A preview of the necklaces that will be sold tomorrow is now up in the shop. Some new necklaces include the braided thread necklaces, and two new thick overdye thread necklaces that I’m in love with here and here. Lots of brass drops and double strands, and a few solid color classics.

Some boring (but important) things to note:

1. If you live in NY state, I need to start charging you sales tax. The way I was doing it before, just eating the cost out of my own pocket, is no longer working because more and more people in New York are buying necklaces, and someone told me you’re not supposed to do that anyway. Because I can’t set up something with paypal to charge you because of New York’s kajillion different tax amounts depending on your locations, now, after you purchase a necklace, I’ll refund you and send you a revised invoice that includes tax. So if you live in New York, don’t disappear from the internet after you pay because I’ll be resending an invoice to you – hopefully within an hour of purchasing. This is stupendously annoying, but I’ve contacted several people and found this is the only way I can do it. wah wah.

2. If you are an international customer, there is a chance that you’ll be charged import taxes, customs duties and fees, which are levied once a shipment reaches your country. I have nothing to do with this, and though it’s rare that this happens, it could happen to you. I state this in my policies section, but some people have emailed me wondering what was up with them having to pay that, so I just want to point that out here a little more clearly so you’re prepared.

Thanks everyone, I’m excited to get this latest (rather large) batch out the door! Hoping for the next update to be late February.

It’s that time again for an “I’m too busy to be a good blogger this week” random mish-mash blog post! I’ve been filing things away for when I had a moment to breath.

Did you know that David Sedaris released an audiobook of some of his live performances on vinyl last year? How was this never brought to my attention before? It also comes with a free mp3 download – something I highly appreciate with records that have that. Thank you, awesome coworkers, for the heads up.

Reader Katie Armstrong is a senior at SVA and sent me this amazing video called Goodbye Sorrow that she made, created with hundreds of watercolor illustrations. She also recorded the vocals, which I’ve had stuck in my head ever since I first watched this, because they’re so damn haunting. There’s also an installation up in the Westside Gallery at SVA where you can watch the video and see all of the illustrations.

I bought this amazing Lauren Moffatt dress on Gilt (wanna sign up?) for a stupendously awesome discount, and oh boy is it even more lovely in person than I had imagined. The print is really interesting, and I’m hoping someone has some kind of event soon that calls for me to wear it. Or I’ll just wear it to work because it’s linen and could be dressed down a bit with boots.

I am so completely in awe of this story over at A Desert Fete, a blog I adore. You’ll just have to head over there to read about it – prepare to be amazed.

I’m skipping my usual have a great weekend post, but be sure that you do indeed have a great weekend! And don’t forget, Sunday evening a preview of what necklaces will be sold on Monday will be up – in the shop, on here, and for the email list subscribers!

Two of my favorite people on the internet have started new blogs that I do believe you must check out.

First up, you may know Alison better as Teen Angster on Etsy (I get really excited for her always fantastic blogosphere round-up posts every Thursday) and twitter, but now she’s started her own personal blog of awesome finds as well.

Second up, like me you are probably already in love with Meighan’s blog My Love For You is a Stampede Of Horses, where she posts about some really great art. Meighan just started another blog, Wild Horses, for all the things she adores that don’t fit into the art category of My Love For You.

I can see the beginning of a beaaautiful addition to my overflowing google reader…

I like a girl who looks like she’s from another time in a subtle, non-gimmicky way. I’m seeing a little Geena Davis in those eyes, too. (Not the jawline though, no one has a jaw like Geena.)

I recently broke my $150 or less shoe rule for these babies. They were on sale and I had a little bit of store credit at Mohawk, but I was still really nervous about how much I was spending. I wondered if Rachel Comey boots were really as great as every cool girl gushes about, or if it’s just brand hype. Well, I can attest to the fact that it is not brand hype, and that they are the most comfortable and versatile boots ever. I walked four miles around Queens the other day in them and didn’t feel an ounce of pain. I thought they might make me kind of look like a pirate, but the backs just make the shoe more interesting looking. I will admit that Billy’s reaction to them probably puts them in the category of “girl cute” and not “boyfriend cute” like 25% of my clothing, but whatevs- I like my grandma sweaters, thankyouverymuch. Totally worth the dough.

I recently updated Billy’s website with his massive amount of new work, and we realized it was high time I shared the new stuff with all of you. For those of you who are new here, Billy – er, William Steinman (it’s hard for me to call him his “professional” name) – is my partner in crime and life, and is an artist currently gettings his MFA at Queens College. His work has evolved immensely since the last time I shared it here, especially now that he has his own (gigantic) studio, but still revolves around found and comic book imagery. I’ll let the work speak for itself with some of my favorite pieces, but there are many more on his website. If you would like to get in contact with him, you can at williamsteinman at gmail.com.

Endless inspiration on the website for The Society, an Australian shop specializing in “local and global textiles, furniture, homewares and beautiful things.” The theme of the store rotates four times a year to various “societies” – I think Foundation is my favorite, from what I can see.

via seesaw

Growing up, my mom had this glass case full of little cat figurines (just like the ones on the bottom right up there) that were my grandma’s when she was alive. I was endlessly fascinated by the case, and my mom would sometimes let me take all the cats out and rearrange them (I know, exciting.) I think I loved it because I felt like it was the only “fancy” special thing we owned like that because my mom was not a knickknack person whatsoever, she only had it for sentimental reasons. Recently I asked my mom if I could have it, and she informed me that the cats were all mine, but my brother and I had smashed the case at one point rough-housing years and years ago – a “this is why we can’t have nice things” moment, no doubt. Damn, stupid kids. Now I need to find a case for the little guys. I have a feeling this is one knickknack display a certain boy I know is going to make me keep in my studio…

hello victory – polka dot home
covenant garden vintage – in times past

This weekend involved: a potluck, bowling, beer, sleeping in, insane subway problems (mercury in retrograde, anyone? my phone stopped working for a while, too), lots of time in the kitchen, necklace making sweatshop, Drugstore Cowboy for the first time (so good), a trip to Billy’s studio, Spicy & Tasty in Flushing, and loving this “warm” 40 degree weather.

I’m quite in love with these vintage Japanese kashigata sweet molds. They’re made of cherry wood and were used to make dried confectioneries, but would also look rather fantastic if you could hang them on the wall somehow. Vintage From Japan sells them in many different shapes.

via slow progress