Attending a Private Party....

The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart.

- Helen Keller


Today has been a long, but wonderful day. I was working up in Petaluma this morning and then I raced back to catch my two year old, Annies 1st ballet recital at Princess Camp! And now...I get to curl up and spend the next two days blog hopping...yipee! I will meet other kindred spirits out there who I believe would understand if I asked them to take a picture of my shoes or of some crazy vintage sign..who knows.  Tonight I get to go and peek into the studios of other fellow bloggers because Karen Valentine of My Desert Cottage http://mydesertcottage.blogspot.com/2010/04/where-bloggers-create-ii.html is kind enough to host her second, Where Bloggers Create party.

I have been thinking a lot about this concept because I am often carrying around my latest copy of Where Women Create or Artful Blogging. I usually find about 20 minutes a day to read a few entries and be reminded that there are other women out there living amongst the chaos of their kids, soccer games, laundry and life. Yet, they still find a way to carve out a small nitche in their home where the noise of the chaos deadens and their soul becomes alive as they are creating. One blogger's post said, "it is learning how to live underwater". I love that because that is how it feels sometimes.

Anyway, like some of these other fellow bloggers, I have created a space that was orriginally concieved after I read one of Jo Packhams books, "Where Women Create". At the time...I really did not know what I was planning on creating, but I knew I had to have a space of my own. Now almost three years later, it has migrated into what was once our joint office--this is now MAD Stitches...a room of my own


This was my first studio set up-- and my studio name was actually Stitches and Seams...Which I found from a sentence in the back of my 1960's addtion of Vogue Sewing, yup the studio is...really painted purple and pink....?

This was my second set up about a year and half ago. I was contemplating teaching sewing lessons... Lesson 1 Map out your goals on paper...what's the harm?

Shortly after, I decided not to teach sewing lessons because it would be too tough with having my kids home on the weekends. So I created my first pattern, a reversible stroller cover. I was really proud of it, but it was too difficult to sell because of all of the different strollers out there. --lesson 2 Make six and try to just sell that six and see how it goes before you order the buisness cards and packaging...

The packaged stroller covers...I still have them and I am still very proud of them!

This was my second pattern I created and how I switched my buisness name from Stitches and Seams to MAD Stitches because I wanted to sew and sell things that "Made a Difference" MAD...

I sold them during the holidays and then donated the proceeds to the Samaritian House in San Mateo. I had beautiful friends and family who purchased gloves from me to support this cause--a special thanks to Tracy, Liz and Alicia!--love you ladies!!

Then came spring and Annie started a cooperative program and I discovered that the "washable paint" is not really washable...so I made her a few aprons for school and other moms started asking me to make them some for their kids. After selling quite a few, I approached a local consignment shop and asked if they would like to carry the aprons--or MODERN DAY PINAFORES

I orrigianlly made the aprons in retro like fabrics that you would not normally find on children...

And over time my aprons changed, as did my fabrics and my MAD Stitches studio--I don't know whether it was me who changed to sew more of what people wanted or just discovered it was too tough to guess what might sell or might not....
Lesson three--If I don't keep changing or being willing to change then I won't grow as a buisness owner and an artist.

MAD Stitches to date--aprons and the studio

The Modern Day Pinafore and Cupcake 1/2 apron in Juicy Lemons

and ymummy cupcakes

Welcome to MAD Stitches (Make a Difference)...please come in...

view from in my house to my studio

I have lots of books and magazines to keep me inspired

Sweet pink cottage roses outside my workspace window

racks and shelves for on going projects and notions

my surger space

packaging ribbon

a hot pink chalk paint idea wall

My two littel inspirations, the Modern Day Pinafore was created for my little squirt Annie (on the left) and the Cupcake 1/2 apron was created for my beautiful and creative niece Viv(on right)

MAD Stitches has currently donated $700.00 to the Samaritian House in San Mateo and STaRS. I feel so grateful that I can continue to forfill my greatest passion of volunteering through sewing. By making the aprons, I can sew at night when my children sleep and strive to make a small difference in the world.

I would not have my little buisness or funds to get started without my amazing husband Julian. We are celebrating 19 years together this year. I am dedicating this post to the most caring, wonderful and beautiful friend a girl could have. --I love you J, thank you for believing in me...

Annie, Julian, me and Beech