Flashing...Lights!

Day 2 of the new year and off to a good start.  Yesterday we completed our photoshoot to showcase pieces of the collection and had fun in the process.  Working with a young talented photographer passionate about his craft was an awsome experience.  In a world where everyone wants something for nothing, I was inspired watching this young photographer take his job so seriously while still having fun and remaining professional.  I know he is going to have much success and I am glad that I can be an advocate for his creativity.  Thank you Joshua Martin.  Today Joshua is being featured on the blog so my supporters can learn of and support other awsome artists!

You can check out Joshua's website at www.photobymartin.com

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Well it is finally 2012!  As we brought in the New Year we did so with a giving spirit.  Earlier this week my husband sat me down and told me a story about a man he just met.  A veteran that risked his life for our country now living on the streets of Reading, Pennsylvania having not eaten for days.  The man shared more of his story while he found relief in the kind gesture of a turkey sandwich.  I listened intensely while my husband described this man's misfortunes and when the story came to an end, our conversation shifted to how we could use our resources to help get people the things that they need.   I know there are several things that I unconsciously take for granted such as food, water, clothes, shelter.......etc.  So last night and until the weeeee hours of the morning, while the city was partying and bringing in the New Year- we decided to hit the streets and find those not fortunate to be able to share in a toast with friends and family let alone being favored enough to have a piece of toast to settle an empty stomach.  Twenty plus meals were given out along with a few donated scarves.  Giving feels really good!!!   #DEED2NEED

 

Who's Representing?

TGB Sketches

I don't mean to neglect everyone.  My mind has literally been racing for the past week.  So many things that are just running wild in my brain that I haven't just taken the time out to relax and get some things off my chest.  What's the holiday going to bring?  The New Year??  THE GREY BUTTON?  So many exciting thoughts!  Well we are hitting the ground running!  We are interviewing now for Independent Sales Reps for all markets which is keeping me real busy.  Paperwork, phone interviews, resumes......boy who knew how much work!  I need an HR rep.  We have already added one and looking and looking for many more to help share THE GREY BUTTON with everyone.  One thing I know is that you have to keep the momentum going so hang on!  I have been sharing some photos as I work and plan to continue so everyone can share my progress and keep me focused.  Thanks again for every one's support and also the great comments........but you know it's so much faster if you just comment here on the blog rather than emailing me......-friends you know who you are!

Handbags?? Of Course!

Sketches of a few design prototypes.....

I've been getting a lot of questions recently about my handbags and I want to set everyone's mind at ease, please don't worry.....I am still designing handbags.  I'm actually revamping the line and making it even better!!!  I can't wait until the collection is complete and everyone gets to see my vision come to life.  Two and a half years ago I took time off from designing and made the difficult choice to go back to Corporate America.  It was definitely something that was needed at the time, but I didn't realize the effect it would have internally.  Me being an over acheiver I threw myself into my Corporate job and, as a result, I completely neglected my craft.  Eventually it all came crashing down...........and the job left me empty, sad, and overall unhappy.  I felt as though I had become a different person and I didn't like who I had become.  My fire was gone!  When I thought about what did make me happy, I immediately thought- Designing!!!  And so I'm throwing myself back into it!  I am inviting you to walk along side me while I grow my business, sharing your thoughts and giving me much needed feedback along the way.  I understand that I cannot be successful without the help of others and so it only makes sense for us to "come together" and grow our businesses!  Thank you to all my supporters over the years and my new supporters as we all grow!!!


Here's a sneak peak of new ideas I'm working on......so exciting!!

Get Out and Mingle

I rolled out of the bed this morning feeling very thankful for the connections that I made this week.  Social Media is working in my favor but meeting people the good old fashion way is a much better experience.  This week we added our first sales rep who is very eager to get started I am positive will be great!  Get ready Florida for THE GREY BUTTON!!!  So feeling inspired I got out of the work zone and out into some fresh air.  I found myself near downtown on Walker Street just walking and scouting a location for my future shop, when I stumbled across a cute little shop called Shoe Lounge.  I popped in and met the owner who was a very lovely woman with an extremely warm personality.  Although today was not the day for shopping, it is definitely a place that I would return to.  It was really nice to get out and mingle with another fashion lover even if it was only for a few moments.  And the added bonus of possibly creating a new frienship is the business connection (it's like finding a new button!)  Nice meeting you Shoe Lounge.

Let's Come Together

I'm working on the website and I am finding that it is far more challenging than I care to mention.  The thing is, I don't really want to learn how to build a website.  I know what I want but not necessarily how to "do" it.  And that is a major problem.  Yeah, I could go get Websites for Dummy's but I would rather have a professional do it.  And this got me to thinking.  I am good at a lot of things and I consider myself to pretty smart.  I say that to say.......just because I can do something doesn't mean I have to do everything.  I just want it to be right.  Because THE GREY BUTTON is building a foundation of "coming together" to make a difference it is about time for me to let go of some of the control and leave some things to the professionals.  I met with  a web developer and we spent a couple of hours going over my vision for the website.  It was really nice not having to think technically on how things will "work" on the site but focus on how I want the overall design and feel to be.  THE GREY BUTTON Project is in full affect.  We are putting other artists to work and will continue to.

~Next  -------> Work on funding the project!

In My Pursuit of Happiness

Staying Focused
The little button that could.......

I have been told recently that I am not an emotional person from an old friend I've known for years.  But I would have to disagree because I am finding the older I get the more emotional I am.  Sometimes I am too emotional in my opinion, especially when I can relate to someone else's emotional experience.  After coming home from a short weekend road trip, and reflecting on what's important in mine and my family’s lives, I flopped down on the couch, turned the TV on and there was Will.  [Like we are on a first name basis--yeah right!]  The Pursuit to Happyness , starring Will Smith, was playing and I came right in on THE "emotional" scene with him at the basketball court schooling his son on an important life lesson,  "Hey. Don't ever let somebody tell you... You can't do something. Not even me. All right?.......You got a dream... You gotta protect it. People can't do somethin' themselves, they wanna tell you you can't do it. If you want somethin', go get it. Period." Unsurprisingly, this deeply emotional scene resonated with me, but this was not THE emotional part of the movie for me.  Throughout the movie I fought back the tears watching Will Smith's character repeatedly face obstacles every time he made headway to make a better situation for his son.  From the scene outside the office building when his future boss asks him for his last five dollar bill, to the IRS garnishing is funds from his bank account........ this man never gave up!  I often feel how he felt with getting knocked down repeatedly!  I remember vividly that day while at the gas station, with the last $20 in hand, an obstacle came flying out of nowhere and knocked me cold out!  Unconscious!  Somehow between getting out of the car and into the store the $20 vanished!  And of course after spending half an hour searching frantically I finally settled on the fact that it was gone and hung my head super low, crawled back into the car and drove away.  The only thing is “obstacle” has an evil twin and they are always together, so as I pulled out of the parking lot, I naturally looked at the dashboard and at that precise moment the gas light came on-- just to knock me back out as I was coming to from the first blow...........So understandably I am very emotional even now reflecting on The Pursuit of Happyness.   Maybe I saw it for a reason, and I can only hope that I too will find success.

Are you inspired?

Short Sleeve  TGB Large Logo T-Shirt 

This week has been one filled with ups and downs.  Overall, I must admit that the ups have been victorious over the downs.  I could complain about the things that went wrong this week but I'm not going to.  For one, the collection is being received quite well by my friends and family.  And importantly I am so happy that people understand and want to support the movement.  I truly believe that we all can make a real difference in the world and it doesn't take much.  And so the hard work begins.   I have to work out the master plan of getting my message out.  Although I know that everyone is turning to Social Media, I must admit, I don't want to spend most of my day browsing over Facebook and Twitter pages trying to make new "friends" in hopes that they will be supporters.   I mean, don't get me wrong I will do exactly that, but I also like the idea of good old fashion face to face interaction.  Actually using my hands to create something more than a document or an email.  One thing that I have noticed......with technology pushing us further and further away from reality, it is becoming a lot harder to get people motivated to do hardly anything outside the house.

I need your help......what would inspire you to get out and do something?  Please share your thoughts!

After the Rain

"The sun always comes out!"

The past month has been a very trying one for me. I knew that things would be difficult but I was not ready!  I mean completely caught off guard!  As if things couldn't get any worse off than they alreay had been, on Thursday they did.  When my friend called to get an update on a very stressful situation, I made a reference, "Man, when it rains......it pours!"  My friend's reaction was..."yeah, but after all that rain the sun always comes out!"  If that was not what I needed to hear right then.  I met a couple of new people this week at a friend's house and as we were getting to know each other, it appeared the common theme was how much everyone hated their jobs and all the stress that comes along with it.  One of the girls started telling us how she's training for a new position at her job, but it feels as though the trainer just picks on her all day.  Then someone said, "your job is not going to be easy....you are going to have people coming at you from all directions and some not nice, they are just testing you to see if you can handle the job!  Show them you can!"  Lightbulb!!!!!!  That's what I'm dealing with right now!  What I had to realize is that I must go through these hard times.  Feeling like it can't get worse seems to ignite the fuel most times.  All of sudden I must do this....or that's not going to happen.  It's almost like Whoever is calling the shots is standing over my bed while I'm napping holding a bucket of ice water, getting a kick out of shocking me back to reality!  This is the career path that I chose and I knew it wouldn't be easy.  These obstacles are getting me ready......This is just boot camp!

To my friend, Thank you for knowing just what to say but importantly having such a big heart !!

"Billionaire Secrets: Achieving the American Dream" Barbara Walters interviews CEOs who made their fortunes through hard work.

All I have to say is........you have to see this!  We can all work together to make a difference!  No matter how big you get, you should never lose focus on what's important!

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/surprising-stories-superrich-gave-back/story?id=14826520