Archive for July, 2008
SEWING ROOM ORGANIZATION CHALLENGE - PART VII - SEWING ROOM DESIGN
A PLACE TO CREATE
Whether you have an entire room dedicated to your creative space, closet, guest room, under a staircase, hallway, garage, basement, attic or corner of the kids’ playroom–claim your space!
Nothing is more frustrating than having to drag out your sewing machine and supplies every time the creative bug strikes.
ROOM PLANNING SOFTWARE
Start with a plan by first accessing your needs. Sewing rooms are as individual as the sewers who use them. One who sews ladies’ garments will have different sewing needs than one who quilts or sews home decor.
Better Homes and Gardens’ Arrange-A-Room
Icovia Space Planner - Design Edition
Raymour & Flanigan Room Planner
COLOR
Choosing Color
Selecting the perfect color for your sewing room is a personal choice. I chose Pink accented with Black and White. I had originally planned on using Brown to accent the Pink, but decided against it as it is much easier to find Black and White items to coordinate.
Sherwin Williams’ Color Visualizer
Benjamin Moore’s Personal Color Viewer
Sewing Room Color Ideas
Bella Dia’s Sewing Room and Alicia Paulson’s Romantic Portland Sewing Studio
Magda’s Black and White Sewing Room
House on the Hill’s Little Sewing Space
I Mess Around’s Bright Blue Studio
Happy Zombie’s Inspiring Sewing Room
Jessica Griffin’s Pink Sewing Room
Creative Little Daisy’s Pretty Studio
Elneenya’s Terra Cotta Red Sewing Room
Jenni Apple’s Deep Red Sewing Studio
Syrommet Mitt’s Yellow and Green Sewing Studio
Dog Child’s Pink Studio\Sew Pixie’s Sewing Room
Pink Present’s Sage Green Workroom
Squeaky Monkey’s Orange Miniature Sewing Room
Chalet Girl’s Bright Pink Sewing Room
Quaint Handmade’s Soft Pink Sewing Room
Dharma Lemon’s Retro Green Sewing Nook
Jigabug Baby’s Butter Cream Sewing Room
Liquid Paper’s Dark Gray Studio
Crafty Intention’s Aqua and Red Studio
Lucky Lola’s Bright Pink Sewing Room
FLOORING
Whatever you do, don’t install carpeting if you can help it. Carpets hide pins, needles and other little sewing notions. Use flooring that is easy to care for such as concrete, hardwood, vinyl or tile.
Consider an anti-fatigue mat next to your cutting table:
KEY INGREDIENTS
SEWING WORKSTATION
There are dozens of ways to set up your sewing machines. I use an L-shaped desk and a sturdy folding table for sewing machines and sergers. Figure out what fits your budget and go from there.
Depending if you have one sewing machine or several, you could set your workstation up against one wall, in a U-shaped or L-shaped configuration. Here’s some sewing workstation ideas:
Horn’s Regal Multi-Height Electric Lift Table
Robert’s Fine Sewing Furniture
Totally Furniture’s $99 Southern Enterprises Sewing Table
Southern Enterprises’ Sewing Cabinet
Other Joann’s Homespun Sewing Tables
OMG…is this the ULTIMATE Craft Armoire:
Hirsh Craft Storage Stand with Drawers
BALT Pneumatic (Adjustable) Workstation
Adjustable Height Folding Table adjusts from 22″ to 32″
CUTTING TABLE
My current cutting table is an old conference room table I acquired from my husband’s old office. It was a little too low, so I raised the table legs using adjustable bed risers (see below).
Minimum Width - 23 inches. Ideally, 36 inches would be sufficient as it equals the length of folded decorator fabric. However, 60 inches would be even better as you could spread most fabrics open.
Minimum Length - 36 inches (1 yard). 72 inches would be ideal for most. However, if you work with larger lengths of fabric, purchase the longest cutting table you can fit in your space. My new cutting table (pictured above) is 4 feet wide by 16 feet long–the big industrial type table I need to transition from home sewing into apparel manufacturing.
Minimum Height - 34 to 36 inches. Ideal height would be the at 2 to 4 inches below your waist. If you’re under 5′ 3″, you might be comfortable with a table height of 32 inches while if you’re closer to 6′ tall, a 38 inch height would be great. If you need to raise your cutting surface, use:
Adjustable bed risers which raise the cutting table 3.2 to 5.2 inches more or
Extra Tall Adjustable Bed Risers which raise the table up to 8 inches higher
Kathy of Pink Chalk Studio used PVC pipes to raise her folding table from 28 inches to 36 inches…how clever!
Robert’s Cutting Table with Storage Drawers
Saber’s Pow-R-Pax Industrial Cutting Tables
Alvin Craftmaster Hobby Station adjusts from 0 - 30 degrees
What about that big freezer chest? Surely it would make a great cutting table. You could add a sheet of plywood to the wall mounted with piano hinges…and add a latch hook to keep it from knocking you in the head when digging in the freezer. Or if you’re not that handy, you could just put a large cutting mat on top of it. LOL!
If you have a handyman around the house, enlist them to build a custom cutting table for you:
PRESSING STATION
Sullivan Ironing Cover for Cutting Tables
Here’s a bunch of iron board cover tutorials:
Vain and Vapid’s Design Studio Details - Ironing Board Makeover
U-Hangblog’s Super Easy Iron Board Cover
Feed Dog’s Cover for IKEA Ironing Board Tutorial
Innovative Sewing’s Ironing Board Cover Tutorial
Instructables’ Fabulous Ironing Board Cover
Marma Daisy’s New Ironing Board Cover
Purl Bee’s Ironing Board Recovery Project
STORAGE
Container Store’s Scrapbook Cart
Container Store’s UMBRA Pink Juxta Drawers
Metal Storage Cabinets from Staples
South Shore Armoire at Staples
Simple White Bookcase under $50
For lots of ideas on how to organize and store your supplies, check out:
- Fabric Organization
- Thread Storage
- Needles, Pins and Stabilizer Storage
- Laces, Trims and Ribbons Organization
- Patterns, Magazines and Books
- Other Notions Storage
Custom Cabinetry
Wall cabinets are available in several heights and widths. The height(s) you choose depends on your ceiling and whether your design includes a soffit. Wall cabinet widths range from 9″ to 48″ with adjustable shelving.
Standard base cabinets are 34-1/2″ high and 24″ deep, and range in width from 9″ to 48″, increasing in 3″ increments. Base cabinets are available with full-height drawers, door and drawer combinations or full stacks of drawers.
Tall cabinets are 84″, 90″ or 96″ high, range from 9″ to 36″ wide, are 12″ to 24″ deep and include a toe kick area. They’re available with doors or a door and drawer combination.
Prices vary greatly depending on the manufacturer, type, hardware and installation. Consider shopping home improvement stores for the best prices on cabinets and countertops.
CHAIRS
Don’t skimp when it comes to your sewing room chair. Your back will thank you!
Black Leather Task Chair under $50
Design*Sponge’s Office Chair Upgrade Tutorial
Turkey Feather’s Desk Chair Cover Tutorial
LIGHTING
Lighting in a sewing room is one of those things which is constantly overlooked. Yet, it is one of the most important elements in designing a sewing room. Although there are several different types of lighting, the two most important types in a sewing room are:
Ambient Lighting, also known as General Lighting, provides overall illumination. This type of lighting is created by using recessed lighting in the ceiling, table lamps, chandeliers, track lights, and other ceiling fixtures. Ambient lighting radiates an even amount of light in the room. If you are using fluorescent bulbs in your overhead lighting, check out the “sunlight” replacement bulbs to give a more natural light.
Task Lighting directs light just where you need it. Desk lamps, ceiling pendant fixtures and track lighting are considered task lighting fixtures. Task lighting performs a specific activity. Consider an Ott Light in your sewing room for true color.
BONUS INGREDIENTS
DESIGN WALLS AND INSPIRATION BOARDS
Design Wall
A Design Wall is a wall in your sewing room or work area with a felt, flannel, or similar fabric to which your quilt pieces will stick. Sometimes this will be permanent; other times it consists of this fabric tacked to the wall.
You can easily make a wall to plan your next quilt or garment. Here’s some great ideas:
Quiltmaker’s Building a Design Wall
Get Creative’s Make Your Own Design Wall
Jan Myer’s How to Create a Quilting Design Wall
Linda P. of Moonlight Quilters’ Portable Design Wall Instructions
If you don’t want to make your own, you could just buy one:
Cheryl Ann’s Portable Design Wall
Inspiration Boards
You can also make an Inspiration Board (aka Idea Board) like mine above. Simple use some spray adhesive to attach fabric to a cord board and use some decorative trim to cover the fabric’s raw edges. Here’s some other tutorials:
Martha Stewart’s Framed Bulletin Board
Martha Stewart’s Homasote Bulletin Board
Make an Inspiration Board from Associated Content
DRESSFORMS AND MANNEQUINS
Consider adding a dressform or mannequin to your sewing room. Not only can you use it to size garments, but it can be a decorative element for you to display your unique trims and lace.
Dressforms are available in canvas, wire, wicker and even paper mache.
THE LITTLE THINGS
It’s the little things that make your sewing space your own. Don’t be afraid to re-purpose household items and antiques to decorate your sewing room.
Bowls, baskets and other containers make great organizers and add your personal touch to your room.
Have fun with wall art, paintings and other items to hang on your walls. You could even use decoupage letters to spell SEW or CREATE. What about a huge pair of scissors? Check out these neat sewing room silhouettes. Or what about a vinyl zipper, a humorous saying, or some vinyl dressforms?
Be sure to shop flea markets for vintage items to complete your sewing room. The possibilities are ENDLESS!
BOOKS
Creating Your Perfect Quilting Space
Perfect Quilting Space Planner
Organizing for the Creative Person
Organize Your Scrapbook Workspace
The Organized & Inspired Scrapbooker
Organization Tips for Scrapbookers
Cabinets, Shelves and Home Storage Solutions
REAL SEWING ROOMS
A List of Over 100 Links of Sewing Rooms
Sewing.org’s Behind the Seams Sewing Rooms
Pictures of Sewing and Quilting Rooms
Now get moving! Although it’s a work in progress, you can create the sewing room of your dreams!
11 comments Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Sew…H is for Hanging On By a Thread
Hanging On By a Thread
Just approved the production of my custom metal snap closures for the boys’ jeans. Like it? It’s actually a bit darker in person as the flash photography lightened it. I’m pretty happy with them! They should arrive from Hong Kong within the next 4 weeks.
I still need to decide which lighted key chains I’m going to be using. Also need to order matte silver long-pronged snaps for my dress shirts.
My pattern maker received my sketches, fabric and assorted notions. She told me I could expect them back by August 18th. Yes, I’m cutting it close. Very close. My pattern maker is doing 6 different patterns. I adore my pattern maker and have full confidence in her ability.
Once I approve my fit samples she makes, I’ll have to have a sample maker make my salesman’s samples. Oh wait…first I need to find a sample maker. I do have a few contacts in NYC to check out. Better call them next week and see if they can work within my timeframe. I need to figure out how many salesman’s samples I need. I have 3 models sized 6 months, 5 years and 6 years for my photos. I’ll also need several size 5 years for my 7 mannequins and another 2 for my size 12 month mannequins. These salesman’s samples will be used to take orders at the upcoming trade show. Guess I had better book the trade show booth, right? But I still haven’t send in my older samples for approval by the trade show. I’ll do that after the BBQ when I can think straight. Let’s hope I can get a decent location at the trade show. Keeping fingers crossed.
I also need to have several graphics created for my knit t-shirts. I’m thinking a NYC skyline or something like that. Oh and then, I’ll need to find a screen printer…easy enough. At least, I hope!
Honestly, I am frazzled. Too much going on within a short time period. My big BBQ is less than a week away and I have tons of things to do, buy, plan, etc. We’re expecting between 130 - 150 people. Oh my. Like the logo my e-Bay friends made below? LOL!
But most importantly, my daughter’s kidneys are in very bad shape. We just got home last night from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia after a 5 day stay and she is now officially listed for a new kidney. It could come the day of the BBQ at any time. Really. Thank you for all your continued support and prayers.
I feel like a million things are coming at me at once and I just want to hide. Seriously.
I just finished cleaning up dinner–Mr. Diva™ had the bright idea to invite 9 of my daughter’s friends over for Shrimp Scampi and Shrimp Marinara. My kitchen is trashed. And to make matters worse, my son invited a few of the neighbor kids over to play video games. Lovely. I can’t wait till they go home!
Unfortunately, I’m now only counting 13 of the 19 koi fish in my pond. I found the top two pictured fish on the right cut in half. Apparently, the great white Heron bird can back for a snack while I was away. I was most upset about my prized 12 inch butterfly koi fish who had the most unique markings…red behind the gills. This just sucks! Oh and one of the two blue koi are missing, too!
Tomorrow morning I’m embroidering some tote bags which are due the first week of August. But first I’ll need to clear off all the new fabric so I have some room to work on my cutting table tonight…LOL!
With friendship,
Lisa
15 comments Saturday, July 26, 2008
Sew…G is for Getting Great Embroidery Gadgets, Google Mapping and Gorgeous Fabric
Edit…My Sunshine Girl is not feeling well. Her blood pressure readings have been way too high and she’s in a lot of pain, so the doctors are admitting her in Philadelphia Children’s Hospital once again. Say a prayer quick.
Great Gadget
How ingenious is this Tee Square It for perfect embroidery and silk screening placement? I so badly need one of these right now as I start my 17 embroidered tote bags for Kacey of Doodle Bugs Paper. There’s a How To Use the Tee Square It instruction page and even some videos! But buy it from my friend, Hot Fix Suzy™ (1st link)–it’s cheaper…oh, and she has the best prices of hot fix crystals!
Google Mapping
Speaking of friends, lots of people have asked for directions to the big BBQ, local hotels and other note worthy sites in NYC. My partner in crime, Lady M™ of Fabric Hound, put together this Google Map for us:
The Diva BBQ and other Attractions in NYC
Gorgeous Fabrics
Here’s a sneak peek at Patty Young’s new fabric line for Michael Miller. OMG…it’s AWESOME! Way to go Patty! Head over to her Mod Kid Boutique blog for more yummy pictures.
With friendship,
Lisa
19 comments Sunday, July 20, 2008
Sew Much More Pink Sewing Goodies
Are you a sewing junkie enthusiast like me who drools when you find a cool sewing notion, fabric, trim or gadget? Yes, I love a good find, but it’s so much sweeter when it’s PINK! KWIM?
So I thought I’d share some things you might enjoy…
50 yards of 2 1/2″ Wide Pink Elastic
1,000+ Pink Braided Knot Buttons
Imported Pink and Red Flower Fabric
25 yards of Pink Polka Dot Netting
Pink Crocheted Apple Embellishment
Pink Baby Ballet Slippers to Embellish
Happy Sunday Sewing!
With friendship,
Lisa
2 comments Sunday, July 20, 2008
Sew…F is for Fabric Sourcing
Fabric Sourcing
When designing a clothing line, you’ll need to find fabrics and order sample fabric yardage. Sample fabric yardage is important as you’ll need it to test the color, texture, shrinkage, fade, drape, etc.
Not all fabric is available for reorder or permitted to be used in manufacturing. I knew I couldn’t use Heather Ross’ licensed prints as she uses them for a line of pajamas. Still couldn’t help but salivate, KWIM?
Neither could I use this awesome Springs’ licensed NASCAR print as it’s not permitted in manufacturing. Apparently, there’s a bedding company that has exclusive rights to it…ugh!
Some prints are only available to quilt stores for resale to the home market. I found this to be the case of many fabrics I wanted such as RJR Fabrics and Marcus Brothers.
Others are available, but cannot be reordered. I was disappointed to learn Robert Kaufman, although they have some yardage available, will no longer be printing their blue camouflage fabric. It matched another camouflage fabric in my line perfectly.
Many fabrics are simply discontinued by the time you go to production.
Thankfully we have the Internet and Google…I can’t imagine what clothing designers did 20 years ago if they lived outside of the main fashion districts, KWIM? Anyway, start by Googling wholesale fabric, fabric manufacturer or fabric converter. Steer clear of fabric jobbers. They usually have end lots, discounted fabrics and cannot reorder fabric for production.
Here’s some links to help you in your search:
Infomat Fabric Company Listings
The Cottonworks’ Global Fabric Directory
Fabric Link’s Fabric Company List
Virtual Garment Center’s Textile Company Listings
Once you find what you’re looking for, call or e-mail the fabric company. First introduce yourself and tell them what you are trying to source (color, weight, type, etc.). Ask about their ordering minimums, wholesale pricing and whether fabric is able to be reordered for production.
If you can work within their perimeters, then ask for fabric swatches, color cards (both free) or purchase sample yardage. Sample yardage often costs a little more than wholesale pricing, so expect to pay it.
You can also go to Textile Shows. Before going, check out Fashiondex’s How To Shop the Fabric Show.
Fashion Incubator wrote a great post about How to Buy Wholesale Fabric. Check it out!
Fabric Sourcing is VERY time-consuming. Just when you think you’ve found the perfect fabric, POOF! It’s gone and you have to start your search all over again. Happy hunting!
With friendship,
Lisa
3 comments Saturday, July 19, 2008
Sew…E is for
Exhaling
But just for a moment. I was finally able to get my sketches, fabrics and inputs packed up in a box to be sent out to my pattern maker this afternoon. When hiring a pattern maker, you need to send them:
- Front and back sketches of your designs
- Plenty of fabric
- Lining fabric
- Buttons
- Zippers
- Specialty Thread (if necessary)
- Interfacing
- Elastic
- Piping, Bias or other Trims
- Hardware (d-rings and other such components)
- Sample garment (if you have one)
- A deposit towards their fee…LOL
My pattern maker’s work should arrive back to me within 2 to 3 weeks. At that point, I’ll take my fit samples and patterns to a sample maker to have my salesmen’s samples made for the upcoming ENK Children’s Club show.
Oh and guess what I did this morning? My first wire transfer!!! I had to send money to a custom metal snap manufacturer in Hong Kong. Talk about a language barrier…ugh! I’ve spent no less than 2 months trying to place this order. The good thing is I ordered 10,000 jeans’ snaps, so it will be years before I need to order them again…LOL! Here’s my approved artwork for the jeans’ snap:
Speaking of exhaling, I was at the dentist yesterday to have a cap re-glued. And all I could think about was INHALING sweet air (aka nitric oxide). How sad is that? See when I had all my caps done last year, I actually looked forward to all the sweet air. Sweet air equals no physical pain in my joints and bones. Pure bliss. Too bad, they said I couldn’t have any yesterday…drats! I thought for sure it was going to be my lucky day–the sweet air addict I am!
6 comments Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Sew…D is for
Driving
Today I ventured up to the West Side of Manhattan, just a mere 18 miles from my home. First I noticed this SUV on Staten Island with vinyl signage for BottleBuddy.com. And yes, I checked out their website, because I was just too damn curious as to what in the world a bottle buddy was. It was great advertising. Now, if I was to get one, would I get The Domestic Diva with my blog URL or DowntownJoey.com? Think Mr. Diva™ would mind if I slapped something like that on the new Beamer?
Anyway, there was plenty of traffic as usual. It is sad to look to the left (off the Gowanus Expressway) and see all the buildings which were once occupied by sewing factories are for the most part, empty shells now. The thriving garment industry in Brooklyn has mostly gone offshore. Sad.
So, I made it to the Fabric Sourcing meeting. And it really wasn’t good at all. Certainly not worth $50 parking, tolls and gas. Definitely not. There was one lady in the audience who asked 5 or 6 questions without coming up for air. It took me everything not to tell her to BREATHE…LOL
After the little seminar, I did a little sourcing of my own in the fabric district and found the zippers I was looking for. I guess the day wasn’t a complete waste.
On the way back to the parking garage, I noticed this awesome window at Lord & Taylor’s on 5th Avenue. Seems they hired Tats Cru (aka The Mural Kings) to do the background. Think I could afford to have them do my background for my booth at the upcoming ENK Children’s Club trade show? Oh, how I wish. This was one of several windows with NYC skylines…each one truly awesome.
Off to enjoy my air conditioning! Oh and I forgot to mention…when I arrived home today, I checked on my Koi fish and there standing on the side of the pond was a Great White Heron or Great Egret. I scared the huge bird away, but I know he’ll be back wanting lunch my fish. Oh no!!! Hopefully my fish are bright enough to seek cover under the floating water lilies and other pond plants.
With friendship,
Lisa
3 comments Monday, July 14, 2008
Sew….C is for
Continuing with the good old Encyclopedia of ME…based on the book, Encyclopedia of An Ordinary Life, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. Feel free to join in and post a link!
Creating Chaos
Yep, that’s what I’m doing. I do it all the time. While others are sewing ruffles and sipping Strawberry Daiquiris by the poolside, I’m creating as much chaos as one diva can. See, I’ve managed to put this all on my schedule:
- Launch a clothing line
- Undergo 6 hours family psychiatric evaluation to get my daughter on the kidney transplant list
- Host a BBQ for more than 150 people
- Embroider 17 tote bags
- Paint two rooms
- Wash 22 windows
- Purchase wholesale cases of candy
- Make a huge candy cart
- Make 100 caramel apples
- Move 4 industrial sewing machine and 20 feet of cutting tables out of garage into basement workshop
- Clean out garage
- Take down extra fence
- Move swing set to new area in yard
- Clean two barbeque grills
- Purchase paper goods for party
- Purchase booze and mixers for party
- Power Wash my house and yard
- Reseed lawn
- Purchase and plant even more annual flowers
- a zillion other things I am surely forgetting
Did I mention this all needs to be done by August 1st? LOL. Pray for me or come on over and help.
Company is Coming
I did get some great news yesterday. Seems my friend, Heidi, will be bringing a few extra guests to the BBQ:
Heidi purchased 4 of these last year when her local GAP Kids’ store went out of business and she’s giving me 3 of them!!! OMG…these will be perfect for the ENK Children’s Club trade show!!!!
And if that wasn’t enough, she’s also bringing me a few of these:
Talk about a SCORE! Now let’s just hope her husband doesn’t get pulled over for speeding en route to the BBQ, because I wouldn’t want to him to have to explain to the officer why he’s driving with a bunch of dummies…ROTFLMAO!
City Driving
Tomorrow I’m meeting 2 fellow fashion designers from my Fashion Incubator clan. We’re attending the About Sources’ seminar on Fabric Sourcing. Let’s hope it’s worth the $40 parking cost. Thankfully I can take the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel instead of the Manhattan Bridge…yippee!
Hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday!
With friendship,
6 comments Sunday, July 13, 2008
Sew…B is for BUSY Designing a BOYS’ Clothing Line
On with the good old Encyclopedia of ME…based on the book, Encyclopedia of An Ordinary Life, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. Feel free to join in and post a link!
Busy
Well actually, I’ve been procrastinating a bit. Having zero confidence in my drawing skills, I’ve put off the final thing I need to send to my pattern maker…my design sketches.
I wish I was a whiz at Photo Shop so I could easily do my designs and add the different fabric swatches. But I can barely figure out Paint Shop Pro, so I’m left with my Crayola Twistables Colored Pencils (I like them so much better than regular colored pencils). I used the child croquis from Frances Harder’s Forms for Profit. Actually, I bought her Business Startup Package which included the forms and 2 books: Fashion for Profit and Costing for Profit.
The frustrating thing about hand sketching with colored pencils is you can’t really erase your mistakes well. See, after drawing a zillion little skulls with crossbones (yes, that’s what those little Xs and Os are…whatever), I realized I didn’t add a front pocket on the shirt…ugh, ugh, ugh. Do over.
And I drew several pants only to realize there will be no pants in my Spring/Summer line, just board shorts.
However, I did figure out a little trick. I printed out swatches of my fabrics, sketched the garment on tracing paper and then put the swatch behind the tracing paper…so clever, right?
Stop by Fashion-Templates.com for tips on drawing children. Or better yet, hire a talented illustrator like Danielle of Final Fashion.
Speaking of designing, check out Creativity for Kids’ Fashion Studio. And if you’re a gamer, you might like My Fashion Studio:
Buying
I’ve been browsing the net to find the perfect Boy’s Shoes for my upcoming Photo Shoot. Look what I found:
You can’t see the design well in black, but look at the gray version:
Get them here. Although the colors won’t work for this season, I definitely will be using them for the second season (Fall/Winter 2009). Same with these:
These Me in Mind Infant Shoes are just too stinkin’ cute, too!
Most importantly, B is for BACK TO WORK!
With friendship,
8 comments Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Sew….What about Another Round of the Encyclopedia of ME?
In an effort to keep myself blogging, I thought I’d revisit the good old Encyclopedia of ME…you know, the blog meme where you do a post for each letter of the alphabet? It’s based on the book, Encyclopedia of An Ordinary Life, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal.
However, instead of using nouns like I did in the past, I’m going to try to use verbs and adjectives. Anyone want to join me? Post a link in the Comments section below! So, let’s get started…
A is for…
au·da·cious 
[aw-dey-shuhs] –adjective
1. extremely bold or daring; recklessly brave; fearless: an audacious explorer. 2.extremely original; without restriction to prior ideas; highly inventive: an audacious vision of the city’s bright future. 3. recklessly bold in defiance of convention, propriety, law, or the like; insolent; brazen. 4. lively; unrestrained; uninhibited.
Oh, yes…that would sum it up. Looking at the above photo, it’s imperative to note the child harness which is used to strap me into the carriage. See, to say I was a difficult child would be an understatement.
From the moment I was born, I hit the ground running. There was so much for me to explore, siblings to torment, and rules to break.
My Mother was foolish to think a harness could tame me. One day she parked my carriage outside the local bakery and went inside to get me cookies. When she returned, she found me hanging from the harness on the side of the carriage. This was just one example of my audacious personality.
In recent years, I’ve become less audacious. Real life has a way of knocking it out of you. Things that were once a breeze to accomplish now seem difficult. Often I lack the courage to tackle what is ahead of me. But little by little, I’m taking baby steps.
Whether it has to do with my daughter’s upcoming kidney transplant or the launch of my new boys’ clothing line, I’m just putting one foot in front of the other and going through the motions. I was always known as a real firecracker. Slowly but surely, I’m rekindling that spark!
Wishing everyone a Happy 4th of July!
5 comments Friday, July 4, 2008