457 - Karen Swerling - There are Always Five Solutions to Every Problem
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Karen Keech Swerling worked in Hollywood as a costume designer for three decades. She and her husband were looking for a change of pace in retirement, so eight years ago they traded their house in Malibu for an early 1900s Victorian in Richmond’s museum district. Keech Swerling converted the basement into a studio for her nonprofit, , and she offers free classes to anyone with a desire and a passion to sew. You can find Karen on Richmond Really Sews on and Links and Resources; - (Some of the links I provide, specifically to Amazon and a few others, require me...
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456 - Happy Women's History Month
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Links and Resources; .
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455 - Listener Favorite - Michelle Moldowan
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Michelle Moldowan of styles inspiring spaces, makes houses feel like homes, and owns and operates a custom drapery workroom in Castle Rock, CO. She delights in walking alongside homeowners as they plan and execute home projects from minor changes to whole house remodeling, as well as designing and fabricating bespoke window treatments across the country. Using a design process carefully cultivated over 10 years in the industry, Michelle prides herself on listening carefully to homeowners to truly understand their lifestyle and design a space that not only meets theirs needs but tells...
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454 - Morris Mayer - No Two Hours are the Same in This Business
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Morris Mayer, Entrepreneur and Pastor. He is the CEO of Morris Mayer Services Group Inc., overseeing several small businesses and a charity. These include Plaza Park Interiors, a 12 year old custom drapery and upholstery workroom to the trade and contract accounts; Plaza Park Cleaning Services offering fine drapery and upholstery cleaning and stain shield fabric protector; Valley Interiors offering custom window treatments and upholstery in Northern New Jersey; the recently launched R2A Custom Furniture Frames offering Ready 2 Assemble high end custom furniture frames to smaller custom...
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453 - Deb Barrett - I've Been Appointment Driven My Whole Life
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Deb Barrett is an accomplished, prolific and highly regarded authority in the design industry with a varied background and experience. A fascination with what's around the corner and the constant search for inspiration has led to her current roles in the design industry. • As an award-winning designer and Principal in Window Dressings, Deb Barrett has built a reputation for cutting edge couture treatments and soft furnishings • As an educator, Deb is a recognized design authority and thought leader. She is a frequent speaker for a variety of industry events. She...
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452 - Oksana Ambroz - The Business Came to Me, I Wasn't Looking For the Business
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Oksana Ambroz-Trychta is the founder of "," a Chicago-based textile design studio and workroom. Born in Ukraine, Oksana's background in art and music led her to a career in ceramic and porcelain design. After showcasing her porcelain collection in New York in 1997, she transitioned to soft furnishings, reigniting her passion for textiles. Building a strong reputation through word-of-mouth, she became a sought-after collaborator for interior designers. A course in laser cutting at Central St. Martin's in London further fueled her innovative approach. "It's...
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451 - Molly Burke and Tracy Jenkins of Chairloom
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Now is Found operates at the intersection of art and sustainability, shifting the conversation around vintage furniture and design. On today's podcast I have the pleasure of interviewing Molly Burke and Tracy Jenkins of Chairloom. The Sew Much More Podcast is sponsored by;
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450 - Wes and Jes Breitenbach - Crown Upholstery
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In 1999 Jes and Wes were on a quest to work for themselves and have more control over their own time. That's when they created Crown Upholstery. After 25 years they have definitely worked, but they have yet to gain much control over their time. Jesica is the 5th generation in her family to be enticed by the upholstery lifestyle. Growing up in her grandparents shop, in Glendale Arizona, she witnessed first hand the freedoms upholstery had to offer as well as the hard work one has to put in to be successful in this craft. Wes was raised in Maryland and had never known upholstery to be...
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449 - Addie Conte Follow Up Podcast
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Addie Conte was offered a job on a whim by a local Maryland drapery workroom in 2012. That first experience sparked her love for making beautiful things that continues today. Any spare time she had was spent attending workroom classes and window treatment conferences. She began planning her own workroom space in her unfinished basement. Shortly after, a local seamstress was going out of business, and Addie was able to acquire all of their equipment and ta-da… was born. Today, the Addie Designs team proudly operates from a dynamic studio in Deale, Maryland- a...
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448 - Happy New Year 2025!
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The Sew Much More Podcast is sponsored by;
info_outlineIn 1999 Jes and Wes were on a quest to work for themselves and have more control over their own time. That's when they created Crown Upholstery. After 25 years they have definitely worked, but they have yet to gain much control over their time. Jesica is the 5th generation in her family to be enticed by the upholstery lifestyle. Growing up in her grandparents shop, in Glendale Arizona, she witnessed first hand the freedoms upholstery had to offer as well as the hard work one has to put in to be successful in this craft. Wes was raised in Maryland and had never known upholstery to be anything other than something you did to the interiors of cars. The sirens of upholstery began to sing to him on a visit to Jesica's grandparents house. He saw their home based shop and the countless processes that go into this craft and quickly fell in love. Having a background in auto mechanics he was already primed for the problem solving journey that upholstery provides. He took a few classes taught by Jesica's grandfather, Frank, and then began his apprenticeship with him after Frank saw the enthusiasm and attention to detail Wes had. Within a few years of walking into an upholstery shop for the first time, Wes was starting his own. It began in a tiny one car garage that shared space with laundry machines, holiday decorations and lawn equipment but it did the job. Jesica had experience in accounting and she's much better at organization and management of things so that made the decision of who would be boss really easy. They moved across country a couple of times searching for a place to settle down and eventually landed in east Tennessee. In the 17 years living and working in Knoxville they have established a reputation for quality upholstery and excellent customer service. For the majority of their upholstery career they have been a home based business. In 2018 they purchased their first commercial space. A 1920's grocery store with an apartment above. They were officially a business based home. Within a few years, and after hiring another upholsterer Crown Upholstery was ready for more growth. Jesica found and purchased another building in the same neighborhood. This allowed them to bring on another full-time upholsterer. Jesica was now coordinating the schedules of 3 upholsterers along with everything else that goes into running a business. They still live above the old upholstery shop but it is now a Hair salon that Jesica manages as well. There's a reason she won Knoxville's Women owned business of the year 2024. Even when they aren't working together they still enjoy spending time together. Whether it's camping, sifting through junks shops or riding bikes. They are rarely seen very far apart.