75 Ain’t No Jive!
05.05.08
My parents are adorable,and my Dad just turned 75! Two delcious cakes are better than one, don’t you think? HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!
When the Studies Get Tough…
05.01.08
Thanks to all the charming people who came out to OMOI in Philadelphia to say hi, during college exams no less! Obviously you people know: When the studies get tough, the tough go shopping.
It was great fun meeting my customers in real life and I couldn’t ask for a more adorable place to spend the day than Liz Sieber’s uber cool shop. I highly recommend a visit if you live anywhere nearby so you can scoop fabulous clothing, cards, housewares, Japanese toys, and of course, jewelry.
Great stuff for guys too.
A highlight of the day was when one of Liz’s fave customers (above) sashayed in wearing my Prince bracelet, purchased months ago at OMOI!
All in all, a glittering good time. Be sure to bookmark the OMOI Web site; Liz will be putting more of her amazing merch online ASAP.
Discover OMOI
04.22.08
Do you live in or near Philadelphia? If so, please stop by the coolest shop in the area, OMOI (1608 Pine Street) on Saturday, April 26 from 12 – 4 pm. I’ll be there with a trunk full o’ jewels to mix in with owner Liz Sieber’s fantastic stock of coolwear and accessories. OMOI (pronounced Oh-Moe-ee) is Japanese for thought or feeling according to a write-up in the Philadelphia Weekly. The name reflects Liz’s personal history, growing up in Japan… as well as her love of all things… well, CUTE! You know, in that Japanese way. Visit the store online, read Liz’s great blog, but most of all, COME SAY HI on Saturday!
LaPatisserie
04.10.08
There is nothing I love more than miniature faux confections sitting atop darling vintage buttons, sparkly over-the-top handcrafted jewelry, and fake French, merci beaucoup! For this reason, my BFFL (some call her my alter ego), the brilliant and chic Madame Eclore has opened a brand new Etsy shop called (what els?) LaPatisserie!
Whatever your pleasure–les tartes or les bonbons–Mme. Eclore is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth!
Some of the petite gateau are so delicate they must be kept under glass! Can you imagine this? On your finger, cherie? I know that you can!
For les Americains? Monsieur Donut! Avec sprinkles, mais oui.
Une sucre rose est une sucre rose!
The packaging? Tres bon! Each comes in a sweet tiny hat box, a perfect gift. Also available on So Charmed.
Yep, it’s Another Bloomin’ Blog
04.04.08
For those of you who just can’t get enough of my unbridled blabbermouthing, I’ve come up with yet another platform. In association with the launch of my graphic design studio designfarm’s brand spankin’ new web site, the staff and I decided that not only do we love to practice design, we also love to jibber-jabber on (and on and on) about the subject.
So, whether you are a designer, a consumer of design, or just curious about why certain people are prone to exhuberent Tourettes-like shouts of “HELVETICA!” or “BODONI!” when movie credits are rolling and everyone else is quietly heading out of the theater, click on over to The Fourth Wall, for a shocking and unprecedented look inside the mind of working designers. You can read more than you ever wanted to know about such things as the color yellow and my BF’s former apartment as well as participate in fun little contests and exercises.
Oh, and it’s not just me raving on about typography, etc, it’s also my talented staff designers, Jessica and Sarah. They are a lot younger than me, each with their own creative voice and POV, so I think you’ll enjoy their observations too!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to MAXI!
03.12.08
Here is a sweet and quirky little dawg named Maxi who turns 11 today! I love him so much and want to wish him a happy birthday with love from Molly and Jodi.
And a very happy UNbirthday to Maxi’s adorable little brother, Bernie!
Shop with a Conscience
03.04.08
Consider this your personal invitation to visit my latest endeavor: MyRight2Write.com, an online shop full of the MOST adorable handcrafted one-of-a-kind altered composition book journals… AND even better: For each journal you buy, a kid in an under-served public school receives a donated blank composition book. Everyone wins.
There are two yummy styles to choose from… googly-eyed MONSTERS, pictured above and (NOT SO) PLAN JANES, pictured below. The Monsters feature stenciled images with wiggle eyes and text message abbreviations on recycled wallpaper. The aptly-named NSPJ’s utilize our most fabulous wallpaper sheets, no embellishments needed. All journals are old-fashioned marble-covered kid’s composition books. You know ’em! You love(d) ’em!
Please buy a bunch and help us send hundreds of composition books to school children this coming fall! We thank you and the kids thank you!
Q: Where do you buy these fabulous beads?
02.28.08
A: None of your beeswax.
Ok, sorry… but really! I get asked this question so often it makes me wanna cry. But I think the truth is that noone can imagine the obsessiveness of my collecting, and thus, in asking such a question, the questioner can’t possibly know how ridiculous the query is.
Case in point: Pictured above is a pile ‘o beads I scored last night at Molly’s YMCA Aftercare Crafts Expo and Bake Sale. Yes, folks, there amongst the handsewn foam wallets, the CostCo cookies (SO cleverly marketed in zip lock bags to look homebaked, but I was NOT fooled!), and the genuinely homebaked cupcakes (expertly decorated by my daughter and long gone without so much as a blog photo snapped), were these lovely beaded necklaces. I do feel dreadfully sorry that I’m going to disassemble them to make jewelry. : / Sorry kids. Cost: 6 bucks.
Q: Where do you get all of that funky ironic “art” that decorates the walls of your home?
A: Just kidding.
Generally speaking, no one (except my poor boyfriend) dares to inquire about the weird, tasteless, mostly thriftstore, crap that poses as art in my “eclectic” home. But, in case you are not asking b/c you are embarrassed, but would actually like to know where these coveted items originate, here is an example: Yes, it’s another YMCA Aftercare Crafts Expo and Bake Sale score, a hand magic-markered, velvet flocked (!!) Unicorn. With stars! Glitter! A rainbow! Maybe you don’t love this as much as I do, probably not in fact. Yet later you will eye it enviously, I know you will! I was so glad no one else’s mom snagged this beauty before I arrived on the scene with my shopping karma in tact. Cost: $1.50. Bet ya I could turn it around for $10 bucks on ETSY. But I’m not gonna, it’s mine mine mine suckers. Seriously, I love this thing.
PS: I love a post that fits ALL my categories!
MORE Custom Work
02.22.08
I love this custom bracelet and I love the woman I made it for… Jen, a Rebel Mom, not unlike yours truly. With some email communications and a photo or two for good measure, Jen and I were able to make her charm bracelet dreams come true in black and blue!
Sterling silver charms, soldered into place for permanence, plus a vintage earring, and some of my favorite glass beads (new & vintage) in denim and onyx.
A special hand-crafted sterling silver Defy charm for Jen’s “question everything” MO. Love ya, girl! Mwwwwaaaa!
i heart this band
02.22.08
I am WAAAAAY too old to stay up for Letterman, Conan, &tc. but I am NOT way too old to have a serious need to know exactly what is happening with today’s young rock geniuses. So, with many thanks to friend Aaron Karsh and his diy BANDS ON LATE dvd’s, I was able to catch a performance of Ghostland Observatory, a pair of Austin TX dudes (one of whom seems to have a penchant for wearing metallic silver capes, but we all made bad fashion decisions in our youth didn’t we?) who have revived synth-pop with a vengeance. Unlike the ultra clean, sorta precious synth masters of the past (to whom this music does pay homage), these guys rock so hard, with an energy that is barely containable (think: a synthetic Clash), even in the recorded format, let alone live. Prolific youngsters, they’ve released 3 CDs out in less than 2 years. I only have Paparazzi Lightening, which is over-the-top excellent, but I’ll be downloading the rest… yes I will.
Haven’t been this excited by a music duo since my beloved White Stripes! How is Meg doing? Does anyone know? I hope she is feeling better!
