Look ma, I’m in Lavender
Posted: 04/05/2012 Filed under: Weddings Leave a comment »In February I participated in the spring wedding fair produced by the Independent Wedding Association, In(dy)spire (here’s a cool recap video of the fair, created by 651media). Near the end of the event, a woman stopped at my table and, after looking through my wedding invitation portfolio and the valentines I was selling at the show, introduced herself as the editor of Lavender magazine. She asked if I’d consider creating some same-sex invitations to possibly appear in a photo shoot for their upcoming issue. Of course I said yes!
Said wedding invitations appeared last month in Lavender‘s Wedding Issue. Click ahead to page 70, or take a peek at a real copy (page 60 in the actual magazine) if you can still find one on newsstands. I’m honored to be in the publication, and also proud to be there alongside so many of my fellow IWA members!
page 60 of Lavender magazine's Wedding Issue, featuring same-sex invites by redshoes26 design
The close-up.
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This weekend : Saint Paul Art Crawl at AZ Gallery
Posted: 04/03/2012 Filed under: Shows Leave a comment »It’s that time of year again! That’s right, it’s the Spring Saint Paul Art Crawl. I’m showing at the AZ Gallery in the Northern Warehouse Building in the Lowertown area of St. Paul. The AZ celebrates the Crawl all month long, not just during the regular Crawl dates of April 27-29.
The event kicks off this Friday, April 6, from 5-8 p.m. with the Opening Reception. Come see my mixed-media shadowboxes, including two new pieces. I hope to see you there!
Take Me Back by redshoes26 design
Saint Paul Art Crawl
AZ Gallery, Northern Warehouse Building
308 Prince St., Suite #130
St. Paul, Minnesota 55101
This weekend : High-end brands, low-end prices
Posted: 03/27/2012 Filed under: Shows Leave a comment »You’re coming to this event this weekend, right? The Spring Clearance & Sample Sale at the Northrup King Building in NE Minneapolis is going to be such a great time! And there will be lots of bargains—I’m retiring several greeting cards from my line in order to make room for new designs, so the retiring card prices will be slashed.
Check out these style boards for the event, created by the lovely ladies of Post-. The boards give you a great idea of what to expect at this two-day sale!
Post- picks for Home (including illustrations and cards by redshoes26 design)
Bring a friend and meet some of the Twin Cities’ top-name boutique owners and creatives. There’s a little something for everyone! And deals for all.
Post- picks for Intimates
Is your interest piqued yet?
Post- picks for Clothing & Accessories
You might have to fight me for these stackable rings….
Post- picks for Mind/Body
Fun, huh? Below are the details, once again. I hope to see you at the event! It’s truly going to be something different!
Spring Clearance Sale March 31-April 1
Posted: 03/21/2012 Filed under: Shows Leave a comment »Mark your calendars! This is a new, fun event with some super talented vendors.
It’s not too early to shop for Mother’s Day, graduation gifts, or spring/summer birthdays. Or maybe you’re just picking up a little something for yourself. Either way, expect to find some great deals!
Spring shows are in the air
Posted: 03/13/2012 Filed under: Shows Leave a comment »Mark your calendars to see redshoes26 design at three shows the next two months, two of which I have never done before. UPDATED INFO BELOW (previous dates were incorrect)
thank you card with peonies by redshoes26 design
March 31 -April 1 - First is the Spring Clearance Event from noon-5 each day at the Northrup King Building in Northeast Minneapolis. The show is being put on by the ladies at Post-, and coincides with jewelry designer Karin Jacobson‘s popular sale event. Other participating creatives include StormSister Spatique and Nelli Designs, plus many more. Come see some cool items—you might even be able to nab them at a discount!
April 27-29 – Next up is the Saint Paul Art Crawl, and I will show my mixed-media shadowboxes as a guest artist at the AZ Gallery in the Northern Warehouse Building. Also see gallery members D.C. Ice, Jen Hanlon Ash, and many more.
May 12 - Yes! I finally made it into Craftstravaganza! The event, from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., is taking place in *two* buildings this year, so there’s room for even more vendors than usual. I’m so excited to do this show, with the likes of artists such as Larissa Loden, The Elixery, Zeichen Press, Ododo Originals, Aromi, Adam Turman, Megan Moore, Cindy Lindgren, painted fish studio, Crafterall, and so many more.
Let me know if you have questions about any of these events. I hope to see you at one or all!
Be Mine … Forever
Posted: 03/07/2012 Filed under: Weddings Leave a comment »On a crisp Saturday mid-afternoon in late January, a group of oh-so-talented creatives met in the backyard gardens of a rural home in Rosemount, Minnesota, and put together one of the coolest photo shoots ever. (Quite literally…by the end of five-hour shoot I had mild hypothermia. But it was worth it!)
Elizabeth Anne Weddings and Jeff Loves Jessica dreamed up the proposal shoot, which was inspired by winter and Valentine’s Day. They coordinated with redshoes26 design for the Valentine’s themed stationery, Ashley Fox Designs for stunning floral, Lime Canary Vintage Rentals for beautiful props and furnishings, Cocoa & Fig for sweet treats, and Julie Swenson for gorgeous hair and makeup. The backdrop was the backyard and pond of Cindyrella Wedding Garden.
valentine-themed stationery by redshoes26 design (photo by Jeff Loves Jessica)
Take a peek at all of the images, shot by Jeff Loves Jessica, which were featured last month on The Wedding Chicks blog.
I find the color palette chosen by Jessica (of Jeff Loves Jessica) to be so stunning. It was very lovely to work with. What’s your favorite part of the photo shoot?
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March on down to these three shows
Posted: 02/26/2012 Filed under: Shows Leave a comment »You can find redshoes26 design at several spots in March!
March 1-29 : Belles Lettres at Altered Esthetics — mixed-media shadowboxes as part of their upcoming show (opening reception 7-10 p.m. on March 2)
March 1-31 : Show at CorAzoN — mixed-media shadowboxes, including two new pieces (during store hours; while you’re there, pick up a Minnesota Icon or greeting card designed by yours truly!)
March 8 : RAW: Stimulus — at the Fine Line Music Cafe as part of RAW: Minneapolis‘ first show of the 2012 season (8-11 p.m.; I’ll have my Minnesota Icons for sale)
I’d love to see you at one or all of these shows!
Once a RAW artist…
Posted: 02/18/2012 Filed under: Shows Leave a comment »…Always a RAW artist! While that’s the truth, it’s becoming even *more* of the truth next month–on March 8, to be exact–when I will once again show my work at the first RAW: Minneapolis event of the 2012 season, RAW: Stimulus. I will have my Minnesota Icon illustrations available for your perusal, and if you would like to take one (or several) home, you can, as they’ll be for sale.
So come on down to the Fine Line Music Cafe on Thursday, March 8, any time from 8-11 p.m. and enjoy some local talent: visual artists, bands, a beatboxer (!), fashion, hair and makeup, accessories, and much more.
redshoes26 design at RAW: Stimulus
What’s in a name?
Posted: 02/13/2012 Filed under: Reader feedback 5 Comments »“Do you design shoes?”
I hear it all the time. Just heard it again today at the bank, in fact. And I understand! My business name is…er…different. I like to think that someday it’ll easily roll off people’s tongues, since it will be so well known. Right now, it seems most at least remember “redshoes design.” I’ll take it.
I do see my business written out incorrectly a lot, which is a little more irritating. But I don’t let it bother me too much because I realize it is a high-maintenance name. (Unless it was fact-checked by the writer and STILL appears in print incorrectly…grr. This has happened.)
So, what’s the story behind redshoes26 design, you ask?
Back in my days at St. Cloud State University, I played on the Husky softball team. My freshman year, we had me (Christy), another Chris, a Krista, and a Kristin all trying out for the team. It was insanity for the coaches, who were trying to keep us organized during drills, etc. Because of that, my catcher, Alison, began calling me “Christy Redshoes,” due to the red cleats I came in wearing from my high school days.
After a couple weeks, Chris, Krista, and Kristen all left the team or were cut. I remained, and so did my nickname. When it was time for the new players to order our big-kid metal spikes, I was going to try and blend in with the other nine freshmen and others on my team and wear, for the first time in my life, black cleats. But the upperclassmen would not have it–they insisted I order red ones.
The name had stuck, and I proudly wore red cleats all four years at SCSU.
As the years went on, the younger girls coming in would often not even know my “real name” until our media guides came out in March, and we had all been playing together since early September! I even had professors call me Redshoes, and my parents were known to my coaches and teammates as Mr. and Mrs. Shoes.
Nicknames for my nickname also became abundant: Shoes, Red, Red Dawg, Feet, Toes. I had some creative teammates. Shoes was the one that really stuck. I still have former teammates and other softball friends who call me Shoes, 12 years later. I love it.
Husky Softball team 1998 - North Central champs, yo!
After being enrolled in design school in 2003, I knew that if I ever started my own company the name would involve redshoes. The 26 came in because I’ve been obsessed with that number since my sophomore year of high school. I got pulled up to the varsity softball team that year, and 26 was the only varsity jersey still available.
I had the best season I’ve had to date as a softball player, batting over .400 and establishing myself as a key member of the varsity team. I was hooked–as many superstitious softball/baseball players would be. Now I can’t imagine playing without the number 26 on my back. I was lucky enough to get it as a freshman at SCSU, and I still wear it in my women’s fastpitch league every summer.
So I added the 26 to “redshoes design” when I incorporated in 2005 as a way to make my business name less girly, and more memorable. I liked the way it sounded. It’s a long name when you say it out loud, but I don’t mind. It’s quirky and different, and it fits me to a T.
That’s the story.
And now I want to know yours! What’s behind your business’ name? If you don’t currently own a business, what would you name your dream company? What business names make you smile…or cringe?
Weekend roundup: Feb. 11
Posted: 02/09/2012 Filed under: Shows, Weddings 1 Comment »redshoes26 design is going to be busy this Saturday!
First, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., I’ll be talking with couples about my custom wedding suite designs at In(dy)spire: The Independent Wedding Fair at Hotel Ivy in Minneapolis. I have a pair of tickets to give away (a $15 value). The first person to contribute a comment to this post gets the tickets! If you don’t win the tickets, you can still get ‘em here. But do it fast–we’re almost sold out!
At In(dy)spire, I’ll also have my new valentines for sale, plus some other lovey dovey cards and my Minnesota Icon illustrations. They make *perfect* gifts for bridal showers, wedding parties, and anniversaries, and they would also be very cute as table identifiers at a reception: “I’m sitting at the Grain Belt Sign table?” Oh yeah!
Grain Belt Sign illustration - MN Icon - by redshoes26 design
See my previous post to find out what you can expect at In(dy)spire. It’s a really, really cool event, you guys. NOT your typical, cookie-cutter wedding fair.
Then, on Saturday night from 5-10 p.m., I’ll be at the Artists’ Reception and Shopping Event for A Midwinter Night’s Dream, the new show at the AZ Gallery in St. Paul’s Lowertown. I’m showing my mixed-media shadowboxes, plus some prints, valentines, and Minnesota Icons. A little something for everyone!
If you can’t make it to the AZ Gallery on Saturday, never fear: the exhibit runs during normal gallery hours through Feb. 26.
See my previous post for the details on the event, plus read about the other inspiring female artists who will show work there. See you there!
