UK artist, Peter Crawley, has reinvented what it means to embroider. Using a pin to pierce various stocks of paper, he then stitches the paper with a needle and thread, to create one of a kind artwork that is simple, modern, graphic, and fun. It’s hard to gush about something that truly needs few words, so with that said, please enjoy a few of my favorite pieces below.
(sorry… I had a hard time narrowing it down)
What better way to come back from my hiatus than with a bang! As some of you already know, and for those who don’t, I recently got ENGAGED!! Which, I know, doesn’t necessarily warrant such a highly enthusiastic blog post, but what does is my ring. Well- the company that made my ring, at least.
As I’m sure many girls do, I had spent years fantasizing about what qualities would make my perfect engagement ring; vintage and delicate, simple- yet breathtaking. The perfect size, the perfect cut, the perfect sparkle, and the perfect thing to show off to everyone I know. But I’m also aware that the ring isn’t everything; it’s just a symbol. A tangible item worn by the woman that figuratively shouts to the world “I’m taken and look how much he loves me!”.
Now allow me to give you a little insight into my life:
Both my fiancé and I are in our mid 20’s, and living “well-enough” in our one bedroom walk-up in Manhattan. If you don’t know where I’m going with this yet, it means that the typical “3 Month’s Salary Rule” for the engagement ring budget would not have afforded the most stunning of rings. But- thanks to DiamondNexus, I didn’t have to sacrifice the perfect ring due to a slim wallet.
DiamondNexus diamonds are lab created (for more info, click here). Using what they call the “simulant creation process”, they have technologically figured out a way to scientifically recreate a diamond, with the added advantage of each stone being completely flawless. And because it’s all man-made? The price is totally affordable! Visually indistinguishable to anyone not in the know, DiamondNexus diamonds wear, look, and act the same as a mined diamond. Fun fact: DiamondNexus is the company behind all of the Miss Universe crowns!
Check out my ring below, and a few others from their site that I love.
this ring is under $400!!
This past week I was in Austin, Texas during the music portion of South by Southwest. Although I find it a bit small, and slightly difficult to take Austin seriously as a major city (I guess I’d be what you’d consider a jaded New Yorker), the overall location and festival was delightful. I, along with a few of my friends, spent our days in the sun listening to live music, and our nights surrounded by thousands of other music lovers, partying, drinking, singing, and having a good time. Though there were some performances I could have done without, there were a couple notable bands whose music I have not stopped listening to.
The first is a band called the Click Clack Boom. I saw them live at Lipstick 24, and instantly fell in love. Their music is mellow, yet upbeat, and they sound just as good live as they do recorded. Currently residing and playing in NYC, you can be sure I will attend one of their shows again very soon. Below is one of my personal favorites of theirs, but do yourself a favor and check out more of their stuff.
the Click Clack Boom | “Open Hands”
The second band worth mentioning is a band called Lost in the Trees. I saw them at the Muzzle of Bees even, hosted by a friend of mine. The band features a 3-part string section, which was an immediate draw for me. Here’s my favorite song of theirs.
Lost in the Trees | “Time Taunts Me”
All in all, Austin is a lovely city, and SXSW was an amazing event to have attended. Hopefully I will be back next year, not only as a spectator, but with any luck, as a performer.
Despite my love for the instrument, and my ever deepening desire to be able to play, I sadly live a guitar-less existence. And for as many beautifully crafted, shaped, stained, and painted guitars I’ve come across, the guitar pick has remained relatively simple and unchanged. StoneWorks has put an end to that that by offering the most beautiful guitar and bass picks I have ever seen. Each pick is one-of-a-kind, and carved 100% out of natural stone. Enjoy!
Stone | Kingman Turquoise
Stone | Dinosaur Bone
Stone | Montana Moss Agate
Stone | Dendritic Agate
Stone | Ocean Jasper
Stone | Graveyard Plume Agate
Stone | Landscape Jasper
This 1930’s clip shows designers’ fashion predictions for the year 2000.
One of my absolute favorite shoe designers, Irregular Choice, features a heel that looks remarkably similar to the ones shown in this video.
je ne sais blog 