Everything on the internet is s-l-o-w right now.  Not sure what that is about - but I feel like I'm on dial up- no kidding. (bad flashbacks to 1999 in the freezing cold shop)  OK- that was fun ... but you do remember what that was like?

I have been on here less and less lately as we have been busy developing the new line for Fall 2012.  I have been sourcing some incredibly (insanely) beautiful leathers and the whole aesthetic of the line is being bumped up tremendously,  it's very exciting.

Pattern making is a long and strenuous process here, it starts out like molasses- slow and sticky.  The process of developing all new fit slopers is always somehow traumatic for me, even when the changes could be considered fairly subtle.  What I do know is that they will step up the fit and final product yet another notch. 

 We are all such creatures of habit in our own ways,  I stick to the familiar for as long as I feel comfortable and then - well- it's all gotta move - I tend to shift before I'm really consciously aware of "discomfort".  It's an undeniable pull, and I often fight it.  In the case of redeveloping fit - I am so picky and it does take me a bit to get into it- I create many, many multiples of variations before I am finally happy with the fit.

After that- comes the styles.  I was organizing the studio Friday and realized I had at least 5 muslin phases for one (very deceptively) simple dress.  I did not want to count further.  It may be a minor William Ware Theiss moment- but for production- big difference.  Check out the "Theiss Titillation Theory".

He was my design hero when I was a kid....really got me into it.  I am forever indebted.

This is example of a muslin, not one from this line, but from a very special custom made project I did about 2 years ago. 

fitting muslin for a custom made leather jumpsuit

Anyhow- now we are in the groove...new patterns are lining up daily on the rack  -very soon to be luscious leather samples!

Dreaming

I saw Blondie the other nite- and I'm thinking about that song... and here I want to...I am dreaming of  creating  a couple jobs - no, scratch that- more than a couple.  I want to build a high end manufacturing company,  here- in the USA- in NYC to be specific.  I want to employ skilled labor, and even more importantly TRAIN skilled labor.  That is my dream.  I am not interested in competing with China - why even go there? There are much, much better places to go.

Having (mis)placed our hopes (and too many eggs) into the Financial industries, what has come of it?  What has been produced?  What goods? What Productive jobs?  Practical services? Any actual ability?  (Besides pushing numbers around?)  Can they build this?  Or anyhing?

 So, while dreaming is free - giving up the dream is not...

Dreaming

Garden Life, or a little a walk on the wild side

(...here's XXing fingers blogger is back on form and I can get back up to speed again.)
 Over the Memorial Day Holiday we went to Niagara Falls. (We had a great time and I will post pix soon)

When we left it was kinda chilly & wet here in NYC and summer was looking real far off.  Needless to say, when we got back it was 84° and super humid.  The garden on my weekend terrace had really taken off, the roses were full blown, the tomatoes blooming,  & the pumpkin (aka Audrey II) was threatening to strangle a cat or two...

And now, things are getting interesting.  2 new crops appeared. (Yay! pictures work again!!!)

 

 I've counted 4 teeny tiny little grasshoppers- who I can only assume are the progeny of these guys:

from last year- (at 2 different stages):

Monster Grasshopper!  Or maybe, the grasshopper that ate Manhattan...unfortunately shortly after this photo was taken,  the cat won...it was very upsetting.  I missed them and I am so glad the cycle wasn't cut short.

Then 2 or three days ago I say some scary looking black blotches on my big (& not so happy) dill plant, I did not get too close.  Now this is what we have:

 Swallowtail?  Maybe Monarch? The dill is about gone now (Overnight!) so guess who will be feeding them with store bought... thank god for Google,  otherwise I probably would have tossed the plant - and the caterpillars- now it's - move it away from the parsley and buy them carrot tops - (If I am wrong,   I hope somebody will please inform me here, now, & soon)

 (these caterpillars show little horns (lowest caterpillar) when they are aggravated!)

I really do hope to be nurturing these to be butterflies soon!  The dill sure worked a lot better than the so called "Butterfly Bush"

I don't think I'd ever be able to observe this closely in the real wild and I am so thrilled to be able to see it now.  I was a kid who grew up in suburbia  & considered "home" the Winnebago we traveled in  4 months a year.  We never got to stop to just watch things, since Dad had the "driving" gene (still does) so we just went.  I love having a garden!  Unbelievably, I am actually getting into bugs!

Wonderful....

Garden Life, or a little a walk on the wild side

When Dreaming makes it So

This is the point where I click my heels three times and say "I want to go warm…"

I dream of these ramparts

I want to be a roman cat chasing the sun

I want more places to look like this

and this...

I want to wander these halls

...and  play here

I want to lose myself here

...and here

 I will easily cast spells...

and always have fun with my food!

When Dreaming makes it So

Speak of the Devil-Car Design

Its funny how things come up in conversation and then the exact subject / sentiment appears in your in-box.  Walking down the street today we were talking about tiny cars.  From comparing the footprint of a smart car to another (bigger) tiny car the subject moved to what we've seen of the new Fiat 500 and our inevitable grip about...

What the heck is up with car design today???  Why does everything have to look the same?  The smart car is hardly pretty,  but it's eye catching and fun. (I want my smart car shrink-wrapped to look like a roller skate!...MINE!)  The PT cruiser's appeal also had to have something to do with the vaguely retro (still not pretty) styling.  It looks like the new 500 will be following the herd as far as same old, same old,  (yawn) styling.

Why can't a car company do something with a little style & snap?  Like this:

 
  It's the same size as  the hot dog cart! 

 & I think it would fit lengthwise inside the crosswalk!  I love this car!

Even better,  I LOVE these CARS.

Why is it not possible to have cool cars today?

 
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Speak of the Devil-Car Design