Good (Shop) News, Everyone!

Now that I have the internet back I can finally share all my good shop news with you! Firstly, I have at long last added my new headbands to Branchbound! Take a look:



Avye, Adiel



Madelief (Sold!), Braith

Madelief was sold to no other than Karen of Small Earth Vintage! I'm so excited to see pictures of her in it! Not to worry, though, I plan to make some similar styles of headbands with those circles. Any colours you'd like to see? Also, the Adeil headband is made of white lace I have a lot of so I can dye it almost any colour. It's perfectly customizable!

I have also reached 100 sales in my vintage shop! This calls for a celebration...stay tuned! ;)

And, last but certainly not least, I have some great news...

Slubird Vintage will be selling at Vintage Heaven in Chicago on July 3rd!

Vintage Heaven is an event where different vintage vendors set up shop in a gallery space in Wicker Park. I know a few people who have done it and loved it, and the people who run it are super nice. It's Saturday, July 3rd from 12-6. If you are around I would love it if you stopped by and said hello!

Friday Links for 04.30.10

• A Wild Nobility: An Adam Ant Exclusive By Simon Price Propbably the best interview I've ever read. Whether you are a fan of Adam Ant or not (you should be) this is still highly entertaining.

• Storque Spotlight: Shop Red Leaf I love this Etsy shop and I love this interview just as much. Nice in-depth account of what it's like having an Etsy business as your full-time job.

• Behind the Curtain: 20s & 30s Class Gaps A lover of Old Hollywood investigates why the Class Gap is so prevalent in films from the earlier part of the 20th century.

• Sewing Tutorial: Perfect Bows A nifty sewing tutorial from the lovely DearBeatrice!

• Sesame Street's Monsterpiece Theatre presents "Twin Beaks." This is pretty much the Slu version of Twin Peaks:

Friday Links for 03.26.10

• They are reissuing The Babysitters Club books And this is a really interesting editorial stating why it's important that they do get reissued.

• Spring Cleaning: Detox Your Space There's a million articles about cleaning out your closet, but this one had me at "What fashion enthusiast wouldn't lust over a closet that could pass as a little boutique?"

• Spool No. 72 I am lusting after all these delicate Spring items, especially the tops, even though I can't afford them. Story of my life, though. Swoon.

• "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story" Worth it just to see Patton Oswalt as Dr Demento.

• DYI Tutorial: Make Your Own Kraft Packages A must read for anyone who likes sending post that's anything but ordinary!

• Do You Alter Vintage? Jennine at The Coveted asks, and defends, her answer to this question. I, too, am torn and can see both sides. I hem a lot of garments, sometimes take them in, but have yet to do a "dramatic" rehaul. I'm really curious of everyone's opinions on this. Please share!

Branchbound

Tonight Branchbound, my handcrafted jewelry store, launches! Here are a few of my fave pieces:



Bluma, Liluye, and Devorah

Please take a look, let me know what you think! Each item also ships free with any item purchased at Slubird Vintage (whose sale ends tonight!).

Recent Acquisitions: Accessories

Yes I'm a horrible spendthrift and I'm addicted to shopohol and blah blah blah. But if I wasn't this blog would be boring! I do it for you, dear readers.

Here are my fave recent accessory purchases (the first being so recent I haven't even gotten it in the mail yet!) from these fair intertubes:



black velvet hat from Perty May on etsy



vintage crocheted collar from ebay



silver twig ring (on right, and actually a belated anniversary gift from my gent) from Colby June on etsy

Also something about the cool weather makes me get super crafty. I made the following little ditties:



sock garters for my over-the-knee winter socks - I might post a tutorial for these, would anyone like that?



necklace I made - First (and awful quality) picture of the jewelry that will be in my etsy shop as soon as I have a decent amount of things ready! This might be a bit premature...but I'm excited either way!

I also have a queue of knitting patterns for a(nother) beret and some long black opera gloves for the dream cape I will probably never own. Once summer breaks I find myself knitting 500% more, I am even doing a commissioned scarf on the train in lieu of reading! What crafty things do you like to work on? What accessories do you covet lately?

Things I Love Thursday - 10.01.09

• monthly astrology forecast - Every first of the month I think "Oh boy, a new astrology forecast!" Read yours here.



• vintage hats - Now that my hair is getting long my hatred of hats is subsiding. It might also be in part to it not being worn as curly as it can be lately, though. At any rate, I find myself searching for an everyday-yet-glamourous topper. This beret found on ebay is cute, but it harkens the DYI spirit inside of me. I wouldn't be surprised if in a few months time I have a full-on millinery hobby budding!

• fall baking - As the temperature drops, my appetite becomes more ferocious. I see more leisurely breakfasts of french toast, bacon, and coffee on my days off in my future. But aside from that, I long to have an excuse to try my hand at a pecan pie, pumpkin muffins, chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, and of course whipping up my tried and true banana bread.



Left to right: birdqueen, tree & kimball, both on etsy.

• jewelry making - Another creative surge of energy I am getting is from the endless amount of inspiration I find browsing etsy looking at gorgeous jewelry. I have been meaning to experiment with that for a while, too, and am browsing supplies all over the place. Here are some of my favourite etsy sellers lately, whose work I love to ogle:
birdqueen
chinacherie
mama's little babies
ragtrader
tree & kimball

• the great closet purge of 2009 - I'm getting there! I photographed a bunch of stuff for etsy and ebay last weekend, and the etsy listings are gradually being put up. I'll have a bigger post when I'm finished, but I added about a dozen things so far if you want to have a look.

Things I Love Thursday - 09.10.09

• Renegade Craft Fair - Saturday and Sunday in Chicago is the Renegade Craft Fair! It's pretty much like walking through Etsy if it was more selective and in Wicker Park. A lot of things I do not buy, but it's great for getting ideas and picking up cards for possible holiday purchases. I realized a week ago that this will be my fourth year going to Renegade. In 2006 I didn't purchase anything, in 2007 I bought this ring from Lucky Loo Loo, and last year Michael bought both of us some cute stationary from 16 Sparrows. Check out the official website here.

• The Violet Hour - I hate promoting this place even though it's the best bar in Chicago because I like how tucked away it is (or was). This place is perfect- expertly crafted cocktails in a classy and divine setting, very dim, perfect for groups or an intimate date. Just look at the menu! Yum. If that doesn't persuade you, check out the inside:







• fashism.com - Fashism is my new guilty pleasure; it's like Hot Or Not but with clothing. I love voting on good or bad outfits, and offering up advice. The only problem I have with it is it isn't updated too often (but I guess that's a good thing cos I'd waste too much time on there otherwise).



• the little black vest - It's not exactly the same as the dress, seeing as how it's almost more accessory than apparel, but the plain black fitted vest looks perfect, on any body type and with any outfit.

• Melissa Shoes - These Brazilian-made plastic/vinyl sustainable shoes are conceived by a variety of famous footwear designers including Vivienne Westwood, Zaha Hadid, and J. Maskrey. They are unfortunately out of my price range, but just barely so I may invest in a pair on sale. They look like they would be uncomfortable but they are surprisingly very, very comfortable, based on the flats and heels I have tried on. When I can find an excuse to I will definitely be getting a pair of These Vivienne Westwood designed t-straps:

Things I Love Thursday - 08.27.09

• mochas - This cold weather has me craving these bad. I suppose since it's basically a hot chocolate with more caffeine, and god is it perfect with soy milk and no whip. Makes me tempted to get an espresso machine.

• erica-knit's chunky knit cowl - Pattern available here. What an easy knit, and fun to be using giant needles (pattern calls for 17s but I am using 15s) and thick and quick in a nice Chartreuse.

• getting a haircut - Oh man, I need one so badly. Especially cos your hair grows faster in the summer. Where do you look for ideas on cuts to bring to the stylist?



• modern beehive - Speaking of hair, shown above are persephassa and hannah karina from flickr, sporting their modern beehives. It's not as cartoony as a 60s one (or Amy Winehouse) but adds a nice lift to the crown. I tried it myself last night; do I look stupid or can I pull it off?



• weekends off - What to do, what to do! I never know what to do with myself when I have two days in a row off work. I'm such a busy bee I feel I should make the most of it.

Things I Love Thursday

Sorry blogiverse, I know it has been a while (a week is eons on these Intertubes). I was in Lawrence visiting my gent until Tuesday night (so the only thing I was hating Tuesday was leaving...and my wicked caffeine headache, but I digress). In general, though, I have a bunch of ideas for articles for this thing, and I'm going to try to be more diligent about writing them up. I often think of these things while in my hair/makeup zone-out time or riding the train/walking around zone-out time and then once I get to a computer it's all gone.



• EZ Combs - I saw a woman on the train wearing one of these about a month ago and thought: Oh my god, how neat! It's like a comb and a snood combined! I debated asking her where she got it but didn't; luckily it turned up on a google search for "double combs" (which is also the name of a similar product. Basically you put one comb in your hair and stretch the other side around your loose/bunned/twisted hair, and ta-da. I have a glamourous hairdo in seconds, and thank god for these because my hair looks like shit down lately cos I need a haircut!

• summer drinks - On the alcoholic side I have my constant companion- Vodka tonic, the sweet Tom Collins, and the delightful $3.99 Trader Joe's Vinho Verde Espiral. It's a Portuguese green wine- a white wine with immature ("green") grapes that give it a light yet dry taste, but sweeter than other dry whites. Normally I'm a sweet Reisling fan, but I am liking the taste of this with and without food. And at that price, why not? As for non-alcoholic, if you can get thineself to a Sonic, please drink a Cherry Limeade for me.

• my shows, my precious shows - Now that I am finally all caught up with Weeds, and it seems it should be ending its 5th season in a few weeks, I am running out of things to watch...and just in time! August 16 is the premiere of Mad Men's third season, the 20th is the premiere of Project Runway's sixth season, and a hop, skip and a jump away on September 17th is the premiere of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia's fifth season. Good thing I renewed my Rapidshare account!

• assembling furniture - While in Lawrence I talked my guy into getting a desk, and then I promptly (well over the course of two days, but not my fault) put the entire thing together. And, as far as I know, it has not collapsed so I think I did a pretty good job IIMSSM. Also, since I am in a tiny tiny bedroom I have wall shelves all over, and I put them all up myself- and again, no collapsing, whoopie. I recently bought myself an electric drill/screwdriver and am itching for more things to put together. Know anyone in need of a handybird? By the way if you share my love, or at least a passing fancy, in furniture construction you must read one of my fave blogs, ikea hacker, hours of entertainment and good ideas.

• free stuff - Who doesn't love free stuff? I've been haunting Allure because of their month of free giveaways, and just poked the head in at Bionic Beauty for the first time today and got some coupons for freebies. Also my Seattle's Best Coffee coupon for a free cookie is burning a hole in my bag. Man, I'm hungry.