Ying and Yang - Finding Our Balance

This week we finally began a project that I've been excited about for a while.  This is a Custom By Heather Rail Jacket that goes with our newest CBH Horsemanship top for sale on the site.  It seems that the moment we found this striking sequined black and white check print fabric we had tons of ideas about how we could make into an awesome ensemble set!  My design for the jacket was inspired by my Mom's (Lois, my Partner) design for the HMS top.  You may remember the sketch she did, I posted it a little while back.  I really loved her design and have been itching to get this jacket going to complete the matching set!

This ensemble is truly the a joint project, each of us contributing by designing half of the two piece set.  I think of this project as "The Ying-Yang" set, partly because we always give each project our own silly name like "The Butterfly" or "The Cheerleader" or "The Rainbow Bright."  To me this set represents Ying-Yang.  The overall esthetic feels very balanced because of color blocking and the simple black and white pallet. Instead of looking split in half or like two ideas in the same fabric, I wanted the designs to feel inter-locking, each half strengthening the other to make a whole cohesive set.  I think this creates a more put-together look for wearing in multiple classes.

The fact that it is a two-piece set and each of us literally designed half makes this Ying-Yang theme come full circle, a first for us!  Every project is a joint effort but.... never before have we each come up with half of a complete set.  I guess we really do make a great team!  I think both designs work so well together and no one would ever guess they were designed by two different people.   Here's a look at my design sketch for the jacket. 

Both pieces are made to our size six (our sizes tend to run small) so if you're an xs or a small or a size four in other brands you may fit our six.  I wish I could squeeze into this set!  I always try everything on when it's finished, just for fun!  I just love the sharp contrasts and angles that make these designs really stand out in the arena.  I can imagine myself on the rail in a pleasure class in this one for sure.  Oh, I guess if I had the clothes I would just need the matching horse....... maybe a black and white tobanio or a big black AQHA gelding with a white star and maybe some bright white socks too!  lol!  I guess a girl can dream!!  For now dreaming up new designs is tons of fun and keeps me WAY TOO BUSY!  I just hope in the balancing act of completing custom orders and meeting deadlines we are able to find time to get some more fun stuff made for our March 11th show. Yikes!  That's right the corner!

Keep a look out for the finished jacket coming soon!

Thanks,
Heather

Thankfully Busy!

It's funny how when it rains it pours, and I can't tell you how thankful we are to be hard at work.  This week and the past few have been exciting with show season on the horizon.  It seems the closer we get to our first 2010 show the more custom orders roll in.  This year the most requested color for youth girls is definitely turquoise, turquoise and more turquoise.  Sometimes I think..... even my dreams are in turquoise!  I guess that makes sense because turquoise and blues in general look good with horses of every color.  I can remember when I was a little girl I thought blue was my favorite color.  How funny, now I don't think I even have a favorite color.  Just a few I dislike.  Besides designing, patterning and sewing, we've been shopping!  I just love it when we hit the jackpot and find really cool unique prints.  This past shopping trip we found so many new fabrics that I'm super excited about......sooo many ideas and so little time.  We don't have the fabrics online yet but will have them at the Rancho shows for orders.

I know this is a busy time of year for most of us.  The sun is beginning to come out a little more and the flowers are blooming.  Practicing, riding and gearing up for the spring shows feels great.  In the midst of all this craziness I hope you've had a minute or two to cheer on our USA team in Vancouver.  I've had a chance to check out some of the late night broadcasts and seeing the wide variety of fashions has been fun.  There is a little bit of everything from sporting gear to glamerous, and don't forget the head-to-toe spandex (talk about confidence!) LOL!  Some of my favorite events for fashion in the Olympics have been the street wear inspired US snowboarding team outfits in an over-sized baggy denim look and preppy plaid jackets with flashy gold emblums and logos.  I also can't help but think of show clothes when I watch the figure skaters. Every Olympics it seems like their costumes get more and more dramatic with more and more bling!  I'm telling you Swarovskis are taking over the world! LOL  We're even seeing them on men now.  It's pretty amazing the costumes they get the men figure skaters to wear, make-up and all.  It's like Broadway.  I see lots of similarities to horseshow clothes.  Most of these beautiful and unique costumes look much like a custom designed pleasure ensemble or showmanship suit.  They're just stunning!

I think it's just great to see these talented athletes really chasing their dreams. Whether you're catching big air in a half-pipe or an equestrian smoothly loping around an arena, I think at the end of the day we all just want to KICK BUTT and LOOK GOOD DOING IT!!!  My job is making that happen and I'm lucky to be a part of your journey.

Thankfully,

Heather

Golden-N- Grand anyone?

Hey ya'll!

I hope you've had a chance to peek at our show schedule by now!  We're kicking things off in March at the PCQHA Back to Basics show at Rancho Murieta and we're looking forward to seeing some old friends and hopefully meeting a few new ones too!  After enjoying those fierce and deterimined AQHA ladies as they settle into another year of counting and collecting points, it's nice to change the pace and hit an APHA show!  I have to say paints are a personal favorite of mine, which is funny because I've never ridden, owned or shown a paint horse....I think I just like watching all the colors together out in the pen.  The fun and friendly people at the shows sure don't hurt either - we always enjoy everyone at all the shows we go to.  I hope this year just as many of you plan to come out for the Back to Basics show on March 11-14 and the CPHA and 7CPHA back-to-back shows, April 21-25. These have been some of our biggest and most successful shows for the past few years, thanks to you all!

We understand that not everyone likes to deal with ordering new show clothes or enjoys shopping online. We know some don't want to deal with the planning involved, or maybe it's the waiting and wondering? Well that's just why we created our HOT RACK line of ready-to-wear and ready to buy designs for those who love to shop off the rack.  We know that going to the shows is usually the best place to shop for many of you, and I encourage you to try things on!  It can be really hard to tell what a jacket or top is going to look or fit like from on the hanger or on the internet!

For us, going to the shows is a great way to get to know our clients and discuss their indiviual needs. I LOVE meeting with you and hearing about your ideas for a new outfit and discussing all the options.  I'm sure some of you must wonder why we're not out there more often. The majority of our business is custom orders because we only do one of a kind, and this makes it a little harder for us to hit tons of shows. It's because we're busy working, and unlike some of the larger companies out there, we really do design, pattern, sew, and embellish each and every garment by hand, ourselves, resulting in real couture quailty.

We know it's so important get out when we can and make our services as convenient as possible for you...... so our big question is........ Are any of you looking forward to showing or, more importantly shopping at this years GOLD-N-GRAND????

We're playing with the idea of adding the GOLD-N-GRAND March 26-28th show to our calendar.  For now this is just an idea and would be a first for us as vendors.  We've never sold at a non-breed open show before.  Not because we're snobby or don't like them, we know everyone starts somewhere and open shows can be lots of fun. especially watching the cute little ones. We just find that most of our clients are showing at higher levels.  I can remember when I was a kid and the Gold-n-Grand was a favorite with 4-Her's and open showers alike.  This show has always had a big turnout and been known for prizes galore. We've definitely noticed lots more promotion of the show in the past few years, not to mention now it's a circuit with breed approved classes.  We'd really like to meet some of our clients who show other breeds. and we're thinking this show may cover several of them.

We're wondering what you all think.  Will you be there???  Post a comment and let us know!  Thanks!

Yea ! Readers Discount

Hi Everyone,

I hope you're having a great week!  I just wanted to drop a quick line and some special savings that might come in handy as show season is kicking off. 

If you're reading this then you can use this 10% off blog Subscriber code!  When you order any item during February you may use this code for a special discount.  Just a little way for us to thank you for reading and sharing an interest in what we love to do.  As a savvy shopper and a Heather's Hot Couture supporter you may apply this code to a single purchase during Feburary, either online or over the phone.  Limited to one time use only and expires 2/28/2010.  See terms and conditions.

The Subscriber savings code is HOT LIPS

Thanks for reading and happy shopping,
Heather