The historian in me made this one. Sometimes I just need to save these treasuries here for posterity...
Monday, September 26, 2011
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Craziness, a move, and the Fall Collection
Well. I am not the best at blogging. I know it's been awhile since I posted, and I know I have yet to deliver the photos of my fall collection. For this I apologize, but I have to make an excuse this time... I have been in the process of accepting a new job and planning a move to Louisiana.
When I went to Baton Rouge two weeks ago, it was for a job interview at LSU. Well, guess what... I got the job! I'm now the Foreign, Comparative and International Law Librarian at LSU, and a soon to be resident of Baton Rouge. Geaux Tigers! There are lots of fried green tomatoes in my future!
I'm so excited for this move. I'll most likely be relocating sometime around the end of October. The time between now and then will be filled with things like looking for an apartment, packing up all my stuff, renting a moving van, and figuring out how to transport my two lovely cats to Louisiana. So, I might not be blogging that much for awhile. I also may need to put my shop on vacation around the time of the move, though hopefully not for long.
Anyway. Pretty much everyone who's currently following this blog is also following me on Facebook, so I'm pretty confident that you guys have seen the fall collection since it posted last week. I am really proud of this collection, which I've been working on since mid-summer. I'd been reading a lot of dystopian and post-apocalyptic fiction, and it led me to adopt a darker, more industrial aesthetic than I usually do.
The inspiration for these pieces is, as you know, the idea of "life after people." I envisioned my beloved New York City as it would appear if human beings suddenly ceased to exist - I imagined urban and industrial areas overgrown with vegetation and harboring various birds and insects, both gothic and pretty. I only created five pieces for this collection - it was an exercise in planning, execution and cohesiveness more than anything else. I loved having a single concept to work from. So without any further delay, here it is:
These will not be the only pieces to appear in my shop this fall! However, they are the official "Fall Collection" of the House of Decadent Delusion. Like I said, I wanted to see if I could design a collection, and I think I did pretty well for my first try. I hope that you guys enjoy it!
When I went to Baton Rouge two weeks ago, it was for a job interview at LSU. Well, guess what... I got the job! I'm now the Foreign, Comparative and International Law Librarian at LSU, and a soon to be resident of Baton Rouge. Geaux Tigers! There are lots of fried green tomatoes in my future!
I'm so excited for this move. I'll most likely be relocating sometime around the end of October. The time between now and then will be filled with things like looking for an apartment, packing up all my stuff, renting a moving van, and figuring out how to transport my two lovely cats to Louisiana. So, I might not be blogging that much for awhile. I also may need to put my shop on vacation around the time of the move, though hopefully not for long.
Anyway. Pretty much everyone who's currently following this blog is also following me on Facebook, so I'm pretty confident that you guys have seen the fall collection since it posted last week. I am really proud of this collection, which I've been working on since mid-summer. I'd been reading a lot of dystopian and post-apocalyptic fiction, and it led me to adopt a darker, more industrial aesthetic than I usually do.
The inspiration for these pieces is, as you know, the idea of "life after people." I envisioned my beloved New York City as it would appear if human beings suddenly ceased to exist - I imagined urban and industrial areas overgrown with vegetation and harboring various birds and insects, both gothic and pretty. I only created five pieces for this collection - it was an exercise in planning, execution and cohesiveness more than anything else. I loved having a single concept to work from. So without any further delay, here it is:
These will not be the only pieces to appear in my shop this fall! However, they are the official "Fall Collection" of the House of Decadent Delusion. Like I said, I wanted to see if I could design a collection, and I think I did pretty well for my first try. I hope that you guys enjoy it!
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Self-Taught Artists Treasury Team Feature
Hey everyone, I hope you've been enjoying those fried green tomatoes! This is just a drive-by to let you know that I'm featured on the STATTEAM blog this week! Head on over to check out the interview and see some pictures from my Etsy shop, as well as to get a few more hints about my fall collection, which I promise to get posted in the very near future! Talk to you soon!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
This, That and the Southern Thing
Well, it's taken me a few days to get back here after the blog hop last week (which I hope you enjoyed, by the way.) On Thursday and Friday, I had to fly to Louisiana in the midst of massive flooding here in Central Pennsylvania. Luckily, the travel part of it worked out fine - I got there and back safely, and had an awesome time in between.
Since I got back, I can't stop frying up green tomatoes. They're not exactly a typical food here in PA, but every time I head south of here, I seem to regress into some kind of fried green tomato obsession. Luckily, I have an overabundance of them in my garden. The tomatoes never really got ripe this year, which I'd been lamenting up until now. On Sunday, I pulled a recipe off the internet, and it turned out to be a fantastic one. They turned out just like the ones I had in Baton Rouge, so I've decided to share the recipe with you.
BEST FRIED GREEN TOMATOES (from AllRecipes.com)
Ingredients:
4 large green tomatoes
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 quart vegetable oil for frying
Directions:
1. Slice tomatoes 1/2 inch thick. Discard the ends.
2. Whisk eggs and milk together in a medium-size bowl. Scoop flour onto a plate. Mix cornmeal, bread crumbs and salt and pepper on another plate. Dip tomatoes into flour to coat. Then dip the tomatoes into milk and egg mixture. Dredge in breadcrumbs to completely coat.
3. In a large skillet, pour vegetable oil (enough so that there is 1/2 inch of oil in the pan) and heat over a medium heat. Place tomatoes into the frying pan in batches of 4 or 5, depending on the size of your skillet. Do not crowd the tomatoes, they should not touch each other. When the tomatoes are browned, flip and fry them on the other side. Drain them on paper towels.
To memorialize my fried green tomato obsession, I even created an Etsy treasury (because Etsy treasuries, of course, are currently my way of procrastinating when I don't want to do anything more productive.)
Delicious, eh? And perfect for September. While we're at it, I also made this one on the same day, and then realized that I'd coincidentally made two treasuries named after old movies, neither of which had anything to do with film:
At any rate, fall is definitely in the air here. It has been for awhile now, but to be honest, there's only one thing that ever makes it sink in for me that fall is really here - the return of all my TV shows. This week starts most of the CWTV shows, including one of my very favorites, the Vampire Diaries. The end of True Blood this past Sunday night will be ameliorated by the return of Elena, Damon, Stefan, Caroline, et al. Last season ended with a huge bang, so I can't wait to see what happpens this year - and is anyone else excited to see Damon finally step up and be the "good" vampire for a change?
Anyway...
The last thing I have to mention tonight is that I've recently been featured over on Artsnark's Artifacts. As you know, Stacey, otherwise known as Artsnark, is one of my very favorite Etsy artists and has contributed significantly to my growing ACEO collection. She has been kind enough to feature an interview with me and to host a giveaway of one of my items - a pair of snowy owl lace earrings perfect for Halloween. So be sure to check out the interview and leave a comment to be entered into the giveaway!
Since I got back, I can't stop frying up green tomatoes. They're not exactly a typical food here in PA, but every time I head south of here, I seem to regress into some kind of fried green tomato obsession. Luckily, I have an overabundance of them in my garden. The tomatoes never really got ripe this year, which I'd been lamenting up until now. On Sunday, I pulled a recipe off the internet, and it turned out to be a fantastic one. They turned out just like the ones I had in Baton Rouge, so I've decided to share the recipe with you.
BEST FRIED GREEN TOMATOES (from AllRecipes.com)
Ingredients:
4 large green tomatoes
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 quart vegetable oil for frying
Directions:
1. Slice tomatoes 1/2 inch thick. Discard the ends.
2. Whisk eggs and milk together in a medium-size bowl. Scoop flour onto a plate. Mix cornmeal, bread crumbs and salt and pepper on another plate. Dip tomatoes into flour to coat. Then dip the tomatoes into milk and egg mixture. Dredge in breadcrumbs to completely coat.
3. In a large skillet, pour vegetable oil (enough so that there is 1/2 inch of oil in the pan) and heat over a medium heat. Place tomatoes into the frying pan in batches of 4 or 5, depending on the size of your skillet. Do not crowd the tomatoes, they should not touch each other. When the tomatoes are browned, flip and fry them on the other side. Drain them on paper towels.
To memorialize my fried green tomato obsession, I even created an Etsy treasury (because Etsy treasuries, of course, are currently my way of procrastinating when I don't want to do anything more productive.)
Delicious, eh? And perfect for September. While we're at it, I also made this one on the same day, and then realized that I'd coincidentally made two treasuries named after old movies, neither of which had anything to do with film:
At any rate, fall is definitely in the air here. It has been for awhile now, but to be honest, there's only one thing that ever makes it sink in for me that fall is really here - the return of all my TV shows. This week starts most of the CWTV shows, including one of my very favorites, the Vampire Diaries. The end of True Blood this past Sunday night will be ameliorated by the return of Elena, Damon, Stefan, Caroline, et al. Last season ended with a huge bang, so I can't wait to see what happpens this year - and is anyone else excited to see Damon finally step up and be the "good" vampire for a change?
Anyway...
The last thing I have to mention tonight is that I've recently been featured over on Artsnark's Artifacts. As you know, Stacey, otherwise known as Artsnark, is one of my very favorite Etsy artists and has contributed significantly to my growing ACEO collection. She has been kind enough to feature an interview with me and to host a giveaway of one of my items - a pair of snowy owl lace earrings perfect for Halloween. So be sure to check out the interview and leave a comment to be entered into the giveaway!
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Blue Eyed Blessings and Hopping Blogs
So, it looks like I've been chosen to co-host a blog hop tomorrow with Julia and Cori over at Blue Eyed Blessings! This is very cool... I've been linking my shop and my blog over there every Wednesday pretty much since I started selling on Etsy. It's great exposure, so please consider linking up using the linky tool below. The linkies will "open" at 12:01am PST on Wednesday morning and close Sunday at 11:59pm.
Add your blog here:
Add your shop here:
Add your blog here:
Add your shop here:
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Teeny Tiny Witchery
Oh, I am just having way too much fun creating treasuries this weekend! Probably because I'm procrastinating when I should be getting ready for job interviews. Check this one out... teeny tiny witch furniture for a tiny witch dollhouse. How cute is that???
My Fall Fashion Wishlist
Want to know what I'm eyeing up for fall? Well, maybe it's all the time I've spent with the Time Travelers Team this summer, but I'm really feeling anything with a bit of a steampunk edge. I'm looking at browns, reds, gold, brass and copper. I'm also knitting up a couple pairs of fingerless mitts with a Neo-Victorian feel and vintage embellishments, and I've ordered a few gothy accessories in basic black from some of my favorite Etsy sellers.
Here's a peak at some of the things that I've bought or am planning to buy for fall.
I want to highlight some particularly amazing shops that are included in this list; I LOVE shopping, and when I find a brand I like, I tend to be an extremely loyal customer. First, let me draw your attention to two outstanding knitwear designers: NeuroticKnitterz and The Jane Victoria. Both have patterns readily available in PDF format in their Etsy shop (I LOVE PDF patterns because they offer an immediate solution to the knitter's syndrome commonly known as "startitis.") NeuroticKnitterz seems to draw inspiration from a variety of sources, and I've already purchased a few of her patterns. I'm planning to knit her Last of the Sky Pirates mitts later this fall in a fabulous brown sock yarn, and I've already ordered the antique buttons to go with them. The Jane Victoria has a distinctly Neo-Victorian aesthetic that can be made goth or steampunk depending on the knitter's choice of colors. I am currently knitting her Lúthien Ar-Feiniel Opera-Length Fingerless Gloves out of Madeline Tosh Vintage in the colorway "Antique Lace." I must say that I am enjoying the pattern immensely... it moves quickly, is easy to follow and memorize, and looks amazing. My experience with the designer is that she is very helpful and quick to respond to questions about her patterns, so I would highly recommend any of them, even if you think they might be a challenge.
For those without an inclination toward the fiber arts, check out ScarletRabbit for ready-made crocheted accessories that will fit into your steampunk, goth, or chic urban wardrobe. I recently purchased a large collar and matching wristlets for early fall, and I was blown away by the quality and craftsmanship of the items. This is another designer whom I highly recommend.
Finally, I have included two absolutely outstanding perfume designers on my Fall Fashion Wishlist: Catrianna of Deep Midnight Bathery, and Sara of Sarawen Perfume Art. I've recently begun wearing more natural perfume oils and fewer commercial products, and have become seriously addicted to both of these gals' fragrances. I now own two from Sara and three from Cat, not to mention the 17 sample vials I have floating around. Of course, it's hard to describe fragrance in a blog post, especially when you don't know jack about perfume design to begin with. However, I find that Sara's fragrances are deep and rich with a few clearly recognizable notes, while Cat's are complex, with subtleties that will make you think "what IS that unusual smell?" as the perfume dries and changes throughout the day. Of course, the best way to check out any fragrance is by sampling it; luckily, both of these ladies offer sample vials in their shops. I would highly recommend going and getting lost in their stores... their photos and descriptions will have you dying to sample every one of their creations!
Oh, glorious shopping. Don't you just love it? I have really enjoyed writing up this post, and I hope you've enjoyed it too. We all know that fall is the best season for fashion and for changing up your wardrobe... I hope you've enjoyed my recommendations, and I'd love to hear some of yours as well!
Here's a peak at some of the things that I've bought or am planning to buy for fall.
I want to highlight some particularly amazing shops that are included in this list; I LOVE shopping, and when I find a brand I like, I tend to be an extremely loyal customer. First, let me draw your attention to two outstanding knitwear designers: NeuroticKnitterz and The Jane Victoria. Both have patterns readily available in PDF format in their Etsy shop (I LOVE PDF patterns because they offer an immediate solution to the knitter's syndrome commonly known as "startitis.") NeuroticKnitterz seems to draw inspiration from a variety of sources, and I've already purchased a few of her patterns. I'm planning to knit her Last of the Sky Pirates mitts later this fall in a fabulous brown sock yarn, and I've already ordered the antique buttons to go with them. The Jane Victoria has a distinctly Neo-Victorian aesthetic that can be made goth or steampunk depending on the knitter's choice of colors. I am currently knitting her Lúthien Ar-Feiniel Opera-Length Fingerless Gloves out of Madeline Tosh Vintage in the colorway "Antique Lace." I must say that I am enjoying the pattern immensely... it moves quickly, is easy to follow and memorize, and looks amazing. My experience with the designer is that she is very helpful and quick to respond to questions about her patterns, so I would highly recommend any of them, even if you think they might be a challenge.
For those without an inclination toward the fiber arts, check out ScarletRabbit for ready-made crocheted accessories that will fit into your steampunk, goth, or chic urban wardrobe. I recently purchased a large collar and matching wristlets for early fall, and I was blown away by the quality and craftsmanship of the items. This is another designer whom I highly recommend.
Finally, I have included two absolutely outstanding perfume designers on my Fall Fashion Wishlist: Catrianna of Deep Midnight Bathery, and Sara of Sarawen Perfume Art. I've recently begun wearing more natural perfume oils and fewer commercial products, and have become seriously addicted to both of these gals' fragrances. I now own two from Sara and three from Cat, not to mention the 17 sample vials I have floating around. Of course, it's hard to describe fragrance in a blog post, especially when you don't know jack about perfume design to begin with. However, I find that Sara's fragrances are deep and rich with a few clearly recognizable notes, while Cat's are complex, with subtleties that will make you think "what IS that unusual smell?" as the perfume dries and changes throughout the day. Of course, the best way to check out any fragrance is by sampling it; luckily, both of these ladies offer sample vials in their shops. I would highly recommend going and getting lost in their stores... their photos and descriptions will have you dying to sample every one of their creations!
Oh, glorious shopping. Don't you just love it? I have really enjoyed writing up this post, and I hope you've enjoyed it too. We all know that fall is the best season for fashion and for changing up your wardrobe... I hope you've enjoyed my recommendations, and I'd love to hear some of yours as well!
Friday, September 2, 2011
Fall 2011 Teaser
Last night I alluded to my Fall 2011 shop collection. It's not ready to post yet... but I thought I'd give you some teaser pics of my inspiration for the collection, hehe. Enjoy!
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Exciting News!
I have exciting news to share tonight, readers! Well, actually, first things first (and this is exciting, too) - my Halloween treasury, "A Dark Night of the Soul," tied for the win in the Time Travelers Team's contest! So thanks to everyone who came over to Etsy and left a comment! I appreciate the support!
I have even bigger news tonight, though, and it's something that I've known about for awhile but wasn't able to share. From this point forth, you will be able to see some of my creations in person at the Arts Barn in Orwigsburg, PA. I met the owner at the last craft show I did, and we got to discussing my metalwork and the possibility of my joining their gallery and selling some pieces on consignment. I visited the Arts Barn in early August, and was really impressed - they have lots of amazing artwork of all different kinds by a variety of artists, all housed in a beautifully renovated barn. It's also a gorgeous drive to their location just outside of Pottsville.
After visiting the gallery and setting up a meeting, I decided to design a collection specifically for them. I knew right away what I wanted to do - I wanted to use beautiful fall colors, gemstone beads, birds and insects, and rusty looking patinas to capture the rustic, artistic character of the gallery and its location. I've been working like crazy on this collection, and tonight I was rewarded when they accepted all six pieces! Of course, I took pictures ahead of time to share with you:
These pieces can be seen and purchased at the Arts Barn, located at 3 Berry Road, Schuykill Haven, PA, 17972. As much as I love Etsy, metal collage is so much more amazing when you can see it in person, so I hope some of you will make a trip up there to check out my work!
Oh, and by the way... in addition to these six pieces, they also kept one more. It was originally intended to be a part of my Fall 2011 shop collection... which means that posting a picture would be giving too much away. ;) But you'll be able to see that line soon. It's darker and more industrial, and should be posting in my shop within a couple of weeks. I'll be sure to blog about it here, but keep an eye on the shop if you want first dibs!
I have even bigger news tonight, though, and it's something that I've known about for awhile but wasn't able to share. From this point forth, you will be able to see some of my creations in person at the Arts Barn in Orwigsburg, PA. I met the owner at the last craft show I did, and we got to discussing my metalwork and the possibility of my joining their gallery and selling some pieces on consignment. I visited the Arts Barn in early August, and was really impressed - they have lots of amazing artwork of all different kinds by a variety of artists, all housed in a beautifully renovated barn. It's also a gorgeous drive to their location just outside of Pottsville.
After visiting the gallery and setting up a meeting, I decided to design a collection specifically for them. I knew right away what I wanted to do - I wanted to use beautiful fall colors, gemstone beads, birds and insects, and rusty looking patinas to capture the rustic, artistic character of the gallery and its location. I've been working like crazy on this collection, and tonight I was rewarded when they accepted all six pieces! Of course, I took pictures ahead of time to share with you:
These pieces can be seen and purchased at the Arts Barn, located at 3 Berry Road, Schuykill Haven, PA, 17972. As much as I love Etsy, metal collage is so much more amazing when you can see it in person, so I hope some of you will make a trip up there to check out my work!
Oh, and by the way... in addition to these six pieces, they also kept one more. It was originally intended to be a part of my Fall 2011 shop collection... which means that posting a picture would be giving too much away. ;) But you'll be able to see that line soon. It's darker and more industrial, and should be posting in my shop within a couple of weeks. I'll be sure to blog about it here, but keep an eye on the shop if you want first dibs!
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