hi! i'm sallie oleta barbee, but you can just call me sallieoh, because, if you found me here, we're probably like family anyway!
like so many other people, i started my blog because i can't afford real estate, but i still yearn for a little place to call my own. even if it is a cyberplace. what? thats not why you started your blog?
well perhaps you started yours in order to keep a record of your creative endeavors, to share your skills, your thoughts, to inspire and be inspired, and to quiet that chirpy little voice thats always going in your head.
yeah. me too. isn't that what i said?
still have questions? not to worry - i decided to do a little interview with myself to clear things up...
Q: hey sallieoh, thats a pretty cool name you got there. where did it come from?
A: wow, thanks self, thats so sweet of you! as you probably know, the name sallieoh comes from my first and middle name: sallie oleta (like lolita). i was named after my great grandmothers on both my mother and father's side. when i was growing up some of my family would call me sallie-o, which i turned into sallieoh.
Q: thats so fascinating! so tell me sallie, what do you do all day?
A: thats a really good questions, self. i ask myself that all the time. like i'm doing right now. well as i've mentioned here and there, i work full-time at an art gallery. this keeps me pretty crazily busy five days out of the week. i currently am commuting an hour to and from work, which means that i have plenty of time during my drive to hang out in my own mind, one of my favorite places to be. i use this time to daydream, scheme up projects, mostly talk to myself, and occasionally compose a haiku. on my days off i like to sew, go to the beach, eat, drink and be merry.
Q: thats cool. so did you always live in texas?
A: oh heavens no! i was born and raised in a place called reading, pa. i still have a lot of family there. after highschool i went to art school in baltimore, md where i got my bachelors of fine art in painting with a minor in art history. after that i moved to philadelphia, pa for two years where i attended grad school and got my masters of fine art in painting. after that i moved to houston, tx with my husband (then boyfriend) where we lived and worked for two years before moving to our current location of galveston, tx. texas has been very good to us, but its ultimately not a place i think of as home and i would like to continue our journey.
Q: painting, huh? are you an artist?
A: people sometimes introduce me as an artist, but i don't currently keep a painting-centric practice. as i mentioned, much of my creative energy has been going towards sewing, and that is making me very happy at this point in my life. i feel lucky to be working and engaged in an art community, and i'm sure at some point my energies will shift and i'll be painting and drawing again. thats just how i go.
Q: i see. so how did you become interested in fashion?
A: oh geez. i've always been incredibly interested in fashion and beauty and style. but i suppose the whole thing became much more accessible about 4-5 years ago when i discovered fashion blogs and personal style blogs. the blog world has served as incredible inspiration for a very attainable style, and i think its these sort of liveable yet distinct and creative fashions that i aspire to.
Q: and where does the sewing come in?
A: well i guess my pocket book can't really live up to my wardrobe appetites! as i've mentioned, i'm a pretty creative sort and very, um, talented with my hands (!) so i began to teach myself how to sew about two years ago in order to make the sort of things i wanted to be wearing but couldn't find or afford in stores. i was amazed with how quickly i took to sewing and working with fabric, and even pattern drafting. of course every venture has its trying moments, but in general i find making my own wardrobe to be a truly rewarding enterprise!
Q: so do you make everything you wear?
A: definitely not. i make a small portion of what i wear. lately i've been trying to change some of my spending habits and so if i want something new i force myself to make it. i'm a notoriously slow and meticulous worker, so if i'm going to make it, i better really want it! at the same time i usually try to save my money and buy myself "investment" items. this usually involves shoes, sweaters, accessories, vintage and indie designs. besides that i have a pretty healthy wardrobe that i've built up over the years and it is this which is the majority of what i wear day to day.
Q: wow sallie, you are so interesting! i feel like i could talk to you all day!
A: thats so funny self! i feel the same about you....
