This is a dress that I designed and made a few years ago. It is the only one that exists and has a few issues with the pattern. (The design was altered from vintage sewing pattern that my friend Cathy passed on to me.) My beautiful friend Lainie who was then 7 or 8 months pregnant with her son Wyatt is modeling this dress in sunny, blue sky Flagstaff.
The idea was for the dress to tie in the back, kind of like a hospital gown and then wrap around to the front and snap in place. 
I used heavy cotton fabric and covered all the seams with hand made polka dot seam binding in various colors. As you can see here the dress is nicely flattering and the back of it has some movement to it.
The wide embroidered ribbon belt hooks at the front, to give the waist line nice definition. I was crazy for this European ribbon found at M&J TRIMMING in NYC. When I lived there I spent hours in this shop, driving the sales people crazy… ‘I would like one yard of that ribbon one inch from the ceiling!’ ‘…and what are you going to do with just one yard?’ ‘Something wonderful eventually!’
Today I went to Food & Wine magazines web site to cast my vote for Jesse Griffiths of DAI DUE as one of the United States top chefs… he has been a pioneer in promoting the local food movement in Austin. He is amazing in the kitchen and a true craftsman with what he does. It has been a pleasure working with Jesse and his wife Tamara in creating packaging for their products. I just finished the latest label… HARVESTED by HUNTING which he will put on products such as Venison Sausage and Wild Boar Chorizo, etc.
The shop was filled with bulbs potted in beautiful vessels… the staff wrapped lovely packages with simple paper and twine and a little silk ribbon.
Special letter press note cards in a steel tray on a teak bench…
James David and Gary Peese intertwined their lives with the business… adventuring, exploring, and bringing back beautiful objects to sell.
I have had these little mice since I was a very young… sometimes they would sneak in front of the camera!
A beautiful Magnolia blossoming in the nursery…
The bath area was home to amazing scents… Santa Maria Novella from Italy, oils and cremes from France in beautiful glass bottles, and lovely candles….
This table was set in front of the picture window… James found this amazing spot light that added great drama…
Gary loved his orchids and would bring in lovely specimens that we would place in vessels such as jade bowls, thick glass hurricanes, or resin boxes…
Mell Lawrence designed the shop when it was ultimately remodeled. The furniture in the shop was for sale and would always be reconfigured in the shop to create a dynamic space. Customers would love to come in on a weekly or bi-monthly basis and experience the shop or nursery in a different light. The shop was always fresh and new feeling…
About this time every year we would be busy receiving merchandise, much of it from Europe, and having great fun merchandising the store and nursery. It was an intense job but one that I never tired of. It was always paramount that the store was exquisite and full of life and energy balanced by simplicity and tranquility. I loved that combination and find that it is what one should always strive for in design.
