05.24.09
At our house, the crafts are always flowing, and one of our favorite materials is TULLE. We just can’t get enough of the stuff… it’s so darn girly and fussy and fun.
With help from some of her super creative friends, Molly has been making the most beautiful tutus! Some of them are traditional princess-style, some (above) have a more goth appeal!
And, these tutus are for sale! You and all of your loved ones can twirl around like princesses, popstars, fairies, and Cyndi Lauper. Available in an array of fantastic color combinations and made to order!
All tutus are made of strips of tulle painstakingly cut and hand-tied onto a fabric ribbon, so the size is entirely adjustable, and they are very poofy and dramatic!
We are ONLY selling locally right now. To order, please get in touch with me, Molly’s Mom, by email or phone. We can talk about available colors and timeframe. NOTE: If you are under 18 you MUST have a parent get in touch as there is no kid-to-kid selling allowed without parent’s permission.
Pricing as follows, pick-up available in the evenings or weekends by appointment:
Toddler: $15
Kid/Teen: $20
Adult: $25
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04.22.09
Not only do I sell my jewelry on Etsy these days, I’m also a rabid Etsy buyer… from independent fashion (dresses! corsetry!), to vintage collectibles, to handcrafted dolls… too much of my hard-earned pay (of which lately there is simply too little for this sort of nonsense) goes toward my obsession with other artist’s obsessions. Call me a patron ok? It sounds better than shopaholic.
When I came across WasabiEstudio, chock full of zombies and a sprinkling of mad fun pop culture icons like Mr. T and Amy Winehouse, I became instantly smitten. Imagining the owners to be two Japanese kids living in California (it said Valencia, ok? Isn’t there a Valencia, CA? Nevermind), I started writing and gushing and trying to decide just what to order. With no money to spend, the problem was not whether to buy, but who (or is that whom?). There were at least 6 dolls that I needed.
Initially I was going to just purchase Amy and Sid Vicious, both pictured in their shop… and soooo brilliantly, hilariously done. But then I got to thinking. And obsessing. And further obsessing. Finally, when my tax refund check arrived, it was time, and I asked the Wasabi Kids to make Sid, Kurt Cobain and Russell Brand… the heck with Amy, it’s all boys, all the time. Wasabi dubbed them my party boys and promised they’d be home soon to play. 🙂
Imagine my surprise when a lovely box arrived from SPAIN (!) and inside were all of my special party boys, but also Amy, as a gift for me!! How incredibly sweet! As I marveled over the crazy/perfect details of each doll (tattoos, jewelry, amazingly realistic hairstyles, and most especially Sid’s x-rated famous cowboy t-shirt)… I realized I was truly in the presence of genius.
Yet somehow, it gets even better. After the dolls arrived I wrote to thank the Wasabi Kids (even after a round of emails back and forth I didn’t know their names)… and Neus sent me the photo pictured above of she and her husband Manuel. Could they be any more beautiful? What an amazing photo. I love these people!
So, it is with gratitude and warmth that I share my new friends and their amazing handcrafted dolls with you… please support independent artists and get over to WasabiEstudio NOW to see what they’ve got going on, or to request your favorite pop culture icon. Heck, they’ll even do a doll of YOU!!! xoxoxoxo
Subject: Blog, I Heart Shopping, Modern Art | 1 Comment »
03.15.09
And on Sundays at Chez Darwin, that means homemade crepes! But wait… How did we get to the yummy deliciousness above, a warm paper-thin pancake smothered in blueberry jam… let’s see shall we?
It all started with a Fete de la Crepe in Molly’s 6th grade French class, a l’ecole. Merci beaucoup to Mme Mangiafico for teaching the students something other than conjugating verbs (not that there’s anything wrong with a well-conjugated verb en Francais, mind you).
It also starts with a glorious mess in the kitchen, pictured above.
The petite crepier has become so professional that she can now flip the lovely pancakes… IN THE PAN!
And who knew… the BF is a bit of a crepe-maker himself! He often assists the Master Chef in the kitchen and is also in charge of the espresso… so that we can really feel like we are in gay Paris.
Just so you know, the espresso machine is a holy shrine and occupies way more than its share of space in our tiny creperie. Move it one inch (should you wish to, say use the counter or perhaps plug something in behind it) and and risk the wrath of the BF.
It does make a gorgeous and delicious breakfast beverage.
During the festivities we can count on Bernie, the canine vacuum cleaner, to hover along the floor waiting for errant bits of food to come his way so that he can eat them and have lots of stomach distress later on.
Molly is tres hungry and wishes her mom would quit photographing everything every single second of every single day.
It’s all worth the mess and aggravation when we sit down to eat. Melted chocolate by yours truly, undisputed Queen of the microwave.
Bon apetite!
Subject: Blog, Molly's Mom | No Comments »
03.11.09
This is the second time that cool chick Sahar Vahidi, ed-in-chief of the above-named magazine, has contacted me for jewelry to include in one of her fabulous fashion shoots. And of course, what could I say but Shut Up! Yes!
Jewelry can turn itty bitty in a magazine spread so I’m including the piece pictured for you to have a better look. Lovely badge above available at So Charmed in the CircusDolls collection.
From the Rockstars collection, one of my Telecaster pins. Yes, Courtney Love owns a few of these! No, they don’t go up to eleven.
Aren’t the models pretty?! This one-of-a-kind altered vintage pin is still available in the Pirates collection; get it while you can.
You can purchase the magazine at Books-a-Million, or at ShutUp!‘s site. Enjoy!
Subject: Blog, They Call It Work | No Comments »
02.12.09
Some of you may already know that Courtney Love Cobain has been shopping at So Charmed lately… shopping quite a bit in fact. You’ve asked just what she’s purchased and I don’t think she’ll mind me sharing some of that with you. Pictured above is my answer to the punk princess’ obsession with Marie Antoinette, a yummy rosary style necklace complete with vanilla birthday cake and of course, a Hole lyric.
The very first of these super special Robert Johnson (Me & the Devil Blues) pins was given to a good friend of mine as a gift. Courtney snapped one up shortly after I posted it. She later bought another in the series, Billie Holiday (Good Morning Heartache) pictured below. These are made with the most gorgeous patina’d frames you’ve ever seen. I love the colors and the little rusted safety pins.
Also from the Rockstars collection (natch!), yet another tragic figure immortalized. The Johnny Thunders pin, below, is a tiny dictaphone tape covered in layers and layers of the glammiest purple glitter, the tape yanked out to spill in tendrils down the front of your dress or jacket. Gold chains and a lightening bolt keep the campiness coming on for.ev.ah.
Probably the most subversive of her purchases, the Redaction Series: Top Secret necklace features an actual redacted government document sealed forever under glassy resin. Scary.
There were too many other purchases (including TWO of the pairs of cuffs pictured in the post prior to this one) to list them all here… and suffice to say, I was completely blown away by the support of one of my truest fashion icons. I sent her a few little gifts, including some of the MyRight2Write notebooks for her and Frances to scribble in. Frances is 16 now. Can you believe that?? I’m looking forward to the (allegedly soon) release of Courtney’s new record, and based on the songs I’ve heard on her myspace page, you should be too.
Subject: Blog, They Call It Work | 1 Comment »
01.17.09
You fashion grls out there know: Cuffs are the new black. Or whatever. But the truth is, this is a great, flexible format within which to create. I did some fun knitted ones awhile back and here is a new batch. These are being offered as assymetrical one-of-a-kind pairs. FUN!
This pair features a lovely rhinestone button/badge and sweet creamy lace.
I named this oxford pair the Wall Street Cuffs. They have amazing Venitian lace attached and pretty chains.
This is how they look on; the lace drapes so nicely over your hand. Molly’s chipped black nails were a perfect complement to the punkified look.
Love the tartan flannel and pleated gothy black lace! Maybe this is my favorite pair…
Really adorable sterling silver rhinestoned bejeweled Union Jack charm on this one. These are very fun to wear, cozy, sexy and as they say “on trend.” ICK!
Cuffs are now on my Etsy site and will soon be uploaded to So Charmed proper; these will be found in the Punks collection.
And as I’ve been reminding everyone lately: PLEASE practice CRAFTS INTEGRITY. Don’t copy the work of others. Take influence perhaps, but make it your own. Copying isn’t nice, invokes bad karma, and may mean you’ll get a punch in the nose as well as awful curses rained down upon you. I’m NOT kidding!!!
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12.17.08
I’ve gone completely earring crazy of late, creating an entire collection at the So Charmed site, cleverly titled For Your Ears Only and priced right at under $50, many under $25. Most pairs are one of a kind and ready to ship now, so if you are behind the eightball for the holidays, here’s a good option for ya.
You’ll see the usual (unusual) gorgeous beads and baubles from my vintage collection, such as the chandelier crystals above, and I’ve been experimenting with new materials, including gold vermeil.
You’ll also note that I’m having fun photographing these goodies with teeny tiny vintage doll furnishings that I’ve begun collecting. Sorry, these are not included with purchase!
The furnishings–mostly metal and plastic from the 1950’s or earlier–will eventually make it into very cool mid-century tin-litho dollhouses. IÂ have two bonafide ranch houses and the split-level pictured above. In which a trio of tiny skeletons is now residing… you can see them dancing in the living room if you look closely.
Subject: Blog, They Call It Work | No Comments »
12.12.08
It had to happen. My daughter Molly and her BFF Corrie are now making–AND SELLING–jewelry. And I’m here to tell you, their stuff really rocks. I’m one of their bestest customers, and I am, as you know, a highly discerning jewelry-maven. What’s lovely about their work is that they very smartly operate within their abilities… while pushing themselves a bit to learn techniques, using available materials (much of it from their YMCA Afterschool program) and with their not-quite-grown-up girlish sensibilities… it makes for some very cool stuff. My favorites are a pair of assymmetrical earrings that use GLOW IN THE DARK glass beads, and, pictured above, the shell necklace. Sooooo lovely, so simple. Great concept, great colors, great materials (love the sea-green frayed ribbon). As I told Molls, when I wear it, it reminds me of our wonderful beach holidays. Love ya honey!!
Everyone who knows me knows I’m trying to grow my thick super-duper curly hair to never-before-reached lengths of Renaissance Jewess Goddess nirvana… (Why? I don’t know. B/C it’s a huge-mongous pain in the butt and takes like 4 hours to air dry). So, long story short, I buy a lot of hair crap. Products? Oh, yes indeed. I’ll try anything that comes along, esp. if marketed for curls. Barettes, clips and combs? HECK YEAH! The one above was scored on Etsy and it really is just so clever and adorable, made from the upcycled middle of a 45 rpm Motown record. I love it!! And, look for some new hair baubles coming in January at So Charmed.
And, arent’t these the sweetest things?? Two little handcrafted felt pins, made as a gift to me by Teresa, a dear client in Barcelona. Teresa asked which animals I’d like so I told her about Bernie and Maxi, (the Dachshunds) and Iggy and Angelo (the Tabbies) and voila! These adorable critters traveled ’round the world and came home to me. What a delightful gift. Teresa hopes to get her own shop up and running on the Internet, I’ll let you know as soon as she does.
Remember, buy handmade for the Holidays… there’s so much crafty goodness out there it’s just incredible. Your recipients will love the gifts and you’ll be supporting an entrepreneurial artist.
Subject: Blog, I Heart Shopping, Modern Art, Molly's Mom | No Comments »
10.29.08
I don’t know just how many custom charm bracelets I’ve designed and created to date… lots though. Dozens, maybe 50, maybe more. And each time one of these delightful opportunities comes into my life, I suffer a moment of doubt at first (the typical facing-the-blank-white-page fear)… Have I found all of the possible solutions? Can this one be as perfectly unique and stunning as all the others so as not to disappoint my dear customer?
The custom bracelet is a very important thing I’ve been entrusted with, and these are investment pieces, not inexpensive. I take it all extremely seriously. (Really. For once, I’m not joking around). Seriously, but joyfully, if that makes sense.
So I fret a little, but as the process unfolds, a remarkable thing happens. The emails start flying, maybe a few photos too. I read and reread, and sometimes I even read between the lines (just a little!). I ask questions and I let the project (the person really) live in some place I imagine to be a special room deep in my creative heart.
Occasionally, I wake up in the middle of the night, or first thing in the morning… and the bracelet has begun to materialize visually, in my mind’s eye. One of the first elements to show up might be color. And yet, the color is really the last thing to be finalized during the process… I don’t pull beads from my (80 and counting) fishing tackle boxes until the last charm ordered has arrived.
Usually, the colors I’ve thought of initially will become the foundational palette. Occasionally though, I am surprised by something that happens during the design process. The bits of red in Cathy’s Lovely Garden was one such surprise. And it really worked with all of the gorgeous ambers, coppers and greens as just the right tiny hit of bright color. The neons in Lee Anne’s Carpe Diem were tricky and I wasn’t sure I could pull that off. The result was unexpected even though I’d had a rough plan.
The two bracelets pictured through this post were in my studio during a recent overlapping period. Lee Anne, a super creative and beautiful young American girlie is a riot of celebratory charm and color. Cathy, a gorgeous artistic woman living in the UK with her young son is a lovely garden of wise warmth and cherished memories. If you look closely, they both have a charm in common, a vintage rhinestone studded butterfly from a pair of earrings I had found months prior. I love that and hadn’t realized I’d done it!
Like snowflakes, no two are ever alike. And it is always a privilige, an honor, and just plain fun getting to know each of you and creating art in the form of keepsake jewelry to charm and delight you! To learn more about the custom process and some idea of costs, scroll down to the bottom of the custom page at So Charmed. Think it over a bit, and then get in touch. I’d love to hear from you.
Subject: Blog, They Call It Work | No Comments »
10.25.08
I’m just so obsessed with the circus lately, it’s bordering on (or has become) a weird sickness in its own right. I am old enough to have been to many many circus’s and carnivals as a young child. Suffice to say, I found almost nothing to enjoy, and everything to fear and loathe. Some say I was a “sensitive” child. Ok, yeah… well, that’s true in retrospect. 40+ years later, I find these paralyzing nightmares to be worth revisiting as content for art. And so we have a family of performing bears (grouping of pins).
Scary ladies in exotic costumes and requisite evil clowns (series of badges/necklaces).
Sideshow freaks: half something, half something else (series of pins).
First, I love finding the materials, many of them vintage and handcrafted, and sometimes collected and catalogued over several years before coming together into a final product. Also I enjoy the image-making as much as the jewelry-making; I studied photograhpy in school and at one time had designs on practicing photography as a fine art fulltime. Taking pictures remains a deep passion.
I am frankly unsure if these items will ever find audience but you know, I am not really thinking about that so much in this particular series. There are places in my creative life where the client matters most of all, and a few where it is all about a certain perfection of expression, more purely so.
Subject: Blog, Modern Art, They Call It Work | No Comments »
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