On the Road - Smith Street Sunday Funday

For the second year in a row, I was Carroll Gardens bound for the Smith Street Sunday Funday. Grace Napoleon of Folk Couture and I traveled in together. We both had been very busy making new items for the fair and were excited to be out and about on a sunny Sunday. This 8 block long event always has a great combination of handmade items, import items, live music, and even a cheese eating competition from Stinky's Bklyn.  One of the benefits of doing this show is indulging in local food. I started the day noshing on a scrumptious almond croissant from Provence en Boite and enjoyed a delicious plate of tikka masala and rice from Bombay Dream for lunch. It was a yummy funday indeed!

Smith Street Sunday Funday

Candy Colored Clown - Twitch and Whiskers

Folk Couture is Pure Genius!

tikka masala magic from Bombay Dream

One of my favorite go-to accessories is a patterned head wrap with vintage-inspired black, maroon, and tan flowers. Every time I wear it, I feel like I have instant good hair day. I bought it last year at the Brooklyn Flea from Chika Michieli of Mercato Style. As soon as I found out she was at Smith Street, I made a bee line to her booth. I was so excited to see her head wraps in spring/summer colors and new patterns. She also offers adorable onesies with appliqued flowers and bunnies with pom pom tails. Chika's mix of colors, fanciful prints, and easy-wear designs make her pieces a must have. I left with a pretty purple and green floral head wrap for the summer ahead. Visit her website to get one for yourself!

Mercato Style

head wraps galore

for somebunny cute in your life

It's always great to have a fun neighbor at a street fair. I had the pleasure of meeting Linda of the cleverly named A Tee Grows in Brooklyn. I was instantly drawn to her shirts with brownstones, stoops, cornices, and doorways. It was no surprise when I found out that she has a  background in architecture. Iconic Brooklyn images like the Cyclone and the Brooklyn Bridge grace her high quality tees and make the perfect gifts for the Brooklyn-phile in your life. I picked up a brownstone t-shirt for Thom and he looks amazing in his new gray T! Check out A Tee Grows in Brookln's website to see their whole line of men's and women's shirts.

Linda of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Brooklyn beauties

Thom's new brownstone shirt (center)

I went on a making spree recently, inspired by my new favorite material: vintage advertising pinback buttons. Their bright litho colors, kitschy logos, and iconic imagery look striking when paired up with Bakelite buckles, brass stampings, and rhinestones. At the end of the school year, one of my teacher friends passed to me an old chessboard and it worked as a great new backdrop for these pieces. A fun variety of pinback button necklaces, one-of-a-kind necklaces, rouge compact lockets, brooch necklaces, Thimblism necklaces, and game piece rings went home with Carroll Garden cuties.

vintage pinback button necklaces - many went off to happy homes

looking magnetic Tail Bait

mom in bunny Thimblism

daughter in dice Thimblism necklace - It's a family affair!

The Bee's Knees rouge compact locket - robin's egg radiant

Garland of Eden - vintage brooch necklace

I will be putting new pieces in my Etsy shop in the weeks to come. Keep your eyeballs peeled! My next show is the Greenway Open Market in Boston on July 7th. In the meantime, like Twitch and Whiskers on FB to see new pieces and to find out about promos. Hope to see you out and about!

On the Road - Arts Fest Beverly and Other Adventures

This past Friday, I loaded up the car after school and headed up to my friend Stacey's place in Hull, MA. It served as the perfect home away from home for the weekend because on Saturday I was participating in Arts Fest Beverly.  Grace Napoleon of Folk Couture was also staying with her for the weekend since she was exhibiting at the Arts Festival in Cohasset. It was nice to be greeted by two friendly faces after the long drive in. On Saturday, I got up bright and early for the show. Cabot Street quickly became lined with tents and amazing artists. I was set up in front of the beautiful St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish and the day proved to be a bit chillier than expected. My first customer  saw me a-shiverin' in my shorts and quickly retrieved a polar fleece blanket for me to borrow. Her kind gesture kept me warm for the day.

Arts Fest Beverly

wrapped in the warmth of kindness

Twitch and Whiskers

Just a few steps away from my booth was Chikako Designs. Born in Tokyo and raised in the states, Chikako Mukai elegantly blends her two cultures together in handmade bags and accessories. Chikako Designs offers a wide variety of beautiful and colorful Asian prints that Chikako finds at textile shows from LA to New York. She has a nice array of bag shapes and sizes to fit different occasions and purposes. My favorite had to be her compact Hana zipper pouches, which are perfect for summer travel. Visit Chikako Designs' website to see which bag you like best and to browse through her clothes, belts, neckties, and other items.

Chikako Mukai of Chikako Designs

Yuko reversible totes

Hana zipper pouches

The visitors at Arts Fest Beverly seemed to really enjoy opening up all my tin and rouge compact lockets to discover their surprises inside. Many happy customers left with lockets, Thimblism necklaces, Fun 'n' Games rings, REcap bracelets, and a great variety of one-of-a-kind pieces. It was a busy day for me and I really enjoyed meeting lots of enthusiastic folks from the Beverly area. The night ended perfectly with a great gathering of artists at Jen Gubicza's home (of Zooguu). We got a look into her fabulous studio/home, art collection, and saw some of the magic that went into her incredible plush critters. Plus, we snacked on treats from some of my favorite food groups: Nutella, gummy, crispy salty things, and gooey cheese.

Point in the Right Direction

Lip Chick - left

Polly's Follies

Zooguu!

On Sunday morning, Stacey took us for a jaunt around Hull before noon, when Grace would be going back to Cohasset for the last day of her show. We started off the morning with a short walk to Toast for an amazing breakfast (You have to check this place out if you're ever in the area. Best breakfast for miles). Next, we went for a leisurely drive down Jerusalem Road, to look at the gorgeous homes and scenic ocean views. On our way back to Stacey's home, Grace suggested we travel down a side road. Within a few turns of our detour, we came across the most incredible site: Leo and Marilyn's house.

one Hull of a house

Leo and Marilyn

Dozens of potted geraniums lined the well-groomed front lawn and vines snaked around curious structures of all sorts. A menagerie of metal and wooden creatures, plush animals, and knick knacks covered the lawn, porch, and back sitting area of the house. Multiple handmade wooden homes, easily three times as big as traditional dollhouses circled the house and upon closer look you would discover figurines and toys peeking out at you from behind the windows. The front of the house showcased a blue castle-like structure covered in plastic Mickey Mouse toys. Around back, we met the man himself - Leo. Three friends busily tended to the garden and were hurriedly dragging new pots of flowers onto the lawn as we approached the king of the castle. Leo wasn't much of a conversationalist and would give short answers to my questions but I got the sense that he didn't totally object to our visit. His wry responses eventually lead to one little grin before we left, which made the whole trip worth it!

Leo

big bird

rowr!

mouse house

hello kitty

handmade by Leo

Soon after our morning adventures, Grace ventured back to Cohasset to set up for the show. Stacey and I decided to visit her soon after. We drove down the scenic roads of Cohasset until we got to the green where the event was taking place. The show had a lovely variety of fine arts, live music, food, and a tent filled with juried art. Grace's Folk Couture clothes were very well received at the event and her racks were pretty sparse by Sunday. While walking about, Stacey discovered Two Son Jewelry. Lisa Cutler of Vermont, creates colorful necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings out of fanciful glass beads. Stacey purchased a necklace and bracelet featuring pink glass floral beads and colorful drops. She looked dazzling!

hello from Folk Couture

Stacey in Two Son Jewelry

By late afternoon, I jumped in the car and headed back to Connecticut. On the way home, I stopped by an antique store and found the perfect 1960's dress in peach, olive, and silver. Between the show, visiting with friends, great food, and sightseeing, my weekend in Massachusetts really felt like a mini-vacation. Lucky for me, I get to do it all again next week in Brooklyn!

my weekend souvenir

See you on Sunday, June 24th at Smith Street Sunday Funday in Brooklyn, NY and at The Greenway Open Market on Saturday, July 7th. More exciting pieces are being made as we speak!

On the Road - Festival Fete

Last Saturday, I was Cranston bound for Festival Fete Garden City. Grace Napoleon of Folk Couture and I drove up to Rhode Island on Friday night in preparation for the big two day show. The weekend weather proved to be beautiful and people were out in droves. In addition to having over 125 artists, there was a nice variety of entertainment, hands-on activities for kids, food, and even a photo booth.

Festival Fete Garden City in Cranston, RI

Garden City

Grace gets decorated by Barefoot Henna

hands on activities

Big Nazo made a BIG impact!

Apiary Designs is a family affair. Mother and daughter team Nancy White and Megan Labrecque sew handmade aprons, totes, and other fabulous fabric accessories. I had the pleasure of being next to them at the show for two days and this meant I got a front row view of their amazing array of fabrics. Quirky kitchen appliances, tattoo designs, sushi, nautical scenes, cupcakes, fruits, and florals were just a handful of the 100's of whimsical prints available from Apiary Designs. Each piece is lovingly cut, assembled, and stitched by these talented gals who have a long tradition of sewing in their family. Swing by their website and Etsy shop for the perfect gift. They really have something for everyone!

Megan and Nancy of Apiary Designs

A great blend of fabrics

aprons galore

Love these prints!

Pop art with a twist of hilarity served on a plate. That's what Joanne DeLomba is serving up. Her Mod Antique China collection showcases clever images that are heat transferred onto vintage plates. The juxtaposition of fine dinnerware with quirky artwork make these plates not-quite-your grandma's-collectables (unless you have a really cool grandma). Add to the mix her bold True Romance earrings and other worldly framed art prints and you have one amazing collection of work. Check out Joanne's website, blog, and Etsy shop for a glimpse into her eclectic world.

Joanne DeLomba

This second grade teacher approves!

earrings with pop

creature feature

It had been a while since I had been in the Ocean State, so I was excited to return with some new pieces. I created a new line called, "Garland Varieties" which were assembled out of vintage link bracelets and bead chain. Several went home with happy customers. In preparation for the show, I make a bunch of nautical themed Thimblism necklaces with brassy and silver-tone thimbles. The thimbles with jingling whale tails proved to be a popular choice at the show. A fun variety of REcap bracelets, one-of-a-kind assemblages, and game piece rings also left the fair with happy folks. Overall, I had a terrific time in Cranston and cannot wait for the next Festival Fete show!

Twitch and Whiskers at Festival Fete

new - Garland Varieties

REcap Fan

nautical Thimblisms

Spring Peeper - flew off to a new home

One of the best parts of going to other states is staying over other artists' places. Grace and I camped out at Carrie Wagner's home in Providence. In addition to being a very talented painter/illustrator for SepiaLepus, I found out Carrie is also an incredible jewelry designer. One of the pieces she shared with me was just jaw-dropping amazing. She created a stunning choker with five hinged squid lockets. Each one held a different nautical scene inside and had more underwater scenes etched on the back. I sure hope to see some of her jewelry out in the world soon. While we all patiently wait for her jewelry line, we can enjoy her SepiaLepus illustrations in the meantime. 

fan-sea

SepiaLepus

You can find both Twitch and Whiskers and SepiaLepus at Arts Fest Beverly in Beverly, MA on Saturday, June 16th. On Sunday, June 24th, you can visit me at the Smith Street Sunday Funday in Brooklyn, NY. Come on by and say hello!

Beauty in Full Circle or An Elephant Never Forgets - Part Two

A coincidence. When it happens once, it's pretty nifty. When it repeats, you know the universe is tapping you on the shoulder. Hello universe! You have my attention! What are you trying to tell me? This story is part two in a series of serendipitous events. 

Can you feel it too?

Here is an abridged version of part one (click HERE for the full story if you're interested). Last October, I drove home from Bethel on a very stormy night and a flatbed truck slowly pulled out in front of me from a side street. It was carrying some pretty amazing life-sized elephant sculptures. I drove in awe behind the behemoth beauties almost all the way home. I was so blown away, that I quickly snapped a pic. Months later, I took a day trip to NYC. Thom and I headed to Columbus Circle to visit the MAD Museum. When we reached the museum, the same two elephants greeted me in the center of the circle. The reunion with my elephant friends made me giddy. I contacted the artist Peter Woytuk to tell him about the experience and he wrote back a kind response thanking me for sharing the story and wishing me a Happy New Year from China.

Bethel - elephant encounter 1

NYC - elephant encounter 2

This past weekend, one of my favorite jewelry displays broke while I was setting up for the Greenway Open Market. Copious amounts of white duct tape barely held the wire frame together for the day.  I knew I had to get it welded back together once I returned home. I set Thom on the job on Tuesday. He looked up all the welding places in the area and decided to contact Edelman Metalworks in downtown Danbury. Thom stopped by the shop on Tuesday at the very end of the day. When the owner saw how minimal the repair was, he graciously offered to fix it for free. He told Thom to just remove the metal part from the wooden base and return with it on Wednesday (today).

broken display with jenky tape repair

Early this morning, I woke up and did my regular routine of checking my email and Facebook page. I did a double take when I saw a picture posted on my friend Chrissy's Facebook page. Recently, she drove behind two bold geese sculptures on the highway and had the same response that I had driving behind the elephants. I knew instantly that it must be another sculpture from Peter Woytuk. It made me smile, think of the elephants, and I continued on with my day.

Chrissy's picture

After school today, I came home to a fixed jewelry display. It looked as good as new and I was so thankful that the welders did such a kind deed. Thom and I headed out for dinner. While eating, he told me about his day, including his trip to Edelman Metalworks. Thom talked with the owner's wife while they quickly fixed the broken parts. During the conversation a big truck pulled up. This is what Thom saw:

Thom's picture

As soon as he showed me the picture on his phone, my eyes bulged out of my head. It was almost the identical picture that Chrissy posted earlier that morning! Both Chrissy and Thom were at the right places at the right moment for the double Woytuk encounter.

Two encounters with two elephants. Two encounters with two geese.

What does it all mean? I have two sets of animals collected in my Noah's ark o' coincidences. If it's true that things happen in threes, what's next?

My antenna is up. I'm ready.

tuned in

Thank you Edelman Metalworks for your generosity. Thank you Peter Woytuk for your sculptural safari. And thank you universe for making me stop and take notice.

UPDATE (5/31/12) - It turns out I wasn't 100% listening to Thom's story when he was telling it to me. Peter Woytuk was actually in the truck that pulled up to Edelman's Metalworks. Thom briefly met him at the shop and he said he was really nice. I can't wait for part 3 to happen!