I asked Amber–I always want to call her “Rare Basement” in my mind still–if I could interview her for a blog post about her inspiration, background, and how online media has been a platform for her humor and the impact it’s had, if any. She obliged, and I’m excited to share our conversation as well as some of my favorite tweets from @rare_basement and other amazing women who are using Twitter as a platform not only to make us laugh, but to question our assumptions about feminism, gender, and politics.

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Meg: Who are you? What’s your story?

Amber: Okay haha well my name is Amber and I have always lived in southeastern Michigan. I grew up in a more rural area, took off to live with my grandma in a bigger city when I was 16, and have bounced around since then before ending up in the same neighborhood my dad grew up in. I have always loved reading and writing, I focused on fiction for the most part but eventually realized I am incredibly self-centered, and as such only feel comfortable writing about myself. I do not feel comfortable writing A LOT about myself, which is why twitter is a good forum for me as I am weak at constructing a narrative. As a kid I was involved in plays and improv and choir, I have always loved to perform. I never did very well in school. My senior year of high school I became very sick and ended up dropping out. Shortly after, I discovered drugs and had a few good years of partying before a heroin addiction made it necessary to get clean. Shortly after THAT, I found myself pregnant. So now I’m 26 with a five year old son, living with a boyfriend who is not my son’s dad and working whatever I can to support myself. So far that’s just been minimum wage part time retail as I have no real skills or education.

M: But did you always know you were funny? Was that an identity you just kind of came in to, and was it ever hard for you?

A: I never really thought I was funny. I thought everyone around me was funny. In high school I kept a notebook full of things I overheard that made me laugh, kind of a proto-twitter. I tried to figure out what kind of sentence structures were the funniest, what inflections. I found that most people were funniest when they weren’t trying, when they were just expressing their most honest emotion or reaction in a very simple way. “Jokes” weren’t my thing, I was just kind of obsessed with the way people spoke. I worked on emulating that, on eliminating self-consciousness to allow my actual dumb thoughts and ideas to come out in a way that would make myself laugh. When that doesn’t work I pay attention to the self-consciousness itself and express that. It was basically just an exercise to learn to like myself more, to put myself out there in a way where it was impossible to use my words to hurt me because I already knew how stupid they were, and I owned it.

I grew up with a great fear of sounding stupid, a fear that life was one big joke everyone was in on but me. I put myself out there to say “Hey I am a fucking idiot is anyone else a fucking idiot too” and found people to connect with. It’s an experiment in honesty and has the side effect of making people laugh, maybe because honesty is inherently funny? I don’t know. I feel pretty pretentious right now trying to explain this. The closest I’ve come to concisely stating what I mean is when I tweeted, “How To Be Funny: 1. think a dumb thing 2. say it”

M: So then how long have you had an online presence? Basically, how did you become an internet lover?

A: I’ve been online since I was 12 all over the place. I liked the internet when I was younger because it was easier to make friends with whom I had things in common since I was in a small town and no one really liked me. Plus, the internet made me laugh.

M: What are you doing right now? What’s on your plate for today?

A: Well, right now I am at my mom’s house on the computer while my son plays with her. I took him to get his shots and then to the doctor because he has a rash. Later I will go home, put him to bed, and sit on the couch until my boyfriend comes home. We will watch a couple episodes of 3rd Rock From The Sun and go to bed. EXCITING STUFF!!

M: Is your son funny?

A: My son is the funniest person I know. EVERYTHING he says is honest and unfiltered, even his lies (they’re so blatant!). It’s really amazing watching a person try to understand the world for the first time. I’m really in awe. I don’t think my twitter would be as popular without him. He is much funnier than I am, all I do is notice him.

M: So every humor writer has a favorite tweet or joke they’ve done or whatever…what’s yours?

A: This is a hard question because jokes are the hardest thing to write! I dont know, I’m just gonna go with my first instinct on this one.:

sext: i am archaeologist and u are fossil. i dig in sand and slowly reveal ur Giant Bone! i gasp and say “i’ll call u… Tyrannosaurus SEX”

M: That one is one of my favorites too–I know I favorited it. You don’t have a computer, right? I’ve seen you say that you just tweet with your phone.

A: No, I don’t have a computer because I can’t afford the internet. I tweeted through text until I received a smart phone for Christmas, which was a wonderful surprise. It sucks because I can’t do things like watch tv online or play games or write (I would really love to write) but on the other hand thanks to twitter I would probably never do that stuff anyway. I do whatever takes the least amount of effort to pass the time, and right now that’s twitter.

M: Who are your influences in humor writing and comedy?

A: Okay I need to preface this by saying that anyone who follows me probably know about my cultlike devotion to Community. It is my favorite tv show, hands down. But considering how new it is still, I can’t say it has SHAPED my sense of humor at all. As a child I think I was influenced by stuff like The Adventures of Pete and Pete, Cartoon Planet/Space Ghost, Mystery Science Theater 3000, and Far Side comics. As I got older I was mostly influenced by my friends, who I still think are the funniest people in the world. I like people who live to make themselves laugh, it gives me a lot of joy to see that. I like slightly-older sitcoms like 3rd Rock From The Sun and Newsradio that employ broad physical comedy with weird jokes and character-specific interactions. I don’t have a preference between highbrow and lowbrow. I’m really easily amused. I like puns. I like to see people get hurt, and I like it when people swear. Being insulted usually makes me laugh, especially if it’s creative. I was once told I “look like an overly cheerful cancer patient in a midgrade human hair wig” and laughed my ass off because DAMN sick burn and to be honest, they weren’t wrong!!

M: If you weren’t living your dream in retail, what would be your ideal job? Where do you want to go?

A: Oh god I don’t really have a clue. Retail is exhausting but I can’t think of anything else that would be any less exhausting. I don’t think I’d want to get paid to write because I don’t know how to write and I would have panic attacks until deadlines and then disappear from. I guess my ideal job would be winning the lottery and sitting on my ass all day, watching tv. I’m really lazy. I will do what’s necessary to survive but if work wasn’t, I wouldn’t do any. I would like to go to college someday, maybe to learn how to write, but I’m not sure student loan debt is something I would be able to deal with in the future. I’m poor enough with now with NO debt.

M: I would LOVE to see you working as a humor writer or maybe penning a column. One of the things that I think your fans love so much about you is that you’re equally good at super lowbrow butt-fart humor, but you’re also really good at bringing larger issues like politics, gender, and classism into your jokes. Talk about that…do you get generally positive responses from people?

A: Yeah the responses are generally positive because I think most people follow people who agree with them. I just post what I’m interested in and if people like that they can read it and if not, okay then. I’m not for everyone; no one is. I’ve gotten flak from conservatives for being pro-choice but it doesn’t happen often because most of them have no interest in reading what someone like me has to say. By far the thing that’s got me the most hate is making fun of Ron Paul but for the most part it’s a very funny kind of hate. “LIBERTY IS ALIVE, BITCH!” and stuff like that. The nastiest replies tend to be about really insignificant stuff like working in a record store, or admitting I recently had sex. It’s always unexpected when stuff like that happens. But in general the people I talk to have become good friends. I really truly love the friends I’ve made, and I’m very lucky that they allow me into their lives.

M: What’s the weirdest thing that’s happened to you because of your twitter account? I bet you get some weird followers.

A: I know this isn’t what you meant, but the strangest most surreal thing is being followed by and making friends with people I have been fans of for years. It’s terrifying and exciting and maybe my favorite part of twitter.

M: What five words best describe you?

“Demystifying the vagina through comedy?” “Dumb jerk never shuts up?” Maybe “Doesnt want to be lonely.”

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Amber is one of the funniest people I’ve ever “met” online, and forming a little friendship with her through Twitter has been cool. Here are some other women I love following on twitter who not only make me laugh my ass off at their funny observations and 140-character one-liners, but who also use humor to advance the conversation about women, gender roles, and stereotypes in our culture.

What happened to me after following these women for the last six months or so was not just a lot of laughter, but feeling a little bit more okay about my own thoughts about sex, or getting my period, or being asked why I’m a feminist, or running out of clean underwear, or a million other embarassing and “not socially okay to talk about” thoughts I have on a daily basis. I’m sure you have thoughts like that too, and it sounds weird but just reading tweets from women who aren’t afraid to voice those things, who don’t censor themselves, is incredibly refreshing and validating. I love to see women who don’t cut each other down, own up to the insecurities they do have, and be honest about their experiences in a public forum. Life IS funny, and following these women has made mine better.

Follow some funny ladies.
Thanks for the interview, Amber!

xo
meg

I interviewed Peter about his inspiration, what he’s learned, where he’s going, and his process when working with custom clients. Try working with a local independent furniture designer in your area–it’s such a cool way to go handmade.

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Q: What right now are you really excited about and inspired by, and how is it influencing your current projects?
Peter: I’m really inspired by the Kent Bellows Studio right now – especially the building and the sort of “living” sets Kent made for his paintings and drawings. I’ve been interested in exploring textures and opaque tones in the work I’ve been doing lately. I just scheduled my first solo show to take place at KBS next September. I’ve had the opportunity to work with the kids there on a weekly basis for much of the last year and I just feel a unique energy every time I walk into the space. The building – and my mentoring experience, the kids, the staff, the history – it’s all influencing the work I’m doing and pushing me to take chances and try new things with my work.

Q: Are you ever stuck on ideas? What do you do when you feel like you want to create something, but you don’t know where to begin?
Peter: I get stuck sometimes in the design process, but usually I know I only have a small window of time to effectively work with a client, so I try to push through those kinds of things. Typically, I’ll just start drawing shapes and individual elements until things start to click. I like to make things for people who are interested in the design or fabrication process, so I usually end up trying to incorporate details that directly relate to their story or life. Those tend to be pretty inspiring in terms of working through road blocks in the design process.

I’m notoriously guilty of starting projects without really knowing how they’re going to reach fruition. Usually I’ll get a mental image of a completed piece. And if I know it’s something I really feel strongly about and want to make, I’ll just work until the real things matches the picture in my mind. I’ve made some of my more interesting chairs, and developed some of my signature pieces by doing this – particularly my star tables and signature wooden hot air balloons. Sometimes I end up wasting material because I’ll get so far into something and realize the piece just isn’t working. But generally I like the freedom of doing things really intuitively.

Q: What do you love about where you live?
A: I love living in Omaha because of the opportunity here. I mean, I’m able to work and support myself (most of the time, anyway) by making stuff. Who wouldn’t want to do that? I don’t think I could do what I’m doing in many other places. Access is a big thing in my world. I’m talking access to a network of clients and supportive people, resources, affordable housing and workspace. Omaha seems unique in the sense that if you want to do something here in the arts world, you can just do it. You don’t have to jump through hoops or know the right people. You can just do stuff and have a chance to be successful. There are definitely some drawbacks, too. I think there are some cultural ceilings here and there certainly aren’t the markets here that exist on the coasts. But the opportunities far outweigh the limitations right now for me.

Q: What advice do you have for someone who wants to support a designer like you but has never ordered custom commissioned work before?
A: I have a sense that most people are nervous about inquiring about custom work. They either think it’s going to be really expensive or that I’m going to be weird or something. But custom work is sort of my bread and butter, and I’m used to working with people who have modest budgets. Most of my clients tend to be younger professionals who have a little money to spend and want something unique that they can’t get at Ikea or Nebraska Furniture Mart.

I try to approach this kind of work in a really personal way. I want my clients to feel comfortable with me, but I also want to feel comfortable with them. After all, my work – kind of a part of me, really – is going to be in their home forever. And they’re likely going to incorporate the piece into their day to day lives. So I really work hard to seek out clients who will appreciate the experience of working closely with me. I want to know peoples’ stories – what they’re like, what they’re interested in and how our aesthetics match up – before we even start talking about what kind of piece they’re interested in. But I invest a lot of time in the custom/commission process because it’s important and valuable to me. After all, this is how I’ve chosen to spend the majority of my time, so I want to really enjoy my work experience and feel fulfilled by it. Custom work is time consuming and definitely not as cost-effective as more streamlined things. I could make more money making simple cabinets or repetitive designs, but it’s more worthwhile to me to consistently enjoy my work than it is to make a little more money doing something I don’t enjoy.

Q: Is there anything that you haven’t done or learned that you’d like to try?
A: There are so many things I haven’t learned. I want to be a better craftsman. I think I have an unfounded reputation as some sort of great craftsman. I’m probably better than most people who don’t make furniture and art for a living, but I have a long way to go before I earn any sort of great title. I think everyone should continuously work toward perfecting their craft or whatever they’re passionate about doing. I also want to ride in a hot air balloon. I have a pretty terrible fear of heights, so even flying on an airplane kind of freaks me out usually, but someday I will take a balloon ride. I also want to be a guest on Fresh Air with Terri Gross someday. I want to go back to Southeast Asia too. There are loads of things I want to do. But mostly I just want to make something amazing and leave a significant legacy. That’s what it’s all about for me.

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One cool thing Peter is working on right now is a side project called Tiny Wooden Box, a limited-edition line of just that–small handcrafted wooden boxes–priced at $50 each. I think they’re adorable and you’ll have use for them for a long time. I visualize a man buying one to hold an engagement ring for his wife, his wife using it to store her favorite earrings and rings, and maybe using one to store locks of hair from a baby’s first haircut or teeth for the tooth fairy. What don’t you need a tiny wooden box for?!

Check out Peter Cales’s commissioned and gallery work on his website, Measure Cut Cut, and pick up a tiny wooden box for your treasures too.

xo
meg

I recently met Adrienne Fay, the Director of Marketing at Borsheims, at an Omaha Fashion Week rack check, and she invited me to visit the store for a tour of their corporate offices. As we were walking around the sales floor, she let me pore over the extensive and rare selection of vintage estate jewelry, and even try on a diamond tiara from the 1700s!

(I asked if any of it was haunted, and they weren’t sure.)

One thing I learned about SUPER vintage jewelry like this is that it often converts–for example, a tiara with small hinges on the sides that converts it into a round brooch. Or a removable ring set into a pendant. These old society ladies had some clever options for accessorizing for sure!

I also had some fun touring their corporate offices and meeting the team that cleans and adjusts all the jewelry and packages the beautiful gift boxes! I also met a few blog readers working there, so hi.

When I was little, I got a Pablo Picasso tea set for Christmas one year from Borsheims. When I noticed the signature silver package with the burgundy ribbon under the tree with my name on it, I was so excited.

If you live in Omaha, or ever come to visit, Borsheims is a great place to walk through for inspiration, and you’re crazy if you don’t find tons of stuff you want to take home with you. You all know about their famous bridal gift registry–their selection of dishes and gifts are beautiful and extensive. But ask a salesperson to show you the estate jewelry too–I’ll never forget the feeling of holding a 500-year-old diamond brooch in my hands.

Love this vintage ad from them too:

Just a fun tour and a fun thing about my city.
xo
meg

I’ve been to several weddings where I was happy to take home a sweet keepsake from the couple’s big day. Whether you know exactly what you want to share with your guests, or you need some ideas, the American Bridal website is full of inspiration for delightful and memorable wedding favors to share with your guests on your big day. Here are some of my favorites:

1: I love the idea of using American Bridal’s wine label stickers to add a personalized touch to each table. You’re gonna have the wine, so you might as well make it pretty! 2. I went to a fabulous barbecue wedding at a local park last year and each guest went home with a cute little matchbook like these. They’re a great value for your money, and I’m still using my match favors for the candles in my office! I love remembering that celebration every time I go to light a candle. 3. Keeping with that match theme, I love this matchstick key ring pen. I would love having a cute, hidden ballpoint pen on my keychain, and it’s pretty badass-looking too.

Often overlooked, a cute placecard holder is a really clever and practical option when you’re looking for a beautiful wedding favor that your guests will continue to enjoy. Three of my favorites from American Bridal include these Silver Love Birds, the Birdcage Tea Light/Placeholders (love that you can stick a candle in there!), and the adorable Elephant Card Holders. You know the trunk up means good luck!

7. Sometimes you already have a great favor–some candy, a little tea light, lottery tickets, bottle poppers, whatever–and you just need a cute way to package it. For that, I love these small silver picnic baskets. You can fill them up with anything. 8. One trend that I’ve noticed in eco-friendly weddings are plantable paper products–an invitation, save-the-date, or favor that you can take home and plant in your garden. Seeds within the card will germinate and wildflowers will spring up in your yard. This cherry blossom place card has wildflower seeds embedded in it. 9. Candles are an ever-practical favor, and these small travel tins from American Bridal are well-priced. I also like how neutral the top is, so if you put it on your desk or coffee table it doesn’t scream “I was just at a wedding!!”

American Bridal also stocks supplies for your ceremony and reception, jewelry and accessories, and stationery supplies, so you can lose hours browsing all of their well-priced offerings.

Are you using favors in your wedding?  What favors have you received at past weddings that you loved?

xo
meg

*Sponsored post

1: Tea and Cakes shoes ♥ 2: Tinsel Town skirt ♥ 3: Gavotte #43 dress (I love the white bow bustle!) ♥ 4: Pineapple Crush shoes ♥ 5: Hot Fudge hair comb ♥ 6: Premier dress (great sleeve length) ♥ 7: Charm School shoes ♥ 8: Roja nail polish ♥ 9: Maple dress (paging Joan Holloway…beautiful portrait neckline) ♥ 10: Pistoia dress flats ♥ Baciami striped dress

Shabby Apple also gave me the opportunity to share the code NEWYEAR with you–use it at checkout for 20% off your order! The sale lasts through the entire month of January, so bookmark your favorites and pick up some cute new stuff to put some pretty in your late winter wardrobe.

Happy Wednesday! What’s the best thing that happened to you today?
xo
meg

One thing I am proud of is that I believe that I do make the most of my time, of every day I have. Whether it’s a carpe diem thing or an existential crisis thing, I don’t know, but I do not remember the last time I felt like my time was wasted. That I was bored. That I would rather be somewhere else. I just don’t do that–I think I have one life and I have the responsibility of controlling the outcome, so being honest with myself about what I really want to make of it is a heavy commitment for me. But all I’m doing by avoiding the thought of solid life goals is avoiding admitting what it is I really want.

Here are fifteen commitments I am willing to make. Here are fifteen things I can’t wait to do in my lifetime!

1. Write two books

This is happening. The first proposal is almost done and off. I have an agent now and I never thought I would really see this happen. Ack ack ack ack ack!!!

2. Design a shoe and a line of purses

I want to meet someone who will help me design a beautiful pair of shoes. The perfect shoes. Ones that will show up in people’s outfit of the day blog posts all over. (Is that weird? Isn’t that the picture of modern marketing?) And I would save one new pair on my shelf in my closet for Alice to have when she’s older. I think that creating bags is very similar to creating clothes as far as color balance, pattern, and attention to detail in construction. I think they would be the perfect compliment to my clothes, pieces for my readers and fans now to buy and keep forever. Pieces that your grandkids would pull out of your closet and play with when they visit. I take so much inspiration from my own childhood, and the memories of my grandma’s closet will be with me forever. The thought of being a part of another child’s memory is very motivational for me.

3. Live in Berlin for a year with my child

Traveling as a child was one of the greatest learning experiences of my life, and exposure to international cultures is increasingly valuable as our world gets smaller and smaller. From our post in Berlin, we can spend weeks in Italy, Russia, Norway, Crete, Egypt, China…it’s just another flight. This is actually one of my main financial goals at the moment and I have my eye on my travel account!

4. Plan a surprise party for a friend

5. Teach a class in Berlin

6. Love my home

I don’t love my house. I don’t feel relaxed when I come home. I don’t look around and love everything I see. A few months ago I met Holly Becker of decor8, and I work right next door to my friend Jessica’s interior design showroom Birdhouse Collectible, and they are influencing me to take more ownership of my home and see it as an evolving space. I want to invite people in when they come to the door and host people for dinner whenever I want. I think it’s a totally achievable goal. I have committed to leaving the house looking my best every day and I do it. It’s nothing more than giving my environment the attention I give myself, and I will be better for it!

7. Have a housekeeper

Okay, this has always been my dream. I have an assistant…I think having a housekeeper is totally in the realm of possibility.

8. Design a line of stationery

I dream of seeing little ribboned packages of my letterpressed stationery on a shelf in a store.

9. Inspire Alice to love herself and protect her health

Nothing would please me more than raising a confident, happy child. She can be any religion. She can marry anybody. She can go anywhere to school. There will be tiny disappointments for me through her life, but as long as she knows her worth and respects herself, as long as she knows she is beautiful, I will be a completely successful parent.

10. Go on a road trip with my mom

11. Host Christmas

Is this crazy? My mom would be horrified that this is a goal of mine.

12. Keynote a major conference

13. Make a connection with my relatives

I feel close with my parents and brother, but the rest of my extended family sometimes seems more distant. I want to grow closer to them, get phone calls from them, and get advice from them when I need it. I’m not sure how to begin with that but I hope that in years to come, I can find more confidants and friends in my aunts, uncles, and cousins.

14. Make a connection with Martha Stewart

Everyone has an opinion about Martha, but I admire so much about her. From pioneering making do-it-yourself cool to her unapologetic business savvy, she represents everything lifestyle brands can be, everything working mothers can have, because she paved the way for it. No, she wrecking balled the way for it. I have fantasized about doing a spot on her show, or even working for her, but I would like to start by someday meeting her.

15. Leave Omaha better than I found it

Omaha is my passion. I love this city and I have its people to thank for so much of my motivation that has led me down the path of this amazing life. I think often about running for city council someday or getting into local politics in some way, but I think that the best way I can help Omaha and its people is by having my businesses here and continuing to improve them. Princess Lasertron is my passion that grew here, and CAMP was created absolutely FOR Omaha. I want to inspire people to love this city, and–more importantly–live in this city to benefit our whole community.

This is my entry in the Just Ask Bucket List Getaway Giveaway.
Just Ask offers a breast and ovarian cancer screening and is encouraging people to share 15 things that I want to enjoy in my lifetime as a reminder to be aware of my health.
Want to enter?
Head over to TodaysMama.com to get the details.

a late summer vacation at the lake

“Make it Pretty” is our mission statement at Princess Lasertron, a reminder to take care of the details, only do work you can be proud of, and add magic to someone’s life every day. Read more to learn about the origins of Make it Pretty and what first inspired it.

When I was growing up, I wanted to become a stay-at-home mother. My mom was. Her life seemed perfect–she starched napkins while watching tv, she paged through cookbooks and printed recipes off of our new laser printer that she taped inside the cupboards. She put surprises and notes in my lunch that she packed every day, and signed me up for every kind of camp and class every summer–painting, pottery, rocketry, acting, you name it. She built forts in our living room with all the neighborhood kids who came over, and brought plates of sandwiches and carrots to the picnic table in our backyard when we all played outside. She was never embarrassed to drop us off at school in her pajamas or serve breakfast for dinner. Sometimes our house was messy. Sometimes we lay in bed all day watching movies and ate nothing but cereal. But all the time my mom did her best. Every day.

In college, I became close with one of my professors who teased me about my dream of being a stay-at-home mom (he still does whenever I see him). I worked really hard in college. As the semesters went by, I developed a work ethic that I had never seen in myself before–studying things I enjoyed, taking the time to develop lasting knowledge, and doing my work right. Finishing my assignments in a way I was proud of, not merely the way my professors expected. Then when I started Princess Lasertron in 2005, my early success felt like proof that this strategy of determination and mastery was on the right track. Unnoticed by me, my ambitions gradually shifted from re-living my mother’s life to defining my own. I loved the gratification that came with purveying “pretty” to women on the most meaningful days of their lives.

Our class sizes at Dana, where I went to college, were usually between 4-10 students, and because we had such intimate class sessions our teachers were very challenging–more strict and scrutinizing than other professors I’ve had since. I majored in something that sounded most fun to me and I cared a lot about the material to the point of obsession. I would find articles about sub-topics in our studies and ask to present them to the class. If I needed a source for a paper, I would track down the country’s top authority on the subject and ask for a phone interview. If we had to do a final presentation, I reserved the auditorium, designed invitations, and offered a seat to every student and staff member to watch. I had a lot of fun challenging the limits and I didn’t find that it really took that much more effort. It only took creativity. When I had an assignment or task, I ignored the way I was asked to complete it and asked myself, “What’s the right way to complete this?”

“Make it Pretty” is the seed of inspiration planted by my mother to live every day in a way that I can be proud of. It germinated and flourished with the mixture of hard work and creativity that struck me in college. Make it Pretty is the motivation to inspire others to seek joy and be their best selves. It’s noticing what’s possible. It’s taking a moment before you finish something to make it a little better.

dress rehearsal: models standing before our preview show

making sunshine: at a shoot for omaha fashion magazine with photographer bill sitzmann

assistants, dressers, models, and stylists: getting ready in a loft apartment before our fashion week show

fog machine from our shoot with rock n' roll bride.

my tabletop at work

As an adult now I know that my dream wasn’t to copy my mother’s life. All I wanted is to embody the spirit of happiness and satisfaction that I saw in my mom. I had a joyful childhood because my mother was joyful. The lesson she taught me is that living slower, respecting imagination, and taking inspiration from the nurturing of something so small, so innocent, so curious and optimistic–whether Alice, my own daughter, or the “inner child” in my psyche–is one path to a fulfilled–and pretty–life.

xo
meg

This year I am designing my second line of party and wedding dresses. Being able to do this represents the fulfillment of many goals for me–the desire to make a career out of my creativity that I had since I was a little girl, to feel like I am positively influencing the confidence and happiness of others, and to challenge and question the limits of my potential. Many deeply inspired moments led to this collection of dresses, and there is one visualization I have held in my mind and has influenced my thought process so much in the last several months:

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There’s a young girl in a big department store for the first time. The floors are polished, and she is happy to hear the short heels of her blue patent leather shoes against the tile, tap-tap-tap-tap-tap, as her mother’s boots take longer strides next to her. Her red wool coat is unbuttoned, and her mittens are off, though they hang out of her sleeves by a string that connects them across her back. She reaches her small hand up, and as her mother takes her hand she feels the soft fur on the cuffs of her mother’s sleeve.

From the shining faceted perfume bottles on the pristine glass counter tops to the rows of jewel-toned pantsuits and sheath dresses, the tall towers of delicate feathered hats to the perfectly cuffed pants of the men selling shoes, the young girl is captivated by the newness and perfection, the fantastic colors and thoughtfulness paid to every detail as she follows her mother through the store. As they exit the department store onto the busy street in the chilly gray air, the girl pulls her away from her mother to stuff her red mittens back over her hands. As she pauses, she turns and notices for the first time the window display in the storefront. Dozens of fuchsia and orange balloons anchor the sides of a Lucite table, and a crystal chandelier hangs overhead. Rows and rows of silver paper chains festoon the ceiling, and she can see them tied to hooks inside the window with red and white twine. The girl’s eyes finally fall on the centerpiece of the window–a mannequin in an emerald green dress standing in front of the table in happy dotted tights and brown paper bags at her feet. A small cake sits atop the table, and place settings for two have been set.

“That,” the girl thought, “is exactly who I want to be when I am a mama.”

♥

When this vision began coming to me almost a year ago, I thought I was seeing myself. I had those blue shoes. I held my mother’s hand. And I grew to become the woman in the window–the person I always wanted to be. But in recent weeks I have realized it’s not me–it’s you I see. I see you marvel at new things every day–new places, new colors, new textures, new people bustling around you–it’s your fascination that inspires me every moment. It’s your wonderment and awe. You are that girl.

My muse is the notion of becoming the woman I always wanted to be. It’s the thought of seeing the world the way we did when we were little girls–imaginative people who have never been told what isn’t possible–and rejecting the disappointment of mundane adult life. Each phase of life is almost a lifetime in itself, and the love we share has been fostered over many, many lifetimes–from my girlhood in my blue shoes, heels clicking against the linoleum at school, to your conception and birth and the moments we will share together for lifetimes to come.

My promise to you is to nurture and protect your confidence and imagination throughout all of your lifetimes. I promise to show you how to love yourself and honor your health and beauty. I promise to show you that your fascination and curiosity are gifts that will serve you through your whole life, and tools to become the woman you always wanted to be. I promise to trust you to navigate your world, and empower you to trust yourself. And I promise to play with you forever.

Someday when you are older and you feel put down, or out of motivation and energy, or frustrated that you are unable to make magic happen, I want you to remember yourself as a little girl. I still remember myself as a little girl–I am still that person. She is still here. And Alice, the person you are as a child will always be here. The curious, bossy, delightful person you are now–before you ever broke curfew, before you ever worried about getting a bad grade, before you thought about about gas prices or finding a parking spot, before you had to remember where you put your wallet or lipstick, before you were hurt by anyone who said they loved you–is the person you can always trust, because she is the person who knows you can become anything.

xo
mama

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I’m hosting a benefit for the Nebraska Aids Project on the 27th and our guest of honor is Mondo Guerra from Project Runway!

The cost is $7 which includes hors d’oeuvres, a drag show, and a little meet and greet with the fabulous Mr. Guerra. The beautiful and indomitable Kat Williams from Rock n Roll Bride will be there too and you’ll also get to see the pieces from our new dress line.

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Mr. Lasertron had a birthday. We had cake and food from our friends Denise and Isa and got our parents to play celebrity.

Alice likes to color. I helped with some of it.

Our sweet intern Allie is heading back to college. (She made the poster above!)

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I also finally sent out the packages from our giveaway week–congratulations to winners JoAnn, CaLynn, Brittan, Ani, Rachel, and Amie! Want to see what they won? Nothing earth-shattering–just some fun packages I put together.

Books: Signature Styles by Jenny Doh (with my felt flower cuff bracelet project on the front!) and The Dream Manager by Matthew Kelly.

Creativity: A crepe paper flower kit from Martha Stewart, and some vintage odds and ends from around my studio

Home: Alice’s Cook Book by Alice Hart (how could I not??), an awesome candle from Caldrea, and a tiny measuring tape to keep in your purse for when you are thrifting frames and furniture!

Learning: Brain Games for Dummies–I have this book and it serves as a time waster/coloring book for Alice, depending on who needs it more–and a box of stationery to send notes to faraway friends.

Friends: Two matching pairs of sunglasses from Betsey Johnson, and two bottles of matte nail polish from Nicole by OPI.

Beauty: Rosemary mint hand lotion from Pure & Good, Fleur de Corail perfume from Lolita Lempicka, and a few face mask samples. Tee hee free samples.

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More later. back to work.

xo
meg

One of my favorite new online magazines is Inspired Ideas from my sweet and generous friend Amy Powers. Three issues in, and I’m already hooked on its cute tutorials, gorgeous layouts, and the original sketches and doodles (from Pamela Keravuori!) that tie it all together. Amy has long been a creative inspiration of mine, and she asked me to be a contributor to this issue’s summer craft happy theme. My girls Shannon and Emma and I took supplies with us to Spirit Lake last month and came up with a great tutorial on how to make felt cupcake toppers that would work for a birthday party, baby or wedding shower, or even as a wedding favor. The issue comes out today and is only $3.99! Let me know if you make our cupcake toppers and share the pictures!

Here are a few outtakes from our tutorial and the picnic we had afterward to eat the cupcakes.

I encourage you to check out Inspired Ideas, a great online magazine chock-full of dozens of tutorials that anyone can create and draw inspiration from.

xo
meg