Orange-Handled Scissors.

“Orange!” My Grandmother exclaimed, “Grab me the orange-handled scissors!”

My earliest memory of cutting fabric was with a pair of Fiskars. I was 6 years old. Fast forward 40 years and I still use Fiskars today!

Those pert orange handles are the conduit for creating my happiness. The creativity glides down the scissor blades and into my work. Each snip like a painter's stroke of the brush.

I’ve amassed 15 years of sewing one-of-a-kind dresses for the “cool kids”. An artsy child of the mid-’80s, I expressed myself by designing young adult clothing during college. It got to the point that I would only wear dresses I had made, my closet overflowed with them. Etsy didn’t even exist yet and I was selling my designs like hot cakes on eBay. I couldn’t make them fast enough!

Yes, there was a time when an underground-esque group of females were selling handmade clothes on eBay. It was a very hip thing. As years went by, my customers from eBay had little daughters. All these women who used to buy my dresses had grown up and now their daughters were wearing them too! It kinda blew my mind! A Spicy Toast tradition was born.

My creation process is pretty honed. First, I become inspired by fabric selections. Oddly satisfying juxtapositions of colors and prints, something unusual, to catch the eye. As far as garment construction goes, I use my basic twirl dress pattern. I find myself “Fiskaring” freehand. Curvy wave-shaped skirt hems as well as sharp crisp bodice edges which make assembling my garments a snap.

The most fun for me is in the positive magical energy I put into each dress as I cut, whilst envisioning what the finished product will look like! I treat cutting like notes in jazz. If you’re proficient enough with your instrument, you can play around and see where improvisation takes you.

Let us not think that I create dresses with fussy zippers or crinoline, no scratchy ruffles here, heavens no! I create layers of soft jersey ruffle and organic movement. Mine are retro-inspired feminine twirl dresses that are so quirky, so soft and so unique that you’ll not only get oodles of compliments when wearing them but you’ll want to sleep in them and wear them again the next day!

Upon each creation, I infuse a childhood memory. I still remember what I wore on the first day of 1st grade. I kept going into my bedroom and opening the top dresser drawer to peek at my brand new white corduroy suspender skirt jumper. I couldn’t wait to see what a day in that jumper would bring! All the memories of the day were now a part of that outfit. That’s what made me fall in love with clothing so much as a kid. I felt like a star from the vibe that a unique outfit, pattern print, texture and color could evoke. I knew that if I channeled childhood memories into my creative process that children would fall in love with my creations and they have, I’ve succeeded!

The cherries on top are the messages of satisfaction I receive. Mothers and daughters, after opening their new Spicy Toast dresses, each telling me how much they are in love with my dresses. It’s kind of crazy how every mother tells me that their daughter refuses to wear anything else! I laugh at the stories of tantrums for having to wait until a dress is clean or the girls who sleep in their dresses and wear them the next day!

Hearing how in love these gals are with my creations, how I’ve brought these little rays of light so much happiness, is what brings me true happiness! If a little girl is in love with a dress I made…gotta know I’ve done something right.

In nostalgic fashion, grandmother's orange-handled scissors brought me here, able to do what I love. So, thank you Fiskars. Thank you for not only allowing me to continue to create my happiness but more importantly, for assisting me in the journey of creating as much happiness as I can for others.

With love from this little girl at heart, Fiskars in hand.