Modish

Design for Mankind E-Zine

Hey All!  Do you read Design for Mankind?  If not, then well you should.  Erin, the writer behind the blog, is funny, sweet and energetic.  She's also generous enough to have used her precious time to compile a Design for Mankind Inspiration e-zine, what is to become a monthly fare of beautiful inspiration boards and words on inspiration by some of Erin's favorite artists, designers, bloggers and flickr friends.  The first issue just came out today, a downloadable 20 pages worth of images and ideas to share inspirations and hopefully inspire you!  Check it out and download it with your morning coffee.  It's a good read, good eye candy and a great way to start the day- I already can't wait for next month's issue!  If you want to be a part of it and share your inspirations with Erin for a future issue, email her at designformankind [at] gmail.com.

Eco-Friendly Find: Cubist Literature

We all know that shopping at thrift stores is one of the best (or at least, most fun) ways to recycle, but Cubist Literature has taken thrift store finds to the next level by shaking things up- he repurposes found items, like turning a sweater into a set of scarves, and adds felt appliqués onto others, giving old things a new life and some c.lit style spunk.

Cheers to c.lit for not only recycling clothing, but making that clothing truly reflect his own style by dismantling, reconfiguring, and adding- it should give you inspiration for the things you find while shopping that are close but not exactly what you're looking for...remember, you can make them what you want them to be!  And extra cheers for the heart appliqués- we can all use a little more love in our lives.  Find more shaken up, recycled goods along with art and other handmade creations at Cubist Literature.

Handmade Faces: Amanda from Little Pies

Today's handmade face is that of Amanda from doggie-licious Little Pies!  Amanda creates tasty organic treats and handmade goodies for our furry, four-legged friends- she's taking an extended vacation right now but will be back in Feb with lots of new goodies in the shop.  In the meantime, let's meet Amanda and her doggie muse!

{Here's Amanda with her favorite purple finger puppet by Stacey Rebecca}

{And her beautiful dog, Molly Brown, guarding a print from the wonderful M. Lee}

What does handmade mean to you, Amanda?

The word handmade means different things to different people.  To me, the word handmade has changed the way that I live.  Whether it be the handmade items I sell or the handmade items I buy, handmade means that I support people who are making their own dreams come true by doing something that they love.

Let's give Amanda and Molly Brown and happy hello, and be sure to check back in on Little Pies in Feb if you need some healthy treats for your pets!

Scrub-a-dub-dub

Nettie Davis, Los Angeles based celebrity manicurist, has been questioned for years on the secret scrub she uses- it smells delectable, it dissolves completely, it exfoliates yet leaves your skin feeling moisturized and supple- what is this good stuff??  Why, it's Nettie Scrub! 

Handmade by her, this all natural sugar scrub lives up to its claims and is a new welcome addition to my weekly shower routine.  I have the lemon flavor made from sugar, grape seed oil and pure lemon essential oil- it smells like a lemon drop, is not too rough for sensitive skin, and leaves me without the need to slather on lotion once I'm out of the shower.  It's good stuff.  Read more about it on the Nettie Scrub site, which is still a bit under construction but you'll be able to find shops where you can purchase it, including the Nettie Scrub etsy shop!

Valentine's Day Cards

Yes, it's a Hallmark holiday invented just to further our consumerist society, making single people feel self-conscious about the singleness they should revel in, making women in relationships feel forgotten by their mates if they don't get a dozen roses.  It's a sham, I get it.  But I still like it, because I think Valentine's Day has a good undercurrent of meaning- just to spread the love.  And when you spread that love by buying handmade, making your own gifts, writing a song, sharing a meal, then you're celebrating the day without giving in to Hallmark's overzealous grasp on it, and that feels so good.

Here's some not so Hallmarky card options to show your loved ones (don't forget your friends!) how you feel:

{yeah you cards by Corduroy :: You stole my heart card by Heidi Burton}

{Sculpture collection cards by Egg Press :: I love you hearts by Things are Better with a Parrott}

{one of a kind Valentine's Day cards with original artwork by Anna Laura}

{Letter-pressed Love cards by papered together at Modish: Handmade Goods}

{Down with Love cards by Mew Paper Arts}

{Darling rabbit cards by Oh My Cavalier :: Vintage Lace Card by BROOKLYN:rehab}

{Owl Love You Forever card by Night Owl Papergoods :: Te Amo card by Susyjack}

{give luv card by essimar :: Rock. Paper. Heart. card by The Paper Princess}

A note on the giveaway...

For those of you who are participating in the January giveaway or are waiting with bated breath to enter it, I just wanted to let you know that I am still going to have a giveaway but it's being pushed back a bit.  Since I will be moving at the end of Feb, I will NOT be having a giveaway like normal then, and also because I'm waiting for a new newsletter service to get set up which is going to take a few days, I'll be pushing the Jan giveaway back to next week to cover Jan/Feb and will continue with the monthly giveaways at the end of each month starting again in March.  In the meantime, sign up for the modish newsletter to get the bird's word about when the giveaway is announced next week, and to keep up on other fun things like blog features and special deals for the shoppe! :)

Handmade Spaces: Momental Designs

Today's handmade space is that of invitation and stationery designer, Kristy Rice.  Kristy uses hand-stamping, watercolor and other details to create beautiful and unique invitations under her Momental Designs label.  She also shares her space with her hairless dog, Harry!  Take a peek!

What do you create in this space?
I create handmade wedding invitations featuring my original artwork.  Each invitation is detailed by hand with touches of ink, watercolor or pen.  I create all designs from "scratch" so I utilize beautiful handmade papers and cut them to size.
Please describe what we see in the pictures a bit...             

I use paper galore, ribbon and of course my watercolor palette.  I gather inspiration from my art wall which displays artwork I have created and loved, sketches for future projects and ideas for projects I would like to create.  I am a big quote person so I always surround myself with inspirational words- my favorites are from Emerson and Helen Keller.  I take at least 10 new photos a day to post on my site so I have a simple but workable space near my front window to capture the morning light and take my best shots.  My big red chair was a favorite find at a local shop and my hairless dog Harry keeps me company most days here...
How do you feel when you enter your "handmade space"?
I have been in business for five years and just recently revamped my studio space.  Before the remake, the space was useful but completely uninspired and just plain boring.  I now feel energized when I enter this space, even on messy days where I have 5 projects in flight and am wading through paper and covered in ink...I somehow feel at peace.  I can now take a look at my art wall, my pattered flea market curtains, my $5 vintage red chair and know this space is all me, all mine.

How freakily cute is Harry, huh? 

Check out all the custom invitations and stationery that Kristy creates here at Momental Designs!

It's black and white

I love these pen and ink drawings by LaMaga- they're simple, yet feel like they have a definite story to tell, something secret, something whimsical, something that's a bit outside the realm of the real world... 

Yay for Tay!

It's official, I'm moving to Portland, OR!  Yay!  Thanks to the lovely and gracious Tay from the Found Object blog who happens to be the manager of a vintage apt. complex in my favorite section of Portland, my boyfriend and I are all set to move in about a month to my wishful thinking city come true.  I'm so so excited, I can't stand it!  I've wanted to move to Portland for years, so badly that it seemed like it would never actually happen.  But now it is, thanks to the incredibly helpful Tay! 

Not only is Tay as sweet as can be, she's also very talented.  I love these statement rings she creates for her twirl shop from silver, copper, vintage buttons and other materials- they're very sculptural and unique:

She also has another shop called bread + butter which features unusual and affordable jewelry and art prints:

So, take a peek at my soon to be neighbor Tay's wonderful collections and wish me luck on the move!  Yaaaayyyy!!!

Handmade Spaces: Lis Kidder

We have another very honest portrayal of a real artist's studio today, that of miss Lis Kidder.  Lis' space is self-admittedly a little disastrous from an outside viewpoint, but for her, the surroundings are invigorating and proof of all the creative energy she's expelled.  Take a peek into her somewhat messy, yet productive space!
What do you create in this space?
More than just chaos! I create kiln-fused dichroic glass jewelry and the occasional lampwork bead.
Please describe what we see in the pictures a bit...
My studio began as the corner of the table that you see in the photo. It used to be our dining room table. As time went on I took over more and more of the table, adding new tools and more glass. I clamped a lampworking torch to one end, and stuck a glass grinder in the middle. Then we moved, and I claimed the biggest bedroom in our new apartment (and we bought a new dining room table). It's the command center of my business, and I do everything in it. The right side of the room is used for cutting and fusing glass, and creating jewelry. I store most of my supplies on that side, in plastic tubs that I picked up at Target. The left side of the room is reserved for photography, shipping and working on my website. We're looking into buying a house right now, and I'm hoping to take over an entire floor (shhh don't tell my fiance).

How do you feel when you enter your "handmade space"?
Energized and focused. My studio is a disaster area because whenever I'm in it I'm caught up in a frenzy of creative energy. New ideas zip through my mind as I'm working and I try to grab them all and implement them before they are whisked away. It looks like the laboratory of a mad scientist, but it's actually the studio space of a very happy artist.

Thanks Lis, for giving us a peek into your real, everyday space!  To see the pretty glass jewelry that Lis creates here, check out her website, Dichroic Jewelry!