Inspired Nighties

Nighties

There is just something about a cotton nighty, washed and washed and softened with sleep, that actually is not only comfortable, it is also a comfort.

Customers and friends have told me stories of how nighties have literally helped them feel better during lengthy hospital stays, made them feel pretty and feminine after some very tough days that were not at all pretty or feminine, and just became a ritual, like yoga, or music or using a favorite face cream to help unwind at the end of a day. They tell me there is nothing like hanging out in their nighty on a Sunday, reading, writing, having a cup of coffee and feeling old fashioned cozy on a quiet day. A sleep therapist I met in Philadelphia told me that she uses our soft voile nighties to help her clients with sleep. My sister wears a fresh nighty every night. Always feminine and fresh, It is just part of who she is.

The delicate embroideries, many inspired from antique nightwear and bed jackets are what I love most. They bring the past to my present, the lives of other women, the sleeps of other sisters to my night. They comfort me, and I remember them.

April

An Occasion For Tea - Photos to Share

The Empress Hotel in Victoria British Columbia, nestled in Victoria’s downtown harbor, was the perfect setting for Victoria Magazine’s “Occasion for Tea.”

Hundreds of women from both the United States and Canada spent several days at the Hotel and around the city, listening to talks and getting to know each other and the city of Victoria.

I was delighted to show some of my decorating ideas on three different tables with three different color palettes, to the Sunday morning group.

I introduced personal ideas of having missing family at the table with framed photos and keepsake items. There were both summer and fall palettes, and live flowers to match.

Nicest of all was having my Mother, father and store manager Kate there to participate.

I was lucky I sat at a table with Phyllis Hoffman, of Hoffman Publishing [Victoria Magazine] and Dorothea Johnson, etiquette expert as well as the very talented floral artist, Susan Woodard, who had done matching arrangements with my containers for my tables.

The breakfast tables had beautiful silver vases absolutely laden with flowers, at the end of the event these were auctioned off and the crowd of women walking away with their beautiful arrangements made a pretty sight.

What a nice occasion!

Thinking outside the "bun tray"

Being an artist and designer means being creative and thinking of multiple uses for home accents. Our online Marketing Manager sent this photo along of her parent's kitty, Ella. Ella decided the Bun Tray is the perfect size for a nap! What a creative cat!

A Pretty Blouse and Business

First Published in the Burlington Free Press - July 2008

A Pretty Blouse and Business:

I was at a business conference recently and at the end of this rather inconclusive symposium somebody said ‘business needs to do a better job of telling its story’

I had to agree we have a story and it is time to tell it.

I am in the clothing business, the textile business and the design business.

And the story I want to tell is the story of a blouse. A blouse that sells for forty nine dollars. At full price.

A pretty blouse that makes the wearer feel good about herself and brings a smile to her face when she looks in the mirror and when somebody offers her a compliment about how great she looks.

This is the story of that blouse, that blouse and its journey to her hands, that blouse and its circle of employment, that blouse and its industry of creativity, that blouse and its unseen values.

That blouse is born on the sketch sheet of a designer, that designer has done her research, buying trade publications, attending industry fairs, shopping the market, in my case using vintage and antique references, she has conducted surveys with her staff and customers, run reports and drawn on her own vision to make that first sketch. The details of the fabrics and trims, tailoring and accessories, embroidery and print are all on that sketch, this sketch holds all of the information that the blouse will need to start its journey. The designer’s counterpart today is half a world away, let’s call her Anita, she’s a merchandiser; she has the skills that will take that sketch and breakdown its ingredients and deliver them to each of the trades needed to make it. She will use experts to source the fabric, a cotton voile. This soft and fine cotton comes from Southern India, in Southern India it is grown and in Southern India it is woven. A tradition as old as cloth continues in the weaving mills of the south. That first yard of cotton, the unrefined greige goods already comes with its own record of employment.

I think of the labor that goes into picking that cotton. I think of the families living from those wages. I think of the cotton popping out of its pod, warmed by the sun, and then carded and woven to make a cloth that cannot be mimicked by man made fibers, a cloth that is both strong and durable, and light and breathable. A cloth that can be dyed and printed be embroidered or left plain. I think – ‘now that is a cloth that deserves respect’- that is a cloth whose provenance is known by its’ unique touch and is immeasurably fine.

Then that cotton is dyed, color is its’ essence, its hue matched with a combination of science and a trained eye, after dying comes processing, a vital step- to remove stiffness and shrinkage- I will have my fabric washed in large tubs and hang it to dry, letting the natural air and climate enter its fiber, letting the fabric rest so the cutting of it will be straight. I think of the families supported by the washing of this blouse. The work its own specialty of know how and skill.

Before the fabric is ready, the pattern is in process. The expert in the spec department has lined up the measurements with the design; a combination of grading rules and computer programs assures that the fit is fine. The pattern master with sketch and specs in hand, cuts the first pattern, marking all of the pleats and tucks and darts that both the cutting master and tailor will need to guide them. And so it is to that cutting master next, and then the skilled tailor, there’s tucks and the tailoring, and many fine lines of stitches to complete the style.

We must add the hand- work, the embroidery is perfected, an accomplished craftswoman re - worked the pattern, and reworked it again, until it was perfect. And the yarns, those embroidery yarns, each color dyed just for this motif: each matching perfectly to spec and design. These experts are called masters and that’s what they do they master their craft and take pride in their work.

I think of the families that live from these jobs.

And buttons, small buttons a leitmotif of mine, they are made from shells, they are mother of pearl, they glisten like ivory, they carry the sea, those tiny buttons, like a vintage find, are something special, sewable only by hand they put the smile on the blouse the delicate closure, they are both grace and design yet something so seemingly simple and fine. Those buttons too are manufactured just for you.

And there is a label and a hangtag – more work for designers, and the label manufacturer too, and printing the hangtag, and attaching it now, and pressing the blouses, and removing all stains, and thread cutting, and button hole making, that’s an entire specialization with its own operators too, and quality checking that delicate blouse, and packing it carefully and folding it well. Anita, the merchandiser, gives her last final test. The blouse now takes a journey that involves boats or planes, freight forwarding companies, and employment at ports, it takes a journey that engages another world of endeavor, that kowtows to customs and pays its dues, that moves to delivery and receiving of goods, that arrives at a warehouse that houses systems created by IT, the recording and accounting of every sale, it works with a budget, a financial plan, that has its own merchandisers, not Anita now but Amanda creates the map, that encompasses statistics and models and photo shoots, and marketing and locations and travels to trade shows and builds websites to sell it. It employs copywriters and call centers and product managers too. This pretty voile blouse, keeps working hard.

It links sales reps and customers, retailers and consumers, analysts and accountants and window dressers with promotions and store managers and supervisors and part timers and landlords and advertisers too, needing graphics and printed brochures, and store design and carpentry and electricians and floorers and painters and builders - this little blouse has pulled on its journey hundreds of people and a multiplicity of skills, from fabric to finish its employment circle is large, it ripples and contributes and creates ladders for success, this blouse in its industry, its accessible industry where talent is welcomed, where women and men can reach for the top, this industry that employs so many, this industry rides on the back of that pretty blouse.

And that pretty blouse in the soft color of a rose, with the delicate embroidery that captures the breathe of a flower, that pretty blouse in the softest of cottons, with fine lines of pintucks, that pretty blouse whose neckline flatters the face, that pretty blouse that today gave your life a little more grace, that pretty blouse that made you smile, that pretty blouse is business my friend.

That pretty blouse has a story to tell. For forty nine dollars. That little blouse should be treated well.

Tea in Victoria

An occasion for tea - August 8th through the 10th a luxurious tea event will be held at the Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria, British Columbia. The event will be hosted by Victoria and TeaTime magazines and will include guest speakers, delicious dining, and of course tea. I will be attending the event and am honored to be a speaker at the breakfast Sunday morning. I welcome you all and look forward to seeing you. For more information on the event you can visit www.victoriamag.com.

a hot day in VT

Only here in Vermont do we have friends that spend a 90 degree day chasing sheep! Here is a delightful (and funny) story from our good friend Tara.

On Sunday, it was 95 degrees in the shade. The sheep shearers came at noon to shear our sheep. After they were done, one of the sheep got out of the fence. When we were trying to herd her back in, two other sheep escaped. While we were chasing them, the last two hopped out, and then we were chasing 5 sheep all around 5 or 6 acres, trying to get them to get in the fence under the apple tree, so they could get some shade. They were starting to turn RED from the heat.

After half an hour, I managed to grab one of the smaller ones, who hadn't been sheared so she had some wool on her, and picked her up and carried her to the fence. Then one of the shearers and I wrestled one of the bigger sheep and we both managed to get her in. After another 10 minutes, we rounded up the last three and got them all in the fence. All told, we were running and wrestling around for 40 minutes.

Bear in mind that it was noon, 95 degrees and sunny and HUMID. And I was wearing my new April Cornell Emmi dress. And it was the best thing I could have had on -- it was incredibly breathable, I was able to move easily and quickly, and I cooled down right away (once I was done running!).

I washed it and all the dirt came out just fine, and I can't wait to wear it on the next hot day. (My mother, who -- not very helpfully -- was watching the whole thing, said she wants one of those dresses too!

-Tara

Happy Mother's Day

My Mother

If you know my mother,

And maybe you do,

Because maybe your mother

Is like my mother too.

Then you know a mother

As strong as a trap,

As soft as a pillow,

As warm as a lap.

You know a mother

Who grandmothers

Your children,

And mothers your friends,

She is open to life and all of its people,

She can talk to the men

About politics.

The boys about sports

The girls about love

And issues of all sorts.

The hairdresser loves her, the café owner too;

The bridge group demands her,

Her grandchildren know she’s the best.

She’s exceedingly self effacing,

Denying her brainier cogitation,

She’s particular about cleaning yet

She loves impressionist art

Decorating is her hobby,

She likes to keep her home fresh.

She loves to go places,

To be with her family is the best.

She honors the past

But mostly embraces the present

She’s an undeclared artist,

A shy watercolor painter,

Her children love her art, from her talented heart.

She’s loyal, she’s kind and fierce when need be,

She’s forgiving; she’s friendly and cheers others constantly.

Most of all she’s my dear mother, my telephone end, my model, my acceptance, my goodness, my friend.

Mother, dear mother,

Thank you, for you.

Happy Mothers Day Mom,

I hope there’s more out there like you! xx

April Cornell Designs Featured at High Point Show

Here are some photos of an exhibition April Cornell rug designs were featured in recently. We were part of only four exhibits selected for the show at High Point. (The High Point Market is the largest furnishings industry trade show in the world.) April Cornell received lots of praise and no attendants could miss it!

A Recent Article

Greetings. This is a recent article I wrote for the local paper here in Vermont. I received lots of great feedback so I thought I would pass it along to you. Let me know what you think.

Printed in the Burlington Free Press - March 2008 - Burlington, Vermont

A Checklist for Funerals

Spring is hesitatingly in the air.

In Vermont we are yet to smell the earthy smell of spring, but we have seen robins, we have yet to feel a spring rain, but geese have honked their way into the state. In the fierceness of this bitter winter we hear the hope of spring.

And I reflect upon losses even as I look to new life.

For a life begun can be a life well lived.

And a life ended can still feed the future with memories and love, ideas and inspiration. This past year I was involved in two family deaths – my two brothers in law both passed away. I was the sister unaffected, but rocked to the core. In a very hard time I saw my sisters, and their communities shining bright. I felt so proud for them. They were doing the last thing right, they were ushering out sorrow, years of companionship, honoring their husband’s lives, and they were doing so with care and dignity and love and showing those around them how to do the last thing right.

As my sisters – sometimes blank faced with shock, sometimes sorrowing with comprehension, moved through their grief, I saw that not only the dead husband was honored and received lifetime accolades, but the family and the friends showed that the living spouse was so respected so loved so much a part of her community that all wanted to be there to help her, support her in her grief. And though eulogies were given and good lives recognized the still standing felt a sweep of love and care and good will towards them too. It was not only about the one who died but so much about the concern towards those that still live.

I learned so much at seeing death up close, of how to handle dying and loss to eek dignity out of a painful passing. I saw one sister holding her husband in her arms, and her soothing voice telling him it is OK to just let go.

I saw my mother and brother comforting my younger sister, cocooned in her bed, paralyzed with fear. They were surrounding her with love, absorbing her grief.

I watched and helped and learned and found that even a funeral has a check list. Here is one we made over two funerals for two very loved brothers in law.

First – try not to rush- take the days you need to prepare the funeral you want. Everyday spent together as a family helps with healing and reveals important insights into the help that may be needed in the months ahead. Give yourself a week.

A Website – creating a website is a wonderful way to pay respects to the family, to share stories of the loved one’s life, to see pictures and for friends and family to post their condolences. A tech savvy friend or family member can be the editor to make sure nothing inappropriate is posted. This can stay up for a number of months and people can post thoughts over time. It can be a consolation to the bereaved to go back and read when the shock of loss starts to wear off.

The obituary – the family – or a writer in the family or close friend can create the obituary – interviewing gently different family members to give a full and complete story of life. With a website to post it on – you do not need to worry about the number of words. A smaller obituary can be prepared for the newspaper. One of my sisters chose to put a poem in the newspaper and the obituary on her website.

Cremation or burial. A box is required for both – and funeral directors are very helpful with arrangements, burying and burning, but are not yet stocking suitable boxes for cremation. Both of my sisters wanted something special and appropriate – for one we had a handmade First Nation’s box, and for the other a handmade brass trimmed box made by a jewelry box maker. Both required some fast thinking, phone calls and running around. And that can be a blessing in a time of grief – feeling useful.

[And by the way 8x8x8 is the minimum size Box that you will need.]

Pictures – my family likes crafts and a way for us to be busy was the cutting and pasting of photos of my brother in laws lives – we grouped them by themes, by family and by chronology, and mounted them on poster board for others to see. We also did some quick frame shopping to reframe awards and special pictures to place at the service.

The Hall –for after the service or in place of a religious location, you will need a hall or a home to gather in. It is the job of the family to figure this out; the bereaved will not be up to it. We had both of our events in centers that were lacking in stained glass windows and wooden pulpits – we needed to pretty them up and make them more uplifting and respectful of the loss. We used pretty tablecloths to cover the tables, mounted our photos on walls, cut greenery to place in vases and created a special table for the ashes and personal mementos. Flowers received were placed on tables adding color and acknowledging the gift.

Sound system- Strangely enough – in the absence of a minister, priest or rabbi, a ‘master of ceremonies’ is required.

Line up somebody that is comfortable with the role, and close to the deceased to help organize the different people who want to speak. Arrange a mike, so the most soft spoken or elderly can also be heard. In the case of one of my sisters – one of the ‘speakers’ were musicians and they sang for everybody.

Audio visual. In our case the younger generation organized a repeating slide show that played throughout the service. It was a lot of work but the value in the doing was as important as the viewing. They also handled the website.

Food – Let people help! My sister’s small town community heard the call and knew the family was there and basically provided every meal required. I think that has to be incredibly unusual in these days- but food is certainly needed – so if your community is not so inclined to bring ‘love in a casserole’ somebody will either have to cook or be on the phone ordering food pretty much all of the time. Like the family techie – there may also be a family cook – let everybody share his own abilities.

Food at the Funeral – Again – if people offer – yes is the right word. Otherwise cater something and make sure there is enough to drink for everybody. [You can ask people to bring wine or beer if they ask how they can help. Funerals are expensive and provided food or beverage may be more helpful than flowers.]

Donations or cards – a basket or pretty bowl for cards.

Condolence Book – a good looking guest book for people to sign and leave a message in. This will be looked at later- the bereaved may not even be fully aware of who is at the funeral and will appreciate reading the names later.

What to Wear. With three sisters – this was definitely going to be taken care of – we all arrived with extra outfits – for some reason we wanted our bereaved sister to look smashing, and she wanted to too.

Laughter. The funny thing about death is the response by the human spirit to bubble up and find humor at the worst of times. In all of the grief new memories will be made, old friendships renewed and love replenished. And there will be laughter between tears.

April Cornell

Woman with a heart

Woman with a heart

There’s romantic love of the heart celebrated on Valentine’s Day,

And then there’s heartfelt actions celebrated every day.

Today I want to think about my friend Chris Chen, a woman with a very big heart.

Like a lot of big hearted people she is very tiny. With long black hair and a gallows sense of humor she defies challenges with a ‘you can get on living or get on dying’ attitude.

And getting on living is her specialty.

I met Chris a few years ago in Atlanta, at a dinner with friends in the gift industry. We went to the home of Ed Chu, a handsome man with a collection of honey and a penchant for 15 year old cheeses. We went on to dinner in on of Atlanta’s more exclusive restaurants and we hit it off right away – both of us talking about our favorite charities.

Believe it or not – you do not meet people with common links like this very often! How delightful – and in Atlanta – one of my favorite cities too.

I invited her to visit me- should she ever make it to Burlington Vermont. I was surprised a couple of months later when I had a call – she was in the area – participating in an iron man competition in Lake Placid, on her way to a medical conference in Montréal. Could she pop over for dinner?

In Chris’s case – upstate New York, was ‘in the area’ and she happily drove the 2 hours for dinner, even though her competition was the next morning. We had a great meal together on the Marketplace in Vermont – Chris brought me a pair of earrings she bought at a local gift shop on the way [she always bring presents] and list of cool things to do in New York state. And then over wine and hours, she told me a little bit about her life. She is so young, only in her early thirties, but her life is already so big.

She came with her family from Taiwan as a girl, unhappily her mom passed away when she was a teenager. She went to Medical School, where she was a normal student having fun, drinking beer and leading the American college life; then she was diagnosed with Breast Cancer, and she started to get serious about her life. She had a steady boyfriend who died of leukemia, who was involved in charity work. She was inspired by him and her own brush with mortality, to lead a meaningful life that included service, in fact that evolved around giving back. Doctors without Borders became a focal point of her work. Chris started traveling to areas of need and performing voluntary work as a doctor, she went to China, to Thailand, to Africa and to South America. Some trips were just long lines of people in front of her, looking into one patient, one symptom at a time, and then moving on to the next one. When asked ‘how do you prioritize? She replied “I don’t’- I just take care of who is in front of me.” One trip had her and fellow doctors digging graves for victims of an epidemic, victims even the locals wouldn’t touch. There didn’t seem to be an area too dangerous or a job too unappealing for her.

At some point She started training for marathons- she was not previously an athlete, after marathons came Iron Man. She wanted to be stronger, healthier, and more alive. Now she works in the emergency room in an Atlanta hospital, sometimes 36 hour shifts – she happily covers for other doctors with families so they can be with them. She thinks parents are raising the future. Her pay goes to pay for her travel with Doctors without Borders.

I saw Chris in January in Atlanta; she came straight from an all- nighter in the Emergency Room, still in her scrubs with a big coat thrown over top. We met for breakfast; she gave me a 1972 American silver dollar as a Chinese New Years gift.

She was looking so thin, and she was now fighting a second bout of cancer - this time combining Chinese medicine with western treatments.

She left the following week for a lecture series in Hong Kong and Indonesia, she is now in Darfur. It’s not her first time in that area and she told me the non medical challenges – the bartering with rebels masquerading as soldiers for the food already donated, but not yet reached to the refugees. She told me she would be the lone doctor in a refugee camp of tens of thousands – She will likely perform brain surgery – you know that expression – is not brain surgery – well if you are a doctor in the field – it very well could be. When I said to her – you must look like an angel to all of those waiting people – she said they don’t actually know what to make of her – because they’ve never seen an Asian before. I think they now know the face of an angel is that of a pretty Asian woman with black hair, a quick smile and a great earthy laugh- a woman with a big heart – and a drill – a woman with a laugh, and a pill -Chris Chen, my friend.

Next stop the Congo.

February 10, 2008

Burlington Vermont

The Cayman Toss Up!

I spent the holidays in the Cayman Islands

Warm tropical breezes, a turquoise sea breaking in white splashes on the reef, sun that fed my Vitamin D starved skin, all made me feel that I was in a surround sound spa ordered up just for me.

The best of course was my family and Cayman friends.

Two of my sons spent Christmas with me, we made a Cayman recipe for Roast Beef for Christmas day with garlic cloves and spices inserted into the meat- it was good.

I spent two weeks with my mother and father - two weeks! Such a long time for an adult child! It was wonderful, the chatting the cooking the story sharing, all pleasure and just what the doctor ordered.

I have to tell you about my best recipe - I love to bake and make desserts and I have a few classics that I like to share.

I volunteered for a desert on New Years Day - relying on my Canadian roots, I said I would make butter tarts - if you don't know butter tarts - then you still have new pleasures awaiting you in this world!

Well - baking went a little off.some how my pastry flopped and I couldn't make the tarts - I changed to a pie and just pushed the thick pastry in the bottom of the pie pan, a finger full at a time, and then poured the butter tart mix in. Adjusting the time to accommodate the now huge pie - I baked it and it looked pretty decent when I pulled it out of the oven.

of course the party wasn't at my house - it was down the road a piece.

I carried the pie, and about six other things to the parking lot.

as I was opening the car door - down came the pie - that is upside down. Ahhh - well butter tarts are so good - I could not bear to throw it away. I ran to the house got a spatula and quickly lifted the pie back into the pan. It was a little tossed to be sure, but it still looked good. and a quick taste showed it still had the power!

You know I made a few excuses when i presented my pie to the hostess - I told her about the spill and how it should still taste all right.As each person commented the pie tale expanded and pretty soon, the butter tart/ pie got renamed to Cayman Toss Up.

Let me tell you Cayman toss up was a hit - everyone wanted the recipe and Cayman Toss up is now the new thing to bring to parties in Cayman.

In case you want to make Cayman Toss Up the recipe is below.

Remember - we need to look for life's happy accidents!

Happy New Year

April

Cayman Toss Up

Mix in a heavy pot on low heat

1/2 cup butter

1cup brown sugar

1 cup corn syrup

1 1/2 cup raisins [some use Thompson raisins - but I like all kinds - even a mix of golden and dark is nice]

1/2tsp salt

Mixture should get warm but not hot.

Stir until all is dissolved

Take pan off the burner

lightly beat two eggs and add one teaspoon of vanilla.

Now add the eggs and vanilla to the mixture.

Pour the mixture in a pie crust [I use a butter crust with a tablespoon of brown sugar added]

Bake at 450 for 10 mins and about another 20 -25 minutes at 350.

Check for a a setting of the mixture so that the top has a light skin on it. Surface should be a uniform gold to medium brown color - it will continue to darken after cooking.

Let cool - serve with a spoon after tossing once!

It is yummy delicious - enjoy!