Happy Birthday, ME & Blue (the Venice version!) is now 3 years old.

Happy 3 year birthday to ME (& Blue)!  As many of you know, I started the ME & Blue brand in 2000 in Philadelphia and had a boutique there for 6 years.  Then I took a break and re-opened the Venice boutique in 2009.  So technically, ME & Blue is 12 years old.  But I did a do-over with this boutique, so I'm happy if we just call it 3 years in Venice.  

Anyway, it feels like yesterday that I was just flipping the "Open" sign for the first time and selling to my first customer, and having an opening party.  Since then,  I have a lot to be thankful for.  I got married, had a baby, and weathered this crazy economy to stay open.  I am thankful everyday when I go to the store and see the pretty garden outside and am able to bring my little girl to work.  She gives a gummy smile to my regular customers, and warmly greets the new ones who finally have said to themselves (and to me..) "I have been driving past this store for months (and years) and finally decided to stop today."  So.. thank you!

Anyway, now thru 6/31/12, spend $50 or more and get a free bracelet.  Tell a friend, bring a friend, and thank you again!  

                                  

XO, M.E. 

Just call me the Instagram Mam...

I've been loving the Instagram app on my Iphone and find it to be an
easy way to capture beauty in my everyday life.

I love it so much that I like to sing this song along to the tune from "Rubber Band Man"...

Just call me the Instagram Mam, OK?

"Hand me down my iphone mam, hand me down my phone,
hurry now and don't be late 'cause we ain't got time to chat"

You and me we're taking photos to catch the latest ideas,
guaranteed to blow your mind, so fun you can't complain"

Hey, y'all prepare yourself
for the Instagram Mam...
You never saw photos
like the Instagram Mam
You're bound to lose control
when the Instagram Mam starts to click

Oh, Lord, this Mam is outta sight
Everything she does
seems to come out right..."

Here are some photos I took this past week.

The Santa Monica Airport flea market

An RV parked near my boutique on Rose Avenue in Venice.  

Me and Bonnie-Blue Sunshine at the end of the day

Lovely building at 824 South Los Angeles Street in downtown Los Angeles

My lovely friend, Cindy Ciskowski in my new design,  the "Blondie" dress.  

You can find more Instagram images at MEandBlue on your Iphone app.  And that song?  Check it out, it's outta sight!



XO, M.E.

Rose-y Saturday...this Saturday, 1/30.

Rose, pink lemonade, and plenty of new spring goodies will be in store.

XO, M.E.

One less car, one more bike...

Yay! The City of LA just put in bike racks just outside of the boutique. Customers at both ME & Blue and Big Red Sun can park their bikes outside and shop. I made a phone call months ago and was excited to see them finally arrive. Thank you Department of Transportation...you rock!

XO, M.E.

odds and ends...

I like the name of this post.  Odds and ends.  Old school term for a bit of this, a bit of that.  Usually fun and interesting, but things that don't necessarily connect together. Fortunately, all of these photos connect - I took them (I know, I know.  I need a new camera!).  And they all reflect my design sensibility... from end result (customer wearing an ME & blue dress!), to vintage picks, works in progress, and my favorite flower for the summer.  

Ava... she bought the "Grace" dress in this fun paisley print.  Then she wore it out of the store, hopped on her bike, and rode up Rose Avenue to Whole Foods to shop for groceries.  Even more fabulous about her?  She was only visiting... from Hamburg, Germany.  What a cool woman. She's a business coach and has been living in SoCal for the past couple of months.  

The sunflower that just bloomed outside of the front entrance.  ooh!  Thanks Big Red Sun.  Owner Selena planted these seeds a couple of months ago.  They are so much fun!

In progress - ruched waistbands for the harem pants I'm designing.  So many details to work out for the perfect fit!  

The groovy vintage needlepoint DIY vest now in store.  So fun.  

This post was inspired by Erin Tavin's recent post.  (photo above of her was grabbed from her blog).  I love her store that recently opened in Echo Park.  My boyfriend and I stopped by to say hello last weekend.  It's magical.  Creative.  Ooh, how I love to meet people who are true to their creative vision!  I need a free day to come over and show her my designs to carry in her boutique...http://blogbytavin.blogspot.com/

Flower Part...part 2

Ahh! Photos from inside and outside of the boutique. Inside from ME & Blue. Outside, flowers from Big Red Sun. Enjoy.

Philly girls in Venice...

Today 2 fun loving girls came in.  Grown women, really...but having a blast.  They were on vacation from Philly, where I lived for 11 years and had the first ME & Blue.  They cruised up on their bikes and parked them outside of the boutique.  One girl looked so familiar.  In this town, familiar means that they're famous and don't want to recognized.  As we started to talk, I realized that she was a former customer of mine from Philly who happened to stumble upon the store during her vacation.   Joy and Kate had a blast shopping today and totally made me smile.  I'm an east coaster at heart, so I love the energy and smarts of these Philly girls who engineered a great vacation for themselves.  They are staying in a cool guest house here in Venice and riding their bikes around to check out the Venice scene.  I hope to see them again before they leave.  They totally made my day!

painting the mural... more photos

The exterior signage / mural is complete! My friend Danielle said that it was like day camp. We had a great time. The best part was people stopping and yelling at us how much they loved it from their cars. I'm sure that summer camp isn't nearly as much fun (and hard work) as what we did for a few days. From the initial transfer and drawing of the logo and flowers, to painting several coats of flowers, to finishing it off with sharpie markers. Thanks Melissa, Phillip, Danielle, and our honorary mural painters, Debbie and Michael. I see the mural as a work in progress as the ME & Blue brand develops. I love this job!  I will update with more photos in the next couple of days.  Countdown to the boutique opening...Friday, June 19th!  XO, M.E. 

painting the exterior...planning and day 1

Who knew how many things go into transferring a logo and brand from a graphic file to the outside of a building? Venice is full of fun buildings that have hand painted signs with an artistic, home spun vibe. So off to plan the exterior of ME & Blue...from trips to Kinkos using large format copiers, to buying the perfect paint brushes, matching up paint swatches at Naylor's, figuring out how to use tracing paper and a level, and ultimately making sure that the logo and graphic do their job: stop traffic and get customers to come in and shop. Here are photos so far...my dog Angie Mae chilling out in the car while I drive around, getting my supplies...and Melissa, my graphic designer as she works on day 1 of the ME & Blue mural project. More photos to come! XO, M.E.

Tiki time!

Aah...decisions, decisions. What color to paint the groovy tiki bar/counter that will serve as the useful wrap desk in the new ME & Blue? It was made in the Phillipines over 20 years ago, and immigrated here to the US along with its previous owners. I was lucky enough to locate it in Pasadena, then get Dave (shown...isn't he cute?!) and my friend Danielle to help load it into my friend's vintage Toyota Landcruiser. After a few tries, it fit nicely into the truck. It's now in its new home, ME & Blue at 566 Rose Avenue. I look forward to all of the customers that I will meet over this fabulous find. XO, M.E.

flower power!

Ooh! I love bright, fun flowers. My neighbors at Big Red Sun planted my outside garden yesterday...zinnias, cosmos, and other fun plants. I asked for color, and I got it! The zinnias especially remind me of a favorite activity that I had when I lived in Philly...going to the local zinnia flower farm and cutting my own. Now I can go outside of my boutique and have fresh flowers...yay! In the meantime, I have a slew of new ME & Blue clothing coming in from my downtown LA manufacturing...the Debbie top, Anastasia dress, Dani wrap skirt, Candice shift dress, the Goddess dress, and more. Opening day is soon...

XO

M.E.

Fixing up the new ME & Blue space on 566 Rose Avenue...

This past Saturday, I worked on the renovation of my boutique space.  Mission:  Paint.  Accomplished:  Uhh...not all the way!  We encountered lots of dust, debris, and prep work that wasn't in the plan.  So...after hours of prepping, and the text-book guidelines for painting a room, the main room was finished.  We lost daylight and more rooms needed to be painted.  Sunday morning I called my carpenter and delegated (paid!) for the rest of the painting to be done.  Now I'm focusing on getting my designs produced, my logo fine-tuned, and laying out the fixtures for the boutique....   

p.s....the painting is almost done (Thanks Phillip!) and looks fabulous!