In Which I Snag A Treasury...at Last

Some months ago I had a Treasury for about half an hour until the whole thing crashed and it was lost. I'm never around when they expire, but last night, overstuffed from Thanksgiving dinner and on Etsy in the wee hours, I happened to get one and did my best to recreate it. Here's a link to the page itself, while it lasts. Sadly, some of my original choices were no longer available, especially a fur felt authentic top hat that I loved, and some of the sellers no longer have active shops.

Front Page Friday

I happened to be in midtown at 9:30 PM tonight and stopped into the Apple Store to check my email, and whoa! I was on the Front Page of Etsy! This happened to me in April when I took my ailing mac there for a repair - I was on the FP when I checked Etsy. Happily, I was able to take screenshots and emailed the pictures to myself and merged them together.

Someone bought this necklace a few days ago but never paid, so I re-listed it and lo, it turns up in the GG's Steam and Dark Arts section. (Yes, that's what it's called. Sounds like a class at Hogwarts!) Proof that the GGs are culled from new listings and not old ones. Good to know.

Costume History Made Easy

As a costume designer in my real (or unreal) life, as I MUCH prefer dreaming up and making new creations for my shop these days, I love costume history and charting it evolution through the ages. I loved my Costume History classes in design school - not everyone did, but I enjoyed them, and in fact, would rather do research sometimes for a project than actually carry it out!

I discovered the world of altered art dominoes earlier this year and have made quite a few on various subjects, but had the idea of making some that illustrate costume history terms. Many people love fashion and costume through the ages, and they aren't necessarily costume designers! They would make nice little gifts and unusual stocking-stuffers, and could be used as a bag charm or clipped to a chain, cord or, appropriately, a ribbon or piece of trimming.

I find my images (royalty-free) online and in books, add graphic elements and print them at home on my new printer. I spend a lot of time on these images, adding backgrounds, finding the perfect fonts, adding brushes, changing colors...all for a very tiny field. I've learned a lot about graphic design this way, and although I think of my aesthetic as "more is more", I am gradually trying to simplify my images so that they're much less cluttered. I attach theses paper bits to domino tiles, seal them with two substances, and embellish with charms, stampings, beads, vintage buttons and whatever is at hand that helps to define the theme. It's actually a labor-intensive process made fraught by the resin-like glaze that I use, which can bubble up mysteriously and also attract pesky lint that you didn't know was there. They are rarely perfect, but as the subject matter is vintage, I don't think that it needs to be.


1880 Bathing Beauty - thank heaven we don't have to dress like this anymore in order to swim!


A necklace this time, with two pretty Victorian Ladies, bead and vintage button bits and a novelty chain.


I love "The Mikado" and had to make a charm for it. As all of the bobblies are vintage, it's OOAK.

Practically At The Peak

It's almost the apex of leaf color in my nabe - and because of the rain over the weekend, it may have already happened, as there was a lot of leaf droppage. The colors are really lovely, but I think that the true reds are yet to appear, and I hope I'll be about with my camera for it. The hills in the park have a little further to go, and it's well worth the wait. I'll do my bet to take some pictures.

In the meantime, I was out & about during Saturday's rain and yesterday, Sunday, for the clear crisp late afternoon leaf show. I love the colors but am very sad that it will be over soon, but I do love fall and winter, so I'm happy as a clam to settle in and nest as I work.

Halloween Costume Parade

I'm finally posting a few pictures from the wonderful day in the suburbs on Halloween, where I attended a costume parade at my nephews' school and went T&T-ing with them at night/. There are way too many pictures to post here, but if you're interested, check out my Flickr set.

I was very impressed with the quality of the costumes, especially the few homemade ones. The community is an artistic one; parents are aware and creative, and it showed. I had a fantastic time, as I haven't T & T'd for more years than I care to admit. Next year I will dress up for the occasion - my first time since college that I decked myself out, though as a costume designer, I have decked many others out, for sure.

Royal Treasury

I happen to be in this one, as my extremely obscure Richard III widget was chosen, and I'm so happy as it's really one of the most beautiful I've seen in awhile - and that's saying a lot, as the Treasuries are stunning these days. As a costume designer, I am a sucker for historical subjects, and this is so evocative. I love the range of choices, so B Taylor Quilts - brava to you!

I am a fan of Mark Satchwill, who paints lovely portraits and has a thing for the Tudors, and love those weeping eye earrings by MistysCreations, who is a magician with Polymer Clay.

I want this pendant of the Globe Theatre from FunckLoveDesigns, who made the Henry VII pendant. Check out their shops!

Voted!

Took myself to the local elementary school for the voting experience this afternoon. I was planning to go this morning, early, on this overcast day, but I'm glad that I didn't, as the folks volunteering there said that it had been a madhouse, with lines snaking around through the hallways. When I went, late this afternoon, it was pretty quiet. I loved the musicians playing outside - it was a nice touch. There were enterprising folks selling snacks, and all was calm. It only took a few minutes, and lines weren't longer than 3 people long.

Halloween Pumpkins

I have a ton of pictures from my Halloween trick or treating with my nephews in the 'burbs, which I will put on Flickr, but I am a lover of Pumpkins, and just have to post pix of the wonderfully creative carved pumpkins that I saw on Friday night.

Front Page Sunday

A lovely purple Treasury from Treasury West, curated by Ipathia, made it to the front page yesterday, which resulted in some lovely sales. I am incredibly lucky with Treasury West - nearly every time I'm on the FP at Etsy, it's via Treasury West. I think the admins turn there first as it's hard for buyers to access it, so they give it a little extra love. It's also a gorgeous group, and it looks as if half of us made sales. Ipathia hasn't opened her shop yet, but I hope we all visit as soon as she does.

Rapunzel

I was an alternate in this Treasury that ran last week, so I'm not even sure what in my shop was chosen, but I loved it and its magical mood. I'm a fan of fairy tale themes. It's also proof that the photography on Etsy is extraordinary. As someone who works very hard on it, I know it takes a lot of work. Salute to a gorgeous Treasury by Paper Pumpkin!

Steampunk Gallery

I didn't realize that I have a section's worth of Steam items in my shop. If Etsy would allow us to have more sections, I could add this. As it is, I am already filled up until I move the vintage and destash items over to my other shop. I do wonder if Steam's time in the sun is waning, though I think that there will always be people who love it and wear it. I'm especially fond of the first earrings in the upper right corner, Her Nibs Earrings...which I think would be the perfect gift for a writer.

More of Inwood!

AND...if you're feeling a bit peckish from all of that shopping and traveling back in time, there's a fantastic new cafe next door, the Indian Road Cafe and Market , where you can enjoy lovely views of Inwood Hill Park, Riverdale, and chow down on food and coffee while people-watching. It's new and was sorely needed, especially by people living up on "The Hill". It's warm and inviting inside, large and airy, and I have a thing for that fabulous stove that serves as the coffee station. I can't wait to go there when it's snowing so I can sit in the window with a hot chocolate!