Recap - The Flea

WTF!  Whoo - the flea!  We did it!  And learned, and made friends, made contacts, and even sold a few pieces here and there!

Thanks especially to the Henry's without whom we would not have had signs or cards and packaging - plus onsite support - keeping me grounded and teaching me some invaluable sales tips!  And thanks to ALL our friends who came out to support and see the booth - it was so wonderful to see familiar faces! 

the booth

a fan!

The blankets - and our cardboard/chalkboard info signs

Band Pants/Bow ties/flowers & our enter-to-win sweeps!

Fabric flags and an old velour bedspread covered the table.

More recaps to come - some action shots of Ben working (and totally managing!) the booth, some shots of our wonderful friends, and more importantly more info and detail shots of our merch, as we embark on blog-selling!  Oh!  and an updated logo for Smmidge (previewed at top) coming very soon!  So much going on!  Have a great week!

Flora for Fall

I absolutely die die die over Emersonmade.  I've been hand making little flower pins for girls all week in prep for the Momofandango booth at The Dallas Flea this week - and though mine are made of crazy vintage fabrics and felt, I can't help but be inspired by the classic beauty of Emersonmade flower pins- among other things in her collection.  And how fabulous are they for fall?  Love.  And she, Emerson herself, is just adorable.  More to come on the exciting weekend ahead!

The fab Factory 20

I was scoping out WeAre1976 the other day, because frankly I too am 1976, and they are awesome.  And they covered the most amazing shop - Factory 20 - over which I have since been obsessing.  Factory 20 is an art and design collective specializing, as far as I can tell, in 20th century industrial design pieces they sell in a shop in Virginia and online.  Think old work benches from a garment district factory. . . and it is (they are) genius.  The pieces are so rich with history and still so. . . usable.  Amazing what some thought and good material can do.  Here are a few faves.  Enjoy!

Nothing quite like the man-bag

Ok - so it's been a crazy week.  We are preparing for The Dallas Flea, coming up next weekend where we are [re]launching a baby line I have dabbled with for the last 2.5 years called Momofandango.  More to come on this and on the Smmidge mobile shop and studio we are working on for next spring. . . so many exciting things!  It's only taken me 34.5 years to have this much clarity about what I want to do with my life. . . ah, well.  It's ok.  We are just working like crazy to get this first show off the ground and we'll figure it out from there. . . anyway.  In the midst of cutting felt and fabric with Ben these days (poor  guy!  but great and supportive husband!), we circle back to the ever-present discussion of man-style that I have touched on here several times.

Recently, I had the chance to work on a great little shoot with a crew from Cambio.com - and their exec producer was a super cool guy that I enjoyed meeting very much.  You know when you just meet someone that is cool and that you just get immediately?  Well, that was the case with Kelly G.  And, because I liked him so much, I was immediately interested in his style - that laid-back, yet totally groovy LA-esque vibe (they crew all hail from the land of the Angels, of course.  they are a TV crew!).  Anyway, I asked to snap a shot of him with his man-bag.  That's right.  He carried this cool, canvas bag and it totally worked, and I thought "Ben has to see this!".  Ben could totally do a man-bag - ride his bike to school - teach his undergrad class. . .etc.  You know.  He could just do it. . .

So anyway - here is the super cool Kelly Garner and his satchel.  And other (cool but edgy) options from the ever-current Urban Outfitters.  Ben is so sporting one this fall.  Decision. Made.

What the world needs now

. . .is a little 2-D. This, according to my husband, Ben, after viewing some of Owen Gildersleeve's works.  I tend to agree.  I've expressed my love of all things paper, and my talented mother's ability to cut and create. . . well, Mr. Glidersleeve's works are nothing short of magical in my book.  And yes, much needed. Texture, and ability to intake and understand the process, if still in awe of it, does not happen enough. Nothing compares to handworks.

Here is a beautiful and apropos piece he did called The Recession for the now defunct pub ID Magazine.  Genius.