distinctive valentine’s day gifts for the animal, insect and bird lover

animal lover scarf by xenotees

ruby beetle mechanique by 19 moons

cedar waxwing watercolor by sixsisters

all handmade in Pennsylvania and found in the HiP flickr pool.

Hello holiday party. I’ve got on my new Kelly Lane.

These absolutely gorgeous dresses are made by Kelly Lane Design (Pittsburgh). They are designed and sewn in Pittsburgh. They are made with eco-friendly and over-run fabrics including organic cotton, soy, tencel, hemp, and recycled fabrics.

Personally, I think the holidays are a great time to treat ourselves. I just know you gals would look amazing in one of these dresses.

I could go on and on. I want to show you all of them…. take a moment and check out her site (it’s just for perusing). If you need to buy one right away, I found these on Jute and Jackfruit.

If you have a little girl, or have one in your family, then you MUST have a look at this week’s featured artist! I found this talented seamstress through Around Main Line and instantly fell in love with her pretty, unique, and well-made clothing. Rachel of Momi Boutique and Pink Momi is a mother of two and energetic designer/seamstress. I hope you will enjoy a day in her life!

A typical day in my life begins anywhere from 6-8 am, depending on the events in my shop the night before. I never set an alarm (pure bliss), so I am either abruptly awaken by my internal clock, who has no rest for the weary, or one of my two sleeping angels, typically the youngest.  The events of my day have become pretty predictable and the day usually plays out as follows…
 *I take the 10 step commute across the hall and dive right in to all that needs to be done.  My mornings are usually filled with putting the finishing touches on orders that will be shipped that day.  After all orders have been tagged and pressed to perfection, all folded nice, and lined up on my cutting table…I get into a pure packaging frenzy.  Tissue paper, tape, & ribbons are flying.  That’s usually about the time Leah (1) & Lily (3) wake up and the work is put on hold for a breakfast downstairs. If I feel overloaded I will just serve them dry waffles in a tupperware and let them watch tv upstairs so I can get back to work right away.  

After their breakfast I am on on-call diaper duty and play referee as they play about & bicker often.  I would say that packaging takes up about all of my morning from approx 7-12.  After I place all of the orders on the post office counter and drive away in my car I feel relief and a large weight lifted from my shoulders. Sometimes I feel so good that I take the girls to a local drive thru for lunch. 

*The afternoon hours are usually spent cutting new orders and new designs that will be sewn that night.  I found this is the best time to cut orders because Leah is usually napping so that is the time with the least distractions. I use my own copyrighted patterns but for some of my designs I do not even use a pattern and it just takes a lot of simple arithmetic to cut the order.  When I have little mouths chattering at me it can be hard to add and subtract at the same time and that is why I choose nap time to cut orders!

*The evening hours are used for sewing, sewing, and more sewing.  I currently have 3 machines in my shop but, only 2 hands! My husband arrives home from work anywhere from 8:30-9:30.  He is gone approx 70 hours a week so the majority of the time the girls are my sole responsibility and they have learned to march to the beat of my drum…for the most part. They know that mommy makes pretty dresses for little girls all over the world but, heaven forbid if I should try to get them to put a dress on! I will have to chase them around the house and wrangle them like a rolling alligator.  I believe I have given them a dress phobia with all of the modeling that they have done and still do for Momi boutique and Pink Momi.  

Around 12 midnight I will make coffee & see if I can stretch my day just a little longer…afterall I do not have elves in my shop at night.  Some days time is on my side and I will stay awake sewing until 3am, other times the eyelids can not stay open and it’s just time to call it a day. However, I will never go to bed early if there are orders half complete.  I run a very tight ship at momi boutique and know that it shows in my turn around time and the quality of my work.

 
Of course everyday is not the same as I do have to make time to blog, photograph my designs, create new listings in my shops, and customer service of course!  I check my emails and sales approximately 12 times a day. Typically I do this from my phone while I am working so that I do not have to jump on the computer.  Get me on the computer and I may just never get off!

Michelle is a graduate of Albright College with a B.A. in Visual & Apparel Merchandising. After years in the fashion/ retail industry, she is now a WAHM. Michelle is a self-taught jewelry designer and owner of Michabella Creations.

5:30 am – I am up and feeding pets, making coffee, and eating my Oatmeal Squares and peanuts. 

6 to 8 – After doing some kitchen chores, I begin my new job! What?  Yes, I am the new owner/editor/researcher for The Fabric Shopper ”the blog about fabric and the people who love it.” There is fabric researching to do (shopping) and sponsors to visit (shopping) and emails about fabric sales to collate (shopping)!  See, a lot of work (shopping)!
 
8 to 9 – Sit with Hubby and have my second cup of coffee while he eats his oatmeal. I have such a rough life :-)

10am to 5pm  - Time to sit down at the sewing machine to get caught up on clothing alterations. If there is not too much of that, I can start making skirts for L. Blanche Designs. Some will go out to my brick and mortar stores and a few will make it onto my Etsy shop. Of course, there are lots of breaks to do a chore or two, start supper, check on pets, and check email (I never know when I might get sent a picture of my beautiful grandbaby!)

Exception to the above schedule is Lola Day!  I get to spend every Tuesday with my granddaughter. Yes! [Editor's note: YES!]
6pm – Time for supper, feeding pets, and relaxing.

7:30 to 9:30 I’m either cutting out skirts for the next day’s sewing, packing up skirts for shipment, or writing a new blog post.

9:30 Yep, it’s my bedtime!  Actually, I’m awake for another hour or so but Hubby and I like to cuddle and watch DVR’d episodes of Criminal Minds ;-0 Did I say, I love my life! :-)

Michelle is a graduate of Albright College with a B.A. in Visual & Apparel Merchandising. After years in the fashion/ retail industry, she is now a WAHM. Michelle is a self-taught jewelry designer and owner of Michabella Creations.

My mom’s brand name “Rosie’s Whimsy” is so appropriate – she is prone to flights of fancy and changes of whim. But only in the most positive way! She’s read to take a risk, explore a new path, or take on a new skill.

In case you hadn’t heard, her children’s clothing line morphed into a line of pretty but oh-so-comfy ladies’ skirts that are taking Central PA boutiques by storm! She even re-branded her Etsy shop to reflect her daily inspiration in sewing, her mom. You can find her new line at L. Blanche Designs.

I’m also pleased as punch to announce that my mom is the new face behind The Fabric Shopper – a blog dedicated to fabric and the people who love it (that means you, by the way!). She takes over posting tomorrow and you can look for a major site design to go live that day, as well. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t subscribe today!

This week I am excited to bring you Jenya from forEvaMore. With New York Fashion Week going on, I thought this would be the perfect time to showcase this talented designer’s work. Enjoy!

7:30am – I wake up to my four year old daughter calling me. We drink tea and watch Max & Ruby while getting ready for school.
8:30am – I take Eva to school and get back home to have breakfast while checking my e-mail.
9:30am – I might update my blog with a fresh post.
10am – Sewing time. I am currently trying to catch up with my fall collection. It will be focused on natural fabrics women feel comfortable and cozy in,  like cotton and merino wool. There will be some basic colors and very untraditional finishes. I am very excited about it, can you tell?
2pm – I realize that I am starving so I must satisfy my hunger or else…
2:30pm – I check my e-mail, answer any convos I received and renew/relist. I might catch up with my favorite bloggers while listening to CNN on the background.
3:30pm – Could be a good time to get some pieces ready for Art Star where I consign.
4:30pm – My partner comes home and we go together to pick up our daughter. From now on I am completely hers although once in a while I would find myself knitting a neckwarmer to make sure that EvaForeva is ready for the winter time.
5pm – We stop by my parents and my mom feeds us, hehe. I know, I know…
8 – 9:30pm – Getting ready for the night. After Eva falls asleep, Nelson and I watch a bit of TV and relax.
11pm- Time to go to bed!

Michelle is  a graduate of Albright College with a B.A. in Visual & Apparel Merchandising. After years in the fashion/ retail industry, she is  now a WAHM. Michelle  is a self-taught jewelry designer and owner of Michabella Creations.

This week I am excited to bring you A Day In the Life of Alicia Hebert, owner and designer of Weeza Wear. Enjoy!

6:30 am- Mommy time!  This is my one hour of peace to make some coffee, check my email, and prepare for the day.

7:30 am- I hear the pitter patter of feet upstairs. “Mommy are you downstairs?  It’s morning time.”  My little girl is awake and ready for action.  Time to make breakfast, pack lunches, and get dressed for the day.

8 am- Time for Daddy to go to work. We give hugs and kisses to send him off.

8:45 am- Time for Hana and I to go to work.  I work in the babysitting room of my local YMCA.  I’m fortunate to be able to bring my daughter with me.

1:30 pm- My shift at the YMCA is over.  The little one played well with the other kids and only had one temper tantrum.  It’s a good day:)

2 pm- Nap time.  Do I sew, clean, or take a nap with her?  Today cleaning wins.  The house is a disaster.

4:30 pm- Fun activity time.  I let Hana decide what to do today.  Hiking at Codorus park it is.  Today we find butterflies, throw rocks in the lake, and slay dragrons with our sticks (I mean swords:)

6 pm- Gotta make dinner.  I think I’ll make some marinated chicken and orzo with veggies.  Yummm.

7 pm- Hubby’s finally home.  We sure did miss him today.  We sit down as a family to enjoy our dinner and talk about our day.

7:30 pm- TV show and bath time.  Hana picks Yo Gabba Gabba tonight.  While she watches her show I get online and check Etsy, Facebook, Twitter, email, etc.

8:30 pm- Time to put the little one to bed.  It’s Matt’s turn tonight.  Her routine consists of pretend, story, song, and talking about her day.  It’s quite a production.

9 pm- Time to sew…finally.  I finish 2 headbands and a skirt I’ve been working on for the past few days.  Not too shabby.

11pm- Upstairs to hang out with Matt.  We watch the True Blood from the night before then a Seinfeld rerun.  I always savor this time alone to relax with my husband.

Midnight- I fell asleep on the couch again.  Matt wakes me and its upstairs to bed.  I’m exhausted, but excited for what adventures await me tomorrow.

I am a graduate of Albright College with a B.A. in Visual & Apparel Merchandising. After years in the fashion/ retail industry, I am now a WAHM. I am a self-taught jewelry designer and owner of Michabella Creations.

I met Joanne from Steel Pony, at the social media workshop I taught last month. She wrote me this week to let me know about a new project she’s started to raise awareness of art & craft with the younger bunch!

The Pony Project will be launching during the PA Guild of Craftsmen show at the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Delaware on July 25-26. A portion of all Pony Project sales will go to the Guild, while subsequent shows will feature other arts organizations.

Through the Pony Project, Steel Pony recycles fabrics and “unwearable” clothing into unique one-of-a-kind items supporting green initiatives and local communities. “We take things that are not saleable and create beautiful works of wearable art that are then sold at various events to benefit a local charity that we feel follows our ideals” Joanne explains. “Our goal is to mentor young designers to think “out of the box” to create things from existing elements creating sustainable clothing that is also “artful.”

Steel Pony’s goal is to inspire young designers with each piece of clothing!

“I truly, truly, truly enjoy what I do,” says Stephanie Longo of Recession Proof (Philadelphia).

I truly enjoy what Stephanie does, too! Her clothes are stylish but extremely comfortable. As a work-at-home mom, I love the idea of being able to throw on comfy pieces in the morning and be able to run all over town looking great – without changing clothes! I had to know more.

HiP: When did you begin sewing? Designing clothes?

I started sewing at a pretty young age. I don’t remember exactly how old, but I was still in middle school. My grandmother very patiently introduced me to her sewing machine. She also showed me how to cut out my first Simplicity sewing pattern (a long linen skirt with a drawstring waistband!). I wanted to learn to sew so that I could make my own clothes. I come from a very crafty and artistic family, and curiosity about how things are made seemed very natural.

My curiosity continued to develop during years of ballet training. I became obsessed with the effortless way that dancers layered and deconstructed their clothing. Whether in or outside the studio, there was a chic to their style that was both subtle and forward. This is also how I became obsessed with movement and comfort. It has never occured to me that to dress stylishly, you should have to be uncomfortable. In fact, I can’t imagine one without the other!

From there I studied Fashion Design in college, where I learned the more technical aspects of my trade. Draping, patternmaking, sketching, and sewing – I was taken by it all!

HiP: Are you a full-time designer?

I am now officially a full-time designer, working 100% for myself! This feels like quite an accomplishment, as all I have wanted is to own my own business. Since college, I have worked in almost every segment of the fashion and apparel industry, from pre-production and production, to visual merchandising and buying.

These experiences have made me a better designer. As a buyer I became a better editor of my own ideas. From visual merchandising I learned to tell a story and think about how a garment relates to the way that you live. My experiences outside of design always manage to shape the kind of designer I continue to become.

HiP: Where you do find inspiration for your pieces?

I find inspiration in dance to this day. I still love going to the ballet, and I’ve been so happy to see dance gain a more mainstream audience through recent television exposure. I’m also a magazine junkie. Lucky, Vogue, W, Nylon, InStyle, Marie Claire – I pour over the pages each month and absorb as much as I can of the silhouettes, color stories, and trends. I can’t say that I follow trends, either in my personal wardrobe or my work, but it’s so important to me to be aware of what’s happening out there. Lastly, living in a big city, I get to people watch all the time! I love seeing how people take a garment and make it their own.

Personal style is a huge part of what inspires me!

HiP: Why the emphasis on knits? What appeals to you about them?

Knits have always been my passion. I’m sure this goes back to my dancer past. I secretly am in love with spandex, but don’t expect to see any in my etsy shop any time soon! I’ll stick to silky, sumptuous jerseys for now. I love the ease and freedom you experience in a knit garment. And it breaks my heart that knits are so often relegated to our workout gear! The contrast of taking a casual fabric and giving it a more tailored shape is wonderful to me. I’m always telling myself to walk away from the knits for awhile and get reacquainted with cotton gauze and silk dupioni and vintage lace, but I get drawn back in to knits time and time again!

This is my new definition of PERFECT:

There is no question that my beautiful daughter is my new definition of perfection. She also happens to be my muse – allowing me to pursue goals I had only dreamed of. Without her, this site would not be!

So in honor of my perfect one, here’s a sampling of some handmade in PA baby & children’s goodies!

• Rosie’s Whimsy {2}- not going to lie, Rosie is my girl’s grandmother (and my mom!) and my girl was the inspiration behind Rosie’s precious dresses (like the one above).
• Cookie Dough – creates just the kind of toys that my girl (read: Tara) likes: simple, wooden, beautifully designed.
• Sweet3LeafPrints {1} – baby & toddler basics made unique with stamped prints made from real leaves! My girl has one of these and it is so beautifully made & even has her name painted on the back.
• WatersGirls Crafts – Kristen has been a supporter of HiP from the beginning. She creates a variety of baby & children’s items.
• Clothesline Designs {3} – Jen is a Z-towner and I had the privilege of seeing her work in person last year. Well made, traditional quilting meets hip patterns & prints. Oh, and did I mention stuffed giraffes??
• WoolyBaby {4} – Tiny baby booties created from recycled sweaters. Almost makes you wish winter wasn’t over…almost.
• theAnecdotes {5} – Cozy crocheted items, including assymetrical sweaters, hats, and more!