If it's not moving, monogram it.

We all know that famous quote by Reese Witherspoon fits every preps life, "If it isn't moving, monogram it." When I first received my embroidery machine from my grandparents for my college graduation gift, I knew the first thing I wanted to do with it was to monogram everything. From pillow cases, towels, Nike shorts, and  everything else I own that I could possibly get my hand on. I have continued to monogram different items for friends and family; for Christmas last year,  monogramed a robe for my grandfather that bought me my sewing machine. I even had an option that you could get a monogram placed on a bow tie, still available upon request.

One day at work, it wasn't a busy location, I was thinking of ideas of what to create next. (shhh....don't tell my leads, even though they may be reading this right now, shhhh....) I came up with the idea of monogramed coasters. Cute right? I think so! I made a couple to get some practice with the initials and monograms of my roommates. I really really loved how they turned out so I have decided to start selling them in my Etsy store!

These are the patterns that I have available at the moment, along with the Maryland Flag pattern of course! You can also choose the style of monogram and color of thread! 

Seersucker has Sprung!

Since spring is officially here,well it's been here in Southern California all year long(we didn't get a winter) and even though Maryland just received another blanketing of snow a few days ago, that doesn't mean you can't bring out some of your spring like clothing to be apart of your wardrobe a little at a time. I know on the east coast, in the Carolina's, the Carolina Cup is a pretty big deal for horse racing. Along with the horses, the girls dress up in their Lilly and big hats & the men sport their bow ties and pastel pants/shorts. I have never been but it always seemed like such a wonderful event to attend; I feel like this event is the start of the real spring time fashion coming out, especially the seersucker. 

Seersucker is easy to wear with anything and is light and breezy, making it comfortable for those hot hot hot summer days and nights. Did you know it was originally worn by a "lower" class of people until the 1920s when some undergraduate students decided to make it a "preppy" statement. Crazy right? I have worn seersucker ever since I could remember and still wear it to this day, thank you Lilly Pulitzer! 

Since creating and making bow ties, the seersucker bow tie has always been a winner for Chesapeake Tides. I actually stopped creating them for a while because I wanted to try some other patterns and styles. For the collection this spring/summer 2014, I decided to bring back the classic pieces in a variety of different colors. 

I'm really loving how all these colors look together. It would be so hard to choose which one(s) to pick from to add to a bow tie collection.

Can't choose between one or two colors? How about four?! I love the look of the multicolor bow tie, especially in seersucker. Super preppy & classic...yes? 

Along with the seersucker bow ties that I've been creating, I have also made hair bows(that I can most definitely monogram upon request) in the colored seersucker fabric.

Blue Seersucker

Pink Seersucker

Tan Seersucker

Seersucker has always been in style and it always will because it is such a classic piece of fashion, with history behind it. Even though it's not too popular of a fabric out West, I hope everyone back East will be sporting some kind of seersucker piece of clothing or accessory in their wardrobe this season! 

Happy Maryland Day, Y'all!!!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/chesapeaketides?ref=si_shop

Chesapeake Tides Turns 2!

I seriously can't believe it's been two years since I started my little business of creating bow ties! It all started when my group of guy friends had this phase that, that's all they would wear. After having some background in sewing from taking a class in my sophomore of high school, I decided to purchase a machine and some seersucker and gingham fabrics. One weekend, for hours and hours at a time I didn't stop; I continued to cut of the bow ties from a pattern that I found online, ironed the interfacing, and began sewing.

It was seriously the most exciting most enjoyable thing I could ever do for myself.

After two years I have completed numerous orders of so many different fabrics that I could get my hands on. In late 2012, I asked around...mostly to my friends...what they would like to see! My first response was to make Maryland Flag bow ties and regular ties. What? How the heck was I going to find that? I searched high and low for that fabric and not one person or store sold anything like it. It wasn't until I discovered this online store that could put any design on a piece of fabric that I dreamed of. Before the fabric even came in, I was getting orders. It was so exciting and it made me so happy that people wanted to wear my ties and show off their Maryland Pride! (we're pretty proud of our flag)

In 2013 is when I took my first order for a wedding. When I saw I was super surprised, I mean it. I couldn't believe that some one had found me on Etsy to create the ties the groomsmen would be wearing on the couples special day. After that, I received a few more and feeling even more blessed and excited. At the end of summer, I traveled to Ocean City just to get away, before I moved across the country to California. While in OC I cruised up and down Coastal Highway looking for a place to eat that I had never before. When I discovered this new little shopping center on 67th Street I decided to pop in and check out the new shops. One of the shops was perfect...BEYOND perfect! Summer House Trading Co. had everything I ever wanted! Whether it was something to decorate my house with, or some fun clothing accessory, I wanted it! After seeing what amazing products they had in the store, I knew this was the perfect place to start selling Chesapeake Tides Bow Ties!

To celebrate two successful years I would like to offer a little special!

So many new fabrics, designs, & products are now available on the Etsy shop and I hope you find a special something for yourself or for a friend!

Thank you for all your support these past two years, I can't wait to see what's to come in the future!!!

Started from the Bottom

As 2013 ends & 2014 begins, I cannot wait to start expanding my business to succeed and grow.

I can’t wait to share more with you as new things happen in my life!

Chesapeake Tides Weddings

In early 2013, came a real turning point with Chesapeake Tides; I received my first wedding order! I couldn't believe it! I think it was either in January or February that I had an anonymous guest(yes, I call everyone guests now that I've been working at Disney) message me on Etsy about creating black watch plaid bow ties for wedding that would be in March.
Well that escalated really fast and the wedding orders were coming in like crazy! I have never been so happy that someone would choose to come to me to ask for bow ties for the groomsmen in their wedding. Throughout the year, I have continued to make bow ties for numerous of other brides to be and I can't wait to continue to as 2013 ends and we start a new year of 2014(it's going to be a good one, I can tell!)

My very first wedding order!!

This was a very special order for me because I actually got to meet the bride!! We were running a little sorter on time and she lived pretty close to where I was living in Maryland so we decided that we would meet up and she would hand deliver the fabric herself. Really really loved how these turned out!

Aren't the colors just lovely? 

Really enjoyed receiving this photo of the bride and her father!

(navy blue gingham)

Photography by: Misty Anderson Photography

& of course the Maryland Flag bow ties stole my little Maryland heart. 

Photo credit: Taylor Lord Photography

Navy & White Polka Dot Bow Ties

These bow ties were for the groomsmen of one of my friends from when I went to SCAD. I've loved all the wedding orders that I have done but this one was definitely my favorite. The navy polka dots and being able to create them for a friend! 

I cannot wait to continue to create bow ties for a couples special day in the years to come!!

Throwback Thursday to Chesapeake Tides

In March of 2012 I had this crazy idea to start creating bow ties and sell them on Etsy. Before than, the last time I had ever sewed was back in my Sophomore year of high school when I took my first ever sewing class. I had asked for a sewing machine that year for christmas and started to sew a little bit more. I created tote bags made out of the most ridiculous fabric, fabric purses that were just well…interesting, and pajama shorts that I still have to this day and love them to death. Let's just say my taste in fabrics and clothing choices has changed a lot since then.(thank goodness!)
When I first started creating the ties I picked out the seersuckers and ginghams, ya know something classic that would go with everything and any type of man would possibly want. Well, I learned really fast that gingham doesn't really do that well BUT the light blue seersucker did! A few months later is when I discovered Spoonflower; it had a wide variety of very very unique fabrics and I fell in love. I didn't even know about the option that I could create my own until the Fall of 2012!

Here are some of the photos that were taken of the ties that I actually made into a small book for a photo class that I was taking at the time.

The light blue seersucker that was a total hit!

Purple Gingham

Navy Blue Gingham

Red Gingham

Nautical Signal Flags

Maryland Blue Crab

Yellow Gingham

I was pretty proud of all of them! 

I love how my business has grown so much over the almost 2 years and I can't wait to see what else lies in store for Chesapeake Tides in the years to come!