SEWING & JEWELRY Q&A

1) If you could have your clothing line in any store, which one would you choose?

Ooohhh - this is a tough one. To be honest, I don't know that I'd want my line in your typical department store anywhere. I feel like lines that end up in departments stores become over saturated. I would want my designs to always be known as "elite" and ones that you'd have to know where to go in order to get your hands on them. And when you got your hands on them, your heart would melt with glee. I know I'm that way with certain brands that I can only locate in specific boutiques. I drive way out of my way to get to them and I'm glad my child doesn't walk into class with the same outfit on as the child next to her. Now remember, I like them to be different. I guess that is why I'd want AGD to be different if ever found in a store somewhere. I wouldn't want just every Joe blow walking around on the street with them on and then eventually being labeled like an "osh kosh" line that is oh so readily available. Does this make sense? I get at least one email a day - sometimes 10 - that are from store owners asking me to make an exception and sell my designs wholesale. I've always turned it away because I like being the one and only place you can get my creations from. I control them - all me. However, that is fixing to change. More on that later. But...if I "had" to choose one store to make you ladies happy...it would probably be "Kitson" out in LA. Everybody knows Kitson, right? It's where the stars shop. All of the celebrities flock to get the best of the best items from there. Love that store.

2) Have you ever considered opening up your own boutique somewhere? Yes. But as Brent always says...WHY? Why would you want to manage a little time-sucking retail store and deal with the day to day tid bits of such a minut operation when you can go big and just do it all online. The online boutique reaches 1000's of clients - here in the U.S. and outside the country all over the world. No brick and mortar store can do that. A brick and mortar storefront only causes one to have to be there, messing with the day to day, hiring a new gal to run the place every couple of months as they come and go, keeping hours that don't cater to your family and actually take away from your life. Not only that but a high end children's boutique or any boutique for that matter HAS to be in the PERFECT location to make it. Your market has to literally be right out your front door. (i.e. Beverly Hills, Melrose Avenue, Orange County, etc.) Our Hoosiers don't like to spend excessive money on children's items here in Indiana. Therefore, my clientel here is a select few compared to the business I do around the world. The Internet just makes it too easy now days to do it from home - like I am now - rather than paying lease space every month for some place that can't grab the rest of the world like AGD's online boutique can so quickly and so effectively.

3) Where do you get your sewing machine repaired? (if it's ever needed fixed)

I take it right back to the store I bought it from. Luckily, in almost 5 years, I've only had one problem with it. And yes, it was my fault. Ha ha! That store would be our local Husqvarna Viking Sewing machine location.

4) What type of sewing machine do you have?

I own a Husqvarna Viking machine. It is a sewing machine plus an embroidery machine all in one. I do love it. Love everything about it.

5) What inspires your clothing designs?

Many things. It can be something in the stores that I feel confident I can go home and design a bit different and just as good. It could be a fellow designer that inspires me. I will see things in children's magazines or regular tabloid magazines that challenge me. I'll rip it out and add it to my "someday" board. From there I work it, sketch it, and eventually bring it to life in my own way. A lot of times though, I will buy a new pattern and use it but yet shake it up a notch.

6) Do you have a seamstress that does your sewing? If so, how did you find them?

Yes. I talked about this last week under the "funk-a-delic" comments. I have an impeccable employee who has become a very dear friend as well who does the majority/most of my sewing for me now. I used to sew every little stitch of clothing I designed but in the past year, since having Karen, I've been able to just design and turn my passion solely toward the designing aspect of it all. Things got to crazy busy for me and I couldn't handle all of the overflow. I started getting orders in that I couldn't keep up with. The Lord definitely blessed the business and brought clients to me. I couldn't complain. However, I had to get help. Brent talked me into running an ad in the local newspaper for a seamstress. I did. After countless interviews on the phone and many in person, I found Karen. Ironically, she lives right around the corner from my old house that we just moved from. She was so close that I could reach out and touch her. It made for a great system with her and I. Often times we joke about midnight hour mailbox runs. Ha ha! (She'd drop orders off to me in the wee hours of the morning) I had hired a couple of others before Karen but one I lost due to her families health issues and the other just wasn't keeping up with me or staying as passionate about the job as I wanted her to. Karen is great with the orders I give her. I sketch out or give her a photo of what I want. I then give her the fabrics, all of the supplies, and the instructions of what I want to go where. She has a deadline (that she always meets early I might add) and then she gets the set back to me in a timely fashion once she has constructed it as I wanted. She does a great job and is really the only one I trust with my designs. I love her dearly! (Love ya Karen!) She has been a huge help in letting me follow my passion for design rather than sewing. I do not enjoy the construction part of the sets and never did. Sewing is a very laborsome and intense job.. It's also very detailed. I do enjoy it to a certain extent but the designing is what I crave. It's what allows me to get my creative juices flowing most. Bottom line, designing is what makes me tick. :) Not sewing. Therefore, I'm blessed to have a break from the sewing machine from time to time. I'm also blessed to have such a great friend now to help me with all of my AGD orders. Karen is top notch and then some!

7) What was it that got you started in this track of work?

I had a friend of a friend that was making denim overalls and appliqueing them right around the time that Kenidi was born. She began sending me the most adorable outfits ever. She lived in Minnesota but would ship me the stuff when she completed my request. After Kenidi was born, 15 months into her life, we discovered things weren't normal. We began having appt. after appt. with doctors, neurologists, geneticists, etc., in an effort to determine the problems. During that time, I became very down and out and was desperate to find a new hobby to focus my attention on. I couldn't spend another day dwelling on what diagnosis we'd find out next regarding Kenidi's health issues. I needed to be upbeat and alive for her. I had always done crafts and such but never anything to do with sewing. After seeing how cute my friends overalls were that she did consistently for Kenidi, I was inspired to turn my time toward learning to sew. Sew outfits. I wasn't an applique girl at the time and wanted no part in the overalls. I wanted to sew outfits from scratch. In November of 2004, the idea was born. I began selling on eBay just for the fun of it to keep me busy. Before long, AGD turned into an overnight phenomenon and I had people all of the world asking me to dress their child for pageants, holidays, school functions, portrait sessions, the day to day, etc. I never would have imagined back then that it would be today what it is. God is good! All. the. time.

8) What made you think that you could make it in this field?

To be honest, I didn't know for sure that I could but I was sure going to try. I actually called Brent crying from my car on the way home from my very first sewing class one night and told him that I was returning the sewing machine the next day. I had been humiliated that evening in class when I couldn't even turn on the machine let alone thread the thing. In my eyes, I was kidding myself thinking that I could sew. That night on the way home, Brent talked me through my sobbing and told me "that if it were easy Angie - everyone would do it." He encouraged me - like always - to just hang in there and stick with it. Now days, when I'm ripping seams out with a seam ripper and wanting to scream the whole time I'm doing it because I'm so ticked off...I hear his words echo in my ear. "If it were easy Angie - everyone would do it!" To say that Brent is my biggest fan today would be an understatement. He passes out more of my business cards in one day than I do myself in a years time. No joke! I love that he is proud of me and so proud that he doesn't ever even hesitate to share my business with his business associates in the middle of an executive meeting. He'll whip out my card - explain a bit about my business - and tell them to give the card to their wives. His whole little AGD scpeal (sp?) makes me smile.

9) How much does your hubby contribute with you?

He contributes to a ton of my marketing. A ton of my ideas and directions. To an overwhelming amount of my ambition and drive. In a nutshell, there isn't much that Brent doesn't contribute to when it comes to AGD.

10) On the jeans and tank tops you make, do you make the whole outfit or do you buy the tank tops and jeans and just turn them into your own?

Depends on what it set it is. There have been times when I'll design the jeans as pants and sew them rather than buying them. If a set requires a made top, we do it. However, if I'm just needing a tank top or simple tee, I buy them and just embellish them. Therefore, I do both. From scratch and store bought as well. Again, it just depends on the look I'm after. However, if I buy a tank top from old navy or somewhere, I "NEVER" take their tag or label out of it. I will add my sewn on label to the back of the tee or sleeve, etc. But if I didn't actually make the tank or tee myself, I leave the labels inside with mine for whomever did.

11) On your jewelry what do you bead with the most? Jewelry wire, stretch cord, etc.?

I only bead with wire now. When starting out, I used to use stretch cord until I figured out what to do with the wire and how to work it. However, stretch cord really limits your designs. There isn't much you can do with it after a while.

12) Do you have a favorite fabric and jewelry store you shop, catalog, online store?

Yes to the favorite fabric stores. I shop my local bead shops more often than not when I need supplies. I don't really have any favorite catalogs for those arenas.

13) Any specific brand of thread that you prefer to use?

Yes, I am a Gutermann girl. Love their thread color options. I also like Coats and Clark thread. Thread is HUGE when it comes to sewing. You can buy cheap thread but your designs will pay for it in the end. So will your customers. Therefore, you MUST shell out the money for the pricey thread in order to feel "safe" when constructing a design. Many stores run sales a lot on their thread. Just keep an eye of for the sale dates and stock up on the good stuff when they offer it.

14) How or who designed your logo and website and how do you make your tags for your clothing line?

I came up with my logo for AGD and then took it to a graphic designer to bring it to life on paper. I have a company out of Texas that does all of my hang tags, business cards, etc. Amy from Simply*Creative designed my website. She also designed my blog initially but I recently updated it a while back ago and had someone else do the updates.

15) Do you find more success with ETSY or your website?

Definitely my website. Hands down!

16) Do you do all of this from your home or do you have a studio/warehouse/factory?

I do it all inside my home. However, I do have my own AGD office, my own AGD studio room, and an "AGD stock room" too so to speak. I have three rooms in our new home that are all structured and organized for just AGD. Again though, things will be changing a bit on the horizon here soon. More on that later.

17) Do you work off of sized patterns or are you able to adjust to bigger girls?

We use sized patterns but we also can adjust just about any design to go all the way up into adult sizes.

18) I just have to ask, on your latest "funk-a-delic" creation, how did you do the cuts in the jeans?

Just used scissors sista'! Just a good ol' fashioned pair of scissors.

19) Where do you find your stencils for the lettering you did on the team shirts and pillows or did you make them yourself?
have a slew and I mean a slew of fonts for letters. I use them to make the lettering on team shirts and pillows.

20) How do you stay motivated?

I don't always "stay" motivated. There are many times when I run into a creativity rut or design strike. Sometimes I just get plain bored. During those moments though, I usually take a step back, regroup, and then spend an afternoon at a book store with my mocha malt frappachino from Starbucks just looking at new magazines, vintage patterns, etc. that will help fire the flame up in me again. And yes Mom, sometimes I just need to call on God to throw down some rockin' new designs for me because my brain is mush at the time. He's holding his own so far. I think I might give him a promotion. Ha ha! No really, you'd be amazed about how much I pray when I'm feeling out of sorts when it comes to this journey. As usual though, God is always there to guide me.

21) How do you market and present yourself to build up a steady client base and steady sales?

eBay marketed me well and gave me the ground I needed to propel forward. After that though, I wanted more. Luckily, my husband has lots of business resources and business connections that I can tap into. We do mass mailers that are catered toward certain markets. (i.e. mass mail a custom over sized postcard to anyone across the US who recently within the past 12 months bought children's clothing online, has a home mortgage over a certain dollar amount, drives cars within a certain purchase price range, has a daughter between the ages of 2-8, etc.) I am so blessed by Brent's business savvy when it comes to these marketing techniques. He has a database that he can pull for my exact market and then we target all of you who meet that target criteria. We then flood you with mass mailers so that you can't get AGD out of your head. Ha ha! Also, up until the new vehicle I just got in late May, I had my company logo and website address across the back of my SUV window. You'd be shocked at how much traffic that one marketing technique drove to my website. This blog has also been a way to "keep" the client or customer once they buy for the first time. If they buy a custom clothing design or jewelry piece, they then begin frequenting the blog and ultimately stay connected to me. I truly believe the the blog allows people to feel safe and secure when purchasing from me. They feel like they know me and therefore, its easier to buy online from my boutique. Make sense? I love repeat clients and clients who spread the word about AGD for me. Those type of customers for me are nothing short of "priceless."

22) What is your favorite design to create and why?

Oh goodness. I think I'd have to say anything white. All white. I love to create things for our beach trips. I am addicted to beach pictures and therefore love to design things that scream "sun, sand, and surf."

23) Do you feel that you do better with a "collection" of designs that you release for each season or with custom designs based on each client's wants and needs?

I do both. I have countless customers that consult me for special occasions and want me to design something around a special event in their life or their child's life. Those clients are always fun because it is a real challenge to work from scratch with them in regard to coming up with exactly what they envisioned and then some. There have been cases where I design something for a customer and then change it up a bit and launch it in the online boutique too. In the end though, I love the changing of the seasons and knowing that a new collection is in the works for the months ahead. Both ways are fun.

24) How come so few boys designs?

Mainly...because I don't have a model. When I started this endeavor, I started with girls clothes. By the time I decided to start dabbling in the boys area, Brennen was too big and way past the age of "wanting" to model anything for me. Not only that but lets be honest...they don't design near as cute fabrics for boy themed sets as they do for all of the girlie girl sets I can do. Trucks, balls, and Sponge Bob seem to be the highlite of a boys world. I just can't find my creativity with those options. Ha ha!

25) What is a serger?

A serger is a machine that you use to finish off your designs inside professionally. You serge any and all seams inside a garmet. You can use a regular sewing machine to "mimic" a sergers ability and quality but it is never truly the same. You would NEVER want to finish a set without serging it or at least using a stitch on your machine to secure the inside of the design. If you don't serge or overlock the design on the interior, it will come apart at the seams within one quick movement. Your child will be standing there half naked with your precious creation hanging off them when it happens. Trust me - its not the most flattering moment in your career when that takes place. Ha ha! It happened to me with a pair of Kenidi's camo pants when I first started out. I can laugh about it now but at the time, I was totally humiliated. ;)

26) What type of serger do you use/own?A "White" brand serger

27) If you have a seamstress, do you pay her per outfit, piece, or by item depending on labor?

Karen and I have a set pay scale that we use for all new designs as well as for all repeat designs that she might do for me. If a set sells off my website, etsy, or eBay, she gets paid off the dollar amount it sold for. We have a chart already worked out for those moments. However, if she sews up a brand new design for me, I always pay her more the first time through.

28) What venue has proven most profitable for you? Word of mouth, ebay, etsy, other??

The online boutique and word of mouth have been my biggest promoters.

29) Do you allot 'sewing-creative' time each day or whenever you get a chance?

I do it every second of every day. At some point in each day that passes, there is always a moment here, there, and everywhere that I'm devoting to AGD and its future. I don't really have a "down time" to this business unless I work it in or structure it ahead of time. (i.e. vacations, etc.)

30) Where do you find is the best place to advertise your site other than Ebay, Etsy?

With my husband and his network of people that he knows. Ha ha! Also, on my daughter. She is honestly a walking billboard for me. Brent always thinks she needs to be in an AGD design when we leave the house because when she is dolled up in one and we go out, we don't get two feet without everyone stopping us. I think he just loves handing out my business card when they do stop us. It's part of the "sales" driven Brent. :) The mass mailing with the oversized post card also works spectacular too.

31) Where do you purchase your fabric?

E-V-E-R-Y-W-H-E-R-E! I have vintage fabrics from peoples Grandma's attics even.

32) How much money would you say does it take to invest in starting up a home based business such as yours?

Oh gosh - way too much in my opinion. I'd be scared to go back and really calculate everything we've put into this business. You can't do it all at once though. If its something you want to do but are on a tight budget, just go slow and do what you can - as you can. It can be done no matter how quick or how slow you approach it.

33) What are the most important investments do you think it takes to making a home based business successful, other than the obvious, totally cute products?
Creativity, creativity, and more creativity. You have to have an eye for not only what you like but also what everyone else likes. You have to know how to bring all of those likes and dislikes to the table and work with them. Even if you aren't sewing but are just buying from wholesalers and running a website, you've got to know what to buy and what not to. Trial and error is a big part of it. Most people buy what all the other sites are buying. I, on the other hand, always want different things. There is that "be different" goal of mine again. I don't want the things someone else has on their site. I search high and low for things that no one else has. You've got to be creative in what you buy, what you design, what you think will fly off your shelves, etc. Creativity, creativity, creativity. If you don't have an eye for a target audience regarding fashion, style, etc., you won't have a business that ages through the times. Your creativity also allows you to take something that might not be a trend in someone elses eye at that moment and in turn help you to literally "MAKE IT A TREND."

34) How much time a day/week to you put into the business?

Countless hours. There is no stop and start to this journey. I don't have a 9-5pm shift that I can get away from. (only because I choose to live it that way though) I breathe AGD and am very passionate about it and all that it has become. Therefore, I don't mind not having bankers hours. I'm good with the time I spend on it.

35) How do you find time to sew?? I LOVE it although I am a newbie. I can't quite get the shirts right, the whole neckline, arm hole, thing drives me CRAZY!!!!

Oh girl...you should have seen some of my arm holes back in the day when I first started. I'd be scared to talk to some of my early clients in fear of what they'd tell me about their purchase now. Ha ha! God help me. I know some of my first sets were horrendous. Those necklines and arm holes can be the death of us. Ha ha! Don't feel bad. You are never alone!

36) I am wondering where you get some of Kenidi's shoes???

Target, Journey's in the mall, Von Maur, Dillard's, etc. Those are most of my favorite places to shop for her shoes besides my online stores that I also frequent.

37) Do you get alot of sales from "word of mouth?"

Yes, all the time.

38) Do you get alot of sales from Kenidi wearing the clothes and being your "walking billboard?"

Yes, yes, and yes. She deserves a salary just for being my promoter while wearing my designs. Ha ha!

39) How do you decide what to price your items?

It depends on the cost I have into it personally regarding supplies, seamstress, labor time, etc. I've worked out my own little system now that works quite well. It was tough how to know what to price them at in the beginning. I lost my heiney a few times on some in the early days.

40) When buying clothes (jeans, shirts, tanktops} to use in your designs, what brands do you buy (old navy, childrens place, walmat,target,wholesale)?

When needing blanks for a design, I usually buy wholesale from my supplier or Old Navy most often. However, I do sometimes use the children's place.

41) Do you do/make all of the jewelry yourself?

Yes, I do all of the jewelry designs myself. I love making the jewelry pieces and have never really felt the need for anyone else to help me with those.

42) Where do you get your beads and pendants that you use?

This is one part of my business that I do keep to myself. I have spent countless hours and many late nights searching high and low for the perfect bead makers that fit my design style. My jewelry pieces are unique and generally one of a kind. The reason for that is because most times the beads I buy are one of a kind also. I do have general supply items that I buy at my local beads shops and such. However, my pendants, beads, and/or focal pieces to the designs are where I stay mum. ;)

43) Do you run the whole thing solo?(i.e., business, accounting, sewing, making the jewelry, etc.?)

I have a seamstress that helps me which I mentioned above. However, the rest is all done in house - solo by me. Brent does the taxes and accounting for me himself.

44) What has been your biggest obstacle?

People who want to copy your logo, designs, etc. The biggest obstacle has been just setting myself apart from everyone else and branding the AGD name so that it is known because of me and what I'm about. In doing so though, you get a lot of people who try to blaze your trail right there with you and ride your coat tails. Again, its flattering at first but quickly becomes annoying. I just had my girlfriend Shannon send me the link to a blog a couple of nights ago that she stumbled upon with someone who "tried" to copy my Coco Bliss skirt design. All the way down to the exact same fabrics. She even copied the name to a certain extent. My design of the skirt was titled "Coco Bliss" and she named hers "Coco Peace." How original, eh? Where is the creativity or individuality in that? We just laughed!

45) What has been your biggest motivator?

I'd say Kenidi because she is the reason why I started the business to begin with. And I'd also include Brent in there too because he keeps me truckin' on during those times when I'm just "not feelin' it."

46) How did you focus the direction you wanted your biz to take?

I honestly can't take credit for the direction this business took. I belive God was the reason and the sole reason for how and where this business has gone. He obviously had a plan and its apparent that his plan worked. Again, I'm thinking of granting him a promotion. Wink wink! ;) Seriously, all of the glory goes to God on that one.

47) How did you determine the postage on each item?

The postage for each order is determined at check out on my website depending on the amount of money you spent when buying the products. I followed a standard chart that everyone else was using online when it came to how much to charge for shipping.

48) Do you have shipping costs built into the price of your designs?

No, I don't have shipping charges already figured into the price of my designs. The shipping charges are figured in at check out depending upon how much you spent/bought/purchased.

***Thanks to each and everyone of you who took the time to ask me questions over the past few days. I really appreciate all of them. It's been real fun! I am so thankful for each and every one of you as blog visitors, customers, friends, etc. You mean the world to me.

Much love and gratitude,

Angie