A game of Tug and War

I started this blog as a means to expressing my journey to launching a successful clothing line while working a full time job and raising two intelligent and loving boys that I am proud to call my sons.

It has now become an accountability that my friends and family have begun to hold me to. Not a day goes by that someone doesn't ask me when I'm going to make my next post. I have been in a creative funk lately which has led to me putting off a lot of things, my blog being one of them.

This past Saturday I took a sewing lesson with someone I admire and am aspiring to mimick talent-wise. It was a great lesson in that it reminded me of how much I love to sew and how relaxing it is for me (even if my attempts at following the circular lines were a bit off). The hours flew by like minutes and before I knew it, I had been there for 4 hours. This lesson reaffirmed the saying of "Do what you love, and the money will come". My current problem is that I have so many ideas, that my own brain has somewhat paralyzed me from being able to do just do something. I spend too much time thinking about what should be the first product, that I now find myself with no product at all. this is far from what I envisioned when I decided to pursue the clothing line with all the passion that I have been suppressing for some time now.

So now I'm left with the task of trying to ignore the part of me that likes to plan every single detail and give the creative side of me the chance to prove that it has everything under control. How do you find a balance of being creative while sensible and sensible but flexible? This lack of balance has begun to affect my sleep, so I know I need to figure it out and soon before I'm too exhausted to think or be creative.

Who knew that being creative would be both a gift and a curse? I know I'm not the first person to go through this and that wallowing in pity only delays the process even further. Somewhere inside me lies the answer, I just have to figure out whether or not my creative or sensible side will be the one to find it.

Sincerely,

Ebony
(Conquering the world, one stylish step at a time)

Overcoming "Me"

"History has demonstrated that the most notable winners usually encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats".

B. C. Forbes

I had both a good and bad day today. Since this blog's purpose is to mainly focus on my triumphs regarding the startup of my clothing line, I will not go into detail regarding my personal life. What I will say is that the bad part of my day left such a sour taste in my mouth, that it has made me realize that no matter how hard you try to make everyone happy, there will always be someone who will do their best to try and bring you down to their level.

As painful as it is, I have to start believing in the advice that I give to my own sons. "No matter who you are as a person, someone will like you for who you are, and someone will not like you for who you are, so don't change". As always, it's been easier to give than to live. Unfortunately, I will have to make this my mantra if I'm ever going to be able to fully put myself out there for other people to judge my designs. My quest for perfection while not being criticized has backed me into a corner that I no longer want to call home.

I no longer want to conform to what I think will make everyone else happy. That way of life has crippled me and I no longer want to be a victim. I have too much talent to let it just sit idle. I have goals in life that don't involve me wallowing in self-pity. I have already accomplished so many of my goals that for me to think that I will be anything less but successful at this, is an insult to all of my planning.

I need to start viewing obstacles as things that are preparing me to be more prepared for the next step. Of course there will be moments where everything falls into place and life seems like it just coudn't get any better. But, there will also be times when I will wonder what went wrong so fast. I just have to be ready to bask in the sunlight of my accomplishments and face the heat of my mistakes. I'm ready for both.

Sincerely,

Ebony
(Conquering the world, one stylish step at a time)

Fabrics, Buttons and Thread, Oh My!

"The sad truth is that opportunity doesn't knock twice. You can put things off until tomorrow but tomorrow may never come. Where will you be a few years down the line. Will it be everything you dreamed of. We seal our fate with the choices we take, but don't give a second thought to the chances we take".

~ Gloria Estefan

This past Saturday, I had the pleasure of doing something I haven't done in awhile. I not only went to a fabric store, but I also purchased two bolts of fabric that were so full of color and life, that they inspired me to draw again. I forgot how fun it is to try to recreate fabric through the use of markers. I got so involved with trying to match the fabric perfectly, they I went past my goal of spending a hour in my sewing studio. Luckily I have a great supporter in my boyfriend who cooked dinner while I designed.

Here is a draft of the sketch that I just couldn't walk away from:


One thing that allowed me to just draw was the fact that I didn't beat myself up for not making sure my hands, feet and face were perfect on the figure. I can remember being in my Fashion Illustration class and getting frustrated by the details of everything other than the design that I was trying to transfer from my head to the paper. I recently came across some Fashion Croquis that I will use to make sure my portfolio looks more professional, but the design itself will be what most of my focus is on.

It's amazing the feeling you get when you allow yourself to do what you do best and find resources to help you with those things that aren't within your skill set. I had been putting off going into my sewing studio because I felt like I wasn't ready. I felt like I had to know how to sew like an expert and draw like an experienced artist. Once I let go of my own limitations and realized that what I know today will help me know more tomorrow, I was able to just do what felt natural.

I know that I'm a little rusty since I haven't given Fashion Design the same attention as I do everything else, but I also know that my passion and desire to succeed are so deeply embedded in me, that I have to just do something. There will never be a perfect time, just the time that I dedicate to it.

This is my time to take a chance and create my own moment of Aha!

Sincerely,

Ebony
(Conquering the world, one stylish step at a time)

Survey Says

In an effort to keep moving forward and in the right direction, I have come up with a survey to help me get a better idea of what people are looking for in terms of clothing. Please visit the following link My Fashion Style to complete the survey.

Sincerely,

Ebony
(Conquering the world, one stylish step at a time)

Me vs. the Machine

"Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune".

-- Jim Rohn: Entrepreneur, author, and motivational speaker

I was recently sent this quote and could not shake the feeling that it came to me at just the right time. It's funny how you find ways to find the meaning behind even the simplest things when you're searching for answers.

I have been battling for some time with the struggle of going to school for Business while actively pursuing my goal of becoming an established Fashion Designer. It's a hard blow when you finally do the math and realize that they really aren't enough hours in the day for you to accomplish all that you want without something else being sacrificed. That something that feels like its being sacrificed is more quality time with my boys.

I always find time to do the routine things with them such as being chauffeur, chef, and fixer of all things at the last minute, but those things don't bond us, so much as they are what needs to be done. It's the moments of sitting on the couch and watching a movie together or going to the park that brings us closer. Those unexpected moments of hugs and "I love you" that you didn't have to initiate. I not only cherish those, but need to make more of an effort to provide the opportunity for them to happen.

So while I may battle with how to fit in time to do all the things I would like to do, there are some things that are non-negotiable and some that I have control over. I value the need for education, but also feel that there are those that soak up knowledge by living what they want to be. I want to be a Fashion Designer and yet I spend more time traveling down paths that only lead me back to where I started. All roads lead to me knowing what I wanted all along. I realize now that I let fear rule me with an iron fist and that my creativity was set aside and viewed as more of a hobby than a need.

I need fashion. I need the feel of fabrics in my hands, a sewing pedal at my foot and a desire to let my creativity take whatever shape or form that it chooses. I need to stop trying to "be" and just being. I need to believe in my own ability to pick and choose what roads I will travel going forward. There are some that I will take that will be scenic, smooth and have all the proper signs to tell me when and where to turn and how much farther to the next stop. And there will be some that will be bumpy, overcrowded and misleading. I know that I will be taking a risk by choosing to make my own map, but it's one that I've steered clear from for far too long.

Sincerely,

Ebony
(Conquering the world, one stylish step at a time)

C’mon, Ride It...The Great Brazil Express

C’mon, Ride It

I came across this great travel opportunity and wanted to share it. I will have to add this to my vision board of something I would like to enjoy some day.

I just want to draw!

Between talks with a graphic designer, a lawyer, online school, work and my most important job of being a mother to two boys, drawing has seem to have taken a back seat.

The creative part of me just wants to sit and draw and let my hands translate for my imagination. The business part of me understands that you have to be patient and make sure you protect yourself as well as your ideas.

Right now I'm trying to find the balance of the two.  I want to be able to share my ideas, but I also want to make sure that I'm given credit for what I've worked so hard for.

So for now, I let my ideas dance around my head and onto the pages of my "Big Black Book of Ideas" until they are able to take the stage.

Finding balance always seems to be a resounding theme these days.  Everyone wants to have it all without having to sacrifice too much.  I'm guilty of that as well.  I want everything to fall into place since I can't find time to manage too many interruptions. If it were only up to me, I wouldn't have to worry about that, but unfortunately, life always has it's own plans and I have to fnd a way to either roll with the punches, or duck faster.  :-)

Sincerely,

Ebony

(Conquering the world, one stylish step at a time)