Also speaking of Serendipity, we are switching things up a little bit here, and for the next couple of weeks I will get to help out with packing your trunk shows and orders back in the good old 435 warehouse! I’m pretty excited to be back to where I first started back in my days of being “The Intern” and to get to help spread my love of Serendipity with you! While I’m away across the parking lot, Carrie will still be here to help you with any of your Platinum questions and concerns, and I know you all will just love her!

I think that is all I have to say for now, except that I hope you all have an exciting and fun-filled weekend! I’m having movie night at my apartment with some of my friends tonight (we’re watching the Lion King- awesome huh?!), so I’m pretty excited for the weekend to start! Talk to you all soon!!

Love, Desi

SHAWNA LUCAS- Shelby

LYN S.- Greenlee

SHAN- Saylor Gray

Now all that’s left for you ladies to do is email Kiara at KiaraA@matildajaneclothing.com with your daughter’s dress size and address where your prize can be sent! And TIFFANY B- we loooved your Beatles theme suggestion!! Send Kiara an email too, and we’ll get a little surprise out to you! And to the ladies who recognized Carter’s- I did go to BSU! I love that you knew that! Have an awesome week, everyone!!!

Happy Monday!

-Desi

Once in a while when Sam and Denise are designing they will give a name to a piece, but a lot of times pieces are named once they have come back from being sewn and when we can see their true personalities. Sometimes it happens while Kiara is building item numbers, and she will search for the perfect name. Or sometimes Carrie is stocking the shelves with an item that has not been named yet and will hold up the piece and ask for suggestions. As I am sure you can tell by now, we draw inspiration for this from everywhere!! Fabrics, trims, cities, people we know, memories, and movies can all spark new names. You may remember the ruffle pants that were uploaded in November that had a theme: Veruca, Beauregard, and Snozzberry were all borrowed from our favorite, Willy Wonka. The day we named these pants, I searched on Google to be sure I had the correct spelling of “Snozzberry”, and believe me, there are many variations! Later that day, Sam walked by my computer, saw the word “snozzberry” in the search bar on my browser and asked, “Umm, Desi? Why were you googling snozzberries??”

Remember Carter? The CUTEST little knot dress with the cutest trim ever that is in the picture above? Would you believe me if I told you this dress earned her name from the little wiener dogs on the apron trim? Yep, at my college there was a little hot dog stand that showed up in The Village late at night and was known as Carter’s Hot Dogs. Everyone on campus knew that Carter had the best late night snacks for when you needed a break from pulling an all-nighter studying at the library. Or Haley- the sweetest little flutter that was everyone’s favorite (and my favorite!) from a recent upload. She was named after my childhood best friend who, I promise you had a dress exactly like this one when we were growing up!

We haven’t had a contest in a while, so why don’t you let me know what YOU think the most adorable name for a new Platinum piece is?? On Monday we’ll choose one of your names, name a dress after your sweet little girl, and when it is uploaded we will send you your very own in your child’s size! I hope you all have an amazing weekend!!

Love, Desi

It has been these past six months- crazy as they may have been- that have taught me about what it really means to be thankful and about what REALLY matters in life. I’ve found that it’s not finally having the college degree that has been my focus for the past four years,  being able to throw around that I work at THE Matilda Jane to anyone who asks where I’m working (although I do love that!), or how much cute stuff I have decorating my apartment (again- definitely not a bad thing!), but it has been the relationships with my friends and family that I have been the most thankful for.

Being away from my family has allowed me to be aware of all of the things they have done to help me get to where I am today- not just over this past summer and fall, but over the course of my entire life they have taught me, encouraged me, challenged me, disciplined me, and instilled in me values and principles that I am finding myself living by every day now. I can tell you that it was for sure not the easiest job in the world to be my parents every day when I was growing up, but I am so thankful that they did not give up on being my parents so that now I can not only call them my parents, but two of my best friends. My other biggest cheerleader throughout my life has been my grandpa. He is by far and away my favorite person in the entire world, and to be completely honest, I have missed him more than anyone else that I moved away from. Growing up, I saw him almost every day, and going from that to seeing him once every one or two weeks has made me realize just how much I don’t know what I would do without him. He is the sweetest, spunkiest, and WITH IT 89 year-old you will ever meet! You can see for yourself just how cute he is!

It has not just been my family that I’ve learned to appreciate more than anything else, but it has also been my friends- both old and new- who I am thankful for. I love the old friends who I’ve known for over a decade, who know the true me, and who we can get together for a weekend after not seeing each other for weeks, and it is as if we were never apart. I love my coworkers who have become more than coworkers- who help me paint crazy designs on my wall, who stop at Starbucks while they’re out running errands to bring me an afternoon pick me up, and who laugh at my ridiculous stories of the awkward situations I get myself into. And I love all of the new friends I’ve made since moving to Fort Wayne- the friends from my new church who completely accepted me when I was the new girl, who invited me to spend time with them before they even knew my name, and who have already learned about a lot of my quirks and still talk to me- even if they do love to make fun of me!

I am so excited to get spend more time with my family and friends this next week, and I hope that you all are making plans to be with the ones you love and who love you! I know the holidays can become stressful and overwhelming, but I guarantee if you can take a minute to think of and be thankful for even one person who has made a difference in your life this year, you can get through anything the next week and month will throw your way! I will be talking to you all again in a few weeks! And…. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

To me, Platinum has always seemed like its own little magical world- almost Willy Wonka-like. Even before we had our own building, our own desks, or even our own official Platinum job titles it has been this way. When I entered 435 for the first time in the spring of 2010 for my interview, I had NO idea what was about to hit me. When I walked up the wooden steps of a non-descript brick warehouse I could not have been any less prepared for the swirl of colors, patterns, and row after row of gorgeous fabrics that were about to overwhelm me when I stepped inside the cutting room; it was aflutter with preparations for 435 Art Fair. It was at that moment that I fell in love with Matilda Jane Platinum and later that evening described the cutting room to someone as “Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, except it’s fabric!”

Fast forward 19 months, and we (Platinum) now have our own building, our own team of (incredibly incredible) girls, 3 times as many fabric shelves, our own packing station, 4 desks, a shipping station, address, phone number, refrigerator, and a partridge in a pear tree! Just kidding, but there really could be one somewhere in all of that fabric! This week we’ve been busy putting the finishing touches on our space, and at long last I have my computer with internet AND a phone with its own number where I can answer all of your Platinum questions and concerns. For everyone who has been wondering, our new number here is 260.755.5889. I am so excited for Monday to be completely settled in with my entire desk set up, and be ready to take any question you may have for me! For now though, it is time for my weekend to begin. So farewell until next Friday (unless you call me at our new number next week!)!

These are the folk who pushed me to open up Matilda Jane into home parties. The gals and guys who had my back from the get go. And for them, I am pleased to return to my roots and offer Matilda Jane Platinum, an ever changing collection of art fair goods.”

Walking around the park with my books blastin’ in my ears I was  sidetracked.  All the great Platinum pieces I had been working on the last few nights fluttered around in my head.   I thought it was about time I blogged some Platinum ramblings. It seems Platinum is a mystery to many, well, the many who do know about it. We barely mention Platinum, except on the FB page and every once in a while here, but it is never advertised nor marketed by any means. Ha, which is good cuz we can never seem to make enough of it. Which leads to a great question asked by many, “Why don’t you make more so we can all have it?”

This question seems to lead a few to frustration, which I understand fully but I also understand, and hope you will, that Platinum is my baby. It is me, it is the one little part of Matilda Jane that is the truest to it’s core. It is made in very limited quantities, maybe 5-30 of a style. Ya, I could cut a lot more, but that would put me in a place that I don’t want to be. I don’t love spending 40+ hours a week, making the same things every day. It gets quite tiresome and draining. I relish those hours that I can sneak into 435 on a Friday night and make 2-3 different dresses. Creating is what makes me the happiest.

When we started Trunk Shows 5 years back it was beyond my wildest dreams that it could lead to what it is today. It is so fun to spend that week or so dreaming up collections for upcoming seasons and watching it come to life. But yet, my life gets a tad boring once the line is drawn up. I am the type that cannot turn my mind off. It is in a constant spin mode and Platinum has let me fill those months between designing the Trunk Show lines.

Sometimes I feel bad that I cannot make enough to keep it stocked all the time. Yet, at the end of the day, I know there is a balance. There is family, friends, work, life and even me! And same as life there is no rhyme or reason to what we make, the sizes in what we make or the days we choose to upload. It is all about what happens that day, that moment.

If you had to rank your friends on insecurities from 1-10, you’d probably rank me a good 9 with a high of 10+++++.  Yes, I fully admit there’s been days when I can’t get out of the house because I feel like such a loser or think I look like a big dork.   I think we all have those days.

But then there’s my small group of friends that make those insecurities vanish. I never second guess my thoughts and know they never second-guess me. I love these girls. It seems, as I get older I value friendships more and more.  Just having those few good friends can get you through the toughest hours.

This all leads me to Joe. How you may wonder?

Joe was having a pretty tough time this year in 3rd grade. It was more than a good 9-10 times when he would just not get out of the car at school insisting he just couldn’t do it.  I didn’t know what to do. Well, I knew what to do, cuz I have felt like that so many times.  I loved when my friend Anne said “Denise, he is just a boy, he is not an adult, bring him home and love on him.”

So many others tried to tell me to just make him go.  Man, the thought of that killed me.  I myself knew how hard it was to get out the door many days, but Joe feeling like this?  And then pushing him out the door?  I know how it would feel as an adult, so how could I do that to a boy.

So in short this past Spring was pretty hard for Joe and for us. You know what it is like to watch your child feel sad or stressed. It is not fair and you want to figure out how to help.

I knew a lot of Joe’s anxiety was coming from the typical growing up and realizing we are all different in many ways. I think for maybe the first time, for if only a few seconds he realized he was a different.  He has never used his hand, speech or anything as an excuse and this time he did.

A while ago I signed up on a chat group called CHASA, Children’s Hemiplegia & Stroke Association.  I went to the site and saw they were having a retreat in July. I instantly signed Joe up and we went.

I was super nervous.  I actually talked David into going a few days early so I could be completely comfortable in my surroundings.  (Yes, I even get nervous going into new restaurants. I told you, I am really self-conscious.)

Well, on Friday night when other families started arriving I told myself I had to step out of my comfort zone. We couldn’t hide in the room. So we went out to dinner with a few families not knowing what to expect.

After dinner, David and I both looked at each other and said, ” Have you ever heard Joe talk so much? Did you hear how loud he was talking?” It was crazy. It was beautiful. It was pure bliss.

And for 4 short days I witnessed my son drop all insecurities and just be the amazing boy he is.  You know the feeling you get when you see your child giggle uncontrollably, the ” WOW, this is happiness, this is what life is all about?” Yes, that feeling. I could see it in Joe’s eyes the entire time.  Truth be told, I could see it in every child’s eyes. It was perfect.

I left there thinking  “Wow, this is such a huge thing for these kids and their families”. There are so many families that may not even know about this. There are so many kids that need to have that feeling in their life. I have to help.  I saw a gorgeous 12 yr old in a wheel chair light up when she watched a presentation for a Walk Aid. This 12yr old and her friend stole my heart.  I knew they had a bond that doesn’t happen everyday.  You know the friends that we all want for our child, the ones that make all those insecurities vanish.

So I have been pondering how could I help CHASA. The answer? I can’t do it alone, but together we can. And Platinum is going to lead the way.  From here on out we will donate 3% of each Platinum purchase to CHASA.

A huge thank you to all of those who support the Matilda Jane Platinum Label!

**PS I know you are waiting for the site, soon..

and

Ya, he’s being a beast…. No good, but do you see what he’s playing with? MJC Gone’ Fishin Hobo bag… It’ll be up on Platinum sometime this week. And so will some other cute stuff! We so love that you so love Platinum lately. We are gonna try our best to keep “The Goods” coming!

ANYWAY, I’ve got a real good contest for you guys. Remember good ol’ Sparkletown, last year’s Holiday Collection?? Well this year our Holiday Collection has been unceremoniously named “Collection 3.” How boring is that?! Denise and I were trying to come up with a name this week, but we decided you guys may be better fit for the job… Best idea gets the entire Holiday Collection! So excited to hear what you come up with!

LOVE, SAM

UPDATE: Thank you for all of your comments and entries!!!!!! Denise will blog today with the winner!!!!

I think it was from the very get go that I had the yearning for what I call “art fair stuff”.   All I ever knew was art fairs. I did them for years, like well over 10 years. And if you have not heard the story before I will sum it up quickly so we can all be on the same playing field.

I cannot exactly remember the age I went to my first Art Fair but I do remember how much the first painting cost. It was 11 bucks, I think. I am so losing it today! Lots of stress! Anyhow, I remember the lady who painted it sitting in the back of her tent. I remember all the artists sitting in back of their tents to escape the sun.  There is such a great energy around artists. I was drawn to it well before high school. These people were “real”.  Sometimes I am not sure what it is, and I am gonna sound real bad here, but sometimes when you  go into a real fancy store, workers seem to act as if you shouldn’t be there. Or maybe it is just me and my lack of showering, or that I never look all that fancy. Whatever it is, I hate the way it makes me feel. I feel uncomfortable and just kinda like a  loser!  But I am super, I repeat SUPER self conscious.   But artists never made me feel like that whether their work was 10 bucks or 10,000.  All the artists I have come across have been pretty grounded, pretty true to their roots.

Okay..I gotta stay focused or this post is gonna be all over the place.

Anyways I have always loved creating. I get bored easily and that’s just not good. Needless to say when I started doing trunk shows everything changed. I poured my heart and soul into the collection for like a month then it would go off to production and I would get bored. I had no clue what to do. We went round and round on how I could still do art fairs. There was just never enough time to do it all.  But I loved being able to make 5-10 of one thing and work all day and make like 6 or 7 different things. That is where my heart is…creating. I love to make things.  It is then that I am totally in my element.

Needless to say this is when Platinum was born. I must tell you that it was first called “Silver label” then I realized I sounded like Levi’s! I was a little hesitant to launch it because..well, I am not sure why. I think mostly cuz I had been in the art fair circuit for so long  and I knew selection was always huge and quantity was always low.  Afterall, that is what made it “art” right? And it is completely opposite in the Trunk Show circuit.  But who cares about the nerves cuz now we get to make stuff all the time. And today…OMG Sam was busily organizing and counting, so I had Kiera layering fabric. In the past, I pretty much just had Sam layer and cut. She was busy and I knew we needed to get Fall rolling out, so I asked Kiera if she could help. And what the heck? I come out to the cutting room and she can layer, draw layout and even cut. I was shocked and shocked in a good way! She could even do bodices. Crazy! Love it. So thank you to Sam and Kiera for making it so easy on me!

Okay, this email is all over the place…ya, email? I mean blog. Ha,I almost typed blood. I am so losing it tonite.

So who do you think won the great prize? And I am not saying what it is. CARLA can tell you all as soon as she emails Sam, samm@matildajaneclothing.com her address and size.

Yup, the answer was Chestnut Alley. I had picked this name cuz it reminded me of my Gramma. We had so many Chestnut trees in my neighborhood. I grew up across the street from my grandparents so we were all out there always having chestnut fights. But some of the last times I saw my Gramma she was out there with a broom in her nightgown with 3 or 4 little kids at her knees. She’d swing the broom up in the tree and they’d all chase them as they fell.  My boys loved it. She is amazing, incredible and so dang cute. Love her.

Okay, I gotta take a few more. You guys are hilarious… so how about Hillary, Shanna, Michelle L, carrie paul and WENDY T. And yes, random for no particular reason other than it is so fun sending out prizes!

Oh, and how about we drop the minimum and apply free shipping to any size order. This applies to Platinum as well as Trunk Show Shipping.  (shipping to lower 48 states only)

Effective Thursday, April 1, 2010. 8am EST