#I will probably post more than just sewing patterns on here! probably some magazine ads & potentially my own fashion journal!! | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

gabriel-agreste-has-no-rights · 5 years ago

Link

Rating: T

Summary: The beret smelled like Ladybug. It was only natural that Adrien would wear it to school. He didn't know why Marinette would look so terrified to see it.(Post-Chat Blanc identity reveal)

Word Count: 5053

Notes: Requested by my good pal @mozzys-studio! (I”m no longer taking requests but this is for the episode-divergent reveal fic asks)

XXX

“Did you know I have a fan club in Brazil, Plagg?” Adrien asked as he examined the beret Ladybug had dropped off.

“Like I keep track of all the girls who want to gobble you up like a piece of cheese.” Plagg snorted and lounged on the now-empty windowsill. It was tempting to run to the window, try to follow his partner’s path home with his eyes. But he knew better than to breach her trust like that.

“It’s not like that, Plagg. I’m sure they’re just into fashion, like Marinette.”

Though… the hearts embroidered on it were a little much. It was too bad the gift wasn’t actually from Ladybug, like he’d first guessed when he’d caught her in his room.

“I wonder how they got it to her and not me,” he thought out loud. “Some fans in Brazil wouldn’t know her identity, would they? That’s on the whole other side of the world.”

“Of course they wouldn’t. You’re her partner, you know she’s not that careless.”

Adrien didn’t like Plagg’s tone. Ladybug wasn’t careless at all. Of course no one knew her identity, or she’d have to give up her miraculous.

Though Master Fu would have to go through him before he ever let that happen.

“You’re right.” Adrien sighed and flopped back on the bed, still running his fingers over the beret. The fabric was silky soft, obviously high quality. “I still wonder how they got this to her. Even I don’t know how to contact Ladybug unless I’m transformed.”

Plagg shrugged. “Maybe they sent it to the mayor or the Eiffel Tower or something. Who cares? It’s a dumb looking hat anyway.”

“It’s not dumb.” He held it closer to his chest and caught a whiff of Ladybug’s scent. Sugar and cinnamon mixed with some kind of flowery perfume. He’d wear it for weeks just to cling to that scrap of her.

Of course, the smell of camembert would probably overpower it before too long. Why hadn’t the same company that made “Adrien the Fragrance” bottled Ladybug’s heavenly aroma yet?

He was lost in daydreams of Ladybug modelling for a perfume ad for a few minutes before the itching mystery of the Brazillian fan club intruded again. Maybe if he looked them up online, he could ask someone how they’d gotten ahold of her in the first place.

Or I could just ask her, the more rational part of his mind said. But Adrien didn’t have any reason to get close to her, and Chat wouldn’t have any reason to know about her delivery.

Which begged the question… why did Ladybug agree to deliver the present in the first place? She said there was a postal strike in Brazil, but unless she’d used the horse miraculous, the package had at least gotten to Paris.

“None of this makes any sense.” His brow furrowed as he picked up the blank card that had come along with the package. The Brazillians hadn’t even left him a note.

He squinted. Or maybe they had—it looked like something had been erased from the bottom left corner.

“Hey Plagg, can you make this out?” He asked.

The kwami had been oddly quiet. Normally he liked to flip through a magazine or play foosball after a day of being squashed inside Adrien’s fencing gear.

“Huh? What? That little smudged spot?” Plagg waved a paw dismissively. “Nah. Probably just a stamp that ripped off, or something. Who cares? They should’ve sent you cheese instead, anyway.”

“It’s definitely not a stamp. There’s eraser marks, see?” Adrien sat up, crossing his legs on the bed. As he held the paper up to the light, he could almost make out the left over indentations of the word that had been erased.

“I wouldn’t look at that too closely if I were you. If she got rid of what she wrote, it’s for a good reason, right?”

Adrien’s head snapped up. “Wait—she?”

Plagg froze, looking guiltier than the time Adrien had caught him sneaking an extra wheel of camembert after dinner.

“Uh, did I say she? I mean they! The fan club, remember? I bet it’s a lot of shes though. Or guys maybe, it doesn’t matter to me.”

“No, you said she!” Adrien scrambled on his knees, rumpling the carefully made comforter. The beret reamined clutched in his right hand as he came face to face with where Plagg was laying. “Plagg—did Ladybug actually get this for me?”

“No! Of course not! Why would she do that?” Plagg laughed. “Come on, kid, you’re just saying that because you wish she would give you a present.”

Adrien’s face fell. Was he reading too much into it? After all, Ladybug herself had said the beret was from Brazil. Why would she lie to him?

“...Maybe you’re right.”

But he still took another deep whiff from the beret. She must have held onto it for a while at least. Would it be so bad to imagine it was hers? The stitching even looked like it was from a home sewing machine, not a factory. A few little threads hung off from the underside, just imperfect enough to feel handmade. And the pattern matched his favorite shirt, the one he was only allowed to wear to school or for stock photo shoots. His fans wouldn’t have known that if they were focused on his father’s fashion, right?

Getting your hopes up again, he thought with another wistful sigh.

Oh well. Regardless of the beret’s origin, Ladybug had come to see him. That was more than enough to cheer him up from the disappointment of Father missing his fencing tournament.

He smiled up at the ceiling.

“She really is simply the best.”

XXX

At school the next day, he guessed someone might comment on his beret. Maybe Nino would appreciate having a hat buddy. Maybe Chloe would say that he’d finally learned how to accessorize. Maybe Marinette would have something to compliment about the design.

What he did not expect was for all of the girls chatting on the steps to look at him like they’d seen a ghost. And then for each and every single one of them to hone in on Marinette.

“Girl! I thought you said you didn’t give it to him!” Alya whispered.

“W-well…” Marinette tapped her index fingers together. What she said after that was too quiet for him to make out, but it had all of the girls looking at each other in confusion. Rose squealed in excitement. Alix groaned before shoving a stuffed unicorn at her.

“What’s going on?” He asked Marinette as he approached the group.

She jumped higher than the time he’d accidentally startled her in the locker room

“Nothing!” She waved her hands frantically.

Alya’s jaw dropped. “Girl! Tell me this isn’t a repeat of the scarf incident!”

Marinette’s panicked eyes flickered between the girls’ gazes, and Adrien wondered if he’d walked in on something secret. But he was too curious to leave. And besides, if Marinette was having any trouble, he hoped he could help.

“What scarf?” His head tilted.

“Also nothing,” she said with a glare at Alya before forcing a too-wide smile. “I-I mean, it’s ages ago, it doesn’t matter now!”

“Oh… okay.”

Concerned though he was, he didn’t want to push her boundaries. He was about to say that he’d see her in class and that she could always talk to him if she wanted to, but before he could, Juleka spoke up.

“So you like the hat?” Her bangs swung in front of her eye as she nodded towards his beret.

“Huh? You know about it?” Had she possibly seen Ladybug on her way to deliver it? No, it had been wrapped at the time.

“Of course we do!” Alya grinned as Marinette made slicing motions in front of her throat.

“Alya,” she hissed under her breath.

“Come on girl, you’re so close! He obviously likes it!” Alya whispered back.

Adrien’s brow furrowed. He was mostly wearing the hat because it still smelled like Ladybug, but they didn’t need to know that.

Alix sighed wearily. “She didn’t tell you, did she?”

“It was Marinette who made—” Rose began before she cut her off.

“Don’t you dare!”

If her words were directed at Rose, why was Marinette looking at him with such wide eyed terror? Did he do something wrong again without realizing, like he had at the wax museum? Or was his new beret really that ugly?

“I’m sorry.” He reached towards her vaguely before letting his arm fall back at his side. If only he knew what he was doing wrong! He would do anything to make Marinette feel comfortable again.

“We’re just trying to help,” Mylene said softly.

“W-well you’re not!” She spun and shouted back. The girls jumped—understandably; Adrien had never heard her snap like that at anyone but Lila, who wasn’t even here right now. “Just—leave me alone!”

“What? Marinette!” Alya called after her, but she was already running away from the school, down the street.

Adrien would’ve preferred to get context from the girls first, but there wasn’t time. His feet pounded against the pavement as he chased after his friend.

“This is a bad idea,” Plagg hissed from his shirt pocket. “You just made things worse last time, remember?”

Like he could forget the time she almost kissed him while he was pretending to be a statue. It still didn’t all make sense to him, but he supposed he deserved it after tricking her like that.

“I have to try. She could be akumatized if we leave her now.”

Marinette had never been akumatized before, and he wanted to keep it that way. He wasn’t sure he’d be much help to Ladybug if he was forced to fight her.

Don’t think about that. She’s going to be fine, he told himself as he rounded a corner and found her pacing frantically at the end of an alley—

And a violet butterfly fluttering straight towards her.

“Marinette!”

He sprinted with all the strength his superpowerless legs could give him. His transformation phrase caught in his throat, torn between protect Marinette and your identity must remain secret. He doubted he could regret calling a Cataclysm to turn the insect to dust. Because even if it meant revealing himself, this was Marinette and he couldn’t let Hawkmoth steal the light behind her blue eyes, watch her become a puppet to his demands and her own twisted emotions—

But he didn’t decide quickly enough. When he was three steps from her, the butterfly dissolved into one of her red hair ties. A translucent purple mask flashed over her wet eyes.

“No,” he breathed.

This couldn’t be happening. The moment felt surreal, despite the number of his classmates who had already been akumatized. And Marinette had always been different from his other friends, even if he couldn’t admit it until he was watching her like this, pulling at her hair, at her ears—

Wait, her ears?

“Adrien,” she gasped, her voice cracking under the pressure of resisting Hawkmoth.

The bubbling darkness hadn’t washed over her yet. She might still have a chance. He wasn’t sure if anyone had ever fought off the supervillain’s influence before, but if anyone could, it was her.

“Marinette, look at me.” He took her hands, guiding them away from where they clawed at her earlobes. “It’s going to be okay. Whatever you’re afraid of, whatever Hawkmoth’s telling you he can fix—I promise you, we can do it together. Without him.”

Her eyes glazed over. He might not have much time.

But at least he had one advantage.

One hand squeezed both of hers while his other reached up to carefully unwind the tainted hair tie from around her pigtail. It crumpled beneath his fingers, releasing half of her hair to cascade down her neck—and releasing the dark butterfly back into the air.

“Oh no you don’t,” he growled and scooped it into his satchel, careful to tug the zipper completely shut.

“Adrien, no! You’ll be—”

He smiled at her once his prize was caught fluttering helplessly alongside his notebooks.

“—akumatized,” she finished, eyes wide.

A blush stained his face as he flung his satchel away. She was right. He’d been touching the bag. If his own negative emotions had been strong enough, he might have become an akuma himself. He couldn’t imagine how awful that would be—for Ladybug as much as himself.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to be careless. I just saw you about to be akumatized, and I…”

I didn’t know if I could bring myself to fight you. But he couldn’t tell her that. He scratched the back of his neck.

“You saved me.” She wiped away tears with the back of her hand. “Oh my gosh, I was almost…”

She shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself. Adrien wished those were his arms enveloping her instead, but didn’t know if that would make things worse. She had asked to be left alone, and he still had no idea what had prompted her panic in the first place.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He asked gently. “I know you wouldn’t be this upset if it wasn’t important.”

She bit her lip, eyes flickering to his hat, then to the satchel that still bulged occasionally as the butterfly tried to escape. Now more than ever he wished he knew how to call Ladybug. Maybe he should’ve done some research on his Brazillian fan club after all.

Though, now that he considered Marinette and the girls’ reactions this morning, as well as Plagg’s slip yesterday afternoon, he was less sure that a potentially-hypothetical fan club could help.

“I can’t.” She shook her head, and she seemed to wilt.

“It wasn’t… something I did, was it? Because you can talk to Alya, or anyone else, it doesn’t have to be me. I just want you to be okay.” He stepped closer, reaching out to wipe a stream of tears from the soft curve of her cheek.

She stiffened at the contact. Right. They weren’t close enough for that either, no matter how much he wanted to be.

(Or how much they might secretly be, if his too-hopeful theory was true.)

“N-no, Adrien, it’s not you at all. I messed up.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “I messed up so, so bad, and now my best friend is going to pay the price for it.”

“Alya?” He frowned.

“No.” She almost-laughed and looked up towards the rooftops. “I really thought you’d figured it out. Maybe I’m not too late after all.”

She seemed to be talking to herself more than him. But by now, he was fairly confident he knew at least part of what she meant.

“You made this beret,” he realized, slipping it off his head and holding it close. “Was that what you were worried about me finding out?”

The color drained from her face.

“Would you believe I was commissioned by your fan club in Brazil?”

Ladybug was the only one who knew it was the Brazilian fans who sent it to him. And she’d mentioned a postal strike there, which meant Marinette couldn’t have made it, unless—

Visions of his partner and his friend blurred together in his memories. Marinette dressed as Ladybug for Clara Nightingale’s music video. Ladybug asking him to team up with Marinette against the Evillustrator. She may have been able to fool him as Multimouse, but his gut feeling made too much sense to ignore again.

“You’re Ladybug,” he blurted before any better judgement (or the pain of Plagg smacking him under his shirt) could kick in.

“Shhhh! No one can know!”

She practically tackled him against the alley wall as her hands slammed over his mouth. He almost dropped his hat, which didn’t seem as important now that her cinnamon-sugar scent was surrounding him anyway. He just wished it was because she was hugging him, and not because she was terrified of him knowing her identity.

The butterfly beat even more forcefully against the cage of his satchel, a reminder of just how important it was that her secret stay secret. If Hawkmoth found out… he didn’t even want to imagine what could happen.

But she hadn’t tried to lie to him this time. She was Ladybug—Marinette was Ladybug! And she’d given him the beret—no, she’d made him the beret, which meant his wishful thinking was actually right, which meant—

The embroidered hearts on his beret suddenly didn’t seem too much anymore.

“Do you—do you like me?”

Even muffled by her hands against his mouth, his voice betrayed too much of his swelling hope. She’d chosen Adrien to work with against Desperada. Even if he’d been the wrong pick in the end, that counted for something, right?

“W-what? I—what makes you think I—?” She stammered before finally hanging her head and releasing him. “Yeah. I wanted to give you that beret to finally confess to you, but then Nathalie wouldn’t let me in your house, and so I snuck in as Ladybug even though Tikki warned me not to, and then you found out and I got Chat Noir akumatized and I thought I fixed it when I erased my name but apparently I didn’t and now I have to give up my miraculous or else everyone will find out I’m Ladybug—”

“Maybe you shouldn’t shout I’m Ladybug,” a higher-pitched voice from her bag suggested, and she froze.

“Right. Right.” She leaned against the wall and took a few deep breaths.

Adrien began rubbing soothing circles on her back—something he’d occasionally do as Chat when Ladybug was stressed. She relaxed into his touch instead of stiffening this time, probably an instinctive reaction.

Because she was Ladybug. Marinette was Ladybug. And she’d tried to confess her feelings to him.

He should probably tell her he liked her back, right? Or would she only feel more stressed by that? She didn’t seem happy that he’d found out— though that probably had something to do with Chat Noir getting akumatized.

“I can’t let Hawkmoth sense my emotions again,” she said while he was still trying to process everything. “I’m lucky that he didn’t seem to understand most of them. He knew I was upset because I’d caused a friend to get akumatized, but since almost our whole class has been, that didn’t give him any clues to my identity. Not that it matters, because I… I can’t be Ladybug anymore anyway.”

Her breath came in short hiccups as tears once again leaked down her face.

“My la… Marinette,” he corrected himself as he gently turned her to face him. “You’re an amazing Ladybug. No one else could do what you do. Believe me, I’ve—” I’ve tried, he stopped himself from saying. He caught Tikki’s knowing grin from her spot in Marinette’s purse. “Anyway. I won’t let anyone take your miraculous, and I won’t tell anyone your identity, I swear.”

He’d guarded his own secret for this long; he was sure he could do the same for Marinette.

“And I—and Chat Noir’s never been akumatized.” Unless he’d forgotten, like during Oblivio or Dark Cupid… but he couldn’t completely forget the fact that he’d been akumatized, right? He would have at least seen it on the Ladyblog.

“Not yet.” She wouldn’t meet his eyes. “It’s complicated. Bunnyx—she’s the hero with the miraculous of time—took me to the future, only everything was wrong, and—it’s complicated,” she repeated with a sigh.

Everything about today was complicated. All because he’d decided to wear the hat that smelled like her.

“If it’s really a big deal, can’t she fix it again? Or couldn’t she just… I don’t know, have stopped you from giving me this beret in the first place?”

He clutched the gift tighter. He didn’t want the proof of her feelings ripped from him, but what else could he do? She didn’t want him to know. He’d always meant to respect her privacy. If he’d been thinking straighter, maybe he would’ve played dumb. Then she wouldn’t have to panic, and they could be together, and she could come to his photoshoots and he could model her designs and they could adopt a hamster—

But if what she was saying was true, then the problem was that he knew, not anyone else.

“I guess…” she mumbled, frowning at the beret in his hand. “But what if she can’t fix it? If you know, and it gets out, and my partner gets akumatized… I could never forgive myself. I may be in love with you, but he means the world to me. I was selfish to still give you that hat when I knew what could happen.”

His heart could’ve stopped right then. She was in love with him! He wanted to spin her in his arms, but he settled for squeezing her shoulder and giving his most comforting smile.

“You didn’t know I’d find out. And really, I don’t think you have anything to worry about.” He laughed. “How could Chat Noir ever be akumatized after learning that you’re in love with him?”

She looked up, brows furrowed in confusion. “But I already told you I’m not—”

Her mouth made a tiny o as recognition flashed across her face.

“Y-you’re him. You’re Chat Noir.”

He gave a quick wink. “The one and only, my Lady.”

Her forehead thumped against his chest, nearly startling him into tripping backwards.

“It’s you. This whole time I’ve been so worried and it was you! And I love you so much and—and this is terrible!”

The butterfly started fitfully fluttering again at her wail. It was a good thing Hawkmoth could only evilize one at once, or Adrien would worry about him sending another one after her. He kept his eyes peeled just in case.

“What’s terrible?” He asked while resuming rubbing her back.

“You—when you were akumatized—you said it was…” she choked back another sob. “It was our love that did that. I didn’t think it was possible, since I wasn’t in love with Chat, but… it all makes sense now. Of course I loved you when we got hit by Oblivio, and in the alternate timeline. It was always you.”

If Marinette kept saying she was in love with him, he was probably going to combust on the spot. Which made it very hard to think clearly and come up with a solution that didn’t leave them as star-crossed lovers until Hawkmoth was defeated.

“And it was always you.” He wrapped his arms around her, letting her cry into his shirt while he ran his fingers through the loose half of her hair. “If akumatized-me said our love was what ruined everything, then it must have been the butterfly talking. I would never let Hawkmoth use my love against you, Marinette. I swear, I’ll do whatever it takes to protect you.”

She pulled back just enough for him to see a smile beginning to form on her face.

“You already did, didn’t you?” She nodded at his satchel. “Speaking of which, I should probably finish taking care of that. Tikki, spots on!”

It was one thing to know she was Ladybug, but another entirely to feel the pink crackle of her transformation tickle his skin, to see her mask sweep the tears from beneath her eyes. It unfortunately reset her pigtails, keeping her soft hair from his reach.

“Adrien, you have to let go of me for a second, at least,” she giggled when he stared at her dumbly.

“Oh. Right.” He snapped his arms to his sides, like a kid that had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

Plagg snickered and flew out from the pocket of his shirt. “Finally. You were really squishing me there, Pigtails.”

“Good to see you too, Plagg.” She chuckled as she unzipped the bag and quickly purified the akuma. “Bye bye, little butterfly.”

“And good riddance.” His kwami snorted. “Sorry about my kitten, by the way. I tried to throw him off your tail before, but he’s too stubborn. I think he was looking for any excuse for you to be Ladybug.”

“Why wouldn’t I? Marinette is amazing.” He hugged the beret over his heart. “Besides, I was right!”

Her grin lit up the whole alleyway. “You’re amazing too, Adrien. Even more amazing than I realized.”

“You—you really think so?” He was about two seconds away from actually swooning into her arms.

“Of course I do.” Her eyes softened. “You’re the best partner anyone could ask for, Kitty. I—I don’t know how I could ever give you up, knowing that you’re not just one but two of the most important people in my life.”

“Me either, Bugaboo.”

He put his beret back on so both his hands were free to cup her face.

“Spots off,” she whispered, and his thumbs brushed her cheeks without resistance. She cupped one hand over his, tracing the circle of his ring in a soothing pattern.

He could’ve stood there forever, just staring into her eyes, but he knew the conversation about their future couldn’t be put off for long.

“I don’t think Bunnyx is coming to stop us,” she said softly.

“Do you think…” He swallowed. “Do you think that means we’re going to be okay?”

Her eyes flickered to where Tikki hovered, looking torn.

“I don’t know,” the kwami said. “I do want you both to be careful, but Adrien is right. You can’t stop being Ladybug, and he can’t stop being Chat Noir. Your fight against Feast proved that.”

“And what about us being together?” Adrien asked a little too eagerly. Knowing that she loved him back was a dream come true, but it would easily turn to a nightmare if she expected him to act like nothing had changed. Not that he ever hid his feelings for her, but he’d respected that she didn’t return them.

Except she did. He was the boy she’d been in love with!

“Didn’t you hear her? She said you said that your love destroyed the world!” Plagg exclaimed.

“He wasn’t exactly himself!” Tikki countered. “It’s impossible to tell what really happened in the future without Bunnyx coming back. Which is why we need to be careful, but it’s not fair to ask them to just give up their feelings.”

Adrien didn’t particularly care what the kwamis thought. As far as he was concerned, this was Marinette’s decision. She was the one who had seen the future, or at least a version of it.

She was the one he loved. Who he would do anything to protect… but what if that meant letting her go? Was he selfless enough to do that?

He wasn’t sure. But he owed it to her to try to be.

His hands slipped from her face.

“I’m sorry. I’m not being fair to you. You were almost akumatized because of this, and here I am just worried about if you’ll go out with me.”

He’d said he’d always be there for her, that he’d never let Hawkmoth use him, but how could he promise that when she’d already watched it happen?

“Adrien, no.” She squeezed his hand. “It was my fear of the future that almost got me akumatized. If we have to live like that… always afraid of our feelings for each other—we’re just asking Hawkmoth to come for us.”

“Then… you don’t think it’s too dangerous?”

Fragile hope danced on the edge of his voice. Maybe it wasn’t smart. But the future wasn’t set in stone—the fact that Bunnyx had visited at all proved that.

“I think right now, it’s more dangerous for us not to rely on each other.” She smiled, and his stomach fluttered with the good kind of butterflies, the ones that wouldn’t try to twist his emotions into weapons.

“It’s too late to put the cat back in the bag anyway,” Plagg sighed.

“It would’ve happened eventually.” Tikki nodded. “I wish it weren’t so soon, but we can still make this work if you both are extra careful.”

“We will be,” Adrien promised. “I want to show you off to the whole world, but we could keep our love a secret instead, if it’s safer that way.”

“You think you’d show me off? You know you’d be the trophy boyfriend in this relationship, Kitty.” She giggled and flicked his nose, and heat spread through him.

“I can be your boyfriend?”

“My secret boyfriend.” Her cheeks were pink too. “I mean—I wish we didn’t have to, but you’re right. It’s probably safer this way, so Hawkmoth doesn’t find out.”

“Secret boyfriend still has boyfriend in it.” He grinned. “So what are my rights as your secret boyfriend? What kind of secret things do we get to do?”

He wiggled his eyebrows, making Marinette cough and sputter.

“A-Adrien!”

“I’m thinking secret cuddling, secret movie night, secretly adopting a hamster—okay, that one might be a little harder to pull off—”

Her laughter cut him off. “Oh my gosh, you’re such a dork.”

“What? Your dad said you wanted a hamster. Is that too soon? Should I have waited until the second secret date to suggest that?”

Her laughter turned to cackling, and he found himself laughing along with her. They were partners; they were best friends. She wasn’t going to secret-dump him just because he got a little overexcited about secret-dating her.

“Hmm…” She tapped a finger to her lips. “I think it should at least wait until after our first secret kiss.”

His brain officially fizzled out at the word kiss combined with the fact that he was already staring at her lips. He licked his own, suddenly wishing he’d worn chapstick.

“Um. So. That secret kiss—can that be now, or—”

Marinette answered his question by crashing her mouth into his, by tangling her hands in his hair, knocking his beret to the ground. Which was perfectly okay. He didn’t need a hat to remind him of her when she was here in his arms and in his lungs.

No matter how many secrets he had to keep, it would be worth it to be safe and sound with his Lady.

#reveal #fic requests #miraculous ladybug #adrien agreste #love square #marinette dupain cheng #ladybug #fic tag #tali writes #really happy with this one!!#chat blanc

253 notes · View notes

eatordrinkme · 5 years ago

Text

Baby Garments For Your Baby Shower Present

Simply follow our web link, inspect the Free Mum & & Baby Example Packs inc Pampers & & Fairy Non-Bio option as well as then fill the type with your information to get these products free of charge. You can fill up a basket with garments and also toys themed around a solitary shade-- blue as well as purple is ideal for kids, while pink and also yellow goes best for ladies. Why pay for something that you can obtain for complimentary? Some other great solutions are a baby diaper service for cloth diapering mothers, and even a diaper distribution solution for disposables, as well as spend for the initial two weeks or a month worth of diapering items. Infant clothes need to be of premium quality, due to the fact that you can not manage your wonderful kid invest his or her initial days and also years of life in pain. Whatever you did when you were not expectant, you must understand that you are now in charge of that brand-new life expanding within you and because of this, you can no more tackle working customarily. Locate your enthusiasms in life. You can locate some adorable gowns, skirts, pants, and also tee shirts for the child. Our choice consists of onesies, sleeping gowns, bodysuits, outfits, as well as layette collections. The offered benefits do transform every so often, yet there constantly appear to be a good selection of rewards to pick from. This is wonderful since you can truly see if you like the product. If you established a great website on line, just how a lot can you anticipate it to make? Playing video games - this can consist of app games, or desktop games. One means we can do that is with child shower games. As soon as you join you can get in codes from the Pampers diapers and also wipes that you acquisition. Fortunately is, Ad Conscious tracks these computer system leeches and also wipes them clean off your disk drive. This is one place where previously owned products might not be a great choice-- if they have actually been washed inaccurately they're no longer effective. Make money to (GPT) internet site, or rewards internet sites, as they're often called, pay you for finishing little jobs. What's terrific concerning these GPT or incentives websites is that the tasks you complete a truly simple. Make the most of this excellent cost-free deal if you are blessed with twins or more. So, in order to make the most of this incredible feeling, if you are intending an outing with your kid, then below are a couple of ideas on what to take child trip. Child Shower Themes The initial and also most challenging thing to do when intending a child shower is to select a motif. Now if you're planning to buy infant apparel as your present for a new mother, below is the guide to assist you develop the ideal item. For those that are trying to find the best child running infant strollers, after that they have to look for one that have distinctive piece. Here you'll locate baby and youngsters's garments, footwear, toys, baby strollers, child seat, maternity clothes, accessories and also more for children 0-10 years.

free baby stuff expecting mother

At The Child Cubby, you can discover a huge variety of baby products, such as strollers, baby diaper bags, items for the baby room, like bed linen as well as cushions, and garments. You can locate whatever from bibs to pacifiers and also anything else that a baby can potentially require. 75 that you can use to get cost-free infant things! Several times when I have actually surfed the benefits magazine to redeem a few of my points, I have been able to break out Pampers diapers with my factors. And also, with this program, you can gain points each time you acquire the business's items. You can likewise think about using a wardrobe organizer to make full use of the space. These are really useful and also do not take up much luggage space. You do not assume theyll review our e-mail, do you? We have an evaluation of the Target REDcard, so make certain that you read it for more information. Read Kaveri infant justness oil reviews from web and see exactly how the oil functions and also at what price it is available in the market. In addition, they can make use of these data in learning what the marketplace once. There is also organic tooth paste in the market that you can get. Smoothly sufficient, on this web site, you can get cost-free infant publication pages. On this internet site, you can locate NFL, MBA and NCAA themed child stuff. When I had my twins, I was enjoyed locate a pair of methods to capitalize on cost-free offers to secure free Pampers and other totally free infant items. And also if you want more fabulous infant garments patterns that are totally complimentary ... take a top at our Free Child Onesies blog post. I create this list of totally free infant clothes patterns for a pregnant good friend. When you placed the clothing on for the child, make sure that it is tidy or if you have disinfected cleansers you can dab a few of it on the infant garments prior to you clothe the child with them. Keep to the guideline, get your baby clothing with comfort and also practicality in mind and keep the adorable dress for special events. Be warned, the repayment you get will probably be quite tiny, so maintain that in mind before determining if it's worth the effort. First off, if you have a baby or you will supply, the concern of infant nappies have to cross your mind. To treat the protein part of the tarnish, you have to first breakthrough the fatty acids with surfactants that are generally found in discolor remover pre-treat sprays. There are likewise a number of circumstances you can found where parents like to acquire Baby Garments after validating the cost. I just recently found a definitely attractive website called See Kate Sew. Discover our website to learn if we carry infant clothing featuring your favored group's shades! You can have your promo codes from the online site of the baby diaper firm which will certainly enable you to acquire totally free baby diapers along with various other child items consisting of gift cards, books as well as a great deal a lot more. I can opt-out at any moment.

Bath time is a vital part of the day for babies, so it's a great idea to have the essentials for this area even before you bring your little one home. Even you can have correct and cost-free standards. Although child getting coverings as well as swaddlers are important for those very first valuable moments with your child, they can have many other uses too. New children are terrific, however it is a little bit surprising in some cases just how much those diapers in fact cost the first year. Simply make certain to clean every little thing initially. Put a little dab of infant shampoo on his head and also wash his head with your hand or a small clean towel. Snaps and also zippers in the front are less complicated to put on and also take off than those on the back. Breaks or various other easy openings at the crotch make it quicker as well as simpler to change baby diapers-- you do not have to take off all of your baby's clothing. If you've been blessed with doubles or more, you can benefit from the Numerous Birth Offer from Pampers to get free baby diapers. You can then make use of the Target present cards on a various day to secure free baby diapers or various other free baby things that you may require. Infants Online scours the internet everyday to locate you the best totally free child things available. Footwear which contain skulls and also bones are all available from the Net as well as will definitely get the interest of a great deal of people. Did you know that a great deal of brands placed discount codes or deals on their packaging? Look at the packaging for diapers, formula, as well as anything else you purchase for your child. She can definitely utilize it and also can value it a lot more if you buy it for them. As soon as you have actually joined, you can log in to your member account as well as download your gift pack coupon. If you have actually simply welcomed a child, or know someone who has, this FREE 22 pack of Pampers nappies will come in handy. Plus we have a lot of messages to help you via parenting your Infant - and if you have actually not delivered yet, we have actually obtained an expanding number of Maternity posts. ... yet are new to stitching, you will certainly simply enjoy this FREE beginner's class on Craftsy, which will really aid you get to grips with your stitching machine. Which can make it seem an overall wild-goose chase to drag the stitching maker out and also start stitching things. Talking with your medical professional at the medical professional's workplace can be an excellent means to get some totally free samples, especially formula or vitamins, for instance. Whether it's formula or diapers, below are a few others points that you can do to obtain cost-free stuff for your baby. You can sign up for this program at the shop and after that have your card checked each time you buy Pampers. The arrival of a newborn is just one of one of the most extremely anticipated gifts in life, and also Kelli's Gift Store Suppliers will certainly ensure you are prepared with the ideal child blanket wholesale choices for your gift shop or store.

Shop wholesale child clothing for babies, preemies, and more. Kelli's Gift Store Suppliers has one of the very best ranges of wholesale child coverings consisting of fleece coverings, swaddle blankets, getting blankets, quilts, and also a lot more. We approve wholesale orders via our manufacturer wholesale internet site My Infant Rocks. However, it's not the only internet site that uses a signup reward. But, it's not the only way. And also while it wasnt the neatest way to maintain their toys, it was most definitely among the simplest. Seriously, go as well as have an appearance, they are totally beautiful, each and every one of them. There's six stunning, easy to make onesie patterns, every one of them absolutely cost-free! When you secure free samples of child formula, you order them. Physicians typically have cost-free baby things available which are given away as examples to clients. If you send in copies of the birth certifications, Pampers will send you some totally free baby diapers! By reading testimonials, you will get a concept of the working of this oil and the method it acts upon a child's body. The oil contain no harmful ingredients and also it is health and wellness offering. We likewise know that consuming also much fat results in wellness troubles and also weight-gain, however we do need some healthy and balanced fats in our diet plan. Consume your very own low fat nibbles. As pointed out previously, consuming fats is the major perpetrator that leads to fat getting on the human body mostly due to the fact that fats are high in calories. Weve usually found dots that claim to be "Historic Ft " or "County Landmark " that have ended up being nothing more than a bronze plaque on a rock at the end of a domestic road. Ive seen it less than that, however when the ovary begins twisting itself simply envision a tube with a big ball on completion as well as by movement or whatever this tube gets turned and turned. Having stated that, I loved my bassinet as well as would not have actually been without it. There's even a Chrome expansion readily available that internet you discount rates without you also needing to go to the Ebates website. Or, you can go to the Craigslist website, choose your city and after that click on the "complimentary" area if there's one there. Yet, these aren't the only ways that you can get your hands on giveaways. If the chemicals aren't well-bound to the textile, they can get in your infant's body extra quickly. So there you are, aren't they simply infant clothing to swoon over! Any type of adult that has actually dealt with stomach issues, dental job or basic curiosity and also has consumed a jar of baby food can tell you its no mystery why youngsters fling that stuff all over the kitchen area. Pampers wipes discount coupons are really a resource to get discounts over pamper wipes. You can enter drawing to win free diapers and also wipes for a whole year. She can use the products as well as at the exact same time a terrific display screen throughout the event. At the very same time the switches as well as various other components in the style need to be very carefully sewn.

As well as, what's excellent concerning these pacifiers is that you can create your very own custom style! You can also get memberships to infant magazines totally free and after that when you receive them, they may have discount coupons or special offers in them to save you a lot more loan. Nevertheless, their products can be really useful particularly if you intend to be able to conserve even more cash. So now you can see that used baby garments need to rate. Currently you can begin including decorations to the baby diaper cake. If you are holding a celebration for your infant of youngster, you can locate party plans for printing. In the store or on their official site, you can find a significant series of products, like playthings, furnishings, books, clothes as well as pacifiers. Points that can be retrieved for present cards - so you can make use of these present cards to break out baby things. Factors gather rapidly when you are acquiring diapers every week. As Well As NOBODY IS BUYING FROM YOU. You may attempt searching the net to see if there is one near where you live. Net facilitates you hubs of coupons in the form of sites, areas as well as forums. There are several places where you can discover punk clothing yet the most typical area to find these products is the Internet. An additional excellent area to discover free stuff gets on Facebook. Ensure the brushes are of top quality that the bristles won't fall off inside the container. The fabric is soft and excellent high quality like any of the Carters clothes. Like all various other things consisting of feeder, fabrics, spoils, bed, baby room, this is additionally an essential component to keep your child off from the clutches of serious physical troubles. Now, if we might just figure out exactly how to maintain infant from expanding out their clothes so quick! Babies grow out of garments so swiftly! There is always something new to find out about babies as well as that consists of baby crib cushions. There are lots of profiles and groups on there that are dedicated to totally free stuff for infants. It's OK to go shopping in used shops or top quality consignment purchase many points for infants. Store our dresses, sleepwear, bottoms, garments collections and also more for your cuties! From adorable child gowns, infant expands, coats and cardigans surf our high-end collection influenced by the famous Diana pastel tartan. Whether you are buying baby girl clothing or child young boy garments, The Diana Collection offers a variety of styles that are ideal for every occasion, from play and parties! No issue the occasion, our infant as well as toddler clothing are designed and also styled to make your kids the comfiest and also cutest. But baby boutique clothes truly does make a remarkable infant shower present. Ensure to buy big sized apparel so you can be ensured your child can still use them in the months ahead. A very little mistake from your end can be very dangerous for your child. The cost-free things does not end there. Obtain cost-free monthly picture indicator printables from Pea to Pumpkin. Claim by clicking 'OBTAIN GIVEAWAY' as well as adhering to the instructions to subscribe to the Emma's Journal mum and also child club.

youtube

#bay #free #stuff

0 notes

hkvoyage · 8 years ago

Text

Fic: Butterfly Wings - Chapter 31

Story summary A fashion blog started at University launched Blaine Anderson’s fortune and fame. As Vogue’s new editor-in-chief, he is struggling to find an original angle for an upcoming issue. Kurt Hummel has recently arrived in New York City after finishing high school, and is having no luck building a musical theater career, so he decides to explore another passion of his: fashion. He applies for an internship at Vogue, and Isabelle sees in him the perfect fresh face to liven up the magazine, and convinces him to try out as a model. Kurt meets Blaine, and in spite of their 10-year age difference, sparks fly. Can they overcome misunderstandings and sabotage to find their happily-ever-after? Klaine model AU. Rating for this chapter: General (overall story is mature) Word count for this chapter: 6,236 Can also be read on A03 / FF Masterpost is here.

Thank you to the amazing @lilyvandersteen for the beta work and support.

Cassie at @cc-graphics created animated artwork for the telephone conversation in this chapter. Please let her know what you think here. Special note: In case you missed it, there was a chapter posted on Wednesday. You should read Chapter 30 first.

A career path is rarely a path at all. A more interesting life is usually a more crooked, winding path of missteps, luck and vigorous work. It is almost always a clumsy balance between the things you try to make happen and the things that happen to you.

- Tom Freston

March

Kurt, who’s never participated in a fashion week in New York City, finds the Paris Fashion Week a crazy experience. He has a modeling job on the catwalk with Bellerose, a small but up-and-coming fashion house. It has boutiques all over France offering ready-to-wear clothing aimed at affluent businessmen under the age of 40. The suits are relatively conservative, but the patterned shirts are youthful and quirky. It’s Bellerose’s debut at the Paris Fashion Week, and there’s a sense of excitement in the air.

The models’ dressing room is chaotic, with assistants ironing shirts and making last minute adjustments to the suits worn by the male models. Kurt only has one suit to model, and he’s set to be the third person to hit the catwalk. He is ready to go and is sitting in the corner, trying to keep out of everybody’s way.

“Monsieur Hummel? Des fleurs pour vous (Flowers for you).” Kurt makes his way to the entry, surprised that Antoine would actually send him flowers. He doesn’t seem to be the kind of man who’d make romantic gestures. However, when he sees the bouquet of red and yellow roses, Kurt knows exactly who sent them. After giving the delivery man a couple of euros, he returns to the corner to read the card. I’m sure you’ll take Paris by storm. Courage. Blaine x Kurt hasn’t realized that Blaine follows his career that closely, or even knows that he’s participating in the Paris Fashion Week. When Kurt thinks about it more carefully, of course Vogue’s editor-in-chief would know what’s going on in the Paris fashion world. And just like that first photo shoot for Vogue, Blaine’s words do give him courage. Without giving it a second thought, Kurt takes a photo of the bouquet and tweets it with the caption A friend sent me these flowers and the message came at the right time. Thanks! #FriendsForever, #Courage Kurt looks at the tweet he just sent out, and sighs. The flowers and the thoughtful message make him miss Blaine even more. He'd do anything to hear Blaine's voice right now. He reads the card again, and the word ‘Courage’ jumps out at him. He steels himself and nods, entering the number he still knows by heart, though it's no longer in his contacts on his new phone.

“Hey, Blaine.”

“Kurt? Is it really you?”

“Yeah, it’s me. I have to be quick because the runway show is about to start, but I wanted to thank you personally for the flowers. They’re gorgeous. And I really appreciate the message on the card, too. You always seem to know when I need words of courage.”

“I’m glad they arrived in time. And I meant what I said. You’re going to kill it on that runway. Soon, all of Paris will know what a fantastic model you are.”

“I’m not so sure about that. That song that Wes forwarded to me last week was incredible, Blaine. I have it on a constant loop on my phone. I hope you and Marley Rose plan to send it to some music companies.”

“Marley Rose is cutting a demo of the song next week. Look, Kurt, I probably shouldn’t say this, but I miss you… a lot.”

“I miss you too, Blaine. I can’t stand not talking to you, ‘cause you’re still my best friend.”

“You’re mine too. I’ve got a lot on my plate right now, but maybe I can visit you in Paris in a few months time… This summer?”

“Yeah, I’d like that. I’d like that a lot.”

“On commence, on commence! Endroits, tout le monde! (It begins, it begins! Places everybody)” Christophe Bellerose, the owner of the fashion house, shouts.

Kurt isn’t exactly sure what Bellerose said, but gathers that the show is about to begin.

“Sorry, I’ve got to go. I’ll be in touch.”

“Break a leg!”

Kurt quickly makes sure his suit is perfectly in place and slips into the lineup to go on stage. Once he steps onto the catwalk, Kurt is blinded by the lights. He concentrates on the music and makes it to the pre-marked positions at exactly the right time. Kurt is quite pleased with how it’s going on the catwalk until he exits the stage to find a huge commotion.

Christophe Bellerose and the head seamstress are having a shouting match, and it’s a good thing that the music on stage is drowning out the noise. They are speaking French so quickly that Kurt can’t tell what they are saying, but it’s obvious to him what is going on. A male model has accidently torn a large rip along the front of the suit jacket, probably on one of the many light fixtures surrounding them. The head seamstress is shaking her head, vehemently pointing to the other models getting ready, and Christophe Bellerose is getting more frustrated.

Kurt moves towards the pair and says, “S'il vous plaît, I can fix this.”

Christophe gives Kurt a quizzical look.

“I know how to sew. I can fix this tear in no time, if you give me a sewing kit.”

Christophe looks relieved and shouts a flurry of commands to the head seamstress. The next thing Kurt knows, he’s sitting at a table and quickly sewing an invisible seam. It’s not absolutely perfect, but someone would have to look very closely to see his handiwork. Christophe examines his work when he’s finished, and then calls the model over, who quickly puts on the jacket and heads towards the catwalk.

“That was very impressive, Monsieur…”

“Hummel. I’m Kurt Hummel.”

“Where did you learn to sew?”

“My mother taught me when I was young, and then I started to make my own clothes. Or I would take clothes from the usual places and repurpose or fix them so that they were more my style.”

“I can see you’re a natural. Have you ever considered designing clothes yourself?”

“Yes, I work design all sorts of outfits during my free time.”

Christophe Bellerose hands Kurt a business card and pats his back.

“Come to my office next Monday morning. I think we need to have a little talk.”

Kurt quickly nods and Christophe rushes on stage to close the show.

*****

When Kurt rounds the corner a few streets away from the Avenue George V, he sees the sign for the Bellerose Boutique. He enters the shop and notices that it’s very busy, with customers wanting the new suits from the spring line. Obviously, the show at the Paris Fashion Week has paid off. When Kurt tells the salesman his name, he’s immediately whisked into an elevator and told to get out on the third floor. When Kurt exits the elevator, he announces himself to the receptionist, and she leads him to Christophe Bellerose’s office.

“Bonjour, Monsieur Hummel,” Christophe greets him. “Please come in and have a seat. I trust you brought your portfolio?”

Kurt hands over his leather portfolio, full of sketches he’s designed from high school to Paris. “I have a blog where you can see the outfits I’ve made for myself. I used to take selfies and post them.”

Christophe carefully examines the portfolio, sometimes frowning and sometimes grinning. He then takes Kurt’s tablet and swipes through the photos.

“How old are you?”

“I’ll be twenty in May, Monsieur.”

“It’s obvious that you have no formal training. However, in spite of that, you have a good eye and a natural talent. Your designs are creative, and with a little guidance, they could really be something.”

“Merci. That means a lot coming from you.”

“Have you ever considered working in fashion behind the scenes? Not as a model?”

“Funny you should ask this question. A year ago, I actually interviewed for a fashion internship at Vogue. However, they had different plans for me, and the next thing I knew, I was at a photo shoot as a model with a six-month contract.”

“Perhaps today will flip things back to a year ago. I’m offering you the position of my personal assistant. There will be phones to answer, meetings to arrange, trips to organize, and the like. However, I promise you that the job will be more than this. Under my wings, you’ll learn about la mode française - about design trends, techniques, materials, and production. You will see first-hand how a collection is pulled together.”

“This sounds like a unique opportunity. But, can I think about it for a couple of days? It’s a big career change, and…”

“And of course you’ll be the lead model for the next collection, including the ad campaign, if that’s what you want. For this modeling work, you would earn your usual fees.”

Kurt leaves the boutique and enters a nearby café. After ordering his usual café au lait and un pain au chocolat, he thinks about Christophe Bellerose’s job offer. It sounds too good to be true. He’ll be working directly for an up-and-coming fashion designer, seeing a collection created from the initial ideas to the clothes on a rack in a boutique. It would be a great chance to see if he is really interested in fashion design. He earns much more money from modeling, but there’s the extra cash for featuring in the Bellerose ad campaign. He’ll make enough money to live comfortably in Paris and save a little for future plans.

As much as he enjoys modeling, Kurt doesn’t like the lifestyle that comes with it. His life is too public, and he’s treated by the media as a commodity. The strict French privacy laws have given him a low profile in Paris, but it will be an entirely different matter when he moves back to New York City. Modeling doesn’t really fit into his long-term goals – of marrying a man that he loves, whom he can spend his life and raise a family with.

As Kurt always reminds himself, he’s young, and this is the time to take risks and experience new things. He returns to the Bellerose Boutique and heads to the third floor. Upon entering Christophe Bellerose’s office, Kurt smiles and shakes the designer’s hand.

“I accept your job offer. When can I start?”

*****

“Mon petit, why must you move out? You’re my perfect little one, and I want you to stay,” Emmeline pouts when she sees Kurt in the hallway with his suitcases.

“As much as I’ve enjoyed staying here and spending time with you, I want to live closer to my new job. Of course, we’ll still see each other.”

“We cannot leave it to – comment est-ce qu’on dit en anglais (how do you say in English)? – happenstance. Otherwise, you will never come visit me. Why not come over every Friday night for dinner? We can talk about your week at work and your plans pour le week-end.”

“I’d like that, Emmeline. It’s a great idea.”

“You should know by now that I’m full of bonnes idées. You must promise me that you’ll come every Friday.”

“Of course I will.”

Kurt likes the idea of having Friday night dinners with Emmeline. He’s used to this sort of tradition with his dad. Although he enjoys Emmeline’s company and listening to her reminisce about the past, and impart her views on life and love, Kurt feels he needs to live on his own.

A taxi ride later, Kurt is in front of the Petite Patisserie, close to the Galeries Lafayette et Printemps, the heart of Paris’ fashion industry. He looks at the tempting offers on display in the bakery’s window and is glad that he doesn’t need to be as strict about his diet now that he’s not a full-time model. He climbs the stairs to the furnished studio apartment above the patisserie. It’s basic but clean and more than satisfactory for his needs.

Kurt picked this location because it is also close to ESMOD-ISEM Paris, a school that offers courses in fashion design and the fashion business. Kurt has signed up to take two evening courses, starting next week. Between the job at Bellerose Boutique during the day and the classes at night, Kurt will know if he wishes to pursue fashion design.

After unpacking his suitcases, Kurt pulls out his tablet and is relieved that the Wi-Fi is working and is strong. He takes photos of the studio and sends them to his dad, and then goes on Twitter. There’s nothing but the usual news, so he clicks into Blaine’s account.

There are photos of Blaine with his family and a crew painting the outside of an old rambling house. Blaine looks adorable with a dab of paint on his left cheek. He’s wearing jeans and a tight-fitting worn Henley shirt, and his curls are sneaking out of the beanie on top of his head. Kurt chuckles when he notices that Blaine isn’t wearing socks with his converse sneakers, even in March. Some things never change.

Some photos show Blaine in deep concentration while painting. Others show him goofing around with the others. In every photo, Blaine looks really happy. Kurt can’t see photos of Connor, Blaine’s new boyfriend. Kurt wonders if he just couldn’t make it on the day or whether they're now broken up. Regardless, Kurt knows he has blown his chance for something really special with Blaine.

After reading about the upcoming opening of Monarch House, Kurt is really impressed with what Blaine is achieving. Kurt rubs his chin, wondering what he should do. The phone conversation they had before Kurt went onto the catwalk during the Paris Fashion went so well, and he wants to keep the lines of communication open.

Kurt surfs to the Monarch Foundation’s website and makes a donation. No matter how good he feels about that decision, it doesn’t feel personal enough to connect with Blaine. He gets a brilliant idea of what to do and quickly writes an e-mail.

Dear Blaine,

I’ve seen the photos of you preparing for the upcoming opening of Monarch House on the Internet. One of the many things I really admire about you is that you stay true to your core beliefs. Monarch House is just a reminder of that. I really wish there was somewhere like that I could have turned to when I was a teenager. I’m sure you’re very busy with last minute preparations, but I’m sending you a link to a video made when I was in high school. It will make for a good laugh when you need one.

All my best,

Kurt x

*****

“If there’s nothing else, I’m heading to Sam’s old bedroom to get some sleep. I know it’s only eight o’clock, but we have an early flight to catch tomorrow.”

“Good night, Amy. Wake me up if you don’t see me surface by six.”

Blaine walks around the penthouse and turns off the lights. Tomorrow morning, he and Amy are heading to Westerville, a few days before the Monarch House opening. Amy agreed to join him to help with a last-minute cleaning of the Monarch House and to make sure the Anderson household runs smoothly. It’s going to be a busy trip, but it will all be worth it once the opening is over and the house is up and running.

After his nightly routine in the bathroom, Blaine changes into his pajamas and crawls into bed. He’s already made sure that his tablet and Beat headphones are fully charged. He had been pleasantly surprised earlier that day when he received Kurt’s e-mail. He had already received confirmation of Kurt’s $10,000 donation to the Monarch Foundation, but the e-mail felt much more personal. He brings up the email on his tablet and reads it for the hundredth time. Kurt has this way of making him feel special, and he wonders what other things Kurt might admire about him. After putting on the headphones, he clicks on the link. The video starts with a marching band in what looks like a high school gymnasium. He gets a glimpse of a few cheerleaders prancing onto the court. When he hears someone sing, ‘Come on, Kurt Hummel’, Blaine’s mouth drops open as Kurt struts in view and starts singing ‘4 Minutes’.

Oh. My. God. Kurt was a cheerleader back in high school! This is my teenage fantasy come true!

Blaine is mesmerized by Kurt’s showmanship… His voice, his confidence, his moves. The performance only confirms that Kurt Hummel is the sexiest man alive. Once he has watched the video half a dozen times, he notices that it was posted on Rachel Berry’s channel. He clicks on her name and sees hundreds of videos listed. Blaine scrolls down the list until he finds the New Directions videos posted a few years ago.

Blaine can feel his body heat up as Kurt performs ‘Single Ladies’ and wishes the video was longer than 50 seconds. Blaine knows that Kurt’s dream is to be on stage, but nothing prepared him for the ‘Rosie’s Turn’ performance. Kurt’s stage presence, the strength of his voice, and the feeling that Kurt did have a difficult time in high school. Blaine certainly hopes that everything’s coming up Kurt now.

It’s still early, so Blaine makes his way through the New Directions videos. He usually spies Kurt in the background, singing back-ups to Rachel’s solos. He laughs at a young Kurt dressed up for the Rocky Horror Show and Lady Gaga performances. Blaine then discovers a most remarkable video of the New Directions, and it gives him an idea. One that will let Kurt know that he’s watched the performances, and that will hopefully lead to further communication.

*****

“Good luck today, Blaine. I’m sure the opening of the Monarch House will go smoothly.”

“Thanks, Connor. I certainly hope so. I’m really sorry that I didn’t invite you to join me, but it’s sort of a family thing.”

“I get it, Blaine. You’re not ready to introduce me to your parents. I’m okay with that, I guess.”

Blaine can hear a trace of the bitterness in Connor’s voice through the telephone line, and feels guilty. Although they have been going out on dates for the past couple of months, Blaine is unwilling to label their relationship or even move it forward. He likes Connor a lot and enjoys his company, but he isn’t the special somebody he wants in his life. Blaine doesn’t want Connor to be the first man he brings home to meet his family. There’s only one man Blaine wants to bring home.

“It’s not that. My father and I haven’t always had a good relationship because I’m gay. He’s slowly coming around, and he’s been so supportive of the Monarch House. I don’t want to mess things up with him, and certainly not this weekend.”

Blaine can hear Cooper shouting from the bottom of the stairs. “Are you ready, squirt? We’re expected at Monarch House in ten minutes.”

“I gotta go, Connor. I’ll call you when I return to New York City.”

Blaine walks down the stairs and checks his appearance in the entryway mirror. He needs to look smart and professional for the opening day of Monarch House.

“We’re in luck because it’s going to be 64F today and sunny. Are you ready for this?” Pamela asks, as she puts on her lightweight jacket.

“I’m more than ready for the opening. I can’t believe we got the Monarch House ready in just three months. You, dad and Meagan are miracle workers.”

“My contribution was finding Meagan to be its director. The rest is down to her and your dad, who made sure the renovations went to schedule.”

Michael smiles at Blaine as he heads out the door. “Let’s get going. It wouldn’t be right if we’re late.”

Five minutes later, Michael parks the car two blocks from Monarch House. There are so many people attending the opening that they couldn’t find anywhere closer to park.

“Wow, look at the crowd,” Blaine comments when he sees hundreds of well-wishers, media and local dignitaries.

Cooper examines himself in the car’s side mirror and puffs a blast of minty mouth freshener. “I did tweet that I’d be coming today. I bet there’s a The Young and the Restless fan base in Westerville. I’ve got plenty of pens to sign autographs.”

Michael and Blaine look at each other and start laughing when they realize they are both rolling their eyes. After Blaine has done up his suit jacket, Michael straightens out his tie for him.

“Look what you’ve achieved to help other people. I’m so proud of you, son.”

Blaine gulps slowly and wills away the tears forming in his eyes.

“I want you to be, Dad.”

The first hour of the opening goes to plan. Blaine cuts the ribbon at the entrance of the house, then makes an impassioned speech about the goals of Monarch House and what it will mean to the community. The Westerville mayor then gives a longwinded speech about how the City Council is 100% behind the project.

The local and national media are there to report the event. Blaine and his family split to give one-on-one interviews that will be broadcasted later in the day. Once they’ve had their photos taken and the interviews are over, the crowd thins out to those very people that the Monarch House will serve.

“I think we’re ready for the real open house celebration,” Meagan whispers to Blaine.

Blaine steps up onto the front porch and starts ringing a bell to grab everyone’s attention.

“Don’t leave yet. The real opening for you guys hasn’t started yet. If you head to the backyard, we have food and some activities. On the table next to the food, you’ll find white T-shirts and black sharpies. Write something about yourself and wear the shirt so we can get to know each other better. I’m just going to inside for five minutes to change. I don’t want to wear this suit the whole afternoon.”

Pop music starts playing in the backyard to signal people to come. Blaine is relieved to see that no-one is leaving and they’re moving towards the backyard. He quickly enters the house and changes from his suit into more casual clothes. He squeezes himself into a pair of tightly-fitting blue jeans. Underneath his red jacket he’s wearing a white T-shirt that says ‘Likes Boys’ in big black lettering. Blaine hopes that the kids realize he’s someone like them. If Kurt sees a photo of him in the T-shirt, it’s definitely a bonus.

When Blaine exits the house, he can see a few hundred people in white T-shirts. They’re eating and talking to each other. Meagan, whose shirt reads ‘bi-curious’, is distributing flyers about the events that will be taking place at the Monarch House over the next two months. Most importantly, everyone looks happy. His mother is wearing a shirt with ‘friendly’ marked on the front and she’s talking with a teenage girl whose shirt says ‘shy’. Cooper’s shirt says ‘gorgeous’ and is surrounded by middle-aged women hanging on his every word.

Blaine sees a teenage boy whose shirt says ‘alone’ hanging out by himself in a secluded part of the backyard. Blaine goes to the food table and fills two plates before joining the teenager.

“I’m Blaine. How ya doing? Want some food?”

“Yeah, I’m hungry but I didn’t want to bother anybody. I’m Travis.”

After Blaine has handed over the plate, he asks, “Do you go to Westerville South High?”

“Uh-huh. I’m a sophomore. It totally sucks.”

“I figured that out from your T-shirt.”

“Nothing’s going to change. Gay bashers are always gonna hate. The teachers and principal won’t do anything about it. School’s a hell hole and I can’t wait to get out. You wouldn’t understand. I heard someone say that you went to that posh school – Dalton Academy.”

“I understand more than you think, Travis. When I was a freshman at Westerville South High, I got bullied for being gay too. It was mainly name-calling, threats, tripping me, and stuff like that. But then I went with the only other out guy to the Sadie Hawkins dance, and we got beaten up so badly that we were in the hospital for a few weeks. It was only then that my parents paid attention and decided to transfer me to Dalton.”

“At least your parents cared enough to do that. Mine don’t get it. They’re not exactly homophobic, but they don’t understand the pressure I’m under.”

“Mine didn’t understand either. It took something huge like getting beaten up for them to realize how bad it was. But that doesn’t have to happen to you. Monarch House is just around the corner from Westerville South High, so you can come here after school and hang out. There are things here for parents as well, so they can better understand what it’s like and how to help you.”

“I’m not sure if my parents would do that.”

“Hey, why don’t I have my dad talk to your parents so they can understand things better? In the meantime, there’s somebody at the ping-pong table looking for a game. His shirt says ‘cool guy’, so he can’t be too bad. So, what do you say?”

When Travis nods, Blaine leads him to the ping-pong table and introduces the boys to each other. Blaine then heads over to his dad, whose shirt says ‘closed-minded’. After Blaine relates his conversation with Travis, Michael agrees to find his parents and have a quiet word with them.

Blaine is surprised to see Burt talking to a group of parents. Blaine hadn’t expected him to attend the opening of Monarch House. Even Burt is wearing a white T-shirt, which simply says ‘supportive’. Burt glances up and notices Blaine watching him. He quickly says his goodbyes to the group and walks over towards Blaine.

“Buddy, great to see you,” Burt greets as he squeezes Blaine’s shoulder. “The Monarch House is amazing. Meagan gave me a personal tour inside. You and your family have worked really hard to make this happen in a matter of a few months.”

“I’m so glad you came today. I wasn’t expecting you.”

“No way was I going to miss the opening day. What you’re doing here really matters to me. You are making a real difference to the LGBT community in this town.”

“I know what you mean - that’s why the Monarch House is important to me as well. Thanks for helping out with the City Council and the planning permission. Otherwise, it would have taken months before we could start the renovations.”

“Glad I could help, Blaine. I’m really hoping your next Monarch House will be in Lima. I wish there had been something like this for Kurt when he was growing up. I know the City Council members in Lima. The glee club’s director at McKinley High will help us as well.”

“Do you mean Rachel?”

“Oh, I forgot you know her as well. Yeah, Rachel and her two dads will definitely help out. By the way, I can tell by the T-shirts that you know about that New Directions’ performance. Kurt is gonna love your T-shirt especially,” Burt smirks.

“I hope so,’ Blaine replies as he his cheeks redden. “I saw Kurt in the Dior perfume ad. It’s funny, the ad is running in Vogue’s next issue in the US as well.”

“Yeah, Kurt sent me the ad. I gotta say, I was relieved. I almost had my second heart attack when he featured on Elle’s cover on a stripper pole. There was something that bothered me about the Dior ad though – it was that faraway look. It was almost like he was missing home. Or someone.”

“I wouldn’t worry about it, Burt. It’s amazing what photographers can do to get the look they want. I heard about Kurt’s new job at the Bellerose Boutique. Is he enjoying it?”

“I spoke to him last Sunday, and his first couple of weeks were very busy learning new things. He seems to like his new boss and the behind-the-scenes fashion stuff. Two weeks ago, Kurt moved into a studio apartment near the fashion center of Paris. He’s taking a couple of night classes at some fancy design school I can’t pronounce the name of. Kurt is busy, but he’s happy.”

“Any news about when he’s going to return to the US or visit?”

“Kurt promised me he’d come home for Christmas. I don’t think he’ll be home beforehand. Are you two knuckleheads talking again yet? It sure doesn’t sound like it…”

“We have started to talk again. I sent him some flowers for his debut during the Paris Fashion Week and he phoned to thank me. He also sent me an e-mail with a link to his high school glee club performances. He even agreed that I could come to Paris this summer to visit him. I’m still trying to figure out the best way to talk about what happened between us.”

“How about the old-fashioned way? Just pick up the phone or Skype him. Kurt isn’t going to bite you or anything. I think – no, I know – that he misses your friendship a lot.”

Before Blaine can reply, the ‘cool guy’ cranks the music up, and judging by the dancing, it’s everybody’s favorite song.

It doesn't matter if you love him or capital H-I-M Just put your paws up 'Cause you were born this way, baby

“If only Kurt was here right now. This was like his personal anthem in high school,” Burt remarks.

“Kurt does have a thing for Lady Gaga. If you’ll excuse me, Burt, I’m going to join them.”

Blaine goes over to where the teenagers are dancing. His hips start to sway to the music. He points at Cooper and crooks his index finger to call him over to dance with him.

No matter gay, straight or bi Lesbian, transgendered life I'm on the right track, baby I was born to survive

Michael and Pamela join their sons and start to dance as well. Blaine is amazed at how close his family has become as a result of the Monarch House. However, one thing is very wrong and he wants to correct it.

Blaine dashes to the table and collects a black sharpie. He walks over to his dad, who stops dancing to face him. With a swipe of the marker Blaine crosses out ‘closed’ on his father’s T-shirt and then writes ‘open’. When Michael looks down at his shirt that now reads ‘open-minded’, tears start to pool in his eyes. They embrace each other tightly for a minute, basking in each other’s respect and acceptance. However, when the song’s refrain starts, Blaine’s hips can’t stop swaying.

Don't hide yourself in regret, Just love yourself and you're set I'm on the right track, baby I was born this way

***** On the first day back at work after the weekend’s opening of the Monarch House, Blaine calls a staff meeting to finalize the ‘pushing boundaries’ issue of Vogue.

“I saw the photos for the article on the drag queens secret guide on make-up. How is the article coming along?” Blaine asks.

“Unique helped me with the interview and the draft article will be ready by the end of the day,” Stephanie reports.

“Make sure that Unique gets a byline for the article. Jackie, what about the article on the ten most ground-breaking movies for their time?”

“It’s drafted and in the system for your approval. Thanks, Blaine, for making the introduction to AO Scott at the New York Times. He was happy to help.”

“Good. Isabelle, were you able to interview Diane Keaton about the making of Annie Hall?”

“Yes, she’s a fascinating lady. One of my staff researched how her outfit in Annie Hall impacted the fashion industry. The article should be ready for you to review on Wednesday.”

“Liane, how is the art of a girl asking a girl out going?”

“It’s been a tough article to write, Blaine. There are so many ways to go about it. I decided to keep the article lighthearted. I think it would be fun having the art of a man asking a man out included in the article as well.”

“Great idea, Liane. Maybe I could pick up a tip or two myself,” Blaine replies jokingly. “I’ve already approved the photo of Laverne Cox for the cover. We just need to finalize the specific photos to go in the main spread.”

“I’m working on those. I have a meeting set up for tomorrow morning to go through them with you.” Paula replies.

“How about the ‘ten ground-breaking fashion blogs’ article, Chloe?

“Can we rename it to 100 ground-breaking fashion blogs? It is too hard to narrow it down to ten.”

“No can do – there’s not enough space in the issue. Why don’t you go through the list with a couple of other people, say Gabriel and Emily? I’m sure the three of you can whittle down the list to ten. Any other issues or concerns?”

When no-one says anything, Blaine concludes the meeting. “Then, I think we have all the bases covered. We’ll meet again at the end of the week to finalize the issue.”

Blaine pulls Isabelle aside, waiting for the remaining staff to leave. “Isabelle, I’m putting the final touches on my editorial about how men can wear women’s jewelry. Would you mind reviewing it for me? It’s actually proving more difficult to write than I thought.”

“Sure, I can do that. You do know who would be perfect to advise you on the article?”

“I do, but I can’t ask. Kurt is busy with his new job in Paris. The funny thing is that Kurt is the one that inspired me to write the editorial in the first place.”

“Because of the brooches?” Isabelle asks.

“Because of the brooches,” Blaine nods.

“Give Kurt a call. Your editorial is the perfect excuse. I’m sure Kurt would love to help you out. And if you two talk about other things, like getting back together… Well, that’s an added bonus.”

Blaine blushes at Isabelle’s comment. It’s a reminder that he has both friends and family rooting for him to get together with Kurt. “You’re right. I’ve got something planned tonight, but I’ll give him a call over the weekend.”

*****

When Blaine gets to the steps of the New York City library’s main branch in Bryant Park, he eyes the banner with a sketch of the now famous founding father with the words, ‘Alexander Hamilton: Striver, Statesman, Scoundrel. Open June thru December’. Although it’s only late March, special preview events are being held for VIPs and the library’s generous benefactors. Lin-Manuel Miranda personally sent him a coveted invitation for tonight’s event. The cast of Hamilton will be present on their day off from the Broadway musical. The invitation allows for a ‘plus one’, but Blaine couldn’t bear to bring Connor – not when Hamilton means so much to him and Kurt.

After checking in his winter coat and messenger bag, he enters the library’s Wachenheim Gallery, and he accepts a flute of champagne by one of the many servers working around the room. He doesn’t recognize anyone immediately, so he concentrates on the exhibition itself, which presents a selection of the library’s holdings, focusing on Hamilton’s ambitious early life, work as a statesman and creation of the Federalist Papers, as well as the scandals that marred his legacy. No matter how much Blaine tries to concentrate on what is a really interesting exhibition, he looks at the photos and sketches of Alexander Hamilton without really seeing them.

It’s always Kurt that he sees.

Kurt brainstorming ideas with him for Vogue’s Hamilton-inspired spread. Kurt watching Hamilton on Broadway with him. Kurt posing in his outfit at the Hamilton-inspired photo shoot, looking so confident and sexy. The two of them attending the Tony Awards, where Hamilton won eleven awards. And of course, the Tony after-party.

When the dramatic opening flourish of violins, drums and piano starts, followed by the snapping of fingers, Blaine’s attention turns to the seven performers standing on the temporary stage.

How does a bastard, orphan, son of a whore and a Scotsman, dropped in the middle of a forgotten Spot in the Caribbean by Providence, impoverished, in squalor Grow up to be a hero and a scholar?

Although Blaine loves this song and the live performance, it’s too much. It makes him feel too much. It evokes too many powerful emotions pent up inside and the bittersweet memories of Kurt. He sets down the now empty champagne flute on a server’s tray and heads out of the museum. He wishes so much that he could have attended the exhibition with Kurt at his side, because what makes an experience like this worthwhile is sharing it with someone you love.

This impossible situation needs to change. Sure, they’ve started talking again, and Kurt has agreed to Blaine visiting him this summer. But that seems so far away, and he wants Kurt now. He has to find a way back to Kurt sooner rather than later.

But how?

Author’s notes

Songs used in the chapter: ‘Born This Way’ by Lady Gaga (but you Klainers already knew this). ‘Alexander Hamilton’ from the Hamilton Broadway production (of course, you knew this too).

Months ago, ‘I hate mosquitos’ sent me a message informing me about the New York City Library’s Alexander Hamilton exhibition which she saw (and opened days before I started posting this story). I couldn’t resist including it in the story. Thanks for the idea!

Special thanks to @lady--divine who gave me musical advice and wording contained in this chapter. If you haven’t read any of her stories on this site, you’re in for a real treat. Here is a special collection of my favorite Klaine stories that she has written.

I’m returning to Thailand next week and land on Wednesday morning after a 34-hour journey door to door. I fully intend to post the next chapter on Wednesday, but the timing could be off if there are flight delays.

Next up: A Skype call and Kurt’s new job at Bellerose Boutique.

#my fic: Butterfly Wings #hkvoyagewrites #klaine fan fic #klaine fanfiction

14 notes · View notes

jerome-blog1 · 5 years ago

Text

Bedtonic – A Local Linen Business I Really Love

via

Bedtonic founder Julie Ramsay. Photo Rae Fallon.

I always admire it when people don’t merely just dream or talk about doing things, but they actually go out and give them a red-hot go. It makes sense that I frequently admire small business owners, professionals and creatives, and one of my favourite local businesses is also run by one of the nicest women. Julie Ramsay, the founder of Bedtonic, is not only a wonderfully generous person who has the most infectious energy; she also founded, in a highly competitive market where most small businesses go bust in two years, a successful, sustainable small business selling the most beautiful linens for the home (and body). On top of that, she started Bedtonic in her early 50s, wrapping her head around the complicated worlds of tech, e-commerce and social media at an age when, to be quite frank, I know other 50-somethings who can barely send a text message!

I can personally attest that Julie’s Bedtonic linen is a pleasure to have on our bed… and on my body. (Her iconic Poet’s Tunics are one of my go-to’s, particularly perfect for holidays and days at the beach).

This year we have had the pleasure of experiencing one of the new pure French flax linen bespoke blankets from the Bedtonic range too. I could probably write a blog post just on this blanket and how much I love it. Here it is, below. If you think of linen as being hard and rough, you’d be extremely surprised. Julie’s flax linen blankets are super soft straight off the bat, they come in the most beautiful colours, and they keep you so snug and cosy. It has been absolutely freezing at night this winter, and we honestly have not turned on the split system in our bedroom ONCE all these chilly nights. We pop the blanket over our lightweight doona, and the blanket is enough. It’s perfect. And it’s perfect on warm nights too – you don’t get tooo warm – and we just chuck it in the wash when it needs it. (I next want to buy one for Little Nerd’s bed… lucky boy! I believe all of my childhood sheets were 110% flammable polyester).

Our Bedtonic bespoke blanket teamed with my Euro Hawtrey cushion from Orno Interiors.

Julie grew up in picture-perfect Wanaka, New Zealand (yes, home of the famous Wanaka tree). She later moved to Australia, married her husband Donald, and they had a daughter, Mollie, spending the first year of her life on a cattle farm north-west of Perth where Donald had farmed all his life. The flat and often very dry landscape was completely different to the scenery Julie had been used to growing up amidst the spectacular lakes and soaring alps of Wanaka, but inspired Julie all the same.

When Mollie was still young, Julie saw an opportunity to start a drive-through coffee business in Broome.

“We were building our own house at the time and noticed there was nowhere for all the tradies who were starting work at seven to get a good coffee first thing in the morning! My husband said I would ‘blow my dough’ but that didn’t stop me. I started with a tiny trailer that I trucked over from Brisbane and made twenty coffees on my first day. Four years later I was making four hundred or more coffees each morning.”

Donald’s initial skepticism of Julie’s business concept disintegrated quickly and he joined her in the coffee shop. “My husband swapped cows for coffee and we worked like mad together in the business for four years,” she says. “We had incredible community support and went on to win a small business achiever award for the Kimberley region. I learnt a lot about grit and determination during this time.” In 2013, they sold up and moved to Perth to be nearer to their families.

Photo Jessica Wyld

Bedtonic began after Julie realised she was getting tired of working long rigid hours in hospitality. She knew she wanted a new job that would give her more flexibility with family life. “Mollie was put in daycare from 18 months to five, and I really wanted an online business that would allow me to be present with her more,” she says. “I also felt washed-up in hospitality at 50 when we moved back to Perth. So I took a year off and creatively brainstormed ideas around how I wanted the next chapter of my life to look.”

Photo Rae Fallon

Julie could see the transition with e-commerce, noticing more and more people were gathering faith in buying things online, and decided to begin an online store. “This suited me with Mollie who was seven at the time,” she says. “I saw the retail environment changing and e-commerce becoming the new way forward. Removing the retail overheads was also a big tick for me. By taking the wholesale out, I could pass the savings onto our customers. Providing personal customer service in a timely manner was and still is also key.”

But what to sell? Julie soon realised her favourite business ideas related to sustainability – and her happy childhood. “Growing up in New Zealand, my mum was a seamstress,” she says. “I remember a constant stream of ladies coming in and out for fittings and alterations, with patterns and pins and Mum’s Singer sewing machine taking pride of place on our dining table. My dad had a rafting business and was involved with the conservation and fisheries department. So from a young age I was very aware of sustainability, and nature and all that it offered.”

Searching for a sustainable business idea, Julie looked back to her roots for inspiration. “I’d always loved natural textures and fibres – oh, and I LOVE my bed,” she laughs.

“It’s the place I go to escape the flurry of life. It is my sanctuary when I need to unplug.”

With both of these loves as her inspiration, she decided to create her own line of high-end, long-lasting bedding, blankets, cushions and clothing, and started researching all sorts of different fibres. “I have always worn natural fibres and before I fell in love with sleeping in linen, I was always an Egyptian cotton girl… thick white crisp sheets like Grandma’s!” she says. “But ultimately, linen won me over,” she reveals, adding that she thinks of linen as nature’s wonder fibre. “Linen is a sustainable crop. It uses fewer fertilisers and four times less water than cotton during cultivation.”

And the feel.

“I love the fact it’s soft washed (with pumice stones) which makes it so buttery soft from the first time you wear or sleep in it… it’s not scratchy like grandma’s old tea towels!” laughs Julie. “It’s so soft but still has a weight that drapes around you. It’s whisper quiet, breathes well and keeps you cool in the summer months yet warm in winter. And the garments are so well made – French seam finishes ensure longevity and durability.”

Some people think that a hotel-like bed is only possible in well, hotels. But Julie says she believes in investing (in a good quality mattress, toppers, bed linens and pillows – whatever you need) to make every night you sleep at home as rejuvenating as you can.

“We spend $200 on a garment or pair of shoes but often short-change ourselves when it comes to sleep,” she says. “And we shouldn’t – after all, we spend one-third of our lives in bed! Bed is our haven so our bedroom should be the place we go to unwind. A comfortable bed with your favourite bedding is key to a good night’s sleep.” (Perhaps a good night’s sleep every night is why she has so much energy?)

Photo Jess Wyld

Starting with only a few key items in her online shop, it wasn’t long before the name Bedtonic was well-known – now Julie’s linen products have appeared in an impressive host of nationwide magazines and newspapers and her thrilled customers regularly give her five star reviews (“Gosh, I wish we had started those reviews three years ago!” she moans) and one of her biggest sellers, her iconic poet’s tunic, has become a staple of effortless capsule wardrobes, with fans from millennials to the more mature.

“I think it’s the structure of the garment, its French seams (no raw edges) and durable weight give it an industrial, lived-in, no-fuss look and feel,” says Julie on why she thinks they are so popular. “The cut of the garment allows it to fit all sizes and it cuts across generations in appeal. They are the epitome of the capsule wardrobe staple. We hear stories all the time of our tunic being spotted in different corners of the globe. Customers wear them straight out of bed to the school gates, beach, bar and back to bed! We have customers who own up to five of them in different lengths and colours. They really do have their own cult following!”

One of the Bedtonic Poets tunics (modelled by my lovely friend Kaylie Bodeker! Perth is a small world city). Photo at Kawa Heart Studio.

So how does a typical day running her small business go? As much as Julie loves her bed, she will leave it for a hot cup of coffee, which is how she starts every day at work. “I get up for coffee – always!” she says. “I’m actually a tea drinker for the rest of the day but it must start with coffee.

“Then it’s a walk around my neighbourhood with our schnauzer Buddy in the winter, or in summer I try and swim as many mornings as I can. It’s without doubt the best start to my day. By 9.30 I’m in my home office – even though I have an assistant, Cass, there is always my nail it list to work through.

“Orders are packed by my niece who’s studying, so she comes three days a week. By 5pm I’m either ready for a glass of wine before dinner or it’s tea on the run and more work. I’m trying to make myself stop work at nights and lock some Netflix in. No two days are the same though. Next week I will be in Shenzhen visiting our makers again which I do each year.”

2019 has been a huge year for the Bedtonic team behind the scenes as they have been working on a rebrand to tie all their labels, packaging and swing tags in line with each other, they’ve introduced new eco-friendly reusable and recyclable shipping bags, and Julie has been working closely with her seamstress designing new loungewear to add to their collection. “This design process is really important for me so I can hold me hand on my heart and say this has not been copied form another store – true ethically designed products,” she says.

They recently launched three news clothing items – their Field Dress, an oversized linen shirt called the Mollie Shirt (“think big comfy pyjama shirt with large shell buttons!”) and Slouch pants, which Julie is very excited about! “They are THE most comfortable slouch pants you will ever wear with a wide ribbed top to fold over for superb comfort!” she says.

“I had friends over in different shapes and sizes when these pants were being sampled and some would say, ‘Oh no, I won’t be wearing those.’ I said just try them for me and then, ‘Oh you’re right, they are soooo comfortable’.

“I’m super excited about these pieces as they are as comfy as pyjamas but you can wear them out for coffee, lunch, to the bar and home to bed again, just like all of our Poets tunics!”

My new linen Euros with our bepsoke blanket – I love these colours together.

While Bedtonic keeps her busy, Julie also says one of the wonderful things about Bedtonic is the work-life flexibility it gives the Ramsays. Julie, Donald and Mollie, as well as their schnauzer x poodle Buddy and cat Harry (“they are best mates”) currently live in Daglish, where the human members of the family think big – and exciting – when it comes to the future.

“We sold our workers cottage in West Leederville so we’re in a transition period of renting while we plan out our next digs,” reveals Julie. “The plan is to spend six to twelve months in France before Mollie finishes high school, and then I would love a pod home on land back in the country and a weekender in Perth!” Her own interiors style is an eclectic mix of contemporary and vintage and I love contemporary art. “A lot of my furniture is repurposed, some from kerbsides or bought from travels,” she shares. “I love mixing things up and I’m not afraid of colour. I have moved so much over the years that I now loathe clutter (or maybe it’s an age thing) I really like the notion of ‘less is more’ and I hate waste.”

So what advice would Julie give to other people wanting to take the plunge into their own small business?

“You have to really hone in on what you’re passionate about,” she says. “What makes your heart sing, what works for you around your lifestyle, family, your location, etc and then go for it! If you truly follow your passion then you will not tire of it and on the nights long after everyone else has gone to bed, it really won’t feel like work at all! There is a saying that goes starting a small business is like jumping off a cliff and building a model aeroplane on the way down… true that!” Maya x

The post Bedtonic – A Local Linen Business I Really Love appeared first on House Nerd.

house-nerd.com/2019/10/16/bedtonic-linen-win/

Posted by anneedmonsonus on 2019-10-16 13:29:18

Tagged: , Online , Guides , E-Guides , E , Service

The post Bedtonic – A Local Linen Business I Really Love appeared first on Good Info.

0 notes

anneedmonsonus · 5 years ago

Text

Bedtonic – A Local Linen Business I Really Love

Bedtonic founder Julie Ramsay. Photo Rae Fallon.

Our Bedtonic bespoke blanket teamed with my Euro Hawtrey cushion from Orno Interiors.

When Mollie was still young, Julie saw an opportunity to start a drive-through coffee business in Broome.

Photo Jessica Wyld

Photo Rae Fallon

Searching for a sustainable business idea, Julie looked back to her roots for inspiration. “I’d always loved natural textures and fibres – oh, and I LOVE my bed,” she laughs. “It’s the place I go to escape the flurry of life. It is my sanctuary when I need to unplug.”

And the feel.

Photo Jess Wyld

One of the Bedtonic Poets tunics (modelled by my lovely friend Kaylie Bodeker! Perth is a small world city). Photo at Kawa Heart Studio.

“I’m super excited about these pieces as they are as comfy as pyjamas but you can wear them out for coffee, lunch, to the bar and home to bed again, just like all of our Poets tunics!”

My new linen Euros with our bepsoke blanket – I love these colours together.

So what advice would Julie give to other people wanting to take the plunge into their own small business?

The post Bedtonic – A Local Linen Business I Really Love appeared first on House Nerd.

from Home Improvement https://house-nerd.com/2019/10/16/bedtonic-linen-win/

0 notes