bridget&lucy...a clothing line.

We've moved!

With our new website we have started a new blog!  Please come visit and comment!  www.bridgetandlucy.wordpress.com

See you soon!

Ruffle Playdate Pattern

Well here it is - a picture of the Ruffle Playdate pattern.  Mom and I are THRILLED with it!!!  We have it for sale in Sioux Falls at Heirloom Creations and it will be for sale online around July 10th.  That is when our BRAND NEW webiste will debut!!  Complete with online sales of clothing, patterns and DIY kits.  I also have to touch on the 4 new sewers we have with us - what a treat!!!  It's really awesome to have such amazing sewers with us so mom and I can keep working on new patterns, marketing, etc. etc.  Next up - Quickbooks and a marketing plan - oy!

First Pattern!

It's official - we are in the pattern business! At this moment mom is giving our 1st of 3 presentations today. I'm at home this morning with a sick 2 year old, but I'll be joining her for the last 2 :)! She has with her 100 Ruffle Playdate patterns - our first ever! We're thrilled with the result! I'm blogging from my iPod but I promise to post pics later!

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPod touch]

Changes are a comin'...

As with any new business experiences - there are changes a comin'!  I don't want to say EXACTLY what it is yet - but mom and I are thrilled about the growth and changes we are focusing on.  Unique clothing production is SO involved.  We really thought we had comtemplated all the different angles, options, etc. etc.  I guess you are never fully aware of what a process entails until you are swimming in it!  Stay tuned...

What A Show!

Although our show was weeks ago now - I need to blog about it!  It was beyond our wildest outcomes!  We totally lucked out with a newspaper article days before the event - thank you Argus Leader.  We had friends, family and tons of customers we didn't know - what a compliment!  We started the show with 243 pieces - WOW!  It was so fun to see all those pieces together at once.  Mom and I had help sewing from Erin and Karen - the newest members of the bridget&lucy team.  We also couldn't have done the show without out my sister Katy (the packager) and Sara (my check out helper).  We now have 3 home parties booked, an open house scheduled and an juried art fair in July!  YEAH!  Never a dull moment - and we love every moment we can get!

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

So, starting your own business obviously comes with lots of decisions.  I thought I was pretty prepared for that.  But I didn't not expect all the back and forth in my brain!!!  Most of the time I am overly positive - which doesn't change here:) - I LOVE the process of building a business that I'm truly passionate about.  I am surprised by the large amounts of time I spend just THINKING about all the possibilites.  I often get frustrated with myself - I need to be DOING, not thinking.  But then I settle down and try to enjoy the process.

There is lots of excitement around here!  We have two women that have joined us to sew for bridget&lucy - YEAH Erin and Karen!  Our first print ad was published yesterday for our sale at the end of March - VERY EXCITING!  And I've sent out two applications for juried shows this summer.  I love it, I hope people love our stuff and buy it!

Trunk Shows and Home Parties

As we navigate business, creativity, price consciousness, uniqueness, etc. Mom and I have landed on the expansion to trunk shows and home parties.  The difference - a home party would be somewhere close where mom or I can bring the goods and help sell and trunk shows we will ship everything to you with easy instructions on selling, etc.  It's so difficult to figure out how to price items so people will by them and so they are sustainable to make - here - not just in the U.S., but made in South Dakota.  My wonderful husband continually asks me when we are going to start having the product made in China - he is a business man at heart - and my answer is always - never!  I envision talented sewers right here in South Dakota joining us on this adventure.  I was really disappointed to learn that one of my favorite funky children's clothing line was made in China.  Not that I would ever fault a company for doing good business - but it just made me wonder if we can actually prosper without doing that.  We will make it happen. Our trunk shows and parties will definitely benefit the host with percentage off and even free items - who can argue with that? :)  On with the adventure!

Children's Apron

So many people have asked about children's aprons.  Mom and I knew we wanted to do one, but it was so important that the apron's were original & super user friendly.  I honeslty thought of this design in that between place of kind of awake, kind of asleep.  The "neck" of the apron is a shoelace with a toggle, like our Play Date skirts, so you can totally adjust the sizing of the apron to fit your child.   They are made out of tea towels, like our Work and Play aprons, and the pocket has a vertical pocket so the kids can just drop in any necessities they may need while creating.  We will have these at our Spring Open House!

   

Answers

Well, the minute mom and I have a business question to ponder - like should we go the direction of "home parties" for the bridget&lucy line?  The universe answers.  Ten minutes after I got off the phone with mom discussing the home party option, I picked up Bridget from preschool.  Another mom who purchased a bridget&lucy skirt over the holidays asked me point blank if we were going to do home parties - answer received!!!  Yes, we will be going the route of home parties!!!

Updated Website!

I just updated our bridget&lucy website.  And with the update comes a link right to this page!  I will highlight what Mom (Kim) and I are up to and entice with new product pictures and, I'm assuming, funny stories.