intentions for the new year

i am the worst kind of blogger. i write blog posts all of the time. i think up interesting topics to type about and then i take the time to craft said posts, occasionally with pictures. then, i get shy all of a sudden and convince myself that nobody is going to be interested in this stuff. i need to stop this behavior and so i will.

i’m excited about a new bead weaving project i’m about to embark upon. i’m dismantling antique purses that are in disarray. I’m using purses that are woven with steel cut tiny beads and giving them an awesome new life as earrings in the shape of stars and madalas. finished with sterling lever back earwires.

vintage preview

i’ve been super busy this past month but managed to spend a bit of time in a park midweek, relaxing and photographing some vintage to post on Etsy. Here is a wee preview:

Handmade Vintage Quilted Satin Bed Jacket from Marshall Field and Company

Also, this avant garde grey dress with exaggerated sleeves and fitted waistline is the perfect winter frock.

Trying out a sunrise yoga class this week!

Quick check-in and Preview

December is in full swing and so am I! I have yet to shake that Thanksgiving joyful feeling and I’m planning on letting it carry me through the year and beyond. My inventory is bulging at the seams so I’ve been spending my free time taking pictures of top shelf items to put up by the end of this week.

:: Coral Red Vintage Ralph Lauren Western Cowgirl Boots :: Size 7 :: $250 ::

I can barely stand to part with these insanely awesome boots so I’m hoping they sell in a quick rip of a band-aid. Also being added to my Etsy page this week is a lovely Valentino pencil skirt and two pairs of size 5.5 shoes from the swanky, early 60′s Mad Men era.

Keep it Jazzy!
Erin

The Indie Mart was a success! It really was. People bought my stuff, liked my stuff, blogged about my stuff, and inspired me to make more stuff. I gave a bunch of my new business cards out and they were a big hit.

Here’s the blog I was included in ::
Ironing Board Collective
He seemed to go bananas over the two bamboo purses I was selling. Actually, the purses were a constant conversation piece at my booth. My friend and helper for the show, Doris, said two guys with their girls came back a second time, to hold the bags and admire them. Classic. I’ve had an identical one since I was 7, possibly 6, given to me by my dear Aunt Leslie.

What’s next, festival wise, you ask? I’m going back and forth about joining in the Alamo Square Flea Market in August, but may just hold off and photograph some of the primo stuff I have right now and focus on getting my on-line stuff in order. Valentino, an Alamo Hand Painted Barbie Blast jacket from 1987, some bright dresses, tops and a primo Mexican Hand Embroidered Wool jacket from the early 50′s. Goodies, indeed.

Starting Wednesday, I will be on paid holiday from my weekday nanny gig for 3 weeks. It is rare that we get the gift of time like this and I plan to take full advantage.

Side note :: I’m loving my contact lenses! It’s awesome to be able to see without glasses. It’s been an adjustment but I’m finally getting comfortable with it all.

Indie Mart this Sunday!

Looking for something cool and different to do this weekend? Do whatever you want on Saturday but you are NOT TO MISS the Indie Mart in San Francisco on Sunday, July 18th. This is a street fair like no other. l am honored to be chosen to sell my vintage goodies and handmade accessories under my business name, JazzBoogie. Here are some OTHER reasons to go:

Make stuff :: terrariums, pie in a jar, sock monsters and more
Watch stuff :: San Franpsycho will be doing live screenprinting
Eat stuff :: Thee Parkside will be serving up BBQ
Buy stuff :: Crafty items as well as vintage. Don’t forget to bring cash. ATM on site
Listen :: Girl DJ’s outside and Bands playing inside Thee Parkside
Heavy Metal Aerobics at 3pm – exercise with beer cans as weights
Chill out and drink beer in the life size terrarium

$3 to get in
12pm to 6pm
Petrero Hill Neighborhood, SF

I will be sure to take lots of photos of my booth and other cool happenings from the day.

More info here:

http://www.indie-mart.com/events/july-18th-indie-martback-with-more-diy-more-fun-and-more-antics/

Indie Mart :: July 18th

JazzBoogie was just accepted to sell her wares at the San Francisco Indie Mart!
Here are the deets. Tell your friends! It promises to be a fun filled afternoon.

Indie Mart
Sunday, July 18th
12pm to 6pm
Handmade, Vintage, Food, Beer, Bands, DJ’s
Location : in front of Thee Parkside
1600 17th Street
Between 17th and 18th Streets

More info to come. Also, if anyone knows any nice gals to help me work the booth, do tell! My friend Heather just backed out.

movin’ on up

I am movin’ on up, indeed!
I just ordered the sassiest business cards for my blossoming business, JazzBoogie.
They will have rounded corners and are two sided, with lots of color and style.
Here’s the front ::

There has been a ton of debate over the size and shape of a fantastic, stand out business card.
My belief has always been the bigger the better.
So what if they don’t fit into those wee spaces in wallets?
Perhaps my cards are destined for brighter days on someone’s fridge or vanity.

feeling nostalgic about vintage

i have just hit the 151 mark for Etsy items sold and i couldn’t help but go through them and recall their beauty, clever little details, the silly photos i took of them AND in them.

take a look back in history, at the 151 items I have sold on Etsy and get excited to see what this fashion historian finds in the future, from the past.

JazzBoogie’s Sold Items

vivid dreams of love

Last night, after a long weekend of selling my junk at a yard sale and then the flea market, 3 hours of driving, 2 hours or window shopping in the Haight, I had the most vivid dreams! The first one woke me up after two hours of sleep and consisted of seeing my ex boyfriend from many years past. Not sure of the details but I woke up whimpering to my cuddly cat Boogie, that I dreamt of Greggie and he was mean to me. Poof poof, Greggie. I quickly went back to sleep and had a another dream, which was much better than the first.

My next dream, I was going in for an interview for a job at some big corporation, which could happen in the near future, since the kids I nanny for are going to be in school all day after this Summer. Anyhow, I was set to meet someone from marketing and the CFO after that. I waited nervously in the lobby at a large campus of some corporation for my first big interview with some guy named David and finally he showed up. He was tall, sophisticated but down to earth with a big smile and kind eyes. I reached my hand out to his and gave him a firm handshake with lots of eye contact and said, “Hello David, I’m Erin McDonald.” I felt myself fall in love with him in that instant. Weird, huh? He looked at me, like he was impressed with my Erin-ness and we left the lobby for a walk around the campus.

Rather than being seated in some room for the interview, which is what I was expecting, he just walked with me. I chatted him up, telling him about my past work experience in a relaxed, “I kick butt and can do anything” kind of way. I didn’t feel nervous or tongue-tied, it just bubbled out of me, naturally. At this point, I didn’t even care about getting the job because I had finally found my soulmate.

Now, I have always believed in love at first sight, but often check in with myself and my strict standards on letting guys into my heart. I mean, I have been waiting for a certain kind of love, an undeniable feeling and the wait has been a long one. Having this dream, has renewed my patience for just the right person to give me heart to. David is out there and I will know it when I meet him.

SO, If you or someone you know has a handsome, down to earth, single friend named David, what are you waiting for? Call me!

Etsy update

Well, I’m feeling mostly better from the bad cold/flu/ick I had for the past week and a half. Even though I have been getting sick much less over the past couple of years, when I do get sick, symptoms seem to drag on, and on, and on. I have been resting as much as possible but that ends up making me feel lazy, so today, I am focusing on not being lazy, even though my body wants to take a nap.

I have so many vintage items to post for sale on Etsy that I am feeling overwhelmed. I decided that I must post something, anything, so I just put up two cute pairs of leather boots. I priced them a bit lower than I normally do, in hopes that they will sell quicker and therefore be out of my hair faster.

:: Click Here. Brown Capezio Boots. Size 8.5 ::

:: Click Here for Black Veronella Boots. Size 7 ::

I went to my first hockey game last night. San Jose Sharks VS Detroit Redwings. It was an exciting game with very little fighting. We had amazing seats, 14 rows up, so I could really see what was going on. The fans were fired up!