Discriminating Weirdos

Moe Sew Poe

October is just around the corner, and October means ghosts, goblins, and ghouls.  Sure, I'm a little early, but I love Halloween enough to start blogging about Halloween-themed Etsy products.  Besides, as long as we have Christmas, there's no such thing as promoting a holiday too early.  Don't they start jamming carols in our ears in about a week?

Today I want to focus on two items featuring one of the most recognizable faces in the world of literature -- Edgar Allan Poe.  I have always loved Poe, and he was one of the first authors that I really connected with as a child.  I remember reading The Pit and the Pendulum when I was in third grade and thinking it was the coolest thing ever.  I still pick up his writing today, although everything is a re-read these days.  The tough thing about dead writers is that they stop writing.

Back to Poe on Etsy.  Our first stop is Cedar Junction, a collage, assemblage and mixed-media artist with a shop HERE.  I found this fascinating little piece of Halloween goodness there -- a bottle containing dirt from the grave of the man himself.  Actually, Cedar Junction was quick to point out that no actual grave or resting place was actually disturbed in the creation of this piece, and I suppose that's good.  Even I can have too much morbidity in my life, and that's saying something.  Even so, I really like the idea.  It's antique-looking, looks authentic, and would look great in some sort of Halloween shadow box collection.

Sweetheartsinner Creations has another take on the Poe collage.  This time, Poe's head has been placed on the body of a raven.  Of course, we all know the important part that the raven plays in what is probably Poe's most well-known poem, and this collage neatly connects the man with the animal (Manimal!).  I also love the detail of using the poem itself as the background for the piece.  If you're looking for a Poe pill box, I suggest this one. (ADAM)

My Renegade Day!

As Adam told you yesterday, we had a great time browsing around the Renegade Craft Fair this year.  It really was an amazing event.  It was not over-run with owls.  That's a good thing. 

Renegade is actually kind of a fairly big anniversary of sorts in the family Moe.  It was there, at the first show, that we discovered this "new" aesthetic in crafting.  From that day forward, we were inspired to dive in to the DIY culture, gradually honing our skills and interests into what we do today.  Adam's first embroidery project was a set of Luche Libre dish towels from a pattern we purchased at that show, for his sister for Christmas. 

Today I'd like to feature two artists (as in the painter type) that I found particularly compelling. 

The first is Ryan Berkley of Ryan Berkley Illustration.  His stuff was grand fun for me.  Just my sort of absurdity.  The bulk of his collection focused on various animals in suits of some sort.  Here are two of my favorites:

He also ascribes to the Moe philosophy of giving a bit of character and story to his prints.

"This small town mayor is a bit of a jokester. He's been known to attend town meetings dressed as The Flash and he boasts about his autographed photo of Speedy Gonzales in his office."

I'm also dead fond of meerkats. Not so fond that I'm willing to watch Meerkat Manor more than once (or twice or...).  But honestly, how can you not love a meerkat particularly in a flightsuit?

"You might think this guy is just your standard flying meerkat. You'd be wrong! He also plays piano, paints, draws, and he once had the world’s largest model Porsche collection. Ask him about the time he played the keyboard while doing a double barrel roll."

Prints are available from berkleyillustration on Etsy.

The other artist that really caught my eye was Catia Chien.  The word that really comes to mind when I look at her paintings is "winsome", but according to my dictionary (attractive or appealing in appearance), I'm ascribing more to this word than it actually contains.  A little melancholic.  Like a dream that's fading... There are stories in this work, and they are for us to imagine.  

There are, in fact, quite a lot of stories for Catia Chien.  She has done illustrations for all sorts of media, from children's books Nickolodean.  Good onya!  How wonderful to find a truly fine artist that is actually making her way in the world.  

Her paintings make me want to take a long cool look. And then another. 

Catia Chien's work is available from catiachien.com

(Emily)

Renegade People

This weekend was one of the biggest crafting weekends of the year -- the Chicago Renegade Craft Fair.  Em and I went on Saturday, met up with beefrank, and hit the booths.  We grabbed a lot of cards from a lot of artists that we liked, and I thought it might be fun to spend the next few days linking D.W. readers with some of the things we liked.

First, we were really impressed by Red Velvet Art.  According to their extremely well-designed site, the business was started several years ago by two friends (and a younger sister) by selling handmade accessories at music festivals.  Now, six years later, they are running a boutique in Springfield, MO as well as an on-line shop.  And if this weekend is any indication, they are also traveling to craft shows.  It was fantastic to see that someone has found a way to make a life out of craft without having to give up other important things like food and shelter.

We were also drawn to Zooguu, both for their awesome plush creations and their excellent tent display.  According to the events calendar on their site, Zooguu is taking its crazy plush monsters all over the country this winter and fall, so you might even get a chance to see their work with your own eyes.  I was especially fond of the puffer fish, but there were so many animals and monsters to choose from that it was almost overwhelming.  If you are a fan of stuffed toys, or if you like animals with one big eye, I suggest visiting the Zooguu Etsy store HERE.

Finally today, I was drawn to the work of illustrator Brian Gubicza.  His deceptively simple portraits of famous writers, literary characters, and monsters were fantastic, and can be found at his Etsy shop.  I was really fond of his Poe, but frankly, if I had to choose I'd be hard-pressed to pick a favorite.  Check out his shop for mummies, vampires, and even the Queen of Hearts -- all in his own, unique style.  (ADAM)

An autre treasury...

This one's called  "Unlike me...unlike you, I'm not pretending." It's very lovely and organic.  Lots of good wood.  Check it out soon, before it goes away!  Treasuries fly away like the leaves in autumn!

(emily)

Hose (say it with some vague foreign accent. it's fun)

I've been shopping around Etsy this past week.  I must admit, I'd fallen behind in my wanderings (if that's possible).  Anyway, it's fun to browse around Treasuries and let your fingers do a bit of a saunter. 

I am, of course, still completely obsessed by the tango.  I haven't been actually physically present there either.  I'm gearing up for my glorious return somewhere after September 15 (payday).  I think these two items here would look absolutely stunning in the dance.  Check em out. 

Rodarte inspired knit fishnet thigh high stockings are for sale from MisoPervy on Etsy

 

Flora Tattoo Thigh High Stockings are available from post on Etsy

(emily)

Steampunk Just Stays Cool

Just a quick entry today to point you in the direction of WillRockwell's Etsy shop.  According to the date listed in the shop information, WillRockwell is pretty new to the Etsy game.  Here's hoping he finds some success, because his steampunk pieces are absolutely fantastic.

I also have a soft spot in my heart for anyone who prices their work based on what they know it's worth rather than what folks think a typical market will pay.  The description says that $3,000 is what it will take to pry it from his fingers, and I agree with that philosophy, especially for a piece you truly love.  In the end, the buyer will treasure the piece even more if there is that much value, perceived or real, in the art.  Let's just say that if I had $3,000 sitting around, I'd buy the flash drive. 

Take a trip over to the shop and take a gander at some of the nicest copper and cog pieces I've seen in a long time.  And if you beat me to that flash drive, I hope you enjoy it as much as I would.  (ADAM)

Moss Obsession

  
Moss
Originally uploaded by Librarian Avenger

It actually started many months ago, maybe even a year ago, when I saw this article about creating moss graffiti in Craft.  I thought that was about the coolest thing I ever saw, but I thought that a lot about things in Craft (I still mourn the loss of the magazine).  The deal was this, find some local moss, wash it off, stick it in the blender with a beer and a little bit of sugar, then paint it wherever you like.... spritz frequently. 

While I think moss graffiti is cooler than hell, I had no hankerin' to actually graffite.  I did, however, wonder about making moss.  You see I've got this courtyard in my condo building.  It was a lost and sad place, smelling strongly of pee on a humid day.  I've been on a quest for a couple of years now to try to green up this place.  I'd love to remove the concrete, but alas, it is not to be.  So I'm all about containers.  This year I planted a whole bunch of containers with grass.  They've been very popular, if being very popular is that friends in my building have commented on them. 

The place is entirely shady.  It's really hard to persuade things to grow, and I want more than anything for it to seem more friendly and more green. 

My answer may lie in moss. 

This weekend, Adam and I went on a moss hunting expedition.  We snuck about the neighborhood, with bucket in hand, asking people if we could "have their moss" in a forgotten corner down by the river. Digging it out from between the cracks in the sidewalk (that moss is fair game), scraping it from under a fence.  Ok, so I was much more enthusiastic about this than Adam, who only wanted to go home and hide in the air-conditioning.  But I still thought it was pretty fun.  An urban scavenger hunt FOR MOSS!

Gather Square Moss Ring is available from AdornJewelry on Etsy

Since I was more into getting my hands dirty than he was, I washed it all out in the bucket.  I was amazed at how very quickly what was sort of brownish went almost fluorescent green.  It was almost instantaneous.  I got more excited.  This could be the answer to a lot of our gardening/grass woes!

Adam was much more enthusiastic about the blending process.  Probably because it involved beer.  And he likes sliding in at the end of the project for the most exciting part.  And lets not forget the beer. 

We spread our "moss-shake" on a bed that I'd recently de-lettuced, and now every time I pass, I look closely at it to see if anything's happening.  There might be some greening going on, but I really can't be sure. 

I'll have to keep you posted. 

Mini Moe (!) Terrarium is available from dewgardencrafts on Etsy

(Emily)

Hand-Dyed Floss!

This post probably won't matter at all to those of you who aren't into textile arts.  You guys will have to wait until tomorrow, because today I'm focusing on some of the nicest looking embroidery floss I've ever seen.  

Cymberrain has an Etsy shop full of hand-dyed floss, and it looks fantastic.  I have always used plain old DMC flosses for my work, but I'm already thinking about how I might use Cymberrain's extra-special flosses in a piece.

I should also mention that I actually found her shop via Flickr, where I found photos of some of her embroidery work.  That work, too, is pretty amazing, and I would suggest that you spend a few minutes checking it out.

Here are a couple of pictures. First, just two of the many colors she has dyed her floss.  The last shot is a photo of one of her pieces, titled Small World Sleeping Moon. Feel free to click the photos for the appropriate links. (ADAM)

My "Bucket List" for today.

'Petite France' reflections
Originally uploaded by Mike G. K. (away on vacations)

There's some sort of bucket list thingy going viral on Facebook right now.  You're supposed to put a check next to all of the things that this person wants to do before they die.  I put a lot of checks next to those things, but most of the list just didn't appeal to me at all.  I don't actually WANT to drive a race car or write a book.  Because someone tagged me, of course I filled the thing out, but it did get me thinking about what my list would be. 

Here are some of the items that occur to me today.

1. speak a foreign language fluently.

I'm embarrassed that I'm a typical American who pretty much only speaks English.  I've been working on French for as long as I can remember, so this is the likely candidate; and besides my brother's wife is French and I like her family, so it seems that learning to communicate with family is a good idea.  I understand in an intermediate sort of way, and speak in a beginner's plus.  I want these things to improve. 

2. take a millinery class in a country that takes millinery seriously. 

Americans don't wear too many hats, but the art is no where near death in the British Isles.  I've had my eye on a class from Lina Stein for a while.  I met her on Facebook: she is in fact, the only FB friend I have that I don't actually know, but we have been quite chatty.  I find her work very inspiring, and I love how open she is about answering my silly questions even though I'm not enrolled in a class.  She seems like an utterly lovely person, and not an old fuddy-duddy which you can easily find in a milliner.  Plus she's in Ireland, and I love Ireland so very much. 

Hushhhhh !
Originally uploaded by Ammar Alothman

3. adopt a child

This has been a life goal for as long as I can remember.  There are too many children in the world that don't have families.  I really like to be a very small part of the solution someday. 

4. learn to weave straw hats from an old master craftsman

This is a difficult thing to acheive, since weavers of parasisol and panama straws are dying off and the younger population is leaving the rural family trade for the lure of making badly made clothing for Wal-Mart. I think you can see where I fall on this issue!  I've been told that it takes 12 days to weave a good parasisol straw.  I want to learn how so I can pass this incredible knowledge on, and so I can help in some small way to find ways for these weavers to make a better living so they don't lose their children to Walmart.

photo by Jon Turan from Flickr

lonely planet - Maldives
Originally uploaded by i b u

5. I'm stopping with 5 (even though the FB list was 50!).  I want to have adventures that I have not yet dreamed of.  Maybe it's a roadtrip through Mexico.  Maybe it's snorkelling in Micronesia.  Maybe it's studying the piano in Austria.  I have no idea.  And I can't be one of those people that says "I have to see Mt Rushmore" because I really don't like to go to the places that everybody goes to. I've been around Mt Rushmore.  I've seen lots of South Dakota, but I don't have to actually go and see the Thing.  I'd much rather look for other, less documented Things.  Stories. Pies. The snatch of an over-heard coversation.  One beautiful stone. Wandering around without my Baedecker. (Emily)

Thanks, Tim

Our good friend, Tim Kaiser, is a mad scientist.  He spends much of his time in his basement lair at the helm of his soldering iron, bending circuits and creating some of the craziest sounding electronic instruments you've ever heard.  Better, they also look great, because Tim isn't just about the sound.  He likes his work to LOOK as cool as it sounds.  Then he spends the rest of his time performing and recording all over the place using his own creations.

Check out this video from MAKE TV featuring him and you'll see what I mean.  He talks a bit about his beliefs in aesthetics.

Tim has been doing this for a long time, and it has become his profession.  That's right, he's living the dream of making things for a living.  And his work is sought after in the world of experimental music.  He even has friends in the pop and rock world, and it's rumored that Duran Duran keeps some of his pieces stored elegantly behind velvet ropes.

As you may have heard, we're having a sale over at Moe Sew Co, and we are honored and excited to say that Tim has donated one of his instruments to our cause.  Visit our shop to check out The Super, one of Tim's Atomic oscillators.  It's for sale, at a pretty strong mark down, and until August 15th, it's 10% off the already low price!