... to the NYS Senate, Thank You! It is thrilling that NY politicians worked together and passed this very important bill. We are now part of the vanguard!
♥♥♥
Friday, June 24, 2011
Hearing the Cheering
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Yes, it is Leather
This just in - a drop dead gorgeous client in her custom-made leather dress!
(I love this photo! Thank you B. for sending it to me.)
Here is some detail:
My very own Scarlett O'Hara, GWTW Moment
Been busy and way backed up with posting here, even without the glitches- I am once and for all going to finish my custom made wedding dress series, right here and right now - before I get back to leather & before my first anniversary!!!!
(…and yes to all my :) customers….before you ask…I am still married!!! & I do love you guys…)
For those of you who've not been here before and are not interested in looking back, in a nutshell, this dress is my very own Scarlett O'Hara moment.
It's made from my husband's Mother's (& we think, her mother's) antique hand-embroidered, cut-work linen tablecloth.
I will leave my former fiance's initial reaction - when I announced what I was going to do with this very old, very well loved and very, very stained tablecloth - to your imagination...
Ta Da!
...and this was our "First Dance" Music!
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):
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 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....
Saturday, June 4, 2011
I may never blogger again
OK, here I am after- YES, a pretty long pause.
I have been busy, a that's good thing for sure. But here I am and I find I am suddenly...
1) unable to upload photos to blogger. (server rejected) many many tries.
2) what odd photos do manage to upload take forever. (oddly some go thru- from EXACT same source)
3) it seems I can no longer write posts and set them to publish at a particular time.
which was a VERY long time coming to blogger in the first place...
I barely have the time to get on here to post and when I do I expect to have it working
simply and easily- at the very least updates should be smooth and straightforward to troubleshoot.
I have been on a bunch of forums and a lot of people are having this problem, and seem to have been for some time. In my case, I am nowhere near my picture limit for picassa, I have tried the old uploader and still no go. I have done everything I can find as far as troubleshooting on the web.
And as to the google/ blogger forums that DO attempt to address this issue several of them have been recently shut down for any posts or replies by blogger/google.
SHAME ON YOU BLOGGER/GOOGLE. Incredibly lax and unprofessional of Google and if they can't do an update that works on something like this they should get out of the business. I hate to gripe but it is seriously ridiculous. They have had years to get blogger right and absolutely the best position to do it from.
(You may not see the finish of the wedding dress series till way after my 1st anniversary at this point! I did try...)
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Fashion Marketing 101- for me at least...
Yesterday I spent most of the day at the Fashion140 conference, which is one of a series of conferences spearheaded by Jeff Pulver (look him up) and Lilly Berelovitch of Fashion Snoops.
It is a conference about using social media in marketing fashion- and the ways social media has changed the whole ballgame.
I missed a few of the earlier panels, but was there for most of the day and found most of it to be very interesting. Myself, I am a very inconsistent, low level user of SM to get my work out there. And like a lot of people; I am not sure my clientele uses Twitter, Facebook and the like to make their choices about purchasing. I don’t know what I could possibly talk about and I don’t believe that many people would be that interested in what I have to say. I am hardly a great writer and I am a very private person so all the “sharing” does not come naturally to me. Not by a long shot.
I am uncomfortable on twitter, though yesterday I learned the app I use maybe making things much harder and much more confusing. (Can anybody tell me who actually can sit at their computer and get anything done with the constantly beeping updates in the corner that Tweetdeck overrides your screen with? It’s insanely crazy making and took me forever to figure out how to shut it up!)
Anyhow the conference was over all very good for me, if in places lacking focus; Robert Verdi rambled - is that the way he is? Amanda Greene, who I expect was very, very nervous, got way too caught up in all the swag she’s scored as a result of her “Brand Ambassadorship” when her ultimate message was so much more important; How she has successfully used that platform to promote awareness of Lupus, which she is very, very passionate about, having lived with it for 28 years. She brought a tear to many eyes once she got to the point.
The Miss USA Panel I think was an excuse for an early lunch break. Kudos to the moderator on this panel- it was a tricky one.
Much more on point were Joe Zee, excellent! The Beekman Boys, who I was pretty much unaware of before this. Carol Brodie was amazing as was Yuli Ziv (again- no awareness of her before this) Andy Dunn- co founder of Bonobos. Seeing Marc Ecko’s master showmanship. The menswear Investment and Luxury Panels were all very good.
Especially eye opening- (or eye-popping) was the gaming and tweens panels! There was an audible gasp from the when the two 14 year olds said they had their own credit cards! (When I was 14, I had a $10.00 a week “clothing” allowance & a close to full-time after school/weekend job at a local fabric store! )
There were tons of other great speakers - the dial was set to 11 for speed. I do hope the next Fashion140 will allow a little more time for the panels & it got rushed especially towards the end.
It was a lot - I had nightmares last night about maxing out credit-cards I do not own!
The woman sitting next to me was very encouraging about getting into the whole social network thing but said did not feel she learned much new from the panels. When I got home and looked at her website - it was Gorgeous!! Obviously she has a real flair for marketing- social and otherwise. She is promoting herself as a complete personality, styling, selling closet makeovers and a small assortment of vintage on Esty.
I really admire this ability to market & I am completely in awe of it. There is a real brilliance in it. I really wish I had that talent, but my talent lies in another direction completely. And I hope that my body-of-work speaks for itself until such time comes…
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Early Behrle Leather on Conan O'Brien
I periodically dig through and attempt to organize the archives. It's always an entertaining (if sisyphean) task. Just found several old buried treasures in my undecipherable pile of discs.
Here's one with Supermodel Roshumba, with Norm MacDonald on Conan O'Brien. She's decked out head to toe in my leather. Including a push-up snakeskin bustier bra top that puts her not inconsiderable assets very much first and foremost. Conan gets some pretty good moments with it...:)
I don't think I ever saw this when it came out, it's pretty funny. Checked out YouTube, and there it was!
Friday, April 15, 2011
And the Winner is...
I want to thank everybody who posted here the last couple of weeks and who also kept me abreast of a glitch in Firefox so I could let others know.
Ok - all the entries have gone into a hat and my husband is doing the honors...Good Luck everybody,
And thank you all for entering!
...and the winner is....
I will be contacting you shortly, Peter.
This was my first giveaway, not my last. I plan to do more as the occasion arises, so to hear about any future promotions don't forget to sign up for my e-mail list.
Thank You for all the support.
Carla Dawn
Saturday, April 2, 2011
I am honored to have such amazing clients & working with them is a truly fulfilling & collaborative process. This is what makes what I do so enjoyable.
I have no testimonial letters on my site anymore, since some tweeking removed them from my main page. So for the time being I am going to start putting them here.
So here is the first one:
I own dozens of pieces from every great leather designer there is--Gucci, Versace, Jitrois, Burberry Prorsum etc. Carla Behrle is better than all of them and at least half the cost and ten times more attentive and keeps working until the piece is perfect. She is also remarkably quick. She has made three custom-made pieces for me and is working on a fourth.
I came in with nothing but a conception in my head for a pair of one-piece leather boot pants. The difficulty of designing that for look, feel and comfort was monumental. Let's put it this way--rather than wearing them I think I should frame them. At any fashion house they would have cost three or four five times as much because of the design and labor. And you won't find them at any fashion house because they don't make them.
When it comes to leather design and make she is the best there is. I know.
Buzz Bissinger,
contributing editor for Vanity Fair
I am speechless...all I can say is: Thank You, Buzz!!!!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Wacky Weather Giveaway!
AKA...Winter’s Baackkk giveaway!
Winter seems to have legs yet! In NYC today we had snow, sleet, rain, hail, thunder and insane lightning. Much of it simultaneously!
So as a send off to winter’s last blast I’ve decided to do my very first giveaway here on this blog…
This a one-of-a-kind crossbody “Guitar Strap” bag (value $798.00) features a beautifully collaged, natural springbok hide that has been over-printed with a striking jaguar pattern. The body of the bag is made of a rich espresso vintage finished cowhide that wear's beautifully. The bag has 2 zip pockets and a metrocard pocket (fits business cards too!) and a key fob.
It’s a nice roomy 11 x 11.5 x 2” with a 22” strap drop and is clean finished & unlined for maximum durability. (This leather and the construction are basically watertight- believe me, I speak from experience!)
To enter the drawing, follow these simple steps before April 15th to qualify:
- Scroll through the blog or use the archives list in the right column, choose one story to read, and submit a comment at the end of the story.
- Like BehrleNYC leather on Facebook (not necessary if you already like us) and recommend us to your friends!
- Want to double your chance of winning? Come back to this post and comment again!
- Important: Go to my contact page and leave your name and e-mail address and / or phone (so I can contact the winner) and note "Contest" & which post(s) you commented on. Especially important if you are a new visitor. You may also leave a 3rd comment with you email included, That will NOT be published.
Follow these guidelines and you will have a chance (or 2) in the drawing, the bag will be shipped to a lucky winner the week after tax day (I am determined to make somebody’s day!) Note that the bag will be shipped within the USA only so please have a US residential address to qualify to receive the prize.
The winner will be notified via e-mail April 15th and I’ll request your shipping address then. Claim your prize and it will be shipped out right away with delivery confirmation!
I’m happy to offer this drawing with special thanks to all of you who have encouraged and supported BehrleNYC over the last few years! All the wonderful people I've been lucky to work with and the positive feedback I receive on a daily basis & most importantly the continued support of my amazing customers and friends, all this makes what I do so worthwhile & delightful.
Thank you to Andrea for providing the inspiration to finally do this (and from whom I have cribbed liberally for the format) check out her work, she is a brilliant silversmith/ jeweler.
Good luck!…
Note: Comments are moderated- so they won't show up immediately. Don't worry, I do receive them and they will post.
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Friday, February 4, 2011
The Finishing Touches
I am determined to finish this and I promise I will never put you through this again.
The Dress, that month of work-on top of all the other work.
Putting together a wedding on your own...a whole other part of you just rises to the surface. It's kind of like that movie "Basket Case". When else do I go to Macy's... to shop???? ( I can't stand Macy's) and buy 5 pairs of shoes just to try? Then buy 2 more on 34th street in a fit of panic. (6 hours of returns) When else does my better-half get even more involved than me in planning a party menu & insisting on the (amazing) chef & trekking over to Chinatown on the subway to buy, lord knows, how many pounds of shrimp, so the menu is absolutely perfect?
Not a lot of places in life where collaboration is quite like this, this is theater. Starting at the top...
Invite:
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| Ellen Weldon Design LLC |
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| Cake by Scott McMillen, cake man extraordinaire of the |
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| Ring by Nurit Design |
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| ....the heels risk getting stuck in between roof tiles |
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| ... another shape, but not what I am going for |
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| perfect style tor my Titania like dress... but do they have the color??? Aldo Shoes, which amazingly makes shoes in my size. |
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| a pouf to match my dress...by Kelly at Santanica |
Thursday, February 3, 2011
When Dreaming makes it So
This is the point where I click my heels three times and say "I want to go warm…"
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| I dream of these ramparts |
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| I want to be a roman cat chasing the sun |
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| I want more places to look like this |
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| and this... |
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| I want to wander these halls |
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| ...and play here |
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| I want to lose myself here |
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| ...and here |
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| I will easily cast spells... |
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| and always have fun with my food! |
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
More warm thoughts of exotic places...
And if I can't have the beach, I would be very happy here....
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| the lodgings |
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| The view across the way |
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| the terrace |
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| the other way |
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| roadside illumination |
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| El Tigre |
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| El Tigre - House under glass, now a museum |
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Summer Dreams
I don't know about you, but I am over the snow! ...no scratch that, I do know..
& thinking about exotic climes with expansive beachs….
Maybe this will warm us up a bit!
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| greetings from sunny Cabo SJ - wish I was here |
Oh, the memories of vacations past...maybe they will help to thaw this guy out!
Monday, January 31, 2011
The Wedding Dress- the Final Stretch
Coming up to the final stretch here! That is: getting that monster panel of a skirt onto the bodice, which means pleating about 175" of length, that the skirt edge now measures, (after reducing it) into the 26" that the corset waist measures.
The answer is cartridge pleating, this type of pleating, used mainly in costumes and period clothing reproduction today, serves several purposes. It reduces a very large length of cloth much more effectively than simply gathering and the construction causes the pleating to stand out and creates volume. Here, it will give a very pretty and controlled volume to the skirt and I can make full use of the uninterrupted panel of embroidery.
I do a little test and find out that the floral motif in the solid section of linen does not take to the pleating at all. I decide to pick it out. I discover that all these flower petals are incredibly, & beautifully, padded out with layers of under stitching in a cream colored cotton yarn. The embroidery covers this pad stitching perfectly and it is a lot of of work to pick out. But I can't pleat it properly otherwise. So I pick out all the petals that intersect the pleating area.
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| The beautiful padding stitches- partially removed |
The pleats are formed with a running stitch, by eye, as evenly as possible and using super strong thread. Then stitched, all by hand, by catching just the top fold of each pleat to the bodice. My hand sewing is rusty - not much call for it in leather (best if there's none). Here's another test shot- kind of a straight cross view:
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| At the bottom you can see the tabs that will lie under the skirt. |
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| The silicora thread only comes in black and dead white, but the non-match won't be a problem |
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| Inside showing final cartridge pleating |
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| outside of cartridge pleating, my hand stitching sucks but it will not show( at all) when on- That's the beauty of this beast! |
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| The front of the skirt has no pleats and is stitched to 'float' under the extended front of the corset |
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| See! |
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| On a hangar, you don't get the effect of the pleats |
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| I still need figure out what to replace that zipper pull ribbon with! |
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