06.13.08
Live in or near the DC Metro Area? Then this will be of interest…
I’m very excited to announce that my company designfarm’s little sister enterprise, the wonderful not-just-for-profit, MyRight2Write.com, will be joining 80 other fabulous vendors at the first annual Washington City Paper sponsored Crafty Bastards Silver Spring crafts show!
For some reason, I had it in my mind that this show was going to be the younger, smaller, more bastardier bastard child of Crafty Bastards The Adams Morgan (DC) Show… truly one of the best-known and most highly regarded shows in the country… but NOOOOOOO. Folks, after attending a vendor orientation meeting earlier this week, I am happy to report that this absolutely will NOT be the case!
Check out the Vendor Gallery to see the best of the best DIY crafters in the Metro Area, very close to the same number that set up at the fall show downtown. Jewelers, clothing designers, monster makers, toy creators, stationers… a veritable plethora of talent. In addition, there will be a Supply Swap booth; bring supplies to donate and take some supplies home, free! There will also be bands, food… a whole day’s worth of stuff to do, see, and buy (including of course our fabulous journals and one of a kind handprinted clothing). We are working hard on having our most fun products ever, including tons of clothing for kids and grown ups and new mini-journals that are just $3 each! They are super cute.
The show is bing held at Pyramid Atlantic (directions), 8230 Georgia Avenue, just a block or two south of the main Silver Spring downtown area. Very Metro accessible, Red Line, Silver Spring stop.
Last year’s downtown Bastards event reportedly had an attendance of 20,000 people! Yes, you read that correctly. Wanna get the goods? Come early and come often.
Subject: I Heart Shopping, They Call It Work
06.11.08
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.
Subject: Modern Art, They Call It Work
05.20.08
The MyRight2Write Crew will be setting up and selling our beautiful handcrafted altered composition book journals THIS WEEKEND, Sunday May 25th, at the SOWEBO Arts Festival. As you surely know by now, for each journal we sell, a composition book will be donated to Piney Branch Elementary School this fall.
In addition to a huge selection of the wallpapered journals, we’ll be bringing a new batch of our one of a kind recycled Tee + Journal Combos, including a totally adorable must-have pair of pajama bottoms!! Come out and say hello and help us meet our goal of 300 donated composition books by the time school opens in late August.
There will be 20 bands, and loads of art, crafts and food, from 12 - 9 pm.
Directions from the DC Metro Area: Take 95 North to 395. 395 becomes Martin Luther King Blvd. Take MLK to Lombard and turn left. 3 Lights to Arlington, turn right… festival is there: 36 Arlington Ave. Baltimore, MD 21223. If you need more info, email me.
Oh, and what does SOWEBO stand for? South West Baltimore! Yay!!!
Subject: I Heart Shopping, Molly's Mom, They Call It Work
05.01.08
Thanks to all the charming people who came out to OMOI in Philadelphia to say hi, during college exams no less! Obviously you people know: When the studies get tough, the tough go shopping.
It was great fun meeting my customers in real life and I couldn’t ask for a more adorable place to spend the day than Liz Sieber’s uber cool shop. I highly recommend a visit if you live anywhere nearby so you can scoop fabulous clothing, cards, housewares, Japanese toys, and of course, jewelry.
Great stuff for guys too.
A highlight of the day was when one of Liz’s fave customers (above) sashayed in wearing my Prince bracelet, purchased months ago at OMOI!
All in all, a glittering good time. Be sure to bookmark the OMOI Web site; Liz will be putting more of her amazing merch online ASAP.
Subject: I Heart Shopping, They Call It Work
04.22.08
Do you live in or near Philadelphia? If so, please stop by the coolest shop in the area, OMOI (1608 Pine Street) on Saturday, April 26 from 12 - 4 pm. I’ll be there with a trunk full o’ jewels to mix in with owner Liz Sieber’s fantastic stock of coolwear and accessories. OMOI (pronounced Oh-Moe-ee) is Japanese for thought or feeling according to a write-up in the Philadelphia Weekly. The name reflects Liz’s personal history, growing up in Japan… as well as her love of all things… well, CUTE! You know, in that Japanese way. Visit the store online, read Liz’s great blog, but most of all, COME SAY HI on Saturday!
Subject: I Heart Shopping, They Call It Work
04.10.08
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!
Whatever your pleasure–les tartes or les bonbons–Mme. Eclore is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth!
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!
For les Americains? Monsieur Donut! Avec sprinkles, mais oui.
Une sucre rose est une sucre rose!
The packaging? Tres bon! Each comes in a sweet tiny hat box, a perfect gift. Also available on So Charmed.
Subject: They Call It Work
04.04.08
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.
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.
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!
Subject: They Call It Work
03.04.08
Consider this your personal invitation to visit my latest endeavor: MyRight2Write.com, an online shop full of the MOST adorable handcrafted one-of-a-kind altered composition book journals… AND even better: For each journal you buy, a kid in an under-served public school receives a donated blank composition book. Everyone wins.
There are two yummy styles to choose from… googly-eyed MONSTERS, pictured above and (NOT SO) PLAN JANES, pictured below. The Monsters feature stenciled images with wiggle eyes and text message abbreviations on recycled wallpaper. The aptly-named NSPJ’s utilize our most fabulous wallpaper sheets, no embellishments needed. All journals are old-fashioned marble-covered kid’s composition books. You know ‘em! You love(d) ‘em!
Please buy a bunch and help us send hundreds of composition books to school children this coming fall! We thank you and the kids thank you!
Subject: I Heart Shopping, They Call It Work
02.28.08
A: None of your beeswax.
Ok, sorry… but really! I get asked this question so often it makes me wanna cry. But I think the truth is that noone can imagine the obsessiveness of my collecting, and thus, in asking such a question, the questioner can’t possibly know how ridiculous the query is.
Case in point: Pictured above is a pile ‘o beads I scored last night at Molly’s YMCA Aftercare Crafts Expo and Bake Sale. Yes, folks, there amongst the handsewn foam wallets, the CostCo cookies (SO cleverly marketed in zip lock bags to look homebaked, but I was NOT fooled!), and the genuinely homebaked cupcakes (expertly decorated by my daughter and long gone without so much as a blog photo snapped), were these lovely beaded necklaces. I do feel dreadfully sorry that I’m going to disassemble them to make jewelry. : / Sorry kids. Cost: 6 bucks.
Q: Where do you get all of that funky ironic “art” that decorates the walls of your home?
A: Just kidding.
Generally speaking, no one (except my poor boyfriend) dares to inquire about the weird, tasteless, mostly thriftstore, crap that poses as art in my “eclectic” home. But, in case you are not asking b/c you are embarrassed, but would actually like to know where these coveted items originate, here is an example: Yes, it’s another YMCA Aftercare Crafts Expo and Bake Sale score, a hand magic-markered, velvet flocked (!!) Unicorn. With stars! Glitter! A rainbow! Maybe you don’t love this as much as I do, probably not in fact. Yet later you will eye it enviously, I know you will! I was so glad no one else’s mom snagged this beauty before I arrived on the scene with my shopping karma in tact. Cost: $1.50. Bet ya I could turn it around for $10 bucks on ETSY. But I’m not gonna, it’s mine mine mine suckers. Seriously, I love this thing.
PS: I love a post that fits ALL my categories!
Subject: I Heart Shopping, Modern Art, Molly's Mom, They Call It Work
02.22.08
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!
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.
A special hand-crafted sterling silver Defy charm for Jen’s “question everything” MO. Love ya, girl! Mwwwwaaaa!
Subject: They Call It Work, Uncategorizable
