We welcome you to go behind the scenes with us as we share our personal
journey to expand our dream and to share things on a more personal level as they may or may not relate to the business.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)
DECEMBER 27 -- Christmas I
am sorry this post is late and I did not wish everyone a proper "Merry Christmas!" but I hope you all had a
happy one. We had 12" to 15" of glorious white snow fall a few days before Christmas and it was still
on the ground for Christmas day. In the 16 years of living in Asheville, North Carolina, this was my first White
Christmas, so I was pretty excited! One of the pictures I took is posted, above, with the beautiful snowy pines. We have a lot of new things brewing for 2010! Can't wait to share with you! Just wanted to wish everybody a very Happy New Year!!!!! ....g
November 19 Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving. We are THANKFUL for
you! ....g
June 10 We had a Dutch
blogger at The Good Girls Company contact us recently for an article they planned to write about our company and they asked
if they could use a few of our images to go along with it. If anyone
knows how to speak the language, here is their article:
Dutch Review of our company
We asked them if they could provide a translation, and they graciously agreed: "Baby
Gassy Gooma is a story about story of passion, purpose, and perseverance. A story about following your heart in order to do
that thing that truly has your passion. And to give wings to your dreams. When founder Gretchen quit
her secure job to realize her cherished dream, she could not imagine that it would be such a success. Armed with no more than
faith and passion she started this creative dream. First they released their Internet site as a design portfolio design portfolio for individual customers to place
custom orders. It was like a snowball effect. Not much later Gretchen signed a contract for a boutique who requested
a wholesale catalog. Since 2007 the brand has gone worldwide.
What can you buy there?
The site is just worthwhile a visit because of the relaxing background
music and beautiful pictures. In the shop you’ll find beautiful dresses and edgy ensembles that put forward their eye
for detail. To complete your ensemble they also sell accessories like headbands, crochet hats and beanies.
For baby’s they sell diaper covers that are just too cute to be true, bibs and adorable little shoes. And very original
a high chair tutu skirt. Just perfect for you daughters first birthday.
Not only you can lose your heart by buying clothes
for your daughters closet but they’ve also thought about their moms. Imagine hip slings, romantic furniture and adorable
gift items.
Setting the trend
A nice thing about Baby Gassy Gooma is that they are truly
trendsetters. Their models for instance where not found by the ordinary of a casting or models agency, but buy another original
way; they send parents free clothes in which those parents photographed their daughters. A win-win situation. Baby Gassy Gooma
had their models, the parents had free clothes and where given full control in how to portray their daughters.
With Gooma Girls they try to bridge the gap between designers who
are looking for a model and parents who want to
get their daughters acquainted with modeling
in a safe and sound way.
A clear vision of her goals
Despite of her success Gretchen has a clear vision of her goals: “The ultimate goal is not to be the biggest
boutique brand in the industry, but to make myself useful to God in serving people. This is why I don't mind
talking of my inexperience in this industry because I want the spotlight to be on Him and what He can do, not on me or anything
I have done. I have honked my own horn enough in my lifetime and can do without it. I really can”.
Judgment
I just love it. And my request for some pictures to go with my
article confirmed this opinion. Within seconds I received a kind answer back. And they kindly send me 10 pictures by e-mail
that day. Even my question is it possible for us Dutch women to buy something in your web shop, was quickly answered with
a positive yes. Overall: a big
plus.Because if my Communications
background I also find Baby Gassy Gooma an interesting concepts. A beautiful example of corporate storytelling, products that
meet the needs of their target group and a creative way of bringing it under the attention of their target group. They practice
an interesting sales policy by selling clothes online that are only available in their web shop. And last
but not least a good customer service. In short: In the nearby future I will most certainly by some clothes for one of my
2 daughters. The euro’s strong exchange rate makes this even more easy. I will keep you updated. Pictures are property of Baby Gassy Gooma. They may not be
copied or duplicated without their permission."
May 29 I
need to work on posting more regular blog entries, I know. I had the pleasure of being interviewed recently by
Cree Oliver of "This is Boutique" so I want to share the interview link with you: http://thisisboutique.com/?p=1396 I was happy she asked me about some of the new ventures we have
going on, with Gooma Girls (www.goomagirls.com). Some additional new information I would like to share about Gooma Girls is that we will be adding a boys modeling
division and, yes, a name change is already in the works so our boys don't feel weird about being on a "girls"
site. We have placed assignments for just about every boy model who is registered thus far, and we need more!
Feel free to submit their photos to submit@goomagirls.com, for consideration, but please do not send images that are larger than 900 pixels each. We are also excited to say
that we have recently hired Jacqueline Ribnick to be our assistant, to handle the new accounts for our Retail Division
while I continue to build-up our Manufacturing Division. Jacqueline has several years of experience in the boutique
modeling industry, where both of her daughters have modeled for various designers and her youngest daughter, Whitney,
has been modeling for Baby Gassy Gooma for the past few seasons. Jacqueline is also a talented photographer whose
work can be seen, below: 
Whitney modeling Hula Honolulu Jacqueline's photography knowledge will
be a huge asset to Gooma Girls, as well, as we continue to provide our customers top quality images for their catalogs,
websites, and advertising needs. Welcome, Jacqueline! We are happy to have you onboard! We have
a lot of Baby Gassy Gooma designs that are ready for immediate shipment. In-stock merchandise is added every few
days. Availability is changing DAILY. A big change we are happy to announce is that all of our new designs are proudly made in the USA.
To see what is in-stock today, click
here: http://www.babygassygooma.com/id127.html If we are already sold out of a particular SIZE
that you need, just email us, and we will see what we can do! ....g
April 14 I love the story of Susan Boyle: Susan Boyle
Such a great underdog story -- it just makes you smile!  Love her! ....g
April 11 It has been a long time since I've posted. We are undergoing a lot of changes here, which I'll update
you on soon, but I want to take a moment to wish you a very blessed Easter. It
seems as if there are so many people feeling discouraged right now. The economy has hurt businesses in ways
we have never seen before and people are losing jobs every day. Tragedies keep happening on the news and it seems as
if things keep getting worse. There are prevailing disappointments and setbacks. There are
a lot of people hurting and some are even grieving the painful loss of a loved one. Regardless of the circumstance, no matter how great the pain, no matter how long you have been in
the valley, there is always one prevailing thing that remains -- and that is hope. That hope can be found
thru Jesus and it is what we celebrate each Easter. Jesus came to show us
a better way of life. He is our comforter in our times of need. He is our source of strength when we feel
we are too weak to carry on. He is the One who still believes is us, even when we even doubt ourselves. Jesus
said, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). He
has provided us a better way, and all He asks is that we believe that He is. It was the summer between the the 7th and 8th grade, when a youth pastor named Barry Shettel came knocking on my
door. See, my mother had told him I might need someone to talk to because I was feeling a lot of sadness over my dad
having left. And, his words to me were ones I have never forgotten, "Your mom told me about your dad having
left, but I am here to tell you about the Father who will never leave you or forsake you" and that is when I asked Jesus
to come into my life. It was the most important decision I ever made in my life, even though the road of life has not
been easy for me. I have experienced a lot of pain, a lot of setbacks, a lot of loss, but if I hadn't, then
maybe I would not be able to encourage others with that same hope today. 2 Corinthians 1:4 says that the Lord "comforts
us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." I found this beautiful video on YouTube that I want to share with you: Happy Easter
I hope you have a blessed Easter. ....g (p.s.......if you would love to know more about Jesus, here is a link I would like to share with you:
http://www.billygraham.org/SH_StepsToPeace.asp)
January 17 For a bit of nostalgia, we have put together some slideshows for you to enjoy.
With the hundreds of designs we have produced every single year, it would be too difficult to share all
of them with you, but these are a few of our personal favorite shots from some of our past collections. Enjoy! .....g "It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man
stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena" Theodore Roosevelt
DECEMBER 30 -- Big Sale Our ANNUAL INVENTORY SALE is now in progress. Now is the time to save big
on all remaining winter collection merchandise! Our entire collection (Back in Style Argyle, Perfectly Suited, Berry
Brook Cottage, Poochie and Plaid, Jane of the Jungle, Leopard Spots Pretty Polka Dots, and Caramel Mocha Latte) is all
50% off, plus take advantage of our $7.00 limitless shipping within the USA and $25.00 limitless international shipping.
Just enter coupon code BLOWOUT50 at checkout to save. Big sales mean one thing -- it all has to go! :-) ....g DECEMBER 24 -- Christmas Eve I
love Christmas songs of all genres, but one of my favorite of the newer ones is by Joy Williams called "Here
With Us". I found this video on youtube which combines this song with the nativity story and I thought it
was really beautifully done, so wanted to share the link: For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6) May you have a blessed holiday
season. Merry Christmas to you all! ....g
DECEMBER 15 We have undertaken a huge new venture, and I want to tell you a little about how it came about. Besides our clothing line, the thing that always would get a
lot of attention with our brand is our yearly Gooma Girl search, when we would hold open door searches
for mom or dad photographers to email us images of their children for selecting new models for our brand. Since we would
only pick a handful of girls each time, it never failed, that each time the search was over I could count on
the emails to come. Yes, the disappointed moms who would email us to say, "I am sad my child
did not get picked. Could you give me any direction as to how I could get my child involved in the modeling industry?"
I cannot tell you how many of these type emails we receive, but there are many, and all echoing the same thing.
The more and more I would try to point them in the right direction, I started brainstorming ideas with those that
are closest to me about how we could come up with a fun and yet safe way to launch a placement service. After much careful planning, we are happy to tell you about our new Gooma
Girls modeling placement service. You can read more by visiting www.goomagirls.com but the overall premise is to bridge the boutique industry with
parent photographers, to shoot pictures of their kids, in their own setting. Our registered customers will select which
parent/model team they wish to work with by viewing the comp cards on the site but they will need to register their business
in order to work with us. Gooma Girls will act as the filter to keep things professional while at the same time never
disclosing any information about the child other than their measurements as it pertains to the clothing they would be modeling.
No last names are given, no phone numbers, and no contact information. Gooma Girls will receive the clothing
that each parent/model team is to photograph from each registered customer, forward it to the model's post
office box, and once the photos are completed, they are emailed back to us for forwarding onto the customer. The registered
customers specify whether they prefer to compensate each team in the way of free clothing or provide monetary compensation,
whichever they prefer. So, basically, it is a win-win situation. The customers get the shots they need in
a timely fashion and the mom or dad photographers get to spend time with their kids, in a safe and fun environment. The models are organized by size range: Infant Division (12mo,18mo,24mo), Toddler Division (2T,3T,4T), Girls Division (4,5,6,6X,7) and Tween
Division (8,10,12,14,16) There is a registration
fee of $99 per year which includes the design of each model's comp card and any advertising associated with the site.
However, from now thru December 31, we are offering a holiday discount rate of 10% off for those parents
who register their child between now and then. So, between now and December 31, it is $89.10 with the discount, and
at the first of January it will cost $99. The site will
launch on January 15, 2009, so right now we are holding an open call for models of all size ranges as well as open calls for registered
businesses to partner with us, in this fun and creative venture! We
already have many who have registered with us, so we are excited by the response thus far and look forward to the official
launch next month! And, on a sidenote, given the amount of entries we receive, we
simply do not have the time involved to launch future Gooma Girl searches. Therefore, whenever our brand
does need a new model, they will undoubtedly be chosen thru our service. This way, also, we will get to see the professionalism
of each parent's work prior to any future selection, which is also very important to us. ....g HAPPY THANKSGIVING.....just
sharing some holiday funnies 
NOVEMBER 27 -- Thanksgiving I want to wish all of our customers a wonderful holiday with your families. We are
THANKFUL for each and every one of you! You are truly the best! ....g NOVEMBER 1 I was searching online recently, thinking about the precious life
of an unborn child, and I came across this beautiful prayer I wanted to share with you: Prayer for the Unborn Child Almighty
God, our Father,
you who have given us life
and intended us to have it forever,
grant us your blessings.
Enlighten our minds to an awareness
and to a renewed conviction
that all human life is sacred
because
it is created
in your image and likeness.
Help us to teach by word
and the example of our lives
that life occupies the first place,
that human life is precious
because it is the gift of God
whose love
is infinite.
Give us the strength to defend human life
against every influence
or action that threatens
or weakens it,
as well as the strength
to make every life more human
in all its aspects.
Give us the grace...
When the sacredness of life
before birth is attacked,
to stand up and proclaim
that no one ever has the authority
to destroy unborn life.
When a child is described as a burden
or is looked upon only as a means
to satisfy an emotional need,
to stand up
and insist that every child
is a unique
and unrepeatable gift of God,
a gift of God
with a right to a loving
and united family.
When the institution of marriage
is abandoned to human selfishness
or reduced to a temporary conditional
arrangement
that can easily be terminated,
to stand up and affirm
the indissolubility of the marriage bond.
When the value of the family is threatened
because of social and economic pressure,
to stand up and reaffirm
that the family is necessary
not only for the private good of every person,
but also for the common good
of every society,
nation and state.
When freedom is used to dominate the weak,
to squander natural
resources and energy,
to deny basic necessities to people,
to stand up and affirm
the demands of justice
and social love.
Almighty Father,
give us courage to proclaim the supreme dignity
of all human life
and to demand
that society itself give its protection.
We ask this in your name,
through the redemptive
act
of your Son and in the Holy Spirit.
Amen. ....g
OCTOBER 31 It has been awhile since I have posted. I have been really frustrated
with this election. As someone who appreciates journalism in all forms, having originally gone to college to pursue
a career in the field, I have to say that I am really disgusted at the overwhelming bias being shown on all the
major networks and several cable networks towards one particular candidate. I can still remember sitting in class
as we were taught to present questions and follow-ups without any bias shown towards whom we were speaking
with. I do not care for politicians, for the most
part. I think most of them say whatever they need to in order to get elected. This is an election year, however,
that is screaming aloud for some true investigative journalists to do their job. On a sidenote, regarding the economy, our industry is taking a severe hit. I
am hearing of stores left and right who have been in business for 15+ years, some 30, who are going out of business.
Sales are down everywhere. So many mom-and-pop owned boutiques are struggling to keep their businesses afloat, which affects
us all. Please keep this industry in your prayers. ....g "The price of
success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the
best of ourselves to the task at hand" -- Vince Lombardi  AUGUST 31 - Our new Spring 09 collection launched at market earlier this month (August 9) but for those unable
to make our market shows, we have made it easier for you to preorder with us. Simply click on the image of Jasmine,
above, to be led to our preorder area. You may preorder items from our new Spring
2009 collection thru October 31, 2008. The collection will ship in early Spring, 2009. Please enter code BGGPREPAY10
to receive a 10% prepayment discount. Please be sure to click the redeem button after entering the code,
otherwise it will return as invalid.
We are excited and encouraged by the response
we have received to this latest collection and thank you to those who took the time to express your thoughts.
I love hearing from you, not just on the things you like, but in the things you do not like as well, so we better
know how to improve upon things. It is always rewarding to have any collection liked, especially after the
months of preparation that go into it. I think January did a beautiful job with the designing of City Sophistication
and Little Miss Sunshine. Last month, we finished designing our Winter 2009 collection and we are excited for you to
see that as well. We thank you so much for your support and please keep the emails coming. ....g
AUGUST 1
Thank you to everyone who took the time to enter
their daughters into our 2T Model Search. After sorting through so many wonderful pictures, we decided to add (4)
new girls to our modeling team beginning with our new Spring 2009 collection which will be debuted on our site later
this month. Here are our newest and littlest members:
Thank you to everyone who took the time to send in photos. We
had a great turnout and wish we could have selected more. For the past couple of years, we have found this to be a fun way
for our customers to get involved with our business doing something they love -- photographing their children.
We appreciate everyone's participation.
...g
JULY 16
We
have new clothing labels -- we decided to go with our trademarked cherry logo. Our new label will be found inside
the clothing of all future collections.
Also, we have a new hangtag, as shown below:
This new hangtag will be affixed to our Spring/Summer 2009 production
clothing. The sweet image is of our model, Kennedy, wearing our Lake Shore Drive LSD003 inverted pleat dress. ....g
JULY 1
We just returned from a long weekend
in Charleston, SC, so I thought I'd share with you some of the pictures that I took from my trip, which are shown
above. It is one of our favorite vacation spots! It is like stepping back into time whenever we visit.
I fall in love with the rich details of this amazing historical city.
The beautifully manicured
gardens.
The overflowing flowers in the window boxes.
The selected hues of each house.
The weathered cobblestone streets.
The city's historical significance.
The way
the carriage horse's hair is styled.
The bold blooms of the crepe myrtles.
The ivy lined
alleys and scrolled iron fences.
The quaint boutique shopping.
Charleston is the preserved
perfectness of a simpler time gone by. It also served as one of the primary filming locations of my favorite movie,
The Notebook.
It is in one word, magnificently = LOVELY.
I highly recommend a visit, if
you haven't ever been. I can refer you to some great bed and breakfasts, also, if you like. Just email me.
....g
JUNE 26
I receive a lot of email. Besides the
usual daily solicitations (when you own your own business, you receive a lot of this), sometimes up-and-coming designers write
and ask questions about how to grow their business or want me to take a look and give my opinion on their line.
Sometimes I receive just questions, in general, and I wanted to share some of those with you:
What is your favorite design ever? It is hard to pick one from amongst
the several hundred we have done over the course of several years. I would have to first organize it by season.
For our spring/summer collections, I am going to go with our (3) groups named after a relative in our family named "Aunt
Emma". Aunt Emmas Orchard (summer 06), Aunt Emmas Roses (summer 08), Meadows at Emmas Grove (summer 09).
It seems like everytime we use that name, "Emma" the lines do very well for us, but I like all of the prints
in those three particular groups probably the best. Very 1940's with charming, retro prints. I also liked
some separates from Roses and Ribbons and Ooodles of Poodles (summer 07) and I also liked the two nautical groups we
did -- Sweetbriar Bay (summer 06) and this year's Lake Shore Drive (summer 08). For fall/winter groups, I really
liked January's (my design assistant) Wild at Heart group (fall 07) and I do like Jane of the Jungle with its colors
of brown/turquoise (fall 08). I set really high goals, so I always want to 'out-do' the previous
season. I don't compete with anyone other than myself.
Are
there any other designers you like? Yes, I am a fan of others work, just like you. I love
the european styles of Jottum and Mim-Pi. They are very fresh and original. I love the vintage inspirations
of Meli Meli and Eden's Bouquet. My favorite designer, however, is in womenswear -- Nanette Lepore. I think
she is a creative genious. I think it is rare if you like a designer's collection 100% of the time, year
after year, as it is always changing, but those particular designers always intrigue me. I always appreciate seeing
other peoples' creative talent.
I am a designer
and am having a hard time finding a rep to show my line at market. I have received nothing but rejection
so far and am starting to feel discouraged. Any advice? This has happened to me, as well.
I have sent collections to reps and they have said "not for me" or they have said "I don't have an opening
for a new line" so just stay encouraged and please know that it really does happen to everyone. If you
cannot find a rep, I would suggest going to the market shows yourself and showing your line. Meanwhile, keep pursuing
other reps with your collection and asking them to take a look and see if they have an opening. A lot of reps have about
20-30 lines at a time and sometimes they might not have an opening for that particular season. What I do know is that
you do not want to arm wrestle someone into taking your line because it means that they probably are not going to work
very hard for you. Keep moving on until you assemble a team you feel good about. Stay encouraged.
What is your best advice for a designer wanting to take her
line national? More than having a great-looking product, you have to be tough mentally to handle it.
It takes a lot of grit and perseverance besides an obvious passion and love for what you do. There is a lot of rejection
in this business. There is rejection from reps. There is rejection from buyers. Don't let it distract
you or get you down. Stay focused on your goals and commit your business to God daily. When the rejection
comes (and it happens to all of us), trust Him to know that those shut doors are shut for a reason, and be thankful
for them. Problems are going to happen along the way. Always be willing to hear constructive
criticism and make improvements and changes wherever necessary. Be committed at striving for improvement.
It is a hard business and unfortunately, from a buyer's perspective, you are as good as your last season. So,
if you had production problems with your factory, word gets around very quickly. Learn from your mistakes.
Grow in knowledge. Persevere thru all difficulties. Not just in this business, but in life, in general.
Have a question for me? You are welcome to email me at gretchen@babygassygooma.com and please allow some time for me to respond. I am a busy girl.
.....g
JUNE 6
I have been in a reflective melancholy state-of-mind
lately, with the tragedy in the Chapman family and then having to spend 4-1/2 hours in the emergency room on the evening of
June 4th, with my brother's health. It made me think of the value of life --- how it is so fleeting. It is
but a vapor. It brought to mind the lyrics of a song by Casting Crowns, called "Who Am I", which say:
Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel
my hurt
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart
Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because
of who You're
I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've
told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours
Who Am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with
love and watch me rise again
Who Am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And
calm the storm in me
It just makes me think of the gift of life we have all been
given. God has blessed us all with unique abilities and talents. It makes me grateful that I had the courage to
step out in faith and try to do something with the creative dream He birthed inside of me several years ago. I keep
thinking what my life would have been like if I had never tried.
A day that made me wake up to this realization
that I needed to start pursuing a life with passion was on September 11, 2001, with the World Trade Center tragedy.
I was working as a medical transcriptionist full-time and designing on the side. They are two worlds apart. I was
typing all day about ophthalmology related problems and all I kept thinking about were designs. I would pause the
tape to stop and sketch a design. My passion was starting to take over.
That unfortunate tragedy
of September 11 made me wake up to the importance of not letting anymore time go by without spreading my wings and stepping
out into the realm of faith, to see how far this little dream that God had birthed inside me could take me. It was within
two weeks of that tragedy that I quit my job and I haven't looked back with any regrets.
There
have been (and continue to be) plenty of obstacles. A lot of mistakes have been (and will continue to be) made.
It has been (and continues to be) a journey, but there is something so exciting about experiencing life with passion and in
knowing you have a purpose. The purpose I have will continue to be spent invested in the lives of children.
My heart is aimed towards helping the unpriviledged and the ones suffering with low self-esteem. I have walked
in those shoes as a child and have struggled through most of my young adult life with low self-esteem, so the compassion is
real. There are kids, young adults, even grown adults who are are being held back in life by believing they
have no value, no self-worth, no talent, nothing worth pursuing, and that is a real tragedy. If you are limping thru
life, start praying for God to use your life as only He knows how. If God has birthed a dream inside your heart, trust
Him to guide you along your journey. A lot of times fear holds people
back. The fear of the unknown, not knowing what
to expect. The fear of failure, not knowing if you will make it or not. The fear of what people will think,
not knowing if you will be accepted. Passion pushes thru fear. Passion does not die. It is a fire
burning within to do something. Even with the level of success we have already experienced, I still have moments of
insecurity when I feel designs are not good enough, but the confidence I do know comes from these promises in
the Bible:
"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun
a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ (Phil 1:6).
"I can do ALL things through Christ,
who strengthens me." (Phil 4:13)
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you, not to harm you.
Plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)
We have
a God who wants to do exceedingly great things in our lives if we only choose to let Him. This coming from a girl who
has had about 30 documented jobs in her life before she started praying to God to use her with whatever talents or abilities
He had given her, to do whatever with. This coming from a girl who was never schooled in fashion and who does
not even sew. This coming from a girl who was told in her youth that she was a 'loser' and would never amount
to anything. I would encourage anyone to not let another day go by in believing the lies that might be holding
you back.
.....g
"The thief comes only to steal and kill
and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly" (John 10:10)
MAY 30
I was so saddened to
hear about this tragedy. The 5-year-old daughter of Grammy-winning Christian
singer Steven Curtis Chapman was struck and killed Wednesday by a sport utility vehicle driven by her brother.
The girl, Maria Sue, was hit in the driveway of the family's home Wednesday afternoon by a Toyota Land Cruiser driven
by her teenage brother, who did not see her while backing out of their driveway. Several family members witnessed the
accident, which happened just south of Nashville. The girl died later at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.
I cannot imagine witnessing that, as a parent, to see your child struck like that. Wanting to place blame
but knowing you cannot, and having to accept the loss for what it is, just a terrible and awful tragedy. What I
keep thinking most about though, is the teenage son. I cannot imagine what he must be feeling. I
pray his name is never released, so he is not labeled as the 'one' who did this, as I'm sure his private
grief is enough. You gotta know how much he loved his little sister. Only God's grace can
carry them thru this difficult season of their lives. Please keep them in your prayers.
....g
MAY 28
I hope all of you had
a relaxing Memorial Day weekend. We were traveling, in Atlanta, for several days. It was so nice just
to relax, unwind, clear our heads. I could get used to that full-time. :-) We went to the zoo and saw
panda bears (awwwwwwww, so cute), went to an Atlanta Braves game (wearing my Chicago Cubs shirt), and went to the most
amazing restaurant, the Sundial, which is a rotating restaurant at the top of the downtown's highest building, at
the Westin. Talk about ambiance! If you ever visit Atlanta, I highly recommend it (www.sundialrestaurant.com). We went around 9:00pm, when it was dark and all you see is the city lit up. Amazing stuff!
....g
MAY 16
I hope all of you had a lovely Mother's
Day last weekend. Thank you to those of you who took the time to email me about your kind words concerning the
tribute to my mother. She thanks you, as well.
We are thankfully starting to sell out in many sizes
of our spring/summer 08 collection but we do still have a lot of merchandise left. So see what is available, simply
click on the image above to be taken to our online store.
In July, we will start discounting and
liquidating the collection, when it becomes end-of-season merchandise. If you would like to be placed on our
mailing list for resale opportunities at the end of each season, just contact us, and we'll be happy to answer any
questions you might have.
Have a fabulous weekend!
....g
MAY 8
My husband and I are involved in the
work of Compassion International and I wanted to take a moment to tell you about this ministry.
I remember going on missions trips in my teens to the Bahamas and Jamaica
and witnessing poverty firsthand. I knew I would be involved somehow, someway, in helping make a difference.
Being a natural skeptic, I have always been leary of organizations
that claim to be helping children in poverty but we have found this one to be genuine to the core. Not only
do you get to personally select the children you wish to help but you are able to communicate directly with them thru their
tutors and mail them letters, gifts, notes of encouragement and can arrange to visit them as well. It is an amazing
blessing to be able to help these beautiful children and I would love to introduce you to them by taking a moment
to visit their website at www.compassion.com
We are currently sponsoring girls in Colombia, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Phillipines,
Tanzania, Honduras and the Dominican Republic.
It warms our hearts
to be able to be a part of something that is changing kids lives for the better. It is a blessing to be able
to help and I personally want to encourage anyone interested in doing the same to check out Compassion.
....g
MAY 5
We were honored to
be chosen for the debut cover of Southern Child magazine. A six-page editoral along with our
story is featured inside as well.
Hilary of Evy & Grace Photography (www.evyandgrace.com) captured the beautiful shot of her daughter, Evy, wearing our Aunt Emmas Roses outfit on the cover.
Hilary and Evy were part of our modeling team for four seasons and she is highly recommended by us if you need portraits taken
of your children. They are based in Florida.
Amy and Melise, I wish you wonderful success with your
new magazine. May God bless you as you continue to honor Him with your talents. Thanks so much for letting us
be a part of your exciting debut!
.....g
APRIL 28
The beauty of
spring --- dogwoods, cherry blossoms, lilacs, peonies. Lovely! I love the fresh aroma of colorful blooms mixed
with the bright blue sky and the sound of small birds sweetly chirping. Just makes you smile.
It
has been busy back-to-back with our spring/summer 08 distribution which began in late February thru mid March, designing
the spring/summer 2009 collection (we design a year ahead), and wrapping up our fall/winter 2008 selling season at market.
Now comes relaxation, enjoyment of spring, traveling, and time to refresh.
I need to start thinking of ideas
for fall/winter 2009 which will be designed in the next couple months. After that, comes our fall distribution.
The cyclical life of designing. Fabric selection. Ideas. Sketches. Samples. Photos. Selling.
Production. Distribution. Relaxation. Repeat.
We are already starting to sell out in several
sizes of our spring/summer 2008 collection. We still have a lot of clothing available but sizing is becoming limited.
To see what is available, click on the "shop online" tab, to your left.
And, a big "thank you"
to everyone who ordered from our fall/winter 2008 collection. We appreciate your wonderful support. You are the
best!
.....g
JANUARY 30
Well, our fall/winter
2008 collection has officially launched and it is being sold at market shows across the country now thru April 15, 2008.
If you are a store owner interested in seeing the collection in person, please refer to our Upcoming Shows tab, to catch a
market show near you.
I am usually my own worst critic, as I tend to scrutinize things and see where the designs
could have been improved in various ways so you will never hear me say that I 100% assuredly love any collection, ever, but
I do think I like this collection a bit better than fall/winter 2007.
Now, we are switching
gears and will be designing the spring/summer 2009 collection throughout the month of February. Our timeframe window
for the spring/summer 2008 distribution should begin in late February, as well.
Creatively speaking
-- when designing a spring/summer collection, I tend to draw with a softer, more charming/feminine/sweet design
hand and the fall/winter collections are usually on the more funky side, where my love for animal prints and faux
fur is usually evident.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy the new collection!
Stay happy and blessed.
.....g
JANUARY 17Welcome to our new website! We hope you find it organized and easy
to use. We are still learning how to construct things. :-) We have added a lot of new features and have tried to make this site
more informative for our customers. We are currently updating our testimonial page, as well, so if you would
like to email us your child's photograph along with a brief testimonial, we will be happy to feature them on that page.
As a creature of habit and someone who does not like change, I was not really thrilled when we received
an email from safeshopper (our old website host) saying that they were going out of business because we had a short
amount of time to figure out what we wanted to do for a new site and learn the task of building it ourselves. Add
that on top of a busy work load. :-)
Speaking of work load -- we have been busy getting our fall/winter
2008 collection launched at market. I hope you like the collection! January designed 2 groups (Perfectly Suited
and Leopard Spots Pretty Polka Dots) and I designed the others. I think she did a fabulous job, as always.
The group names are:
Poochie and Plaid
Jane of the Jungle
Caramel Mocha Latte
Back in Style
Argyle
Berry Brook Cottage
Perfectly Suited
Leopard Spots, Pretty Polka Dots
How fun it is to see
all of our new models wearing the new collection on our new website!
I guess 2008 is ushering in a new beginning for us, in many exciting different ways.
Anyway, take time to
look around. I hope you enjoy the new website and the new collection. If you have a moment and think of it,
drop us a line and let us know what you think.
We love to hear from our customers!
.....g
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2008.01.01
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NOVEMBER 10
Our beautiful fall color is starting
to come to an end here in Asheville, NC. These are some of the images I was able to capture when we were at peak
a couple weeks ago. Not the most vibrant fall we have ever had but still magnificent! Our Gooma Girl 2007 Search has ended and we were happy to find several new girls
to represent our brand. We always have some disappointed moms afterwards and I try to let them know that I am just one of
so many brands. I encourage them to go to the James Girone website and browse the many different brands websites to possibly contact them
and see if they are in search of a new model for their brand. I would also say, please make sure that this is something
your child enjoys and has fun doing and not just something you want your child to do. There is a big difference. Thank you to everyone who participated!
....g "An opinion is just that -- an
opinion -- and if I would have taken to heart every single one I ever received, I would not be in business today"
OCTOBER 23 Peak season has finally
arrived. My favorite time of year! The cool nights, the crisp air, the vibrant colors, and the smell
of wet leaves and wood burning fireplaces. Time to just breathe, relax, and savor the beauty.
Love
it all!
....g
OCTOBER 21 We recently had the
fun honor to be chosen as the #1 boutique brand for Fall by E-Boutique Magazine Online.
My interview with
them appeared in their latest issue, which is copied and pasted here:
E-Boutique Online Readers' Choice - Fall
Favorite Announcement
Interview: Gretchen from Baby Gassy Gooma
-------------------------------------------------
E-Boutique Online Readers Have Chosen Baby Gassy Gooma to receive The Award of EBO's Fall Pick
There are many companies with exciting lines and fabulous colors and fabrics it gets difficult to choose just one
for our semi-annual pick so I thought I would let our readers have the opportunity to express their opinions. We received
nominations for several manufacturers and from there narrowed it down to Baby Gassy Gooma.
Some of the comments
given about Baby Gassy Gooma were, "I love how every season Gretchen, the designer, comes up with new looks that are
fresh! She also keeps little girl's looking like little girls." "Gorgeous!" "The
most adorable outfits and very unique style I have found." "Love the romantic colors and feel of the
clothing....gives a real girlie-girl look!"
By the way, be sure to visit Gooma Girl Search 2007 to see the
details of Baby Gassy Gooma's Model search. They are looking for a few new faces to show off their incredible clothing.
If you have a daughter in sizes 12 months to 7 and are really good with those special photo shots, be sure to
check out the search details. Good luck to all who enter.
I am honored that Gretchen took the time out of her busy
schedule to answer some questions for me. Thank you, Gretchen, for giving such detail in your answers. We look forward to
seeing more of the great designs you are known for having.
How long have you been in business? Baby Gassy Gooma
became a wholesaler in 2005, which is when we started displaying our product nationally at market and started using reps to
market our brand around the country. In 2007, we hired international reps to start marketing our brand around the world. Prior
to 2005, we were a custom made-for-you clothing business and had individual customers who ordered from us.
What
influenced you to design your own children's apparel and start a business? It started with a simple prayer of wanting
to make myself useful to God. I was stuck at a dead-end-job where my salary was maxed out and I knew there had to be something
more fulfilling in life. Not knowing what that would be, I started asking Him to give me purpose and to use my life to do
whatever He would with it. I simply desired one thing -- a life to be used for His glory, with whatever talent He had given
me. A few years later, He birthed this creative dream inside of me to start designing clothing. Odd idea, since I was never
formally trained in fashion. I am someone who used to go to a fabric store and upon seeing a fabric that would catch my eye,
would start envisioning finished styles before I even left the store. It just came naturally to me. I was always the artsy
girl with a sense of style, who worked as a makeup artist and as a retail manager in the clothing business, but that's
about it. I was never formally trained in fashion. I am a quick learner and had to be when I stepped inside an industry which
I knew nothing about. I had a lot of passion to get my dreams off the ground but that's about it. I had to reach out and
ask a lot of people for help including our Chamber of Commerce and Small Business Technology Development Center. I wasn't
afraid if I ever came across something I didn't know how to do. I was always calling people and asking them for help or
researching on the Internet for sourcing information.
Did you encounter any stumbling blocks as you got started
or even today? Absolutely! We had problems finding a good factory who could produce our detail-oriented kind
of clothing. Many local factories were experienced at t-shirts and jogging pants and when they took a look at our clothing
with all the ruffles and detailing, they would tell me "we don't have the equipment necessary to do this kind of
work." That was one of the first major hurdles we had to overcome. We are now using our fourth factory and it is overseas.
They are prepared to handle our growth for many years to come. In this business, there are a lot of things that happen beyond
your control as well and that is hard for a self-admitted control freak to experience. Like, when your factory tells you they
have to re-print a fabric resulting in a 30-day delay or when they are running behind on production so much so that it might
extend beyond your customers order cancellation date (the date by which they are to receive the goods in their store or else
they have the right to refuse their order).
How have you handled those stumbling blocks? With any production setbacks
we have experienced, we found the easiest way to combat that was to get on an earlier design schedule. Instead of submitting
our sample sketches and specs to our factory 90 days before market, we now submit them 180 days before market. Whereas, if
a problem does come up, we have a timeline cushion built in place with more time to work with so that our season isn't
really affected anymore. That is one of the biggest changes we made and things are now going well. Our most relied upon method
of getting thru stumbling blocks has been prayer, however. Our constant prayer for our business is for God to guide us and
open doors for us, to give us wisdom where we are lacking, and to guide us thru this industry where we have no experience.
He gets all the credit.
What kinds of mistakes have you made and how have you overcome them? Some of the biggest
mistakes we have made are ones that have cost us financially. With one of our first collections that we ever launched at market,
our New York rep received a $42,000 order from one store and she called to cancel the entire order two days before we were
ready to ship because she said her business did not take off as she anticipated it would. Here our factor had approved this
store as having good credit, however, we never thought to collect a deposit on the order. Due to that situation, we now have
a policy in place for any order over $5,000 where we now require a 50% deposit.
Another mistake we have made is
being far too trusting with stores who had asked us to ship merchandise to them COD. Last season, alone, resulted in $18,000
worth of COD checks with insufficient funds. As a result, we will no longer ship any merchandise via COD. One of the stores
even filed bankruptcy recently to get out of paying us on their $6,000 order. If there is one thing that takes away from my
enjoyment in this business, it is when calculating people set out to steal from you. You find yourself having to spend the
time to create new policies just to safeguard your business from them! And, believe me, it makes you really value and appreciate
all the honest and ethical business owners who do pay on time all the more after having experienced a few bad apples. :-)
We want to be able to design a beautiful product, ship it on time, have customers enjoy it, and hope they pay their bills
on time. It's a really simple goal.
Of your outfits so far, which is your most favorite and why? It would be
impossible to pick one favorite outfit of all-time because there have been so many different styles, I wouldn't know how
to begin. I do have favorite groups per season, for instance:
Spring/Summer 06 -- my favorite groups were Aunt
Emmas Orchard in the blue colorway and Springtime in Savannah.
Fall/Winter 06 -- it was Paris in Winter and Boho in the
Snow.
Spring/Summer 07 -- Ooodles of Poodles and Roses and Ribbons.
Fall/Winter 07 -- Check Mate and Wild At Heart.
Spring/Summer 08 -- A three-way tie between Lake Shore Drive, Aunt Emmas Roses and Roses of Nantucket.
Fall/Winter
08 -- (our new collection that will launch in the next couple months), all I can say is "Jane Of The Jungle." :-)
For me, it is usually the fabric I fall in love with and also how close the physical samples turn out compared to
how I originally envisioned them via sketch.
(p.s.....thank you, Debbie, we appreciate the award!)
....g
SEPTEMBER 29 Our 2007 Gooma Girl
Search has officially begun. We launched it last night. We are looking for several new models for
our line. The search will run from September 28 thru October 30. It feels like one of those "build it and they will come" moments from "Field of Dreams."
I don't know where they come from or how they find out about us, but they always come in droves. Lots and
lots of entrants. The search has grown so big in just a couple of short years, it always amazes me. Just mom and dad photographers
emailing us pictures of their children. However, now, we are starting to see professional photographers enter
some pictures of their customers kids, which is fine too. We never require the photographers to be professionally
licensed (only that they be able to take a great quality shot) but that is the trend I am starting to see with the search.
It is always fun to try to assemble the team of models for the next season's collection. I love a
collaborative look, with all different ethnicities represented. It looks more normal to me, especially having
grown up in Chicago, where I grew up seeing beauty in every race.
Hard to pinpoint why I am drawn to certain winners
but it is usually a happiness in the eyes and if their personality is conveyed. Gotta have personality!
I appreciate the photographic talent of so many. Some of those who enter have their own photography websites
and I am just amazed at their beautiful talent that they share with us.
I am honored that so many enter and I'm
looking forward to seeing how it all turns out.
.....g
SEPTEMBER 18 Whew ----- finally
thru with our fall/winter distribution! All orders have shipped, so, if for some reason you have not received
your order please check with us to make sure it is not on hold awaiting payment info. It is shipping a little later
than planned which, sometimes these things happen, but we were happy to ship complete to everyone and to ship our first fall/winter
collection. ....g
JULY 16 Here
is a picture of our new skinny capri, cut smaller thru the waist and hips, and is fashioned after a 1950's bicycle pant.
The fit is nice, I think you will be pleased. Available in 2 basic wear-with-all colors: black
and white
Our model, Peyton, is seen wearing it here with one of the tops from our new "Yellow Rose of Texas"
group.
....g
JULY 10 What have we been
up to? Well, we are getting the spring/summer 2008 collection ready to show at market which means getting the
collection modeled, ads made, catalogs prepared, shipping the line to our reps. This is the fun side of the business,
which I love. Seeing the designs that were originally in my head, now in physical form and on the models.
The image shown above, of Kennedy, is from our new nautical group, "Lake Shore Drive." The collection
will be debuting on our site next month.
From a creative standpoint, when I designed it, I was kind
of running on fumes. We had been designing back to back seasons to get ahead of schedule and the whole collection
was designed in just a month. I hope you like it!
Speaking of designs, we are also wrapping
up our fall/winter 2008 collection (yes, we plan a good year ahead!) and I was happy to have January back helping me with
this season, after sitting out last season with her new baby. We hope you like it! ....g
JUNE 16 This
afternoon, my husband and I attended the public funeral today for Ruth Bell Graham -- wife of Reverend Billy Graham.
The 2,000-seat Anderson Auditorium in Montreat, NC was filled to capacity. A reporter happened to interview both my husband
and I and we were surprised to see our comments posted on the newspaper's website tonight. Billy Graham's
ministry has had a profound impact on my life, beginning with my mother learning of her hope in Christ at one of Billy's
crusades, in 1974. Without my mother's influence and absolute reliance on her faith, I don't know where
I would be today.
In later years, Ruth Graham was also a patient at a doctor's office I used to work at and
she was one of the kindest women who radiated God's love to all of those around her. Additionally, my husband's
mother worked as a hairstylist and styled Ruth's hair on a couple of occasions. Ruth would comment "he
liked it" when she returned to the salon, expressing Billy's sentiments.
Her funeral was simple elegance.
There were no frills -- a simple casket handcrafted of plywood by prison inmates -- covered in white lillies.
The beautiful sound of a bagpipe playing Amazing Grace filled the air. Story after story of this beautiful woman
centered on one thing -- her faithfulness to serving Christ. She wanted Him to have the center of attention in
her life in whatever she did.
What was especially touching was that Billy and Ruth Graham had an amazing love story
-- married 64 years. As Billy entered the auditorium, he did so with the aid of a walker. He looked
frail and his health quickly came to ones mind. Though he was not expected to speak, it was to the crowd's
surprise when he asked if he could say a few words. "As you have already heard she was an incredible woman,"
said Billy Graham. "I wish you could look in that casket because she's so beautiful. I sat there a long time last
night just looking at her and praying because I know that she'll have a great reception in heaven."
He cherished her just as much as she adored him. He has a loving tribute to her posted online at http://www.billygraham.org/
It was a day we will never forget.
.....g
MOTHERS DAY -- MAY 13 In
My Daughter's Eyes
In my daughter's eyes I am a hero
I am strong and wise and I know no fear
But
the truth is plain to see
She was sent to rescue me
I see who I wanna be
In my daughter's eyes
In my daughter's eyes everyone is equal
Darkness turns to light and the
world is at peace
This miracle
God gave to me gives me
strength when I am weak
I find reason to believe
In my daughter's eyes
And when she wraps her hand
around my finger
Oh it puts a smile in my heart
Everything becomes a little clearer
I realize what life is all about
It's hangin' on when your heart
has had enough
It's giving
more when you feel like giving up
I've seen the light
It's in my daugter's eyes
In my daughter's
eyes I can see the future
A reflection of who I am and what will be
Though she'll grow and someday leave
Maybe raise a family
When I'm gone I hope you see how happy
she made me
For I'll be there
In
my daughter's eyes
--Martina McBride
Happy Mother's Day!
....g
APRIL 11 I have been contacted
by a few up-and-coming designers in the past several months saying they have been inspired by us somehow, someway, and
wanted to see if I could offer them some advice. When time permits, I am happy to help people and will take their
calls or answer their emails. It gives me time to reflect on where we have come from and provide other designers
some sound advice based on experience. When we started out, this was all unchartered territory, and we had to
learn everything hands-on and rather quickly, as this is a very fast-paced business. Having never been schooled
in fashion nor having had industry experience, we did make a lot of mistakes but thankfully we made more good choices than
bad. More than having an attractive product, I say you have to
really love what you do and be passionate about pursuing your goals. Don't compare your success with anyone
elses -- your dreams are yours and theirs are theirs. God has given you a unique set of talents and abilities
that no one else has, so your goals and business model will probably be different than theirs, so don't compare,
and really know who you are and set your mind on where you are headed. There are going to be lots of challenges
and obstacles you will have to overcome. Don't beat yourself up about it and know that it is not the end
of the world when things go wrong. Just learn from them and make the necessary changes. Perseverance
is really crucial. With every inch of success, keep improving and fine tuning those areas that need improvement.
After two years of national selling, we are still trying to tweak our sizing and provide faster ship times.
I am a constant perfectionist, so it will be done. Commit your business to God, pray over it daily, and ask Him for
guidance constantly. My husband and I have learned to be more and more dependent on God thru this business, so it has
been a blessing in building our faith. I would sum it up
with the three P words: passion, perseverance, prayer ...g
EASTER -- APRIL 8 How can
one find words to describe the most beautiful love story ever told or express enough gratitude for the single moment our hope
was born?
John 3:16-17 "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes
in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save
the world through Him."
I will never comprehend this kind of love. A love so pure, it
rocked the world.
He is due all worship and praise and adoration that He so richly deserves.
Have a blessed Easter.
....g
MAY 24 Our Jade Dynasty kimono
dress and tights are featured on the cover of It's A Kidsworld magazine this month. Our model, Rachel, is
wearing it and her older sister, Ellen, was the photographer who captured the beautiful shot. Exciting moment
for all!
A huge "thank you" to Caryn at It's A Kidsworld for letting us grace your cover.
We appreciate your support!
....g
MARCH 23 It's been a little
while since I have posted. Things have been busy -- distribution of the spring/summer collection should be finished
within the next few days. It was sent to us later than anticipated but I am learning to be thankful even when
things do not go perfectly and according to how I think they should.
I took some time to reflect this week of where
we were two years ago so I pulled up our spring 2005 modeling shots. We had one model then, Chaislyn, who is
pictured on our hangtags. I was thrilled to find this beautiful child to model for us, with a sweet and charming
personality that came thru in her shots -- a great match for our line.
But I was thinking of where we were two
years ago. We had just begun using our first factory. We started to advertise. We started
using our first rep to market our brand around the country. A lot of mistakes and mis-steps were to come,
but I am learning to be thankful for every single one of them. If we never had any difficulty, we would not learn
how to grow or persevere. So, I am thankful for all the bad moments and the seemingly endless valleys, when I
was within days of giving up my dream.
It was during one of the loneliest times, 3-1/2 years ago, that I prayed
the Bible verse that is posted at the very top of this page, Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you,"
declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" over my life
and over the business. It is a day I will always remember. I was standing 6,684 feet above sea level,
at Mt. Mitchell, the highest point East of the Mississippi River. All I saw were broken dreams in the midst of a very dark
valley but I began to trust God for my future with what that verse said, believing that He knew what was ahead.
Let
me say firsthand, assuredly, and wholeheartedly, that He is a restorer and uses ALL things (the bad as well as the good) to
work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. He meets us where we are
and restores what is seemingly lost, so for that -- I am thankful.
....g
JANUARY 4 When we mailed out our
questionnaires to our customer base a month ago, a common question that a lot of customers had for me was "what inspires
you?"
That is hard to pinpoint. I am a soulful dreamer, drawn to many beautiful things.
Colorful fields of wildflowers in bloom, the delicateness of fresh-fallen snow, the rich hues of a beautiful sunset.
I am inspired by sentimental things when I look thru my mother's photo album, seeing how my grandmother and aunts dressed
in the 1940s/1950s/1960s. I am drawn towards vintage prints but I like putting a modern spin on things.
Growing up, I was inspired from the era of the "supermodel" with glamorous images of the fab four -- Naomi/Cindy/Christy/Linda.
I enjoy watching the Oscar pre-show just for the gowns and seeing all the movie stars dressed up.
Usually, I have not seen 1/2 the movies up for awards, but I tune in just for the clothes. I have walked thru the
linens section of a department store and upon seeing an interesting comforter detail, would think "now
that would be cute to see at the bottom of a skirt". I have one of these minds that is always set to go and
always thinking of new ideas. I have never been afraid to experiment, ever. I like it when women and girls look feminine and it is important to me that all of our clothing reflects that.
I know January feels the same way in her designs. You will never see us using skulls or crossbones, it's
just not our thing. Whether we do a vintage-inspired or modern silouette, it will always be feminine. Most importantly,
I do pray before each collection's designs, for creative vision. I have to say my favorite thing to do in the designing
process is fabric hunt and I could spend all day doing it. I have learned to now stick with my gut and only
go with the fabrics that jump out at me. If I have to think too long about whether or not to use one, I discard
it. I don't really think our clothes fit into any one specific mold. Our clothes are usually sophisticated
with charming prints, sometimes a bit whimsical, sometimes a bit funky, but always feminine. I try
to stay true to what I love because my name is on it.
...g
"Don't compare your success with
anyone else's success. Your dreams are yours and theirs are theirs."
JANUARY 1, 2007 Happy New Year, everyone! I find myself always writing the wrong date on checks for the first week into
any new year. With designing, we are always thinking a year ahead (right now, we are working on Spring 2008)
so my mind is thinking "2008" so with the turn of 2007, I will probably catch myself writing 2008 on a few. :-)
Pursuit of Happyness -- great movie. And, a great quote from it that I will share: "Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do anything.
If you have a dream, you need to guard it with all your heart. People will tell you that you can't do something
because they can't do it themselves."
"The Dream Giver" by Bruce Wilkinson is
a book I just started reading. I am just into it but can tell it is pretty powerful stuff! It's
about how to identify and overcome obstacles that keep you from reaching your full potential. Another great book is
"The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren, which is life-changing.
I look forward to a great 2007!
To all our customers who have offered such great support this past year, thank you, and please know we appreciate
you. You are the best!
....g
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