Little Ocean Summer 2012 is complete. A big thank you to my model Elizabeth, hair and make-up wiz Sarah, and photographer Stephanie!

I'm surprised that some of my kid's items are already selling out. I usually list things in my etsy shop as well as my big cartel, but I'm afraid that I won't be able to keep track since the fabric is limited, so they will just stay in one place for now. Besides selling out, I may have to stop taking clothing orders in a few weeks due to a studio move/house remodeling project.  So place your orders now!

Jewelry-making doesn't take up as much space, so I'm hoping I'll be able to keep it available and start working with a few new stockists this summer.

That's all in Little Ocean news.  Now I'm off to take my boy's to the park on the beautiful day!

I'm Still Alive!

The past 2 months I've been busy designing, making, and shooting my summer line.  I am releasing it in three parts. I just listed the jewelry in the shop, next week comes the kid's clothes, and then finally on June 6th the women's clothing will be up.

I've done a lot of fun stuff including more indigo dying, and I would have loved to share my processes here on the blog but I've just been too focused on my ideas and my work that I haven't been very interested in documenting anything.  Sometimes it's nice to just do my work and not be taking pictures all the time.  I am using Instagram a bit though, so follow me at littleocean to see a few things.







See the rest of the Summer Jewelry Collection here. I'd love to hear your feedback.

Sample Sale!

I have a lot of samples from the past 3 collections that need to go to good homes. Women's and children's clothing in a range of sizes, all 40%-80% off. Also some one-of-a-kinds that you've never seen before for really low prices. Go, girl, go see it in the Etsy Shop.

Learning to Breathe Again

Solomon watching the snow fall, and playing guitar with Mommy.

Well, so far I've been doing good by my resolutions. Actually, the first month of this new year I feel like I've lived a completely different lifestyle. It's all thanks to working less. It was kinda difficult to pull myself out of the cycle of making new deadlines and goals for Little Ocean. I should have the spring collection designed by now, but.... I'm happy to say that my jewelry line is doing well in my online shops and the few boutiques I work with so I don't have the pressure to keep designing and pushing forward. I've just been filling orders, only working the two weekdays that the boys go to daycare, and not even thinking about work for the rest of the week. Those of you who are self-employed understand how work can slip into every nook and cranny of your time and energy if you let it. I can relax so much more, have more fun with the kids, and get so much other stuff done on the weekends just from not THINKING about work!

This fall Makai and Solomon will start going to Mara's school for the full week. I can't believe my stay-at-home mommy time will be over forever in 8 short months. I've been looking forward to working more, but now that it's really happening this year, I'm feeling a little bittersweet. I want to keep my easy work pace through the summer to be sure I can enjoy my time with them, so I will not release a spring/summer collection this year. Fall/winter probably won't happen either. But I'll be designing one or two new items every month or so to be listed randomly. And I will, of course, continue to sell my current jewelry line and I have MANY women's and children's clothing samples from past seasons to be listed soon.

I'm thinking about how back in 2005, my husband and I moved into our dilapidated house, had Mara (I went into labor the third night we spent there), Matthew started his carpentry business, and I started Little Ocean AND my old boutique, Fasten ALL IN ONE YEAR. And life hasn't slowed down much since. This may be the biggest break from craziness that I've had in 7 years. I've freed up time to do things that have been on my to-do list literally since we moved in to the house that long ago! Already some of those tasks have been crossed off and I feel so much lighter.

I'm saying a prayer of gratitude for all that I have today. It's basically everything that I've asked for and worked for over this crazy crazy time. A modest but steady income from Matthew and I each doing what we love, an almost-finished beautiful home, healthy happy kids, and an awesome marriage. On those stressful nights years ago when Matthew and I would argue about money and I was trying to convince myself to close the store because it was sinking us, and our house was a contruction-zone, and I would sew until 3am and wake up with the kids at 6am (while pregnant!), and never could find time to do the laundry...I often thought about the party we would have one day. I would think about how one day we would get to that place where we could finally BREATHE, and we would throw a big party and invite all the people we have in our lives that supported us through it all.

Now I'm embarrassed by my corniness. But I'm throwing that party this summer.

Last-Minute Sale

I've had a busy week making lots of Christmas orders. I've gotta get all this work done so I can start buying and making gifts for my own family and friends. Every year is the same, I'm so last-minute!

I closed down the shop for clothing orders, but I actually have a few extra jewelry pieces in the studio right now that need homes. Who out there still hasn't finished their Christmas shopping like me? I would like to reward your bad procrastination habits with a super-duper discount. All my necklaces are 50% OFF until I run out. Also! I am upgrading all shipping to Priority Mail for no extra charge. So you can buy your friend the necklace that you wanted for yourself, because now you can afford two! Get on it! My last trip to the post office will be on Monday.

Pan Collar Dress

I decided my popular little girl's blouse should also be a dress, especially for the holidays. I found the perfect blue plaid cotton and the pale grey/green lace exactly matches the collar and the little fabric-covered button in back. All materials are reclaimed vintage, as usual. Available here in my shop in size 6 months through 6 years.

Everyone please make your made-to-order purchases by Tuesday the 13th to ensure Christmas delivery for domestic customers. Sorry international buyers, it's too late to guarantee Christmas delivery now.

Milwaukee, do this tomorrow

I'll be at Hover Craft's 2nd Annual Event on Saturday at Sweet Water Organics from 12-6pm.

I'll be bringing all my newest freshest women's and kid's clothing.

sale!

Now thru Monday Nov. 28th get 25% off everything in my shop and my etsy!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Shop Update!

The new Holiday Collection is here!

coming soon...

The Little Ocean Holiday Collection is set to be released Monday the 14th.

I just photographed the new children's items on my kids this weekend. Makai was the toughest to shoot, he was just too goofy.

CLEAN STUDIO

This morning the boys gave me hell when dropping them off at daycare. I pretty much got my heart broken by each of them. But I've been super productive catching up with orders from boutiques, making changes to the blog design, and cleaning my studio. So even after the tears this morning, I still feel good about the new schedule.

smells like burning

When new acquaintances learn that I have four kids, I almost cringe each time in anticipation of the automatic response; "Wow, you've got your hands full!" It's the damn truth, but only half of it. Because next I admit that my husband and I both run our own businesses and are remodeling a 100 year old house and I often get strange looks.

Ever since I was young, being busy was part of who I was. I had a lot of pride in accomplishing much, even if it was for fun. I always had a dozen art/craft projects going at once, was in a band, had 2-3 jobs, was at the library weekly to get books on new weird topics all the way from astrology to photography.

After 6+ years of motherhood, I've finally lowered my expectations and come to accept what is realistic. I didn't slow down at first, Mara was a really independent baby/toddler so I didn't HAVE to. When she was 6 months old, I opened a boutique with friends here in Milwaukee. I didn't spend as much down time with her as I now do with my younger boys. No longer running a boutique, but still running Little Ocean, I have a lot more control over my pace and how much I work. Two boys under 3 years old can certainly suck you dry of EVERY spare minute in your day. Not to mention the shear size of our family is exhausting (laundering, matching, and putting away 42 pairs of socks weekly!) I'm getting used to it.

At the same time I feel a strong need to do more for myself and my family. I regret not having time to make Mara more little outfits when she was smaller, or go on more adventures. I've made a promise to myself that I will do more of these things now. I've decided to become Mara's girl scout troop leader like my mom was for me. And I'm making the whole family's Halloween costumes this year.

I made a "yeah-right" face as I just typed that.

I'm burnt out for sure. That was the theme of this post. I'm burnt out but I'm still pushing forward, adding new projects and setting new goals. I don't know how it is possible for me to simultaneously want to finish my fall collection, start a new design collaboration with friends, sew some pants for Sol, AND crawl under a rock sobbing and sleep for 10 days.

I need to take a vacation and then make some sort of a plan. A serious game plan. I will do this somehow. For now, I think it would be wise to announce that there will be no Little Ocean Fall/Winter collection. Most items have already been snatched up by the few boutiques I work with. A very small Holiday Collection with new jewelry, and women's and children's clothing will be in my shop in mid November.

Wish me luck as I try to sort out my ambitions and become a less stressed and more fulfilled mama.

in the studio

I haven't been working too much the past week. I've got a lot to catch up on around the house. But I did send out 2 little boy's vests for a wedding on the other side of the globe. And I'm preparing to add a new necklace design to the shop.

Thank you, Renegade!

Well, I think I'm finally recovered from a very busy week of preparation and a very fun weekend of selling at Renegade in Chicago last weekend. Thank you to everyone who came down and visited me and the other 300 amazing vendors. I bought a couple things myself. I'll have to show y'all next blog post.

busy busy busy

It's been quiet here on the blog lately because I've been getting ready to sell at Renegade next weekend in Chicago. Our dear friend is being our nanny for the week and I've been sewing and jewelry making nonstop. You can get updates and sneak peaks into my studio by following me on instagram (I'm littleocean). I also share my pics on twitter. It's fun because it's in real time and you can know stalker-y things about me like today I was in the studio for over 13 hours, and I had a beer at two in the afternoon. ;)

in print

photographed by Louis Bielefeld

Remember that shoot I styled and provided the clothing and jewelry for months and months ago? It's finally published! Two Cents is a small local magazine that you can pick up in most bars and cafes in Milwaukee. Or you can see the issue online here. Almost all of the clothing in the spread is still available in my shop.

giveaway (closed)

Today I'm celebrating one hundred smiling customers! Lately, the positive feedback on my etsy shop has been really sweet, and I wanted to commemorate that by giving away my popular "Fast Clouds" necklace. Thank you to all my super customers, especially you 100 peeps who took the time to let me know how pleased you are with your purchases!

To enter to win this necklace, please leave a comment below. Be sure to include your email address so I can contact you if you win. You can earn yourself a second entry by following me on blog lovin. A winner will be chosen next Monday the 1st.

stocked 'em

I just dropped off this family of necklaces at Project M Boutique here in Milwaukee. They're pretty rad. If you're in the area you should definitely check them out! There are a few Little Ocean clothing items there as well. Most of these necklaces are also in my etsy shop right now.

In the works right now....

Tank tops for the kiddos. Should be in the etsy shop next week.

meet chevron's little sister

She's a funny little sister because she's actually older. But smaller. I made her before this one along with dozens of other prototypes while working on the summer collection. I went with the bone hairpipe necklace, because I think as a designer I like things to be bold. But I kept this other sample and wore it a lot because as a regular lady, I like things a little more manageable. Well, I've been loving on this necklace (as both longer and shorter) so much I decided it should be part of the collection too.

I've been really torn about adding it because I've been trying to par down and be better at curating a more streamline collection. I think the thing that makes talented designers stand apart is their ability to EDIT. I have millions of ideas that I'm excited about. But when it comes to presenting a body of work, I need to focus on a theme, grab only the greatest ideas that fit within the theme, and fine-tune each idea into one solid product. But when I succeeded in engineering the form for these necklaces (the cascading V's) I just got so excited because it was something I'd never seen before. So I just wanted to keep doing it with every possible material I could find!

The theme was inspired by native american chest plates, so the bone hairpipe was an obvious choice, but first I found these beads as a tangled beat-up mess as one of those hippie bead curtains at a rummage sale! They're bamboo with weathered paint on them (I think the curtain looked like a waterfall in it's past). So they're reclaimed, cheap, and I've got a never-ending supply. That's not the case with the bone, another thing to consider...

Anyways, I listed it in the Etsy shop here. If you could tell me what you think about all that, I'd really appreciate it. :)