Mitra Part 2

Above: Shots from the Runway by Mario Peralta

This is a continuation from an Interview Started Last Friday. Argie Mitra, designer at DRESSMITRA tries to sum up her favorite era: 

This is a really difficult question. Two years ago, without hesitation, I would have said the Victorian era. I think the fact of the matter is that I love any era in fashion that distorts the female silhouette! From the super wide panniers of the late 18th century to the giant "gigot" sleeves of the mid-19th century to the S-shaping spoonbill corsets of the Edwardian era, I have to give props to women in history for enduring fashion that most would call ridiculous today.

All photos above from MITRA SS2012 "coquilles" presentation - December 8th, 2011 at Walkers Wine Bar. Photography by Mario Peralta Hair by Mindy Stamulis Salon and Paul Mitchell the School Makeup by Lindsey Jones-Wirht, Amy LaVe, & Stephanie Moore.

In Part 1 of this interview fashion designer and Etsy shop owner Argie Mitra talked about working with photographers, and models to create her stunning site and treasury worthy Etsy listings. We left off on Mitra's Fine Arts degree at Jacksonville University, and her experiences in the art world, dance, and theatre.

So, did dance, theatre and Fine Art influence you to become a designer, or was it the other way around?

- I have always needed to be creative in some way, so I can't say which came first. When I was around 5 I remember selling drawings in my driveway for $.25 to $1 to my neighbors and my big brother's friends, but then I also remember undressing my Barbies and taping and safety pinning napkins and scraps into different dress designs! Haha :)

At what age did you consciously realize you wanted to do what you're doing now? 

- What I am doing now is like nothing I've ever imagined. When I was 13 and I wanted to be a designer, I saw myself in New York and Gwyneth Paltrow stopping at my studio for a fitting for the Academy Awards. It's nice to have that idealistic goal, but reality (a.k.a. financial resources) forces you to focus on the amazing opportunities you have in front of you. While I do design my Mitra line and I get to paint in my free time, I work mainly as a freelance wardrobe stylist or costume designer for fashion, beauty, commercial, and editorial shoots, and in TV and film. I really enjoy collaborating with so many different types of people on sets. My younger self would have never known about the collaborative process.

How does your understanding of composition and aesthetics influence your Etsy work?

- In fine art, I think it is important to know composition, aesthetics, and the elements of design, but then it is just as important to be able to break the rules. I remember going to the MoMA in New York City with my cousin and she looked at a Jackson Pollock painting and said she could've done what he did when she was five years old. I was quick to defend that he was the first to create work like his, and at such a large scale. While fashion is a completely different ball game, the concept still applies: know the female body and have a sense of trend, but challenge yourself to think outside of the box and design something new. 


To See more link to Mitra on Etsy, on the web, or on Facebook. 

Mitra Part 1

I ask Argie Mitra about how she works with models, a photographer, and her romantic designer clothing to create the images for her website and Etsy listings. In my preview post I had to admit I was drawn to your shop by the photography, so let's go into more detail on that process. For starters, how did you find the ideal photographer?

To be honest, I almost wanted to do the photography myself. When I have a vision I want it the way it is in my head. Through tests shoots, I found that it is never the way it is in your head; it's an organic process. Everyone on a shoot team brings something to the table, and you work with what you have. When looking through portfolios of local photographers, I tried to find photographers who used the kind of lighting I envisioned, the same styling, and/or just had work that spoke to me. 

Photos from Spring/Summer 2012 Collection.

The photography for my past two collections was done by Lauren Gherardi. At the time I was searching for a photographer for my first collection, she was an emerging fashion photographer and had some dramatic lighting in some of her shoots that connected with my initial shoot concepts.

What is it like to work with Models?

- A good model listens and executes, plus some! For models, I will pull references of poses, show them features of their outfits they can work with, and do poses myself for them to replicate. The best part is when they surprise me with a pose or a look that didn't even cross my mind but fully expresses what I want for the shoot.

Above Photos from the Fall 2011 | myco·reverie  

How do you create a vision for a collection?

- If you ask me about the inspirations for my past two collections, they both come down to one word. I'll start with the collection I entitled "myco-reverie." It's not actually a word but it aptly describes my vision: "myco" is the prefix referring to my initial inspiration of mushrooms and other fungi (I loved the textures and colors), and "reverie" is a synonym for a dream. The last collection was entitled "coquilles" which is French for "seashells." I was inspired by seashells and the vibe of a beach holiday, and wanted to translate the word to French to allude to the pastels and sweet color palette of the fanciful Rococo period.

Above Photos from the 2012 Spring/Summer Collection.

Yes, but how did you craft such a consistent image over time?

-You have to know your customer and you have to remember that key word of consistency. My pieces are feminine and elegant, but have an element of whimsy and contemporary features. Even if my inspiration changes with each collection, I think about how I can bring what people loved most about the previous collection back into the next one.

Now, on a more personal note, I read your bio, can you tell me more about your fine art background?

- I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art with a concentration in Painting from Jacksonville University and I exhibited in several shows and galleries in Jacksonville, FL. My artwork is a mixed media (but mostly acrylic paint) melange of historical fashion references, emotional darkness, and physical beauty. Although I mostly painted, the fine arts department at Jacksonville University was small enough that I could explore as an interdisciplinary artist: painting, photography, sculpture, music, dance, and theatre. In theatre I discovered a love for costume design, which is where I quickly learned to sew. Before college I had wanted to be a fashion designer, so I took it as a sign life was leading me back to my true passion. 

More from Argie Mitra in part 2 of this interview, Next Friday. 

Upcoming Interview- Argie Mirta of MIRTA

I was drawn to Argie Mirta of  MITRA : romantic & contemporary dresses & skirts because of this photo:

Photo by Lauren M. Gheradi. 

Whenever I see a striking image on Etsy, I have this curiosity about how all the elements came together. And a little research into the romantic designs of this Florida based designer and Etsy front pager had me intrigued. My interview with Mirta will be posted in two parts over the next two weeks. Check back  Friday for the first installment about models, photography, and how Mirta crafts her front page worthy images.

Today we finally got power back where I am. Today we soaked in technology. My boyfriend confirmed that yes, the internets do continue without him, (sic) and I went seeking an image only described to me in that hour between loosing power and cellular. A friend of mine, a playwright, called Monday night when power went down to check on us all, I was eager for news, she said the photos were rattling, that somewhere a carousal in a glass box floated, fully lit, in a dark ocean of water.

Dumbo, Brooklyn, I told her, its not floating, but its way out there on the water, have you ever seen it?

So here, after much searching, is the image as it appeared on CNN.

And here is the photographer's Twitter.

https://twitter.com/andjelicaaa

And her Instagram.

http://instagram.com/p/RYtQghtKAu/

And her blog where she collects clever marketing ideas.

http://anaandjelic.typepad.com/

Clever andjelicaaa. Keep going. Stay Dry.

As for family and friends who have shown such overwhelming concern, THANK YOU, now please, please send something to Staten Island.

For my first Interview on Etsy in forever I talked to professional designer and part time comic artist Monica Gallagher about her site, her derby webcomic Bonnie N. Collide, and Etsy. 

Monica: I've gotten a lot more involved with Etsy since I started back in 2007. As the site has grown, I've started to view it more seriously as a business tool. I really appreciate all of their articles, groups, teams, and information encouraging sellers to do more with their work. And although I don't always have time to read their articles on how to improve your shop, every time I do I find something worthwhile. For example, after participating in last year's holiday bootcamp, I changed the way I presented all of my books to try to make them appear more consistent. I know Etsy has hammered this home on its sellers, but for newbies, it bears repeating - photos are so important!

Above, an actual image from her shop. Even in cases of art, and comics its great to see scale and printing style and binding all in a clear and even clever photo. Bellow, a detail photo, also from Gallagher's etsy account. 

If you put effort into nothing else but that, I think you'll find tremendous value. I'll spend hours on Etsy just navigating through gorgeous photographs of work, because it presents a world to me that I want to live in.

Question: Why Derby? 

I love roller derby. I was only in it for a short time (1 year learning how to skate + 1 1/2 years on a league), but it was a really magical experience. I mean, really hard work and one of the scariest things I've ever done, but magical too! For me, roller derby was the perfect blend of everything I was looking for - sport, female friends, exercise, community, action, drama, and costuming. 

 

Once I was involved though, I saw behind the glitz of the bouts and the sweat of the practices and discovered the reality of juggling a real life and a derby life. Every rollergirl I knew wasn't just a rollergirl and a teacher or a rollergirl and a nurse - they were usually multiple "somethings" - mothers, students, etc. And they juggled everything just for the sake of being in derby. They found it that important, and that sacrifice in itself reminded me of superheroes, more than just the duality of rollergirl names and costuming.

I actually created my Bonnie N. Collide, Nine to Five comic before I was in derby, just looking from the outside in. But after I got more interested in derby, I found SO many things I wanted to talk about in the comic - especially how it related to my day job and the day jobs of other rollergirls I knew. The idea that Bonnie could stay chipper and positive at a boring, soul-sucking job BECAUSE she got to hit people in her free time was my main impetus for writing her story.

 To read Bonnie's story or find out more visit eatyourlipstick.com or Monica Gallagher's Etsy account at http://www.etsy.com/shop/LipsticKissPress.

I'll admit I'm new to Derby. There's Jailhouse Elvis, and a Dead Cheerleader, and me. In case it's not obvious from the photo bellow I'm not tough. I'm not coordinated. I will not be tearing up the track. But I enjoy spectacle and good crowds, and fun sports. Last Saturday's bout was one of two I've witnessed. Ever. And now that Gotham Girls has finished the home season, it will be a while before I can really get back into it. Except, well, in spirit. Or except when reading Bonnie N. Collide, a webcomic by Monica Gallagher.

A few posts from now I plan on interviewing Gallagher about her art, her derby, and her etsy site. More photos and Derby to come...

Off Hiatus!

This blog has been on Hiatus since 2009! Whew.

Just over 3 years ago I relocated to New York, New York. I put my etsy shop aside while seeking freelance work, a steady job, and ways to pursue my art while paying my student loans and saving for a Graduate Degree.

A month ago I quit the steady job for a travel opportunity in France, then returned to New York to pursue art, photography, film, and a growing fascination with Poets, Musicians and Performance Artists in New York.

Just to bring you up to date on my everything so far:

I've been into photography over 10 years, and travel for more than 20 of my short but so far eventful life. My last summer of college I worked my way down from Portland Oregon to San Luis Obispo California. A great deal of my images and creative ideas come from travels and encounters I had on that journey. I was also lucky enough to time in Costa Rica studying Spanish and assisting my Grandmother, a painter and a part time pensionista.

In the past, this blog was the place where I posted interviews with Etsy artists. I want to bring that back.

My Etsy shop is wirefox I also maintain a Tumblr of my photography at http://kaceyanisastamats.tumblr.com/
and more of my work can be found at kaceyanisa.com.

Last time I posted, in December 2009 I put up a photo of one of my first New York apartments. Scroll down to see where I lived then. This is the living room of where I live now:

Home Stead

This is the place I live now, hard wood floors, space, gorgeous view and Western light. Unfortunately, I am on the hunt for a new apartment come Jan. 16th. Hopefully in Astoria or Manhattan. Hopefully and easy commute to and from work.

mmmm

This mornings eye-catching store belongs to Reparapy.

I could spend the whole day browsing and day-dreaming about this shops gorgeous fashion photos and luscious scarves, eye masks, and indulgence kits, (not to mention their ingeniously modeled products) but work calls.

Interview With Soul Reader

What follows is a simple interview with Soul Reader Kathy Crabbe, the owner of luludesign.etsy.com, founded in 1993. I encourage anyone as curious about this woman's talent as I was to also explore her website and blog, www.KathyCrabbe.com and SoulReaderBlog.blogspot.com, respectively.

1. For the absolute novice, what is soul reading?

A soul reading is similar to a psychic reading, but more in-depth. It does involve prophecy, but it also involves healing, inspiration and practical exercises that will encourage clients to work on their issues long after the reading is over. The true purpose of a soul reading is to jump start the process of soul transformation, and encourage the client to accept accountability for their life.

I begin each soul reading by taking a look, with the use of my third eye or inner vision, at my client’s overall energy state, their soul spirit essence, their Divine nature; it is the part of you that never dies.

Note: All my readings are distance readings. According to scientific and spiritual studies, time and space are illusions. For example, we can't actually see radio waves, but they work don't they? We can work together from anywhere because all readings are done via email.

I may also work with some or all of these techniques during a psychic-soul reading:

Auras: a reading of the energy field around the body through clairvoyance (clear seeing), clairaudience (clear hearing), clairalience (clear smelling), or clairsentience (clear feeling/touching).

Prophecy: foretelling the future through inspired inner visions.

Soul Purpose: A look at one’s soul mission and potential as expressed through one’s personality in this lifetime.

Therapeutic: An exploration of the physical, etheric, and astral planes to detect disease, blockages of life force energy, and unresolved emotional issues. Visualization, affirmation, and gemstone healing exercises are suggested.

Channeling: Channeled guidance may be received from spirit guides, animal totems, or ancestors (departed loved ones) on the astral planes.

Ancient Knowledge: Mythical tales of gods and goddesses, archetypal zodiac wisdom, healing herb suggestions, and Druidic Celtic advice will often accompany a reading. My art history degree does come in handy sometimes!

Oracle Cards: My artwork is intended as a sacred touchstone to enh

ance the verbal message of each reading and to help my client resonate

with their reading in a visual way. I work with 4 oracle decks of my own creation: the fairy herbal healing cards, lefty oracles, zodiac goddesses, and Celtic tree wisdom cards.

2. What are your thoughts on Palmistry?

I do not work with palmistry, but I do find it interesting.

3. How does the sensation of a reading with someone present differ from the reading done afar?

For me personally, I find that reading someone's energy over distance gives much better results. It allows me to put my full attention upon the client's soul spirit essence, and not be distracted by how they might be feeling at that moment. I will still be able to sense if they are nervous,

unfocused, or even skeptical, but because they are far away it will not be as distracting as if they were sitting right in front of me.

4. About the cat related artwork in your shop, is there any special meaning attached to the cat? In past life work, how often do you find people who spent time as cats?

Cats have been a part of my life since I was a child. To me a home is not really a home until a cat is part of the family. I often end up painting my pets, because they are my best friends and best models.

I have not yet encountered anyone who has lived as a cat in a past life, but I have encountered people’s pets during a mediumship reading!

5. The mermaids in Magical Friends, and elsewhere in your shop exude such a friendly femininity. what is your favorite myth of the mermaid or sirena?

My favorite mermaid myth is the one about Silkies (or Selkies) and I have named one of my Celtic mermaids “Silkie.” I also loved the Irish movie, “The Secret of Roan Inish” because it involves a Silkie.

6. Also as if for the utter novice, please define, or begin to explain Karma...

Karma can be explained quite simply; what comes around goes around.

7. In your profile is an impressive list of past mentors, please tell a story of your learning experiences...

I have had many wonderful teachers and guides over the years but my primary psychic-mediumship training is from the English psychic and trance channel, Adam Higgs. I participated in a six month long weekly spiritual development circle, also known as an English Traditional Teaching Circle and it was a fantastic experience that allowed a small and devoted group of us to practice psychometry, psychic reading, energy healing and mediumship on a weekly basis. Adam, our facilitator likened it to Psychic Boot Camp.

My life transformed at this time, partly due to the influence of a major astrological occurrence called Uranus Opposition that occurs around age forty for all of us. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to open ourselves spiritually and emotionally, as we discover what is truly important for our soul on a deeper level as we explore this second phase of life. For me, this meant devoting myself to working with the Divine Spirit on a professional level as a psychic-medium, artist, astrologer and spiritual guide, to help people transform their own lives in a creative and intuitive way.

Jolt's Note: Belief is not the question here, what went above was instead, I hoped, is as intriguing as it is entertaining.

And Other Suprises

While I am happy to eagerly await the smaller version of this item, ordered by a dear friend, I am even more excited to announce my intentions of doing a full review. The seller had no idea I'd do this, and judging from her track record, this may be just another look what is cool on etsy. As most of you know, I already celebrate this subject matter in my own shop;

Natamon

1. Please introduce yourself, and you alter ego...o.k....especially your alter ego...

Hi! My name is Natalie and 'Natamon'(my alter ego). Natamon (which would mean 'Natalie Monster' in Japanese) is the creative, whimsical side of me, with a very large dash of the theatrical and bizarre. She has a voracious appetite for all things creative, cute, and even random. My regular self would be content to see and pet a cute dog. However, my Natamon side would like to dress it up, and place it in a themed photo shoot cooking breakfast. Natamon also has cute demands that must get met, otherwise, she gets very sad!

2. The relationship between animals, (insects as well) and humans in your shop is much explored...How do you relate to animals in your own life?

I relate to animals very closely, with dogs and cats having a particularly special place in the top two. Mind you, I adore just about any animal, including ones that most people would not find cute in nature, like warthogs. There is a peace I feel inside, when I watch animals simply 'be themselves'. I respect and enjoy the harmony of them being part of creation, and can truly see how they benefit us all. I think they help to calm the heart and make is smile.

3. I adore lemurs. This is no secret. Can you tell more about Soup for Two...?


The artwork called,'Soup for Two', is really part of my fascination with animals doing things with people, in a very human, personified way. I had not yet captured an art piece with a lemur in it, and thought the animal would make a very find guest to have soup with, in my mind's eye.

Commercials where animals are doing human things, snag my attention as if I am 3-years-old, I find them so adorable.

I also wanted to create a snapshot-in-the-life-of the characters in this piece, a bit like you were sitting alongside them eating. The mood of the artwork is docile and quaint, where the animal and girl are simply enjoying the flavor of the meal, and their company. I guess you could say it creates a storybook page quality too.

4. Names, where did the name of your parallel store, (dream trappings), come from?

I found myself on the brink of falling head over heels for jewelry designing, and knew I wanted to have my own shop to share these creations. So, deciding upon a name, I began researching less likely sources online for inspiration, such as a website which had old Victorian slang. This led me to further jog my mind about and settle on 'trappings', to describe the pretty jewelry that so many love to wear. It was a word I rarely hear. This was combined with the word,'dream', because I just felt it fit.


5. What animal do you most identify with, and why?

Most people would compare me to a cat I think, but I identify with dogs more than any animal.(My husband says I am much like a woodland creature, such as a rabbit or squirrel) Dogs, if well trained, are easy going, and loyal-which are qualities I can identify with. There is something about their attentive stares and love for what is basic in life. Love, food, rest and play. I appreciate those things very much too.

6. Are you a morning, evening, or afternoon
person?

Certainly most of my life, I have been a night person. It has been a task trying to fight it, because
the day yields to so much needing to be done at that time!


7. Imagine and describe the perfect morning,
afternoon, or evening...

The perfect afternoon would be a fabulous temperature,(not too hot or too cold) shopping for lots of beads and art supplies, making projects with them, with a giant meal at my favorite restaurant for the early dinner finish.

8. Who and what inspires you?

First and foremost? God. I cannot have true inspiration without giving Him my thoughts and day to direct. He centers me, gets me off an running helps my work unfold. In the earthly sense, I think simply looking at ordinary photos of people and animals.

Many times, when I look at a photograph, I see what could be added or changed to create artwork incorporating it. Every once in a while, the actual art of others will inspire me.
Colors also, are a huge inspiration. I will look at everything from patterns in clothing, scrapbook papers-stained glass windows and find myself trying to memorize the colors I see side by side. I will then usually take those colors, write them down and think,'Ok, what can I make with these?!' That process is very enthusing, because it's a wonderfully fun challenge. I just adore color combinations and how they work together.

9. If you could choose another life, would you?

Many, many moons ago, I may have chosen another life. But seeing how both the good and bad in my life has shaped who I am thus far, it is hard to trade. I am not as close up to it all, now that the past is memory, which allows me to gain the grace of perspective. I may not understand everything, but much of it connects together, linking me with the now.

If I was someone else, no doubt the novelty would wear off after a short time, and I would miss the old me. I like to think my close friends and family would feel the same too.

You've seen it before

but it was not for sale at the time

The Beard Hat and Other Wonders

The Incredible Bead Hat!
from someone else's shop, as usual....

The idea was born in the midst of cube-jungle in the least creative of all places - the Accounting Department! My company had been going through a tough time and we were looking for something to laugh at. My coworker found a similar product online by a Scandinavian company that was trying to sell a bearded hat for over $150! He knew that I was a crocheter, so he suggested I try making them myself. I had made several hats and I found some patterns online for a similar product, so I combined different ideas to come up with the Amazing Beard Hat! I love hearing why people are buying it - one person thought it would be a great gag gift for her husband that couldn't grow a beard, another person gave it to her boyfriend to wear when he shovels the snow from her driveway, and another guy bought it to wear while sitting around drinking beer outside on a cold night!

When I'm not working or crocheting, I love to travel! I've been to 15 countries and I hope to add a couple more this year. I love crocheting while I travel (on airplane, trains, etc) because it's a great conversation starter and it makes the time go quickly. I love multi-tasking, and it's a great way to be productive, while also getting yourself from point A to point B.

Since I work at Circuit City (and most people know the end of that story) I'm going to have some free time in the near future. I'm hoping to generate enough sales to at least by a plane ticket to Europe to bum around and visit some friends. We'll see if that happens!

Spending a weekend without computer contact would be difficult! (I'd probably cheat and access mobile web on my phone!) I love to get away to the beach and just spend hours hanging out with friends staring out into the ocean while chatting, reading, going for walks.

Spending time on the water is another passion of mine. I've been waterskiing since I was young and I'm fortunate to spend almost every weekend of the summer hanging out on the James River. We've taught countless people to waterski or wakeboard.We've had plenty of crazy adventures on the water - one time we were having a picnic out on the boat and it started pouring - but we just continued the picnic anyways! Every few minutes we'd have to pour the water off the plates. Another time we were convinced we saw a big brown bear on the river banks... turns out it was just a cow. ;) I never laughed so hard as when my someone slipped while going down the ladder into the water and ended up getting caught on a hook and dangling from the side of the boat by her bathing suit!

Sprout Mama and the Apacolypse

Weekly Feature

Well, we may not have decided where we would be spending a zombie apocalypse, my friends are still torn between the high reaches of a mountain fortress, and a private yacht safely on the ocean, (well, if zombies don't float)...but assuming the economy takes a further dive, and infrastructure as we know it collapses...or everything melts and Kevin Costner shows up on a watercraft, or we find ourselves wandering the empty streets of London calling, hello, hello....now would be the time to gear up with sprout mama.... Sprout mama divides her store by local, ocean, forest, and desert, and her clothing, though apocalyptic in style, lends itself to an earthy sort of punk, environmental statement, or summer in nature...now, the interview....



1. Favorite apocalyptic film...

haha! i'm having a giveaway right now in which the person who guesses my favorite apocalyptic movie wins a prize, so lets just say it has a dog in it ;)

2. Now, beyond that film, if you had the budget, crew, and cast to spin out your own post-apocalyptic yarn, what would it be about? How would it look? Who would be in it?

oh man i've dreamed of this movie. it would start with a mother nature takes revenge type apocalypse...flooding, storms, locusts the works. after it all ends and settles and everyone who has survived is coming out of hiding and trying to start over a band of women finds each other and starts a journey across the country trying to get to where they think is salvation. they have to walk there and as they go on their journey they come to learn a lot about themselves and who their beliefs have all changed. before they make ti to their "salvation" they decide they don't want it anymore, so they stop along the way at some incredible place they find and make their own salvation. . . i want to make a comic about this....

"Things i am inspired by: comic books, post apocalypse movies,

the sound of bricks through windows, fresh baked bread, leather,
amazons, forests, feral children, rust."- sproutmama's Profile

3. Amazons? As in Amazon warriors? And if so, tell us your favorite Amazon story...

To me amazons is not just the women warriors of the amazon... i use the word to describe all the incredibly strong and powerful women that have influenced me. i am privileged enough to have so many incredible women in my life with so many stories to tell about Salli Marcella Grace. she was an amazing woman who traveled alone, carried a shank, hopped trains and belly danced. she was the most genuine person i know. a true warrior. during her last days she brought food and water to those on the border and taught belly dancing classes in Mexico and danced in benefits to help those in need. she was always such a positive person. at her memorial someone told a story of how one day Sali and a few of her friends cooked a dinner in Tuscan, Arizona. there wasn't much food and so every one got tiny portions. during dinner Sali burst out crying. she said;

" i cant sit here and eat this meal when people are out there suffering. in Mexico no one would eat a small meal like this, everyone shares with one another. they are so poor there and yet they give and give, here we only take".

After that Sali went back to Mexico and was going to perform her belly dance at a benefit show. she never made it there. her body was found a few weeks later in a cabin. we all miss her very much. but the thing about amazons, is that their strength inspires everyone around them. they never truly die.


4. Let's talk about the recurrent waves theme within your work....

the ocean is very special to me. the waves give me hope. not matter what ails you, the waves can wash it away. i had a daughter before my baby hunter was born. i watched the movie whale ride every single day that i was pregnant with her. when she was born i knew i would name her Paikea...the whale rider. i had a home birth with her and there were a lot of complications. she lived for nine days before we decided to take her off life support. the doctors told us there was no hope of her recovering. now whenever i think of her i see oceans. i know for certain they she has returned to the sea. a lot of mu designs lately have been a reflection of my memories of Paikea and of Sali.


5. About possibilities, tell the story of one of your favorite found pieces and subsequent creations...

Well, all of my materials are found pieces but there is one in particular. i was visiting my friend laddie at her cabin in the woods and as soon i stepped on her property i found this incredible stone. it was a smooth round rock and as i turned it over i noticed it had a perfect hole through it.

i saved it and saved it until i finally made a piece i felt fit. it sold right away to my lovely friend who had just found out she was pregnant, i wouldn't let her pay for it though lol. I'm glad she has it because the stone reminded me of birthing stones indigenous women used during childbirth. really all my pieces have stories. . .

Thanks again to Spourt Mama for this deeply personal, and fascinating interview. Readers, please link over to Sprout Mama's store if you haven't already, at sproutmama.etsy.com.

Upcoming

Tune-in in 9 days for an interview with Natamon, artist and jewelry artisan.

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Now is also a good time to have a look at Artsy Crafty, featured in my left side column.

A Gothic Punk Ebook Wedding.

The big day they say every girl dreams about, that last instant when the bride gazes into the mirror, is the black gown flowing as it should be? Are the ghouls in place?

The Wedding Skulls team specializes in a separate kind of wedding, customers with their own set of wants, needs, and atheistic that would stump the typical planner.


1. Has it been difficult to market e-products?

Not really. Because my products fall into such a niche (alternative weddings), and I KNOW where that niche hangs out on the internet, its simply a matter of making sure they know about my ebooks.

The great thing about ebooks is they don't require any supply costs, apart from an internet connection. They don't require shipping, or printing costs. They're VERY good for the environment, which I feel is important. They take awhile to write but once you've written one, you can resell it again and again. I really do believe that ebooks are a way of the future, although I won't be giving up on the printed word any time soon.



2. What advice would you have for vendors just beginning to market electronic and internet ware?

Research before you begin. Decide on a target market. Research similiar products availiable for that target market. What gaps are there? What information is your target market not recieving? Come up with a list of five or so ebook ideas. Then choose one to begin writing.


Write a business plan, and stick to it. It really helps focus your efforts.

Write a plan before you start your ebook. I find I write twice as fast when I've written a detailed plan.

If you're not a writer but you still want to market ebooks, hire a copywriter to turn your ideas into a sell-able book. Poorly-written ebooks WILL NOT SELL. Ditto with websites riddled with spelling and grammar errors, or poorly written marketing copy. If you can't do it, hire someone (like me :)) who can.

Pick ONE or TWO marketing projects and focus on doing them really well. I market on my blog and through discussion forums. I don't twitter, facebook, myspace, digg, or anything or that sort. If I did all that I wouldn't have time to write.

3. If you could have a steam punk style romantic getaway, how would it be, where would you go, how would you get there, and why?

Ooh, what an excellent question. I'd take a steam train journey - either across the Australian desert or along the orient express, stopped everywhere to look at museums and take pictures in the epic scenery.

4. I'd love to read about another dream Gothic or punk wedding...

My husband and I had our wedding at Spookers, a haunted insane asylum just north of Auckland, New Zealand. The nurses quarters of the old asylum have been turned into a haunted attraction. They regularly host functions but we were the first wedding.

We wanted the theme to be 'heavy metal' and everything we loved. We're both ex-archaeologists so we love swords and warriors and historical stuff, so we chose outfits that reflected that. Once my husband's mother declared he would NOT turn up in his ripped jeans and cannibal corpse shirt (our original plan), he designed his own outfit and chose his own sword (which we used to cut the cake). I sourced my dress from an online seller for a fraction of the cost of the same dress from a bridal shop. I didn't want flowers so I carried a lantern instead. Not one of our attendants matched.

What else? We exited our ceremony venue - a 150yr old circus tent - to Manowar's 'the gods made heavy metal'. We had our photos in the asylum grounds, making use of their awesome props like their old fashioned hearse. After the banquet all our guests got to go through the haunted attractions. Everyone picked on me! It was great fun. So many people said it was the best wedding they'd ever been to.


5. When can we begin to see more items in the other categories? (Of doom)

More products will be added over the next month, before we Officially launch, including more ebooks. The clothing / jewelery is made by my business partner Amy, and she's currently working with a photographer to capture her masterpieces. Trust me, these clothes are worth the wait... :)

When I get back from my Europe holiday in October I will be creating a line of alternative bath and beauty products, which will be a real treat.

6. Tell the story of one wedding fantasy, or real life nightmare,...

Well, we did have one horrible nightmare with our wedding rings. CDH (my husband - stands for Cantankerous Drummer Husband) designed our rings himself, based on an Anglo-Saxon design, a simple band with a rope border and a stone set inside the ring. Each was to be carved with 'twegan gastus in annes' - two souls as one'. His mother gave him some of HER grandmother's jewellery to melt down to make the rings.

So he takes the gold and his design to a jeweler and says 'can you make this?' The jeweler says 'no worries. I'll call you in two weeks when I've cut the molds.'

Six weeks goes by. CDH rings the jeweler several times, leaves messages, but gets no response. Finally, we go to the shop. It's disappeared, leaving no sign or forwarding address or phone number. hey have our gold.

We're ready to go to the police, but CDH's mother is determined to get her gold back on her own. She talks to all the nearby shop owners and tracks down several phone numbers. Eventually, finally she contacts the guy, who apologizes profusely, and turns up at their house with a nearly-completed ring. Boy did he get a blowing-up from my in-laws (love them!). But we got our beautiful rings (albeit three months late) so it all turned out o.k. in the end.


The gorgeous red dress featured in the top photos is called Nevermore. It is worth noting that this store also stocks books on writing, and fantastic bridal and gothic items.

Dinosuar Run!

A delightfully youthful Interview with the very successful Annierexic...

1. When has your wicked sense of humor gotten you in big trouble?

Most definitely the time i decided to try my hand at social commentary at the ripe old age of fifteen. i wrote a very snarky myspace blog about how wearing leggings as pants is really really unflattering and gross. One girl from church thought i wrote it about another girl at church and it caused this big thing. Really i was just pointing out an unfortunate cultural phenomenon. Honestly.

2. Fast, a loved one, fiance, mother, or other very important or slightly scary person's birthday just leapt up on you, if you could give them one item from your shop as a gift, what would it be and why?

hmmmm.... probably one of the ANNIEsaurousREXic tees. cause everybody loves when eight year olds draw dinosaurs. even the people that say they dont. theyre lying.


3. Favorite color and a memory it evokes

Right now i'd have to say turquoisey blue, it reminds me of how i used to walk to the gas station around the corner every thursday to buy a blue ring-pop for seventy five cents.

4. Favorite scent, and taste....

Gratuitous violets soap from lush, the smell reminds me of the barbie bath products i had as a kid in the mid-nineties, it tastes terrible though, i much prefer the taste of blue ring-pops.

5. Favorite childhood memory...

im going to go with the time i was visiting my friends in oregon (i live in southern california, so i was very far from home), and after arriving at their house from the grocery store i started having this freakish allergic reaction to the soap i bought, and my eyes kept swelling and swelling until they were gone. it was really funny. especially the part where the nearest emergency room is half an hour away.


6. What animal best describes you and your personality?

a kitty! im completely useless except for aesthetic purposes. although that could also apply to exotic birds, but i hate those.

7. If you could go bungee jumping or parachuting any place in the world, would you? where?

i am SO terrified of jumping off/out of things that i probably couldn't. but maybe if somebody pushed me, i wouldn't mind parachuting into the ocean somewhere beautiful.

8. Favorite creation in your own shop right now and why...

the "all these people are probably dead" buttons. my bff marisa jane and i spent an afternoon buying books at thrift stores and then cutting out the black and white pictures from this AMAZING life magazine atlas of canada. theyre so interesting cause all of the people are different, and its really fun to imagine who they might have been.

Post script At the time of this interview, not everything in her shop was sold. I swear. Please join me in wishing she will make more buttons, and more...