Winter: the lull between seasons

The art of waiting.

The quiet of winter can be the most distracting void. It's a lesson in how to live in a constant state of uncertainty. We just have to be ready to change course every other minute. Just when we think we have a plan, something happens that changes everything. What do we do? We constantly reschedule things. We cancel this, we postpone that. We try to adapt, but we feel off balance. We feel stuck in time. We can't focus. We feel as adrift as the blowing snow.

It's as if life is on hold; that we are suspended in time, stranded between seasons. It feels like we are in a Netflix series that suddenly took a turn we didn't see coming, leaving us hanging at the end of the last season, and here we are waiting on the edge of a cliff to see how it all turns out. We hate waiting. We try to fill the void. We get off the sofa and grab some popcorn. We make more "to do" lists. We surf Social Media for inspiration or just to see what other, more together, people are doing. But, we just can't get our footing. We get depressed and overwhelmed, and blame it all on winter.

Then, out of the blue, something happens that puts a whole new perspective on things. Coincidences and synchronicity and "What are the odds?" situations. We have a couple of full circle experiences, and it all begins to make sense. We begin to realize that the seemingly random chain of unfortunate events were all part of a Grand Plan. Time and time again, as we round a bend and suddenly see the larger view, we understand that all of those crazy twists and turns were leading to something better than we could have imagined. Maybe uncertainty isn't so bad after all.

If winter is teaching me anything, it's to learn to trust the process. Trust in God's plan. Turns out, all things, all situations and messes and dark days -- they're all leading to something better My life might seem chaotic and out of control at times, but only if I delude myself into thinking that everything is up to me, or even has to do with me. Winter is a lesson in learning to wait. Waiting is a skill, an art form, a test. Maybe it's really a gift. It's a time to reflect and understand; to re-order our priorities and to visualize how we want to alter our course. Spring is coming. But, for now, we'll just move forward day-by-day in the direction of our dreams and give ourselves permission to enjoy the journey along the way.

Here at J.Mullin Apparel, we are finally in the throws of planning our official Launch Event! It's been almost three years since we moved from the San Francisco Bay Area to Kansas City and I began making one-of-a-kind kimonos. We have created three new designs in two inclusive sizes, and have streamlined our production process to be able to produce a consistent high-quality product that is still one-of-a-kind and still features repurposed fabrics. It has been a huge learning experience for me, and I am finding ways to keep the artistic integrity and uniqueness of one-of-a-kind pieces while being able to scale.

Our Launch Event is being planned for Thursday, April 21st, from 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm at the 1900 Building's Fountain Room, 1900 Shawnee Parkway, Mission Woods, KS. It is one of Kansas City's finest

gallery/event spaces, and we will be pulling the details together and doing some promotion and publicity in March and April. Tickets are available at Eventbrite.com. We just completed a new photo shoot with some of our new kimonos and two gorgeous models, and you will be seeing them over the coming weeks..

Personally, I cannot wait to share our new line with you! The journey has been long and a little treacherous at times. There is no GPS system or even a folded up map for what we're doing, and we've worked very hard to get this far. We've laid the groundwork for a new season that promises to take our little line of kimonos and scarves to a new level of exposure and visibility. We hope you come along with us on this new adventure!

More information on the Spring & Summer Line will be coming soon. We promise you'll be the first to know.

In the meantime, visit our website often:

Visit Our On-Line Store

Luxurious Gatherings

Christmas Time is Here. Happiness and Cheer.

One of my favorite things is getting together with people I love and getting caught up over a lovely dinner in a luxurious setting. I feel a sweet peace come over me as I look across the table at my friend’s glowing face, laughing at each other’s stories, and talking about our upcoming plans for the holidays. To me, this is the ultimate luxury.

It feels so good to dress up a little and experience being waited on, and enjoy a gourmet meal in the company of good friends. I soak up the golden moments, looking around the room at the other diners having their own conversations. There is a rosy glow on their faces and a twinkle in their eyes as the sound of soft piano music and clinking silverware blend in with the murmer of voices. I savor this moment, its sights, sounds, tastes and aromas. All seems right with the world. I wish this for everyone. This comfort, this love, this joy. I pray that in some way everyone can experience a few golden moments this Holiday Season.

The Holidays are filled with sights and sounds that we don’t hear any other time of the year. Our hearts are warmed by our gatherings with loved ones, and our traditions we celebrate remind us of many other happy times throughout the years.

What are your holiday traditions? Does your family have a favorite Christmas movie that you watch every year? Do you have a family recipe that you revisit and enjoy every year? We like to make my husband’s mother’s Christmas cookies. Some of our Christmas ornaments have been handed down over the years. As I hang each ornament on our Christmas tree, I stop for a moment to remember when it was given to us, and how many years it has graced our tree.

While I treasure and appreciate what’s old, I find it even more delightful and gratifying when it has been preserved or enhanced in some way, and set apart from other things that can be distracting. I find that vintage or intricately beautiful fabrics are much more stunning when used sparingly, set apart where they can stand alone as the work of art that they are.

I love the old traditional Rat Pack renditions and fresh new versions of old standards like White Christmas, Chestnuts Roasting...., I'll be Home for Christmas, Happy Holidays, What Child is This?, Oh Christmas Tree, and on and on. I love to stand in the middle of a big cathedral when the pipe organ is cranking out fugues and fanfares, testing the strength of the stained glass windows. I also love the gently plucking of a harp as it resonates in flicking candle light.

And, there’s nothing like a swanky piano bar for a little holiday cheer. Some things never get old, while other things improve with a bit of reinvention. Keeping traditions fresh and relevant requires imagination and a sense of adventure.

Reinvention weaves itself into everything I create. Each kimono features repurposed fabrics that I have rescued and given a new life. The curated fabrics and the prints and patterns I combine in each kimono creates a reinterpretation of their original configuration and purpose. My customers love the combinations of fabrics and tell me they appreciate the fact that each piece I make is a one-of-a-kind piece. It does take a lot more time to source the fabrics and integrate them into each new kimono, but that is what makes them beautiful and unique. There are no other garments like this on the market. The ones that come close start at much higher prices. We focus on creating a high quality beautiful garment that puts a fresh new spin on gorgeous fabrics the otherwise would end up in landfills.

It is my hope that you will find some delight in your Holiday traditions this year, and that you and your loved ones have many luxurious golden moments to treasure for years to come.

The kimonos shown in this article are (from top to bottom) The Nina Kimono (M) $689;

the Parker Kimono (M) $649; and the Lauren Kimono (L) $689. They can be found in the

Kimono Section under our "SHOP" tab. Sizing information and measurements can be

found within the detailed descriptions for each product.

Elegance is Right at Home

There's no place like home for the holidays...

Why not make it an elegant occasion?

Coming home after visiting friends, shopping for Christmas gifts, going to the symphony, entertaining in our home, going out to restaurants, raking the leaves, going to soccer games, meetings, and running errands of every sort -- I am so ready to just sit down and relax.

There's nothing like coming home, relaxing with my family, sitting in front of a crackling fire. Still wearing my kimono from the dinner party I just came home from, I pour myself a beverage, kick off my shoes and collapse into a heap on the sofa. I couldn't feel more pampered than I do at this moment. Thoughts of upcoming plans fade into the blurry mist of the coming weeks. But, right now I'm savoring this special evening at home by the fire, wrapped in luxurious comfort, feeling an inner peace that has eluded me for too long. A spark of guilty self-indulgence quickly melts into a glowing ember of wonder and gratitude for all that is, and all that will be.

I want this for you, too. I invite you to give yourself permission to indulge in the luxury of your life. Let yourself enjoy the ultimate in luxury: the comfort of your own home; timeless and elegant style that lasts a lifetime.

SHOP our Holiday Collection of Luxury Kimonos

Elevated style for your Curated Life

Style that Takes you Places -- # 5