Color Explosion at the Brooklyn Flea, 2011

Getting ready for our third(!) opening weekend at the Brooklyn Flea this Saturday, April 2nd in Fort Greene and Sunday, April 3rd, and the new Williamsburg location closer to home, with peeks at our new collections for Spring and Summer. Say it with me: COLOR!

Celebrating getting back outside and I couldn't stop myself from designing some new one-of-a-kind necklaces in the midst of getting ready, with some rare old Czech beads I brought back from London, and antique coins & trinkets taken from old Afghani textiles. I wanted to do some long brightly colored pieces and I think these are a good mix of 40's costume fun with a serious tribal edge, hoping they'll make you feel like a proud exotic flower blossoming against all odds on a faraway mountain ledge, the beautiful first moments of Spring release.

Will do more since I brought home oodles of gorgeous colors, yet to be unpacked, and of course will put them on the website soon, I promise, but feel free to email me if you see something you like.

As a tribute to the origins of the materials, we'll be giving $15 from each purchase of these pieces the Central Asia Institute, Greg Mortensen's organization to support community-based education, especially for girls in remote villages in Northern Afghanistan and Pakistan.

A Paris Day

I only have a little time to see Paris. It is the reason why I whip out my camera on the morning walk from the Hôtel de Ville all the way up to the top of the rue du Temple on my way to the showroom.

Though I blow on that I'm not that interested in the romanticized Paris, it's still romantic damnit. This is especially true for me early in the morning, when I can see my breath in the wet chill of the courtyard, where the camellias and forsythias are still blooming in the brisk cold, and I step out through the big doors to the street into the city waking up, this is the city of Paris I know best I guess.

Smells of coffee and smoke from the cafés, and yeast from boulangeries and patisseries exhibiting the first trays of artful gems of the day, I go down into the metro, in love with the large graphic announcements of everything there is to do and see and buy, read the daily paper on the train and emerge into the light if I'm lucky, or a drizzle if I'm not, into a new part of the city. I walk and snap photos until I get to rue Chapon, where I'll spend my morning until we decide if we want to eat Pho nearby in Paris' original Chinois-town or the plat du jour at the Taxi Jaune right across the street. We drink little cafe "noisettes" in the afternoon on a silver platter Taxi Jaune lets us take across and are animated enough for when our afternoon appointments come, and stay until 8pm when we come out again in the dark, lock the doors for the night and decide where to go for a drink. We talk about business and about what we want to eat, which is delicious especially when eaten in the company of friends. Later we say goodbye until the next morning when it happens all over again.

Hearts & Hands and Where I've been

hearts & hands

Hello old friends. I've been gone from here too long. Before I go into why and tell you all about Paris (made greater because doctors still make housecalls in France) and then London (highlighted by an especially oishii lunch at the new Vinoteca in Marlybone and the incroyable Jewelry Collection at the Victoria & Albert Museum), I want to tell you about an incredible project for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan called Hearts & Hands.

Organized with love by Lynn Russell from Satsuma Press, a $10 purchase of one of Satsuma's letterpress cards will enter you into a drawing in which you can win a handmade piece from any of the 90+ independent designers who have contributed.

100% of the proceeds will go to Shelter Box, an organization which delivers emergency disaster relief, shelter and warmth to people in need. Our donation, my favorite necklace, La Petit Branche, is above but for more and to see all the artist's contributions, visit Hearts & Hands.

Wanderlust: John Kenny and the Omo Valley

Hello chickens! It's P. from What Possessed Me - lowering the tone once again on dearest Deb's blog. I'm so happy to be here and to share with you the work of one of my favorite photographers, John Kenny.

An early source of bonding with Deb was our mutual love of travel - we've both been to some weird and wild places and share the same insatiable wanderlust that has ruined our GI tracts, wiped out our slush funds and generally consumed our waking thoughts.

Perhaps what originally drew me to John Kenny's work is that his own love of exploration and delight in undiscovered beauty come across so clearly in his photographs. Kenny often travels alone or with a guide, trekking into remote regions to shoot his portraits. He avoids using flash and gizmos, preferring instead to work with the dry earth, the sun, and the magnatism of his subjects. The effect is incredibly intimate and intense - particularly in his black and white portraits, which seem illuminated by a silvery, celestial light. If you are interested in travel photography, I'd highly recommend this article on Kenny's methods to achieve this effect with nothing other than his camera and natural sunlight. It's also an interesting commentary on what it's like to pursue photography as a passion alongside a completely unrelated career.

In the meantime, feast your eyes on Kenny's 2010 trip to the Omo Valley in Ethiopia. I'm already plotting my next trip - who's coming with me?

Pairs: Bon Bon Oiseau

Hello again!

Melissa here, from Melissa loves. So happy to be posting one more time while Deb is away in Paris. I can't wait to hear all about her trip when she returns, can you? I always love using Deb's beautiful work in my posts. Recently I started a new feature "Pairs" on my blog using one artist's work and pairing it up with it's "long lost loves" ( in my opinion of course). Today I just picked one lost love....in different colors. ;) I hope you like it!

~ cloud earrings here

~ silver garland here

~ necklaces here

~ garland here

~ bracelet here

~ garland here

Thank you for having me, darling Deb. I hope you have safe travels home hun & I hope your lovely readers enjoyed my visits! Until next time...be well.

xo

Melis

Allo Ma Princesses Précieux

Bonsoir de Paris! I must admit I've been feeling a bit under the weather and working at the same time and so not so many pictures taken. Two days of setting up the showroom and I must say, it is looking quite spectacular.

And so tonight I came home early and collapsed on the sofa, so happy to find Sophia Coppola's Marie Antoinette on TV, made more amazing to watch it in French. It just made more sense, even if I could barely understand it, and made all the more delicate and delicious. My worn out self was riveted and drank it all in, every gorgeous sensuous scene, mostly left me dreaming I could have worked on the set. I would totally take off my coat and lay it over puddles for the entire art department. It completely warmed me, stirred me, relaxed me and made me so happy to be in beautiful beautiful, but incredibly cold France.

Tomorrow starts the showroom and now I must say, Bonne Nuit!

Cheap & Chic: dressing Deb

Hello lovelies!

Melissa here, from Melissa loves. Honored & happy to be filling in a tiny bit for darling Deb while she is living it up in Paris! :) I know Deb likes my cheap & chic posts so, I though I would take a stab at getting together something for Deb. She most definitely doesn't need my help looking chic & sharp but, I thought it would be fun!

~ top here $69.95

~ bracelet 1 here $48.00

~ bracelet 2 here $48.00

~ clutch here ( in gold ) $38.00

~ pants here $99.95

~ wicked pissah boots here $32.80

In my mind, Deb likes to be comfortable but chic. Likes black and yet, is a bit funky. Obviously she loves jewelry & has more than enough of her own beautiful baubles to wear with any outfit but, I thought I would throw in a few little things to shake things up a bit. Plus, I have seen Deb wear some really great pieces mixed in with her own and they always look amazing. So, I hope you like it, Deb! And I hope you like it too, lovely Bon Bon readers. I will be back in a week or so for another visit. Until then, be well!

xo

Melis

Paris