This Fall I spent in Southern California with the kids. My daughter is a pretty good actress, so we are giving her the opportunity to pursue it and see what happens. In the three months she was in L.A., I felt she accomplished a lot. She did 14 different projects. Will you see her on TV in the next few months? The answer is, maybe, if one of the Doritos commercials she was in wins the Superbowl contest. She is just getting started so she worked on a lot of student films or short films.
So how did this happen? Her Houston acting coach mentioned to us several times that we should take her to L.A. for a couple of months and see how it went with her. My husband and I dismissed the idea as one for crazy people. My daughter took a class in Houston this summer with an L.A. coach. She also said that my daughter was good enough to try episodic season in L.A., get an agent...and the like. We prayed about this for two weeks and then took the leap. The kids and I left the last week in August for L.A. and stayed until Thanksgiving. My husband came out every other weekend and Skyped daily. In the first month, we found an agent and manager. I homeschooled the kids. I also to know all the ways to avoid some of the L.A. traffic, while shuttling my daughter to various auditions, callbacks, and bookings. I managed our time, my husband managed the job submissions for our daughter.
The kids and I plan to go back in February for pilot season. I am taking each season as it comes. It is my earnest goal in all of this to stay grounded. We are doing it because she enjoys it and is good at it. Once it is no longer fun, we will no longer do it. I am not tying any of me to this because it is not about me, it is about her. For example, I don't post on my Facebook page what she is doing. It is her life, not mine. I am just trying to support her. My husband manages a Twitter account for her as a professional courtesy to agent and manager.
My craftiness ground to a halt at the end of August because the sewing machine just wouldn't fit in the car! This is the first Christmas I was mostly done with shopping before December 1st, because I did it all in L.A. I nurtured my crafty side by pinning my hearts content on Pinterest. This week, I am working on two more sock monkeys I am giving as Christmas gifts. I am also finishing some letters to go above the kids art wall at home. After Christmas, I hope to complete some projects before we return to L.A.
I discovered the Fashion District in L.A. Oh my goodness....for my Houston friends it is blocks and blocks of Harwin, plus more than just knock off merchandise. There are several blocks of fabric sellers. I bought minky fabric to make into something for the kids. They think they want blankets, I am thinking giant floor pillows. Yellow ruffled fabric found its way into my possession to make a dress for my daughter and to make some ruffled scarves. My curly hair has been screaming for a silk pillow case, so I found some beautiful purple/gray silk. I also got some great fabric for a pencil skirt I've been dreaming to make. I love going to the fabric market and have to restrain myself. Another find was the FIDM scholarship store. It is a fun place to go that is hit or miss. I enjoyed shopping their fabric stacks. I got some cute knits for $2 a yard from a 60" bolt. Deal! They had cute organic cotton t-shirts for $5 that I could not pass up.
People keep asking me if I want to move to L.A. The answer is, not really. The 24/7 traffic can get really old, really quick. While the weather is gorgeous, we have family in Texas. Real estate here is just as crazy as NYC. I would rather not give up my house for a postage stamp sized apartment. I found a church here that is great, but I still love my church home in Houston more.
So starting in February if the blog becomes sparse again, you can bet I am sitting in traffic somewhere in Hollywood or on the 405 coming back from Santa Monica. Until then, I'll try to keep you entertained with my random blog posts.
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