Mad Day of Making

Taking a break from an intense day in the studio to survey my progress and share it with you.

This is Lawrence Moth, one of about 5 that are in various stages of completion. He’s a brooch with a slightly shorter wingspan than the necklace version. This is heavy duty old tin, tough to cut!

This is a new brooch, a Chanukah gift for someone special.

Second little book charm, will be punched for a necklace. This one has a bit of a gardening theme.

I couldn’t decide which piece to use for front vs. back, so this is the back.

Quintland

Born in Ontario, Canada in 1934, the Dionne quintuplets were the first set of quints known to survive their infancy. Four months after their birth, their parents were deemed unfit and the five girls were made wards of the King and moved into a specially built compound where they lived for 9 years.

At that point, the government began to profit from them by making them into a significant tourist attraction. Approximately 6000 visitors per day arrived at the observation gallery surrounding the sister’s outdoor playground at Quintland turning the children into a $500 million dollar industry rivaling Niagra Falls.

In birth order the identical quintuplets were: Yvonne, Annette, Cécile, Emilie and Marie. A sixth baby was stillborn.

The year of their birth a set of five souvenir collectible spoons was issued by Carlton Silverplate.

In 1954 Emilie Dionne joined a convent in Ste Agathe, north of Montreal. In August of that year, she died alone in her bed, suffocating to death during an epileptic seizure. The Dionnes had kept her “shameful” condition of epilepsy a secret.

The spoons are highly detailed, with a front/back depiction of each sister in a polka dot dress, along with her name.

Bracelet from forged spoon, with 6 sisterly beaded/charmed dangles and a mourning ribbon affixed. Four other bracelets in progress.

Two of the sisters, Annette and Cecile, are alive today.

More WIP & the Fear Factor

These are unfinished works in progress (WIP). Piece pictured above is a necklace and has been on the design boards in my studio for months. Yesterday, I figured out how I wanted the various elements to come together. These elements are so special, a handblown large glass bead, a rusted CrackerJack prize. Another aspect to working with these highly precious (to me) ancient found objects is a fear factor as I start to manipulate them… a fear of punching the wrong hole, of ruining something. It’s really scary at times, in a sort of exhilarating way.

Although I work really fast and furiously at times (and some pieces come together with immediacy), there is an element of patience that is underneath a lot of the work… materials lie in wait, a concept develops, and very often objects are moved around, pulled out, put in… then at some point I just know that I’m ready to start fabricating. Interestingly, some of the pieces that go more quickly often require adjusting and reworking after they are “finished,” ie, they really weren’t (finished).

This is a necklace focal that I haven’t quite figured out what to do with yet.

The centerpiece is one of those amazing beads I used in a ring pictured in an earlier post. Decided I actually like these much better un-patina’d. Sometimes ya gotta just stop splashing the patina around.

This piece is truly unfinished, a brooch that is in progress. The reclaimed tin focal is finished (and I love the fact that it’s a picture of embroidery lithgraphed onto tin), but the dangles aren’t. One thing I know is that the left and right dangles have to switch positions. A different tooth may replace the little pewter tooth charm.

I do know that the name of this piece is Home Sweet Home. I want it to be both sugary and ominous. I think it’s getting there.

In Miniature

I have loved miniatures since I was a child. BFF, Amy, will likely remember our mutual love of collecting all things lilliputian, and to this day I am still drawn to dollhouse furnishings and other teenies.

I made this tiny book charm yesterday, it is only about 1.25 inches tall. Reclaimed tin and newspaper; the hope is that the wearer will add to the pages by scribbling and collaging, so that the work becomes his/her own. As always, many problems to solve with this, but now that I have, making more should flow much more easily.

I’m not the only one in this family who adores small things. Pictured below, the boyfriend’s collection of itty-bitty commodes. Displayed… where else? On the back of the commode of course!

BaNgLE sTacK 1.0

Been seeing these stacks of fun here and there and decided to try my hand.

My version has a tribal carnival vibe, all colors and tatters.

Some of the goodies included are lovely glass beads, sari fiber from India, brass African bead, vintage glass dice, a pretty piece of driftwood, a bone skull and a pair of gorgeous handcrafted clay beads by Marsha Neal. Maybe this is a new version of the charm bracelet.

Balance was an issue again, weighting these so that the heavy side doesn’t always swing to the bottom was key. I loved choosing the beads and charms and wrapping the fibers and wire. Plans afoot (ahand?) for more soon.

Lost & Found

I love found objects and lately have been seeing a lot of images of little curated collections by artists who share my passion for hunting and gathering. This is my first of hopefully many such entries, a small composition of items picked up from the ground whilst out and about. The entire collection above was scored in the parking lot of Grainger Tool Supply. These items were all within just several feet of each other. Two bits of rusted wire, as-found, 3 small cherry red plastic bits, a scratched watch hand.

Here is a piece from my personal collection of found object jewelry; I wear this one a lot.

Grunge-tarnished vintage rhinestone princess necklace (probably 40’s – 50’s) with tortured little vintage metal heart locket.

Some artists on Etsy sell their little curated images, others sell supplies and present them as beautiful images. Above is one of my favorites, Jetsam & Juniper.

J&J specialize in industrial scrap found in/around Chicago, a piece of which I used in Vacant Lot in Bronzeville, pictured above.

Another of my favorite Etsy scavengers is Treasure Hider, who is somewhat local to me here in MD, out on the Eastern shore. Her images are as lovely and thoughtful as the little collections available for purchase.

Cloud #23

Made this yesterday with tin printing plates scored during a press check. This is my favorite tin piece thusfar and will be a series, no doubt. I’ve been working with this shape in metal class too, puffing the clouds on the hydraulic. Pics to come!

The polka dot bead was etched and is suspended on wire so that it spins. Loving the idea of jewelry that not only look like toys, but that have some sort of playful or comtemplative action. Other materials include tiny black glass vintage (possibly Victorian) button, labradorite, and a sweet little vintage metal tack.

Tool Envy

The most indispensable thing EVER for a crafty girl with aging eyes–the Head Magnifyer. Late in the semester at school, I discovered a drawer full of these and my life was changed. Best feature is that the magnifyer flips up so you can work with your seed beads etc, and then get up and walk across the studio without killing yourself. Purchased this pair here, but quite honestly, they are a bit cheap and I may invest in a better pair in the future, when money is less of an object. Still, LIFESAVING. And I haven’t even put batteries in for the lights yet!

If you’re going to cut through tin, these are a must. So far, these are the best shears I’ve learned of and I have searched everywhere. I even went so far as to contact a major player in the tin-art field, Jenny Fillius, to ask if she knew of anything better. When you see the fine detail she achieves in her work, you’ll see why I shamed myself into writing. She agreed, this pair from Burnt Offerings is king.

My ex-husband always preferred this to the electric version, and I always thought he was nuts! Now I’m in love with this simple old fashioned goody. Purchased at Ace hardware in Takoma Park and went for the deluxe version.

If I had a nickel for every time I’m asked about glue… so, here is my favorite. Duco Household Cement, available at your local hardware store. I find it to be the only thing that really works on metal (E6000… phooey), and it helps if you sand the two parts to create a bit of texture or porousness first.

Yes, saw blades. By the gross. That’s 144 freaking little blades for $7. If you’re gonna saw metal, you’re gonna break blades. I’ve gotten really good at it, and this pack should last me awhile. But with the school store selling them at 20/$5, I felt dumb not buying these. Oh, and tip of the day: When sawing, lubricate your blade with a broken chunk of a candle (wax). Lubricate often. It really does help the saw to glide through and not get stuck. I’m not going to give these blades a full-on recommendation/link yet as I haven’t tried them. Will do so this week and will probably hand out a few to my buds in class.

This stuff (called: Background Antique) may have been a waste of money, but I love the little glass jar and thought it made a great photo. This is used on metals when you don’t feel like the mess of patina, and/or patina isn’t quite producing the result. It’s VERY black and opaque, so it doesn’t really give you that rusty crusty aged look. It’s great for detail work though, and I understand it actually adheres to the metal, unlike acyrlic paint, which a lot of artists are using. Whatever. I was paying a hefty hazmat fee for shipping patinas (really, OUCH) so I thought I’d try a bottle. It’s nice, but not necessary.

You people know I like to save the best for last. And this is the bestiest best little tool… amazing, divine, expensive. Did I mention expensive? Oh, you’ll see. That said, if you’re going to rivet… and you have as little time and patience as I do, this thing is THE MAN! There’s a nifty video on YouTube that shows you how it works (that’s how I found out about it, I was searching for rivet techniques)… but it’s a wee bit trickier than the video shows. Still, after one small project, you get the hang of it. The gist: one side punches the perfect-sized hole, the other side flares your perfect-sized rivet. Boom! Done! BTW, yes, I did try doing them by hand with wire and a hammer, and I tried a little hand tool from Burnt Offerings… Uhhhh, no. Everyone has to draw the line on technique vs. tools… and that’s one I decided to draw. Don’t hate me! Buy it here, and tell Sue that Jodi sent you.

For more tool porn (not THAT kind), visit the designfarm blog.

New, WIP, and BETTER Photos

So, this post will NOT feature the work I’ve been doing in metalsmithing class… this is work I’ve been doing at home DURING the period of the metalsmithing class. There is so much that I want to say about jewelry, about art, about making and selling. But I’m going to save that for another time, and just get these images up to share. Here is a link to my flickr site where they will also be uploaded full size. Suffice to say, this has been a year of being a student again. Learning new craft and technique, pushing myself hard, getting beyond what I’ve accomplished to date. I hope these pictures will speak mostly for themselves as I need a BREAK from writing about myself!

Also, I moved out of my office and into my cozy home office a year ago… and since then, my photos have SUCKED EGGS. At the old office, I had fabulous windows and tons of natural light. Here in the basement, neither. (I often think of myself as a little mushroom down here.) But enough IS ENOUGH. I just set up a little photo station in the only place in this house that has natural light streaming in (the jewelry studio! duh!) and I’m happy with the results. Also, after experimenting with props and backgrounds I’ve decided: I’m a white seamless kinda girl. Or is that a seamless kinda white girl? I just like the way the work looks without all the fussery. Anyway, here it is. Some of these are WIP (works in progress).

Introducing… Trevor Moth. I’m making up a bunch of these and they’ll be strung on simple aged chains. Look for these on So Charmed, hopefully soon. They are so labor intensive and I’m having trouble with pricing (as always).



What we Found in the Sandbox
. Mixed media, fibers, rust.

Sexy close up.

The focal is plastic, which means it’s super lightweight. The problem to solve was one of balance, it took several tries before this necklace hung properly. I test drive the complex necklaces, and other pieces to make sure they wear well.

There’s a little vintage rubber toy tire with a glass bead suspended. Suspension is something I’m playing with.

James Moth. He was my first. Was still learning my way through eyelets and rivets.

Spent a good part of a day on this guy. Trevor came along quicker.

Mrs. Eaves. A necklace named after a font named after a woman and designed by Zuzana Licko.

My company prior to designfarm, studio 405, had a logo utilzing the special st ligature built into the font. There’s a pic of the lig on the df blog.

This is what Mrs. Eaves (the lady, not the font) would look like if she were a necklace. My most proud moment pictured above, a very vintage glass bead suspended into a very vintage metal garter.

Ring and bracelet in progress. Stacks of these bracelets for sale at So Charmed, eventually. Really love making these. This bracelet has a little whatchamathingee… you know those electrical capacitors.

The ring features this CRAZY metal bead, it’s the anti-diamond ring. OMG, one of my favorite things ever.

I Like Bones & Candy.

Made this after visiting an anthropologist friend who spends a lot of time in Papua New Guinea (a place I’m longing to go). He has a collection of amazing beaded artifacts and from these I got the idea to make this beaded clasp. Mine features a tiny Victorian porcelain button. This was not easy to do properly! The polka dotted focal is made from camel bone. Ugh, I know. But it was irresistible.

This one speaks to me of Coraline and all things Tim Burton. So I named it Coraline’s Heart.

Big learning curve on this; endless hours. I could do another one faster, but not sure I will. I get so easily bored and have too many ideas to just repeat things. This is both a delight and a liability as I never want to part with anything, nor do I feel up to making another. AGHHHHH.

I seem to love me some polka dots, don’t I? This is the reverse of Coraline.

Ok, so that’s it! I want to redesign the blog to hold larger photos, these are still not looking wonderful at these sizes. But over on flickr you can see them full size and without all my blathering.

A New Post About New Work

So it’s been a crazy kind of year at my fulltime graphic design gig (designfarm), which my dears is a very good thing indeed. And I say that with the utmost gratitude to the gods of fulltime work. That said, there just hasn’t been much of me left to make jewelry and So Charmed has been a somewhat neglected affair.

Then along came my birthday and a gift from the BF of a metal working class. That (the class) is really another story for another time, but suffice to say that it got the muses yammering again, forcing me to carve out time to make things and–unbelievably–to completely clean up the jewelry studio. Imagine if you will a literal explosion of tiny beads, jump rings, head pins. Every surface, every square inch. So many projects half finished! All of the good creative moves and the bad ones! Laid out to haunt me and taunt me. When this new work began steam-rollering me it was simply time to clear space… for the brain AND the hands to play.

Clearly something rather tribal going on. Beadwork, for sure. Vintage bits, check. Ribbon made from recycled ancient Indian sari’s. Fibers and lightbulbs, hard and soft, east and west. Far be it for me to sort this all out. Pictured above: Lucky Wolverine.

Seriously rusty found hardware, beads including glass pearls, sari fabric, tiny treasures. A chunky bangle: Vacant Lot in Bronzeville.


Test drove this last weekend and absolutely loved wearing it. Not as awkward as you might think. Not awkward at all, actually.

Gorgeous handmade stonewear beads by ChelleV2 on Etsy, colors aren’t being captured well here. Taxidermy and more found rusty stuff. Best piece of sari ribbon in the whole skein. Bone has been drilled and sewn. Sometimes I do weird things in the studio!

Yum.

Here’s a batch of delicate tribal earrings, including the coolest blue/green tusk from Rehoboth Beach last summer. The tea green oval rings are GLASS. As are those tiny white Victorian buttons. The flamingo colored faceted vintage beads that look like glass are plastic. These all have a certain prettiness.

Here’s another pair of earrings, tribal asymmetry and such: On the Beach includes coral and vtg African beads.

I saved the best for last, a super long necklace full of vintage Czech glass candy that was hand-linked rosary style by yours truly during several hospital visits to a family member. Lotta work, that rosary beading!

Toys included: vintage transparent blue bingo chip and little chunky red gear.

Last but not least: REVERSIBLE! Just look at that image. You know I’m in typography heaven. Speaking of which, back to my deadlines.

xoxo and go find these things in the Pirates section. If not listed, they will be soon, I promise.

Oh, and a little newsletter will be forthcoming. You can sign up here; as you know, special love is offered to my charming subscribers!

Tiara

Wish I could claim this idea for my own, but alas, the crux of it was someone else’s. Still, this is my take on a mini tiara, all tricked out steampunk style, to go with the Westwood Anglomania shoes I posted about yesterday.

It features an actual vintage keyhole escutcheon, other hardware, and clock parts, all of which were in my studio stash here at So Charmed World HQ. As a tiara, it’s designed to tie around the head. Stays on really beautifully and looks so damn cool if I do say.

I also decorated one of my mini black top hats with some ribbon and tull, and the tiara can be tied around the front.

I have a few more of these tiaras planned; it was really fun to put together.

Rattle & Hum

Here are two new necklaces that I will not likely ever part with but which I wanted to share anyway. Above & below: (It’s a) Material Girl!

Giant early plastic baby rattle; I don’t think it’s celluloid, likely a bit later, 1950’s or thereabouts. I’m sure I had one of these. It’s filled with the most fascinating floating magenta glitter, making it impossible to stop looking at and playing with. It’s important to teach proper values to baby girls isn’t it?

Poor mousie has turned into a Death Rattle by no choice of his own. There isn’t really anything further to say.

Except maybe that this is just so wonderfully wrong.

Cheers!

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.

Pompidou Centre Inside & Out, Featuring Niki de Saint Phalle

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Let’s go back to Paris shall we? I know I’d like to. Our rented apartment for the week was situated right between the fabulous Marais District and the Beaubourg District, making the Pompidou Centre one of our key landmarks from which we’d get lost anyway. As you know, I absolutely love gigantic modern art institutions, favorites being the Hirshhorn, MOMAnyc and MOMAsf, and the Whitney. I’m now placing this amazing museum into my top 5.

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Completed in 1977 to much controversy, the Pompidou Centre is sometimes referred to as “the inside-out building” because of the incredible exo-skeletal ducts and pipes that are boldly presented on the exterior. The size of the structure is beyond breathtaking. Suffice to say it looms large, posing an incredible modern contrast to Paris’ ancient buildings.

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Even the long escalator hangs on the outside of the building; riding it to the top floor for a spectacular view of the city was our first order of business once entering (free the first Tuesday [correction: first Sunday] of the month… a bonus!). It was like a slow, strange carnival ride.

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We spent a rainy half day all cozy inside. The view from the top floor includes the Eiffel Tower, that fuzzy structure to the left in the above photo.

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David (“the BF” to you) and Molly in one of the escalator tunnels.

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Must photograph cool typography when travelling.

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An exhibit of women artists was on display that day.

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Niki de Saint Phalle–a recent obsession/inspiration of mine–was included. This French-born, American-raised society girl was an artist and fashion model, at 16 gracing the cover of Vogue magazine.

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Her work is also on view nearby in the wonderfully playful Stravinsky Fountain (above), alongside co-conspirateur and husband Jean Tinguely‘s kinetic sculpture.

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But it is de Saint Phalle’s early shooting paintings that really interest me most. Niki was known to openly reject the staid, conservative values of her family, which dictated domestic positions for wives and particular rules of conduct. However, after marrying young and giving birth to two children, she found herself living the same bourgeois lifestyle that she had attempted to reject; the internal conflict causing her to suffer a nervous breakdown. As a form of therapy, she was urged to pursue her painting. The shooting paintings were created by filling polythene bags with paint and enclosing them within layers of plaster against a blockboard backing. Spectators–including Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns at one point–were invited to shoot at these constructions, releasing the paint. The moment of action and an emphasis on chance were as important as the finished work. De Saint Phalle stopped making these works in 1963, explaining ‘I had become addicted to shooting, like one becomes addicted to a drug‘.

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The series of badges above, listing next week in the Debutantes section on So Charmed as well as in the Etsy shop, took close to 2 months to design and complete. Many many things were tried before I settled on the above materials and construction. Each image of de Saint Phalle–from tiara-sporting princess, to cover girl, to shooter, and finally looking eccetric and mature–is surrounded by lush velvet pleating. Shotgun bullet charms dangle from each pin.

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Bang bang modern art, dears.

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.

Sweet!

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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.

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The interior of Laduree is amazing… frilly and gilded and very Marie Antoinette!

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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.

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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.

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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. 🙂

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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).

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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!

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.

Hearts A’Plenty

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

Please Won’t You…

This is the second time that cool chick Sahar Vahidi, ed-in-chief of the above-named magazine, has contacted me for jewelry to include in one of her fabulous fashion shoots. And of course, what could I say but Shut Up! Yes!

Jewelry can turn itty bitty in a magazine spread so I’m including the piece pictured for you to have a better look. Lovely badge above available at So Charmed in the CircusDolls collection.

From the Rockstars collection, one of my Telecaster pins. Yes, Courtney Love owns a few of these! No, they don’t go up to eleven.

Aren’t the models pretty?! This one-of-a-kind altered vintage pin is still available in the Pirates collection; get it while you can.

You can purchase the magazine at Books-a-Million, or at ShutUp!‘s site. Enjoy!

i love COURTNEY LOVE

Some of you may already know that Courtney Love Cobain has been shopping at So Charmed lately… shopping quite a bit in fact. You’ve asked just what she’s purchased and I don’t think she’ll mind me sharing some of that with you. Pictured above is my answer to the punk princess’ obsession with Marie Antoinette, a yummy rosary style necklace complete with vanilla birthday cake and of course, a Hole lyric.

The very first of these super special Robert Johnson (Me & the Devil Blues) pins was given to a good friend of mine as a gift. Courtney snapped one up shortly after I posted it. She later bought another in the series, Billie Holiday (Good Morning Heartache) pictured below. These are made with the most gorgeous patina’d frames you’ve ever seen. I love the colors and the little rusted safety pins.

Also from the Rockstars collection (natch!), yet another tragic figure immortalized. The Johnny Thunders pin, below, is a tiny dictaphone tape covered in layers and layers of the glammiest purple glitter, the tape yanked out to spill in tendrils down the front of your dress or jacket. Gold chains and a lightening bolt keep the campiness coming on for.ev.ah.

Probably the most subversive of her purchases, the Redaction Series: Top Secret necklace features an actual redacted government document sealed forever under glassy resin. Scary.

There were too many other purchases (including TWO of the pairs of cuffs pictured in the post prior to this one) to list them all here… and suffice to say, I was completely blown away by the support of one of my truest fashion icons. I sent her a few little gifts, including some of the MyRight2Write notebooks for her and Frances to scribble in. Frances is 16 now. Can you believe that?? I’m looking forward to the (allegedly soon) release of Courtney’s new record, and based on the songs I’ve heard on her myspace page, you should be too.

Mad Plaid Cuffies

You fashion grls out there know: Cuffs are the new black. Or whatever. But the truth is, this is a great, flexible format within which to create. I did some fun knitted ones awhile back and here is a new batch. These are being offered as assymetrical one-of-a-kind pairs. FUN!

This pair features a lovely rhinestone button/badge and sweet creamy lace.

I named this oxford pair the Wall Street Cuffs. They have amazing Venitian lace attached and pretty chains.

This is how they look on; the lace drapes so nicely over your hand. Molly’s chipped black nails were a perfect complement to the punkified look.

Love the tartan flannel and pleated gothy black lace! Maybe this is my favorite pair…

Really adorable sterling silver rhinestoned bejeweled Union Jack charm on this one. These are very fun to wear, cozy, sexy and as they say “on trend.” ICK!

Cuffs are now on my Etsy site and will soon be uploaded to So Charmed proper; these will be found in the Punks collection.

And as I’ve been reminding everyone lately: PLEASE practice CRAFTS INTEGRITY. Don’t copy the work of others. Take influence perhaps, but make it your own. Copying isn’t nice, invokes bad karma, and may mean you’ll get a punch in the nose as well as awful curses rained down upon you. I’m NOT kidding!!!

Earrings & Furniture

I’ve gone completely earring crazy of late, creating an entire collection at the So Charmed site, cleverly titled For Your Ears Only and priced right at under $50, many under $25. Most pairs are one of a kind and ready to ship now, so if you are behind the eightball for the holidays, here’s a good option for ya.

You’ll see the usual (unusual) gorgeous beads and baubles from my vintage collection, such as the chandelier crystals above, and I’ve been experimenting with new materials, including gold vermeil.

You’ll also note that I’m having fun photographing these goodies with teeny tiny vintage doll furnishings that I’ve begun collecting. Sorry, these are not included with purchase!

The furnishings–mostly metal and plastic from the 1950’s or earlier–will eventually make it into very cool mid-century tin-litho dollhouses. I  have two bonafide ranch houses and the split-level pictured above. In which a trio of tiny skeletons is now residing… you can see them dancing in the living room if you look closely.

Like Snowflakes

I don’t know just how many custom charm bracelets I’ve designed and created to date… lots though. Dozens, maybe 50, maybe more. And each time one of these delightful opportunities comes into my life, I suffer a moment of doubt at first (the typical facing-the-blank-white-page fear)… Have I found all of the possible solutions? Can this one be as perfectly unique and stunning as all the others so as not to disappoint my dear customer?

The custom bracelet is a very important thing I’ve been entrusted with, and these are investment pieces, not inexpensive. I take it all extremely seriously. (Really. For once, I’m not joking around). Seriously, but joyfully, if that makes sense.

So I fret a little, but as the process unfolds, a remarkable thing happens. The emails start flying, maybe a few photos too. I read and reread, and sometimes I even read between the lines (just a little!). I ask questions and I let the project (the person really) live in some place I imagine to be a special room deep in my creative heart.

Occasionally, I wake up in the middle of the night, or first thing in the morning… and the bracelet has begun to materialize visually, in my mind’s eye. One of the first elements to show up might be color. And yet, the color is really the last thing to be finalized during the process… I don’t pull beads from my (80 and counting) fishing tackle boxes until the last charm ordered has arrived.

Usually, the colors I’ve thought of initially will become the foundational palette. Occasionally though, I am surprised by something that happens during the design process. The bits of red in Cathy’s Lovely Garden was one such surprise. And it really worked with all of the gorgeous ambers, coppers and greens as just the right tiny hit of bright color. The neons in Lee Anne’s Carpe Diem were tricky and I wasn’t sure I could pull that off. The result was unexpected even though I’d had a rough plan.

The two bracelets pictured through this post were in my studio during a recent overlapping period. Lee Anne, a super creative and beautiful young American girlie is a riot of celebratory charm and color. Cathy, a gorgeous artistic woman living in the UK with her young son is a lovely garden of wise warmth and cherished memories. If you look closely, they both have a charm in common, a vintage rhinestone studded butterfly from a pair of earrings I had found months prior. I love that and hadn’t realized I’d done it!

Like snowflakes, no two are ever alike. And it is always a privilige, an honor, and just plain fun getting to know each of you and creating art in the form of keepsake jewelry to charm and delight you! To learn more about the custom process and some idea of costs, scroll down to the bottom of the custom page at So Charmed. Think it over a bit, and then get in touch. I’d love to hear from you.

Circus

I’m just so obsessed with the circus lately, it’s bordering on (or has become) a weird sickness in its own right. I am old enough to have been to many many circus’s and carnivals as a young child. Suffice to say, I found almost nothing to enjoy, and everything to fear and loathe. Some say I was a “sensitive” child. Ok, yeah… well, that’s true in retrospect. 40+ years later, I find these paralyzing nightmares to be worth revisiting as content for art. And so we have a family of performing bears (grouping of pins).

Scary ladies in exotic costumes and requisite evil clowns (series of badges/necklaces).

Sideshow freaks: half something, half something else (series of pins).

First, I love finding the materials, many of them vintage and handcrafted, and sometimes collected and catalogued over several years before coming together into a final product. Also I enjoy the image-making as much as the jewelry-making; I studied photograhpy in school and at one time had designs on practicing photography as a fine art fulltime. Taking pictures remains a deep passion.

I am frankly unsure if these items will ever find audience but you know, I am not really thinking about that so much in this particular series. There are places in my creative life where the client matters most of all, and a few where it is all about a certain perfection of expression, more purely so.

Gettin’ Crafty

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.

Bijoux

Having one’s work curated for inclusion in a high-end European art jewelry book is really an incredible experience.

Since the person who contacted me initially was located in Barcelona, I was surprised when the book arrived in French. As you know, I do have a fake French lady alter-ego (Mme. Eclore), but this does NOT mean I am able to read what the text says about me. Still, there is much to get out of simply looking at the pictures, which go back and forth from artist’s sketches to finished pieces.

With jewelry, as in other arts, sometimes that which is critically acclaimed is a “box-office” disaster. The piece selected from my submissions was Soul Pirate, pictured above. It resides in the private collection of the artist, which is where some things land that don’t sell but are personal favorites. I designed the piece and had the supah heavy sterling centerpiece made up by a ghetto fabulous bling outfit in Los Angeles. I wear this piece a lot and my BF threatens to steal the phrase for a song. Mistakenly, I thought these would sell like hotcakes… but alas, the ridiculous cost of sterling, plus the fabrication outsourcing, priced this baby right out of the market.

My favorite spread in the book is pictured above. With over 600 pages (and a cute small format that makes the thing suitable as a door-stop or shot-put, there really is a ton of great work on view. I was honored (also mystified not to mention humbled) to be included with some real luminaries in the field.

Bijoux: Illustration et Design is published by maomao publications, a house publishes loads of really gorgeous art, design, and fashion books, and I’m in touch with them to find out just where you might purchase a copy.

MyRight2Write @ SOWEBO Arts Fest, Baltimore!

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!!!

When the Studies Get Tough…

Thanks to all the charming people who came out to OMOI in Philadelphia to say hi, during college exams no less! Obviously you people know: When the studies get tough, the tough go shopping.

It was great fun meeting my customers in real life and I couldn’t ask for a more adorable place to spend the day than Liz Sieber’s uber cool shop. I highly recommend a visit if you live anywhere nearby so you can scoop fabulous clothing, cards, housewares, Japanese toys, and of course, jewelry.

Great stuff for guys too.

A highlight of the day was when one of Liz’s fave customers (above) sashayed in wearing my Prince bracelet, purchased months ago at OMOI!

All in all, a glittering good time. Be sure to bookmark the OMOI Web site; Liz will be putting more of her amazing merch online ASAP.

Discover OMOI

Do you live in or near Philadelphia? If so, please stop by the coolest shop in the area, OMOI (1608 Pine Street) on Saturday, April 26 from 12 – 4 pm. I’ll be there with a trunk full o’ jewels to mix in with owner Liz Sieber’s fantastic stock of coolwear and accessories. OMOI (pronounced Oh-Moe-ee) is Japanese for thought or feeling according to a write-up in the Philadelphia Weekly. The name reflects Liz’s personal history, growing up in Japan… as well as her love of all things… well, CUTE! You know, in that Japanese way. Visit the store online, read Liz’s great blog, but most of all, COME SAY HI on Saturday!

LaPatisserie

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There is nothing I love more than miniature faux confections sitting atop darling vintage buttons, sparkly over-the-top handcrafted jewelry, and fake French, merci beaucoup! For this reason, my BFFL (some call her my alter ego), the brilliant and chic Madame Eclore has opened a brand new Etsy shop called (what els?) LaPatisserie!

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Whatever your pleasure–les tartes or les bonbons–Mme. Eclore is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth!

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Some of the petite gateau are so delicate they must be kept under glass! Can you imagine this? On your finger, cherie? I know that you can!

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For les Americains? Monsieur Donut! Avec sprinkles, mais oui.

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Une sucre rose est une sucre rose!

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The packaging? Tres bon! Each comes in a sweet tiny hat box, a perfect gift. Also available on So Charmed.

Yep, it’s Another Bloomin’ Blog

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For those of you who just can’t get enough of my unbridled blabbermouthing, I’ve come up with yet another platform. In association with the launch of my graphic design studio designfarm’s brand spankin’ new web site, the staff and I decided that not only do we love to practice design, we also love to jibber-jabber on (and on and on) about the subject.

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So, whether you are a designer, a consumer of design, or just curious about why certain people are prone to exhuberent Tourettes-like shouts of “HELVETICA!” or “BODONI!” when movie credits are rolling and everyone else is quietly heading out of the theater, click on over to The Fourth Wall, for a shocking and unprecedented look inside the mind of working designers. You can read more than you ever wanted to know about such things as the color yellow and my BF’s former apartment as well as participate in fun little contests and exercises.

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Oh, and it’s not just me raving on about typography, etc, it’s also my talented staff designers, Jessica and Sarah. They are a lot younger than me, each with their own creative voice and POV, so I think you’ll enjoy their observations too!

Shop with a Conscience

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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.

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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!

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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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Q: Where do you buy these fabulous beads?

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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?

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A: Just kidding.

Generally speaking, no one (except my poor boyfriend) dares to inquire about the weird, tasteless, mostly thriftstore, crap that poses as art in my “eclectic” home. But, in case you are not asking b/c you are embarrassed, but would actually like to know where these coveted items originate, here is an example: Yes, it’s another YMCA Aftercare Crafts Expo and Bake Sale score, a hand magic-markered, velvet flocked (!!) Unicorn. With stars! Glitter! A rainbow! Maybe you don’t love this as much as I do, probably not in fact. Yet later you will  eye it enviously, I know you will! I was so glad no one else’s mom snagged this beauty before I arrived on the scene with my shopping karma in tact. Cost: $1.50. Bet ya I could turn it around for $10 bucks on ETSY. But I’m not gonna, it’s mine mine mine suckers. Seriously, I love this thing.

PS: I love a post that fits ALL my categories!

MORE Custom Work

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I love this custom bracelet and I love the woman I made it for… Jen, a Rebel Mom, not unlike yours truly. With some email communications and a photo or two for good measure, Jen and I were able to make her charm bracelet dreams come true in black and blue!

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Sterling silver charms, soldered into place for permanence, plus a vintage earring, and some of my favorite glass beads (new & vintage) in denim and onyx.

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A special hand-crafted sterling silver Defy charm for Jen’s “question everything” MO. Love ya, girl! Mwwwwaaaa!

Customized!

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One of the products central to the vast empire (!) that is So Charmed, is the custom charm bracelet. I’ve literally done hundreds of these and each and every time I am thoroughly blown away by the infinite design possibilities this little medium offers me. And, more importantly I am completely and profoundly moved by the people who come to me for these treasures… more often than not they are the most fascinating and creative individuals I’ve ever “met.” Somehow, despite the fact that all of our communications are via email, and I often don’t even see a photo of the customer herself, I am drawn into the intimate details of her life, dreams, and memories. And the results are probably the most beautiful and meaningful jewelry work I will ever do. I’m not tootin’ my own horn here, I feel strongly that the bracelets truly belong to their owners in every sense of the word. It is their openness and partnership that provides the content, palette and wonderful uniqueness of these works.

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Joan, a self-proclaimed late-bloomer (me too!) shared an amazing story that included everything from James Ellroy, the Black Dahlia, vintage 40’s make-up packaging, noir Los Angeles… and too many lush things to mention here. In the detail above a sterling silver train sits next to a vintage black button I scored on a trip to the East Village… combing through an old sewing notions store the size of a tiny closet. It had just the right late 40’s feel and is an example of my life colliding with my client’s during this process.

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Literature, the letter J, and a very rare vintage lantern-esque bead hold court next to a sterling silver vintage radio and dahlia charms. Joan and I agreed to mix metals (brass, gold and silver)… something that can be tricky, but when done properly is gorgeous!
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The murder weapon, glass beads from my collection (tens of thousands stored in color-coded fishing tackle boxes), and a hand-painted tiny tube of red lipstick! Joan is a redhead and we decided upon small touches of red for some pop against the noir blacks and lavenders. Also pictured, a wonderful early plastic black floral cabochon that I made into a charm.

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Amazing and rare bell flower charm and a vintage earring part that had a perfect deco feel and a lovely citrine stone. Sterling silver camera so Joan can continue to capture her life in pictures!

Many special thanks to Joan for the amazing partnership and for allowing me to blog about her bracelet. For more information on a custom heirloom bracelet of your own, check the custom page at So Charmed, and then get in touch.

Whatcha Gonna Do?

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Yes, it’s that time of year again.

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Yes, I am obsessed with gorgeous miniature cakes.

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No, you do NOT have to buy a standard crappy ole Valentine this year. Hint: So Charmed!

PS: Yes, I realize I’m posting only on the Hallmark holidays. I’ll try to do better, promise. I’m BUSY, ok?

Please Shop Handmade for the Holidays!

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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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A VERY Subversive Collaboration

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If you don’t know about Subversive Cross Stitch by now, you don’t know JACK! Make that JACKSON, as in Julie Jackson, one of the top-rockin’ original divas of the DIY crafts movement, a published writer, and a lovely, snarky girlie who lives down in Texas. Julie and I met (in the virtual sense) years ago when our business ventures were young. She and her busy fingers created a (deliciously nasty) cross stitch sampler for my just-born studio, and I made her a sumptuious piece of serious bling in the form of a custom charm bracelet. We vowed to collaborate one day… and that day is today! Thus, I am proudly announcing the debut of the Subversive Cross Stitch and So Charmed limited edition line, which starts with three of Julie’s wonderful samplers encased in glittered resin Victorian inspired (and BIGGIE-SIZED) frames. Available as pins, with vintage buttons and tulle bows, or necklaces, with loooong black satin ribbon to hang coquettishly down your back. Choose from: Bite Me, Bitch, or I Heart Girls. And, stay tuned for a very special Holiday piece to hit the site in October. Available exclusively at So Charmed.

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Pieces are being modeled by the lovely Sarah E, from designfarm.

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