High Point, NC is my home away from home. No joke, I have spent a month per year there for both textile and furniture markets, and always look forward to connecting with my clients who have become my friends.  I’ll never forget, years ago, standing in line at my favorite “locals” bakery to get my daily handmade granola bar (with a live harpist playing in the background), admiring a tall, modelesque woman wearing 501’s and a tunic looking straight out of the pages of Domino.  When the woman turned around, I realized she was Carol Gregg of Red Egg.  I had met Carol at a women’s networking party months earlier and as we became friends, she would host me, with grace and flair,  many evenings at her showroom, all gathered on her beautiful farmhouse porch. In High Point yet again this summer, I was in for a real treat, Carol teamed up with Communications Guru Amy Flurry, to create a #BossLady gathering, a PorchPerfect evening of shoptalk and sharing.

” We need to take care of ourselves and each other as women entrepreneurs.” – Carol Gregg

Amy welcomed us in true Boss Lady style, setting the intention for the evening.

“The PorchPerfect series came from the idea of gathering some of our favorite friends in the industry, who we’d like to spend more time with, in a setting that would encourage conversation, in a style that reflected Carol, Red Egg, and me.”  – Amy Flurry

A true #BossLady is cool and collected, she gets the job done.

We talked work projects, passion projects, family juggle and even how we might collaborate. Lisa Sherry and Leyla Gans share their latest news.

Amy and Carol thought that they could connect with guests more personally outside of  the furniture market hustle.  They cooked for us, rather than having dinner catered, staying true to their authentic maker sensibilities.  As we settled into our conversations over wine and beautiful food, the group decompressed, relaxed conversation filled the porch as shoulders noticeably dropped.

The day after our gathering, Laura Thurman sent us all an email consolidating all our contact info, social media handles and helpful links to some of the resources we talked about: new apps, software, blogs, podcasts, and publications. Total Boss Lady move, thank you Laura!!

 “…for Carol to transform her home into a temporary designer dorm was generous and true to her spirit. Whether we were lounging in our chic rooms filled with Red Egg furniture, her collected art, books, and souvenirs, or just chilling on the porch, I felt like I had escaped.”  – Jane Dagmi

Crafting En Plein Air – Sharing & Shoptalk

With rosé in hand, we sidled up to the craft table Carol prepared. She set out linen napkins, embroidery floss, bakers twine, and some fancy yarns I brought with my trim know-how, to make tasseled cocktail napkins.  Carol talked about her grandmother’s “Stitch ‘n Bitch” sessions of old, like a quilting circle. Re-framed for our Boss Lady crowd, this crafting session could be coined “Sharing ‘n Shoptalk”.   It’s not always natural for women to talk about their accomplishments, but in this supportive setting, it was amazing how we boasted on behalf of one another. The evening revealed that this was a group of highly accomplished and ambitious business women.

Did you know that CRAFTING has been called “the NEW yoga” with benefits of mindfulness like relaxation and flow?

Click photos below for an easy tassel DIY video using embroidery floss.

I was thrilled to finally meet Jill McKenzie of steve mckenzie’s, an interiors and lifestyle store in Atlanta and Lisa Sherry whose Luxe Life design reputation proceeded her.  Here, Jill, Lisa and Jane  learn the advanced technique of a roll knot banding. I learned this from my Italian handwork mentors in a trimmings factory and love sharing it.

With a sense of being filled up; with beautiful food and friendship, Boss Lady tips and crafting know-how, we left with a copy of Recipe for Press and gratitude for an evening shared that was truly PorchPerfect.

I hope this post inspires you to create a #BossLady gathering of your own, please write me if you do, I love sharing your insight and creativity!

A special thank you to the Boss Lady behind the camera, Gabbie Burseth for capturing this event.