All That Glitters

While at the Austin Craft Riot party last Friday, I was reminded of one of my favorite Austin artists when I stumbled upon these paintings by Sue Zola. I first came across her work a few years ago in a South Austin coffee shop; the Iggy Pop and Kurt Cobain canvases look very familiar. Everything she does is on my list for things I want to buy when I'm rich. Her paintings have an earnest joy that gives familiar pop art a fresh feel. These two snaps are ones I took from the party; you can view more of her work on Facebook.

Action Jackson out.

Rengade Austin- Finds and Buys

While I realize that a few weeks have passed since Renegade Craft Fair Austin 2011, I say better late than never when it comes to blog posts. I missed last year's RCF, so I was thrilled to attend this year. I worked the first opening day volunteer shift at The WonderCraft and helped attendees craft matchbook style wallets and buttons. Most of the booths fit the indie aesthetic of part nature, part ironic, part 60s, part wood, and part metal. And, not to be a negative Nancy/diss this style, but it's just not my thing. That being said, I was able to snag and spot some great finds.

I bought a pair of these in slate gray from InfraredStudio, who is based out of Minneapolis and is really stinkin nice. Her RCF stock was one of my favorites at the show.

Heartbreaker Earrings in Hot Pink Laser Cut Acrylic by InfraredStudio, $10.00

Local duo SquidInkKollective premiered these bags at the show. They would make a great going away present for any redhead you know who's moving to NYC at the end of this summer to attend grad school. Ahem. Though, I can't pick between the colors. Which is your favorite?

Commuter Messenger Bag in dark pink green and purple by SquidInkKollective, $65.00

Robo Roku made these new laser cut acrylic necklaces of Robo and Roku just in time for RCF (and I'm going to go out on a narcissitic limb and say it was just for me too). I had a hard time picking between them at the show and could still not tell you which is my favorite. In which case, you should probably buy both since they're such a steal.
Mirrored Acrylic Roku Bling Necklace by Robo Roku, $15.00

I'm on a new kick where I only buy handmade soap or bar soap from Lush. So, it was pretty perfect that I found these lavender-scented Tea Time Soaps from Nepenthe's Bathtime while at RCF. The aroma reminds me of a calming yummy tea and incidentally causes me to smell my hands a lot after I wash them.

Another one of my top ten favorite pieces at the show was this La Catrina wall hanging by IllustratedInk. She had one in purple and aqua (drool) too. In addition to hefty home decor, there were tons of postcards to sift through. I picked up some of these for myself:

Loteria Postcards (El Corazon and La Mano) Tattoo Art by IllustratedInk, $6.00

My last frivolous buy was this Mustachasaurus Key Chain by grrfeisty. If you can't tell yet, I'm nutty for laser cut acrylic. This piece was too cute not to pass up. She also has a Professor Fancy Fox necklace that I'm thinking about buying for myself...or adding to my list of bon voyage gift ideas for others.

What was your favorite shop or find from RCF Austin? Did you have a chance to meet your favorite artist or stop by The WonderCraft for some wonderfully crafty times?

Action Jackson out.

Summer = Flowers

While we didn't have the lush vibrant (albeit scalding) summer that we usually enjoy in Austin last year due to major droughts, the recurring motif of floral fashion was still in full bloom whether it was on Mexican house dresses or in the strong resurgence of 80s and 90s unapologetic bold prints. Yours truly even got hit with the fever and made a few flowery pieces (including the one above) for Blues on the Green when Etsy Austin held down a booth for the summer concert series last year.

This summer, the florals are making an even stronger comeback, as if that was possible, with everything from vintage-inspired daisy jewelry to flower print jumpers filling the racks of Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, and ModCloth.

I was browsing my usual list of bookmarked websites when I came across the new summer collection for Tarina Tarantino. And who says great minds don't think alike? These Daisy Post Earrings are part of their Daisy Cake Collection, and (I'm speculating) they feature replicas of porcelain vintage Japanese daisy cabochons.

Truth be told, I am not in love with everything bloomin on the runways or on the clothing racks this season. I am, however, inspired to incorporate as many bright blossoming beauties into my summer designs as possible (especially since Austin won't be having the same shortage of rain as last year). Here's some pics of what I've gotten started on so far. In the near-ish future, you can probably expect to see lots of nautical pieces and bedazzled feather fascinators from Diamonds and Guns land. What about you? What are you mesmerized and inspired by this season?

Action Jackson out.

Currently Listening: Blind by The Sundays, OK Computer by Radiohead

Every Little Bit Helps!

Back in April, Bonnie Rue of Model Citizen Clothing had gabbed about her rad indie biz being chosen to attend the POOL Trade Show in Las Vegas. She had been a busy little bee with all her ducks in a row...until the roof of her house collapsed and she had to break open her POOL piggy bank for moving costs. If you've moved, rented, etc. as much as me- or just at all, in general, you know how quickly those costs add up.
So, Ms. Rue is calling on us, the indie craft creators and supporters, to help out. What's in it for you, you ask? The intrinsic satisfaction of helping a fantastic lady and rockin artist! You say that's nice, but...Have no fear. Bonnie Rue is seeing that no good deed goes unnoticed or unrewarded and is giving away goodies to folks who pledge certain amounts (see the side bracket of her kickstarter page). Personally, I'm seriously tempted by all of the incentives and will definitely be donating today.
To give y'all extra incentive, I'll be giving away some DGAJ surprises to anyone who donates and leaves a comment on my blog stating so IF Bonnie reaches her goal of $1,000. On that note, if you pledge and the goal amount isn't met, you won't be charged for the amount you pledge. Remember, every little bit helps, even if it's a dollar! If you can't donate, pass on the link to others!

Action Jackson out.

Currently Listening: Sticky Fingers by The Rolling Stones

Apartment Therapy for Me

As a few of you know, I will be moving in a little less than a month. I am both excited and terrified ala Jessie Spano. I've been spending a generous amounts of time on Apartment Therapy, Ikea, and various design blogs as a kind of pep talk because I'd be kidding to say moving isn't daunting. The excitement is undeniable as I will be leaving behind an apartment complex where the management company has received 10 1-star ratings on Yelp, a 20ft aluminum drain pipe has fallen on my boyfriend, and my fridge was left broken for a week (among many other mishaps).

At the same time that I'm sad not to call Hyde Park home anymore, part of me feels like moving can't start soon enough because I will be living here next year. I'm sure granite countertops, lap pools, and stainless steel appliances might make some of you cringe, but I draw the line for dingy apartments being fun and boho chic when they have a side effect of concussive damage. Hopefully, newer will equate to better in my spiffy soon-to-be digs, and maybe I'll be lucky enough to be surrounded by tenants who work (as opposed to UT students).
Perhaps excitement and terror are like love and marriage (you can't have one without the other?)...or perhaps it's just that way for me and every self-proclaimed member of Neurotics Anonymous. I've moved once a year for the past five years, and moving has only become harder with each year- progressively dwindling numbers for able-bodied people to help move and ever-growing mounds of stuff in my apartment couldn't amount to moving being easier.

My beau and I will be moving in together in a little over a month, which means meshing the odds and ends of our possessions together and seeing if the sum is greater than all the parts. My current roomie and I have lived together for the past five years, and I'm dreading finding out how much of the kitchen wares are hers (I'm guessing a lot).








Add downsizing square footage and trying to make a space that is less college/post-college aesthetics on a budget and more adult (definitely for lack of a better word), and you have one seriously stressed neurotic. Not only are the furniture and decor pieces I'm lusting after out of the budget (when added up), but it's completely impractical to try to plan how they'd fit into the new space before I'm there. This is something that my plan everything months in advance self is not liking and will just have to come terms with.

In the meantime, I'm trying to decide whether or not to get movers (which are not an appetizing item for my budget), when to pack, how many days off from work I should take for the move (moving in one weekend's time last year was not the fun times), how to get the number of boxes I need, how to budget for deposit and misc. costs, how to arrange to get a couch from Ft Worth to here, a solution for washer and dryer (we have connections in the new place, but who can afford those), etc.

When I'm not thinking about that, I'm dreaming of having my own workspace for jewelry and trading in my plastic dilapidated rolling cart for efficient functioning organization pieces...and also the fact that the complex will paint two walls for us (gray is the winner for an accent in the living room and bedroom). So, it's not all bad- just a mind bender for the next month. Part of me is desperately trying to push it out of my mind and think about when I'll use my vacation days (I've got 14 built up, but who's counting?). What's your experience with downgrading in size? Designing for a grown up space? Movers vs. no movers?

Action Jackson out.

Currently Listening: Debut by Bjork, Blind by The Sundays

Shopping with Action Jackson: Goin to the Chapel

Made to order raw silk wedding dress by Kcoline.

This weekend, Alec and I went to Fort Worth for one of his high school friend's weddings. I didn't take any pictures (I know, I know. Slap my wrist), but I was inspired to bring back the "Shopping with AJ" feature with some fun Etsy wedding finds. While I don't see myself getting married before 30 (by choice, and yes, this is my magic number) and even though I don't like weddings, I frequently think about the details that would go into my own. That is, of course, assuming I don't just go the route of officiating a certificate in a judge's chambers, which is still a strong possibility. All the same, when I see unique wedding finds such as these, I feel the itch to have my own wedding.
Custom Hand Sculpted & Painted Owls Wedding Cake Topper by RedLightStudio

For anyone who's been, you know that FW takes a certain kind of person to appreciate its character. And if you don't happen to be one of those people, it's the kind of city where you have to make your own fun. Overall, it definitely wasn't a boring weekend, and we held our own as far as the funfaring expeditions went.

Peacock Place Cards by TimelessPaper

On Friday, we headed over to a hotsy totsy restaurant, The Vault, for a rehearsal dinner after party. We ducked out a little early but weren't ready to turn in immediately post party. So, we made our next stop a dive I'd heard people raving about, Lola's. For anyone interested in finding said dive, know this: there are two locations.

5 for the Bridesmaids Petite Paon Peacock Clips by BridalShoppe

I guess I didn't bother to check since I've never heard of a local chain bar. The location we went to was in The Stockyards part of town. Prior to this, I'd never been to FW's honky tonk saloon Disneyland. To say it was a trip to see would be an understatement. We braved it all the same, but now I know for next time that we'll want to head downtown. :)

Celia Champagne Ivory and Gold Bridal Headband by hemsandbustles

Saturday was the day of the wedding (and catching some much needed Z's), so we didn't have time for too much else. However, pre-wedding, we went out to dinner with Alec's parents to a spiffy little restaurant, Ellerbe's, that I really liked. The menu was a little pricey, but I dig the restaurant's concept of using local seasonal products to comprise their menu.

14K Rose Gold Beaded Ring with Diamond by kateszabone

After dinner, we zipped over to Art111, the contemporary art museum that hosted the wedding. The museum was totally rad and the reception provided tasty hors d'oeuvres and an open bar, so I was a happy camper even though I don't really care for weddings. To top off the night (post-wedding), Alec and I checked out a few viking metal bands at The Ridglea, Fort Worth's Emo's. Sunday was a wake up late and drive back to Austin day, so not much to tell there. However, I will be going back to Fort Worth at the end of the month for another wedding and am interested if anyone can recommend any fun side stops that I'm missing.

Action Jackson out.

Cupcakeacolypse

I know I've already gushed about this a few times now, and I promise this will be the last...unless, you know, I take some killer pictures tonight. Anyway, if you can make it out, The Cupcake Bar is hosting The FUN Trifecta Event tonight at House Wine. Here are the details:

Date: Today! March 24, 2010
Time: 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Where: House Wine (408 Josephine St)
What: There will be shopping, cupcakes, wine, and door prizes!
RSVP: Facebook Event

This event is going off without a hitch rain or shine, and I promise we'll keep all attendees dry! I've even specially made a couple of mirrored laser cut acrylic cupcake necklaces (complete with Swarovski crystal sprinkles, of course!). Hope to see you all there!

Action Jackson out.

Craft by CraftWest

So, remember in October when I said there were two times/events during the year when Austin exploded into a zoo of people? Well, that was when ACL was going on, for a mere weekend I might add. For anyone who doesn't live in Austin or anyone who inhabits the underside of a rock, we're currently in the middle of SXSW, a ten-day long festival that makes ACL look like the chicken feed of festival crowds...okay, maybe that's too exaggerated because ACL was crazy crowded. But, you get the picture.

I'm still up in the air as to whether I'll be catching any shows for SXSW 2010, but I will definitely be out among the crowds keepin it crafty. To kick things off, I'll be at St. Vincent de Paul tonight from 6-10pm with some of the lovely ladies of Etsy Austin and The WonderCraft. Though I'll only be on SoCo tonight, The WC gals will be there today through Saturday 5-10pm. We'll be making buttons and other fun crafts for you to take home as well as selling goods made by all artists featured in The WonderCraft boutique.

Tomorrow, I will be at the Standard Recording's FREE day party at the Dirty Dog Bar (505 E. 6th St) from 12-6pm. A few of the EA gals and I will be keepin it crafty and keepin it classy with a make and take SXSW Scrapbook/Ticket Stub Keeper. I think this will be especially fun for the out of towners. However, even if you're local, it should prove to be a good time. I mean, come on. There's a band called Dr. Manhattan- it pulls at my geek heart strings like my cat does at my curtain. And did I mention it's free?

So, that's just a peek at what I'll be doing during my mini-vacay...and maybe I'll just happen to stop by the American Apparel Flea Market. Maybe. And, speaking of deals...I've got a few freebies to share with y'all.

First, Indiana Adams of Adored Austin is giving away an Etsy Austin swag bag, which includes a cameo made by yours truly. The bag is from the New Media Fashion Brunch from last Friday, an Austin bloggers' brunch and boutique crawl, for which Etsy Austin (and yt) donated several swag bags for the lovely lady bloggers. So, check out her blog for a chance to win. Hurry! The contest closes March 25th.

The other freebie for the day is a Groupon! For everyone unfamiliar, groupons (at least all the ones I've seen) are Austin-based coupons that are basically 50% off. Today, Pangaea, one of the lovely local Austin boutiques that sells DGAJ, has a coupon where you can buy $50 worth of their clothing, jewelry, etc. for $25. Check it out soon if you're interested because it will be gone as of 11pm tomorrow night!

Hope to see some of y'all this weekend!

Action Jackson out.

Still Keepin Warm and Stayin Crafty!

Hello fellow hibernators!

I hope everyone's staying out of the cold and is keeping warm and toasty! I spent part of last night distributing flyers for tomorrow night's Grand Opening of The Wondercraft, and that short time in the dank cold was enough to convince me to stay in tonight! In addition to the feather clips featured yesterday, I made these simple lil bling studs for their goody bags available to the first 25 attendees.

Another way I'm keeping warm is by making new jewelry for the lovely local Austin boutiques. Just took a batch over to Parts and Labour on Monday. These rockin pieces will be available through mid-April. Just be sure to stop by if you see something you like before SXSW because there's no telling if they'll be there after the big rush. One of the newbies I took over are the Secret Garden Earrings which incorporate art deco fans, vintage white rose cabs, and light rose Swarovski crystals. At first, I didn't know how I'd be able to use the fans, but if I may say so myself, I think the earrings turned out pretty well!

In the next edition of Keep Warm, Stay Crafty, I'll show y'all some further creative uses for paper Valentine's doilies once you're done using them as coasters/table dust collectors for the month of love. However, in the meantime, I'll leave you with a teaser picture of what you can expect to find in your goody bags tomorrow night!

Action Jackson out!

Currently Listening: Source Tags & Codes-...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, various interviews of Jello Biafra

I Love Austin

Over the weekend, I went home to Houston to help my dad around the house. Overall, a pretty calm weekend, but whenever I go home, I come to the same realization: I love Austin. Rest assured, my roots are firmly planted in Houston whether I like it or not. The creature comforts of Austin just can't be matched by what suburbia Houston has to offer. To show my love for Austin, here are a few artists, happenings, and ideas to remind you why you love (or should love) Austin too!

First up, we have yet another Etsy Austinite artist, Beth Albrecht of Paired Hearts. In her shop, she has a sweet "Even My Hands Love You" valentine as well as an anti Valentine's "This is Not a Valentine" valentine, which could be perfect if you're Anti V-Day or if you find yourself in a Lisa Simpson-esque predicament where giving someone a valentine makes them think you're up and ready for dating/marriage/whatever fits the scenario. However, my favorite is the custom greeting card listing (one of the samples shown above). The owl card is adorable and has my friend, Bethany's name written all over it. So, this year, forget Hallmark and go with handmade.

In other news, Rare's February issue is out and is all about Valentine's Day! Can't find a copy at a provider near you? Check out the free issue online. My favorite features are the photography (artist of the month) and the Rare Dating Guide. I guess I fall under the hipster category (though reluctantly labeling myself as such) since I got the Kim Gordon/Thurston Moore reference. Speaking of which, anyone check out 'The Eternal' yet? Been meaning to pick it up along with a few other albums on the next trip to the record store.

Finally, the Austin happenings for Valentine's Day. Alamo Drafthouse will be dishing out their delectable annual V-Day feast. Gone with the Wind will be playing at 6pm at The Ritz. If you want in, get tickets now because they are already sold out for Amelie at The Village and Charade at South Lamar. Woo! They go fast!

Why do you love Austin? Let me know for a chance at a freebie Valentine's Day themed piece from DGAJ.

Action Jackson out.

Viva La Vida Fest Recap

For anyone who missed out on Mexic-Arte's Viva La Vida Fest this past Saturday, you should be kicking yourself...and marking your calendars for next year's event. The day was such a blast, and I plan on going next year, whether I'm selling or just attending (yes, I'm willing to plan out a year in advance for this fun lil fest). The day started off a little frantic for yours truly because I had to work the morning of as well as run a few errands (not to mention park downtown, which is always undeniably manic). However, by the end of VLVF, I was sold on the idea that every day should be Day of the Dead (as if I wasn't already).

One of my favorite parts of the day was the food- sweet bread, empanadas, tamales, actual sugar skulls (which I'm told you can't/shouldn't eat because they're made of something comparable to fondant- I might try anyway), tacos, and all the Mexican soda you could handle! Food is especially near and dear to my heart when I'm selling jewelry at shows due to a) sitting in one place for a long time and b) the semi-grueling duration of the show (this show was 8+ hours long!). So, I was thrilled to have plenty of delicious food all around me. Overall, the show had a great feel- there were tons of people there, good live music, a plethora of costumes and festive faces (endless Frida Kahlos and even a Che!), and great art for your eyes to feast on. There were murals galore (see above), altars lining both sides of the street, diy stations for mask and paper decor crafting, giant paper mache creations (think giant Frida heads, skulls, and skeleton hands), and of course beautiful work being sold by Austin artists.

I'm happy to report that Etsy Austin was well represented at the fest and that we were lucky enough to have our tents next to eachother. Check out the shops of the lovely EA ladies I sold with on Saturday (pictured above, clockwise from upper left corner) if you haven't already: Waxela (Spirit Mama) Cathie (Sweet Wolf), me :), and Kim (Devil Girl Design). All in all, Saturday was a long day but definitely a good one at that. If I haven't convinced you to go to next year's festivities, let me know so I can work on you a little more. Mexic Arte has posted their pics from VLVF. Enjoy!

Action Jackson out.

Currently Listening: Swimsuit Issue- Sonic Youth, Waiting for the Bus- Violent Femmes

Austin City Limits: Zoo Austin Fall Edition

Admittedly, there's a few times during the year where Austin is flipped upside down and turned into a zoo. You could argue that the same thing happens on a weekly basis for football games during the fall, but that's a different story. The two times that immediately come to mind are South by Southwest and Austin City Limits.

I've braved SXSW twice on different years but have never gone beyond the outskirts of the ACL Lamar/Barton Springs barriers. Why? For that answer, all you'd need to do is ask any Austinite and wait for their all too "enthusiastic" response. And, in all honesty, an event that is 65,000 strong is enough to make any local run in the opposite direction. However, that all changed this weekend when I woman'd/personed up and volunteered for ACL.

Truth be told, the event lives up to its reputation of being a crowded messy zoo (especially this year with the Woodstock children rolling around in Dillo Dirt), but I had not anticipated the experience rating so well for me, especially since I was really bummed about Soinc Youth dropping out only weeks before. If you are thinking about joining the masses in invading Zilker, I'd suggest opting for the volunteer route which costs $10 and includes a free t-shirt, a $5 coupon for food, and free water and snacks...whereas weekend passes cost anywhere from $135-185 depending on when you buy them. Yikes! I was nervous at the outset of the weekend because my shifts were during the sets of all the bands I wanted to see, but you (and I for that matter) can be assured that someone at the top knows that the volunteers sign up more for the bands than out of the goodness of their hearts...and if that's not the case, well, I'm just a bad person.

By volunteering, I was able to see the Yeah Yeah Yeah's, Flogging Molly, ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, The Decemberists, and Clutch all for a whopping $10 (if you care to see who I didn't check out and want to shake your finger at me for missing them or if you want to see who I'm politely snubbing, check out the lineup). I think the biggest downside of ACL is probably the people themselves mostly because the event draws in such a mixed bag of music fans. There's frat boys and girls, hippies, punk rockers, hipsters, people with babies and kids (whiskey tango foxtrot? yeah, I don't understand people bringing babies or little kids to ACL either), reggae fans, the list goes on. If you have good taste in music (and yes, I'll go ahead and reassuringly pat myself on the back on this one), you have to bite your tongue when talking music to most people at ACL more so than if you were at Fun Fun Fun Fest or SXSW, which can be tiring (seriously don't understand the people who chose to see Kings of Leon over Yeah Yeah Yeahs).

Might post more on this later...we'll see.

Action Jackson out.

Austin Fashion Week Concludes! Now what?

A few days after the conclusion of the highly anticipated and very exciting Austin Fashion Week and I'm still trying to catch my breath! I just started a new job this past Monday, so there was no rest for the weary in the immediate post-AFW state for yours truly. I must say that I really do love my new job, but I can't help but wish I had more time to work on making jewelry, doing blog write-ups for my blog as well as the Etsy blog, and hunting for new pieces. *le sigh* It's definitely always a transition figuring out how and where to fit everything on the ole to-do list when you have an 8-5 work schedule.

But that is not what I'm here to talk about! First, a quick recap of AFW in the Diamonds and Guns world. The Sparkles and Sweets Soiree was truly a success in my eyes. It was a packed house from start to finish with great friends and lots of new faces, the DJ's lived up to being great muses all night, and I got to meet some really fantastic people. I owe so much to the gals of Urban Betty Salon and all the work they put into getting the word out about the party, organizing the raffles and swag bags that were provided, and assuring that we'd have plenty of cupcakes and pink cocktails. To give you an idea of how awesome they were about that, I still have leftover cupcakes from the supply I brought for the partay (see my proud cupcakes above!).

As for the AFW Awards, I'm sad to say that there were no golden boots handed out to DGAJ or Urban Betty Salon, however, the always lovely and super sweet Kim of Broken Ear Productions (fellow Etsy Austinite too!) went home with the Rising Star golden boot award. If you see her, be sure to congratulate her; she worked very hard leading up to the week! The awards show was fun, though I could have done without the prep problems my boyfriend and I had with wardrobe malfunctions and the like. Ladies, I know you hear me when I say that last minute uncooperative catching zippers on the ONLY dress you planned to wear for an evening is no laughing matter. Highlights of the AFWA were definitely the performances by Ume (Sonic Youth crossed with Pretty Girls Make Graves) and the Octopus Project (they had a theramin (sp?) onstage!), the UT students' fashion shows, and seeing Kim win the Rising Star award! I'm a little sad I missed out on the after party, but when you work and 8-5er, sleep is not something to be messed with! Anyway, I've rambled on long enough, so I'll save my energy for the next post.

Action Jackson out!