Sparkle & Flannel

03

Sometimes the thriftstore is just magical. Often, as I’m driving over I’m thinking about the things I “need” and all too often, those items are there for the finding. You guys know I’m on a big grunge kick, and that means old flannel shirts. The above, scored for $6–which truthfully, I feel is a lot at Value Village–has a dirty 70’s vibe I could not resist. Foolish? Well folks, you can pay $6 or you can head over to Urban Outfitters and pay $49. I left at least 7 other flannels on the racks, and I’m sure they’ll be stocking ’em all winter so go grab one, or two, or three. Take that UO!

I was also longing for jewelry supplies.  The knotted vintage double-strand choker above features heavy white glass beads and gorgeous rhinestone rounds. Cost: $2.99. You can pay that much and more for a single rhinestone bead and there are six of them on this necklace. Since I’m into these vintage sparkles in my recent work, my intention was to pull this apart.

writeyrstory

Grunged tribal Talhakimt earrings–Write Yr Story–with black diamond vintage rhinestones above would look great with this shirt and necklace combo.

02

Amazing necklace above is a strand of Czech glass beads in the sweetest delicate shade of pale blue givre, with a little iridescent pink flash. Between each bead, a rhinestone rhondelle! Price: $3.99. Again, I intended to release this strand into my supply stash until I tried the damn thing on. Both necklace finds: definite keepers. Oh, and these rondelles, purchased new, are at least $1 ea, sometimes more. I think there are about 40 on this strand.

titanica2

The Titanica earrings incorporate rhinestone rondelles, except these are SQUAREDELLES… and how cool is that?! With the best bead caps I’ve ever found–0nce shiny gold brass, they now display a great crusty hand-applied patina.

01

The ombre flannel above was brand new with tags and thusly priced through the roof at $10. Since these vintage-styled flannels (let alone actual vintage ones) are harder to come by, I bit the bullet and paid. It’s gorgeous, perfectly oversized, super soft. The necklace above  ($3.99) has a great industrial romantic look. I immediately thought about pulling it apart to make earrings. But yeah, you got it. I tried it on… and… CRAP! More jewelry for me! Just what I don’t need. (sigh)

rosegarden3

The Rose Garden earrings would be sweet with the ombre flannel with just enough grunge and sparkle. The large glass beads (Czech) are really the bomb. With irregular hand-cut facets, soft rosy coloration and a splash of iridescence… bohemian gypsy chic. The earring collection will be updated weekly for awhile, so I hope you’ll check often.

denimrepair400

Also this weekend, a little denim repair a la boro and sashiko with some lovely red flannel. I hope to do a post about my obsession with Japanese stitchery soon.

These Boots

The National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) here in DC has a wonderful exhibit up called Women Who Rock. Artifacts — including a lot of clothing — from Billie Holiday‘s mink stole to Meg White‘s embellished suit (cover of Icky Thump) are displayed along with posters, videos and a terrific historical timeline for context. Of course my favorite objéct, by a longshot, were Patti Smith‘s boots, pictured above, circa 1974. At this shrine, I considered genuflection. Meanwhile explaining all of this to my 75-yr old mom, who I was so happy to have with me that day.

That was Sunday afternoon. Last night, I had the surreal experience of standing in a dark basement club (U Street Music Hall) with daughter Molly and her stepmom Beth to see her Dad, Glenn’s band, 7 Door Sedan open for none other than the Rezillos! But that’s not all. As we were dressing to go out, daughter Molly came and asked if she could borrow a pair of boots. She chose my Nana pole climbers, pictured above, which have been in my life and on my feet for 30+ years, rocking around the globe from Vancouver to San Francisco, to Europe, NOLA, everywhere. Words can’t describe the feeling I had standing next to my beautiful kid, age 14, wearing MY boots and big black underage X’s on her hands, in that loud banging club.

Suffice to say, there is no lack of boots at our house. Pictured above are the BF’s black suede pointy-toe Chelsea boots, purchased on the King’s Road in London, circa 1990. They’ve rocked a stage or two. And, b/c the BF is certifiably insane, he has had a SECOND brand new pair in the box since 1990 just in case something were to happen to these.

And should YOU, dear reader, require a pair of killer boots to call your own… and should your feet be a demure size 6.5 or so, you are in luck. Visit the Oh Victoria vintage lace-ups over in the new So Charmed clothing section, a great score and made for walking… or dancing and twirling, whatever your pleasure.

PS: The bands totally rocked it. 7 Door Sedan will have video of the show soon, Molly shot 400+ photos with her new Canon T3, and Rezillos were wild and outta control.

PSS: Got a favorite pair of yr own? Send me a pic and I’ll collect/post ’em.

A New (to me) Designer to Love

So I get a call the other evening from a vintage shop owner who knows me well and she says: I got this really odd coat in and I think it has your name on it. I take such calls seriously. Went in the next day and scored the above-pictured divine asymmetrical muslin garment by Ivan Grundahl. For $20. Perfect fit.

At home I did some research and found out that Grundahl is a major veteran designer from Denmark, whose work is coveted by avant garde fashionistas the world over.

Here are a bunch of photos I found online… his collections are consistent over several years… neutral colors, lots of black, romantic, gothy, asymmetrical, lots of tulle, often shown with clunky gun-boots. Swoon.

Here is the lovely back of my Grundahl coat. I’m going to guess that it is a few years old, came from a ready-to-wear collection, and likely sold for about $400+ new. SCORE!

A Few of My Favorite Things #31… THE GRAND FINALE!

For the final post in this Decebmer series I wanted to bring you something really special and unique and brilliant, so here is the incredible work of pop surrealist, Mab Graves.

I visit Mab’s shop just to hang out with her wonderful characters; stopping by to see what she’s been creating is like having tea with the most charming people in a long lost dream of childhood. There are paintings, prints, and cards as well as some lovely jewelry and the occasional accessory.

At Mab’s Web site, you can see more of her work and read a bio and connect to her blog. I believe the picture below is the pink-haired artist, herself.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this month of daily posts from the vast world of handmade goods and art, and that the next time you feel the urge to shop for yourself or a loved one that you might return to this collection for reference, or just go on your own journey to find something dear, charming, and made with love.

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all of you and thanks for reading my blog!

A Few of My Favorite Things #30

While we’re on the subject of people treated unfairly on Project Runway, here is Danielle Everine, whose work I love and adore and will be wearing soonest. As of this writing, Danielle’s etsy shop is sparse, but I’m crazy for ALL of the pieces.

Love this Water Buffalo tee with great graphics and a pretty ballet neckline which I greatly prefer.

Danielle has a Web site with portfolio here, as well as a blog, from which I grabbed the above. Don’t you love when artists share their process sketches and the thoughts behind what they do? Here’s hoping we’ll see/hear more from Danielle in 2012.

A Few of My Favorite Things #29

I was, and always will be, a member of Team Mondo. Since fanning him on FB, every once in awhile I hit up his Web site, lovemondotrasho.com to see what the adorable trashy one is up to. BTW, when you hit the site, wait a bit for the front page images to load… you’ll be treated to fun slide show of the many moods of Mondo.

How much do you LOVE these earrings?

This special edition t-shirt, which raises funds for the Colorado Aids Project, is really cute too. Hopefully some of his work in addition to these kinds of items will become available soon.

Yeah, Mondo Guerra was the clear winner of Project Runway Season 8. Of course the idiotic judges didn’t realize that, but I’ll save that rant for another time.

A Few of My Favorite Things #28

Having invented the Blog Post with a Soundtrack, I bring you Favorite Things #28, entitled, Who Says I’m Not Relgious?

How much do I love the St. Winehouse candle?

Well, almost as much as I love the St. Johnny candle.

Both of which may be trumped by the MJK Krishna candle.

All of this fabulosity is brought to you courtesy of Berndt Offerings, by LA-based artist, Vicki Berndt. Stay the hell off the drugs, kids.

A Few of My Favorite Things #27

This post comes to you with a soundtrack! So hit the play button on the CocoRosie performance above and read on.

When I first saw the work of Mia Kunyo — BeWakeful, on Etsy– I honestly thought I’d stumbled on the secret clothing design business of Sierra Cassady, the “Rosie” half of sister-duo CocoRosie. First of all, Mia (who models much of her work in her charming photos) possesses the same classic beauty and looks like Sierra’s long lost twin, but more importantly, her imaginative freaky clothing designs, as well as her colorful styling (crayola tribal warpaint!)… instantly put me in mind of the childlike playfulness of a band I obsessed over for many months!

Mia’s work is so original and fun, the dress pictured above is flirty-cool.

Hats, too! Visit Mia and check out her entire adorable line of goodies which include handmade tights, unitards, and collars among other things.

This week one of my FB buds posted a video by Sia, who I had somehow missed hearing about, and I’ll leave you with this amazing video, the styling for which immediately brought to mind the BeWakeful shop, CocoRosie, etc. You’ll need to get through ads on this next one, but trust me, it’s worth it. Spine-chilling good stuff.

A Few of My Favorite Things #26

If you’re joining us late, we’re crusing down the home stretch of an ENTIRE MONTH’s worth of blog posts cleverly titled (not) A Few of My Favorite Things. Originally conceived to invite you to consider buying handmade for the holidays, at this point I’m saying: Didn’t get anything good? Then why not GO TREAT YOURSELF to something gorgeously handmade? This entire post features the incredible work of Angela Rossi at Beat Up Creations, who likes to have fun with cast-off china plates.

Rossi’s shop is chock-full of delightful animal and pop-culture hero images, each married with their perfect plate, as if by destiny. She also sells very handsome art-prints and some art objects as well.

Ironic, hip, and very punk, if you ask me.

Pictured above is the series of plates I commissioned from Angela for the BF’s 60th birthday. Ray Davies, Keith Richards, and Johnny Thunders. They are DIVINE and she was a blast to work with!

Here’s a close-up of sexy-boy Keith, snuggled up with the old wedding china and a collection of cups I snagged from me mum. Spot ‘o tea anyone?

A Few of My Favorite Things #25

In the blurring worlds of visual arts and crafts, there can be simultaneous explosions of ideas, subject matter, supplies, and inspirations. Those that truly take hold become trends, and a trend run amok sadly becomes that wearying thing you wish would go away. Think owls, deer, mustaches. Fortunately, the things that don’t take hold simply act as threads linking artisans from across the world together. When I began experimenting with a simplistic cloud form in metalsmithing class, the idea bubbled up out of who-knows-where, and seemed to work as a shape that would not require the skills of a master, could absorb mistakes and inconsistencies, and had the potential for variation and expression. So I went with it. You’ve seen the results on the blog here, and above is another of the finished hollow-form brooches, entitled She Wept Crocodile Tears. That’s a vintage 1930’s cabochon with a vintage crystal chandelier drop.

I hadn’t seen loads of clouds out there in the marketplace, but a recent search pulled up a few… mostly sort of pedestrian, but some that were lovely, cute, scary, weird. This post collects and displays my favorites. Pictured above, from JessQuinnSmallThings in the UK, the delightful Clarissa Cloud brooch. There is much art to admire and purchase at Jess Quinn’s shop.

This adorable mobile, Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head, is by BabyJivesCo in Philadelphia, PA, and is one of many tres cute handcrafted baby things available.

This rockin’ crochet scarf is by Manifested Dreams, from Pittsburgh, PA. Very disco kawaii!

Cloud and Thunder Handbag Minaudiere Purse, from RandomIntent in Atlanta, GA, is very cool. The artist, Debra Gavant’s work, has been written up in major publications (NYT, Art Forum, WWD) and sold at Henri Bendel.

I’ll leave you with the adorably creepy Rain Cloud Dolly, by MungoCrafts of British Columbia. You’ll also find stylin’ handmade hoodies and other fun things at her shop.

A Few of My Favorite Things #24

As the perfect piggyback to yesterday’s post, allow me to introduce you to the work of Karen Ruane, who I believe is single-handedly (pun intended) keeping alive many traditions of sewn craft, with a particular focus on embroidery. Pictured above, from Karen’s Etsy shop, Contemporary Stitches, is one of a pair of handmade buttons. What a gorgeous treat for the closure on a handcrafted garment!

I first met Karen over on flickr, during my aforementioned personal adventures in stitchiness. When she put something of mine in her favorites list, I was entirely blown away, and although intimidated by her masterful work, I got in touch and we became fast friends (of the virtual kind). Pictured above is another of Karen’s works, entitled Precious Textile Fragment. This white on white art object, precious indeed, features a broad variety of stitches and techniques carried out with masterful skill.

Karen applies her craft in service of both the functional (such as buttons and cards) and museum-quality fine art works that are conceptual and personal. From her wonderful blog she states: For centuries women have used cloth as a tool of comfort and as an expression of beauty within their homes. Creating cloth for warmth, cloth for shelter, our female predecessors embellished these linens with hand stitch using laborious and time consuming techniques thereby enhancing the functional beauty of objects which enveloped and protected their families. Inspired by these women I hope my creations pay tribute to and recognise the devotion expressed in cloth by our female ancestors.

Published in Handmade UK magazine, Karen will also soon be offering an online course (hit the link and scroll 2/3 down) with 19 other artisans as part of Alma Stoller’s 2012 STITCHED WORKSHOPS. She also offers hew own online class Embroider, Embellish, Create, here.

BTW, Karen’s works of art are copyrighted (this post and all others in this series appear with the artist’s permission). In the New Year, I shall be posting a lengthy rant on the subject of “copying” in crafts, a topic of great debate that I have been burning brain cells on of late. And aren’t you looking forward to that?

A Few of My Favorite Things #23

Confession: It’s not all about the angst and edge around here; I absolutely love vintage hankies and many other very delicate collectibles. I can’t explain this, really. I’m old enough to remember when these objects were functionally in use and there is still something about them that I find incredibly evocative. Hankies, and vintage buttons too. They just seem to hold a lot of history… women’s history, in particular.

All of the dainties pictured in this post came from one delightful shop, aptly named The Hanky Lady.

I wonder if the hanky lady herself is liquidating a lifetime collection; as of this writing the number of items in her shop is staggering 262, with only a smattering of non-hanky goods.

The fabrics and handwork on these, the amazing embroidery and lace techniques… such lost arts, for the most part. I have a personal collection of hankies gathered over the years, some are family items, but I also remember scoring many dozens of them at a clip in thriftstores back in the day. Recently I was exploring embroidery myself and used hankies as my canvases at times, here are two such objects from my finished pieces. You can see more of this adventure up on flickr, second “set” on the right called embroidery (mine).


Sugar & Spice
vintage 50’s handkerchief with added embroidery.



Snips & Snails
vintage 50’s handkerchief with added embroidery.

A Few of My Favorite Things #21 & #22

Just b/c you are out of wall space doesn’t mean you have to stop buying art. There are always… pillows. Above is one of my favorite pillow-makers (pillowists?), In the Seam, who I met at Renegade Brooklyn this past year. I tried to get away from their booth unscathed, but returned for one of the NYC pigeon pillows pictured above. Would love to have a whole flock!

Of course then the flock would absolutely need a sewer cover, wouldn’t they? Of course they would! Cleverly, this pillow comes in NYC, Detroit, and Seattle versions. Love!

Speaking of Detroit, here’s another pillow-person, SaltLabs, who hails from that city, but doesn’t limit his/her work to same. At this lovely shop you can buy Paris, pictured above…

…or a vintage map of the Detroit River.

A Few of My Favorite Things #20

We have a framed piece hanging in our living room from YeeHaw, which bills itself as All Letterpress, All the Time. Their work is so flipping cool, and they’ve expanded their offerings since my last visit to include clothing, cards, and calendars along with their gorgeous art prints. Pictured above is Otis Redding from their Mini Soul Series.

I’m going to send you off to Wiki to learn about letterpress printing, if you don’t all ready know, but what you can’t experience until you see it in real life is the absolute lusciousness of these inked paper surfaces. And although wide commercial use of this process fell off in the 19th century, there’s been a substantial resurgence since the 90’s (including lots of wedding invites etc, but also ART). YeeHaw is one of my favorite houses of this craft and the Robert Johnson piece above makes me feel all woozy. Is it weird to want a bigger house only b/c you need more wall space???! I think we can still squeeze a few things in.

A Few of My Favorite Things #19

I “met” Moxie over on flickr, while looking through the favorite images of some friend of a friend of a friend… and I thought she and her bright pink hair and her darling felted goodies really rocked! Of course she’s also got an Etsy site where, lo and behold, you can buy KITS to learn how to needle-felt tiny cute things like the adorable bumble bee, Little Bugger pictured above!

Or you can pony up just $20 for Moxie’s book, I Felt Awesome, and also load up on supplies like roving, as well as tools, all at hifiberknits, her corner of the Etsyland.

I really have wanted to try needle-felting for a long time, but I need another craft passion addiction like I need one more little hole in my head. Still, Moxie’s got me mighty tempted. You too?

A Few of My Favorite Things #18

Wishing you the best of luck in resisting the needle-felted charm of VioletPi, Shop of Little Things. The shop is the work of Jennifer Novack, and needle felting never found a more capable, imaginative and delightful hand. And yes, they are even more amazing in real life. Pictured above is Green Retro Bunny, who reminds me a lot of the work of Mark Ryden, but in 3-dimensions!

And here we have Tiny Bee, standing only 2 inches tall. Unbelievably wonderful.

Since yesterday’s post came to you this morning… stay tuned for a related post this afternoon… yes people, it’s two-fer Monday.

A Few of My Favorite Things #17

Beads? Me? Nahhhhh. Ok, yahhhhhhhh. And here’s a favorite place to score gorgeous beads of every flavor, from Czech glass to tribal goodness, and even some incredibly rare (and expensive) ancient beads. HappyMango will not disappoint.

PS: If you’re joining us late, I’m doing a once-per-day post through the month of December (yes, that’s 30 freaking posts), designed to help you support handmade and all things crafty for the holidays. Enjoy!

A Few of My Favorite Things #16

Even though I really don’t wear it all the time, I’m a scent freak and I go through periods when I’m just deeply into perfume, oils, etc. When I found the site LuckyScent, I went a little crazy… because for just $3-$7 you can sample most of the very high-end, obscure, cult, artisan fragrances that they carry… and they carry loads of them. One of my all time favorite scents is pictured above, Rhubarb, by Comme des Garcons (Series 5: Sherbet). The descriptions on LuckyScent are like little fictions, I love reading them and in the world of art perfume, these are likely a big part of the seduction. Here’s the LuckyScent scoop on Rhubarb:

Rhubarb is the tart one in the Sherbet series, perfectly capturing the sourness of a rhubarb stalk with a tiny dash of sweet. A beautifully fresh, green stem scent runs throughout the evolution, and it dries down to a creamier version–like an icy rhubarb sorbet mixed with a non-sweet (or overtly feminine) vanilla. We pick up a bit of wood (wenge) in there, too. Completely unique and unisex (go on, show us someone you know who wears a rhubarb scent), the tart green of Rhubarb is a study in converting taste into an exhilarating and crisp bottled scent. Extremely addictive, you just may drool a little when you smell this.

I find this scent to be perfect all year ’round, super fresh for warm weather, but has a weird iciness that works in the winter-time too. Although a lot of the scents carried at Lucky are truly unisex, I think this one is pretty girly. Nothing needs mentioning about the house of Comme des Garcons, right?

This is my other current scent, which I actually bought in a store in Georgetown… having determined I really really needed a new fragrance in my life. I spent a couple of hours there, until my nose went dead, and ended up with L’Ombre Dans L’Eau, by Dyptique. Dyptique is a small boutique-y perfume house founded in 1961 by three friends who had trained at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. Here’s the Lucky description of this scent, which I find hard to wear in winter unless I feel like really having a super green summery visitation:

An amazingly evocative scent, this transports you to an English riverside garden with overgrown roses and a tangle of blackcurrant bushes. This is startlingly green, almost astringent, in the opening and then the roses appear – fresh and vivid and beautiful. You can smell the wet earth of the riverbank and the berries weighing down the branches and the older petals that have fallen to the ground. The name translates as “Shadow in the Water”, and appropriately, there is a hint of melancholy here, a touch of the bittersweet. However, there is also a rejuvenating freshness – perhaps the riverside garden is where we go to recover from heartbreak. This is a truly original fragrance – and an utterly beautiful one.

If you are a freak for scent, and want to get away from department-store fragrance, you will love love love LuckyScent, those little samples are such fun to get in the mail and experiment with! Oh, and when you do make a purchase, you can also request a handful of free samples. Awesome!

Lastly, if you are buying fragrance as a gift, I do recommend purchasing something the recipient already wears and loves. Scent is so personal, and there is nothing worse than wearing a perfume you don’t like (VERY torturous!). I couldn’t find gift cards on the Lucky site, but check your recipient’s fragrance bottles and see what’s running low, then head on over to Lucky to stock up.

A Few of My Favorite Things #15, WE ARE HALFWAY THERE!



Columbus, Ohio:
State Fair butter cows, buckeyes, my childhood stompin’ grounds, and… home of Flamestitch, creators of some of the most badass handbags ever. Pictured above, the wonderfully titled: Old Slut on Junk. I’d kill for this bag.

My other favorite, Cat Belly, lives only in their sold section, and comes with “ten pink Ultrasuede cat teats (or nipples if you prefer) sewn into the purse flap.” Visually, conceptually, I love everything about this object.

Above, the Oscar Wilde Tote is lovely too, featuring the decadent one’s signature silk-screened on linen.

In addition to the Etsy shop, owner Renee Parrill has her own site, and here’s part of her terrific bio: I am Renee Parrill, and I learned to love sewing in the upholstery shop my grandparents owned. I spent many bored hours coveting the fabric in upholstery sample books. I held a protected and tender spot in my heart for the sparkly Naugahyde, and imagined a day when I could make it my own. Around the same time, I started making my own clothes. My creations would sometimes earn disapproval from my grandmother, who described them as something “Lipstick Blondie” would wear. Lipstick Blondie was a war-time “loose woman” who may or may not have “known” my grandfather. At any rate, grandma didn’t like her. These two factors combined fluidly to influence my designs, specifically: The Old Slut on Junk, The Cheating Whore, and Wonder Woman.

And because I know you Columbus folk want to get your ink on, here’s a link to Renee’s husband’s shop: Fate Tattoo, located at 2202 N. High St. Yes, Columbus, I’m talking about YOU! Or maybe me… next summer, a new tatt? We’ll see…

A Few of My Favorite Things #13

There are always a few people on every gift list that are hard to buy for… whether you don’t know them well enough, or they have everything, or, well, you know what I’m sayin’. So… you get them soap. Right? Now I’m not dissin’ that idea. Personally, I LOVE getting nice soap as a gift b/c it is something I would just never splurge on for myself. And let’s face it, whether it’s luxurious, smells fab, or is just silly, it’s fun to use something beyond the standard wash-up. That being said, did you know that there are gazillions of little soap-making enterprises out there? And the creativity is WILD. As pictured above, you’ll a find wonderfully crafted (and vegan!) tray of sushi soaps…

…or for the naughty one in your life, lumps of coal soap…

…for the Christmas traditionalist, Linzer Tart Cookie soaps…

…sophisticated types? crafty yummy stacks

…gangstas and Second Amendment freaks…a handgun that won’t hurt anyone…

…teenage girl or any cutie pie…cupcake soaps…

little kids or playful adults… SHARK soaps!

I could go on. And on, and on. Soap’s a plenty over on Etsy… an affordable, unique handmade gift or stocking stuffer. If the link above is in the seller’s “sold” list, just go back to their main shop page, they’ve probably listed more. To find your own endless stream of cool soaps, get on Etsy, choose “Handmade” and search for soap.

A Few of My Favorite Things #12

Although it was the mid-80’s before I got to London for the first time, punk was still happening on the streets and the clothing of designer Tomomi Fukuda–Urban Guerrillas– reminds me so much of that trip… The King’s Road, Body Map, World’s End, and the amazing DIY marketplace, Hyper-Hyper, where kids sat in booths with sewing machines… long before anyone knew what DIY meant.

Alas, mohair sweaters and I are not the best of friends these days due to a pervasive itch factor for me among other things, but the t-shirt above, with the shop’s slogan, could be just the thing!

Visit Urban Guerrillas to see the many fabulous candy and licorice colorways of these loose-knit rocking cool sweaters, but also to shop for tights, ties, and tees, all in the spirit of early British punk. Then head over here to read a full interview with Komomi where she discusses designing for Green Day’s American Idiot Tour. Yeah, how cool is that?!

A Few of My Favorite Things #11

So whatcha gonna do with all that great art you’re buying folks for the holidays… present it to them with a roll of masking tape, junior high-school style? NO YOU ARE NOT! I’ve purchased frames from 2 Dogs Woodworking and when I paid their shop a visit again for this post I saw things like the frames pictured above (gothic whimsy?!) and below that make me want to buy more art, just so I can frame it!

I think they call this one The Jetsons, but to me it’s got a cool PeeWee Herman vibe going on. The frames come with glass and hanging stuff, btw. They have loads of great colors and this one could probably be done in any combo you want.

Above is the style I bought, basic, but gorgeous, and perfect for the art I was framing for the BF’s Chanukah present. Not only can you buy standard sized frames from 2Dogs but they will also customize anything you need and are really terrific to work with. I got a single frame with 3 openings, came out beautiful. Maybe I’ll snap a pic of it tomorrow… too danged tired tonite!

A Few of My Favorite Things #10

I am not sure if this is a post about a) one of my favorite artists, Andy Warhol, or b) One of my favorite objects (ever), a commissioned work of art by c) another of my favorite artists, John Larriva. Let’s go with b and c.

A long while ago I asked John Larriva–who seems to no longer be listing his hopgoblins along with his wonderful paintings in his Etsy shop–if he’d create one such toy based on my hero, the aforementioned Andy W. After bugging him to death about it, and then quickly realizing the absolute genius of his creation, I’ve now, 1.5 years later, FINALLY made the little film of this object, see above.

Because it all happens so fast (my FIRST movie, don’t bust my chops! Plus, Mr. Warhol was NOT cooperating and kept losing his eyeglasses and/or leaping off the stage set) I’ve included a still, above, so you can really see what Mr. Larriva’s work is made of. The wig absolutely kills me.

You’ll have to dig back into Larriva’s sold archives to find the other wind-ups he’s sold via Etsy, including the hopping Denis Hopper, pictured above. Which I think I first saw on April Winchell’s Regretsy site. Denis may be in her collection of objécts.

As for what compelled me to commission a hopping Warhol is anyone’s guess. You have to admit, Andy would have lurved it. Oh, and PS: None other than Interview Magazine contacted me recently about publishing some jewelry! Waiting to see if it will happen, but seriously! Just sayin’!

A Few of My Favorite Things #9

I adore the work of Catherine Zacchino, aka Junker Jane, another wonderful Portland artist. Two of her lovely dollies reside in my personal collection of cherished monsters. Pictured above is the charming Monster Dounia, resplendent in her tattered costume.

And here is Monster Dilly, another sweetie. Zacchino’s work is widely published in crafts mags and blogs, and it’s no wonder. Her pieces are not only brilliantly imagined, the execution is flawlessly flawed, perfectly imperfect and distressed just-so. The fabrics, colorways and hairstyles make me swoon. Low brow, new brow, monobrow… whatever, the love and care that goes into each of these handcrafted objects make them well worth the fair prices. Also in the shop are original paintings and prints.

Shop now, the dolls go super fast, and Junker Jane is currently offering both FREE shipping AND 10% off. Go on now, get outta here.

A Few of My Favorite Things #8

Let’s just file this one under: Trippin’ with Tripper. Ok. When I hit the lottery, I’m gonna buy out Tripper Dungan’s Etsy shop, hang some of his amazing art on my walls, and give the rest to all my cool friends. Yeah, that’s right. Pictured above, Sing it Out.

I suppose this work falls under the pop surrealism category, but whatever, I just dig it a LOT. And, are you ready for this? These original paintings–done oustsider-and-sustainable-style on hand-shaped salvaged wood–are 3-FREAKING-D!!!!!; and come with glasses so you can get the whole trippin’ effect. You can also visit Mr. Dungan over at his website, where you’ll find links to other cool artists, a full-on bio and artist’s statement, as well as links to his music (altho that crashed my browser so I haven’t given a listen yet) and his blog. That oughtta keep you cats busy for a spell. Pictured above, Pink Space Cat Head.

A Few of My Favorite Things #7

There is no dress, no piece of jewelry, not even a hat that will transform your look like the right (or even wrong!) wig. From my limited, but outrageously fun personal experience, these accoutrements not only transform your appearance; a wig will completely transform YOU.

And… as long you’re willing to go for such an extreme make-over, why not go all the way? Pictured above is one of Sweet Hayseed’s works of art, the Victoria Valentino Art Wig.

Admittedly, I could rock this ‘do (The Jungle Sun Sprite Wig, also from Sweet Hayseed) just by letting my hair Jew-fro grow out again, etc, etc… but I’m just digging the e-z short style too much. Besides, keeping it short means it will fit better under… that’s right, WIGS! Because you know that in reality, I’m just an old Drag Supastar! For more wigs, and because you know you wanna, try another favorite shop of mine, Fifi Mahoney’s, down in Nola, where they surely know how to do parade-quality hair.

A Few of My Favorite Things #6

I own a piece from i heart fink, and I dearly love it. Pictured above, the Talk Talk Frock, which, if/when I have some extra dough I’ll ask them to make in my size (this one appears to be a 2/4). Frankly, everything in this shop is really cute and supah stylish. Their tagline: Nouveau Flowerchild Chic Garments Handmade by 2 Dames sums it up nicely. You’ll find gorgeous and unique hand-screened prints turned into really charming one-of-a-kind tops and dresses, with clean lines, excellent fit/drape and sweet details like pintucks and such. Read more about this dynamic duo (one lives in Brooklyn, one in Santa Fe) on their Featured Seller interview.

A Few of My Favorite Things #4

I’ve posted links to this shop before, but I just can’t stay away from Junkprints, whose shop tagline is “Clothing, Accessories, Art and General Dopeness.” To that, I’d say, yup. The hand-printed cuffs, pictured above, would look so adorable with a sleeveless top, or peeking out from under a suit jacket, don’t you think? The pair listed is man-sized, at 10.5 inches, so guys, get your riot on.

The genius grrl behind JunkPrints is Chanel Kennebrew. Her bio describes her work as “…smarter than fashion, less pretentious than art, looser than design and good for the soul,” and lists The Democratic Convention and Lady Gaga amongst her clientele. Everyone from The New York Times to ReadyMade mag has given props to this one-woman creative powerhouse of handcraft. Pictured above is the Smile Now Die Later pin, just $7. Perfect stocking stuffer ya’ll.

A Few of My Favorite Things #3

I had the pleasure of seeing Andrew Zangerle’s work in real life at Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn this year and when I got home I found his shop–The Maple Ridge–on Etsy. Pictured above, The Music Couple, hand-sculpted and hand-painted and just 2.5 inches tall. Not only are these little guys so darkly adorable and amazingly crafted, the text descriptions of each couple are fantastical and hilarious little short stories that breathe even more life into Zangerle’s work. You’ll also find his equally charming and subversive original drawings (with great text) for sale. Support artists for the holidays (and every day)!

A Few of My Favorite Things, #2



What is NOT to love?
Football legend, and all around super great guy, Rosey Grier gets major props for being the first big man to publicly attest to the fabulousness that is stitch-craft. This collectible how-to book, Needlepoint for Men, published in 1973, is available from vintage store Retro Vertigo. If you buy it, don’t tell me b/c I will have to destroy you. JK, if you can afford it, please give it a good home. BTW RetroVertigo is jam packed with amazing finds… from vintage psyche ward drug cups (bulk lot!) to an amazing collection of vintage mugshots.

If contemporary manbroidery intrigues you (and why wouldn’t it?), you should also head over to Mr. X Stitch, a wonderful blog run by another big stitchy man (and a Brit!), Jamie Chalmers along with co-conspirateur, the amazingly talented Beefranck, where you’ll find graffiti patterns, hilarious (and R-rated) samplers and other stitchgasms.

It was over at Mr. X Stitch that I learned about Fine Cell Work, an organization that trains prisoners in the UK in paid, skilled, creative needlework to foster hope, discipline, and self esteem. The beautiful work, like the pillow pictured above, is for sale on their site.

A Few of My Favorite Things, #1

Three Little Kittens, by clothmoth on Etsy.

This is the first in a series of once-per-day posts through the entire month of December in order to share with you some of the things that I love, and to assist you in tracking down some of the best of the best of the handcrafted (and maybe vintage) marketplace.

Clothmoth’s
shop is full of sweet, gorgeously crafted and slightly twisted dolls, with a sprinkling of original art works also for sale… very dreamlike and sensitive graphite drawings. In her profile, clothmoth describes taking inspiration from animals, and notes that she is a member of the Etsy Ugly Cute Team!

Anglomania! and New Kicks

You guys miss my shoe postings don’t you??

Well. I ordered these divine Vivienne Westwood shoes from Zappos to go with a killer vintage 40’s dress I’m wearing to a wedding in the fall and they arrived today. They are just fab! Vegan, with a rich, weird plastic smell for you PVC freaks out there, darling heart-buckle, and a walkable heel, due to the front platform. LOVE them, and the price was right. They also come in a peachy pink shade that is not my thing, but may be yours.

Here is the other pair I’m LUSTING for… very, um, Alice Goes Clubbing, no? These also come in an eye-blistering hot pink/purple color but I prefer the demure blue/gray. Note: This entire line of “Melissa” shoes are molded plastic!

Here’s my pair with their cute little Anglomania box. Ms. Westwood’s orb logo is all over the interior footbed etc. I know that’s important to you! Grab ’em quick, and if you get the Alice ones don’t tell me or I shall die of jealousy. Beeyatch!

Zum Zum UNITE!

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I am not content dear readers to only be The Girl With the Most Beads… I must also be The Girl With the Most Frocks. And, to that end, I have been thrifting for 3+ decades now… constantly scoring great vintage on what can only be described as a lifelong treasure hunt. I have also experimented with designing and making clothing, but alas I am impatient, and absolutely idiotic on a sewing machine.

In fact, many years ago (2002) I attended a Smithsonian Folk Festival called The Silk Road, which included a tent where a group of women were stitching together thriftstore garments, making the most amazing things out of trash. It was terribly hot in that tent, and Molly was a wee thing in a stroller, but we hung out for awhile, and I even went back a different day on my own to watch them sew. At that time I found out that all of the machines in use for the exhibit were on loan from a store and would be offered at half price afterwards. This is how I obtained my extremely high-end Babylock embroidery machine. Which I proceeded to timidly play with but mostly lived in dire fear of for close to 10 years.

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In order to continue with this post, I must point you to the amazing world of Selene Gibbous of Gibbous Fashions. Above are three frocks from my collection, the one in the middle is a Gibbous piece. I wore this to the RimbaudMania opening in Paris and it is truly one of my most favorite and highly treasured posessions in this world.

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Pictured from the back, yes, that is a ViewMaster film wheel attached to the Gibbous dress. Selene is a beautiful mad genius, a woman of incredible talent and unparalleled vision and if you read the crafts boards, you know that she is an inspiration to artists everywhere. My collection of Gibbous garments now numbers close to a dozen, including skirts, tops, a necktie, neck ruff, and two of her amazing hats. And although the photography on Selene’s site is some of the most gorgeously styled fashion shots I’ve ever seen… pictures simply do no justice to these works of art in real life. They are museum quality… each a lovely map of stitches and tears and tatters and fabrics and objects…  pure poetry.

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The dress at far left was my first really successful experiment at slashing up an ugly vintage dress (this one was borderline)… and then adding simple embellishments with fabric scraps and a cut up men’s shirt. This one is very girly and sugary, a bit like pink grapefruit lemonade on a hot summer day.

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The tulle peeking out from the bottom was a thrifted vintage slip, and was personally paw-shredded by my cat Iggy Pop who LOVES to chew on anything tulle. He did a great job although I had to rinse out the cat spit. Ewwwwwww….

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The garment pictured at the top of this endless post, and about which the post is titled, began life per the above… IF ONLY I’d photographed it. My neighbor, Katy K, can vouch for the fact that this was indeed a thrifted bridal/prom gown, all in white polyester, and about as ugly as they come. Purchased for $9.95, minus 25% with my “I’m Unique” discount card. On Friday afternoon the entire dress hit a vat of red (top) and brown (bottom) dye, and was laid out in my sunny backyard to dry. I am always thrilled at how different fabric takes dye, it’s entirely unpredictable and scary/fun. Parts of the dress went deep red, some of it went bright orange, and the rest turned a hideous shade of peach.

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I am so sorry I didn’t shoot process photos during my obsessive stitchy weekend, but sisters let me say: the BF pronouned our dining room a sweat shop, fabric was flying, and the machine didn’t stop going from first thing Saturday morning until late Sunday night. I barely stopped to eat or go to the bathroom… although I did make a run to the sewing store for needles because I kept breaking them. Free motion quilting is truly one of the MOST fun experiences in my life as an artist. It was hard, challenging, frustrating, and amazing. There were times when I was just in a zone with it, my arms aching from pushing the fabric, a certain disbelief at the flawed beautiful mess that was developing before my eyes.

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The details are pretty endless, every inch of this dress provided a new sort of mapping and colorway experience. I loved looping the stitches and incorporating a few bits of crochet I had in my textile collection. The hardest part was the “tailoring,” as I’d made a couple of key mistakes involving the dress lining. These caused big headaches down the pike, and lessons learned (remove lining… you WILL sew it to the top layer, and you WILL NOT want to rip out all that quilting).

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The top of the dress came with kind of trashy/kind of cool glittered embroidery which, in the end, gave this garment a sort of India feel. I’m very proud of the pleated ruffle just under the bust which I made by hand from a curtain.

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On the elevator in the office building this morning, I was carrying the dress so I could photograph it when a woman got on and began staring in amazement. When I told her I’d made it, her first question was: Do you sell them? Alas, the answer is no. I couldn’t possibly part with such a thing, and I am really making these clothes for my own amusement and expression, for wearing out to parties, and well, just for the art of it.

The Girl with the Most Beads

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I have had a growing collection of vintage mardi gras beads for many years now and recently my interest in these has peaked again.

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The most collectable of the old “throws” as they are called are the vintage glass strings, made in the Czech Republic and later Japan, in the 1920’s-30’s. These beads fetch a nice price on the collector’s market. Becoming equally collectable though are the plastic beads made in Hong Kong in the 1960’s. The lot pictured in this post was scored for a ridiculously low price on ebay (under $10) and probably contains 200+ finished necklaces. Upon first glance to the average eye, it is easy to think of these as plastic trash, ready for the recycle bin.

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Closer inspection and some careful sifting and combining however reveals absolutely gorgeous beads in colors no longer seen in jewelry and with a vast variety of shapes and textures.

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Some of the colorways are highly sophisticated, others are playful, even garish, including true neons.

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What I dearly love about these beads is that they all look like candy… even more so than their valued glass cousins. And as you know, edibility is one of my favorite aethestics when it comes to beads.

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Working with the beads is challenging because they are lovely and perfect in their own right, highly wearable as far as I’m concerned. Above is one of my initial attempts to recontextualize a strand, combining them with a most fantastical tin carousel charm and other bits from the vast collection. I’m working on a series of these which will be available in the CircusDolls collection at So Charmed within a week or so.

Indeed, I believe with this most recent score, I have earned the title of this post, don’t you think? Here’s the Hole video as a soundtrack… xoxoxo

Paris: Things I Bought + Bonus! Jesse James

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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.

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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.

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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).

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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.

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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.

Button Button

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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.

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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.).

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

American Pickers: The Jodi Episode

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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.

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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!

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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.

Wasabi !

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

Stuff I Love that Other People Made

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.