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People often ask me, 'What inspires you?'. Well, basically...things like you will find here.
Find more photography by Sue H., a talented photographer with an eye for the sublime in the simple. I just adore her work, and what she brings to each of her shots. Especially the ones with just a few items...or one single item.
A quiet strength. A keen eye. Poetry is everywhere, listen for a moment.
Good Morning! I am back from the land of merchandising. Please to view preliminary photos of the booth here.
This week, I've been receiving lots of emails asking me for help in setting up a business. So, to help, I've created an easy-to use pie chart. Please reference this if you are considering going into business for yourself. : P
After setting up the booth all last week with the fabulous, patient, and capable Carrie and Laurel, I started thinking. One thing I've noticed (and Carrie and Laurel affirmed) is that reading blogs can be...well...weird sometimes. And, it's easy to think that everyone who writes a pretty design blog, or has their own product line, or sells in retail stores etc. has a better, more fulfilling, more positive, and just generally more impressive life than most of us.
Anyway, if you will refer to the pie chart above, perhaps you will be convinced otherwise. We worked our hineys off this weekend, in the cold (hello hobo hands!) late into the night (merchandising into the wee hours) and laden with bags from Home Depot, The Container Store, and Staples (60 lbs lugged down Lexington Ave.) And actually, other than the booth being there, this is pretty much what I do every day, in the name of susyjack* contemporary paper. Worth it? You bet!
Some items you might want to have if you are considering doing trade/gift shows...
1. A good pair of work gloves for inside....fingerless gloves for outside. I like these, which are lovingly handmade by HomeLab
2. A multi purpose tool (among your other tools). If you forget something, like a bottle opener for the beer you brought as an after work treat, use one of these. And yes, they come in pink.
3. A purse / toolbag that can handle the hustle. These are a nice mix of chic and sturdy.
4. A cart or set of wheels. Make sure that the wheels are large...this helps offset the center of gravity and keep all of your boxes solidly on the apparatus. My personal preference is for the classic, wood sided Red Flyer Town and Country, shown above.
Hey all, well, I hope to have some great photos for you to peek at with some booth progress...and while we wait...a little shameless self promotion! Up above, new items in the shop, added this weekend.
Carrie, Laurel and I got a LOT done yesterday, and put up our back wall as well as floored the whole place. The shop is going to be great. It's a large, glass, standalone cube, which we will be able to merchandise, display, and light as we see fit, so it's going to be like a real store. So exciting!
Meanwhile, in my own little online store-corner, there are some fun things for the holidays-- stocking stuffers, little tokens, and fun, combinations at a reasonable price, with a lot of bright color. And now...I'm off to bundle up for another day of construction.
A big thank you to all who stopped by after Jan's sweet mention of my Poppytalk post. Nice to have you by! xx s
I am going over to set up the Mixed Co show booth today...and will be there intermittently for the next few days, helping out (and being very busy.) But, I wanted to post about this wonderful artwork by the multi-talented Irana Douer
While I really don't like the doodle-style illustration that's so popular (and in my opinion played-out) lately, I really like these. To me, they're just so much more convincing--even though they employ some of the same qualities.
Irana is from Argentina, and I think that Latin flair is a big part of why these are so, so strong. Going beyond stylized highschool doodle, and way into something else, These feel like portraits, goddesses, cartoons, celebrations and dreams all rolled up into one. They have something really special. I think it's probably Irana's personality coming through. I love the way some of them seem to just shout off the page. I especially like the floating heads like these up here. I love how these whole worlds and expressions are combined in the head-form.
Check out more of her work here on Flickr
Visit her absolutely gorgeous magazine...not to be missed: RUBYMAG
Visit her blog with more projects, links to her shop, and bio info Keep In Mind
Happy Monday All! Just a little pre-holiday meditation here today on Hey Susy".
If what I hear on NPR is any indicator, The holidays may be a little different this year. Around the world, well, at least around here, people are tightening their belts, asking themselves twice about purchases one and all. One can only assume this will be the case with gift-buying as well.
So, as an independent designer, I've been thinking... what case can I make for actually buying one of my items, as opposed to just heading to Target or Bloomingdales and buying something that costs a less but maybe looks almost (almost!) as hip?
Hopefully these images from Poppytalk Handmade's latest installment answer that question. Handmade, independently designed products have soul. Personally, if I can only afford to give one or two gifts, I need them to be unique, with a good cause in mind, and even if they are just small tokens, they're going to need to do big jobs. It's worth it to look a little harder, in less obvious places...and so, look to independent designers and artists.
Anyway, that's just a little of my case...and if I can't convince you, Poppytalk Handmade can back me up! Their great online marketplace has launched fresh this morning with a Holiday and Gift theme, including all of the sellers and items above, and many, many, many more.
What will you be pondering as you look for your gifts this season? I'm ever so curious!
So, I'm sure that this excellent NYC store, KIOSK, is getting a lot of blog play right now...because it's great...and because it's owner, Alisa Grifo was featured this weekend in the NYTimes T magazine. So...if you're all KIOSKED out, just ignore this post completely!
If not, then take a trip over to their website, which is easy and fun to browse...with really fun descriptions of the inventory. Full of everyday objects from several countries, this store celebrates diversity from an objective perspective. Personally, I find the emergence of a store like this to be pretty much in line with all of our economic indicators lately, a cool, curated expression of globalization meeting utility, thrift, inventiveness and frugality.
So, enjoy the ingenious-ness of a simple, balsa wood airplane kit, or the whimsy of a bunch of colored pipe cleaners...then, in your own mind, decide what you would use them for...it seems like the wonder of a shop like this is that it combines function and form-- and reminds us that even the most simple of ideas can become an indulgence...a work of art.
For more: Visit the KIOSK blog
For the T article (very fun read!) Go here
Ohhhhh my gosh. Why am I always the last to know?
I don't think it's possible to feel more inspired by something more than I'm inspired by Temari (the Japanese art of yarn balls) right now. Seriously, I am officially obsessed. There is just something about these....especially when the colors are so simple and controlled (like the one I marked up there) that makes me want to wrap everything I see, hear, smell, experience, in multicolored yarn...Installation art, anyone?
Anyway, I spent a long time finding these images-- because it seems like most people who make Temari are so in love with color and texture that they simply cannot stand taking a pulled back macro shot on a calm background... so, to all you Temari makin' folks out there...pull back and defocus the background to better show off your amazing work, please!
Ok, here is where I found these images and more.
And, for a totally insane Temari Treat visit Temari By Becky on flickr.
Read an iinterview straight from a temari-maker at Waterrose (thanks Rose, for the link!)
If you simply must have your own, check out all of the incredible Temari balls for sale on Etsy.
It has long been my belief that even on the worst days...when you feel poor and ugly and deprived, that buying a baguette or two helps. Not only do people wonder '...where is she going?'...but they also think 'who the heck does she think she is toting around that big, unwieldy loaf?' and, if you are carrying it at the prime hour (around 3:00 in the afternoon on a workday), they might even think...'doesn't she have to WORK ??!!'
So, while I can't afford even the smallest scrap of cloth from a teeny-bopper store at the moment, I might be able to spring for the world's most stylish crust of bread with the little dough I do have. Highly recommended!
Links...
I would seriously wear this Striped sweater by Acrobat every single day.
Wood Platform Shoes by Report, Black Platforms by Steve Madden and Boots by same.
Great and affordable scarves here and Versatile Black and White Pinstriped Scarf here.
Gorgeous Leather and Metal Jewelry by Bauxo --a selection available at Candystore Collective
Simple, Elegant, wrapped bangles from Brazillian, woman-owned business Nugaard Designs ...visit their shop here.
Happy Monday, all! I had a veeerrry busy weekend getting caught up from feeling so yucky last week. A huge thank you for all of your well-wishes! I really appreciate them, and they made my headachy days so much brighter and better! : )
Now, about these photos...When I used to work for clients, and art directing was often on the list of things to do, it was always great to come across a photographer who could offer a broad array of concepts, all excellent-- and not just use personal style as an easy out. It's a different sort of creativity-- taking the risk to continually explore and reinvent...range.
That's one of the reasons I really love the work of Solve Sundsbo, a photographer who has received a lot of acclaim for his fashion shots lately. While it's easy to take a great shot with a beautiful girl, great make up and incredible clothes, it's harder to move beyond that and really create and innovate. For me, most of Solve's shoots are like separate dreams from one mind, brought about by this photographer's desire to create yet another world we haven't seen yet.
Other faves: This one, This one, and this one.
More about his fashion work right here.
I am still suffering from a migraine today...but it's residual. So, pardon the short post.
When I am not playing catch-up, todays moments of reverie will be spent wishing I was sitting in this chair, wearing this pantsuit, looking down at my feet in these shoes, and twirling this necklace around my finger while my newly hired personal assistant, Fernando, brings me petitfours and kirs and reads me my mail.
Enjoy your weekends, all! I will be back in the Land of the Living on Monday. xx sus
