The Dress

 Today is my 11 wedding anniversary. Boy does time fly when you are having fun.  Looking through my wedding photo's always reminds me who much I love my wedding dress.  This dress has such a history, and for me is a symbol of everything I am, and in my opinion, Peters best design work to date.  He had the challenge of taking my mothers wedding dress, and redesigning it for me. Truly preloved. He was able to incorporate all that was special to her, and make it uniquely me, at the same time including my slight Princess Grace obsession.  Nice work! To my husband  Doug, thanks for the best 11 years of my life!, and to Peter, thanks for creating the work of art!

   The Dress November 30 2001

 The Dress August 29 1964

 dad and me, November 30 2001

 dad and mom August 29 1964

 Doug and I and our cake

mom and dad and their cake

my favourite picture of my parents heading for their honeymoon

to a life time of martini's with my best friend!

Where are they now?

Peter and I once played this game while having dinner in Las Vegas - name all the retail mangers of preloved  in order of when they worked. Now as you can imagine, with multiple stores and almost  18 years of retail, that would be quite a few names! I  always find that Megahan, Kyle, Corrine, Jess and Suzy Crocker, period very confusing, could be the fact I was having my second child, shooting a T.V show and opening a store in Vancouver all at the same time, or it could be the fact I drank way to much wine that night at the Wynn buffet! Anyways, there is one retail manager I will never forget, and that is Stina.  I am not sure how Stina arrived on our team ( ok I have a bad memory, I think you loose brain cells with each child), but most likely a Shelley hire.  Stina was the manager of our pop up shop on the Danforth. She was so much fun to work with, had the work ethic of a work horse  and was the first person I met, who could take wicked photo's on their IPhone, pre Instagram! (thanks for that Steens).  I came across this video and had to share it. Besides the fact that it made me laugh so hard, it reminded me of how much I enjoyed working with Stina! For the record my favourite  (yes the Canadian spelling)  is  "scrape the windsheld'!!
 Well done Stina!

what would Ali do?

the beautiful work of Ali Oesch

Home again home again.  Just got back from a week in the windy city.  We were at STYLEMAX, the latest addition to our trade show circuit.  So, that was pretty much the last stop on the crazy ride of selling spring/summer 2013. I must say that makes my husband quite happy ( to say the least!).  We first got word of the this great trade show in Chicago, from a client of ours Ali Oesch.  Ali is a fantastic jewelry designer, based out of South Bend Indiana., and sells over 100 of our Miss Ellie sweaters a year, in a store that doesn't have a dressing room!!  Not to mention the sales of her own jewelry (which is super cute).  Ali is one of the most inspiring people i have met in years.  I love the way she looks at life, and her energy is contagious.  She would give you the shirt off of her back, then sell you a pair of earrings to match.  In these tough economic times, it is so refreshing to meet someone who truly loves their job!  Ali has gotten the entire team here at preloved super motivated.  Whenever we come to cross roads, and are not sure what to do, we just ask each other, 'what would Ali do'.  Thanks Ali, for reminding me, to love what I do!!