City Pretties: groovy things for urban living!

Amazing Local Design & Decor Experts

2008-11-21T23:33:00.015-06:00

In my ongoing quest for the best locally-owned services and retail establishments here in Kansas City, I've recently become aware of a great little shop in the Prairie Village Shopping Center (6911 Tomahawk Rd.) that specializes in home decor: Stoney Broke, Ltd.

Stoney Broke has a number of things going for it. It's locally owned by Kansas City Interior Designer Joye Adamson, and when it comes to buying unique and different items for her clients to discover, she really knows her stuff. The accessories offered cover all price points and there are some excellent bargains to be found. Three design professionals are on staff to advise on everything from paint and wallpaper to where-should-I-put this-great-bowl-I-just-bought, and a complete floral design team experienced in creating the perfect arrangement or seasonal wreath for you is at your beck and call.

Several of my girlfriends have known about this wonderful store for some time and one of them is part of their personable and knowledgeable staff.

If you're looking for expert and elegant interior, floral, or complete home design, an objet you'll love, an unusual Christmas gift for someone cool, or if there's just something for your home you've been looking for that you can't seem to find, I recommend you give Stoney Broke a look and a call. They probably have it!

Check out their web site or call them at (913) 432.3700.

Help!

2008-11-10T00:29:00.018-06:00

I don't ask for things on my blog, but this is a special circumstance. If you are reading this and can help, it will mean so much.

My friend Linda, restaurant manager, baseball fan, movie buff and comedienne extraordinaire, has a debilitating spinal condition for which she recently underwent surgery. Add to that the fact that this surgery has left her incapacitated for 6-8 weeks and therefore unable to work, and you see the problem.

So, the Westport Flea Market Bar & Grill and ComedyCity (at the Flea Market) are holding a benefit fundraiser for her. There will be live music (and open mic) by some of Kansas City's favorite local musicians. There will be cheap world famous Flea Market burgers and beer. There will be comedy. And there will be raffles with incredible prizes. Even a City Pretties Earrings of the Month Club membership (a pair of earrings once a month for six months - a $99 value).

The cover charge will be $5 (for the Flea Market side), $20 (for the ComedyCity side, which pays for the show, entry to the Flea Market and two tickets to a future ComedyCity show!) and raffle tickets are $2 (buy five, get one free!) for the smaller items and $10 for "big ticket" items, including Chiefs and Royals tickets, dinners at The Quaff, bluestem, Avenues Bistro, Governor Stumpy's, Matsu Sushi, a year's free admission to the Riot Room, and much, much more.

You can find more information and the invitation here.

Donations will also be accepted via PayPal to lindadonations@fastmail.net. This can be done absolutely safely and securely:

1. Go to PayPal

2. Click on the "Send Money" link at the top of the page

3. In the To: box, enter lindadonations@fastmail.net

4. In the From: box, enter your email address

5. In the Amount: box, enter the amount you wish to donate

6. The For: button should indicate "Services/Other"

7. Click "Continue"

8. On the next page you will securely enter your credit or debit card info (or if you already have a PayPal account, you will sign in)

9. Click "Agree & Continue"

10. Review your payment and info, write a message if you like, and click the orange "Send Money button.

You should receive an immediate email receipt for your payment. Please rest assured that your donation will reach Linda in cash.

If you live in KC, join us at 817 Westport Road on Sunday night, November 30, starting at 7pm!

Your good will will mean so much to someone who needs it. Please help if you can!

Thank you.

Groovy jewelry, for sure

2008-09-15T12:21:00.006-05:00

Known for his chunky lucite baubles, Alexis Bittar is a jewelry designer inspired by the 70s and 80s who injects new life into those eras. He gave New York Magazine a peek into his Brooklyn studio.

Regardless what celebrities buy his stuff, I have to say that when there's an abundance of jewelry on display at a department store (even if it is Nordstrom), I assume it's mass-produced. Not so with Bittar's work - all of it is painstakingly crafted by hand. Dig the flower, man:

Alexis Bittar Large Lucite® Pin with Swarovski Crystals. Click photo to purchase.

I can't say I love it all, but I love some of it a lot! What's not to love about lucite and the two decades I remember the most fondly (if the least clearly)?

Pieces are sold at Nordstrom, among other venues. He also designs beautiful, drippy, semi-precious stone pieces, which can be found here. And check out his groovy web site here, where you can enter to win FREE Alexis Bittar jewelry!

Back in the saddle

2008-09-03T15:27:00.003-05:00

I have been out of commission when it comes to my blogging. Here's why:

My new web site! I've been working my little tush off on it since March. Why did it take me so long? Ha! Well, I'll start by pointing out that I now know why people who build websites for a living charge so much money. It's insanely complicated and mind-bogglingly frustrating. Now, I'm sure that people who've done it a few times are good and quick at it and it doesn't confound them like it did me, and dealing with the third incarnation of it (after I completely killed two previous incarnations - accidentally) has taught me a LOT about what not to do.

So, I'm back and I'll be working on the site more, getting descriptions in and tweaking the techie stuff. I hope to have it up and running within a few weeks (I tried for September 1, but didn't succeed). In the meantime, I'm going to try to get back to blogging about what I love - thank you for your patience with me and I hope I haven't alienated too many people.

Susan Chin

2008-03-03T20:54:00.018-06:00

Philomena Earrings. Ebony, 22k and 18k yellow gold, australian boulder opals. 2.5" x .33 x. 33".

The first time I came across Susan Chin's idiosyncratic jewelry it seemed reminiscent of cartoon motifs. This is hardly a bad thing; I was instantly attracted. As I explored more of her style I realized there is nothing simple about it. To the contrary, it is extremely complex. It just looks simple. Doodles in bone and ebony, precious stones and pearls, asymmetrical whimsy in 18 karat gold.

Opal & Ebony Podform Earrings by Susan Chin.

Wearable objects formed from unusual and refined materials: that is one of the very profound features that sets her pieces apart from those of other artists.

Starry Stick Brooch. Ebony embedded with 18k and 22k yellow gold, semi-precious stones. 4"x .5" x .5".

Chunky Bracelet.

Susan Chin is a fine metalsmith, craftswoman and jeweler. She is above all an artist. Although they are fairly abstract, one finds a familiarity in her pieces. Above is a Chunky Bracelet that looks as though it was made from found objects at the seashore. Below is a gorgeous brooch suggesting a doughnut with sprinkles.

Crusted Circle Brooch

Yet another bracelet, this one evocative of urchins and seed pods:

Ebony Pods Bracelet.

Her inspiration:

"My ideas or inspirations derive from the collective experiences and encounters of my walking and imaginative life. I love the forms of the natural world… the clever seed pods, the designs of the human body, floppy microorganisms. A brooch or a ring emerges from my stash of materials and is coaxed and teased into physical form until it is a thing which can be cherished. I see most of my pieces as installments in an ongoing conversation that I started many pieces and many years ago."

Look at the Hoary Heart Brooch - its soft look is deceiving, as it's formed from metal, but it doesn't stop one from wanting to reach out and touch it.

Hoary Heart Brooch.

And it reminds me of hedgehogs.

As I said, her work is far from simple. Susan is a pensive and intelligent person, calm and serious, and yet her work reflects a wonderful sense of humor as well as a canny grasp of natural beauty and the ability and need to express it.
"My work is highly personal wearable sculpture that is in conversation with
my emotional and preconscious self. I grapple, hammer and negotiate to
make the ideas and images, the bone, the metal, the wood, the stones, and
whatever other shiny objects join the fray, to construct a wearable totem or
body decoration. It¹s a compelling activity that¹s hard to match."

Bone & 18K Gold Brooch.

The bone and gold brooch above reminds me of a euglena,

only it's much prettier, of course.

Ebony Rocks Bracelet. Ebony, 22k and 18k yellow golds, australian boulder opals and pearls. 8" x 1" x .5"

Her work is highly personal - it is unique and charismatic. (Seriously, I want to touch it.) I love the Cassandra Necklace - charms and asterisks, pearls and opals, gold and ebony and bone. The black and white are alternated with the blues and golds and purples, and I would wear it every day if I owned it.

Cassandra Necklace

You can find a large portion of Susan Chin's resumé here. To find out more about her and her unique vision, visit her web site here. And if you'd like to contact her about exhibiting her work (and see her upcoming shows), buying her pieces or telling her how amazing her talent is, click here.

Clare & The Reasons

2008-03-01T00:44:00.007-06:00

My friend, Paul Dalen of Reverse-Thread, wrote on his happy blog about this band. That's when I knew I had to check out Clare & The Reasons, because Paulie's got great taste. He's one of those lucky people in NYC who can just walk to the nearest cool venue and listen to great music. Fortunately, he shares his discoveries with me.

Clare Muldaur

Clare Muldaur is the daughter of Geoff Muldaur (amazing singer and founding member of the Paul Butterfield Better Days blues band), half sister of Jenni Muldaur (daughter of Maria Muldaur, whose big hit back in the 70s was "Midnight at the Oasis," although I love most of her music) and niece of Diana Muldaur, who played Dr. Pulaski in Star Trek: The Next Generation.

All of that said, she's obviously her own woman and stands without her famous relatives, on her own, exciting and novel in her talents. You won't hear a band with this unique sound anywhere except a C&TR show.

Go to her MySpace page here and listen to her music - I highly recommend "Pluto," "Rodi" and "Cook for You."

They will be playing at South By Southwest in Austin this month, so you can catch them there, or you can buy the new CD, "The Movie" on iTunes, at your local record store or on Amazon.com. Do it. I did. Be cool like me.

First breathe . . .

2008-02-21T14:27:00.018-06:00

. . . then take in the exquisite beauty in the work of Jim Kelso. Actually, you will breathe, because Kelso's work makes you feel relaxed. At the same time, his art is breath-taking. Contradictory, eh?

Working in ferrous (containing iron) and non-ferrous metals, he forges, chases, hammers and burnishes life into his pieces.

The "expression of Nature" he strives for is evident in every single piece I've seen. In his artist's statement, Mr. Kelso declares that he seeks to

"Work in gold, silver, non-ferrous alloys, iron and steel using the Japanese and European techniques of fabrication, casting, engraving, carving, inlay, coloration, patination, vitreous enameling and blade shaping. Also, [work] in wood and fossil ivory using carving, inlay, engraving and fabrication techniques to complete the piece."

"First Rain." Pendant by Jim Kelso.

As a young art student in the 70s, I recall well my drawing teacher reminding me to be very conscious of the "negative space," that is, the blank space on the surface on which I was drawing or painting, or the "air" around a piece being molded or sculpted. It's a very Asian concept - the yin and the yang: male and female, negative and positive, black and white, heaven and earth. One cannot exist without the other.

Using fundamental Japanese metalworking art theories and techniques, he creates captured moments of nature that whisper gently but leave a lasting impression on the viewer.

"Rabbit Over The Waves Brooch" (after painting by Zeshin) 18k gold, copper, pure silver, shakudo. 58mm x 28mm - 2.3" x 1.1" by Jim Kelso

Shibata Zeshin, innovative Japanese artist of the Edo Period and early Meiji Restoration, serves as an inspiration for the brooch pictured above. The rabbit is often used as a representative of the moon in Japanese art, and this piece depicts that plainly to me. The moon over the water. Here is one of Zeshin's beautiful paintings. Note once more, the negative space:

"Hawk and the Warning Bird." (Original Title: Yukiyanagi taka no zu) Japanese, Meiji era, late 19th century Shibata Zeshin, Japanese, 1807–1891. Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk. From the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.

I find a wonderful contradiction in his work in that the noise, effort and even violence necessary in forging metalwork, and the hardness and sharpness of the materials used, has created objects of quiet and soft serenity. Moths and simple butterflies are a particular favorite of the artist, and these two pieces depicting them on ferns are perfect examples of my meaning:

Top: "Japanese Sword-fern Pin." 18k gold, copper, shakudo moth. Length 7cm - 2.75" Price on request. Bottom: "Fern and Butterfly Pin." 18k gold, copper, shakudo. 6.4cm (2.5").

Death finds its place among his pieces as well, as it should. There is no renewal of life if there is no death. The yin cannot exist without the yang.

"Ebony Leaf" by Jim Kelso

I've always been a great admirer of an artist who successfully uses hard media to create fluid objects. Gingkos and maples are personal favorites of mine, and Mr. Kelso recreates them in mouth-watering detail. The use of the translucent horn to create a gossamer effect is stunning.

Left: "Gingko Brooch." 18k gold, carved horn, moonstones 66mm x 54mm - 2.6" x 2.1." Right: "Samsara Brooch." 18k gold, carved horn 63mm x 44mm - 2.5" x 1.75."

"Samsara" is a Sanskrit word for the concept of rebirth/reincarnation - the cycle of life. Thus the maple "helicopter" seeds, the object of renewal for one living thing.

Jim Kelso's background is as diverse as the work he does. He is a metalsmith, a jeweler, sculptor, engraver. . . but he does so much more than these things, not limiting himself to jewelry by any means. His work is in the collections of a number of very famous people, not the least of which are Sylvester Stallone, David Crosby and David Mamet. Their Imperial Highnesses, Prince and Princess Takamodo of Japan own his work, and his work is on display in the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

If all of this weren't enough, he is one of those generous artists who shares his techniques with the world. His website features the Japanese patination and inlay techniques he uses to make his incredible work.

If you love Japanese art and metalwork, or if you just find gazing at beautiful art enjoyable (duh, who doesn't?), visit Jim Kelso's site and feast your eyes on his art. But take note of his extensive experience and dedication to continuing traditional Japanese theories and techniques as well. And enjoy.

L. W.: Grandfather extraordinaire

2008-02-10T12:41:00.000-06:00

When I was a teenager in the 1970's, my paternal grandfather would come to visit on occasion from Broken Arrow, OK or Gravette, AR - wherever he was living at that time. He'd drive up in his big yellow station wagon and we'd go to the art museum (it was the Nelson Art Gallery back then, now it's the world-class Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art), the local "health food restaurant," because he was a vegetarian, and the art supplies store. He always smelled of fresh soap and oatmeal.

Opa (my father's family is Dutch), was a self-taught artist (I snagged the painting above from his belongings after he died) and writer who had an appreciation for anything that enhanced life. He was kind and empathetic, concerned about the welfare of all living creatures, reverent and respectful, and still he was a hedonist in every sense of the definition.

Opa was a Theosophist. Most Americans aren't too familiar with the teachings of Madame Blavatsky. Her philosophy brought my grandfather friends from all over the world. Opa met my grandmother (Oma, of course) when, in Utrecht, Holland, he came across a meeting of the Theosophical Society and became interested in it. This was particularly disconcerting to his father who was an Orthodox Christian minister, but Opa was in love and undeterred.

Portrait artist Frank Szasz was a close friend to my grandfather and a fellow Theosophist. They met once when their eyes locked across a room and both were convinced they'd known each other in previous lives (reincarnation is a facet of the Theosophical philosophy). Most people are familiar with some of his portraits, which he rendered from life and from photos. Presidential portraits were a specialty of his, but he loved to capture interesting people in general, especially if they'd made a mark on his life or human life in general. To wit, his famous poster of Einstein:This happened to Opa frequently, meeting the fascinating. He knew Lili Kraus, the famous Hungarian classical

Lili Kraus

pianist (whom I met as a teen) and a very charismatic Egyptian stained glass master, Fadel, who had a wonderful shop here called Fadel's Stained Glass (we used to go there when we were kids and cut glass - I loved it). I never knew his first name, we just called him Mr. Fadel.

The one thing all of my grandfather's friends had in common was an intimate familiarity with oppression. Ms. Kraus was in a labor camp at one time, as was Mr. Szasz. I don't remember the nature of Fadel's oppression, but each of these people was deep and there was a brooding side to all of them. They were kind, but formidable, and I surmised being oppressed, repressed and suppressed was part of what made them this way.

I sat with my grandfather one afternoon as he regaled us with the family's escape from Europe as Hitler's army marched across and took it. It's too long to recount the entire story here, but I may in a future post. Oma's father had been Jewish and Opa knew that would be her end, as well as the end of his four sons.

So, from Compiègne, France, where they were living at the time, Opa manipulated his connections at Schell Oil and he and his family managed, against all odds, to escape on an oil tanker to Curaçao, in the Netherlands Antilles. From there, the family members all eventually moved on to different parts of the USA, where they were educated, married, and had children. I'm a product of that, and it's miraculous that I'm here at all. While telling the hours-long story, Opa would punctuate different parts of it with, "How can it be that I am here to tell this?" At one point I reminded him that if he weren't here to tell it, we wouldn't be either.

My Opa attracted the attention of fascinating people everywhere he went. He was an ambassador of sorts, and what my brother would call an "old soul." I loved him dearly and think of him almost every day.

So, with this post, I honor my wonderful grandfather, whose last words to me were, "You are very dear to me, Becky." He was very dear to me.

I heart these blogs

2008-02-09T11:23:00.000-06:00

I have two friends who blog like madwomen, and I'm glad they do. They've both been phenomenally supportive of my own tiny blog, offering advice and encouraging me all the way.

This week, one of them, Lidy of French Garden House:

honored me with a blog award:

It's the "You make my day" Award. I'm flattered because for one thing, Lidy's blog is just incredible. She's an antiques dealer who specializes in the shabby chic, and besides that she's wonderfully strong, spiritual, thoughtful, smart, loving and generous. What more can you ask for in a friend? She's a marvel at what she does, and if you love beautiful things (who doesn't?) check her blog here at Little French Garden House and her web site here at French Garden House. She says my blog is beautiful, but it pales in comparison to hers.

Megan, at Beach Bungalow 8

was thrilled when she heard I was creating a blog, sending me a barrage of helpful emails filled with information, advising me on what to and what not to do, how to get traffic, and how to get actual income from it. She knows it ALL. Her beautiful and happy blog is a new adventure to read every time I click it, and she's always got great photos of whatever she writes about.

I check BB8 usually several times a week and I encourage everyone else to do so as well - you'll find funky things you didn't know existed, ideas for decorating (Megan is an interior designer with a fantastic eye for mixing the vintage with the modern), clothing, shoes, jewelry, music, just anything and everything there is to enhance living and life. She also has a "voice" that lacks the stodgy formality many people (like me) feel the need to use when writing for others. I love the way she words things. She's added some new words to my lexicon (I call them "meganisms" which makes her mother giggle).

Megan is also in the midst of planning her Mexican beach wedding (which I'll only be able to attend if my passport gets here quick) and still finds time to care for her two beautiful girlies and her handsome and big-hearted fiancé, run a business, a household and write a blog. She's also stunningly beautiful.

Megan's older sister was my best friend in high school (and we're still very close). She and I have become friends outside of that relationship and she has posted about my Etsy shop and this blog (she featured me as a "blog o' the week").

I want to thank Lidy and Megan for their kind support and assure both of them that I'll make an attempt to repay their kindnesses some day, somehow. I know that friendship isn't about keeping score - and I don't do that - but I'd like to be supportive of their endeavors too.

So this is a shout out to just two of the many very supportive women I have in my world. I'm lucky; women need other women, and I've got the best of 'em!

Open to the light

2008-02-08T14:35:00.000-06:00

Blue-winged Grasshopper Brooch by Bernard Doherty. See more of this piece and buy it here.

I wanted to write about enamel jewelry, an art form I've loved since I was a girl. Mind you, I was just thinking about what we all pretty much know as "enamel" which is basically melted colored glass on copper or other metals: what is called vitreous enamel. I was also familiar with champlevé and cloisonné. Then I discovered Bernard Doherty, a fantastic jewelry artist in Victoria on the southeastern coast of Australia, and his incredible plique-á-jour.

Plique-á-jour roughly translates to "open to the light," and that's because it is. In contrast to other enameling methods, there is no metal to back the glass in these pieces. They are like small stained-glass jewelry objects. And yes, it's more difficult than Mr. Doherty as made it look.

Platinum Dragonfly by Bernard Doherty. $15,048 AUD (about $13,450 USD). See more of this piece and buy it here.

As you can see in the astoundingly beautiful dragonfly piece above, the light is free to move through the finely detailed wings of the insect. The light will also be dancing off of the 6.97 ct pink tourmaline at the center of its back and the five diamonds set in its head and wing points. The tail is enameled, and both the wings and the tail are hinged and sprung to allow them to move on the 18k yellow gold and platinum exoskeleton. I know it looks tiny on your screen, but the wing span is a full 85 mm (about 3.5")!

As you may have guessed by now, work this fine and in materials this precious is not going to be priced at bargain basement rates, but if you have the money to spend on yourself (or your Valentine), these would be a fine investment (just the gold and platinum will likely appreciate even more than they have in the last five minutes). This is not merely jewelry; it is fine art in every sense of the word: museum pieces.

Whether you can afford it or not, you can appreciate it, so I'm featuring more images of Mr. Doherty's incredible insectarium here.

This amazing pendant is a fine example of champlevé. I love the colors and the form, and that gigantic pearl is so beautiful as to be ridiculous.

Champlevé Scarab Beetle Pendant, by Bernard Doherty. 1.75 x 3 cm. 18k yellow gold, south sea pearl, blue champlevé enamel, 0.20ct champagne diamond. Find more info about purchasing this piece here.

Brian Doherty, Southeastern Australian enamel jewelry artist. See more of his work here.

Two Butterflies Pendant by Bernard Doherty. Plique-á-jour enamel set in 18k yellow gold with about .12 ct. of brilliant cut diamonds, two pear-shape blue topaz and large pear-shape amethyst. Get more information and price for this piece here.

A dragonfly and its bug:

Dragonfly Brooch by Bernard Doherty. Ask for more information about this piece here.

Above is a gorgeous brooch with a security chain and clip in the shape of a small bug, set with an oval blue topaz and a yellow diamond. The brooch itself is another beautiful dragonfly in blue and green plique-á-jour with hinged wings. He is 18k yellow gold and set with a blue topaz cabochon, ruby baguettes and a garnet cabochon. The tail is brown enamel. So very Art Nouveau.

Dragonfly Brooch & Pendant by Bernard Doherty. Get more information about this piece here.

And this one may be my favorite. Red and green plique-á-jour, yellow diamonds, white diamonds, tsavorite and green garnets. The tail is articulated and studded with those yellow diamonds. This is a brooch and pendant, and frankly, it makes my mouth water. The pearly iridescence of the wings and the articulated tail draw me in completely. I'd love to handle it. Wouldn't you love to wear it?

Please, do yourself a favor and visit Mr. Doherty's own site here, Brian Doherty Artist in Gold. There are so very many more amazing pieces there.

More of Vick's fighting dogs at Utah rescue

2008-02-08T12:40:00.000-06:00

Another 22 of Michael Vick's Pit Bulls now reside at a no-kill shelter and animal behavior compound in the mountains of Kanab, Utah. They've been there only ten days but are already showing signs of improvement.

Best Friends Animal Society, Kanab, Utah.

Lucas, Vick's top fighter, is there and will remain there, at Best Friends Animal Society, for the rest of his life. As affectionate and people-friendly as he is, a judge ruled he can never be adopted because of his past.

Lucas

The dogs were not neutered when in Vick's "care." The females were bred, especially if they were good fighters - a valued trait at Bad Newz Kennels, obviously. One unfortunate female named Georgia had all of her teeth pulled, possibly to prevent her harming males being forced on her to breed. I guess that was easier than trying to muzzle her, eh?

Some of the dogs will never go to homes. Some will never be able to associate with other dogs. But at least they will live their lives in a place where they'll be loved, regardless their past or their training.

Here is a video from CNN on a few of the dogs (I warn you that there is a clip of a dog fight in the middle of it - it's grainy and pale so it's instantly recognizable, and there is no sound to it, so it's easy to look away [as I must] while it plays for about 10 seconds). You can also peruse some pretty eye-0pening information about Pit Bulls at Best Friends Animal Society.

As for whether the rescued Pit Bulls can ever be good house pets, the good people at Best Friends are optimistic but realistic:

We’ve worked with bully breeds and dog-aggressive dogs for many years. And we’ve had very good success in rehabilitating many who have been as severely abused as these have. So we’re quite confident that in recovering their trust and then teaching them new life skills, many of them can be adoptable, given the right home environment. We’ll see how it goes, and take each one on a case-by-case basis, but our trainers are already making breakthroughs in just the few weeks the dogs have been here. It’s really amazing to watch them working together.

I still maintain that they're dogs and dogs want to be good. I also still maintain that Vick got off easy. Why do people do bad things to animals when it's so easy to do good things with them?

And again, I'd like to encourage my friends and readers to donate to your local Humane Society, local animal shelter, or any of the organizations I've written about in my blog. Remember that money isn't the only donation possible. I'll be buying all new bath towels soon and all of the old ones will be finding their new home at Wayside Waifs here in Kansas City.

And please, be kind to animals.

Update from Best Friends:

I received an email from the Animal Society in Kanab, and inside it was a great link with an overview of the Pit Bull "breed." It's great reading if you're interested in knowing about the various bully breeds and why they have the bad reputation they do.

Read here at Pit Bull Rescue Central.

Laissez les bon temps roulez!

2008-02-05T00:39:00.000-06:00

Colombina Decor Aria Half Mask - Pink/Silver at Masks of Venice, £23.40 (about $46 USD Buy it!)

Unless you've been living in a cave, you must know that today, Tuesday the 5th of February, 2008, is Mardi Gras. Based in many beliefs, Mardi Gras is the last day of Carnival before Lent, when for 40 days, the passion of Christ is observed and the faithful give up something they love, some indulgence, for that time.

Colombina Jolly Mardi Gras Half Mask - Black/Pink/Gold at Masks of Venice, £39.00 (about $77 USD. Buy it!)Naso Turco Half Mask - Red/Gold at Masks of Venice, £33.00 (about $65 USD. Buy it!)

The celebration in this country has always been associated with New Orleans, and yet, the Carnival celebrations elsewhere in the world are much older and even bigger. Rio de Janeiro holds a fantastic celebration (one of my all-time favorite films, Black Orpheus, is set in Rio during Carnival and is based on the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice - I recommend it, and you won't be able to get that happy sunrise song out of your head).

Colombina Luxury Half Mask - Gold, from Masks of Venice, £62.00 (about $122 USD. Buy it!)

Liberty Full Mask - Red from Masks of Venice, £100.00 (about $197 USD. Buy it!)

Pulcinella Pittura San Marco Full Mask at Masks of Venice, £65.00 (about $128 USD. Buy it!)

Venice has long had a celebration, although it has been banned and discouraged on and off over the centuries. These days the Carnevale di Venezia is back in vogue and so are its traditional and beautiful masks. The six beautiful masks above are from Masks of Venice, which, oddly, is not in Venice, but Wales. They are made in Venice, however.

My friend Kyle sent me this picture, along with some others, of vintage photos of Carnival around the world. The slide show is here from Slate.com, and, as he says, the shots from Italy "naturally look like stills from a Fellini film."

Down in post-Katrina New Orleans, the party must, of course, go on. You can see part of Bourbon Street live here, via Earthcam.com.

Patrick Burke, a photographer and native New Orleanian, has the following two (among other) fabulous photos for sale in his Etsy shop. I think both of them capture some of the mystique and excitement of Mardi Gras in the Crescent City:

"Cordial and Content," by Patrick Burke. $40 (Buy it!)

I love the purple, green and gold in the background - so very Mardi Gras! And the masks - they impart facial expressions that probably aren't actually under them. Masks during Carnival are a symbol of the spirit - dead or alive. The mix of the sacred and profane during this celebration may seem contradictory, but all of our "holiday" (a word adapted from"holy day") celebrations are mixed with the pagan.

"Crime and Passion," by Patrick Burke. $40. (Buy it!)

Again, the revelers' masks belie the expressions that may be on their faces - they could be absolutely hammered for all we know. And seeing as it's a 24-hour party in the Quarter right now, they probably are.

Many thanks to Patrick for permission to use his photos. As usual, they're on Etsy, the best e-commerce site on the internet!

Update on the rescued pit bulls in Oakland

2008-01-29T01:18:00.000-06:00

I received a very kind email, with this picture, from Donna Reynolds (third from the right), the Executive Director of Bad Rap, of six of the ten dogs they rescued from the Vick compound. Unless I'm mistaken, that's Hector in the center stretching out to kiss the dog next to him. I don't know how Leslie Nuccio, his foster "mother" is going to let go of him when it's time for him to be adopted. They are so clearly attached to each other.

Donna tells me they're very happy to be able to talk about the dogs after all this time and thrilled with the outcome of the case.

Find more photos and stories about the dogs on Bad Rap's Blog.

The victims who are not the vanquished

2008-01-28T11:23:00.000-06:00

This is not a piece about jewelry.

As you may have surmised by the presence of H.R.H. Zelda on my blog here, I love dogs. Zelda gets top billing between my two canine cuddlers, although Boris, her "brother," who doesn't really mind playing second fiddle to the Princess, is the sweetest little male Chihuahua this side of the Pecos (and the more obedient of the two).(Above: Boris as a child.)

As a person who will not raise a hand to a dog even when it's being really bad (it's never necessary - you know that if you've half a brain - it mostly shows what an imbecile you are), I was one of many aghast at the discovery of Michael Vick's dog fighting operation, Bad Newz Kennels. I'll not go into a tirade about what major league (or even college-level) sports does to athletes (I'm not fully convinced that competition causes aggression - it may be the other way around). But something had to have happened (or perhaps didn't happen) to someone who would treat other sentient beings in such a manner.

I can't abide cruelty to those who can't defend themselves. That includes children, the elderly, the disabled and animals. So I was ecstatic when Vick was caught, convicted and sentenced (he's serving his prison sentence near here in Leavenworth Penitentiary).

Then today, while watching CNN, I caught a segment about Bad Rap (www.badrap.org) in Oakland, CA and a site called Dogtime (www.dogtime.com). I was happy to hear that 49 of the 50 dogs confiscated from Vick's dogfighting compound in rural Virginia were rescued by different organizations around the country. The one poor dog that was euthanized had been so scarred, so overbred and so alienated from human kindness that she could not be rescued.

Bad Rap (Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pit bulls - it's a stretch to create the acronym, but I'm glad they're there) has taken, evaluated and fostered 10 of these dogs. They've rehabilitated them all, and some needed more than others, but they found that these scarred, neglected and abused Pit Bulls are mostly just lovable and good dogs wanting to be happy house pets. Check out Hector:

Some of the dogs are still frightened of humans. Some are terribly torn and have been repaired (on the outside - the inside may still need work). But instead of being killed for being A) considered hopeless, and B) pit bulls, they're living in loving and supportive homes and have proven to be great companions. All thanks to people who believe that dogs are dogs, and are not born evil just by nature of their breed.

I know about the Pit Bull stigma and I just don't buy it. Some dogs are born bad (like some people), and some are taught to be bad (uh, like some people), but most dogs (like people!) want to be good, happy, loving and loved. Pit Bulls are no different. They used to be the common house dog in the early part of the last century. Everyone had one; they were family pets, considered no more dangerous than your average lovable black Lab of today.

If you're considering a pet adoption, consider a Pit Bull (as long as they're not illegal in your area). You may be skittish because of the way they've been portrayed, and that's a shame. But there are also many other kinds of dogs out there who'd love to live in your home and be a part of your family. I recommend Petfinder.com, Dogtime.com, and a visit to your local animal shelter. It's an excellent idea to find out what size, energy level, fur factor and age of dog you're best suited to, and Dogtime has an entire questionnaire to narrow that down for you.

Consider the Chihuahua: also a stigmatized breed, but no more vicious or "bitey" than any other dog who hasn't been properly socialized and cared for. They're considered "yappy." I can assure you, they bark no more than any other dog, because, well, that's what they are. They're dogs. They are protective of their humans, acting as the alarm system in the house. They are protectors, predators, scavengers, playful and curious, and very house-trainable, as all domestic dogs are. Pit Bulls are no different, regardless what the prejudice against them is. It's the human behind the dog 99.9% of the time that deserves the congratulations or the blame for a dog's behavior.

My 77-year-old mother and I found her Chihuahua, Daisy, through a rescue group (LL Dog Rescue) here in Kansas City that we located through Petfinder. Mom and Daisy have been together now for 7 years and couldn't be a better match.

So please give to the animal rescue organization of your choice, whether it be your local shelter, SPCA (click that link and you'll find a short video about how the SPCA is working to bring soldiers' dogs home from Iraq), Dogtime, Bad Rap, Out of the Pits (another Pit Bull rescue organization), your local Humane Society (click here to see a HS report about the 12 dogs rescued from Vick's compound that were not Pit Bulls), or other dog rescue site. If you don't want to donate money, then give your old towels, dog food, blankets, dog toys, bleach or anything else a shelter might use for cleaning, feeding or otherwise caring for unwanted animals. It's tax deductible, you know.

It never ceases to amaze me that people can be as cruel as they are to dogs. All they want is to be loved, and they deserve it.

Deluxe polymer clay jewelry at Stonehouse Studio

2008-01-25T23:17:00.000-06:00

Betsy Baker surprised me! I was perusing my favorite handmade goods site, Etsy (which, if you haven't yet, you should visit and buy from) one day, and came upon these fantastic pieces of art in her shop, Stonehouse Studio. Thinking they were glass or perhaps ceramic, I noted their uniqueness, then realized I was looking at jewelry made from polymer clay.

You may not be familiar with polymer clay - it's made with a base of PVC (you know, what today's plumbing is made from - polyvinyl chloride) and is pliable as clay. Some popular brands available in your local crafts store are Sculpey and Fimo. When it's baked at a low temperature (I've used a toaster oven) it cures and hardens and lasts a very, very long time. My husband, who is a sculptor, used to use it for making maquettes and prototypical components. I've bought it for children in my life, who love its permanence over the nature of such ephemeral substances as Play-Doh.

So, I admit, it never really occurred to me that it could be formed into fine jewelry the likes of which Ms. Baker creates. To wit, her Bold Contemporary Ring ($50 on Etsy) pictured above and here. In colors of leopard skin, she has created an abstract burnished stone set in this beautiful brushed sterling bezel with an adjustable band to fit any size finger.Then there are her fabulous pendants! The colors and patterns are from the mind of someone who thinks hard about these things, and the architectural forms she gives the whole pieces are reminiscent of Eames-era furniture and lamps - that organic, a-straight-line-is-never-really-straight style, as in her Little Sunflower Neckwire ($75 on Etsy):And Blossoms on Blue Pendant on Chain ($40 on Etsy):There is a decidedly impressionistic flavor to the images she transfers to the clay stones, and easily my favorites are the Jupiter's Moons Pendant ($85 on Etsy):And the Sunset Trees Neckwire ($105 on Etsy):
I could go on and on about her beautiful work, but I urge you browse and buy it at her Etsy shop yourself (you can also see other designs on her web site, Stonehouse Studio). While you're at it, peruse her Trunkt portfolio. Trunkt.org is an online curated showcase for artists. Ms. Baker describes it in her blog thus:

Trunkt.org is a very selective site and the jury parameters are strict. Even after being accepted, each and every photo uploaded has to be approved before it's published. Since it is not an e-commerce site, design and artistic merit are what counts.

Read her fascinating blog here, where she explains some of her techniques and muses about her art, and where you will also find her very interesting and informative artist's statement.

All photos belong to the artist and are published here with her kind permission.

For love of art glass and jewelry

2008-01-24T14:48:00.000-06:00

(Montego Bay Necklace: 32 chunky SRA beads made of Italian glass in black, ocher, turquoise, plum and silvered ivory, sterling spacers, clasp, bead caps, slider, and wire; dalmation jasper; black seed beads. Length: 22" plus 2.5" pendant. $240. Buy it!)

Self-Representing Artist (SRA) Chris Dalrymple currently resides in Memphis, Tennessee, where she has raised a (now grown) daughter, worked hard at a corporate job, and yet still found time to combine her passion for art glass, jewelry and her creative itch to a beautiful end that she calls Elemental Mojo.

Dictionary.com defines the word 'elemental' thus:

of, pertaining to, or of the nature of the four elements, earth, water, air, and fire, or of any one of them.

Consider 'mojo':

an object, as an amulet or charm, that is believed to carry a magic spell.

(Concord Caramel Necklace: 19 SRA beads made of American glass in streaky caramel and royal plum with sprinkles of raku. Components: sterling wire, rings, spacers, beads; Swarovski crystals. Length: 21.5". $145. Buy it!)With an uncanny eye for color, form and light, she creates exquisite lampwork glass beads and forms them into fabulous unique jewelry.

(If you're not familiar with the term "lampwork" or would like to know whence it comes, click here for the Wikipedia explanation.)

Chris's first infatuation with glass was impressed upon her early. From her Etsy profile:

I fell in love with art glass when I was just a kid. My father was in the military, which is how I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to watch Venetian glassblowers at work. I was fascinated with the vibrant colors and the whole process of melting and shaping glass. Since then I’ve wanted to collect art glass. A few years ago I decided to start collecting perfume bottles. While searching for them online, I discovered artist-made lampwork beads and fell instantly in love with them.

As well as making fantastic glass herself, she has amassed an impressive collection of others' work, which she has also incorporated into her gorgeous jewelry.

So, just in time for Valentine's Day, an exquisite, painstakingly designed, meticulously hand-worked necklace of hearts. I have seen this necklace in person (or is that 'in necklace'?) and as wonderful as the photos are, holding it in your hands is an entirely different experience; wearing it would be a joy. (Modigliani Hearts Necklace: 5 SRA heart beads made of Italian glass in plum, avocado, black, deep red, and ivory with accents of silvered ivory and raku. Components: sterling rings, wire, chain, spacers and clasp; leather cord. Length: adjustable from 14.25" to 18". $166. Buy it!)
Visit Chris Dalrymple's shop on Etsy and indulge your love of art glass and jewelry.

The Grande Dame of gem shows

2008-01-22T00:01:00.001-06:00

The International Gem and Jewelry Show will be coming to a convention center near you (it won't be in KC till May, sniff!). This is the best place to find beads and gems (oh, yeah, and jewelry) ever.

If you have a tax ID number and can buy wholesale, you're even more in luck.

Check out the schedule here to find out when it'll be near you and print off a coupon for $1 off the $7 admission price: International Gem and Jewelry Show.

Great jewelry reference sites

2008-01-21T20:33:00.000-06:00

I know that the internet is a vast wasteland in many ways, and an inestimable resource as well. For those of you who, like me, find jewelry of every sort fascinating and have questions about what certain terminology means or, for instance, just what a "cameo habille" is, find out by looking under 'C' in the All About Jewels Glossary:

"CAMEO HABILLE

A cameo habille (meaning 'dressed cameo' in French) is a 'jewel within a jewel,' a cameo in which the subject carved in the cameo (usually a woman) is wearing a miniature piece of jewelry (like a tiny diamond necklace with a stone embedded in the cameo)."

Check out "Guilloche" and "Gutta percha" if you're interested in enamel and Victorian jewelry. This Illustrated Dictionary of Jewelry is so nice to have access to.

Another fabulous reference site for vintage jewelry collectors, sellers or buyers is Illusion Jewels' Researching Costume Jewelry marks page here. I've used the site innumerable times in my quest for the identification of vintage pieces I've bought and sold. Must sees are the Vintage Jewelry Patents and Vintage Jewelry Ads pages!

A more abbreviated but still informative page: Vintage Jewelry Research.

And if you're interested in American Indian jewelry, there are short but informative references at Hazelwoods' site.

And for those of you who love silver, this will come in very, very handy. The Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks & Makers' Marks is the last word on finding out what a little castle stamped on Grandma's sterling spoon means, or if your Mexican silver brooch was made before 1940 or 1980.

Justin Duance: sculpture for your body

2008-01-21T15:12:00.000-06:00

Yew pebble shaped earrings with silver inlay. 28mm X 12mm X 10mm. E33Y £47 (about $91 USD. Buy 'em!)

Living in Newlyn, Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom, Justin Duance finds the inspiration for his exquisite jewelry art in the natural mingling of earth and sea in his seaside fishing town.

Once visited by the epiphany that

"jewellry was just a miniature form of sculpture, with the potential to contain deeper meanings because the pieces are so intimate to the wearer,"

he went on to develop a style which, to me, is reminiscent of surf-burnished pebbles, bubbles in the ocean and the bands of color on the horizon at sunset. You'll also find in his work the textures of driftwood and the patterns that retreating waves leave in the sand.

Kingwood pebble shaped earrings with 1mm silver dots of inlay. They measure 30mm X 20mm X 10mm E3K E34K £51 (about $99 USD. Buy 'em!)

I love the form of this pendant, the wood grain reminds me of the beautiful layers in the flesh of salmon, (Leaf shaped silver pendant with a large section of Yew inlaid. 13mm wide 50mm long 1.8mm deep. P4L £70 (about $136 USD. Buy it!) about which Justin explains,

"Yew is the one that changes the most when you wear it. It darkens and sometimes goes a deeper red but it is still obvious that it is wood."

Thus the previous quoted 'intimacy' of jewelry to its wearer: Justin's jewelry takes on a natural patina dictated by one's personal body chemistry. Justin can adjust the length of the chain or bracelet, or if you prefer a different wood such as Indian rosewood or a beautifully grained oak, you can simply request it by filling out the proper form on his site. Shipping on all his exquisite pieces is free (which is always a very good thing) worldwide, and he welcomes custom orders!

Beautifully designed and rendered bracelets, rings, cuff links, earstuds, earrings, and pendants are all available at Justin's site here.

All photos courtesy of the artist.

Divine Designs

2008-01-18T13:26:00.000-06:00

Eni Oken is a native of Brazil, but lives in Los Angeles. Her jewelry designs are so intricate, so delicate and so amazingly detailed that I bookmarked her site the first time I came across it a few years ago. I still go back and look at her new designs, which I find consistently astonishing. Here is just one example of her mind boggling work! "Goldfilled citrine and jasper necklace," pictured above, whose title doesn't sound anywhere near as regal as it is. Read about and see more of this beautiful necklace here.

Her custom work is also astonishing, as in this fantastic aquamarine heart she designed for a special customer:More of this necklace and Eni's thoughts on making it can be found here. She journals and even features many tutorials on how to make jewelry like hers. I find that very generous.

I'm not a wire-wrapper, but I can appreciate the kind of work that goes into each of her pieces, and considering the amount of work, her prices are very reasonable.

See hundreds more gorgeous pieces of her work at her site, enioken.com.

Your opinions needed

2008-01-11T12:23:00.000-06:00

Do you ever wish there were somewhere you could go to find what lots of people are saying about a product, venue, movie, web site? There are several consumer review sites for each of those, but I've just found one for all of them and more. It's called Viewpoints. With thousands of consumer reviews on tons of different things, it's a really handy resource, and you can add your two cents too. You'll have to register, but it's free and you can opt out of any email annoyances. Check it out.

Give a little bit

2008-01-08T10:00:00.001-06:00

and help someone get a LOT. Kiva allows people with a load or a modicum of success to donate funds (starting at a mere $5) to entrepreneurs in developing countries to start their own small businesses. It's legit, it's a great cause, it's completely researchable on the site, and it will give you a little extra skip in your step knowing you're helping someone help themselves just because you can.

You can even pay with PayPal.

For your listening pleasure

2008-01-07T22:30:00.000-06:00

Brian Unger is a humorist, once one of my least favorite of the "correspondents" on The Daily Show. He apparently does humorous bits for NPR nowadays and I heard this one on my way to my mother's house today. It's about Hillary Clinton and how she can turn the negative to the positive in the campaign - giggleworthy.

My present favorite creation

2008-01-06T17:47:00.001-06:00

I love these earrings. I made them with blue luster faceted rondelle Czech glass beads, oxidized copper and brass findings and purple aurora borealis faceted Czech glass beads.

The colors just make me happy.

Where to start?

2008-01-05T16:34:00.000-06:00

They tell me to start a blog. How many times have I told others to do it and I'm only now just taking my own sage advice?

So, I'm a blog virgin.

This is where I hope to regurgitate much of what I learn in the world of handcrafted jewelry, post things I think are cool and things I think are worthy of attention. It's also where I hope to discover my uncanny ability to evolve, both as a business person and artist/crafter. I wonder if it'll work.