My Vote For List

I know a lot of people get "vote for" requests for many different things, but sometimes I think we all have to break down and do it for someone we love. All though there are many categories and nominees to choose from in the "Best of Our Valley" contest here are a few that I support.



Angela Johnson (Click here to vote)- She has been one of my oldest fashionista friends since I met her way back when in 2003. I had just moved from Colorado Springs, I started design school and I was calling many outlets like stores, dance troops, opera houses, and countless others trying to get my line exposure with little success. Then I had met Angela and she coordinated many of the shows in Phoenix / Scottsdale and started including me. I didn't mind the drive from Tucson, I was serious about making fashion my life and soon enough I was doing more and more in Phoenix that we ended moving there. She definitely helped me connect with many prominent people and helped me get my foot in the door.


(Illustration by Susan DiStaulo)

Scottsdale Fashion Week (Click here to vote) - This is a great fashion week for designers wanting a challenge and I certainly feel motivated after participating in the Designer of the Year competition. It was great to see the support of each designer, but also get introduced to people with the same dreams and goals. Scottsdale Fashion Week is also great because it supports not only emerging designers but established ones, like Susan DiStaulo. She is the fantastic illustrator of the fashion figures seen at Scottsdale Fashion Square and on the SFW website. And without Angela Johnson, the DOTY competition wouldn't happen either.


(Gabrielle modeling in one of my designs for Scottsdale Fashion Week DOTY)

Gabrielle Helms (Click here to vote) - Although I have only recently been able to use Gabrielle as a model, she has to be the most fashionable mom for sure. I knew of her for several years and she has been one of the biggest supporters of designers over the past few years.

Frances Vintage (Click here to vote) - This is one of my favorite stores to visit and perfect for me and my hubby. While my hubby is looking at records / music at Stinkweeds, I get to shop around in here knowing I can take my time without pressure to leave from the significant other.

Lillian Lottie Couture (click here to vote) - This is one of the stores I use to be a designer in. I love it because most of the jewelry is designed/ made by Jenny Pinto one of the store owners and the veils are designed/ made by Meghan Lawlor the other owner.


Paris Envy (Click here to vote) - I was trolling around Central Phoenix on one of my play days and their sign and mannequin outside called to me. I come in and instantly felt at home. The downstairs area has some Parisian vintage furniture, stationary, perfumes and decor in which I coveted everything. Then upstairs (Olive in Paris)was a nice treat for a fashion designer like me, I didn't expect to find clothing there and again wanted to have them all. The owners are friendly and very much in the know about the local scene, if anything it was great just to chat with them.

(me in front of Paris Envy)

New and Improved

As much as I don't like stereotyping, drama and supporting gossip mills, it seems that the fashion industry sometimes can live up to that perception. The good thing about people talking about you behind your back, is that they are still getting your name out there. It's funny that my personal facebook page is filled with people who have added me, just to keep tabs on what I am doing even though they may not even like me or have not even met me.

When I was younger people not liking me would have been a big deal, but as I progressed as a matured adult, fashion designer and business person I know well enough to know that you have to pick your battles. I like to save my punches for important things like furthering my career, instead of getting caught up in drama that distracts me from my ultimate goal.

I may have too much faith in people to believe that these people who have made it clear that they do not want to work with me, "want nothing to do with my collection," believe what they hear even if they have never met me or have met me and still dislike me will realize that the time they spend talking bad about people is taking away from more productive things they could be doing.

So, to all the haters out there continue to hate and be left behind, while I continue to ignore you and keep moving forward.

A Win, Win

About a month ago, I found out that I was one of the finalist for Scottsdale Fashion Week Designer of the Year competition and decided that if I won I was going to donate my hair to Locks of Love. Although, I didn't win, I decided to donate anyways. I feel that I was lucky enough to even be in the competition and it was about time to donate again. The last time I donated was May of 2009 and it was such a great feeling to have short hair and do something nice for others since the blood banks can't take my blood for some reason.

My only regret is that I wish I had known about Locks of Love in high school or even college. I remember all those times when I went from waist length hair to shoulder length. Hopefully, the salon that cut my hair would have donated it on their own. : )

Here is a new picture of me before the cut and me after.




If you are interested in donating, there is a guideline on their website. I like to fill out their hair donation form, just so I know my hair got there and I like to scrap book the thank you post card. (I also love getting mail- hehehe)