Etsy Shop for LongStoryShort

Hot Wired

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:22:03 -0500

$28.00
Caution!

These earrings are not for the faint of heart.
However, if you wear your jewelry boldly, read on.

Ever wonder why some watches are labeled as quartz powered? It's because if you strike a piece of what we jewelers call rock crystal, an electrical impulse is created. No wonder mystics and mythologists believe that clear quartz is a source of energy. I've paired these genuine quartz crystal points with equally genuine fuses for an electrifying ensemble. They dangle an uncompromising 3.5" from sterling silver hoops adorned with washer-like silver beads.

Cat-eared hat in Eucalyptus colorway

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 21:11:49 -0500

$30.00
Winter is a long, cold, dreary affair. It's important to cover your head with something attractive, durable and warm. Also something that shows your eco-friendly values and makes those around you smile!

You might not have something like that. Fortunately, though, I made one for you!

My Koneko caps are made from reclaimed wool sweaters, felted for thickness and durability and adorned with hand-stitched embellishments. They measure approximately 25" around the opening, enough to fit most heads and pull down around many ears. The felting process leaves the wool soft to the touch, much more so than unfelted wool fabric or knits. Its whimsical catlike ears will bring smiles (and compliments!) everywhere you go.

Thanks for looking!

The Theory of Civilization necklace

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 21:08:12 -0500

$30.00
I mixed vintage buttons and white pearls with mother-of-pearl 'shark tooth' beads for this short, dramatic necklace.

Civilization is the theory. Make of it what you will!

'The Theory of Civilization' measures 16" in length, to adorn the base of your neck where dramatic formal necklines bare it. An extender chain may be added upon request. The chain is painstakingly crafted link by link of gold plated wire. A hook-and-eye clasp keeps it securely closed.

Cat-eared hat in Coral Tabby colorway

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 20:56:25 -0500

Cat-eared hat in Pavement colorway

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 20:16:04 -0500

Lucida Sunrise purse

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:53:47 -0500

$50.00
You know what I don't like? Boring purses. Why carry your life in a purse if it isn't fun, pretty, and expressive of your style?

If you have a boring purse problem, this may be the remedy.

Lucida started out as a brilliantly plaid vintage shawl, handwoven of 70% mohair, 30% wool. Time (and moths) had abused it a bit, so I decided to felt it up and give it new life. The resulting felt was extremely thick and soft, giving the purse's pleats a surprising sculptural quality. I lined it with cranberry-colored new satin, closed it securely with a flap and large button, and tucked a double pocket inside. The straps are exactly the right length to either carry in your hand or tuck over your shoulder.

Proudly handmade, Lucida will brighten outfits -- and smiles -- all year round.

Rose Campion skirt

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:05:12 -0400

$78.00
Simple and sweet, 'Rose Campion' perfectly walks the line between nostalgia and today's fashion. The body of the skirt is 100% reclaimed linen in rosy coral and sage green; the 'past life' of the fabric gives it an amazing softness and drape, while retaining linen's cool, breezy nature. I have adorned the hem with over six feet of crocheted trim, which I created by hand from a linen blend yarn in tweedy blue-green.

This skirt is meant to be worn with pride: pride that an ecologically responsible life can also be beautiful, and pride in a garment handmade using techniques that are dying out today. I have left exposed the ghosts of old seams, and lovingly top-stitched the new seams with contrasting (but harmonizing) colored thread.

'Rose Campion' measures 35"/90cm at the waistband, and may be worn at your natural waist, your hips, or anywhere in between. It drops 35"/90cm from the waistband to the bottom of the trim.

Are you vegan? If so, you might want to know that this skirt is, too. If not, don't worry; it's very accepting of other people's values.

Machine wash cold in garment bag, or hand wash. Line dry.

Intuition necklace

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 10:47:53 -0400

$32.00
Sometimes, what matters isn't what's at the top of your mind, but what's deep in your heart. As a person with a strong sense of intuition, I bear that in mind from day to day.

'Intuition' forms a ladder crafted of reclaimed bronze and gunmetal chains linked around a framework of vintage buttons. At the bottom of the ladder is a radiant nugget of rutilated quartz, which glows as if from within when hit by sunlight. Gold-filled wire and glistening bronze pearls gleam along the length of the necklace, like flashes of inspiration throughout the course of the day.

This necklace measures 19" through the length of the chain, adjusting up to 22" with an extender chain. The ladder formation extends an additional 4" to the base of the pendant.

Rutilated quartz is said to enhance physical and mental balance, to enhance the abilities of self-reliance and finding one's way, and to link between the crown and root chakras.

Sensitive skin? Be aware that this necklace is made with base metal chains, which may irritate those with metal allergies.

Indian Summer memory book

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 09:59:25 -0400

$18.00
Summer's almost over, but your memories are still as fresh as yesterday. What could be sweeter than saving them in this tiny, pocket-sized scrapbook?

I have created this memory book from all reclaimed materials: deep orange embroidered fabric with a soft suede texture; archival-quality watercolor paper; and good old-fashioned paperboard.

At 3" by 4.25", it may seem too small to contain the full beauty of your summer memories, but it unfolds to provide two 4.25" by 12" spreads, each of which can be used as a single page, four pages, or anywhere in between. The two innermost pages fold around each other to create a central pocket, which I have filled with summer-to-fall hued goodies for scrapbook embellishment -- paper scraps, fabric scraps, and a couple of color samples I found inspiring.

The whole book ties shut with a slim ivory ribbon, keeping your pages safe should you choose to carry your memory book in a pocket or purse. Happy scrapbooking!

YOUR INITIAL HERE -- Set of custom cloth napkins in chambray

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 21:23:23 -0400

$24.00
Often, the dinner table is where family really comes together. Set your table unlike any other with these simple and straightforward letter napkins. Refined but not fussy, they feature your custom letter embroidered in outline form -- unlike most monogrammed items, which can seem overly formal.

Simply choose a font face (Serif or Sans) from the third image, then specify a letter and whether you prefer upper or lower case. If you'd like, I'll happily embroider a different letter on each napkin at no extra charge. Your chosen letter(s) will each be framed in a 3" square at the lower left corner of the napkin.

This price is for a set of 4; greater numbers are available in this fabric by special order. Convo me for details.

Aya Garland scarf

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:52:15 -0400

$18.00
Too often in Western society, we look back on hard times with only a feeling of relief that they're in the past, even though those times may bring us the greatest strength and inner beauty. In Ghana, there is a symbol to celebrate this virtue -- the resourcefulness, endurance and even defiance it can take to flourish when everything seems turned against you. It is named Aya, and depicts the hardy fern.

I crocheted this scarf in a fern frond motif out of a yarn that has overcome adversity itself. Handspun in India and Nepal by co-ops and individual women, sari silk yarn is made by recycling fibers trimmed off saris at factories. Because every tuft of silk may have come from a different, brightly-colored sari, the yarn is an amazing and unique blend of every color imaginable (and a few you might not have imagined).

The scarf is roughly 5'6 long, with a loose stitch and a large vintage button at the base of its stem. It may be buttoned at the opposite end, at any of the branchings, or virtually anywhere else along the stem.

Be aware that it's not like other silk scarves: though it has silk's amazing sheen, it is heavy, and about as scratchy as lambswool. Handwash in cold water with mild detergent, or dry clean.

One World necklace

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 06:40:44 -0400

$32.00
Sometimes coincidence is a funny thing. My young son and I were walking down the street discussing learning numbers when I happened to look down. Between my feet, stamped into a beautifully patinaed, sturdy tag, was the number 1. Fortunately, my son was not interested in it -- otherwise I would have had a hard time making this necklace!

Still, a number of elements came together for this piece that my son has taught me to appreciate. Rhythm, in the alternation of sun-bright amber chips and mossy green opal, meets asymmetry at the side clasp; the entire piece has a bohemian yet sophisticated feel. To me, it implies the union of many different things to create something vibrant and versatile -- as small as a family, or as large as the planet we live on.

Wear it in harmony.

Blazing Sun necklace

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 06:40:44 -0400

$36.00
Not many people know this about me, but I have relatives just north of the border -- a whole tribe of them. My grandmother was the middle child of 12, and the only one to wind up here on the East Coast. And I have to admit, I've been hearing about them all my life, but I have never once been to Texas.

This necklace will probably not make up for my lack of visiting. But at least it proves that I've been thinking of them. Right?

Natural red coral teardrops alternate with chips of amber-hued agate on hand-wrapped teal wire chain. The chain is finer and more delicate than most of my other chains, so wear it gently. The pendant is a genuine Mexican 20 centavo piece from 1955, and has been polished and lightly glazed to preserve its luster. Approximately 20" including pendant.

YOUR INITIAL HERE -- Set of custom cloth napkins in raspberry

Sun, 02 Aug 2009 20:47:33 -0400

Teacup Light candle

Sun, 02 Aug 2009 20:42:32 -0400

$12.00
I love vintage teacups -- they seem imbued with the essence of past conversations and memories, as if stories were steeped in them as well as tea. What better thing to gather around?

I have taken a small number of vintage Blue Onion pattern teacups and transformed them into container candles with unscented soy wax -- a plant-derived wax known for its pure flame and unusually low smoke. I highly recommend these candles for those sensitive to smoke in the air; I am myself, and have tested them personally.

The image shown is one of a series. You will receive the exact candle shown in the picture, or one nearly identical to it.