...Case in point, my new natural perfume oil from Kirsten at Arabesque Aromas. Look at the beautiful wrapping, the delicate card, and the peony petals (for luck)!
It's called The Golden Bough. and it is a complex, uplifting, calming scent that I simply must wear every single day. Kirstin is a true alchemist in the ancient tradition, and there are incredible energetic components in her creations.
Check out the gorgeous Arabesque Aromas shop here!
Man, the mail has gotten so boring in the past ten years. Way back when I was a teenager, and I had a hundred pen pals, the mailbox was a place of infinite potential... the sound of the letters being dropped inside got my heart racing! No wonder some of us like to shop online- it means that the mailbox can still be magical place of shiny life-transforming objects.
Case in point, this beautiful package from Kirsten at Arabesque Aromas:
Inside the neatly wrapped tissue paper was the most incredible scent ever-- her newest creation, named Orlando, which is a natural plant-based perfume oil using Lapsang Souchong tea, tree resins and roots, Jasmine flowers and just a hint of Vanilla. Wow... I smell so darn good, it's almost dangerous.
Kirsten is an artist, a historian, an alchemist, and a plant lover of the highest order.... I really recommend that you explore her aromatic world.
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I have one friend who still writes me letters. And not only does Celeste write, she is the Queen of Presentation: the envelopes are decorated with stamps from a lifetime of stamp collecting, the letters re written on the back of poems, drawings, lists- and they are filled with ephemera and surprises.
Celeste actually glued this tiny book to the back of the envelope!
Though few of us write and receive letters like we used to, I would say that the joy of this archaic act has actually increased over time.... probably because it is so rare. It feels very strange to tell your friend news and know that it will take days for it to reach her. There is something magical about sending your words into the ether like that... it seems to make them more part of the universe as a whole.
I hope this post inspires you to send even one letter this year... try it, it still works! And it is as good as you remember it... maybe even better.
Big thanks to Celeste, who is also my partner in a New Year's Resolution to write for 15 minutes a day... you are helping me to get my Groove back!
Every once in a while, I stumble upon different kinds of "readings" on Etsy, and I always wonder if they could be genuinely amazing-- after all, there are so many fantastic artists on Etsy; shouldn't there be gifted psychics as well?
I never was able to pull the trigger and actually get a reading, however, until I found Gypsy Moon Gifts. (Curiously enough, I discovered this shop on the very evening when I was getting ready to go out to a Gypsy-themed full moon party... love the synchronicity!) It was the "Intuitive Collages" (pictured here) that pulled me in... I loved their energy and their style. Then I started looking at the custom blended oils and the readings, which all sounded enticing. It was the Feedback that got me, though-- I am not sure I have ever read such glowing Feedback anywhere on Etsy!
"Jennifer is amazing, kind and wonderful and so are her readings. Her incredible sensitivity contributes to the depth of the reading and her interest in clearing out and explaining things is felt in everything she writes and how she writes it. She is a real guide, a loving person and a very spiritual being."
"I'm more than a repeat customer at this point, I'm a regular. Every time I get a reading from this seller, it's always caring, insightful, and just... beyond my knowledge of proper descriptive words. Life changing is the only thing I can think of."
"I used this oil yesterday with an especially trying day at work that I thought I couldn't get through. I remember asking earnestly for help after a combination of this and heaven scent, and... like magic... everything started to turn in my favor."
I do Tarot card readings for myself at home (I like the Herbal Tarot deck by Candis Cantin and Michael Tierra... because I know the herbs so well, and I was a student of Candis', there is an extra touchpoint of understanding for me in each card), but it had been ages since I had received a professional psychic reading.
Jennifer gave me one of the loveliest, most inspiring, positive readings that I have ever had... and best of all, it was full of practical advice. I feel like I had a talk with a sister who knew me inside and out, understood my struggles and my strengths, and truly wanted to help me.
Along with my reading, I got a custom Intuitive Essential Oil Blend, based on the work Jennifer had done with me. I am in love with my special scent, and I have to say that it is working to bring new energy into my life in a very profound way.
If you have been thinking about getting a reading, whether for a specific issue or just for self-enrichment, I give Gypsy Moon Gifts my highest recommendation.
Okay, I am not going to get Pollyanna on you- I am starting to get worn out with winter! I really do love rain, snow, and cozy days inside, but wow- it has been so long since we had one of our famous California 70 degree "Mediterranean" days which usually allow us a nice break between winter storms. Instead, we have been getting non-stop snow and icy rain! How do you East Coasters and Canadians do this? You people must be far stronger than I.
Last night we had to cancel our band's show in Sacramento because the roads had turned too dangerous to drive on. Man do I hate canceling a show! But after a few experiences sliding around on the road- or having people almost slide into us- this winter, we had to evaluate the risks vs. benefits with an eye on living to see another day. (For you who live in snowy places, if you're wondering why driving in snow is such a biggee here, we get a really wet kind of snow in California, and have a lot of steep hills- a terrible combo. Oh, and no one salts the road, so ice builds up all over the place.)
But enough "whinging" (as the Aussies and Brits would say). After all, I am going to spend the whole summer half-immersed in the Yuba river, and that pure clear beautiful water must come from somewhere- a giant snowpack in the High Sierras is the only way to make Swimming Season last into September. Whoo hoo!
One of my absolute rays of light lately has been a new Etsy friendship with Kim from Corvid Delights. We did a trade and she created these custom-made earrings for me:
I cannot stop wearing them! They are a perfect color, perfect size, and perfect shape- and they have great energy. Here I am as we left the house today to get some more groceries (ugly Ugg boots are cut out of the picture, so you can imagine that I have on much more glamorous footwear! ha!):
I love that they match the 1960s mustard yellow wool cardigan that is my winter staple. Oh, I guess I should do a "wardrobe remix" style explanation while I am at it, huh? The awesome hat is a Frank Olive, gotten at a deep discount from Dorothy the Hat Lady in the antiques section of Junkees in Reno. The coat is Free People, and the vintage dress I actually bought off of Evil Bay in one of my infrequent visits there. I know I don't do many outfit posts (I am always late whenever I leave the house for anything, so I never have a minute to take a picture!) (it's genetic), but rest assured you are seeing a pretty typical winter outfit here- hippie dress, cardigan, coat, hat, and earrings. I try to look nice even if I am just going to the post office- my motto is "you never know who you will meet". This might sound funny for someone who lives in a small town, but our small town is full of some of the most interesting characters in the world. One must be prepared!
Thanks so much to Kim for these earrings, and all of the other treats that she included in her package... it feels so nice to be so extravagantly showered in gifts, when it's so yucky outside! Check out Kim's blog here- it is so personal, so sweet, and so magical. Trust me.
What an amazing week... yesterday one of my customers sent me this drawing that she did in her sketchbook. You might recognize the hat!
Her name is Jackie Sullivan and she is an incredible illustrator... luckily for us she has a blog and print shop where we can find her work.
It seems that many artists out there are able to catch up on their work during the snowstorms that have been hitting most of the country for the past several weeks... Jackie did this on a snow day when she got to stay home from work. Imagine what else is being created out there!
Humungous thanks to Jackie for sharing this beautiful piece with me.
Last night this amazing picture arrived as a total, out-of-the-blue surprise in my Etsy inbox:
It was painted by Danica of the Etsy shop Danica Land, inspired by my Love Balloon-themed listings last week. How amazing that we can light the fires of each other's imagination like this in Etsyland! Sometimes it feels like Etsy is a non-stop party thrown by the muses, for the muses.
Huge thanks to Danica for sharing this gorgeous painting with me- you have made me so happy!
A few months back, I sold this awesome dress to Maria over at the Etsy vintage shop Adelaide Homesewn. It made its debut last weekend at a holiday party, and I was so excited to be able to peep pictures of her wearing it! It is just perfect on her.
Here a few snaps, and you can head over to her blog to see more (and to read so many other wonderful posts- she is such a down-to-earth blogger, with great warmth and personality, and impeccable aesthetic taste... not to mention the cutest pixie cut on all of Etsy).
Thanks so much, Maria!
Last week I had the pleasure to meet one of my favorite bloggers and vintage sellers, Rachel from Mousevox Vintage! She and her boyfriend Jeff were traveling around California, and they made a detour through Nevada City to have lunch with me, Chris, and Amber from Violet Folklore!
The girls: Rachel, Amber, and me
Rachel is incredibly sweet and lovely in person, and, as you would expect, flawlessly stylish. Here she is with Jeff:
We had lunch at Ike's Quarter House Cafe in downtown Nevada City, a great place to go not just for the yummy cajun cuisine and the good beer and wine, but because you can sit outside and watch all of the local characters go by. We talked about wine, politics, and selling vintage online (not necessarily in that order!) and laughed a lot.
Meeting friends from the online world in person is so much fun.... I was a little nervous, I admit, and face-to-face interaction is sooooo different from e-mails and blog comments. But it is the greatest way to get a feeling for someone's whole personality, and deepen a friendship. Highly recommended!
Thanks so much to Rachel for coming through our little town and saying hi!
Some of you savvy Etsians have discovered MoonChild Vintage already... though it is a new store, it is hard to miss-- and if you haven't, well, get ready to shop! Toni, the proprietress, is a friend of mine, so you might call me biased, but honestly, I think it is the best vintage shop on Etsy, by a mile. Every piece is fabulous, true vintage (some pieces are from as early as the 1920s!), with perfect styling and stunning photography to match. And, amazingly, everything is reasonably priced!
I have been eager to do an interview with Toni. She has the best stories; she is the kind of person you would pay to come with you on a road trip, just so she could entertain you! She used to live here in Nevada City, and while our community definitely feels her absence acutely, I am glad that she is having an awesome time in her new home in Boulder, Colorado. Okay, enough introduction, you are getting the sense that I think Toni is the bees knees, I'm sure- but let me give the stage to her:
astral boutique..always and forever
whiteflufflyclouds.etsy.com
calicovintage.etsy.com
lostboysandlovers.etsy.com
MeenasMagickals.etsy.com
topsyturvydesign.etsy.com
EyvindsAlchemy.etsy.com
blueberryshoes.etsy.com
kimebuzzelli.etsy.com
brighteststar.etsy.com
violetfolklore.etsy.com
VirginiaWho.etsy.com
Geez, there are soooo many really...I have quite a few art shops as well that I love! I am so busy with my own shop right now I don't get to browse as much anymore but I am always looking for the unique piece of jewelry or accessory and artist...so turn me on people out there! hahaha I am serious!
And I also have to say, Etsy sellers are some of the nicest people ever!! I am so proud to be an Etsy-ian and be part of this wonderful online community.
I love your blog... it is one of the most beautiful, inspiring fashion blogs that I have seen. What made you start a blog? What do you like about the blog community? Could you tell us some of your favorite blogs?
Thank so much! I had been toying with the idea of starting a blog for awhile, mainly to share some of my writing and art and then when I decided to do this Etsy shop, it just seemed like the natural thing to do. I actually wish I had more time for it! I have soooo many ideas to get to! But with the Shop stuff as well as I am in the process of finishing my second album, I do need some sleep hahaha but I am about to start a series called Inspirational Woman (get ready for some questions yourself) and I am starting with one of my closest friends, Carmen Hawk who has tremendous style and another one of us Renaissance gals who is a photographer, fashion designer and painter, so look for that one, it is going to be beautiful. I don't have a huge connection to the blogging community as of right now as I just got started but I think it is a wonderful phenomenon that is both inspiring and connective. and cannot wait to meet and connect with more people. My fav blogs are probably:
http://labellamemoria.blogspot.com/
http://ladylavona.blogspot.com/
http://themoldydoily.typepad.com/my_weblog/
In The Kitchen
I have more but you can check them out on my blog~
Your style inspiration seems endless.... from the moment I first spied you at the Joanna Newsom concert in Nevada City, I thought "that's the best-dressed girl I have ever seen!". Everything that you do is so artful, yet still retains a sense of play. where do you get your ideas? Who are some of your (classic) style icons? Is there anyone in modern popular culture whose dress sense you particularly admire?
Wow! Thanks so much again!!
I suppose a lot of my ideas come from the Air, by that I mean that I daydream a lot and things just come to me. With that in mind, I get a lot of inspiration from music and always have , as well as paintings~ I think being an actress from the age of 11 to 34 also created in me a need to play new characters all the time, so every day it is kinda like that...who do I feel like today? Stories and novels also play a big part as they inspire these characters.
Geez, I have so many style icons hahahaha I suppose the top ones are Annie Hall, Nikki de Saint Phalle, Nina Hagen, Marianne Faithfull, Early Norma Jean/Marilyn, Candy Darling, Toulouse Lautrec women, Carole Lombard, Paul Simonon of the Clash Myrna Loy in the Thin Man movies, Exene, Siouxsie, Rosalind Russell as Mame, Mary Vivian Pierce in the early John Waters films, Ossie Clark, Coco Chanel, Nico, Patti Smith, Bob Dylan, Maya Deren, The Slits, David Bowie, and it just goes on and on~
In popular culture right now the first that come to mind are Bjork, Joanna Newsom, Irina Lazareanu, Peaches and Nick Cave!
I also really love kid's style...as in, when they dress themselves...they come up with truly inspiring and amazing outfits when parents are not in charge hahaha
You are a total Renaissance girl... your incredible clothing is just the tip of the iceberg! Could you tell my readers a little about your musical side?
I make music right now under an alter ego named Ic Explura and the band is called The Diary of Ic Explura. It is all based on a pictorial story book I wrote and designed about a girl who travels through dimensions. I put out my first album called A Love Letter to the Transformer in 2006 on a french digital label and it is Part ! and covers the first half of the story in the book. At the moment I am currently finishing up recording Part 2 which covers the second half of the story. I will be putting it all out digitally together and I am also hoping to get it out on Vinyl as well. I also did sing on two songs on my ex boyfriend, John Frusciante's first solo album Niandra La Des. My boyfriend Max and I make music together as well, he is playing on a lot of my new album and I have played on some of his stuff. We are trying to get something going together as well as out personal projects.
As for film, I made a film during the Niandra La Des recordings that is a little black and white artsy film of which a still from it is the cover of that album. I am finally about to release it for sale online very soon hopefully! Yay! I am also currently working on a film to go with the Ic Explura music which is just ongoing and I hope to finish by the end of the year.
Here is the link to my music...you can also get it on itunes and a few other online music stores~
http://www.myspace.com/thediaryoficexplura
You recently moved to Boulder, Colorado... could you tell me a little about what it's like to live in the Rockies?
I adore it here!!! It is so absolutely beautiful!! The weather has been very strange though lately hahaha very humid and wet which is not Boulder this time of year at all...more like dry and hot! hahaha It sunshines a lot which makes me happy but we also get those stormy days of inspiration where it thunders and lightnings really loud and you just wanna stay in and draw or read. The culture in Boulder is interesting, a cross between old hippies, buddhist, lots of musicians, and yuppies I suppose. I think it used to be even more weird and artsy from what Max tells me but it is so beautiful here a lot of people with a lot of money have moved here and driven the cost of living up so a lot of the old school Boulderites have moved to little neighboring mountain towns, which I would like to do one day as well. As for my own environment, I live with my boyfriend, Max and our cat Kiki Pamplemousse Fontaine in an old brick and wood house that needs a lot of work but that's why we are here hahaha and we have a big barn to paint in, a music studio in the basement and a huge garden this year. We are growing tons of stuff and it is booming already...corn, beets, chard, kale, three different squash, snap peas, Kentucky wonder beans, lettuce, spinach, carrots, garlic, onions, broccoli! We also have an herb garden with edible and medicinal herbs such as basil, tarragon, dill, fennel, oregano, mint, parsley, cilantro, valerian, mugwort, echinacea, arnica, lavender, rosemary, calendula flower and many more. We are lucky and so appreciative of our situation.
You and your hunny Max always have the best music playing at your house- what is spinning on the turntable this summer?
I just went up and looked by the stereo what has been playing in the last couple of days: Scott Walker and The Walker Brothers pretty much everything, lots of Jamaican Music as always and especially in summer, Joanna Newsom's latest "Have One On Me", Nina Hagen's early stuff, Tom Waits "The Black Rider", Roxy Music "Siren", 1950s Doo Wop, Pj Harvey and John Parish "A Lady a Man Walked By" and mixed Cd's and tapes from friends.
Check out Moonchild Vintage on Etsy, and be sure to peep Toni's blog! I know that you all are going to be her biggest fans! A big thanks to Toni for doing this interview, Rock on, vintage sister!
It seems that whenever I put up pieces from my own personal collection in my Etsy shop, the most interesting people buy them. Often they are customers whom I already know and love, which feels great (a validation of "I knew that dress wasn't destined to be with me!")... and sometimes I get to make a new friend! This was the case with this adorable gingerbread corduroy dress that I decided I needed to finally part with last month. I noticed that the buyer, Sara, (aka forestlass) was featured on one of my fave blogs, Moonshine Junkyard, and that she had a shop of her own. We started chatting, and I realized that this cool lady who lives in Turkey is fully on what I think of as the "California Boho" wavelength. Come to find out, that wavelength is international, and it is made more so every day by the blogging community!
I had to know more (I am one curious cat) and she agreed to do an interview with me. I think you will agree that she is totally "kin", and totally awesome!
So I am so curious about where you live! Could you tell me more? About your country, your culture, and about this place you live in particular, "high up on a mountain"? Have you always lived there?
Of course! I live in Southwestern Turkey outside of the major tourist town called Bodrum. My house is “high up on a mountain” by the Aegean Sea, in one of the many old-timey villages that are scattered throughout the countryside. People up here still make carpets from yarn they’ve shorn, dyed, and spun from their own sheep! If that isn’t old-timey, I don’t know what is. Our land is an olive grove surrounded by pine forest, and we’ve got lots of room for our dogs, chickens, and horses to run wild. We’re super lucky to have the olive trees because we get organic olives and oil every year. Plus, it's prime real estate for birds, which I love to watch.
I only lived here for two years, and before that, I lived in upstate New York my whole life. I’m Turkish by heritage though, so I don’t feel all that out of place. One thing that has thrown me for a loop though, is how friendly Turks are! People who hardly know you invite you into their homes for tea and a meal; they’re just so warm and open. And they’re very encouraging to folks who don’t speak Turkish that well. I only started learning since I’ve come here, and people love my accent; it’s cute, supposedly.
The only bad thing about a lot of Turks is that they’re crazy drivers! It makes venturing out on the road a bit of an (sometimes scary) adventure.
How did you get into the creative life, particularly knitting? What other art forms do you work in?
When I first moved here, I was going to attend a university in Ankara but decided that it wasn’t for me. Cities aren't for me, and I liked the feeling of living near the sea. Ankara is surrounded by these lonely, rolling hills, which are beautiful, but they're no substitute for the feeling of openness and freedom that the sea lends to an area. The overall effect was suffocating and I couldn't stay. So I went home, took a year off and began knitting and crocheting to pass the time. That’s when I first set up an Etsy shop. I made too many hats to just let them sit around with no one wearing them, so Etsy seemed like a good choice.
Other than knitting, I draw and paint. I also play the piano, mandolin, cello and flute. Singing is also a hobby of mine, though I’d like to make it more than that (anyone want to form a bluegrass band?). At the moment, I’m earning my BA in creative writing through SUNY Empire State's distance learning program, so I write quite a lot as well.
What projects are you working on right now?
At the moment I’m finishing up a sweater for myself, and also working on cropped cardigan pattern for my shop. I’ve got to knit a test first and if it works out, I’ll start offering them in an assortment of colors.
I’ve also got two stories in the works, but my summer classes are taking up so much time that I don’t have the energy to work on them as much as I’d like.
Tell me a little about your inspirations!
I find inspiration everywhere: in nature, from people I see on the street, from blogs, from other Etsy sellers. I’m taking an Ornithology class and got an idea for the colors for a neck warmer from a Ruddy Duck. The duck’s bill is an eye catching blue that contrasts sharply against the rusty orange of its body. I liked it so much that I did knit in similar colors.
Other times, I’ll see something I like on the street, on the net, or in a store and I’ll say, “Hmm, that’s cool. How can I do something like that?” I make all my own winter knits now, and my best-loved scarf was made after I saw an image of a favorite musician (Chris Thile) wearing this awesome burnt orange scarf. It looked so great on him that I thought, “Why not?” and made one for myself.
Okay, I see in your profile that you are an Elvis fan! (Me too!) What are your top five Elvis songs?
1) Got A Lot O’Livin to Do
2) I’ll Hold You In My Heart
3) (There’ll Be) Peace In The Valley- though Johnny Cash does it well too.
4) Bridge Over Troubled Water- his version is infinitely better than the original!
5) Anyway You Want Me (That’s How I Will Be)
(yes, that's Elvis on the shirt that Sara printed!)
How did you get into blogging? What are some of your favorite blogs?
I’m definitely more of a blog reader than a blog writer. I think I first happened upon the blogging world through Etsy. So many sellers have their own blogs, and I wound up reading theirs. It didn’t take long before I branched out to others. Now, my main distraction from homework is reading my favorites!
I’ll give my top five favorites:
Moonshine Junkyard
The Girl Who Married A Bear
Chelsea Rose Fine Arts
Chicks On A Farm (I learned that the Amaranth we’ve got growing everywhere is edible from here!)
Astral Boutique (of course!)
How did you discover Etsy? I know you are an Etsy seller as well as a buyer, and you have great taste- could you recommend some of your favorite Etsy sellers?
Why thank you! I first found Etsy three or four years ago, completely by chance. I can’t remember exactly how I came upon it, but I do remember thinking, “Oh, wow,” after taking a peek around. From then on, I was always on the site browsing around and drooling over items.
I love so many shops on Etsy, but I’ll write down the ones I visit most:
ralphnuara
violetfolklore
elfland
joclothing
AstralBoutique
moonshinejunkyard
LucidaOpticLab
MrIdahosVintage
What are your hopes and dreams for the future?
For the immediate future, I'd just like to keep doing well in school and graduate, then possibly move on to my Master's. Long term is pretty simple too. I just would like to find my niche in the world, find someone to share it with, and live a happy life that’s close to nature. Oh, and finally figure out how to have perfect summer/winter gardens.
Check out Sara's shop, forestlass, for gorgeous hand-knit creations and vintage treasures! My thanks to Sara for doing such an awesome interview. (-:
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