Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Running With Scissors...


When I was little, I dreamed of being a Fashion Designer. Well, a Fashion Designing Ballerina to be more exact. I was shy and tiny, and oh so creative. My first hand-me-down sewing machine & my ballet slippers were my most prized possessions.




I have this memory of this white doored cupboard at the start of the hallway in the “good” part of the house (the part where we weren’t supposed to run; where the furniture was so beautiful & so old. I’d sit for hours at the dining room table imagining other little girls who’d sat on these chairs 400 years ago: what they were like and, most important, what they wore).  Along with the day-to-day linens, this cupboard was full of treasures: beautiful pieces of handmade lace I can still picture in my head and feel in my hands; old as the hills heirloom linens with beautifully handcrafted embroideries in such pretty colours. Irresistible to this 4 year old. It was one of these fine cotton embroidered linens, a pillowcase, that proved to be my first downfall.  Strangely, no-one appreciated how beautiful my precious doll now looked in her new dress. She was a vision!


The next time I recall a monumental scissors events, which I prefer to remember as pure creative genius, was when I was around 6.  I was told one night that my little cousin was coming to visit us for the very first time. I bounced downstairs bright and early the next morning, to a very quite house and a blonde vision at the bottom of the stairs. Surely this beautiful creature, with her  long, straight, shiny, blond hair was a doll (major case of hair envy being curly frizzy & mouse brown). Taking a second look, I couldn’t help but see how much my 2 yr old cousin, with her waist length perfect hair, looked like my sisters doll Velvet… almost. All she need was a fringe.  Clearly she recognised creative genius because her answer was an unreserved YES!  And away I cut.  I don’t think I’d seen grownups cry before that. Or understood shame. Still, she did look stunningly fabulous in the somewhat lopsided fringe I cut and the matching cut-out bits in the bulk of her hair. She was a vision!


The years in between I remember trying on toiles, cold fingers, broken needles & pin pricks as I honed my skills under the guidance of my mum. Most of my skill I learnt from my mother who used to look over seas for inspiration long before anyone else here did. She’d create our outfits with a confidence “but I will be in fashion soon” and it always was.  She was a beautiful sewer with exquisite taste…. all except for the time she decided I needed a calico (yes, calico!) outfit complete with Elizabethan-like cream cluney lace at the drawstring neck & the hem of knickerbocker pants.  Not quite the vision I was after.

When I was around 14, my sister got her first paid job. She was so grown up at 16! One Friday she came home with a new dress… drop waist & baggy. Soooooo fashionable! She was so proud of that dress; her very first purchase with her very own money she’d earned. Gosh I wanted one. Next morning, I was sooooo excited to wake her up. “Look!!” The look on her face didn’t spell happiness. Opps. Took me years to understand that one. I just thought she’d see how clever I was. Not quite the vision she was after.



From cut-up heirloom pillowcases to flowered muumuu’s redesigned into flares to wear with my vintage Givenchy jacket, some of my best work has come from my mistakes.  In dolls circles, 4 yr old me was a legend…. a veritable visionary!

Welcome to my very first blog.

50 comments:

  1. Thank you for the insight into the mind of yourself, I really enjoyed the read and can relate to so many of those things. It has brought back some forgotten childhood memories which is always nice. Can't wait for the next blog post.

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  2. Congratulations on your very first blog Kate. So nice to get an insight to you, the face behind IM. I look forward to following along your blogging journey. xxx Jade

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  3. loved reading it Kate, and a visual pleasure as well. xox

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  4. What is it about 4 year olds and scissors? They seem to be irresistibly drawn to each other... love your blog Kate :) ~ Christine xx

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  5. Congratulations on the blog and the 1500 (plus!) fans on facebook. I can't wait to read more.

    Sam

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  6. Lovely introduction.

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  7. Loved reading your blog, look forward to readin more. Congratulations on 1500 fans!

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  8. Welcome to blog land Kate :) Looking forward to following your blog.
    Lea x

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  9. Great read, congrats on your new blog and the big 1500!

    Jen

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  10. Well done, and good luck. I know you will be fabulous and look forward to following your thoughts!

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  11. Wow Kate absolutely wonderful and just...well I cant find the perfect word but so very you and I am already hooked xxx G

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  12. Congrats on 1500 fans!! What an achievement! loved the blog and can't wait to read more

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  13. Love the blog and the colours. Fav part of reading was about your life journey in your 'about me' info.

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  14. Seems you have quite the flare for writing as well ;) You're obviously passionate about what you do and it shows in your work! Congrats on your first blog :) Jess Kay

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  15. Congrats! Fabbo first blog, can't wait for more, xoxoxox kathie

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  16. Lovely to read. You truly are creative-it's evident in the way you write, as well as the way you create beautiful children's clothing. Your blog took me back to my own special childhood moments. Thanks.

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  17. I love reading what goes on in the heads of other people and what brought them to where they are now! Can't wait to read more!

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  18. congrats on both the blog and on the 1500 fan/likers

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  19. Great read. Congrats on 1500. Love your designs. x

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  20. <3 Easy Peasy
    Congrats on 1500!!! now 1600!!!
    Love what you do and how you came to do it!!
    Love most that you make sensational BOY things!!

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  21. Congrats on 1600 likers and your first blog! How do you accomplish everything as well as being a mother of 5. I'm jealous, you are a superwoman.;)

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  22. Inspiring! How you manage is mind boggling. Sleep much?
    Tina @TINK Handmade xx

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  23. Congratulations on 1500 followers and a beautifully written first blog.

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  24. Hey Kate, fabulous read, had me hooked from the start! Congratulations on your new, exciting journey!! Here's to your huge success! xx

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  25. Wow, you just bought back a ton of memories :) Congrats on your first blog & 1500 likes!!! xxx Katrina.

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  26. Loved it Kate! Bravo and well done to you! Cant wait to read more! I hope tonight was amazing for you, i hope you enjoyed it!

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  27. Yay!!! So proud to be your friend.... you are simply amazing in every way xx

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  28. You write beautifully, and I will enjoy following your new blog! Please feel welcome to follow mine at www.leepelosi.blogspot.com for handmade cards.
    Love both your boys & girls sets xx Lee

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  29. Hope this works !! Great blog would be so happy to follow

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  30. Loved it Kate, Congratulations on your first Blog , cant wait to read the next one! xx

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  31. Super job, Kate! I feel like I know you a lot more now!

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  32. Awesome, wish you had some photos of your original creations!

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  33. What a wonderful first blog. I love reading all about how people got started. I have subscribed in my mail and look forward to following you.

    Congratulations on 1500+ likers.

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  34. Congratulations on your blog and page :)

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  35. I love your blog, very enchanting. Its amazing how a 4yr olds vision can be the most innocent of things and yet the most destructive. Its beautiful minds at work :)

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  36. love it, newest liker sent by Leila Matthews

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  37. Love your writing. Just in the nik of time to enter!

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  38. Thank-you for all your wonderful comments & encouragement for my very first blog.

    Just about to draw a number via Random.org and i will announce the winner of the opportunity to buy the boys camo set for $1 below this.

    x Kate (Indigo Magenta)

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  39. And the winner is.....

    Comment #6

    Sam Gibson!!! That's you!!!!!!!!!!!

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  40. Congrats Sam! So very jealous...

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  41. Woohoo! Thanks so much Kate!

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