Letter to my blog

Dear blog,

It seems like have neglected you (all three of you).  Please don't get jealous that I use facebook on a daily basis, it was never my intent to forget about you.  And yes, I know use my twitter account just as much, but it's only to be updated by the minute from the companies and people that are on it as much as I am.  It's not you it's me.

As a social media professional, I have to stay on top of what people are into.  And before you get on me for using Pinterest, don't!  People love the fact that they can get information through a picture, plain and simple.  Wouldn't you want to know all about stuff if it was right in front of your face without reading.  Yes you would, don't even lie about that!  That's why most people watch TV and you know it.

I know you're angry, but don't be.  I promise from now on I will pay more attention to you and you know me.  I try to keep every promise I make and I promise I won't let you down.

With Love,

Jen

Finding Passion

I guess being the eternal optimist I am always finding the good in all things.  I've realized along the way that when things change or when I am disappointed I may not feel sad for very long.  But boy it's taken a long time to get to this point and in the past I could have easily been the queen of holding grudges.  At least I know I've changed.

Yesterday we had planned to go to a show with one of our favorite bands ever The Parson Red Heads, to our dismay it was canceled and it was our very first canceled show.  I've seen about 60 shows and my husband has seen 95 shows (we keep a excel spreadsheet, that's how serious our music addiction is) and I guess we were due for this to happen, but plans had changed none the less.

I guess the whole point of this blog is that yesterday's canceled show ignited something in me that showed me why I own my business. I found my entrepreneurial spirit still lives in me.  Sometimes when I think it's gone or when it's sleeping, it creeps back in unexpected ways and it's exhilarating when it comes back.  And yesterday it definitely came back in full force.

Here's what happened.  I was so determined to see The Parson Red Heads play that I emailed the venue and asked them to let them play, after they had expressed an interest in going on with the show after the headliner canceled their set and the promoter canceled the whole show altogether.  I was fueled by sheer determination, facebooking and tweeting and trying to get other people riled up for this cause that I totally forgot that I knew nothing about how these shows get set up, but I tried to help the cause anyway even if it pestered a few people. 

I can laugh about it today, because I obviously know nothing about the music industry as far as what channels people go through and as fruitless as my efforts were yesterday the good that came out of it is that I was able to realize why I work full-time for myself, why I started my own company and why I do what I do.

It's because I have a passion for creating, a passion for making gowns from my own mind, being able to build something tangible and real from just a concept and being fueled by something as simple as a flicker or a small spark.

So, to all those people I bothered yesterday, I publicly apologize for my pestering behavior and know that I love the venue even more and one of my favorite bands has moved up to all-time favorite bands.  : )

Have a good day everyone!

(This is what happens to a candle when you don't check up on it after awhile and the smoke alarm goes off)

Just being happy

I am taking the time to post while I still have a teeny bit of time before it gets super duper crazy busy. I don't really want to use that saying "it's the calm before the storm," simply because the storm ahead for me are a ton of blessings.

I've worked hard to try to make this fashion dream come true and I'm getting all choked up just writing this. Just picture Miss America when they announce that she is a winner, she is normally poised and controlled. Then she realizes that all the work she has put into making her body look good, all the times she practiced saying the right things and all the times she missed out on eating cheesecake because she can't risk being chubbier than her competitors.

I feel this moment for me is finally coming and at least any doubt that I had about working in the fashion industry is simply gone. I am a fashion designer, I don't work part-time for anyone else. I have my own company, I work full-time for myself and the name my parents gave me will soon be a big brand name in bridal.

I built this from ground up and knowing at a young age that being a fashion designer was one of the biggest dreams I would ever have has helped me take steps each year towards one big dream.

Thank you to my apprentice Heidi who has helped me feel less stressed out about all these orders coming in. Thanks for helping my business grow!

Thank you to my loving and supportive family and most of all the love my life for being there to help me cope with the rough starts, the tough times and for the daily smiles and laughs. MWA!

A post for love

(My hubby and I recently celebrated 10 years of being together, so we went back to the very first road side attraction we know and love)

I recently got the most remarkable message from a stranger who read my blog about my dream and how young I was when I met my husband. This message remarked about supporting his girlfriend in her dreams of fashion and how important it was to her to follow her dreams.

It reminded me a lot of how I went to Colorado Springs with my then boyfriend and now my husband of 10 years (8 years of marriage). When we first moved, he was worried about me giving up my life to be with him and how he thought the move can make us or break us. Obviously, it made us.

I told him in the beginning that I can create anywhere and that if money were ever tight, all I had to do was sell wedding gowns. I couldn't imagine my life without my husband and my design career would not have flourished without his support.

When you have had a dream long enough, it will always stick with you. Luckily, I had several dreams and the only one I thought would never come true actually did when I found the love my life. After that dream came true, the rest fell into place.

Naming Rights

(Above is the "Eden" gown, named after my bride who got married in Cabo San Lucas last year)

I finally updated my website with some of my real brides (the ones who gave me permission to post their pictures)and you will notice that each gown has a name. As my new apprentice and I work to sew and design gowns, we have decided to take inspiration from my past brides.

In the next few months, we will be producing a line inspired by my past brides and using inspiration from these brides when we go to market next year. For my past brides reading this, not to worry we are using your dress as inspiration and not exactly re-creating the dress you have.

You will still have your original one-of-a-kind Jennyvi gown and we will be taking our favorite elements / concepts from your dress and creating a new version. The great part about designing a line from brides is that naming the gown is quite easy.

My goal is to have as many different brides to make gowns for, so I can have more gowns / gown names in the line.

Check out the "Real Bride" gallery to see some of my real brides.

http://www.tinyurl.com/jennyvibrides

If you are looking for a wedding gown / pageant gown / evening gown or bridesmaid gown. Submit your idea of your dream gown in our new "Design Your Dream Dress" contest. If your entry wins, we will be naming the gown after you and creating your design.

http://tinyurl.com/winajennyvi

Summer Sale

I'm having a summer sale! Check out my Etsy for wedding gowns discounted up to 85% off the listed price. As an added bonus enter in the coupon code: summersale and get an extra 5% off at check out.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/jennyvi

Share the link to your brides / friends : )


Thank you so much,
Jennyvi Dizon
Bridal and Evening Wear Designer
www.jennyvi.com

My New York Fashion Week Dream

There are only a few occasions when I want to stay in bed all day. My poor husband can attest to this, since I have been with him for over 10 years (I met him when I was 20)he has to regularly tell me not to wake him up early. I absolutely cannot help when I wake up and when I wake up a little company would be nice. Lol.

Anyways, back to my New York Fashion Week dream, when I woke up this morning I awoke to flashbacks of the most glorious dream I ever had. I hope this one comes true for sure.

My dream starts off with me in a car that my husband is driving, he stayed in my dream long enough just to drop me off in front of the venue where one of the New York Fashion Week events was happening. I hopped out of the car (it was a very nice dark fancy-ish car) to help a guy in front of a truck with loads of clothes on rolling racks.

I grabbed one and headed towards the doors. As I was walking with the clothes, I noticed thousands of people lined up in front on the red carpet waiting to get in. Flashes of lights going off every second. When arrived at the door, the doorman asked me a fashion question that I had to answer with the incorrect answer (the fashion codeword to get in). He let me in (he looked like Andre Leon Talley).

As I passed the bright white runway, I just thought how long it was and how scary it was to be a model walking down the whole length. When I arrived backstage there were corridors of model changing stations with clothes organized and shoes and people everywhere. I put away the first rack and suddenly my dreamed skipped to the 2nd rack, where these 2 girls were showing me the order. Then fear struck inside, I lightly got lipstick on the white / red check bodice, but no one was concerned and didn't say anything. Ah relief, then my dream was happy again.

My last rack to put away was for the kids runway set. The kids runway set was fun, I organized the clothes and they were so tiny and cute. Then suddenly I saw the cutest thing ever. Care Bears hanging from hangers to match the kids clothes.

Then, alas, my dream ended. Never had I wanted to go back to sleep to continue my dream. Maybe one day soon, my dream will continue in real life.