Modish

Sponsor Spotlight: The Studio

Visit The Studio for an ever-changing array of limited edition, indie designer goods.  The brick and mortar store is celebrating their 1 year anniversary this weekend and to celebrate, they're offering a special web-store discount!  Today thru June 1st, use code "1year" at checkout and receive 20% off your order!

Petals & Pedals: Leaving the money hungry giants starving

I'm sure it's been a long and strenuous week waiting for more of my gardening exploits, but dear readers I'm here to relieve you.   

Two weeks ago I searched high and low, racked my brain, outsourced, resourced, scoured and did it all over again trying to think of a non-consumer solution to a nagging problem: the 32+ feet of white vinyl fencing in our backyard. 

I kept thinking I'd cave and buy some long, cheap tomato stakes or pressure treated 2 x 2s from the big box hardware store, but decided on one last, desperate attempt at forking over a wad of money to some sort of corporate giant. 

A little back story (annotated version): We live in a house, immediately beside 50 or so condos on one side, an older, working class neighborhood on the other.  We have a partially fenced in yard for our 2 medium sized dogs.  The fence is about 50% recycled--reclaimed from a house being moved in order to make room for condos.  Some condo dwellers vocalized disapproval of reusing fence panels.
Said condos are fairly new and adorned with fencing of their own in white vinyl. 

We, me, my Mr. and the condo dwelling neighbors had a few incidents with some neighborhood hooligans and decided to deter them from both areas (which they used as a cut through to get from one street to another) by joining our fences.  Discussion ensued, and the HOA of the condos offered to hire someone to do the work.  Sounded good and the next thing I knew, a large white vinyl fence was jutting out into the yard.  Not exactly what we had in mind, but it's cemented into place, so it's there for a while. 

The problem desiring resolution: Tying said fence into our more natural appearing yard via a trellis for the already thriving hops and loofahs newly planted around the base of the fence.  Um, yeah, I usually garden first, think second.  And yeah, I wanted to fix all this doing so with a budget of nada, and renewable resources to appease the guilt of indirectly supporting 32' of 6' tall plastic.

The steps to approach the resolution: I finally decided on bamboo: an exotic and invasive species here, which means there should be plenty of dense patches, and homeowners wanting some relief from their overgrown mega-grass.

An easily renewed, quickly growing, rather sturdy resource, bamboo is gaining popularity in flooring, furniture, even fabrics.  Actually, it's tensile strength is greater than steel!

Constructing the trellis:  First I staked out some areas that were dense, and appeared to be on unkempt  property.  I tried working
up the courage to just go get it, but didn't quite find my muster. 

Instead I searched Craigslist. I found several people offering to sell bamboo, and no matter the price they wanted ($2 a stalk, $50 a truckload, etc) they all were cut-it-yourself.  I couldn't rationalize me paying to do them a favor.   Instead, I put up a wanted ad stating my budget requirements (free!) garnished by my desire to beat that plant bully back into submission. And I got a response several days later! After initial contact with the offerer of the free goodies, a little coordination, and mapquesting for directions to get there, me and my main squeeze went bamboo huntin'.

The tools we took: Our able bodied selves, a pick 'em up truck, some rope (to tie the bamboo to the truck), and a hacksaw.

Considerations and reconsideration after the fact on the tools we took:  Even with the temperate, mid-70s weather, it was too hot for Charlie in a black tee shirt.  I, was even smarter in 2 shirts and jeans.  So consider the weather, and plan your harvest earlier in the A.M. if it's hot, and definitely dress accordingly or plan to sweat, because there is a goodly amount of work involved. 

Loppers or pruners would've been much more helpful to trim the small, leafy limbs off the tops of the big stalks.

We only harvested 5 or 6 stalks, but here's what we learned in the process.  The stalks get much harder as they develop leaves.  The "greener" stalks were very easy to cut, but also very difficult to carry, since they were so wet and flexible.  These stalks were still sheathed in a pinkish, papery husk, covering the soft rubbery feeling lime green stalk.  Several of the young ones split and splintered just with light movement. (See  second image down: far right is youngest stalk, ages in progression to left, grayish, silvery oldest stalk)

I'm sure you've had bamboo in your Chinese take out before, but this stuff was an entirely different flavor from the brown shoots familiarly covered in soy sauce.  Not that we were feasting on it or anything, just really exploring the resource in different manners. 

Fresh, young bamboo has a cucumbery, grassy taste; it is wet underneath the leaves covering the stalk.  We removed those leaves in hopes to dry it out more quickly. It is very flexible, but also soft and split easily.  It took no effort to cut down, but great care in chopping into smaller sections, due to it's proclivity to split the length of the fibers.
Middle aged bamboo tastes like raw chestnuts; can be cut relatively easily.
Older bamboo tastes like a stick--and is nearly impossible to chew; still possible to cut, but progressively harder as it ages.

There are many kinds of bamboo with many different growth characteristics, including height and width.  This particular stuff was 30+ feet tall, which is why we only cut a few down--then chopped them into 10 foot sections. They were also an astonishing 3-4 inches in diameter, probably 3 times the thickness of the patches I'd been eying on the side of the road. With just a few stalks, we met our needs.   

When I got home, I placed the softer pieces to the side to dry before further handling.  A simple mock up in their new home and I decided 7 feet tall was an appropriate height to 1) allow for about 1 foot of the stalk to be buried, providing adequate structure and support to prevent the wind from knocking it over; 2) provide a great deal of surface area for the vines to climb all over; 3) diffuse the glaring white of the fence.

Cut stalks to appropriate height. 

Dig your holes deep enough to create a sturdy support:  Since the bed had plants in place, Mr Charlie took the corded drill and an auger attachment and drilled just under a foot down in the dirt for each post.

Posts went in, dirt was tamped back into place.

Tie on the cross beams: We used cheap jute.  Actually, Charlie was also given this task since he has many years experience in sailing and knows his way around a knot or two. 

We only put up several crossbeams at that point, deciding to marinate a little longer on the design.  Leaving the project that started out looking like appropriate decor for a limbo line at a tiki party, looking delightfully Japanese minimal.  The fence has transformed into a stark white background rather than the object of my gaze.  Success is within reach.

But, practicality will have to come into play with this design.

I think we'll end up either weaving in prunings from around the yard to create smaller gaps in the trellis or going to confiscate some of that thinner bamboo to weave back in with.  The smaller gaps will make it easier for the new growth to climb up and out. Which will also make harvesting a much easier job. 

The Journey to a Nearly Free Trellis (or why it was worthwhile to scavenge rather than forking over the dough): 

The people who volunteered their bamboo would've chopped it down anyway.  Immediately reducing waste.

It was a good excuse to exercise, as well as sweat out some of the toxins in the body.  A good sweat feels so revitalizing, that is, after it's cool down time.

The experience of walking through such a dense patch of thick bamboo was like taking a small vacation to a place I'd never been before.  It was magical--

But the true magic was interacting with a new material: handling it, feeling the differences in age, the sturdiness, the light weight, smelling the new-to-me fragrance, and the fresh taste I'd never been privy to before.  It was a hands on learning experience, which is really cool, and a vastly different experience from wandering down the fluorescent aisles of a big box store.

So yes, I could've spent $50 on hardware and supplies to give my vines a more organic jungle gym, but the experience of DIY is infinitely more invaluable.

Renee Garner has a passion to make things grow, although her brownish thumb wants her to believe otherwise.  When mud pies aren't on the menu, you can find her doodling the days away at Wolfie and the Sneak.

The Outer Limits...of tee design

There is nothing wrong with your monitor.  Do not attempt to adjust the picture.  We are controlling transmission.  For the next few minutes, sit quietly and we will control all that you see.  You are about to participate in a great adventure. You are about to experience the awe and mystery which reaches from the inner mind to...the Trouble/Tease shop!

Meet Troy Hicks: a man who has been compelled to draw strange figures holding flowers, petting small bucktooth dogs and chasing after UFOs- Troy is afflicted with a self induced case of "the weird."  He and his partner (who may be an alien) print these figures onto soft t-shirts under the guise of "Trouble/Tease" to make them more palatable for human consumption, and thus, easier to inflict their weirdness onto others.  Be on the look out for these tees- people who wear them have been known to gaze hopefully into the sky, they may experience increased levels of smiling and they often carry flowers in their hands.  These "weird" people may be anyone you know...your brother, your father, your best friend...do stay away from them as they have been infected by Trouble/Tease, and YOU could be next!

Sponsor Spotlight: Manic Trout

Visit Manic Trout for beautiful, affordable jewelry and original artwork!  Use code "205080100" at checkout for free shipping!

Struttin' down the street with my Cassi-o

I've forgotten now where I first saw these ever so lovely bracelets by Emma Cassi- but whoever you were who introduced me to them, thank you!  I am in love!  They are artful little wares that feature a mix of contemporary and vintage beads embroidered onto tulle and lace. 

They're so delicate and feminine, and truly unique, I've never seen anything quite like them before!  I want that green one at the top to be mine, all mine, but alas, it's just not in the budget of a girl who's currently trying to save up enough quarters to be able to do her laundry...damn!

Daisy Janie is gettin' busy!

You may not know how talented Miss Jan DiCintio, my fellow blogger over at Scoutie Girl, really is; not only does she keep up a wonderful blog, she also just released a beautiful new line of handbags in her shop, Daisy Janie!

And, not only are these handmade handbags and totes super cool and unique, perfect for your everyday, they're also made with custom fabrics that have been designed by Jan too! (She also sells them by the yard, if you're interested in creating your own goodies from them!)  Is it possible that someone out there is busier than me?  I may have met my match!

Jan also has these wonderful new pillow covers that feature a completely hidden zipper and a flip side that you can sport for a more simple look.  Along with these pretty little tea towels that feature a touch of Jan's fabric, you can accessorize your house in style.

And, as if she weren't busy enough already, Jan is, as we speak preparing for the Art Star Craft Bazaar that will be taking place in Philly this weekend- if you live nearby, be sure to stop by and check out all her awesome wares in person. 

I don't know how you do it all Jan- I'm tired just from typing this!  Phew!  :)

Sponsor Spotlight: Rachel Austin

Visit Rachel Austin for beautiful original paintings, prints and the latest addition to the line, map pendants!  Learn more about the artist at rachelannaustin.com and shop for her work at rachelaustin.etsy.com!

Warm your heart, or your head!

Monica Burnett, creator of crazy fabulous knit goods here in Portland, OR, has just launched a new website for her wares! 

It looks great and features the wonderful hats and headbands that she's become known for, as well as scarves, hairclips, pins, gloves and more!  There's lots of warm wares available for those of you south of the equator where it's starting to cool off, and cool accessories for those of us up here where it's starting to heat up!  And Monica was kind enough to offer a special deal just for modish readers, cause she loves you all so much: use code "modish" at checkout and get 15% off you order!  Thanks Monica!

Make-out with Marketing- a mini lesson

I love love love when I wake up in the morning, sleepy eyed and foggy headed, start sipping my coffee and going thru emails, not knowing what on earth to write about today and then, voila, immediately grabbing my attention is a well-written, nicely focused, short and sweet email from an indie business owner who makes tees...oooh, let me hear more please! 

"The mission of the line is to provide affordable and feminine garments for women that express feelings of romance, independence, and nostalgia."  Ah, I can feel it, I get it, I'm into it...and what does this line look like?

Oooh, the line is pretty, it's presented well and it looks like what they described in the email.  The photos look professional, visually interesting and they show off the garments well.  Score! 

But who makes these pretty things?  How do I know they're appropriate to write about on my handmade niche blog?  Well, as the maker, Amy, described in her email, "Every Little Counts is made exclusively in the east side of Los Angeles as a collaboration between myself and my husband Adam, who has a background in art and graphic design."

Well, I know I like them, but will my audience like them?  Who are these tees targeted toward?  "This is a girl who daydreams, fantasizes, and falls in love. The loose fit and low necklines combined with esoteric and romantic graphics create a nonchalant sex appeal."  Nonchalant sex appeal- LOVE it, and I bet my readers will too.

And, where can I find out more about you and take a look at all these tees? "Please feel free to check out the styles on our website, www.everylittlecounts.net."  Well, don't mind if I do....

Mini-Marketing Lesson- crafting a good introduction email:
I was not planning on exploring the marketing lessons behind a successful "introduce-yourself-to-blogs" email this morning, but the email I received from Every Little Counts was crafted so perfectly, it really caught my attention and made me want to write about them immediately- why?

1. The subject line mentioned Modish, allowing me to believe that they have seen my blog before and may be readers, not that they just stumbled upon it randomly (which would be fine too, but lead me to believe otherwise and I'll feel more emotionally connected right away)
2. The first line of the email was: "Hi Jena."  This smart person took the time out to search around the blog, find my about page, find my name, and address me as such.  Immediate score!  "Attention Modish editor" doesn't do it for me, nor does "to whom it may concern" or "hello dear sir" (damn Nigerian scam emails...)  If you want to have a blogger write about you, find out who writes it and address them directly- it's much more personal and grabs a blog editor's attention right away- if you can impress us in the first millisecond, you're off to a good start!
3. The email answered Who? What? Why? How? and Where? concisely.  The first sentence introduced who she is and what she makes: " I am an independent LA designer with a line of women's t-shirts called Every Little Counts."  Simple, easy, perfect.  The next line described why they make their tees; the niche they're trying to fill.  They then described who makes the tees, how they make them, and why they make them; the audience they're targeted towards.  Then last, but not least, they told me where I could get them and pointed me towards their websites.  It was quick, simple, and gave me all the information I needed to know in a couple minutes.  I clicked on their site immediately.
4. This email also stood out especially well from others I get because it had a very clear vision of their product line and who they are marketing toward.  They know their product, they know how to present it and they describe exactly the customer they're looking for: "This is a girl who daydreams, fantasizes, and falls in love." I receive many emails from designers that make their product sound a certain way, but when I click over to their site, I realize, it's not at all what I was expecting to see- if you say your items are "vintage inspired" and have a "bohemian feel" for example, then make sure others will see your products that way too.  Ask your friends and fellow designers for words they would use to describe what you make as it's often hard to see your own items objectively, and you may be marketing them all wrong.
5. They understand what my blog is about- handmade goods.  It's really simple, but it's a rule people break alllll day long.  If you're unfamiliar with the blog you'd like to submit to, take a bit of time out to explore it, read their about page (see a theme?), check out their categories and approach them only if you know your product would fit their theme.
6. They included a small photo to entice me- that's all you need.  In fact, no photos are fine too!  They did not include multiple large attachments, they did not try to make me open a huge pdf of their media kit (save those for magazine editors!) they gave me a little bit of eye candy, that's it.  Bloggers will grab the photos they want off your site, so including one is a beneficial sneak peek, but not necessary.  Really, it's your words that should make us want to click over to your site and explore more.

So, there you go, the nitty gritty of what a well-written introduction email to a blogger looks like.  Stay simple, stay on target, be personal with us but present yourself professionally.  And please, wait until you're ready!  If your well written email leads me to a blog site with no way to sell your work, an etsy store with 3 listings or a web-shop filled with poorly lit photographs, I (and other bloggers) am not going to feature you.  Have all the elements in place before you attempt to submit yourself to blogs, and you'll be much more successful!

I could really write a whole book on this so, have questions?  Need clarification?  Let me know in comments below!
<3 jena

Sponsor Spotlight: Andy Mathis

Visit Andy Mathis for paintings, prints, notecards and gift items celebrating animals and nature.  Mention "modish blog" in an email to Andy, and you'll receive 20% off your order!  (please wait for a revised invoice- offer valid this week only!)

Handmade Spaces: Cakehouse

Hey kids!  It's handmade spaces time!  This week we have the loverly Kristen who makes eco-friendly, hand-printed home accessories (which I glowingly reviewed on the blog before, here) under the moniker, Cakehouse!  Let's take a glimpse into where all her creations take shape!

What do you create in this space?
i make home accessories---napkins, coasters, placemats, tablecloths, pillows---out of repurposed fabrics, some of which i silkscreen on.



Where is it located?
i am lucky to have enough space in my house to have my studio located downstairs....  we are in a three-story townhouse in brooklyn, and my studio is on the garden/street level.  i share the space with our home office, so there are medical records in one drawer of the file cabinet and sales records in another. and the extensions of my studio are the laundry room, where i wash all of my fabrics, and the backyard, where i dry them on the clothesline.



What sort of tools/equipment do you use?
the tools of my trade are: my wonderful 1965 white (the brand, not the color) sewing machine, purchased on ebay a couple of years ago; the iron that i've had since college and the burly ironing board that i found on freecycle.com; a cutting mat, rotary cutter, and long metal ruler, which live on a great old drafting table; my screenprinting set up, which now resides on a killer metal work table that i got from a photographer who was cleaning out his studio; and my little black macbook.



What inspirations do you keep nearby?
all of my books and magazines are in the room with me, so i have everything from the latest issues of domino and vogue to my old copy of anne of green gables. and out my front window, i can see my flower garden and the graffiti on the garage across the street.



What do you like to listen to/watch while creating?
during the day the radio is tuned to npr, unless there's a ny mets game, in which case it's tuned to sports radio 66, wfan.  at night, if there isn't a baseball game, i listen to my itunes on random (lots of sleater-kinney, rilo kiley, mountain goats, rolling stones, tribe called quest....), or pandora.com, which i just discovered and is really fun.



How do you feel when you enter your handmade space?
calm and energized, and proud of myself for getting this whole craft biz off the ground.

You should be proud, Kristen, it's a great success to start your own business, and keeping it eco-friendly is even more enviable!  PS: I need that "have you hugged your cat today?" sticker!

Find out more about Kristen and her business on the Cakehouse website, and shop away for all the cute goodies she creates right here in the Cakehouse etsy shop!

Spoiler alert

Sometimes there are moments when you just need to spoil yourself- and sometimes, jewelry does just the trick.  This new webshop featuring the incredible jewelry by Marianne Anderson will have your "I deserve it" function set to full alert, showcasing handmade treats made with oxidized silver, pearls and garnets- each and every piece is oh so decadent, oh so beautiful, and will have you saying that it's oh so time to treat yourself to something special!

Back for more, and then some...

I'm back from a little break and my oh my, my email cup hast spilled over.  While I start trudging through the muck of "proven enlargement secret" emails to find the genuine emails from you lovelies, please take a look at the newest Design for Mankind Inspiration e-zine...this month, it has a new fancified format and is filled with nature photographs by a variety of artists with thoughts on their work.  It is my favorite issue yet!  Erin, how do you keep making these things better and better?

Petals & Pedals: Self Preservation and Growing a Sea of Free

I think I can speak for most everyone here in the indie land when I say that the independent spirit naturally enforces sustainability.  Just in case you don't see the connection, here's how Wikipedia defines "sustainability": 

humanity’s investment in a system of living, projected to be viable on an ongoing basis that provides quality of life for all individuals of sentient species and preserves natural ecosystems. 

Supporting a small business, and DIY-ing when possible, are deeply intertwined with using what you have, finding local sources, and using your purchase power to let another human being know you appreciate the time and energy they've invested in handmade goods.  Often, though not all the time, the indie lifestyle seems to breed new media buzzwords: locavore, vegan, green, eco-conscious, earth-friendly. . . which ones am I missing?  While these words gain popularity, they also seem to gain status, and subsequently gain heftier price tags. 

Obviously part of my interest in gardening is the frugality of growing my own chemical-free (aka organic) produce, guaranteeing a certain amount of integrity (fair trade), and beyond those principles to the greater reward of self-sufficiency.  Starting something from seed, watching it grow, harvesting, and then enjoying the fruits of your labor (how much more local can you get?) can extend beyond tonight's dinner. 

Several years ago my sister-in-law taught me how to water bath can.  Her trusty go-to source is the Ball Blue Book of Canning, a $5 resource of immeasurable value, complete with recipes and step by step instructions. In my personal experience, a book (especially one at that price!) is very convenient when you're in the middle of canning.  If you don't know how to can and are interested in learning a bit, check out the Ball Jar site for a quick dip in a whole new world of food preservation. Check out their basic instructions for canning those tomatoes you've been nurturing all spring. If canning is a bit too daunting, one of my favorite, super easy tomato keeping methods is to slice them thin, spread them on a baking sheet, sprinkle with a little sea salt and olive oil, and put them in the oven on the lowest temperature you can.  Keep them in there for several hours, time will vary from oven to oven, but I've found the slower they are dried the better the end result. Et voila! Homemade sun- (ok, well, oven-) dried tomatoes {1}.

With all the careful cultivation of my raised beds, my very wild, chemical-free lawn is to be a great resource of it's own.  Lately I've been very interested in foraging the yard, finding "free" foods that don't involve dumpster diving.  Dandelion greens are becoming more common as a salad green (gourmet, even), but those are the only substitutes for what are normally high priced, fancy goods. Capers are my newest obsession after reading an article on making them from dandelion buds {2}.   I'd thought I'd missed my window of opportunity to try them this year, being a week late mowing the lawn (eco-conscious?) proved me wrong.  Saturday morning I walked outside to check the garden and found a backyard full of dandelions.  I promptly sat myself in the tall, itchy grass (so much for keeping up with my kneeling pad) and began to pick flowers for the table and buds for the belly.  I picked  about 2 cups of buds and enough flowers to fill 2 vases, which have kept the house extra pretty while I wait for the buds to finish pickling {3}. My recipe is a combination of the dandelion caper recipe and Lynne Rossetto Kasper's nasturtium capers recipe, and if they turn out bad, I haven't really lost anything but a little salt, water and vinegar, but I've gained an afternoon of sitting in the sunshine playing house like the imaginative little 5 year old I once was. It also made me wonder why people hate having weeds in their yard.  I've never minded before, but now I find each dandelion to be a treasure in itself.   

All spring I've been see wild blackberry bushes in bloom on the side of the road, taking mental note of their location.   When they're ripe, I'll go back and pick them by the basket full, and make all sorts of jellies and desserts as I've done in years past {4}.   Other edible wild plants I've positively identified and plan on using include wild ginger, wild onions, and Queen Anne's Lace (wild carrot).  It should be noted, as all of the other sites and books I've found also say, wild plants need to be positively identified before consumption.  Please forage with care and certainty. To really geek out on some free food ideas, try Wildman Steve Brill's website.

So you see?  All it takes is a little elbow grease to keep your natural food desires palatable all year long.  Then once you realize that even a weedy yard is actually a gourmet buffet, you'll be a foraging foodie, too.  Actually, you'll be an eco-conscious, green, locavore living a low impact, energy conserving, chemical free, free range lifestyle, or at least something high-falootin' like that.

Renee Garner has a passion to make things grow, although her brownish thumb wants her to believe otherwise.  When mud pies aren't on the menu, you can find her doodling the days away at Wolfie and the Sneak.

Bad Girls

Something about these prints by Leigh make me wanna be a bad, baaaad girl.  A bad girl from the post-punk 80's era specifically, who wears fishnets and red red lipstick and pink pumps, smokes like a chimney and drinks vodka tonics under florescent lighting, nodding her head to Bauhaus playing in the background... yeah... one of these kind of girls...

These girls make bad seem pretty sexy.  Find more sinfully delicious ladies in Leigh's shop, and re-live (or re-imagine) your glory days, you naughty girl you.