Latest Thrift Finds and Some Office Fancification

I am pleased to inform you that my photographs are now sold at Naka in Ferndale!

Highfive!

I really love that store.  It is hands down, one of the best places in the Ferndale/Royal Oak area to find a super cool gift for pretty much anyone.  They have a very well curated selection of accessories for men, women, and babies, plus original art and decorative items for the home.  And male dudes of my blog, if you find yourself shopping for a girl, pretty much any piece of jewelry in that store will make her a smitten kitten.  Trust.

SIDEBAR.

After I typed hands down, I thought to myself “what does that phrase even mean?”.  I mean, I know what it means, but what is the origin of that expression, if you know what I mean?

So I took to the googler.

The internets declares:  The origin of this colloquialism seems to have it’s roots in mid 19th century horse racing.  When a horse jockey is nearing the finish line far ahead of the competition, “with victory certain”, he could drop his hands, relaxing his hold on the reins, and still win the race.

And now you know that story.

UNRELATED.

I went thrifting on St. Patricks Day, hoping to find a 60‘s Mad Men style vintage bar cart for the dining room, and despite wearing my lucky green shoes, I didn’t find a single one. What’s your problem, LUCKY GREEN SHOES??!!!

Here are the few things I did manage to find.

Dancetime, Benny Goodman and Mozart records for ONE DOLLAR a piece.

Doesn’t the graphic art on that Mozart album rub you in all the right ways?

I found these two 4 by 6 framed prints for $2.50 each.

I wasn’t in love with the prints themselves, but I really liked the gold frames.  So I replaced one of them with my little Kill Taupe print.

Then hung it next to our loo, like so.

Let’s talk about this $10 horse clock.

My gal pal Bree spotted this horse at the flea market and was all “Oh my god! Oh my god!” and I was all “That is so ugly and awesome and you have to buy it right now!” and she was all “I don’t know, it’s so hideous” and I was all “BUY IT!” and she was all “NO!” and I was just not having it.

Then I bought the horse. BOOSH.

I told Bree that if she changes her mind, she can buy it back from me at a markup of 75%.  I mean, she did see it first.  And I am a good friend.

Unfortunately, that was all I found on my St Patty’s day thrifting adventure.  No bar cart for me.

For shame.

BUT.

Several days later, I was at the mall shopping for moccasins, as one does, and I found myself thinking long and hard about colored denim.  While conducting my fieldwork on the subject I made this exciting discovery:  If you are 5 feet and 2.87 inches in height, as I just so happen to be, GAP green skimmer legging jeans will fit your legs perfectly in length!  No hemming! No cuffing!  No raising of the fists and swearing at your height deficient DNA!  This is a pant miracle!

Lucky green pants!

FULL CIRCLE?

You know, we started with unlucky green shoes and ended with lucky green pants?

Question mark?

Moving on…

I spruced up my office/studio a wee bit.  I organized, decluttered, swapped out the desk chair, and hung a fuchsia bunting banner that I purchased at NEST, to take the room from this:

To this :

I also wrapped some old T-shirts and fabric scraps around embroidery hoops and hung them on each side of the chalkboard frame.

What do you think? Too much with the embroidery hoops?  Too cluttery?  The minimalist part of my brain says yes.  The eccentric old granny part of my brain says no.

Tell me how to feel about this.

Posted in bar cart, bunting banner, embroidery hoops, green, horse clock, office, studio // 4 Comments

Monster Jam and a Tramper Keeper

Recently, Mr Mike D had a birthday and we chose to celebrate  by attending a very classy event called Le Monster Jam.   No, seriously.  WE WENT TO MONSTER JAM.  You know, this thing.

Don’t judge.

Ok fine, judge.  I once shared the same elitist attitude as you and assumed these types of events were strictly for kids and rednecks.

Wrong!

Who would have guessed that you can have all your teeth and still attend?

If I learned anything that day, and I believe I learned a lot, it’s that choreographed motorsports is officially my favorite sport.  I mean, you get to watch monster trucks crushing things and generally just TEARING SHIT UP.  Who doesn’t want that?  Not these guys.

Plus there’s beer.

And MONSTER SNOW-CONES.  Like, shoot.

Best of all, you get to scream GRRRRRAAAAAAVE DIGGGGGGGERRRRRRRRR!!!! 500 times.

it’s Mayhem.  Mayhem!

And just good clean fun.

By the way, I didn’t take any of those photos, I stole them all from my friends’ facebook pages.  Thanks friends!  I guess it makes me a bit of a kick that I know, instantly when I see these monster trucks, that they are equipped with special TreadHunter tires, oh well I accept my fate. I have a hard time remembering to take photos at events sometimes.  Which you may think is strange, seeing as how I am a photographer.  To which I say I only have one brain! 

Why am I here again?  Oh right.  I was going to talk about my tramper keeper.  You know, my bimbo binder.  My lady log, if you will.

I recently saw this on Pinterest and thought it was a perfecto way to organize all those old birthday cards, postcards, hand written letters, and other small mementos that I can never seem to find a proper place for.

Via

Until recently they were scattered about my house in various drawers, boxes, etc.  I’m not a hoarder by any means, and I wouldn’t even consider myself overly sentimental, but I do like to save a few mementos from special trips and events here and there.  I’m also a big sucker for hand written cards & notes.  Especially if they make me laugh.

Here’s how it’s done.   It’s so simple, in fact I’m annoyed I didn’t think of it sooner.

Gather supplies: 

1. Scissors
2. Hole Punch
3. Binder Rings (I purchased mine at Office Max)
4. Craft paper & sticky letters if your heart desires a badass cover (optional).

Next, gather your mementos.  Like so.

Allow your creative juices to flow and design a cover (if desired).   I cut out a rectangle from a piece of glittery card stock just slightly larger than my largest greeting card (approximately 6.5 by 9 inches).  I attached some pink & gold dotted paper to the front and topped it off with some swearing.

You guys know I’m sweary.

Next, punch holes in your cover and each of your mementos.  I made 3 evenly spaced holes.

Insert binder rings.

Then add all your crap!

While shopping at Office Max for binder rings, I found these little business card holders which are the perfect size for holding concert ticket stubs and hotel room keys.  I also picked up some little plastic pocket sleeves which are great for holding things that I don’t want to punch a hole in.

Look, my first anniversary card.  Awwwwww….

Feast your eyes upon this drawing of my friend Wes.  So life-like.

More swears.

This card reminds of the time my friends all chipped in on a super awesome gift.   I like when people buy me gifts.

So there you have it.  Tramper Keeper.  Ready at a moments notice whenever I feel compelled to fan the embers of my past.

PS:  Mike D liked it so very much that he asked me to make him a Bro-folio for his concert stubs and man-orabelia.

So now I have to go make that dumb thing.

xoxo

Posted in bimbo binder, mementos, monster jam, tramper keeper // Add a Comment

71 Pop Recap and a Lady Craft

A super big thank you with a cherry on top to everyone who braved the snowpocalypse and attended my launch party at 71 Pop last Friday.  Despite the terrible weather, it was a great turnout (thanks in part to the MOCAD having a huge event across the street. Holla!) and much fun was had.

Here are some photos of the shop & launch party event.  Somehow I failed to get a photo of myself and my lovely cohost Regina, which is a huge bummer mainly because I was wearing a very cute top.   Crapfingers!

For my pop up shop, I decided to show a variety of photographs that I had taken in Detroit, NYC and Italy, along with some original polaroids and prints.  To decorate the shop I just brought in some old items from my house like my yellow desk chair, an old step ladder, some books, vintage cameras, and suitcases.  I made my banner by attaching vinyl sticky letters to some old test polaroids and hanging them from hemp twine with little silver clips.

And then the party started.

My shop before the party.

My shop after the party.

BOOYEAH!

I sold all but two of my photographs at the launch party (one of which sold the next day)!

I am so grateful for the opportunity to show my work alongside such an amazing artist community.  Thanks 71 Pop!

Now on to some fun lady crafting…

A while back, a friend of mine gave me a bunch of pretty old leather & suede furniture samples that her work was getting rid of.   People like to give me free stuff sometimes, and I think it’s because I get all excited like this.

I’ve actually had the leather samples for quite some time now and have since been re-purposing them into earrings which I sell at GOODS in Detroit and occasionally in my etsy shop.

I thought I’d share with you a quick and simple way to make some 70‘s/boho inspired earrings and necklaces from re-purposed leather.  That sounds like a good time, right?  Assuming you like crafting and wearing jewelry that is, which I like to think you do.

I realize you may not have a pile of leather furniture samples laying around like I do,  but maybe you have an old leather jacket, skirt, gloves, or purse that you don’t use anymore?

Or maybe in high school you borrowed a white suede outfit from your mom  and accidentally spilled red wine all over it and had to pretend to date a nerd in exchange for one thousand dollars to replace it?  And then maybe you fell in love with him while he was talking about astrology and washing your car?  And then maybe you let him read your special poem?  And then maybe he dumped you in front of all your friends which caused you to develop a drinking problem?  And then maybe you chose to forgive him after he gave a very beautiful speech about cliques?  And then maybe you rode off into the sunset on the back of his lawnmower?

Whatever.  I don’t judge.

Supplies needed:

• Leather, suede, or faux leather scraps
• Scissors
• Fishhook earrings (inexpensive at a craft store like Michael’s)
• A 15-18” necklace chain (I used one I already had, but also available at craft stores)
• Small pliers
• Hole-punch (a thick sewing needle will work also)

Cut your leather into pairs of whatever shapes & sizes tickle your fancy (Mine were about 1.5 to 3 inches tall).  I just free-handed them, but you could always cut out patterns on paper first and trace them onto your leather if preferred.

Punch a hole at the top of each piece (if you don’t have a hole punch, you can use a thick sewing needle to pierce a hole).

Posted in 71 pop, can't buy me love, detroit, Dpop, earrings, leather, necklace, pop up shop, suede // Add a Comment

Grandma Was a Hussy

I caught the sick over the holidays. Bronchitis, to be exact. The sore throat, no voice, coughing every 5 seconds, laid up on the sofa, too tired to even walk over to my computer, kind of sick.

For days.

Luckily, I had myself a Mike D who responded to my dramatic text messages by keeping me supplied with a steady stream of food, meds, and fresh brewed tea. And a little fur-beast by the name of Celia who never tires of cuddling. Cuddling helps the healing, I swear.

Over the last week or so, while languishing in my unhealth, I found my thoughts turning sappy. Maybe it was the fever induced delirium, or the fact that I watched Home Alone, A Christmas Carol, A Muppet’s Christmas Carol, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and Edward Scissorhands, ALL ON CHRISTMAS DAY.  Or maybe the holidays just do that to you, I don’t know.

I thought back to the years when my Grandma Jean was still around and how much I miss her during the holidays. She was an incredibly kind and loving grandmother, but also funny, artistic, and quite the spitfire. Some of my fondest memories are of her narrating stories made up off the top of her head and sketching out illustrations before me as the stories unfolded. She was hilarious, and we laughed a ton.

Feeling nostalgic, I began pouring over old photographs that once belonged to my grandmother. I thought I’d share these charming old photographs my grandmother Jean sent to my grandfather Fred while he was away in the Korean war. He left for war only a few months after they were married. They’re quite flirty. She was known for captioning the back of her photographs, so I’ve included those after each photograph as well.

Prepare yourself for straight up adorableness.

Seriously, wasn’t she the cutest?

Shorty before she passed away, she handed down these photographs to me. I have a ton of other old photos from her as well, dating all the way back to when my great grandmother was a baby in the early 1900’s. They are AMAZING and I’ll always treasure them.

Thanks for looking and (putting up with my mush-fest).

Excuse me now, while I go lay down.  *cough, cough*

Posted in grandma, holidays, jean, korean war, love letters, photography, vintage // Add a Comment

DIY Chalkboard Gift Tags

Thanksgiving is my least favorite holiday. I don’t like turkey, stuffing, football, cooking, or being thankful (just kidding).  But you know what I do like?  Time off work!  Woot.

Over the long holiday weekend, I watched the entire 7th season of Weeds and the entire 3rd season of Bored to Death because Uverse gave us a free cable preview.  I will NEVER say no to free cable.  Or Jason Schwartzman.  During this 10 hour cable marathon, I became horribly drunk because I made up a drinking game which required me to do a shot of Wild Turkey every time someone said “weed” or “pot”.  I do have some holiday spirit, people.

I kid, I kid.  I ate frozen pizza and drank 50 diet cokes.  wah wah wah…

But all was not lost because I did accomplish one productive thing during my holiday weekend.  I made some reusable chalkboard gift tags.   I would like to share with you how easy they are to make.  Because I am a giver.

HOLD UP.

I just remembered I actually did two productive things over the weekend. At the recommendation of my mother (who is very smart), I sold some gold jewelry, mostly stuff I had as a kid, to one of those “Cash for Gold” joints and made $310!  THREE HUNDRED AND TEN DOLLARS for a tiny amount of jewelry.  Apparently the price of gold is up.  Am I the last person to know this?  Most of the jewelry was embarrassingly awful.  Evidently, as a young girl I fancied clowns, cats, and ballerinas.  What a lame-o.  But I was also a special friend, #1 daughter, #1 grand-daughter, and a best friend.  Aw, lovable lame-o.

PS:  I (almost) kept that cat charm.

Anyways, back to the gift tags.

I had some chalkboard spray paint left over from the bloody candle holders I made for my Haunted Hussy House Party.   I also had some of those inexpensive little round wooden disk thingies that were left over from some silhouette coasters I made last year (see below), so I decided to turn those extra supplies into reusable gift tags for the holidays.

These gift tags are super easy to make.  All you need, besides the chalkboard spray paint and those little wooden disks (available at most craft stores), is a drill, some chalk, and some ribbon or string.

First, drill a hole in each disk, near an edge or a corner.  Next, spray on two to three coats of chalkboard paint to both sides.

Once the paint dries, tie some string or ribbon through the holes and use the chalk to write or draw whatever your heart desires.

And there you are – reusable gift tags!  I think they are pretty kewl.

If you don’t want to purchase those little wooden disks, you could always cut out circles or squares from some old cardboard boxes.  Once painted, they would look pretty much the same.  In fact, that would be very earth friendly of you.  I should have done that.

Sorrlz earth.

xoxo

Posted in chalkboard paint, christmas tags, gift tags // Add a Comment