adieu, yves

1936 - 2008

Day 3 of W.E.I.O.

The Happy Hippie is a sick hippie today, so this will be short. My schedule for today consists of vegetating in bed with North and South on DVD. Mmm, Patrick Swayze.



Yesterday's ensemble was simple, casual, and most of all comfy because I was already starting to feel under the weather. Speaking of weather, it's officially chilly, and I enjoyed pulling a cardigan out of the closet yesterday. Layers, delicious layers.

Hopefully I'll be feeling better tomorrow, and my post matter will be more interesting. My apologies until then. Toodles!

Valentine's Day: Coming Soon

Valentine's Day is just around the corner - less than a month away, and I'm trying to get the newest Valentine's creations on the Cluny Grey website. A few jewelry pieces that I will be adding are featured here today: first is the heart pendant necklace above made with garnets and a touch of Swarovski crystals here and there. Of course, the lampwork beads of Lynn Nurge, especially the silver-laced heart I used to make the pendant, are the focal points of the entire necklace. The necklace can be found on our Handmade Necklaces page (along with the last heart necklace at the bottom of this post).The Prayer Box Necklace above has some of my favorite silver freshwater pearls, little flower beads and charms, and of course a sterling silver prayer box. This prayer box is a favorite because when it opens, not only is there a place to put a prayer or wish, but a kneeling angel comes out. The prayer box hangs from a flower shape that reminds me of some stylized flowers I've seen in the great cathedrals in Spain and Portugal.
The last necklace also features the beads of Lynn Nurge: the lampwork heart with flowers, rose quartz coloured tabs and mauvey-pink and green rounds. The gemstones here are purple crazy lace agate faceted rondelles; little charms hang from two places on the necklace as well-flowers and hearts - very appropriate for Valentine's Day. The necklace also has a flower on the "S" clasp (from the Thai Karen Hill Tribes).

jewellery accessories jewelry fashion shopping braceletsbeads handmade beaded jewelry beading helmi gioielli smykker tak? juvelen lampwork beads The Jewelry Blog jewelry trends accessories garnet lampwork beads handmade necklace

Swoosh Swoosh

It's a little simplistic to say that my love of black fringe is related to my own heavy black black fringe (I went through a mini irritating phase of calling them 'bangs' but I'm over it and back to the good old British 'fringe'....). How else though have I accumulated over five items of black fringe which in the scheme of a clothing embellishment/haberdashery, is a fair amount. I don't know but my own fringe goes on and on and so the black fringe goes on too and this Tim Ryan black ribbon fringe scarf is most certainly my favourite bit of fringe at the moment. I'm especially enjoying wearing it as a scarf wrapped once over the neck so that it swooshes a bit in the front like a sort of fringe necklace which I've seen around the blogosphere. On colour, the fringe goes a long long way though on black, I'm into playing up the textures of the scarf contrasted with other things.... like say....more black fringe?

My own black fringe ain't going anywhere yet seeing as growing it out strikes fear in my heart (where would the fringe 'go' exactly....?), so I guess the fringe loving is here for a while yet, until I find another material to make a satisfying swoosh-swoosh motion...

Pop Quiz #474

Don't give me any grief about this. I'm telling you up front that this qualifies as one -if not the most- arcane and dopiest entry I've ever published. In sum, if you don't get the answer, it's likely no one else will either but I'm looking forward to reading your creative submissions.

This was inspired by DH. He wondered why some of my patterns had little blue lines around the outside edges (below)

If that's not visible, below is a close up:

Betty and Loulou

The Steve is away so I got to spend the evening with Yves instead, watching the Yves Saint Laurent documentaries 'His Life and Times' and '5 Avenue Marceau 75116 Paris' back to back and then re-reading The Beautiful Fall (tea stains a-plenty in this well thumbed book...). My favourite bits in the books are when the encounters with Yves' various muses are recalled, with Betty Catroux and Loulou de la Falaise and the descriptions of Loulou are particularly vivid which has propelled me into an afternoon of spending some time with Yves' muses...

I've never been one to channel other people's looks so it's more like playing around with the spirit and the two bi-polar styles that Betty and Loulou represented to Monsieur Saint Laurent and the different things they managed to coax out of him and inspire him to draw...

Betty Catroux: Androgynous, angula, skinny-hipped, invariably in black and liked her leather. She also sported the deviant schoolgirl look with high black socks, black mini and big belts slung on the hips. Her thin pencil stroke of a figure matched Yves' then-lithe slip of a figure and they feeded off each other's taste in the 'louche'.

(Alexander McQueen black satin cape, Lanvin tuxedo jacket, vintage black matt sequin skirt worn as top, Preen leather panelled troousers, Sam Edelman boots with plastic chains worn around the boots)

Loulou de la Falaise: Hippy-ish, electric and exhuberant in manner and in dress. She turned sarongs and saris into various outfits with the use of a safety pin, made cardboard and glitter star and moon accessories for her wedding outfit and took silver napkin holders to wear as bracelets. Yves relied on her gaiety enormously.

(Poltock & Walsh ruffled halterneck, Johnny Loves Rosie bow hat worn around the neck, tierred print dress from Hong Kong, fuschia pink tights, Pierre Hardy x Louise Goldin ankle boots)

Oversized Clutches and Utilitarian Handbags

Thank god for the death of the “It” bag. For a more modern look, you will want to peek into oversized clutches and utilitarian supple leather bags.

One my favorite affordable oversized clutches right now is this vibrant orange Nine West purse available on piperlime.com. Then there is the pricier, but even more tasty Hobo International Farrah in a brilliant blue.

The best part about this type of purse, besides being incredibly stylish and attractive, is you can actually fit everything you need in it. My camera, keys, phone, money, cards and Kleenex can all come with me when cruising the fellas at the roof top bars I have been frequenting.

As for the utilitarian leather sacs, I spied some overpriced, but delicious brown and blue leather handbags in Urban Outfitters. A quality bag of good use in a beautiful color never goes out of style. Never.

My First Fabric!

Y'all have heard about Spoonflower, right? The web site of my (fabric) dreams, which lets you upload your own design for printing? (It's in beta right now, but you can sign up for an invite at that link.)

I just got my first swatch of my very first fabric, and here it is!



I think it turned out well. I need to work on my "scatter" fill -- this is still pretty stripey. I don't mind stripey, but I'd like to know how to do it right. (I've been looking at a book called Adobe Photoshop for Textile Design, but I haven't been looking at it very MUCH -- my own fault.)

Here's some more pics, the first for scale:



And this for a view of the selvage:



And Spoonflower's pretty logo:



The fabric has a slick hand, which I think will go away when I wash it (I haven't yet). I bought a swatch first, since 5 yards of 42" (which is of course what I would want) is about $90.

I asked Spoonflower if they were going to do some kind of split-commission sales model (like CafePress does) and they said they were looking into it. I am really only interested in making fabric for myself at this point, but if it becomes easy to sell it (that is, I don't have to doing anything more than click a little box that says "Make this available in the Spoonflower store") I probably would.

I found making the actual file for upload pretty easy and/or fun, but then I have a teeeeeny bit of experience with Photoshop already -- and enough google-fu to find help pages online for the stuff I didn't know how to do. (If you want your own speech balloons, check out this Ask Metafilter page.)

Quick update on the gray dress -- I loved getting so many suggestions! Lots of stuff I hadn't thought of ... I think, for immediate gratification, I'm going to narrow the sleeves a bit to make them more "cap" and less "kimono", and then add an orange obi-style belt (I kinda want to wear it Saturday -- yeah, I know). Then I'm going to order MORE of that fabric and make it again with a v-neck. (The fabric was only $1.99 at Fashion Fabrics Club, so I feel justified spending another $15 (including shipping).

Sarah Mann Jewelry

Jewelry Designer and Metalsmith

Sarah Mann is fascinated by the creative and technical challenges of transforming sterling silver into objects of adornment. She is proud to carry on a family tradition in the crafts, and pleased that this enables her to exercise her talent no matter where she lives. She creates clean straightforward designs that often incorporate kinetics.





'Astral' Sterling Silver Ring

A dreamy band of brushed sterling silver punctuated with otherworldly designs.

$130



Sarah was introduced to metalsmithing at the University of Wisconsin in her hometown of Milwaukee. She furthered her interest under the expert guidance of Heikki Seppa at Washington University in St. Louis, and the craftspeople at Fuji Studio in Florence.





Collapsible Ring

Brushed sterling silver ring with unique design. Movement and flexibility makes for a comfortable fit. Narrow ring has one bar instead of two.

$150



Sarah then lived in New Orleans, where she worked amid its thriving community of metalsmiths and honed her skills in preparation for a transition to New York City. The dynamic nature of the city inspired the strong form and kinetic design of her pieces.





Jester Cuff Links

Sterling silver cuff links with a patina enhanced surface texture.

$105



Sarah Mann has recently returned to her roots in the Midwest and continues her silversmithing there, creating bold yet elegant jewelry with unique surface treatments. The jewelry that she designs and handcrafts skillfully merges geometric and organic elements to create a style that is recognizably her own.



Mann realizes fully the broad potential of sterling silver. She crafts her jewelry with torch and tools - saws, files, pliers, nippers, drills, hammers, dapping blocks, and a rolling mill - then gives it with a range of hues through delicately controlled oxidation. The combined effect of patina on texture is a signature characteristic of all Sarah Mann jewelry.



Sarah introduces a new jewelry collection - earrings, necklaces, pins, bracelets, and rings - about every ten months. She carefully crafts each piece, and presents it as one of a limited edition. "Raw sterling silver cries out to me, begs me to convert it into bold jewelry with subtle finishes. Of course, I must obey."

See full article.





Related Entries:

Jewelry Career Resources - 08 August 2006

Native American Inlay Jewelry - 14 January 2008

Caroline Ballou Jewelry - 26 May 2008

Stephen LeBlanc Art Jewelry - 27 May 2008

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Ebony and Ivory

Besides being the topic of a classic song, and part of a hilarious karaoke scene in the movie Undercover Brother, ebony and ivory are a fantastic summertime color combination. Not quite as stark as black and white, the two hues compliment each other in a way that says, "I'm sophisticated and effortlessly put together. Don't you wish you could dress this way?"

Well now you can, with this week's Goodwill Good Buy of the Week. The DCGF has pulled together two looks, both of which include pieces that still have the tags on them!

The first ensemble, at right, is comprised of a new-with-tags lightweight sweater by Isda & Co. It's very sheer and requires a camisole to be worn underneath, but the fabric is wonderfully soft. The front placket fastens with covered snaps. The sweater is in a size medium and will fit anywhere from a size 6 to a 10.

The sweater's been paired with a black skirt from Banana Republic. It has a straight style with side zipper, and a fun flounce at the bottom. The ramie/cotton/silk blend is fully lined in acetate and quite resistant to wrinkling from what I can tell. It's also environmentally friendly! The skirt is a size 8 and shows no signs of wear. It's hard to see the detail in this picture of the bottom hem, so look for better pics on the DC Goodwill eBay store later today.

The second outfit is a little dressier, and incredibly flattering to a tall gal, especially (not that I'm biased!). The top is from Tahari and still has the original tag from Neiman Marcus showing that the original price was $198. I know - almost $200! Suffice to say you can acquire it for much less. The top is polyester and has a loose tunic style with a drawstring neckline and belled sleeves. Very boho chic.

In keeping with this loose vibe, I've paired the blouse with 100% silk ivory palazzo pants from Flores & Flores. Fairly new to the world of women's clothing (they were founded in 1999), Flores & Flores features classic design and luxurious fabrics. Similar pants are currently retailing for $250. And these are brand new, too.

Although they're wide at the bottom of the leg, the pants are narrower near the thigh and feature no-waistband styling, creating a fluid line all the way down the body. The key to wearing to loose-fitting pieces like this is that they are well tailored. In the case of the blouse, the waist is defined and the sleeves narrow before they end in the flounce at the wrists. The pants also have pleated inserts of woven silk that flow out from the mid-thigh section, creating a long line down the leg. That way you'll look taller and leaner, not like you're drowning in fabric. Or like you're a mime. Because mimes are scary.


Any purchase made at a Goodwill Retail Store or on eBay funds Goodwill's mission of training and employment programs for people with disadvantages or disabilities.

Goodwill’s fashion blog provides detailed knowledge and insight on vintage and contemporary clothing and accessories that are valuable to fashion shoppers. The facts and opinions shared present readers with entertaining, exciting and value based information on vintage and contemporary fashion and shopping trends.

The Bigger the Better!

For those people who prefer "bigger," "chunkier" jewelry, the aquamarine bracelet above is perfect! Large, hunky transparent aquamarine nuggets and large lampwork beads (from James Derrick Reeves) will make quite a statement on your wrist. Or, if you like bigger, but not necessarily chunky, the chrysoprase bracelet below packs a wallop with three strands of chrysoprase beads in varying shades of green and great borosilicate beads with those shades deep within the encased beads. Both bracelets are accented with sterling silver.
Great news! I have been nominated for the JUNE Collector’s Edition by the Best of Artists website. The two monthly winners will be determined by a combination of the number of viewer comments, types of positive comments, Image views and by BOAA. (so dont forget to comment!) Please stop by their site and see the many works by different artists, including painting and sculpture as well as jewelry.
My fibromyalgia has happily been on the wane the last two weeks or so, allowing me to enjoy the summer weather - and I really am! Even indoors, the air just feels different when its summer - and I believe that my latest creations are reflecting this happy state of affairs. Above is a beaded necklace made of rhodochrosite and amethyst nuggets. I love the large rhodochrosite nuggets - many of them have a subtle banding that makes them even more interesting.
Blue Peruvian Opal Bracelet (above.
Coral Earrings (above) and (below)Amazonite Earrings.Enjoy summer everyone!

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