05.18.10
Were you thinking it was all about art, literature, espresso, and monuments? Nooooooooo, mes amis. There was shopping. Yes, there was. Today’s post is just the stuff I happen to be wearing here at the office… and there’s a definite color way happening. The shoes above were purchased at Gaspard Yurkievich, deeply discounted as they were (gasp) last season’s stock. I must admit to having not heard of this designer (I know, can you believe it? Whatever!), but apparently he is rather the word, and the price of his clothing & shoes reflects that. Suffice to say, these were a serious score and I LOVE them. They glow. And look great with dark tights. And are even (gasp again) comfortable.
You might be under the impression that I never buy jewelry, and while I don’t often, occasionally I fall in love with something. Such was the case with this dear necklace, which is made of unglazed ceramic or porcelain or something. It’s bone white and just lovely, a lamb under a cloud. I love everything about it, the double dangling design, the simultaneous detail and anonymity, the weird material and the (at least in my mind) pro-vegetarian statement. Lambs under clouds, as they should be, not on plates. We stumbled (literally, severely jet-lagged) into this super cool shop our first day wandering our ‘hood, the Marais District. It was full of amazing designed goods: wearables (including some Vivienne Westwood jewelry!), household stuff, and miscellany. Later in the week, we tried in vain to find the shop again and are awaiting the (third gasp) Visa bill to find out the name of it.
You absolutely MUST buy and wear scarves in Paris. The one above is my favorite, a tattered fringed silk in poppy red, scored for 5 euros in a vintage store in the Marais that we visited several times b/c it was open for late night shopping and was full to the brim with trashy crazy super cheap used clothing. The Marais had tons of vintage stores, some chic, some, like this one, more thrift (as I prefer).
This vintage doctor bag purse was purchased at Gavilane, the store we (and others apparently… NOTE at the link above the hat in the window that looks remarkably like MY Paris hat!!) have dubbed The Goth Store, which had very cool but expensive jewelry and a lovely line of clothing. They also had a trunk full of these old handbags on sale for 15 euros. We met and befriended the jewelry designer, Mssr. Gavilane himself, exchanging cards and receiving a further discount to 10 euros. Who said Paris was expensive?? BTW, Gavilane is next door to Biblioteque Nationale where the Rimbaud Exhibit hangs.
This was NOT purchased in Paris, but started in my studio before the trip and finished up last weekend. I love how it turned out! Why is the Jesse James brooch included in this post? a) I like odd numbers of things and only have 4 Paris objects with me b) the colors were just too perfect and c) shameless self promotion. Available soon in the Pirates collection.
😉 A very super special thanks to the BF for supporting our endless shopping tho mind you, the dude can hold his own in such matters.
Subject: Blog, I Heart Shopping, They Call It Work | 1 Comment »
05.18.10
The BF is a serious student of the early 20th century lesbian art & literary salon society of the Left Bank area of Paris and has read many books about the likes of Natalie Barney, Kiki deMontparnasse, Gertrude Stein, Djuna Barnes and founder of the best bookstore in the world, Sylvia Beach. Shakespeare & Company–the colorful history of which reads like a history of modern 20th century art & literature–opened in 1919 and was located at 8 rue Dupuytren. In May 1921, Beach moved the store to a larger location at 12 rue de l’Odeon, where it remained until 1941. The shop was often visited by artists of the “Lost Generation,” such as Ernest Hemingway, Ezra Pound, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Man Ray and James Joyce among many others. Closed in December 1941, due to the occupation of France by the Axis powers during World War II, it was allegedly ordered shut because Beach denied a German officer the last copy of Joyce’s Finnegans Wake. The store at rue de l’Odéon never re-opened.
In 1951, another English-language bookstore was opened in Paris’s Left Bank by an American, George Whitman, under the name of Le Mistral. Much like the original Shakespeare and Company, the store served as a focal point for literary culture in Bohemian, Left Bank Paris. Upon Sylvia Beach’s death, the store’s name was changed to Shakespeare and Company.
Jeremy Mercer, of the Guardian writes eloquently: “George Whitman has been running what he calls “a socialist utopia masquerading as a bookstore” for 50 years. His store has long been a literary hub, attracting the likes of Henry Miller, Richard Wright and William S.Burroughs. More importantly, George has been inviting people to live in his shop from its very first days. There are now 13 beds [sic] among the books, and he says that more than 40,000 people have slept there at one time or another. All he asks is that you make your bed in the morning, help out in the shop, and read a book a day. After living here for five months, I was inspired to write my own book about the place.”
The shop is every bit as magical as it sounds. The tiny rooms (nooks and crannies, really) are crammed from floor to ceiling with an incredible selection of books and although the store is small, I had the distinct feeling that I could spend a lifetime there in blissful discovery of worlds unknown to me. History and greatness seem to seep from the very walls as one notices book after book to add to one’s must-read list. My favorite nook is pictured above, a dusty blue old velvet chair that calls me to curl up forever… reading and dreaming.
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05.14.10
One of my favorite adventures in Paris was lunch at the very famous Laduree, a bakery-turned-pastry-shop-and-tea-salon started in 1862 by Louis Ernest Laduree. Famous for their classic French macaroons (above), we delighted more in an unbelievable cup of hot cocoa (below), as well as a truly fabulous lunch with pastries and espresso for dessert.
The interior of Laduree is amazing… frilly and gilded and very Marie Antoinette!
Everything is beautifully designed, including the menu (above), a perfect-bound gorgeously printed book that describes every single pastry (dozens upon dozens) in loving detail.
If you prefer visuals, you only need to stroll over to the pastry case and TRY to choose which one you’d like to have brought to you.
Of course we couldn’t bring home pastries, but pictured above are all the petite souvenirs from lunch. It was all I could do not to nick one of those danged menus. 🙂
We did buy little gift boxes of the dear macaroons to bring home, but after reading that they hold up best over a 3-day period, we gobbled them all up ourselves and have only the lovely boxes to show for it. (Sorry).
What’s really funny to me is the uncanny relationship of my Etsy shop LaPatisserie to all things LaDuree. And I’m here to tell you that I had NEVER heard of the famous bakery when I conceptualized my online “French” pastry/jewelry shop, complete with alter-ego owner, Mme. Eclore. If you can figure out the secret to Mme. E’s name, email me… the first person who does will be the recipient of a free ‘Qu’ils mangent de la brioche’ (Let Them Eat Cake) ring! Bon apetit!
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05.12.10
The first of several posts about my trip to Paris must be about the exhibition pictured above. Opening on May 6, at Galerie des Bibliothèques, Bibliothèque Historique de la Ville de Paris, 22 rue Mahler, 75004 Paris and running through August 1 when it will move to the Rimbaud Museum in Charleville, this event was the impetus for our travel. Thrilling does not begin to describe the feeling of being there for the opening, and experiencing the show.
Beautiful typography in neon orange and acid green, and an installation on the gallery walls, pictured above, welcomed visitors into the museum.
And, in the very first room, my two pieces of jewelry drew attendees to their glass cabinet. The lighting was too dramatic for my digital camera, so I picture the pieces in the 320-page exhibition catalog/book.
It’s a gorgeous book (in French) and as soon as I have a link for purchasing I’ll share it with you dear readers.
Many of you are familiar with the Poet Rosary necklace that curator Claude Jeancolas originally purchased for the exhibit; this piece has been an integral part of the So Charmed Poets Collection for a long time now. When Mssr. Jeancolas informed me about the piece’s inclusion in RimbaudMania as well as his 18th published book on the subject of the iconic poet, I decided to make him a small gift, hoping he might wear it on his jacket to the opening. This was included in the show instead. Pictured above, the piece was crafted from a vintage pin finding and includes a vintage pen nib inscribed with the words Made in France. A limited number of these will be available at So Charmed soon. Although Claude was being followed around by the press and many admirers the evening of the opening, he made time to speak with myself, David, and Molly, remarking how the Internet had brought us together and how poetic that was!
This fun crossstitch/embroidery hung above my jewelry case. Other cultural items in the room described as Objects Fetiches included furniture, clothing, stamps, plates, even an I Heart Rimbaud coffee mug.
Much of the exhibit was organized by medium, the second room being music and film. Patti Smith figured prominently, along with the Clash, and the poster from the Leonardo DiCaprio film, Total Eclipse. If memory serves me, it was via Patti Smith that I first discovered Rimbaud, when I was in college studying art. He was a hero, icon, and muse to many musicians and artists in the burgeoning punk/new wave scene. A novel, Godlike by punk poet/musician Richard Hell was also included in the exhibit.
There were a lot of photographs included, my favorite being the series by Robert Mapplethorpe illustrating A Season in Hell.
One room contained works of fine art from the Rimbaud Museum, including the piece above by Picasso. There were also lovely ink drawings by Jean Cocteau, Fernand Leger, Alberto Giacometti and Jim Dine among others.
Graphic design was well-represented with dozens and dozens of book covers, including the illustrated calligraphic piece above by Leger, one of my favorites in the exhibit.
The most touching room in the show held encased original manuscripts by the poet; seeing these handwritten documents up close was intimate and breathtaking and made us sorely wish we could read French. Speaking of which, I plan to be in touch with Mssr. Jeancolas regarding an English-language version of the exhibit and book for possible travel to the USA. I’ve thought of The Library of Congress, The Smithsonian Institution, and the French Embassy as possible venues. All of these, naturally, here in Washington DC! A great idea, n’est pas?
And, with that sentiment, I’ll leave you with a poem by Arthur Rimbaud and bid you adieu, for now.
A DREAM FOR WINTER
In the winter, we shall travel in a little pink railway carriage
With blue cushions.
We shall be comfortable. A nest of mad kisses lies in wait
In each soft corner.
You will close your eyes, so as not to see, through the glass,
The evening shadows pulling faces.
Those snarling monsters, a population
Of black devils and black wolves.
Then you’ll feel your cheek scratched…
A little kiss, like a crazy spider,
Will run round your neck…
And you’ll say to me : “Find it !” bending your head
– And we’ll take a long time to find that creature
– Which travels a lot…
Subject: Blog, Modern Art | No Comments »
02.22.10
Who’s got the button? Well… I know, but I’m not telling. Suffice to say that over the weekend I was granted entrance to the inner sanctum of one of the most prominent and experienced importers of Czech bohemian glass buttons in the USA. Folks, I’m not a religious woman, but I thought I had died and awoken in heaven. When my kind and generous host invited me to open any of the dozens and dozens of drawers and boxes in the collection room, I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t having one of my recurring thrifting/collecting/hunting/gathering dreams.
The photo above captures the full haul of the day, which would have been 10x that amount had I not been on a pauper’s budget. Along with the buttons is a delicious 1/2 pound bag of glass beads in an incredible and irresistible palette. My plan is to craft one or two super duper long rosary beaded necklaces out of these. A good busy-hands activity while watching my new favorite shows (RuPaul’s Drag Race, Pawn Stars, etc.).
The Czech Republic has a long history of some of the finest glass work in the world, dating back to the Renaissance. Vintage beads and buttons are very collectible and currently commanding ultra high prices. Each button was/is handcrafted, including painting on the fronts or reverse painting, as shown above.
Today, some of the antique molds are being used again, and new techniques are adding to the amazing beauty of these miniature works of art.
Colors and styles range from baroque, to psychedelic, to mid-century modern with abstraction and patterns, as well as cats, dogs, magic mushroom men, puddings, fleur de lys, fairytales and rhinestone embellishments. I am deeply fond of some of the new figurals including the cicadas and moths (bats?). The white swan on pink glass with blue water could be my number one favorite. It’s an older button and getting difficult to come by.
Using the glass buttons in jewelry-making is a challenge; most have glass self-shanks that can not be removed without damaging the piece. I’ve seen people wrap fancy brass filigrees around the buttons but I find that to be visually noisy and distracting. So I’m working with my own techniques of incorporating these into my work… as a good friend says, a big part of jewelry-making (especially assemblage without formal “smithing”) is the solving of engineering problems.
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02.18.10
I guess I’ve been a picker all my life. It started back at RISD with my first sojourn to a Salvation Army store and I’ve been addicted to thrifting ever since. The 70’s were a real heyday for this passion, especially for vintage fashionistas. Back then an intricately beaded 1950’s cashmere sweater could be had for a quarter, a 1930’s gown for a few bucks. Good luck even finding such garments today!
But before we get too cranky about the good ‘ole days of thrifting, we also need to consider that thanks to the Internet good thrifting or picking is now a global occupation. With Web sites like Ebay and Etsy, one is no longer confined to the trash in one’s own backyard. And that’s really where this story begins.
Couple of months ago, I purchased a “found object” on Etsy to incorporate into a piece of jewelry, paying an exorbitant $7.50 for a single item that looked like an old bicycle reflector (Seriously, I consider that to be a lot of money). That said, when it arrived, I immediately fell in love with this gigantic plastic “ruby” that seemed to be set in either bakelite or celluloid (early plastics, pretty collectible stuff). And so, the “Travelite” joined the other piles of crap-I-mean-treasure in my studio, awaiting inspiration. And, because I loved it so much I knew I’d be reluctant to sell it, so I started casually searching for another online, not even knowing what the darn thing was/is.
Meanwhile, over the past weekend I finally decided to just thread a nice piece of vintage punk-plaid ribbon through the handy slots on the back, and when I put it around my neck, I knew it was going nowhere; this baby was mine! It is just so super cool. But I decided to search again, and found the listing pictured above on Ebay. Imagine my surprise at the $725 price tag.
After picking myself up off the floor, I wrote to the seller to inquire about the history and provenance of this item. He really had no further information for me except to say that it is an extremely rare collectible item and will fetch anywhere from $750 – $1000, essentially making this mysterious object (aside from my first-marriage engagement ring) my most valuable piece of jewelry!
Should you decide to purchase the ebay listing here’s your link. I still don’t really know a thing about this lovely item, the intended functionality, etc. Was it an advertising premium? Why would you need a personal reflector “Travelite?” Anyone out there with more info, please email! And for other very fun found-object jewelry (when I can stand to part with it) please visit So Charmed.
Subject: Blog, I Heart Shopping, Modern Art | No Comments »
01.06.10
It’s getting near that time of year again, where hearts are beating louder than usual, expressing their love on St. Valentine’s Day. Hearts have been an icon of choice at So Charmed since the beginning; you can find them in every collection on the site. Some hearts are a bit macabre… pictured above, Bring Me the Heart of Marie Antoinette.
While some hearts are blue, possessing a web of Stress Fractures, as pictured above. This found object necklace resides in the personal collection of one of my favorite hearts, Ms Stephanie of Beverly Hills, CA.
Some hearts are sugary sweet and look good enough to eat, like these delicious Birthday Cake earrings created by the talented Madame Eclore for So Charmed.
Here and there, a heart has recieved more violent damage than a mere stress fracture, but always can be patched up again to get back in the game. My Mended Heart was sold long ago, a one-0f-a-kind necklace made from a hand-dyed lace wedding dress embellishment that I appropriately tortured with my nice and then fixed with stitches, safety pins and duct tape… because I am a very caring person and do not want to see any heart suffer.
But to leave you on a sweeter note (if ironically so), there are even Happy Puffy Hearts at So Charmed, like the little hair baubles pictured above. And, if you’ve read this far, you deserve some special sweetness! Please take 15% off of any piece of jewelry that features a heart, with the exception of sterling charm bracelets. Mention this blog post with your paypal payment and I will refund you promptly! Offer good through the end of January. xoxoxox, my loves!
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01.05.10
Where’s Iggy?
THERE’S IGGY!!!!! (And his brother, Angelo, in the background)
Angelo often hides under blankets too, but tends to do a better job tucking in paws and tail.
Subject: Blog, Uncategorizable | No Comments »
12.21.09
A constant conversation in the life of an adoptive mom, Nature vs. Nurture. While my mom is fond of calling my Korean-adoptee daughter, Molly, “Little Jodi” there are definitely ways in which her Nature shows itself to be nothing of sort. Her Nurture? Ahh, that is another matter all together! I am blogging this morning to share the evidence of Molly’s having inherited my love of (and world reknowned skills for) cooking and the resulting Martha-Doesn’t-Live-Here treats.
You thought you were viewing a delicious sugar cookie in the first photo, didn’t you? Well…. you were. Sort of. But if you view the second picture above you will see from the skillfully placed pop-top (for scale) that it is really a GIANT SINGULAR cookie, made from the batter of a recipe for baking 3-4 dozen cookies!
Ahhh, Molly. The thing is… as we were discussing just how we might break up the super-sized hard-as-brick cookie into tiny crumbs in order to feed the poor blizzard-stranded birdies in our yard… we began eating it and lo, it tastes GREAT! Watch your crowns and other expensive dentistry… this is a very (very!), um CRUNCHY cookie… but it is actually quite delicious. Sorry birdies.
To Molly, and her friend Jenny’s credit, the above pictured brownie-cupcake weapons were also created in the same 24 hour snowbound period. These too are rather… um, crunchy. However… 20 seconds in the microwave renders them warm, soft, chocolately, and (surprise!) possessing of a rich “lava” center. Great with coffee the morning after the big snow storm of 2009.
Thanks, my little nurtured girl.
Subject: Blog, Molly's Mom | No Comments »
12.03.09
I’m just crazy for earrings these days. I love making ’em. I love wearing ’em. And I even love photographing ’em. The pair pictured above feature handblown Venetian glass hollow beads with circus stripes and glittering copper aventurine. Copper findings make these really special.
Another favorite recent pair, in a very limited edition due to the availability of supplies. Cloudy blue faceted semi-precious beads with extremely rare dusty pink enameled floral findings. Glass pearls and brass leverbacks. These are truly gorgeous.
And my little French alter ego, Madame Eclore, has also been cooking up tiny earbob desserts. Made with hand lamp-worked wedding cake beads from China, India and Venice, these are just delicious and very fun to wear. Check the site again soon as Mme. E. has acquired some very rare vintage wedding cake beads to be included in upcoming work. They are just sweeter than sweet.
You are not tiring of my endless pictures of my shoes are you? I didn’t THINK so! Above, my new absolutely killer acquisition, a genuine pair of Doc Marten’s brothel creepers, circa 1980’s and Made in England, yo! They rock so hard I’m not sure I’m cool enough to wear them. But I’ll try to live up to the task. Scored on Etsy, where else?
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