Celebrity hobnobbing

So this morning I did one of my usual waking up at some insanely early hour and not being able to go back to bed. As I laid on the couch I started watching some E True Hollywood story about child actors and saw someone I recognized. It was Tabitha from Bewitched. As in the daughter. I couldn't place where I knew the adult Erin Murphy from, but then it dawned on me. She was in a Marki Costello hosting seminar with me in Los Angeles. She was super nice too, maybe I'll have her call me for my birthday this year.

Ian McKee from The Bachelorette was in my class too if you are interested. He was also really nice.

So I was totally hobnobbing with celebrities and didn't even know it.

Abe the Alligator

So yesterday I went out to Smithville for even more bonding with my extended family. Good thing I like those people and more importantly there are good antique shops out there. I found all kinds of fun stuff: ceramic aqua bowls shaped like boomerangs, little necklaces with sailboats and more. However, nothing topped the taxidermied alligator head I found. Now I love animals as much as the next guy, but this thing is 50 years old so it’s not like I am really helping to support the slaughter of alligators everywhere. I just thought it was hilarious and looks so awesome on the coffee table in my “Florida Room”. Come on it’s sad, but you know in your heart you giggled just a little bit.

On the way back from Smithville we passed tons of firecracker shacks up on the side of the road. Gearing up for Saturday night I suppose. I think I have officially decided to stay home. New Years is so anticlimactic and there are no good parties this year anyway.

Mommy like.

Over dinner last night when my brother-in-law asked me what I got for Christmas I said “A chandelier, but I am using this term very loosely”. I guess you would actually call my new reproduction Sputnik light more of a light fixture than a chandelier. It is just what my dining room needed. It even has little spiky light bulbs. I got it from The Starlight Room, I mean Santa. Now I feel like the back wall of my dining room looks bare.

Speaking of my brother-in-law he called yesterday and said “meet us at the Bob Bullock Texas History Museum, we want to go”. The museum was pretty cool, but if they had called me I would have done some things differently. Call me a pop culture junkie, but there was an entire floor about Texas when it was Tejas. Then the third, more modern floor, was lacking so much. In the music section no mention of Janis Joplin or Steve Ray Vaughn. The pictures of Fair Park in Dallas were drawings, not actual photographs. These buildings are one of the nation’s largest groupings of Art Deco Architecture. Where were the Dallas Cowboys? The hurricane in Galveston? Dallas the TV show? They totally should have called me. Oh and the gift shop smelled like sewage. Gorgeous building and plenty of other cool stuff in there to look at.

I also called and made an appointment with a house painter who is on his way. How does Indian Ocean, Cherry Cobbler and butter yellow strike you? Mommy like.

Chris has a weird eye

My first time hosting Christmas went off without a hitch. Here is a picture of Chris and I in front of our tinsel trees. Why does blogger make pictures look funny, like Chris has a weird eye. Hmmm, deep thoughts.

Nothing new here. House guests left Monday and more are coming today. I just added two new pairs of earrings to Naughty Secretary Club, that's something fun.

domesticated bliss

The Blog is kinda closed for the next few days. I have to stick pineapples into hams and clean house. Oh domesticated bliss. Enjoy the cartoon of me :)

Marc Jacobs has a line of Van’s out?

Why am I always the last one to know cool stuff like Marc Jacobs has a line of Van’s out? I spent like an hour on the net yesterday looking for a pair which are apparently impossible to find. I really dig the ones with the graffiti.

I also read yesterday that apparently Lady Sovereign is in talks with Jay-Z who is scouting her out for his label La Familia which I am pretty sure is an off shoot of Def Jam since Jay-Z works for them now. They are going to send her to the studio with Missy Elliot and The Neptunes. I can’t decide if this is a bad thing or a good thing.

So I guess I better get off my butt and go use that gym membership I signed up for.

peg lateral teeth

How silly of me, I almost forgot the shoe of the week picture. These are some super duper cute Chinese Laundry shoes that I have worn a total of one time. This is why I have to stop buying shoes. I prefer to think of myself as a collector. I have some on shelves in my office, really I do. I was sworn off buying shoes, but this past weekend in Dallas I did get some Rasta colored Pumas only because they are going to look so cute with my Rasta Bowler Bag. Plus they were on clearance.

So yesterday I downloaded some new songs and here they are in no particular order. I was very sad that the Dead Prez song I wanted was not on ITUNES.

Death Cab for Cutie “Soul Meets Body” I recently saw them playing this on some awards show and I guess something broke with the singers guitar, like the strap or a string and he had to kind of awkwardly hold the guitar and then eventually threw it down. I was like some tech back stage knows he just got canned.

Lionel Richie ”All Night Long” and “Dancing on the Ceiling” I am working on a master party mix.

The Pogues “Sally MacLennane” How mad was I when I realized it was live. Mad. My very early version of Naughty Secretary Club was called Pink and I had a pictorial guide to Shane McGowan’s teeth, bless his heart.

The Get Up Kids “Don’t Hate Me” Boy does this song bring back the old memories.

A Flock of Seagulls “Wishing” Man these dudes had some bad hair, but then I guess you already knew that.

I scored some Yo MTV Raps! Trading Cards.

Really not much exciting has happened since we spoke last. This Naughty Secretary Club Medallion Necklace is featured on this week's eddition of Style Spoon. I also went to a couple of parties Saturday night, one of which I scored some Yo MTV Raps! Trading Cards. Cory you owe me for that Young MC one.

Can you believe it is almost Christmas. I have done like zero shopping and feel like a chump when friends are giving me gifts and I have like 3 gifts I have bought total.

We call em’ locusts down here in Texas.

So Vickie is in New York for the Bust Craftacular and also filmed an episode of #1 Single which is a new show with Lisa Loeb. Vickie took Lisa one of my Wooden Friends Kitty Necklaces and it was a hit! hooray!

Speaking of gifts, I went a little crazy shopping for myself last night. Here is what I got...

1) Neighborhoodie that says “Naughty Secretary Club”

2) Custom Scarf from Lulette that says “Austin Craft Mafia”. Ya so as my husband pointed out I am a promotional whore. I can’t help it.

3) Cicada Earrings by Erica Weiner that I saw on Cut X Paste. They were sold out so I tracked down the artist’s site. We call em’ locusts down here in Texas.

4) A Blue Fawn Necklace from Happy Owl Glass.

5) A Gold Machine Gun Necklace by Document and some Wooden Deer Heart Earrings by Frozen Peas both at Chocosho.

6) A Crying Tiger T-shirt from Beautiful Decay.

We got to the sad excuse for an ice rink and it was tiny, had no rails and most importantly they were playing Queen.

Thank God the post office by my house has extended hours. I woke up at 7am yesterday and started putting together orders at about 5 I started putting those orders on the stamp machine and at 6 I took two buckets and a giant Santa style trash bag full of boxes to the post office. Sure I will be doing the same thing again today.

Since I worked so hard yesterday I deserved a little break last night. Erin, Hope and I decided to go ice skating at Whole Foods. We got to the sad excuse for an ice rink and it was tiny, had no rails and most importantly they were playing Queen. So we left and went to Blue Genie instead. Have you been out there? They have some great stuff this year. I brought some new earrings out to the Austin Craft Mafia booth. After that we hit Casinos’, Jackalope and settled at Side Bar for a bit. The whole night was a bust because we were so tired. I was in bed by midnight.

You should scoot over to thrifty boutique jewelry and read the little blurb on me and leave lots of gushing comments on the blog. You know anyone can comment on these blogs you don’t have to be a blogger member.

If you live in Austin and see this week’s Chronicle there is a big picture in the calendar of Blue Genie from last year and you can see Matt Buie, Jeff Greene and my hubby Chris Boehk if you look really closely. They are like totally super stars.

Yesterday I downloaded some Iron and Wine songs that I heard on that sad ass movie “In Good Company”. Usually don’t like Iron and Wine, but these ditties are pretty good. Damn ITUNES for starting this whole “We think you might also like” type thing. Like how Amazon does. Because then I downloaded Veruca Salt “Seether” because I had not heard it in so long. What I really can’t stop listening to is Gorillaz “Dare”.

Before there was Marliyn Manson there was this dude with fishnets on his face.

MARTIN DEGVILLE from Sigue Sigue Sputnik has always scared me a little bit, let’s start the day with that statement. I mean really before there was Marliyn Manson there was this dude with fishnets on his face.

Kurt and Hope were here late the other night and he was telling me that these guys used to do commercials for L’Oreal too and I fought tooth and nail explaining someone from Generation X wouldn’t do that. Apparently not only did they do that, but they pulled a total Moby and sold like every song from an album for commercials. Very interesting.


So Christmas orders are swallowing me whole, but I think I am going to pull through. For whatever reason scrabble bracelets are H-O-T! It’s a weird phenomenon. I think I have 60 more packages to get out before XMAS, maybe 50 more cards to sign and 2 interviews to do today. When it rains it pours I tell ya. I am not complaining, beats answering phones and wearing panty hose like when I was a secretary.

God doesn’t she know that is totally rude.

So I hosted the Austin Craft Mafia meeting at my house last night. It was a wee meeting. Vickie and Jenny are away in NYC for the Bust Magazine Craftacular. Jesse’s dude just got home from tour and Jen A just never surfaced. So after the meeting all the girls hit my office for a jewelry raid. Here they are posed with Burt. Karly got herself a Burt’s Blouse Ring. Actually the Burt Reynolds life sized cut out is what that ring is named after. Susann opted for a Bird of Paradise Brooch. Tina snagged a Bolivian Bombshell Necklace for her sister and Hope traded in her Naughty Secretary Club Zebra Heart Necklace that she got in the ACM gift exchange for something else. God doesn’t she know that is totally rude.

Chick-a-pay and the Tei-Tei

So since I have 160 orders to put together this week and a million and one holiday cards to sign, this is gonna be brief. Here is a quickie run down of our wondermous weekend in Dallas.

Vickie was not lying, that hotel Adolophius in Dallas was uh-my-gawd big. The penthouse suite which we were staying in is I would venture to say larger than my entire house, well over 2,000 sq feet. Super duper swanky.

We had dinner in an area called The West Village I think at a place called Taco Diner which apparently is owned by the Mi Cocina people, it was delicious. I had the Tacos Cancun which involved shrimp. Danny, Kim, Becky and Kevin all joined Hope, Erin, Vickie and I for dinner.

After dinner we all went to a sushi place called Tei Tei. Which I kept saying in the Jody Foster Nell voice all night much to everyone’s dismay “Chick-a-pay and the Tae-Tae”. We had one drink here.

Across the street was the Old Monk where we met up with Jennifer and her husband Jeff. I am pretty sure between all the cameras at least 500 pictures were taken, no really. It’s gonna take me 17 years to upload them all.

The last bar we hit was called the Vickery I think. They played the LCD Sound System and Fugazi that was good, but we were getting tired. Danny took us back to our luxurious suite and we went night night.

The next morning Vickie, Hope, Erin and I all went for breakfast at Café Brazil on Elm street in Deep Ellum. Man was it good. I mean whoa.

We took Vickie back to the hotel and the 3 of us headed to McKinney to see our fam.

Later in the afternoon Hope and I with our parents went back down to Dallas to the Barnes and Noble where Vickie was signing her knitting book “New Knits on the Block”. There were lots of peeps there and like a mother I took lots of pictures.

The rest of the weekend involved lots of shopping and family bonding and now I am back home staring those 160 orders in the face!

Oh and that picture is from a phone, we are not all blue here in Texas.

I wonder what the chances are of me coaxing everyone into going out for Ethiopian food tonight for dinner?

Erin is running late for our trip to Dallas so I thought I would kill time with the shoe a week picture. These are my pencil flats. See can’t you tell they are pencils? I got these little Jeffrey Campbell babies on Melrose in LA last year when I was there with the girls shooting Stylelicious. The girls laughed at me and doubted me, but I still say these are awesome shoes.

So ya in other Dallas news Vickie is already there for a book signing and some TV appearances and she called to say she is in some crazy suite at the Adolphus hotel with like 3 couches and invited Hope, Erin and I to crash on her floor rather than us getting our own hotel room. Whoo-hoo. I would tell you kids where to meet up with us tonight, but I don’t even know. I wonder what the chances are of me coaxing everyone into going out for Ethiopian food tonight for dinner? Slim to none I’m sure.

There is a lot of Naughty Secretary Club jewelry and even more naked dudes in the Januaury issue of Playgirl.

There is a lot of Naughty Secretary Club jewelry and even more naked dudes in the Januaury issue of Playgirl. It was my first time going into a store and buying porn, so please mr checker outer at Book People don't smirk at people you don't know why they are buying these magazines. For the jewelry, duh. There is a Zowie Zodiacs Necklaces, Starlet Bracelet, Stars Noir Clips and on another page a Zodiac Cuff Bracelet.

I also went and picked up another magazine I am in this month called INsite. Look for Wooden Coral, Tina and Roaring 20's Earrings. See the blurb here.

Whatcha doing tonight? Wanna come out and brave the cold Austin? Beta Valentine is playing at Red Eyed Fly tonight. I'll be there.

Don't forget the Blue Genie Christmas Bazaar is all weekend and into the next couple of weeks.

I'm leaving for Dallas tomorrow monring to meet up with some friends, so have a good weekend.

Designing Women

So I never went back to sleep just laid on the couch thinking at any minute I would drift off but ended up flipping channels between Designing Women and The Style Network had some spring 2006 runway stuff on. Snoozer. What I did do was add some new Revamped Vintage Necklaces to Naughty Secretary Club so at least I was kind of productive. Oh and I got an email from one of guests on Craft Lab Melynda Lotven of Just Gourds. She is going to be on That’s Clever today so tune in!

Jay ZZ Top

Why oh why am I up at 5:15 (been up since 4) eating a bowl of Raisin Nut Crunch and perusing this hysterical website A Flock of Segers. Someone left me a New York Dolly album cover as a comment on My Space and I had to investigate the source. Jay ZZ Top, good lord that's funny, this is hours of entertainment.

As I tried to read subtitles last night and watch depressed trapeze artists I created some new earrings and necklaces.

So when I got this issue of W Jewelry I almost peed my pants. I am in LOVE with that big bird ring. Like can I trade in my wedding ring for this? Who cares if it is big. I wonder if I could cast one out of those little foam birds at Hobby Lobby that you put on faux nests complete with faux speckled eggs. My friend Amy Barber makes some rad bird hairclips reminiscent of the rings that I really like too.

So anyway last night while listening to Nick Cave I remembered that I still had Wings of Desire here from Netflix so I watched that puppy. I like to make jewelry at the coffee table while I watch movies but that is really tricky when movies have subtitles. Nick Cave was awesome in the movie. I was sure I had seen it, but it did not ring a bell besides my having seen the really bad Nicholas Cage and Meg Ryan remake. What also came out of it is an uncontrolable desire to hear Einstürzende Neubauten's cover of "Sand".


So I added some new items to the website yesterday. I guess I am kind of last minute putting some cool new items on. Here for instance is Seahorse Siesta a one of a kind revamped vintage brooch. I also snuck in a handful of revamped vintage necklaces. I will be adding some more new stuff to the site today so keep your eye balls peeled. As I tried to read subtitles last night and watch depressed trapeze artists I created some new earrings and necklaces.

Stitch on Papier Doll

Read on for the story Papier Doll did on STITCH or just click here to get the version with the pretty pictures.

75 degrees might be a bit warm for a mid-November night, but it was perfect for this year’s Stitch fashion show. In their third year, Stitch and its producers were once again out at Emo’s on 6th street for blaring tunes, one-of-a-kind jewelry and incredible fashion. While Austin is already a Mecca of fashion forward individuals, the Stitch show proved that fashion can continue to surprise.

Created in 2003 by Jesse Kelly-Landes of Amet and Sasha, Tina Sparkles of Sparkle Craft and Karly Hand of Identity Crisis Clothing, the three designers came together after realizing they had no accessible place to show their work. This year, they added a fourth producer, Jennifer Perkins of Naughty Secretary Club. Stitch is a collaboration of fashion designs and arts & crafts. Crafts, of course, may make you think of Martha Stewart or the horrible reason that TLC seems to be a lifelong repeat of Trading Spaces, but these crafts are different. Think amazing handmade soaps in surprising scents like basmati rice with wheat germ, or bamboo sugar cane from Feto Soap, the clever soap label created by Lisa Chouinard. Feto Soap also makes fun roll-on parfums in delicious scents like sparkling citrus, which doesn’t smell like citrus at all. Instead, it smells like a very yummy wine spritzer you can’t get enough of. There was more jewelry at Stitch than what was worn during this past summer’s boho trend. Tables and tables of handmade jewelry were abounding, but what really stood out were Natalie Tischler’s amazing one-of-a-kind pieces that are simply stunning. Typically made from a mix of new metals and vintage beads and usually on vintage chains, Tischler’s pieces are perfect for anyone. While it’s hard to choose one as the most stunning, her charm bracelets are brilliant. The whimsical charms and gorgeous link bracelets evoke an heirloom feel that is lost in most jewelry that claims to have a “vintage” feel, but is actually quite contrived. Another favorite is a vintage gold tone metal chain with jet black beads. The necklace (like most of Tischler’s creations) is so universal; I can see it on my 17 year old sister and 54 year old mother alike.

Before the show, vendors like Chouinard and Tischler, had tables set up and were ready to sell. A quick survey of the place and you realized that taking a quick survey is impossible. The entire vibe of Stitch, from the vendors to the $1.50 beers to the show itself, is unique and welcoming. While space is limited, shoppers were more than happy to sift and spend. Racks of graphic tees from labor-friendly American Apparel lined the giant room as music blasted. Crammed and armed with the mentality to come home with something original, Stitch-goers perused the tables of homemade candles, hand-knit scarves and other accessories primarily. While there were many tables to be seen, Elizabeth Bryant’s brilliant display of one-of-a-kind obi belts stood out. Made from silks and satins and resembling the traditional belts of the Far East, Bryant’s belts look extraordinary cinching a blousy dress or pulling together a t-shirt and jeans ensemble. Tables with DIY everything created small rows for shoppers to peruse for hours. Ramonster’s vintage-inspired wrap dresses in bright colors with deep contrasting trims (or vice-versa) were especially perfect for any occasion and needless to say, easy to wear in the Texas heat. Plaids in unexpected color combinations such as navy and turquoise or rustic orange and plum were the premise for Ramonster’s western button-ups that are ridiculously effortless and cool. Extended versions that create a dress silhouette will have you sold in a heartbeat. With everything that was on display and for sale before the show (did I mention Amet and Sasha’s gauzy hand-dyed wraps that evoked an ethereal look?); you’d think that there was nothing much left to be seen. Yet when the house lights went down and the heat rose, there was a still lot to take in.

Had there been no fashion at all on the runways, I seriously might have been okay with that. With the speakers blaring Thermal, Futureheads and Kaiser Chiefs, who wouldn’t be? But even a band that has just signed a record deal is not match for the designers featured at Stitch. You think you want indie? How about designers so underground, their only means of taking orders is through messages on myspace? Or gals who just sat down at a sewing machine one day to let out frustrations and ended up creating jaw-dropping frocks that even the remarkably chic Sofia Coppola would ache to wear? This is what Stitch is about. It’s a forum for independent designers to display their creativity and amazing pieces that have come from it, whether it’s completely insane or totally wearable with a pair of jeans. Label Parts & Labour came through with a remarkable ivory hooded dress that almost resembled something Little Red Riding Hood’s chic older sister would wear. Tattered black suits that would be appropriate for Marilyn Manson’s upcoming wedding, as well as events you might actually attend were created by Machine Ballerina. The lines were simple and clean with small fusions of lace and tulle peeking from hemlines and cuffs. Oversized collars and slightly flared sleeves made the blazers perfect for wearing to the office (with something underneath) or on a date (without something underneath). The hemlines of the jackets sat at the perfect point: a bit further down then the waist, but right above the hips and were shown in varying lengths. While everything from Machine Ballerina was primarily black, it worked well and could easily be implemented into an existing wardrobe.

While Louise Black’s collection was stunning, it had no place in an Austin club usually visited by emo singers and their Chuck Taylor-wearing groupies. Amazing frocks concocted in materials like green chiffon or maroon feather-trimmed sating. Black’s dresses are suited for the chicest of cocktail parties whether it’s the holidays or not. The skirts of the dresses flare with ease and leave plenty of room to display a fabulous shoe. But with these dresses, you could go barefoot and still command a room. They’re that gorgeous. Natalie Ford’s label, Mi Hija was filled with ivory, beige and camel. The standout piece was a khaki puffer that was cropped and had the most amazing collar this side of Dracula. The collar itself was stellar and the jacket was substantial, but not heavy. Often puffers lose their appeal because they’re too, well, puffy and overpowering. Ford’s version would look great with a slim dark jean and streamlined sneakers or even a long skirt and tall boot. It was functional without being overly sporty which is difficult to find in warm outerwear.

Shannon Mulkey’s inventive label, Revamp, will have you clamoring to have something fancy to attend. Her marigold corset dress with its burgundy tiered skirt is a gorgeous piece that blends beautifully together. The marigold bodice seamlessly turns into a ruffled confection that resembles swirls of clouds the color of the deepest cherry. Everyday pieces she creates are equally charming. Black acrylic and cotton blend capelets adorned with a single huge red button and a swatch of red and black tartan creating a bird peps up my everyday uniform of a long sleeved black t-shirt and dark skinny jeans. Her more casual dresses are reworked vintage pieces that look thoroughly modern once Mulkey takes them into her hands. Deep teals and plums with touches of velvet or vintage lace add a touch of retro, while the silhouettes of the dresses remain simple and easy to wear. Most of the casual dresses would look just as chic with a pair of flats and a shrunken blazer as they would with fencenet stockings and your favorite sky high heels. The dresses are special, but not costume-like. Putting one on, you’d feel like a princess rather than an extra in a bad film version of The Great Gatsby.

After the show, the audience was still roaring to shop and folks stuck around the club for a solid amount of time having a few drinks and spending money on unique items not found anywhere else around the globe. The handmade candles and soaps, the awesome scarves and sashes that were lining every aisle under the tents, and the cute bags emblazoned with Johnny Cash lyrics were made to be the best Christmas gift you’ve ever opened. Okay, maybe not the best (first edition of To Kill a Mockingbird, anyone?), but certainly one that makes great conversation and will make you smile for years to come. If you’re truly fashion obsessed, it’s hard to find something that really triggers your heart into frenzy sometimes. When you have a subject that’s second nature to you (any subject, not just fashion) it tends to all become the same old thing. Season after season, you fall in love with things, and eventually it’s the same things. Stitch was a breath of fresh air and its budding designers showed that great fashion is great fashion, even if you’re seeing it in a muggy club on a hot night in Texas. That’s the great thing about fashion. Just when you thought you’d seen it all; it surprises you.

For more information or a list of designers featured at Stitch visit stitchaustin.com.

Apparently Owls are super hot right now

Ok seriously that Mariah Carey song “All I Want for Christmas” is really kind of good. I am not ashamed to admit it. It was sandwiched between David Bowie’s “Life on Mars” and Wilco’s “Heavy Metal Drummer” on my Itunes this morning. I am getting my Christmas groove on. Even my My Space profile has The Waitress’s “Christmas Wrapping” as the song. However, that might change just this weekend I had Slick Rick and Altered Images on there. So anyway, here is a quickie IMIX with some Christmas jams for ya.

Speaking of Christmas I met with this really amazing artist last night at the Green Muse named Jasun Huerta who is helping me design my Holiday Card. I’m a little late with all this I know, but hey if I can get em out by first of next week I will be rawking. Vickie had a holiday card done by our friend Dave and I got pouty and jealous and decided I needed one too.

In other Christmas news I took my stuff out to Blue Genie for the annual Christmas Bazaar. Opening night is Thursday. I am going to try to make it. Tonight my cousin’s band is playing at Beerland. Friday is the Chronicle party and Beta Valentine is playing at Red Eyed Fly. Then Saturday I am going to Dallas for the weekend to hang out with old friends. Any bar and restaurant suggestions? It’s been a long time since I hung out down there. I’m sure people don’t sit on the street corners in Deep Ellum with liberty spikes anymore so I guess that idea is out.

Oh and a couple of last things. One take a looksie at these cute as all get out little earrings here called Wee Little Owls. I added them to Naughty Secretary Club yesterday and am pretty smitten on them. Apparently Owls are super hot right now which feels like a ridiculous thing to type. I am one step away from selling out of the Woodland Friends Owl Necklace. Surprised Hope’s two owl purses are still in stock.

Did you read about Alejandro Jodorowsky marring Marlyin Manson over the weekend? I thought that was so random. Hell you can’t even get Jodorowsky movies on Netflix and he marries MM and Dita Von Teese. Weird. Doesn’t surprise me that MM would be a fan, that one flick with the room full of Jesus statues and the screaming Jesus dude in the middle of the room seems right up his alley.

Every time a girl gets a vintage Playboy Puzzle an angel gets it’s wings.

So last night I went to a holiday party at my friend Doug’s house/recording studio The Still. There was a white elephant gift exchange which I promptly talked smack about and refused to participate in. Well when I saw that someone brought a vintage Playboy puzzle as a gift, the joke was on me. Karly bless her heart tried to trade out gifts for me to get the puzzle, but them some stranger stole it back. However, this stranger turned into my hero when at the end of the party he gave me the puzzle. He heard me say that I collect the puzzles and apparently all my friends at the party cornered him offering him cash for the puzzle as my XMAS gift. So that sweetie, Carlos, just gave it to me. Every time a girl gets a vintage Playboy Puzzle an angel gets it’s wings.

Over 24 hours in my pajamas.

Have I ever mentioned to you that I have a really scary addiction to shoes? Well I do. I stopped counting at 200 pairs. Lately, not that I am thinking about having kids but, all these people keep telling me how their shoes did not fit after they got preggers. That is all the birth control I need, I love my shoes too much to let them go. So anyway I am going to start adding a picture of a shoe a week. Lemme know if this idea excites you at all. Look you can see my Christmas trees behind the boots!

These are my Old Gringo Cowboy boots. Got em at Allen’s Boots on Congress in Austin. I had seen them a long time ago at a store called CJ Riley’s in McKinney and had been dreaming about them ever since. I even once made people at a party find the Old Gringo website on their sidekicks so everyone could look at them. Now you can look at them too.


Naughty Secretary Club has been stocked up with new hand painted purses by Hot Pink Pistol plus there are a couple of new Pop Purses I added yesterday. You know I added the Naughty Secretary Club jewelry that you saw at STITCH to my site, well my sister Hope recently added all the awesome clothing you saw with the baubles. Check out her site HOT PINK PISTOL.

Speaking of yesterday there is nothing to say about it because I never got out of my pajamas or left the house. Well I did go outside once at about 8 to get the scotch tape out of Chris’s car. Worked all day made a bunch of French Flora, Wooden Friends, Zebra Heart and Giggling Monkey Necklaces. Watched Ladyhawke was in bed early. Hence why I am up at 8AM on Sunday.

Wasted a perfectly good outfit, but Erin and I decided no one really saw us so we can totally recycle it.

Whatcha doin' tomorrow (that would be Sunday December 3rd)? Do you live in Austin? You should scoot out to the Barnes and Noble in the Arboretum at 2pm to snag a copy of Vickie Howell’s new book New Knits on the Block. So what if you don’t have kids to knit for, it’s Christmas you know someone with kids. Plus she is wearing one of my Revamped Vintage Onyx Rings on the cover. Plus Cory Ryan took all the photos. I mean what is not to love. Be sure and tune in with Vickie on her Blog Tour Next week.

So let’s see. It’s Saturday morning and Chris is the kitchen cooking me a big fat kid breakfast with eggs and bacon. God I love my husband. Last night started with Chris and I going over to meet Sophia. Holy crap is this a cute baby. Look at all that hair! Later chris, Pj and I hung out for a bit on the porch then I decided to go out. Erin swung by and picked me up we met Cory and Karly and Ruta Maya and stayed there for maybe an hour then I was back home. Wasted a perfectly good outfit, but Erin and I decided no one really saw us so we can totally recycle it.

Tonight if you are looking for something fun to do my buddy and fellow Austin Craft Mafia member Susan Keohane (AKA Loose Tooth Lulu) is in a TX Roller Girls bout against the Arizona Saddle Tramps. Sure to be a lot of fun and it is always entertaining to see your crafty friends beat people up.

Also if you are sitting around shopping today. I added so much new stuff yesterday to Naughty Secretary Club it ain't even funny.
REVAMPED VINTAGE NECKLACES - stuff from the runway at Stitch
REVAMPED VINTAGE BRACELETS - I love old watches
NOUVEAU BROOCHES - Who knew unicorns were so hot right now.
REVAMPED VINTAGE BROOCHES - One of a Kind and dang cute.
REVAMPED VINTAGE RINGS - these babies are already selling out in less that 24 hours.
NOSTALGIC NOTIONS BRACELETS - All the cuff styles are back in stock!

One last thing I got the new Lady Sovereign (the chick on the cover of Venus) and whoa is it good.

Ok I swear no more pictures of me after this.

Feel like my blog is covered with pictures of me this week, and I swear I have a really low self confidence like every normal girl. This is the last one for awhile I swear. I am just so proud of the new Venus Zine. As Karly poetically put it "You are bigger than Spoon". Congrats to my fellow Austin Craft Mafia members Jesse, Jenny and Tina!

Speaking of Venus my ad in there is obnoxiously big. I am working on fixing that.

So a quick run down of last night. Went to dinner with Hope and Tina to Thai Tara. Then we went over to Opal Divines for the Babes in business meeting. From there Hope, Karly, Wendy and I went over to Flamingo Cantina to see Dave’s new band The Brothers and Sisters who were super duper holy crap good. No really I mean it.

In other press news I got a link to this new online magazine I am in called N.E.E.T it is a super cool magazine. Look for the Zebra Change Purse on pg. 45, The Anchors Away Earrings on pg. 54, the Rock-n-Roll Charm School Necklace on pg. 69 and the Cha Cha Bracelet on pg. 84.

Hey this weekend you should go to the Thorton Road Studios Art Show and Sale. I am.

For going on 4 hours of sleep I somehow managed to feel all creative and inspired.

First, my parents had brought me this industrial laminating machine that weighs more than I do. I also got in the mail this book on vintage wrapping paper. So I decided to try my hand at card making. Also laminating pieces of paper for jewelry and stuff. So far things are coming out purty darn cute! Does anyone know a good site to go to for hand made card advice? I was looking through all my books last night and reading a lot in a book by Claudine Hellmuth called collage discovery workshop: beyond the unexpected! She was a guest on Craft Lab with me and just as sweet as pumpkin pie. Plus she had some cool tips for layering papers and stuff for my cards I am working on.

So then while laminating in the garage I conquered this Italian Bean Soup. Years ago I had this recipe and it was SO good and then I took the recipe from a magazine to the grocery store to buy the ingredients and left the paper in the cart and the recipe has been out of my life for close to 10 years. Couple of days ago I decided I can do this myself so I tweaked a bunch of different recipes and here is what I added in a giant pot.
Package of Hot Italian Sausage
2 cans Cannellinni Beans
3 Cans Chicken Broth
2 cans chopped Italian style tomatoes
1 Bunch Swiss Chard Rinsed and shredded
1 tablespoon Fennel
1 Bag Italian Cheese Shredded
1 Bag Small pasta noodles
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
Couple Cans of Water
Sea Salt
Pepper
Red Pepper Flakes

So in a skillet I browned the sausage and chopped it up into bits. I added all the canned goods, spices and sausage to a gianormous soup pot. I eye balled the amounts of spice so that is up to you and taste, the fennel seed is key. Brought all this to a boil and then took it down to a simmer. The swiss chard will shrink and the sausage is already cooked so you just need to heat through. Then I added the noodles and cooked them until they were soft. Very last step before serving I stirred in the bag of cheese. I served it with some hard bread.

Man was this soup good and there was so much of it. I froze two giant pots full so now we have 2 more meals set. Whoo-hoo!

If you are sitting around watching Crafters Coast to Coast, I mean That’s Clever on HGTV today be sure and watch my friend Jessica Scheick, AKA Jessica Cupcakes on the show. She is a doll. Did you see the picture of her in the Curve Magazine Article?

Speaking of articles, take a looksie at STITCH in Austin’s Downtown Planet Newspaper. I got email from my friend Adrien at Tuff Betty Bags that the new Venus is out with my picture “like a billboard on Sunset” so now I am dying to see.