Valley Vintage has begun thriving as a business. With our official one year anniversary as a business happening this month, I have no doubts that VVLLC will continue to grow and be something I will continue to love curating and running.

Jillian Lyons Designs on the other hand, has had a very troublesome year. Sales had progressively gone down. On top of this I had burned myself out last year from crafting. I took a break for a while. I had very little inspiration or drive. I think this is something many artists go through at one time or another. To make matters worse, I hurt my arm and wrist for a prolonged period of time at the height of the Holiday season. When 2015 rolled around, my precious JLD started to feel like it was dead in the water. I toyed with the idea of closing it. Putting all my eggs in the vintage basket seemed like what would eventually happen. But it hurt me deeply to have to publicly say my inspiration is gone and so is JLD.

Then Marissa at Sassy Mouth Photography tapped me to use some of my angel wings in a Victoria Secret inspired series of photo shoots. As I said in a previous post, I HAD to say yes. She was practically magical! I admired her work. So off I went.

Seeing her finished images moved me. I was finally ready to make wings again! The flood gates opened and I started creating. I also started posting new items to Jillian Lyons Designs for the first time in a year. It felt so good. Like an awakening of my authentic self.

Soon enough offers came my way. PopUp55 offered us the use of their wonderful pop up shop space for a 2 week run with a Spring theme. Assuming they meant Valley Vintage I started curating bright Spring colors in my mind. Then a surprise. Elinor Slomba, my contact at PopUp55 and New Haven's Project Storefronts said no. She was actually looking for Jillian Lyons Designs to bring in the Spring. I was surprised, nervous, worried. Even though I had new product, I wasn't sure if JLD was enough for the PopUp55 shop. or it's New Haven customers. I negotiated for both vintage clothing and my costumey accessories to have a presence there. Elnor said ok, but let's say Jillian Lyons Designs @ PopUp55.



So that brings us to the present. I have just wrapped up my two week long pop up shop event. What I learned from this, is that people liked Jillian Lyons Designs. I sold both old and new products. The things I felt weren't my strengths did just as well as the things I thought were shoe ins. AND the vintage clothes weren't the huge success I expected them to be. They did EQUAL business.

I learned many valuable lessons about working with a staff, what works for me in person versus online, how to better market myself in all respects. I learned so much that the powers that be from PopUp55 / Project Storefronts have invited me to share my experience and Etsy marketing tips at a workshop. So on April 23rd I will be at The Haven Collective giving a little talk about all of these things. This is happening from 7:30 - 9pm at 938 State Street New Haven. You can find more info HERE.

In my next post I'll be adding some of the gorgeous shots from our Pop Up Photo Shoot on the streets of NHV! For now you can find a few in the I Love New Haven blog, courtesy of Mr. Chris Randall.

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW. If you don't know about the cult following of this film, you have been living under a rock since 1975. It is probably the original cult flick. The greatest of the cult flicks. So when I heard that it was actually playing in my home town of Seymour, I about came out of my skin.


Seymour is located in a little burrow of Connecticut called the Valley. Seymour, Ansonia, Derby, Shelton, Oxford, Beacon Falls and Naugatuck make up the recently dubbed All American Valley. This is a mix of mostly blue collar and middle class who work hard, play hard and are usually in bed by 10:00. So color me surprised when I heard that the Seymour Strand Theater was not only encouraging full on costumes, but also selling bags with all the prop pieces you need for the flick - INCLUDING the messy stuff! Rice, toast, squirt guns, confetti, playing cards, you name it and it was in there for a mere $5! (I know, I can already hear you say whaaaaaatttttt from here.) However, this was NOT a midnight screening. Doors opened at 8:15 and there was a costume contest around 9:00. (Which yours truly did enter!) The flick was running by 9:30. All of us Seymorians were back at home by midnight. The freaks came out, but not as late as you'd think.

Prop bags. They were only $5!

I went into full on costume in a short period of time mode, for the second time in 2 weeks. I had to be Magenta. Like it wasn't even an option for anything else. I have a Magenta statue in my living room. I had the perfect idea for my own campy twist on it.

Our car had been getting fixed for the past two weeks, so I lucked out when we got it back in the nick of time for this event. I was able to run out to a local Ocean State Job Lot and buy 2 king size inexpensive pillow cases. I used these to make my apron for the show. I had a black top that had the right plunging neckline and cut for my not so sweet Magenta. Also a black short skirt I had hemmed a few years back. Fishnets are always in my drawer for costume emergencies! I also had a bevvy of false lashes. I went almost full on drag with my make up. Playing up Magenta's eye make up to the extreme and getting almost a Bianca del Rio version for my look. I was pretty pleased. I practiced my intense Magenta face on Instagram too! The response was just what I was hoping for.

Magenta make up test shot. Why yes, that is a doily on my head.

So off we went! It was great - until we pulled in, and I had a moment of panic. Everyone was in street clothes!!!!! We already bought the tickets. I painted my face like a fucking drag queen *panic* am I the only one who did this!?! I calmed myself and my boyfriend and friend helped talk me down a little. Fuck it, who cares. It's fun. That's right it's suppose to be FUN! So I said screw it, I'll be the freak then. I got out of the car and as I was walking across the lot I heard someone yell "Oh thank God!" I looked to my left and a Magenta and Columbia waved at me, half hiding. I waved back and said Yes!!!! Come with me! We'll go together! Instant friends were made and we all walked to the theater.

InstaFriends!

Now here's where things start getting wild. More and more people show up. A few more costumes, people started relaxing and laughing. Then this woman comes up to me and hugs me. She's thanking me for dressing up! She's a little tipsy and super excited about the show. She had been waiting decades to see it with a real audience. She loved Magenta and thanked me over and over for doing such a cool costume and make up. She literally grabs my face and starts reciting my Magenta lines. I admit I froze for a minute. I wasn't sure if she was going to kiss me, rape me, or was just super excited. That moment of what is happening here? She gave me a kiss on the cheek and thanked me for making her night and skipped off into the crowd. I shook off the nervous and thought, well, I guess that was ok. Then I took her picture!

Super excited virgin here! Know your assailant.

Just when I thought this night could not be any more surreal, my Aunt showed up! Aunt Mindy joined us in the crazy fun and brought her own prop bag and party hat! She took pics of me in the costume contest like a proud mama, which rocked! And even jumped on stage to do the Time Warp!

Aunt Mindy!

Magenta & Sleep Over Columbia

Psychedelic Riff Raff

Another lovely Magenta!

Pretty Magentas all in a row.

Inspector Mike led the crowd as our MC. He pulled a "virgin" on stage to teach her the Time Warp. Led us through what to expect, and encouraged everyone on stage to get in on the Time Warp.

The costume contest was a blast. Naturally the dude who showed up with the balls to dress as Frankenfurter won by a landslide! That dude deserved everything he won! That took.....balls, which you could pretty much see... I did not win best Magenta, but I sure as Hell acted like I did! Like a boss!

Guess who's ready for her close up now...

Presenting Seymour's own Frankenfurter!

Everyone was a pile of giggles.

So it was official, this was one crazy night. Who knew all this was hiding in my sweet little Suddenly Seymour. 

Foreshadowing

The Desperate Child

We Are the Desperate

60s Siren

Desperate Siren

Desperately Seeking

The Bad Seed

Wednesday's Child

Desperate Leader

Wednesday's Lonely

Pirates

It's Coming

Silent Film Angel

Voice of the Desperate

Wednesday Rising

Sepia Sadness

Soak It In

Wednesday Smiles

Save The Desperate

Realization

I Know What I Have To Do Now

Part 2 will be coming in another week or so. I am so proud of this work. I can't wait to share the next set!

Jillian prepping Julia, behind the scenes.

Photos: Abstract Koncepts & Jillian Lyons Designs

So I haven't posted in a bit. The catch up for last three months is this. I had some great times working for a small vintage business in 2013 and part of this year, but I hit a point where things were getting worse instead of better. Working for someone else's success is tough and requires you to neglect your own. This culminated with a small financial failure in trying to open a shop / office in the New Haven area, as well as an unexpected raise in rent for my own small maxi-pad.

My boyfriend and I lost a small chunk of change by pulling out of a commercial lease last minute. The best way I can explain this scenario, we looked at a space in a not so great neighborhood that claimed to be trying to "rebuild". This was during the height of mountains of snow here in Connecticut. As the snow began to melt, we started seeing things look worse and worse. Then the space we had secured was damaged by another tenant and no one seemed to want to bother to fix anything. So after a few scary days and consulting with a lawyer, we said goodbye money. And goodbye Money Pit. We both believe going through with this space would have ended very badly and even with losing some money, saved ourselves even more loss in the end.

I'd be lying if I said all of these things didn't take a toll on me personally. I felt like I was having a complete life fail. But being the resilient lady that I am, it only took about a month before I had regrouped with a new plan, and let it go. As a human being and small business entity, I am always willing to talk about my failures. I think there is no shame in it. Successful people fail. In fact they fail a lot. The road to awesome is usually paved with lots and lots of oopsies. How can we learn and grow if we're too busy pretending to be perfect?

Moving on and out put me in a whole new perspective. We moved out of New Haven and found a great townhouse apartment in my hometown of Seymour. Honestly, this was the last place I expected to end up. The Valley and I did not part on good terms the last time around. But the apartment was too good to pass up! I now find myself in love with my town's charm. Located in the adorable All American Valley, Seymour is a small town full of great antiquities, beautiful buildings, small businesses, farms, and all kinds blue to white collar locals.

My love of all things vintage is still a constant. So it seemed logical to open a new online Etsy shop showcasing my own vintage collection that I had been quietly hoarding over the past few years. My newest venture is fittingly called Valley Vintage, LLC.

Things are going pretty well so far! I have lots of new projects in the works. Some beautiful pictures coming up that will showcase a collaboration with an old pal of mine as well as handmade and vintage. We've even started scouting out new locations and trying to put our pennies aside in hopes of finding the perfect place to have our own small biz. My dreams, never stop - even if I am.

If you're not failing every now and again, it's a sign you're not doing anything very innovative.

Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.