holiday crafting adventures - part IV

wow. what a crazy couple of days. so i'm jetting around town today in my massive nissan xterra (in comparison to my cute little versa, anyhow) and it's shaping up to be a 100-mile-per-hour day. i'm just finishing up here at IndieGenius, and then i'm off to Art is Art for Gift Fest! mark a few more things off my list:

+ print business cards / hangtags
+ finish 10 more gloves
+ sew 6 bags (well, more like 3 supplemented with some other stock)
+ tag and price everything (doing it as we speak, so i feel justified in marking it off)

come by and see me at our encore trunk show! 2pm - 5pm at Art is Art on henderson. i have a link to their website on the upper right of this blog. i'll be there with gloves and bags, and there will be refreshments, snacks, and good company. so guys, don't be intimidated, we'll help you pick out a great gift for the special ladies in your life!

see you there!

holiday crafting adventures - part III

so following my wreck detailed in part II, i have some re-prioritizing to do for the holidays. first and foremost, i need to finish up for Gift Fest tomorrow. not surprisingly, i will be pumping myself full of caffeine and sewing late into the night if i hope to get any of this accomplished. on my abridged list for this evening:

+ print business cards / hangtags
+ finish 10 more gloves
+ sew 6 bags
+ tag and price everything

i'll tackle the other things on my list after the trunk show. it looks like shopping for the few gifts i'm not making this year will be hurried and last-minute, in keeping with tradition.

i prioritize my xmas gift list according to who i'll see first, and who i usually see after the holidays. luckily, my family is low-key, and we rarely can get everyone together on the actual holiday / birthday / anniversary in question. here's how i've broken things up:

1. co-workers at the office holiday party
2. boyfriend
3. immediate family that i will see on the holiday
4. friends and family that i will see after the holiday

 how many things have you crossed off of your list so far? feel free to leave any helpful tips or tricks in the comments section. seven days until xmas eve....happy crafting!

holiday crafting adventures - part II

so i can pretty much guarantee your holiday crafting adventure is going better than mine at this point. why? so, i'm driving home on this rainy eve, and i stop at a light. now, i always come to a complete stop before changing the song on my radio, checking my phone, or whatever. so i pick up my phone to see what pandora has in store for me, and then WHAM - a car crashes into my rear, thrusting me into the car in front of me. which is why you don't slam on your brakes on wet pavement. of course my car was the only non-drivable vehicle post-collision, as i became the delicious inerds of a malibu-expedition sandwich.
having possibly totaled my car, and engraved a Pavlovian association between pandora and loud scary noises on my psyche, i am measurably behind on my holiday endeavors.
so add to my list:
+ meet with insurance adjuster
+ rent car and try to get to work before noon
+ figure out if i get to pay a $500 deductible instead of buying xmas gifts
stay tuned for the next exciting installment!

holiday crafting adventures - part I

if you're like me (and untold numbers of other local handmade business owners), you've got quite a bit on your plate in the next 2 weeks. so how do you keep it all straight without ending up dry heaving into a paper bag in the fetal position? well, i swear by list-making. i have a limited number of hours per week to run my business, as i still work a 9-to-5 day job to pay for boring stuff like rent and food. planning out my time is critical so, for starters, let me impart to you my personal to-do list:

+ sew for Gift Fest encore trunk show at ArtisArt
+ buy craft supplies for xmas gifts
+ assemble & wrap gifts
+ determine fabric needs for best-sellers
+ sew restocks for my booth at IndieGenius
+ print business cards (yes, i print my own)
+ restocks for IndieGenius
+ new photos for etsy listings



it's only overwhelming if you let it be. since i started writing this post, i've already accomplished one thing on my list, which i've marked through. the biggest mistake that i've learned from has been overbuying of materials whose end product doesn't sell as well as i expect. it's not hard to figure it out, it just takes time (or at least it did for me). so now before i purchase any expensive organic fabrics, i very carefully consider supply cost versus sales history. i've been lucky enough to find a product that sells well for me, so i am pretty confident in restocking that particular fabric. judging by my sales at my booth and a recent trunk show, i know what to expect this holiday shopping season.

so first on my list is sewing product for an encore trunk show at ArtisArt. the first show was on the 4th, and we did so well that they invited me back for a second show! (lucky you, shoppers, because the weather was wet and dreary that weekend, and i'm sure a lot of you stayed home because of it.) i've got 3 days left to sew a dozen gloves and 6-8 purses, so i've planned out my time accordingly. tonight i'm sewing exclusively gloves, tomorrow i'm finishing them, and friday night i'll work into the wee hours finishing all the purses i've cut. did i mention saturday morning i have a shift at IndieGenius immediately before the show? so if you see me tagging purses behind the counter, you know what's up. ;)

updates to come as i work down my list... trust me, if i can do it, you can do it.

saturday, december 17  |  2-5pm  |  ArtisArt on henderson

cyber monday sale!

make sure to check out my etsy store for cyber monday deals! the best deal is on my made-to-order corsets, which are 20% off so original price was $200, down to $140!!

new products @ indiegenius!

there are a bunch of new bags and an ample supply of striped gloves on sale at indiegenius now! check out my etsy store for new listings, too. i've also added a new version of the whitechapel cape in red & brown plaid. pictures below...

yomono at gift fest

ART is ART, a fantastic boutique in the knox/henderson area, is hosting a holiday trunk show! join us for Gift Fest on sunday, dec. 4 from 1-4pm. this event features three artists: yomono, vintage dreamz, and jewel rehab. so cross a few things off your list from these local artisans. not to mention all of the other unique items they have...art, furniture, purses, jewelry, and a wonderland of vintage kitchenware. it's a simple step toward a low-impact, responsible holiday.

i'll be there in person, peddling my wares during the event. namely organic cotton gloves and purses made from vintage fabrics.

make this year local!

Shop & Sip party at IndieGenius!

the rumors are true...IndieGenius is turning 1 year old this week! come join us for the Shop & Sip anniversary celebration tomorrow (thursday) from 5:30 to 8:30pm. rsvp via facebook, or just show up! drink a little, shop a little, mingle with the artists, and see what everyone's talking about. everything in the store is handmade, vintage, locally made, or supplies so come support a socially responsible local business!

and please remember that i'm donating 20% of my profits from november to occupy dallas, so let's make this event huge!

party at the texas theatre!

tonight is a showing of the halloween classic, Pumpkinhead at the historic Texas Theatre. they are also showing Trick 'r Treat in the lobby.

come hang out and support a local oak cliff business!

rsvp on facebook.

#occupydallas donations EXTENDED

i will be extending my promotion for occupy dallas through the month of november. 20% of my profits during the entire month + the recent bazaar will be donated directly to occupy dallas.

support local independent business by shopping yomono @ IndieGenius, plus the growing international OCCUPY movement all with one swipe of your debit card! (not to mention you'll walk away with some sweet garb.)

look at you, multitasking like a social warrior!

we are the 99%.

weekend recap & new products

it was a great weekend at yomono! the bazaar was a blast, and i added some new product / restocks to the booth at indiegenius. not to mention one of my sargent jinbei crop vests was featured in luri & wilma's fashion show! pics below of a new style for this season - the whitechapel cape, so named for the notorious london stomping ground of jack the ripper. spooky, yes? and yet so cute! lined in forest green thermal for added warmth. grab this while you can, because i only had enough of this vintage fabric for one piece. on sale now at indie!

p.s. there are a couple handbags out of this same fabric, so snag them before they're gone!

sargent jinbei crop vest on the runway!
hair & makeup | lure salon
stylist | molly mcbride
photography | zora ellison writing company

donating to #occupydallas

in an effort to support the protesters at city hall park, i will be donating 20% of profits made during the indie bazaar this weekend to occupy dallas. they are willing to sacrifice their time, health, and face the possibility of arrest for speaking up on our behalf. they are our voice, and we need to stand by them.

so please join us at indiegenius in bishop arts this weekend! not only will you be supporting local businesses run by real people (not a board of shareholders concerned only with quarterly profits), but also know that 20% of profits from yomono will go DIRECTLY to occupydallas.org.

to donate directly, offer your services, or participate in the protest, follow occupy dallas on facebook. or visit occupydallas.org. they need a slew of services and items (listed on their website), so if you are in the area and can drop anything off, they would vastly appreciate it.

shop local. question authority. we are the 99%.

bazaar this weekend!

don't forget about the bazaar this weekend at indiegenius! look for cute gloves and new bags at my booth. i'm just to the right when you walk in the front door. see you there!

indiegenius
409 n. zang  (right behind BEE)
saturday 12-6
sunday 12-4

new product now in-store!

i've just brought these products in to indiegenius today. they are all made from fabulous vintage fabric, so you can rest assured that they are eco-friendly and low-impact (as always at yomono!). remember, my 20% off everything sale is still going on, but will end soon! this includes items that are already marked down - discount will be taken at the register. snag them before the bazaar on the 22nd-23rd...

ascot made from vintage fabric

handbags made from vintage polyester

illustrations...

every indie designer has to pay their rent somehow. here's how i pay mine:

see brigette rose on stage!

the very talented and lovely brigette rose has a show coming up on monday for open stage at house of poets in richardson. cover is only $5, so you really have no excuse not to go! it's a variety show followed by open practice, so there should be a menagerie of performances. i'll be there doing some shameless self-promotion, so definitely stop by if you are a fellow performer or are interested in performing.

see you there!

learning curve

the great thing about making custom garments is learning something new. so while i've never made a khaki men's duster or spandex poly-boned corset of my own accord, it's taught me several new techniques to add to my sewing repertoire. yes, i've attained many a wisdom-nugget along the way, including these great gems.

• apparently my machine can handle rubber, vinyl, and chiffon
• singer universal needles deserve more credit than they get
• how to change a drive belt on a vintage singer rather than pay someone $200
• faux feathers are redonkulously expensive
• how to alter store-bought garments that have some funky construction
• how to hand bead

so bring on the custom requests! yomono.fashion@gmail.com

vinyl: not so scary afterall!

fall bags for indiegenius

here's a sneak peak of what's in the works for indiegenius. most of my items are short-run due to the limited availability of the vintage fabrics, so stop by the boutique or like us on facebook to stay on the cutting edge of dallas handmade style. i'll be on-site at indiegenius saturday (11-5pm) if you'd like to meet the designer or discuss a custom order. see you soon!

winter wonder land

so along with some fingerless gloves, scarves, and hats, i've decided to venture into cape territory this winter. i'll be stocking my booth in anticipation of the indiegenius bazaar on october 22-23 with all kinds of sherlock-holmery. follow this blog to get a sneak peak of styles before they hit the boutique! if you see something you like, i might even let you snag it before the bazaar. ;)

and remember, i do custom orders! winter is the best time for corsets....

bow ties at make and made

i'm dropping off some more reconstructed bow ties to make and made today. so for all you hipster kids hitting the prom, don't miss out on some unique garb.

glove time!

with fall right around the corner, it's winter accessory time at yomono. organic cotton and vintage knits are the focus for these fingerless gloves. they fit almost every hand size and at make great gifts. they're the perfect cure for every crafter's cold-hand blues. snag your pair early, because these are in high demand during the holiday shopping season!

organic cotton fingerless glove with vintage buttons

another great blog to follow

do yourself a favor and follow the blog - she woke up dreaming - for fashion, style, and (more recently) apothecary awesomeness; not to mention an adorable cat name bettie. how can you resist?

yoga mat bags made from vintage fabric

got a yoga mat? need a cute bag? stop by indiegenius today and pick one up - only $18.00 and made from vintage fabric.

yomono is in love!

...with the golden fields of honey print from harmony art. curvilinear floral in yellows and oranges, modern yet retro -- too pretty to keep in your closet until spring. did i mention it's organic? and sateen?

oh...so lovely...

custom corsets on etsy

new custom corset listings on etsy! organic undyed / sustainably dyed cotton over sturdy steel boning...these are quality corsets made custom to your measurements. i also take completely custom orders, so if you have that perfect corset in mind and want to manifest it into real life, just drop me a line at yomono.fashion@gmail.com! typical turnaround is 3-4 weeks. add 2 weeks for muslin service (i send you a prototype to ensure proper fit).

yomono & social action

i get frequent updates from change.org on new petitions. it's really the easiest way to make a difference. right now there's a man in georgia facing execution this month. 7 witnesses have revoked their testimony claiming the police pressured them into it. 9 people have signed affidavits stating a different man committed the crime. at the very least, this man deserves a new trial. it only takes a few seconds to make a difference.

Change.org|Start an Online Petition »

featured at make and made's 6 designers / 60 days

dropping off some more reconstructed menswear at make and made today. check out my full line in the boutique now!

workin' it at indiegenius

come by and see my booth at indiegenius in bishop arts. i'll be here most of the day if you'd like to meet the designer (myself). we're open until 8pm. here are a few teasers to whet your appetite for eco fashion:

vintage polyester fabric transformed into handmade jackets and skirts. put a little color in your fall wardrobe.

organic cotton steel boned corsets. fashion-forward and waist reducing. (wanna know a secret? they're also great for posture. just try slouching in one of these!)

colleen corset dress : ready for cocktail hour

finally finished the colleen corset dress. vintage-inspired neckline, built-in corset reinforced with spiral steel boning, backlaced. it creates a perfect hourglass silhouette, cinching in the waist and flaring out to an a-line skirt. watch for a custom listing on etsy!

custom burlesque costumes

i'm working on some fantastic new costumes for brigette rose! friend her on facebook to see her upcoming shows. trust me, she's amazing.

welcome to the yomono blog!

welcome to the new yomono blog! here i will be posting projects and new collections that are currently underway, and also some exciting custom work (namely burlesque costumes!). in the mean time, look for my product at these locations:

indiegenius
409 n. zang
bishop arts district in dallas, tx

art is art
2811 north henderson ave
henderson/knox area in dallas, tx

make and made
313 n bishop ave
bishop arts district in dallas, tx