Dekalb Market

Two weeks ago my friend, Alex, and I went to the Dekalb Market in Brooklyn. I LOVED it! It was so cool. Little cubicles stacked on top of each and painted bright colors, food, jewelry, art, bags, beer. And it's open seven days a week. I'm stoked to keep going back.

My faves -

Corvus Noir - I love love love my new earrings! A lot of other really neat things at this shop, too. Lots of feathers and sparkly shiny goodness.

Travis the Chimp - I loved these girls! Love their website, too. The have a lot of really fun stuff. All of the little art pieces are super quirky and I dig it. Also, they were so excited about the blog mention! I felt very flattered. Sorry for the wait, ladies. :)

I also had a delicious maple pecan french toast cupcake at Robicelli's and got to see my new friend Serena who I mentioned in my post about the Hester Street Fair. She was kind enough to let me know she would be there so I could swing by and say hi. 

*** Erin

Independent Designer Pop Up at Chelsea Market

For the month of November you can find this pop up shop at Chelsea Market right across from the bookstore and the gelato shop. It's pretty neat, really good stuff. If you're looking for a really high quality gift for someone special for the holidays, I definitely recommend going. Most of the items here are at a higher price point, but like I said, this is really quality stuff.

My favorites:

Iwona Ludyga - a huge variety of jewelry styles. Some things were really adorable and other pieces had a lovely simplicity, some a bit of attitude. I loved it all. 

Atlantis Jewelry - some really lovely pieces. I particularly liked the simpler necklaces with charms.

Over the Moon Jewel - Barbara L. Wilkinson - The necklace below was my absolute favorite piece of the day. I just think it's stunning. Merry christmas to me? Anyone???

And there's this gem - Kimberlin Brown - This necklace is ridiculous in the best sense of the word. It's sister is even in the Museum of Arts and Design in Columbus Circle. The girls working the stand were suuuuper nice and let me try it on. I don't quite have the length to wear it, but it's amazing all the same and I really hope it finds a good home!

Happy Holiday shopping! Tis officially the season. :)

*** Erin

Etsy Craft Night - Thankful Embroidery

Tonight I went to an embroidery workshop at Etsy Labs in DUMBO, Brooklyn. I went once before for an open craft night. They usually happen on Mondays, some Thursdays. You can sign up on their website to receive emails about all of their different events. They have just about everything you could possibly want or need to do any kind of craft your heart desires - sewing machines, needles, thread, ribbon, buttons, glue, even a photo booth! I want to move in.

Anyway, tonight a fantastic lady by the name of Joetta Maue lead a demo on embroidery basics. I have really wanted to take a sewing class for a long time, but they are so expensive and this, though not quite the same thing, was really helpful. The intended pattern was supposed have to do with the concept of gratitude. Not everyone kept to that theme, but the word I chose for my project was "grace". I thought it would be a simple enough start.

What you need - a piece of linen, almost any kind will work from what I gather. I picked up a patterned napkin that was on sale at West Elm. Also, an embroidery loom, water based marker, large needle, and thick thread. The thread we used was actually 6 strands thick.

I learned the split stitch. The first step, after securing the fabric on the embroidery hoop, is to write your word using the marker. I recommend practicing first, though, because I had to move spots on the fabric once or twice after messing up. The ink is so washable I didn't hesitate to just practice on the under side of my napkin after a while and where I messed up won't be a problem. Anyway, after that you just thread your needle and go to it. The pattern of split stitch is to start the first stitch as normal - come up from the back of the fabric and then straight down through. When you make the next one going back up through the front of the fabric coming from behind, though, you back up a little bit and split the first stitch right in the middle - the needle should divide the aforementioned 6 threads in half. Then continue and repeat steps until you reach the end of your word, or whatever else it is you might be working on.

I'm pretty happy with it. I think I will be doing this a lot more now. I love the repetition of it - like knitting. It's kind of therapeutic.

Feel free to leave a comment or contact me if you have any question. Explaining the process proved very difficult for me!

*** Erin

79th Street Greenmarket

I know, I know.... how many markets can there possibly be?! And does Erin McBride do anything else??? Yes, in fact, I do many other things, however, this is one of my favorite activities.

Thus, we begin again.

This Greenmarket is on Columbus Avenue between 78th and 81st Streets. Right across the street from the Greenflea that I wrote about a little while ago. Usually, it's all local farmers - food based. But on October 16th it was filled with local artists! I didn't even know that it was going to be that way - I was having brunch with one of my favorite gays, Jon Olds, and his other gays (it was a grand gay affair) at Calle Ocho - unlimited sangrias and awesome food - and we were walking toward the subway at Broadway and 79th. I saw the market from across the street and I had to go.

It was particularly fun and interesting because it was full of vendors I've never seen before. Here's a list of the best ones and what they do:

Arza Design - super awesome handbags

Designs By Alicia P. - some of the most unique pieces of jewelry I've ever seen

alternative Art - really neat photo art

Meghan Patrice Riley - this one was one of my particular favorites. Beautiful pieces.

Paz Sintes - really beautiful lacework jewelry


Do we like posts like this? Yes? No?

Holla at a boo. I'd love the feedback.


*** Erin

Hester Street Fair

On our day of adventures (that my last two entries have been about, it was so busy!) Jessica and I also made a quick stop at the Hester Street Fair, open every Saturday. I went once before and knew that it was small enough to conquer in an hour, so we bolted downtown from Union Square to the Lower East Side on foot and saw the sights before a movie.

It's really adorable. Definitely go if you haven't been.

Our favorite shop that day was adornments NYC. We both bought earrings that we're pretty much obsessed with. Mine are red and turquoise, a color combo I can't enough of. The red is an old mancala piece. When the vendor told me they were the last pair, I sucked it up and forked over my precious $26. I needed them. Also, that's the last personal, not necessary purchase I will be making for a very long time, so it needed to be good.

And it was.

You can actually get a pair like Jessica's on the Etsy shop. There is a link to it on the website linked above.

Other shops we loved:

RUBELLA jewelry - so antique looking and we loved the display on the mirror

Cam ci Cam ca - loved the dual necklace/headbands

Serena - that's a feather blowing on that ring!

Yeah, so super fun day. Cute market, friendly people, yummy food (kimchi and ice cream sandwiches!) and it's right in the middle of China Town, so you can grab a bubble tea to boot!

*** Erin

BFFN Earrings

Two weekends ago (I know, I'm really slacking here) my BFFN (Best Friend For Now), Jessica came in to the city and we had a jewelry making sleepover! I taught her how to make a pair of earrings. My initial intention with this blog entry was to give a step by step tutorial using photos from our fun lesson, but I realized that it's too complicated to teach online.

The bead choosing process took us a particularly long time. I wouldn't recommend drinking while learning or teaching how to make earrings for the first time.... Meh. Actually, it worked out fine.

Oh yeah, and I made a bracelet for my friend, Sawyer, upon request. There will be more to come. :)


If you think you would be interested in learning how to make jewelry, take a look at Beads of Paradise. They're located at 17th Street and Union Square West. I took their Findings Crash Course in the Spring and it was super fun. It cost me $85 for a 2 hour class, I took home a bracelet, a necklace, and a pair of earrings that I made there, and got to keep all of the extra beads and pieces AND all the tools I needed to continue on my own. You also get a coupon for 25% off your whole first purchase when you come back. I think it was money incredibly well spent.


Also, if you want to bring the wine, I'd be happy to hold another lesson. 




*** Erin