Pictures!

Indie Fashion for Girls

The disadvantages of being an independent designer selling my own line may be numerous (financial risk, no established customer base or manufacturing chain ... wow, I'm depressing myself!!) but I still don't regret taking this path.

The freedom is worth it. With all the pressure of being a new designer, who needs the added pressure of deadlines from everyone from employers to showrooms to retailers? In The Fashion Designer Survival Guide, Mary Gelhar describes the numerous delays that beset the manufacturing process, ESPECIALLY for the new designer with a need for small quantities. Our orders get bumped back in favor of larger ones; more established manufacturers won't work with us. I've found this to be accurate, to say the least!

And it's not just deadlines I escaped. How about the $20,000 outlay just for all the samples one showroom wanted? I'd rather put that money into making high-quality clothes I can actually sell!

Furthermore, I'm just not willing to work full-time, outside the home, at this stage in my family life. That leaves the lifestyle of an independent designer looking pretty good! I'd like to join the ranks of the many creative and competent women I've met who are leading the way in the work-at-home movement.

Here's to you, ladies!

And don't forget to stop by to check out my line at www.pixyworld.net!

Something About a Shrug...

When my artist friend recently visited me with her 3 kids, she took one look at my 4-year-old daughter in her
Pixyworld dress and shrug, and exclaimed,"She looks like a butterfly!"

I do love to think of my daughter as a butterfly, because that fits her personality so well -- tiny, busy,
and colorful!

There's something about this season's shrug that I love. Maybe it's the way it divides the figure into thirds, instead
of chopping it in half like a traditional top & jeans set. Maybe it's the soft flow of the sleeves... or
the fact that it adds depth and complexity to the lines of an ensemble. Or maybe it's just that my girls love them!

Enjoy toddler girls' fashion at www.pixyworld.net.

Quilt-Inspired Patchwork

My mother-in-law quilts. Before seeing her work, I confess I had little to no interest in quilting. But in my visits over the years, I have found myself staring, mesmerized, at her
quilts again and again.

It's the way she combines the different prints that gets me. I grew up thinking that putting two different prints together
made a "clash!" Now, I've realized the artistic possibilities it opens up, not just in quilts but in dresses as well!

When it comes to fashion for babies and little girls, a designer can afford to let fancy take flight a bit!
That's why I love it. See you at Pixyworld...!

What About Toddler Scents?

I have experimented with this idea with my own girls, and they just love it!

I have created special scents just for baby to little girls, blending the sweetest and lightest fragrance oils in a gentle
concentration. I use roll-on applicators so they can apply the fragrances themselves! So far, we have:

Treehouse - florals with a hint of sweet sandalwood (perfect with Pink Jungle)

Let's Dance - fruits and florals with a touch of spice (perfect with Flower Power)

Flower Girl - fresh cut roses (perfect with Accessorize Me!)

Hugs and Kisses - vanilla and yummy fruits (perfect with Puppy Love)

Storytime - clean cotton & baby powder (perfect with Pixy Friends)

Christmas Cookie - mint chocolate and vanilla (perfect with Nutcracker Ballet)

In my opinion, a girl's never too young to smell delicious! What do you think?

Two Entrepreneurs in One Family??

My husband and I never applied the word "entrepreneur" to ourselves until recently, when we both found ourselves waist-deep in new businesses! We've always liked adventure (two years in Fiji, then 4 kids...!) but never pictured starting an online business as one more adventure we'd take.

Are men's discount watches and boutique clothing for toddler girls an unlikely pair? Well, viva la diference, in our case! The two business seem to have different fast and slow seasons, different business models, and different difficulties to navigate -- which keeps our family somewhat sane!

On the other hand, we have enough in common to understand, commiserate, and celebrate....

So check them both out sometime: Jon's Watches and Pixyworld Boutique!

Models & Photography for Boutique Girls' Clothes

1/12/09


Good photos are key in the presentation of boutique girls' clothing -- online, or anywhere. And photographing toddler girls is no easy task! I quickly abandoned the idea of doing my own photos, after trying a couple of times with my own little girls. It's an art form of its own, that takes patience, skill, technical know-how, and and artistic talent.

What means the most to me, besides accurate representation of the lines and details of the clothing, is capturing something of the model's unique personality. Baby & toddler girls are brimming with their own roguish charm, sparkle, and love. I love to see that captured on film!

Here is a recent photo taken by a friend of mine, Melanie Reyes of Melanie Reyes Photography. (If you're in SE Michigan, looking for a great photographer, she's the one to contact!) I just love her daughter's smile!

And don't forget to stop by & check out the sales going on at www.pixyworld.net!