la churreria

A beautiful new café opened in the Nolita neighborhood of New York City this month. It’s called La Churreria and it serves mouth-watering golden churros with chocolate for dipping and delicious pressed Spanish sandwiches. I had the privilege of making aprons for the staff and when I visited yesterday to drop off a new batch, I was so excited to see how amazing the aprons looked in action. It’s exactly the kind of place where I would want my linens to find a home so I’m very grateful to Livia, La Churreria’s extraordinary manager, for finding me and supporting my work. If you’re in NYC, anywhere at all in NYC, make a point to stop in and relax at one of the cozy tables. 284 Mulberry Street bet Houston & Prince.

wish list

The funny thing about wishes is that sometimes you don’t even realize what they are until they come true. Every year we pick names for Christmas in my family. The plan is that everyone will buy one "big" gift for one person and little stocking gifts for everyone else. That’s how it should go down, but it rarely does. What actually happens is that everyone is much too extravagant and nothing is small enough to fit into any stocking. This year was no exception. Thought I’d share a few of my wonderful new belongings, all of which I absolutely had to have, I just didn’t know it until they were mine.

Clockwise from top left: One-of-a-kind handmade snowflake (medium: paper, crayon, glitter & pipe cleaner), Handmade Amethyst bracelet with found Vintage clasp, Vintage Kantha embroidery quilt, Barbara Eigen Metropolitan Opera mug, Red Vintage tool box, Obama 2012 tee, Luke Lamp Co. Industrial light wood lamp, P.D. James novel.

christmas tree

I bought a Christmas tree this week, after several years of not having one. It turned out to be a bigger challenge than I thought. Four NYC corner stands and over an hour of searching and I could not find a tree that was quite right. I just decided to forgo the plan and head home to make lunch when I spotted him. Leaning against a box, all by himself, looking like he may have been headed to the mulch bin. A rescue mission, I'd like to think. When I asked about buying the tree, the guys at the stand looked pretty perplexed, they had a brief exchange in Spanish, of which the only words I understood were "Charlie Brown" and then laughed heartily. And in the spirit of the holidays, I laughed with them.

He is the perfect little tree. Decorated with my vintage jewelry collection, since I don't yet own ornaments, he is also a little bit of a nostalgic reminder of many amazing people and times in my life. This may become a tradition...

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

magic

 

This past weekend will be remembered as one of the best memories of my years in NYC. Growing up, I spent a lot of time pretending, as most kids do, but I think my joy in the world of make believe lasted a bit longer than average. Even today, I don’t really feel like I’m officially an adult and can still very easily fall down a rabbit hole. The worlds that Jim Henson created were where I spent most of my daydreaming and playing. I wanted so desperately to be Sarah in Labyrinth, it broke my heart that I could never ride a Landstrider with Kira and absolute mayhem ensued when my VHS tapes of the entire Fraggle Rock series went missing (it remains a cold case). 

Part of the reason I moved to NYC was because the Henson offices were here. I thought if I could get as close as I could to the magic they created, it would be a good start. For several years after arriving, I wrote letters, sent my resume, called every phone number and spoke to every person who would listen about getting an internship or job with the company. It never materialized and eventually daily life, finding a paying job and apartment took priority. I’m incredibly happy where I am right now but for a long time I was lost in an uninspired daily life and money became more important than my happiness. For more than a decade, I forgot what really lit me up inside. I’m just starting to rediscover the parts of me that were hidden - what my sister told me last week, is my authentic self.

I went to see Jim Henson’s Fantastic World exhibit at The Museum of the Moving Image on Saturday and then saw a 25^th anniversary screening of Labyrinth. Brian Henson was there to talk about the film along with Brian, Wendy & Toby Froud. It was so exciting and moving. What made it even more special was that I was with my two sisters and my four year old niece, who is a big fan and my match for enthusiastically reenacting scenes from the film. I returned on Sunday for an incredible presentation by Brian Henson about the evolution of puppetry where he entertained us with stories about his father and the history of The Jim Henson Company and spoke so humbly about his own role over the years. By the time I arrived home on Sunday night, I was reeling. That sense of wonder which I had every day as a child, is still inside of me; and while I know there may be times that I'll stray, I hope I never again lose sight that anything is possible when I stay connected to my true north.

I recently read a beautiful profile of an Etsy shop owner that I can’t seem to find again. I wish I had bookmarked her page and told her how much the words meant. It said something like, "I’ve always been a creator but for a long time I forgot that I was.”

waldorf holiday fair

The Waldorf School of Philadelphia Holiday Fair was this weekend and I’m officially in love, not only with the school, but also the parents, children and faculty of this amazing community. I had such a great time and was so lucky to share the Third Grade classroom with three incredibly talented and warm women - Marlis, Susan and Anna.

Marlis crafts one-of-a-kind wooden puzzles. She was using her grandmother’s old pedal jigsaw at the show to make puzzles of children’s handprints, right in front of our eyes. It was fascinating and so entertaining. My niece is now one of the lucky owners of these darling creations. You can custom order special keepsake puzzles by contacting Marlis at marliskz@gmail.com

Susan makes the most wonderfully scented and natural soaps. She uses all essential oils and has the excellent philosophy of only creating products that she absolutely loves. I snagged one of her Patchouli bars (my favorite) and also a small French Clay bar, which I can’t wait to lather on my face tonight. www.lesavonmaison.com

And Anna, a jewelry designer with an incredible gift for making everything feel like it’s been pulled from another era. She incorporates sterling silver, vintage brass findings and semi-precious stones to create each piece. Her craftsmanship is remarkable. The beautiful glass earrings I bought went directly onto my ears. They remind me of something but I can’t quite place it…maybe it was something I owned in a past life. www.annabeaudesigns.etsy.com

Thanks to The Waldorf School and my roommates for a fantastic weekend!

my market satchel & the unknown

 

Yesterday, I needed to sew. From the moment I woke, that’s all I wanted to do. To clear my mind of all the questions that lie ahead of me, all the unknowns and decisions that have to be made. So, I pulled out all my old scraps of leather and misprinted hemp canvas and started to sew with little idea of what I would make. It’s amazing how therapeutic it is to create something without knowing what the outcome will be. I felt so much lighter as I was clearing the cut threads from my table. The added reward for listening to my inner voice - I made a perfect little imperfect satchel for the market I’m doing at the Waldorf School in Philadelphia next week. Somewhere to keep my business cards, phone and receipts right at my hip.  I wonder if ten years from now, I’ll look at this satchel and remember what I was feeling when I made it. No doubt, the unknown that lies ahead of me in life will yield some wonderful rewards too.

cafe aprons

I’ve had a number of people write to me in the past few months and ask about turning my towels into cafe and half aprons. I love when customers spur on a new project. Well, it's been on my very long To Do list and I finally had a chance to sit down at the sewing machine this weekend and make a few. I’ve been wearing one while printing and cooking and I'm now tempted to start wearing them out and about as little half-pinafores over my dresses. You can check them out in my Etsy shop here.

hearten

I had the honor of being featured in two of my favorite blogs last week - Design*Sponge and Fibercopia. Being recognized by Grace Bonney and Arcadia Smails, two women who I respect and admire so much, was an absolute dream come true.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the choices I make to embody the good energy around me and cast off the bad, even when that means leaving some things behind. I’ve found that it gets easier with time and practice and I’m welcoming the (sometimes scary) process of gaining confidence in myself and my work.

Along with the uplifting endorsements, I had a little taste of the cynical as well last week when I read a not-so-glowing review of my designs. I sat with it for awhile, let it wash over me and then made the conscious decision to move past it. It will certainly not be the last time I come across someone who doesn’t like what I’m doing and that’s ok. It was an opportunity for me to observe my mind and continue on. Funny enough, after passing that little test of resolve, an email appeared in my Inbox from a lovely graphic design student in New Zealand. She was asking if she could include me in a publication that she’s designing which will showcase people who inspire her. It brought tears to my eyes and you can bet that I embraced the hell out of it.

The print above is a result of my wonderful and empowering week. It’s called Hearten and it’s for all the confidence I gain from my friends, family and now fans. Thank you to everyone for all the well wishes and love you send to me every day. I’m soaking up all your energy and sending it back to you. x