Creativity and Ramblings from the heart of NYC and around the World

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

A Hat Fiesta (and a little knitting!!)

Picking up where I left off yesterday...the Wedding was just lovely!
I then spent Sunday thru Monday (wee hours of the a.m.) designing bags for the private label project (keep those fingers crossed as we hope to hear if all was worth the time just after July 4th!)
Had the meeting on Monday morning then hopped a plane to the UK to present my new line (Spring/Summer 2006) to my UK/European sales agents. Days were spent at meetings and nights were spent on the computer working out the details of the private label project (big money at stake here!!!)
The trip home (average from London to NYC is 7 hours) took 20 -- yes -- twenty hours!
Momma Bear and 3 cubsIt's really not worth going in to -- but I did meat a wonderful woman on the flights -- Joanna! Nice to enjoy such long conversations with a new friend! Thanks Joanna!

Upon returning home - it was more catalog work and then, THE UNTHINKABLE HAPPENED!!!
Are you sitting down?

I took the weekend off. Yup. Crazy eh?

My girlfriend Michelle and I hopped into a rental car and zoomed to visit my parents in New Hampshire. We went to a day spa -- OMG -- bring ON the hot stone massage! WOW! We even got to see the Momma Bear and her 3 cubs that have been visiting (and stealing the bird seed from their bird feeders) my parents for these past few months!

Village Hat shop Seaport VillageMonday brought a slight calm -- still wrapping up the catalogs...
and now -- now I'm wrapping up the details and preporation for my PA out in San Diego this weekend!

Yeah!!! My publicist has been working hard, so hopefully we'll get some great press out of this! It'll be my first West Coast Trunk Show (I've done a bunch on the East Coast.)
Oh - and to answer a few questions asked yesterday...
The labels that I design and will be showing/selling are called Betmar and Plaza Suite. Click here for a preview of the Autumn/Winter 2005 line.

It's nearly horse racing season in San Diego, and time for you ladies to select the hat you'll wear to opening day! Bring the outfit you need a hat to match and I'll help them select the perfect one!

So...This Sunday, June 26th from 11am-2pm, I'll be at:

The Village Hat Shop, Seaport Village (as photo'd above)
853 W. Harbor Drive
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 233-7236

If you're in the neighborhood -- please DO come on over! If you've never been in the company of a room full of hat gals -- you don't know what you're missing!!!

Village Hat shop Seaport VillageOK OK -- promised knitting content...
I finished the first sock and fit it on my Mom while I was visiting last weekend...but alas it was too big (her measurements had been off a bit due to the type of ruler used when she took them...) Thus I went-a-frogging! I took out all the way up to above the solid blue section. I'll post the updated new version soon!
Meetings time -- off I go!

Village Hat shop Seaport VillageAlmost forgot to share --- if in NYC -- GO TO SEE Brooklyn the Musical!
The entire cast have wonderful voices - but the main character is played by Eden Espinosa --- Her voice is AMAZING!!!
I think the gents enjoyed it as much as the ladies did (7 of us went together!)
This was one of the most enjoyable musicals I've seen in a while!!!
Brooklyn costumeBrooklyn costumeBrooklyn costumeBrooklyn costume

The costume and set design was awsome! It all flowed wonderfully!!!

Monday, June 20, 2005

Finally out the other side!!

Time for the beginning of Catch up...which will happen over the next few days!
I have to catch up on things in MY LIFE since work has taken over for the last 4 weeks...I have honestly never been this busy at work - EVER!


big black busSo...let's roll back to June 8-10...
I got a number of emails "off-blog" asking what's involved to make a catalog etc...
So a quick run down with some photos from the Photoshoot. :-)

First I design the collection of hats with matching hangbags on some styles (in Autumn/Winter many items get matching gloves or scarves.) This takes about 4-4.5 months and is what brings me to Asia so often.
Then I put together all of the details (rough photos taken with my little camera, colors, descriptions, technical details about the item) into a working book that we will base the REAL catalog off of.

on location 4250Then I bring in the team of freelancers...
the Art Director (who's job it is to put the physical catalog together), Stylist & her asst.'s (who puts together the outfits that each model wears in the catalog to match my hats/bags) and the catalog producer who keeps us on budget as best he can (he also works closely with the printer to make sure they do it all right). Finally I go thru a zillion model cards with the Art Director to select the models we want to see/meet on a "go see." (This means the modeling agency sends the models to "go see" us so that we can see if they look good in hats etc.)
on location 4250We (entire team) spend a day going thru all of the styles in the new line and decide what color in each style will be photographed for the catalog. Then the Stylist goes out and does her amazing job! We all reconviene a week later to put the stylists' finds by outfit with each hat.
inside bus - mostly emptyThe next day we board the big black bus at 6:45am (see bus above) and drive to the location we've chosen (and gotten a permit to shoot at.) From there we add the photographer and her asst(s), our computer whiz who makes sure that all of the photos taken (digital) are filed properly and not lost or corrupted and the models roll thru and we shoot the catalog. I have to watch every shot to make sure the item is being worn properly and that it's shot from the angle that works best for the item.
To the right you see a shot of the back half of the inside of the bus -- it's outfitted with clothing racks and a makeup mirror etc. This entire back section is filled with clothing and hats/bags etc...this photo was taken as we were nearly unpacked for the day.
on location 4250Once the shoot is done then I work with the art director while all of the details for the catalog are checked and rechecked. It takes about a month total to put the catalog together --- and this doesn't include the time put in at the printer where the photos are retouched etc.
As much as Ii'd love to post a zillion photos from the shoot -- I've posted shots of style PR4250, which is a style that we're repeating this year (because it sold so well.) For the rest of the line you'll have to wait until Spring 2006 when it hits the stores! :-)

After the last day of the actual shoot (I'm still approving the pages of the catalog this week), I attended a wedding of his friends Aric and Beth. I love this hat!!! It's one of my faves. Simple and elegant. The priest actually came over to me before the cerimony and told me how much he liked the hat. Shockingly I was the only one in the ENTIRE filled church in a hat. What has happened to our society?? C'mon ladies! Wearing a hat makes you just FEEL good (besides looking great!)

More of the catch-up to come...

Monday, June 13, 2005

Cross Eyed...

After working until 10pm on Friday (and getting a new design project due at 9am Monday)...the weekend was a blurrrr of a wedding (yes took photos). Worked on designs until 2am and now have to get back to it!

Today I'm off to the UK thru the week. Yeowch!

Things I have to post ---

~ Thanks to my Stitchmarker Pal for my wonderful markers!!!
~ I took photos of the photoshoot to show those who asked a view of what it takes to put together a catalog.
~ Fun wedding photos too! (I wore a hat and a fascinator!)
~I haven't even OPEN the folder that has all of my Singapore photos... that too shall come.

Have a GREEEEEEEEEEAT week all!!!

Wednesday, June 08, 2005

Alive and Kicking

Yes - still up to my ears at work -- todays already been a 12hr day at the office...heading home shortly.

A little catch-up...
OK -- I'll start with the food...which I'm SO SURE surprises you!

Took some time this weekend to meet one of Dmitri's best pals from college...Frank...and his GF, Ryan. Fun!
RAOK from DianeRAOK from Diane
Between the overly HUGE amount of food at the famous Carnagie Deli and the afternoon play -- fun was had by all! Yes -- that's 2lbs. (GULP!) of mat smothered by cheese for my Ruben -- and no, I DIDN'T finish it! Heavens NO! Yes, all of the sandwiches there are HUGE!!! And no -- they aren't cheap, but for $3 you can share...unless no one else wants what you're getting! :-) Then you end up with 1.5lbs of a Ruben in a doggy bag!

RAOK from Diane



I decided to frog the sock back to the bottom of the leg on Sunday.
Here it is modeled by Loco -- er -- next to Loco... BEFORE said Frogging... I didn't like where I'd used double thickness yarn.
But --- in the few down moments I've had since Sunday -- it's become this...


RAOK from Diane Heal turned, decrease to foot done -- and now working on the length. :-)

I must dash -- what a crazy week -- need to be back to the office at 6:30am tomorrow.
It's photoshoot week. Thus I'm out on location shooting my next catalog -- for Spring/Summer 2006! (Yep - I work a year ahead!)
Cheers!

Thursday, June 02, 2005

Thankfull Thursday

RAOK from DianeNope - I haven't had a moment to even LOOK at my Singapore photos...let alone weed thru them. I see this rainy Saturday for that!
What else has been going on?
(Photo right is Morgan and I from the BBQ -- me in all my aproned glory!)

I've been working on a sock -- frogged it twice but finally have the size right. I'll post a photo of it -- hopefully Monday it'll be done!

Thank You's that are LONG OVERDUE:
RAOK from DianeDiane (of Knittingzeal) was so sweet to send me this Zagats 2005 NYC Theater Guide. Thanks a million Diane! I've ALREADY used it to help in seat selection for a show!
It was such a wonderful surprise to greet me upon my return from traveling thru Asia.
She also enclosed some Knitters Gift Tags -- THAT SHE MAKES!!! They are to be attached to a knitted gift with a scrap of yarn from that project. What a WONDERFUL RAOK!!! Again -- THANKS (can you tell I simply adore it??)

Celias postcard from RomeCelia (Queen of Int'l PJ Days) was kind enough to think of me as she traveled back to Rome after all these years -- and I found this wonderful postcard (right) in my mailbox when I returned!
Thank you ever-so-much! I haven't YET been to Rome...but it's on the list! I hope this card from Lollyweekend slows down enough to be able to take some time and read your entry
(which is likely up already!) about your journey!


Lolly (of, well - Lolly!) Sent me the extra Knitting card that you see here to the left. I'd taken her up on the offer of it -- and I plan to frame it for my new office (which has been pushed back until September...) Thanks Lolly!!! When are you coming to NYC?

You all made my home coming even nicer!!! Thank you!!

Uncle CharlieMichelle, Aunt Ann, SandiIt's been a CRAZY 10 days (yikes that's it?) that I've been home! I spent a few days tweeking and dead-heading my garden for the coming of guests...
My Great Aunt A-A-Ann and Uncle Charlie (left) joined us (my parents, friends and I) for a lovely and over due visit last weekend.
First we journeyed to Times Square to see Steel Magnolias. What a wonderful production! Really - - we laughed, we cried - wonderful!
Then we raced back to my house for a friends and family BBQ. (See Michelle, Aunt Ann & Sandi to the right.) Of course...per the tradition of the first BBQ of the season... it rained for 1/2 of the time! :-) But that stopped NONE of the FUN! I still Jo, Linda, Morgan and DadSkinny Mom!popped out in the pouring rain to BBQ up a feast! (Lemon-garlic steak kabobs, Damn Hot Spicy Shrimp, Mango Salsa, veggies galore etc...) See Jo, Linda, Morgan and my Dad to the Left and my Mom to the right -- Doesn't she look GREAT -- she's lost 42 pounds!!!!!)
Sunday was GEORGOUS!! We spent much of the day lounging in my garden before sending Skinny Mom!my Aunt and Uncle home so they could do things they needed to do. Hmph. We just HAVE TO GET TOGETHER AGAIN! We journey out to see Star Was 3 that evening after a delicious meal at my favorite Greek restaurant - Niko's! Star Wars 3 -- eh. It was fine -- but I guess it's been just too long since I've seen the first 3! Too many of the fight shots were TOO ZOOMED IN...making the fights not as exciting as they were 'back in the day'.

What a WEEKEND! FABULOUS!!!