HMS Interview: Lori Wood, Lori’s Heirloom Sewing

Lori Wood
Entrepreneur, Majorly Talented, Serious Multi-Tasker and one busy Hautemomma! 

 Lori’s Heirloom Sewing
Website coming soon….

Many people, this day and age, seem to be forgetting the value of an heirloom.  Heirlooms can be anything from beautiful china, sterling silver and linens to exquisite handmade children’s clothing….enter Lori Wood!  This busy mother of three young boys makes gorgeous, unique heirloom children’s clothing by hand.  Where does she find the time you ask?  I asked Lori about this and she says she makes time.  She has even traveled with her sewing machine on vacation and only a few times has caught herself reaching over to sew at a stoplight.

Here are a few pictures of Lori’s clothing:
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No matter when, or where, she finds the time, Lori’s clothing is something to be cherished, gifted and certainly heirloomed.  If you haven’t met Lori, then you must! Not only is she amazing at sewing handmade clothing, she is a fun, easy-going, entergetic hautemomma! 

When she finds ‘free time’ Lori is also an executive board member of The Lexington Foundation, Inc. an organization whose philanthropic mission is to create awareness and raise funds in the fight against cancer.   She is a treasurer for The Foundation and the recent Derby Ball chair of 2007 and was just appointed the Derby Ball chair for 2008.

Read on below to find out more about Lori and what she considers to be….haute!
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Favorite Vacation Spot
Cayman Islands- probably because it is the first trip my husband took me on and also where we got engaged.

Favorite Restaurant
Bonefish and Bellinis

Favorite Hotel
Greenbrier in West Virginia where we have a place, but the hotel really has a lot to offer to children and adults. You don’t have to be a guest in the hotel to enjoy all its amenities.

Favorite Gift to Give 
Something that I have monogrammed because it has added a personal touch from myself. Usually a little bag or hand towel, because I love lots of bags myself….

Cocktail of Choice
(thanks to Suzanne Nunnelley for introducing it to me) Captain Morgan’s and diet coke with a lime- it has a Spanish name but I forgot- Cubra Libra (maybe)

Favorite Style Icon
Boy I’m not very good at this one- I don’t really have one, but I am very intrigued by Tyra Banks, because she talks about how Models struggle with their weight and she’s promoting a healthier lifestyle. She was on the cover of a magazine weighing 160 lbs.

Favorite Designer
Isabella Fiore- Love the shoes and handbags- I’ve never been a huge clothing designer person but love this one.

How Do You Define Style?
I would define style as anything that a person can successfully put on his/her body and wear out in public and feel great in.  Tomorrow absolutely may be a whole new trend. My advice would be to wear what looks good on you and what you feel comfortable in- Not always do the trends, they don’t always look good on everyone.

What is in Your Beauty Bag?
Not too much is in my beauty bag. Bobby Brown lip stick and lip gloss and liner. Maybe a few choices on that one and that about wraps it up on my beauty department.

Fashion Wish List
Probably a neat new winter coat. I haven’t bought one in a few years.

Favorite Mantra
No pain no gain! I hear it when I’m working out.

Favorite Personal Item
My Bible- Because that is what keeps me grounded and focused on the real reason for everything in life

How did you learn to make beautiful children’s clothing? Who/what was/is your biggest inspiration/teacher/mentor to do what you do?
I started making children’s clothes when I was in college. My step fathers’ family was from the Montgomery, Alabama, area and while I was attending Auburn University I would visit with them and their precious children all dressed in these beautiful heirloom outfits. They told me that I would have to learn to make them in order to have them for my own children some day, so I started taking classes in Montgomery, Alabama.  My teachers were world renowned ladies by the names of Sarah Howard Stone and her daughter Melissa Stone. I spent many hours with them learning all the techniques to heirloom sewing, some by machine and some by hand. I treasure all of their books still to this day and refer to them quite often for ideas and reminders of techniques.

If you could give women advice regarding being a mom, wife and owning/running a business mostly out of your home, what words of advice / wisdom would you give?  Especially regarding time management and personal time.
The most important thing in my life is my family! I must always remember that and sometimes it is hard to juggle a business and a family and philanthropic work. But, I always ask myself,” In 10 years, what will I wish I had done more of?” The answer is always “spend more time with the kids” So that always keeps things in perspective. I think I do manage time pretty well and I do sacrifice sleep to a certain degree, but I love it and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

What do you love most about making custom children’s clothing?
The thing I love most about making other people an heirloom outfit, or even a smocked outfit, is when I see their child in a picture or in person with the outfit on and the child loving and feeling great and beautiful in the outfit. That gives me soo much joy.

Any favorite children’s clothing line? (other than your own of course:)
My favorite children’s line of clothing is actually very different from my own- Oillily! Believe it or not. I like to mix things up a bit.

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