love forever

All Done and a Plea for the Crafters

(a few of my Craft Stylish projects over the last year)

Last week was my last post as a regular contributor to Craft Stylish. If you follow craft gossip (yes it exists, believe me!) you may have heard that Craft Stylish has restructured the nature of the site (you can read about it here) and all the regular contributors were let go. This is another unfortunate blow to the crafty publishing world. 

More and more people are picking up crafting as a hobby every year and yet, it's really hard for craft magazines and websites to stay in business. Some of this is just part of the flailing economy; the publishing industry is doing fairing pretty poorly across the board right now. Also, people are really used to getting everything online for free. The only model for money-making online right now is ad-based. What happens when no one is buying ads?

And what else can be done? I wrote about this a few months ago when the print component of CRAFT folded but I do think that people who love crafts need to put their money where their mouths are. Nowadays, it's so easy to find free craft tutorials and projects online that a lot of people don't even bother to pay for a magazine or a book but crafters need to make a living too! Sure a lot of what we do is for love but love doesn't pay the rent.

Craft is all too often undervalued: crafters underprice their wares and buyers often think, "well I can get this cheaper at Target or Wal-mart (and no, I'm not linking to them). But you can't get the same thing. Handmade items have soul, they have heart, someone made it by hand for you. The same goes for a handmade tutorial. They take time to do right: not only do you need a great idea put you need to write clear instructions and take well-lit, well-styled photos. Writing a good tutorial is a craft in and of itself which is why people who are good at this should get paid a decent, fair wage. 

So I beg of you, if you love beautifully made crafts, support your favorite crafters! Buy their books (and I'm not just saying this because I have a book coming out!), shop at craft fairs, appreciate the value of something the is made by hand. Think about the possibility of paying a subscription for an online craft magazine. Buy fewer but more well-made things. Really think about where your money is going. I'm going to try to do that too and maybe we can make this better together.

More Gourmet Inspiration

photos by William Abranowicz and prop styling by Heather Chontos

I have had a serious love affair with Gourmet magazine ever since Ruth Reichl took over. The food photography is stunning, the recipes delicious and the writing is really great. With so many of the non-boring American shelter magazines folding lately, Gourmet has also bee a great source of interior inspiration too. Aren't these photos beautiful? I love the colors and the playful use of the yarn.

Time for Plan B?

This isn't usually what I talk about but it's like a big elephant in the room that I keep trying to ignore:
So Craft is moving online, Domino is gone, O at Home is gone, Readymade is close and the list keeps growing. Honestly, I am thrilled that Craft is at least sticking around online; if they disappeared completely it would be a huge blow to the craft world.
Everyone is talking about how blogs are the new magazine but blogs often don't have original content, we are inspired by magazines, and most importantly, we often work for free. No one is paying me to write what I write (not that I wouldn't accept a donation!)here. Most bloggers write out of the kindness of their hearts, the love of the blog community and the vague concept of "publicity".
But people don't make a living on kindness. I am worried that real magazines with big budgets will be replaced by this "working for free" model. On behalf of all the freelancers out there, I ask all online magazines out there to figure out a way to pay writers well. Your budgets will still be smaller no matter what.
And although I love writing online, I am incredibly inspired by magazines and their content. If they were gone, I wouldn't have as much to write about. I love having a magazine in my hands, studying the pages, ripping them out to put them in my inspiration book. I think that blogs can't live without magazines and vice versa: it's a symbiotic relationship not a competitive one.
Holly tweeted about this article in the New York Times a couple of days ago about figuring out your Plan B. It's been a terrifying couple of months: watching magazines I used to work for fold and getting told over and over again that "we're just not hiring freelancers right now".
It's not totally time for Plan B for me and, honestly I'm not sure if I have one, but it's definitely time for a change in my behavior. Like most New Yorkers, I spend a lot of money on going out, buying dresses, taking cabs. Or I did until this year. If I had known last year what i know now, I would probably have a lot more in my savings. That dang hindsight, being 20/20 and all.
What do you think about magazines and blogs? Are you ok with getting all your inspiration online or will you miss the touch of the magazine page?

The Amazing Bjork

I just saw the one of the CD images of the new Bjork album and I am quite taken with her neon crocheted get-up. In a recent interview, Bjork says that she was trying to conjure up images of "pagan femininity": much of the album is about what being feminine means.

"It's sort of trying to put out some good vibes for the little princesses out there," says Bjork. "There are actually other things than losing a glass slipper. I mean, part of it was having a little daughter and realizing, what are we telling girls? All these books out there about finding your prince. All these little girls, all they want to do is be pretty and find their prince, and I'm like, what happened to feminism here?"
I don't think I could love Bjork any more right now if I tried. One of my favorite things about Bjork as an artist is her challenge of traditional beauty. In a time when most starlets play it safe at award shows for fear they they will be a fashion "don't", I love that Bjork will show up dressed like a freakin' swan. I guess I've always had a weakness for the fashion don'ts; at least they're trying something new. Is there anything so wrong with dressing like your favorite bird species? I don't think so.

What is This Thing Called Blog?

I used to think that there was nothing more self-consciously pretentious than blogging about blogging but I am starting to understand the importance of defining oneself in this huge new world. I dove into the blogging pool in September and I really enjoy it so far. People often ask whether I think of myself as a design blog or a crafty blog and I like to think that I write an inspiration blog. Perhaps if I ever had a tagline for my blog, it could be, "I buy expensive magazines so you don't have to!" I get to write them all off anyway so I really don't mind!

When I started this blog, I really wanted to avoid encouraging people to shop. I am a releuctant shopper myself and live on a seriously tight budget so it seemed pretty disingenuous to have a blog about buying high fashion and design. That doesn't mean that I won't show pictures of these things; buying and looking are two totally different things that fulfill totally different needs for people. That also doesn't mean that I don't enjoy reading blogs about buying things, especially when they are about buying independantly made things. Indie designers need more press after all and blogs are an effective, inexpensive way to get exposure. It does mean that I will not blog about big box stores and that I will always suggest "doing it yourself" over buying it.
I think that blogging is a pretty crafty venture in and of itself. With a small amount of money and technical skills anyone can create their own blog and their distinct voice can be heard by people around the world. That's so completely cool.
Why do you blog? And if you don't, why not?

The Mean Reds

I'm watching Breakfast at Tiffany's tonight (for the umpteenth time) to prepare for a photo shot. I remember watching to movie as a teenager and thinking that Holly Golightly was one stylish lady. Of course I had no idea what was going on in the movie, that Holly was a glorified call girl who drank too much and who's only aspiration was to bag a rich guy. To me, Holly was the epitome of New York style.
This is one of the movies that made me want to move to New York. I was in love with the brutality of glamour, the way this city can eat you alive if you're not careful. Holly was the perfect example of how you could make yourself into a swan out of a country bumpkin (or in my case, a really awkward teenager). I wanted to live fast, die young, burn out, not fade away and all the other silly clichés that sound impossibly romantic to the ridiculously naive. Now I would kill for some peace and quiet. I'm not sure if that makes me really mature or really boring.
It's still a pretty movie and Audrey Hepburn is still so gorgeous, but the movie means different things to me now. It's interesting that an icon can be born out of a character that is so disfunctional and unhappy. And I'm not even going to go into the Mickey Rooney disaster; it is just too embarrassing.
I'm still coping with my confusing relationship with the city that I once worshipped, mostly because I have changed so much in the years I have lived here. I often have thoughts of running away, followed quickly by thoughts that I have gotten soft, something Holly would definitely frown upon. But still, I like to think that Holly eventually grows up, falls in love, maybe takes up sewing or knitting and learns to value herself a little more, just like me.

Why I Love the Internet Reason #854

Last night my beloved Smith Corona Typewriter ran out of ribbon ink at the worst possible moment. I was worried that I would never find another ribbon for this thing but all I did was type "Smith Corona Electra 110" into Google and voila! I have ribbon!
Isn't it amazing what kind of resources we have at our fingertips? I still get excited every time I find something totally obscure online. It's like being at a flea market 24/7.

Oh Martha

I got my November issue of Martha Stewart Living (yes, I am a loyal reader!) a few days ago and I coudn't help but comment on Martha's story about making holiday cards. She writes, "What was strange was that, because the cards looked so professional (except for those I smudged or overheated), no one seemed to realize they were homemade with loving care in my kitchen. After figuring out the number of hours the project took, and multiplying that by my hourly rate as a model when I was in my early twenties, I discovered that each card cost a lot more than if I had purchased it at Tiffany or Buccellati!"
Sometimes I wonder what crazy OCD bubble Martha lives in. Now, I love this woman to death but seriously what planet is she on? I think that part of the beauty of handcrafted gifts is in the imperfection. Even when you try to make them all the same, they still have the subtle differences of the handmade because we are not machines! It's kind of sad that no one appreciated poor Martha's greeting cards but I hope she learns a little something from this experience. There is nothing wrong with a few mistakes Martha. Give yourself a little break and have a lilttle more fun with your craftiness!

And Now for Something Entirely Different

So far this blog has been all about things that inspire me and make me happy and that is because I am usually a happy lady full of love and joy. Today was a different story.
I was sitting on a bench in Soho with a friend when a woman walked by wearing a matching pink velour sweatsuit wth the word "Bebe" emblazoned on her butt in silver glittery letters. Suddenly the scene turned ugly and we proceeded to talk about all the fashion trends we hate.

Expensive designer sweatsuits (the one above costs $300) are definitely on top of the list, make it velour and it's worse, add some letters on the butt and i'm close to homicidal. In my humble opinion, the designer sweatsuit represents everything that's wrng with american fashion. I mean, I understand that people need to be comfortable on their way to yoga or the doctor's office but the sweatsuit as fashion trend? Heck no. And they aren't cheap!! These things are so ugly, they should cost ten bucks. No, they should be giving them away. And yet women wear these things with pride.

Other things I decided that I hate today:

-Those jersey gaucho pants that just look horrible on everyone. Why are people suddenly wearing their pajamas around town like it's the best idea ever?
-Not dressing for the season-I don't know why this makes me mad but every time I see bare legs or sandals in 40 degree weather I just want to yell at people and tell them to go home and put on some clothing.
-Big tacky bags with big designer labels plastered all over them. Don't get me wrong; I love fashion design as much as the next person but buying one of these bags seems like the biggest fashion cop-out ever. If you can afford a big ugly bag, why don't you buy some nice dress made by the same designer? I don't get it.
-Unhealthy as a fashion trend. I am just bored and a half of skinny, wan, anemic looking models who look too tired to even run a comb through their hair. What ever happened to strong women, to glamour?

Ok, I feel much better getting that off my chest. You can look forward to more of these rants in the future.