HEllo Babies!

Hi there! Been a while since I have ventured this thing called "a blog". Anyway....hmm...3 days or so b4 the show..am i nervous..shud i be nervous? well....im not nervous...i cant be...since im not worrying about missing a dancestep or falling over my high heels....(im so happy about this...u dont even know)..NEWAy....to be honest...i did have a "my heart is in my throat" moment yesterday night when i was thinking about that time when it gets all hectic...for some reason...things in fashion shows dont always go as planned....irritating right? all im hoping for is that the audience doesnt realise that a mistake has been made...i hope theyll just think its part of the act...HA!...i cant count the amount of times i have made a mistake as a performer and the audience just thot it was part of the act...YAYY for me i guess....ANYWAY....im really hoping to meet some ppl from this show...like Jaja...i hope u gonna be there girl! Hmm..i wonder who else is coming for the show...i know my friends from outta town are coming...im excited to see them too....and yeah lemme sound all diplomatic and say i hope everyone enjoys the entire show and not just the cranberry scene....the models have been practicing and i hope their hardwork pays off......
ON another note...what do designers wear to come out after the show...lol...the last time we had a show....doreen and oseyi where so unfortunate to come out looking extremely busted...u see..they didnt have time to try to look cute as they had been busting their asses trying to make all of us look good ( i modelled for that show...fortunately for me so u know me i was looking hella cute)...im sure they would kill me if i posted that crispy pic up here so sorry guys...its not going to happen...(i wish i cud tho)..but im thinking maybe..all Black...since the collection is so colorful...it wont help if we are all dressed in colors of the rainbow...how will they know then that we r the designers and not the models?..oh i know...we r all not 5'11 and up..shoot!..
I think this week is like the laziest week I have had in a while...I havent done shit...honestly...everytime i look at what i am supposed to finish for this show...i always postpone it....haha...procrastination...one of my weaknesses...a terrible disease....it can actually ruin ur life...unfortunate.Today, I will fix sumthing or 2 things...all i know is that by wednesday...i have to stop all sewing activites...cus that workspace NEEDS to be cleaned....or else doreen will probably crucify me..
And now i come to the end of my rambling tale....i have been made to dedicate this particular blurb to my one and only...2' 7 with a whole lot of sass...yeah..small but mighty...she bullies everyone in my house...she is sooooo adorable..sigh...oh well..this is for u baby!

Sticks and stones

YAY!!! So happy for JHUD winning the oscar for supporting actress....you go girl!!!!....unfortunately that lil space alien jacket she was sporting REALLy wasn't working for me...nope!
Frankly i am happy ITS ALL OVER so we can finally get some PEACE and QUIET about the damn oscars......

I think Gwyneth Paltrow looked AMAZING(love her!)...MS Anika (third dream girl) looked great....loved the dress....she wasn't trying to be ignored as USUAL...sparkle sparkle she did.....Emily blunt from the devil wears prada had on a blue shimmery dress that i loved as well and Cate Blanchett blew one out of the park as USUAL....she looked soooo glam.....ridiculous!

The show is around the corner.... March 2nd....am i anxious? nervous?excited?....nah....just flatline regular....whatever happens happens ....*shrugs* ..... I am usually really anxious a week before i perform...but this year i am going to be backstage.... woohooo!!...Being behind the scene ROCKS!.....anyway lets give it a day or two.....the nerves can show up anytime....
Anyway i guess this is because i have nothing riding on this show......when i was a dancer....there was always this air of competition because you know you have to always BRING IT....pressure from neighbouring dance teams....lol a bit like a friendly bring it on....you KNOW which team is the best...you know which team is slowly losing their touch.....you know different teams strong points and weak points....and the goal was always to be different and always to build up on that difference and stand out somehow.....dang i miss dance tho ......GOODLUCK OMOGE LADIES!!!(YOU BETTA BRING IT!!! SHOW THEM!! LOL)

Hmmm....this show is just fun for me......just like Cranberry is....i love it....some other pple love it too....and some others really just have their own opinions about it.....and honestly i could care less....My job is not to clothe the entire universe....if its too bright, short, young, girly, shiny or whatever for you...then oh well.....if people dont like it ....they dont like it...what are you going to do??....one man's meat is another man's poison.....

So i have a headache, which probably results from the fact that i feel like this collection is sucking me dry....FINANCIALLY.....we have to cancel one of the lined up shows men....i need a frigging break. I need to Go out. Eat Thai food. Watch 3 movies in a row AT the movies. Go shoppin in Gtown. Go shoppin in centralphilly. Go shopping period. Really Dress up. Clean My room which is littered with fabric,thread,pins& needles....i get at least 20 pin pricks a day. Take him out to the BALLGAME. sigh*....

BAH*

Flim Flam

Is it just me or is anybody else feeling a tad bit sorry for Britney?....she looks so SAD....and BUSTED...why WHY WHYYYYYY would she shave her head bald???...i am So out of clues?....Poor Poor girl i hope she works everything out in rehab....although i highly doubt it.... what is it about being a celebrity that just releases people's inner madness?..... it's a damn shame....

Its a Friday night and my tired loser butt is sitting in my sister's very gorgeous apt which I'm totally green about **its soo cute!.....i want MY OWN apt dang :(.** .... and waiting patiently for ozzy to show up...**yes GURR* im calling you out on the blog**....all while watching sex and the city reruns .....and maybe when u watch it like the hundredth time like i have....you realize that maybe just maybe...Big didn't have the issues...Carrie did....she just kept PUSHING and PUSHING and expecting things to happen already.....I'm cringing at how she is just putting herself out there....i don't know how people do that???.....how can you say "i love you" first....never!...i am so scared of being rejected its ridiculous.....so i cant imagine saying those three special words to anyone and the person just acts like he didn't hear me....i will just melt into a puddle....anyway on a SATC note Big IS sooo scrumptious....a hot, rich guy with commitment issues?...definitely the ultimate kryptonite to women....oh how they fall:(.....its a damn shame...

Gawd i cant believe nick cannon married that selita banks chic....dang....talk about trying to snatch her up before she realises she is making a huge mistake....well good luck!!!

My one fave show ANTM is starting next week....i believe.....but last seasons show was sooo wickity wack....they really need to rehire their writers....or then again it could be that im just really sick of hearing TYRA boast about her accomplishments...talking about, "oh instead of posing like this, you should have lifted up a foot like i did in the 1996 spread i did with so so so and so"....dang we appreciate ur gangsta but ah ah its enuff!.....while i am on the topic of ms TYRA....everyone that called her fat really needs to apologise to her because the way it is paining that chic is ridiculous....i mean two episodes from the tyra show have been dedicated to her being called FAT...she needs to brush it off her shoulders...dang....every second she is talking about how she doesn't care about being called fat while she insinuates that the so called fat pictures of her were taken from a wrong angle....but anyway....a model's ego must be more tender than regular looking citizens of the world....so who am i to say anything......but tyra if you ever come across this blog...i apologise on behalf of everyone who called u fat....cus i really need you to focus on the problems of ur humble viewers and not on your bruised ego.....it is a damn shame..

Arghhhh i cant believe i have to be in school at 11:(.....AND on a saturday???.....the things i do for love.....cranberry oh cranberry this bitter sweet relationship we have.....sigh....it shall be well...
I pray the re-fitting goes well and i can leave school with a smile and not a grimace....cus on wednesday i was really like.....?????????.....but i trust our gangsta....it will be hot!!....i just need no anger distractions and quality time to fit...and all shall be well......

ozzy.....still waiting....you think you are sleek.....

A fitting Nightmare

I had to blog about this today because yesterday i would have been a lot harsher in my synopsis of what went down. Infact honestly i wasn't even half as upset yesterday as i was this morning.....you know like when u start turning fitfully in ur sleep and wake up like 3 hrs before u are meant to??...yeah im talking about morning ANGER.....i just woke up angry with the world and yeah im upset that my sleep was interrupted!


Anyway so yesterday was our fitting for the Huasa show of which i dragged my flat(:() but still really cute butt (lol) from Philadelphia to make it in time for their model practice......meaning i left Philly mad early( carrying ozzy's stuff) in the morning...got back home.....stitched up some stuff....babysat my niece and packed up the clothes in a bag....and hurriedly drove (well my cousin drove hee hee) to HU....so yes in a way...i was breaking my back to come down for this thingy thang....I missed out on meeting up with this Philadelphia chic who wants us to do a show and also missed out on hitting Boston to talk with some show pple too....i just gave up my 2 weeks filled with business prospects of which being paid was an option to come down for their practice.......and honestly i was HAPPY and EXCITED to do that....happy with our purchases in Philly.......happy to fit the models we picked lovingly...just happy in general....



Till i got to the practice and realised that the models we picked originally had been put in other scenes....so the models we had for OUR scene were TOTALLY different looking chicas who had different body sizes than what we had created.......talk about being thrown out of loop??!......

I cannot deny that i wasn't told that some models were cut from the show but this was different....they are not cut from the show...oh no....just from cranberry's scene.....i mean i am looking at the models i picked and i am being told that they cannot be used in my scene because of some reasons that have nothing to do with me......

Now that could have been said to me in a better way......or that could have been said to me PERIOD...but no...i had to figure it out myself....and so i decided to have a lil talk with the chic in charge to find out what happened.....i mean if people ask you to pick your models.....you are entitled to have those models you picked in your scene...no matter what....unless they are cut from the show or are in the scene right before yours....understandable reasons....


So i go up to find out wassup and my dears i must assume that she have had a ROUGH ass day because the amount of flippancy and attitude that this lady used to give me this totally bizarre MSG was ridiculous....we were Totally taken aback....i mean she was straight up in our faces telling us "I'm sorry, You have to use the models you see, regardless of if it is the ones you chose because ur original models cannot do this scene"......I'm like why????....and she is giving me this blank face like" i already told u because of blah blah blah reason"......I'm like what does that reason have to do with cranberry???...(and trust me the reason is so ridiculously silly).....i don't understand how some models bad behavior affects cranberry...if you are upset at the girls why don't you remove them from the show period....why am i suffering for their mistakes?....please waste another designers time and not mine...hisss.....i was so irritated...she had that whole air of IVE SAID WHAT IVE SAID and PLEASE GET OUT MY FACE thing going on....like after she finished talking, she just looked away and continued what she was doing.....so i calmly explained to her that if clothes are made for a 5 11 chic with a size 26 waist...there isn't anyway its going to fit some 5 6 chic with a size 24 waist....DUH.....i mean how do you inconvenience a designer for your show....how do you spring that up on someone....i was told that the names of the girls taken out would be forwarded to my inbox...i NEVER GOT IT...was i supposed to be running after them to give me the list???.....hiss.....so why oh why do you tell me this bullshit a week before the show...after the clothes have already been finished.....

see now THAT is the reason why i don't do school shows...esp with Africans.....because there is this whole "abuse of power"thing ....like when you are in charge of WHATEVER you can talk to anybody anyhow you feel fit....because u r in charge.... i firmly believe that if i come at u with respect i too should be treated with respect....and lawd knows i try to work with this girl but nooooooooo she had to be so peremptory and ish....Since we started cranberry ...this has been my first time feeling like i am a js3 girl talking to a senior....infact this is the first time ive been talked to like that PERIOD....at least in this America because you know in nija, peeps you meet on the road/ bank/ restaurant can just disrespect you anyhow...after all they are your ELDER.....disrespect is everywhere....just like depression lol.....anyway Americans at least appreciate peoples creativity and time.....and this lady was just talking with so much authority and ish ...in front of the models and the world...with that whole attitude like WE are doing you the favor....?????????....oh helllll naw.....okay she didn't actually say the last part but it was IMPLIED.....I KNOW she wasn't talking to some of the other designers like that....this was plainly because we both know each other and because we are young and upcoming designers and she clearly thinks we are eager and hoping for some exposure.

oh honey please

like i am so pressed to do the show......*rolling eyes*.....infact if not for the fact that we hate being effups.....cranberry would be so OUT of the lineup....i mean ive been part of HUASA way before this young lady and she will not stop me from giving back to my school's ASA period ....

Anyway i will just put it down to maybe she was having a really bad day...cus she is usually an okay chica.......

I did get all my models back tho.....of course...after a Little talk we had LOL....rubbish.....but the exchange just left a sour taste in my mouth....i was just uninterested in everything!...how can u just destroy comfort level i had with the show....and make me feel a bit insignificant...like we have no say in the matter....anyway Ill put all that evil behind me and move on......so about the fitting...err...it went okay....some of the models looked GREAT in the clothes....some just looked ALL WRONG....GAWD i began to doubt myself....dang those Americans and their ample hips....i mean how can ur waist size be smaller than mine and ur hips be way bigger.....it created a problem.....sigh....after flipping through the pictures i know what fits who now...so on Saturday we are refitting.....hopefully this time there would be no fitting problems AND most importantly no communication problems......

On a BRIGHTER NOTE...we got our hair did this weekend by abbylicious abby.....she did like four heads this weekend, mine, ozzy's, joan and juliette's hair....I'm so happy i am in her "i'll do your hair for free circle"......so a big HA HA to all them wannabeIN friends of mine trying to force themselves into that circle....my job is to make sure it never happens ....y'all know who you are....yes larrries...im talking about Y'all!...

Sound the drums!!!!

YES i have been a number one slacker...havent blogged much, havent sewn much..not by choice really...due to the fact that I am the only cranberry STILL in school and most of my classes this year are designed so that in my final semester of college i actually find myself attendin school relegiously, something my fellow cranberr-ians cannot wrap their minds around given my past reputation.

We have a show coming up in 2 weeks and while I burn with jealousy at the thought that they can sew at any given time, I have to juggle my schedule around so i dont end up messing myself up and *gasp* fail to graduate..and then there is the hassle of the social life. It aint easy being me i tell ya...Im a busy young lady.

Plus there is the added fact that i have been suffering from a serious case of *designers block*.. maybe it has to do with the fact that my mind is totally consumed with the 3 medical reviews that i have to write on various medical topics that i dont give a CRAP about. My 9 beautiful fabrics still lying in a pile on the floor where i left them, lovingly arranged close to my sewing machine to remind me of my duties..... and yet until about 3 days ago i had been unable to touch them. Sketching..resketching...trying to keep it REALISTIC...psh i aint no tailor...

but..as of wednesday...

DRUMROLL PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I finally made a dress. Not just any dress...a friggin hot dress if i may be so cocky. Ive been green all this time that joan and doreen have been sendin me pictures of their progress so far, while i was in some library researching medical journals. And now my juice is back and its flowing and i cant stop touching my fabric. 8 more to go! Now I'm reminding myself to go to school and do my work... It doesnt help that we've been laden with snow which gives one a good excuse to totally ignore school, just stay indoors and SEW! Yes it feels great, and my counterparts are relieved. I had already warned them that I was ready to be the Latavia, Latoya, LaMichelle and whoever else to their Beyonce and Kelly..D12 to their Eminem..u get the picture....go along for a free ride! HA! but apparently i guess this is going to be a TLC jumpoff...

This weekend we're going to NY to shop for our show! ....its one thing just to have the clothes and choose great models (our Tyra moments..you, you, you...nah..not you! kidd-inggg lol) but then the most exciting part is styling the clothes. The extra OOMPHS that you add, that just make your clothes look like.....wow! and not to mention our male eye candy..yes we dont make mens clothes but hey we needed any excuse to interact with some male models..lol...have them decorating our runway in their boxers...hell yes! Hopefully the trip is productive and we get all that we are looking for! And then its the music..and then all the extra stuff...hopefully it all goes well... I have my models with me in Philly so i dont have to worry about goin to DC to fit the girls which is a relief!

Well now i have to get back to working so i bid you adieu!.... till next time i can catch a breath and blog!

NEXT STOP........Cranberry TAILORS?

Okay i am obviously in a Blogging mood!!!....making up for lost time...yay me!!...and this is because...

• I am AHEAD of my schedule in terms of preparing for the next collection....ozzy and joan need to follow my stellar example...with emphasis on OZZY, "GURR' you need to get to sewing"! ...so i hereby award myself *****...five stars!
• I am feeling LUCKY after conquering a particular design involving voluminous sleeves which i felt was testing my sewing skills......
• so yes I'm feeling rather chatty!!
  

This weekend Joan and I gave ourselves a valentine's day treat(yeah we started early) by renting like 5 romantic movies...from Breakfast at Tiffany's to Pretty woman....sighhh**...this elusive thing they call LOVEE!!!....FIND ME !FIND ME!!(what am i saying?...I've found it wink*)

Anyway I just HAVE to say that Audrey Hepburn's portrayal of Holly Golightly was delicious....she was utterly and completely chic...all these fake ass wannabes today trying to emulate her style can NEVER succeed...effortlessly flawless...100 stars.

Pretty woman, pretty woman, pretty woman....I've watched it at least 3500 times.....still gets me every time!!....THE BEST romance movie ever! ill fight anyone who says otherwise LOL....i mean a dirty albeit gorgeous prostitute gets a break??!! what the hell is better than that??!!

***************************************************************************

Now before i digress any furthur....let me take a quick stop at the title of this Blog....

For some reason(which we thank God for) after announcing publicly that we were designers...emphasis on the word D.E.S.I.G.N.E.R.S....we have been hit up with several requests from friends, family and other people to make stuff for them....this was/is all very flattering and exciting because that is the intention of all this....you know, to make clothes that people WILL love.....

But

There are ALSO those requests which get us wondering if people see us as just glorified tailors...?????

I had some girl hit me up on FACEBOOK talking about how she loved our clothes and whether or not we do the sewing ourselves...so of cus I go into the whole automatic cranberry promo mode, saying, "yes we do...and we design the clothes..and blah blah blah".....

And she goes, "Oh I'm an upcoming designer too and i am looking for people to help me sew my designs...would you guys mind helping me out with the sewing??.....

so i go, " .......................................????"...

i think i still need to reply that email....very exhausting..

And of course there are those really sweet friends of mine who ask me to sew traditional African designs they have in mind.....hmmm....just because i do this cranberry thing does not mean i can make a wedding dress at will....

And of course there are those who just order one thing from each dress....

going: "uh I'll like the sleeves of that dress in the first picture ...but red....definitely red and the skirt in the other picture but this time with a different fabric and pattern...definitely not that one in the picture...not for me!!"

And i go: " HMMMMMM...anything else ma"???

And of cus there is my boyfie who constantly asks me to sew a pocket onto his jacket...i know he is kidding but men it's a sensitive joke lol....so in all honesty when we do start taking orders and making ready to wear...Please order what you see....in the colors you see it in...or the other colours we put it is available in....unless people don't mind handing out the extra $$$ for going to look for that particular color you have in mind....I will go the extra distance trust me! LOL......

Oh and i forgot to mention getting a call from some modelling troupe to SEW 6 Aquamarine high waisted business skirts for them during the time span of two days.....for like 20 bucks each...MATERIAL included....honey please.


And on an ending note, Cranberry is here to work with you and to find out what is right for your body and what YOU want but it also lies on our own terms.

Networking...sucks.

If only good things could drop in your lap while watching television and eating Thai food.......life would only be so purr'fect...

But UNFORTUNATELY.

..In this world we live in, in order to succeed you have to pursue your destiny.....make an effort...make a mark somehow....sell the hell out of yourself.....talk to people...deal with people....be of service to people.....listen to criticisms from people....be Open to listening to criticisms....have a formal introduction ready....be ready to chop disrespect.....all that good stuff...BAH :(

You see, there is no BIG DEAL person out there who hasn't had to deal with people....
YOU could actually get somewhere with just your personality alone.....But all that climbing ladders deal is so damn LONG....I stayed the Hell outta of business school for a reason... all that tooth shining, hand shaking, jibber jabber always SCARED me to pieces...i always feel so STUPID in moments where i have to act interested in what people are saying...i just zone out and hope they don't ask questions..lol....

Being good at networking, is a skill that one has to HONE to perfection. To learn how to deal with people(who can influence your future ) in the *right * way is a lesson i would pay good money for....I say this because all this *ALREADY THERE* people can see through * upcoming people's* BS...

Personally i think being LIKABLE is very important.....and when i say being likable i mean being naturally likable...because I've met people who try to Force you to like them by being kiss asses and unfortunately all they really get for their efforts are footprints over their own asses.....so ....i feel the deal is to sell yourself in a way that you earn their respect...its a very precarious balance...because you have to give them their respect and make sure that they don't mistake your respect with hero worship.......so why i choose likable as a NO 1 factor is because when people like you they automatically want to make things EASIER for you...they listen to what you have to say and give you a chance...YAY!.....Now the question is, do i consider myself and my counterparts likeable??...Hmm...i hope so!!...in all truthfulness i think we all have a certain degree of likability depending on the day, time and month....( i keed! i keed!)......

WE ARE LIKABLE DAMMIT AND THAT TOPIC IS NOT OPEN FOR DISCUSSION!

Alright truthfully i think we suck at networking....its either that we are very shy or we are very lazy...Anyone of those options would do... We are still trying to figure out which one it is.... We can be in the presence of Andre Leon Tally or Ms Wintour and just sit our butts quietly in our chair because...

• No one is willing to go first...ozzy you go...no Doreen you go...no Joan you go.
• No one wants to chop yawa....its always too early in the day...
• The chair is too comfortable...
• we are very shy ladies...quiet sweet shy(yes i do say so myself)...
• We get angry at Andre and Anna for putting us in this position, i mean who do THEY think they are to get us perspiring like this?
• and as you can see i can keep going on and on and on......................and on.

We would probably just resort to our fall back plan, which is to REALLY dress up and walk past *them* like a hundred times Hoping we get noticed....don't laugh at our plan.....it has Never failed us and it has gotten us into really exclusive places we weren't even trying to enter. YAY!

Anyway even if we Hate networking, we have to get over it BAH*:(...because without it...you are just designing for you and you alone....sigh*.....obiwanthetailor abi dezhare did i get it right? (she always says that!) lol.....

So I'm off to reply emails, SEND emails and line up more fashion shows...we already have 3 scheduled from now to April....and with that i bid everyone ADIEU!