heysusy

Sleeved and Shod

Loving the 80's throwback of these beautifully designed items.

This amazing, decadent, and billowy deconstructed jacket by designer Grant Krajecki of Grey Ant is like Members Only meets Michael Jackson's Thriller jacket...ahh.-- don't think Grant has a website, but his designs are available at Azalea SFalong with a few other items from his collection....and you can also find his wares at a bunch of other online retailers.

Fabulous summer kicks by 80%20 a great, relatively new label by a woman who wants to bring sneaker love to other women. I love the asymmetrical eyelets on the black pair, and the somewhat pointy toes. These would look great with skirts or bermudas.

Problem Solved

This is what I need. Instant pockets. No more wandering around my apartment getting lost in stuff while lookinng for other stuff. These are by Urban Aprons and was found through musetomuse. Which incidentally, is a GREAT blog.

I think my apron will be like the red one, but shorter, maybe with 2 big pockets right across the front and one up on the chest. Now that I am doing more work for myself, I will do whatever it takes to optimize my productivity, and I've noticed I have a bad habit of getting sidetracked looking for stuff, rather than sitting down and making stuff.

Deeee-lucious Design

Oooooh! I just received a packet of goodies sent to me from Jill of DeLuce Design and words cannot describe....I posted about this a while back I think in April, and Jill was kind enough to get in touch to thank me for the shout-out.

Well, it certainly was no skin off my back, her work is gorgeous. And in person (as you can try and grasp from my fairly pedestrian photo of her b.card--would that we all had b-cards like this...the world would be a better place...) from the packaging labels to the little indicia at the back....the products have this amazing quality...just delicate, lovely...fun...special.

Another something worth mentioning, I have been invited to begin contributing to a great design blog Destination Design, on graphic design topics. I am thrilled, and receiving my DeLuce package got me musing...I think my first post there is going to be about letterpress!

SHOW GUN

I have been disturbed lately by all the guns I see appearing in fashion, on accessories, on t-shirts etc. I have noticed that much like skulls, birds and deer (which I don't really get either?) that the gun-- usually a pistol of some sort, has become quite the little motif. Like, adding a gun to something quickly makes it cool and trendy and bad-ass.

Well, my original thought when I saw this vase from Sprout was 'blech, yet another glorification of firearms in the name of trendiness...groooosss!'...but then, I realized that this vase is alot different than the usual. First of all, it's a VASE. It's for flowers. Second of all, it's really cleverly using the classic idea of putting a flower in a gun, or the sort of gun that totally freaks people out, til it shoots out a bouquet. I like this piece. If only for the fact that form and function override the trend of the day. This makes a statement. With substance and grace....awareness and yes, humor.

I would so love to see one of these that really was just one or 2 guns, as well...That might be even more thought-provoking and iconic.

Return of the Sewing Machine: Part I

So....I realized that I have been thinking about nothing but fabric lately...Here's a little clutch I finished tonight. I love the weight of the distressed canvas that I used for this...I found it in a discard pile at JoAnn or something...I wish I had more...It's the coolest stuff. Sort of like a mix between ultra-suede and canvas...very good weight for bags I have been making more stuff lately (also made a nice bright-yellow t-shirt for myself on Thursday), so I hope that I can start showing some of those projects here...I have a little e-store in the works, but I can't get too excited about it yet...but it's definitely coming along. I did alot of the programming for it last week, and it looks really good....now to populate it with merchandise and get it off the ground....soon, soon.: /

Well, I'm off to watch American Graffiti. So excited for that.

Just....

How do you say 'awwwww!" in Japanese? I am obsessed with the curve of lace on this pouch--also the color palette. Ob-sessed. I want this so badly it hurts...but looking at it feels good too. Made by Puchimaiko.

What Remains

I found this jewelry after following a link on Nebo Peklo. These lovely and thoughtful pieces by Hannah Louise Lamb can be found at Papa Stour. This is a lovely Scottish-owned online boutique with GORGEOUS art direction and a great purpose, to promote the artisans of Scotland. Just looking at the photos makes me feel like I'm there...great colors and a wonderful sense of atmosphere and place...it doesn't look much like that around New England. Certainly not.

I like a few things about Hannah's collection...a] the way she seems to consider each piece as a little study in a bigger idea b] the combination of weight and lightness in the materials and shapes and c] the asymmetry of the work, especially the earrings I have put up here on the right. Although....gotta say, what originally caught my eye were the black scrolls, which are symmetrical.

Also, Nebo Peklo also sells beautiful letterpressed cards through this store.

T Time

I would totally wear this, and it's weird that the model in the pic sort of looks like me...It's a sign! I must have it!

When I was little, I used to watch the A Team EVERY week. And, although Murdock was reallly my favorite character (oh, those zany antics and weird sci-fi dork cuteness, and yes, flat front khaki pants...) Mr T definitely won out for pure flair and mad attude. Madditude. Badditude. I just made those words up!

Many fond memories of the T being afraid to get on a plane, and the rest of the A-Team having to deliberate some sly, A-Teamy prank to get him on there....like putting sleeping pills in his carton of milk...and then, cut to a big, almost babylike, sleepy Mr T strapped in and flying TWA like a pro.

I can't help but think this shirt would ALSO be great without Mr. T's face. (Sorry T, please don't hurt me) I would totally wear it if it was just the chains. Sort of like a necklace without all the rattle and the pesky clasps getting caught in my hair...the weight of all that bling cramping my swagger...yadda
yadda.

Mr T-shirt is available at Chocosho. And they make them for boys, too (What an excellent Father's Day gift!)

My Color Forecast

I was walking in the public gardens today, and I came upon a bed of tulips and flowers that was just tooo lovely to ignore. The colors were simply the most refreshing combination I had seen in a long time, and the fact it was an entire BED of flowers...my eyes could really drink in the effect.

Sooo....my color prediction for the fall will be--- out of the drabby neutrals and back into some sophisitcated, sumptuous combinations, playing especially on the glamour of the 80s....soft, feathery peaches, slatey blues and punchy reds....deep burgundies and dusty purples offset by deep and vibrant hues like royal purple, midnight, crisp dark blue denim and smoky teals...lightweight pinks and tans here and there...deep, antiquey but shimmery golds.

Well, we'll see if I'm right, but I know the palette I'M going to be inspired by.... hoping to do a texture prediction soon, too....suedes, hi-gloss (not patent), worn-in, colored leather (burgundy, gray) and slick denim, matte silk and color-saturated high-quality wools are my guess. Makeup...mmmm....glossy with matte eyes. ?

OK, so I just saw Saturday Night Fever. This could be influencing me. But, anyone who wants to see great wardrobe, rent that. Deffo.

Metropia

The raw energy and subtly composed beauty of this work by Matthew Curry is most definitely on my mind today...an artist who combines abstract expressionism, sumi-e, design and graffiti styles, there's a great interview with him at Making Room, also a nicely formatted pair of slideshows of his work (the second collection being particularly amazing). I love how he works large. This illustrative style is one of my faves and it's rare to see an urban artist pull it off on a big canvas (probably b/c most of the time they are making do in their cramped little apartments.) Many of the paintings have a rougher, more gutsy vibe than the one I'm showing here, but I also like the way he juxtaposes that wildness with layered, more subtle elements.