No, not about the bicyclists riding at night WITHOUT LIGHT.

Also not about the folks who do not seem to know that their cars have a TURNING SIGNAL.

And I have long stopped to complain about the POURING RAIN.

Well, I need to let off a bit of steam about SOME of my ‘customers’.

Now, most of our customers are PLAIN AWESOME.  However, like everywhere, there are exceptions. And, also like everywhere, these exceptions account for a lot of work.

There are those people who freely share their abundant advice, ‘You should carry THIS, or THAT’; ‘Can you MAKE this in a different color/shape/style?’;  ‘This would WORK, if it was longer/shorter/wider/tighter RIGHT HERE.’, or ‘If this was HALF THE PRICE, I would totally buy it’, all the while I am listening and act sympathetic.

Then there is the lady who realized at dinner, WEARING the dress she bought, that she didn’t receive the compliments she was expecting and continues to return the dress TELLING you the story.

Or the person who returns a pair of socks, claiming that ‘there is a hole in it and I haven’t even worn them’ after s/he ripped out the tag forcefully (which OF COURSE will rip a hole in the darn thing…)

Oh, the guts these people have!

At least, we have somebody to actually deal with when they do this to us. But then there are the shoplifters of which we unfortunately had some pretty ruthless ones this Christmas season.

I’d like to think that they wanted something pretty for either themselves or somebody else and simply couldn’t AFFORD it. Maybe them shoplifting is a sign of the depressing economic times we are in. Or they do it as a sport.

I do hope that they experience some good times in the stuff they took from us. Us small business owners. Who do not have ‘shrinkage’ built into our budget. Who hurt when we don’t have the $100 that item they stole would have brought.

And that KARMA gets them. Eventually.

]]> http://sofiaportland.wordpress.com/2012/01/22/what-the/feed/ 1 sofiaportland SAMSUNG http://sofiaportland.wordpress.com/2012/01/13/my-lil-pouch-mania/ http://sofiaportland.wordpress.com/2012/01/13/my-lil-pouch-mania/#comments Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:56:53 +0000 sofiaportland http://sofiaportland.wordpress.com/?p=1459 ]]> A few days before Christmas, I was SO on a roll.

Sunday, I had gotten a tree and decorated it that night. Monday, I was cleaning house and Tuesday, I did ALL my shopping for the holidays and party. Oh, did I ever feel organized!

And then there was Wednesday, I did not have to go to work – and had NOTHING planned.  Nothing.  Zip.

[About a year back, my good friend and sewing addict (just like me) B. had given me a set of pouches, both boxy and flat, which I had put immediately to good use: two went into my big purse to hold various, otherwise wildly floating things; one was big enough to put CDs in, and the last one goes on airplanes with me, containing earbuds, an eyemask, along with other airplane-necesseties.]

That ‘free’ Wednesday before Christmas?  I was going to MAKE some Christmas presents!

I have tons of leftover fabric scraps.

I have hundreds of zippers in all colors and lengths.

But most of all: I have the TIME and MOTIVATION to get cracking.

Also by B.’s recommendation: there is probably nothing that a youtube video or a blog somewhere can’t explain. So I googled ‘box pouch tutorial’, found this one, got my fabrics, zippers and interfacing, sat down,

fabric and zippers, first finished pouches

moved frequently between sewing machine and computer for directions,

six box pouches, two phone carriers

and had little gifts for the girls that I met for Happy Hour that Wednesday night!

However, I did not stop there.  After sewing and clipping, turning the pouches right side out and seeing the pretty liner fabric inside just made me happy. All the memories the fabrics produced – this one I had gotten in San Francisco, that one on Italy, the silk I purchased together with D.; this one was made into a jacket, the other one made a skirt I never wore, the pants out of that one I still have… a little of my history went into every pouch.

The second batch a few days later... and still not done! Fabric of my sofa and of my chairs are seen here.

I made more pouches between Christmas and the New Year. I gave them to friends and family. One is holding underwear, one a pharmacy kit and a flat one an iPad. (so I hear)

The last batch. For now.

These last three I am keeping.  The Guatemalan fabric with the silk lining is for my phone, the grey plaid (made a skirt of the fabric) is so pretty with its liner that it makes me smile, and the green one (outer fabric – curtain, lining from Japan) is big enough for socks or panties.

Yesterday, I found more fabric in my studio that just calls to be made into a pouch. But I shall reign in my mania for now… I have tons of alterations that need my attention.  But soon, there will be a birthday, an occasion to make more pouches.

Here’s to a CREATIVE 2012!

There was a time in my life where you would not even see me in any PANTS at all. So much so that a friend of mine once remarked that he almost would not have recognized me because he had only known me in skirts and dresses.

all shapes, all colors...

Well times have changed. I moved to the country of Levi’s, and I started to wear pants. A lot more. I even made some myself. Admittedly, pants are the hardest piece of garment to fit on a woman. (that’s why I don’t carry a lot of them at the store…) Try to fit a pair of Levis’s on me and it simply won’t work. I might be skinny but I do have CURVES. What I need on the hips gapes on the waist! I did a lot better with corduroy, dress pants and slacks.

Remember the time of the ‘carrot’ jeans – wide on the thigh, high on the waist and narrow at the bottom?  This type fit me for the narrow waist but, boy, were they ever uncomfortable! The pair I owned quickly got relegated to work pants.

I found Jeans in particular hard, cold and … not quite dressy enough.  Later, I gasped at the high price of torn up jeans, a concept I still don’t understand. (luckily, that FAD seems to have faded…)

The addition of spandex to Jean fabric was a revelation to me. Finally Jeans were comfortable to wear! Also, bringing the waist down solved the gap problem… and I bought a pair of medium-rise, medium dark Jeans at a woman’s home show, which lasted me a very long time. (probably because I did not wear them that often)

I now own a good half dozen pairs of Jeans. Light blue to super dark.  I love them all and wear them often. My favorite brand seems to be Mavi, a line out of Turkey. Their rise comes to just below the belly button, which makes them comfortable to bike in. I can also eat quite a bit without having to pop the button open.

Jeans CAN be very dressy, especially the darker kind.

... paired with a fancy cardigan

Jeans ALWAYS look good combined with a a blouse

or a white shirt.

Jeans can dress DOWN a fancy jacket or top.

Dark Jeans work well for the office combined with a jacket and they can dress UP a simple t-shirt or ‘bland’ sweater.

I am now definitively a Jeans girl!

Happy New Year!

First order of business:  Get the Christmas lights up at the shop.

And while I am the one that cuts their Christmas tree three days before Christmas is actually happening and decorates it maybe TWO days before – you simply cannot wait that long when you have a store.  We need to get our customers into the Christmas shopping spirit as ’tis is the season that helps us pay our bills.  Big time.

At least we waited until AFTER Thanksgiving.

Like always, Naomi is our creative director and I simply help putting things together.  And also like always, I think our windows turned out spectacular!

Then boxes with new merchandise arrive… and they contain heavenly items fit for a PARTY!

Darlin of London - Elsie skirt and Faye cardi with grey pearls!

Elsie skirt paired with Hazel cardi (gold lurex shimmmer!)

Both of these items can be worn separately -  the two cardigans will look stunning paired with black slacks or jeans and the skirt can be worn mostly all year!

Darling of London Ciara dress, black chiffon with flower embroidery on top!

Darling of London Elsie dress - same fabric like the above skirt and POCKETS!

Hazel fully lined lace mini dress - thanks to sweet Simone to model this!

At Citrine, we also have everything to go with these adorable outfits – from stockings to scarves, jackets to coats AND the best jewelry!

Yesterday, this beautiful lady came in to get earrings to match the black chiffon dress.  She wanted the earrings to be the center piece of her outfit and Michelle Obama to notice them.

Chalcedony drops on sterling by YedOmi

Yes, you read that right – these earrings are going to the WHITE HOUSE CHRISTMAS PARTY!!!

Tights are warm!

Tights make the outfit complete!

Tights shape your legs!

Tights are sexy!

….and today’s wool tights DO NOT itch!

Falke Twist (black and petrol available)

Smartwool Estonia (teal mix and black/grey available)

Smartwool Galloon (fuchsia and black available)

Falke Smart (bronze and platinum available)

Falke Sign (black/grey)

The white shirt looks clean, crisp and makes a statement of confidence. You can combine a white shirt into endless outfits; it can stand by itself, as a jacket or double as an additional layer.

A white shirt on slacks or dark jeans looks very professional. Worn open over a long-sleeved t-shirt together with a scarf looks romantic and adds warmth.  Buttoned up and tucked in with a contrasting camisole underneath jazzes up an otherwise bland outfit.

At the store, we have a few white shirts right now that I played with the other day:

long shirt, basket weave cotton (Whitewash)

This shirt accentuates a woman’s  body without being clingy. Because if the long darts in the front, it is supposed to be worn OVER pants or a skirt. It would look best on a tall, high-waisted woman – the proportions are just right!

a great combination!

the same shirt with a shawl and under a long vest

white - with fun accents! (Whitewash)

A crisp white shirt that is a little different. Printed flowers inside the neck and the cuffs, flower embroidery down the left arm along with the stripes make this the perfect shirt for jeans and boots!

stripe shirt with a color pop!

A last one for drama – this shirt is is structured it has so much going on that you almost forget that is is WHITE!

dramatic collar, topstitching, wide tie (Anni Kuan)

I probably don’t have to tell you that as soon as the ‘unusual’ item joined the other inhabitants of my closet, it discovered it had NO friends. Nothing that would even remotely look good with it. Questioning my sanity, I would ask myself in bewilderment WHAT on earth got me to buy that thing in the first place, let alone what I imagined pairing with it. Yet, it was there. In order to justify the purchase I would break it out a few times, wear it, love/hate it….and ultimately get rid of it after many seasons of just taking up space on a hanger.

I have gotten slightly better and can stay away from beautiful (but difficult) fabrics and clothing that is intriguing but highly impractical. Having a store helps. Buying clothing for customers has taught me a thing or two about what works and what not.

Pockets:  we always have stuff that needs to go someplace.

Elastic Waist:  no two people are alike and waist circumferences are amazingly flexible.

Reversible: the ultimate travel solution – two garments in one!

reversible cashmere/silk shawls by Rapti - so soft and comfortable!

pockets on this Anni Kuan skirt! put both hands in and look cool!

elastic waist and feminine! (by Darling of London)

elastic waist AND reversible, new skirts by Indira

Pulling items from the store to photograph these outfits, I found so many separates to go together… I bet any of these would have lots of companions in YOUR closet!

Although the weather was mostly gorgeous on my trip, which called for a light wardrobe, I once again noticed how well put together the European ladies are! Not only are most of the clothes nicely tailored but shoes, accessories, jackets and coats ALWAYS match.

The European lady also HAS a jacket or coat to go with her outfits. May it be the light colored, belted rain jacket, the colored blazer or elegant overcoat – she just knows what to throw on.

Sofia sporting a tailored blouse, well-fitting corduroy pants and a simple, but stylish, overcoat!

Upon my return to the store, I found quite a few NEW items that had made it to the floor, including some nifty and stylish coats and jackets.

Let me introduce some of them to you:

cable-knit wool jacket by Hazel

While this jacket is not rain proof – it is the perfect transition weather coat for cool mornings and evenings. It buttons high on the neck for extra warmth, buttons just below the bust and has an A-line body. (it is also pitch black, which is always hard to photograph….)

lined, light wool cape by Hazel

You can bike and ride your car in it!  The cape is fully lined and super comfy, just cozy enough for cooler fall days. Added benefit:  pockets!  You can’t beat pockets.

Wool zippered blouson by SkunkFunk

SkunkFunk would not be SkunkFunk is it wasn’t a bit on the funky side.  This jacket’s zipper slightly goes off to one side and the oversized hood doubles as a large shawl collar. And the color just rocks.

Trench/blanket coat by Hazel

This coat is actually a long coat with jacket-like overcoat. The knit portion extends all the way to the back and into the collar! It is fully lined and extra warm, too.

hood and back knit portion of the Hazel coat

Pea coat by Hazel, a wardrobe staple!

For anyone who needs just a basic, good coat – this is it!  Double breasted woolen pea coat with a high collar for those fierce days. Of course, BLACK always goes! (this is also the coat Sofia is wearing in the first picture…)

… and for good measure, I am including a picture of my little orange jacket that I took to Europe; served me well on many occasions!

Happy Indian Summer!

… and we are still having a most beautiful SUMMER!

Over the last week, my UPS guy has stopped almost every day with a new box. Of FALL merchandise! I know that clothing manufacturers have their ideas of deliveries, which at this point in time really does not coincide with the season.

Does not matter – I finally broke down and moved all summer stuff onto a ‘sale’ rack. Unpacked my boxes and started steaming the new outfits with the air conditioning ON.  And it is lovely!  More muted colors, thicker fabrics, long sleeves – ideas of covering up and warming myself by a fire crept up.

Presenting:

A glimpse into FALL and WINTER styles

cozy two tone dress by Hazel

shirt dress in soft jersey by Anni Kuan

wool cardigan by Darling of London

hooded, fitted dress in organic cotton by SkunkFunk

As one customer put it the other day:  When you buy Fall clothing NOW you have the best choices!

Now wait until I post the coats that I have in the store!   (… still a bit early for that, I think!)

I had been summoned three times before but simply sent the paper back stating that I was not a US citizen. Of course, all of this changed over a year ago and when the summons came this time, I wanted to find out about this part of the US judicial system and said YES.

And while I did not get picked to serve on a jury that day, it was nonetheless a highly interesting and educational experience. I even want to say that the court tried to keep all of us approx. 300 people ‘entertained’ as we had two speeches and a long video to watch.

In order not to bore my fellow Americans with what jury duty is all about, I’ll retell the story in German. Because these folks probably know nothing about this.

:::::Doppelpunkt:::::

Was man zunächst einmal wissen muss ist, dass JEDER Angeklagte in den USA das Recht auf eine Verhandlung mit Geschworenen (jury) hat, was in der Verfassung festgeschrieben steht. Das wusste ich nicht und ich bin mir nicht sicher, wie das in Europa (oder Deutschland) ist.  Nicht jede US Verhandlung braucht Geschworene, da die Parteien oft den Rechtsstreit mit einem Vergleich beenden.

Da das aber nicht sicher ist, werden JEDEN TAG eine Menge von Leuten auf das Gericht bestellt FALLS die Parteien sich nicht einigen können. Portland liegt im Multnomah County, ein recht grosser Bereich, so dass täglich eine Menge Verhandlungen stattfinden (könnten). An meinem Tag waren es allerdings nur 3.

Jury Duty ist eine Pflicht für jeden volljährigen US Bürger, genau wie die Wahl. Eigentlich noch mehr, denn man braucht triftige Gründe abzusagen. (kleine Kinder zuhause, selbstständig – all das zählt). Benachrichtigt wird jeder irgendwann einmal, der entweder einen Führerschein hat oder mit einer der beiden Parteien registriert ist.

Als ich – zugegebener Maßen kurz vor knapp – den angewiesenen Raum gefunden hatte, saßen dort bereits ungefähr 300 (!) Menschen. Ein riesiger Wartesaal – und JEDEN TAG sitzen dort so viele Menschen!

Als erstes begrüsste uns ein Richter, der uns dankte und die Wichtigkeit der Geschworenen betonte, obwohl die Wahrscheinlichkeit hoch sei, dass wir nicht für eine Verhandlung ausgewählt werden könnten. Wie bei uns gibt es zivilrechtliche Verfahren (Partei gegen Partei) und strafrechtliche (Partei gegen den Staat).

Eine Verhandlung kann 6 oder 12 Geschworene benötigen…ein Computer wählt 20 Menschen aus, die dann aus dem grossen Raum herausgeholt und befragt werden. Aus den 20 werden dann die 6 oder 12 gewählt, die der Verhandlung beisitzen können. Wegen Befangenheit kann man hier abgelehnt werden. Die letztlich ausgewählten Geschworenen führt man in den Fall ein, sie sitzen der Verhandlung bei, hören die Verteidiger und kommen abschliessend zu einem Urteil. Obwohl auch hier der Richter das endgültige Urteil spricht, können die Geschworenen dieses nachhaltig beeinflussen. Manche Verhandlungen dauern Tage oder Wochen und das bedeutet, dass man als Geschworener sein ‘normales’ Leben erstmal aufgeben kann. (…und zudem darf man während dieser Zeit weder fernsehen noch Zeitung lesen, geschweige denn mit jemand über den Fall sprechen)

Wie gesagt, unter Umständen einigen sich die Parteien im Vorfeld und man braucht keine Geschworenen.

In der Zwischenzeit hatte ich eine Küche in diesem grossen Raum entdeckt (Essen warm machen), Unmengen an Zeitschriften (manche von 2009), denn man richtet sich auf einen LANGEN Tag ein.

Als nächstes wurde uns ein rühriges Video vorgeführt, in dem die Wichtigkeit der Geschworenen für den Angeklagten und dessen gesamtes Leben betont wurde.

Nachdem ich dann nochmals aufs Örtchen getapert war, hatte ich weiterhin 4 Bücherregale und einen grossen Schrank mit Brettspielen gefunden  – falls man sich dann mit seinen Nachbarn so gut angefreundet hat, dass man sie zu einem Mensch-Ärgere-Dich-Nicht herausfordern will.

Bis dahin hatte ich aber noch nicht EINE Seite in meinem mitgebrachten Buch gelesen, denn nach dem Video folgte eine weitere Ansprache – diesmal von einer Dame, die auch als Comedian sicher gutes Geld verdienen könnte. Ich vermute, das Gericht will versuchen, den potentiell ewig langen Tag so kurzweilig wie möglich zu gestalten.

Diese Ansprache hatte zur Folge, dass ich mit meinem Nachbarn ins Gespräch kam, der nicht umhin konnte, mir seine Lebensgeschichte zu erzählen. (Wie ich das immer wieder hinkriege, weiss ich auch nicht… eventuell habe ich den falschen Beruf)

Inzwischen wurden weitere 20 Menschen zu einem Gerichtssaal geschickt, die 2. Verhandlung von den dreien brauchte Geschworene.

Abgesehen vom (falschen) Feueralarm (der die ganze Meute auf die Strasse schickte), war das aber dann auch die gesamte Veranstaltung. Die dritte Verhandlung kam ohne Geschworene aus und wir wurden alle nach Hause geschickt.

Nun – jeder der 300 Menschen bekommt für den Tag $10 plus Fahrgeld, sozusagen als Verdienstausfall. Auch wenn das nicht viel erscheinen mag, so ist das doch insgesamt eine Menge Geld – und das JEDEN TAG.

This juror 10100 went home to take a nap. I now have 2 years before they might call on me again.