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A couple of weeks ago I went to the No Coast Craft-o-rama at the Midtown Global Market in Minneapolis. It was my first time making it out for the event, although I've wanted to go for years. I was able to pick up a few Christmas gifts and a whole load of business cards so I can shop from these businesses when I have money again. Minnesota is super crafty (it happens when you're stuck inside all the time, too cold to go out and have fun) and so it was great to see all those crafters out at once, showing off their goods. I decided to share some of the things I bought, as well as showcase some of the businesses that were there in case you're interested in shopping Minnesota local!
Zeichen Press had loads of witty and well designed greeting cards. I milled around their booth for a while, taking my sweet time trying to decide which ones to get. Zeichen Press even have break-up cards which, lemme tell you, would've been real nice to have a stash of over the years. I also loved their cases for when you make mixed CDs for friends and need something nice to put them in.
Also, the cards are printed on a letter press so even cooler. We did some work on a printing press for my typography class and I completely fell in love with the whole process and have new respect for people who make it their main medium.
I Like You is a Minneapolis based store that features creative goods from over 200 Minnesota-based crafters and artists. They have loads of Minnesota themed items which I love because, well, Minnesota is pretty damn cool. I Like You also has a booth at the state fair.
I loved Beckamade! Her creations are inspired by Midcentury design. I bought these clever (and Minnesotan) magnets because, come on, it's POP not SODA, duh. She also had some absolute darling cloth dolls of retro ladies, which I will have to buy next time I see her at a craft fair. This was one of those booths where I loved and wanted everything. Her online shop seems to be closed for the holidays, unfortunately.
My dad has a Santa collection that I like to feed every year. Even though he can't remember what the Santa I bought him last year looks like, hopefully he'll remember this little guy! He's from Willy's Branches of Minnesota, however the designer, Willy Dawydenko, does not seem to have a website. If you're interested in picking up one of his beautiful pieces (which you really should be), give him a call at (612) 788-0518.
I picked up this little ornament for my boyfriend's parents who live in Nevada. It's from Too Many Suitors who had an absolutely adorable goods. I loved this bright and colorful screen printed ornament, but they also had great tee shirts and prints.
And some other designers that you should be interested in:
(all photos credit to the designers, not me)
Deux Amis, created by crafters Erin & Lisa, have a number of items, including jewelry, for sale, but I loved their switch plate covers the most! I almost bought a couple of a pink map of Paris, but ended up talking myself out of it. Regrets? Yes, already.
I was totally in love with these whimsical moss terrariums from Moss Love Terrariums. I thought about getting one for my boyfriend - owner Jacie designs some really cool themed terrariums, like Lord of the Rings, alien UFO landings, Jurassic era - but figured he'd let it die eventually. I'm definitely keeping her on my list for future presents (to myself). She also designs awesome jewelry.
Amy Jo's Handmade was a colourful booth full of stuffed creatures in whimsical patterns and with cute faces. I'm definitely keeping her in mind as I get into the time in my life when my friends are having children and such (yikes!)
I found myself missing my pooch as I browsed Cosmo's Collars. Martine makes these beautiful collars (also available in velveteen and felt) with supervision of her pooches Cosmo and Lyla.
I hope you guys enjoyed this post! A little different from what I usually do, but I was so in love with so many of these Minnesota-made creations that I had to share! It gives me pride to know that my home state is full of creative individuals.
I've been depressed about how little I've been able to blog in the past couple of months. I've been a bundle of nerves lately and haven't been very active - not wanting to go take photos, not even wanting to write. I've just been speechless and feeling a little bit lost about things going on in my life.
A very important person in my life has been struggling with drug addiction. For more than a month now, this person has been stealing from me, my friends, and my family, and lying to me about everything. It's been really tough on me because I rely on this person for a lot, including comfort and companionship. It's difficult when someone who you trust in such a way completely betrays you, when their behaviour is erratic and mean, and you have to completely worry about their safety all the time, checking up constantly and going crazy with anxiety every time you don't hear back. It's been tough on me, and it's been going on for too long. I've lost a lot of weight, dropping back into the 85 pound range, losing sleep, grinding my teeth, breaking out with acne, losing hair...the list goes on. I even bit a massive hole in my tongue out of anxiety. However, I am happy to say that this person has made the courageous decision to give up everything and go back into rehab. I feel like the most giant weight has been lifted off my chest and I am finally free to enjoy my life again.
When I was telling this person how I've been feeling due to their substance abuse, they said to me, "You care too much." I didn't know what to say. This wasn't something that I was ever taught as a child. I care too much. It is possible to care too much. I was floored. I was hurt and confused. What do you say to that? How does someone care too much for another person? I don't think that this person meant it in a mean way, but it's hard to tell. Addicts are selfish and perhaps this person was just displacing the blame, but I haven't been able to shake it ever since it was said to me. I care too much. Like that's a thing that people can do. People can care too much.
I don't know if I can quit caring about this person. I don't even know if I can start caring less about this person. You're never taught how to care less about something. You're never encouraged to care less about something. This is going against everything that I've ever known. But, at the very least, I can take comfort in knowing that this person is in a safe spot. Last night I was able to go out with an old friend and see Blitzen Trapper play First Ave. I'm thinking about getting my nose pierced, too. I've been wanting to do it for awhile but couldn't with my last job. Maybe I will now; It's all me time! It's time to care more about myself and less about this other person.
I'm starting this new phase of my year - of caring more about myself - by blogging! My goal is to blog at least twice a week. I used to love blogging...it allows my thoughts to untangle from my mind and I can interact with all sorts of new people and new perspectives. I was scrolling through some older blog posts from last autumn and was reminded of how freeing blogging is for me.
Anyways, I'm excited to show off this bad ass new denim jacket courtesy of White Crow. It's super cozy, has great pockets, and an awesome faded print of the U.S. flag on the back. You can find it to buy online here. Totally saaaaweeeeet and definitely getting me back in the mood to wear denim. I see denim on denim in my near future....
I called out of my internship yesterday (when I took these photos) because I just had too much work to do, but that also meant that I got to dress fun and perhaps semi-trashy for class! Usually I have to dress for the office, since I work in one, so I was excited to have fun and dress like an actual college kid. I got this new Phoenix faux leather jumper from Sway Chic which is like a total dream. They have lots of great new stock in and it's making me wish I had income!
This hieroglyphic crop top is also from Sway Chic because I just couldn't help myself. Not exactly perfect for the office but still, SO COOL. I skipped on the matching leggings.
These past couple months have been tough on me but one thing that's been sustaining me - the promise of graduation looming in my near future! Only 8 and a half weeks of class left! I don't think I have any finals (the true beauty of only having papers) so I'm completely done after that! Like, forever. No more undergrad! Life is beautiful.
Oh, but then it'll be full swing job hunting, resume re-working, and student loan re-paying.
Thanks once again to White Crow for the beautiful jean jacket, and to my friends over at Sway Chic for stocking equally great goods.
And now begins my time to pamper myself! What sort of things should I do with my new found freedom of caring (almost) only for myself? xx
Leggings. Something I haven't worn since middle school when my best friend & I hosted an '80s themed party. I've been wanting red velvet leggings for years now and finally decided to splurge on some from Romwe. I use the word "splurge" lightly in this case, seeing as these babies only cost me about $16. It was my first Romwe purchase, as I've never quite understood what all the hubub was about. It seems like everyone's and their mothers' closets are chock full of Romwe goods. It's too overwhelming to browse through, just loads and loads of stuff, so I've never spent much time on their site. But, it's all super cute and things are super inexpensive, which gets me to why I used the word "splurge."
I have issues with buying cheap clothes, especially cheap clothes that are direct designer knock offs made with less quality material and distributed by the thousands. I could get into huge arguments about this issue but the bottom line is this: the clothes are cheap, so people are inclined to stock up on them, but then only wear them once before they get passed onto goodness knows where. The whole concept makes me very uneasy. I mean, I have no problem buying second hand clothes, in fact that's what most of my wardrobe is, but it seems like it's starting to become excessive. People are consuming more and more stuff for the sole reason that it's cheap.
That being said, after buying this pair of leggings and being so happy with them, I went and bought a pair of the Gustav Klimt "The Kiss" ones, even though they're clearly a direct knock-off of Black Milk's original. I looked at both pairs & decided that I liked the placement and colours of the Romwe ones better. That and I don't remember the last time I paid $75 for a single garment. These leggings are so kitsch, they won't be an everyday staple and therefore paying $24 a pop isn't such a bad deal.
I paired the leggings with these blue Steve Madden buckle boots (with kick-ass chains on the heels) which I bought on sale a couple of years ago. I think these babies set me back about $20 - $35...not bad for a sale item! I don't wear them nearly enough, unfortunately. They're a tad big.
I am also wearing a shirt that I found at Everyday People a year or two ago for the low low price of $10. It's falling apart into pieces, which is such a shame because it's beautiful. Definitely one of my favourite shirts...plus the brand is "Campus Casuals" which I love! It most certainly was a campus casual for me, today. Whenever I put it on, I imagine some dirty hippie wearing it. Probably one that went to Macalester College and pretended to be poor when he was actually really wealthy and was trying to put that behind him and be independent of his parents, which is why he bought this crummy, psychadelic shirt. Yeah, I give a lot of my second hand clothes imaginary background histories.
My lucky charms which I wear almost everyday: my hamsa, my ankh, and my name in Arabic, a charm which my uncle picked up for me while on one of his tours of the Middle East. Numerous Arabic-speaking people have told me that if you sounded that translation out, it wouldn't sound at all like my name. Cheers for having names spelt different than how they sound!
It was chilly when I left for campus this morning, so I threw on my jean jacket. It still had pins stuck all over it from when I wore it last autumn here (my singular jean jacket doesn't get much wear, clearly). Some of the pins were taken off for other purposes, like Piglet and that red star, and some of them I only just recently re-attached. Also, aye yi yi, finding that post...it's always so weird when you stumble across photos of your ex-boyfriends...why did I post that on the blog? Did I really think he'd stick around long enough for it to be necessary to show him off on the blog?
Arrrrgh I have so much homework to do tonight...and this weekend in general! I better get started on that. I have too much energy right now, I can't sit and read a textbook. Today has been a weird day: I've been super hyper and overly chatty, yet with no one to really talk to. And then coming home from campus, there was a man who just stared at me for my whole 15 minute bus ride, which made me really uncomfortable and put me in some weird funk. I think I look slightly off in these photos, so apologies if I don't look my normal self! Anyways, must get going, lots to read, lots to study! xx
At the start of the summer, I made a list of things I wanted to buy for summer 2012. Okay, it wasn't so much a list as just two things circulating in my head: roller skates and a typewriter.
I feel like my entire existence on Earth lately has been to be as charming as possible to the general population. Now, I'd rather not have to associate with the population for them to find me charming, so instead I'll just look charming by appearance which means roller skating around the neighbourhood and sitting in the yard writing love stories on a typewriter. Earlier this summer, I installed a bike basket on my beloved pink Schwinn, thinking, "I will charm the socks off of Saint Paul if I ride through the streets with puppies or cupcakes or flowers in my bicycle basket!" Now the weird thing is, I don't have any idea where this desire to seem charming came from. I think I was just getting tired of being some angsty teenager stomping around in platform boots with a scowl on my face. Wait, was that ever really me? It's rare to find me without some big fat grin, rosy cheeks, and hair in curls. So this brings me back to my original point: I have absolutely no idea where this desire for charm came from.
I've been feeling a bit down and out lately so yesterday when a friend insisted upon seeing me I said, "Okay, but we're going shopping!" I'm pretty stereotypical when it comes to retail therapy. I had my summer shopping list in hand (or head): Roller skates and a typewriter, along with the additions of elastic and Nancy Drew book 5.
I threw on this little blue skirt & vest set that my aunt gave to me from her own collection (hey - the shirt was from her as well!). I adore it to pieces. The fabric is beautiful and in this wonderful cerulean blue colour. It's very '60s back-to-school and even reminds me a bit of some sort of preppy thing that Nancy Drew would wear. But let's be realistic: I've convinced myself that I am Nancy Drew and thus, everything I wear reflects the super sleuth also... I topped the outfit off with these fabulous new Doc Martens I found at the thrift store. Brand new with a big fat buckle and a chunky heel. It was love at first sight and, coincidentally, fate because they were exactly my size.
Dressed for the day, my friend and I set out...and as it turned out, blue was my lucky colour yesterday! I found Nancy Drew 6 - 9 at a stellar price (not number 5 though, which puts a small hole in my collection), then bounced over to the fabric store to pick up elastic and find a bargain priced fabric for a new back-to-school skirt. After that, we headed over to the antique mall to search for treasures. Right off the bat, we happen upon this blue typewriter!
I also found this great new bag! It has many pockets and is perfect for textbooks or overnight stays. Not to mention, it's a fabulous colour and in perfect condition. I'm so exciting to be toting this around campus in just a couple of weeks!
I wasn't about to settle for just any typewriter: I was insistent upon either a blue or a pink one. It turned out to be rather lucky to run across this blue one! There was only one other typewriter in the store (black) and when I asked the antique-obsessed-shopkeeps about the typewriter, they were very enthusiastic. I asked if they ever saw pink ones in the shop, which I got a firm no on, and then asked if they got many blue ones. Nope. And this one was excellently priced at $60 (I checked upon returning home, typewriter in hand and hole in wallet). I don't usually spend that much money and especially not on just one item, but since I only had two things on my summer shopping list, I thought Why the Hell not! I haven't had much time to write with it yet, but I think tomorrow night might present the perfect opportunity.
I have My Best Girl with Buddy Rogers and Mary Pickford out right now. Buddy Rogers is beyond cute (and Minnesotan!) but Mary Pickford drives me nuts. I'll admit I already watched the movie on Friday night, half asleep and delirious from my day at work, so I'm going to re-watch it tonight. It was such a beyond adorable movie...I'm already excited to see it again!
Don't forget to send me a photo of you in your favourite summer dress for the Summer of Sundresses event! Deadline is next Saturday and all entires can be emailed to me at urban_tease@yahoo.com. I've been really enjoying the ones I've recieved and look forward to featuring them. I'm also looking forward to featuring a back-to-school care package giveaway, so keep your eyes peeled for that! In the meantime, enjoy the last bits of summer and keep cool kiddies xx
There're 3 things that I could be looking at in this photo: a) my tattoo, b) a bug or leaf on the ground or c) my new fox shoes. I'll give you a hint: it's probably not a or b. I recieved these shoes in the mail a couple of weeks ago from Em&Sprout and I am absolutely in love with them! I ran across them on Pinterest and immediately had to buy them. I'm already wanting another pair - maybe the Frankensteins or the robots or the hedgehogs? Decisions will have to be made!
I am not usually the type of person who is into too "cutesy" of stuff. But these were perfectly equal parts cute and Minnesotan. I'm not worried about them being unwearable...I'm mostly just worried about keeping his little white face clean! Oh, and keeping the boys at bay. I'm sure they'll go crazy over them and I'll be getting marriage proposals left & right.
I'm doing all types of weird things with my arms in this photo batch. I'm always so unsure of what to do with them. I have amazingly out of proportion arms. They're more like monkey arms. I've grown into them slightly, but I remember in middle school my fingertips could touch my knees! It was a very embarassing situation, especially since our uniform skirts and shorts had to be of the "fingertip rule" which meant all of mine had to be past my knees.
My father took these photos for me. You can always tell when someone else (namely someone tall) took my photos because I always look much shorter and am also usually doing awkward things with my face and/or body. They're also usually out of focus or my head is cut off. (My father needs more practice with the camera.) It's much easier to have someone else take blog photos than it is to set up a tripod and take them myself. Also, it looks a bit less suspicious in the case of someone coming along in the alleyway.
Anyways, since there's only so much to say about Photo Taking Procedures and Out of Proportion Limbs... I wore this outfit yesterday. I started off the day by going on an "Art Adventure" with my friend Mitchell. I think that "Craft Adventure" would be better. Such adventure was composed of going to Michael's and buying loads of overpriced craft supplies. We also bought sidewalk chalk and spent the afternoon innocently drawing murals of mythical creatures. Add onto that, we spent the evening skipping stones along the Mississippi, and you have yourself a perfect summer day in Minnesota. Even in 88°F weather.
I'm super duper excited to share some of my new Crafty Projects that I'm working on. I have so much stuff to get done and so many people to see before I head off to Guatemala for a week of service work. I like keeping busy though, so I'm not really complaining. Also, cause I've only mentioned it about 200 times, you can now become a fan of Urban Tease on Facebook by clicking here! I strongly urge you to do so, seeing as it will greatly improve your street cred and overall coolness factor.
