So I was out window shopping in downtown River Falls, WI a few weeks ago. I headed into the Riverwalk Square on Main Street and stopped into Kathy's Embroidery to ask about dress tailoring (I'm not very tall and those maxi dresses are for 6' tall women haha)! After I left I noticed some cool mittens in a display basket in front of a shop called Shoppy Chic, and upon inspection of a display note, found out that they were pieced from recycled sweaters! I was feeling enamored by them when, by chance, I noticed some pretty totes hanging from a display rack. After looking through the various pieces, I had to go inside this boutique to further explore what was inside!
It was filled to the brim with totes, clutches, little zipper purses for young girls, and pretty charms to dress up the zipper. I was in window shopping heaven! There was so much variety in pattern, color, and texture, and the shop was so cozy and inviting. As I wandered to the back of the store I started to feel really excited about what I was seeing and wanted to meet whomever owned this shop so I could ask about featuring this boutique gem! As I drew close to the back I saw a woman hard at work behind the checkout desk with brightly colored beads spread out before her in neatly organized containers. Shelves of fabric, rolls of ribbon, and other items related to her craft filled the shelves behind her. I came to find out her name is Cyndi Ritger and she is the creative talent behind these beautiful handbags. She has an avid love of fabrics and collects them for hand-making her gorgeous products! (After discovering that she hand makes these totes I asked her if she could custom make a very large tote for my business. Since I offer gorgeous ready-hang art for my client's walls, I have samples that I show. I needed something to protect my pieces in transit. We are currently collaborating on a custom bag! I will post pics on my FB page once it's completed.)
I asked if I could feature her business, after which we excitedly discussed this blog feature and planned a model shoot in order to show off some of her talent. Upon scheduling the shoot with one of the Riverwalk Square owner's, we were told that Holly Butterfield with Agnes and Dora (super cute clothing) would be a great clothing resource for the models. We wrapped things up and I headed out.
Holly Butterfield with Agnes and Dora
I got in touch with Holly who was excited about participating and jumped on board. I also hit up a good friend, the beautiful and talented Molly Watson to see if she would oversee hair, makeup, and be a model. Lucky for me she agreed! (Happy dance). (And just as a side note, Molly has done hair and makeup for some of my senior girls and has done such a lovely job that she is one of my new recommended vendors! Additional info about her will be coming to my website soon.)
Molly Watson: Hair, Makeup, Model
Cyndi and I worked to find additional women/girls to be our models. We wanted a variety of ages from around 7 to mid 30s to model the boutique bags and clothing. It was fun to meet and plan outfit and purse pairings prior to the big shoot! Cyndi wanted her three daughters and granddaughter to participate as models in the shoot, which was great because this just added to the personal meaning!
And fast forward to the model shoot! Here is a fun pic of some of the models getting ready:
Molly preps hair and makeup. Holly Butterfield at right waits patiently to help girls get their clothing.
Without further ado here are our beautiful models. Women are all modeling Agnes and Dora tops (click here for her Face Book Page), and hand- made handbags by Cindy Ritger of Shoppy Chic (click here for Shoppy Chic FB Page). If you haven't had a chance to see this amazing shop, you should check it out! The address is: 127 North Main, located inside The Riverwalk Square. Happy Shopping!
