what a ride

for those new to BG - i tend to be a number girl. at the end of every season i like to tally it all up to see what all i have done in the last few months that would explain why my house is a disaster and covered in thread and serger tails, i cannot hold normal adult conversations without slipping in an inseam measurement or two, why i am overly tired, why my electrical bill is a smidgen higher and why my poor mail-lady and UPS man curse me.

first and foremost....HOLY SHIZZLES!! what a season. BG Get Your Fall On was by far one of the most successful lines thus far. granted, i limited the amount of orders that i did...but the feedback i got and the requests and comments have seriously rocked my house out. i was glad that i limited the amount of orders, but what i failed to take into consideration was that most of the new patterns i debuted this season took a lot more time with the construction and attention to details than previous. so, while my numbers aren't as large as previous seasons...i think i might have spent more time in the sewing room. but, with that being said - i am overly proud to admit that while i tried something new this season and tried my hand at the design side as well by designing over half of my own patterns, me-thinks i did okay. designing patterns for "mass" (what i consider mass while i sit in my sewing room all by self sewing away) production is much harder than i anticipated - but i really, really enjoyed the design aspect and the way that everyone reacted to the new designs.

i am proud to say that while i would be out and about i saw tons of little kiddos rocking out the vintage look with their lola bells. the number of BG adelines that i saw (and sewed) might just be off the chart. i think ole melanie herself would be proud when she saw all the kiddo cuteness going on that was inspired by her song, "brand new key." i am actually listening to it now as i write this and it almost brings chills to my arms. is that weird? i think i hit the nail on the head for what i was going for with this line and seeing all of the positive response to it just makes me giddy. rock on BG, rock on.

so....now for the numbers. the grand total number of items sewn comes in at

323

and for those of you doing math in your head and thinking, wait...she only opened the lottery to 50 people and limited their orders to 4 items - you are right. but, i did a small, select focus group in the beginning to see what patterns and fabrics would be the biggest hit so i could know how to order, and then family and close friends and gifts and such. so, as i said...that really holds no candle to my previous numbers that would creep around 400-700, but there was somewhat of a balance this season so that i could actually see my family sometimes. :)

and, for the breakdown - once again, the adeline rocked the house. my best-seller for the second season in a row. to the girls over at whole grain baby that designed this pattern, you girls are ballin. (katie...i thought you might like that). but here is the breakdown:

adeline - 45
appliqued shirt - 40
ruffle pant - 31
the maggie - 27
denim ruffler - 26
the jill frock - 25
lola bells - 23
boys pant - 19
BG blossom - 19
jane dress - 17
sam skirt - 13
amelia pant - 12
windy day scarf - 6
the chapman - 6
the johnny - 5
the charlie - 5
twirly skirt - 4

phew...right - wait until you see this. the amount of fabric i went through. OFF the charts. all together i sewed my way through 360 yards of fabric. a whopping 47 of those were the lodge podge alone which made it by far the biggest request. bolts, and bolts, and bolts later - goodness!

now for what most people are probably reading for....next season.

for those of you that don't know...baby #2 will be joining BG in february. i have NO clue what it is like to have 2 children in my care and i will honestly say i am a bit nervous. so, in order to welcome baby boy to the BG family - there will be no BG spring line. some of you may have already figured this one out, or some of you may have heard me say it. i made the decision back a few months ago but have kept it sort-of on the down-low. i know that my awesome customers totally understand and will support me in this and i am sorry to disappoint those that were eagerly anticipating more BG. i am going to take the time to be a mom and focus on my family and my new little bundle for a while.

with that said...we all know that i will not shut the sewing room doors completely. i would love to be able to incorporate a way for BG originals to kinda debut. it would be nice to have some extra spending money and an outlet for the small amount of time that i may have to dedicate to my creative side that doesn't like to stay dormant. BUT i am no way guaranteeing anything. as i said...2 kiddos is going to be a huge adjustment for me especially considering how the 3 year old i already have still doesn't sleep. eeks! i doubt i will see the outside of my house until at least may, haha. so - don't give up on BG just yet...i have a lot of fun, new things up my sleeve that i am dying to try out. keep up with me on facebook for updates, info and things of that sort.

so - as i am getting ready to spend some serious family time over the holidays and then some one-on-one time with my sweet little girl that only has 10 weeks left of being an only child i cannot even begin to express my gratitude to all of you for supporting me in this venture. BG has proven to be more than i ever imagined and it amazes me to no end. on that note....off to maternity leave. :)

thank you, thank you, thank you!

orders are officially CLOSED for the BG Get Your Fall On '10. thanks for shopping!

happy, happy day!

happy birthday to brownie-goose!!!

i am so organized that i have forgotten the actual date in november when BG started...but i know that 2 years ago in november a small idea blossomed in my head - and looky where we are today. holy macaroons!

what a whirl-wind of the last 2 years. never in my wildest dreams did i think i would be where i am today. so, thank you, thank you, thank you to the most awesome fans ever! couldn't do it without you! ps - a special thank you to one of my original BG customers in florida that sent me a starbucks gift card...girl, you know me all too well! yumm-o!

to celebrate...i am going to sew my tail off. :)

on another note...there are a few lottery winners that have not placed an order yet. i must have these orders by 9 pm on monday (the 8th). i will NOT be accepting any orders after that time in order for me to enjoy the holidays with family this year. thanks so much!

getting your sew on

okay girls - it is honestly nutso here at BG. the sewing room is a disaster area (i lose my Sambo, my trusty blackberry at least once a day), my house is certainly S.T. Rugglin', and the nights are getting later and later.

this is what i did this weekend.

doesn't look like much does it...but in this pile is:
2 ruffle pants
2 denim rufflers
2 lola bells
1 amelia pant
1 boys pant
1 appliqued shirt
2 jill frocks
1 adeline top
2 maggies
1 hand-embroidered charlie
1 chapman
1 windy day scarf
1 bg blossom

that was my productivity of friday and saturday. today, i finished 2 gifts for friends, and then i slacked. whoops.

but i am getting it. slowly i am working my way through all the orders and bolts and bolts of fabric are being used quicker than i know what to do.

i have a goal to be finished by - i will not share this just yet since it is kinda far-fetched, but i really, really want to have everything done by a certain date. so, from here on out...it is go-time here at BG. i will only be answering emails as i sit down to computer. as i said, i will always check our threads before i start your order - but keep your eyes out for the paypal invoices and emails with totals and requesting checks to be put in the mail.

in the meantime - i have been getting some super-duper support from customers in emails and girls, keep it up! this is what keeps my going when it gets crazy like this!

to get the week started...

i know that i talk all the time about how awesome my customers are and how supportive and rocking the house all of you are - and i mean it every time.

for, it comes in times like right now in which i am so swamped and am spending every possible moment in my sewing room, dreaming about my sewing machine feet, calculating inseams in my head, dealing with the nightmares of out of print fabrics, etc. that an email like this just reminds me of why i do it all.

"Seriously....I do not know how you do it!! My absolute favorite order yet. Everything fits perfectly and I am in love with every piece. I have to say you really out did yourself with the Lola pants and Jill Frock Knot (I could have easily filled her closet with every fabric in this design!) Thank you so much and I can't wait to see what you have in store for spring! Happy sewing but take time to enjoy that adorable daughter of yours!"

i got this one on the way home from church and it made me smile. knowing that someone loves the clothes that i made her daughter makes it all worth it BUT to add in that she knows that my family is important to me as well just gives me chills. so - to the writer of this email, you know who you are, thank you a million - i needed this boost going into another crazy week.

on another note....i love matilda jane clothing. i am in awe of the amazingness of the designer and her ability to throw fabrics together, have them work and look NOTHING like anything else out of the market. i think she rocks. well, when my friend summer sent me this picture, i was honestly just speechless.

recognize this fabric? yep - there is some paint by numbers! these pants made an appearance on matilda jane's platinum line and were quickly grabbed up. to think that i picked a fabric that the designer of MJ did as well to think it looked great just makes my head spin. wowsers. once my head stopped spinning, i immediately thought, "oh my gosh - i wonder if she has more and would want to sell me yardage." haha. gotta love an out-of-print and my ability to put it on a line. ha.

so - i am leaving the computer now to get to work in my sewing room. it will be another sew-a-thon day today, tomorrow, the next day, the following, etc. thanks to all who make this happen and who support me and appreciate BG. lovey you all!

crazy town

okay folks...it is that time of year again when it is absolute CHAOS at brownie-goose. i am spending as much time as i can manage in front of my machines to get orders out in a timely fashion. therefore, i will now only be checking emails every other day or so. don't worry - i always will check all emails from the person whose order i am about to begin - and will track you down if need be. :)

my house is an absolute wreck and do not be surprised if you spot me in my pj's in the afternoon. when the sewing starts - that is what i have to stay focused on. i even thought about buying some extra pet food today at Target to feed the quickly growing furr-balls that are blowing around the house. because you know, it only takes a few seconds to put food in a bowl rather than the 20 minutes to run the vacuum. :)

so - thanks for your patience and remember - my house is not on fire - that is just the smoke coming off the machines. :)

ORDERS OPEN TO LOTTERY WINNERS

okay, okay....enough of the html coding for me for the week. my eyes are crossing and my head is spinning! finally got most of the fall stuff up (minus a few photos, so bear with my super-amateur photos that are up next to katie's!) and ready for ordering for those that won the lottery. all of the new stuff is located under the "BG get your fall on" tab at the top of this page. please note that the fabric paint by numbers is a first-come-first-serve basis.

please see all the info about ordering before you place an order. remember...only 4 items per "winner." this mean 4 separate articles of clothing. the accessories like the windy day scarf and the bg blossom will not count against your 4 articles.

i will be working on these orders as quickly as i can get them out. a few people have already contacted me about dates that they have set up for photography and such, so if you have a date - please include that in your email and i will TRY MY HARDEST to get your order to you in that time. however, my family comes first...and so i cannot make any guarantees. with emails, i am honest - i get slack. there is only so much of sitting down to my inbox that i can do at one time, the toddler is not very cooperative in this process. so, bear with me on that one and when my inbox gets crazy...sometimes it takes me a bit to get back to you. however, if it has been more than a few days since you FIRST contact me and you haven't heard back, please make sure i got your email. i ALWAYS check the email feeds from customers before i start on the orders, so if there is something that i feel is missing, i will contact you about that before starting. :)

thanks again for everyone's support - and check out the new tab for BG originals...something new and exciting in the works!

as always - you are the most awesome customers i could have and i appreciate everyone's understanding, patience and support! keep on rocking the house girls!

introducing...BG originals

this is something that is in the works, but i am super-duper excited about. if there is one thing that i love, it is to create with fabric. i love to come up with designs and see them work out on fabric. some of my designs are way more time-consuming and costly to "mass-produce" and put onto my seasonal lines. so, in the past i have always kept these for louisa only.

however, starting soon i will be offering these items as the come out of my sewing room auction-style. don't know all the details just yet - but this will be way exciting.

i got to try my hand at this just recently when i made this creation for a silent auction. this is the most fun for me. and, i can only hope that y'all enjoy it just as much as i do!

when will BG originals begin? i have no clue. my creative mind is a mind of its own and works on its very own schedule. i will put up information on the home page and also on facebook when i have something in the works so that everyone has fair chance at it.

thanks again to everyone for all of your amazing support for brownie-goose!

and the winners are...

okay - wow is all i can say at first. i had a TON of people enter into the BG lottery and i think that is awesome, but it also makes me sad that i cannot sew for each and every one of you. i had to pick only 50 names - since with a max of 4 items a piece this makes 200 articles of clothing and i think that is going to be a good number for me. i do not want to be tied to my sewing machines all fall, and so i think this is a good number for BG.

so, i printed out a list of all of the emails (all 9 pages) and sat and assigned numbers to each email, i numbered just like i was counting one all the way up to, well...you know the drill. then, i set off to random.org for some serious number picking. so, this was all rando - and if your name is on this list - thank random.org for picking your number. :)

thanks again for EVERYONE that entered, all of your support is what keeps me going. as for all of the comments and positive feedback on the few sneak peeks (aren't the pictures just amazing???) of BG Get Your Fall On on Facebook - you girls rock my house. THIS is why I do this. THIS is what makes BG brownie-goose. Thanks again...and here we go, in no particular order.

1. Morgan Wigley
2. Michelle Peyton
3. Leslie Ezelle
4. Amy Harrison
5. Rachel S. Fortner
6. Suzie Stephens Burns
7. Leslie Petro
8. Kristen Blair
9. Annie Painter
10. Breckynn Dunn
11. Angie Drennan
12. Jenna Kroger
13. Dawn Coletta
14. Alicia Hall
15. Courtney Goolsby
16. Dawn Errington
17. Brook Allen
18. Kelley Ross
19. Jessica Fortner
20. Kim Kosek
21. Callie Parker
22. Nicole Hindman
23. Jennifer Townsend
24. Brenna Trout
25. Amanda Jones
26. Debbie Smith
27. Mary Elizabeth Weber
28. Nancy Ellis
29. Heather Kaney
30. Angela Fratesi
31. Karen Akins
32. Gayle Hill
33. Lyndsey McDonald
34. Courtney Brien
35. Shannon Steedley
36. Robin Ellis
37. Nikki Grafton
38. Amber Simmons
39. Shana Foster
40. Jennifer Moeller
41. Kate Hitt
42. Brittney Strong
43. Meg Harris
44. Mandy Smith
45. Janet Montgomery
46. Angel Jeff
47. Dana Smith
48. Katie Puckett
49. Sarah Beth Gary
50. Laura S. Null

okay, so congrats to all the names above and for those that didn't get picked - i am sorry, but thank you so much for participating. brownie-goose actually has some other exciting things up my sleeve for this fall that just might make you smile. :)

for those that can order - please wait until i put up all the fall items, info, sizing and pricing. that will be put on the blog when i have all information and photos together. if you decide that you do not want to order, please just let me know in an email and i may grab another person off the lottery list. thanks again to all my wonderful customers - you rock it out!

remember me posting that i had a girl that was going to be custom-making hair bows to match the BG fall line? well, she is rocking it out as well and will make you whatever size, colors, etc. you need! check her out, she has an album on Facebook called "BG bows." her name is Sarah Purser and her email is srp4309 (at) windstream (dot) net. she has some seeerous fabulousness going on in her house!

thank you for Getting Your Fall On and grooving it up with a funkier line than ever!

how to win the lottery

okay, i know the post title is a bit deceiving since i cannot guarantee it...shoot, i still am trying to win the "real" lottery. :)

okay, brownie-goose's Get Your Fall On is fast-approaching (finally, i know) and will be photographed on sunday by the amazing Mary Moment Photography. so, it wont be long until you all get to see what i have been up to lately!

Get Your Fall On has a vintage, retro and almost boho inspiration. i was sewing on the spring line and pandora'ing one day when this song came on and it hit me. i knew what i wanted the line to look like. i had an idea, and i knew that no one else would be going in that direction (or at least, i hoped not). as i listened to melanie sing:

"i rode my bicycle past your window last night, i roller skated to your door at daylight..."

i knew....the wheels started to turn, and then she wailed,

"well, i got a brand new pair of roller skates and you got a brand new key"

and the rest was history. my poor husband and child had to listen to the song play over and again, and me trying my best to impersonate it as i worked on designs that took me back to the beat, sound and feel of the song. okay, i am not the hippie that i am starting to sound like - but music speaks to me in a way that moves me. and that song did just that.

so, get you eyes ready to be full of some serious retro prints, colors and feel. the ruffle pants have transformed and are fuller and have a ruffle that just might bring you back (well, depending on generations here...not me, but i remember looking at pictures hehe) to the 60's and 70's. when you see the little girls walking around sporting their PRECIOUS and brownie-goose ORIGINAL lola bells, you will be looking for a flower headband and maybe slowing yourself down a bit. the colors in the fabrics are all so rich and the tones just prove to be eye-candy. the appliques have their own vintage spin as well - as i am going back in time and grabbing ideas from the way-back-whens and pulling it off with straight-edged appliques. i don't think you will be disappointed...and your child will definitely NOT be blending in to the crowd, the whole reason i started BG in the first place. i am very proud of this line as i have worked hard coming up with just the right feel and designing many of the patterns myself. if you want to get in the mood....try this out for yourself. turn it up...it can't help but make you smile, and watch out - you just might get your dance on too.

now, for the more important task at hand. the lottery system. this is an idea that i came up with with help from some of my fantastic customers. the whole opening and closing of orders worked well for ME last season, but not so much for others. so - i wanted to make it as fair as i could. i need everyone to have as fair of a chance at ordering as the next person. as i say over and again...if i could sew for all of you - i WOULD. but, i am a mommy, wife and home-maker first and refuse to lose myself in my sewing room and neglect what is important in life.

so - starting now and ending midnight of this coming sunday, shoot me an email with the word "lottery" as the subject. DO NOT PUT ANY MATERIAL IN THE EMAIL other than your name. i will not be reading these emails, but simply applying a number to your name and email and then will use a website to pick a certain numbers that will in turn be the "lottery winners." another thing new this year - i will be putting a cap on orders. only 4 items allowed to lottery winners. sounds easy enough...right? we shall see, i sure hope so. as i said...please do not put any material in the emails such as sizing questions, ordering info, etc. also, you can only enter ONCE. please don't get sneaky and give me a few email addys, that wouldn't be fair.

as for the "winners" i will announce it maybe next monday or tuesday...depending on how the week goes - and i am guessing i will just post every one's names - or would that offend people if their name is on the internet?? just trying to get a feel.

so, shoot me an email at browniegoose (at) hotmail (dot) com with lottery as the subject and your name as the email. you have until midnight of this sunday. happy emailing!

thanks again for the continuous support, understanding, encouraging words and everything that you do. i am so fortunate to have some of the most amazing customers out there!

a real tease this time :)

okay, so as i have gotten quite the rep for being a tease lately (hehe) i will reward yall with an actual good-looking spoiler. the fabrics, wahoo!!



hope yall are liking them, i went on a limb with some and just wanted to make sure that your little tot wouldn't look like every other kiddo on the playground. they are fun and the colors are bold and fall-y and easy on the eyes. i've got some uber fun new patterns that i am not ready to debut just yet, but i am hoping it will be well worth the wait!

for those not on facebook, i finally revealed why i have been so shady and late on getting out this year's "brownie-goose get your fall on" line. i am preggo with a little boy and have been sick as stink for the last 2 months. the whole fatigue and varmiting (yes, not vomiting...it is known to me as varmiting) kinda puts a curve-ball into the time you plan in the sewing room. however, i am getting back into the swing of things and should get info out on this years lottery for orders soon.

just thought i would reward those patient peeps with some eye candy. :)

UPDATE: i am not taking orders now, but thanks for the enthusiasm to the senders of the emails i just got. :)

BG for sale!

thought that title would get your attention......

alright, who wants some brownie-goose???? you can't order it yet, might can find it used...but this is brand new and can be yours! up on the auction blocks at the central mississippi down syndrome society's benefit, check it out for more details! http://www.cmdss.org/index.php

giving back, with a *small* spoiler

okay, just to update...i am moving a little slower than expected with my fall line. i haven't been feeling so hot lately, which has really, really decreased my time in the sewing room. but, my super fantabulous photographer katie stafford is being uber-flexible with me in shooting for the fall line. so, i will be taking orders in september, but i just don't know if it will be the first week or not. also, i am still gung-ho for the lottery system, but still trying to figure out how to work that. all that being said...it sounds like i am uber organized, huh. geeze.

but, on another note...for those that remember my "40 days to help the strays" and what became of it i had forgotten how GOOD it felt to so something good for others. in this case, my most favorite cause...animals. well, the day that i dropped off the check at CARA, i knew that i wanted to do more. and since my husband wasn't real keen on the idea of me taking in half of the sweet doggies that gave me the pitiful stare, i knew it had to be monetary again. so, what better way that with BG? initially when i started BG i wanted to somehow incorporate money to give to an animal shelter, but it started in such a whirl-wind that it kinda crept away without me. well, no more. for those that may or may not know, i am kinda crazy when it comes to my animals. they are my children. i love them more than anything, in fact brownie-goose is named after my two labradors. so, what more fitting? right.

well, i stewed and i stewed and i stewed over what i could do to generate some extra funds to donate to CARA. i finally came up with the idea of having a certain appliqued shirt that would be specified to this orginization. well, then i stewed and i stewed over the perfect applique. i wanted something that showed my devotion as well as everyone else's that helps out with CARA. i didn't want to just put a dog on a shirt or a paw-print, so one night it hit me. i had the PERFECT idea. then, it took quite some researching and sketching to get it just right. well, it still isn't perfect...but i am no artist, and it captures the EXACT moment that i wanted. in fact, just looking at this applique makes my heart smile.

how about yours? is there a warmer-fuzzier feeling that a kid with his/her best friend sitting on a dock looking out at forever? i hope i am not getting too mushy here, but this shirt sums up to me what CARA is. loving animals and giving everything you've got to help them. the ladies that i met that day at CARA had sacrificed so much to help these animals that mostly are homeless and out on the streets with no thanks to other human being's ignorance. okay, i will stop there before i get all on my soap box.

of course i had to design something that wasn't easy on the machine and involved layers, but what the hey? how else would we swing it here at BG? i haven't worked out all the logistics and prices and such like that, but a certain amount from each purchase of this shirt which will be known as "man's best friend" will go straight to CARA. so, i hope all of my BG fans out there support this one and will purchase this applique to help all of the sweet, innocent animals out there who unfortunately cannot take up residence in my house due to the hubby.

just a small spoiler, but i couldn't hold this one in. i am so proud of it and so excited to see what comes of it! more later as i try to get my bootay in gear.

successful de-stash

so, it is no secret that i have a slight obsession with fabrics. i have an entire sewing room full and then another hall closet full. yikes. i have gotten better lately and not buying unless i need. however, i also have a warped definition of "need" in my vocab. oops.

well, as i was trying to get things done in the sewing room the other day i realized that it was getting to be a hazard to my health as i didn't have enough room to the left of louise (my serger) due to all of my fall fabrics. the bolts are overflowing, as i have ordered as much as i could afford for the time-being. but...as the fabric i was serging kept bulging up and threatening to come back and get chopped in all the wrong places by my serger knife, i thought - hey, something needs to give here. i knew immediately that i needed to get my fall stuff off my actual sewing table and onto the racks, but how was i supposed to do that when they were JAM-PACKED full? ugh, i needed to get rid of some fabric. no bueno. no bueno grande, if you can't tell...i do not speak spanish, but i try.

so, as i stared at all the bolts and yardage in front of me, i almost panicked thinking of getting rid of some of it. i mean, what if i needed it down the road? what if it was about to be out of print and i have some of the last of it? spoken like a true hoarder, right? well, i put on my big-girl panties and i narrowed it all down. and then i had a slight anxiety attack and put some back up on the shelves and justified the keeping of certain fabrics. but, in the end...i came up with a very large stash that i felt i could part with. so, i unbolted and unrolled and unfolded on my 8-ft long cutting table that only about a foot is not covered in crap. and i measured and i priced. then, i listed on facebook. and i felt good about it all, until people started wanting my fabric. then i panicked again. then, reminded myself that i needed to do this so that i could get my sew on properly when the levees of fall orders break. so, i started taking orders and cutting and inventory-ing and such and realized that if i ever got into a fabric-selling business (who am i kidding?) that i would definitely have to clean all the crap off my cutting tables before i tried to cut and measure yardage. geeze.

well, all in all...it went great. BG has some extra money in her accounts (perfect since lou's school is starting up soon and tuition must be paid and my sweet lucy-goosie is still limping and will see the vet this week and i am HOPING that the whole s-word (not my kind of s-word...surgery i mean) isn't mentioned) and the most important part....look at the empty spots on my shelves.

wonder what that mess of smudge is in the corner on the left, well...that is where my fall fabrics are living at the moment (notice how dangerously close to louise) and i got all fancy in photoshop and smudged them so i wouldn't be giving away the cow. oh, and pay no mind to the hula hoop, that basically says "louisa kate was here." next importantly, look at all this fabric that is going to homes that are excited about them. no more sitting on a shelf or a bookcase ignored.

oh, and one of the saddest parts, empty bolts. am i the only one that sees an empty bolt as a sad thing?

but, all together, THANK YOU everyone who bought fabric from my stash. you are helping me with my problem, and it makes me smile to think that soon little kiddos will be wearing cute little frocks made with love and some of these fabrics. i even had a moment where i thought i would do this bi-annual. well, let me not get all crazy yet. but seriously, thanks. and if you had no clue this was going on...check out my BG facebook page and you will find the de-stash album there. i do have some fabrics/yardage left. :)

do you see what i see?

well, do you? is that a selvage sheet in the background?

oh wait....hard to see? shame on that bokeh. hmmmm, this any better?

okay, who am i kidding - how about these apples?

that's all i got for now. likey?

Sneak A Peek-a-Roo

Well, not really. Sorry for the tease. But, this is a sneak peek....and a very exciting thing for me to have finished. Finally.

This notebook holds all of BG's fall patterns. I designed many of the patterns for the fall line which I am super-duper proud and excited about. It was NO easy task. In fact, it was WAY easier in my head at night as I lay in bed thinking of new ideas. It was very hard to put things down on paper and then actually have them work out on the fabrics. I am by NO means a pattern designer. But hey, you never know until you try...right?

Anyways, this notebook is gold to me. I now have all sizes, lengths, inseams, chest measurements, etc. in here for all patterns. This book has taken me about a month or so. I would work on it, get burnt-out and then work on it again. Well, now there is nothing else to do then to take a small breather and then put it all in fabrics for the photo shoot.

As for orders for the fall line, I am thinking of doing a lottery system. There is no way possible that I will be able to take everyone's order. I am so sorry that I can't, but there is just no way. I sew all.the.time and just barely am able to get the orders done that I do take. It breaks my heart every time that I get an email of someone that wasn't able to get an order in. But, in order to keep BG the small funky little "company" that I want it to be, this is the way it will work. More details to come on the lottery system.

I know that many other clothing companies have their fall lines out already, but I appreciate everyone's patience with me this year. I won't have as long of a break as I had liked, but I do want to enjoy the small time off that I do have. So, I am turning off the light in the sewing room for the day and enjoying some "me" time.

Oh, and PS - I am now going to be moderating comments on both my personal and BG blog. PLEASE leave comments, I love them more than anything...but I have been getting killed with SPAM comments lately which blows my mind since you have to have word verification. Geeze. So, to keep all the nastys from commenting, I will be filtering it all. Boo for bad apples.

just a note

okay, i think there has been some confusion lately. although my website no longer says "orders closed" i am NOT currently taking orders. i am taking a little siesta as i have FINALLY finished spring/summer '10 and am slowly getting things ready for fall while also taking a little time for myself and family.

i will be doing something a little different for the fall line. it will debut about a week or so BEFORE i am taking orders. this is so that everyone will have a chance to get a look and figure out what they like before the craziness of opening orders happens. i have a fairly good idea now (i *think*) of how i am planning on doing order taking and such, and it is from ideas that i have collected from all of my awesome BG customers that gave me some input. hope that it works! i doubt that i will be able to take everyone's orders, since i just cannot imagine being able to sew that much all by myself in a limited amount of time, but we shall see.

just wanted to give everyone a head's up as i have gotten some emails with orders lately and also some emails wondering if i was since it didn't say "orders closed." in all honesty, i took it down when i re-designed the blog because it wasn't very pretty. ha! but, i will be having some work done on my site between now and the fall line and you may see something similar re-appear. thanks girls for being the most awesome customers i could imagine.

now....go enjoy your fourth of july!

"dat is toooooo woud, pwease stops!"

and this is what happens when the "helper" in your sewing room gets tired of the john john marathon, especially the end when i hammer all the snaps.

good help is hard to come by.

ever since i could remember i've been poppin' my collar

so, usually my ruffle pants knock the socks off of any other order that i have...but not this time. oh no, move over ruffle pants and let the new queen wear her crown.

the adeline dress

thank you, thank you, thank you to all of my customers out there that followed me on this tangent. i found this pattern about this time last year, and debated over and again about putting it on BG. i knew i loved it, but then again....conservatism in kid's fashion isn't my strength. i was very nervous about my customers liking it, but looks like you all loved as well. i cannot even tell you how many of these dresses have been worn in professional photo shoots, and do you even know how awesome that makes me feel?? that people want to have their child captured in a moment in something i have sewn. wowsers.

and just so you know, the fall line has some whammies out there too. hope you are still along for the ride into the non-conservative side. :)

now, let us just pay homage to the adeline as seen here shot by my fave photographer, mary moment photography. here is the original BG model.

i'm a numbers girl

okay, so you know how i like to count back at the end of the season and see how many orders overall i completed, right. right. well, i just sat down to count spring/summer '10 to see where my tally was. and so far, from the numbers on my order sheets (not counting last minute orders, or changes or things that were snuck in) the magic number is:

440

rock it out BG. super proud. this number is not near the 691 of the fall (that also included SEC and christmas) but my goal was to keep it down so that i could also maintain my sanity and some time for my family. so, all in all...i am pretty impressed. go ahead thelma & louise!

so, i am wrapping up the spring/summer orders slowly but surely. i think i have less than 30 now, which makes me breathe a little easier.

onto fall in the next step. i just got the majority of the fabric in the mail today. still waiting on some of the yardage to trickle in, but it is fun and so fitting with the idea that i have for the fall line. lessons learned the hard way, no spoiler pics just yet but maybe just a little teaser....it is retro, it is boho and it makes me smile.

i've been getting some great feedback for how to handle fall orders. many people like the idea of the trunk show/preview party....but some are concerned since they are out of town. don't you worry out-of-towners, especially my repeat-offenders, you will still get to order if i did that. i cannot be forgetting you girls! as i said before, i would absolutely fall over myself to get to meet my customers instead of just knowing their emails, method of payments and kids measurements...but i also almost pee my pants just thinking of the overwhelming amount of orders that may come in and if i would lose my cool in front of everyone and give everyone a show of the sailor tongue or not. hmmmmm. i am still waiting for the right answer to come to me. i do think this time that i will debut the line BEFORE i start taking orders so everyone can have a chance to look it over and make choices without feeling rushed.

okay, the treadmill is calling my name at the moment and when i time it JUST right...the toddler gets to watch a fave show and i get peace on the motorized asphalt. :)

peace out peeps.

lots of stuff

okay, lots going on. let's start here:

• how 'bout the new look? likey? i know all the tabs are now gone and the ORDERS: CLOSED sign is gone (this DOESN'T mean i am taking orders, it just wasn't pretty on the eyes) but things are still working the same. i will soon have a fancy new website that will have all the styles, sizes and prices along with all the info about me you'd ever care about, etc. isn't my new logo brilliant? thanks again to erin holmes for that bit of graphic designing wonderfulness! this will soon be working just as a blog, like it should. just to give updates, post some pics, etc. thanks for baring with me in the process.

• seriously guys, in my last post, i reached out for some help in how to handle the fall orders. i really want some feedback here, and haven't gotten any yet....so all ears are open here at BG!

but most importantly, remember my lenten promise? if you don't, it was called "40 days to help the strays" and you can read all about it here. well, let me just first say how embarrassed and ashamed i am at myself for just now getting to it. yes, things have been a bit crazy-wild here at BG and at the norris house-hold...but still, no excuse. these sweet, innocent animals who are waiting adoption and forever homes at CARA shouldn't have to wait because my life is wild. so, animal babies...i am so sorry, but it had gotten put on the back burner until my friend summer adopted a sweet canine from CARA last week and it refreshed my memory.

well, in the 40 days of lent....i was a busy bee. i knocked out 107 articles of clothing. whoop, whoop. i thought long and hard as to how to do the donation side of it. i would have loved to do a percentage of all articles made, but let's face it here....BG doesn't operate with a huge profit margin, and we did need some money to live off of. so, what i decided to do was to put $1 to CARA for each article i completed. so, today i went to CARA and gave them the $107 that they deserve more than anyone. i was immediately embarrassed that i couldn't give more. and the ladies there were so sweet and so thankful, but i never expected less. i don't know who said it first, but i STRONGLY believe in the saying that "animal people are good people." in fact, i use that as a judge of character a lot of the time. animal people are good souls. they just are. well, these ladies at CARA were angels in my eyes. and it inspired me to want to do more for them and all of the precious dogs and cats that i saw behind their walls. initially, i would have liked to adopt a pet per item completed, but i think byron would definitely leave me on that note. but seriously, in driving away today i cried. and my eyes were watery for a good while afterwards. my heart was broken that i couldn't give every one of those sweet animals a home. so, please...if you are looking for an animal to love in your house or know someone who is, please please please (this is me on my knees) go to CARA first. please. if you don't want an animal right now, call them up to see if they need help. see if they need dog food or cat litter or something. this is a no-kill shelter and they operate off of the good's of peoples hearts. before i continue on my soapbox, i think i need to quit. :)

but, in wanting to do more...i am *thinking* of having a certain applique on the fall line for the boys that if purchased, the proceeds would go straight to CARA. what do yall think?

okay, enough for now. must get to machines and get started before i put the tot down for a nap. but please, all input and ideas for how to handle fall orders is GREATLY appreciated!!

Just an Update

Okay, still sewing away at the end of the Spring/Summer '10 line. As soon as I get this all finished up I will begin work on the new Fall line which is going to be spectactular! I have some really fun things designed in my head and am hoping that i can get them all out on paper to create some fabulous patterns that are original to brownie-goose. I am going with a vintage/retro look this fall and hope you all love it just as much as I do!

With this being said, I am also having my most favorite photographer shooting the fall line for me to put on my new website. Whoop, whoop! Katie Stafford from Mary Moment Photography will be shooting all the frocks and I am so excited as she has come up with some awesome ideas to showcase my work. All this excitement, plus the design wheels that don't start turning until around midnight have created some sleepless nights recently, but it is going to be well worth it! So, if you see my blog start looking funny or cannot go to a previous page or something, have no fear...it is just me messing around and trying to get the new site up and running.

I am still pondering how to do the ordering system in the fall as I would love for everyone to be able to order, but must also make time for my family that comes in first. I have also put some thought into having a pre-order party at my house so that I could actually meet some of my customers, but nothing is in writing yet. So, no promises. I have also put some thought into going in with some of my uber-talented friends to do a joint show/party to showcase everyone's works, but this is still in the thought process too. What does everyone think? Some ideas that have been given to me as for ordering are to limit the amount that an individual can order, limit the time-frame that I take orders, do a sort of lottery system, etc. All ideas are welcome, as I am clueless and want to do what is best for family first and then one that makes my customers happy. As my guilty-pleasure icon sings it....the best of both worlds.

So, I ask all my faithful BG customers to put your thinking caps on. What do you think is a good system? Would you like a show/pre-order gathering? Just comment on here what you are thinking.

Thanks girlies!

PS - i also just had to remove all the names and site of the girls i was advertising a few posts back since it was bringing TONS of SPAM to my site. Holler if you need these names.

Some Serious Fabulousness!

Okay, are we even ready for all this fabulousness? Ooooohhh-weee is all I can say. About a week or two ago, I reached out and asked for some of the tailors who are out there that wanted their names/businesses to be advertised to contact me. Can I even begin to tell you how my emails blew up? It was like I had just opened orders! For the record…I am not open on orders at the moment. :)

Turns out, there are so many girls out there with some mad skills at the sewing machine and brownie-goose is about to share some of their info with you. Yes, it is a bit scary to advertise my competition, but I think these girls need some recognition! Some of the work just blew me away. The fabrics, the designs, the vision…etc, it just made me so proud of all of these girls and their hard work. I can honestly say about 95% of these people are moms just like me who sew when their sweet kiddos sleep. I know first hand that this is not an easy task to take on, so props to all of these ladies!

As just a reminder, brownie-goose is just me. Just a girl and her machines with a freakish love/addiction of bright fabrics and funky patterns. I love to do this. I love when I go somewhere and see a little kiddo in my clothes. It makes me smile. I love all the support I get from my amazing customers. I get at least one email a day telling me how much someone loves my clothes, or how they just thank me for making something for their kids when they have no clue how I find the time to do so. Or, even better...going to my porch the other day to find a sweet card with a Starbucks gift card from a sweet customer, just because. It is in the moments of reading these emails and notes that I am reminded of why I do brownie-goose. It is a rush, I love it and love to know that something that makes me happy (yet stressed sometimes as I will be honest) makes someone else just as happy. All of my customers are great and thankfully super supportive and patient with me. With that being said, it tears me up when I close orders and cannot take everyone’s orders and sew for everyone’s kids. If I could figure out a way to do it while still being a super Mom to the most precocious toddler I know, I would do it. But, I have yet to figure all that out. So, in the meantime…if you see the red light (which my husband jokes with me daily about my business and it’s red light, ha) come on back to this post and look at some of the names and businesses that I am about to put out there for you. Some of these girls own businesses much like brownie-goose, while some just sew in their spare time to make some extra cash. So, here they are…my competition. Scary as this is about to be, here they are. Love them, take a look at them and continue to support us moms out there! In saying all of this, I am asking that my BFF Murphy’s Law stay far away from making myself put my own self out of business with this one. Yikes, who knows!!

UPDATE - I had to remove all of these since the email addys and website addys were pulling SPAM to my site something awful. So, if you need to know....holler at me!

advertising

okay girls...i am still falling off my rocker in advertising for some competitors. i have gotten some great feedback and some awesome work!!!

i *think* i will be posting all the info this weekend. just depends on how this week at the machines goes. so, if you are out there and haven't gotten me your info....come on down girls!

off to some beauty sleep. peace out.

confessions of an untidy seamstress

So, i have always said that my motto is "a clean sewing room is an inefficient sewing room." well, i am not disappointing myself one bit this week. in fact, if my motto holds true...i should be pumping out these 200 orders with no problem. starting with...

yikes. look at what louise, my serger just threw up upon opening.

no wonder she was giving me a fit. for those that may not know, sergers are known for their temperaments. you have to speak to them sweetly, hold your mouth just right while using and prepare for the worst...and oh yeah, watch that blade with an unblinking eye before it chomps even the most precious of pieces of fabric. it likes to do that. however, my louise is sweet. she is a work-horse and shame on my for letting her get this dirty.

i will have you know, i got out my handy pressurized air-blower thingy to help the situation out...and i will be finding pieces of dust, fabric and thread in my house for ages.

oh, and as for thelma...you know it is bad when your tension starts acting all screwy and you have to go in with the hemostats. yes, thankfully i had a prior career in health care. these tools are quite possibly the most handy-dandy things to add to your sewing bins. i am glad i left the hospital on numerous occasions and found them in my scrubs later.

yikes...was this really in my sewing machine? yes it was, for a second there i thought it might be a long-lost family pet. phew. bad part is...this was just part of it. goodness.

oh, and although i JUST cleaned up my collection of coffee cups (this tailor enjoys her java) i knew it was bad when i couldn't find the spool of thread i knew i just bought because it was hiding behind a mug. oh, and just ignore those girl scout cookies over there, okay? and if you see jillian michaels...don't tell her you saw those. she has already kicked my booty once bad today, and i will be okay if i don't give her more reason to be brutal.

oh...and why is there no counter-top space on my 8 foot long sewing table?? wait, where IS my 8 foot long sewing table? oh, there it is...under piles of hoop-la.

why do i always seem to have a box of blanks sitting on my floor waiting to be sorted and put away? i mean, i feel as though i do this weekly. maybe my supplier has it out for me, hmmm.... Also, don't be thinking I am crazy with the dog food bags, as I have said before...I am green, I recycle and those become my trash bags. :)

okay, if i was sitting at my machines and turned to look behind me, this is the disaster i see. naked baby doll, some of louisa's sandals, a bean bag, a vacuum that needs to get to work, some girl scout cookies...darn, forget you saw those too, an alligator xylophone, i mean REALLY??

and for the most important part, work-room safety. let us not forget safety, right? well, from day one the fear of God was put into my about gingher shears.

my mother told me they would cut my finger off. i was not allowed to use them or even look at them the wrong way. they would grow legs, come over and cut off my finger. well, i was so afraid of the scissors, i almost created an aversion to them. they scared the mess out of me. but, i was lucky to inherit my grandmother's pair...and i finally used them for the first time the other day (well, it was a few weeks ago, but who is counting) and you know what, they REALLY did almost cut my finger off! i mean, blood all over the cork floor...i had to go in for the steri-strips. goodness. so, they are back in their place on my peg boards where i will continue to only give them the most pleasant of looks to avoid the sprouting of the legs.

speaking of fears of sewing equipment, i cringe each and every time i use my rotary cutter. absolutely cringe. thanks again mom. the fear of God i tell you, one would think i was into her sewing room all the time when i was young. hmmm. i cannot even use a pizza cutter without the thought that it is going to instantaneously cut through my finger. i am about to pass out right now just writing about it. well, today, my rotary almost took off my toe. before you try and figure out what in the heck i mean and how that was possible, let me just show you.

yes, see how deep that blade is in the cork? this was millimeters from my pinkie toe. ouch. the blasted cutter just rolled straight off my table (that i am still trying to locate) and tried to amputate little pinkie. not cool. way uncool.

and for the last of it. after i almost had my pinkie toe removed, i slipped and busted my booty. on what did i slip? oh, just one of the bazillion pieces of scrap stabilizer, thread or numerous serger tails that are lying around on the floor. seriously mr. vacuum that is in the corner of the room, get to work!!

that is all for now. thought i would share some humor. my creative bug just bit me again (yes, it is midnight...why it cannot bit in the daytime is beyond me) and i need to get out my drafting paper and hopefully get all the fun new patterns that have been haunting my brain as of late out of my head and onto paper so hopefully some of my cutie-pie customers can own them this fall. get excited!!

oh, and pps - let me just tell you...i have gotten some emails from tailors, and you girls are in for a treat. these mamas are talented and have some cute as mud stuff. hopefully i wont go putting myself out of business. you know, murphy's law. :)

The Face of The Earth...

Okay, have you been wondering where in the world I am? Sometimes I do. The last few months have been a whirlwind over here at brownie-goose and I am still trying to figure out if I am coming on going. Yes, I just admitted my overwhelmedness. How bout them apples?

Anyways, I have not fallen off the face of the Earth. I came close, ha...but decided against it. This Spring/Summer line has been my busiest so far as far as sheer volume. Which...it is kinda ironic since I "scaled back." I still have yet to figure out how to handle the volume of orders, timing, etc. Not to mention, the past few months have had a lot in store for my family as far as life goes. Do you ever have those times in which you realize the world just keeps on spinning while you are spinning tires just trying to maintain daily life? Well, I have had that happen a bit over the last few weeks and decided to take a week off and thankfully have such awesome and understanding customers that allowed me to do this. Brownie-goose remains a hobby for me, meaning that it isn't my job. However, someone needs to tell this to me. Ha. I have said many times before that it absolutely blows my mind that people love my stuff. Never in a million years would I have guessed that my business/hobby would have taken off like it did. That being said...I am still trying to keep a balance in which my family comes first. Hence why I limit my orders. I get at least one email a day asking when I will open back up and it hurts me to tell people that I don't know or that I cannot sew something for them. It makes me sad. But, I just can't. I spend every moment that I can at my sewing machine. But, with a 3 year old at home, that time is dwindling as she is so much fun to be around. I spend many of nights sitting at my sewing machine into the wee hours of the morning finding friendship in a fellow monogrammer who keeps my night-owl hours too.

So, where am I going with all this? Well, I just want everyone to understand why I cannot take orders all the time. I am a super control freak, so still am not ready to undertake hiring a seamstress to help with the sewing...not to mention, I cannot afford to with my prices where they are. So, brownie-goose is run by me, all alone. That means all sewing, cutting, ordering, processing, emailing, etc is taken care of by me, while I also try to maintain a house-hold. I honestly wish I could take every order and sew for everyone that emails me and tells me how much they like my stuff. I just have no clue how in the world to do that. So, I am open for suggestions. Seriously. I am anxious about what to do in the fall. Will I have another repeat in which I get over 200 orders in about 3 hours? I just don't know. What I do know is that I want to sew for as many people possible without losing the importance of my family coming first.

So, in the meantime I am going to fall off my rocker. How do you wonder? Well, I am good at falling off my rocker, and this time I am going to do so by advertising my competitors. WHAT? Yes, that is what I said. There are many seamstresses out there that sew gorgeous clothing for children. There are many in the Jackson area. And while I cannot sew for everyone, I want my customers to also know that there are others out there that rock it out too. I am waiting for my front door to bust open with someone hauling me off to the looney bin with this idea (ooohhh, do you think I could get a comfy padded room with food that I don't have to cook or clean for?). But, this is what I want to do. So, if you are a tailor and you sew for the public, email me. If you know of someone that does...let them know and have them email me. I always put on my website what patterns I use, if I use one...so there really are no secrets in my game. I am loving that the dress that I call the Adeline is busting out everywhere. Props to Whole Grain Baby on that brilliant pattern. So, email me at browniegoose@hotmail.com with your info with the subject line being "Advertising" and I will get to putting your info and name out there. This is free. For my customers, I think this will be great. This is not limited to tailors in the Jackson area. Now that I am on the hardwoods after falling out the front of that rocker, I will stop blowing everyone's mind and having people worry about my sanity and get back to sewing for the day while the toddler is content with a coloring book.

So, until the next time...thanks again to all of my wonderful, amazing and awesome customers. You rock, I love you all - and thanks a thousand times over for all of your support!

Just an Update and Some Pics

Okay, not much to say today...other than am trying to get these orders out as quick as I can. But, just to give an idea, I have 10 pages of orders from this second go-round and I am only on the 2nd page. So, while I am getting there...I have also had some other things going on that have kept me from the machines, but am getting back in the grove. This week I know for sure there is one day I wont be at the machines...Tuesday because my sweet little girl turns 3 and we have a fun-filled day planned, and then another day I will be helping Byron to lay the tile in the bathroom. We also have family coming in town this weekend for birthday festivities...so just a bit going on in the land of BG.

Here are just a few pics of recent...

Out-numbered...

okay....i am SWAMPED here at brownie-goose. SWAMPED. i have gotten more orders in the second round than i got in the first...also throw in there my daughter's 3rd birthday, a full-fledged bathroom renovation, a week that i will be in savannah with family, and my own family here in my house.

so, please be patient with me and your order. i work as fast as i can, but i also produce a quality product that cannot just be thrown together. my family comes first, and i sew while my toddler sleeps, is at mother's morning out and when the rest of the world is in bed. also, i try to spend more time with my machines than in front of the computer with my email - so there may be more delay in me answering.

thanks again for everyone's support. i had no idea when i came up with the hunch to start sewing for the public that this would be the reaction. it is amazing and overwhelming at the same time. you guys are awesome and if it wasn't for you...bg wouldn't be what it is today. however, i am also trying to keep it small for the time being since i am not quite ready to hire out my sewing. thanks again to the best fans a business could have!

Oh Snap!

Let's just talk about how awesome you guys are! 169 orders in 3 and a half hours. Oh my gosh. That is crazy-nuts. Last time I had over 200 in 3 days...you girls are ON THE BALL!

Bare with me the next few days as I sort through all the emails and get everything straight!

Did I mention you were awesome???

more faces

Just some more new applique faces to show and make you smile! I try my hardest to keep my applique page updated, but sometimes it just gets hard when things get crazy....so your best bet is to look at all my albums on Facebook!

If you are a dinosaur expert...please don't study this guy too hard. I googled a bunch of different dinosaurs and took characteristics from a bunch of different ones to make it applique-friendly. :)

Oh, and Kristen.....those were the only 2 pictures in the last one. :) PS - Wondering who Kristen is? Check out her fun website chock-full of personalized gifts and fun things! She is at www.savannahjacks.com and she is having a huge spring sale, wahoo!

Oh my, I almost forgot to debut this little cutie!!

Want more details? Check here out, click here!

Just Some New Faces

If these little fellows don't make you smile.....I don't know what will. I LOVE them!

Ohh....Pick me, Pick me!

Who doesn’t like to win things? Not I. I love to enter blog giveaways. I am not neurotic about it (imagine that, ONE thing that I am not neurotic about) but when I come upon one I do like to enter. Especially the ones that give away fabric. I have never won, which is sad, but it is still fun to think of wining.

Speaking of wining, I know of a blog that has a fantastic give-away coming up. It is sort of a contest for those of you out there that are a bit more competitive. It is the Dear Mama Contest being hosted by Moms Are Human. This mommy blogger is a great girl (we went to high school together.) She is a real girl and has real stories and real pictures and things that are important in everyday life as a mom. She has entries that will speak to you as a mom, and most of these topics are not ones that you will find on other blogs. She talks about the down and dirty side of being a mom. She even bared her post-partum mid-section for all to see. Have you read her blog yet? If not, you should. Especially read about the Dear Mama contest that she has going. Brownie-goose has some mighty-fine appliquéd kitchen towels in the give-away that are just about to wet their pants to be in your kitchen. Oh, and a $150 Target gift card. If you are anything like me….I could live in Target. I love that place. She also has a signed copy of a Paula Deen cookbook, don’t know about you but I am a huge Paula fan. So, got you interested yet? Get on over there, read about the contest and open up your word document and get started!

Just a peek of the hand towels that need to be on the handle of your oven...



So, get on over to Moms Are Human and read up on this contest. Hey, by the time you are done you just might have a new blog to stalk. Gotta love that! At least, I do. :)

where to shop

 www.browniegoose.etsy.com

this is my etsy store where you will find all of my PDF patterns that are published for sale.

keep up to date on BG and follow me on facebook for all the newest updates and info from BG.

and now, even more fun for the BG geese! join in the sewing fun in the group brownie-goose lovers on facebook. here you will find an amazing group of girls that love to sew and love to help!


thanks so much for all of your continued support here at BG!

xoxo - amy

about me

hey there - i am amy, the girl behind BG. shown here with me are my beloved labradors (RIP mallard 5/13) the namesake behind brownie-goose. 

i am a girl that loves to sew. i am a girl that loves fabrics and trims and buttons and lace and all that jive. and i am a girl that enjoys designing patterns for you to sew. most of all, i am a girl that loves the fact that sewing is cool again.

want a little history of bg? it all started november of 2008 when i decided that i would be quitting my "real job" as a pediatric nurse so that i could stay home with my little girl who wasn't agreeing with daycare. i am a 4th generation tailor in my family so the sewing machine was nothing new to me. i began sewing for louisa as i would shop and not find a single thing i would like to dress her in. therefore, i began creating her unique outfits, and took the advice of some friends when i quit my day-job to take a go at selling some of my stuff to others. when baby #2 came along in 2011, things got interesting. as all of you mommas out there know, there wasn't near as much time to spend with the sewing machines anymore. so, with that i retired my children's clothing lines and started to publish and sell the patterns i had been designing.the rest is history, and i would not be where i am today without all of the awesome customers i have. nick-named my "geese" by one of my favorite button-suppliers, i am so fortunate to have amazing ladies backing me and supporting me!

brownie-goose is named after 2 of my 4-legged children, my labs. i have a chocolate lab (my sidekick) named mallard that we call "brownie, (sadly we lost my brown dog in may of 2013, we sure miss that boy!)" and a black lab (mixed with horse, she is huge) named lucy that we call "goose." enter.....brownie-goose. :)

thanks for stopping by on my site, and i hope you like what you see.

amy s. norris

for more info on me and the girl behind BG, check it out here.