag to hold onto that ‘comfortably’ fit a woman’s essentials and allowed her to be ‘hands-free’ to not worry about her bag being stolen, bouncing around, hanging off her shoulder and taking away from the outfit or leaving a bulge in places on a woman that should warrant negative attention.
The employment transition was decided for me. The company I was working for went out of business so I went to school full-time and focused on the business. After school finished, I continued to free-lance as long as I could until I started getting licensees involved as it seemed like a more sound way to go than looking for funding. You realize very early that the designing aspect is a minimal part of the business and your ego is forced to disappear or else you won’t get very far. If you run out of money, you have to get a job – I don’t believe in accruing debt.
To this day, I am still developing new products outside the line, looking for new licensees, I teach a course at the Laboratory Institute of Merchandising and I am writing a book. You always have to keep your professional assets diversified when you are still small and not wanting to get a traditional day-job again. And if that isn’t enough, a good Jewish mother is enough to keep you grounded.
When did it occur to you to register your business…as a business?
I took care of the business aspect after a year of research and product development. I wasn’t in a hurry to do that until I had a plan to follow. I didn’t want to be an actual handbag designer since I know the market is so oversaturated and I wanted to really be sure that my product could fill a void in the market. I also knew that I did not want to be a sole proprietor since I guess perhaps I had lofty goals that I would need to protect myself as soon as I took my products for sales calls. As soon as I started that process, I did it immediately.
So many designs are copied. When do you think a product reaches the point when it’s worth the time and money to patent the design?
Again, I did that almost right away as well. I believe that money spent for protection is money well-spent. If I didn’t have these patents, I wouldn’t have licensees, made it to QVC or been in the position I am now.
How did you launch the bags?
I started taking my 6 samples around to local boutiques across NYC. There are several ‘Shopping in NYC’ books and actually say which kinds of lines they carry. I contacted and went to every boutique and store that said they carry and support ‘independent designer’ lines. I started doing that in February and gave a delivery date for October. I figured they were probably used to dealing with new designers so giving a later delivery date wouldn’t phase them too much, especially when I presented it “if you like my bags, then you shouldn’t mind waiting for them for holiday.”
At the same time, I made mock-up press kits with some product and lifestyle shots that my industry friend took for me. I drew up very rough line sheets to the best of my ability and to compensate for not having any press – I tried to get as many quotes as possible from industry people saying why the bags were so good. I started going out wearing the bags as much as possible and asking people if they had seen anything like it since I just ‘found this sort of bag’ and ‘isn’t it cool?’ I did a tradeshow that summer and I did the Henri Bendel ‘Open See’ and got a trial slot for November and got my first press in that October. It didn’t hurt either that I knew my bags were being considered (and eventually made it on) Sex & the City – which I am still talking about to this day.
About the Bendel 'Open See': did you just stand in line, show your product, and get a follow up appointment? I've only done it once, and it was really to just experience the line (I left before the line began moving). I don't think I was ready at that point to show because I didn't have the means to mass produce.
I definitely stood in line - I got there at 6:15am. I think it is definitely worth doing and by no means is it mass production since the quantities that most stores start out with is so small that you would be surprised that it would mirror your production run. The comments you get from buyers like that are invaluable. In addition, you can make a connection and get a business card and then keep in touch with the buyer and follow up with them by saying 'I followed what you suggested and wanted you to be the first one to see how the line has progressed.'
One should always take every opportunity, leave no stone unturned and get as many orders as you can and then work backwards to make it happen. If you aren't - then you aren't treating this like a business. Fear is not an option.
Do you think you need to be based in NYC (or the like) to develop and sell your products? Or could you do it from anywhere, at this point.
No, you definitely do not need to be NYC. There are plenty of profitable independent designers that are not based in New York. One can still be an actress outside of Los Angeles. In fact, sometimes I think it is better to learn a local market first and understand your product's strengths and weaknesses before moving forward. Sometimes, working with a local boutique
owner, even if it is Tulsa, could give some sound advice in terms of business and design direction. With that said, one could always travel to New York for the tradeshows and go on the road to other gift shows across the U.S. There are other major tradeshows in Los Angeles, Texas and Atlanta. What people tend to forget, if you can create enough interest in your product, you can hustle to ensure your product will make its way to the important people and stores - no matter where you are located.
Where did you first do your manufacturing?
My initial samples were done here but I knew that my manufacturing would have to be done overseas. It was an extremely trying experience. My bags were beaded so I knew I would have my best chances with India. With my research, I found out that manufacturers in India are usually flexible with quantity although you have no guarantee with delivery or quantity and obviously, you will be paying more than if you were manufacturing in China.
I think you’ve hired a public relations firm to help you with PR. Have you hired any other companies to help you with specific aspects of your business?
I actually never dealt with a full-time publicist until recently. I decided that my first licensing agreement was equivalent to making the ‘big-time’ and that I should have a real publicist to go with it. If I were to do it again, I probably wouldn’t do it again. I think and recommend to anyone starting out to do as much as you can on your own – including press. Learn how to write your own releases, if you have to – come up with a fake name for a publicist. Meet all of the editors and make personal relationships with all of them. I haven’t hired any other companies out to work with me other than legal matters.
What does it mean to have another company license your bag? Why did you decide to go this route?
My situation is unique since my product was patented, they were licensing out my patent and my trademarks to product my product through their lines of distribution. I felt that it was more realistic for me to get another company involved who had the manufacturing and distribution channels and retail connections than for me to look for funding and re-inventing the wheel. I didn’t want to lose time or the momentum I had worked so hard to create.
What does the licensing agent handle for you?
A licensing firm or agent’s responsibility is to shop your product or name around to firms that match the needs that you are looking for – whether it is expanding into a new market or branding a new product. It is your responsibility though to outfit this firm or agent with as much arsenal about your product so they can present (and sell) with as much potential as possible to get you the best deal. Again though, these relationships are supposed to be mutually beneficial. At the end of the day, it’s all about making money.
At what point were you when you began shopping around for a licensing firm?
I had done almost three years of tradeshows, shopping parties and events. I knew my price-points were high and that my product life-cycle would have to evolve to a more mass level since I was working with a conceptual item. I knew I didn’t have a marketing budget since working with celebrity stylists and gifting events can only get you so far. I also had knocked myself off and created a low-end line called the ‘Yazzy Bag’ and had just done a production run in China. I had enough demand of people trying to find my bag or saying they couldn’t afford it. I knew there was great potential for this little bag to be exploited in many markets but that I knew I couldn’t be one to do it alone.
Does licensing put limits on your business? What’s the tradeoff, or is there one?
Licensing definitely puts limits on your business. In layman’s terms, it is like owning an apartment (your product as the licensor) and renting it out (to the licensee) – if your tenant doesn’t do what they are supposed to do – you can’t just kick them out if they trash the place because there is a lease (your contract). You are taken completely out of the market as that burden is on your licensee’s hands to fulfill the duties of maximizing your product in their distribution channels of expertise. It can get messy when you have to prove that someone is not using best efforts to support your product.
It doesn't look like you sell directly from your website to get that higher markup from a direct sale. I guess you don't need to since you have so many other outlets...and it would be a hassle to fill orders...
I never started selling online - one thing I do regret. However, I just was keeping my risks at a minimum because I never wanted to deal with the fee with credit cards and sales tax or maintaining inventory of certain styles if I couldn't guarantee that my sales would exceed my expenses. My bags have been selling quite well on Ebags.com for quite some time now and I felt that they were doing more justice (and sales) than if they were sold on my site directly.
Do you have any advice or mantra for emerging designers?
RESEARCH – RESEARCH – RESEARCH!!! Do your homework before you spend money. Before you develop a product, make sure you know your customers' demographics and psychographics. Think about your product’s price-point and think about your budget – if you have one. Consider if you have skills to design, and if not, take the time to learn what you need to do before you dive in.
And most importantly – do not over-design – if you don’t have the money, samples and development get expensive. Keep it simple from the start.
Visit Yasmena
More Conversations with Emerging Designers
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Baby Letter Blankets - from Katie James
It's done! My stomach is in a knot from the pancakes, but the baby blanket is done. I like it. I think I could do it for other babies. The pink is a wool/cashmere blend, and the polka-dot is some kind of very soft wool. It looks like the wool version of the polka-dot used on the Katie James jewelry pouches, which means that it could be a Marc Jacobs. I saw another roll of it in the fabric store, so I may need to save my pennies and snag as many yards as I can before it's gone. If you can't tell, the initials are "cj." I'm not a big monogram person at all, so please don't get them for me for any occasion that might suggest monograms. But, I can deal with these hand-drawn initials b/c they are a little funkier than the norm. And what baby wouldn't want to lie on her own initials while watching whatever they watch? :)
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What a Morning
This has been a great Saturday so far. I've started making the blanket, which is turning out to be SO cute (but I have to hand-stitch the borders because they are so thick). I'll show you a picture when it's done. I also just got an interview in from the creator of the Yasmena Bag, and it's SO great. Much to learn from. I should be posting that Sunday night. So stay tuned. I'll be carrying the blanket around hand-stitching it everywhere I go (except in the shower), including tonight's Trivial Pursuit party, which I'm dreading.
Meanwhile, I'm off to make chocolate chip pancakes and hopefully not conk out. David's out doing errands, one of which includes a secret, unplanned Christmas present! We'll see what that is Tuesday night. I wrapped his presents yesterday and included little hints in my To and From. One hint was "From: iLove You." Can you guess what it is?
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Meanwhile, I'm off to make chocolate chip pancakes and hopefully not conk out. David's out doing errands, one of which includes a secret, unplanned Christmas present! We'll see what that is Tuesday night. I wrapped his presents yesterday and included little hints in my To and From. One hint was "From: iLove You." Can you guess what it is?
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Address Booking My Face Off
Talking to my mom on speaker because my Nokia earpiece crapped out when I brought home the new office cell phone, I'm finishing entering all of my Christmas List addresses into Gmail. Tomorrow I'll put them into Excel, unless Gmail magically exports them exactly the way I want them. The MTA (subway system) is maybe going to strike tomorrow, and there's an ice-storm brewing outside, so tomorrow should be interesting. I'll be working from home if there is a strike, since all of my work is online (dayjob=web manager).
In more exciting news, I have a new template for my online shopping cart! It's connected to Zen Cart, a whale of a shopping cart free software that will hopefully making buying katie james much easier. This weekend I'll be working on some new designs for it (hopefully, if I don't get too critical and reject everything!). Oh, and I got some delicious fabric (brown and pink polka dotted wool) and some cashmere/wool to make a blanket and a bunch of keychains for Christmas. So, hopefully this weekend will prove to be productive. Oh, and there might be a stop at the Darwin exhibit at the Natural History Museum.
Until then, stay warm!
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In more exciting news, I have a new template for my online shopping cart! It's connected to Zen Cart, a whale of a shopping cart free software that will hopefully making buying katie james much easier. This weekend I'll be working on some new designs for it (hopefully, if I don't get too critical and reject everything!). Oh, and I got some delicious fabric (brown and pink polka dotted wool) and some cashmere/wool to make a blanket and a bunch of keychains for Christmas. So, hopefully this weekend will prove to be productive. Oh, and there might be a stop at the Darwin exhibit at the Natural History Museum.
Until then, stay warm!
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How the Grinch Stole a Relationship
I witnessed a very interesting thing recently. I actually watched the magic surrounding a 'how we met' story disappear. I was at a party where my friend (we'll call her Wendy) brought her new boyfriend (we'll call him Grinch) who was quite nice and seemed to like her a lot. After the Grinch finished many, many drinks of many varieties, I asked him for his side of the story of how they met, or how they were introduced to each other. He thought that a wonderful idea, and would like to write a book presenting both sides of those stories of different relationships. He thought his book idea was quite a good one as well, if he may say so. After some steering back to the subject of how they met on my part, he began to tell it.
The story I know from Wendy is this: Wendy's mother was in the locker room of her club, talking to a younger woman about the smallnesses of life, when the woman's husband called into the locker room and asked if she would like a cocktail. The woman replied that she would and thanked him. Wendy's mother was struck by the considerate gesture, and wished the same for her daughter, Wendy, living in New York and single. The woman perked right up and remembered that her husband had a single friend in New York, and wouldn't it be nice if they met. Numbers were exchanged, and eventually the two spoke, dated, and continued to date happily.
Here's where Grinch's side of the story colors the otherwise adjectiveless story: the Grinch's friend is actually an alcoholic, and hates his wife. They've been married (or dating, can't remember) for fourteen years, and he's sick of her! He just asked her for a drink because he wanted a drink! The Grinch couldn't believe his luck, or how this gesture of his alcoholic friend could have snowballed Wendy's mother and her friend! He just couldn't believe it and wouldn't stop talking about it!
When I asked Grinch how he came to actually call Wendy after being given the number, he couldn't remember.
This story left quite an impression in my mind, which means that yes, Grinch's idea of a book of many of these sorts of stories would be an interesting one. But not necessarily a valuable one, if they didn't all have happy or respectable endings.
The poor Grinch proceeded to have a plain old very drunk night. Come to think of it, this is the second relationship I've watch unravel before my eyes. The first was of my blogging friend, and her blog stalker (they were fixed up over email, chatted, really hit it off, he flew in from another state to visit, and proceeded to be overcome with insecurity and picked fights with my friend and pouted all through the date we were all on to meet him). It's not over yet, as the incident just happened, but there is a potential, as Wendy had quietly noted to me in the kitchen of the party with the tiniest tears in her eyes: "You know how I was saying he was too good to be true? Well..."
I'm not sure how to close this post, so I'll just close it with this: insecurity + lots of alcohol of many varieties=not very good things to come.
The story I know from Wendy is this: Wendy's mother was in the locker room of her club, talking to a younger woman about the smallnesses of life, when the woman's husband called into the locker room and asked if she would like a cocktail. The woman replied that she would and thanked him. Wendy's mother was struck by the considerate gesture, and wished the same for her daughter, Wendy, living in New York and single. The woman perked right up and remembered that her husband had a single friend in New York, and wouldn't it be nice if they met. Numbers were exchanged, and eventually the two spoke, dated, and continued to date happily.
Here's where Grinch's side of the story colors the otherwise adjectiveless story: the Grinch's friend is actually an alcoholic, and hates his wife. They've been married (or dating, can't remember) for fourteen years, and he's sick of her! He just asked her for a drink because he wanted a drink! The Grinch couldn't believe his luck, or how this gesture of his alcoholic friend could have snowballed Wendy's mother and her friend! He just couldn't believe it and wouldn't stop talking about it!
When I asked Grinch how he came to actually call Wendy after being given the number, he couldn't remember.
This story left quite an impression in my mind, which means that yes, Grinch's idea of a book of many of these sorts of stories would be an interesting one. But not necessarily a valuable one, if they didn't all have happy or respectable endings.
The poor Grinch proceeded to have a plain old very drunk night. Come to think of it, this is the second relationship I've watch unravel before my eyes. The first was of my blogging friend, and her blog stalker (they were fixed up over email, chatted, really hit it off, he flew in from another state to visit, and proceeded to be overcome with insecurity and picked fights with my friend and pouted all through the date we were all on to meet him). It's not over yet, as the incident just happened, but there is a potential, as Wendy had quietly noted to me in the kitchen of the party with the tiniest tears in her eyes: "You know how I was saying he was too good to be true? Well..."
I'm not sure how to close this post, so I'll just close it with this: insecurity + lots of alcohol of many varieties=not very good things to come.
10 NYC Hotels for Under $250
Wanna come to New York for under $250 a night? Which unfortunately is a deal? Click here.
Or, you could go to Craig's List and sublet an apartment for way cheaper. I have friends that do it, and they have great apartments!
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Or, you could go to Craig's List and sublet an apartment for way cheaper. I have friends that do it, and they have great apartments!
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Urcil Leon
Ok, here is the David bomb.
He wants to name his son Urcil Leon. I don't know who he's having a son with, but he's run this by me. Not run it by me, actually, more like told me. In a rare act of conviction, he has told me I will get used to this.
I will also get used to Wilma Beatrice, his daughter. Urcil is his grandfather, Leon is his great uncle, Wilma is his grandmother and Beatrice is his great aunt. Now, I told him that a. I don't know who he's having these children with, and b. I don't mind Wilma if she could really be Wilhelmina (my grandmother gave me a life-size doll named Wilhelmina who was knitted by blind people at the Cleveland Site Center where my grandmother volunteered (well, she was life-size at the time).
I told David that I was more than a little unsure about Urcil. He assured me that Urcil could go by UL. Urcil could go by UL and Wilma could go by Wilma Bea. Not WB because that's already a very popular TV channel, and chances are she won't grow up to be obsessed with the Gilmore Girls or One Tree Hill because they will be canceled by then.
Isn't this interesting.
He wants to name his son Urcil Leon. I don't know who he's having a son with, but he's run this by me. Not run it by me, actually, more like told me. In a rare act of conviction, he has told me I will get used to this.
I will also get used to Wilma Beatrice, his daughter. Urcil is his grandfather, Leon is his great uncle, Wilma is his grandmother and Beatrice is his great aunt. Now, I told him that a. I don't know who he's having these children with, and b. I don't mind Wilma if she could really be Wilhelmina (my grandmother gave me a life-size doll named Wilhelmina who was knitted by blind people at the Cleveland Site Center where my grandmother volunteered (well, she was life-size at the time).
I told David that I was more than a little unsure about Urcil. He assured me that Urcil could go by UL. Urcil could go by UL and Wilma could go by Wilma Bea. Not WB because that's already a very popular TV channel, and chances are she won't grow up to be obsessed with the Gilmore Girls or One Tree Hill because they will be canceled by then.
Isn't this interesting.
Christmas Contest!
What: Sign up for MistaMail, the newsletter of FashionMista, where you'll get the latest interviews with emerging designers to discover how they're running their businesses, as well as some cute finds that find their way onto the blog.
When: From now until December 24th.
Prize: A pink checkbook cover from Katie James (aka FashionMista), worth $20. This checkbook cover is made from 100% silk dupioni and lined with a Marc Jacobs polka-dot cotton sateen with a little pen holder on one side. Some of my special fabrics are bought from a fabric store that specializes in "close-out" purchases, which means that they buy unused fabric from designers and sell it to people like me. I buy a whole bunch of it, and if I love it, all of it, and make it into Katie James products. The catch is - once I'm out, I'm out! When the fabric runs out, the style cannot be duplicated, and I must find new combinations.
How: Email fashionmista@gmail.com to enter. Include "MistaMail" in the subject line. Please include your name. I'll pick one name at random, then contact you for your mailing address, and you'll get one more present for the holidays!
Good luck!
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Smart Ass Thongs
Please go visit this site...it's really cute...and buy some smart ass thongs for me, because I'm broke after Xmas!
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D.A.D.'s Christmas List
My D.A.D. (otherwise known as Dad Against Democrats) needs a Christmas present and the books I've been giving him (Silverado, then a killer shark one) just aren't doing it. Solution? DailyCandy to the rescue! I and a few others spotted on the DailyCandy the Evergreen Watering System which is a wrapped gift box disguised as an automatic watering can for the Christmas tree!
In the name of ending needless frustrations in a marriage, when the man is supposed to take care of the tree and sometimes forgets to, except when it comes to vacuuming pine needles, my dad shall have the Evergreen Watering System. I thought you couldn't get it from their website (but you can! click here! I could swear it wasn't there before). You can also click to see what stores are near you and have one shipped! I chose a highly praised hardware store in Katonah, NY called Kellogg's and Lawrence, and they are shipping it to me straight away. Affordable, too! Only $24.99 or something, and a little cheaper when bought directly from their site!
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In the name of ending needless frustrations in a marriage, when the man is supposed to take care of the tree and sometimes forgets to, except when it comes to vacuuming pine needles, my dad shall have the Evergreen Watering System. I thought you couldn't get it from their website (but you can! click here! I could swear it wasn't there before). You can also click to see what stores are near you and have one shipped! I chose a highly praised hardware store in Katonah, NY called Kellogg's and Lawrence, and they are shipping it to me straight away. Affordable, too! Only $24.99 or something, and a little cheaper when bought directly from their site!
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Lost in Transfers
Sorry I've been neglecting the blog! There's lots in my mind to get out to you, like an emerging designer interview with a woman who makes the little wallpapers for cell phones and how she makes a living at it, David dropped a bomb (not marriage) and I'm still in disbelief, and what's on my Christmas list.
I just got a big order of jewerly pouches and checkbook covers in, which led me to dabble with the PayPal invoicing, which was very fun and I suggest you try. I can even print packing slips from it! Come on over to Katie James to buy some little Christmas presents!
I've been sewing and making new key chains, which everyone is getting for Christmas. Yay! But need to get more fabric for. But as for tonight, I've just come from visiting old Kelly From Work Who Is Now Engaged in Brooklyn and an hour and a half later I'm home! It took about 5 trains (the C to the E to the wrong way on the E to the G to the G back home to the E that wasn't running anymore, to the 7 somewhere else above ground, to the 2/3 express at Time Square to a warm cab finally 14 blocks from home). David put up the Christmas lights on the tree and in our kitchen, so it was plenty warm and cozy! Stay tuned for better updates!
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I just got a big order of jewerly pouches and checkbook covers in, which led me to dabble with the PayPal invoicing, which was very fun and I suggest you try. I can even print packing slips from it! Come on over to Katie James to buy some little Christmas presents!
I've been sewing and making new key chains, which everyone is getting for Christmas. Yay! But need to get more fabric for. But as for tonight, I've just come from visiting old Kelly From Work Who Is Now Engaged in Brooklyn and an hour and a half later I'm home! It took about 5 trains (the C to the E to the wrong way on the E to the G to the G back home to the E that wasn't running anymore, to the 7 somewhere else above ground, to the 2/3 express at Time Square to a warm cab finally 14 blocks from home). David put up the Christmas lights on the tree and in our kitchen, so it was plenty warm and cozy! Stay tuned for better updates!
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Mr. Clean: My New Hero
I was walking this evening home from the little workshop who is making my latest order of jewelry pouches and checkbook covers, when I decided to go to the grocery store for supplies. Cleaning supplies. And organic chicken.
He was barely noticeable at first, quietly sitting on the shelf amongst other cleaning products I don't need. But something about the zooming little sponge darting around the box caught my eye. It was Mr. Clean and his Magic Reach cleaner thing. Just this morning, while cleaning the surfaces with Murphy (a great guy - has a very sexy, musky smell) in the spray bottle, I noticed the crusty buildup that was happening behind the toilet where my mop can never reach. Looked like serious soap scum. Anyway, with a wink, it was as if Mr. Clean read my mind. He nodded and modestly boasted about how his Magic Reach could easily clean behind the toilet. He was over-priced at this store, but I picked him up and took him home. Or I guess, he picked me up. David's out of town, and he must have been able to tell.
I had a date with Garrison tonight, but Mr. Clean didn't mind. I took the Magic Reach out of the box, put it together in ten seconds, slid on the special Mr. Clean mop pad thing, and went to work on the bathroom floor. The Magic Reach glided over the tiles - until it got to the crusty part. This cleaning device is definitely not for heavy cleaning, but with a few deft turns of the 'mop', it cleared all grime. Stretching its use, I took it to the kitchen for a quick one-over. No problem.
Then I switched out the floor pad thing, and put on the tub and wall pad thing (they both come with the starter kit). I wet it under the faucet and oh my god. I covered the whole wall in three seconds! It even got rid of the mysterious orange stuff that builds up between the tiles with just a little flick of my wrist! Mold and orange stuff just disappeared before my eyes with hardly any effort from me. This is going to take years off my life, as I often spend too long on Saturdays during my weekly cleaning, standing on the side of the tub to reach the high parts of the walls, sweating in my rubber gloves, clumsily but tirelessly scrubbing in circles until every inch was covered.
I'm very happy with my purchase. As for getting the suds off the wall, the directions didn't say. So I took the lazy way out and left them. But not before I stuck a Bounty onto the Magic Reach, wet it, and rinsed. I'm left with a nice lemony smell to take me through the second half of Garrison's show.
You can buy the Magic Reach here! (or in any drugstore) It's cheaper on Amazon (like $11.99) than for what I bought it for tonight. You can also get the scrubbing tub and shower pads here! Plus, if you buy it through FashionMista, I get commission! Isn't that special.
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He was barely noticeable at first, quietly sitting on the shelf amongst other cleaning products I don't need. But something about the zooming little sponge darting around the box caught my eye. It was Mr. Clean and his Magic Reach
cleaner thing. Just this morning, while cleaning the surfaces with Murphy (a great guy - has a very sexy, musky smell) in the spray bottle, I noticed the crusty buildup that was happening behind the toilet where my mop can never reach. Looked like serious soap scum. Anyway, with a wink, it was as if Mr. Clean read my mind. He nodded and modestly boasted about how his Magic Reach could easily clean behind the toilet. He was over-priced at this store, but I picked him up and took him home. Or I guess, he picked me up. David's out of town, and he must have been able to tell.I had a date with Garrison tonight, but Mr. Clean didn't mind. I took the Magic Reach out of the box, put it together in ten seconds, slid on the special Mr. Clean mop pad thing, and went to work on the bathroom floor. The Magic Reach glided over the tiles - until it got to the crusty part. This cleaning device is definitely not for heavy cleaning, but with a few deft turns of the 'mop', it cleared all grime. Stretching its use, I took it to the kitchen for a quick one-over. No problem.
Then I switched out the floor pad thing, and put on the tub and wall pad thing (they both come with the starter kit). I wet it under the faucet and oh my god. I covered the whole wall in three seconds! It even got rid of the mysterious orange stuff that builds up between the tiles with just a little flick of my wrist! Mold and orange stuff just disappeared before my eyes with hardly any effort from me. This is going to take years off my life, as I often spend too long on Saturdays during my weekly cleaning, standing on the side of the tub to reach the high parts of the walls, sweating in my rubber gloves, clumsily but tirelessly scrubbing in circles until every inch was covered.I'm very happy with my purchase. As for getting the suds off the wall, the directions didn't say. So I took the lazy way out and left them. But not before I stuck a Bounty onto the Magic Reach, wet it, and rinsed. I'm left with a nice lemony smell to take me through the second half of Garrison's show.
You can buy the Magic Reach here!
(or in any drugstore) It's cheaper on Amazon (like $11.99) than for what I bought it for tonight. You can also get the scrubbing tub and shower pads here! Plus, if you buy it through FashionMista, I get commission! Isn't that special.Permalink
Holiday Cards and Slippers
Ahh, it feels so good to be out of my boots and into my slippers after yesterday's dashing from the plane (back from Cleveland) into a cab into work back to home to find Dinah the kitty ill attended by my super. The evening ended in a very yummy nutella crepe with strawberries and bananas, but Dinah was definitely attacking my every move, making sure I gave her ample attention after being gone for a week!
Now that I'm in my slippers, I'm home from a very long day at the office turned into unexpected mad dash to the production guy for checkbook covers and jewelry pouches (turns out they didn't have a sample checkbook cover when they really should have so I gave them my very own one to use as a sample) turned into office party after a Board meeting. I took home some extra Yellow Tail wine and am waiting for my laundry to dry while my feet relish in their furry slippers and I surf the net for a holiday card. Yay! I found one at Shutterfly:
Here's the picture:
Cute, right?
The big question this year was: To include David or not to include David. I mean, we're not married, so it would be a serious jinx to send out a card together, right? My cousin did it (love you Brooke!) and they ended in divorce a year later! I called David (who's out of town visiting his family) to confirm that he wouldn't be sad if he wasn't included on the card. He said he would be a little sad, and asked if I send him a card. We live together, by the way. So, in the end, I threw him in there, even though the card is pink.
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Now that I'm in my slippers, I'm home from a very long day at the office turned into unexpected mad dash to the production guy for checkbook covers and jewelry pouches (turns out they didn't have a sample checkbook cover when they really should have so I gave them my very own one to use as a sample) turned into office party after a Board meeting. I took home some extra Yellow Tail wine and am waiting for my laundry to dry while my feet relish in their furry slippers and I surf the net for a holiday card. Yay! I found one at Shutterfly:
Here's the picture:
Cute, right?
The big question this year was: To include David or not to include David. I mean, we're not married, so it would be a serious jinx to send out a card together, right? My cousin did it (love you Brooke!) and they ended in divorce a year later! I called David (who's out of town visiting his family) to confirm that he wouldn't be sad if he wasn't included on the card. He said he would be a little sad, and asked if I send him a card. We live together, by the way. So, in the end, I threw him in there, even though the card is pink.
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Desktop Art for Christmas
I'm a serious WB junkie. I just made this simple desktop art called 'ornamints' while watching Felicity. Yes, Felicity. I wanted to see how she got the horse. Anyway, my mom just gave me a 1962 edition of a Readers Digest with a pretty hardcover that was my great grandmother's, which was the inspiration for this picture. Look close - there are little white snowflakes on it.
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Still in Cleveland
Well folks, Gerdy and I are still in Cleveland (and it's really smelling like onions from my mom's kitchen for some reason! Ack!) We're staying longer b/c I found a $53 flight back to New York from Akron on Wednesday, and with David stranding me to visit his family in Columbus (kidding!), I was left without car. Work was nice enough to alow me to work from home/Cleveland on these days, so here I sit. The new website for work launches January 9th, so I'm all tangled up in my to-do list for it, as different priorities pull me in different directions.
As for my katie james website, I've taken my Nana's Christmas money and bought me some ecommerce! Bless the indie community that likes to work with creative people to get their visions up and running for reasonable prices. I'll tell you who is setting it up once it's live, which also should be in the new year. This means that you'll be able to buy jewelry pouches and checkbook covers with just a little mista click!
On the home front, my other grandmother, who's mother Gerdy is named after (Gertrude Dean), is in a very neat home for Alzheimer’s victims. The home is designed to let them wander the hallways, but the doors to the outsid are locked. There are park benches, a beauty parlor, a restaruant and a few other little things to make it feel like a real home. Pets are aloud, so there is my grandmother's black cat, a beagle and a black chow chow. I say victims because that is exactly what they are. Bodies walking around as ghosts of themselves. This disease is the most terrible anyone could ever get, as it takes your life while you are living it. Unlike cancer, which is a terrible disease, Alzheimer’s wipes out your memories and your ability to talk. You may say: "I want the potato" when you really want the wine glass during Thanksgiving dinner. And although alcohol is very bad for you at this stage, you don't even really want it. You just want what you somehow know is supposed to be there. Wine glasses are always to the right of a dinner plate, and they are to be drunk from. Too bad for my Grandy that we didn't fill it with water or iced tea first. Once she saw what should be there, she stuck with it and drank it like water.
The best thing, I think, you can ever do for a person inflicted with Alzheimer’s is to listen to them. And they won't make any sense at face value. They may say: "Shut off the light" when they really mean: "Please close the door." Or: "My kitty, bring her here...she gets so hot" when she really means: "Please feed the cat." Sometimes there are moments of perfect speech, like when she's talking to my mom and is a little agitated, the same old commands will come out of her mouth. And those should be celebrated! Because not only did she just speak perfectly, but she spoke! Right now, she's grappling, we think, with getting her daughter, my mom, through the fourth grade because a man down the hall used to teach fourth grade, so that's what they talk about. We'll see how long she lingers there. But I implore you: listen to people, not just with your ears but with your brain. Think like a dyslexic person, because that's basically what Alzheimer’s does, as far as I've seen. It creates a moth eaten brain, the synapses for which flit around and try to use the remaining parts. A husband will become a father, brother, son and sweatheart all within the course of the day. And all you can do is smile and agree with whatever she says. A person afflicted with Alzheimer’s is trying to communicate with you, and even if you don't understand, you can smile and nod, and even be a little engaging about something, and the conversation will go on just swimmingly. If you're lucky, you might catch a word or two that mean that what they are. But try to listen and appear to understand, and you may ease their frustration. If you're lucky, sometimes you will understand/decode! And that is just glorious.
In the words of my Grandy: "And I don't mean MAYBE!"
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As for my katie james website, I've taken my Nana's Christmas money and bought me some ecommerce! Bless the indie community that likes to work with creative people to get their visions up and running for reasonable prices. I'll tell you who is setting it up once it's live, which also should be in the new year. This means that you'll be able to buy jewelry pouches and checkbook covers with just a little mista click!
On the home front, my other grandmother, who's mother Gerdy is named after (Gertrude Dean), is in a very neat home for Alzheimer’s victims. The home is designed to let them wander the hallways, but the doors to the outsid are locked. There are park benches, a beauty parlor, a restaruant and a few other little things to make it feel like a real home. Pets are aloud, so there is my grandmother's black cat, a beagle and a black chow chow. I say victims because that is exactly what they are. Bodies walking around as ghosts of themselves. This disease is the most terrible anyone could ever get, as it takes your life while you are living it. Unlike cancer, which is a terrible disease, Alzheimer’s wipes out your memories and your ability to talk. You may say: "I want the potato" when you really want the wine glass during Thanksgiving dinner. And although alcohol is very bad for you at this stage, you don't even really want it. You just want what you somehow know is supposed to be there. Wine glasses are always to the right of a dinner plate, and they are to be drunk from. Too bad for my Grandy that we didn't fill it with water or iced tea first. Once she saw what should be there, she stuck with it and drank it like water.
The best thing, I think, you can ever do for a person inflicted with Alzheimer’s is to listen to them. And they won't make any sense at face value. They may say: "Shut off the light" when they really mean: "Please close the door." Or: "My kitty, bring her here...she gets so hot" when she really means: "Please feed the cat." Sometimes there are moments of perfect speech, like when she's talking to my mom and is a little agitated, the same old commands will come out of her mouth. And those should be celebrated! Because not only did she just speak perfectly, but she spoke! Right now, she's grappling, we think, with getting her daughter, my mom, through the fourth grade because a man down the hall used to teach fourth grade, so that's what they talk about. We'll see how long she lingers there. But I implore you: listen to people, not just with your ears but with your brain. Think like a dyslexic person, because that's basically what Alzheimer’s does, as far as I've seen. It creates a moth eaten brain, the synapses for which flit around and try to use the remaining parts. A husband will become a father, brother, son and sweatheart all within the course of the day. And all you can do is smile and agree with whatever she says. A person afflicted with Alzheimer’s is trying to communicate with you, and even if you don't understand, you can smile and nod, and even be a little engaging about something, and the conversation will go on just swimmingly. If you're lucky, you might catch a word or two that mean that what they are. But try to listen and appear to understand, and you may ease their frustration. If you're lucky, sometimes you will understand/decode! And that is just glorious.
In the words of my Grandy: "And I don't mean MAYBE!"
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Last Minute Bikini and...
Mira Nair, director of Monsoon Wedding and now the next Harry Potter (!!) is a client of the woman who gives me my bikini wax! Isn't that exciting. That means that the next Harry Potter is going to be super colorful and just plain visually spectacular. By the way, do we all remember how to get a great bikini wax, which should always include a hot water bed and hot towel? If not, click here.
Otherwise, we're getting ready to leave for Thanksgiving in Ohio, where they lost power already this morning. The painter has finished painting the front hall purple which looks awesome (I don't think David ever thought he'd live in a place that has a purple front hall). Gerdy is so ready to go in the car, and now I'm finishing my dinner and we're going to get started.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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Otherwise, we're getting ready to leave for Thanksgiving in Ohio, where they lost power already this morning. The painter has finished painting the front hall purple which looks awesome (I don't think David ever thought he'd live in a place that has a purple front hall). Gerdy is so ready to go in the car, and now I'm finishing my dinner and we're going to get started.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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OnlineShoes.com
My shoes - they came! You didn't know this, but I've stopped jogging because my Saucony's are two years old and have died. I've been getting fatter by the minute, especially on rainy days when I eat blueberry pancakes for breakfast. I've been coding my butt off today, so the inner Nike Girl is just dying to break out into some awesome, Gatorade induced workout.
But I wanted to tell you that if you want affordable running shoes, and you know the brand you like and trust, then OnlineShoes.com is a great way to buy last year's model for less (although they did take a little while to get here)! You all may know of even cheaper ways - do you? Maybe Zappos? Care to share...?
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But I wanted to tell you that if you want affordable running shoes, and you know the brand you like and trust, then OnlineShoes.com is a great way to buy last year's model for less (although they did take a little while to get here)! You all may know of even cheaper ways - do you? Maybe Zappos? Care to share...?
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Harry Potter's Getting a Good Body
So I saw it at 11:59pm on Thursday night. It so wiped me out, that I could only bring you the interview with One Good Bumblebee, and then recover from the night and the week this weekend. First of all, I went all by myself (boyfriend was working, and for some reason, all close friends don't read Harry Potter - vie them!), but was surrounded by lots of screaming teanage girls and their boy tagalongs. Wasn't expecting this extension of a high school lunchroom!
The movie itself was really scary. And really dark and all that. However, as with the last movie, The Prisoner of Azkaban, I'm glad I had just finished re-reading the books leading up to it, because these directors and writers seem to only include about 30% of the details. So as scary as the movie was (scary dragons, Voldemort, merpeople) it was kind of like drinking skim milk when you could have had a nice half-caff vanilla latte with whole milk.
But I came out of the movie happy. And taxi drivers got an unexpected rush of people at 3am in a normally dead area of town. And now I must run because Gerdy and Dinah would really like to be fed, and Dinah just tipped over Gerdy's bowl of water to get my attention, and it worked.
Oh, and, Go Bucks!!
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The movie itself was really scary. And really dark and all that. However, as with the last movie, The Prisoner of Azkaban, I'm glad I had just finished re-reading the books leading up to it, because these directors and writers seem to only include about 30% of the details. So as scary as the movie was (scary dragons, Voldemort, merpeople) it was kind of like drinking skim milk when you could have had a nice half-caff vanilla latte with whole milk.
But I came out of the movie happy. And taxi drivers got an unexpected rush of people at 3am in a normally dead area of town. And now I must run because Gerdy and Dinah would really like to be fed, and Dinah just tipped over Gerdy's bowl of water to get my attention, and it worked.
Oh, and, Go Bucks!!
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Conversation with One Good Bumble Bee
Katey Nicosia of One Good Bumblebee is a queen bee of the indie designer world. She has emerged as a designer by day, designer by night (and blogger on the side), and makes each and every thing that she sells.That includes paper things, piles of paper, jewelry, bags, cards, she's pretty much unstoppable, which means that she has enough variety to create her own little store online. Plus, she's an online sleuth when it comes to showing off other designers and finding a wide range of resources tucked away in the corners of the Internet.
To my delight, Katey agreed to share her story of how she emerged as a designer, how she gave up what she thought she wanted for something else she wanted more, and the most frightening part of all: the USPS.
Is One Good Bumble Bee a one-woman show? Who is One Good Bumble Bee, and where did the name come from?
Yes, it’s a one woman show. I do everything. The name, One Good Bumblebee, comes from a James Tate poem entitled “Head of a White Woman Walking.”
Do you have a day job? If so, how do you manage to work two jobs? If you don’t, how did you manage to quit to focus on your business full time?
I was the nanny of 2-year-old twin boys when I started OGB. And as I started to focus more and more on my designs and the business, the more I realized that I wanted it to be my full-time job. So I quit nannying and ever since I’ve sort of been cruising along, maneuvering my way through rent, bills, and everything else. I have extremely creative and supportive parents, and of course that helps too. Not to mention my boyfriend who generously helps with finances, as well. A “real” job with regular hours and cubicles is just not for me. I’m very independent and like to do things my way, and I’m sort of a homebody so working at home by myself is perfect and quite wonderful.
Are you an “indie designer”? If so, how do you define “indie designer”?
When I think of “indie”, I think small, intimate and focused. When I say focused I mean, money isn’t the goal, art is. At least that’s how I think of it. Of course I think of myself as an Indie designer, or business owner, because it’s just me doing everything, and because my goal is to create and provide, not to be rich and famous, although rich would be nice. I see it like this: If for some reason OGB makes it on Oprah, I probably won’t be very Indie anymore. Being an Indie designer also makes me closer with my customers. I feel approachable and friendly, something you don’t often find in big corporations. It also means I hand write thank you notes to every customer and I treat every packaged order like a gift to a friend.
How long have you been in business? Are you at the point where it’s paying the bills? If so, was the day you broke even the happiest day ever?
I think it will be a year in February 2006. I’m not exactly able to pay all the bills all by myself, but I am definitely making a profit, that profit just isn’t big enough yet.
Did you need start up capital? If so, how much?
When I first decided I wanted to start OGB, I called my dad and told him I needed some money. Haha! I think it all started with like $500, and that lasted about 10 minutes. So, no, no real capital to start out with. I can be very resourceful when I need to.
Did/do you have outside investors? How did you approach them?
Nope. None.
In what kind of stores is One Good Bumble Bee available? How do you approach stores to sell your products?
One Good Bumblebee is in all kinds of stores, but mostly independent places like Rare Device in Brooklyn, for instance. I’m very excited about having my things in actual brick and mortar stores. I love doing wholesale and consignment. It sort of reinforces for me the fact that I actually do have my own business, and that’s fun. I have honestly never approached a store and offered my things. Every place that sells OGB items has approached me. I do, however, plan on approaching stores soon. But I’m still just trying to get off the ground, and I’ll approach stores when I’m ready, but for now, I let them come to me, and fortunately they do! Yay!
You’re based in Texas, which proves that you don’t have to be located in New York to create and sell adorable things. How is that working for you? Do you ever feel like you want to be in New York to have little fabric and trimming shops just a few subway stops away?
I really do not like living in Dallas, just because it’s so not an “indie” friendly place. It’s all about big businesses and the like. However, I also don’t think I’d like to be in New York, where I’d have more competition. And about being able to walk to a fabric store…I don’t need that…that’s what the internet is for. Thank god for the internet!
Do you order a lot of your fabrics, trimmings and hardware online, or do you travel for it, or both? Care to reveal some of your sources?
I get almost everything online. My number one resource right now is Ebay, and that’s all I’m saying. :) Sometimes however my boyfriend and I will travel to some really great flea markets in Texas and that’s where I’ll pick up vintage fabrics and paper.
How do you handle your online orders?
When I get an order, I immediately print out the invoice and put it in my “new order” file. Then I package everything up and send it on its way. Pretty basic.
About how much time per week do you spend fulfilling orders?
Crazily enough, fulfilling orders is one of my favorite things to do. I’m one of those girls that adores wrapping gifts, so packaging orders is exciting and makes me happy. However, it does take a lot more time than I thought it ever would. It also takes a lot of supplies…tissue paper, labels, tape, stamps, etc. I’d say I spend about 2 hours a week packaging orders, give or take.
You are so versatile – building websites, painting, sewing, carving – and I know you built your own website. Is/’was there ever a point where you could or wanted to step back and let someone else build or manage it, or at least some components of it?
Of course! In fact, I did hire someone to fix it up for me, so that there’s an actual “cart” system available which is much much easier for me to manage and easier for my customers.
Sales-wise, what came first – selling directly from your website or selling through boutiques (be them online or on land)?
Online came first.
Which generates more sales: your website or other outlets that carry your designs?
My website, definitely.
What advice do you have for designers selling their products directly from their websites?
Simplicity! I think a simple, easy to navigate website is crucial. So is aesthetics and good photographs. A good photograph of an item can make a world of difference. I’m still learning how to take the perfect photo, with the right lighting, background, etc. It’s a lot more difficult than it looks. Sometimes I take up to 50 photographs of one item and still don’t get a good enough shot. But yes, I’d say as long as the website is well designed and your photos are clear and of good quality, you’re good to go. But then again, nothing beats a great product. If it’s good, it’ll sell no matter what.
What shopping cart do you use?
Zen Cart
What bookkeeping software do you use (if any)? Or are you an Excel wizard?
I do it all by hand in a ledger paper spiral. Really.
Eleanor Roosevelt said “Do one thing every day that scares you.” What’s been a pretty scary thing that you’ve done, that’s lead to a great result?
Well, to make a long story short, before OGB even started, I had been planning on attending graduate school for creative writing and poetry. In fact, I had been accepted into the greatest writing programs in the country, but I don’t know what happened…all of a sudden, I sort of forgot about poetry and started creating things and really getting into design. And in the end, I had to make a decision…go back to school and get a creative writing degree, or pursue my life-long love of being a crafty girl. It was very scary. I know I let a lot of people down by not going to school, but I had to think of me and what would make me happiest, and besides I’m making way more money now than I ever would as a poet. I have no regrets and no doubts that I made the right decision. I love what I do.
Sometimes the USPS can be pretty scary too. I always worry that orders weren’t delivered or that perhaps the mailman bent a “DO NOT BEND” envelope. Scary!
Do you have any advice or mantra for emerging designers?
Have fun. If there’s one crucial aspect of being a creative person, you have to remember to relax and lose yourself in your creation. Worrying too much about what others will think is the worst thing a creative person can do. It’s crucial to remember to play when you create.
"I love you more than ice cream" - cards
"Ice cream purse"
"Vintage fabric buttons" - who knew you needed these until right now!? love these
"Pile of Paper" - yes, a pile of paper...I have one and can't wait to cut it up to make the illustrated story of how I lost Dinah my kitty, and how she found me again...
One Good Bumblebee
More Conversations With Emerging Designers
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Self-Portrait Day
Everyone: The kind people of Self-Portrait Day have graciously accepted my smiling face from now until whenever! Go check them out - very cute site and interesting portraits. My first one is my lovely Mista Mouse:
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Ekologic - Duh!
Did everyone check their Daily Candy this morning? The feature was of ecologic, a company based in New York that finds wonderful but discarded clothes made of delicious fabric (yes, cashmere) and remakes them into sweaters, hats and other little inventions (like my favorite, the cuff and collar). Their products are sold all over the world and on their website. I'd show some pictures, but I can't get to them. Guess you'll have to toodle on over there yourself! But trust me, it's worth the click.
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Cards and Updates
So let's talk about these cards from BUST that can come with musak of rock music. They are so fun, and I'm growing quite addicted to them. In fact, I think I'll send my sister one right after this.
As for updates, well, I haven't been much for sharing what's beeing going on in the world of katie james. As feared, the business plan and Fashion Designer's Survival Guide did put my brain on the fritz in terms of believing that I can make the katie jamesness happen. It just made everything overwhelming, when I'm very good at ignoring most signs that point to overwhelming in order to just move forward. However, it did make me carve out what makes katie james katie james, and that is a good, strengthening thing.
But of late, life has been overwhelming everywhere, but in a creep on you sort of way. The website at work launches in January, and the list to make it 90% error free keeps growing. My brain is feeling very stretched in order to keep all the plates spinning. My neighbor, as we know, is crazier than ever, poor thing (I'm listening to her now shut and re shut her door to make sure it locks...today she told the police who had come to her apartment to allow the super to come in to deal with leaks coming from her apartment that her tiny mut was trained by Secret Service), and the ceiling is getting repaired from the leak damage back when NY saw some of the most rain it had seen in 100 years (but this apartment has seen many leaks, so it really didn't matter). I launched a big campaign to move, however the apartments of which I looked, unfortunately for my broker (hi Matt!), reminded me that our current apartment is wonderful - especially for the money (sorry, Matt! but tonight's were the best so far...I think I just want to buy or stay put). So the search is off for now. David is working and working on a film, and I almost forgot he was my boyfriend last week, but then he re-introduced himself, so I remembered who he was.
Business and money planning for myself is much harder than doing it for other people. So my friend who works in finance agreed to meet with me so that I can go over my katie james budget in order to see like what I need to spend on production, what are fixed costs, etc. This was a good push, as it made me really look at my Excel spreadsheet from her eyes, knowing that it had to make sense for her.
Otherwise, many ideas are bubbling for products, and as soon as I get the budget squared away, I will focus on getting fabric for new things! The chow chow is going to go through a small re-deisgn, and I'm dying to make my Pocket Purse because I really need one for the weekend. And, I've contacted someone about re-building my website in PHP so that I can use all the free stuff out there like email programs and so forth, so that's exciting. Oh, and most importantly, a shopping cart! I'm going to re-design it, so think French menus. I'm excited, but now must finish this post, finish my glass of wine, send a BUST card to my sister, and maybe call it a night. On with tomorrow!
Oh, and wanna know what makes me really happy? This on my desktop. Love it:
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As for updates, well, I haven't been much for sharing what's beeing going on in the world of katie james. As feared, the business plan and Fashion Designer's Survival Guide did put my brain on the fritz in terms of believing that I can make the katie jamesness happen. It just made everything overwhelming, when I'm very good at ignoring most signs that point to overwhelming in order to just move forward. However, it did make me carve out what makes katie james katie james, and that is a good, strengthening thing.
But of late, life has been overwhelming everywhere, but in a creep on you sort of way. The website at work launches in January, and the list to make it 90% error free keeps growing. My brain is feeling very stretched in order to keep all the plates spinning. My neighbor, as we know, is crazier than ever, poor thing (I'm listening to her now shut and re shut her door to make sure it locks...today she told the police who had come to her apartment to allow the super to come in to deal with leaks coming from her apartment that her tiny mut was trained by Secret Service), and the ceiling is getting repaired from the leak damage back when NY saw some of the most rain it had seen in 100 years (but this apartment has seen many leaks, so it really didn't matter). I launched a big campaign to move, however the apartments of which I looked, unfortunately for my broker (hi Matt!), reminded me that our current apartment is wonderful - especially for the money (sorry, Matt! but tonight's were the best so far...I think I just want to buy or stay put). So the search is off for now. David is working and working on a film, and I almost forgot he was my boyfriend last week, but then he re-introduced himself, so I remembered who he was.
Business and money planning for myself is much harder than doing it for other people. So my friend who works in finance agreed to meet with me so that I can go over my katie james budget in order to see like what I need to spend on production, what are fixed costs, etc. This was a good push, as it made me really look at my Excel spreadsheet from her eyes, knowing that it had to make sense for her.
Otherwise, many ideas are bubbling for products, and as soon as I get the budget squared away, I will focus on getting fabric for new things! The chow chow is going to go through a small re-deisgn, and I'm dying to make my Pocket Purse because I really need one for the weekend. And, I've contacted someone about re-building my website in PHP so that I can use all the free stuff out there like email programs and so forth, so that's exciting. Oh, and most importantly, a shopping cart! I'm going to re-design it, so think French menus. I'm excited, but now must finish this post, finish my glass of wine, send a BUST card to my sister, and maybe call it a night. On with tomorrow!
Oh, and wanna know what makes me really happy? This on my desktop. Love it:
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Google! I love you!
Google just pulled the fee for Urchin (great site stat program) and is giving it away for free!! When Google bought Urchin, they were selling it for $199/month. There are plenty of free site stat services out there, but lots are sketchy and many are weak. I use StatCounter.com and like it for it's presentation of stats, but now I will use both.
Check out an article here:
http://www.computerworld.com/printthis/2005/0,4814,106198,00.html
And straight from the horse's mouth:
http://www.google.com/analytics/
Google's strategy is amazing! They are crushing competitors by offering major things for free. This may have a trickle down effect, as I'm already free now to move hosting companies for my website. I am paying $24.99 to a hosting company to host my site only because they offer Urchin. But now that I can get it for free, I'm free as a bird to pay $10 or less to a company that does not provide Urchin as part of their hosting package!
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Check out an article here:
http://www.computerworld.com/printthis/2005/0,4814,106198,00.html
And straight from the horse's mouth:
http://www.google.com/analytics/
Google's strategy is amazing! They are crushing competitors by offering major things for free. This may have a trickle down effect, as I'm already free now to move hosting companies for my website. I am paying $24.99 to a hosting company to host my site only because they offer Urchin. But now that I can get it for free, I'm free as a bird to pay $10 or less to a company that does not provide Urchin as part of their hosting package!
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Desktop Art - Katie James Style
I was supposed to be working on the business plan, but then I starting tinkering with rendering fabric on the computer. Yes, I've been tossing around the idea of making desktop art, and then met this great illustrator who does it for a living, and then combined with David's brilliant suggestion of making desktop art of fabric used at katie james, I went to town.
So go check 'em out! More are to come.
Oh boy, reruns of Gilmore Girls is on...must go watch.
But here's a peek of some of them:
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So go check 'em out! More are to come.
Oh boy, reruns of Gilmore Girls is on...must go watch.
But here's a peek of some of them:
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Shoes and a Leather Bag...
I've made a big to-do list today, but of course got side-tracked online while in my room that is cozy from the wonderful heat that's on (David's watching Saturday football again)! I couldn't resist sharing with you these shoes I found while online at BUST from John Fluevog - if you ever wanted to look like a cartoon, here's your opportunity! It is soo hard to restrain taking out my credit card right now...oh, and I found what might be the perfect leather bag that a reader from long ago requested!
Hope
Mindy
Jennifer
Cecily
Tennessee
Audrey
Honey
Minstrel Tote
and it's $209!
Peacemaker Daytrip bag
still within the $200-$300 range at $239
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Hope
Mindy
Jennifer
Cecily
Tennessee
Audrey
Honey
Minstrel Tote
and it's $209!
Peacemaker Daytrip bag
still within the $200-$300 range at $239
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