Moms on Monday :: Denise DeMarchis of Matilda Jane Clothing

I want to import the entire Matilda Jane Clothing website right here, so you don't miss one bit of it. I recently stumbled upon Denise DeMarchis' blog, which led me to her designs & website featuring adorable. sweet. eclectic. beautiful. european-esque. clothing for little girls. You will love them, too - I'm sure of it.

And guess what? We have a giveaway for you (see below). But first - here's more about the past, present & future of Matilda Jane!

i know a mom :: How did the idea strike for Matilda Jane?

denise (at left with her husband and son) :: I am known for jumping into things feet first and that’s definitely what happened with Matilda Jane. In 2003 a friend urged me to start designing children’s clothing and told me she would sew what I designed. So I started designing, she started sewing and I sold the clothing at juried art festivals. Two years later I expanded the business to include trunk shows and catalog sales. I could have never imagined that Matilda Jane would become the company that it is today.

i know a mom :: How did your education and previous experience (career) help you in starting your business?

denise :: I have done many things in my life but the one job that always stands out is an internship I did with Gordon Food Service. They are an amazing company and many times I awoke in the middle of the night to be sure customers had their product for the morning breakfast rush. Gordon Food Service has a "whatever it takes" attitude and it never bothered me to drive four hours to pick up two cases of french fries for a customer at midnight. I feel the same way about Matilda Jane. I am truly happy to come to work each and every day.

i know a mom :: What was the best piece of advice you received when you were starting your business?

denise :: Whatever you choose to do, do it for the love of it and nothing else. Never settle, follow you heart and all good things will come in time. Oh, and a biggie and the hardest one to live by, you have to spend money to make money. And that is tough when you don't have any money.

i know a mom :: What is the best part of owning your own business?

denise :: Owning your own business comes with so many great benefits but it also has it’s own unique set of difficulties. The very best part is that my whole family is part of the team. David, my husband – who is a teacher – is the numbers guy, and my seven-year old son Joe tells me which shoes should be worn with which outfit – and he’s very serious about his choices. My younger son, whom we affectionately call The Beast can often be found at the office rummaging through fabric and buttons -- and making me laugh at his antics.

i know a mom :: In your experience, what has been the most effective way to get the word out about Matilda Jane?

denise :: I have an incredible group of trunk keepers, the individuals who bring trunk shows to people’s homes, that do what women do really well – they find something they love, get passionate about it and start telling other people about it. They are why Matilda Jane has grown so quickly.

i know a mom :: What is the best way to get our hands on Matilda Jane?

denise :: You can view the two Fall Collections – Sack Lunch and Westside -- at www.matildajaneclothing.com or in the Fall Matilda Jane catalogs. To request a catalog, place an individual order or schedule a trunk show, you can e-mail Sarah Woodworth at sarahw@matildajaneclothing.com.

i know a mom :: What is your favorite way to take a break from the business?

denise :: I truly am in love with what I do which makes it hard to take a break. When I’m not working though, I’m usually spending time with my husband, David, and our two boys, Joe and Gabe. And I am an insanely-passionate Lake Superior State University hockey fan.

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GIVEAWAY :: Enter to win a Matilda Jane outfit that includes a Gretta skirt - print combination will vary depending on size - and a long-sleeved princess tee.

To enter, post a comment on this post - any comment at all. Enter by Tuesday, October 14th at 10:00 pm (pst). If your contact information is not linked to your google account, don't forget to leave your contact information in your comment. (If winner does not come forward within one week, a new winner will be randomly selected.) Or you can check back on Wednesday, October 15th to see if you won! Anonymous comments will be ignored/removed. One entry per person, please. Good luck!!