the fells

photos by Jennifer Sarkilahti

Jennifer's lookbook for her Odette A/W 2011 collection, The Fells, is now up on her website.  And I helped!  In addition to modeling I made a cut out sleeve top especially for the shoot, which I traded to Jennifer for the fox claw earrings.  It was pretty hard to decide what to get, but I plan on buying more of these pieces in the future.

It's so exciting to see all the hard work going on in the studio finally come to fruition in this collection.  I'm lucky enough to have seen the process from start to finish, and let me tell you that these are works of art.  Each design is hand-carved by Jennifer like a tiny sculpture, and after being cast into metal everything is polished and finished.  The quality of work that goes into these pieces is outstanding, making them worthy investments.  Read more about the collection here.

 Despite the fact that I'm in them, I love these photos!  Aren't they lovely?  Go, Sarkilahti!  She's good at taking pictures.  Sometimes I even consider trading my camera in for the one she uses, but then I remember that it's not just about the camera.

missed you

photos of my studio

I had to go away suddenly for a family emergency, and now I'm back a week later.  Phew.  This has been a pretty emotional time--I'm not sure I'm ready to dive back into work, but I'm going to anyway.  September will be a very full month, and there's a lot to do to get ready.  I'm participating in an event for Fashion's Night Out on September 10 as well as hosting an open studio night with my Dobbin Mews cohorts on September 30.  (We call our studios the mews because they used to be stables.)   More on those events later this week. 

I'm also going to start taking pre-orders for Tova shirt sewing patterns!  Yep.  The success of my first round of patterns practically demands that I do this.  Also, many of your e-mails demand that I do it as well.  Now that I know how long it takes to make the patterns, I'll be taking pre-orders starting tomorrow for patterns that will ship at the end of October.  I hope that by doing it this way, it won't take over my life again.  It will be less stressful to have more time to get them packed and shipped.  Again, these are limited edition, and I'll only take orders for what I can handle.  Once they're sold out I won't be making any more.  Pre-order here starting tomorrow, Tuesday, Aug 31, in the morning.

appreciation

I love my rings from Fay Andrada.  Petra and Amalia.  I wear them every day.  (The triangle ring on the right hand is from Mociun--love it too!)

bird dog

I love these paintings and drawings by Robert Clarke!  They're so fun and full of life, much like Robert himself, who visited Shannon in our studio awhile back.  He draws birds and paints commissioned portraits of people's dogs, and the way he captures the personality of the subject makes them really special.  Makes me want a dog.  And a whole wall full of these paintings, just like Richie Tenenbaum's wall of Margo paintings.  Robert sells his pieces here, here, and here, and his blog is here.

cruel summer

I pulled these images from 1980's and 90's sewing patterns found on this website.  What you have here is a collection of outfits I see everyday on the street in my neighborhood.  Of course the styling is different, and no one wears shoulder pads anymore.  Although I swear I've seen that first girl exactly, the one with the side braid, only with added accessories.  But seriously, most of this stuff is back in style.  I was probably too busy wearing Air Jordan t-shirts and Umbros the first time around to notice it, but I'm definitely noticing it now.  I want to make fun of it, but it's hard to when all the superthin twenty-one year old hipsters with their top knots make it look so dang cute.  I say we all just sit back and let the joy of nostalgia wash over us.  Here's a Bananarama video to help get you started.

new york gift fair

Do you recognize me?  Sarkilahti took photos of me wearing her jewelry for the Odette A/W '10 look book (to be revealed soon I'm told).  I hate posing for photos, but she made it easy.  Anyways, I'll be at the gift fair today at the Javitz Center helping her out at her booth.  If you're going to be there, please stop by and say hello!

patterns, patterns, patterns

Oh my gosh, people, oh my gosh.  I sold 100 sewing patterns!  I was not even close to prepared for that kind of volume, which is why if you ordered a pattern from me it probably took you about 100 years to get it.  I've been doing nothing for the past few weeks except eating, breathing, and sleeping sewing patterns.  Phew.  Madness.  Which explains why you haven't see me around here much.  

These patterns were such a labor of love.  I worked hard!  I drew and graded the original patterns by hand, and the instructions contain my own illustrations and photos.  I folded each and every pattern, stamped each glassine envelope, and made every sticker.  (Okay, my intern did a few too, but I did most.)  I almost thought I would never finish them all.

I noticed last night that I have a few patterns left over, so I'm selling them in my shop here.  After these are gone, there won't be any more.  My patterns for sale are limited edition only, which is something I'm doing to keep myself sane.

Thank you for your orders!!

etten eller

photos from Creatures of Comfort

New Etten Eller necklaces from Creatures of Comfort.

limited edition awesomeness

photos from fashionlovespeople.com

Starting today these Manimal (top) and Alyson Fox (bottom) necklaces will be available here.  They're limited edition, and I predict they'll sell out fast!

colorful tribal patterns

Clockwise from upper left:  JF & Son duffle backpack in geo block print, Agra napkin by Suki Cheema, Twelfth St. by Cynthia Vincent embroidered grocery bag, Pyramid necklaces by Brokenfab, and Nos Da pillow by Donna Wilson.

lauren manoogian studio

photos by Kelly Stuart from Elle.com

These photos of Lauren Manoogian in her studio from Elle.com are so inspiring.  I'm being photographed in my studio again today, this time for a magazine (the last time a few weeks ago was for a book).  I've been working hard on making my studio into what I want it to be, staining wood, building things, etc.  It's slowly coming together as a place that I look forward to working in everyday.  I love my space and hope to share photos of it here soon!