Happy Thanksgiving

ryan mountain trail, originally uploaded by ana.blackburn.

Well, they unexpectedly gave us tomorrow off at work, so I'm cutting this blogging week short as we fly to Ohio tomorrow night for Thanksgiving with some of Billy's family and I could really use a break to get organized tomorrow and sleep in. This weekend did not cut it for me.

I'll pop in late Saturday night with a shop update head's up + photo, but I'll be back with blogging Monday.

To those of you in America, Happy Thanksgiving! And to everyone else, go ahead and eat yourself into a coma on Thursday anyway with us. This is only my second Thanksgiving since I was a teenager eating turkey, and it's probably weird how excited I am about eating already...

For Me, For You Press

I'm super excited for my first piece of printed press! My necklaces are in the latest issue of BUST, thanks to the always awesome Lisa Butterworth. Pick up the latest issue, out today, which has my hero Amy Poehler on the cover.

and don't forget, there will be two more shop updates: this Sunday at 4pm and next Wednesday at 8pm!

Fjällräven NYC

Hey New Yorkers, did you know that Fjällräven opened it's first North American store in Nolita recently? Somehow that flew under my radar until spotting a bit about it in NY Mag last night. Freshness has photos of the store they took, and it looks like a must-visit. I would be a happy camper to have another Kånken backpack.

Here's the address:
262 Mott Street
New York, NY 10012

(image via Freshness)

Mara Hoffman Leggings

These knit wool thigh high stirrup leggings (whoa, mouthful) by Mara Hoffman are so insanely awesome. Top of my Christmas wish list I'm sending to Santa (aka me.)



via camp comfort

Gemma Correll Daily Diary

Sometimes I don't blog about things because I've either already blogged about them or everyone and their mother has already blogged about them. But when something is so rad you jump up and down every time you see it you as if a new episode of Mad Men is available, it becomes clear to you that it must be shared on your blog. Case in point: When Gemma Correll uploads a new daily diary drawing on flickr, I do the aforementioned jumping up and down. I love them. It's such a great idea, much like the What I Wore Today drawings pool she started.

Guest Post

Check out my guest post over on Samantha Hahn's blog, Maquette, on some of my favorite baby things! You know, an area I am an expert on: adorableness.

Bits Of My Weekend

Contrary to what these photos may have you believing, I actually did the leave the house this weekend - and that's why there aren't many photos. I seem to be in this phase lately where I feel pressured to take photos to document everything we do for Bits Of My Weekend - and it feels too forced and unnatural, so I just keep my camera in my bag and enjoy the moment. We went to the Whitney on Saturday and saw the Georgie O'Keefe show, and then walked all the way across Central Park (which if you've been, you know isn't really possible, so there was lots of weaving around) to get to the West side to visit some used book sellers on the streets over there. That night we had friends over for Scrabble, Indian food, and cocktails (I won Scrabble! first time ever against a group of people.) Sunday we went Billy's studio to shoot his new work (more on that later!) and then I spent the rest of the day packing orders and getting ready for next Sunday's update. This morning I had one of those dreaded alarm clock moments where you're in complete denial that the time is set correctly. I'm actually still in denial...

Have A Great Weekend

, originally uploaded by Salva López.

The weekend already? Heck yes. This week was stressful, my oh my. But this morning's shop update went way better than Wednesday's - not a single technical issue! So I'm very relieved.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Sessùn coats

I already know how fabulous Sessùn is, but I did not previously know how fantastic their coats are! Perfection. They're not cheap, but they're also not outrageous.



Available at Penelope's - thank you Kate for bringing this awesome store to my attention.

Katharina Trudzinski

Amazing work by Katharina Trudzinski.





via dear ada

Heads Up

Preview now available for tomorrow morning's update!

The chosen ones

I finally decided on a high-heel boot. They were on sale + I had a 10% off code (MERRYHAPPY). Oh and the description says they're 4.75" high, but HA! Yeah right, I'm not that talented. The helpful review section revealed that it's a typo and they're only 3.5". This is as close as I will get to owning a pair of LD Tuttle boots. I almost rewarded myself (um, as a Thanksgiving present?) with a pair of Rachel Comey's, but I really cannot get myself to break my $150 shoe rule, as heart-stopping as they may be.

Nothing is perfect

just maybe on film, originally uploaded by kate / for me, for you.

An announcement and preview of tomorrow morning's shop update is going to come later tonight. I had to sell some of the necklaces that were for tomorrow's update last night because Big Cartel oversold some of them and I was so stressed out that I just decided to finish packaging everything up and go to bed, and worry about getting the next update ready tonight instead.

I'm really frustrated and angry because this move was supposed to make the shop better, but instead I acquired new problems that are even worse than the issues I had with selling them on Etsy. Some people didn't even get 15 minutes to check out, as their site promised with the options I had turned on. It's too late to switch back to Etsy for this month, so I'm considering my options for the new year. If tomorrow goes badly as well, maybe it's back to Etsy for the next two updates later this month.

We shall see. Thank you everyone for your amazing support. I guess I should be thankful that I have enough customers to cause a glitch like this? Trying to see the good in this, as Billy has encouraged me to do! This morning as I dropped all the packages into the mailbox, I forgot about how insanely mad I was last night and only felt blessed.

Update: I got a pretty nice email from Big Cartel about why overselling happens due to a delay with paypal communicating with big cartel to tell them that an item is sold. ALSO! You do have 15 minutes to check out, but only once you are checking out, you don't get to have your item in your basket for 15 minutes while you shop for more. So, if you want two necklaces you'll need to be quick, or check out twice (because shipping is free.) Not a perfect system, but I think I mostly understand now.

Uniform Natural Update

Today I am going to find out what it feels like for people to try to snag one of my necklaces in a shop update by trying to snag one of Martha's amazing Uniform Natural scarves. Back of people, it's mine!! Calendar reminder on, doing hand and finger exercises so I'm nimble and quick with clicking. I almost didn't want to tell you about it, but sometimes I'm a nice person.

Heaven Can Wait

The new video for the Charlotte Gainsbourg/Beck duet "Heaven Can Wait" is great, and I love this song - from their album IRM I mentioned before. January 26th cannot come fast enough.

via Pitchfork

Street Etiquette

Some fine gents from my small but wonderful male readership here often ask me for some recommendations on fashion for guys, and it's hard because my philosophy for my taste in men's fashion is "I'll know it when I see it." Street Etiquette falls directly into that category, and I have a serious crush on this blog of two fashionable guys in NYC who chronicle their excellent style with photos, tips, and shopping recommendations.

And I love this little pint-size bonus:



via Alison's storque article.

More Magic

10 more prints in stock! If there are any other old prints you want to purchase, let me know.

and I'm finally credited on print society, woohoo! I'm not sure if it was my persistent nagging emails or the system just finally started working...either way.

Miss Modish Vintage

I already thought Jena was cool, but now she is the coolest. Miss Modish Vintage, I want everything. Especially if I looked as foxy as she does in all of it.

Heads Up!

ta da! See what will be sold tomorrow.

Please be aware that while you do get 15 minutes to check out on big cartel, when something sells out it stays in the shop, but with a "sold out" note, unlike etsy where the product is removed from the shop homepage (if someone knows a secret on how to remedy this, let me know!) So don't let the thumbnails fool you! It's a compromise, people. Nothing is perfect I suppose. I'll try to take things down as they sell out if I gain some superman speed.

I'll be bugging you with these updates 3 more times in the coming weeks, and then things will go back to normal because I am never, ever going to have a shop update this gigantic ever again until I win the lottery and can quit my job or get an assistant (who does all the work.) HA!

Bits Of My Weekend

I'll keep this short because I'm crawling back in bed, I'm crossing my fingers for raging allergies and not a cold coming on. This weekend was busy busy in the studio, but Saturday's gloomy darkness ruined my plans of reshooting all of the necklaces. Maybe that was for the best because I'm not sure how I could have fit that in. I did manage to take tons of necklace photos Sunday, so my weekend photos aren't that great today because I just wasn't thinking about weekend bits as much. I took a break to make snickerdoodles yesterday, as baking is very therapeutic for me for some reason. I have way too many, do you want one? I'm handing you one right now, they're delicious.

Magical Thinking

My Magical Thinking print is featured on Print Society*, and was then on Apartment Therapy's newsletter about Print Society, so I've had some people interested in the last week in purchasing it. So I decided why not? 5 are now available in my etsy shop.

*annoyingly, it's credited as an "unknown artist" and won't let me claim it as my own because something is wrong with that functionality on the site. They haven't gotten back to me on how I can fix that yet. But at least there's a link to my shop.

UPDATE: wow, I had no idea this print would still get so much love! All five are sold out, but I'm going to print more as soon as I get more ink for my printer! Stay tuned, it's a busy week in necklace land too.

Have A Lovely Weekend

, originally uploaded by victoria_h.

I had a strange week, a very off week, as I mentioned. But after staying up late last night to organize my studio and my head, I feel so very much better today. It also helped that Glee was the best episode yet (and totally made me cry a little...anyone else?!)

So, I feel good about the weekend....even though I decided that I should redo all of my necklace photos and will take that on tomorrow. Because I am perfectionist when it comes to this business of mine, and I have never, ever been that before in my life. It feels fantastic to care about something so much.

I'll leave you with my favorite song they've done so far on Glee - even though it only involves one character, it's my favorite underdog character. If you don't watch the show, we can't be friends anymore. Ok, I'll let certain boys off the hook as I realize how unappealing musicals are to some. I apologize to my international readers that you can't watch this hulu clip!



Have a wonderful weekend.

Sublet Clothing + Jenny Gordy

It's a good thing that Jenny Gordy is such an awesome, kind person otherwise I'd hate her guts for being so pretty and talented. She modeled the newest line of Sublet Clothing (also run by awesome ladies) as part of their Sublet + collaborations, and looks gorgeous as always. And do we even need to discuss how great Sublet's clothing is? Today is a day of "duh"'s.

What did you expect?

Did you think that if Rachel Comey made a hiking-inspired accessories line that it would be hideous? Of course not, it's perfect, as always.



via refinery29

laser cut prints

Molly M's laser cut prints are two layers - the top a laser cut design, the bottom a solid background. They're translated from the laser cuts of her jewelry line, but the prints speak to me more. They're simple, yet stunning, and I think they would look fantastic in groups - hanging in a row.

via Martha, who has an excellent post on lovely geometric links.

PartyParty

I came home to something lovely in my mailbox last night...a sneak peek at a new collaboration Urban Outfitters is doing with the amazing Confetti System called PartyParty. There will be decorations, pinatas, and party hats galore! Can you say New Years Eve party? I'd throw a party just so I could use some of these babies. Keep your eyes out, as they're not in stores just yet.

Shop Update: Change Of Dates!

Hey guys, just a small change of dates to the necklace shop updates! The first two are the same, but the second two have changed a bit so there's more space in between and come a bit later. I'll tell you why later...

So re-mark your calendars!

Wednesday, November 18th - 8pm EST
Friday, November 20th - 9am EST
(then there will be a little Thanksgiving break as I'm going out of town...)
Sunday, November 29th - 4pm EST
Wednesday, December 2nd 8pm EST

I also forgot to mention earlier these times are EST. Seriously, I'm having a strange, strange week resulting in some spacey moments. Is anyone else? Anabela and I are convinced there's some weird cosmic energy going around this week.

Such Great Heights

Now that I don't have a long walk to the subway, I've decided to venture into the world of over 2" heels. I feel like boots with high heels a little easier to handle than pumps, and make me feel less awkward. Some favorites...

dolce vita - deeny & ozzy
Seychelles - Vince Camuto

jewelry announcement: dates + new shop

Since my last shop update I have been tirelessly working on making roughly 100 necklaces for a huge shop update for the holidays. I've lost sleep, friends, and a normal life, but I'm super excited to announce that in the coming weeks there will be four shop updates! :) There will be varying times and days of the week to hopefully accommodate many of your very different schedules. The dates will be as follows:

(UPDATED!)

Wednesday, November 18th - 8pm EST
Friday, November 20th - 9am EST
(then there will be a little Thanksgiving break as I'm going out of town...)
Sunday, November 29th - 4pm EST
Wednesday, December 2nd 8pm EST

Each update will have roughly 25 necklaces, and which particular necklaces will be released in that update will be available for you to view the day before. I'm sorry I can't tell you upfront because that is too much work for my brain, but every update will a bit of each category and colors - brass drops, silver drops, the classic rollo chain necklace, the box chain necklace, and the snake chain necklace. This is sadly the last time I will be selling the box chain and snake chain necklaces as my vintage stock is all out! I'm now on the hunt for a new style.

If you are on the email list, an email will be sent out the day before each shop update with a reminder and a link to the shop where you will be able to view what will be sold the next day.

Another huge announcement is that I'm moving my shop from etsy over to big cartel. This was a seriously tough decision, but there were a few features that I really needed that etsy doesn't have - mainly, now when you put a necklace in your cart, you will have 15 minutes to check out! No more racing as fast as you can only to have someone snatch your necklace out of your cart. I can't handle those angry emails anymore, or the fact that it's all about who can type the fastest! Another thing I love is that I can put all of my items in my shop and then choose when I want them to go live, or to have a "coming soon" feature so that you can see what will be sold the day before! I still think that Etsy is one of the greatest things on earth, and is perfect for stores that benefit from being in that community and being promoted through that community, but the technical issues outweigh that right now for me - what is need is certain functionality that works better for me (and you!) If I do go back to selling my prints again, I'll be selling them through my etsy shop, because it's also good for those shops to be separate. Etsy, I still love you to death, the Etsy forums have helped me IMMENSELY in starting a business, and I've met some awesome people there.

It's not totally done being designed, but the shop will be located here at www.shop.forme-foryou.com. I just wanted to give you the link to bookmark now if you're not into the email list thing or are a super planner and want to bookmark it now.

I'm very excited (and a wee bit nervous) for this busy month!

Ikoflex Shots: second roll

I got my second roll of Ikoflex shots back yesterday, and I'm extremely happy with how they came out, I think I'm getting the hang of the camera a lot more since my first roll. Lane recommended I try a roll of Fuji Pro film, and I love the results so much more than the Kodak film I used last time. I had a photo shop develop and scan these, but I can't wait to get my own film scanner someday because they did a pretty good job, but the cropping is a little weird and they auto corrected a lot of colors I had to re-adjust. Those Arizona sunsets were apparently not believable to them... :)

A Weakness

I think it's safe to say that there are few things in life that make me happier than good looking office supplies. Things that make me want to sit down at my desk. It's my weakness, right up there with shoes and bags. I cannot be trusted to practice restraint in a Japanese stationery store.

Present & Correct - Millimeter/Milligram - Trampoline (love her new "vignette" sets!)

Lane Collins Editions

My very longest standing internet friend (ah, the days of livejournal), Lane Collins is now offering editioned prints of her amazing Alchemy series in her shop. Along with her standard editions she's offering a special awesome price of $30 each for these three prints, or $75 for a set of all three. Dang. I suggest you snatch these gorgeous prints up soon!