February Plans + Spring Collection Update

I talk about what I have on my to-do list this February and share some of my goals for the month.

The collection is starting to come together, you can read more of what is in the works over here on the new blog! http://www.agirlnamedkatie.com/blog

Please follow us on bloglovin: http://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/a-girl-named-katie-blog-12807197
I have new tutorials coming and a lot of ready to wear pieces to show you from my handmade wardrobe. 2015 is going to be a great year! 

Reminder: This Blog has Moved!

Hey there!
I'm glad to see that you are still enjoying this site. In case you missed the memo, we moved this blog to our official website!

Link: www.agirlnamedkatie.com/blog

Please follow us over there now.
Add us to your bloglovin: http://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/a-girl-named-katie-blog-12807197

We Moved!

The blog can now be found at www.agirlnamedkatie.com/blog

Everything  A Girl Named Katie related is rebranded and now all together on our official website!
Please continue to follow us over there :)

Be Blessed,
Katie

Updated Look + Website

Hello there! It's me again.
I have been taking a break from blogging to spend sometime focusing on myself a little.
I felt like I have been struggling to feel confident in my work lately and needed some time to get re-inspired and work on some of my skills. When you run a business, you tend to feel rushed and like you need to just take a picture of anything and throw it out there to show that you are working on something. But as I was doing that, I felt like I was not representing the best that I could do and that by taking more time to capture the best image is better than just getting one out there as soon as possible. My goals for myself this fall are to slowww down and take my time. Quality is better than quantity.

My first project was to reshoot the products for our new coffee line.
I posted the images just in time to announce the new fall flavors: Chai, S'mores, Bacon, and Whiskey.

We now have an official website: www.fellowshipcoffeeco.weebly.com

Also, I have been working to consolidate all of my webpages onto one website.
In a few weeks, I will no longer post on this blog. The new blog will be part of my entire website and can be found at www.agirlnamedkatie.com/blog


One last thing,
My mom is currently in the hospital and today we find out whether she will be allowed to go home, or if she will need surgery. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

Thank you + Blessings,
Katie

Announcing: Fellowship Coffee Co.

 Josh and I have started a little side business selling freshly roasted flavored coffee.
The flavors we are offering for spring are: Lavender, Coconut, Blueberry, and Rose. 
They are delicious and make wonderful iced coffee!

 We launched Fellowship Coffee Co. on August 10th and already sold out of our coconut coffee!
(You can preorder your jar from our next batch!)

The coffee is fresh and sweet with just a hint of flavor.
(It is so good I don't even have to add cream and sugar to my coffee)

We are offering two sizes, a 16oz jar which makes approximately 50 cups of coffee and a 8oz jar which makes about 30 cups. Whole beans are packaged in mason jars.
They make a perfect gift for a friend or a great treat for yourself!

A little about the company:
Fellowship Coffee Co. is founded by a husband and wife duo that loves to spend time chatting and dreaming over a good cup of coffee.

On a late honeymoon trip to Seattle + Long Beach, WA, the couple visited a lavender farm. They were introduced to the taste of edible flowers and herbs, they decided to blend those surprisingly delicious flavors with one of their favorite drink and pastime. 

A name involving "fellowship" was the only option, as coffee is always better when enjoyed with someone else. The brand revolves around the idea of fellowship and what that use to look like in the eras of 1950's and 1960's when coffee was enjoyed around the living room from cups and saucers. 

Fellowship Coffee focuses on freshly roasted coffee in flavors that are meant to be savored. Flavors that can be perfectly paired with dessert and good friends. 
Enjoy your coffee again.

Check out the shop here: www.fellowshipcoffeeco.etsy.com

Blessings!
Katie

Life Lately.

As you have probably read in my last post I am making some changes on this blog and narrowing my focus. I have been taking my time lately thinking of what that will look like and preparing to make the blog a better asset to my fashion line. I would like to improve on the photography of my handmade wardrobe. I feel like I do not have a good place to take pictures of my outfits. We live on a farm, in an old farm house we rent, in a small town that has a very limited amount of buildings to photograph at. And as lovely as modeling with cows would be, I feel like it just won't fit the vibe I'm going for.

For the last couple of weeks I felt like I was in design school all over again.
I broke out the pattern making books and survival guides and got down to business studying them and challenging myself to sketch 2-3 ideas a day. 

I made myself comfortable on the couch, surrounded by open books, notepads, my laptop, and a glass of fresh meadow tea. And I think I can say I finally designed my first spring collection!

I am quickly learning that designing it is not the hard part, despite it feeling like a giant accomplishment in itself. The next few weeks I will be in my studio working on patterns and samples. After one partial failure (it's cute, but it's not perfect!) I have discovered getting the pattern just right and getting the fit correct is going to take a couple attempts and several cups of coffee and tea.

Ordering fabric for the line is another unexpected hurdle I am still trying to overcome. Why are the colors and fabrics I want no where to be found?! I am sure they will surface of course next year, when I am no longer looking... I ordered sample fabric twice. The first time I sent 3/4 of the fabric back as it was  incorrectly described online or the quality was not what I like. The second attempt was a bit more successful, but still not quite there. I had to jump on the bandwagon for a great sale that was happening for a very short time I didn't want to miss out on, and I order some fabric for the collection I didn't get to touch yet. Crossing my fingers and toes they work out!



I have some more news on the marriage home front to tell you tomorrow!
(Spoiler: It's not a baby.)

The suspense!

Hang in there with me!
Blessings,
Katie

Changes.

Sooo, we need to make some changes here.
Changes that will hopefully have a positive effect on my business, especially in the time department.
I love taking some time to write a blog. But I often feel like I never have enough time to give to it.
I have this problem, where I try to take on too much.
You might have a similar problem.
But in the next month or so, I am adding some more things to my life that I will talk more on later.

One of the things I was taught in art school was to find one thing you do well, and focus on that until you have become a master of that one thing. Which might seem locigal for most people, but for creatives such as me, it is quite difficult to not want to just do everything there is to do. 

You probably heard me talk about wanting to start a fashion line, which has been my dream since I was about seven. Well, I am actually going to do this thing now. After years of taking classes and sewing for myself, I feel I am prepared to give this a shot. After making handbags for the past two years and learning the market, I am going to dip my toes in the ice cold water of fashion retail. 

So what does this all mean and why are you telling us?

1. This blog space will become a space that just represents my sewing.
I am limiting it from a lifestyle blog, to just a sewing/business blog.
Therefore you will see more of my work. Mainly outfits from my handmade wardrobe and previews and information on my business. And less of everything else I post, included recipes, weekly updates, inspiration posts, etc.


2. Handbags are also going to be limited. I will still be making them, but they will not be the focus of my business. My business will become more focused on clothing. The longterm goal is to start a clothing line that turns into an online boutique that turns into a physical boutique in years to come. 

And so on and so forth. (Or Sew On and Sew Forth if you are feeling a bit punny)


3. I am taking a part time job position that allows me to work with local artists and grow a Christian-based cafe in our community. Despite having a lot of goals of my own, I feel passionate about the opening of this small business and I was asked to help them propel it forward with my ideas and skills. It is going to be a great asset to our little town, yet that means I will have less time to focus on my business and need to limit the things going on in my life so I can succeed.

That's about it.
Thank you for understanding and being so supportive of my journey!
Blessings,

Katie