I've got the Wedding Bell Blues...

Not really, but the song is in my head. Actually, I am having FUN planning our trip to Hawaii, and also making the art for our wedding favor which is a CD of love songs. The back will have this fun collage of us, taken like two years ago!

Another Day, Another order filled!

Six nifty totes

Med Totes

Beach Bags

And the ALL NEW magnetic snaps and coolie key rings! Woo-Hoo!

These are a few of my favorite things...

I took these as I was having more of my cleaning frenzy yesterday.

Disco Fever! Everyone's getting it!

Go Gay hairspray - use with extreme caution.

Not a good pic but it really is a Charlie's Angels wallet. God damnit!

I call these the Polynesian Twins. I bought these at a house sale for like $1. They don't look as beautiful in the photo as they truly are in real life.

Bits -N- Pieces

I am putting together the order for Sub Division in Long Island City. I am always surprised at how long it all takes! I looked up at the clock and it is almost 2 PM and I haven't even eaten anything today! Everything is cut and interfaced, now all I have to do is sew. I got my snaps yesterday, so those will go in this batch as well as some key rings. Next I am going to have to figure out how to sew a zipper into the clutches, I may need to get some help on that...

Such Sweet Charity!

http://www.sweetcharitynyc.com/localartists.html

Jennifer from Sweet Charity in Park Slope added this sweet blurb to her website, so nice of her! I think she will be posting pics of my bags soon as well. Props to her shop which is beautiful and colorful and filled with delicious eye candy...

Cleaning Frenzy

I finally have a day to pull my act together and CLEAN my apt. It is smelling mighty good! I collect and LOVE vintage sheets and afghans - as you can see! Seeing this photo makes me realize that I have to get something to hang over the bed - it is so barren! On the bedstand is an antique Charlie Tuna lamp that I have had since college - I love that damn thing. On the left hanging on the closet doorknob are my beautiful antique beaded purses that are so incredible - I think I am going to use the white one in my wedding - it belonged to my grandmother's cousin who died a couple years ago.

To Coin A Phrase...

WELL... I am finally finished with my first order. These are coin purses. UGH. It always takes much longer than I think it's going to. Ironing, putting on interfacing, ironing on the labels, ironing, sewing in the zipper, sewing, ironing. I am proud of the finished products though, they look good! Tomorrow I take them to Sweet Charity and she will hang them in her deliciously colorful store.

Just Tilin' Around

These are the final projects that my lovely crafty ladies finished yesterday! Once a month I hold a craft salon at Freebird Books, yesterday was the grouting part of the mosaic workshop. Look what a wonderful job the gals did! I am SO proud! Also, the Doctor videotaped the whole thing 'cause DIY is asking for video submissions for one of their shows. Pick Me! Pick Me!

Clams on the Halfshell, and Rollerskates, Rollerskates!

This was my first Gotham City Roller Derby Bout. It was SO great, except for the heat! WOW those Queens ladies were firecrackers, even though of course I was rooting for Brooklyn. Some of my favorite names were "Leggs Luthor", "Beyonslay", and "Raggedy Animal". I thought of a couple of good ones too - "Betty Rumble" and "Grumblestiltskin". Check out my favorite Cheerleader in the photo with the red bandana - she may have been my favorite part of the night!

Mei Dick

This is one of the Doctor's favorite NY facades, I cannot take any credit for this but it is one of the things that made me fall in love with him a long three + years ago. This is my homage to Dr. Donald Brief.

You Shall Be Caused With Bad Fortune!

L to R: Teabag Variety Hour - - - !!???, Baby Turtle Baby Turtle Baby Turtle (am I the only one who thinks this is MEAN?), The best sign ever, Assorted demonic toys, and the best dern Shanghai dumplins in NYC!

I'm Just a Shell of a Woman

Finished with the six bag shells - now I just have to do the linings and voila! They are done. Notice how well the bags coordinate with my kicks - I especially heart my Crocs and my Pink n Green Adidas.

Tonite the Doctor and I are going to see the Gotham Girls Roller Derby - check out some of their names, it is hilarious!!

We are going with Joanne of Sugar and Spice Glass Company and her beau Eric. First we are going out to eat in Chinatown, one of my favorite digs called Sweet n Tart. A strange name for Chinese Food I know but the food is mmmmmmm mmmmmm good! They have AMAZING Shanghai dumplings.

Lick It Up

Yesterday my friend Stephanie came over with her adorable little chubster and her Chihuahua Max. Papi decided he wanted to eat the baby, so he licked and licked but never got down to the bone!!!

All The Pretty Fabrics

I am about to start sewing the bags for Sweet Charity - I love this assortment. Next I have to cut all the linings, then iron on all the interfacing. I have gotten a really great response to the clutches, so once the snaps get here I will start on a big ole batch o' clutches. First, I will have to figure out how to sew a zipper in, but that's another story. YAY! Thank the lord for Howard Stern online, that's all I can say. I don't know about you, but I cannot get enough Riley Martin.

Ever So Gracefully

This is one of my favorite facades in NYC. #1. The name of the place #2. The fact that the building looks like a Miami Hotel! Those big yellow blocks are actually tiled, it is really beautiful. I think it is just a big Asian Bodega - but I don't think I have actually ever gone inside. It is located on Ave A & 3rd St, right next to our favorite Sushi restaurant Esashi.

Pounding the Pavement

This is a grouping of coin purses.

Today was SO exciting. I went to FOUR shops in Brooklyn, and they ALL want to carry my bags! They are all wonderful places with great products. They are:

Treehouse - GREAT new shop in Willy'B! www.treehousebrooklyn.com owned by two LOVELY ladies...Siri and Becky Lee

Sweet Charity - Really sweet shop in Park Slope - she has excellent dishes and pillows and tons of eye candy! www.sweetcharitynyc.com

Subdivision (in Queens) http://subboutique.com/ A really cool looking store on Vernon Blvd. Sells mostly local indie designers - she also makes her own stuff and they have an art gallery as well! Very cool!

Red Lipstick - amazing shop on Vanderbilt Ave. She is a craftista herself AND has a Chihuahua to boot! You should see her knit bikini tops! www.redlipstick.net

Everyone was so nice and enthusiastic about the bags. I will be smiling AT LEAST til I have to go on my next interview for a *real* job. Harrrrumph.

I have ordered some magnetic snaps and keyrings so I will be updating the bags soon!
ALSO, today I realized that I can do the links if I naviagate Blogger through Firefox instead of Safari - I really am excited about that. I was so stifled before! I can actually BOLD now!

Shrooms man, SHROOMS!

Just finished my shroomy clutch - I am so excited, it is ALMOST perfect, I forgot to add the Papi's Mami label and I neglected to sew the strap in until late in the game, but I still think it looks fine! I used velcro as the closure since I am having a hard time finding those magnetic snaps - they are super expensive too - I may end up just using regular ole snaps - not sure yet. My next venture down the road I think is going to be diaper bags - we shall see. Tomorrow is exciting, I am going to meet with one of the shops who wants to carry ze bags! It is called Sweet Charity on 7th Ave in the Slope. www.sweetcharitynyc.com. Check it...

They Call Him Flipper

On Sunday we went to LI to the Doctor's aunt and uncles place. I call their pool The Grotto, since it has stone waterfalls. What you see here is Papi swimming for the 2nd time in his short life. The first time was by accident. He did not really protest, but he seemed kind of sad. The doctor was a great swim instructor. The funniest was when we would hold him up out of the water, his little legs were still automatically flipping - please note the doctor's mad farmer's tan.

She Cleans Up Well

Ahhhhhhhh, just look at those glorious fabrics. They were in quite a state so I had to refold and organize. Henny Penny likes to lay all over them OF COURSE, but he seems to favor the fusible interfacing to any of the more psychedelic patterns.

Ladies and Gentleman, I give you...

This is the lil clutch that happened after I tried to make the one from Lucy's Bag Book, but the directions were NOT clear so I was tres frustrated with that. Then I found the pattern for this one online, and it was VERY helpful and the directions were incredibly clear! This one could use a snap and a wrist band - but it is very cute and fits in your hand really nicely. I am just relieved that now I know how to do it. I wonder where I can get those magnetic snaps cheap? I just bid on some but there must be a good resource for these...

Lucy's Bag Book

This book is where I have gotten quite a few patterns. I think I got it on Ebay after doing a search for 70s bag patterns. I love that font! The book is amazing, and every time I look at that sad little dog wearing the big ole saddle bags, I feel twinges of both sadness and tenderness. I am about to try my hand at the clutch you see pictured - the denim one with the yellow horizontal band.

The Greatest Photos on Earth

Today I am going to try my hand at making clutches which I have tried in the past with some luck but now I am really going to focus. First, I must share one of my most prized posessions, the photos below. These are indeed of my mother, the color ones are circa 1966. If you saw the photos from my earlier post Art School Shit, you will see that I was trying to emulate the black and white photo. My mother grew up in Belleville NJ, and from what I gather there was a photographer there who had all of these wacky backdrops in his studio. What I wouldn't give to get my hands on some of those!

She Shoots, She SCORES!!!

Yesterday I called/emailed about 15 Brooklyn shops - and I have already heard back from two who want to carry my bags!!!!!!!!!! It is really exciting because the shops are AMAZING. My chest is VERY puffed out right now.

I just keep digging through photos, I highly recommend doing it once in a while. Since we are having our HUGE camp reunion in September, I am trying to dig out all of my old camp photos. I found these two last night:

This one is from 10 years ago at least, when my hairdresser in Philly at the time wanted to use me in her portfolio - I was a hair model!!


This one is from my senior prom. It was 1986, and I was wearing a vintage black and pink taffeta dress from the 50s. My date was my boyfriend, Ian, can you believe how amazing his hair was? I wish I could find him, I have been searching for a couple of years now, I have no idea where he is. This was just the start of a LONG, drug filled evening. Good Lord.

TEN TOTES!

TEN TOTES!!!!! This one is called Queen Anne. There is no more of this fabric left, and it is so great, it reminds me of those photos that you do when you're a kid, where you lay the ferns down on the photo paper and let the sun expose it - you know the ones. Well, this leads me to the next stage - the daunting task of 'getting myself out there' - I need a spiel and a set of balls. I feel silly walking around with all of my goods, trying to convince people they should carry them - even though I have had good responses in the past. People just don't want to be bothered - and they usually blow you off because people bother them all the time... I guess if I owned a shop I might be that way too, but I like to think I would be a little more understanding :o)

Heidi Litchman

More old photos. How adorable is this? Look at this friggin outfit! The gorgeous paisley skirt, the TIE up swiss dot top, the LACE-UP and the frilly sleeves and collar are just too much to bear really. We won't even go into the knee socks and red patent leather shoes - What upsets me the most is that hairdo! What is that? My mother was constantly trying to fight the curls out of my hair, I guess that's what everyone did in the 70s.

9 Down, 1 to go...

I can't think of a name for this one, but it reminds me of India, and also Lotus flowers. The fabric is really heavy and the print is kind of faded - it is kind of like a denim or a heavy chambray - with a heavy weave of white throughout which makes the fabric look very washed out - I am not sure what this type of fabric is called. ONE MORE TO GO - I am thinking I must do it tonight! I have to say, Howard Stern being broadcast over the internet is SO genius.

Tennis, Anyone???

Bag #8 - this fabric is so cool, it reminds me of crossed tennis racquets, although they are really clovers or something - it is an allover embroidery pattern - and the inside is yet another lovely Hollie Hobbie print that I love. I am having the world's largest love affair with This American Life - I hope the Doctor doesn't get upset - this morning I listened to the summer camp episode - how apropos of my own life! Today I have to go into the 'real world' and meet with the 1000th headhunter I have met with, in the hot summer humidity I must pound the NYC pavement to try and enter the working world of cubicles, bosses, paychecks, and late late hours once again...

Marigold Madness

I have never used this fabric before, I am trying to pull out all of the fabrics I have never used or really looked at - they all look SO different when you cut and sew them. It's really great, and it's got this really cool weave to it. I love the colors too - that's usually how I can tell a vintage fabric - the colors and the quality. They really do not make things the way they used to. Seven down, 3 to go! I have now taken to downloading This American Life and I am completely obsessed. I am currently listening to the Julia Sweeney episode, and I CANNOT tear myself out of the studio. I guess that's good since I get a LOT more work done that way!

What's Cooking?

Well, my get up and go is really in a state right now. I did manage to squeeze out another tote (I have six out of ten ready to go now for the purpose of shopping myself around) and I just could not resist this fabric. It is so out of control, I know. I am especially enamoured of that cat... It's linen and I believe it was made for some Good Housekeeping contest or something, because it does have a Good Housekeeping stamp on the selvege edge... The fabric itself is called "Chef's Special" and it truly is beautiful and marvelous. I also need to say a few things about an album I recently got - The Rolling Stones "Their Satanic Majesties Request" - I somehow missed out on this record when I was younger and now I am so glad to have it - I have been working to it today, and it is very magical. Also as I mentioned the other day, I recently found a CD at my dad's house that is a double CD, Best of This American Life - which I had given to him as a gift for his 70th Birthday. It was still in its wrapper, so I didn't feel bad taking it. It is GOOD. VERY GOOD.

Turtle Power

A delicious red corduroy with white turtle print - this fabric is really special. I lined this with a fabric type that I refer to as Hollie Hobbie, since there is SO much of this type of stuff from the 70s and it was popular at the time of Little House on the Prairie and Hollie Hobbie, then in the 80s I am reminded of the Gunne Sax dresses that used all of this stuff. Wow - I would be really into a Gunne Sax dress now! ( Could not find a pic - I guess I should look back at my Bat Mitzvah photos )

Something's Fishy

Last night went to Willy-B with the Doctor and friend Chris C. Had YUMMY Thai-Japanese food at Planet Thailand. I HIGHLY recommend this place! I know a lot of people are against Williamsburg, but I must say that I FULLY embrace and love it there. After all, I am truly a hipster at heart.

Sexy Time Explosion

I saw this while walking in the village tonight and I cannot WAIT for the Borat movie. The Doctor and I may have to postpone our wedding, I hear it comes out in November... I TOLD you he looks like my dad!!!

Folk Tote

YAY! It is 5:55 PM and I finished another. I really like this one, it is also a different shape from what I usually do - I am glad I finished it and even took a break to eat lunch and watch 1/2 hour of My Sweet Sixteen! I am in total awe of this CD that I am listening to which is a double CD of the best of This American Life, one of my all time favorite things in the whole wide world. A very cool thing also happened today - someone signed up for my mailing list on my website who I DIDN'T know - ( I THINK )!!! Off to Thai food...

Techno-Flora

Well, it is 3 PM and I already finished one bag - The Doctor named it. I am really happy with the shape, I made the bottom a bit wider and I am digging it as a beach bag/carry all. The fabric is out of control - I have enough left for another bag at least. Going to the city to meet a friend for Thai food tonight . Should be yummy! I GOTS to get back to the sewing machine. Hopefully, another bag later!!

Flora-delic

Another kind of productive day. One bag in one day is not great, but it was all I had in me today. I really love this fabric and this is all there is left! I am starting to compile stores in Crooklyn to approach, even though I am not looking forward to the process at all. This morning Stanley Steamer came to clean the sofas and I didn't realize what a big to-do it was going to be! Our living room is in total disarray but it sure smells fresh in there! Then the doctor fixed a two day clog in the bathtub with his manly self. Tonight I made DELICIOUS Gazpacho for dinner, and some yummy parmesan risotto. I wish my Strangers With Candy DVD would hurry up and get here so I had something good to watch on TV!

Borat's Daughter

When I was showing all of these photos to the Doctor, he pointed out that my Dad in the 70s looks like Borat. At first this was bothersome to me, but I am now embracing it - here we are circa 1971



I love this photo of my mom, my uncle and grandparents. They all look so snazzy, and my mom is so pretty. My uncle looks like a hipster-nerd, and my grandfather looks something like Orville Redenbacher - !?

Tastes Like Chicken

Papi's all time favorite toy is this FILTHY rubber chicken, he has eaten the asshole out of it (delicious!) where there used to be a noise maker. His game is to bring it over to you and put it on your leg so that you grab the feet so he can growl and fight you for it. He ALWAYS wins.

I Love A Parade

Doctor and I went to NJ for a family filled fourth - first the parade in Montclair which was a little disappointing this year, but still had the BBQ at my mom's which is always an interesting cast of characters. Then went to dad's for MORE food and fun! Now I am sure the kids setting off the firecrackers right outside the house will keep us up all night as Papi is going crazy! Anyway, more great photos that were dug out of storage:

AMAZING PHOTO of my great grandparents Kittie and Herman, probably in Atlantic City or Coney Island, I have NO idea what year! It's my maternal Grandmother's parents - just look at Kittie's bathing suit! And those shoes!

OK, What the hell is this? It's me, looking like an inflate-a-baby! I can't believe how much I look like a big beach ball in a dress with arms and legs! The photo is circa 1968 - Good Lord!

Art School Shit

Yesterday we went down into our storage unit and I hauled my old trunk upstairs that is full of my life in photos - man, what a trip it has been going through these! These photos are circa 1988, we would always dress up in vintage clothes and my friend took the pics - there were also a group of nude photos of myself that I used for a project - I look DAMN GOOD in them too! I am so shocked at how different I look, I was about 20 I guess, and at the time I HATED my body! I ended up using these photos in a silkscreen, I was a printmaking major at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia at the time - - - more old pics DEFINITELY to come!

July Fourth July Schmourth

This is one of my all time favorite photos - I wish I could remember where I got it! I find it very Mr. Rogers-esque, or something. I LOVE pictures of old food, especially from the 50s - 70s. It is grotesquely beautiful - all of those insane jello molds and hot dog casseroles! You can see more for yourself at sites like this: http://www.lileks.com/institute/gallery/ Pretty slow and mellow July 4th weekend. Last night visited with the Doctor's friends in Shaolin, today tried to figure out what life is all about, took the Paps for a good walk, now we are deciding where to go to dinner - Chinatown? Queens for Greek? TBD.

JULY 4th Weekend - FRIDAY

Last night the Doctor and I went to see TV on the Radio at the Prospect Park Bandshell - all summer long they have free concerts, you can bring a picnic, a blanket, and chill on the grass while listening to some good old fashioned rock and roll. A bunch of friends met up with us and the weather was glorious! Afterwards we went out for Thai food - a lovely summer's eve!! I really love the band but was a bit disappointed with the live show :o( I especially love the guy with the crazy hair - and the cutest part of the night was when in between the middle of totally rocking out, he brought his little daughter up on stage to give her a hug. Today was a bust, did a little shopping and toenail painting, otherwise just dazed out to weekend VH1, MTV (Made!), and UNWRAPPED on the Food Network. Tonight we party in Staten Island - - - WOO HOO! More EXCITING Independence Day Weekend Shenanigans to come...