The Delights of Anticipation

Soon

I am slowly but surely digging my way out from underneath a slew of orders that I have been trying to finish up.  I am excited to be at the tail end of them now and can start looking forward.  Yay!  

May 15th the shop will re-open with ready to ship pieces from the Enchanted Garden Collection.  Following closely behind will be a really small summer collection, Little Miss-Matched.  This collection will be mostly summer staples like simple skirts and halter tops.  It will be mostly one of a kind pieces as I clear out the odds and ends of fabric in my always growing stash.

At the end of the month I plan to begin working on samples of the fall collection, Bohemian Rose.  I am SO excited about this collection!  You will see bolder colors than in previous collections, some new additions like layering T's and maybe even a few mini versions of the clothes for dolls.

Keep checking back here and on myfanpage for updates and sneak peeks!!!   

3 Is The Magic Number

It's hard to believe that it has been 3 whole years since a baby girl with rosebud lips and soft brown curls took her first breath and changed me so completely.  I am continually amazed that God saw me fit to raise these little people and my heart could not be more full.  You little girl are such a bright and signing star.  You have us all wrapped around your little finger and you know it.  We laugh when you laugh and hurt when you hurt.  There is absolutely nothing that we wouldn't do for you and I hope that as you grow you feel how tue that is.

I love you baby girl more than you could ever know.

**We are going to try this 3 year shoot again when someone is feeling a bit more cooperative;)**
  
  

Etsy Love Volume III

I just love browsing Etsy.  One could look all day and still find something new to love.  Here are few of my recent finds:)

 

www.matilou.etsy.com

www.mandizzle.etsy.com

www.carolhannah.etsy.com

www.hammermann.etsy.com

www.iroshka.etsy.com   

www.luxedeluxe.etsy.com

www.madisonreecedesigns.etsy.com

www.sarahseven.etsy.com

www.skippydesigns.etsy.com

www.slothart.etsy.com

www.soulpeaces.etsy.com

www.thatfunkyboutique.etsy.com

www.thehomecentric.etsy.com

www.whitneysmith.etsy.com

***le sigh***    
  
  

When It Rains

So my tiny little break turned into a full fledged blog hiatus without me even realizing it.  Well, they do say that when it rains it pours.  I put my shop on vacation right before a fashion show that I had with my sweet friend Lisi just to have my serger go out of commission 2 days later.  I got some great orders at the show which I was unable to begin working on because of it.  Drove an hour away to have my machine looked at just to be told that it needed a new part that would have to be ordered.  Fast forward a week from that and the new part came in and was the wrong thing.  My dear sweet hubby upon seeing me freak out decided to take look at the serger himself and was able to fix it up.  Yay, right?  Nope.  Horribly sprained my foot before I was able to sew a single thing and that brings me to today.  Sitting here with my foot all wrapped up and no where to go.  Sigh.  I guess I kinda needed a little break right?  ;)

   

Ch, Ch, Changes

After weeks, well really months, of deliberation, stress, indecision and just a jumble of emotions I have decided that some changes are in order in my life. 

I have spoken recently about dreams here and my pursuit to make mine come true.  I shared one of my dreams involving photography and my passion for it and the hope to be able to share it with others in a bigger way and I am working really hard towards making that a reality. 

In the crazy cyclone of activity that I have been putting myself through with the kids, my business, my dream catching and life in general I have found that I am just not happy.  I have been so stressed about everything that I have on my plate that I am unable to enjoy the dreams that are already fulfilled and really enjoy the passion behind my dreams that are still waiting to be brought to life.

It took some encouragement through wonderful posts by this incredible lady and some real soul searching on my own to get to this point but it was this videothat pushed me over the edge.  It was such a bittersweet reminder of what is really important in my life right now and how quickly it all slips by.  I just don't have time to do anything that doesn't bring me joy or enrich my life in some profound way and the way I have currently been doing things just isn't working.  I want to enjoy my kids, not brush them aside because I have so much work to do and orders to get done.  I have no time to develop passions like my photography and other dreams that have laid dormant and I have begun to resent that.

It is time for a change and I am ready to make it.

Tonight I will be putting my shop and website on vacation while I work on the changes I want to make.  I love to design clothing and don't necessarily want to stop doing it, it just can't be the way that I have been right now.  I will be re-opening my shop as a ready-to-ship store.  I will be making up a number of items in various sizes and that is what will be available in the store.  I will post here and Facebook when new items are listed.  I will no longer be making items to order or doing any custom work.  I can't tell you what a huge relief it will be to get an order in and not have to go through the whole process I have to now, especially when I or my kids are sick!  All I will have to do when an order comes in is wrap it up pretty and send it on it's way.  It also gives me a chance to be more creative and add one-of-a-kind and limited items in between collections since I won't be bogged down with making 6 orders at once.  It will give me a chance to slow down and do this on a smaller scale.  I can spend more time with my kids, working on my photography and just enjoying life. 

When my kids are older and I have nothing to do, I can always come back into it full steam ahead and maybe realize some dreams that I once had for Little Lotti.  Until then, I am so happy to finally be able to get the weight that has been sitting on my shoulders off and start enjoying my life, my family and my other passions. 

If you have read all that and it makes some sort of sense to you, I thank you.  I can ramble sometimes;)

Theshopwill close tonight at 8pm EST so if there is anything that you want to make sure you are able to get in the size you need be sure to head over and place your order:) 

Meet Lola

One of my goals this year is to complete a 365 project.  It is rather hard though when one is out and about on a daily basis doing various different things.  I don't want to leave my camera in the car and there is no room or safety in my purse to carry it with me so often times I return home at the end of the day with the sun setting and no good light to shoot with. 

 Enter Epiphanie.  Yes, the very same Epiphanie from my last post.  They have solved my problem with a camera bag that is at once stylish enough to carry around yet made to carry and protect my camera and the various other things I decide need to accompany me when I leave the house.

Cheers!  Confetti!  Angels sing!

Lola arrived this week and promises to remedy my "need my camera with me all of the time" problems.  I can't wait to wander the town with her.

 

 

Oooo, oooooo!!!

I am taking a break from the world of illness I find myself in these days to tell you about a little giveaway going on that I would seriously give a body part to win.  At the risk of encouraging more competition I thought that you should know;) 

Epiphanie Bags are a photographer's (or aspiring photographer's) dream come true.  These bags are so pretty I want to carry it everyday.  The moment I saw them I wanted one and last week I got to push buy on the Lola bag!  Not only is this bag gorgeous and functional but i just read this morning that ...wait for it......PW Ree has one too!!!  Yup.  I'm that cool.  This bag was also featured in Popular Photography Magazine.  I know, I know. :)  I can not wait for it to get here.  I have big plans for me, my camera, my girl and a couple of old chairs this spring and summer and this bag will be just perfect for this!

Back to the giveaway.  They are giving away your choice of a new Canon 5D MarkII or $2500 gift certificate to Southwest Airlines!  I don't even know which one I would pick.  I want the MarkII so bad I can't think straight.  It is what I have been lusting after as my next camera and it would come to me a lot quicker than I can buy it myself but the gift certificate would be perfect for Paris this year.  Decisions, decisions.  I need to win 1st right?!

If you are in need of a new camera bag head over and take a look.  Enter the contest too if you want or not I mean you really don't need to....or want to right?  Just saying;)

What Dreams May Come

Whew!  It feels so good to start a new week after the chaotic one I had last week.  I blogged briefly about it here.  Although this one has already started off with a surprise snowstorm and resulting snow day for the kids, it still promises to be better than last week;)

I am doing lots fo dreaming and planning and just plain figuring out my next steps right now.  I have had a lot on my heart and on my mind lately and was really pushed to stop thinking and start doing by my friend Jeanne's blog posts about dreams.  She is doing a month long series on dreams each Wednesday this month and really spoke to everything that I have been thinking and feeling.  I am trying to get things straight in my head ina way that makes my tasks and goals more attainable.  I am working on quieting the doubting, negative voices in my head learning to speak the words that I need to help me thrive.  It goes along so well with the devotions I have been doing this year and the reading that I try to squeeze in from my inspirational books each day.  I am pushing myself to really let go and delve into my deepest desires and most passionate dreams to live my life more fully.  I have been so blessed to have already attained my most cherished dream of marriage and motherhood and am excited to begin the work to make other dreams a reality as well.

In an attempt to get back to the basics so to speak, to give myself more time to live the life that I have been given, to cherish the family that I have been blessed with and to work on dreams held close to my heart but not yet realized, I will be scaling my business back just a bit.  I am working on filling current orders and then will work on building up a small inventory of ready to ship pieces that can just be packaged up beautifully and shipped off when new orders come in.  From there i will be getting back to the creativity that I crave with limited edition pieces that will be available whenever inspiration strikes and I have the time to creative new things.  I have been working so hard lately that I have been getting sick, stressed out and just, unhappy.  Time is too short to do something that makes you unhappy.  I love my clothing line and everything that I had in mind when I started it but it just isn't working in a way that is a benefit to me and my family in it's current function.  I am excited to have more freedom in which to put out beautiful, imaginative clothing and to focus on another passion of mine, photography.

I have always been a dreamer.  I am so excited to get back to it!

Cup Of Couture, In Memoriam

February 11th, 2010 the fashion world lost a true innovator and showman.  Alexander McQueen's work was always inspiring, over-the-top and just plain beautiful and I for one will miss seeing what he brought to the world of fashion.  Here is  a little look back at the work of a true talent.

   

Time

Eight years ago today I entered into this crazy, turbulent, trying, wonderful, fulfilling, amazing world called parenthood and not a day goes by that I don't marvel at God for choosing me for such a big task. 

Eight years ago today I was wheeled into surgery after my 3rd day of induction failed to put me into labor.  My son was pulled out of my womb and my whole world changed. 

Eight years ago today I knew what unconditional, gut-wrenching, all encompassing love felt like and I continue to be amazed by how fierce a mother's love truly is.

Eight years ago today I glimpsed his face and I can't believe the changes that this little face has made since then.  From chubby little cheeks to the stare of a child who is trying to find himself as he grows.  That face has held so many emotions, been stained with tears, stretched with smiles and kissed more times than one could count.

My baby is 8 years old today and I can't believe how time flies.

 

****The Enchanted Garden Collection is now available in my Etsy shop.  www.littlelotticlothing.etsy.com  :)