A Tale of Networking-confessions of an introvert

So this evening after work, I resolved to go to the John Deere Multicultural job fair and networking reception in Johnston. It was my first time doing anything of the sort, and it had been on my mind all day. As I drove closer, following Googlemap's directions, hapless as they were, I got lost: A familiar scenario for me. As I drove around looking for signs that said John Deere on them, my mind began to present my getting lost as an excuse just to give up and go home. 'You don't need to network,' it distinctly said. 'Just go home, you know you want to.' I almost listened to the voice, but just then I spotted the John Deere building. My last chance to avoid this valuable networking opportunity was gone. 

After filling my pocket with business cards, I entered the building and immediately was intimidated by all the well-dressed business-like people standing around, no doubt conversing intelligently together about the success and features of their companies. After reminding myself to keep my shoulders back and walk gracefully, I made my way across the room to retrieve my nametag from the far table. After doing this, I felt somewhat at a loss as to what to do next. 

My old fears of social interaction came back to me again, along with the reddening of the eyes and the foaming at the mouth, both embarrassing but sure signs of my introvertedness. Did I really want to be here? I eyed a long table on which was perched graceful plates brimming with blueberries and grapes. Savory meatballs and delicate wedges of pita bread, platters of vegetables rested in the middle. At the far end, a 7-tiered glass structure held fancified little cakes of various flavors and fillings. After eyeing the cakes, I decided to stay. Two cakes and a meatball later, I had discovered that the cakes weren't worth staying for, but the company was. I noticed a lady from Meredith company, and introduced myself to her. Throughout the evening, she proved very kind and understanding, and I felt appreciated for who I was because I was being very open and honest with her the entire time. I told her that this was my first time at an event like this, and she responded by saying that she thought I was brave for coming and trying something totally new! We exchanged email addresses. After listening to the music of some lovely musicians and watching a short clip of the John Deere mission, I excused myself and headed home, fully glad I had come. One thing I admire about myself is my ability to find humor in embarrassing or discouraging situations. I am fond of laughing at myself, because if I don't laugh, I know I will get mad instead. :P

Things I learned from this experience:

1 That I should have a small introductory speech prepared about myself and what I do, {the elevator pitch as I think they called it at business horizons.}

2 I need better pumps-mine gave my feet a couple of beautiful blisters!

3 Business people are just like me: Eating, drinking, sleeping individuals-only with more experience

Overall, I am pretty proud of myself for doing this. It will be the first of my many networking endeavors, each hopefully more successful {and less stressful!} than the last. 

My Closet-ful of coats!

Do you think I have too many coats?
Hint: {The right answer is no}

My Pinafore Dress

Yesterday at school I decided to be daring and wear a pinafore-style drop waist dress I had put off wearing for a very loooonnng time. Note to self: I notice that when I'm in a good mood it always comes out as bravery in my personal style. Therefore I need to be in a good mood more often. 
So below you can see the photos of my outfit, from dress to Brazilian boots and leather snap bracelet. All the photos are mine save the one of me, which Jon my husband shot. Nobody particularly said they liked my outfit, but on the other hand, no one gave me any weird looks, either. {At least not any weirder than usual!} The GAP blue coat I wore was a nice addition with its turquoise color, and I finally had the opportunity to wear my gray boots from Brazil; a gift from my mother.

Blue GAP coat, which adds a nice bit of brightness to my outfit which is otherwise gray.

 Leather boots from Brazil. A little tight in the toe

 Accessory: Soft Gray leather snap-close bracelet.

 Top it off with flower clips

 My main piece: A dropped-waist pinafore-style gown with pockets-very handy! and a lacy undershirt.

 After I put my hair up I pull some pieces down in the front to give it a bit more character.

How my outfit looks while on: Note the bracelet and the flower in the hair.

Flocks of Birds

I have always wondered why small birds sometimes fly in flocks. Are they talking to each other, communicating their direction of flight, or have they practiced so many times that they just know? The rippling black sea of fluttering wings has often delighted and dazzled me. Seeing a swooping flock never fails to make my heart race with excitement, and makes me wish that I was part of the flock, darting here and there above the fields and trees, and in complete unison through the cool air, the wind sailing through my feathers. 


There is some interesting information found in these two links:


http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview/id/595648.html
http://www.ehow.com/about_6389011_do-fly-together-large-groups_.html


But when it is all said and done, they admit that the real reason birds flock is still a mystery!

Mission: Recycle

MISSION: RECYCLE is an effort Nettle Fashion is making to act responsibly with the environment and do good for the community by recycling apparel instead of constantly creating new. 

TEN FOR 10

If you donate 10 used garments to us, we will make use these garments when designing our fashions!
For each garment you send you receive 1 dollar as a thank you from us for being green. If you want to track the particular garments you send and see where they end up, just let us know when you send them, and we will keep you informed. We do have certain criteria for the used garments we will accept:

>Garments must be clean and in decent shape: No large holes, rips, stains or other damage, etc.
>Garments accepted are limited to shirts, skirts, coats, dresses, and hats, {no shoes or accessories, please!}


If you have any questions about Mission: Recycle please feel free to contact me! 515-943-2131

If you wish to see fashions that have been designed from recycled garments, visit the Fashion Projects page.


Send used garments to:
Nettle Fashion1025 NW Greenwood StreetAnkeny, IA 50023

Autumn Coat

I used to tell people that Spring was my favorite season. But now that I have gotten older I have recognized something about myself. I dislike extremes. I don't want to be really cold or really hot. Who does? Spring and Fall are the most desirable in my mind, but if I had to choose between those two, I like Fall the best. 

There are several reasons for this:
For one thing, Fall is chilly, and after the heat of the summer, chilliness awakens a inclination to be innovative and a sense of urgency in me, because I know that Winter is coming, and before long it will be too cold to enjoy being outside with no less than a whole closet of clothes on. Fall feels like something is about to happen, something is coming, and this is exciting. Then my favorite part of Fall, you get to pull out all your coats and jackets from last year that you just ADORE. Does anyone else have a love affair with cute jackets? I have a whole closet of coats and jackets.
Fall is a good topic to blog about. And then you run into what to call it. There are several names. Indian Summer, Fall, Harvest and Autumn. According to my favorite etymology website, Autumn what do you know, derives from Old French,  Autumpne while Harvest comes from beautiful Old English hærfest. And although there is no evidence connecting Indian Summer to mean Fall, nonetheless it remains a well-known word for Autumn. As for Fall, your guess is as good as mine. I assume it has something to do with the falling leaves. 
Here is one of my favorite jackets, which I wore to school the other day: 

My hair was in a semi-messy up-do using an ivory-colored ragged fabric ribbon and some flowered clips, which unfortunately you can't see in this picture:

Today is a Day for Inventing Things

 Today is a day for inventing things. I can feel it stirring inside me, just waiting to suddenly BURST out. Fresh ideas, new dreams, a day to just catch my imagination by its tail and follow it down glistening lanes. The first thing I should do is to get dressed. Wearing pajamas is not conducive to an inventive day. How do I know? Look at this face. Does this face look awake?

Note the pouty lip, the confusion; perhaps even slight annoyance in the eyes, which comes from being woken up from a warm bed. Note the ruffled state of the hair. This comes from excessive dreaming. Wearing pajamas alludes to thoughts of cozy beds, and warm covers; these places are not the breeding grounds for innovation. Pajamas are associated with soporific topics such as sleep, and closed eyelids. You are more likely to end up tangled in bedclothes, and not tangled in creative thoughts. So after consideration, I made the decision to shed the nightgown. Believe me, it was for the best.


To-do List: 
1 Find warm clothes to wear from the closet before-I-freeze-to-death-without-my-nightgown
2 Listen to loud music and dance to it shamelessly
3 Invent a new undergarment from all-natural fibers that keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer
4 Sing a new song
5 Write a new poem
6 Invent a new candy bar {the prime ingredient being chocolate of course!}


I had better get to it! So the first thing on my list of things to do today was to scour my closet, the mission being to find some warm items to wear under everyday apparel. After a small amount of rooting through layers of slips, swim suits, and socks,   I discovered a white Under Armour shirt. Textiles being on my mind these days, this caused me to wonder what Under Armour was made from. I had a notion it was of manufactured fibers, and a quick Google search confirmed my suspicions: Under Armour is made out of 'moisture-wicking polyester', what a disappointment. But then I had an idea. What if I could invent a material, a new kind of underwear, made only from natural fibers, let's call it Greenmail, and it would be similar only better for your skin. I have in mind a long-sleeved tunic-like piece with a silky texture and holes in the end of the sleeve for you to slip your thumbs through like fingerless gloves. NOTE TO SELF: I need to research and experiment with different fibers/fabrics and see what I can come up with: Evidently Something for a rainy day.


Ideas to stay warm:
Heat up a ricebag and cuddle in a blanket
Brew some hot tea
Do fifty jumping jacks
wear a sweater
Snuggle with a snuggly person
If applicable, go find a warm kitten [or puppy]
heat up the oven and stand in front of it with the door open
So basically, eat warm things, drink warm drinks, and associate with warm people {or things}. 


Now my outfit for school yesterday:
1 After a quick consultation with my closet, I chose to wear brown Vanity brand cotton jeans, an interesting alternative to bluejeans, and less slick in texture.

2 My choice of tops was a pink/purple striped camisole of some obscure Japanese brand-don't know how that got in there!-

And a rich purple hooded v-neck {deliciously soft!} sweater, also Vanity. 

Can you tell I love Vanity? Realizing that I also needed to shod myself, {despite some of the efforts of the barefooted blighters at DMACC,} I decided upon my personal favorite: Purple Converse One-star shoelaceless shoes-My, what a mouthful that was!
These shoes lend a certain quality of nerdiness to my wardrobe which I find supremely satisfying. {I am a fan of nerds.}

To top it off, I wore my orangey fingerless gloves-

A treasured item of mine, because they add an intriguing flash of color that's perfect for nearly any outfit, and are warm as toast! {Speaking of toast....... ....}

So basically my entire outfit was themed in purple. A cozy choice of apparel for a crisp day! 

Eco fibers: Redesigning fashion

Eco fibers: Redesigning fashion

My Examiner Articles

http://www.examiner.com/user-paigerothfus

Need to be Tided Over?

I ran into one problem today. By the time I got back from work it was much too dark to glue the pages together with the spray adhesive {as it must be done outdoors} so I resolve to do it tomorrow afternoon. Here are some links to what other people are doing with their books to tide you over:
http://centripetalnotion.com/2007/09/13/13:26:26/#more-550

mlhttp://www.darkroastedblend.com/2008/09/bittersweet-art-of-cutting-up-books.html

Project Prototype 1-Odds and Ends Redesigned Book Purse-Part I

The first project I undertook was an odds and ends book purse, redesigned from an old book which I got from a second-hand shop. It was to be the prototype for my first NETTLE FASHION design! I took a book and began gluing the pages together. This went on for a while before I finally began to suspect that it was failing. Eventually it was a large swollen, gluey pack. I almost wasn't sure if it had even been a book, it was so in-recognizably mutilated. Needless to say this first attempt was so graphic and horrible and I botched it so badly that I would have had to give it an R-rating if I had posted it, so I made the decision not to. {I try to keep my blog posts at the PG-13 level}

So I abandoned it in the trash, and started over with another book. As bad as this sounds, I actually enjoyed cutting it up! In a way it was satisfying, maybe because it felt sort of naughty.

 Above are the materials I gathered to make this project: Some spray adhesive, cloth craft ribbon, a ruler, two clips, and a knife.

So the first thing I did was use the ruler to cut four lines in the paper, leaving a margin, like above.

I kept doing this, cutting as deep as I could, and pulling out the loose sheets from the middle, so what was left looked like a frame:

 As I continued, it became more and more difficult, as the margin near the spine was difficult to hold down while I was cutting. So I used the clips to clip the already cut sheets down, and out of my way. It took about an hour to cut all the way through, and eventually became very painful to my hand and arm to apply the pressure that was needed to keep slicing through the paper. Ouch! Since this was a prototype, I didn't expect it to be perfect. So one thing that I learned about this is that I'll never be doing this project using a box-cutter again. Next time I am calling on a mechanized blade! One amusing thing I noticed after I had cut out all the paper from the middle: The book smells like a book, it looks like a book, but it is unnaturally LIGHT for a book! Even the cheapest books don't come that light! Here are some looks at what I did to the inside flap of the book:

I embellished the outside with some buttons !

And then let it sit out to dry. Tomorrow evening I will finish it, and upload part II. Cheers!

My new [old] little red shoes!

So today I went to a second-hand shop to hunt for some odds and ends for my designing.
By odds and ends I mean:
>Old [thick] hardback books
>Women's belts
>Various women's shirts
>Used women's shoes

The belts and shirts are for a later project, so are the books, which haHA! You will have to wait and see to discover my plans for them. No hints, no peeks.

Anyway, I found this AMAZING little pair of red patterned flats that I just love! I wasn't even looking for this kind of shoe, and they were the first ones my eyes fell upon. I couldn't help trying them on. They were a size 7. They would look very cute with a pair of flared jeans, I think. Jon thinks I have too many shoes, but somehow they ended up in my closet. I couldn't resist them. Tell me what you think by commenting!

Flock of Snapboots

While out shopping the other day at the mall, I saw an amusing sight:
A flock of 4 women-three girls and their mother. Or so it appeared.
The strange thing about this group was their odd boots.
Being eyesores they immediately drew my eyes down to stare at their strangely-clad feet.
They were wearing snapboots. What store sells snapboots I cannot rightly say, but each of them had a pair.  I call them snapboots because they were furry short black boots with metal snaps sewn onto them.


I began to wonder, was this some sort of cult? Or did they all just happen to wear synchronized shoes out shopping? Perhaps they all splurged and bought the shoes while out. What were their problems? What is their story? I will probably never know. Just another set of random people who appears in your life for a brief moment, brushes shoulders with you, and vanishes again as quickly as they came.


I regret to not have a photograph to present with this post, but perhaps the scene is best played out in your own imagination.

Fashion Show

Had an interesting time in class today hearing about everyone's designers and seeing the boards of photos.

Here's mine: Escada is the name of a fashion label, and Margaretha and Wolfgang, the founder of this fashion label named it after their lucky horse in the races. Escada is known for their luxurious styles. Among apparel, they also design accessories, and are still a major fashion presence today.
Today my Professor informed me of a Fashion show on November 4th at 9 PM, on 502 E Locust Street.
Collections will highlight the best of winter fashions and party-wear with indie couture and edgy glamour. Sounds like fun to me!

The Nettle Credentials

The Nettle's Treasure:
10 Good reasons to love nettles:
1-Nettles are a great source of vitamins A, C, and D, potassium, silica, nitrogen, manganese, beta-carotene, iron and calcium, due to the rich soil they grow in. Brew somenettle tea to obtain the healthy benefits.
2 Young nettle leaves have a nutty flavor which goes well with many dishes, they are delicious in soups.
3 Over long usage, nettles benefit adrenals and kidneys
4 Nettles assist in healing and strengthening lung tissue and intestines
5 Nettles are nourishing to the hair
6 Nettles help lactating mothers produce rich milk
7 Nettles help relieve pollen-related allergies
8 Nettles are anti-inflammatory, and they help prevent ailments of this kind
9 Nettle cream is nourishing to the face and helps prevent and heal acne, boils and oily skin
10 Nettle fiber, which is made into fabric for apparel design, is organic, and is glossier than silk and as strong as cotton