It's a Dixie Beer Christmas

Just taking a blog break, visiting the folks (hence the beer), and enjoying opportunities to get pics of rust on the way. Happy Holidays yall-

Thrift City 1/2 Price Day tomorrow December 20

They'll be open 7am-9pm. 1/2 off all clothing and shoes. 601 Terry Parkway in Gretna. From New Orleans take the Terry Parkway exit. Stay in your lane and follow the road 1.1 miles past the Stumpf Blvd. intersection. Thrift City is up ahead 4 blocks on your left before you get to the intersection of Carol Sue.Se Habla Espanol.
Also accepting donations on behalf of Amvets. Tell Dave I sent ya!

Wrapping up 2007 in New Orleans

Walking around the Bywater neighborhood this weekend, you'd be hard pressed to find evidence of what we've all been through, save a few scars and spray painted traces left behind by rescue groups.




Bywater has really never looked better and as we reflect on the season we've had with art markets and recovery activities, the spirit of community has never been stronger.Folks came out in droves to check out the goods,hang out,eat deliscious food from the Tipitina's food truck and just enjoy the fabulous weather.We may not have as many yuppies as we did before, but what knocks us out is the astounding number of social entrepeneurs and young folks coming here to support the city and its people.

It's just been an incredibly rewarding and uplifting year on so many different levels. There is a lot more to do here, and a long way to go, but we are inching closer and it just feels great.

Lakeview Goodwill reopens after Katrina

Today, Saturday December 15, 2007, is the grand reopening of the Lakeview neighborhood's Goodwill Store at 123 Robert E. Lee Drive in New Orleans. They were last open on Saturday August 27, 2005. They are open today at 9 am and will stay open until 6pm.We used to shop there a couple of times a week, sometimes just driving by to see if there was anything new.They had great mid century finds and lots of old china. Currently this is the only place other than Bridge House that is taking clothing and household goods for donation in the city. Small furniture only and no pickups as of yet.

Also, the Savvy Gourmet is having a recycled kitchen utensils drive at 4519 Magazine to benefit Hope House. All donators will receive a 15% off coupon for lunch or brunch at the Savvy Gourmet.

Make it Right Foundation Helping New Orleanians Get Home

It was really cool this week to hear abut the pink houses going up in the lower ninth ward. This art installation of 100 symbollic homes, represented by pink canvas tents, demonstrates on a smaller scale the displaced who are unable to come home to their neighborhoods.

I created these Christmas tree ornaments to find a way to help. If you go to the Make it Right website, you can click on a house and purchase items for these homes. Our street team leader was saying she wanted our team to at least be able to donate some trees.

We have all of these wood scraps of cypress from the ninth ward and also found buckets of nails in the 7th ward and have been looking for a project for them.

So hopefully having 50% of the sale of these will at least buy some lovely trees for these folks to make it right.

New Orleans Festivus Celebration Starts Today

We're so excited because today Festivus starts. This is the first festival we ever did about 4 or 5 years ago. Festivus has an almost 100% recycled and/or fair trade component for vendors.

There are also a lot of vendors that we get to see that have moved away due to Katrina but come back just for this. We also get to meet customers who are looking for recycled items.

If you are in the area, just check out www.festivusmarket.org for more details, directions or stop by the intrsection of Julia and Magazine in the CBD today 12-4 pm. Free parking too!

Festivus is gearing up

idea thief situation resolved

person turned out to be very decent and communicative. thank you universe!

Save the World Sunday 20% off Sale

Today Sunday November 25 is Save the World Sunday and the trashion team on Etsy is having a 20% off sale in honor of this today.So I am posting about it and hopefully someone will notice!

Its also the New Orleans Craft Mafias Holiday Sale at the Big Top on Clio Street. From 2until 6pm today they will be having fantastic craft and goodies. It even looks like the weather may hold up. Shop early, enjoy good tunes, and drink cocktails
in a relaxing, fun atmosphere! It's at The Big Top 1638 Clio Street just
off St. Charles near Lee Circle.

PoBoy Preservation Festival & Save Our World Sunday

Buy Recycled!Buy Handmade! Bayou Salvage!

Today is the PoBoy Preservation Festival on Oak Street in New Orleans 12-7. All kinds of restaurants from Emerils to Jockamos to homegrown neighborhood shops are going to be competing for the best PoBoy in New Orleans. We'll be selling our locally handmade and recycled wares there and also celebrating Save the World Sundays on Etsy. Woohoo. See ya there

Holiday To Do List

Next week is Thanksgiving and am just starting to freak out about all that needs to get done. We have 9 more markets to get through but I want this year's holiday to be special. There are so many things we miss out on every holiday season because we are so busy making stuff.Here are my priorities for enjoying my 18th Christmas in New Orleans.
1. Shop at the New Orleans Craft Mafia's Holiday show. Instead of selling at it or participating in Black Friday, I am going to show up to shop and support these wonderful artists.My brother will just love Tshirts from DJ Mags and Inexplicable Confetti.
2. Participate in carroling in Jackson Square with Bernard. Every year he asks me and I am always knee deep in fabric.
3. Donate a handmade ornament to the Green Project's Holiday Tree raffle.
4. Go the office Christmas Party and participate in the Electric Slide. Make sure the item I bring for a donation to Children's Charity is handmade!
5. Put lights in the yard and around the rusty alligator.Am feeling the spirit! Things are getting better!And I have 5 weeks off of work. Wooohooooo

Cranking Out Custom Orders

We've reached a bit of a lull before the insanity of the Holiday markets that begins after Thanksgiving.I've had to turn to my custom orders that came in during the Voodoo Music Fest. Is it Murphy's law that custom orders only come in when your busy beyond all belief?
No matter how much we may groan about it, custom orders give us a mandate to create. Most days I'm just free to sew a little of this and that, just doing whatever comes to mind. But when someone has paid for their work in advance I am compelled.Both Heather and I seem to churn out some of our best work when our backs are against the wall. Not sure if this is the artist's lament but it is true for us.

New Etsy Recruit from New Orleans Clyde the Fork Artist

Our Etsy New Orleans Street team had an event this weekend at the Marigny Hometiur right out side the French Quarter.It was a fun show to do because there were several artists there who do not normally sell their stuff at the art markets. Once such person we met was Clyde Casey the fork artist.
Clyde's preferred medium is "Argentinian" Stainless steel. I think his forms may be coming from recycled FEMA trailers but I digress.Clyde has an amazing ability to shape his forks into fabulous cuffs, head apparel and also a traveling mobile of art fabulousness, the forkinator.Notice his sidekick, Max Headfork.

Clyde's passion is the utility of the utensil. His outfit was entirely constructed of repurposed dinnerwear that becomes outerwear. His cellphone carrier,his toolbelt, his traveling machine, all handmade and forged with this mysterious Argentinian steel.


Clyde's cuff forks are a true steal at what he calls, 1000 pennies.As I sat there wishing there was a close ATM or for him to take credit cards, it struck me: Clyde must get on etsy. So of course I asked. Clyde, have you heard of Etsy?
And whatdoyaknow but why yes he had and not from the folks at the show but someone else in the quarters (Probably that Decatur Street lolligoth Rev. Ross). Speculation aside, we exchanged info and Clyde strolled off languidly with Max Headfork and the forkinator.
What's so great about New Orleans, besides all of the obvious stuff, is the hidden wealth of talent therein with folks like Clyde...

Mirliton Festival Today in the Bywater

Etsy New orleans Street Team will be representing in the 9th Ward today at the Mirliton Festival.The show closes with my fave Morning Forty Federation.Members of the team are also going to be at the Freret Market and the Marigny Hometour tomorrow.The Bywater is one of those neighborhoods where you want to visit with alot of room in your car because there is always so much great junk in the streets. Come check it out yall 1-7pm at Royal and Piety Streets in Kville!

Vending at Voodoo Music Festival

We just got finished vending at Voodoo Music Festival. This was our second year but last year doesnt really count as it was the first one back after Katrina and the ticket sales were down. This year was really different as they sold 180,000 tickets. I'm quite sure we saw at least half of those people.So, in no short order:
5 Important Tips to Help You Sell at a Super Large Show.

1. Booth Display is everything .We decided to go with a Marie Leveau theme and create a bit of a voodoo altar that was supposed to be going in the living room. Many of the people who visited our booth commented about how the display drew them in.

2. Have plenty of promotional items to give the lookie loos.We learned from the first year that many will come back and check out your online shop for their holiday shopping after the show.Heather had 13 sales on Etsy after handing out promotions.
3. Have clear signs that communicate you will hold items til after the show and/or ship them so that customers dont have to carry them around.On friday when sales for the big ticket items were lukewarm, we decided to change the signage to clearly communicate this service. Several customers took us up on it on Saturday. Coincidence?
4. Do use this opportunity to experiment.I decided to try to sell some of the recycled clothing I usually sell at festivus to this crowd. They ate it up!Last year was when Heather first tried Voodoo dolls and the Fleur Debris.All have been huge hits. We probably wouldnt have tried it if we hadnt been at such a big show.It really paid off!
5. Phone a friend. Get a sitter for the pets & help to enjoy the show. You will be tired. They will miss you.

Friday night Sheba was just rambunctious from missing us all day. She was much more mellow and relaxed after having a friend come by and walk her and let her out. It also made us feel less stressed. That being said, enjoy some of the show. Make sure you have help so you can take some time off and take advantage of the show all around you. That's what its all about.

Lez Zeppelin at Voodoo Music Fest

What I love about Voodoo fest is the opportunity to see new shows.

We heard about how great this act was and had to chek it out. Lesbians + Led Zeppelin = Good times, right?
Great Name, Great Band. Close your eyes and you could never tell the difference. Ah Ah ah Ah ah................

Whodo Voodoo

Voodoo Music Fest Experience hits the Big Kville today and we're in it.We've been feverishly burning the midnight oil in anticipation. Yesterday we hit the back streets of city park to set up. Voodoo takes on a carnival type atmosphere but I suspect these carneys may have once followed another kind of DEAD.It's all in the patchouli!

We are also convienently located close to the henna tattoos.If a spate of boredom hits, we can check out the WTUL tent,Habitat for Humanity. There is also a Post K Psychiatric services tent.Yeah we're gonna pass a good time yall.

My top pics are the Saturday set of the Hot 8 in the WWOZ tent and the Sunday night set of Morning Forty Federation that happens right before WILCO closes out the fest.

Recycling Returns to New Orleans Area

I'll never forget driving into my neighborhood on Sept 16 2005 and seeing my recycling all over the neighborhood.Since that fateful date, the only way we've been able to recycle is put all of our stuff into the car and drive it to a drop off point, hoping the car wont get totally ruined in the process.

Calls to our City Council, mayor's office and local environmental office have never been returned when we called to ask when we could get recycling.I went to a meeting late last year that mentioned a recycling company that had a private service pre Katrina would be starting back up again. Called and talked to the guy and he said our neighborhood would be last on the list. So I put my name on the mailing list and waited.

Low and behold we are now getting our recyling picked up tomorrow and it couldnt have been an easier process.We went online to this site http://www.phoenixrecyclingnola.com/and clicked on our neighborhood on their map. We're in area 8. There was a brief form to fill out and then you are led to paypal.For fifteen dollars a month we get two pick ups and they even pickup glass! Glass! Yall we havent been able to recycle beer bottles anywhere at all in the city since K.Here's the list of what you can and cannot recycle:
http://www.phoenixrecyclingnola.com/materiallist_print.php

You just put together your own bins (We're using the same tubs we've been storing all the stuff in)and tomorrow we'll be on the lookout.This is free enterprise at its best. Go to the site and check them out http://www.phoenixrecyclingnola.com/

Thrifting on Sundays in New Orleans is back!

Am really excited to announce that Thrift City USA, formerly of MidCity has now expanded their hours to be open on Sundays, 12-5pm in Gretna. Thrift City, Terry Parkway near the intersections of Stumpf and Carol Sue has expanded their hours to be open on Sundays, just in time for Halloween. Remember the good old days when you could shop at thrift city and go get a Cuban sandwich at Garcia's just a few streets behind? The word on the street is that Cubans may also be hitting the best bank. More details to follow.See ya Thrift City this Sunday.This features Julie Pieri, my fave thrifter in crime. Miss and Love ya Jules!

New Orleans Food Coop Meeting Tonight

We're really psyched that the Community Food Coop is finally getting up and going with new iniatives other than the food buying club. Tonight they are having a meeting at 625 North Rendon at 7 PM (potluck starts at 6)to discuss and vote on new ventures such as a mobile food truck and such. This is really good news for the Mid City area, having lost Whole Foods in April 2005, then there was the market that was not so hot and closed suddenly and the new market not yet to open. It is also a low cost alternative for those of us who want good healthy food but cannot afford the whole paycheck prices.Their site is http://nolafoodcoop.org if you want more info or just come to the meeting tonight and check it out.

Blog Action Day

What Can Artists do to Save the Planet?
1. Use recycled materials in your work. In New Orleans we are lucky to have The Green Project and Recycled for the Arts where you can pick up paint and materials to use. Other good places to look are thrift stores of course, yard sales, antique shops and salvage yards. Often you will spend less too and get more creative.
2. Make it yourself if you cannot find a recycled alternative. In internet is a great resource for how to do just about anything.
3. If you have to buy new supplies, buy it locally in a small locally owned shop. At least you are not paying to have the item trucked to your city.
4. Purchase wind credits and a Terra Pass to offset the equipment and vehicle you use.
5. Instead of throwing away materials you wont be using, freecycle or put it on craigslist.

Iguana, Interrupted...

Since my last post last Tuesday morning, Beyonce the Iguana, has gotten loose and we havent been able to find her. We posted signs all over and there was a recent sighting of her by the Gretna Fest. That would mean she walked 12 blocks over. The police were very nice albeit slightly amused.
Currently adopting a wait and see approach as it isnt cold here yet. She is a big healthy girl but once it gets cold she will have probems.

Salvaging for junque in the French Quarter

We spent our weekend in the quarter this past weekend just trying to be a tourist at home and spend as much money there as possible to support the community. One of our favorite things to do is take the ferry over on our bikes and ride freely about, burning off all of those calories from the beignets. Our second favorite thing to do is junque shop.
It is hard to get past the fabulous junk of Decatur street when they have Bottom of the Barrel Antiques.Their motto is "this aint your Grandma's antique shop" and it must be true as most of the employees have quite a bit of tattoos.The store is stocked mostly with auction goodies from the region and they are known for having affordable armoires and chiffarobes. We are there to hit the junk barrels where they have $1 and $5 items of assorted metal and rusty bits.Open noon to 10pm, Tuesday thru Sunday, Bottom of the Barrel is a cant miss for junksters.1209 Decatur.
After hitting bottom of the barrel, it is time to hit Le Garage at 1234 Decatur.Advertising "antiques, vintage and surplus," this is the place to go for costume inspiration, especially for anything military-ish. Marcus runs the place and he is very friendly and open to a bit of bargaining.This place is known for the vintage costumes but we prefer the junque. Tons of rusty doorknobs, escutcheons,old silverplate and a great collection of old metallic lace was found there this weekend.Open everyday from 1-5, this is a great place to find creative inspiration without breaking the bank. Junque heaven.