Sunday, January 31, 2010

Once Upon A Costume - How it all began

In 2002 my oldest daughter (now nearly 10) was in LOVE with Cinderella. For Halloween that year she requested to be Cinderella and I went looking for a dress. Every store had a Cinderella dress but none of them were what I wanted. They were all cheap looking and cost more than what I wanted to spend on a dress that was going to fall apart. I had a little bit of experience with sewing so I found a pattern, bought fabric and went to it. It was hard, frustrating, and I even bled on it a little bit when I stabbed myself with a pin. The dress took forever to finish but was done for the big day and she looked marvelous!

Cinderella & Little Bo Peep

I learned a lot about sewing from that dress and I learned a lot about my own capabilities as well. I really could make something that was amazing, something people ohhed and ahhed over as she walked by. I was hooked.

From Halloween costumes I moved on to dresses and other dress up clothes. When my girls (now 9, 8 & 5) had birthday parties I made a dress, or outfit to coordinate with the theme.

I was soon making a vast majority of their church dresses and I happened to catch the eye of a girl who had a Princess business and was working with a local production company. She asked if I made my children's dresses and when I answered yes her eyes lit up!

Sandra had me working first on the community theater productions and then once her business expanded she had me working on princess dresses as well. After a year and a half her princess business was becoming more full time and I bought the costume business from her - Once Upon A Costume was mine!!

The last 3 years have flown by and I really enjoy what I do. New ideas and challenges keep my job interesting there are very few projects I won't take on. My girls are very well versed in most things fabrics and trims and are known by name in several fabric stores around Vegas. I love being able to create pieces that will bring smiles to children all over the world.

Children's clothes is a new area I'm just getting into and it's already something I like a lot! Here are links to some of the projects I've done in the past. Christmas Dresses, Every day, Baptism & Blessing, Dress up here and here, Flower Girls, Halloween here and here, Easter dresses here and here, Pj's and Special Occasion.

5 comments:

Jessica the Jacked LDS said...

I love it. You rock Valinda. You really are THE BEST!

Kathy said...

I agree with Jessica. You rock!

Le said...

OK so I don't follow directions well... I went to your other blog. Anyway I likes your dresses!

Cecie said...

Thanks for sharing! I did wonder how you got started!

Froggylady said...

You have such an amazing talent! I'm lucky if I can get one little sundress made. Beautiful!