Cute Toys = Cute Necklaces

Sometimes I love little cute toys so much that I have to be around them all the time. My solution is to make them into necklaces.

The first toy necklace took me forever because I wanted lots of colors, and it was actually hard to find enough toys that were just the right small size. This collection was started just before cell phone charms got popular, then cell phone charms saved me.

 Cheburashka, in the center, is one of my all time favorite charm toys. Don't know who Cheburashka is? Check him out, it will change your life.

When I was little, I got a super cute little green unicorn charm taped to a Hello Kitty store bag. I had bought a little coin purse with the weird cute unicorn on it, and it said "My Unico". I still have that purse, too. I googled the name Unico which was on my purse and found out he's a Japanese cartoon character, I think made by the same studio as Astroboy. So I recently found a tiny painted Unico cell phone charm, and this had to be done. I say "found" but really it was an all out search :)

Upcoming Bazaar Bizarre Shows

 Just wanted to let everyone know about two awesome shows coming up this year! The deadline to apply is August 31.

BAZAAR BIZARRE at 2010 J-POP SUMMIT
Bazaar Bizarre San Francisco collaborates with New People in one of the nation’s biggest pop culture events of the year with the 2nd Annual J-Pop Summit Festival. This one of a kind, all day event will feature 50 BAZAAR BIZARRE BOOTHS filled with HANDMADE ART AND CRAFTS, the best in modern Japanese films, fashion, music, art, retail design and pop culture.
WHEN: Saturday September 18th 2010 11-6PM
WHERE: Japantown, California
ADMISSION: FREE


4th ANNUAL BAZAAR BIZARRE HOLIDAY FESTIVAL & PARTY
At Bazaar Bizarre San Francisco Holiday Show expect to find a QUALITY HANDMADE MARKET including clothing, handbags, zines, jewelry, art prints, ceramics and more!
The show will also feature LOCAL FOOD, entertainers, DJ’s, book signings, DIY WORKSHOPS, photo booth, a crafty charity RAFFLE and more! Plus the folks that brought you CRAFT BAR are hosting an exclusive party filled with free drinks, appetizers, goodie bags, music and make and take craft projects for a holiday shopping experience you’ll never forget!
WHEN: DECEMBER 11th-12th 2010
Saturday: 12-5PM plus **NEW** Cocktail & Crafts Party 7-10 PM & Sunday: 12-6PM
WHERE: Fort Mason Center (Herbst Pavilion), San Francisco, California
ADMISSION: FREE to the public during the day
*$10 for Cocktails & Crafts Party (limited ticket sales)


Click Here To Apply To Either Show!

GOING ON AN AMAZING VACATION!!

We will be traveling all over the place in Great Britain.
Some highlights: Gnome Reserve in Devon, Stonehenge, the oldest treehouse in the world near Wales, riding the steam train used as the Hogwarts Express (in Scotland), seeing the Loch Ness monster (ok, trying to), getting a girlie mini kilt made in my family tartan in Edinburgh, and lots of time in London!

I'll be sure to blog about everything when I get back!!!

Yet another midcentury hedgehog!?

Just when I didn't think it was possible, the universe has produced yet another midcentury modern hedgehog.  I really thought hedgehogs were more in the realm of cute folksy woodland sweetness and not so much sleek modern cool redux.  But this is the proof that the hedgehog is revered and inspirational to all design:

 He can be purchased here.  I know, why am I not buying him?  My husband would never agree to a hundred dollar hedgehog :)    OK, I didn't ask, but I know better :)

Making Cherry Blossoms

Just finished making tons of cherry blossoms for some new lariat necklaces and hair clips. This weekend is the awesome Cherry Blossom Festival in San Francisco's Japantown, and I can't wait to experience it. There's going to be a Bazaar Bizarre Artist Village craft fair inside the super cool store/gallery/movie theater New People.  I'll be there on Sunday, come say "hi"!

A Beautiful Hike in Pacifica

Just before it started raining again, we went on a beautiful hike in Pacifica. For anyone that lives in the SF Bay Area, I highly recommend it. It's the Hazelnut Trail accessible in the San Pedro Valley County Park.

We passed by gorgeous oak trees, manzanita, tons and tons of wildflowers, plus birds, critters, and banana slugs. The air smelled wonderful, too. Oh yeah, and there were mushrooms that looked like toasted marshmallows.
 

Bavarian Gnome Cup & Saucer Plate Set

So, yes, I was wasting time doing gnome searches on ebay when I came across this! The sweetest plate set of all time.

I know that maybe I'm just a small niche market, but seriously, why can't there be more dinnerware like these? I mean, how many floral patterns does the world need? And plain white is certainly nice, but compared to gnomes...riding snails...taking walks with frogs...?

They're from Germany, of course, and have the cutest scenes on them, all different, and are from the 1930's. Get it here ...before I change my mind and buy them myself!

Happy Easter!

Had a very nice Easter today at the Cliff House in San Francisco. It was storming, but we had a seat by the window and saw a pretty dramatic rugged ocean- lots of waves crashing on Seal Rocks.

Course we all forgot our cameras.

I did make an Easter Bunny Brooch to wear from a weird little vintage bunny head that I got at a cool mom & pop craft shop in Sedalia, MO.
Here's a pic!

Etsy and Craft Bar

Got the Etsy storefront up and running again after a super long hiatus, whew!

Also, this Thursday, technically today, April 1st, 6pm, I'll be teaching a tutorial on how to make a cute plushie bear from an old sweater.

Come join me for this installment of Craft Bar in conjunction with Etsy and held at the awesome Museum of Craft and Folk Art in downtown San Francisco.

Here's the info.

Hope to see you there!