PREEN'S END OF THE WEEK CONFESSIONS

Dear Diary,
This week started off with much excitement when on Monday morning we were greeted with a film crew of about 8 wanting to film a scene of their movie in our window. We really have no idea what this movie is called or what it will be about but they said they would give us huge shout outs when it comes out. Which is nice because we need all the (free) shout outs that we can get. It has been terribly slow. Downtown Tucson really is feeling like a ghost town these days and I think the heat is really getting to everyone. The vagabonds seem a little more unusual then usual. I had one follow me on my bike on the way to work this morning ( for 3 blocks and wanting to chat) until I lost it and yelled, "WHAT THE FUCK?!!" Patience is hard when it is over 100 degrees.... But, enough of about that. We are all tired of talking about the heat, the construction, the Tucson laze. Emilie and I have been using our alone time getting paperwork in order and working on some of our own designs. Emilie has been working on this tee shirt. It is beautifully cut and reconstructed in the ever most clever way by using part of her tee clippings and then braiding them. They will eventually become shoulder straps. As for me, I reworked 3 ladies button down blouses from the 1960's. You know the ones, ill fitting and boring and with the collar. So, I had a plain mint green, a blue gingham and a red gingham. I cut and clipped and created my own style, all sewn in red thread. Spending dark days here with the storms coming and all. We tend to get into our heads and listen to a lot of Bon Iver, Elvis Perkins and now at the moment Nina Simone's Little Girl Blue is playing. Yes, as you can see, it is one of those days. I Still keep thinking about Preen's 2 year anniversary party. It was beautiful in so many ways but what really struck me was that a week before we had the opportunity to do the Q & A in the Tucson Weekly promoting our big birthday bash. That was right around the time when Preen closed for a very much needed vacation which was a week not long enough. We didn't step into the shop for 4 days as we cut ourselves off from the outside world. We missed the call from the Weekly and the ball was dropped. So, the next step was doing some old fashioned flier promotion. Again, there is only two of us and it just didn't get done. But, Emilie did the whole email and face book dealiozzz and we had the most amazing crowd ever. So many of our customers, friends and supporters came down. It made me realize that even though those things are important, it doesn't really matter. Because, we are doing just fine even if we can't advertise like we would like to or have a website like most hip little boutiques have. So this week has come to a close and I think today, already Saturday, we feel a bit different than on Monday and we both have been feeling the heat of owning our own business. We live like we used to at 18 so we can contribute style to this dusty town that we so love. It is more than just "style" though; for it is our art, our passion, and our hearts. We do it because we believe in putting use to our god given gifts and we do it because we believe in more that just getting a job with the electric company so we can have the comfort of the 401K (that actually was encouraged by a family member). So, it is the end of the day and tomorrow is the sabbath and we will rest. A monsoon storm is coming fast and we have opened the door to let the smell of rain rejuvenate us. Emilie is hemming a dress and I am leaving early to go to the market to make dinner for friends that we will eat on the front porch while the rain falls. Saturday's gone with the wind.... Until next week.
Love, Erin