BLACK FRIDAY!!! AAAAHHHH!!!!

(Sorry, you have to read through to the end to find out about the deal.)

Unlike most people, I was at work on Thanksgiving.

I know, I know ... sad. But hey, the news never sleeps, and neither do I! I guess I'm kind of used to it because I've done it for the last three Thanksgivings. The plus side is that I have always had Christmas day off. I don't think I could handle that.

And besides, the peeps at work put together a pretty decent turkey dinner! (I made an apple pie.) I still miss my mom's sweet potato casserole though....mmmm.....

So, today is BLACK FRIDAY. And everyone on Etsy (and the world) is talking about SPENDING!!! DEALS!!! DISCOUNTS!!! HURRY!!!!

It makes me a bit stressed out.

I like to think of Etsy as an oasis where people can pay a fair price for a HANDMADE product that someone put a lot of time and effort into (i.e. not "made in china!")

Sorry. That was my rant for now.

Anyway, I feel like the holidays are a time of love and giving ... so I want to give my customers some sort of deal --- but I want to call it a "customer appreciation sale."

SO---- the deal.

I will offer free shipping to the U.S. midnight EST Monday (the 30th)

I will offer $5 shipping to anywhere else in the world (flat rate) until midnight EST Monday (the 30th)

Thank you--

Love, Emily

just because

I think it's important to know where you came from (and how far you've come) to be able to move forward in life.

And for this reason (and because I think it's kind of funny and entertaining....)

I give you "EMILY: THE AWKWARD YEARS."

PRESCHOOL. I am squinting at the camera because the sun was bright. I remember that. I wanted him to hurry up and take the stupid picture. I look a bit evil here...

7TH GRADE (really awkward years): I have braces. I have bad bangs. I don't know what I was thinking .... 

GRADUATION: Here is where the hair up-do thing started!! I still have such a baby face here ... oh, to be young!

Whatever you want to call them ... heroes, idols, inspirations .... everyone has people they look up to. I was thinking about originality the other day (mostly, the current issue I'm dealing with of copycat/haters) and I was realizing that someone emulating me or my style really is a high honor.

(If only they weren't stealing my dreams and my income.)

Anyway, trying to keep things on the sunny side.

Here are the people I've looked up to and how they have changed over my life.

FAMILY: My mom and dad and big sister (obviously!) They are the people who taught me how to be myself, how to care for people and what It means to love. I remember putting on my mom's make-up when I was little...making a mess. And always wanting to do ANYTHING my sister was doing. And thinking my dad was the smartest person in the world when he made up bedtime stories to tell me.

PUNKY BREWSTER: I think every little girl my age wanted to by Punky at one time. She was just SO COOL and so far beyond her time. And my goodness...that vest and those bandanas around her knees!!

ANI DIFRANCO: Ani represents the first "breakaway" for me from only wanting to listen to the same type of music as my sister through my middle/highschool years. I thought she was so beyond amazing ... and her lyrics first made me want to be a writer. Sidenote: I used to have a nosering because of her!

WALT WHITMAN: Oh, my idealistic and poetic college years. I was an English/Poetry major and thought life was nothing but a collection of stanzas. I read "Leaves of Grass" cover to cover ... mumbling the words out loud like I was in some kind of trance.

MARTHA STEWART: Snapped back to reality after school...working retail ... but starting to get more in tune with my creative/artistic self. Martha represents the full spectrum of togetherness/ success (minus the whole prison thing) and sophistication. I remember thinking 'why can't I do something like that?'

EMILY MARTIN: (the Etsy seller "TheBlackApple.") I chose her to represent "THE ETSY SELLER" ideal for me. I remember when Lauren first sent me a link to etsy and wrote, "Possibly the coolest thing ever."

Whoah. was she right or what. I remember looking at TheBlackApple and just being blown away that people were buying these things this girl, just like me, had made.

I remember staying up late that night and sketching out drawings, ideas for shops, possible names and just feeling this tremendous sense of possibility and destiny.

I like to think that there is much more ahead. Where I am now is just the adolescence of my business and artistic journey. Maybe I will be someone's "Martha Stewart" someday.

But if I'm only ever Emily, that will be just fine with me.

NEW YOUTUBE VIDEO!!

:)

SCIENCE PROJECT!!!!

I've been meaning to try this "Rit" fabric dye stuff ever since I saw it in a shabby chic book. (I went though a serious SC phase when I was younger and am still hanging on just a bit.)

Anyway, the beauty of this stuff is that you can take a pile of boring, white garments, and turn them PINK!!! (or just about any other color.)

It's the perfect way to brighten up a dull winter by giving your old wardrobe a new look!

You can do it on a stovetop in a really big saucepan---or in the washing machine! (which is what I did.)

It reminded me a lot of dying Easter eggs....

Just make sure you read ALL the directions as it can become quite a colorful mess if you're not diligent :)

I love how the straps on this vintage slip stayed sort of white, but the rest is a dreamy rose!!

Plain-ole t-shirt given a new life!! I think I might embroider/stitch something on it.... Lace perhaps??

The perfect fall wedding!

Oh. My. Goodness!!!

Love love LOVE this wedding!!!!

Monica was kind enough to share her beautiful fall wedding

that my crowns played a small role in :)

Check out her slide show!! (Complete with a song my Meiko that I happen to LOVE!!)

CLICK HERE!!!!

The crown takes a lickin' and keeps on ticking!! :) :)

All about Alice.

I search for inspiration everywhere and in everything. I find a great deal of inspiration outside of reality. (In dreams, fairy tales and costuming, etc.)

But the absolute best is when fantasy and reality come together.

I love the thought that one can be at once in a normal life and suddenly slip into another space through a rabbit hole......or was it all a dream? And in the same token, one can put on a hair accessory or item of clothing and feel transformed.

The idea of logic is never certain...and it is in this idea that true creativity is found.

Anyway, the point of all this seemingly pointless rambling is that I'm planning to start on an Alice in Wonderland line!!

Alice in Wonderland (or Alice's Adventures in Wonderland) has always been a favorite of mine. I started with the Disney cartoon version and eventually read the original Lewis Carroll. '

The new Tim Burton movie is coming out soon (which looks so amazing, by the way) and I LOVE the idea of creating a whole line of goodies based on one central idea!

Whattayathink??

Black and white and read all over.

I realized this afternoon that I've never really blogged about what I do (in my real life.)

I know you would imagine that I live in a happy little fairy cave where I whip up cute hair clips at my leisure. But, sadly, no.

I've got a day job (that's really a night job) where I work as a graphic designer at a newspaper! Sounds glamourous, but it's rough. Deadlines and breaking news.... you know.

Anyway, here's what I normally do (LINK) My usual daily duty is designing/laying out the front page. It's tough! Sometimes things don't happen until late and I have to start the dang thing all over again! craaa-zee.

But this I'm really proud of:

It's a special 12-page section I've been working on for about 2 weeks.It's about MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving.) This is the front of it.

The crash that started the whole organization (with the little girl) was in the town where I work. So they've got interviews with the mom and the driver. Compelling stuff! So... if you live in the area, pick one up tomorrow and support the dying newspaper industry!!

Write it down. Cross it out.

It's one of those times in my life where I start feeling overwhelmed, and therefore, I make lists. Actually, Etsy tends to slow down this time of year (people seem to not want hair crowns in the winter ??? crazy! I know!)  But my life seems to jump into turbo speed around the holidays. 

There is a mindset that the more I can cram into one day, the easier the rest of the days following will be. This never seems to pan out though because more stuff just piles up!

I was in the shower last night going over what I needed to do...trying to make up a song so that I would remember it all for once I'd dried off and found a pen.

It helps to see it all on paper I think .... and the best part of all .... getting to scratch each line off as I do it! :)

I will at least be able to scratch off "BLOG" from this list now. YES!

P.S. My sale's still going on!! Buy one, get one half off in the shop! Plus, I've added more goodies!! whichgoose

SALE SALE SALE SAAAAAAALLLLEEEE!!

I don't know, I'm just in a generous mood this month :) :)

SPREAD THE WORD!!

:::SALE DETAILS::::

End date: NOVEMBER 15th

Buy any item in the shop, get the second item half-off. This must be done in one transaction, and the discounted item will be of equal or lesser value. Funds will be credited back to a PayPal address. Not applicable on custom orders. NO RESERVATIONS!

CHECK OUT THE GOODS!!!

New project!!!

I've always been really interested in clothing design, etc.

But I really can't work a sewing machine to save my life. (I've tried. Believe me.) But that thread and bobbin .... it just really makes me angry quickly.

SO, I've started on a couple new "HAND-SEWING" projects!! I love the control and even the tedious-ness of it all. Plus, I think they end up looking really interesting, very old-world-style maybe?

The first project was this vintage doily "bralette" or crop-top. Not sure what to call it exactly. It's fun though! I love the movement it has.

It was just a bit embarrassing taking pictures while Rich's neighbors were lurking about! haha. Whatever, I have no qualms when it comes to ETSY! :) hehe

What do you think??

It was an old-fashioned Halloween freak-out.

This is what our lives have amounted to:

Oh yes, that's right. Halloween to me means a trip to the ribbon outlet. Lauren and I dressed up as .... I don't know ... fairies on crack? I look a bit like a drag queen.

We got lost then bought ribbons. Then went back to work.

I do miss all the leftover candy though :( I might have to go buy some random bags on sale at the CVS and play pretend again :)