I’ve been on a home improvement tear since the end of ‘09. In part because our house is old (built in 1809) and always in need of some kind of repair, in part because it’s winter in New England, which means more layers, more gear, and more time in the house, and in part because I’m in the end zone of my new home decor book, so I’m feeling inspired!

The mudroom has been a source of frustration for me.  It’s also our laundry room, which I originally thought was a great idea.  But the staggering amount of laundry that is generated by a busy family of six, combined with all of the winter stuff we all need to keep active and enjoy the season, and topped off with a need for some kind of household storage had proved to be a great challenge.

Here’s what I’m up against:

Clean or Dirty, you tell me!

Whose stuff is this??

Wasted Space

So far, I’ve found some of these ideas to add to my inspiration board… let me know what you think!

from roomremix.com

from ll bean via blisstree.com

from shelterpop.com | photo from better homes and gardens

Looks like I have my work cut out for me!  I’m glad it’s Sunday.  Good day to work on the house.  And so I’m off in search of creative solutions to my mudroom dilemma. Got answers?  Share them, please!

ciao,

lb

The past few months have been particularly trying for my family and me. I’ve kept a lower-than-usual profile professionally, socially, and online. I’ve been leaning on a few close friends more than ever and I am so grateful to them.  Today I came home to such a treat that I just had to share – and thank my friends publicly.

After a(nother) very long day, I came home to find a package on my porch from a dear friend in Vermont. She was the first friend I made after moving to New England. We came  from Boulder ten years ago – and didn’t know a soul. We connected immediately and have been close ever since. She moved “up north” a few years ago, but the distance hasn’t hurt our friendship a bit. Our families get together for some holidays, a few special occasions, and when we can, we’ll drive up or they’ll come down just for the heck of it.

Anyhoo, I opened the package and was surprised and delighted to find an uplifting note and some goodies: envigorating green tea, soothing chamomile tea with lavender, refreshing eucalyptus soap, and a locally-made dark chocolate peppermint crunch bar (my favorite!).

Treats for the soul

Wow. Talk about making my day! Such a simple gesture, but it meant so much to me and felt so good. I guess that’s why they call it a “care package.”

So I wanted to say THANK YOU to my friend for thinking of me.  And to a few select others (you know who you are) for answering their phones (a lot!) and texting me throughout the day.  I love you and appreciate you.

And to you, Dear Readers, I suggest taking a moment to check in with a friend. Or your kids. Or your partner. Or your pet.  Anyone who means something to you. And tell them so.

ciao,

lb

]]> http://www.lexiebarnes.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=310 0 http://www.lexiebarnes.com/blog/?p=305 http://www.lexiebarnes.com/blog/?p=305#comments Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:52:06 +0000 lexiebarnes http://www.lexiebarnes.com/blog/?p=305

I’m getting down to the nitty gritty of my new book — and I’m so excited.  It’s big and bold and a LOT of fun to work on.  Right now, I’m choosing fabrics for the final projects. This just might be the best part. I loved the fabrics I used in Sew What! Bags, but I’m working on a new kind of approach and have a vibe in mind for the overall look of the book that’s a little different.  For the first round of projects I’m using scraps from Sew What! Bags and I’m just itchin’ to get my hands on the new fabric for the final projects!

Heads up!

I’m also looking for volunteer sewers to test the projects.  So if you like to sew, want a free copy of a book with your name in it, and are in (or near) MA, call over to my HQ 413.303.1440 or shoot an email to info@lexiebarnes.com and we’ll give you the scoop.

I’d love for you to pitch in!

ciao,

lb

Have you seen our latest knitting accessory? It’s the brand new Coco case for circular and interchangeable needles. Coco’s compact size makes it perfect for stowing at home or tagging along in your Lady B. Frankly my dears, it’s the best damn needle case out there.

Knittin' Pretty

Interior Front

Interior Back

The Coco case boasts 20 clear, sturdy pockets; 8 tool pockets; 2 large hidden pockets; 1 large clear zip pocket; dual zip closure; protective padding; water-resistant waxed canvas; wipeable logo lining; durable black piping; and nickel hardware. It’s plum awesome.

And this beauty comes in three sexy prints!

Vintage Kiri

Modern Delilah

Classic Leopard

Order yours by Friday and get a free matching Small Mini as a gift from me, LB! Use coupon code LexieBlogs during checkout.  Sorry, but only one coupon per order, so you can’t combo with any other offers. And don’t forget to use the coupon – no retro freebies.

Enjoy the coolness!

ciao,

lb

Meanwhile, back at our HQ,we’re finally getting around to painting it.  My fabulous dad came over and did most of the work — what a guy!

The blankness is numbing!

The Amazing GK can paint and drink coffee at the SAME TIME!

We moved into this space over a year ago, but have just been too busy to get it fixed up. Since the new space is more officey (and we’re really not very officey people), we wanted to find ways to make it feel more comfortable.  The first step was to bring some nature inside. My space is a homey green and Cory’s is a thoughtful, shadey blue-green.

Our previous space was a big, airy loft — and it was so much fun. Lots of great artist neighbors and oooh, the high ceilings and giant windows.  BUT… no a/c. Leaky windows in the winter.  And DIRT flying in all the time.  Not to mention the stinky smelly dumpster down below those glorious windows, courtesy of the tasty restaurant downstairs.  (If you are ever in need of something delicious in Easthampton, MA, be sure to visit the Apollo Grill for the best grilled cheese in the northeast and some super-supper options as well!).

Though we dearly miss the Apollo, our new HQ is just right for us now.  Enough office space to run all of our ventures: LB, Spire, and Twist.  Plus a small Warehouse Store for special events, which doubles as a writing and sewing studio for me.  And, of course, the warehouse itself which is large enough to accommodate all of our inventory as it comes in and goes out to our lovely customers and retail partners.  And did I mention the commute?  Three minutes from our house!!  With four kids in the mix, the choice location was simply too good to pass up.  It may have less sex appeal than the old loft — but we’ve got a few tricks up our sleeve…

Amy, Laura, and I just need to make time to put everything back together and post some pix of the finished spaces, so stay tuned…

ciao,

lb

One of my favorite projects is Twist – the indie craft and art fair my husband Cory and I produce in Northampton, MA.

We do the show twice a year – in May and November.  We just wrapped up this year’s holiday show: Twist III.   This time around,  we got a terrific suggestion from some friends, which let to an amazing opportunity to help the show grow…

Thornes Marketplace, the local shopping mecca in Northampton, MA had a vacant retail space and they were willing to let us set up a “pop-up” store through the holidays.

We jumped at the chance to offer our vendors a choice outlet like Thornes.  We inked the deal, prepped the space, and moved in — all in two weeks!

Check out the transformation…

Ah, Vacant Space

Window Concept by Katie Craig

The Window Comes to Life!

Empty Space

Neutral Greens and Warm Yellow for the Walls

Great Stocking Stuffers!

So if you loved the show — or if you missed it! — stop on by the Twist Store in downtown Northampton for some super shopping for unique handmade wares. You can read a little more about the store here.

The Twist Store. Thornes Marketplace, 150 Main Street. Northampton, MA.

ciao,

LB

Phew. Finally time for a Fashion Week recap. What an amazing scene. When I arrived at the swank Bryant Park Hotel, I was really impressed.  The hotel is small and boutiquey. The suite was beautiful, simple, and comfortable. And the service was the best hotel service I’ve experienced in years.  To borrow from Ferris Bueller, “if you have the means, I highly recommend staying there.”

Ooh Ahh Fancy

Our knitting lounge was a big hit.  The other suites at the hotel were occupied by Victoria’s Secret, where they were showing some new looks for spring.

Ooh La La

They had plenty of pretty spring colors, but the new prints were also a lot of fun. Retro-inspired, chic, and sexy.  Very impressive.

Ready, Set, Undies

And Nintendo, where I got to try out a new fashion game for the DS.

New DS Game for Girls

There was one more suite whose host wasn’t as friendly as the rest, but inside, we did meet the fab ladies from Tokyo Milk. Their soaps and parfums smelled so nice and the packaging was just as sweet.

In our suite,  Melissa Morgan-Oakes and Mary Beth Temple took time away from their busy schedules to  teach media peeps – and even some runway models – how to knit.  (Mary Beth also made sure crochet was represented by making the adorable curtain ties for us.)

MMO Teaches A Victoria's Secret Model How to Knit

Mary Beth Crochets Our Curtain Ties

Our special guest was the inimitable Adina Klein. I hadn’t seen her in a while, so we had a great time catching up. She looked fabulous, as always. And brought with her this gorgeous yarn from our sponsor Tahki Stacy Charles — I love how it matches the new Kiri fabric, too!

Pretty Yarn & Pretty Bag

Some action shots…

The Bryant Park Tent at Night

The LB Bar, Courtesy of Pearl Vodka

VIP Gift Bags, Ready to Go

Joanna and Wendy Check the Guest List

Wendy with Sponsor Carol Murko of Heirloom Meals

The Paparazzi Buzzing Outside the BP Hotel

There were celebs all over the hotel — even Jon Gosselin!  (No, we didn’t teach him to knit – sorry!)

Lexie Talks to the Press

A Designer Loads Out

This Stuffing Was Recycled, Yay!

It was an amazing experience and I’m grateful to everyone who helped pull it off.  Look for a proper list of thank yous soon!

ciao,

lb

As you may have heard, I’m hosting a Knitting Lounge and Media Suite at Fashion Week NY.  And you may have heard that I’m working with kickstarter.com to raise the money to put it together.

The Knitting Lounge at Fashion Week NY

Kickstarter.com is a new, amazing platform created for people to raise cash for their projects. There are artists and activists, filmmakers and musicians, entrepreneurs, small businesses, and students — all types of people who are looking to fund their work.

For an indie accessories designer with a predominantly crafty following, it’s pretty tough to crash Fashion Week. We had to think out of the box and find the right way for me to cross over from craft to fashion. Since my knitting bags (yes, stylish knitting bags) are among my most popular sellers, and because knitting is somehow always left out of the party in fashion (like the designer colleague of mine who auditioned for Project Runway and was laughed at — a knitter? on Project Runway? ).  There is this huge gap between crafty knitting and fashion knitwear. And what better way to bridge that gap than to knit right there at Fashion Week!

In addition to showing my spring 2010 collection, we’ll offer complimentary hand massages for those tired knitting (and blogging!) fingers, give yoga tips, serve drinks & tasty nibbles and… teach the media folks how to knit. Everyone gets to make the Fashion Week Bracelet – a simple, handknit bracelet you can whip up in about 10-20 minutes.  The bracelet then becomes a symbol of being a knitter and can be worn all week at the fashion shows.

To put together an event like this takes a lot of planning, networking, and thousands of dollars.  The money for this kind of thing would typically come from a designated events budget (um, as if small, indie labels have one) or, more often, it comes from sponsorships from larger companies.  We are fortunate to have some terrific partners involved (see below), but these days, no one is working with a big budget.   So even with great sponsors and a great event planned, we were still short.

Cut to kickstarter solving the problem.  To post a project you first need an invitation.  I didn’t have one, so I went to Twitter and Facebook to ask around.  “I’m looking for a kickstarter invitation.  Anyone got one for me?” or something like that. Within minutes, my old friend Jane Lerner (thank you, Facebook) contacted me with a hot lead.  And later that evening, I had posted the project on kickstarter and had started to raise money.

The way it works is you ask backers to pledge money and in return you offer rewards.  Some recording artists might offer a signed copy of the CD for a $25 contribution or in one case they’ll write a song about you for kicking in $1000!  My rewards vary from gift certificates to a signed copy of my book to a weekend for two in NYC, including a fancy dinner and tickets to a broadway show.

And then here’s the thing… if you reach your goal, Amazon (they process the funds for kickstarter) will give you every penny.  But if you fall short of your goal, you get nothing.  Zip, zilch, nada, zero.

The deadline for my goal is 9/11 at 11:59pm. So far, we’ve raised about $1400 and the pledges are still rolling in. But we need more help to make this happen! Please contribute to my project and my cause. Indie designers need help from their community. The smallest amount makes all the difference.  And if you can’t chip in, please link to the project or this post.  Or twitter the link. Post it on Facebook.

Helping to spread the word doesn’t just help my business, it shows other artists and entrepreneurs that there are creative ways to get funding. Using social media to advance your business is new and exciting. Reaching out to your own core audience (and beyond it) and feeling their support is amazing!

Every small business, artist, and entrepreneur deserves a chance like this to reach their goals.

Thanks so much for your support!

Our Knitting Lounge at Fashion Week sponsors…

Tahki Stacy Charles

Luxco / Pearl Vodka

Storey Publishing

Red Flower

Heirloom Meals

Blue Q

Hip, growing company based in South Deerfield, MA is seeking
energetic, hard-working Sales and Marketing interns.  We’re a fun,
fast-paced business and we need you!  Responsibilities include:
organizing and preparing marketing materials, market research,
competitive research and analysis, communicating via phone and
e-mail with retail customers, colleagues, and retail stores, regularly
updating dealer database, preparing weekly status reports,
recommending strategies for increased sales, accompanying owners
to sales meetings and events, assisting with public relations.
Must have outstanding communication skills and an interest in the
fashion and/or craft industries.  Basic computer skills and knowledge
of Microsoft Office required.  Experience with Excel, PowerPoint and
Social Media a big plus.  Excellent opportunity to gain valuable
experience.  Hours: Negotiable.  Pay: Unpaid.  College credit is an
option.

Company Background: Lexie Barnes is an author, entrepreneur and
designer whose line of women’s bags and accessories launched in
June 2005 (www.lexiebarnes.com).  The bags have been featured in
Vogue Knitting, Knit.1, BUST, and Preview, and seen on Knitty Gritty,
Desperate Housewives and How I Met Your Mother.  Lexie is also the
founder and director of Twist (www.twistfair.com), an indie craft fair in
Northampton, MA.

Contact: Send resume and cover letter to lexie@lexiebarnes.com

hello good people,

we’ve been crazy busy with photography, site building, book writing, media working, and prepping for the Knitting Lounge at Fashion Week, that we didn’t have time to get these interior shots on to the site earlier today. Enjoy…

That’s it for interior shots for now.  Will add more soon…  If you have questions about the cases or other products, just get in touch: info@lexiebarnes.com

ciao,

lb