On the Road - Craftopia - Pawtucket, RI

The first craft show of the season feels very much like the first day of school. There's a lot of excitement, build up, and butterflies about jumping back into the crafty life after a long winter of being cooped up inside. You frantically create new pieces to sell, make a million to do lists, and pack (and repack) your car with a little voice in the back of your mind saying, "I just know I forgot something." As soon as I pulled up to Craftopia in Pawtucket and got a bunch of hugs from my creative friends, all that tension just melted away and I felt ready to play again.

A royal welcome from Craftopia's Kim in a Heart of Assemblage crown.

Craftopia 2013

This was my second time participating in Craftopia at Hope Artiste Village. The long hallways and greenhouse room were packed to the brim with talented artists, crafters, and makers from all over the northeast. I got a fun surprise visit from my pal Stacey. She looked incredible in her Folk Couture dress and received compliment after compliment from visitors at the show.

Zooguu and SepiaLepus at Craftopia

Stacey working it in Folk Couture

Whenever I see Red Staggerwing Designs at shows I am mesmerized by the array of gorgeous fabrics. Lisa DeMio puts clever twists on classic bag shapes and accessories with careful attention to detail. Since 2009, this New Hampshire artist has been sewing up a storm for her line. Vibrant patterns, clever textile combinations, and high quality hardware sets her designs apart from the everyday. At Craftopia, my eyes instantly gravitated toward her bright red and orange poppy clutch with digitally printed fabric unique to her collection. Her Urban Tote Bags were real show stoppers. Their spacious size, durable design, and patterned linings make them the ultimate go-to bag for work and play. It's always a joy to see Lisa at shows because she's such an upbeat and friendly gal. When I met her son Matt at the show, it came as no surprise that he too was a real gem (Thanks for the taco run Matt!). Shop Red Staggerwing on Etsy and visit their Facebook page to see where you can find these fab bags during the spring and summer craft show season.

Lisa DeMio of Red Staggerwing Design

Poppy clutches pop with vibrant color.

Beautiful form meets function - Urban Tote Bags

A basket of soft, smiling, striped kitties. It's enough to make anyone melt on the spot. Visit Arlette Laan Fiber Creation's booth and you too will be caught up in some serious cute. This Massachusetts artist, originally from the Netherlands is a real globe trekker who has a passion for sewing and photography. I got to hear about her recent adventures in Patagonia and Antarctica (Too cool, right?). Arlette loves to tinker with fabric and takes inspiration from the colors and patterns around her. Each of her sock dolls' personalities are revealed in the hand stitched details. Bold button eyes, expressive lips, clever embroidered features, and whimsical hair make each one unique. I picked up a striped Kitty and Smiley doll with long ears for an upcoming baby shower but the longer I have these dolls, the more I want to keep them for myself! It really goes to show you that Arlette's soft toys are perfect for kids of all ages. Swing by her website, Facebook page, and Flickr gallery to explore Arlette's whimsical world.

Arlette Laan of Arlette Laan Fiber Creations

kitten smitten

a lineup of quirky characters

I was so excited to display new Twitch and Whiskers pieces at Craftopia. A steady stream of friendly shoppers kept the day exciting. Thimblism necklaces, rouge compact lockets, protractor necklaces, and Fun 'n' Games rings went home with many happy customers at the show. One special gal loved the Sealtest Big Top TV Circus necklaces made out of vintage tin tab pins and Bakelite buckles. She wanted to wear them as pins on her coat, so I took them home, removed the bails, and turned them back into pins. How's that for re-upcycling?

Twitch and Whiskers at Craftopia

Megan of Apiary Designs in a rouge compact necklace with hidden bee.

Welcoming in the spring with a protractor necklace and winning smile.

Fun 'n' Games rings

From pins to necklaces to pins!

Thanks to everyone at Craftopia for starting my spring craft show season off with a smile. Visit Twitch and Whiskers on Etsy and Facebook for new creations and updates.  I have a great show season ahead and look forward to seeing all of you out and about.

June 1 - Greenway Open Market - Boston, MA
June 15 - Arts Fest Beverly - Beverly, MA
June 23 - TBA
June 29 - Greenway Open Market - Boston, MA 
July 13 - Greenway Open Market - Boston, MA 
July 20 - TBA
July 27 - Greenway Open Market - Boston, MA 
August 3 - Greenway Open Market - Boston, MA 
Other dates in the works!

The Melt - The Mercurial Gallery - Danbury, CT

This winter provided plenty of precip and polar temps. As the end of March nears, the weather will soon be showing its fleecier side. On the cusp of the great thaw, The Mercurial Gallery hosted a juried exhibit called "The Melt." The opening reception on February 23rd drew a big crowd at the cozy gallery in downtown Danbury, Connecticut. I returned this past weekend to get a closer look at the work and to visit one of my pieces.

The Mercurial Magazine & Gallery - Danbury, CT

The Melt

On view until March 22nd

John O'Sullivan - Layer 6

I really enjoyed meeting Marko Susla of Edison, New Jersey when I popped by the gallery on Saturday. Marko's passion for night time photography lead him through an iron gate, down a snowy path, and into a Connecticut orchard one winter's evening. He captured a row of stunning, snow-covered trees contrasted by a stormy sky. "Nicholas Orchard #1" won Marko "Best in Show" and he has been awarded a solo exhibition at the Mercurial in 2014. Visit Marko's website to view more of his work, including his Silent Witness series, which captures the beauty and decay of the abandoned homes at the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.

Marko Susla - photographer

Nicholas Orchard #1 (Night Photograph) - lower right

Text, acrylic paint, and India ink are intricately layered in Karin Mansberg's piece called "Greed." I was really drawn to Karin's emotionally-charged, collaged work at the show. This Danbury artist, originally from Estonia explores personal experiences and connections through her illustrations, prints, collages, and sketches. I've had the pleasure of looking through many pieces in Karin's portfolio and adore her "Ink on Old Book Page Project" where she creates new images using parts of existing book illustrations. Karin is a recent M.F.A. graduate from WCSU and a freelance artist. Visit Karin's website to see more artwork and read about her creative process.

Karin Mansberg - Greed

When The Melt was announced, I decided to make a new piece for the show. Last year, I started creating necklaces out of pinback buttons from the early 1900's to the 1970's. After digging through my supplies, I zeroed in on a pile of 1960's Mr. Softee Safety Club pins. I attached them to vintage plastic game chips and buttons. The bib structure was achieved by using clear cross-shaped components, chain, jump rings, wire, and aquarium tubing. Clear plastic drop beads added the finishing melting touch. The linear connections within the necklace reminded me of molecular bonds and the final piece had a cartoony, superhero feel to it. "Safety in Numbers" is by far the biggest necklace I've made to date and it's quite giggle-worthy when worn. 

Safety in Numbers - upcycled bib necklace

1960's Mr. Softee Safety Club pinback buttons

You can catch The Melt through March 22nd. Many other wonderful shows are coming to The Mercurial this spring. Follow The Mercurial on Facebook and visit their website often for news, art, and interesting goings-on in the area.

Craft show season is around the corner. Here is what's on tap so far. Check back soon for more dates.

Craftopia - Pawtucket, RI - Sunday, April 28th

Arts Fest Beverly - Beverly, MA - Saturday, June 15th

Greenway Open Market - Boston, MA - summer dates TBD

Visit Twitch and Whiskers on Etsy and FB for new pieces each month.

Man That's Bath! The Story Behind Armour's Breezy Buttons

It all started the way that most necklaces start. I found some intriguing vintage items that inspired me to create. I came upon a grouping of vintage pinback buttons from Armour Star Franks. These novelty pins had cartoony illustrations and fun expressions like "Later Gator" and "Hep Cat." There were also some pins with less familiar phrases like "Man That's Bath" and "That's So Blowtorch." Late last year, I created several pendants using the more familiar pins and set the oddball ones aside.

Armour Star pinback button necklace by Twitch and Whiskers

In mid-January, I searched the web to see if there was any information out there on the buttons. I also posted a picture of the leftover buttons on my Twitch and Whiskers Facebook page to see if anyone knew what they meant. Only little bits of information turned up but nothing on the meanings of the strange phrases. Most guessed that they probably meant, "That's hot."

Man, that's confusing!

Franks 'n' Pins

A few days later, I received a fascinating email from my friend Susan. Being a true researcher-at-heart, she dug a little deeper to find the story behind these unique phrases. First, she uncovered that the original Armour plant was in Chicago, Illinois. Then, we contacted the Chicago History Museum to ask for their help. Here is what she wrote:


Hello--
I am researching the origin of sayings that appeared on Armour Star pinback buttons promoting Armour Star Franks in the 1960's.

Specifically, I am trying to determine the meaning of sayings on two of those buttons.

One reads: "Man that's Bath" with Bath appearing on a silhouette of a bathtub.

The other reads: "That's blow torch" and includes a picture of a blow torch.

Any idea as to what these slogans mean or where I might find out?

Thanks so much! 

Susan G.

Super Sleuth Susan - left

Chicago History Museum

Soon after, the Research Center at the Chicago History Museum wrote back:

 
Greetings,

I found a 1955 display ad for Armour's 'Breezy Buttons', as they were known, in the Chicago Tribune's historical database.

The pins in general appear to be depictions of various idiomatic or slang phrases ("Cruisin' for a bruisin'") as well as some nonsense phrases meant to evoke the beatnik culture of the era ("You're dimph").

An article in the Aug. 1955 issue of Armour magazine describes the campaign as such:

Each "breezy button" is imprinted with a current teen-age expression and a cartoon to illustrate it [. . .] Examples of the breezy expressions on the buttons range from the flippant "Don't get tough, Powder Puff," to the more subtle "You're a Cube," meaning someone who is not "hep" to a greater degree than a "square." Several of the expressions in the Armour Frank series, such as "Flame out," and "Make like the wind," are descendents of the aging "Take a powder," whose brusque ancestor, "Scram," goes back to the nostalgic "23 Skidoo" of the gay 20's.

Unfortunately, there is no mention in the article of either "That's Blow Torch" or "Man, That's Bath" or what they could mean. Further resources from around that time don't give any indication that either phrase was ever widely-used slang. The book 'Dig those crazy words: An illustrated dictionary of beatnik words and phrases' doesn't contain any listing for "bath" or "blow torch".

In the 1960 'Dictionary of American Slang', compiled by Harold Wentworth and Stuart Berg Flexner, a "bath-tub" is defined as a motorcycle side-car or very large car, while a "blow torch" was air force slang for a jet fighter plane. Neither of these definitions appear to be related to the pin's use of slang.

More likely the phrases originated in the brain of someone at Armour or else were so obscure as to have not really survived in any written form apart from the pins.

I am attaching the display ad from the Tribune, as well as the Armour Magazine article to this email for your reference.
 
Best,

Research Center/MK

Armour and Company 1910

As it turns out, there were 24 buttons to collect in all and they came IN the packages of franks. You could NEVER get away with putting a sharp, pointy, metal premium in a bag o' wieners nowadays! In the 50's pins were commonly collected and worn on beanies and belts.  They were promoted in Sunday comic ads and during the CBS "Captain Midnight" show.  The article said that the promotion followed in the footsteps of their last successful in-package giveaway of plastic baseball trading coins. Also, check out the hilarious commercial below. It's a fun Armour promo for a pirate party kit. Arg!

Armour Baseball Coins

While all this was going on, my friend Kim C. of Lucky Bird Studio saw the pictures of the pinback buttons Facebook and commissioned me to create a "That's So Bath" necklace for her friend Kim G. of Stella Marie Soap Company. After a few emails back and forth, together we designed a piece with a vintage red plastic game piece, rhinestones, and cherry red beads (to match the Stella Marie logo). I was thrilled that one of the mystery pins found a perfect home!

Man, That's Bath - a perfect necklace for a soapy gal

I love what I do for many reasons. One of the main reasons is I get to use materials with a sense of history and nostalgia. These items help to form interesting connections to people and the past. It all started with a picture on Facebook and our local Nancy Drew, Susan G. It lead to uncovering a little piece of history and a new necklace for superb soap maker. Many thanks to Susan G. and the Chicago History Museum for finding out the story behind these pins. Thanks to Kim T. for commissioning the necklace and Kim G. for looking so lovely in the new piece. I'm sure there's an interesting story hidden behind every vintage item I use. Sometimes it just takes the right circumstances for the story to reveal itself.

Like the Armour Breezy Buttons? You can find a necklaces made from them in the "pinback button and buckle" section of my Etsy shop.

My 2013 show schedule is starting to shape up. Here is the schedule so far.

*RESCHEDULED* - Friday, February 15th - 5:00 - 9:00 pm - CT ArtList Pop-Up Exhibition - I'm excited to announce that my husband and I will be doing a show together for the first time! The opening will feature 14 local Connecticut artists, Thom's band Burnkit2600, and jewelry from Twitch and Whiskers. We hope to see you there!

Saturday, June 15th - 10:00 - 4:00 pm - Arts Fest Beverly