the "green" city of Portland, new friends, and all things considered

i'm back.....


(labradorite & onyx bracelet ... if you click on the picture for a better look, just click the "back" arrow when you're done, not the X, or you'll exit out of the site!)

Portland was so much fun! I truly enjoyed myself despite my hotel room. Perhaps I didn't mention I slept on a cardboard box filled with concrete? It was disguised as a mattress, but I know different. Let's just say, my BACK knows different. So, ahem, despite that ... Portland was fun.

As you can see here, my booth looked absolutely wonderful ... so happy I invested in those black velvet necklace displays afterall! And despite having no electricity the first two nights of the show ... you can sort of tell if you look at the picture below, there was at least some overhead flourescents that enabled customers to see the displays and, all things considered, the show was a success.


(my booth at Portland Fashion Week)

finally...I had lights on Saturday night! That's also the night I lost my keys, my cell phone died, and I had to catch a cab to the hotel at midnight... not an altogether pleasant experience!


<
would I do that particular show again? I'm not sure at this point since it was my first fashion show. Hopefully, by the same time next year, I'll have had a great deal more experience with these things and my decision to do it or not will be based in knowledge. Certainly six nights was a marathon! At the same time, I met some wonderful people and have decided to mention them here so you may check them out as well!

Izzy Lane is a wonderful company out of England that creates sustainable fashions from the wool of rescued sheep. What a fabulous concept! What darling sheep! I also met their wonderful designer, Helen, who's booth was next to mine at the show. Her cashmere sweaters, and plaid skirts and vests were adorable, simple and classic. All from sheep that are loved by their keeper and who will live out their lives on a beautiful estate in England where they are cared for as all animals deserve to be.

On the opposite side of me was Nicole Gionet, a handbag designer from Portland whose line of hand-sewn, elegant leather purses are original and unique.


Nicole uses a variety of textures, colors and metallics and each piece shows her spot-on fashion sense and unwavering attention to detail! Soon, Nicole's gorgeous bags will be in fine shops everywhere, but in the meantime, you can visit her website and contact her directly. She takes orders! Click on her name above!

Across from me was Madeline who is a young fashion designer in the Portland area who sells her totally hip dresses (resewn or made from salvaged or handmade materials) at the Le Rouge on SE Hawthorne. If you are in the Portland area, you must look her up! For amazing youthful, fun designs you'll find nowhere else ... this is the shop! Please tell her I sent you! She bought one of my wrap necklaces for her mother! I hope your mother enjoys her birthday gift, Madeline!

Meeting these wonderful, brave women was the very best part of the event! Our little corner of the vendor area was awesome. Thanks for the comraderie and laughs, ladies! It was a pleasure I will forever hold dear!

And now, it is Tuesday morning and I am off to attend to things that have nothing to do with jewelry, such as cleaning a basement, for one. It calls. Sadly, I must go.

Thank you once again for stopping by my blog, I've enjoyed our chat!
~L