a curious seamstress

1.13.12

2012-01-13T09:26:00.001-08:00

a custom 'alvin' tote for ali.

12.31.11

2011-12-31T23:59:00.000-08:00

2011, it's been real.

12.30.11

2011-12-30T19:57:00.000-08:00

until recently, i'd never set a foot in southern california that wasn't part of adventureland, tomorrowland, or fantasyland. as sure as the sunset is rust-red, i'll be back LA.

12.29.11

2011-12-29T13:22:00.000-08:00

i make bags, conifer sells them. check them out!

soon to be up and running and mine: great grandpa's industrial macheen, formerly used to make/repair parachutes on the alameda naval base.

12.27.11

2011-12-27T12:51:00.000-08:00

stick a fork in it, it's done. but it was fun...art gets a thumbs up! painting by cameron cairney.paul and his shiny new uke.
baby girl on christmas morning.

11.8.11

2011-11-08T21:31:00.000-08:00

some things stay the same.(i like red dresses and jon is apprehensive about posing).

10.24.11

2011-10-24T08:25:00.000-07:00

10.14.11

2011-10-14T10:37:00.000-07:00

sewing sewing sewing. i've been designing and fine-tuning a batch of new bag designs. this here is a prototype (one that i'm keeping for myself, stitches are crooked and gappy). the purpose of this project was really to get acquainted with the leather. it's bison leather, the best quality i've worked with, and my machine has a hard time with it. much to my surprise and joy, my grandpa has an industrial sewing machine in his garage just waiting for me to use that belonged to his dad. i'm looking forward to fine-tuning this pattern, imagine it in a tan suede and black leather combo...
i've also sold a few purses at conifer, a classy well-curated boutique a doorstep off of union street. check them out!

9.10.11

2011-09-08T10:56:00.000-07:00

people, places, and food. and some new lipstick.

obviously

precious monkey

my peaceful better half

rasberry-fig galette

sexy louis XVI

chestnut st.

cozy throne

aligolden.com

banana flaxseed waffles

fleet foxes tonight!

8.26

2011-08-26T15:45:00.000-07:00

new addition (the crystal) to my many gold chain necklaces. i do love layering them, you see. it came from 1228, a san francisco brand ♥

AND

the new st. vincent video is ready for all to see here. i'd embed it, but the frame is missing 1/4 of its size...
isn't she sweet?

8.19.11

2011-08-19T10:28:00.000-07:00

last weekend i had work as an on-set tailor. i do that from time to time, usually for GAP, where i bring my trusty singer to a photo shoot and fit models in their clothing. this time however, was for a music video, the musician was ST. VINCENT (annie clark, by day). she was everything you wouldn't want her to be: charming, intelligent, funny, GORGEOUS. i'm a converted fan. i won't give away details or post photos until the video is out, so in the meantime here is another st. vincent video by the same company, terri timely:

in tune with being perfect, annie (we're on a first-name basis now), has charming style. her clothes are simple, and well made, and her accessories the same. she wears minimal jewelry, one permanent item being a st. christopher charm passed down through her family, and the other a crystal pendent necklace. since i saw the crystal, i'm hell-bent on finding one for myself. annie's was clear, which i think is what i want, but they come in so many colors. if you're also searching, they're rampant on etsy, along with semi-precious stones:

taking it to the limit: gold-dipped crystals from laura lombardi at pigeon toe

8.10.11

2011-08-10T12:57:00.002-07:00

jump-starting a rusty blog is hard. a lot has happened since i last wrote, so to save us both the pain of going over details, i'll go the children's book route rather than the novel. all pictures!

ali & i decided to close the sewing studio. sad, yes but exciting too. we're both moving on to bigger and better things that would not have come about without that experiment.my inner circle has increased by one baby, and a handful of pups. in descending order: leo james, isabel, aesop. i attended a wedding at the lawrence hall of science.i went to a beach house.

i'm creating a line of jewelry and handbags. i have a few boutiques interested, we'll see.

other than that, i'm enjoying summer and living like a tourist in my own city.

all photos taken by me with my lame iphone.

april fool

2011-04-01T08:07:00.001-07:00

sometimes i remember i have a blog, and that i need to post something on here, even if the frequency of posts averages out to once a month. my excuse? oh, nothing more than opening a sewing studio/store (applause)!! my friend ali and i have opened our sewing studio, the bull & the bear, and are cranking out designs to fill it with. slowly but surely we're making our connections, and opportunities have started to come our way. i've focused my energy on crocheted jewelry and leather handbags, and ali on flowy gowns, shirts, and kimono-inspired jackets. my hands hurt, my neck aches from hunching over, so this weekend i'm escaping to big sur, and will post again soon. my goal is to do a better job of documenting our store :)ali & mejumble of iphotos by kamma shallenberger, ali & me.

come up and see me sometime

2011-03-02T18:12:00.000-08:00

i find mae west fascinating. she's been suspected of having secret marriages, being of african-american descent, having ties to the mob; was an early champion of women's and gay rights, learned her signature strut from drag queens; was a playwright, director, actress and songstress; served the sexual innuendo with a side of power, and dressed in her signature hourglass gowns and diamonds up until her death. she used controversy to pack theaters. there are a handful of films she can be seen in before The Code watered-down her humor. i suggest you watch them, particularly if you have the netflix instant download option. in the meantime, take a gander at my west-inspired delectables...

comb & headpiece by stephanie browne

dannijo tova silver-plated Swarovski crystal necklace         gucci satin-jersey halterneck gown
giuseppe zanotti crystal-encrusted suede heels hervé léger v-neck bandage gownbijoux heart zirconia earrings judith leiber jewel & crystal embellished clutch; valentino gold, pearl and crystal cuff  roxie leopard-effect lace set, by agent provocateurcurrently listening to "frankie & albert" by taj mahal

2.10.11

2011-02-11T08:13:00.000-08:00

i've spent the last week getting settled and sewing in my new studio. the neighbors are very sweet, and there are a few new businesses going in across from us which immediately created camaraderie. i thought it time to give a tour. as you can probably gather from the photo above, we are literally in a garage. a very special garage! the previous tenant was a theater set designer, and we found little paper cut-outs of props when we moved in. i heard the tenant before was a florist...

view from my work station. the shelves will eventually be packed with books and patterns, but for now ali's statues & trophies are enough.

our midas wall. it looks like liquid gold up close! and smells like brain damage. we've chosen details, like ali's brothel-y lamp to compliment the dark slate & gold theme.

wall of purses and select art. marcel dzama is one of our favorites...i had the camera on a timer and was watching pedestrians walk by. apologies for the worried expression. sometimes when i'm not sure what to wear, i throw all of my favorites together into one outfit: vintage biker jacket from ebay, thrifted skirt, clogs from UO on major sale...currently listening to led zeppelin II...

1-26-11

2011-01-26T22:40:00.000-08:00

what i'm into lately:
working on my new sewing space. it's a garage in hayes valley, that apparently has never housed a car, or not for a long time. previous tenants have included a set designer and a florist. that's ali, painting the back wall gold....john divola photography. the guy came to my college ages ago to give a presentation of his work, and i happened to be there at the lecture ages ago. i've been visiting his site for ages. his work is so california; so un-pretentious, just a guy with a camera. he's been shooting since the 1970's and has series names like 'dogs chasing my car in the desert,' or 'as far as i could get.' and sewing. always sewing... i made ali a bag like mine (original on the left), and i made miss lexie a skirt. i hope she sends photos...

**currently listening to patience & prudence's tonight you belong to me.

1-21-11

2011-01-21T16:39:00.000-08:00

i just set down patti smith's, just kids. i loved reading about a young patti, she was sweet and insecure, named her outfits, and idolized bob dylan. mesmerizing read, you don't need to be familiar with her music to enjoy the book...

1-1-11

2011-01-11T12:47:00.000-08:00

once the holidays take hold, everything else gets put on the back-burner and you side step through a whirlwind of family, friends and food. though i didn't manage to do much sewing, i did do a few creative projects over break (including family portrait christmas cards).
my friends adrienne and lia are musicians, and asked me if i wouldn't mind shooting some promo shots for them. i obliged, as these would be great for my portfolio, and spent two lovely days playing dress-up around my apartment and setting my SLR to good use. both ladies had very different aesthetic inspirations, lia wanting a more freida khalo-esque vibe, and adrienne a bohemian/cool, and at times silent film star quality. i think we succeeded in referencing these, while avoiding costume-y looks. there are many different looks, but these shots were my favorite. i love lia's smile and would give anything for adrienne's hair!i've also been designing my website, caught a couple of colds, went snowing for new years... on top of all this, my friend ali and i are renting a garage-turned-studio to open a sewing workshop and store. that's the wonderful ali below, showing her wonder in our wonderful studio.

holidays

2010-12-31T10:01:00.001-08:00

why are the major holidays crammed together?! good grief. it's been a good run, and fun while it lasted...
oh what the heck, happy new years!!!

my five minutes

2010-12-20T17:50:00.000-08:00

if anyone has looked at sephora.com in the last day or so, you'll see my mug at the bottom of the page... long story short, megan and i went in for free make-overs, and wound up involved in sephora's online brand campaign.
mega-glamorous.demonstrating cat-eye swishes, and flashing my new polish.

professional

2010-12-08T08:45:00.000-08:00

i've come to a point in my life where i need a legit business card. i whipped these up the other day for an industry christmas party. my name and the word 'seamstress' are to look like they've been sewn together. i used century gothic bold, on thick off-white, finished off with a straight stitch from the singer. i can't wait to exchange them with my friends.

va va violet

2010-11-30T16:07:00.000-08:00

i bought some new lipstick at target the other day, and since i'm sick i thought i'd play makeover. when you're sick, rest and hydration is key. but i can only ingest so much water, so during a feverish burst of energy i grabbed my camera and signed into blogger... anyway, the shade is va-va violet by revlon. it's funny how dark lipsticks just look berry on me, but you get the idea...
i've also been crocheting more necklaces, which now involves crocheted chain. the best chains to use are vintage watch chains, which i work on with a tiny size 6 crochet needle and thin metallic thread. i use the same needle and thread to stitch casings around quartz and jasper stones, and the occasional chandelier crystal...i'm slowing down, time to retreat to the couch with some emergenC...

hollywoof

2010-11-27T09:07:00.000-08:00

while digging through my ava gardner bio (pretty juicy stuff, i recommend it) i was excited to read a tidbit about rita hayworth being of spanish descent. it wasn't common for hispanic women to become leading ladies, unless they were ready to play a caricature, like carmen miranda.
i excitedly wikipedia-ed rita, aka margarita cansino, and found out she was half spanish and english. cool! i'm spanish, portuguese and swedish... she grew up dancing, family show was called dancing cansinos yada yada... rita dyed her hair red and underwent painful electrolysis to widen her forehead hairline to avoid being typecast. ouch. my excitement turned to a stomach ache. i went on to read what became a sad life riddled with dementia.
i remember watching old movies with my grandma and her telling me their real names (john wayne, born marion morrison). they were molded.

i can't say the industry is any better, but it does comfort me to know latinas like salma hayek and penelope cruz are just as much celebrated as fair maidens like nicole kidman and christina hendricks...

just out of reach of my two open arms...

2010-11-22T09:50:00.000-08:00

all saints stanton jacket

j.crew stadium coat

karen walker 'the village' sunglasseschloe darla totecurrently listening to...

murder!

2010-11-15T15:38:00.000-08:00

does anyone else remember that scene in reality bites when ben stiller is listening to rap in his car? its one of my favorites... anyway... all black design, normally in regards to automobiles, is referred to as "murdered-out," or so i've been told. my own version in bag form, made with all black everything, and probably one of my favorites to date now available at bernhardt handmade (there are a few sales too)...

giants parade

2010-11-10T21:31:00.002-08:00

willie mays (and jon and me) at the giants hero parade...i wore my best orange and black dress.

sartorial galaxy

2010-11-04T20:05:00.000-07:00

long skirts are indeed all the rage, and so are galactic prints. the two combined are wicked cool...

the pattern looks insanely simple, and by coincidence i have a similar maxi skirt in my plans of future projects (though the fabric i have set aside is green with roses).
teamo long witch skirt, $170

midnight oil

2010-11-03T23:33:00.000-07:00

i was commissioned to make a bag for my ex-office. they have a sleek, skinny new overhead projector and needed something equally sexy to tote it around in. so after getting specifications and ideas from my ex-boss at my ex-conference table, i set to work purchasing solely black materials, sketching a design, and cutting a pattern.each piece of vinyl had two pieces of canvas behind it: one for lining, and one for extra weight. i found that the three produced a trapped-air effect that will help cushion the expensive cargo as an alternative to filling the bag with batting.the one section that does have batting is the center divide that separates the speakers from the projector. the metal clasp shown below was taken from a vintage suitcase. i love the logo, though you cannot see it clearly. i like to think it lends the bag a 60s air...though the design looks simple, this took me a little while to create. each side of the bag is surged separately before being attached to each other. there is also a good deal of hand stitching involved, to avoid extra seems. i rarely work with vinyl, but i may rethink that, being that i LOVE how liquid this bag is! slick like oil...

sexy back:

halloween 2010

2010-11-01T09:51:00.000-07:00

this year having halloween on a sunday, and my home team in the world series made for an exciting weekend. saturday was when the city was in full halloween swing. while hordes of the female population dressed up like slutty____ (insert your chosen noun), i was a gender-bending fur trapper/davy crockett character. it was comfortable and cozy, and fun carrying a self-bloodying knife. then sunday i went to mom and dad's house. while thousands of trick'or'treaters swarmed the neighborhood, the rest of us crowded around the TV to watch the game. let's relive it all through photos!

first up: i was commissioned to make a frozen yogurt costume. specifically, a cultivé frozen yogurt costume. kids these days...paul in his own creation. street fighter/voodoo doctor...?megan was Jem, the robber; lisa a ringmasterkate was pearl, pearl was antoine dodson...

ashley was a mousketeercameron was a city wizard L-R: molly, KJ, quinn, aunt lorine- what a stinker.a wonderful weekend, indeed. GO GIANTS!!!!!

like a security blanket

2010-10-29T09:18:00.000-07:00

when i was little and felt a burning desire to wear the same green turtleneck, navy blue sweatpants, and black chuck taylors every day, it wasn't because i didn't have anything else to wear. far from it. my closet was chock-full of other skater dude/ pacific sun merchandise. but the combo made me feel stealth, ready to climb the pine trees that grew in the middle of my street. i climbed to the top every weekend (nearly fell out of one too, saved by a primate-like leg dangle i didn't know i was capable of...) eesh, i've turned into a rambler. anyway, i get the same power surge from certain outfits now, but when did it become socially unacceptable to wear your favorite outfit everyday? today's was a favorite, one i may wear as soon as day after tomorrow...my favorite vintage leather jacket won from ebay, vintage belt from mom's closet, pleated high-waist skirt thrifted, shoes by jeffrey campbell, circle scarf made by me. autumn has taken residence, no indian summer this year guys, so i'm fancying warmer outfits.

currently listening to:

halloweiner

2010-10-27T18:48:00.001-07:00

mourning locket from erica weiner jewelry. spooky inclusion of human hair...

girl gang portraits

2010-10-18T13:49:00.000-07:00

tianna

tate

sarah

megan

ashley

a fun and challenging project indeed, here are the final shots of our book club 'spooky girl' portrait photo shoot....
art direction/photography: ashley
set & costume styling: me
hair & make-up: megan

S2010 favorites

2010-10-12T21:57:00.000-07:00

everyone's doing it, so i thought i'd follow suit. unintentionally my choices are all based on whether i'm inspired to make similar pieces. i think that's always been the way i take to certain styles. in fact, a few of the looks are close to what i have in mind for future projects... but i digress. the following are three of what i think were the best, so without further babbling:

erdem
very darling. the models walked right off the compound. i love all the lace, particularly the collars.pucci
it's supposed to be his spring line, but peter dundas designed some gowns i'd wear to holiday parties as my parallel-universe-socialite-self... how bad-ass are those boots??MVP: rochas
i had to do two collages, one for the depression-era menswear and house dress silhouettes, one for the amazing gowns. i loved everything: the cuts, the patterns, the golden and lavender hues, the make-up, the sheer hosiery with heeled oxfords and sandals...there were so many glorious looks to choose from, it was difficult to narrow them down.collages by me, with help from photoshop.
listening to: active child

my city

2010-10-02T10:32:00.001-07:00

ashley, in vintage sweater glorya girl in union square that has my (dream) hairview from union squareview from the amsterdam café, followed up with some bob's donuts...

nice trip, have a good fall..

2010-10-01T15:50:00.000-07:00

summer stopped by a few days here in san francisco, and who knows, she may rear her flighty head again. in the meantime though, the air is crisper, and leaves are turning to gold. which is fine by me, as my cozytime activities are taking over. one such is this baby quilt i just finished for mr. august miller cockrel, born september 10. it is constructed with pieces of vintage fabric (the bar cloth, the gingham), and some cozy baby-friendly material, like soft gray velvet. in keeping with quilting tradition, the patterns chosen are symbolic: the palm pattern for florida, where dad is from, the gingham for maine, where mom is from, and the gray velvet for the san francisco fog, where baby is from...

more projects to be posted! and a few new items in the in the shop...
currently listening to active child

femme fatales

2010-09-20T08:22:00.000-07:00

somehow the stars aligned, and i managed to get into this magnificent girl gang. my ladybirds are real talented, real smart, and real pretty to boot, and i love 'em a real lot. this past weekend we got to celebrate a girl gang wedding, (bride is front and center), during which we exercised styling, make-up, and hair skills, in addition to performing a few songs live: the ronette's be my baby, cyndi lauper's time after time, and adam sandler's grow old with you. ashley on keyboards, katherine on bells & egg shaker, megan on tambourine & xylophone, tate on autoharp, and myself on guitar.so much emotion, booze, hairspray, and dancing was packed into that day, there's no way to sum it up without tripping on sentimental cliches, so i'd rather just show some of my favorite photos. the sole sewing-related item is that i made my dress, and this was it's anticipated debut...photos are a mash-up from me, paul, ashley, and john.
currently listening to the new walkmen...

nouveau

2010-09-15T11:52:00.000-07:00

a few new items i'm thrilled about:
one cowgirl jacket, courtesy the alameda antique fair $45   one vintage portable singer machine, also from the alameda antique fair. has a few kinks, but sews LEATHUH like BUTTA. $32.50

one mini bucket bag, with quartz stones on the drawstrings, for sale hereexperimenting with cat eyes. thanks megan.
currently listening to roky erickson & okervil river...

autumnal gems

2010-09-03T12:52:00.000-07:00

san francisco has finally gotten it's long-anticipated summer! yesterday was 85, today's prediction is the same. that being said, and with september issues floating around, i wanted to post by deepest sartorial desires...
above, marni necklace; below, LD tuttle 'the blue' boot; i love these mossy grayish green boots. they have the western shape, but updated in suede. i'd wear them with a long dress and shearling coat...bette fur crop coat by kai-aackman; irina mesh maxi dress. wicked cool. nasty gal vintage is by far one of my favorite stores. they're on-point with their selection, and the prices really aren't bad at all...

valentino floral bag; versace leather studded shoulder bag
'bursting sky' slingbacks from anthropologie; alexander wang 'midnight constance' heels
baroque tights from pixie marketbodkin la nina bustier; washed silk shirt dress from j.crewall collages photoshopped by me.
happy wild labor day party weekend!!

old robe

2010-08-30T10:02:00.000-07:00

one way or another, i've settled on the idea of wearing a vintage smoking jacket as a cover-up. i must have seen some velvety smoky rocker parading around in one, or an olsen, but the idea has been lodged in my brain too long to go unnoticed. therefore i set out the other day to find something vintage-y, tattered, silky and over-sized. if you search vintage robes/ smoking jackets on either etsy or ebay, you'll find quite a bit.

a few i considered: after a few days of searching, this striped robe got me all hopped up to bid. i am a nervous bidder, i can't wait for auctions to end, merely to be done with the stress that ruins perfectly good night sleeps. teeth grinding and nail biting aside, i won the auction and have been wearing this thing around the house (and outside too) ever since.

latest and greatest

2010-08-28T09:23:00.001-07:00

she's there in the shop, check her out....

neglect

2010-08-26T10:27:00.001-07:00

wine tasting and sewing and living the life of a rock star has prevented me from posting much lately. soon though, once the buzz wears off.currently listening to the doobie brothers.

bernhardt handmade

2010-08-17T22:01:00.001-07:00

i've opened a new etsy store with a better name, and better attitude. ha. mainly the new name. the items i'll be posting are the bucket bags i've been working diligently to perfect (is one ever really satisfied with one's creations?), and will be selling them at what i feel to be, though no one has to agree, fair prices. each bag was an experiment in some manner, so they will all be unique and special...
a quick note about the name and i'll be done. my grandma used to tell me when i was little that i was named after sarah bernhardt, the french actress, because i was so dramatic. she's quite an interesting character, if you're curious, read up...

re-charging

2010-08-17T18:31:00.000-07:00

band practice, photo shoots, etsy overhauls, park visits, shows, and social security offices have me run down and no good. it feels like my brain is a marshmellow on the path to gettin smore-d. while i nap it back to health, take a gander at these here foxy photos of the kills by david black. they sure did me good...currently listening to the kills midnight boom album...

leathuh

2010-08-11T09:12:00.001-07:00

at the suffering of my now leathery man hands, i've created a few bucket bags that i'm genuinely proud of. the right tension on the drawstring, the right amount of studs/grommets, the right length of handle... though i'm still refining the pattern, 'wonder woman' or 'majorette' is my favorite, until she's replaced by the next creation. now i know what motherhood feels like...

the whole horny gang. i want to start posting these back onto my much-neglected etsy store.i bought this leather at discount fabrics on 11th- it reminds me of a keith haring print. i also saw a magenta version with electric blue shapes that is beckoning me back...this slimy reptilian bag is made of real leather, and has leather tassels, which were quite easy to make. sidenote: ironing the soft, suede side of leather makes it flat! test it out with a low temperature first...on to the next batch...

sewing projects

2010-08-07T18:47:00.001-07:00

i finished my tea dress, and decided the sleeves are a no-go. instead, i rolled the edges and hand-stitched them in place. i'm going to come clean and admit the inspiration was karen elson. her sweet, haunting vintage frocks always look wonderful and i'll be damned if she didn't inspire me to be more girly.

next on the horizon, aside from fine-tuning my bucket-bag pattern, is turning this hand me down hippy gown into a high-waisted skirt, and making some sort of hooded garment from this crimson velvet...

latest purchase: dried'n'dyed bouquet from fantastico's, a real san francisco gem if you're planning a party or in the market for 50cent plastic jesus', my little pony pinatas, or dried flowers...

currently and forever listening to the white stripes...

red, yellow, and blue

2010-08-05T09:35:00.003-07:00

i've been fortunate and spoiled enough to be whisked away to a beach house for a week with my kin. baking my limbs, jumping into the chilly surf, and thawing in a hot tub can be exhausting on one's psyche. thus, we desperately occupy ourselves with crafts to break up the monotony. the most treacherous craft this year, after capture the spear, was tie-dying. after watching the tutorial video, we set to work re-creating the designs on our own..

dad scrutinizing the quality of organic free-range kosher cotton.

i had purchased a white button-up for the occasion, an attempt to re-create the proenza schouler surf look. people were dribbling blue and squirting red every which way: swirls, bulls-eyes, wave patterns. we turned into feuding chromatic tribes. it was an ugly scene, but we managed to get the job done. redemption came when we unrolled the suckers 24 hours later:our tribe, now at peace:

until next time, your raggedy beach bum, sarah.

confectionary endeavors

2010-07-29T18:48:00.000-07:00

i used to carry a guilt in my stomach anytime i'd look through a cookbook. yea right, i'd think. i'm never going to make any of these delightful dishes. i just don't have that natural intuition in the kitchen. that was then.

i received a williams-sonoma baking book for a wedding gift, and after pilfering through the pages, i decided to make the most involved recipe: the black forest cake. i began with separating nine eggs, on to whipping whites, reducing raspberries and sugar into a syrup, and finished with shaving chocolate sprinkles... and voila! i've baked away my culinary insecurities.

savoring the slice.breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the next week...

gossamer

2010-07-26T21:16:00.001-07:00

i have been in a total 70's mood as of late, watching breezy, purchasing a wildly printed polyester dress, looking to carly simon for sartorial guidance. so i was quite pleased when i happened upon bonadrag.com, and saw the rose crochet fishtail dress. theres a black jersey version, but who am i kidding, it doesn't even come close to the white crochet. anyone considering marriage should consider this dress. it's too late for me...

hello

2010-07-23T09:41:00.001-07:00

i would liken the guilt one feels about not posting on their blog to not flossing. its really only hurting yourself, but who has the time? well, i woke up with stifling guilt, and thought it time to check in. like confession? geez, can you tell i'm catholic...?
a few weeks ago, i celebrated my last day at the office to pursue sewing projects i had piling up, and have been running around maniacally trying to bring these to fruition, in between visits to museums and with friends. not to mention trying to start a girl band. anyway, i realized to be a respectable artisan, i would need a respectable work place. two ikea trips later, this is the result:key phrase: utilize the space. i can't stop smiling, i'm so pleased with our 'office.' paul mounted his guitars and took over the space on the left, and i the right. the branches in the corner are from our wedding. after two months i finally went down to the florist who has been so kindly storing these and upon pick-up, told katherine i'd like to volunteer my services in the shop. this short time i have off, i want to learn a few new things, be it arranging flowers, or rolling posters for sfgirlbybay...

the bookcase for my odds and ends, and jack white and mom for inspiration.on to the projects. i was obsessed with finding a tribal bucket bag a while back and ultimately made my own. well, a friend of a friend is interested in selling them in a shop in santa barbara, so i've been gathering bits to assemble a few sparkling new versions. the leather is from britex and discount fabrics here in san francisco...newbie on the left, original on the right.the last two: i'm working on a bicycle hat prototype with a friend. i love the last one, though the middle seam is too high and makes kind of a horn on the forehead. its cute nonetheless. last but not least is this tea dress. i wanted it to look like it was vintage, with haphazard and delicate seams. i'm not sure how to finish off the sleeves, which is why it's taking so long. that is all my friends!

woweeee wow wow

2010-07-11T21:02:00.001-07:00

i know i'm way late in applauding this, but damn what a killer follow up to the tie-dyed surfer collection... i want everything, and will probably try to re-create few pieces.

proenza schouler fall 2010.

favorite things

2010-06-29T21:28:00.000-07:00

movie still and photo of grandpa johnson with rocks and shells;
cameron's painting over our garage sale chair and my piano shawl;
thrift store hat and dyed silk;
's' earrings from ashley;
pom-poms made by mom and aunties;
antlers;
vintage yellow dress;
black beaded tassel necklace by me...

wunderkind

2010-06-24T18:03:00.000-07:00

i love wunderkind, i feel a kindred spirit in wolfgang joop (what a name), his mash-up collections contain every reference that runs through my head when starting a project: vintage, rock, 70s, feminine, mascualine, nature, modern... no surprise then that i find the fall/winter clothes so enchanting... and get a load of the faced and furry shoes.i want to make a vest/jacket like this, with the fringe and buckle.currently listening to ty segall....

miu miu

2010-06-23T19:25:00.000-07:00

because sometimes you just have to acknowledge good design.

dad

2010-06-21T12:08:00.000-07:00

one of my favorite photos of dad, on the left. he and tom as hell's angels and their friend as a biker mama. happy father's day papito...

my wedding

2010-06-14T21:54:00.000-07:00

the day was such a blur, thank god for the photos because i can't believe it already happened. miraculously everything went according to plan! there was no hitch in my hitching. the momentary freak out was how my bangs made me look like a kindergartner, but in the end i loved them! there are so many handmade elements in the wedding, so many personal touches. i've tried to include photos of all the details and blurbs about them. my dress, my bridal purse, and the feather clips in my hair are what i made.

my jefferey campbell shoes.

my bridal purse. i was working on this up until the very last minute, and didn't get as far as i would have liked to. the flowers are the same material as the ones on my dress, sans feathers...rebecca getting her hair did.megan getting it done.i loved all the succulents and lamb's ear tucked in the bouquets. the guys had succulents as their boutonnieres as well.. B-maids!amy! megan! rebecca! val! carly! foxiest posse there ever did be.a little help from my friends. this dress took me over 30 hours to make, much of that time was spent on making the shoulder piece. the flowers were cut out of chiffon, and layered about 24/flower, with feathers tucked between layers. there were 7 flowers...
my ride.the guys. the cones on the ends of the pews were rolled with love by my aunties and my mom. they are made from antique sheet music that belonged to my grandma, who's portrait is hanging behind me in the first picture.
dad.flower girls.
donovan.new husband paul. hehe mom and dad.blasphemy.my gorgeous wedding party. the florist was amazing (katherine from cherries), she didn't think any of my ideas were silly, and worked hard to make them happen. i like to think she had fun too, the flowers were one of my favorite parts. this is a sewing mannequin, i thought it would be cool to be on the table in the foyer with flowers draped around it.first dance: bon iver's flume, sung to us by friends jason and adrienne...dad chose the beach boy's warmth of the sun the bouquet toss...bro-outlaws.obviously fueled by lady gaga.magnolia photobooth company set up shop in our cocktail lounge area, and served as our party favor machine. they are AWESOME, they come with fun accouterments, an attendant, and print the photos lightning fast. i don't think people knew these would also be posted on the internets...
i can't believe it's over! wham, bam, thank you m'am! now i need a major project to direct all this organizational zest towards...
xo!
photos: most by guru khalsa, some by ashley, a few by me

nuptials

2010-06-07T11:05:00.001-07:00

there will be many a posts with more details, i am currently gathering all i can from facebook, so in the meantime here are some shots from victoria of sfgirlbybay fame. she took these on her iphone!

goodbye cool guy

2010-05-29T13:27:00.000-07:00

one of my favorite actors (the scene with him and christopher walken in true romance?!), i'm pretty sad about dennis hopper right now...

my own tribal bag

2010-05-27T10:06:00.001-07:00

while traipsing through the wonderland that is britex fabrics, i happened upon some amazing leather swatches, $3 each, and decided to make my own tribal bucket bag. my fingers pulled and tugged and stitched with a mind of their own, happy to work on something that isnt delicate and nuptially-intended. there was lots of hand-stitching, particularly the braided trim on the sides that hides the seams. the tassels are fringe that i stitched one corner to the end of the braid, wrapped as tight as i could get around and secured with another few stitches. then i wrapped that in a strip of leather. leather is amazing because you can manipulate it, it doesn't unravel, and it always looks cool. which is more than i can say about my calloused hands after all that handiwork...i'm thrilled with the end result, which took a few nights to reach, and even happier than if i bought one of those darn ol' marc jacobs bags...

ADAM fall 2010

2010-05-23T17:40:00.000-07:00

i'm working on my vows, friends, and thought it time to take a break. this wedding is taking place next sunday, a week from today. in the weeks that follow i'll return to my blog whole-heartedly, posting photos of chiffon and feather flowers, my dress that took at least 30 hours to make, pretty maids all in a row, martha-worthy table settings, and a shiny new husband!!
in the meantime, let's oggle the ADAM fall 2010 collection... i'd dare say, i would wear every single outfit. spring has yet to rear it's petaled head in san francisco, so i can't help but salivate over the fleece, leather and boots ADAM has swirled in with sequins. i foresee inspired sewing projects in the near future.

teaser

2010-05-13T17:53:00.000-07:00

the dress is DONE! hallelujah, amen. i contemplated a big reveal post, but thought it better to save that for the real day, just two more weeks until may 30. so here's a teaser... better than nothing, right?

marc jacobs

2010-05-10T10:58:00.001-07:00

i've had my eyes glued to ebay for a vintage leather tribal bucket bag, with hopes of bringing one on my honeymoon to banff, canada (sidenote: any readers that can spare a moment, please share some pointers on driving in canada). since my search for a tribal bucket bag proved fruitless, marc jacobs took it upon himself to design my dream bag. what a guy...

going the extra nine yards, he's also designed a matching pouch.in other fashion-y news, i've nearly finished my dress. all the hair-pulling details are finished (zipper, hemming, buttons), and i can now place my feathery flowers which should be DONE tonight. i will check in with photos soon...

friday

2010-04-30T14:40:00.000-07:00

TGIF, my friends, tgif... this weekend i will ideally finish my wedding gown, make a ring-bearer pillow, hem a bridesmaid dress, and practice guitar. here are some enchanting photos of karen elson from vogue nippon to start things off right...

currently listening to bonnie prince billy...

1, 2, 3

2010-04-21T17:46:00.000-07:00

reasons to wear a motorcycle jacket...they will always exude cool.
top image from sartorialist, middle from jak and jil, bottom from flickr...

etsy

2010-04-19T17:28:00.000-07:00

i've never really delved into the throes of etsy vintage shops until recently. though i have an empty shop account (re-listing items that dont sell bums me out), i went to ebay for vintage. ironically, i always shopped in the 'buy now' section. no longer!

items that chided my ebay loyalty:
long wool cape poncho from dirtiebirdiesvintagevintage leather ankle boots from purevintageclothingstriped batwing blouse form philistinevintagepink evening bag with gold chain from erstwhilevintage strapless black and white frilly dress from misskittypurrpurrvintage ferragamo sude and leather heels with gold nail head decoration from littleoceanannie

the spinecrackers

2010-04-16T10:18:00.000-07:00

the phililettes, the philipines top all girl band in the 60s...

the loves of my life, pending husband aside, are my girl friends in my book club, the spinecrackers. we are all creatives who get together to share a word or two about the current book we've read, but mostly to spew all sorts of ideas onto one another. our last book club meeting we shared art projects, i performed a song (apple blossom by the white stripes), high school journals were read, there were costumes donned and photos taken to document.

with my musically inclined friend and fellow spinecracker tate at the helm, we've decided to start a girl group. our inspiration will be 60s girl groups and daniel johnston, our objective, simplicity and fun. aside from the wedding, its one of the projects i'm most excited about...

the line-up: ashley, tianna, tate, megan, myself.

currently listening to the trogg's a girl like you...

alison mosshart

2010-04-14T14:57:00.000-07:00

while on my afternoon stroll along the tourist-riddled embarcadero, i caught a glimpse of the most fantastic black-suede-with-gold-stud jacket i've ever seen. it was walking towards fisherman's wharf. as i increased my speed to examine it closer, i realized who it belonged to: alison mosshart! being an avid kills and dead weather fan, i was delighted at the chance to talk (mostly about fashion) with such a polite, beautiful, mysterious and insanely talented woman. i'm happy to say i maintained my cool long enough to stroll with her about 10 minutes. her friend designed the suede jacket, and i've already forgotten the name of it dammit... anyway, she shook my hand! gush gush gush yada yada yada...tomorrow is the dead weather show at the fillmore, i'll be lining up with the rest of the teenagers at 6pm. weeee!!!!

biding my time

2010-04-12T16:06:00.000-07:00

mondays i'm always fried, being that sewing, visiting, eating and sleeping don't fit into a two day window, though lord knows i try. this past attempt had me cramming a styling job (officially my first), a birthday, sewing, and a hike, into one stormy weekend. no rest in sight, lo and behold, as this week i have a few shows, a few more birthdays, a spinal adjustment and a meeting with the spine crackers (my bookclub). i'll sleep when i'm dead. i'll post more in the afterlife.

*photo by paul at morrow rock
listening to the song 'spirit in the sky' by norman greenbaum (on repeat) and kelley stoltz

english gems

2010-04-08T14:16:00.000-07:00

bitty gems from my two favorite clothing sites, topshop and all saints, and one from delia's for good measure (the dominant label in my teen wardrobe)... all saints is the most affordable substitute for vivienne westwood for a modestly-financed kid like me. their draping and tailoring in not-so-conventional fabrics and prints are perfect for my feminine tomboy preferences. topshop will always seem cooler than H&M because san francisco doesn't have one. and shopping on delias.com is like rifling through the sale rack, finding something you wouldn't normally wear but its so damn cheap you do buy it anyway.

dress and suede shoes from all saints, purse from topshop, t-shirt from delia's currently listening to sallie ford & the sound outside.

hello again

2010-03-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

my name is bridezilla and i eat, drink, breathe anything wedding. not really, that's just how i feel lately. this monster that is my looming nuptials has created a thick fog where i can't really focus on anything but making chiffon flowers for my dress and worrying whether 2 cones or 3 cones of rolled sheet music decorations are needed per pew in the chapel. i feel pretty isolated. at least i got all the invitations out on schedule. i'm quite pleased with how they turned out:aside from all that, which will be over soon anyway, i thought i'd share my longings and desires for spring, in clothing form. i am going to banff, canada for my honeymoon, and i'm crossing my fingers that i get to wear warm, dainty clothes. my plan is to lounge around scenic areas like lake louise. no activities just yet, i'll probably be a hot mess of raw nerves and hangover. in conjunction with the clothes, i'm using cecily brown paintings as backdrops. i hope this doesn't come off as disrespectful, i love her paintings, i want to crawl inside the buzzing swirling floating petals of color. so mixing the clothes and art together is like a milkshake of visuals...

the girl who had everything; jacket by vivienne westwood red label, silk shorts by D&Gdemaris satin & lace bra, albertus swanepoel fedora;
heart necklace by mawi, kova & T striped dress, vionnet satin sandals

yellow umbrella from topshop, swimsuit by rosa chàhigh society; grevy's wedges from anthropologie, manoline watlin cape dresscurrently listening to black mountain...