You are currently browsing the category archive for the ‘obsessions’ category.
clockwise from top:
– woven straw sun hat and 30s/70s cocktail hat
– Vera silk scarf in pink and sunflower yellow
– chalkware lady and rice blotting paper (not thrifted!)
– crazy woven bead hanging! I am definitely turning it into some kind of jacket/epaulet rig
– intarsia knit patch from the host of the pig roast, who has a huuuge knitting machine and makes blankets/ski hats
– eel pocketbook, python snap wallet, woven earrings, wood earrings, knot earrings
– gray leather Victorian-style shortie cowgirl boots
– brown suede OTK flat boots
– cream tasseled cowgirl boots
– hand-embroidered tablecloth
– vintage wooden and quilted hangers – an obsession
– dark floral new dress with sheer net top, broken zipper
– bill blass gold seahorse swimsuit
– German cuckoo clock! every time I put down my carryon in the airport, a faint “cuckoo” would sound…
– framed gold picture of a Venice boatyard (<3)
– four tiny paintings of scary men
– red dancing t-straps
– tiny wooden owl (I left behind four or five other types of owls! I am running out of shelf space so I have to be very picky).
whew!
most of this was gleaned in two days of thrifting in only three or four stores. courtesy of my little sister for chauffeuring me around very patiently.
thanks be to the ephemera gods for keeping me shod and fancy for under $100.
my friend Laura moved away this week! I wanted to make this for her going away party but got waylaid by other dramas that day, and just got around to realizing the vision (in front of some back episodes of True Blood) today. I will have to save it until she comes back to visit…
Here she is in her headdress (that she made) inspired by our time in New Orleans this February and the Mardi Gras Indians tradition. I met Laura only a year ago, when she biked up to the dumpster pools wearing high heels and I immediately thought we would get along, and she has inspired me so much in that short time. Laura is an accomplished seamstress who has been sewing since childhood, and every time I go over to her house, there is some kind of new fabulous costume hanging up — a light-up pink satin Christmas tree rig for example. She also sewed the vintage-style onesies we used as the base for our Mermaid Parade costumes this year:
She’s moving to Oakland and Brooklyn will miss her a lot! Especially me, since I could wear whatever crazy thing I wanted out, and feel confident that Laura would always take the heat off me since she would be wearing something more neon and more fringed…
On an unrelated note – I am clearing out some of my vintage collection! deals on ebay on designer boots and some other wild stuff.
Coral & Tusk!
Sweet machine-embroidered designs on pillows, tees, banners, etc.
Also spotted there –
– lots of woodgrain (I have a woodgrain project up my sleeve as well)
– Southwestern print (not my fave, I prefer African prints)
– the ubiquitous cartoon owls, dinosaurs, whales and octopi.
I am still too exhausted to really reflect on the 1/4th of the fair I got to see- we spent the entire time battling the high winds (there was a tornado watch!) I have to say that we were really disappointed to have to struggle so much with the elements- we closed down at 1pm Sunday when our tent broke due to the weather. Given the high costs of participating in a fair like that, it really makes me reconsider investing the time and effort in outdoor fairs. I do hope a few new folks got to see the work I’ve been doing lately and take home some new treasured pieces (the mini-boat sold to a very excited flapper!) Otherwise I will try to get better about my photo documentation. And I have some new sewing projects to premiere soon…
charm school - the schooling goes on 