It's been over a year already?

For the past year I have kept a journal of psnob's events, press, and interesting facts. I recently thought of adding an entry or two regarding a more personal perspective. Even though there have been entries that state the important details of psnob, I never want to forget the most important details...how challenging this journey has been and the things that people may not realize when it comes to making your dreams a reality.

Eight years of hard work and I am sure more to come. When I decided to embark on such a project, I had no idea what I was up against. At times people see the end result, the notoriety, the praise, the glamour side of this business. I personally am the only one who truly knows the ugly side, the frustrating side, the rejection side, the passionate side. The passion is what keeps me believing in what I am doing, and why I am doing it. Some people think it is just about the "handbags", but in actuality, it is about doing something that brings me joy, inspires others and allows the flexibility of personal growth in the form of art.

Almost one year today is when I went public with the psnob handbags. A lot of preparation went into deciding when to launch the line and so much has revolved around that day of the launch.

I would like to continue adding entries to bring everyone up to date on the other side of psnob. Maybe shed a little light on my perspective of this industry, my personal encounters, the fake and the phony, the people who admire what you do and the percentage of those who don't want you to steal their thunder.

As a business person I have played the politically correct role, but as an artist I have no role to play. I can only be true to my craft, my journey, my story.

psnob featured on the new HOTLantaBuzzOnline.com

Psnob is featured on the new HotLantabuzzonline!

With their recent launch, Hotlantabuzz recently interviewed the Atlanta based designer.

Hotlanta Buzz strives to become YOUR voice and YOUR vision of Atlanta.

www.hotlantabuzzonline.com is a space for our trendy urban community. We highlight the great places and events, who’s who, and all that this city of Atlanta has to offer. We discuss the trends in music, fashion, film, television, lifestyle topics such as relationships, health and beauty, and so much more.

Check out the psnob write up by visiting the home page feature stories or visit the fashion section of the site.

www.hotlantabuzzonline.com

psnob Holiday Special!

Bring in the New Year psnob style and purchase your Gwenny clutch today!

Whether you want one of the most unique handbags for a New Year's Party, or
maybe you are lucky enough to attend one of the Inaugural Balls...A psnob handbag
will definitely compliment your wardrobe as well as make you stand out from the rest.

From now until New Years Day psnob is offering the following:
One-Of-A-Kind handbags for $720.00 ($1200.00 regular price)
Limited Edition Prints for $300.00 ($500.00 regular price)
(FREE SHIPPING ON ALL SALE ITEMS)

Be sure to get your psnob Gwenny clutch at its limited time only sale price before the year ends.

psnob will be introducing its new collection in Spring 2009!

You may purchase by going directly to the psnob e-store http://shop.psnob.com/

All sale items will also include FREE SHIPPING!

www.psnob.com

psnob featured on purseblog.com

psnob.com featured on purseblog.com

One of the biggest fashion sites on the web featuring designer handbags has introduced psnob to their over 125,000 registered members. Generating over 55,000 visitors daily, psnob is delighted to be one of their fashion handbag picks!

Please visit today www.purseblog.com

We're Back....psnob's New York Trip!

Good afternoon psnob supporters!

I am very excited to share this particular psnob newsletter and I am sure that it is also a much anticipated newsletter for all of the psnob subscribers.

Just this past Monday I was in New York city at the Henri Bendel Open See event on 5th avenue. I had the privilege of attending this event with a friend of mine named Stephanie who was willing to battle the cold and stick it out for the love of fashion with me. I have to admit, I am still trying to come down from the high of this experience and I am so fortunate that I was able to attend.

From the day I left Atlanta to head to NY I was a nervous wreck. I didn't know what to expect. It was actually quite funny...I was pretty erratic.

I would like to share my adventure with all of you so I hope you enjoy!

Day 1 -Friday October 24th-

• I made sure to get my hair done. I didn't want to look a mess while presenting to Henri Bendel. -My friend Mellisa was so kind to hook me up, Dominican style, for my big day!
  (4 hours of styling needed, I have A lOT OF HAIR)
  
  
• Made arrangements for a pet sitter for my dog Alpacino. I had to get three different neighbors to pet sit. One of my neighbors asked me. " How do you work the leash again." Now I'm really nervous.
  

Day 2-Saturday October 25th-

• $50.00 in cash to last me for three days in New York...(no really...$50.00)
  Called a cab from my house to get to the train station in Atlanta (Cab fare $11.00)
  
• Purchased my round trip train ticket for $4.00 .
  
• Got to La Guardia Airport at 9am
  Headed out to baggage claim where the wind kicked my butt. My hair was pretty much all over the place. As I tried to find a hair tie, it kept getting worse.
  
• Stephanie is on her way from Maryland to meet me at our hotel in New Jersey. She is running late because she got caught is severe weather. She called me
  several times mentioning all the people who hydroplaned and was off in a ditch, but she was still on her way.
  
• Stephanie and I attempted to get a "good night" sleep. I am still very restless and unable to stop thinking about the event on Monday. Stephanie had
  no trouble at all getting her "sleep on".
  

Day 3- Sunday October 26th-

Stephanie and I wake up fairly early to hit the streets of Manhattan. Stephanie wanted to hit some high end boutique's as well as for me me to get some practice on speaking to store owners and buyers.

• Spent nearly two hours looking for a parking spot.
  
• Had my first taste of Hallal. A dish Stephanie suggested we eat. Great suggestion. Rice, Chicken, vege's and salad all for $4.00
  
• Had to take a bathroom break from all the walking and prepping for psnob.
  Got to Crate and Barrel and had a small episode. Started to cry for no apparent reason while Stephenie jokingly asked.. "What the hell is wrong with you."
  
• I am laughing and pretty much crying and the same time saying "I don't know." She says.."You got this, don't worry, you got this."
  
• After getting back outside and getting some air we head back to the car awaiting a $110.00 parking ticket. We both laugh.
  
• We head into Harlem to visit Stephanie's family where we are greeted with warmth and love and even some great food!
  
• Get back to Hotel in New Jersey at 11pm
  Set clock to wake up at 2:00am
  I cannot sleep...Stephanie is on her third dream

Day 4- Monday October 27th-

• I never went to sleep ( Been awake since Sunday morning at 9am)
  Stephanie and I get dressed to head into Manhattan by 4am
  
• We find parking garage on the same block as Henri Bendel ($40.00..Stephanie was so kind to cover this expense)
  
• We line up and are fortunate that we are number 20 or so in line... SWEET!!
  Stephanie buys Starbucks and we both get comfortable in our spot in line.
  







• Stephanie sleeps....I still cannot rest ( How does she do it?)
  

• 9am the doors open for the first group to present their product
  We are directed into different lines and pointed in the direction of the buyer to review the product.
  
• We have about 60 seconds to pitch.
  
• I walk up and introuduce myself and shake the buyers hand.
  The rest was a blurrrrrrrrrr
  
• The Henri Bendel open see is complete...FOR US
  
• We walk outside and at least 1000 more hopefuls are waiting in line for their 60sec opportunity.
  
• Officially faced a high end buyer head on, with confidence and determination.
  Got positive feedback.
  
• Returned to Atlanta going more than 30 hours with NO SLEEP.

Day 5- Tuesday October 28th-

• Got an email from a high end boutique in New York's SOHO to carry a few bags from the Gwenny Collection. (will disclose boutique later)
  
• Had an hour phone interview with http://www.purseblog.com/. They want to do a feature story on the psnob handbags.
  Finally get some sleep. Well, sort of...wanted to type the psnob newsletter!
  

I must say that this was one experience I will never forget. I definitely learned more than I could have ever imagined. For the past year, things have been so challenging, but have
been determined to see psnob shine. I see its growth, I envision things that I want to create, I can vividly see psnob becoming such a well known brand that it becomes a household name.

I love the fact that I am motivating young people and even the people who never dreamed of pursuing their dream of being an entrepreneur. I am so grateful for all of the lessons I have learned along the way.

I definitely have had my up's and down's, as well as many of us. All of our lives are changing right before us. But good things are going to happen, good things are going to come about by staying positive, staying true to yourself and finding the support you may need from family and friends. I don't know how I would have made it this far without that.

psnob is what keeps me laughing, smiling, crying, painting, drawing, building relationships, ended a few and most importantly, keeps me grounded.

Thank you so much for every single person who helped me make this trip to New York a success. I even returned to Atlanta with three whole dollars!!!! Now that's making your money stretch.

I am truly proud to be a psnob!

Research....Research.....

Good Morning to all psnob.com's newsletter subscribers!



We all love a good update and psnob checks in with us in her own words.





"It has been a very interesting few months, even a very interesting few days. From the election, to the economy, it seems as if everyone is in stress mode...including myself. I still try to find time to be "creative" for that is what keeps me energized and focused.



I have been taking some much needed time to come up with new ideas for future collections and concepts. I have also been preparing for the Henri Bendel Open see the end of this month. I will be sure to post pictures of the event once I return.



One reason I wanted to post this particular newsletter is because of a lot of recent research I have been doing in the past few months on "hand painted" handbags. I definitely wanted to share."


"Be sure to read, pass along to other's that may be interested, and comments are always appreciated. Thank so much for the ongoing support and I will be sure to keep everyone in the know!"



PLEASE READ ENTRY BELOW: Letter addressed to the Founder of Purseblog.com in response to the article written..."Prada Fairy Bags Bleed"



Meaghan, How are you?



In early spring I sent you a press release regarding a new line of handbags called psnob (snob). I believe you were going to do a write up, but not sure if covered it or not. The reason for my email is because I was browsing the Internet and landing on your blog. I saw the write up "Prada Fairy Bags Bleed".http://www.purseblog.com/prada/prada-fairy-bag-bleeds.htmlIt struck a cord because I have been designing, perfecting and protecting my line of handbags for years.



Even though I started my business about eight years ago,it took just about that long to figure one of the most crucial elements of a hand painted handbag. Any handbag that is made from a water based medium will be a challenge to make truly functional. Yes, in the beginning, hand painted handbags are aesthetically beautiful but what about the wear and tear? For years I did not launch the collection because I knew this was something that I had to NAIL so to speak. A company and brand as big as PRADA took a chance to make a handbag with artwork. Why? because people are tired of being hustled, they are tired of investing in brand name handbags that end up being mass produced or horrible knock offs. So what are these large designers options...go with an "art bag"....even commission an artist to put his/her work on the map by putting their creation on a "handbag"...but be careful...if you are in the business of making handbags and NOT creating art, you will be in trouble...YOU CANNOT MASS PRODUCE FINE ART AS A HANDBAG ACCESSORY UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING.



As an artist, I decided to get into fashion because I knew that I could create a product. I wanted to still paint, but would I ever be discovered at my local art gallery?Would I have to wait for a tragedy to become "famous"? Or maybe if I was lucky, Louis Vuitton and or Prada may have cut a deal with me I couldn't refuse.Well, lets just say, that didn't happen and I had to create my own empire, but I had to start somewhere and when I knew I had a secret that would put me on the map...I decided I would take my secret to the grave. psnob has tapped into a market where people are not seeing the value, intricacy of what a psnob handbag really is (just yet). It took over two years for me to create the special coating that makes a fine art piece "functional". No running, no bleeding, no cracking, no gimmicks...just the opportunity for fine art to be taken to another level. The opportunity for a person who may not even care much for art end up having a new appreciation. Or maybe the art enthusiast who never imagined carrying a fine art piece that looks like it should be hanging on their living room wall. The smaller, unknown companies like myself get hardly any credit when knowing what I have created is genius.



I have much respect for the major labels...they motivated me and set the bar.....but what's business without a little competition? If only the psnob handbag could get in the right hands, if only someone would take a moment to see the true beauty and thought that went into creating a product that would offer another niche to this already saturated market of same ol' same ol'. Indeed, there are a select few who have truly noticed what psnob is and what it will become, but I still have a ways to go and an entire market to reach. I just wanted to personally send you a note from the heart. Not a fancy press release, or a email from my "publicist"....I am just an artist trying to fit in this world of fashion.....but in my own way.



Thank you so much and I hope to hear back. Sincerely, Rebecca "The original psnob"

Sponsor psnob to NEW YORK!!!

New York, New York, Here We Come!

Hello!

First and most importantly, psnob® would like to show its appreciation by saying thank you to each and every person who has shown their support. It is an ongoing effort to continue to promote psnob and make psnob® a brand that we all will come to know and love. In 2008, psnob® has experienced a tremendous amount of growth as well as media exposure. Articles about psnob® has been written about in more than a dozen media outlets including; Atlanta Sunday Paper, the Indianapolis Recorder, Skirt Magazine, stylehive.com, handbagdesigner101.com, and thebaglady.com. But it doesn't stop there. The next step is preparing for the coming year and specifically preparation for Spring 2009.

On October 27th 2008, psnob has an amazing opportunity to attend the annual "Open See" event at Henri Bendel department store in New York and psnob need's your backing. Your sponsorship will make it possible for psnob to attend "Open See" and present the psnob® handbag collection to the official buyers of Henri Bendel department store. The "Open See" has launched the careers of Todd Oldham, Anna Sui, and Pamela Dennis just to name a few. Henri Bendel, a department store established in 1895 is the creme de la creme of high end shopping.

"One of Manahattan's chicest shopping environments, Henri Bendel is a Girls' playground, where Bendel girls go tofind the new and the next in accessories, cosmetics, gifts and fashion."

Admission to the Henri Bendel "Open See" is on a First-come-first-seen basis. With your help, psnob® will have the opportunity make its debut in New York. Become a sponsor and make a $10.00 contribution in order to reach our $1,000 goal!

Donations can be made by clicking on the provided link:

http://shop.psnob.com/products/psnob-contribution-donation

Each and every donation is important to us, and psnob will announce the list of contributors via the psnob newsletter. We will also keep everyone posted on our progress of reaching our goal.

Donations will be accepted now through October 24th 2008. If you wish to make a donation larger than the $10.00 pledge, please send a check made payable to:

BecCo/psnob

C/O "Open See" Fundraising Committee

1122 Briarhill Lane NE

Atlanta, GA 30324

*Your donation is tax deductible. Please print and keep your invoice for your records.

To learn more about the Hendri Bendel "Open See", please visit: http://www.henribendel.com/happenings/open_see

To learn more about psnob®, please visit http://www.psnob.com/