Coming Soon!

Beginning in May I will be offering men's neck ties, bow ties and wallets in my Etsy Store.

Stay Tuned!!!!

Spring Garden Maintenance

Every season brings a different set of chores in the garden. Spring is an exciting time for me as I prepare for the beauty of the garden as it awakes from winter hibernation. It can also, however, be a bit overwhelming to know how to prioritize the gardening at this time of year. So I have a helpful list of chores that helps me...and I hope it helps you too.

Pruning
For early blooming shrubs such as forsythia and viburnum, prune them as soon as blooms have passed. Early spring is also an ideal time to prune your roses.

Deadheading
Remove spent flowers from bulbs, but leave the rest of the plant as is for the time being.

Weeding
Pull weeds from your beds and borders before they have a chance to take hold and spread.

Composting
Tend to your compost if it has been neglected over the winter. If you do not have a compost bin, spring is a great time to start one.

Tools
Spring is a good time to prepare your tools for the oncoming gardening season and to make any necessary repairs or new purchases. You will be happy you have done so when summer sets in.

Plant
Spring is a great time to add new plants to your garden. Be sure, however, that all threat of frost has past. Plant such things trees, shrubs, hardy annuals, and summer blooming bulbs.

Fertilize & Mulch
Fertilize and mulch beds and borders. Spring is also a good time to fertilize fruit trees. If you applied heavy winter mulch for protection from the cold, you will need to clear it away.

Staking
Stake plants that may be prone to wind damage during the unpredictable spring weather.

Lawn Care
Spring is the best time to start a new lawn from seed. For established lawns, you should start mowing in the spring, but don’t initially cut the grass very short for the first few times.

I hope these tips will give you a good idea as to where to focus your attention in your garden this spring. Enjoy!

Wardrobe Wednesday - Choosing the Right Suit

Spring is here and Summer is quickly approaching. It's the season for weddings, proms, graduations and many other formal celebrations.


Wearing a suit is a true statement of manhood. It can prove to be the difference when applying for a job or even grabbing yourself a date. So this nerd is providing you with a simple guide to choosing the right suit to help you leave out the most common errors when choosing the most important item in your wardrobe.


Mismatched Collars and Ties
The trend for skinny ties involves shirts with pointed collars. The wide cutaway collar seen here requires a chunkier tie and a larger knot like a Windsor, not the half-Windsor! (Ties are another story)

Poor-fitting Jackets

This isn’t the 1980s guys! Shoulder pads should always sit directly on top of your shoulders and finish above your shoulder’s end. A jacket that is too large will swamp your frame, giving it little definition and making an expensive suit look cheap; a poor fit is why politicians often look bad in designer tailoring.



Tie Length
The point of the tie should just touch the top of the belt, and never hang lower. This basically means that you don’t want the tie flapping around and getting in the way when you use the bathroom. You also want to stay away from the nerdy school boy look by wearing your tie far too short. Not a good look men.

The Casual Belt
The darker brown leather is mismatched with paler shoes. The belt is also made from distressed leather, which is too scruffy and casual to be worn with a suit. Tailoring should be about clean lines. (And remember: women are like hawks when it comes to noticing details) so neglect the accessories at your peril!

Short Pants
The hem on your trousers needs to brush the heel of the shoe and sit on the upper third lace. While there is an emerging trend for rising hemlines and ankle-cut trousers, you have to be very “experimental” to pull it off as you run a major risk of making it seem as though your pants are having an argument with your shoes. Socks should only be visible when seated, never when standing. NEVER!




Suit Pockets
Only use your suit’s inside pocket and even then not for anything heavier than notes and credit cards. If the outer pockets are stitched shut, leave them so. Keys, wallets, phones and iPods distort the line of the jacket, pull on the buttons and shoulders, and stretch the fabric. Need I say more about that? Yuck!

Colored Socks
The sock should match the shade of the suit or be darker, which will help to make the leg appear longer. Patterned socks can be fine, but only if the background shade is the same tone as the suit, or the same tone as your shoes. Otherwise it’s like the novelty tie: drawing major attention to your questionable taste in accessories.

Shoes
Footwear should be of the same tone as the suit or slightly darker, like the socks, to elongate the leg. Light tan with a dark suit is too big a contrast and can make your feet look enormous. Men, as much as you think that's a good thing, its pretty dorky.

Happy Suit Shopping!

Studio News - April 8th 2011

Okay, so you make women's purses.

What do you make for men?

These are the questions I hear all of the time.

My early sewing career was with a local men's suit factory.

I started in sleeves and worked my way into custom tailoring.

It was a wonderful way to learn fashion, sewing and design.

So, yes I create for men. I just haven't done so in a few years.

With that said...

I received a wonderful opportunity this week to create a set of bow ties for a wedding party.

The bride was not seeing what she envisioned....go figure.

So, with my pencil and sketchbook in hand I began to create something I haven't ventured to do in quite a few years. (We wont say how many kids)

Below is a quick studio pic of the final product.

Of course yours truly cant just slap a sticker on it and call it a day.

He goes full bore with instructions. Dork!

The fabric is actually quite nice.

Soft crepe linen with a tangerine geometric pattern.

The May Day Giveaway

May Day has always been one of my favorite days of the year.

When I was a child I remember my mother picking wildflowers and placing them in a basket at my grandmother's door step. She would knock on the door and hide. It was exciting to see my grandmother's face when she opened the door to that lovely surprise.

Although May Day has never been a prominent holiday in America its tradition remains in the hearts of many with British American heritage.

To celebrate this lovely coming of Spring I thought it only fitting to host my first Giveaway.

The lucky winner of the May Day Giveaway will receive this fun Travel Bag.

The Travel bag is a great bag for holding those minimal essentials when you're traveling, or shopping.

Made of a fun and modern fabric with a matching lining.

The bag measures 6.5" wide and 9" high.

There is a 5" pocket on the front and back. 

It's easy to participate and all you need to do is follow 3 simple conditions.

1. You must be a follower of my blog, Gerald's Room. (Through the Google Friend Connect gadget found on the right column of my blog)

2. Click on "I Like" on my Facebook page. Or heart my Etsy Shop for those without a Facebook profile.

3. Leave a comment below on which is your favorite handbag, purse or accessory from my Etsy Shop. 

Please leave me a seperate comment below when you have completed all 3 steps and please include your email address so that you can be notified if you are the winner.

The closing date will be on May 1st at 12 am EST. The winner will be selected by a random number through random.org.
(please note, this is open to US Citizens Only)

Good Luck!

Studio News - April 4th 2011

They have finally hatched! The Spring Fling Clutch!

I wanted to create a clutch that was inspired by the colors of Spring....with a kick!

These brightly colored fabric combinations create the illusion of what it would be like to be inside a bag of jelly beans!

My ode to Spring....

Made of a rich spring cotton fabric and lined with a sweet corresponding cotton.

Accessorized with a silk Gerber daisy pin.

Dimensions:

8"x 3" purse frame

9" wide at bottom

5" long

2" gusset

This is the perfect accessory for an evening out, a bridesmaid gift,

or even a lovely accessory to a Spring dance.....

Discount on quantities of 4 or more.