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 »
06.13.08
Live in or near the DC Metro Area? Then this will be of interest…
I’m very excited to announce that my company designfarm’s little sister enterprise, the wonderful not-just-for-profit, MyRight2Write.com, will be joining 80 other fabulous vendors at the first annual Washington City Paper sponsored Crafty Bastards Silver Spring crafts show!
For some reason, I had it in my mind that this show was going to be the younger, smaller, more bastardier bastard child of Crafty Bastards The Adams Morgan (DC) Show… truly one of the best-known and most highly regarded shows in the country… but NOOOOOOO. Folks, after attending a vendor orientation meeting earlier this week, I am happy to report that this absolutely will NOT be the case!
Check out the Vendor Gallery to see the best of the best DIY crafters in the Metro Area, very close to the same number that set up at the fall show downtown. Jewelers, clothing designers, monster makers, toy creators, stationers… a veritable plethora of talent. In addition, there will be a Supply Swap booth; bring supplies to donate and take some supplies home, free! There will also be bands, food… a whole day’s worth of stuff to do, see, and buy (including of course our fabulous journals and one of a kind handprinted clothing). We are working hard on having our most fun products ever, including tons of clothing for kids and grown ups and new mini-journals that are just $3 each! They are super cute.
The show is bing held at Pyramid Atlantic (directions), 8230 Georgia Avenue, just a block or two south of the main Silver Spring downtown area. Very Metro accessible, Red Line, Silver Spring stop.
Last year’s downtown Bastards event reportedly had an attendance of 20,000 people! Yes, you read that correctly. Wanna get the goods? Come early and come often.
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05.20.08
The MyRight2Write Crew will be setting up and selling our beautiful handcrafted altered composition book journals THIS WEEKEND, Sunday May 25th, at the SOWEBO Arts Festival. As you surely know by now, for each journal we sell, a composition book will be donated to Piney Branch Elementary School this fall.
In addition to a huge selection of the wallpapered journals, we’ll be bringing a new batch of our one of a kind recycled Tee + Journal Combos, including a totally adorable must-have pair of pajama bottoms!! Come out and say hello and help us meet our goal of 300 donated composition books by the time school opens in late August.
There will be 20 bands, and loads of art, crafts and food, from 12 – 9 pm.
Directions from the DC Metro Area: Take 95 North to 395. 395 becomes Martin Luther King Blvd. Take MLK to Lombard and turn left. 3 Lights to Arlington, turn right… festival is there: 36 Arlington Ave. Baltimore, MD 21223. If you need more info, email me.
Oh, and what does SOWEBO stand for? South West Baltimore! Yay!!!
Subject: Blog, I Heart Shopping, Molly's Mom, They Call It Work | 1 Comment »
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.
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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!
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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!
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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!
Subject: Blog, I Heart Shopping, Modern Art, Molly's Mom, They Call It Work | No Comments »
01.18.08
What?! The person you love most in the world is a cat? I hear ya. Really, I do. Which is why I’m bringing you this post on wonderful kitty Valentines! If your special feline is a spunky kitten, or still THINKS he/she/it is a spunky kitten, run do not walk to your nearest Target and pick up this most adorable gift, pictured above. Nope, it’s not chocolate, just soft sewn cat-nip toys disguised as fancy high-falutin’ candies! Adorably packaged, each in their own little accordian paper cup, the whole thing tied up with a pink gros-grain bow and a STEAL at $2.99! Yes, I know it’s made in China. But I’m sorry, I had to have them. Roadtested by Michelangelo and Iggy Pop… these were a huge hit.
But for those who are feeling a little more flush, and ready to lavish something EXTRA special on that extra special little purr machine… there’s KITTY WIGS, the latest wicked-funny (yet quite serious) entrepreneurial adventure of the diva of cross stitch herself, Miss Julie Jackson. Pictured above is a cat named Chicken sporting my favorite Kitty Wig in bubblegum pink. Even the packaging is just too cute, see below.
I wish I could give a testimonial on these… but Michelangelo would slice me to ribbons if he thought I was even considering putting a wig on him. Iggy Pop, on the other hand, may well have some latent cross-dressing tendencies, so please stay tuned.
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11.09.07
This show, at the refurbished Mill Centre in B’more, hon, is gonna rock. Come out and see most of the So Charmed collection live and in person, and the work of loads of other artists and craftspersons.
Yes, I am making hats now… I “needed” another crafty thing to do, you know? These will be on hand at the above-mentioned show, although I can’t say for sure if I’m ready to part with them just yet! More of these darling burlesque ‘fascinators’ are on the way.
Pictured above is Tickle, which features an amazing deep velvety red and fuscia curly feathery attachment and darling striped ribbon that looks like vintage ticking. Blow is Strut, which features a miniature peacock, genuine feathers and all, plus brilliant purple tulle that poofs out the back. Both have an elastic strap so you can get that perfect sexy tilt without losing your hat. Wearing these, I can’t guarantee you won’t lose your shirt… wink wink nudge nudge. Ooooolalalalalala!
Anyway, whether you come to the show or not, please consider shopping hand made for the holidays… Chanukah, Christmas, Festivas for the Restofus… whatever your pleasure, it will be that much brighter for supporting DIY!
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09.03.07
Well, the countdown is upon me, just 4 days left until the big 5-0. No, not that 70’s cop show set in Hawaii!! MY 50th BIRTHDAY! And what better way to celebrate than a shopping spree at the fabulous market for all things hand-made, Etsy.com. Links to the shops included.
Pictured above: What better way to celebrate the aging process than with a Louise Black handcrafted Victorian corset that has a window–to not your soul–but to your spinal column, ribcage and pelvic bones. Completely glorious. I fell in love with this and many other items from this shop.
On the lighter side (sort of), here are two of a set of three pieces of art from TinyRat. Divine, left, wears sparkly-thread dangly earrings. And Jacko looks perfectly demented in this revival of that wonderful craft from yesteryear, yarn embroidery on plastic. The third in my set is John Lydon. Brilliant!! Visit this shop to find all of your fave pop culture icons, treated to the same… uh, treatment. BTW, TinyRat is a guy! Even cooler!
I have wanted one of those cute little tea-cup doggies, like all the beautiful people carry around in diamond-encrusted backpacks, but I have two cats so I was thrilled to find Salsa Verde from the Flaming Chiuauas of the Apocalypse series, pictured above and lovingly handmade by Laura at ChatNoirStudios. Salsa is so adorably scary that the kittens (and everyone else) are keeping their distance. She’s actually a very friendly girl, and I think everyone will grow to love her as I do. This visionary doll is crafted on a wire-frame with hand-sewn patches of fabric. She has beautiful crooked eyes, long lovely lashes, and a darling beaded collar. I think she is WAY more beautiful than any of those dogs Paris shleps around, don’t you?
I don’t buy a lot of jewelry (duh!) but every once in awhile, I find something I can not resist. This gorgeous necklace, made by Andrea at Amuck, is crafted from an upcycled “Men Working” street sign (do you LOVE it or what??), so the orange parts are reflective. This is a heavy, substantial piece, ingeniously designed and beautifully made. I will wear it to proclaim my true nature to the world.
My early September birthday always brings with it those first feelings of fall; the warm sunlight casting longer shadows and the crisp air that is finally a release from DC’s humid summery condition. Molly and I always start knitting at this time of year and I am currently making some really groovy knitted headbands to wear as my uber-curly hair grows long again. Etsy has some amazing fiber-artists, and this is a skein of handspun yarn called Psychobilly from Etsy shop inHope. The picture says it all!
Last but not least, this recon Ramones t-shirt from industrialGrrl. I’m reading an amazing book titled Heebie-Jeebies at CBGB’s: The Secret History of Jewish Punk by Steven Lee Beeber. To be perfectly honest, this book–a very fun read–is unlocking for me some of the puzzles of my charmed life. I’ll write an entire post about it another time, so stay tuned. RIP Hilly Crystal. And, love ya Joey.
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