Holiday Shopping 2013 Giveaway!

Okay, get excited!

I am happy to announce that we have a HUGE amazing giveaway for you lovers of all things fabulous and small business-oriented!

This prize pack (with a retail value of $210!) includes a lovely wristlet and cozy set featuring our charcoal sparrow print from yours truly, a bold statement necklace from Two Stylish Sisters perfect to compliment that special holiday outfit, a lovely boot cuff and slouchy hat set handmade by For the Love of Crochet, a delicious Tastefully Simple My Mug Cake gift set from consultant Sue Kristoff, and a Mary Kay Vanilla Sugar Satin Hands Pampering Set from consultant Jocelyn!

I'm pretty sure we have you covered in every possible way you could want to treat yourself! There are lots of opportunities for entries, so do them all and share with your friends for your best chance of winning! This giveaway will run from Sunday 11/24 through Cyber Monday 12/2 at 11:59 pm. Also, be sure to stay tuned for upcoming sales and specials (can you say Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday, people??) from us at The Love, Mich Collection as well as the other sponsors in this giveaway! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Love, Mich Collection to Participate in Luxury Gift Lounge in Honor of The 2013 NY Fashion Week

  Something super exciting over here....
:: FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE ::

We're pleased to announce The Love, Mich Collection in association with The Artisan Group, will participate in an invitation-only luxury celebrity gift lounge hosted by GBK Productions on September 6-7, 2013 at an exclusive location in New York, in honor of The 2013 New York Fashion Week.

All attending celebrities will receive our handcrafted Tri-Gray Square Zippys in their swag bags.

To learn more about The Love, Mich Collection and our products, or our participation in this exclusive event, visit www.ilovemich.com  or email michelle@ilovemich.com.

Michelle Provencher, The Love, Mich Collection’s sole proprietor, is a native of Agawam, Massachusetts and a current resident of Springfield, Massachusetts.

For press inquiries regarding The Artisan Group, please visit http://www.theartisangroup.org or email press@theartisangroup.org.

:: END ::

Dreams, Hopes and Aspirations...

SO I'm going to just preface this post (and all following posts) by saying - I'm going to try to keep it real with you guys. You really want to know what it's like in LoveMich land? Well, I want to share my story so there will be a whole lot of honesty up in here from now on. 

This post was inspired by Casey @ The Wiegands! She has such a beautiful blog and a way of writing that is so special and makes you feel like you know her in “real life.” I read this post and it was almost like she was reading my mind and talking directly to ME. Take a second and go read it!

I've been feeling…well…I don’t know even know what the right words are to describe it…but off lately. Analogies work for me so let me try explaining this way… you know when you are, let’s say going for a run (not often over here but good for analogy purpose) and you are half way through and it is getting HARD like you think you might not make it another step, half of you says just throw in the towel, you made it pretty far already and its time to just let it go, plenty of people quit. And then the other half of you says, look, I know it’s hard, it’s supposed to be, and that’s why the payoff is so rewarding. You can do this, keep you head down and just keep going.

 {photo source} {purchase this print HERE}

Well that is kind of what my mind is like lately. This is for a variety of reasons. It wasn't just one event but more of an accumulation of things and the upcoming 5 year anniversary of the creation of LoveMich.  I knew it would be challenging and I knew that it would be a long road to achieve the dreams I have for this business and myself. Sometimes I am that runner mid-way through the race that just doesn't know if she can take one more step, sew one more stitch, or take one more sting to her “tough skin.”  Oops looks like I went a little off the runner analogy there. Get the idea?

Then I read Casey’s post. Finally, someone else that thought like me and said it out loud! And THEN I found a chocolate in my lunch bag and it was one of those delicious Dove Milk Chocolate ones and the message inside said “Make a list of your dreams.” Like girlfriend needed a more obvious sign than that??

 {photo source} {purchase these prints HERE} 

Sometimes we have to be reminded that dreams are real and they are possible. If no one ever chased their dreams, would we even have actors/actresses, singers, famous designers or even the technology that we have? Someone pursued those careers or created those inventions because they believed in themselves and so did their support system. They knew that if they just kept going a little longer, it would happen.

 {photo source} {purchase this HERE}

Sometimes I have to be reminded of that. And here I am to remind YOU too. Your dream doesn't have to be quitting your job and owning your own business. Not all dreams mean something to do with a career. A lot of times they mean being happy, having a place to call home and a family. Whatever your dream is, believe in it and pursue it, because you deserve it. 

P.S. All of the prints I sourced are shops on Etsy and the copyrights belong to them. Please be nice and don't steal the images, go purchase yourself the print and support another artist's dream!

WANTED: An Apprentice

Hey everyone!

I am looking for an apprentice. I have decided that in order to produce the quality of product that has become the brand of LoveMich then I will have to train someone to have the type of attention to detail and passion that I do.  

You do not need to have an extensive knowledge of sewing as I had originally thought I would need in an assistant.  Actually, the opposite seems like it will make more sense. If you are learning from the get-go the way that I do things at LoveMich then we aren't breaking old habits and trying to re-learn something in a different way than you are used to.

Here is the nitty-gritty of it: I will teach you to sew LoveMich products consistent with the way I do them myself and with the same quality and pride in the end result, in exchange you are learning knowledge of sewing accessories that normally you would be paying at least $50 a class for. After a few weeks if we both agree that you can handle sewing our products on your own with the same attention to detail and care that I do, then you will be compensated at a per-piece rate from that point forward.

Yes, I am particular and it is very important to me that my sewing assistant has the same need for perfection and quality results as the LoveMich community has become accustomed to and the brand that we represent.

So – if you have a passion for the handmade community, you want to learn how to sew the way LoveMich does, you have a schedule that mirrors mine (I usually have time to sew nights and weekends) and you aren't afraid of a large snuggly puppy and a stuffed sewing room…then apply to be my new apprentice. Either Inbox me on Facebook or Email me : michelle (at) ilovemich (dot) com

Also – I have to say a little disclaimer here…if you write me and say “this sounds like fun!” I want you to really really think about this opportunity. Yes, it will be fun at times, but this is hard work and sometimes very frustrating.  So if you want to do this just to learn how to sew and think it is going to be all sunshine and rainbows, I have to tell you, it’s not as glamorous as it seems. The end result is very gratifying but it is important that my apprentice has a passion for creating things rather than viewing this as a hobby. 

THE dress.

{This is the first part in a series of posts about our wedding!}

{We were married on Friday, September 21st, 2012}

There is a story about my wedding dress.
This dress was not the one I had originally bought.
The dress I originally bought was at a sample sale about a year before the wedding. It is beautiful and the price was so right but as the months grew closer to the wedding I couldn't help but think maybe it wasn't “me” enough.

{All photographs by Michelle Girard Photography} 

The thoughts were so nagging and I would see other people’s recent wedding photos and think, “Ohhhh but her dress is so “her.”’ Finally, my sister and I decided we had to at least go look at other dresses. She made an appointment for us at a boutique bridal shop in our hometown of Agawam, Bancroft Bridals.

{Michelle Girard Photography}

To say the experience was a world of difference from David’s Bridal (which we had also tried before) is an understatement. David’s Bridal felt like a cattle call, the dressing rooms were like small coffins and the dresses were, well, the exact same that everyone else had. If you know me, you know, I want something different, that no one else would walk out in.

{Michelle Girard Photography}

I explained what I was looking for at Bancroft Bridal and I was assisted by the owner, Tara. She was so incredibly nice and helpful. She made us feel so special (thanks Tara!). We picked out a bunch of dresses to try and there was one last one that was in another dressing room that she brought in last minute and both my sister and I immediately said “Ohhhh!”

{Michelle Girard Photography}

The dress was a dream. It was romantic, pretty, modern, full of whimsical ruffles, princess-like and figure flattering. It was THE dress.

{Michelle Girard Photography}

I put it on and our eyes lit up. Finally, I had found the dress that was meant for me. And truly, everyone kept telling me how “me” it was. Jackpot!

{Michelle Girard Photography}

It was such a fun dress to wear, it moved so beautifully when I walked and when I spun around the ruffles floated along with me like a cloud. It was so fluffy and romantic. If I could wear the dress everyday forever, I would.

And aren't the shoes just amazing?? All GLITTER! I loved them and still love them. I need a place to wear them again!

{Michelle Girard Photography}

The dress was obviously just one part of our wonderful wedding day. Stay tuned for more posts about getting ready, the ceremony, the reception and all the beautiful pictures and memories!