Don't get your panties in a ruffle...in 2010

{image via ffffound}

I love the ruffly undies. They remind me of some I had when I was three or four. I did not have the tattoo or the penchant for public nudity, even then. She reminded me to live a little, to let lose and let the elements get a little closer to your soul. There are so many things that make us stressed. My 2010 mission is to bask in the glow of friends, family, and try to relax. Thinking about that all day...take a look over at the other blog I write for and find eight ways relax. See you. xo, Michelle

Get down and dirty

I had to share this poster found on swissmiss by Roland Reiner Tiangco.
The cool thing is, you have to rub the dirt on your hands to reveal the text. I love it! Pretty innovative.

Haute Macabre Smoke and Ink

Hot off the press, this smoking chicky Nixon Sixx, is wearing a Smoke and Ink t-shirt dress complimented by some daring gladiator platforms. Designed by Courtney Riot and printed by way of our own kai and gipsy. {Today happens to be the birthday of Sag, Andreea Waters, founder of kai and gipsy, so head on over there and give her a "noroc".}

Life is Crazy

{image via ffffound}

Sporadic posts, sorry guys. Life is crazy right now.
Thank you to everyone that leaves comments and emails me personally.
Your feedback means alot and keeps me inspired!

Kseniya Simonova is simply breathtaking

Brides Mag featuring 2 of my designs!

{image if gold palm and yellow floral invite/table card via Brides Jan. 2010}

Available online at our partner site:
Bianco, by Checkerboard gold palm motif on Corinthian textured paper, available with a matching website!

Buttercup, (shown below) featuring hand painted flowers on rich cream paper, layered to sunshiny yellow, printed in thermography. These next invites are exclusive to our partner site.



Also in this watercolor collection, Pink Orchid, special pricing right now for under $1.68 each! These are also printed on 130# heavyweight paper!


{images of product captured by Adoniram Sides}

I love the work I do, and our sense of value. You can't beat getting custom invites, (not digital) that are handpainted and on this heavyweight paper. There is something so wonderful to hold fine paper in your hand and to feel and see the raised printing. Thank you to our friends at Neenah for making us this custom paper. I have THE best job!

Wait 'til they see what we are cooking up next!

Listen

{image hana sora via behance}

Listen to the rhythm of the drum
Residing within these walls
Silent sounds
Unheard by most
Dancing on the molecules
The air we breathe
Sustains us all
But only one shall
Inhale the breath
Intended by the drum
Tantric melodies
Stream on waves
of light,
of mystical energy...

~Michelle May 2001, all rights reserved

stART at the Station...don't miss it!

Join us Sunday December 6, 2009 at stART at the Station!

A premiere holiday arts event with over 120 artists and crafters, food and more, just in time for all your holiday festivities! Hosted at historical Union Station, Worcester's rennovated train station boasting soaring ceilings and marble floors.

Newly added, the Marketplace area features over 35 additional artists on the 2nd floor balcony overlooking the Grand Hall!

Where: Union Station, 2 Washington Square, Worcester, MA

When: Sunday December 6, 2009, noon - 5pm

What: Awesome local artists and crafters selling their handmade items for all your holiday gift-giving needs!

FREE ADMISSION!

Parking available in the Union Station parking lot accessible from Franklin Street

Personal style, plus...

Meet Jess of People to People

{image via simply jess jewelry, her blog}

Our friend Cathy Walsh from Sprout has been asked to design a celebrity jewelry piece for Jess's jewelry collection. Her efforts are for fundraising a trip to Europe through the People to People organization. Jess will be representing Shrewsbury, where she is a student at Oak Middle School. We all know, the minute you step into the airport you are representing your country as well, so not only is Jess representing her town, her state, but she will be a part of a much larger, life changing event.

The aim of the organization, founded by Dwight Eisenhower in 1956 is "peace through understanding" for children ages 10-18. Eisenhower asked 100 key people to the White House to brainstorm his ideas. One of those founders was Walt Disney, who was inspired by the event and built "It's a Small World" in Disney. That ride is very close to my heart, as I remember my aunt and grandmother made me ride on it over and over on my first trip to Disney. Perhaps my sense of adventure was fueled by this trip, my first flying experience. Another notable person was Hallmark card founder, Joyce Hall was on that same committee. As a designer of invitations, this inclusion was also very cool for me to learn. That Eisenhower started something pretty magnificent for a lot of American children with the help of some pretty significant creative American minds.

Let's get down to the nitty gritty, the cost is between $2000 and $7000 for each child, depending on their age and whether it is a foreign or domestic program they are in. I don't know how much each child is responsible for. For most, the price tag and the whole process could be daunting. While earning a spot in the organization is very prestigious, they also have to work extremely hard to come up with the cash.

Jess here has started her own business selling jewelry and looks like she is working pretty hard and thinking of all her resources. Bravo Jess! I hope that you sell a lot of jewelry. Your designs are great and it certainly looks like the right girl was chosen for the job. I had goosebumps while reading your blog, which I found through Cathy's facebook page. I am sure your parents are proud of you, but I think your fan club will get bigger by the day!

Jess is selling her jewelry to defray the cost of her amazing adventure to Europe. She will be visiting France, Switzerland, Italy and Austria. Check out her blog and email her if you would like to purchase some of her jewelry.

simply jess jewelry

Preparing for stART

{images of handmade scarves and my little helper}

The holidays are right around the corner. I read my friend Scott Zoback on FB, ranting about holiday music being played on the radio. Scott and others like him, must just become ostriches at this time of year. It's inevitable. Some just can't stand it, he is not alone. Some people, ah hem, my mom may listen to Christmas music all year round. At any point on a summer weekend, I can walk into the beach house and she has Bing on. It's a fact of the Catholic home. Me, not so much. Although the songs that she has played have become so nostalgic. I love them, but not all year round and certainly not in summer. In 6th grade, the kindergarten teacher, Mrs. McManus sent for me because she could not think of the words to White Christmas. One sing through and she was on her way, just "like she used to know". Apples don't fall far. I just happen to like Blue Yule a little better, and after Tday, for sure. So Scotty, poor guy, I feel ya. Not only that, but Hanukkah doesn't get much play. Here is a little Hanukkah Lounge for you from CD Baby.

So, all the artsies are getting ready for stART at the Station on Dec. 6th. Here is a little sneak preview of the scarves we are making for the holiday shopping extravagnaza. I haven't heard what music is featured this year, but they usually have some great stuff going. Mazel Tov!

stART at the Station

{image by Van beoordeling via trip advisor}

stART at the Station is coming up on Sunday, December 6th at Union Station in Worcester! Come on down and shop over 125 local artisans. The art, pottery, textiles are incredible. Once again stART hits Worcester, bring amazing creative energy and people together.



{image of soleil, wearing a Festive Boa}

Festival together with Payal Kripalani will be there as well, with handmade boas perfect for any holiday festivity or simply snazzing up any outfit. Dets coming soon with a preview of the goods!

A Duet

{image taken outside the home of my favorite florist, cathy walsh, the morning of stART}

Kai and Gispy dancing into AS220

From DeMarko Photography, host of Eclectic Fashion and Music 4:

Designer Fashions and Plan 9 at AS220!

On Saturday, November 7, 2009 Demarko Photographic Group and AS220 will host Eclectic Fashions & Music 4. This pre-holiday upscale fashion show and sale of designer original contemporary fashions and accessories including wearable art, recycled, deconstructed and new clothing, and accessories for men, women (and kids) will feature the work of 20 emerging designers from all over New England, on models provided by DPG. Plan 9 will deliver original trance music segments live and on CD… This event will feature a TRUNK SALE and MEET & GREET with doors opening to the public at 7:00. Featured designers include: BABL, CYRAHN, Diacosta, earringADDICT, KAI AND GIPSY, Madame CC, Marie-Louise Winther, My Pictures Fashun, Rachel deCavage, Salvagge, Sophia Georgeo, Stoned In Reye VAELLA, Jewelry and Whittington Enterprise….

AS220, a gallery and performance space located in downtown Providence, supports the work of prominent local and national artists and musicians in a non juried platform. Admission is $12.00/door $10/adv. The café will be serving food, wine and beer all night.

From Kai and Gispy:

She is passionate. Explores boundaries
She is provocative. Free spirit. Independent.
She travels. Her style is personal. Existential
She feels. Loves. Dances to the rhythm of life
She lives her dreams. Believes in magic
She's an inspiration. Changes the world
She embraces each morning's mystery
She is more than ordinary. She is you.

kai and gipsy urban wear is the work of Andreea Waters, by day a marketing/graphic design professional originally from Bucharest, Romania now living in Massachusetts. By heart she is a photo junky inpsired by travel, music, fashion and the creative spirit. kai and gipsy is her endless dream, she captures moods, moments, colors, flavors, life through her lense and translates them into fashion t-shirts. Each design is a journey of her passion for life, celebrates her free spirit and will inspire you to live by design / be provocative, explore boundaries, be more than ordinary.

kai and gipsy wear has an urban sexy fit making each t-shirt versitile and a favorite in your closet. You can trekk the city in your kai and gipsy wear and dress it up for an evening out. Wear your t-shirts at your favorite lounge or yoga class, with jeans, skirt and boots, accessorize it with a scarf and a leather bracelet. kai and gipsy is meant to travel, so put on your urban wear and see where the road takes you...

Divine Providence

{images of recent trip into providence for waterfire/risd art sale}

Happy Halloween

{creggan cemetary, derry, ireland via shalinoth on flickr}

Have a hauntingly good time today and this evening. what a warm and "fall smelling" day. Halloween is one of my favorite fun holidays. As a creative, it was always so great to see other people who claimed they were "not creative", come out and sport some fantastic homemade costumes. Today, my thoughts are filled with fantastic memories of walking for miles, covering more than our own neighborhood with sacks full of candy that we could never consume before the chocolate was past its prime.

When my children were younger there were many more trick or treaters in my area. Fun times, as my house was the fun one, with a creepy cocktail buffet and warm apple cider, resulting in children begging to hit the road for more candy as their parents wanted to linger. They always came back in the end! Things have changed and there are few children here, so I am off to a friend's neighborhood to celebrate. I hear Franklin can be a fun town, especially around Lorraine Metcalf Road. We shall see if the ghouls and goblins have the spirit...unless they are a little tired from the hauntings at the Taute Mansion from last haunted evening. I hope the spirits are restless and ready for the real thing.

{out in the} Cosmos Creative

Please meet Emily Quillen, stationery designer, collector of little cute tins, bubble gum machine tattoos, pattern designer, abstract landscape artist, and blogger. Residing in Providence, but keeping time out in the Worcester area where she designs on my team, frequents our fav CB wateringhole, Nick's and shows up at the fundraisers with the pieces fist fights break out for! Check her out. I just love her.

Scripted dark belief in love...

{via ffffound}

{mabuse via ffffound. i love ffffound}

{my new mantra, "believe" via ffffound}

{via sandra juto and ffffound}

{amour de pierrot via ffffound}

Inspired by black and white for obvious reasons, this weekend should be full of hallowed moments of festivities. I learned something today, about Samhain, the Celtic root of Halloween. It's the celebration of summer's end and the new year, a Celtic festival of the harvest and of the dead.

Today started out with a strange vibe, as sometimes I can feel things a little before they happen. I woke with memories of a far off dream and soon after imagery of spilled milk. When my little Soleil did spill her milk, I knew the day would be interesting and it was. It came full circle touching down many times throughout the day. My mother used to get freaked out when I was a kid, saying things before they happened. Oh the thin lines between days. Let's see if it continues throughout the weekend!

Happy Birthday to Vladutz!

Cirque Du Noir 09

{me, having a little fun}

{contest winners}

{Michael Adams and Chad Sirois}

{sarah brueck and j.stuart esty aka dr. gonzo}

{esthema of boston}

{watching the art fusion}

{ghost rider, scott boilard in this handmade paper mache skull mask}

{derek ring signing the guestbook}

{aaron white and todd rawley looking skully}

{andreea waters, co host - of kai and gipsy, mowhawk flora by sprout}

{incredibly wonderful candy du noir by sprout flowers}

{john "scissorhands" comeau}

{cute face amylynn chase of punkystyle and the haberdash}

{tina zlody and scott zoback}

{alia abaid and megan mcintosh of bocado}

{scott zoback}

ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF LOUIE DESPRES,
who donated his time and talent!

HOSPITALITY AND TAPAS DONATED BY BOCADO

a night of celebration and giving for the worcester county food bank, thank you to all!
{for more images click here}

A "Rare Bird" flies into Salem

{image of Iris Apfel via wicked local}

Iris Apfel is having an exhibit at the Peabody Essex museum in Salem. This morning driving into work I happened to catch a plug for it on the radio. Immediately my interest was peaked as Iris's personal style is so ecclectic and without any sense of convention.

Visit the Peabody Essex Museum for a taste of fashion, enjoy Salem during this wonderful month of All Hallow's Eve and maybe you will even spot Isaac Mizrahi himself as he stops by PEM on November 3rd for a sold out talk with Iris Apfel. The platform of the chat is personal style. Or catch Unzipped, a film featuring Isaac Mizrahi at work, showing at PEM on Saturday, December 5.

Happy Friday!

{kiss someone special}

{see with new eyes}

{images above via ffffound}

{image by Alex Styrrock also via ffffound}

so excited
about Cirque du Noir this weekend.
so excited to celebrate
with friends.

happy weekend.
xo,
m