New Day, New Year

If only we had the same reverance for the beginning of every day as we do for each new year. I've been away for a few days visiting my hometown for one of the happiest occassions I've ever taken part in, outside my own family. My dearest, sweetest friend Julie got married. We've been friends for 20 years and seeing her happy and in love completes me somehow. She found her soulmate and that is cause for celebration. The wedding was on New Year's Eve and we all welcomed 2007 on the dancefloor. What a blast that was! As a bridesmaid , I was doing nothing but changing clothes for all of the 5 or 6 events that I was happily obliged to. Getting our hair done (my personal grandest style is a ponytail) was quite entertaining. Everyone looked very sophisticated but of course way over the top of what we would have chosen without the opinion of a southern hairstylist. She took one look at me and said "I want to make you a greek goddess!"....'how did she know?' I thought to myself (sarcasm). That was exciting, my hair has never spent so much time with a curling iron. I may share wedding pictures once they're back, but you wouldn't recognize me. Really.



Anyway, the occassion gave us a roadtrip we hadn't had in a while. It was strangely peaceful having all of us in the car for 3 hours. It's like we needed a roadtrip. The beautiful Tennessee landscape in the winter is a sleepy wonderful piece of heaven to travel through, I must say. The softness of the rolling hills, the harshness of the hardcut mountains behind, the stark bare trees, and the tired faded colors barely there from fall all look appropriately dormant and waiting to regenerate with the rest of us.



And guess what? I was really happy to be back, even to be back in the studio and anticipating lots of new projects. I feel ready and inspired for work again. Not that I was uninspired before the holidays, but I really feel fresh now. I think the physical removal did something for me. It cleared my my mind and my hands are ready to get busy.



I was so pleasantly greeted by all the nooks and crannies of the studio. The neat ones as well as those messy ones that went untidied as I hurriedly finished up some bridesmaid alterations for a pregnant friend. It had been a while since I sat sewing on a garment and that bug bit me again. Which is really a good thing as I embark on the year that I plan to publish my very first sewing patterns. I'm just so excited about it all. And as always you know that I'll keep you posted. You should be seeing the very first images of my new fabric collection in the coming weeks. I look forward to sharing a "Chocolate Lollipop" with you soon!

Happy New Year! xoxo,AM