Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

We had a snowy Christmas Eve (imagine!), and our Nashville family up the days before. We hit the National Christmas Center, went out to eat, and went to Hands on House. We managed to fit in Dutch Winter Wonderland Sunday night, and church and Chinese food Christmas Eve.
We celebrated a lovely Christmas day with family, a new dollhouse and pirate ships, and went sledding the next day. The snow melted, then it snowed again, and we've sled the last two days, and built a snowman.
Mimi has taken to eating at midnight now, and playing dollhouse with me until 1am.
Both are part of her (probable) condition. A fierce need to eat, and a little bit of hyperactivity.
I'm giving myself a mini makeover, and I'm looking forward to the New Year.
Mimi sees the genetic doctor in January. And so I bid a happy farewell to 2012.
We look forward to an answer for Mimi, new friends we've made and hope to meet, new things to do, see, and learn, new confidence, and enjoying the strength we've earned from our challenges this year.

Happy Kids

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving. We had family visiting, and the kids had a great time with their three cousins. Max and his cousin Audrey made a hideout under the porch of my parents house. It doesn't get more fun than that, really!

We have entered into a serious (and messy) crafty phase in the house.

It's Play Doh time every other day. But all of our Play Doh has this colorful tie dye thing going on. We need the super Play Doh pack for Christmas. Everything we've been creating, critters, little marbles, ice cream cones...everything is marbled.
Surprisingly, we had no school all last week. that was followed by a holiday. I need a few days to deep clean.

The night before Thanksgiving, Mimi's endocrine doctor called us and said that he thinks they'll just test her again in six months. I asked him about the short stature statement on his notes to her primary. He said, "we'll see if she falls off her growth curve." I said, "i think she's only grown a cm since July." I told him we'll see genetics in January. He doesn't think it's necessary, but my primary does.
I'm trying not to think of it today. Even though yesterday, from my calculations she ate 56+ grams of protein.

Max got new glasses! He can see a bit better and thinks they'll be cool with his bow ties.

Is Christmas really near? It seems so. but we have relatives headed to Europe during December, the cousins not coming after Christmas (which will make for a quieter holiday), Christmas lists made, a fake tree in the garage, which we'll probably (for budgets sake) break out again, and our holiday activities lined up on the calendar.

I would like to decorate a tiny bit. Maybe I'll just put the holiday wreathe on the door. I'll wait to get the rest out, until I have a handle on the house. XX

from:

Friday, November 16, 2012
The Fifth Annual Philadelphia Tweed Ride has arrived!

This Saturday, November 17th, make your way on down to the Water Works at noon for a stylish, leisurely ride through the union's most historical city! Filled with camaraderie, this ride is one of the most fun the city has to offer. For how relaxed the ride is, the competition between riders to win prizes provided by some generous local independent companies can really heat up. Riders are judged by tally against each other in the following categories: Most Magnificent Millinery, Most Marvelous Moustache, Most Stylish Steed, Most Snappy Lass, and Most Dapper Chap. Since you are already 16 days into No Shave November, don't be stingy on the moustache wax! There’s also a new prize for the most Picturesque Picnic, so come prepared with a lavish spread, a fun game, or other fine trappings! Additional prizes will be given out in a raffle.

This year the ride's organizers ask that all riders make a voluntary donation of only $1 to Philabundance in advance of the Thanksgiving and Holiday seasons. A single donation alone is able to provide 2 meals.The list of fabulous sponsors includes: Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction, Art Star, Briar Vintage, Community Bikes, Duke & Winston, Fabric Horse, Fairmount Bicycles, Maggie French Ethical Tweed Accessories, Philadelphia Salvage, R.E.Load Bags, RevivalSmith Vintage Goods, Rothera Cycling, Spodee, Trophy Bikes, Velo Orange, Volta Organics, and Zsa’s Gourmet Ice Cream.
Philadelphia Tweed Ride
Water Works
640 Water Works Drive
Registration begins at 11:00 am

Shop Local for the Holidays

A Saturday in downtown Lancaster promises great food and amazing shopping!

You can pick up Maggie French for Izzy Lane accessories at Mommalicious, 310 North Queen and my famous felted flowers at the Mandarin Rose Spa at the Marriott Convention Center, 5th Floor.
Happy Holidays!

I Vote for a President, and a Clothes Switcharoo...

I voted today and made boysenberry muffins. At night, when all the traffic was at the polls, I lugged all my "old life" clothes to the Candy Factory, for a cool trade-a-thon.

Give up your old clothes, see your friends, and find some new stuff to wear.

Whatever isn't taken, goes to Sandy victims, some who have lost everything.

Well, you can't beat hanging at the Candy Factory. Or seeing old friends. Or networking. Although I just told the group, "I'm Maggie French." Did not say, "I make headbands. and they are available across the street at Mommalicious." I was a bit hungry and excited to get started on my new wardrobe.

That's ok, though, because I found a photographer and a good model. What more do I need?

I did not think I had enough clothes to bring to work with.

Of course like any typical woman my age, I came up with a pile that went up to my hip.

Did I find anything new? Of course! It was great:)

I walked away with lots of new stuff. And surprisingly lots of stuff for the kids.

It was really fun and a bit exciting too:)

And it made election day extra cool.

Have a good evening, and Congratulations to President Obama.

Ready to Ride?

In preparation for the Philadelphia Tweed Ride, which I am sponsoring, I am happy to offer 20% off pieces in my Etsy shop, now through Friday November 9. Simply enter coupon code: Philly2012 at checkout.

All my pieces are made using Izzy Lane remnants which are sent to me from the design house in Richmond, England. You can learn more about that here.

They are incredibly soft and made from Shetland wool. Izzy Lane won the RSPCA for Small Fashion Company last month in England.

Pieces ship from nearby Lancaster, PA where my home studio is located. I like to mail pieces using Priority Flat Rate, which should have your accessory arriving within 2-3 business days.
I was delighted to see my pieces worn at the Minneapolis Tweed Ride, which I sponsored last month, and on my friend at Tweed Ride Victoria last May.
Scroll through my blog for recent pics of the Minneapolis Ride. Each rider received a Maggie French for Izzy Lane accessory, and I created prizes for best dressed.
You may get lucky and win a piece at the Philly Ride. (Two headbands are now in safe keeping with John at Tweed Ride Philadelphia headquarters!)
Thank you and happy ordering!

PS. the herringbone pieces coordinate with the 2012 Philly Tweed Ride poster:)

Sandy

I was not at all nervous about Sandy. I've learned a little more about Mimi and her lack of growth. It is appearing that she has some kind of dwarfism. It could be pituitary...in which she could be aided by growth hormone. But maybe it's not...I'm a bit stunned. She is so gorgeous and precious. Always the researcher, I have discovered that the Little People of America National Conference 2013 is in D.C.!
Let's see if she grows till then...and what the doctors say. My love.
Anyway, back to the storm...I tidied the house and made chili, jello, cookies, and hard cooked eggs.

I toured the outside of the house and took pictures. We've secured things. We put lots in the garage. We cleaned out the gutters - put covers on the chairs. Every neighbor around me still has their normal stuff out.

I'm feeling like anxiety Girl Scout. But then watch the news and the news reporters are SO SERIOUS. Then I get a little panic in my chest.

I am nervous about the big trees in the front yards of my house and my neighbors. I parked my car elsewhere, not in the driveway.

I have upped my typical storm plan. I now know to hide in the basement bathroom if the wind is dangerously insane (which would be super fun with two kids considering how narrow the bathroom is). I found a little sterno stove. We have a fancy radio light thing. Wondering what Max would do without Jake and Neverland Pirates, and Mimi without Peppa Pig. and no heat...that's not very nice is it?

well here we go...let's see what happens...!

Izzy Lane won! The 2012 RSPCA Good Business Awards

2012 Winners:

Fashion Awards

George at Asda: Winner, Large Company
Izzy Lane: Winner, Small Company, Clothing
ASOS: Winner, Innovation Award
Rapanui: Highly commended, Small company

Food Awards

Eco cuisine:Winner, Caterers
Lussmanns Fish & Grill Restaurants: Winner, Independent Restaurants
Cafe spice namaste Highly commended, Independent restaurants
The British Larder: Winner, Independent Pubs
The Navigation Inn: Highly Commended, Independent Pubs
Edge & Son: Winner, Independent Retailers
Abel & Cole: Highly Commended, Independent Retailers
The Bath Pig Company Highly Commended, Independent Retailers
Sainsbury's: Retailer of the year, Supermarkets
Sainsbury's: Engagement award, Supermarkets
The Co-Operative: Hot Topic Award, Supermarkets



My heartfelt Congratulations go out to Isobel, Ernest, Lorraine, the Sheep, and all at Izzy Lane!!!

Time to Make the Headbands

There is a fresh supply of tweed on the way from the Izzy Lane offices. And Mommalicious on Queen Street Lancaster has restocked with many of my headbands this week.
So it's time to organize the existing cuts and see what I can design with the pieces I have left while I await the parcel. I need a nice long snippet to make a headband, and I must be able to cut across on the bias. I love a good challenge, being resourceful often turns out the best pieces.
Mimi decided that the offcuts would be perfect blankets for her doll, Willow. I'm a bit of a control freak with the pieces always stowing them away quickly. But she loved feeling how soft they are and tucking her baby in under them.

While we organized I hummed the tune to the Annie song:

"Cotton blankets,'Steada of wool! Empty Bellies,'Steada of full!"

As I plan to sponsor another tweed ride (!) I'm thinking historically of when wool was depended on for warmth in clothing and bedding. People were so stylish running to town for errands, and warm under their simple and tidy wool blankets at night.
It really wasn't so long ago.

xx