Are these women beautiful or what? You wouldn't know it by looking at them but not one is a professional model. Hard to believe, right? I'm blessed that these women are all friends of mine. They range in age, dress size, ethnicity and laughter (laughter is DEFINITELY a category for...
This is a pretty constant view of where I live. Life on an island revolves around the weather. It's why people come here when the weather is snowy and cold (like it is right now in much of the Continental US). People often ask me if living here is like...
There was a well known business book written several years ago, called Good to Great. It was about companies that were not only successful but had raised the bar on what it took to meet customer's expectations and still be very successful. It was a remarkable roadmap for how a...
This is me. It's me a couple of years ago when I had first started Island Contessa. This is what I refer to as a 'first generation' design. I still have a version of this tunic but its gone through a few design changes and some different fabric, etc. I...
See this young woman? 20 years old. First trip overseas and I go to Russia. This is Russia when it was still part of the Soviet Union. Cold war stuff. The week before we got there was the first time Pepsi had been introduced. Fast forward and I'm a banking...
See this picture? You're going to see a better version of it soon but I wanted to show you this one to show you what perfect women look like. Well maybe not perfect women but true friends. Not one of these women are professional models (although they are all pretty...
Valentine's Day is three weeks away. There is so much pressure for everything to be perfect. So let me be the first to confess, my Valentine's Days haven't always been perfect. My worst? He was my one true love and he forgot everything. No card. No candy. No flowers. He didn't...
There are a great many shopping sites now that ask you a series of questions to help determine what your 'style' is in clothing. Boho? Classic? Preppy? They usually show you a series of pictures of clothing and ask you if you like them. I've always been bad at these...
Yes, that little muppet to the left is me with my big brother when we were wee ones growing up in Independence, Missouri. It is hard for me to fathom when I look at that serious face that I could have begun to comprehend where the world would take me. ...
I know, I know. Island Contessa is a lifestyle brand so why am I talking about puppy love? Well you see, I've loved animals since I was a little girl in Independence, Missouri and my neighborhood playmate and I saved birds and squirrels and cats and dogs. Both of my...
