Priorities

After a business meeting today, I wonder why I try to pack so much stuff into a working full time schedule. I need to let go of some things to meet my deadlines--one would be to not work on personal projects until November! I'm not going to do those two shows I had planned after the horror of Sunday. It appears to me that the whole August "Dog Days of Summer" event was probably intended to promote the designs of R de C. I wonder why they let me participate at all. So--work will commence on getting samples together for refreshing the Lucky Penny site, and more book samples for my trip to San Francisco in October.

And I paid money for this!

The Indie Designer Fashion Market was a total bust. Really, I'm appalled that I spent money to be humiliated in such a fashion. I was the first to set up on Saturday. A young woman "designer" came in to set up her table, covered in spray painted newspaper. Very amateur. I unintentionally insulted her by asking what she "made." She said that no one asks her that, she is a designer. The next morning, she pulled her display out so far into the aisle that it completely hid mine, and refused to move it back. Even though it was actually now in the space I paid for. And, honey? Your purses are not all that. What I want to know, is how many handbag designers need to be in one room? Next, at 8:30 am, after the show opened, one of the organizers said it would be better to move me outside, near where the adoptable dogs would be. They put my gridwork on a cart and wheeled it out. Initially I was relieved to be away from all that Attitude. After about 11:30 am, without shade protection, I started to cook. And the New York Times? Not being in the room, I missed that opportunity. I missed the opportunity to have Nate Birkus see my work, because when he was about 10 feet away, the show people were all over him to ask for a photo. He got away from them as fast as he could. So, no Nate for me.
The most insulting part--someone else who "designs" dog garments stayed in the designer room. Some club kid with a name that has to be a affectation. When I brought it up, I was told--"but he is a designer! He has to stay in that room! (so, what am I?)" What I saw of his designs looks very much like what I've seen at pet trade shows for years. This girl also said "but you agreed to come outside!" Seriously, what choice did I have? When the adoptable dogs that I was neigbored with left the show, I packed up and left, too. Early. I was told later by dealers in the building that business was hindered by the fact that the customers could not bring their dogs inside. Curious that they would leave a designer for pets in the designer room. His dog was in there with him, and from what I observed, dog aggressive and generally ill socialized. I can't imagine how it must be to be carried around all the time with a jewel stuck to her forehead. Ick.
When I first contacted the show, and pitched my business, they told me that they were doing a dog themed event. They mentioned him, who I will call R de C, like I had heard of him. After I saw him on Saturday, I did a Google search. I had to put in lots of search words to find something. What I finally came up with was a tea party for dogs that was at the Palmer House to promote this show. Featuring the design of R de Affectation for sale. The show promoter mentioned the event to me, but then never with details so I could participate.
The only real highlights for me were the adorable dogs who were there, and Megan from the group I knit with at Letizia's. who took pity on me and sat at my display so I could get some food and drink. I was dying out there. The embarassing thing, is seeing her out of context, I forgot her name. She is an angel.
And, here is my new, and more fashionable name---Corinne de Penny.
I have a lovely painful sunburn on my face and neck.
I intended to do a September and October show, but I would rather have a root canal.

I Suck at Lace

Okay. I've tried two different lace shawls in the last two weeks. One is the Flower Basket Shawl, and the other is the Spiral Shawl from WrapStyle. Both by the same designer. Both a pattern repeat of 10. Somewhere along the line I end up with too many stitches, despite using stitch markers. I have also decided that I don't really like the way the Flower Basket looks in my chosen yarn, DZined sport weight wool/hemp/mohair purchased at Stitches Midwest. The other shawl was attempted in black Blackberry Ridge lace weight acquired last week at the Michigan Fiber Festival. Perhaps I need to put these aside until things calm down a bit. I need to get some sample kits out to knitters, because I need sweaters for an October photo shoot in San Francisco!

Grid update--I was able to get them into the car after a clean-out, and re-arranging the seats. Now this means Dan has to go to the show set up tomorrow afternoon to help me get them up. I just need to find the nuts and bolts to fasten the base together. I haven't seen them since last November, but I'm pretty sure they are in the pantry. My apartment is a total mess. I posted the picture of Gidget Alice above, because I like to look at it, and it's comforting to see a garment that I actually can knit.

Dog Days of Summer

This is naughty Piccolo, who won't be joining me this weekend. She will relax at home while I set up at the Chicago Antique Market this weekend. They have a sister show, the Indie Designer Fashion Market, and accepted me as an exhibtor. The theme of this weekend's event is Dog Days of Summer, and there will be other pet related activites, including pet adoptions. Tomorrow I will be attempting to pack 4 2 foot by 6 grids in my car along with a table, and my merchandise and mannequins. I have not worked with these grids since I bought them in November for a show done with my guild. I need my display for this show to be special because I just found out the fashion event is being covered by The New York Times!