20% discount on costume orders placed now for Mardi Gras & Halloween next year!

That's right, the Aprilenchanted Design Studio is offering a 20% discount on orders placed now for next year! Offer good until November 15th, 2009.

Here's how this will work. You place your order now along with your payment and I work on the sketches and designs between now and the end of January. On approval of your sketches, I will begin construction of your costume and based on how many orders are placed, the nature and complexity of your costume it will be completed sometime between February and of June! Order early and you can have your costume in time for Mardi Gras!

I would love to help you create your hearts desire! Blessings, April

New Creative Energy at The Seed!

This week, the Aprilenchanted Design Studio moved into a new temporary location at The Seed. The Seed is a 20,000 square foot warehouse space where a huge Burning Man art car and encampment project is being built. There are some truly amazing and creative people there and I am really looking forward to the energy flow and the wonderful creative projects I will be a part of there. Those projects currently include the costuming of 4 people and building the lounge seating for the art car. Tomorrow, I will be traveling with Prometheus to some junk yards where we will be ripping out seat belts and their buckling hardware as part of a reuse of materials. We will be using the seat belts as strapping upon which the seating cushions will sit...kind of like giant outdoor furniture, only more circus like!

I am also working with my intern, Kelsie, to get ready for Dragonfest in a few weeks. We are building some fun wearables to sell in our merchant booth up there. Pics will precede our attendance at Dfest, so look for those. We are hoping to have some really fun and beautiful things to wear for all of you!

I will continue offering and holding classes for my sewing students at the new location, where the Studio will be housed until the end of September. The Seed is only the beginning, so look for more updates regarding the Studio and possible new location after September.

Here's hoping you are all living your dream and fulfilling your purpose for a beautiful life! Sending you all lots of love!

Fun Upcoming Denver Sewing Classes!

One Day Refresher/Beginner Sewing Workshop
Sunday, June 7th, Noon-6pm $80

Corset Making Class, start date June 10th.
4 weeks, Wednesday evenings, 6-9pm.
$400, includes tools and supplies except your fashion fabric.

Quick and Easy Tutu's!
Sunday, June 21st, Noon - 6pm
$125, includes materials.

CanCan Skirts!
Sunday, June 28, Noon - 6pm
$125, includes materials

Pre-registration required for all classes! Contact me directly to register at:
info@aprilenchanted.com

Supporting your local artisans!

Though I know I'm preaching to the choir here at Tribe, the following is in response to an ugly email I received this morning regarding my corset sale. She stated that I should make things that everyone needs and charge just a little more than Walmart. She also thought it would be a good idea for me to hire manufacturing out of Mexico or China to bring my price down. So enjoy the following response!

In our current economy, it is understandable that one might think it highway robbery to ask $350 for a corset when you can buy a pre-made one online for about $50 or $60. But I want to explain the difference between that type of a corset and the one you will get from me...

*I do not have an assembly line of workers. I am a single 'artisan' who creates one of a kind garments to specially fit a woman and sometimes a man.

*The supplies for a proper corset cost me $90 a piece because I am not a big company that can buy them in bulk.

*The labor & fittings for a corset equals approximately 15 hours because a lot of the finish work is done by hand in couture style.

*And, I am asking for half down to start the work and the remainder at delivery...which makes this incredibly affordable.

I also feel that asking people to support their local artists right now is not out of line. Supporting enterprises that employ people outside of our own country right now is very defeatist and part of our current economic problem. We have to support each others work and stop buying into mass production thinking sold to us by the mega corporations. I will never engage in mass production work, only one of a kind, specialty work for my clients! It's what you deserve!

Corset page is up!

So, I have a lot of things to add to this page but it is finally up! Enjoy!
www.aprilenchanted.com/corsets.html

CanCan Skirts & Codpieces!

Hello Friends!

There are exciting new developments on the horizon! I am adding a whole series of REALLY FUN 1 day and 3 day workshops to the sewing class schedule! Read this email and then see the list below. If you are attending any of the summer festivals like Dreamtime or Burning Man, these workshops will be of great interest to you! Think Petticoats, CanCan Skirt & Codpieces!

New services are also being added. Check these out!
I am now offering Arts & Crafts facilitation for residential treatment facilities. These programs assist mid to low level functioning alzheimer's and dementia patients in exercising their motor functions and enrich their lives tremendously. If you are interested in receiving more information, please email me and I will send you an information packet.

I am also in the process of putting together teaching packets for homeschooler's (groups and individuals) that can also be used for scout troop projects and church youth groups. Each packet will contain a month's worth of weekly lesson plans that will end with a finished sewn project. Feel free to pass this information along to any interested parties.

I will be offering a significant discount on several classes this summer, including the Corset Class! And without further adieu, here is the new lineup of classes! Scheduling still in the works.

Fun & Easy Tutu's - 1 day workshop
Easy Petticoats & CanCan Skirts - 1 day workshop
Elaborate Headdresses - 1 day workshop
Horns, Beaks, Tails & Codpieces - 1 day workshop
Mask Making - 1 day workshop
Quick & Dirty Costuming on a Shoestring Budget
Make your own Handbag - 1 day workshop
Make Your Own Bathing Suit - 1 day workshop
Stretch & Sew - Working With Knits
The Real Tutu - Pancake Style - 3 day workshop
The Corset Class
Kids Couture Craft & Sewing (for the wee ones) - No sewing machine required

I am so looking forward to all the fun we are going to have this summer! I hope to see you soon!

The Gypsies are coming to Denver!

The Gypsy Nomads French Gypsy Celtic Soiree!
Friday, June 20th @ 8PM!
Show at The Metaphysical Research Society
1001 E. 7th Avenue, Denver
Corner of 7th and Ogden in Capitol Hill
Pre-purchase your tickets at:
www.aprilenchanted.com/DenverEvents.html

Call for Bellydancers!

The organizer for the Renaissance Festival in smalltown, Nebraska has contacted me with a request for bellydancers. I don't have details yet, but If you are interested please contact me so I can start coordinating things on this end! If you want to repost this, have dancers contact me at: info@aprilenchanted.com

Thanks!
April

I'm going to be on MTV!

This is just a friendly reminder that I will be on an episode of MTV Made as the stylist/costumer for the David Taylor Dance Theatre as we worked with a Denver teenager that wanted to be a ballerina. The episode is scheduled to air on January 12th at 12pm E/T. I'm hoping to get a copy of the dvd, but I'm not sure if that's going to happen yet. Also, I was really sick the day we filmed and hopped up on cold and flu medication, so I can't remember anything I said. If I sound like a blathering idiot, that's why! Anyhoo, I hope you all get to see me on tv!

Custom Bridal Gown Design!

Hello Friends!

I just wanted to share with you that I have opened up my design studio for wedding design. If you know of anyone in need of these services, feel free to pass along the following! Thanks!

I am a local designer and professional seamstress and now offering bridal services!

Wedding gowns in 60 days or less! Limited scheduling available, so call now!
Custom designed, fit and sewn just for you!
Access to luscious bridal satins!
Prices starting at $1500!

Aprilenchanted Design Studio
By Appointment Only
1615 California Street, Suite 416
Denver, CO 80202
www.aprilenchanted.com