September Stroll in the East Village

Shops We Know on
Ninth Street
Last week I took a stroll on Ninth Street in the East Village, having as my destination the vintage shop, Spark Pretty. I know the Spark Pretty ladies as fans of Advanced Style, and from seeing them at the Manhattan Vintage Show.

Their exuberant new shop is next to the eyeglass purveyor Fabulous Fanny. As if you were going to view the eclipse, you could buy some outrageous sunglasses in which to view Spark Pretty. They have decked out their shop in psychedelic decor befitting the electrifying style of 1990's fashion.

 Proprietors, Megan and Amanda, with Barbie jacket.

 Hand-painted corset dresses.

 The produce department on a

voluminous jacket.

 Bejeweled denim for the

lover of New York.

 Eye-popping color and patterns at

Spark Pretty.

Further down the block, it was dèja-vu for this

shop, D.L. Cerney. Years ago, the owner, Linda St.

John, had a shop on 7th Street.  Then she moved to

Tribeca, and when that shop closed she

disappeared from sight. So I was surprised to see

this sign over a shop door.

 Far from the crazy -color world of Spark Pretty,

is the more quiet world of D.L. Cerney. Vintage-inspired 

pieces are carefully constructed with beautiful fabrics.

 A lovely summer dress for the

woman with a perfect figure.

A real treat at D.L.Cerney are Linda's tiny dolls.

She has been making these girls for years.

They are not for sale, explained her daughter, Suzi.

In 2001 a show of Linda's dolls,"50 Girls in Feed Sack

Dresses," was shown at the Santa Monica Museum of Art.

Ballgowns in gingham and tulle.

 Every walker deserves a sweet. 

 There should be a bakery on every block.

 And every block should have a florist.

Here a cornucopia of blossoms at

Libby Myer's Beetle Bug.

I first met Libby in the shop she owned

in Soho called The Smiths. Oh did I buy some

wonderful clothes there.

The beautiful lady in white minding the

shop at Beetle Bug.

À Bientôt!

Open Studio, September 16 -- Part 2

Making the Scene at
My Open Studio
A few dozen friends and family gathered on a September Saturday for an Open Studio event at the live/work space of artist, Carol Markel. On display were her unique, 20s-style hats, hand-painted one-off dresses and her brightly lacquered necklaces.

The event, "It's Often Cloudy in Deauville," was themed to evoke the 20s and 30s in the seaside town of Deauville, France, and other posh beach scenes as recorded by the French photographers, the Séeberger brothers.

Artist, Ashley, one of my talented guests.

She made her charming dress.

She is also a top-notch baker.

Clothing designer, Martina.

 Valerie, of the Idiosyncratic Fashionistas.

 Valerie and Jean, the Idiosyncratic Fashionistas, who

were named 2017 Today Show Style Heroes.

 Holding Polly, my niece, Sarah with

my sister, Jeanne and nephew, Jack.

 Admiring Jean's I-Phone case.

 Artist, Damon Zucconi

Tecla, Barbara and Jeanne.

Orange and blue is the new color combo.

Many thanks to photographer, Denton Taylor

 for the above photographs.

Jeanne and Polly peek while

Sarah models "Bathing Cap."

Actress Roya Shanks is

known for her extensive vintage clothing

collection. She is also the hostess at The

Odeon, a great restaurant in Manhattan.

Roya and her husband, Aaron Bender

 Artist, Sue Kreitzman, wearing a 
robe adorned with a Chris Ofili tea towel speaks
with my sister, Susan.

 Elizabeth Weiss, Richard's student when he
taught at Tyler School of Art, paid him a visit.

 Teresa Taylor

 Elke Kuhn with a
Carol Markel necklace.

 Marja Sansom.

Dayle, Artful City Style, 

wearing her Carol Markel necklace

"Le Boom-Boom."

Elizabeth Kent with
her friend, Patricia.

À Bientôt!

Open Studio, September 2017 - Part One

At My Open Studio,
Festivities and Fun
It was time. Time to roll out the things I've been working on for the past three years. So I scheduled an Open Studio and invited friends. They showed up last Saturday to view the work, partake of refreshments and socialize with fashionistas.

I was on a dressmaking kick. I don't have access to a silk screen press, so I figured out a way to print on fabric with a silk-screen look. I air-brushed textile paint on fabric, using a tape-off technique to create the shape. I like the results -- they are like abstract paintings one can wear.

I am posing in the studio of photographer, Terry Niefield.

The studio is ready for guests.

Hats, dresses and beads make up the collection

which I call "It is often cloudy in Deauville".

A huge Thank You to my sisters, Jeanne (on left) and

Sue who helped me with the event.

I could not have done it without them.
My brother, David, could not come because he
was performing a song at a North Fork Theater event.
A huge thank you to him, for his love and support.

 Me gazing at my niece, Sarah Wedge, who wears

a hand-painted straw called "Bathing Cap".

Even Sarah's dog, Polly, wore beads,

although it looks like they are weighing her down a bit.

 Fall flowers with the green dress.

 Jeanne brought sweets from La Tulipe, a

French Patisserie.

 My display of necklaces.

I used copies of photos by the Séeberger Brothers

from the book "Elegance," in keeping with my theme

of  the French seaside in the 30s.

 I hand-colored the photographs.

The Hat Shop in a Box.

A selection of hats from my collection.

I used circles which remind of scoops of

ice cream like I saw in Nice.

Names: Vanille, Bluette, Tutti Fruitti, Apricot.

Decor. My grandmother made the Lily of the Valley

vase, the hat is from my bridal collection for my

millinery class, and the drawing is by me.

Lavande and Bathing Cap

Marianne Bleu and Marianne Rouge

My hang tags.

Ashley wearing "Wild Garden".

Next installment of Open Studio --
Guests Living it Up!

À bien tôt!