At Home With Sicilian Gypsy

On Saturday I had the great honor of being invited to the home of the mother/daughter team (Maria and Susan) behind Sicilian Gypsy (http://www.siciliangypsy.com/). They have several collections and lines ranging from handbags to jewelry to hair accessories to tanks. I was amazed at the quantity these women produce. Maria's gorgeous house was filled with bags, brooches, and gems in every corner. The quality of their work is exquisite as well. My favorite bag (so far) is the red one with golf print of furniture on it. They call it Chanel's Apartment and attached a vintage Chanel pin to it. Their dress form, Sophia Loren, boasts an exquisite pin collection where customers can match a brooch to their bag when they make a purchase. Being the vintage costume jewelry junkie that I am, I was in heaven. The white dress on the dress form is actually altered from three generations of lace and is meant for Susan's daughter, Chanel. Chanel is quite the aspiring jewelry maker herself. This talented family of women poured me coffee, allowed me to shop, and even showed me their sewing studio. Can you believe all the fabric? The keys are actually from Maria's home village in Sicily.

With such a warm welcoming I truly felt at home with Susan and Maria. I learned so much about them by seeing their work, their history, and their space. I learned that Susan collects everything Chanel (a woman after my own heart) and that Maria studied sewing and textile in Argentina. I learned how they work together: Susan designs and sketches the bags then Maria makes them. They put so much love into their process; it's a true family affair.

Thank you Maria and Susan for taking me in and teaching me so much about your art and sharing about your lives. Stay tuned for upcoming issues of Haute Handbags and possibly a few other magazines to see more of their work. In the meantime, you must check out their site, http://www.siciliangypsy.com/.

Picnicking

Today was one of the best days I've had in a long time. A lot has been going on in my life which is why I have been slow on the blogging, but it has all been good, trust me. I've been crazy busy making magazines happen too, so I havent had as much blogging time. But today I felt particularly inspired.

The lovely and enchanting Paulette Adams (www.summerlandcottagestudio.blogspot.com) came by to have an office picnic with me. We feasted on sandwiches and enjoyed her special coffee (made with cocoa). She brought me roses (my favorite) in pink. They still smell sweet and fragrant. I think flowers are always the perfect gift. When in doubt, arm yourself with flowers. Paulette altered the apron she is wearing above. Delicious, right?

The real fun came when the two of us scoured the Stampington & Company craft room for supplies to use on upcoming submission ideas/product reviews. I found this sketchbook from the 1960s. I have no idea who it belonged to or how it got here. Names, addresses, phone numbers, and notes riddle the pages of this old, forgotten book. Whoever it belonged to was talented in my opinion. I included pictures of my favorite drawings. I love how this artist captured women and men out on the town, dressed up with 60s beehive hairdos. I love the lack and presence of color in some pieces. It's almost nicer not knowing who the person is behind these drawings, or who the subjects are. It's all a mystery. I wonder what this person would think, their sketches in a bottom drawer in a craft room, their art on my blog, me, who knows nothing about art, liking their raw lines enough to write about them.

And somehow picnicking turns into studying the past. Things found turn into a reminder about what art is, who it refelcts, and who it touches. Somewhere, someone has attended a picnic with Paulette and I, taking lunch with us in the confines of my office. Now instead of resting in a bottom drawer, their work sits peacefully on my bookshelf, next to a vase of pink roses. The perfect lunch break find.

Happy Friday : )

Erin Fetherston for Juicy Couture

Got an exciting e-mail today that I have been waiting for for a long time now. Erin Fetherston's collection for Juicy Couture is available for pre-order and will be in stores in one week (www.juicycouture.com)! I know where Im going next Thursday : ) So I had read about the collection in the New York Times, praising Fetherston for taking velour and the Juicy brand and refining it. I have to say, I am deeply impressed. I mean, velour is fun, and quintessentially Juicy, but I got tired of it. However, I think Fetherston has successfully re-interpreted this fabric in a chic way that is just in time for the holidays. And bravo to those in charge at Juicy, for finding the right designer to carry on the proper message of the brand with her own spin. Erin's pieces feature bows, shine, velvet, and carry a Gatsby/art deco feel. I love love love it! So celebratory! Plus, Erin designed accessories and shoes as well. The color palette is perfect: black, white, and red. And I adore the photography (with balloons and roses). Christmas come early!

Put A Bow On It

So it's officially the Holiday Season. My favorite time of year. I went to South Coast Plaza yesterday, and everything was decorated. It warms my heart in inexplicable ways. It's like everyone holds their breath until this time of year.

Another great part about this time of year are the festivities. Holiday parties present the perfect opportunities for dressing up. And since the weather is cooler, the dresses can be longer, the colors can be darker, and the materials can be warmer. I love the idea of velvet this fall/winter. Another trend I am noticing is the bow. While we are used to seeing them adorning presents, I am glad to see this cute, girly, detail bedecking dresses, clutches, and headbands. The photos above are from www.theoutnet.com and www.shopbop.com.

All Tricked Out

I love Halloween. It's at the heart of the Fall season (my favorite). I love chocolate, so you can imagine the field day I have with Halloween goodies. Today's lunch actually consisted of candy (Reese's, 3 Muskateers & Twix) coupled with a venti pumpkin spice latte. But another reason I love this holiday is because it is an excuse to dress up and really glam it up. And while I stopped saying "Trick or Treat" long ago, I still love the thought of getting and giving treats. So it was a special treat to get these today from JoAnn (www.zoweeart.blogspot.com). Swarovski & sterling studs. Total candy for my ears and eyes. Things like this are super sweet and make any day feel like a holiday, but the ultimate treat is having a friend who knows what you like. Thanks JoAnn, I adore them, and I adore you! JoAnn has lots more eye candy on her blog right now, so check it out if you are in the mood for something sweet. Hope everyone had a happy Halloween!

Making Apron Memories

The Wall Street Journal ran an article in their Style section on Thursday about the apron's journey from kitchen to runway. In the first draft of my editor's letter in the first apronology I actually quoted a piece from the Journal in 2005 that referred to the apron as a "retro-chic fashion accessory." It's funny how even stories in the press, like fashion, enjoy a comeback, a coming and going, trends that circulate, revive, flourish, and fade away again.

This article prompted me to re-read my first draft of that letter, which I have saved. I crafted it so meticulously, only not to use most of it because it was way way too long and had to be edited down. The memories of putting together the first issue of apronology all came back to me. The stakes were high, my hopes were higher, and I never could have gotten the thing off the ground had I not had help from many apron loving friends and the art community.

Chief among my earliest supporters was EllynAnne Geisel (http://www.apronmemories.blogspot.com/). On Thursday I was lucky enough to meet EllynAnne for the first time, since beginning our correspondence three years ago. You can read more about our visit here, http://www.apronmemories.com/. EllynAnne should be posting pictures etc. in the near future. She brought along with her her friend Jini, who shares in apron love. Jini was kind enough to share her mother's Singer with me. She remembers sewing on it, and eventually sewed the red apron pictured here.

It's lovely/nice/surprising/amazing how one piece of clothing brings so many women together, from such great distances. I'm truly grateful for my job, for being able to meet these wonderful women, for being able to take part and let into so many stories and family histories, and for the friendship I've found in EllynAnne, an amazing woman. Apronology 3 comes out Feb 1 with more to treasure, share, and connect with.