tawdry trappings

What's new? Well I'll tell you!

2011-12-16T15:34:00.000-06:00

I've posted quite a few new handmade jewelry items in my etsy shop. I plan to get more pieces photographed and posted to etsy next week if at all possible. Unfortunately my ability to photograph items well is contingent on nice bright sunlight, which unfortunately the great city of Nashville has not seen much of lately. Sunday promises to be sunny and bright (and more importantly not blisteringly cold) so I should have a good set up in the back yard with my white foam core and boxes of treasures. I often wonder what the neighbors think I'm doing back there as I live on a corner so all of my backyard, amateur photography shenanigans are visible to every Joe Schmoe on the street!

I've also got some delightful vintage items up with more to come! I've got some strange and lovely pieces in the hopper just waiting to be photographed and posted.

I am also delighted to announce that my very own Zazzle store is up and running. There are for more designs available than what the screen shot shows here.

The last Porter Crossing Arts Market

2011-12-05T11:58:00.001-06:00

Yes, I am doing 2 events with "Porter" in the name back to back! This Saturday from noon until 9 pm I'll be sharing a hefty space with some incredibly talented friends at the Porter Crossing Arts Market. For those of you that have attended previous events, we used to be across the street, but that space has been rented, the fine folks of Craftville will still be in the left side of the building, but the rest of the crafters (and there will be many) have moved to the space directly behind the Family Wash. Tell your friends! it's the not the most conspicuous area, so look for the banners and the extra tall globe lights.
Stay tuned for pics of new items for sale...

Porter Flea Holiday Market

2011-11-23T07:53:00.001-06:00

The summer Porter Flea Arts Market was such a huge success that they've decided to do it again for the Holidays! I'll be sharing a booth with Music City Suds on Saturday December 3rd from noon until 8pm at the East park community center.

Below are a few new things that I've been working on, including my Bullets A-Flyin' series using spent shells and feathers.

Rumours East Wine, Chocolate & Shopping

2011-11-07T13:13:00.002-06:00

I'll be at this event with a small sampling of handmade and vintage goodness along with a host of other vendors. Remember, the shopping is free to enjoy, but you'll have to pony up $20 for chocolates & wine, but it is WELL worth it!

November Porter Crossing Arts Market

2011-11-07T12:43:00.000-06:00

The November Porter Crossing Arts Market will be from noon until 9pm this Saturday, November 12th. I'll be there with vintage clothing, furniture and household goods, as well as handmade jewelry, art and decor. There has been such a great selection of vendors at the past 2 events, I can only imagine that it will get better in these last 2 shows seeing as how we're getting close to the holidays.
Check out details on their Facebook event page.

2011-10-20T10:14:00.000-05:00

I'll be at the Edgehill Village Artisan Fair this Saturday with delicious and delightful jewelry, decor, art, furniture and vintage. The list of vendors looks fantastic and to be honest I am super excited about the inclusion of local food trucks. It's going to be yummy for your tummy and your holiday gift-giving needs!

Stacks on Decks

2011-08-24T13:59:00.001-05:00

I have a dog in this fight, so to speak.

Comin' atcha' this Saturday! Saturday! Saturday!

I present to you Stacks on Decks!

Oodles of local artists have custom designed/painted/artified skateboard decks in this show. There'll be music, food, drink, live painting, Djs & most importantly, ME! These are artisan made, Birch skateboards, so please come by and pat my hand reassuringly and tell me that I didn't ruin one. ;)

Aftermath of the 2nd OMG Flea Market

2011-07-29T10:46:00.000-05:00

So the 2nd OMG Urban Flea Market was this last Saturday, what a scorcher! (both literally and figuratively) I have to say despite the fact that the weatherman said that it got up to 105º out there, it was a good day. I got to hang out with the incomparable Jessica Hodges of Pokenbag (her Etsy shop is here), the Farmer's Wife, Shannon Smith, and the always lovely Jenny Dawes-Drone of the Restoration Project. They were my booth buddies. My talented friend, Miss Marrah Florita, was there as well, but she was soooo faaaaar awaaaaay and it was sooooo hoooooot, that I didn't speak to her much. If it wasn't within 10 feet or serving cold beverages/air conditioning I was not interested!

I was very afraid that sales would be down thanks to the heat, but Inglewood never disappoints me with their support of local events. Come hell or high water, they are out there with their foldin' money and a smile. I can see the appeal of living in such a vibrant community, but alas, I am a west-sider through & through.

Speaking of supporting that which is local (and awesome) the site where we were holding the event will some day soon be home to the Urban Green Lab. A soon-to-be-built community center to promote sustainable living. They had a booth to get the word out, it sounds like a really cool project.

And on the subject of reduce, reuse, recycle, I had a couple of vintage chairs. They were wonderful chairs, they looked deceptively like your typical early 20th century wooden dining chairs. What made these two special was that they folded up if you push in the super secret release on the back. It's like having a secret passage or something, but it's a chair! I recovered the seat with part of an old nylon/acrylic quilt top that I had lying around and I just fell in love with them all over again. I kinda' didn't want to sell them. Turns out though, that each one went to a photographer. One went to the proprietress of Stella Dolce Photography and the other to a lovely lady named Jessie who wrote about my chair in her blog! I was pretty flattered that two separate people who make it their business to capture beauty, bought something that I found and redid. Not that I'm not flattered when anyone buys my stuff, it reassures me that I'm not entirely crazy for making this stuff!

I look forward to next time and further affirmations that I am not mad.

A rack full of Pokenbags!

A wire rack full of Pokenbags and if you look closely, the elusive Jessica!

My vintage tea tine lanterns, clocks and various and sundry items.

necklaces! necklaces! necklaces!

a suitcase full of hates and hair adornments.

ashtrays shaped like states, scarves and the teeny-tiniest sombrero you ever met!

this this is vinyl, mid-century, fabulous and offers a HUGE amount of storage.

a trio of mid-century vases

earrings, tiny purses and one heck of a Wonder Woman belt.

chokers, bracelets and the weirdest, folding sun hat I have ever seen. (OK, the only folding sun hat I have seen)

candle holders and the infamous Whiskey Choker.

some planters, curly slippers and "raise the roof" Buddha stand atop the Ruth the Acrobat nightstand. (no one loves her like I do)

2011-07-06T16:15:00.001-05:00

Hey everybody, go here this weekend!

You can get more info on it here. I'll be part of the Craftville Vendor Sampler Booth!

Below are the items that I'll have in the booth God willin' and the creek don't rise.

It's a beer! It's an earring! No, it's BEER-rings!

2011-06-17T09:38:00.000-05:00

Just a little something new I've been working on. These beer cans (which also come in Budweiser, Coors and Schlitz) were novelty gumball machine prizes in the 70s. Yes, these were for children. I have removed them from the ultra-classy plastic strings they came on and joined them with a little antiqued brass chain and some faceted, amber briolettes to mimic drops of that golden nectar of the gods, beer.

I'll be at the next Artsy Chicks event June 25th!

2011-06-15T12:41:00.000-05:00

I'll be at this stellar event at the Station Inn (in the Gulch), in fantastic company with all new jewelry and decor for you to love.

And so it begins

2011-05-06T12:10:00.001-05:00

Hopefully over the next week I'll be able to post a little more every day of what I plan to bring to the first ever (ever, ever, EVER!) OMG Urban Flea Market. And I just found out that they are allowing handmade at the flea market as well as everything else. There should be a huge variety of things offered there, it'll rock your face off guaranteed!
Here's the first wave:

OMG Urban Flea Market

2011-05-05T14:19:00.001-05:00

I'll have a car-full & a truck-full of vintage goodness at the very first OMG Urban Flea Market, Saturday May 14th. You'd do well to come and check it out. There'll be tons of other vendors, food trucks and if all else fails the AMAZING inventory at Old Made Good (OMG) to keep you occupied. There's also Japanese food, coffee, bagels, beer and ice cream all within walking distance, so make a day of it!

In the coming week I'll try to post a sampling off all that which I plan to bring.

Feel free to RSVP on the Facebook event page and check out some pictures of items that will be available.

newest neckwear

2011-05-05T09:50:00.000-05:00

Made from antique Japanese Netsuke. One male, one female

Detail of male Netsuke necklace

Detail of female Netsuke necklace

Made from a vintage, handmade, felt brooch and an antique tassel. The face-brooch is also a pouch.

Made from a vintage, straw brooch.

Made from a vintage, sterling brooch

Made from a vintage, beaded ornament

This into That contest

2011-04-15T16:29:00.000-05:00

Urban Outfitters is holding a contest promoting up-cycling and recycling. I'm hoping that this little necklace will be considered good enough to place.

New jewelry and accessories for the Inglewood Cherry Blossom Festival

2011-04-14T10:36:00.000-05:00

rings, rings, rings

rings

surprise! more rings!

you guessed it, RINGS!

"Like Grandma Used to Make"

Feather on Feather Fascinator

detail

"Stag Party" Vintage Volksmarch badge necklace

sterling and art glass bracelets

"Stag Party" Vintage Volksmarch badge necklaces

detail

"Stag Party" Vintage Volksmarch badge necklace

"Hypnotic Visions" necklace

"I've just Seen a Face" necklace

"Vultan" Nerd Pimp Flash Gordon Series

"Sexy Den Mutha'" necklace

detail

"Stag Party" Vintage Volksmarch badge necklace

Feathered Fascinator and button hair clip

Bobby Pins

2 Finger Rings

"Time for Some Luck" necklace

"Stag Party" Vintage Volksmarch badge necklace

"Too Much to Bear" Volksmarch necklace

I [heart] Roller Derby necklaces

2011-02-28T14:10:00.000-06:00

As an after thought I made these necklaces for the show using salvaged vintage jewelry pieces and skate keys that I'd been sitting on for a while.

Eye of the Tiger

Penalty Box

Honky Tonk Stomp

Blood, Sweat & Tears

Derby Matrimony

I [heart] Roller Derby: Feminism on Wheels

2011-02-28T13:57:00.000-06:00

I recently had the reception for my very first solo show at Blackbird Tattoo & Gallery. I chose to create an ode to my favorite sport and some of my favorite ladies in the world, the Nashville Roller girls.

Artist Statement:

The women of roller derby are tough, but graceful; strong, but elegant; aggressive on the track, willing to take and inflict pain, and yet gentle & supportive of their derby family and willing to give of themselves to the community. All of these coupled with the savvy and determination that it takes to start up and maintain an organization like a Women’s Flat Track Derby league are only just a small part of what moves me about this sport and the women who participate in it. Women from every walk of life sacrifice their time, money, mind and body to participate in a sport for nothing more than that, sport. They are not paid, they are not given endorsements or accolades, they merely want to be better than they are, to compete and have fun doing it. I find myself enthralled with these larger than life women, their personalities and their abilities. They often take on alter-egos, or at the very least, monikers before they take to the track, which for me adds to the mystique. To me they are like super heroes, dressed for battle, but without sacrificing their personal style, sexuality and femininity. To my knowledge, never has there been a sport that belonged so completely to women, having no male counterpart to lead people to automatically disparage and diminish it as the “girl’s” version and therefore somehow watered-down or inferior.

I have chosen to create representations of some of the players using vintage dolls, as I enjoy the juxtaposition of what is traditionally considered to be a representation of not only female beauty and frailty, but of the expectations of what they should be and want for themselves. Rarely do you find such a pure representation of feminism and empowerment as you do in modern roller derby. Not only do they carry the responsibility of training themselves, keeping themselves healthy and achieving their competitive goals but they take on running the business end of such a large and complex operation. It is not merely fishnets, lipstick and brute strength; it is business acumen, tenacity, creativity and know-how. These ferocious amazons give of themselves in so many ways for the entertainment of the masses, but they are so much more than athletes & business women to me. I find them to be patron saints in a woefully under-populated pantheon of female role models.

Britches N' Hose

Leann Crimes

Maulin' Monroe

Lady Fury


Demoness

Four Leaf Roller

Hildabeast

Suzy Ho'Maker

Ramb0 Samb0

Jennifer Smith

Hair baubles and general up-cycled shininess...

2011-02-28T13:22:00.000-06:00

Necklace made with red coral and a vintage wooden fishing bob

hair clip made with vintage finding, a vintage button and a salvaged metal tassle

made from a pair of vintage rhinestone buttons

hair clips made from computer processors

made from wooden leaf finding, a paper flower and a vintage, lithographed tin butterfly

hair clips made from vintage bird brooches

bobby pins made from vintage, single earrings

bobby pins made with vintage Disney's The Black Hole V.I.N.C.E.N.T. charms

bobby pins made with vintage, fabric rose earrings and wooden leaf findings

bobby pin with vintage dogwood blossom pendant and wooden leaf finding

peacock earrings made with vintage deadstock pendants and sterling earwire

REtune Nashville starts THIS SATURDAY!

2010-10-19T10:20:00.000-05:00

The charity auction and concert that kicks off the official start of the REtune Nashville project is this Saturday Oct. 23rd.
Below are some not-so-flattering pictures that I took of my piece before I turned it in.

Fanny's Choice VI

2010-09-27T09:45:00.000-05:00

It's time for the Fall Fanny's Choice and I have LOADS of new items for sale. Gorgeous dresses, fancy coats, skirts, capes, jackets, the list goes on and on! I have fur, leather, velveteen, silks, and more...

I'll also be selling my upcycled jewelry as shown in the previous post, so come on out and see what the Nashville vintage world has to offer!

Fall 2010 Jewelry items

2010-09-16T13:50:00.000-05:00

Flowers & Iron $125

Yet again I have shirked my larger artistic responsibilities to play in my boxes of shinies. I have reworked a couple of pre-existing pieces much more to my liking and made a few from scratch. Please look them over and let me know what you think in the comments. I'm pretty new to jewelry making over all, so I'm trying to learn as I go.

I love Scotch! Scotchy-scotch-scotch! $60


I <3 Motorheads $65


Guns Don't kill People, I Do $50


detail of the Junior NRA medal used in Guns Don't Kill People, I Do


Light as a Feather $60


Detail: This utilizes a vintage Coro brooch that is still intact so that it can be secured to your clothing if needed.


South of the Border Down Mexico Way $65


Art Nouveau Waterfall $75

If you have any questions about the items used I will answer them as best I can. Thanks for looking1

ReTune Nashville

2010-09-10T09:18:00.000-05:00

I am extraordinarily honored to be participating in the ReTune Nashville project. For those of you that haven't heard, ReTune is a non-profit formed to aid uninsured musicians who experienced losses during the flood. "How do they plan to do this?" you may ask. Well, by collecting ruined instruments from musicians all over Middle Tennessee, sanitizing them (that flood water was NASTY!) and redistributing them to local artist to turn into visual art pieces to be auctioned off. I was lucky enough to be accepted to participate with the likes of Manuel (yes the fancy, rhinestone, cowboy suit guy), Jason Lascu, & folk artist Bebo, as well as some personal favorite of mine, Jeff Bertrand & Jessica Hill! This by no means a complete list of artists, but this is! I am excited and more than a little bit daunted to be in the company of such well known and talented folks, here's hoping that I don't embarrass myself!
I am still hard at work on a piece entitled, "Shattered, but Unbroken" involving the remains of a mandolin, an octave of piano keys, some bass strings and some bits of a couple of violins. While it was heartbreaking to sift through the rubble of other people's lives when selecting these items, seeing all of the potential and knowing that so many people were lining up to help made my heart swell with pride! I love this town, it's rich musical history and our volunteer spirit!
Speaking of volunteer spirit, ReTune could use everyone's help spreading the word about their cause and the upcoming art auctions. They're also still looking for sponsors for the event so if you or someone you know could help out in that capacity, please go here. Tickets for the event have gone on sale, here, so go get you a few and come see what is sure to be a fantastic night of live performance and gorgeous art for a fabulous cause.

To give you a taste, the video below is from artist Randy Purcell who has made some truly stunning pieces of functional art!

Older work

2010-06-28T10:36:00.000-05:00

I just found a cache of pictures of some older stuff. No time like the present to dwell in the past!

East Nashville Arts Fest is THIS WEEKEND!

2010-05-18T12:40:00.000-05:00

This Saturday and Sunday (May 22nd and 23rd respectively) I will be included among the many talented vendors from Tennessee and beyond in the East Nashville Arts Fest. They will be blocking off a portion of Woodland Street at 5 points to have a real-deal street fair full of wonderful handmade items. I will have loads of new pieces for sale including patchwork metal wall hangings, tea tin lanterns, tea tin clocks, upcycled vintage mirrors, jewelry and so much more. I am sharing a booth with the incomparable Julie Morris of Fringe Lore jewelry and we will be giving 15% of all sales to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee to help with flood relief. Come support the local economy, support the arts AND support flood relief. (at our booth, anyway)

There will also be a Fanny’s Frock vintage clothing sale at Fanny’s House of Music on Holly Street just off of 5 Points on Sunday. Normally I would be there with loads of vintage clothing for you to love, but alas I cannot be in 2 places at one time. You could have a lovely Sunday brunch at Margot or Marche, shop for a summer frock and then come get your handmade on at the craft fair.

Come on, you know you wanna’!

Mesh Open House!

2010-04-26T09:59:00.000-05:00

Jenny & Heather, the lovely co-owners of Mesh Boutique, are having a Spring Open House. Loads of discounts on their fantastic inventory, which includes pieces by your truly, as well many other talented mid-state artisans. Designer clothes, breathtaking handmade jewelry, handcrafted home decor, fine art, accessories, the list goes on and on, all ready & waiting to fill your home with handmade goodness and at the same time support local artists.
Make a day of it, bring your friends, stay for lunch on the square, it'll be great!

The perils of online selling

2010-04-12T08:58:00.000-05:00

For those of you keeping score at home, I recently posted this lovely, vintage, silvertone cha-cha necklace for sale on my etsy vintage shop, Meretricious Vintage. Almost immediately someone bought it, I was thrilled. The strange thing was that they didn't pay for it. Today, I was going to their site to drop them a line reminding then that payment is past due, (it is etsy's policy that a buyer pay at the time of purchase) when I noticed that they have a 45% rating on the site. 45%!!! How does it even get that low without etsy disabling the account? It is obvious from large number of negative feedback comments that this is a habitual thing and should have been halted long ago. This person obviously does this often, very often.

What I completely don't understand is, why?
Why would you click to buy something that you have no intention of paying for? Why would you actively seek out screwing over people you have never met by falsely buying jewelry? If you're short on cash and can't afford to buy it from me right now, contact me and I will make a custom listing and reserve it for you. Really any communication about not being able to pay immediately for any reason should be a given. I was just sure that this was the case before I saw the feedback page. (of which I sampled some of) At that point I didn't see any reason to pursue payment, I followed up the friendly reminder to the "buyer" that I had just sent almost immediately with this:

Upon reviewing your massive quantities of negative feedback for this exact problem, I will be contacting etsy to cancel the sale. I'm not really sure how someone with feedback that low is still allowed to maintain an account on this site, nor do I quite understand what it is that you're playing at ordering things and not paying for them. Please show some respect for the people who go out and pound the pavement & work hard in order to bring great vintage items (not to mention slaving away to make handmade) to people all over the world.
Any future orders from you in my shop will immediately be canceled and I am requesting that due to a pattern of behavior that etsy disable your account.

And I have done just that and left yet more negative feedback to boot. I would hope that etsy could put some sort of filter in place that once a user's feedback reaches a certain point that the account is at least flagged for review, if not immediately disabled. I am not holding my breath that etsy will disable this account, they are notorious for letting things slide as long as possible, if they ever do anything at all. Sure they're quick to jump on and disable people selling iPhones on their site but apparently flagrantly terrible business practices take a little more time to deal with. We shall see how this scenario plays out. The good news is that this beauty of a vintage necklace is available again for purchase by any legitimate etsy buyers!

New jewelry pieces

2010-04-07T15:48:00.000-05:00

So I've been venturing back into jewelry-making waters. More to the point I've finally decided to start using all of the spiffy odds & ends that I collect and rework them into necklaces. Below are the first 3 pieces created. Only one of the 3 is finished, the other 2 need clasps.

Made with an old liquor medallion, salvaged rosary chain, copper Art Nouveau reproduction connectors and thick copper chain.

The centerpiece of this necklace is actually a part of an old Art Nouveau gas powered chandelier from the late 1800's. The rest are vintage looking modern items.

Detail shot of the same piece.

Made using a salvaged, decorative lamp pendant and modern vintage-look findings.

Detail shot.

Mid-Centory Modern Norwegian necklace FTW!

2010-03-19T08:48:00.000-05:00

I found this at an estate sale yesterday and I am just in love with it. I always like to look into any marked jewelry I find, so here's some additional info on the artist who designed it, Unn Tangerud. Please note the picture at the bottom right of this page, look familiar?

Here is a link to ebay listings for the same jewelry house and at least 3 of them were made by the same designer as this piece. I won't tell you how much I paid for it, but I can tell you it was nowhere near what these folks are asking.

I love this style, it looks ancient and modern all at the same time, gorgeous!

It's good to be accepted!

2010-03-02T12:26:00.000-06:00

Or at least it's good for my ego, anyway. I got word today that I have been accepted into the East Nashville Arts Fest that will be going on May 22nd & 23rd in the 5 Points area of East Nashville. I will be sharing a booth with the incomparable Julie Morris of Fringe Lore to keep costs down and have a "Hey I've got to find a bathroom" booth-watchin' buddy. I'll post more details including a list of the other artists when I get it. I can not wait!

New items finally posted!

2010-02-25T14:26:00.000-06:00

Nothing says "class" like naked ladies...

2010-02-22T12:40:00.000-06:00

In my thrift store adventures this weekend I found these beauties for sale.

While they do not hold the record for the item to sell the fastest in my etsy shop (that would be the boobie coasters seen below) they did sell within hours of being posted. Never underestimate the power of boobs.

Mesh Boutique

2010-02-16T10:49:00.000-06:00

Mesh Boutique is a rockin' little shop just off of the square in downtown Murfreesboro, TN. About a 45 minute drive from Nashville and well worth the stiff legs and numb butt! As you may remember from a previous post, I had dropped off some items for them to sell in early January while they were recuperating from the Christmas rush and regrouping. Because I caught them at an off moment and all manner of art, crafts and clothing were coming in I decided to hold off photographing and blogging about the shop. (that and it gave me a good excuse to go back to Murfreesboro and check out the groovy looking shops in/just off of the square) Well the new goodies have steadily flowed in so it was time to pay them another visit. Luckily I would not be alone, my friend Amanda consented to head down there for a girl's day of window shopping & lunch. While killing time before my first appointment my mother and I had cruised around the square where I saw a great little collection of shops. I was intrigued and had assumed that I could make a full day of shopping and strolling, but unfortunately most businesses on the square appeared to be closed on the weekend. I was expecting something much more like the downtown shopping district in Franklin, TN, but it turned out to be more of a ghost town let down. I really see a lot of potential here, but given that it is only in recent years that interest in downtown centers in this area has increased, it may be a hard row to hoe for a while. I talked about this with one of the co-owners, Jenny Kitchen, and she sees the same potential that I do. We both feel strongly that Murfreesboro could easily become a shopping destination of boutiques, artisans and tasty food. Speaking of tasty food, upon arriving in Murfreesboro we ate at Marina's in the square (per Amanda's recommendation) and it was inexpensive, delicious and delightful. I could say more about them, but that is for my other blog. After a delicious meal & a cup of coffee for strength, we headed on over to peruse all of the new stock that Mesh has gotten in recently. I have to say that I was impressed by my initial visit, but I was blown away by what I saw this time around. For a shop that has only been open for a year and 1/2 these ladies have really got their stuff together like old pros! They have taken what is fundamentally a long, cinder-block, cave-like structure and made a warm, inviting wonderland of affordable art, clothing, accessories, home decor and so much more. I was pleased and impressed by their collection of plus-sized designer/small-run clothing as it is most definitely not something you see everyday. The owners pride themselves on being able to provde something for almost everyone, affordably and while supporting local artists. There's also a heavy emphasis on recycling and reusing items not only in the works for sale but in the shop itself. Peppered with furniture and antiques from their own collection as display pieces, they have managed to build a shop that has enough variety in it that you could spend hours perusing it all, but you never feel claustrophobic or crowded, everywhere you look there is something new. And a point that I can not iterate enough is how affordable everything is! They have some higher end art and a few items of designer clothing that are a bit pricey (and understandably so) but overall you will be floored by how inexpensive everything is. My friends Amanda just kept gushing about how hard it was NOT to spend money there due to all the great stuff and fabulous prices. Charming, gorgeous accessories, delicate designer clothing & butt-enhancing jeans (see a pro-jean testimonial here) are side by side with a huge variety of locally crafted jewelry, home decor & bath products at a steal! The real challenge is not spending you grocery money on all of the adorable items up for grabs. Jenny & Heather (the co-owners of Mesh) have worked hard scouring the Middle Tennessee area for emerging artists and designers and do a fantastic job of displaying and promoting all of the local talent. Unlike a lot of other shops who attempt to hoard their vendors all to themselves, the ladies of Mesh go out of their way to sell the people behind the products and drum up future business for these talented folks. I know that it sounds horribly self-promoting as I have items for sale in their shop, but sincerely, I cannot recommend this shop enough, you should make an effort to visit them in Murfreesboro, it is well worth the trip!

Below are a few pictures that I took while in the store:

Designer clothes & digital art.

Inexpensive vintage-look wall art. (the small ones are made by me, they just happen to match a piece by another artist that they already had)

Handmande jewelry, totes, wall hooks & ceramics

Handmade bath & body products

Wall art, magnets & cup cozies, oh my!

A stylish place to hang your hat...

Amanda admires upcycled vintage lingerie!

Gorgeous one-of-a-kind and small run designer clothing.

This looks cozy, doesn't it? (hanging tea-tin lanterns are made by me)

Mesh Boutique

113 W. Lytle Street

Murfreesboro, TN 37130

615-895-0255
Mon.-Fri. 10 am until 6pm
Saturdays 12pm until 5pm

For more info on Mesh check out:
The article in the Murfreesboro Post.

New vintage items for February 2010

2010-02-08T10:08:00.002-06:00

Twin Velvet Tigers $40 pair (approx. 12x18)

Raaaaaawr!

Pair of Chocolate Brown Teapots $20

(actually the tiny one is probably for cream)

21 piece Inarco Mood Indigo Dish Set $45 all

(there's some chipping, but overall it is groovy)

Woven Straw Fruit Trivets $8 all

Vintage Moustache Mug $13

25 Piece Chinese Serving Set with English Rose Pattern $40 all

Unusual Green Vase $15

Vintage Indian Fabric/Wallpaper Stamp $20

This is not one of those Pakistani/Afghan knock-offs sold as decorator items, this baby was really hand carved & used for it's intended purpose. I was told that it was used for Victorian wallpaper, but I am skeptical.

Frilly Pale Blue Glass Vase $15

Native American Themed Amberina Toothpick/Match Holder $10

All of these items and more will be available in my etsy vintage store by Friday February 19th.

Meretricious in the 'Boro

2010-01-20T13:42:00.000-06:00

I just recently met with Jenny & Heather of Mesh Boutique (follow them on Twitter!) just off of the square in Murfreesboro to discuss carrying some of my work. Thankfully they accepted almost everything that I took out there to show. This is fantastic and I could not be more pleased!
I will be doing a full write up on them, so more details (and pictures) are to come!

21st Century Goodwill

2010-01-12T09:45:00.000-06:00

I have recently fallen in love with shopgoodwill.com and all of the treasures that it affords. Not only a great place to buy musical instruments, random pieces of art & general oddities, but a great resource for serious collecting as well! I have found tiaras and vintage wind-up toys, Dansk enamelware and Siam Silver, I could go on & on, but suffice to say if you're serious (or even not so serious) about collecting shopgoodwill.com is the way to go! You simply set up an account (as you would with etsy, ebay, ruby lane, etc.) and you are ready to go. The great thing about this site is that while it is a collection of many, many Goodwills across the country, you can choose to shop just your local stores. The great thing about that is that many locations allow you to pick up your item in person, which avoids all the shipping charges. It's also nice to shop online conveniently and still put money into your local economy. (which of course means paying sales tax, but then I like being able to pay policemen and teachers, et al.) As with any auction site where things can get a little heated, I've seen some items go pretty high, but I have yet to see any items even approach the high end price-wise for similar collectibles.
Below are some pictures of a few collectibles I have seen recently with the current price at the time of posting (the water mark is less opaque on the site):
Dansk metal animal figures (bull & bear, great for the stock broker in your life!)
$5.95

Wind up crawling baby doll
$52

Van Briggle bowl/vase

$103.02

Siam Silver jewelry set
$10

Copper Bell Southwestern Jewelry
$5

Tons of new items posted!

2009-12-10T14:31:00.000-06:00

You can find loads of new items in both my craft shop and my vintage shop on etsy.

Vintage Rotary Phone Clock - JUNKMARKET Style

2009-11-04T10:42:00.006-06:00

I have another featured project on the Junkmarket Style website. Check it out!

Vintage Rotary Phone Clock - JUNKMARKET Style

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Girl's Afternoon Wine & Chocolate tasting with a side of SHOPPING!

2009-11-04T09:03:00.003-06:00

Click on the image for a larger version.

Handmade in the Arcade

2009-10-30T16:01:00.000-05:00

I will be plying my wares at this event. The vendor list is most impressive, I am excited to participate!

Buttons!

2009-10-13T10:22:00.004-05:00

Did I mention that I make buttons?

No? Well I do!

Check 'em out! (I even made some Halloween ones!)

Tea Lights Part 2

2009-10-10T10:07:00.001-05:00

In my previous posts about the lanterns that I make out of vintage tins, I mentioned a free standing version. (as opposed to the hanging swag/pendant/chandelier lights I had made previously) Here are some pics of the ones that I have completed so far, I am pretty pleased with them.

Dia de los Muertos Skulls

2009-10-03T18:03:00.001-05:00

I have always been fascinated by Mexican Catholicism. I find it rich and beautiful, a glorious blend of the native pagan beliefs and traditional Catholicism. The imagery and tradition move me in a way that I have not experienced with any other aspect of Christianity. Not the Sistine Chapel, nor Byzantine murals, nor the countless other Christian art & artifacts get my blood pumping like the bejeweled, brightly colored images from Catholicism south of the border.
The celebration of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead or All Souls Day as it is otherwise known) has always been one of my favorites. I enjoy the idea of honoring and remembering those friends and family that have gone before us. I am also captivated by both the Christian and the pagan aspects dating back to Aztec celebrations honoring ancestors and the "Lady of the Dead" the goddess Mictecacihuatl. The flowers, offerings, paper banners and boisterous celebration is the way I feel we should all look upon those we've loved and lost, not with despair, but in celebration of the love they have given us and the life that they led.

Sometimes I feel like I am coopting the beliefs of others for my own amusement. Having had no real religious upbringing I am equally fascinated by the philosophies and imagery of all world religions and I try to treat them with respect and love when using said imagery in my work. Sometimes though a little cheeky humor creeps in, but I think that most people everywhere take themselves a bit more seriously than they should.
All this is leading to the fact that I found paper mache skulls at Michael's (already discounted and it was only the 5th of October! What is the world coming to?) so I bought an armload and started painting. I have to say I really enjoyed myself, it was fun to just jump in and let the images and colors flow. My only regret is that I didn't consider what I was going to paint more, I am not much of a planner. Traditional artist poo-poo such methods and I see the value in planning, but it just takes the excitement and inspiration out of it for me. I think if I had stuck to a common theme they may have turned out better, but I wanted each one to be distinctive. Hopefully the next round will be a bit more polished.

Antiques at the old country store

2009-09-24T10:09:00.000-05:00

Carter's Creek Station in Columbia, TN is another one of my favorite places to shop. Owned and operated by Linda Jones-Lloyd, it is a wonderland of the old and unusual. Every time I visit my grandmother in Columbia (which admittedly is not as frequent as it should be) I stop by this old country store in the middle of nowhere. My mother and I are often the only visitors when we're shopping (no worries though, they do alright) so it's as though you're exploring a place that no one else knows about. The shop consists of a 100 year old general store and "The Granary" which is across the street right on the tracks where they unloaded deliveries from the trains oh so many years ago. There are several rooms filled ceiling to floor with every era and kind of antique imaginable. Everything from fine Victorian furniture to primitive pie safes to mid-century modern kitsch are represented and affordably priced.
Generally speaking "The Granary" contains the over-flow merchandise or things that are maybe a little too junky (my favorites items, by the way!) for the antique store proper. I find it handy to have my digital camera with me so that is there is something without a price tag I can snap a picture and show it to Linda when I walk back across the street. (it beats awkwardly trying to describe it and where it's located in relation to other items) Linda, the owner, is a doll and as funny as they come. I once weathered a tornado in her shop and the entire time she was cool as a cucumber, cracking jokes and talking about the fortitude (or lack thereof) of the building we were in. She is often out of the store at auctions, estate sales, yard sales and the like, but not to worry the folks she leaves in her stead are just a kind and helpful and Linda is always available by phone to help price anything unmarked or find something she set aside for you. Once she gets a feel for items you may be looking for she often adds them to her shopping list and brings you back treasures from all over the Southeast. It is not merely her finds in the store, she rents booth space to several people adding to the eclectic flavor of the store.
There's almost always something I have never seen before at Carter's Creek Station. Things both sweet & traditional and that which is funky & bizarre. Over the years I have purchased an adult tricycle, countless furniture items, Indonesian Buddha heads, architectural findings, dolls, jewelry, men's ties, crocheted doll panties (yeah, you read that right!), the list goes on and on, but suffice to say that there's plenty to choose from and the price is always right. I challenge you to not find something you want to take home! I always find some treasure (more often than not several treasures) there every time I visit, not to mention that the bucolic setting and a profusion of eye-candy, make it a must see if you find yourself in the area.
Carter's Creek Station Antiques is located at:
2984 Carter's Creek Station Road
Columbia, TN 38401
931-486-0405

Thursday - Saturday 10 am until 5 pm (sometimes later)
Sunday 1 pm - 5 pm
Monday - Wednesday by appointment call 931-270-0720 or 931-619-1072

cool stuff, weird things

2009-07-29T09:45:00.013-05:00

So I may have mentioned before that I have work for sale at a shop here in Nashville, formerly known as the Crystal Dragon it is now known as Cool Stuff, Weird Things (new website coming soon) a name which conveniently came pre-painted on the side of the building! Located in an older (and some like myself would say charming) shopping district, this shop is a great source for funky stuff, affordable finer thrift and art. (if you're an artist, stop by the shop with some work and see what shakes out) You can't miss the fiberglass Elvi (Elvises?) that flank the door as you drive down Charlotte and that is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the strange and unusual you can find here. Vintage & antique furniture, home decor, art, kitschy collectibles, garden decor, vintage clothing and so much funky stuff I would wear out the keyboard on my laptop listing it all, you get the point. Just check out the pics below to see what I am talking about.

The large birdbath & the companion urns are not for sale, but it is a welcoming little vignette as you walk in.

There are several of these round, tiered tables FULL of treasures like cookie jar cottages and Godzilla!

A vintage chalk piggy bank (although it is spelled "pigy bank" on the pig's belly) carnival prize makes me grin every time I see it. And that golden nekkid lady is sure to class up your joint should you decide to adopt her.

A wood & metal glider swing makes a comfy spot to sit back and admire Elvis #1.

Matched set of vintage lawn furniture with a beautiful spade leaf design is sure to please, but I am more intrigued by the cardboard Bluto peeking out from behind it.

Cool Stuff, Weird Things is located at:
4900 Charlotte Avenue
on the corner of 49th & Charlotte
Nashville, TN 37209
If there is no parking to be had on the street, feel free to park across the street at the park, there is always plenty of room and there's a crosswalk with a traffic light right at the corner they're on.

Hey, you should join their Facebook fan page!

I won!!!

2009-07-28T08:52:00.004-05:00

I won first place and have the plaque and vinyl banner to prove it! Thanks to everyone who voted for me, I was as shocked as anyone could be that I got first place. My friend Jeff Bertrand got 3rd, he is a stellar artist and as I told him, "I look forward to getting my ass kicked" by him next year. My friend Jon won the Biggest Geek superlative and my friend Ramb0 Samb0 of the Nashville Roller Girls won 1st for Most Athletic, beating out The TN Titans AND Nashville Predators TEAMS. Like all of them, combined, PROFESSSIONAL athletes could not hold a candle to the hard-hitting, fast-skating, ridiculous work-out regimen having phenom that is Ramb0. I could go on and on about all my groovy friends that won (like Blackbird Tattoo & Gallery taking home 3rd after only being open for 2 months and the Piper family cementing their food legacy on the east side with a couple of 1st place wins) but I will spare you. The Yazoo brew was especially delicious due to its ice-cold free-ness and the buffet was a bit of a let down after last year's spread, but still delicious. In a bit of redneck, beeriness I shouted out the window as we were leaving the tourist are of downtown, "I'm number one! Wooooo!" and was pleased to get a chorus of random "Wooo's!" in response. It was a good night.

OK, I didn't make this, but I wish I had!

2009-07-17T11:56:00.007-05:00

These are from the fine ladies at The Junk Gypsy Co. who are a little bit country, a little bit rock-n-roll deep in the heart of Texas. They bring cowboy, Mexican and bohemian/gypsy aesthetics together into a shop that makes me flip my lid every time I go there.

Check out these jugs here.

and these bowls here.

Oh & while you're at it check these & these out, too. You know, just go through the whole site, it is chock full of stuff that I want, that I need, that I MUST HAVE!!! And you'll love it, too! These ladies truly uphold the meretricious lifestyle!

When it rains, it pours! Luckily I like to play in the rain!

2009-07-15T09:42:00.004-05:00

I have been invited to the Toast of Music City awards banquet which means I have placed in the top 3! Thanks to everyone who voted for me for Best Local Visual Artist, I am thrilled to place for the 2nd year in a row! I will update everyone with the final results. (and likely a review of the tasty buffet and free local brew)

I have a featured project!

2009-07-15T09:27:00.003-05:00

I meant to post this when it was fresh (and I was closer to the top of the page) but I am a featured project on the Junkmarket Style website. Mine is the posting that is currently second from the bottom. This is the finished product of those tea tin lamps I posted while in progress a month or 2 ago. I still haven't wired their table top counter parts, for I am lazy. (or some might say working 4 jobs, very busy)For those of you that have not seen the website/magazine it is a wealth of projects for recycling, reinventing and reimagining flea market finds and out & out junk. I like the website a lot because it invites reader contributions so you get some great ideas, get to see beautiful things and a lot of people just post the awesome junk that they have discovered.

Is it just me...

2009-06-24T09:12:00.005-05:00

or does this piece of art pottery STRONGLY resemble Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors?

I mean, that's why I bought it in the first place, mainly to see if it would turn to me and say, "Feed me, Valerie!" and I would then be tasked to find human sacrifices for my unholy pottery master. I also figured "what the hey" based on the mark on the bottom of the vase, U.S.A. 106. Now I have been told (by someone who is by no means an authority) that some McCoy pottery is marked with just USA and no mention of the McCoy name. I could almost buy that in this case as the item is that minty green they seemed to favor so much and they seemed to be fans of that strangely organic fluted vase type thing. However 48 pages of images from my Google search later I have not found any proof that McCoy ever marked anything with just a U.S.A. (nor did they seem to leave the bottoms unglazed as this piece is) nor can I find a comparable shape. If anyone has ever seen a piece similar to this I would love it if you could tell me more about it. My free time is so limited that I am unable to go to the public library and look at their books on pottery. (if only the public library was open at 11pm!) But I am sure that somewhere in the annals of history someone recorded a vase as odd as this one. Even if someone is familiar with the mark or can confirm/deny with assurance the whole McCoy marked with only a USA that would be great. It would put me one step closer to identifying this beauty. I am normally not too concerned with the collectibility of my purchases, but if Antiques Roadshow has taught me anything it's that art pottery can surprise you and I would love it if like my Van Briggle I have again purchased s very collectible piece on the cheapy-cheap! Two in one year would be great!

I apologize that the mark is not more prominent in this picture. My "photography studio" consists of me taking pieces outside into the direct sunlight because my camera is pitiful. Unfortunately in this instance it all but washed out the contrast in the markings.

And I mentioned Google, when I search "McCoy art pottery" in quotation marks, why then do you give me Hull, Rosewood and Van Briggle? I thought the quotes were supposed to eliminate similar, but not EXACT matches! Harrumph, I'll let it go because you have been super useful in the past, but you're on warning buddy!

UPDATE: Thanks to the ladies at Gathering Spriggs /Gathering Vintage who at this weekends vintage & artisan market had a similar piece that sparked a conversation with these learned ladies. It is most likely Shawnee pottery as they marked their pieces the same way and are partial to these stylized organic shapes and do not generally glaze the bottoms of their pieces. Thanks ladies, mystery now mostly solved!

Hey kids, VOTE FOR ME!

2009-06-19T10:46:00.003-05:00

So this is a horrible stab at self-promotion, but if any of you feel up to it, please vote for me in the visual artist category of the Toast of Music City. I took 3rd last year and would like to try for 1st this year. (but placing again would be SUPER) More than anything this is just useful in lending weight to my work when I am shopping it around to stores and galleries. The site doesn't care if you are in or around Nashville, so anyone in the world can vote on this one. You can vote once per day, per browser.

2009-06-19T08:54:00.009-05:00

Here are some fresh assemblages and vintage items that will be available at the next Walden Artisan & Vintage Market coming up this month on June 27th & 28th at the Walden Building. The Walden Building is located at 1900 Eastland Avenue across from Rosepepper. There will be tons of art, crafts & vintage of every stripe, check it out.

Lobster Princess $30

Mary Shrine $25

Cross Shrine $25

All Seeing $50

Fire King gilded dishes (11 pieces) $28 all

Decorative trays hand painted in Limoges, France $15 set of 3

Pair of hand painted china cups from child's tea set $12 pair

Demitasse cup & saucer $8

Set of 4 hand painted glass party set $25 all

Beautiful glass tray with flower transfers $15

Green pressed-glass pineapple toothpick holder $8

Green "controlled bubble" glass owl $10

Ceramic head vases $15 each

Westmoreland glass owl with jewel eyes $10

Westmoreland blue milk glass bud vase $12

30's ceramic creamer $8

Lemon yellow glass candy dish or face powder container $12

Amberina Native American themed glass toothpick holder $10

Saddler robin's egg blue teapot $10

Milk glass candlesticks $12 pair

hand painted Bon Ami ad from old general store $15
hand made stand with vintage components $15

Faux Amber necklace $10

Ceramic S & P with hand painted flowers $8 pair

I will have quite a bit of vintage that is not listed here in addition to many new (and LARGE) decorative pieces I have made, but yet to photograph. Don't miss out!

Oh Goodwill Outlet Store, where have you been all my life

2009-06-19T08:11:00.004-05:00

I went to my local Goodwill Outlet Store and let
me tell you, I am in LOVE! L-O-V-E! I can't wait to get paid again and go back!
I was so moved by the experience, I wrote an "ode":

Oh Goodwill Outlet Store, how I love thee, let me count the ways:
1 is for random plastic heads
2 is for antique lookin', mirror-covered jewelry boxes
3 is for bizarre ceramic African sculpture
4 is for the massive amounts of roller blades that
I didn't buy but made me giggle when I imagined Lady Fury (of the Nashville Roller Girls) calling them "Fruit Boots"
5 is for the various and sundry bizarre metal objects that I DID buy
6 is for the plastic (decent) recorder I found right after telling someone I could play one
7 is for the Muppet Movie & Great Muppet Caper soundtracks I bought
8 is for the dozen, groovy, nautical themed apertif glasses
9 is for the surly cashier in the wheelchair that couldn't bring me down with his bad attitude
10 is for the Bald Man's Grooming Kit novelty in its original box
11 is for all the awesome stuff I had to throw back
12 is for JUNK BY THE POUND!!!

w00t!
Man I had to walk away after going through only 6 of the dozen or so miscellaneous item bins (not to mention not even getting to clothes & linens). That place could become a habit, a bad habit. If I were more of a clothes horse it could get even worse!! Buying junk by the pound is a glorious and highly addictive activity. The people-watching is good there, too. It's funny to me the things that people are there after (and will knock you down to get!). There were half a dozen mothers with children in tow (kids clothes, blankets and decent toys), a fellow in a medical mask (because of the dust? swine flu? SARS?!?!) who obviously had his own thrift shop (or something similar) somewhere and was a regular (sports equipment, radios, clocks), the lady who obviously had a semi-fancy antique & gift shop (fancy wicker, wrought iron, wine glasses, candle sticks) and so many more characters elbow deep in the discards of others' lives. I love to watch what other people buy, it's almost as fun as shopping for myself...
I also discovered that "hey, hey, HEY!!" is the same in every language. There was a very zealous Latina woman next to me how didn't so much rummage as THROW things from one bin to another trying to race to the bottom, I guess. (if I had known we were racing I would have made a better showing) After I got hit with a rain of plastic toys and kitchen sundries, my cries of displeasure were heard and she moved to a bin further away to toss stuff about.
A "heads up" to any potential cart poachers out there, please be ready with a better excuse than "I didn't know this was your stuff" when I catch you taking things out of my cart. If you are going to flagrantly swipe stuff that other people have already dredged up for themselves, show a little initiative. (I guess if initiative was your style, you would have dug this stuff up yourself) Yeah I know how it could be confusing, the bins being huge, blue, plastic things longer than a person & 3 feet deep and my cart being this small, grey, mesh thing on wheels, they do look alike. I can also see how my standing right next to it with MY HAND ON THE CART might lead you to believe everything inside is fair game, but it's totally not. Why is it strangers think I'm a push-over? Is it the glasses? The chub? The lack of desire to make eye contact? Because believe me I am not shy and I will let you know, in no uncertain terms, when you are taking my stuff/skipping me in line/being rude in any number of ridiculous ways.
A word of warning to those who would swim with the sharks at the Goodwill Outlet, heavy gloves are recommended, glass items are randomly mixed in (I think mostly through people picking them from another glass only bin and deciding later they don't want them) and due to people like the Latina Loot Lobber stuff gets shifted, crushed, tossed and broken, so don't cut yourself! Nothing ruins a good day of thrifting like a trip to the emergency room & stitches!

My local Goodwill Outlet:
Goodwill Outlet Store
780 Berry Road
Nashville TN 37204

find yours at:
Goodwill Store Locator

Walden Artisan Fair THIS WEEKEND!

2009-04-24T15:12:00.003-05:00

I will be here, I will have new stuff, it will be awesome.

Details about the Walden Artisan Market

2009-03-25T14:50:00.004-05:00

So I have hammered out the details, the fair will be this Saturday 9-4 and Sunday 10-3. (that's March 28th & 29th) I will have a larger than normal sized booth as I will be selling some vintage furniture which I sadly do not have pictures of and possibly a decoupaged desk if I can find room to haul it out there. It will be at the Walden Building at 1900 Eastland Avenue in East Nashville across from Rosepepper Cantina.

Vintage items that will be available at the next Walden Fair

2009-03-18T13:04:00.005-05:00

The next Walden Artisan Fair be the last weekend of March at the Walden building at 1900 Eastland Avenue across from Rosepepper Cantina. I am not yet sure of the hours, but it will be Saturday & Sunday and will play host to a great cross section of local talent. At the last fair there were several painters, a couple of AMAZING vintage clothing booths, hand made candles, a leather artist, fabulous knitware, some of the best jewelry makers I have seen in Nashville and of course myself with vintage accessories, clothing & home decor as well as all the wacky art, jewelry & hand made whatnots that you have come to expect from me.

Below is a preview of some of the new vintage items ("new vintage" is much like "jumbo shrimp") that I will have available at this upcoming event.

The following shoes are size 7:

These have a slight scuff on one of them (I can’t remember which one off the top of my head), it may be just smutz and I have not tried to clean it off yet. You can make like Dorothy of Kansas in the book, not the movie and click the heels of your silver shoes all over town! $12

Classic black heels great with jeans, great with a cocktail dress, just plain great. $12

The following shoes are all size 8:

3 words: Designer Italian Leather
1 more word: AWESOME!
$35

Slipper style leopard print heels! **SQUEAL!** These make me want to cut part of my foot off ala the original Cinderella step-sisters to fit in them! Too graphic? Too bad, these shoes are hot! $25

These (and the navy version) are made of a stretchy, slinky, slouchy material which I bet is mad comfy, except I can’t try them on, because I have giant boat feet! $25

(these look black in the photo, but they are actually navy blue) $25

Yes, these are clear heels, you saw that, That just happened! I have another pair that is older (from the 60’s these are from the 80’s) but they need to be resoled, but when they are repaired they will be available for purchase as well. $25

Full length gold evening gloves. $8

This outfit is a must for anyone who wants to rock the “sexy librarian” look. Between the flirty black ruffle at the bottom of the skirt, to the eyelet lace of the top you’ll have tongues lolling on the ground when you walk by in this!
Blouse $15
Skirt $30

If you ever wanted to re-enact Cher’s “Half-Breed” video, here’s your chance. That is all hand beaded and still has the packet of replacement beads pinned to it for repairs! $38

Lovely beaded peacock blouse. This is GORGEOUS! (as well as pretty sheer as I discovered when photographing it!) $50

Oh yes, this IS on of those scale mail rocker tops from the 80’s and you KNOW that you want it! $25

Wide black, studded, leather belt. This one says I like to stay current, but I can also kick your ass! $8

Long beaded cord to be worn as a belt or “scarf”, it’s all sassy & sparklie! $12

Champagne beaded scarf. Watch yourself if you decide to throw it over your shoulder and flounce out of a room, you may put an eye out! $15

Off-white bohemian belt $10

Hotsy-totsy beaded belt nice & wide so as to stay up with the trends. $15

Great sale this weekend!

2009-03-12T11:19:00.002-05:00

There's a great vintage clothing and accessory sale that is going down this weekend downtown at Jani's Antique Mall.
I can't make it because I am officially broke, however I am weeping inside at the thought of missing it. Someone MUST go and buy something(s) fabulous and show me so I can live vicariously through them.
Fly my pretties, but fancy vintage things!
FLY!

Antiques Roadshow here I come!

2009-03-10T09:49:00.004-05:00

I am addicted to Antiques Roadshow on PBS, I can't get enough of it. I am not as concerned with monetary values (although that is a fun aspect) and more intrigued by the unusual items that people bring in and their history. (I especially like it when know-it-all people get shut down by the appraiser when they tell them that their "provenance" is pure B.S.!) You always see those people who find something in the trash or buy something at a yard sale for 25¢ and it's worth thousands of dollars, well that yahoo may soon be me! I bought the planter/bowl/random art pottery below for a whopping 5¢ at an estate sale. I just liked the coloring and its "art nouveau-ness", turns out when I got it home there was a mark on the bottom. It was back to back "A"s in a box and a cursive signature that I couldn't make out. After some arduous poking around on the internet I discovered that it was a Van Briggle! (probably made in the 30's judging from the signature)

Here's a bit of the history from the Van Briggle Pottery website:

Artus Van Briggle, an American artist of Dutch descent, was established as a world class painter in Europe. Having been trained at the finest academies there, and with paintings accepted by the Paris Salon, he received the highest honors for a painter in his day. Yet his artistic passions would ultimate lead him away from his brush, canvas, and easel toward another artistic pursuit that would ultimately define his genius. Though Artus was a brilliant painter, his artistic passions were most eloquently expressed in the forms and colors of one of history’s oldest arts – pottery. From his years as a celebrated artist at the famed Rookwood Pottery in Ohio he knew first-hand the extraordinary range of expression an artist could achieve with the potter’s materials. His pursuit was the creation of exquisite satin matte glazes, like those he’d seen on ancient Chinese masterworks, in a palette of glorious colors, never achieved by any artist in modern times. The materials this brilliant artist would use for his greatest artistic pursuit would be minerals from the earth - clays, feldspars, oxides, - and the glowing orange flames of a fiery kiln. When transformed by the creative mind and the skilled hand these materials become the essence of both humanity and nature blended in unity. Clay and glaze are indeed extravagant media, offering the artist a lifetime of challenges and rewards. Artus, however, didn’t have a lifetime – tragically, he had contracted tuberculosis and, though a relatively young man, his future was uncertain. Artus had achieved some success in discovering a formula for these beautiful matte glazes prior to his arrival in Colorado but he continued his work there, seeking a standard of perfection not yet achieved. Pottery is a melding of art and science, and during the time when he conducted his experiments Artus knew success could not come without the patience of a scientist and the passion found in all great artists. He pursued his vision with tireless effort, though the effects of failing health often interrupted his progress. No specific date is recorded, but one day in the spring of 1901 he reached into the kiln, with the anticipation known well by countless potters throughout the ages, and finally held in his hands the perfect, rich, matte-glazed pottery he had sought for so long - the first pieces created in centuries, the first ever on this side of the world. Against the odds of failing health and a pursuit which no western artist had ever achieved, he succeeded; his passion was realized - a lost art was now reborn. The world would once again see and touch of the soft marble-like glazes first known by ancient Chinese masters half a world and so many generations away.

Read the rest on the Van Briggle Pottery history page.

I have yet to pinpoint the value of my particular piece, I have found the color and pattern (which I believe is called "spade leaf", the color is Ming Turquoise, priced in the $2000-$2500 range) and some pieces with another pattern of the same size & shape (for about $150-$250) but nothing that matches mine exactly. Right now I am unable to pinpoint if it is the glaze/pattern that is desirable or the kinds of pieces that I have seen it on that make up the bulk of the value. Either way a pretty good return on a nickel!

Behold my stellar find!

swanky swag lamps

2009-03-03T12:14:00.004-06:00

So I have this illness where I buy any vintage tin I can get my hands on. I don't need them, sure a few have been put to good use storing pasta, grits & beans, but there is an entire shelf of them in my house just mocking me. After years of admiring them and adding more to their ranks, it finally came to me, I can make lamps out of them! Little tiny 40 watt lamps, more for ambient light than anything, but super cute nonetheless. The original plan was to make table lamps where the lid would become the base of the lamp and the body of the tin would work as a shade. The mouth of the tin would face up so as to shine the light upward. I've also drilled a pattern of holes in the bottom for more light to show...
So those are still in progress, because they are more work than I had anticipated. As I often do when a project isn't a cinch I get annoyed and discouraged, especially when I think I have gotten exactly what I need and it turns out I can't use it. I bought a pre-assembled light kit thinking that one could remove & reattach the actual socket so as to thread the thing. Nope! No can do, it is fused in every way imaginable so my only option would be to smash it apart and that hardly does me any good now does it? So here I am stuck with extra stuff I don't need and another trip to Lowe's ahead of me...
Then I had a flash of brilliance! (that may be overstating it, but it felt good) I had several very attractive tins that would never work for the table lamp project because either they handles on the lids that I could not easily remove or they had lids so small that they would not make a stable base. Two words: SWAG LAMPS! This is what the cords I bought were originally intended for anyway, so it was perfect. It also happens that on my trip to Lowe's for the correct items to wire my table lamps I found a rack of decorative prisms on MEGA-sale. Score! So apparently the craft goddess approved of my new direction and was sprinkling sparklies to light my path to brilliance. (there's that word again, man am I full of myself or what?) I have only wired one, the copper with the amber drops, (the big drops are from Lowe's, the little ones were a vintage find), but the other 3 will be a cinch to complete, but of course Lowe's is now sold out of that kind of cord, so ironically I will be using the seperate lamp pieces that I bought for the table lamps to make swag cords just like the pre-assembled ones that started this whole mess. Do you think I should make some of those scrunchy cord cozies? Let me know what you think. (about the lamps AND the cord cozies)

Urban debris and a bad case of the shivers

2009-02-13T09:05:00.006-06:00

The building that I work in is an old, decommissioned elementary school from the 30's, which means terrazzo floors, beautiful hardwoods, granite bathroom stalls and the worst infrastructure EVER! It's one of those places where 2 people in different parts of the building can't run a microwave at the same time or breakers will start tripping. The water that comes out of our pipes is the color of weak tea and we have loud and inconsistent steam heat. Well the heat recently got more consistent, in so far as the boiler died completely, so there is none. This hasn't been a problems this week as we have had unseasonably warm weather (the morning lows next week will be murder though), but even with the temp steadily heading toward 62 today being on the north side of the building I am typing in a coat, hat & gloves with a blanket on my lap! I'm telling you all of this because they have started to dismantle the old boiler only to discover that what was first thought to be a 3 day project will likely become a 2 week process due to the extensive damage. They have dredged all manner of interesting metal pieces from the basement which off course I have to photograph! Who knows maybe I'll rework them a little in Photoshop a little bit and sell prints on the cheap. Tell me what you think.

There's more, but it's more or less the same shots, just variants. Thanks for looking

NEW! NEW! Everything is new!

2009-02-04T09:13:00.004-06:00

Welcome to the first entry in what I hope will be my ultra-popular and long-running blog.

If all goes according to plan (when does it ever?) I will be posting projects that I am working on, as well as new vintage & artsy craftsy items that I am posting for sale on etsy. I also hope to impart any helpful techniques or info that I come across in my art explorations. I am an avid collector of vintage items. I see myself as one part conservator and one part mad scientist as I am motivated by the need to perserve uncommon items from the past as well as combine vintage items into mixed-media assemblage and upcycled useful items. I will endeavor to post something new at least once a week, so stay tuned for new stuff!

Below are some pictures of items that I will be posting for sale in the coming week:

Vintage items (at www.meretriciousvintage.etsy.com)

Clip on rhinestone earrings $10
Old school glamour!

Vintage brass bowling buckle $10
Let everyone know you improved your average!

Green glass vintage vase $15
Unique modern design!

Dutch enamel skillet $22
Made in Holland for your cooking/whomping pleasure!

White & black enamel vessel $15
Unusual shape with a myriad of uses!

Black & white enamel food storage tray $15
Stylish storage for all manner of items.

Mixed media assemblages (available at www.meretriciouscreation.etsy.com)

Gypsy Woman $22

Crumbling Luck $44

Guardian Angel $75

Virgin Mary Shrine $75

Upcycled vintage purses with vinyl applique (available at www.meretriciouscreation.etsy.com)

NOLA, Mon Amour clutch wallet $24

Between the Devil & the Deep purse $28

Handmade jewelry (available at www.meretriciouscreation.etsy.com)

Bullseye ring made from vintage buttons (adjustable) $12

Old Growth beaded necklace $32

Desert Flowers beaded necklace $34

Earth & Sky beaded necklace $32

I apologize for the lack of dimensions on these items, my hectic schedule has precluded my getting out the tape measure and doing what needs to be done! I hope that you like what you see, upon further review I notice that some of the pictures are a bit overexposed, but you get the drift. If all goes according to plan I will have these items up for sale by next Monday (February 9).
If you have any questions about any of the items I have posted, please feel free to put them in the comments, I will respond as quickly as possible.
Thanks for looking!