January 24, 2014

In Stores Soon!

My first week of self-employment was spent busily sewing handbags for orders.
You will soon be able to find A Girl Named Katie handbags at Sophie Stargazer in Downtown Lancaster and Art Star in Philadelphia. 
(See below for addresses!)
These are awesome shops and I am so excited!

I also made the town bag in two new colors!
Mint and Color of the year, Orchid.
Limited quantity is available on these colors.
You will be able to purchase one in my online boutique or at Sophie Stargazer.


If you are local or plan to visit, make sure you stop in!

Sophie Stargazer- 149 E King St, Lancaster, PA 17602
This boutique offers a beautiful collection of pieces from big and small designers, some eco-friendly brands as well as local artists.


Art Star: 623 North 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123
This is the perfect shop to visit when you need a gift or just want to find unique items for yourself. 
They offer wonderful handmade pieces for home and fashion.

January 20, 2014

Color Swatch: Radiant Orchid

So, you probably heard that radiant orchid is the color of the year.
And personally, I am loving it and have been before I even knew it was this year's trend.
Last year I bought a bunch of it. I thrifted blouse, a beautiful ponte knit, melton wool, and some suede, which I used to make a handbag of course!
So far I only made two of these orchid beauties but boy are they gorgeous?!
 (Coming to the website soon!)

I couldn't help but put together a little inspiration board for all the ladies that love the color orchid as much as I do!

Stay tuned for pictures of more of my orchid creations!
Happy Monday!
Katie

January 16, 2014

Guess What!


Yesterday was my last day at my day job and today I am officially doing A Girl Named Katie full-time.

_______

The decision has been very nerve-wracking to say the least.
Going full-time was a necessary risk for my business and requires a lot of faith in the Lord.
This year I am fully committing myself to trusting Him as He knows the plan for me.
I am a big planner. I love to plan and organize.
So giving that up to God was a challenge for me. 
I become anxious and upset when I do not have control over a situation.
I knew that I could not make this decision alone, and frankly, it was not my call to make.
God has already determined when the time was right and has called me to follow his lead. 
Which was difficult at first because work was safe, it was my security.
But the call became louder. 

I began attending a young adult group with my husband. 
I was exhausted from debating my options and trying to control the future.
It was a very emotional evening where all the songs were just what I needed to sing and the message was just what I needed to hear. 
During worship I had to sit down. As tears built up in my eyes I prayed that God would help me find an answer that night. I already knew the answer, but I needed it to be clear.
I asked Him to speak loudly and straight-forward with me.
I wanted to be absolutely sure I was following Him. 

Worship turned to testimony and a young man with an English accent stood up and addressed us. 
His testimony was about God's faithfulness and that he heard the call to leave his country to play music in America. He admitted the first couple years were difficult, sometimes just having enough money to get by.
But he remained faithful to the vision laid on his heart. 
Today he is married and a successful musician that has been provided for more than he could have ever imagined. He offered to pray for anyone who was struggling to find their path or to pursue their purpose. I stood up and walked to the front.

Josh and I did not speak until the drive home. 
I waited to see if he received the same answer.
After a few minutes he turned to me and said, "You need to quit your job and pursue your business."
It doesn't get much clearer, does it?

The decision was made, yet I waited to submit my notice for two months.
Over those two months it felt like ever sermon was directed at me, constantly reminding me and pushing me to the final step.
Trust God like Mary. Submit yourself to His calling. He provides for those who work for Him. Etc.
_______

So here it goes! 
Leaving my last day of work was like jumping off a cliff.
I still feel like I am falling. But I know He will catch me.
I am trying not to let myself worry about the future, because I know He has great things planned and He will reveal them to me when it is time.

Sometimes, as a human, it is difficult to let go.
To trust in the Lord's plan when we have our own ideas. 
It is impossible to do it alone.
Each of us need Him more than anything.
No one can replace Him in our lives.

Trust Him.

And thank you to everyone who has supported me with encouraging words, hugs, and excitement!
You are the best!
With love, 
Katie

January 9, 2014

Wedding Day: Reception Dress + First Dance

I have a ton of exciting news to share with you this week!
But let's start with just one thing at a time. 

Congratulations to our dear friends, Josiah and Megan who are expecting their first child!
Gah! We are so excited for them!
Josiah and Megan were our fabulous musicians at our wedding reception.
We are so blessed to have them in our life and were so happy they could share their talents to make our wedding even more special. I told them the week of our wedding that we were going to have our first dance to one of the songs they were covering for our reception. 
We danced to Holy Wedding by The City Harmonic. It was beautiful and exciting to have our first dance accompanied by two people we love.
I knew I wanted to have two dresses for our wedding and at least one of them I was going to make. 
I chose to make my reception dress, that I seriously only started the week of our wedding.
I put the last stitch in the morning of our wedding!
But I could not have been more thankful I had a second, shorter dress to wear that day. 
Boy was it hot! And dragging around a gown all night would have been a bear!
I made a tea-length dress, with a full skirt and lace bodice that was accented with pearls and sequins.
I used a beautiful ivory satin for the skirt. 
I kept my accessories simple with cute glitter flats and a teal bow in my hair.


The dress was sweet, romantic, and classic. 
Everything I could have wanted. 
For the most beautiful wedding I could have imagined.

This past Monday marked 6 months for Josh and I as a married couple.
We are so excited for the next six!

Stay warm!
Katie

January 3, 2014

Project: Design Studio.

Happy 2014! 

This year is going to be a big year for my business, so one of the first things I need to accomplish is organizing my design studio. In our apartment, I claimed the second bedroom so I could work from home comfortably. I use to work on my bedroom floor...and as productive as that was...
you see where I'm going.

My workspaces tend to be the last things checked off my list when it comes to organizing and decorating. Somehow the kitchen, living room, and dining room all seem much more important...
So since those have been conquered, I am on to the next big project!

My design studio will need to serve a couple purposes.
1. A place to sew and create
2. A place to make patterns and products
3. A place to teach small classes
4. A place to shoot videos for the blog and business

Organization is key!
Here are a few ideas I grabbed off of Pinterest to get me started as 
I will need some drawer and shelving organization.





But first, I must tackle the fabric stash!
Wish me luck!
Katie