I think someday I'll have to do my own version of this song, of course it will be in my own way, without the gunfire at the end. I get the symbolism though.

Vegas was great, and I met a lot of new accounts. The great comments I received have refocused my attention and direction so you can expect some great new ideas in time for Christmas!

There is one thing that I share with creative people all over the planet, and that's appreciation of encouragement. I know that the things I create are unique and original, and I put a lot of thought into each design I make. But what is art if there is no one who agrees? Does a tree make a sound when it falls in the woods alone? I'm fortunate enough to know that I am not crazy, that my designs matter and that there are some really well known stores that have decided to carry my line. (I'll soon post them in my world tour section of ichabods.com)

I've been designing t shirts and bags for about 4 years now, and I learn something new everyday. I think that for any designer starting out, it takes a hell of a lot to go forward. One looks into a great abyss with 100's of ways to fail and decides to still give it a go and jump. When one looks around, big names that everyone knows are everywhere with millions behind their names. That's how it works. Spend millions in advertising, and millions of people will recognize a brand. For the smaller brands; however, the ones that are more original, it takes a retail buyer with a true eye to take a chance on a line, those are the real style-makers in the world. Those are the people that keep the world looking good, and make a difference to the arts. If store owners stopped carrying designs from new artists, then the world would be a much different place.

A few of the buyers at the tradeshow in Vegas only wanted corporate names, things that everyone recognizes and 1000's of people already wear. I appreciate the fact that stores must have some known brands, but my advice (as a previous retail store owner) is to always mix in some new talent. Think of it like a concert. There is usually an opening act, and often times they are better than the headlining band. Every band has to be the opening act at some point, and eventually the ones that survive move on to be headliners. The same goes for the clothing business. There will always be those who worship American Idol though.

I am grateful for all the boutiques that have picked up my designs, and for all the customers that I have met through my website at Ichabods.com. It's a great journey and it's getting better everyday. Stay tuned to read more experiences from my Vegas trip, and in the meantime thanks for reading.