JAPANESE HAIR HATS: completely awesome

I don't know why I logged onto Vice magazine's Behind the Seams for the first time in years today, but I'm glad I did.  I think instead of telling our children that maybe someday they can become president if they dream big enough, we should be telling them that maybe someday they can dream up and create creepy and amazing hair hats for a living if they so desire.  I love people who are totally true to themselves, I'm mean, it don't get no truer than this!  This guy's portrait should be in the dictionary next to the definition of "F*CK OFF".   The point of this post: go for it....

Pretty Ballerina- DYI style

So I just got an email from the Textile Arts Center, that they are offering a shoe making class, and teaching you how to make your own pair of ballerina flats! (Yes, I am the creator of the bad 5 minute photoshop image of stormy weather ballet flats above, complete with spikes on heels for bad mood swashbuckling)  I have not been here yet, but this place looks like it needs me to take a class there.  They have everything from weaving, to knitting, to printing....the list really just goes on and on.  You can even just show up after work on Fridays with a project in process and bro down....or just chat if bro-ing is not your thing.  The TAC is headquartered in Brooklyn (of course) but much to my delight, they are also offering this class and more at their new location in Greenwich village.  They also have a sweet selection of holiday gift workshops in both locations that include everything from knitted scarves, leather work, printed paper, and even kids classes (Does that mean i can't cuss like a sailor when inevitably slam my thumb with a blunt object of sorts?).  At any rate, I digress.  Alright, I'm off to sign up for some crafty-fun.  Hope to see you there!

From the Etsy Labs: Natural Perfume Blending at 3rd Ward

So no overly witty (or the bad attempts of) titles to this post.  I was just really excited that 3rd ward added a Natural Perfume Blending Class to the roster of creative classes!  Classes are on December 11th from 2:30-5:30pm/ January 19th from 7-10pm/ February 11th from 1:30-4:30pm and are taught by Julianne Zaleta of Herbal Alchemy Apothecary.  I don't know much about her, but it says she studied with Mandy Aftel, who is pretty much the queen mum of the natural perfume making universe. The natural perfume making workshop I took in October with Charna Ethier was not through 3rd Ward, but I took a Textile Print Design class with Francesca Capone, who designs for Coach and has her own accessories line, and the class, not to mention to whole facility rocked, so I'm pretty sure this class is going to kick some boo-tae.  I noticed the classes are only a single session deal, so sounds like just enough to wet your whistle of curiosity and then compel you to buy a dozen books on amazon to further the fire.  Enjoy my fellow potion lovers!

You Smell Real Purdy.....

Whilst at the soap making workshop through the Backporch Soap company, I learned that they were going to have a two night workshop on natural perfume making taught by a natural perfumer named Charna Ethier, the lovely creator of the delicious perfume line Providence Perfume Co.. As I mentioned in my previous blog entry, I have been obsessed with "potions" and since I was a little girl and LOVE perfume, although I knew very little about natural perfume other than I like the idea of "natural" but am afraid of patchouli and hacky-sak. To be perfectly frank my choices in perfume are totally "old lady"- heavy, cloyingly sweet, musky, scandalous and slightly suspicious scents like Opium, Musc Ravageur, Musc Nomade, and wait for it...yes, Jimmy Choo. What all this says about me??? Intense, immature, nostalgic, and down for a tryst in pre-war Paris maybe? But back to being perfectly Jeanine again....I signed up for the class and it was definitely worth the small investment!

The class is perfectly suited for beginners wanting to know the fundamentals of how to get started- from materials needed to strategies for starting to mix. Although you do get to take a stab at creating your own perfume, the class is really more focused on teaching you how to approach mixing and familiarizing yourself with the ingredients, how the work together and the process as a total, which I felt was really great. Charna shared as many samples of rare scents with her students as possible, as well as share tips on ingredient suppliers, and her own experiences in starting her own business. Charna is a great advocate for the natural perfume movement. It is pretty sad that most of the beautiful perfumes of the past have been so modified by chemical replacements of their original natural ingredients that they are at best vaguely reminiscent of their predecessors, not to mention can sometimes be toxic. I may not be able to put down the bottle of Musc Ravageur any time soon, but in the mean time I will be having fun trying to create my own natural perfume that smells great, is uniquely mine, and is healthy and natural!