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Good Monday to you! Do you like the new design? Once again the awesome Renee Thompson of Thompson Designs, out did herself. I love the new look and plan to keep it up for awhile. I'll have a new button for your to grab soon, but first. I'm so excited to tell you about Vintage Indie's newest sister site! Vintage Indie Kids!
Head over now to check it out!
Happy Monday!
Gabreial, Editor in Chief
Hello and welcome to the newest sister site to Vintage Indie, Vintage Indie Kids! I am thrilled that you are here. As a parent of two sweet boys quality products, family business and beautiful items are all important to me. I hope to indulge some of my favorites with you including items that may not be 100 percent handmade but eco-friendly, organic, natural and sustainable for families.
As with any of our sites, we hope to also offer you exclusive discounts and savings as we all know raising a family can be expensive. Join us here a few times a week, even as early as this week to see some of those special offers I mentioned.
We'd love for you to add our rss to your reader or bookmark us at vintageindiekids.com and as always, please feel free to contact me for product submissions for your products.
For information regarding RSS, you can find a helpful tutorial at Vintage Indie, accept the RSS for Vintage Indie Kids can be found under the subscribe link.
Feel free to grab our new button. (please remember to save it to your own server)
Have a great day & we'll see you back here really soon!
xoxo - Gabreial
There has been a lot of buzz surrounding the new Julia & Julia movie. I myself haven't seen the film, but I am reading My Life in France by Julia Child. The book is charming and has me imagining myself in the depths of Pairs, really getting to know my inner chef. I thought it would be fun to publish a look inspired by Julia Child.
This entire look was created with pieces from Posies for Lulu
I have fond memories of Julia Child growing up. We never had cable, and public education channels always had lovely cooking shows on. I remember waking up early Saturday mornings so I could catch Julia and the Frugal Gourmet.
Have you seen the movie? Don't spoil it, just let us know if you give it a thumbs up or down.
A special thank you to our lovely sponsor Bella Beads Studio. I couldn't do it without you. xoxo - Gabreial
Vintage Indie would like to welcome Dave Lefner as our featured artist, and creator this week. You won't want to miss a second of this interview. Dave's loft studio is a dream workplace with swanky style.
Can you tell us a little bit of background about yourself? Where are you from etc.?
I am actually a native Angeleno, born and raised in Los Angeles. I’ve lived in various areas, from the Valley to Burbank, Miracle Mile by LACMA to my current home in Downtown LA. I earned my degree in Art at the California State University in Northridge. I live/work in a loft at the world’s largest artist colony, the Brewery, for over ten years now.
Carving
My chosen medium is reduction linoleum block prints. It is a relatively lost art form invented in the 1950s by Picasso. It is a process in which a multi-colored print is created by printing color stages from a single block of linoleum onto paper. The block is carved then inked, and run through a press. Then that is repeated over and over until the final color is printed to complete the piece. I wish there was an easy way to explain it, but there’s not!
Studio & Letterpress
How did you get started?
Who or what inspires you?
The urban landscape of Los Angeles is my biggest muse; the shadows cast from rusted, broken neon signs in the day, mom&pop storefronts, the web of telephone wires above our heads. Typography & fonts. Shakespeare & Sinatra. Pop Art.
“The Orpheum” (triptych),
2008, reduction linocut, 7 colors,
What advice would you give to someone wanting to get into this medium?
You must be extremely patient. You must be willing to give over to the mystery of the process. There is no instant gratification in this medium. You can have a basic idea of what you want in the end, but until you print your final color, your outcome is unknown.
Being an “old soul”, vintage is all around me. The loft is filled with vintage artifacts; from old steamer trunks & typewriters, to actual vintage neon signs. My collection of classic fedora hats is proudly displayed. And my Art is directly inspired by a time gone by, from the medium to the subject matter.=0D
Work & S
Kitchen
I try to convey to them how labor-intensive the process is. There is no rushing a piece. Every edition takes weeks to months to complete because each stage must be carved on the block, then printed with oil-based ink, which needs time to dry. And all that is only one color stage. Generally, I use about 5-8 colors in a piece. Also, the edition sizes are very, very limited. My editions are rarely more than 5 or 6 prints, and each print is hand-carved & hand-inked by me personally. It is my hope that people respond to the subject matter, but the process is very important to understand, as well. The medium is the message.
Bedroom
Trunk
A special thank you to Dave Lefner for sharing his awesome studio and work with us. You can see more of Dave's work at his website and inquire about purchasing there. Be sure to check out his upcoming events to see his work in person. Last but not least, my personal favorite below.
“The Rialto”, 2008, reduction linocut, 9 colors, 36” x 20”, edition of 6
You knew I had an affection with vintage paperie and supplies, didn't you? With a Twist is full of delicious vintage supplies, that you'll adore.
French Market Vintage Journal Kit
Pink Posies, Pink Cottage Flower Embellishments
Don't take my word for it though, head over to see for yourself!
{ SHOP }
Upside down laundry basket light
Located in row J, Don Hackler of Second Time Around is a vintage lighting aficionado and who also repairs with his expertise in vintage fixtures. Don had his own array of lighting options from the 1920-70's. Lots of looks to mix and mingle with current decor. Pop a glorious shade on any of his lovely lamp bases, and you have insta-style. Plus and most importantly, Don was plain nice and interesting.
Love the metal work on this lamp image
Bric-à-brac
Bric-à-brac, in flea-speak, refers to to a selection of items of low value. Personally I think Bric-à-brac are those little nonsense trinkets that we all possess for one reason or another. Such is the case with bottle caps, beads, chandelier crystals, typeset letters and my personal pick on this particular flea visit - vintage shoe stands. And.. what in the world would someone do with their new found Bric-à-brac? The key word is filler! Use in a favorite apothecary jar or combine several bric-a-brac elements in a bowl for an intriguing visual or set them out in plain view just because. That's right, use them for the kitch-y art form they are.
bottle cap bricabrac
CC
Alameda Point Antiques and Collectibles Faire
The Main Runway at Alameda Point. Alameda, CA
http://www.antiquesbybay.com
A special thank you to Cindy Cooper, who brings us Tales from the Flea Market!
New shop on the block, Vivi Reborn says, " A sustainable lifestyle is not only responsible, but essential." I love it, not only does their words ring true, but their jewelry is a gorgeous reflection of what they believe.
Are you looking for affordable advertising for
your vintage shop, brick and mortar store or handmade business? We have affordable advertising for you. Head over to our advertising page for all the details. The best part, we are not raising our prices this fall season!
Angelia of the Red Thread Studio emailed me a couple of days ago with some sad news. (I'm sorry Angelia, I should have posted this sooner for you) The old building next to their studio burned down due to an electrical problem. Angelia is having problems with the insurance company per her last blog post. She writes, " they do no consider hand craft to have much value".
I can understand her frustration, but most importantly the need for the community to help.
If you can donate or help in any way, there has been a site set up with full details save the thread.
Thank you.
My new favorite thing: Eco-friendly Vintage boxes
Since I started my little jewels business, I have been stuck in the rut of packaging nightmares. I am ashamed to admit that I did the usual buy online, click, click, get. Boring cardboard-ish boxes for shipping from my site and etsy, velour bags (I am gasping to type this) for customers at art shows and festivals. All this changed last Friday when I opened up a little pretty piece of mail: these adorable, handmade, Wacky Vintage Blossoms Gift Boxes from ecovintagevegan:
I added my labels and I have to tell you...they are so pretty I have
them sitting on my work desk. They work perfect for the bigger upcycled
pieces that I have - and I of course love that they are handmade. I
love the shop's description: The premise of ecovintagevegan is to
promote the understanding of being green and eco friendly to our
environment. Encourage reusing, recycling, repurposing and embracing
vintage.
Hooray for that!
Visit our Special Guest Starr Keller at her website Starr Strung Designs.
As a child, I loved to watch the reruns of the old 1950s Superman TV
show. Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen were always getting into sticky situations
and Clark Kent aka Superman somehow managed to arrive just in the nick of time
to save them. Superman stood tall and proud and was a true hero in the
eyes of the American public.
Today, one can visit The Superman Museum in Metropolis, IL for a nostalgic
look back at Superman history through the years. Crossing from Paducah, KY
into Metropolis, a huge Superman billboard greets travelers as well as
murals and a giant statue of Superman that stands in front of the
courthouse. Photo ops abound and fans can have their picture taken by the
over-sized statue, behind wooden cutouts of Superman and Supergirl
or peering out of an old fashioned telephone booth.
The Superman Museum opened in 1993 by renowned collector Jim
Hambrick. Originally from Orange Co, CA, Hambrick brought Superman
memorabilia to towns across the United States with his traveling museum for
almost 10 years. He eventually set up a permanent museum
in Metropolis, the town with the perfect name. Filled with
over 20,000 items, this 15,000 sq. ft. museum contains everything from
original costumes and props to licensed toys, games, clothing, dolls,
promotional items and more. Hambrick often rotates displays with
items from his personal collection of over 100,000 pieces. The Museum
is divided into sections paying tribute to the Superman movies, TV
shows and comic strips. Other areas focus on the famous characters
of Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Perry White. A gift shop at the entrance
to the museum offers a large selection of Superman related memorabilia and
merchandise.
Special events include the Metropolis Superman Celebration held the second
full weekend in June. Many celebrities with Superman ties attend,
including Noel Neill who played Lois Lane. The event is renowned and
sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. It will celebrate its 32 year in
June 2010. Over 30,000 fans visit Superman's hometown during this
celebration. www.supermancelebration.net
Elizabeth Young
is a wife and cat mom who spends many an hour hunting for vintage
goodies at her favorite thrift stores, antique shops and monthly flea
markets! A collector of vintage toys, holiday decor and general store
items, many of the found treasures end up on display in her Victorian
home. She also looks for vintage ephemera, fun supplies and kitschy
decor for her Etsy shop Grandmother's Attic ! When not doing this, she works two part time jobs, wearing different hats at each!
Hours: 9 - 6 daily, closed Thanksgiving and
Christmas
Address: 517 Market St.,
Metropolis, IL 62960
Phone: (618) 524-5518
Admission: $5 which includes admission to the
Americana Hollywood Museum, children 5 and under are
free, military personnel are free and senior discounts are offered
Website: www.supermuseum.com
Online store: www.SupermanSuperstore.com
Hi Nicola welcome to Vintage Indie, can you tell us about your preferred medium?
My preferred medium is the art of bear making, amongst sewing of any other sort. I have been stitching something for as long as I can remember, although, as a blogger, I constantly have my finger in many pies as I find the inspiration out there to hard to resist! I also love to crochet (which has been a fairly recent learning curve), knit, and sketch.
Frank and Edna, handmade bears made from 100% pure
german mohair, german glass eyes, traditionally filled with wood excelsior,
steel shot and pellets for weight and texture. Distressed by hand for the
'time worn' appearance.
How did you get started?
My parents have been my greatest influence in my love of craft throughout my life, and I come from a very creative extended family. My dad made one of my first toys, an enormous Andy Pandy, along with my first bed, and my mum was always knitting or sewing something in her spare time. I can remember her teaching the children to knit at my primary school. My brother is an artist, following in the footsteps of our grandfather.
I drifted from craft for a while, whilst working full time in London, but as soon as I was expecting our first child I picked up the knitting needles once more, and I have never looked back since! I was never the biggest fan of the whole ‘internet’ thing and what it had to offer, considering it a great time waster, until I was given the book “Crafter’s Companion “ by Anna Torborg as a gift for Christmas, and a whole new world – the blogging world - instantly opened up to me.
My Studio
I began my bear making career ten years ago with a knitted bear for my first little girl, and it progressed steadily. I researched my books I had collected over the years, studied the methods and began to make a bear, and then a rabbit and it went on from there. I was never a ‘doll’ girl, always preferring my bears, and I wanted to create something special for my children. With the blog as my showcase I was encouraged every step of the way by all the other lovely bloggers and readers alike, all of them thoroughly supportive of what I created, and my obsession began to grow!
Old painted dresser in studio.
Who or what inspires you?
I am inspired by anything vintage... anything with a past or a story to tell. The cloths, the textures, patterns, and colours. I love studying just what makes something ‘look’ old. With my bears I am inspired by vintage toys, the story of the teddy bear and the love that people have for them. Sometimes I am inspired by a vintage piece I have found like a brooch, piece of clothing, button, or millinery flower that I have found and I build the character of the bear around it.
What advice would you give someone wanting to get into this medium?
I would start by doing some research into the art of bearmaking, there are loads of books available and helpful websites, and then practice and develop your own style. I think everyone brings their own creative style to a creation, that’s what makes them individual.
Does vintage play a role in your art or life? If so, how?
Vintage plays a very strong role in both my art and my life. As a child I was brought up around antiques. My aunt was an antique dealer, with a shop, and we were constantly at antiques fairs at the weekends. I think this is where my love of vintage started, and it has grown and stayed with me throughout my life – a love of things with a past, a story to tell. I like my possessions to have a sense of history. I find the smell of an old book intoxicating and the creak of an old piece of furniture endearing. My house is furnished with second hand furniture most of which I have restored and restyled with a ‘shabby chic’ look. Old things only get better which makes shopping second hand almost whimsical. I think old things have a tipping point beyond which the marks of age only improve their appearance. I love to thrift, charity shops being my guilty pleasure. The excitement of not knowing what you are about to uncover, the anticipation of discovering a treasure and the bargain steal at the end of it is just too much to resist. Old stuff is far more likely to be unusual, unique to you. I never go round to any of my friend’s houses and find we have the same crockery, furniture of curtains. My home is built around individual pieces thrown together because I love them, not because they are the current trend, and I am adding one more chapter to them by using them in my home. My obsession with vintage crockery is outgrowing my house, reuseable textiles are bulging from the drawers but my appetite for a bargain is still ferocious.
In my art my main focus is to make my creations have a time worn vintage appeal, whimsical, like they have just been found in an attic. I indulge my passion for vintage ribbons, buttons, lace and other paraphernalia that I have collected along the way, and mix it with my love of creating a character, an heirloom to be treasured forever.
What is the one thing you cannot live without in your studio?
My sewing machine... it was my mum’s, and is now very precious to me. I think she would be very proud to know that I am making my living from it. And my radio, I have to have the radio on whilst I am working!
What is most important for your customer to know about your work?
The most important aspect of my work that I hope to convey to my customers is the preciousness of having something unique in today’s world of mass production. The importance of craftsmanship and love that goes into creating a unique piece that has a sense of history and can be treasured for years to come. I love my work and I put a great deal of time, detail and love into each piece I create.
Thank you Nicola for this wonderful insight into your bear making. Visit Nicola at her web shop The Vintage Magpie as well as her blog.
