Last weekend was a busy SATURDAY. I crammed two big events into one day. I’m not sure how I did that… being motivated to help out a good cause sure motivates! I sure felt it the next day. Some kind of an adrenaline hangover if that’s possible.
First was The Handmade Market. Definitely one of the very best I’ve been part of. I think that everyone that attended was extra excited to see so many fabulous artists!! There were a lot of cool vendors. A new one, The Zen Succulent, was set up next to my spot. Margaret and Megan had the coolest air plants, Japanese moss balls, and aqua terrariums!!!! The Japanese moss balls they had were so perfect and round, and were 5 and 25 years old… and they let me hold one! Very cool stuff!!
The day had yummy coffee, food, and the best 60’s and 70’s R&B!! You’d look around, and both vendors and customers were grooving, dancing to the music all day! Such a great vibe. The Handmaidens really know how to put on a fantastic event. It’s a gorgeous space, they prepare things so perfectly for the vendors, had the BEST poster for any show ever, the best people volunteered, and there’s just so much mutual appreciation and love for other artists and vendors. Not a jealous or negative bone in the building!!
So, that was from 10-5. Right after I packed up, with the help of my dear boyfriend, I walked across Moore Square to Marbles Kids Museum for Activate Good’s Couture for a Cause.
I had created two garments to be auctioned off with Hospice of Wake County as my inspiration, to bring attention to that non-profit, and raise money for Activate Good. One was a Ready-to-Wear jacket. The other was an Art-to-Wear piece. My RTW jacket brought in the highest bid of the category!!!! My ATW piece was a longer jacket with a luna moth designed into it. That one went for the second highest bid of that category!! I am so excited!! It was such a rush… so exhilarating!! What a feeling to inspire people to give to a nonprofit I feel so strongly about!!! My model, Marissa Magnusson, was incredible, energetic, and a total love!!! I hope we work together again!!!!
There were some other gorgeous pieces there! Ford Bowden & Kim Ring and Claudia Corletto did some beeee-eautiful work!! My particular favorite was by my friend Margo of Rocket Betty designs. She was designing for The Art of Cool. She stitched actual paper sheet music into the bottom of the dress and at the shoulders, and even stitched about 680 crystal rhinestones in by hand!!!! She’s pretty amazing. She kind of saved my butt, too, for the show. Since my first piece was a waist-length jacket, and whomever was bidding on it was to expect to go home with the WHOLE OUTFIT…. Margo created a super chic black shift dress to wear underneath!!! It was stunning. I never could have pulled that off as well nor as quickly as she did. I definitely feel she’s in part responsible for the great bid on my Ready to Wear look.
I have some wonderful friends. I heard the girls from Redress Raleigh and Carrie Reuben cheering in the audience. And one of Margo’s friends, Lori, was there, too, and she’s been very sweet and supportive and I consider her a lovely new friend.
There is a lot of encouragement and there are positive people around me. Every day, I am aware how lucky I am. Thank you, readers, too!!!!
XOXO
Pre-show photos by Raleigh Static Jason Rizzo
The last photo is Margo with her Art to Wear dress on her model Shelby.
Leopold Designs 