the new kids

with all of the election hub-bub going on, i decided to grace your eyes with a powerful depiction of civil rights, and ask the question, "how far have we come?". this a norman rockwell entitled "new kids in the neighborhood."

this morning i read an amazing article about a woman in bastrop county, texas, who at 109 years of age, being a daughter of a slave, recently voted by a mail-in-ballot for obama. this woman paid the poll tax to vote until the year 1966. it's amazing that even though african americans were given the right to vote after the civil war, the state legislatures passed laws to keep african americans away from the polls, imposing tests and taxes to earn their right to vote.

in a time where americans are supposedly "united", i find that we're still radically divided. we're missing the greater point. instead of fighting with each other, we need to fight to understand each other.

xo.

winter on the prairie

thanks to the sartorialist for capturing this look in paris....

just this morning i was pondering fur and plaid together.   i LOVE it.  let's go thrift shopping!  

3.1 Phillip Lim

calling all ebay shoppers - 

please catch a glimpse of phillip lim brilliance that is now on ebay.  if i didn't have issues with bidding on a dress already going for over $250, i would bid.  so until either my issues are resolved or i decide to sew something similar, join me in pretending this dress hangs in our closets.  

the whimsical ribbon is very feminine...and a flattering accent to this dress.  and the sleeves....oh the sleeves.  they're precious.
i love the delicate detailing!  

xo.

  

great-grandaughter of geneva

meet miss ava. ava is almost 2. and she's the great-grandaughter of geneva! we like stripes, sunshine, and playing peek-a-boo with the camera.

autumn afternoon

This is my desktop image at work. It's amazing....(and I can't remember where I found it....my deepest apologies to the photographer who deserves all of the credit.)

Home was a small, rural community in Illinois, and this photo paints the perfect picture of the land surrounding Geneva's home. It transports me to my own youthful afternoons at her farm as we waited for Earl (my grandfather) to drive up the long lane. Time slows down a bit when you look at this photo, almost to a complete stop. For me I get lost in the tall grasses as a ten year old looking for adventure. A light wind leads us (probably my two brothers and I) around the big, red barn, over to the winding creek, and down to the old train tracks. Every child deserves a setting in which their imaginations can be authored by such a place.

xo.

a humble beginning

today marks the first entry of geneva's daughter.  a place where i can post moments of inspiration and reflection, and to ultimately share the journey of my clothing line.

a brief, sweet background to geneva's daughter:  my grandmother, geneva, is my teacher and role model for living life.  she is a mother of five children, four sons and one daughter (my mom).   her life has permanently impressed upon my own the importance of love, laughter, hard work, and joy.   her hands have shared and passed down a love of sewing, cooking, planting, and praying.  she is the inspiration to a line dedicated to her heart, her freckles, her smile, and her laughter.  

i hope to inspire with elements of simplicity, and a beauty that ranges from vintage prints to prairie nights.   thanks for your read....and continue to check back in on the new work in progress.  

xo.