29

So during 15 minutes of boredom and lack of inspiration, I made a list of all my shoes (excluding flip-flops, slippers, and prom shoes).  I have a wearable rotation of 29 pairs of shoes, 15 of which are sneakers (or sneaker-esque).  This means 52% of the shoes I wear are sneakers.

* today I bought these bad boys by Nanette Lepore for Keds for $7.34! MSRP = $120

From this list I can conclude 3 things about myself:

1. I like shoes more than clothing

2. I'm on my way to becoming a sneaker-fiend

3. The affinity I have for sneakers is counter-intuitive to my gender, and I need to accept the fact that I am, indeed, a girl and not a boy.

My struggle with gender is not a new one--boys can get away with almost everything! Boys can get more tattoos, cooler clothes are made for boys, and cooler shoes are DEFINITELY made for boys (except in the case of Black&Lu--the male market is not one I've made a foray into, other than the previously posted customized Kanye/Common Vans, which technically were not by Black&Lu). 

Boys get to have all the fun. 

-LG

it really has been too long...

I know it's been an embarassingly long time since I updated Black&Lu, but with the closing of the semester and the commencement of winter break I haven't had much news to speak of!  A poor excuse, I know, I know.

I'm starting the search for venues I can sell Black&Lu shoes through in Richmond.  One e-mail has been sent, another is drafted, and I'm sure there will be more to come.  I'll let you guys know if there are any developments and if you can start finding Black&Lu at a store near you (can you tell how difficult it is not for me to take advantage of the endless rhyming possibilities with the word "Lu?")!

The book I've kind of been using as my bible through this whole turning-my-creative-hobby-into-a-business process is "Craft Inc: Turn Your Creative Hobby Into a Business" from Chronicle books.

One of the suggestions I read in it tonight regarded creative blogging, and the potential this process has to increase the success of your business.

SO, I've made it my unofficial New Year's Resolution to start updating this blog more!  And to include more personal tangents -- primarily more of an inclusion of inspirations and ideas, and an analyzation of the struggles of being a busting-ass art student attempting to become a captain of industry!  Plus I need to become friendlier with technology -- right now internet publishing is the Jerry to my Tom (ten points if you get that reference).

*Notice how it is an "unofficial" New Year's Resolution?  That's to protect myself from any liability resulting from an eventual decline in blogging once the spring semester starts and I REALLY start busting-ass.

I haven't made any shoes lately (considering I have 35 unsold pairs piled under a desk in my apartment), but I DID bleach/tie-dye some nifty tights (bought for $4 at the ole Christiansburg Wal-mart) and a Polo shirt my dad bought me that I never wear because it was just another Polo shirt.  Well not anymore!

-LG

It's a bust, folks

So the show in Charlottesville that was supposed to be Black&Lu's headlining debut was a TOTAL bust.  Without getting into too much gory detail, it was poorly run, poorly advertised, and barely profitable.  

However, this failure only gave me more motivation to get Black&Lu off and running as an actual business, not occasional craft show success.  So I've opened a shop on Etsy!  So far I only have five pairs of shoes posted, but it's still worth a look.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/blackandlu

-LeG

this weekend!

Ok, so I've completely neglected my blog in the past month.  Between making shoes and school projects, updating the blog fell to the wayside.

BUT, my show is this weekend!  And I want to thank my mom's good friend Susan Flinchum again for her generous donations to Black & Lu.  She's been a great help and support!

See you Saturday-

LeG

dumb names

Looking back at my entries makes me realize how terrible I am at "naming" the different styles of shoes that I make.  Any suggestions?  I pretty much hate all of the names, haha.  I'm tempted to just start opening the dictionary and point to a word when it's time to post pictures to the blog...

Later y'alls.  We'll be seein' ya.

-LeG

holy crap! i've been so busy!

So I've been really busy working on projects for school.  I have two critiques this week, and then a mandatory pewter workshop this weekend, but I was able to finish four pairs of shoes last weekend!  

I have to drive to Charlottesville tomorrow to pick up a pair of shoes that I dropped off a week ago at the Hook office.  The Hook is the independent newspaper sponsoring the Artisan Market where Black&Lu will debut, so look for my shoes in their ad!  Hopefully they'll be in the ad...if not I'll be even more ornery about having to drive 2-hours round trip just to pick up a pair of my shoes.  

Anyhow, here's what I've finished lately!

BLUE FROST, $28

ELECTRIC FEEL, $35

EQUESTRIAN SNOW, $30

CALIFORNIA CHLORINE, $28

Oh, and I redesigned my business card too!

On that note, I'm in dire need of a Diet Coke.  

-LeG

FINALLY a new update

So I've been working really hard in school for the last two weeks and have only produced three new pairs since my last update.  I'm trying to stay optimistic while also remembering the show in November will probably creep up on me faster than I know it...I mean, hey, it's already freaking October!  

How does this happen?  Where the heck does time go?

WAKE UP, $30

BEDTIME, $28

TILES, $30

By the way, I've noticed that blogger has a mind of its own when it comes to underlining things and hyperlinking other things without my permission.  So excuse any strange formatting that appears, it's just the ghost in the machine!  

-LeG