Where to go from here?

Sweet Pea Style is closing out a successful year of fun and fashion. I have learned so much over the past 365 days, it is overwhelming to calculate how quickly the business has gone from a little etsy site to being featured in trunk shows around Cincinnati boutiques. A big thank you to some of my most loyal fans and friends. Such wonderful cheerleaders I have been blessed with along the way!

Personally, I am heading into a rather heavy Winter Quarter of working with education students at the University of Cincinnati. My trunk shows and boutique work might have to be altered as I find ways to handle the workload.

I see possibilities of going more corporate on my horizon if I choose. Things like hiring a sales rep, partnering with a graphic designer and outsourcing some of the standardized work. But along with these choices come greater responsibilities! I am patiently waiting for some answers to evolve as I realize that there is still a lot of life to be lived.

For now, my heart continues to embrace the projects and sewing challenges that my fans request. Have an idea for something you want created? Let's talk...

Holiday Pictures

A big thank you to a customer who sent some photos of her precious child in a Sweet Pea Style dress. I love to see the items I create come to life. And these sweet eyes are just calling to everyone to stop and take note.

Teasers

Emily and I are excited to host everyone for the Open House event tomorrow (November 9). Many people have RSVPed that they are attending, but there may be a couple of folks who need a little nudge. This entry hopes to achieve that very nudge!
Here are some holiday that Sweet Pea will be offering tomorrow. Monogramming is big this holiday season and I am ready to take custom orders to make your item a special gift. These are some photos of personalized bags, mom-on-the-go diaper sets, headbands, stocking stuffers and holiday lounge wear. But, many more new items will be making their debut tomorrow so come with anticipation.
Information about the event can be found on my website: www.sweetpeastyle.com

Taking Liberties

I love it when a customer says, "Do whatever you think would be best." It gives me the liberty to try something new as I springboard off of their original ideas. Here is an example... A gal came in to Little Liza Jane's during the trunk show and wanted a shirt with the Russian Dolls on it. The Russian Doll fabric is one of my favorites. The instructions I got were: Use one doll with a teal face, a small teal flower and a beige flower. She said that I should use my best judgement for placement and if I thought best, to leave out the flowers. Well, here is what jumped into my mind. I hope she likes it!

Where is Becky?

It has been a little bit since I checked in with my blog friends. I have gone underground for a little bit. Literally... I have been working hard in my sewing room, which happens to be in the basement.

The Little Liza Jane's Trunk Show was a great success which has left me with so many fun dresses and rompers to create. They are coming along nicely and I can't wait to have some new pictures (and maybe some new Montgomery fans?) on the blog soon. Because people get to choose their fabrics at the trunk shows, it is always a fun treat for me to see how the dress or romper unfolds. I usually have a pretty good guess, but every once in awhile one will surprise me with it's beauty.

On Deck: Lounge pants. I hope to have the lounge pants perfected and ready for purchase by the open house on November 9 @ Stitch. In fact, there will be many items that will debut themselves at this event. Diaper pouches... burp clothes... onesie/bib gift sets... so many fun things. For more information about the Open House, you can see the Sweet Pea Style mainpage where I have posted an invite for you. www.sweetpeastyle.com

For now, it's back to the sewing room.

I have my clothing in a few boutiques and people are always so excited about this when I tell them. While it is an honor to be on the shelves of these beautiful places, I enjoy making the clothes for people instead of hanging racks. When I get to meet the customer who wants a special order, making the garment is so much more rewarding and fun. I think about the child during the sewing process and I feel a greater sense of joy when I finish and can deliver it to the customer who has now become a friend.
Here are some of those special dresses that were ordered at the Fella Bella trunk show. They each have a story... a little girl adopted from Russia, a special school picture dress, a little one who refuses to wear dresses but caved when she saw the turtle fabric and a sweet baby who isn't even born yet.
I feel that these dresses have a certain shine to them. Perhaps it is my imagination, but just maybe they have the ingredient of love woven into the fibers.

Little Liza Jane's: October 10th Trunk Show

I am getting excited for an upcoming trunk show at Little Liza Jane's. Howie and I plan to go over tomorrow afternoon to set up for the show on Saturday. Here are some photos of the set up that was advertising the event in the store.

Holiday Shopping with a Purpose

My dear friend, Emily Shiverski, and I are hosting a Holiday Open House. I will have my boutique clothing available for purchase and Emily is selling Discovery Toys. Part of the proceeds will be going to the Back2Back ministries in India. Back2Back supports orphaned and abandoned children by giving them a home, nutrition and education. It is our hope to send several students to primary school with our donations from this benefit event.

Event Details:
Holiday Open House
Monday, November 9
6:30-9:00 pm
Location: "Stitch" Sewing Studio in Madeira (7835 Camargo Road)

Please be our guest for an evening of giving back...



Back2Back Ministries

It always amazes me how patterns for kids can be so... off! I typically end up combing a few patterns that I like and then make my own alterations to make the garment turn out the way I want.
Recently, I have been playing around with pant patterns. There are so many areas that can go wrong! Too long through the crotch, puckering at the hips, elastic too loose around the waist. It is a real mathematical challenge.
Although not perfected, I have created a pants pattern that I like which means that I can start playing around with style. Here are some pictures of Howie wearing the outfit I made him. I am particularly fond of the big pocket and hope to make that a new statement in my Sweet Pea Style line.

Sweet, but Sophisticated.

I am really excited about this holiday collection of Sweet Pea Style clothes. In searching beneath all the cheesy Christmas fabric, I have found some fabric gems that are few and far between. You'll be seeing this "look" pop up at my trunk shows, open houses and website offerings.

A BIG thank you to www.CarolnBowles.com for the photos.

Play

In efforts to incorporate a little play into Sweet Pea Style, these rattle toys will hit the shelves for Christmas '09.

Images of Beauty

Carolyn Bowles (www.carolynbowles.com) has done some beautiful work for me. We had a photo session of Sweet Pea Style clothes in Hyde Park. I brought along some sweet friends of Howie's and we had a blast with getting the perfect pictures. Thank you Carolyn. You are a creative genius.

Hey folks! Would you like Carolyn to be your creative genius? Check her out at www.carolynbowles.com

Coming...

I just received the postcard invites that Little Liza Jane's made for the SPS Holiday Trunk Show they are hosting. I am super excited about how they turned out! I look forward to spreading the word via postal mail to the Sweet Pea fans.
It is October 10 from 10 am to 5 pm. See you there?!

The Fella Bella Trunk Show

Sweet Pea Style was present at the 2009 Applefest celebrated in downtown Lebanon. I camped out in the Fella Bella Shoppe to meet and greet customers who were ready to create a dress or romper. It was so energizing to meet so many nice people and hear their kind feedback.

HomeArama

What a surprise! A Sweet Pea Style onesie made it into the HomeArama Show in Mason, Ohio. Kelly Lambert at Little Liza Jane's boutique submitted it to diplay in one of the nursery closets. Rick and I had to go check it out. Here are the pix.

Studios on Main

I found a little treasure in Loveland. The "Studios on Main" is a renovated elementary school that houses independent artists ranging in craft from photography, to painting, to fiber arts. They have an open area for shows and displaying art. Howie and I went over to check it out and enter the "Art to Wear" Show. Sweet Pea Style was accepted into the show (the last day to enter and I arrived at 4 pm!). I am looking forward to the event on November 19. It is such an inspiring place... www.studiosonmain.com

Sweet Pea at the Zoo

One of the most rewarding things about making clothes for little ones is seeing them tromp through life wearing your creations.
We went to the zoo with our friends today and that very thing happened. Our little friend (N) was sporting her elephant shirt that I had made her in prior months.

Going to School

This is my dear friend on her day of preschool orientation. She is sporting a bag that I made for her. Her mommy helped her pick out some fun fabric and we embroiderer her initials on the front.

Business Man Gone Girly

From our closet, I took one of my husband's shirts from a company he worked at years ago. He never wore it as it was way too big. Before considering Goodwill, I took a closer look and thought about it from the sewer's perspective. Hmmm... Great material, never been worn, set of buttons already evenly placed... So I did the only logical thing a girl can do, cut it up and made a dress.
The buttons from the front of the shirt became the back of the dress and I added some very pink and girly material as the sash and liner, just in case there was any questionable manlyness left in the style. I was not able to get the logo out of the of the dress, it was placed too low to cut it out. Luckily, it is pretty discrete color-wise and it will lay on the child's back shoulder.
My next experiment will be with felting wool and seeing how it does with various projects.