Diamonds and Guns: Jewelry by Action Jackson

Bright Lights, New York City

2011-08-31T20:43:00.000-07:00

After a non-stop week of packing, moving, driving cross-country (and within NYC, I might add), and rearranging plans due to the sensationalist reporting on Hurricane Irene, I am finally settled in my New York apartment. Before I left Austin, I churned out a few new pieces and was lucky enough to arrange a photo session with Treaty Oak Photography. I haven't had time to update my Etsy shop, so please enjoy this sneak peek until I can do so.

More to come soon!

-Action Jackson out.

A Few Lovely Things...

2011-07-25T20:50:00.000-07:00

I was featured in an all laser cut acrylic Technicolor Treasury today, and it inspired me to check out the new laser cut acrylic jewelry on Etsy. Here are a few lovely finds my search brought up:

Pink Nude Butterflies Necklace (and earrings) by indomina, $22.00

Silver Acrylic Bunny Connector Necklace by imyourpresent, $12.00

Victorian Cameo Necklace (black or ivory) by sarahkeyes, $28.00

Laser Cut Acrylic Antler Brooch by MishMc, $29.00

So, what are your new favorite laser cut finds?

Action Jackson out.

Want it, Need it: Scalloped Shorts

2011-07-13T17:51:00.001-07:00

Every season, I find there's at least one elusive fashion trend that I fixate on and cannot find until months (or sometimes years) later when I either a) lose interest b) find out everyone else has one at that point or c) both. This summer, I think scalloped (hem) shorts will fill that place in my heart. I don't mean to pull the Goldilocks card, but none of the pairs I've seen online have been exactly what I wanted. I'm also somewhat pessimistic that they would look flattering on me.

If I was a more skilled sewer, I would consider making my own pair. Craft even has a tutorial on creating ombre scalloped shorts from a pair of jeans (though I'm not sold on the denim look).

These are the pairs I've found so far:

Chic Shenanigans Shorts on ModCloth, $62.99

Sweet Green Tea Scalloped Shorts on ShopRuche, $37.99

Scalloped Hem Shorts on ASOS, $51.72

Scalloped Shorts with Removable Peplum Skirt, alexandragrecco.etsy.com, $150.00

So far, I haven't found a color/style/price combination that I like for any one pair of shorts. If I find the inspiration to hunt down a pair in person and shed any guilty feelings about buying clothing prior to my New York move, I'll set aside a day for sifting through Austin boutiques. If anyone wants to point me in the right direction, feel free to do so. Also, let me know what summer fashion trends strike your fancy.

Action Jackson out.

Tasteful Americana

2011-06-29T12:43:00.000-07:00

July 4th is coming up, and despite the annual Austin Symphony concert and fireworks cancellation, I'm excited. Don't look at me like that. I know this holiday gets a bad wrap for being tacky (search '4th decor' on Etsy and tell me I'm wrong) and characterized by a misguided notion of what defines patriotism (and no, it's not being pro-war and it's not wearing those terrible excuses for clothing that Old Navy passes off as acceptable $5 t-shirt attire).

I think this holiday, like most others, is worth getting excited about because it gives us an excuse to indulge in foods we don't normally eat and get together with friends (not that you should need an excuse for either, but a nudge in the right direction never hurts). And, it doesn't need to be celebrated in a tacky manner. To prove this, here are a few awesome finds from Etsy:

Swim Dandy Swimsuit by FablesbyBarrie, $106.00

I am in love with this as well as the Sailor Swimsuit. This piece is so cute that you definitely aren't limited to wearing it just on the 4th. The model this shop uses for pics is awesome too.

Beach Breezes Lighting by BootsNGus, $185.00

Since Austin has a fire ban in effect, I think mason jar lighting and strings of white lights are a good substitute for fireworks as a way to illuminate nighttime celebrations.

50 Aqua Barber Striped Straws by isakayboutique, $7.98

I always see these straws on fancy event planning websites and love the sweet retro feel they add. These come with free blank paper flags too!

4th of July Star Sparklers Cupcake Toppers by TwoSugarBabies, $15.00

In case you're wondering, these "sparklers" are edible. Amidst all the bad cupcake decor on Etsy, these cute and playful fondant pieces really stood out.

So, what are your favorite Fourth finds on Etsy? Do you plan on going to the lake, spending all day outside, or hitting up the Tiniest Bar in Texas Vegan Hot Dog Eating Contest?

Action Jackson out.

Make it Work

2011-06-28T12:46:00.000-07:00

As of tomorrow, I have one month left at my job. Naturally, that kind of foreseeable end date leads to daydreaming. Lots of daydreaming. To dissuade myself from the morose "but I don't want a new goldfish" outlook moving is bringing out in me, I'm trying to get excited about pairing down what I own and decorating a new space.

Gorgeous gothic/Victorian-inspired armoire I spotted here on Apartment Therapy.

What does this mean for me? Spending more time on Apartment Therapy than any normal person cares to, field trips to Ikea, and possibly a major garage sale (for which I don't have a personal garage and would gladly accept any offers). I'm especially interested in small space storage solutions because I'll only be allotted one coat closet in my new sublet. For my clothes, I'd like to fit everything into a wardrobe or underneath my bed. I don't have any ideas for non-clothing items, but my goal is to have a living space that doesn't look like a cluttered dorm room.

Some make it work with even less than what I'll have though. I'll leave you with this awesome food for thought in the form of a simply chic 125 square ft studio I found on Apartment Therapy.

Action Jackson out.

Minimalist Me

2011-06-27T10:34:00.000-07:00

Above is a photograph I came across while perusing The Everyday Minimalist. It's a snap of Steve Jobs at home in 1982, presumably pictured with most or all of his possessions at the time. TEM paired it with the tagline quote from SJ, "All you needed was a cup of tea, a light, and your stereo, you know, and that's what I had."

So, why am I suddenly turning my attention to minimalism? I'm fairly certain this isn't new knowledge to anyone who reads this blog regularly/knows me in real life, but if it is, I'm moving to NYC in August for grad school. And while I have moved within Austin every year for the past seven years, I've never made a cross-country move.

It should come as no surprise that moving hundreds/thousands of miles alone is not glamorous (yes, even to NYC) and is instead incredibly laborious. However, I genuinely had not thought about how I would move my cat, desktop and laptop, jewelry supplies, musical instruments, and any essential odds and ends until I visited the City last weekend. The reality of the move didn't sink in until it came time to find a place to live in a city I've only visited a few times.

For the fall semester, I'll be living in a furnished sublet that's a 20 minute walk from NYU. And while the unit itself is nothing to sneeze at (silestone counters, hardwood floors, and a clean bathroom and kitchen), it isn't my gorgeous, spacious, brand spankin new Austin apartment. Oh, and I'll be sharing one bathroom with three other girls in the sublet. If that's not a premise for a sitcom, I don't know what is.

As inane and superficial as it sounds, I'm pretty broken up about the prospect of leaving behind a lovely home I share with my boyfriend and most of my possessions (leaving behind my friends has not set in and I'm convinced that when it does, I will have a meltdown, guaranteed). I am by no means a minimalist, I hoard more than I care to admit, and until airlines started charging for checked baggage, I did not pack lightly.

This all leads me to the question, how will I make it work? I've considered shipping everything ground and taking the delicates with me on the plane (including a sedated cat), renting a car in Austin and packing up the essentials, and my dad's favorite solution (which I consider a horrible idea bound to be laden with problems) of hiring movers.

Currently, everything is up in the air except my last day at work and the date I need to be in New York. I have a little over seven weeks to figure everything out and determine what I really truly NEED to bring with me. If you happen to see me in the meantime, any advice is much appreciated.

Action Jackson out.

All That Glitters

2011-06-15T21:10:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-13T19:24:00.000-07:00

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.

Etsy Craft Party 2011

2011-06-12T20:37:00.000-07:00

Last year, I along with Renee of Robo Roku planned and hosted the Etsy Birthday Craft Party. I should note that several Etsy Austin (now Austin Craft Riot) members and officers also helped to make sure the event went off without a hitch. While I was both sad and relieved (I have a terrible tendency to over-commit, like woah) to have my involvement be limited to attending this year's Etsy Craft Party, I'm happy to report that the event was a blast.

This year's party was hosted at Starving Art Studios, a laid back art gallery on the east side that hosts drive-in movies and is home to the airstream boutique, The WonderCraft. The atmosphere of the event was very relaxed and the night consisted of free crafts for Austinites and Etsy Craft Riot members alike. From start to finish, attendees were busy as bees crafting upcycled t-shirt produce bags, duct tape jewelry, buttons, and screenprinting everything from embroidered handkerchiefs to bbq aprons.

If you weren't able to make it to this Austin Craft Riot affair, stay tuned for details on the holiday show happening in November. If you did stop by, what was your favorite aspect? Be sure to check out more great snaps from the par-tay on Baby Bolt's flickr and the Austin Craft Riot flickr pages. A big thank you to everyone who helped plan this year's event and to Tara George for sharing some good pics with me for this post.

Action Jackson out.

Handmade Weddings: Fascinators

2011-02-23T07:42:00.000-08:00

A few months ago, one of my friends asked me to make feather fascinators for her wedding. At first, I was thrilled and then nervous/terrified because the prospect of creating and contributing to such an important event, while exciting, carries the pressure of making a flawless product. Certain aspects, like the veil, were trickier than anticipated (a huge thank you goes out to Devilgirl Design and SweetWolf for their help on this), but I was happy with the final outcome.

A glowing bride and enthused bridesmaids helped to reaffirm my confidence in the finished fascinators. To top it off, my feathered accessories were all captured with stunning pictures courtesy of Whitney Lee Photography. If you're like me and love looking at wedding blogs, you should check out WLP's original photo post from the big day as well as her site if you can't get enough of her awesome work. In the meantime, here's some teaser pics to tide you over.

This picture's for good measure since I never seem to have snaps of myself for this blog. :)

Action Jackson out.

P.S. I Made This

2011-02-17T12:55:00.000-08:00

Dear crafty friends and fellow diy-ers, why have you kept P.S. I Made This a secret from me for so long?

I discovered this wonderfully inspiring and simple chic blog/blogger only this week after clicking on an archive link of the always sweet Pommes Frites. At the time, I only scanned over a few posts on psimt and moved on to the next interwebs rotation item (probably checking Facebook again, knowing me). When perusing books at lunch today, I came across the book form of psimt and on a whim decided to flip through it and buy it. I can't put into words how excited I am to test out some of the featured crafts. Perhaps the fact that I've already sifted through all of the blog's posts best conveys this?

Lately, I feel I've been lacking in the inspiration and brain stimulation departments. So, I'm hoping this book will give me the extra cranial kick I need. When I'm done with it (and if I'm feeling ambitious), I might just post a book review on here. At first glance, I can say that what I like about this blog/book over other crafting spaces and publications is:

1. The majority of the pieces are modern and inspired by high fashion and classic pieces. For each craft, psimt creates and features an inspiration page (like the one above) to show this. Not only is it cohesive pairing and visually striking, it's added inspiration.

2. The methods used to create are very simple. Little to no sewing for most of the crafts, even for clothing. For someone like me who wants to love sewing so badly but has never progressed past the learning curve and thus dreads it like most people dread filing and accounting/budgeting, this is awesome.

3. I actually want to use/wear the finished products. Number one pet peeve about many crafting ideas I see out there is that they lack taste. There is a point at which kitschy becomes ugly and when you can't pass off using sticks and wood found outdoors as shabby chic decor. Psimt does not fall into this category.

I can't wait to start reading and crafting. Hopefully, I'll soon be posting about how well my creative juices are flowing. Til then...

Action Jackson out.

Day Late, Dollar Short

2011-02-15T09:47:00.000-08:00

I had every intention of posting this yesterday, but the day proved to be very busy. I usually celebrate Valentine's by hosting a crafting/sweets indulging party for a handful of my closest friends and then dinner and a movie (usually at home) with my boyfriend. So, the holiday for me has never been about insanely overpriced meals and diamond rings but instead how to celebrate the people I care about (and good food too since I never miss a meal).

Naturally, I was inspired by these great snaps from one of my favorite blogs, thisisglamorous because their Valentine's Day posts usually applaud at-home efforts of simple decorating and dining (though, I must admit the only food I make is usually the out-of-the-box baked goods variety). So, here's to hoping everyone reading this had a great Valentine's Day.

The colors of this rose martini table set-up give it a very vintage 1920s feel.

Raspberry tart/ possibly creme brulee and coffee = best picnic idea ever.

Valentine's Day is all about the sweets and wine, and this snap is extra sweet.

The uses for paper doilies are endless as this ethereal light strand proves.

Action Jackson out.

Hearts on Fire

2011-02-09T09:42:00.000-08:00

It's no secret that I love tattoo art, especially Americana and Japanese work. I'm partial to sparrows, well-drawn women and pin-ups (emphasis on well-drawn because I've seen plenty of ugly/poorly drawn ones), sugar skulls, pirate ships, flowers, and sacred hearts. My inclination towards the last one might be tied to the fact that it's one of the only things I can/like to draw freehand. Since Valentine's Day is right around the corner, I figured this would be the perfect time to showcase some great tattoo art-inspired heart pieces on Etsy.

Sweetheart Sacred Heart and Bird Necklace by artallnight on Etsy, $26.00

Artallnight has been one of my top favorites on Etsy for a very long time. Her pieces are sweet and well-drawn, and the shop is always stocked to fit varying tattoo tastes.

Winged Heart with Eye Valentine (Set of 6) by illustratedink on Etsy, $7.00

Without a doubt, this is one of my absolute favorite Austin artists and local Etsy shop. Illustratedink's work is part Dia de los Muertos, part vintage carnival, and all good taste.

Tin Sacred Heart Mexican Wall Art multicolored by TheVirginRose on Etsy, $27.00

I am in love with the color mix for this piece. Though the tin hearts in this shop are my favorite, there's a multitude of colorful and sometimes glittery (be still, my heart) Mexican home decor pieces that look like they were straight from Austin's shop, The Turquoise Door.

The French Couple print set by ohashleylove on Etsy, $20.00

I love that this print set is a couple, especially because it's so perfect for Valentine's Day. I'm really digging on the matryoshka craft trend right now too. This shop offers up very classic Sailor Jerry-esque tattoo (the color palette used is spot-on) art prints and sweet knit pieces (the bows are my favorite!!).

Sacred Heart embroidery hoop fabric art by Moxiedoll on Etsy, $50.00

The blue fabric background with this piece is very striking and provides a great contrast for the silver and gold thread used. Every embroidered item in this shop is delightfully nostalgically geeky chic and vintage-inspired (think view-finders, telescopes, and classic poloaroid) and would make the perfect playful touch to any home.

New Tattoo Rose and Heart Locket with Skeleton Key Necklace by wickedminky, $22.00

It was love at first site when I saw this piece. The necklace combines several of my favorite tattoo art motifs- roses, hearts, diamonds, and a key/padlock pair- so, that might be why. Wickedminky's shop is filled with classic tattoo art as well as newer styles, and the greens and blues used are really rich and eye-catching.

If you're still looking for a great way to personalize Valentine's for you or somebody else, any of these finds would fit the bill. Are there any of your favorite tattoo art pieces or Etsy shops that I missed?

Action Jackson out.

Valentine Decorating - Dessert Tables

2011-02-08T08:37:00.000-08:00

I will be hosting a small Valentine's Day get together in a few days and have been searching for decoration inspiration, especially for the dessert table (arguably the most important part). Having a delicious looking dessert table is especially important because I'm not an experienced chef/baker, so nothing will be made from scratch (and there will be lots of food right out of the box). Though my expectations at the outset of my search weren't particularly low, nothing could have prepared me for how much awesome I stumbled upon.

Printable Be Mine, Valentine Paper Goods Collection by GwynnWassonDesigns, $6.50

This shop sells really affordable printable paper goods- banners, invitations, favor goods, party circles for all occasions. The added touches for this dessert table really gives a personalized and thoughtful vibe.

I Heart Valentines Day- Coordinating Party Logos- Customized by andersruff, $18.00

Everything in this display looks edible- even the tiered boxes on the two ends that resemble cakes...they are boxes, right? This shop offers up really colorful printable sets as well as event invitations, tags, cards, etc. that are all very theme-oriented.

Another find in my search was the Amy Atlas blog. This snapshot of various display ideas is just one of (I'm guessing here) thousands you can find on her site...because she does this for a living. I'm sure all my savvy crafty friends know about her already, but her inspiration is new to me.

Another Amy Atlas master/table-piece featured on Apartment Therapy (and therein suggesting I am behind on finding out about this crafty lady). Are those tree blossoms lollipops?!

Another table-scape from the same Apartment Therapy post. Take a sweet? Okay, Amy Atlas, but only if you promise there isn't a witch and gingerbread house lurking under the table.

I'm eager to find more calorie-free eye candy on this subject and will report back with what I find. What are your favorite presentation inspirations and dessert table finds?

Action Jackson out.

Ooh La La

2011-02-07T08:57:00.000-08:00

As some of you know, I'm a little nutty about Valentine's Day. And not in the 'I must receive a dozen cliche red roses and a heart-shaped box of chocolates from a significant other in a very public place so that everyone can envy me' kind of way. That said, I will eat myself silly with sweets for the approximate window of February 11-15 and no, I won't turn away flowers or sweet valentine notes.

I love Valentine's Day because in school, it meant an excuse to be hopped up on sugar, exchange gifts with friends, and all but shirk learning responsibilities (because honestly, who can focus when there's giant red mylar hearts everywhere?). As I've grown older, I've maintained a deep appreciation for the February culinary delights as well as the bombardment of pink and red kitsch.

The city of Austin has given me more reason to adore this holiday. Valentine's Day means a week filled with burlesque shows and movie buff events that will even leave the 'I hate Valentine's Day'-ers smiling (and yes, I sympathize with/encourage/celebrate the anti side of 2/14 too).

First on the list is Cirque de Flirt at Emo's on Saturday, February 12th at 9pm (Tix $8 in advance or $12 at the door). The show will consist of traditional burlesque, belly dancing, fire breathing and bed 'o nails acts, and a finale fire performance. The first 69 attendees will receive goodie bags, some of which will be packed with Diamonds and Guns goodies. Our friends at Kuhmillion Lingerie will also be there with a pop-up shop, including some DGAJ fascinators and earrings! To top it off, there's a few other giveaways and contests mixed in. For more details, check out the event or visit EmosAustin.com.
Cute Little Three Piece Set available through Kuhmillion Lingerie, $36.00

The second event is brought to you by Alamo Drafthouse. The Moulin Rouge Sing-Along is happening on Thursday, February 10th at 7pm. The wonderful Kuhmillion Lingerie will be there with Black Widow Burlesque showing off their wares. And did I mention rockin raffle prizes? They'll be available courtesy of Kuhmillion. A few DGAJ feather fascinators and bedazzled art deco earrings will be up for sale at the event too! So, if you're bored in line waiting for the show to start or need a last minute Valentine's gift. Never fear, Kuhmillion's here (or there, depending on how you look at it).

Hope to see lots of y'all out at these events!

Action Jackson out.

Good Will Bunting

2011-02-02T10:22:00.000-08:00

So, I know that I'm a little late to the party on this trend, but I have recently fallen in love with bunting (i.e. flag groupings/banners traditionally used for decoration). I'm hosting a Valentine's craft party in a few weeks and am dead set on that being the craft of interest, regardless of how practical it is/isn't to expect a group of gals to finish a whole banner in a few hours.

While searching on Etsy for bunting to feature here, I was delightfully surprised to find out that the trendy niche aesthetic isn't limited to just home decorating. The flags can adorn wedding cakes, greeting cards, wall hangings, yourself, or anything you can stamp! As for the home hanging assortment, there are a variety of styles ranging from shabby chic to kitschy cute to classically playful.

Wooden Bunting Flag Necklace-Candy Stripes and Yellow by lucie0ellen on Etsy, $21.00

I kid you not, one of my first thoughts before finding this necklace was, "someone needs to make bunting flag jewelry." She also makes customized name necklaces too adorable for words.

Declare Your Love - Boy Version - 8x10 Archival Print by rosydesignsonline on Etsy, $19.00

Recently Etsy's featured seller, this shop's cards and prints are a mix of heartwarming mementos and Warhol-esque pop and suit any occasion- Valentine's, Halloween, New Baby, and even Gay Weddings.

Bunting Hand Carved Stamp by doodlebugdesign on Etsy, $8.00

Just about every stamp in this shop makes me smile. I think the pastry icing bag and cupcake stamp set was made just for me. The macaron and robot love stamps are my other favorites.

Original Cake Bunting Fawn by KikiLaRu on Etsy, $24.00

This shop specializes in cake bunting and diy kits for any holiday or style. The sweet decor (no pun intended) adds a really personalized feel and would make all Apartment Therapy fans drool.

Fancy Square Banner Embroidery Applique Design Pattern by BigDreamsEmbroidery on Etsy, $4.95

I love the kitschy retro feel of this design. The color and fabric combo is very yummy too. This shop features great machine embroidery applique design patterns to help you get a start on diy bunting. There's a babushka doll in the shop that's to die for!

Happy Birthday Burlap Banner with Fleur de Lis on Etsy by funkyshique on Etsy, $22.00

Funkyshique's shop features all things burlap home decor. I love the shabby chic/simple elegance aesthetic of the work and think the photos and banners would be regulars on thisisglamorous.com.

Recycled Map Bunting Notecards (Set of 3) by saratops on Etsy, $9.00

This shop specializes in journals, stickers, tags, and notecards that incorporate recycled materials such as maps, flash cards, library cards, and even security tags. The recycled map pieces, like this one as well as the Military Flying journal are totally rad and would make me feel much cooler than I am carrying them around or sending them as gifts. :)

Check back later when I add more fun bunting-inspired pieces!

Action Jackson out.

Viva La Vida 2010

2010-10-29T08:53:00.000-07:00

For those of you who missed Viva la Vida Fest 2010 sponsored by Austin's Mexic-Arte Museum, first, you should feel very despondent because you missed a good time that you won't be able to get in on it for another year. Second, my friend Kim of Devilgirl Design took some amazing shots for me to use here (I was busy holding down the fort and (wo)manning the booths during the day. Plus, she likes taking pictures more than I do.
I spent the better part of last Saturday (12pm-11pm, no joke) vending with my favorite crafty pals, Devilgirl Design and Sweet Wolf. Leading up to the event, we had all been fiercely working to churn out new pieces just in time (and appropriately themed) for VLVF. Here's what they cooked up, respectively:From the workbench of Devilgirl Design: hearts, stars, pistols, and skulls a plenty. I'm in love.
A sample set of collage matchboxes from Sweet Wolf. Her ENTIRE stock was new, and it all sold like hot cakes. Now you have pictorial proof of why that is.

As for my new stock, I still have yet to take pictures... (oops!) because I took the GRE on Tuesday. Woohoo! For anyone wondering, I already know my score since I took it on the computer and feel like it's pretty darned respectable. However, I still have most of the new stuff and plan to post pictures this weekend or the start of next week to show some Halloween love DGAJ style. A few new skull pieces, rings, rib cage necklaces (get excited), feather fascinators, and vampire teeth necklaces are all in the mix. Like many Oscar acceptance speakers, I'm sure I'm leaving someone/thing out, but there will be pictures to make up for it.
So what can you expect from VLVF if you decide to go? Lots of delicious food- sweet bread (FTW!), tacos, tamales, beautiful paper mache parade pieces, sculptures, altars, sugar skulls, a massive and awesome parade that takes up a big part of Congress and probably pisses off Austin drivers, and a nonstop crowd (I mean crowd in a good way) of people decked out in DDLM garb head to toe. If you stop by our booth, you can expect great handmade work accompanied by lovingly snarkalicious retorts at one another, unless you want in on that too. The bands aren't half bad either-there were a few punky starters and one that Kim said sounded like Jefferson Airplane, but I guess you'll need to go to find out for yourself.

Action Jackson out.

Currently Listening: I am a Modern Girl (DJ Trouble WFMU Fundraiser Mix)

Halloween Treats

2010-10-27T09:55:00.000-07:00

While I love a healthy dose of gothy style year-round, I equally relish seeing everyone else getting into the aesthetic as well as the Halloween & Day of the Dead spirit this month. A few standby designer favorites, Betsey Johnson and Tarina Tarantino, are plunging in head first and have whipped up some delish treats. Enjoy!
Betsey Johnson Black Cat Earrings

Betsey Johnson 'Lip Charm' Necklace
Betsey Johnson 'Love Bites' Cuff

Tarina Tarantino Sugar Skull Drop Earrings

Tarina Tarantino Electric Aztec Crystal Horned Headband

Action Jackson out.

Currently Listening: Brothers by The Black Keys

Emerging from the Depths...

2010-10-05T14:20:00.000-07:00

Yikes! I haven't posted on this thing in almost two months. No worries; I have as many excuses as I have pairs of shoes in my closet...Hold on, I'm counting. Regardless, it's been too long. Since my last post, Austin Fashion Week has come and gone. In case you missed it, the event went as smoothly as I could have asked for and my jewelry was really well received by the soiree attendees and JR Salon clients alike.
Immediately following AFW, I went on a much needed (I can't emphasize either part of that enough) family vacation to England and had a *splendid* time. For my Facebook friends, there's a thorough snapshot chronicle that I uploaded-all the obligatory shots you've already seen in books but are somehow still intrigued by and more English ceilings than you ever thought you wanted to see.

Post vacation/jet lag catch-up week, I wasted no time and jumped right into studying for the GRE and applying for grad school. No, there are no pictures of this, and seriously, would you really want to see them if there were? So, I'm still waist deep in all of that and hope to make new jewelry for my two upcoming shows which I'll talk about in my next post...which won't be two months from now.

Action Jackson out.

Tour Guide: Austin Fashion Week

2010-08-12T09:03:00.000-07:00

Austin Fashion Week 2010 is almost here! And yes, in case you're wondering, I am and will be running around like a mad woman for the next few days to get ready. As intimidating and overwhelming as AFW can be for participants, I think it can seem that way to Austinites on the outside looking in. There is a mass of cocktail parties and runway shows clumped into the small time span of one week, so it's hard to know which ones are most worth your while. Which is where I come in; think of me as your tour guide.

The week will kick off with Bright Lights Idea City, a showcase of designs from Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent, Robert Stock for Robert Graham, and the mash up teams from AFW 2010. So, you'll get to see the blood, sweat, and tears of Team Anachronism (aka my team) in person. In addition, there will be gratis food and cocktails alongside a silent auction and art sale benefiting Dress for Success. What does that mean exactly? You can bid on any one of the mash up team prints as well as jewelry, clothing, bags, etc. from all participating designers. Pretty cool, huh? If you'd like to purchase tickets, you can do so from the AFW website.

Sunday, August 15th marks the first day of salon/boutique and showcase designer pair up events. All events during this week through Friday, August 20th will be free to the public.

To kick off the week and end your weekend well, you should stop by Shear Decadence. This shindig will be hosted at Salon Intuitions from 5-8pm and will showcase the talent of Merritt Gade Fine Handmades. To sweeten the deal, Merritt and her salon will provide tasty treats, a 20% discount on all MGFH jewelry, gift bags, raffle prizes, and a photo booth by Booth 66.

One especially important point- if you attend both my and Merritt's events, you will be entered for a very special raffle to win goodies from both of us. We will be handing out raffle tickets at each event that you will need to take to the other as proof that you've attended both, i.e. pick up a ticket from Merritt's event, fill it out, and bring it to me. You will be entered for the raffle. Our parties are less than one mile apart, so it'll be easier than taking candy from...well, you know.

On that same day during the exact same time slot (August 15th, 5-8pm), yours truly will be hosting a retro-inspired cocktail party, Pin-Ups and Pastries, at JR Salon. We will have cupcakes from The Cupcake Bar, complimentary cocktails, and raffle prizes and goodie bags with freebies from Diamonds and Guns, JR Salon, and the always fabulous Kuhmillion. Btw~ Beth Hempton from Kuhmillion designed these beautiful party flyers for me. Don't they rock?

On Monday, be sure to head over to one of my favorite spots in town-North Lamar downtown for Jetset to Style. The always lovely Anne Marie Beard, handbag designer extraordinaire, will host a fashion show complete with yummy treats, cocktails, goodie bags for the first 25 attendees through the door, the works. Jetset to Style will take place at the new (at least new to me) Austin shoe store, Stella Says Go, and proceeds will benefit 1 House at a Time. I have a feeling that my attempts to save money will prove futile after attending this stylish party, especially as it will be serving as my Monday happy hour.

On Wednesday, August 18th, Lovely Austin, one of the rockin local boutiques that carries DGAJ will be hosting Cupcakes, Cocktails, Makeovers, and Fashion with Material. I am jumping out of my seat excited about this event because the gal behind Material, Kellie Lewis, is on my AFW mash up team! She is insanely nice, and the pieces she made for our team competition are amazing! For the event, there will be complimentary cocktails, treats by the Cupcake Bar, and daytime to evening mini-makeovers.

To close out your week, check out the Austin Fashion Awards Show, which will be going on starting at 5:30pm at The Long Center on Saturday, August 21st. Along with the awards presentation, there will be live performances by Austin bands, SPEAK! and Zayra along with runway shows by Line & Dot, Rene Geneva, Boudoir Queen, Chloe Dao, and *drum roll please* Betsey Johnson. I'm promising myself now that I will not freak out and try to run onstage and hug her. I will instead remember that I am a calm and collected adult(ish) who doesn't get starstruck. Ever. Not even by Betsey Johnson.

Be sure to drop me a line if you're planning on attending any of these or any other rockin events happening during Austin Fashion Week. Hope to see a lot of you out there.

Action Jackson out.

Currently Listening: Debut by Bjork

Heavy Metal pt. 2

2010-08-02T14:08:00.000-07:00

As promised here are a few more pictures of the jewelry I made for this year's AFW team design challenge. This first piece is a crown that was worn by our female model. The brass sheet was pretty malleable, so once we cut the strip and sanded/buffered the edges, bending it to a head-shape was a pinch. I then spray painted the deco fan with a crackled brass and attached it and the peach Swarovskis using liquid fusion and E6000, respectively. Another piece that I made for our female model was this arm coil band/cuff. The material is copper tubing (hardware store find) that is typically used for plumbing. To get this shape, we wrapped the tubing around a can (yes, some elbow grease was definitely needed). The curled end was achieved with pliers, a vice-like small tool used by plumbers, and plenty of patience. To finish it off, I put a few layers of brass crackle spray paint on the piece. A good tip for working with copper- it can change shape more easily than brass, but if you over-manipulate the metal, it will become brittle, more difficult to shape, and has a higher potential for breaking.

Finally, this necklace was made for and worn by our male model. It was intended to be flashy and over the top, so hopefully attendees of the fashion show in two weeks (eep!) will agree. When worn, the brass pieces fan out really well and give the necklace an art deco vibe. The rectangles were initially one brass sheet. The metal is thicker than the picture would lead you to believe, so we needed to use metal cutting shears (and some muscle) to cut. Holes were drilled on each metal piece, and the rectangles were strung with onyx-colored iridescent chandelier beads on an all-jump ring strand.

I'll be sure to post even more pictures so you can get the full 360 of these pieces (or as 360 as the interwebs will allow). For now, please visit fashionweekaustin.com to vote for your favorite designers/salons/boutiques/models/photographers/makeup artists/anyone else I'm omitting. If I happen to make your list, I'd be okay with that too.

Action Jackson out.

Heavy Metal

2010-07-30T12:58:00.000-07:00

So, remember how I promised pics of my jewelry from the Austin Fashion Week challenge? Well, I don't want to use the dog ate my homework bit, but the dog ate my homework/my camera decided to be stubborn mid-upload. I was able to get a few shots though, so here they are. For the challenge, my team decided to go with an Egyptian theme, which is characterized by intricate beading and lots of metal when it comes to jewelry- neither of which I have much experience with.
When it came time to brainstorm and sit down at the drawing board, I enlisted the help of Merritt Gade (of Merritt Gade Fine Handmades) and Lori Hooks (of Adorn Modern), jewelry metalsmith extraordinaires. Actually, first I freaked out (a lot) and then I enlisted their help...which may or may not have been followed by more freaking out.
Lori was nice enough to let me invade her garage studio to work on the metal pieces as well as teach me plenty of techniques to turn hardware store brass sheets, copper wire tubing, and a few ideas I sketched/scribbled out into some rockin jewelry. The brass sheet for the cuffs was split down the middle and hammered out into a more wrist-friendly shape. I then used liquid fusion to glue on the art deco scarabs.
I decided to do one piece that was more on the side of what I do, which is where these scarab lucite filigree earrings came into play. I might just have to make some to sell on my Etsy shop. Whatdya think?
In other news, The WonderCraft, one of the Austin boutiques I sell my jewelry at, has found a new home on the east side at Starving Art. One of their neighbors of E.A.T. (East Austin Trailer park eatery) will be hosting a grand opening, and the WC gals will be open and celebrating their new digs tomorrow at 5pm. Read all about the new spot on The WonderCraft's blog and be sure to hit up the party tomorrow!

If that's not enough to keep you busy, come check out one of the other rockin shops that carries DGAJ, Lovely Austin Boutique's Grand Re-Opening tomorrow from 6-9pm at their new pad, i.e. 1506 S. 1st St. They'll have live music, ice cold popsicles from Austin's own Goodpop, and the cherry on top will be the premiere of one of my crafty friends, Anne Marie's handbags and accessories at the shop.

So, be sure to check out these stellar events this weekend, get ready for Austin Fashion Week voting and more updates, and while you're at it, shake your fist at my camera.

Action Jackson out.

Pinups and Pastries

2010-07-28T13:37:00.000-07:00

I'm currently still in the planning stages for Austin Fashion Week, however, I'm thrilled to share some exciting developments for the event I'll be hosting with JR Salon. I'll post a Facebook event very very soon, but in the meantime here's the basics:

What: Pinups and Pastries Austin Fashion Week Event
Where: JR Salon (4800 Burnet Rd.)
When: Sunday, August 15th 5-8pm
Why: There's free cupcakes and cocktails in it for you if you come. If that's not enough incentive, I promise to make some fabulous jewelry/eye candy that'll make it worth your while. For the event, the salon will primp a few models ala Bettie Page to showcase their fierce (yes, I just said fierce) hair styling and mad makeup artist skills. To round out the look, these lovelies will be donning corsets and some rockin DGAJ jewelry.

So what about that exciting news, you say?

Kuhmillion Lingerie and The Cupcake Bar will be sponsoring our event to make it an especially stellar night.
Kuhmillion is an Austin-based lingerie company that is part classy, part retro and sells their satin and lace at prices even yours truly could afford. And that's saying something. Even if Vargas pinups aren't your thing, the variety in styles is vast enough to suit any taste. Our models will be sporting some fabulous pin-up stockings from the Kuhmillion boutique so you can see in person just how great their wares are. In the meantime, check them out here.
For those of you who've been living under a rock in Austin for the past few years, The Cupcake Bar is a cupcakes only catering service that combines unconventional flavors with even more unconventional toppings (nerds, gumballs, pop rocks, pixie sticks just to name a few) that are custom-made to your specs (hence the "Bar" part of the name) to make something that is not only insanely delicious but also super fun. If you want to see what I mean, check them out here.

The salon and I are brainstorming party favor ideas in the form of raffles and goodie bags; believe me when I say I'll keep you updated on this. All the same, hope to see as many of you there as possible!

Action Jackson out.

Currently Listening: The Island by Le Tigre

That Hansel is So Hot Right Now

2010-07-16T12:54:00.000-07:00

First up, if you don't have plans tonight, you should check out Pixel Pop: a Fusion of Art, Fashion and Music. If you do have plans, cancel them- chances are this promises to be more fun anyway. This all ages event is goin on at Mohawk tonight starting at 9:30pm and will feature art/art demos, a fashion show, pop-up shops, make and takes by The WonderCraft, tasty treats from Blue Note Bakery, photo booths, live music, and giveaways. Whew, that's a mouthful! Personally, I'll be seeing Predators tonight at The Ritz Alamo, but I will definitely be stopping by afterwords.

Note: This picture has been removed until further notice. Sorry for the inconvenient lameness.

In other news, yesterday was the team photo submission deadline for Austin Fashion Week, which means I can start leaking all the pictures I want. What you see (above) is the product of my team's (aka Team Anachronism) blood, sweat, and tears. The models featured are Lauren Rachelle and Robby Gonzalez, whom my team selected in June at the AFW Model Call. The beautiful dress that Lauren is sporting was made by Kellie Lewis of Material. Robby is also donning a wrap made by Kellie; you just can't see it in this particular photo. Egyptian eye makeup, Goldfinger-esque body paint, and even a wraparound snake (on Lauren) are all makeup splendors created by Wendy Sanders of Blood and Glitter Makeup.

One of the first things I see when I look at this photo is the intricately designed gold and silver hair centerpiece (yep, it's hair) on Robby. Equally intricate and detailed is the tall hairstyle on Lauren that incorporates watch faces, leaves, and a head piece by yours truly. The avant garde hair you see here was done by the sweet and talented Pamela Ivy Kim. Finally, the beautiful photography work that captured the tangible efforts of our team members in one concise shot was done by Julien Larmay. The jewelry was of course done by DGAJ. Close up shots soon to come!

So what's next on the list for DGAJ and Austin Fashion Week? I'm in the works of planning my trunk show/soiree-esque event in collaboration with JR Salon. I'll be posting details on my event as well as those of other Etsy Austines soon, so keep your eyes peeled. In the meantime, check out Pixel Pop tonight at Mohawk.

Action Jackson out.

Currently Listening: Frankenchrist by Dead Kennedys

I Can Haz Break?

2010-07-14T12:34:00.000-07:00

Sheesh. I have not been the model blogger by any means for the past three weeks, i.e. unusually long hiatus. But but but, I assure you (in the same way I would a professor asking for an explanation on late homework) I have several excellent reasons! Could this explain for seemingly arbitrary pictures of adorable kittens on my blog? Yes, yes it could.
As some of you know, I moved recently, and I'm irked to report I'm still not 100% moved in. I have moved once every year for the past four years (or six if you want to throw in dorm move-ins), and at the end of each subsequent move, I'm always amazed at two things: a) how long it takes to really finish moving in and b) that I somehow have the energy to keep moving at that rate. Admittedly, I'm losing a little steam and the "novelty" is wearing off, so hopefully I can give it a break for a few years. No pictures yet (believe me, you wouldn't want them even if I had them to show off), but when the new place is presentable, I'll post.
...which brings me to my next excellent reason for not posting, a kitten named Alice. Two days into my move, I was needed back at work for a day and while there, I found a kitten romping around campus. At UT, there is a wonderful program in place known as the Campus Cat Coalition that traps, spays/neuters, and releases cats found on campus. In addition, the UT CCC cares for and adopts out kittens found on campus who are under the age of 12 weeks. Because the primary caretaker for kittens was overbooked, I took it upon myself to foster this adorable fur ball. Her (temporary) name is Alice, and she is a 10-week old torby (part tabby, part tortoiseshell, though I don't really see the latter). So, though the timing with moving and everything else wasn't ideal, I'm glad to have helped take care of this pretty girl in the meantime.
But wait, there's more (not even kidding)! During the weekend of my move, I created jewelry for Austin Fashion Week's team design competition. Basically, there are 24 teams consisting of clothing designers, jewelry makers, hair stylists, makeup artists, photographers, and models competing in the challenge. Each team creates a look for a photo shoot (one photo is submitted to AFW) and runway show. Once digital prints are received from all teams, they will be posted on Austin Fashion Week's website for voting. Don't worry, I'll let you know when this happens. Tomorrow's the deadline for photo submissions, so I will be posting pictures of not only my jewelry but also the team's snapshot very soon!

So yeah, you could say I've been busy. ;) I'm slowly getting back on track though, so I'll be posting more on AFW and other juicy happenings soon enough.

Action Jackson out.

Currently Listening: Emergency & I- The Dismemberment Plan

Happy Birthday Etsy!

2010-06-23T09:12:00.000-07:00

So, I realize I'm a little late on this, but in between preparing to move next week, working, and everything else life throws at you, it's been too crazy to post until now. Last Friday was Etsy's birthday party, and Etsians all over the world celebrated, including Austin's very own Etsy street team.
Yours truly was in charge of organizing and planning the team's craft party for a crowd of 75. Needless to say, I was freaking out a little bit at the prospect of doing this all the way up to the party when I was too busy manning the oven (for the shrinky dinks) to freak out. And who says being busy doesn't have its advantages?
Prepping for the party definitely came down to the wire (especially with me running a little behind schedule that day), but if there's two things you can count on our team members to do, it's making things pretty (or making pretty things) and doing so efficiently. Once the party started rolling, my fears of running out of food, possibly violating fire codes, and ensuring guests had a good time melted away. And no, I don't think that was the toaster oven talking.
Though I was mostly involved in baking shrinky dinks and helping guests to make buttons, magnets, and keychains out of their hand-drawn creations, there was plenty more going on at the party. We took the team Yudu (gifted to us while participating in a South by Southwest craft event) out for a spin, and Debbie of Debbie Carroll Designs printed bags, tees, and aprons for everyone who brought one.
Amy (Craft Chi) also stopped by to screen print the *famous* Etsy is Cool screen design that Etsy commissioned her to make for the birthday goodie boxes. So, you could say we had an Etsy celebrity on hand, which is pretty cool if you ask me.
Our third craft that we had running for our guests was button making. Judging by how much our party attendees liked this, I'd say you're never too old to make or wear one! Beth H (Snuggle Herd) provided guests with a hands on tutorial for button makers and provided fabric and eclectic paper scraps for custom-made buttons.
All in all, I'd say the party was a hit. Our guests all left smiling and with plenty of party favors in hand, we had yummy food left over (even if the cupcakes were running a little low at the end), and as for the fire code I was worried about, totally not an issue. For more pics from the party, check them out here.

Action Jackson out!

Shopping with Action Jackson: 20,000 Finds Under the Sea

2010-06-18T11:16:00.000-07:00

The Simple Sailor Locket (vintage) by FreshyFig

I have a confession to make. I don't like the beach. On top of that, I'm almost always underwhelmed when I commit to a trip to Galveston or Corpus Christi. This could be attributed to any number of things-swallowing too much salt water as a child, being fair skinned, watching Jaws one too many times, beach volleyball being exponentially more difficult (and yeah, a little less fun) than indoor volleyball, getting seasick on boats, etc., etc.

La Sirena Print by IllustratedInk

There are two exceptions to this, one being a family vacation to Hawaii. If you've never been, it more than lives up to its alluring reputation. The water is crystal clear, which is not only pretty but also practical/helpful for anyone who fears almost everything underneath the vast ocean surface (I've seen a lot of people get jellyfish stings in my day). And though it isn't directly related to beaches, seeing flowing lava in person was arguably one of the neatest things I've ever witnessed.

Squid Linens by SquidInkKollective

The other exception was a day trip to Santa Monica that was part of a spring break excursion to L.A. with some gal pals. The day consisted of getting henna, eating all the boardwalk food you probably shouldn't eat, riding the ferris wheel, and teaching ourselves how to surf (they were foam long boards, so that made it a pinch easier). Needless to say, surfing is not as easy as some people make it look, and being able to snowboard isn't as helpful as you'd like to think it would be, trust me. I'm not sure I even made it to standing up on the board. However, I had a blast and wouldn't mind going back anytime.

Vintage Dictionary Art Print Crawfish by LittleBlueBirdStudios

Point being, because I have the two very positive beach experiences under my belt, I continue to hold out hope for coastal excursions being promising. Though, when facing the sandy prospects that someone with my vacation budget has for time off from work, i.e. Galveston and Corpus, the skeptic in me usually wins and I opt out.

Seahorse Roboticus by BinaryWinter

So, in lieu of touring Texas beaches or going to The Maldives, I seek out beach and sea-themed wares. There's part of me that wants to wipe out my stigma of the beach so badly, and I'm convinced that having nautical finds and retro beach prints in my apartment will do the trick. Lucky for me, countless artists on Etsy are inspired by the sea and provide ample beach eye candy, especially in the summer. I definitely encourage you to check out the shops of the artists featured here today because the pics are only a small sampling of their awesome shops. In the meantime, I'll leave you with one of my beach snaps from Santa Monica.

Action Jackson out.

In Love with Lucite

2010-06-14T08:03:00.000-07:00

Because I am a self proclaimed magpie, it may or may not come as a surprise to you that I love all things lucite in decor and design. I can't articulate what this stems from, but I'd be willing to guess that my lucite love is a kind of evolution/adult version of my 13-year old self that wanted to have a house filled with nothing but inflatable furniture (and who wouldn't? Think how easy moving would be).
Though this multipurpose material was first produced in the 1930s and first used for mass production for machinery components in World War II, lucite wasn't incorporated into design until the 1960s when the space age aesthetic was all the rage (personally, I can't blame them). Luckily for me, this trend hasn't died off, and Apartment Therapy's frequent posts and pics (the top three shown here) on the subject are proof of just that.
If money was no object, I would go crazy decorating my apartment with the pristine plastic. However, the lucite decor that's out there (a la Philippe Starck ghost chairs, above, that are a heartbreaker to yours truly) tends to be on the pricey side. So, if you're like me and love lucite and pinch pennies, have no fear, Apartment Therapy is here. Last September, they posted this DIY project on how to make your own lucite chandelier.
The flawlessly elegant aesthetic that lucite achieves in interior design is maintained in its translation in jewelry, whether through faceted gem-like beads or carved nouveau pieces. Tarina Tarantino is no stranger to this medium and typically incorporates it into over-the-top pieces like her Over the Rainbow Necklace (shown above) from the My Pretty Collection. Personally, I love working lucite filigree into my jewelry, but I haven't explored all the beading possibilities. So, what do you think about this pretty plastic? Would you take the plunge like me and decorate a room completely in lucite?

Action Jackson out.

Currently Listening: Let Love In by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

Summer = Flowers

2010-06-09T11:12:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-06-08T07:30:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-04T07:59:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-05T06:51:00.001-07:00

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.

One Man's Trash

2010-04-26T13:41:00.000-07:00

One man's trash is another's cathedral. A few weekends ago, Alec and I visited Austin's very own Cathedral of Junk after hearing it was being closed down. It's been over a month since the most recent set of discussions regarding its closing started, and it's still standing. I don't know the status of negotiations/threats/potential bulldozings beyond that. As much as I want to, I'm not going to go all preachy and speculate why I think the city is doing this, how badly I think it reflects on our state's government, or anything like that. After all, there's a Facebook fan page for that sorta thing. :)
Instead, I want to say how fitting and relevant something like the Cathedral is not only for Earth Day but also for the 21st century. To think that all those wine bottles, shopping carts, refrigerators, bicycles, bowling balls, trophies, old car seats, everything- would have otherwise found its way to a landfill and didn't, leaves me awestruck. If you haven't been, the structure may or may not live up to your expectations size-wise, but upon closer inspection, the number of building blocks and arrangement is so meticulously thought out (Vince, the owner, was moving trophies and figurines back to their proper place while we were there) that if you were to really think about it, your head would explode Scanners style.
Whether you consider the CoJ art or just awesome, the fact that it exists, is still taken care of years after its initial conception, draws countless people in on a regular basis, and brings some to tears (not speaking from personal experience, just what I read), is everything you need to know about why it's relevant in today's world. We all probably consume too much and don't make the best use of what we do have (ya know, the whole you use 20% of what you have 80% of the time). The Cathedral of Junk holds up the mirror and shows us that we consistently do this.

Because it's Earth Day, I'm making a conscious effort to think about what I can do to cut back because I'm probably not doing enough. That said, I bus or walk to work every day, turn off the lights when I leave the room, go grocery shopping with reusable canvas bags, use CFL's, get at least 25-30mpg when I do drive, recycle (that part's thanks to my roomie), and donate whatever I no longer use instead of throwing it out- unless it's 10 year-old paint chip nail polish...

Someone made the argument to me that statistics have shown (in recent years) that we're cutting back drastically on how much we drive and subsequently how much waste we're producing because of it. For one, I'm extremely skeptical that this is true. And even if the statistic holds true, I think it's a moot point. A comment like that excuses a lack of effort to conserve. The new goal I'm setting for myself is consciously shopping locally (Farmer's Markets, local goods and designers, etc.). What are you doing to help?

Action Jackson out.

Currently listening: Kid A by Radiohead

Picture Perfect

2010-04-06T06:58:00.000-07:00

Happy post-Easter! Or as a woman in my office said yesterday, Happy Easter Egg Day! I don't know what she was talking about; I have a feeling I missed an inside joke. I hope you're all enjoying gorging on Easter candy as much as I am- Cadbury eggs, jellybeans, and new to me this year- chocolate covered Peeps! I still have yet to try them, but I'm definitely one of the people who love Peeps (because when it comes to Peeps, you either love them or despise them, no in betweenies).

This past weekend, I went to Houston to visit my family. My mom, brother, and I went to the Museum of Natural Science and checked out the butterfly and Faberge exhibits. My mom had never seen the butterfly biodome (I never know what to call it), and she loved it. It's definitely my favorite at the HMNS, and I was able to get some pretty good shots out of the visit!

You may be saying to yourself, "Camille, pictures of butterflies are great and all, but why?" To which I say, I have a confession to make. Anyone who knows me well enough or knows how I function in DGAJ Land knows that I hate hate hate taking pictures. It's without a doubt my least favorite part of making and selling jewelry (next to taxes). However, I'll be submitting pictures of my jewelry to a contest for which photos will serve as the only preliminary evidence of my work. The contest is a great opportunity to showcase what I do, so I'm making a concerted effort to really improve the quality of my pictures, even if it's begrudgingly so. With these pictures, I think I'm realizing what I already know/have already been told, and that is that natural light is the best light. I'll have to keep that in mind for the coming weeks when it's 5pm and I'm feeling too beat from work to snap a few pics. ;) Here's a sample of what I'm aiming for in the meantime...

Action Jackson out.

Cupcakeacolypse

2010-03-24T11:41:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-16T13:38:00.000-07:00

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.

New Month, New News

2010-03-04T13:09:00.000-08:00

After having one of the best Wednesdays of my recollection yesterday (which included stuffing my face with delicious sushi at Kyoto Happy Hour, playing with puppies, and catching a Dropkick Murphys show), I am in a fantastic mood today! It's great getting a weekend high in the middle of the week slump. Note to self: do that more often. I'm also in a great mood because of all the exciting news for DGAJ.

For starters, last Saturday, I took a new batch of jewelry over to Pangaea. They are officially open at their new location at 2210 S 1st St, which makes them neighbors with fabulous Austin shops like Secret Oktober and End of an Ear. I also have some new bling over at Parts and Labour that is lookin mighty spiffy and is as ready to brave the SXSW crowds as I am. Anyone know of good shows goin on? I'm taking vacation days on the Thursday and Friday of the music week, but I have yet to thumb through the Chronicle.

I have to contain my excitement about this next bit of news because I was (and am) completely surprised and flattered when Austin's own The Cupcake Bar asked me to participate in their Cupcake and Wine Sip and Shop Event. As you guys know, I love cupcakes and all things cupcakery. I mean, come on. How many people do you know who love cupcakes so much that they display jewelry in cupcake stands? Soigne Boutique and Austin's House Wine will also be participating in this hotsy totsy shopping event. So, mark your calendars! Wednesday March 24th from 4:30-7:30pm is when the fun will be goin on.

That's all the new news for DGAJ. As for me? I'm catching Alice in Wonderland this weekend, and I couldn't be more excited! Here's to hoping my post can keep everyone sidetracked at work in the meantime.

Action Jackson out.

1,001 Uses for Paper Doilies

2010-02-25T12:27:00.000-08:00

For anyone who doesn't know this about me, I love love love lace, filigree, and all things art nouveau (and tasteful, I should add). So, it's only natural that I have accumulated (and for some reason continue to buy) quite a number of paper doilies throughout the years and Valentine's Days. In light of my trying to recycle more things more often, driving less and bussing more, and buying groceries from local farmers, I figured I should stay consistent and find new uses for my beloved doilies.

Sure, they make great decorations, pretty yet ineffective coasters, and classic adornments for kids' valentine bags, but what more could they possibly be used for? The answers I have are surprising and admittedly accidental. For a Valentine's soiree I recently hosted for some of my gal pals, I had everyone decorate a Valentine's-themed reusable canvas bag (I'm a big fan of party favors that people can use and keep long term).

To recreate this bag design, you'll need:

-canvas bag (widely available at all craft stores- we got the extra big ones so the straps are long enough to carry on you arm)
-doilies (heart or rounds or both!)
-fabric paint
-paint brushes and sponges
-fabric craft glitter

1. Lay paper doilies down in the desired pattern for your bag.

2. Dip your sponge brush in the fabric paint and sponge paint the inside of the doilies. For full colored patterns, use a generous amount of fabric paint and make sure everything inside the doilies is colored (no canvas showing!).

3. If you would like to incorporate the scalloped edges in your design, use a broad tipped paint brush to paint the outline of the doilies. If you want a design that more closely resembles Day of the Dead paper silhouette decorations (i.e. shown above), only paint inside the doilies and once you're satisfied with the level of color saturation, peel the doilies off the bag.

4. For added bling, shake the craft glitter over your painted design while the paint's still wet (instant natural adhesive!).

Once you're done shaking off your glitter, voila! New bag to take to the grocery store! Personally, I think the Valentine's design is toned down enough to use year-round. What do y'all think?

In addition to being used as handy stencils for bag decorating, doilies make great add-ons for personalized valentines. I prefer cutting the hearts in half or quarters and using them as border filigree design in order to make them look a little less garish paper doily. One of my favorite alternative uses for doilies is home decor, and a perfect and unexpected example is shown here in This is Glamorous, an awesome blog Apartment Therapy recently introduced me to.

So, that's 3 down, 998 uses to go, right? Do you guys know of other great ways to extend the life of doilies or other favorite seemingly one-life/one-use everyday items? Let me know! In the meantime, hope to see everyone tonight at The WonderCraft's Grand Opening from 6-9pm at The Art Pad.

Action Jackson out.

Still Keepin Warm and Stayin Crafty!

2010-02-24T19:28:00.000-08:00

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

Keep Warm, Stay Crafty!

2010-02-23T16:04:00.000-08:00

Brrrr. It's officially cold in Austin (as if it hasn't been off and on for the past few weeks/months); I'm taking the liberty of declaring it so because it snowed today at home and work for me...oh, and because work is opening a few hours late tomorrow. With the arctic winds set to full blast and me being on my third sick stint (yep, third) in less than two months, I'm not taking any chances. The heater is on and I'm only venturing outside for work and emergency trips at the convenience store (hot cocoa, etc.). This, of course, allows me more time to do a few things: read, watch everything on Netflix instant/Amazon Video on Demand that I instantaneously want to veg to, and craft.

For starters, I whipped up some bejeweled feather clips and bling earrings for The WonderCraft's Grand Opening Party, which is going on this Thursday at The Art Pad from 6-9pm. The Cupcake Bar, Blue Note Bakery, and Apothecary Cafe and Wine Bar will be providing the delish dishes, the WC ladies will be teaching screenprinting and embroidery mini-classes, and a few of the lovely Etsy Austin ladies will be selling their fabulous wares all night. And, if you're in the market for some DGAJ gems, don't fret! There are several crystal-encrusted Diamonds and Guns pieces available in The Wondercraft's boutique airstream trailer! Also, be sure to get there early so you can snag one of the goody bags (and subsequently a DGAJ feather clip or bling earrings) reserved for the first 25 attendees.

Stay tuned for more ways to keep warm and crafty (and reading) with DGAJ!

~Action Jackson out.

Currently Listening: Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death- Dead Kennedys

Love is in the Air

2010-02-16T12:28:00.000-08:00

Before you say it, I know. You can't get a more banal post title than this one, but this is my last Valentine's post for the year (I'm not one of those kitschy people who think Christmas in July is awesome). To kick off celebrating, my roommate and I turned into baking fiends and made more cupcakes, cookies, and chocolate covered strawberries and cherries than you can imagine (pics soon to come so you can see how little I'm exaggerating). Said sweets were then contributed towards a mini Valentine's party with close friends-fun games, delicious food, and lots of crafting (painted canvas bags, handmade valentines, and edible cookie valentines). Said party was followed by *cue awwws* dinner date and watching horror movies. On a side note, I thought my boyfriend and I were especially clever for thinking to watch horror movies on Valentine's Day (and it's fitting in a way considering the way of St. Valentine) because who would think to do that? However, this is Austin and we were so not the only couple to do that. Go figure- our city is chock-full of nerds, movie buffs, and fanboys (and girls).

For today's Etsy artist Valentine feature, I am sharing the work of one of my absolute favorite Etsy artists, Art All Night. Above is her Be Mine Valentine Sparrow Necklace, which features two Americana sparrows facing into a full glitter heart. Although it's the perfect feature piece for any Valentine's Day outfit, I can see myself wearing this rockin necklace year-round. Based out of Pittsburgh, Art All Night creates colorful classic Americana and Japanese tattoo art jewelry that could pass as the real deal. And, the cherry on top is that some of the pieces are painted with glitter, like the one above. Her work is perfect for anyone who has a deep appreciation of bright colors and tattoo art or someone who would love to have some ink but isn't ready to take the plunge. In addition to jewelry, AAN sells some of her own framed artwork that ranges from pin ups to dragons to pirate ships. For the extensive time and work that I imagine go into making these inspirational pieces, Art All Night charges an insanely fair price and makes it easy for everyone to own some great art. So, if you haven't already, go check out her shop and get inspired.

So how did y'all end up spending Valentine's? Did you find my mini (and unintentionally abridged) guide helpful? Let me know what your favorite feature was while you're at it!

Action Jackson out.

For All the Show Lovers Out There...

2010-02-09T08:03:00.000-08:00

Continuing on yesterday's post, one aspect of Austin that I genuinely love are the shows. Now, I realize that might be semi-vague as the casual use suggests an ever-changing context-adaptive definition: arts and crafts, comedy, theater, music (because as one of my favorite tv writers put it, "we don't go to concerts; we go to shows"), etc. This post is no exception to that culprit behavior. Getting to the point, I did some digging for my loyal readers to find more happenings for Happy Hearts Day, and I found way too much. In fact, it was too much to post. So, if you don't see something you like on here today, check out what else is going on. For now, here's some cool artistry, freebies, and shows that made the cut for me.

Today's featured work comes from Etsy Austinite, Kristen Pumphrey of Pommes Frites. This trusty Valentine's Day book safe is so cute and clever- and not to mention, the perfect gift for any beloved neurotic in your life. Even better, this salvaged book could be a two-for and double as a gift box and later serve its intended safekeeping purpose. Kristen also has several of her classic ever-popular flask book safes in her shop. And in all honesty, who can't see something like that coming in handy? So, if you know someone who has to keep the fire water (as a driver's ed instructor of mine called it) close and concealed or have someone near and dear who's working to beef up their impressive all mahogany two story library- and simultaneously home security, send 'em over to Pommes Frites.

For those of you aiming to avoid the disappointing trip to the store where you reluctantly choose between the lesser of evils picked over valentines that are inevitably: football, Bratz, and Sponge Bob, I have good news. You can stay in your pj's and snag valentines that put all the store boughts to shame- for free. Beth Hempton of Snuggle Herd is offering up some retro punny valentines on her fabulous blog. The ingenious part about the print-ups is that you'll have just the right number to give to your friends. And, while you're printing up and addressing your chic cute valentines, be sure to post on here why you love Austin for a chance at a freebie from me!

First up for the V-Day shows this weekend, we have the "Love is a Funny Thing" performance at Hideout Theater on Sunday at 8pm. The tag reads, "Flowers, chocolate, and thoroughly lampooned cupid included with admission". So, if you have a tinge of hate for Valentine's Day, this may be the perfect fit for your outing. For everyone looking to celebrate a day early or late, The Highball is hosting a Sweetheart Burlesque Showcase on Saturday evening at 10:30pm. I still have not made it over to The Highball, but this seems like as good an excuse as any to do so. Not particularly romantic or conventional, this also seems like a good event to hit up if you're not all about Valentine's Day.

See something goin on for Valentine's you want to share? Let me know, and I'll be sure to post.

Action Jackson out.

I Love Austin

2010-02-08T09:39:00.000-08:00

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.

Wait, Where's the Wagon?

2010-02-04T09:19:00.000-08:00

That's right. Who's got two thumbs and fell off the wagon (the wagon that is the daily pre-Valentine's Day posting)? This gal. It's with good reason, of course. I've been a busy little bee the past few days-part having fun and part stepping it up. Hit Le Garage Sale up on Saturday with the roomie, and we both snagged some fabulous finds. I picked up a white billowy tank dress with fringe detail and a pewter-colored suede bolero jacket from The Dress Shop, which I encourage you to check out if you haven't stopped by yet. I've also been putting time back into guitar- put in some practice and jam time on Sunday and then went to open mic night at Trophy's on Tuesday. I also finally got around to making those feather fascinators that I keep gabbing about; pictures will come as soon as Austin decides to not be a wannabe Seattle.

To kick things off, the featured Valentine's Day goodie of the day comes from another Etsy Austinite, Tracy Owens Chasteen of Polished Two. The Lovebirds Earrings (shown above) are the perfect gift for your bff or even to yourself- won't break the bank and it's the classy non-cheesy/non-romantic version of Valentine's. To me, they're part rockabilly part Americana classic tattoo art, which y'all know I'm a huge fan of. And, Like Tracy points out, if you want to ease up on the Valentine's aspect for year-round wear, you can take the heart off and sport the sparrows solo. Like what you see? Search 'valentine' in Tracy's shop to find more pieces to keep you looking good for Valentine's Day. For year round feathery friends jewelry, search 'sparrow'.

Looking for something to do this weekend? Check out The WonderCraft's Anti Valentines and Valentines Making Class. You'll walk away from the class with not only the knowledge and tools to make rubber stamps, embroider, and craft envelopes but also a valentine for that special someone (or that not so special someone). The price of the class is $36 + $18 for supplies, and there are still a few spots left. So, if you're free on Saturday from 1-4pm, you should hit up The WonderCraft for some crafty fun...and then send me a valentine when you're done. ;) More news and fun to come later, boys and girls!

Action Jackson out.

I Love Fridays

2010-01-29T15:47:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday Everyone!

I'm in an especially great mood today-and not just because it's Friday...and not just because I'm going to see Exene Cervenka (X) at Emo's tonight, hitting up Le Garage Sale tomorrow, and fleshing out some of my music with talented seasoned musicians on Sunday...Okay, maybe all of that has something to do with it. However, I'm especially excited because it's one day closer to Valentine's Day, which means a second installment of Valentine's Day features!

Today's featured Etsy designer is another one of Etsy Austin's very own, April Wright of April Wright Design. Shown above are her Amber Glitterheart Earrings, which I love love love (she has an equally cute pair in pink too!). Being the inherent magpie that I am, I was drawn to these the first time I spotted them in her shop. The other great thing (besides the super affordable price) about these earrings is that it looks like the hearts are set in laser cut acrylic. Don't be fooled though! April does all the hard work herself of getting shrink plastic to come out to just the right clean shape for these fab pieces. If you aren't as drawn to glitter as yours truly, don't worry- April's got everything from kitschy animal pendants to cute anchor silhouettes to art deco. Enjoy!

The featured recipe for today is sherbert punch, a treat that I usually made/make for my parties. The punch itself is pretty simple. You can use any sherbert you desire, but for Valentine's Day, I think it would be most fitting to use raspberry or strawberry. Use 1/2 gallon of sherbert, 1/2 liter of ginger ale, and 1/2 liter of lemon-lime soda. Then voila! You've got your punch. Stir occasionally and don't let it sit for too long. You want the sherbert to melt a little without homogeneously dissipating into the fizzy soda mix.

Finally, the event o the day is another class happening, which is going on at Sugar Mama's Bakeshop in South Austin. The class is a short but sweet (ha ha) 2 hour session from 7-9pm on February 8th on how to churn out some beautiful sugar cookies for Valentine's Day. Just to sweeten the deal, the shop is offering a discount if you bring a friend. If you're like me, making serious looking (serious = pretty) cookies is no laughing matter...because my iced wonders sometimes look like a five year-old made them. So, check out the class if you are free, and be sure to send me your creations for taste testing purposes. :)

Be back tomorrow with more sweets to share.

Action Jackson out.

Currently Listening: X (various albums)

The Eighteen Days of Valentine

2010-01-28T06:27:00.000-08:00

After my last post about Valentine's Day, I was inspired to provide something fun and sweet for my readers' eyes to eat. As the title suggests, I will be featuring V-Day finds each day all the way through February 14th (hopefully I'll have the moxie to do so), which will include: Etsy designs, recipes, and Austin happenings. I'm pretty excited about the prospect of doing this as it seems like the closest I can get to throwing a Hearts Day Party for all my readers (hmm. gears are turning at just the thought of this). So, without further delay, let's get to it!

Our first Etsy design comes from one of Etsy Austin's very own, Tisa Jackson of Tisa's Creations (www.tisascreations.etsy.com). The best part about these clever and affordable cards? You can custom order what the front says. My initial reaction to this card was a chuckle soon followed by an "awww". I myself am probably guilty of talking about how much I love my effects pedals, chai, or making jewelry more than expressing the degree to which I care for the people close to me. In several of the romance languages, they have different words for different degrees of love, i.e. in Spanish "Te quiero" is casual and "Te amo" is reserved only for someone you're in a serious relationship with, which is the perfect remedy for not blurring the lines of love. However, since we don't have that in the English language, I think these cards are our perfect remedy. I imagine if I sent these out, I would custom make them to say "I love you more than Siamese Dream" or something like that. What would you custom order yours to say? The possibilities are endless! Tisa has several other Valentine's Day goodies you should check out. My favorites are the glitter I<3U cards, SWAK notes, and Anti Valentine's Day magnets.

The recipe for today is rose flower cookies, which comes courtesy of 1 Dough, 100 Cookies (available on Amazon.com). This makes about 55-60 cookies.

Ingredients:
-1 cup butter, softened
-generous 1 cup superfine sugar
-1 extra large egg, lightly beaten
-1 tbsp rose water
-2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
-1 tsp baking powder
-salt

Frosting:
-1 egg white
-2 and 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
-2 tsp all-purpose flour
-2 tsp rose water
-pink food coloring

Directions:
1. Put the butter and sugar into a bowl and mix well with a wooden spoon, then beat in the egg and rose water. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt into the mixture and stir until thoroughly combined. Shape the dough into a log, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

2. Preheat the oven to 375 F/190 C. Line 2-3 cookie sheets with baking parchment.

3. Unwrap the dough and cut into thin slices with a sharp serrated knife. Put on the prepared cookie sheets spaced well apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until light golden brown. Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheets for 10 minutes, then using a metal spatula, carefully transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.

4. To make the frosting, lightly beat the egg white with a fork in a bowl. Sift in half the confectioners' sugar and stir well, then sift in the remaining confectioners' sugar and flour, and mix in sufficient rose water to make a smooth, easy to spread frosting. Stir in a few drops of pink food coloring.

5. Let the cookies stand on the racks. Gently spread the frosting over them and let set.

And finally, I present you with a Valentine's Day-related happening. Austin's very own Stitch Lab will be hosting a Valentine Creation Class on Saturday February 6th from 4:30-8:00pm at their studio (1000 S. 1st St). The classes are limited to 6 students and cost $25 to register, and they supply the materials. It sounds like a great way to get into the spirit and chat it up with other creative Austin gals.

Hope you guys have enjoyed the first installment of this new experiment. Feel free to send me any Etsy designs, recipes, or Austin happenings you have to share!

Action Jackson out.

Currently listening: Fake Plastic Trees- Radiohead

La La Love You

2010-01-26T10:38:00.000-08:00

So, this post may seem a little premature. And you may find yourself thinking, "if one more person mentions Valentine's Day, why they love it, or flaunts their relationship status, I'm gonna..." Hear me out. Even though I personally have been single for more V-Day's than I've been in a relationship, I revere this long-celebrated Hallmark holiday (long is relative as Wikipedia says it began as a tradition in 19th c. England). I attribute this to the always anticipated sugar comatose gorging hours we had in elementary school a la Valentine's Day parties.

I know a lot of people despise Hallmark holidays such as V-Day (and with good reason) because they claim it is a planned consumerism day sinisterly disguised as a special occasion to show your devotion, show people you care about them, etc. And I agree. The fact is, that without prompt, the ever-present hustle and bustle makes it hard for many people (maybe most) to do this purely out of their own incentive for everyone they care about. So, when it comes to celebrating, curbing the daily grind, and giving people a reason to be especially excited about pink cupcakes and chocolate, I say damn the torpedoes!

It's been a tradition of mine to go all out for the day of love ever since I was a kid. Whether that translated to throwing girlie singles' parties, finding the most unique V-Day cards, or whipping up tasty treats for my beau, it was go big or go home. I hope this year will be no exception.

One crucial element of doing Valentine's Day right, to me, is crafting. I can think of few occasions that are as perfect an excuse for kitschy cute crafts as February 14th. In years past, I've had guests for parties make boudoir-style bottles to hold a take home gift of creme brulee sugar scrub, heart shaped decor/jewelry boxes, and hand-painted martini glasses.

Second on the list is plans for the day of. Like I said before, I usually opt for hosting parties for all the girls, but there's also the occasional date night that's been thrown in there (usually dinner and a movie, but nothing wrong with a safe call). I know Austin always ensures its city that there is plenty of fun to be had- Alamo romantic flick feasts, special spa events, museum charity cocktail parties, and the like.

Much like Whose Line is it Anyway, the list of priorities for V-Day is unpredictable as to the order of what ends up on top. So, my third ingredient for the essential day list should in no way be overlooked as the least important: food. Amy's makes special order chocolate-covered strawberries, Mangia unleashes their heart-shaped deep dish, Uchi has a waiting list of 2+ hours, and I'm almost certain Godiva stores everywhere implode.

So, what do y'all think? Do you hate Valentine's Day too much to dignify this post with a reply? Have you seen any awesome V-Day crafts? Should I shut up and not post about this for the next 2-2 and 1/2 weeks? Is there a delish recipe or food find you'd like to share? How do you see Austin (or your respective city) celebrate or give back for the day of hearts? Let me know because I'd love to hear!

~Action Jackson

Currently Listening: Eels Pandora Station

Tie One On!

2010-01-23T18:32:00.000-08:00

Happy Weekend, everyone! Hope this post finds y'all relaxing and enjoying time off from work/school/job hunting. And if you're like me, maybe you even got a head start on the weekend. On Thursday night, I headed over to the Art Pad (i.e. the new home for The WonderCraft, where you can find some fabulous DGAJ pieces) for the WC's trial Grand Reopening Party, which will be goin on February 25th. By the time I arrived, the lovely WC ladies were already hard at work entertaining guests with tie revival. Beth A was outside teaching and assisting with tie screenprinting while Beth H and Jen were inside livening up some fuddy duddy ties (some of which I daresay I might find in my dad's tie collection) with embroidery and embellishments.

I opted for classic stripes and printed a trendy autumn tree on my tie (top left). Upon completing my master creation, I chatted it up with fellow Etsy Austin gals, Samantha (Nepenthe's Bathtime) and Cathie (Sweet Wolf). The rest of the night was spent perusing The Art Pad's huge mosaic tile stock as well as the beautiful beads of neighbor, Lapis Lane Beads. Needless to say, it took some self control not to indulge in a spending spree right then and there. However, I highly recommend that you check out both shops if you find yourself dabbling (or wanting to dabble) in mosaics or jewelry. The shop hosts classes and is an open studio workspace for customers, so it's the perfect concept if you're an artist starting out in either of these crafts. All in all, it was a fabulously fun night, and I was able to take home a funky fresh creation for my beau. If you have the chance, check out The WonderCraft's Grand Reopening at The Art Pad (4520 Burnet) on February 25th. I'll be sure to post more details closer to the date.

P.S. Check out my rockin feather fascinator that Beth H was nice enough to snap a pic of! More bedazzled beauties like this one will soon make their way into DGAJ land. Keep your eyes peeled.

~Action Jackson

Emerging from the Shadows

2010-01-19T19:24:00.000-08:00

I think the title of this post is appropriate albeit a tad overstated and dramatic. Though, going without writing for 2 and 1/2 months in the blogging world suggests you've been sick and bedridden for the entire duration (or in my case, and probably yours, just really really busy). Going into November, I had big aspirations to gab about the completion of my Bioshock Collection along with the scads of shows I was participating in during the holiday season. However, since that didn't happen, I'll give the concise short and sweet of what I've been up to.

In mid-November, I participated in E.A.S.T. (East Austin Studio Tour), an artist-run initiative to highlight studios and galleries in east Austin, with some of the gals from Etsy Austin. I even got to demo creating DGAJ jewelry for a few folks that stopped by (see above)! If you have the chance to check out E.A.S.T. next year, I would definitely recommend it (after you take a few deep breaths and brace yourself because there are hundreds of featured artists and galleries).

December brought a few ups and downs, with the downs being attributed to some canceled holiday shows I'd signed up for. Rest assured, those lemons were put to good use in lemon chills (or lemonade if you really prefer that over delicious lemon chills). With said lemon chill in hand, I am proud to announce that Diamonds and Guns is now available at The WonderCraft (which will be having a Grand Reopening Bash at 4520 Burnet on February 25th from 6-9pm) as well as Pangaea (located on The Drag, new location announcement coming soon). In December, I also participated in the Etsy Austin Craft Riot (see display setup above), which was great fun since I was able to hang out with a lot of my favorite people from EA. :) The EACR was a weekend-long event with wine (for 21+ only), wine food fare, and goodie bags for attendees.

December also marked the beginning of my work on the Bright Lights, Big City Collection. So, keep your eyes peeled for the slow leak of Bioshock and BLBC Collection pieces onto my Etsy site as well as new flickr pics (some available now for your viewing pleasure). No upcoming shows planned for DGAJ until spring/summer, but look for me in the shops listed on my home Etsy page! Also soon to come- feather fascinators adorned with Swarovski crystals. Oh my!

-Action Jackson

Halloween Sweets: Making Your Own Costume Pt. 2

2009-11-03T11:27:00.001-08:00

Welcome back to the second part of this road map for making and having your very own Monarch and Dr. Girlfriend costumes. Now that you've had the delight of seeing pictures of the finished product, it's time for the grit. Pictured above are a few supplies you'll need to make the torso piece and the shoulder armor (I'm tempted to call them shoulder pads, but I remind myself that The Monarch doesn't wear an 80s power suit). Suggested fabric, again, is a matte yellow spandex (should be about $4-5/yd), and you should have about 2.5-3 yards on hand. You'll also need 3/4" thick foam (available at fabric stores), sturdy scissors, and a hot glue gun. First part is cutting and gluing the foam to the armor. The foam doesn't mold easily, so you'll want to glue and hold along the perimeter of the armor, one curve at a time (i.e. the curve along the neck, each underarm, the part that would run along your side, the bottom "m" curve of the armor, etc.). Glue first and cut as you go. It's easier to cut the foam to be precise with the armor's shape when part of it is secured. There will be times when cutting excess foam before you glue is helpful. This is okay to do. As you glue each curve, be sure to take time to hold the foam to the armor. Be careful of where you hold the armor because that hot glue can be, well, hot! Once you've got your foam glued on and you have a shape that you're happy with, pull out the spandex. Make sure your fabric is folded once in half. Essentially, you'll be gluing two layers of fabric to your foamy armor piece. As with the foam, you'll want to glue in sections, making sure to press the fabric against the armor as you go along. Two things to keep in mind as you're doing this: There will be excess fabric on the back that you can cut later, but make sure the material is following the form of your foam armor pretty well. Also, check your fabric on the front regularly to see that it's pulled taught and isn't bunching. When you're finished gluing, you can cut off excess fabric in the back. And voila! You have your finished armor piece (sans necessary Monarch logo, of course). Next-gauntlets, shoulder armor, and such. Oh my?

Action Jackson out.

Halloween Sweets: Making Your Own Costume

2009-11-02T06:37:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday everyone! I hope and trust you're all still feeling a tinge of the Halloween spirit and are NOT considering putting up Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or any other November/December holiday decorations. Just think of how it would make Halloween feel- yeah, it would feel like a one-night stand. It's amazing how much we invest in the build-up leading to a holiday and how ready everyone is to be done with it the day after. I for one wish Halloween lasted for a few days (or that people celebrated Dia de los Muertos on the same level) as it's one of my favorite holidays, if not my favorite.

This feeling is especially strong for me this year because I spent a ridiculous amount of time and money making my boyfriend's costume and gathering up the parts and accessories for both of our costumes. As some of you already know, we went as the Venture Bros' beloved Monarch and Dr. Girlfriend. Hindsight is 20/20, and if I had it to do over again, I would still choose this costume pick. However, I would make sure that I went about everything in a smarter and more efficient (and incidentally cheaper) way. Because I mostly found pictures and not road maps for how to create these costumes at the outset of doing so, I thought I'd post the most thorough (as much as my down time at work and motivation allow for anyway) how-to guide in hopes that it will help someone considering doing this. On that same note, I should mention that though the final product of this looks pretty good, my efforts would in no way be acceptable on the Project Runway stage, i.e. much of what you see (for the parts I made for my boyfriend's costume) is held together by hot glue, safety pins, and velcro. No sewing went into this, so perhaps the daunting task of costume creating will seem less intimidating to you non-sewers out there after reading this.

I'll start off with a list of the pieces needed for each costume.

Monarch:
-Black Jumpsuit (tip: if you're able to find black spandex under armor pants and a long-sleeve shirt as 2 pieces instead of the 1-piece jumpsuit, I would recommend this as it makes bathroom breaks a hell of a lot easier)
-Yellow Boots/Boot Covers: A well-stocked costume shop should have yellow boot covers. Yellow spandex could be used to cover boots you may already have as well.
-Black Hood: Remember that the Monarch's hood has yellow ear coverings as well as a black pointed dip on the forehead. Both of these can be hot glued onto a plain black hood. If you prefer/forget about it/are in a time crunch, the black dip can be drawn on with eyeliner or a black chunky makeup crayon that is sold at any drug store around Halloween or any costume shop (year-round for the costume shop)
-Yellow Gauntlets: Dart mounts optional. There, I said it. If you want to spend the time making scalloped gauntlets, securing construction paper to flat gauntlets, or painting and gluing yellow cylindrical shapes (perhaps Crayola thick markers are a good scale size), you're a better (and more patient) person than me.
-Yellow Chest Piece: I'll get to this in more detail in a little bit. I bought a plastic Roman warrior armor piece at the costume shop for the strucutre, a 2x2' piece of 3/4" thick foam from the fabric store- think egg carton mattress except flat, and 2.5 yards of yellow spandex. Red fabric paint, hot glue, friendly roommate, and plentiful patience were on hand as well.
-Yellow Shoulder Pads: Plastic Roman warrior shoulder armor, aforementioned foam, and yellow spandex used for these. Again, have friendly roommate and hot glue on hand.
-Black Gloves: We just used the fleece black gloves I had lying around. I'm sure you can buy plain black at just about any store (costume or otherwise) for under $10.
-Orange/Black Wings: Save yourself a lot of heartache, time, and money and use long pieces of cardboard as the silhouette/structure for this. When collapsed, the Monarch's wings are very angular, so most people probably won't notice this skim. Use the least expensive matte orange fabric you can find, and get about 3 yards of it. I picked up some broadcloth at $2/yd. Also, pick up some black and white fabric paint to transform the plain orange wings.
-Yellow Crown: For this, I used gold foam (they sell sheets of it at any big crafting store) that was slightly thicker and slightly larger than an 8.5x11". You'll need to have some stretchy string on hand as well.
-Ridiculous Eyebrows and Goatee: This is one place where a lot of people seem to erroneously skim, and it shows. I know it seems minute, but if you want your costume to look good, a well-stocked costume shop will sell synthetic hair handlebar mustaches (good for the eyebrows) as well as braids of hair that you can mold to be the dimensions of the goatee (said hair could also be used for eyebrows if your prefer). They will also carry Ben Nye adhesive that you can use to secure the hair to your face. If the thought of glue on your face scares you, know that Ben Nye is the preferred costume makeup brand, and unless you have skin allergies, you should be fine. If you're really not sure about how your skin will react, test a patch on the back of your hand.

Action Jackson out...will return with more how-to later.

Viva La Vida Fest Recap

2009-10-28T07:13:00.000-07:00

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

Got Plans this Weekend?

2009-10-21T08:26:00.001-07:00

This coming weekend, a few lovely ladies of Etsy Austin will be participating in exciting events that are sure to get you in the holiday spirit (in case you need that extra lil nudge). On Saturday, Cathie Fuentes (Sweet Wolf), Kim Soliz (Devil Girl Design), and yours truly (DGAJ) will be at the Viva La Vida Fest, hosted by the Mexic-Arte Museum. Admission to this spectacular event is free, and the festival will be from 2-10pm on 5th St. (between Congress and Brazos). There will be an extensive contemporary and pre-Columbian West Mexico art exhibit, crafting for kids, food (pan de muerto, tamales, and of course sugar skulls), live music, a marketplace, and a grand procession at 6pm.

After you've stopped by Mexic Arte's VLVF, be sure to come say hi to the ladies of The WonderCraft at the Mixx and Make Event at Mixx (612 E. 6th St) from 9pm-2am for mask making, an eating contest, live music, coffin cakes from Blue Note Bakery, and a chance at a giveaway and some freebies! Admission is $6 if you RSVP ahead of time (you can do so on the Events section of WC's website) or $8 at the door.

Whether you're looking for events to get you in this month's spirit or you just want to make your weekend plans a little more interesting, these festivities are sure to be the cure-all you need! Hope to see y'all out this weekend.

Action Jackson out.

Sweets! Sweets! Tricks and Treats!

2009-10-09T11:31:00.001-07:00

I absolutely love love love October. It's one of my favorite months (the other two being November and December). Halloween's probably a big part of that. For me, Halloween means a plethora of sweets, parties, Simpsons specials (aka some of the best episodes), embracing your inner horror movie fan, and dressing up like someone you're not. Perhaps we have Hallmark or Hershey or both to thank for celebrating this holiday for an entire month, but all the same I love seeing the Halloween spirit come out in people. It's truly incredible to see how much energy is put into making the holiday memorable, especially when it comes to the costumes.

I'm sure everyone remembers the days when Mom made their pumpkin or ballerina or Raggedy Ann costume-or in my case, when my mom made all three in one year for my brother, sister, and me, respectively. Over the years, I've evolved from Rainbow Brite and the Pink Power Ranger to become Strong Bad, the Peanut Butter Jelly Time Banana, and Poison Ivy.

This year, I'm hoping a trip to Lucy's in Disguise and/or Goodwill will serve me well and that I won't have to scramble for the perfect costume. My top choice would be to go as Dr. Girlfriend (from The Venture Bros- if you haven't seen the show, shame on you!). And yes, it would be a couple costume with my boyfriend, i.e. he would definitely be the Monarch. The other choices would be Sally Jupiter, Silk Spectre, or anything else that seemed like a brilliant idea to me. What is everyone dressing up as this year? Any fun Austin events you'd like to share/have me do a write-up for?

In the world of DGAJ, I have some exciting news to share! Soon, Diamonds and Guns will be available on the east coast in a precious shop called Duchess of Devonshire, which is located in Queenston, Maryland. A glance at the website is all you need to find out why I'm so thrilled about this. Everything about it is too sweet! So, if you find yourself up in those parts or you know anyone who lives there, be sure to check it out and spread the word.

On a more serious note, I'm sure everyone's aware of the big news by now-the Duggar family will be welcoming their first child of one of the 18 children...Okay, that's not actually the big news but instead just a seed for food for thought for everyone. The big news I'm alluding to is, of course, President Obama being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Despite the lack of knowledge of the award or the recipient, there have been a lot of critics out there today. However, instead of asking whether Obama is deserving of the award or even if the award itself should have credibility, shouldn't we take this day of acknowledgment and be looking introspectively and asking ourselves what we've done to make the world a better place? I think it's ironic that the biggest critics of this hot topic, to the best of my knowledge, are not known for their service or dedication to humanity. Perhaps we should use this lens to look and see what we should be doing. I know I will.

Action Jackson out.

Austin City Limits: Zoo Austin Fall Edition

2009-10-06T11:10:00.000-07:00

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.

We Make Stuff!

2009-09-24T08:36:00.000-07:00

Recap time! I'll make this short though since I mainly wanted to share some eye candy with y'all. Yours truly was at The Scoot Inn this past Saturday from 7pm-12am for the We Make Stuff event (hosted by Electric Promotions). The night consisted of free Nadamoo ice cream, delicious drinks provided by Treaty Oak rum, raffles, button making with The Wondercraft, a fashion show from rockin Austin designers, and skateboard art! And, to top things off, proceeds from the nights' raffles went towards Art From the Streets. On a side note, for all you lovely people out there who love Austin's Rare magazine as much as I do, there's a great AFTS interview in this month's issue, so be sure to read (available in print or on Rare's website). All in all, it was a good night and I was lucky to have the company of fellow artists who I knew...and more importantly, liked. :) As always, the night featured a gander (yes, we're geese) of Etsy Austin's lovely ladies. Check out their shops cause these chicks seriously rock:
-Kim Soliz of DevilGirlDesign
-Anne Marie Beard of AnneMarie
-Samantha Hlavalty of NepenthesBathtime
-Cathy Fuentes of SweetWolf
-Merritt Gade of MerrittGade
-April Wright of AprilWrightDesign
-Jen Bryan of LucyBlueStudio
-Beth Hempton of SnuggleHerd
-Beth Albrecht of PairedHearts
-Kim Sae-Eua of Broken Ear Productions

Action Jackson out!

If it was easy, everyone would do it...

2009-09-22T11:53:00.000-07:00

Been busy during the past two weeks with setting up Pro Tools aka my "studio" aka the adjacent space by my bed, writing songs, and a few things here and there with DGAJ. My bro and I are continuing work on the song he's calling, "Phoenix". Don't worry, that name's not gonna stick, it's just something he's tacking on for the sake of giving the song a name. I've just about got the whole bass line written out, so all that's left are vocals and a guitar solo, my favorite part.

I always dread writing solos because I'm not especially great with improv to begin with and my technical skills don't exactly match up with what I think of when I think of guitar solos. Perhaps that's the time to test out how high the gain on the distortion will go? Haha. Works for some people. I also dread writing vocals because even though I think I have good pitch, I'm not 100% on my actual voice. And when I say that, I don't mean I have a bad voice; I mean that it's like when you hear yourself on an answering machine and think, "do I really sound like that?!". Writing lyrics, to me, is kinda meh. The listener makes what they'll make of them. Even if they have a direction and an inherent meaning, they're still arbitrary and arguably the least important part of the song. That's not to say that they're not important, but when you look at how people from non-English speaking countries get into American and British music, it's probably not the lyrics that are selling them. Vis versa is true too. I think I like and agree with Frank Black's explanation for how lyrics are written. First and foremost, arbitrary. When you write the vocal melody, you sing certain syllables or sounds that stick after a while. Then, you write in words that fit with that.

Hopefully, this new song will be written and recorded soon. I write very slowly-hopefully that will change at some point. When I tell most people this, the feedback I get is, oh you should find someone to jam with. To this, I say no thank you. No matter how much I think my influences line up with another musician's, 9 times out of 10 (really 10 times out of 10 if you look at my track record), the influences are in no way reflective of the music the person makes. I realize that I'm not an expert on music, but I would expect musicians with good taste to write good music. More times than not, I find that whatever they've recorded on their myspace page isn't what I want to do at all, which then makes me wonder if there's anyone out there who isn't already in a band who wants to make good innovative music. This is by no means a post intended to be pompous and overblown; I still have a ways to go myself.

Moving on though before I go on a physics teacher/professor tangent! This week, I filled a new order at Parts and Labor as well as an out of state boutique (more details to come soon!). So, if you want to find DGAJ pieces that aren't on my Etsy site, you should stop by the shop! In other exciting news, I put in several orders this week for supplies and hope to start work soon on the Bioshock collection. Never fear! Pictures galore will soon be here. Speaking of pictures, I will soon be altering my light box and hope to show clearer high quality shots within the next two weeks...wish it was before then, but when you work, what can you do?

Also coming soon~pictures from We Make Stuff event from this past weekend and details about the Mexic-Arte Viva La Vida Fest (which will feature yours truly).

Action Jackson out!

Happy Birthday to Diamonds and Guns!

2009-09-08T10:13:00.000-07:00

So, there's no exact date pinned down for when Diamonds and Guns actually began, but the force of DGAJ was unleashed for public consumption about a year ago when I opened an Etsy shop. Soon after, I vended at a few First Thursdays, participated in the Etsy Austin Holiday Bazaar, joined the EA team, did lots more shows... and voila! Here I am. I definitely have a love/hate relationship with looking back on a year in this way. It's a kind of personal recognition for what I've learned and the experiences I've gained, people I've met, etc. At the same time, though, I can't help but feel frenzied, thinking, "Omg. How has a year gone by that quickly?" It's pretty scary when you take that perspective. That all being said, I'm very grateful to everyone who has supported me from the getgo, all the people I've met who've been nothing but nice to me and have provided me with so much help and advice, and of course everyone who's noticed little ole me and my burgeoning jewelry line. If you are reading this, I'm sure I owe a thanks to you in some way or another.

And how am I celebrating, you may ask? Well, there's no cake at the moment. The picture from my 21st birthday(pre redhead days) will have to suffice in the meantime. That's a delicious looking cake though, right? Hmm...maybe there should be cake though. We'll see. I think I'm mostly celebrating by making more jewelry and churning out more ideas for everyone to see. Pictures are on their way, I promise! Also, for anyone interested, I'm hosting a sale in my Etsy shop through this Sunday.

Aside from the 1-year anniversary, I've been very very busy with guitar. I bought Pro Tools this past weekend with some old graduation money that needed to be used up. For anyone who hasn't made this leap, Pro Tools has a very broad/long learning curve and after looking at the manual, which might as well be War and Peace, I find myself wondering why I bought it. Overwhelmed as I am by this, I am digging deeper and deeper to summon my inner Winston Churchill to fearlessly take this on. I'm hoping to get a solid test recording in this weekend; I'll let y'all know how that goes. :) I'm currently also working with my brother to wrap up writing a song that I had previously made a loose structure for. It's interesting because we're working in a very technical music theory way as opposed to the route I took for the first song I'd written in whole, which I'm convinced had some sort of alternate power working toward its completion as I still have no explanation for how it came about. Such is writing music, right?

I'm hoping to make lots of new pieces this weekend (just in time for the We Make Stuff event next weekend at The Scoot Inn from 7pm-12am), get a test run in for PT, and get some writing done. It'll be tough since I have to go into work on Saturday and with this flu-ish thing I've got going on, but hopefully I'll be able to hit it all hard!

Action Jackson out.

Bringing Out My Inner Goth

2009-09-04T08:18:00.000-07:00

Am currently in recovery from the Fantasy Realized show last night. Doing shows immediately after a day of work really takes it out of you! I haven't sold at any events since Austin Fashion Week in mid July, so I've had enough time to forget how much prep work goes into them (which is both good and bad). Thanks to everyone who came out~Bethany, Alec, Alyssa, Madison, and Leslie. Special thanks to Bethany for making some beautiful paintings for DGAJ. I hope to post some pictures soon to give y'all eye candy; Bethany's work is awesome. On a side note, when I do post some pictures, if any loyal readers have suggestions for galleries Bethany could submit her work to, please let me know!

I haven't actually been to Elysium since I went on a whim a few years ago for their Halloween event, which was super fun by the way. After going there for the Fantasy Realized show last night, I'm starting to wonder why I haven't been going more often. The vibe of the place is really calm, and I can't remember ever feeling so relaxed at a show as I was last night. I'm sure it picks up on the busier nights when Elysium transforms into an 80s night club filled with dancing maniacs. All the same, the tunes for the night were great- I know for sure I heard some My Bloody Valentine, Smiths/Morrissey, and New Order/Joy Division somewhere in there. I had a chance to chat it up with some of the other gals who were selling there. Be sure to check out their shops; these girls have great stuff:

-KatinkaPinka
-RubyDollCreations
-LilliesAndLace
-IllustratedInk
-MiniMysteryWorlds
-JunkhouseDollyard
-OpticWaste

I also got to talk music with a few folks who came out for the night, which is (and was in the case of last night) all the better for me when I'm able to say Siamese Dream is one of my favorite albums and it doesn't invoke a rage blackout from the other person . :) All in all, I'd have to rate last night as one of my favorite shows that I've done. Good location, music, crowd, fellow vendors/artists. I'll definitely use my long weekend for making new stuff and practicing. No rest for the weary!

Action Jackson out.

Shopping with Action Jackson- Geeky Chic

2009-08-31T12:47:00.000-07:00

My goodness! It has certainly been too long since my last post! Still trying to find a balance between work, guitar, and jewelry...and maybe eventually exercise and studying for the GRE? Then, of course, there's finding time to do none of that and just have fun. Before I get to the good stuff, I'd just like to remind everyone of a few upcoming shows that Diamonds and Guns will be at, which I mentioned in the last post:
- Fantasy Realized Craft Exhibition @ Elysium (705 Red River): 7:30pm-11pm on September 3rd
-We Make Stuff @ The Scoot Inn: 7pm-12am on September 19th

I'm also proud to announce that I will be participating in E.A.S.T. in November. More details to come soon on that!

And now, for the meat and potatoes (or tofu and potatoes if you're vegan) of this post. I'm very much inspired by the back to school spirit that this time of the year brings. Fall means cooler weather (about 5 degrees difference from summer for us Texas folk), demure fashion, foliage (again Texas will have this eventually, we just take a little longer than everyone else), and a certain re-focusing on (for many, at least) learning. Being a real book worm, I'm no stranger to this last mark of fall. To honor this time of year, a renewed dedication to learning, all you smarties out there, and anyone who's already got this style goin on (weezer glasses, argyle, nerdy and sometimes esoteric witty t-shirts), I give you Shopping with Action Jackson: Geeky Chic. Enjoy.

Shops and Items featured are listed left to right, descending down:
-ModelCitizen: Hot Pink Future Nobel Laureate Earrings ($12.00)
-Cotylee: Green Argyle Mini Dress ($65.00)
-LucyBlueStudio: Gears Steam Punk Belt Buckle ($35.00)
-PigseyArt: Zombie Jesus Journal ($12.00)
-DiffractionFiber: Ctrl Alt Del Three Pillow Set ($58.00)
-Vintage50sEyewear: Vintage 50s Rhinestones Black Cat Eye Frame ($65.00)
-RobotBaby: Sushi Flash 2-2gb ($20.00)
-Mehran: Backpack in pink and brown ($77.00)

Action Jackson out.

Back to School

2009-08-21T09:01:00.000-07:00

Even though I'm not in school anymore (*tear*), I still find there are a million things around this time of the year that remind me school's back in session. It could have something to do with the fact that at least 1/10 of Austin's population are college students, the fact that I work on a college campus, seeing my facebook teacher friends lamenting the end of summer, or the frequent Tax Free Weekend reminders (for everyone wondering, it's this weekend). I always kinda love this time of the year because it means cooler weather (eventually anyway) and a new start. Even if you're not in school, I think you still get a sense of this; I do anyway. Maybe it's just the vibe that's in the air or it could be some osmosis-like phenomenon that happens when we are on a city bus that is seemingly overnight filled with students.

Regardless, I love this time of the year. I love fall. For me, part of the "fresh start" comes from the fact that for the past five years, I've moved into a new home each year. My roomie and I just moved this past weekend and are now in the heart of Hyde Park. Almost everything is out of boxes, but I feel like I'm in a weird limbo of "this doesn't feel like a home, just a very cool place I happen to wake up in every day". In a way, it's kind of a good thing because it means I feel recharged even though I'm exhausted and that I feel brave enough (and not content enough) to push myself, if that all makes sense.

And of course, from new beginnings come new opportunities. What does that mean for yours truly and DGAJ? I recently had an interview with CheapTweet that is now posted on their website, and since then, I've had a little bit more foot traffic for my Etsy shop. Also, I have two shows coming up in September, one at Elysium (see poster to the left) on the 3rd (8pm-12am) for a night of fancy and frolic and the We Make Stuff Event at The Scoot Inn (7pm-12am) on the 19th. I'm excited to do both and see what it's like selling downtown at night at the music venues. I went to a similar event at Beauty Bar for the Aull Austin All Handmade Bash on the 31st, and it was a really great time. The atmosphere was awesome, and everyone there was having fun. Hope it will be the same for my upcoming shows! There's a few other shows that I'm contemplating participating in, but like always, it's a matter of time, energy, and money. I'll post any updates that come along. On a non-jewelry, music-related note, I'm going to push myself to practice for a few hours right after I get out of work each day during the week. This might mean I have to pack a few doubleshots to keep myself from falling asleep in a practice room when I'm trying to get a solid three hours in or something like that. I'll let y'all know how that goes as well. ;) I might also be investing in Pro Tools soon as I still have unused graduation money. Hopefully, learning it won't be too bad, though I'm pretty sure I'll be picking up a copy of the Dummy's Guide to Pro Tools.

On a semi-related note, I'm scratching my head for ideas for more SWAJ segments. The back to school happenings have inspired me to do a geeky chic theme (and to post a geeky chic pic of moi). Not sure just yet what that will encompass, but I can promise that it will be fun. After that? Maybe a Best Bags post. I feel I find so many amazing bags on Etsy and am just blown away by the innovation and craftsmanship that some of them show. Definitely something worth showing off on the ole blog.

In the meantime, Happy Friday to all! Yours truly may have to indulge the Smiths/Morrissey kick from earlier this week and go to Elysium tonight for their Smiths night. Ah! I'm in love.

Action Jackson out.

Shopping with Action Jackson: Black and White

2009-08-12T10:01:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness! It has been entirely too long since my last post. I'm still trying to find a good balance between work, moving (it is the magical moving week for yours truly through this weekend), practicing guitar, and life. So, naturally, these fluctuations are to be expected. Anyway, I'm very excited about this week's SWAJ feature! I was so thrilled to find all of these treasures, and as you can see, the theme is black and white!

Searching for pieces for this week's post reminded me of a black and white party I hosted a few years ago. And what does that entail, you may ask? Everything, if you can believe that. Preferred attire? Black and white. Viewing entertainment? Black and white. Food? I thought you'd never ask. In retrospect, I can't recall what the menu consisted of, but I promise it wasn't just a Sam's enormo-sized case of Oreos.

There's something so undeniably classic and nostalgic about all black and white that I love and almost can't put into words how or why I love it so much. But I do. So here it is for your eyes to feast on. Thanks to all the Etsy designers who allowed me to feature their work!

Below, images are listed left to right, up to down, with the item and Etsy shop name:
-Polly Feather Fascinator (TopsyTurvyDesign)
-Coney Island 8x8 Print (EveSimone)
-Vintage Motorcycle Pillowcase Pair Black on White (BranchHandmade)
-Rose Quartz and Blue Goldstone Necklace with Rose Pendant (DevilGirlDesign)
-Moz Necklace (HeadlessTessDIY)
-Fabulous French Martini Glasses (StemmeFatale)
-Chandelier Hand Stamped Heels (Crafttastrophe)
-Chandelier Women Black Tshirt Dress (PrettyRaccoon)

Action Jackson out.

Shopping with Action Jackson

2009-08-01T08:35:00.001-07:00

So, I have to say upfront that I'm really excited about this new segment, and I hope to turn it into a regular weekly post. Anywho, my roomie and I had been discussing new ways that I could spice up my blog, and we somehow came up with this idea. For "Shopping with Action Jackson", I'll be choosing about 9 or 10 finds that I come across on Etsy that all fall under a particular theme. This week's theme, which is pretty fitting (see July 24th post), is art deco. I decided since my new "line" will be directly inspired by the game, Bioshock, as well as retro and art deco styles in general, why not make it the first theme for SwAJ?

As a reformed shopaholic (reformed by money, not by choice), this will be a real treat for me and will enable me to window shop to my heart's content. On the flip side, it'll be an easy way for everyone who checks out the blog to see great finds they might not have seen on their own. So, in a way, it's like I'm a personal shopper free of charge. If you have any suggestions for future posts of this segment, just send me a message or make a post! The item names are listed followed by the Etsy seller/shop names. Enjoy.

Featured Below (left to right, up to down)

Vintage Glamour Girl Head Vase (calloohcallay)
1940s Vintage Gold Mesh Evening Bag (anothertimeantiques)
Apple Fruit Crate Label in Art Deco Style (LABELSTONE)
Bioshock Retro Earrings (EstelleDeParis)
Bella Vintage Damask Black and White Full Apron (Boojiboo)
Big Daddy Painting (luckycreature)
Explore Deco Poster (Laceybabe)
1940s Style Black and White Sateen Pleat Sleeve Dress (DavidJosephDesigns)
Vintage 1920s Rawleigh Spice Tin- Mustard (DontTellMama)
Art Deco Nude Lade Lamp (RomanceCatsAndWhimsy)

Action Jackson out.

Help! I've fallen down the rabbit hole and I can't get up!

2009-07-30T13:36:00.000-07:00

So today is one of those days where I think I'll have to make a mandatory demand of myself to go home and take a nap (or at the very least, lie/lay down in bed). I have been doing a mass online craft/ indie and freelance designer site hunt because I feel like I need to be more immersed in all the goings on of the craft world. I think I may have overdone it a little. Oops! Now, I am just totally overwhelmed by all the new things I'm finding out about and feel like I should be revamping and scrapping some of my stuff.

On the one hand, finding out about lots of stuff like Bust Magazine (where have I been that I haven't found out about this already btw?) is awesome amazing. On the other other hand, scoping out lots of other artists' works makes me really doubt my jewelry and its originality. On top of that, I feel like I should re-do all the photos I have of my work to get better quality pics with less shadows, etc. However, I don't really have the money to cough up a chunk of change for a light box or any fancy pants photography equipment. That task is just daunting enough in itself because I hate taking pictures. It's probably one of my least favorite regular tasks for maintaining my Etsy site and business in general. All this online hunting also makes me feel like I'll never be able to get the word out to people about my jewelry. I've contemplated just giving away a lot of jewelry for free to my friends in hopes that it would make me get a fresh start, but that would be a huge waste of money. I think I also kinda hate having to think about the business side of things for selling my jewelry when I just want to purely pursue the art aspect. *le sigh* Enough about that though!

I've added a few things onto the blog- a few new sites to share with y'all as well as a few DGAJ press spots (hopefully there will be more to add to this in the future!). Any words of wisdom would be much appreciated anyhow! I'm sure this is just one of my spells where I'm convinced that everything I make is unoriginal/not all that great in the first place and that I'll be over it in a few days. Hope everyone's looking forward to the weekend!

Action Jackson out.

Rock Out with Your Bach Out

2009-07-29T09:38:00.000-07:00

I giggle a little every time I or someone else says that. Try it next time you see me, and without fail I'll probably do it without even thinking about it. Anyway, since I've spent a great deal of my life and energy devoted to music (as well as pointing out to people that my jewelry and its very name are greatly influenced by the music I listen to), I figured it was about time I post something musically-relevant. Right? Don't worry, there won't be any long drawn-out bios here- just a little brief blip for everyone who doesn't know me as well.

I started being involved in music when I was about 9 and took piano lessons (for much less time than I would have liked, in retrospect). Then, when I was 11, I joined band and started my 11 year- long flautist career. Fast forward through years of hardcore prodigy pruning (anyone who's been in an intense band program can attest to this being how it is, not me overstating it) to college when I picked up piccolo for about 4 years, intermittently took some piano lessons (and learned to sing and play), and wrap up with me learning guitar, some bass, and a little bit of music theory. That about brings you up to speed, i.e. where I am now.

For the past few months, I've been writing my own songs, but there are so many ruts that seem to make the process go a little slower than I'd like. In all honesty, I wish I knew so much more than I do. I wish I'd started guitar when I picked up flute, I wish I knew more music theory, I wish I knew more about pop music (not mainstream pop, more so the loose "pop" term music majors throw around). I wish, I wish, I wish... The bit of cold comfort I think I'm provided is that knowledge of music, like knowledge of anything else, is relative. Good thing too. I'm always amazed at the fact, for example, that I can wow a crowd of non-musicians by singing and playing simultaneously even if what I'm doing isn't musically technically difficult. When I reference some artist or album that my boyfriend, who knows way more about good "pop" music than I ever will, hasn't heard of, it gives me hope.

I don't mean to sound like an arrogant jerk with any and all of this. Instead, I mean to convey that music is a slow process, and it doesn't mix well with impatient type-A's with sky high expectations like, oh yeah, me. Sometimes, I get so caught up in thinking about my inadequacies of music knowledge and any stagnation of progress that I think it hinders what I'm capable of. In times when that really hits me hard, I remember what every music teacher I've ever had would say: put down the instrument and walk away. I feel I've done that off and on with guitar for a while now. And, now I think I'm ready to give it a real go again. On Saturday, I went to the Tori Amos concert with Claire, which turned out to be a really great show. Good shows always inspire
me. We also did a little shopping while she was in town. And, I'm not sure if I'm more proud or ashamed to say that I bought my first vinyl for myself. What would I pick for my very first? Loveless by My Bloody Valentine, which is arguably one of the most produced albums, not overly so though because it sounds amazing. I figured if I want an album where I'll really hear what's more true to the studio recording, that would be the one. Also picked up another one of their albums and You'd Prefer an Astronaut by Hum, who, on a side note, I only have minor gripes with because at times they sound like Switchfoot *barf*.

Do we see a theme here in what yours truly is listening to? Lots of fuzz, distortion, echo-y space-y sounds. I think that there's a great deal that can be done with sound modulation even with everything that's already been done. Granted, I have no intentions of making music that resembles the bands you see that are clearly trying to be weird and experimental that no one gets (and I literally mean no one). Like I said before, the loose concepts are all there for ideas that I need to work out; it's just a matter of precision and making those ideas materialize.

Action Jackson out!

Feathers, Art Deco, and Crystals. Oh my!

2009-07-28T09:04:00.000-07:00

Okay, so admittedly some of this will be old news for some of you. However, almost immediately after I made my last post, a wave of inspiration hit me like a speeding semi. I swear, I fell over and everything. Anyway, a few Etsy supply searches, sketches, and aha moments later/after that, I had a clear idea of what I needed to do. Overall, the aesthetic will be very light/feathery and ethereal mixed with a few strong art deco-y pieces. The color palette will still be whites, off whites, and various pastels. For the art deco pieces, I'll make these! I did a few spiral shapes and descending tier drawings that I think will look stellar as earrings and necklaces, respectively. So, the pieces I'll be focusing on are lace and feather headbands, lightweight yet big earrings with lotsa bling (feathers, nouveau/baroque shapes, and probably one art deco spiral pair), ladylike cuffs (maybe reusing some appliques-may need help on this one), and bold bib necklaces.

This week, I'll be focusing on a mini-overhaul of my Etsy shop as well as trying out a few new things to make my blog and shop more fun and interactive for anyone who keeps up with my jewelry. I've been told people read my blog, but it's one of those things that I'm never really sure of. Anyhow, I think I'll start working on the line and ordering supplies once I see the bad news of this month's credit card bill. I'd hate to spend money that I only think I have. Money aside, I'm happy to say I feel like I really milked that spurt of inspiration I had last week. I'm already thinking about a new mini "line" (I can never get used to calling it that, honestly) to do after I wrap this one up. It will be a little more true to fall fashion in style and colors. The solid ideas definitely aren't there yet, but the gears upstairs are turning.

I'm thinking this new line will consist of bold fuschias, cobalt blues, and chartreuse hues and will be inspired by a very glamorous night life that yours truly definitely doesn't have. Stylistically, it'll be poppy (but in good DGAJ taste) and will include lots of spheres, lucite pendants, and the like. I promise it won't be anything too obnoxious, by my standards at least. I've already got a playlist going to be paired with it- I mean, if you're going to have a night life theme, you've got to have music, right? I am my father's daughter (for anyone who doesn't know my dad, he loves all things super-themey even if it's way too much).

The good fortune Friday, I'm happy to say, also bled over into the music sector of the AJ realm. Definitely always a good thing. I've been editing old songs I wrote, adding on to newer songs, experimenting with sounds a little more, etc, etc. I also twisted Claire's (awesome friend from high school, she was in band with me) arm to lay down some drum tracks for me (Thanks, Claire!). Now if I could just get that process to go a little faster, *says in a Lumberg voice* that would be greeeeat.

Action Jackson out!

Back to the Drawing Board

2009-07-24T07:21:00.000-07:00

For the past few days, I've had mad scientist syndrome and have been obsessing over new jewelry ideas. Even though AFW's done and over, my adrenaline's still making my brain constantly tick and I've just got to get these brain waves to materialize somehow! With fall, my very favorite fashion season, coming up, I thought it would be really awesome to challenge myself to make a cohesive new "line" of about 10-15 pieces. I figure it'll kick the ole thinker into gear and will be a good challenge for me, and what Type-A doesn't love a good challenge? In my spare interspace web hunt time, I've been been browsing for new ideas and muses and have been stewing on everything I find.
A really great idea came to me the other day to use Bioshock, a seamlessly crafted art deco-style retro anachronistic post-apocaliptic first person shooter game (see above image), as my inspiration. The game is set in a dystopian underwater futuristically retro (hence the anachronistic aspect) city and many of the game's themes and storyline concepts are based on Ayn Rand books. *Enter brief tangent* Personally, I HATE first person shooter games (as a player) because they are way too fast paced and there are too many weapon & item options for my level of gaming experience and style. However, when my boyfriend was showing me some of the games he'd been playing and replaying (which he does on a regular basis since he's an avid a.d.d. gamer), Bioshock really stood out to me (the same can be said for Fallout 3). It's one of those games that I watch and wish I had the gamer skills for because it's got an enticing story, beautiful aesthetics, and an overall great feel to it. Anyway, since my hobbies take precedent over my improving my first person shooter game skills, I've had my boyfriend play the game for me. *End brief yet semi-relevant tangent*

So what does this mean for the new jewelry line? Definitely burlesque/flapper-inspired feather headbands with crystal accents. I can't tell you how long I've been wanting to make those. And that's about where the idea well runs dry. How anticlimatic is that? I did some extensive art deco supply and jewelry searches on Etsy yesterday and just wasn't really happy with what I found. The super angular pieces available would be tacky-kitschy vintage when paired with Swarovski crystals (and yes, I DO feel the need to put those on everything I make), and so many people already do that kinda thing. Plus, I'm not really into that style in the first place. All of that made me feel very torn and stumped because I really liked the idea of translating Bioshock into jewelry, but I hated the parts and pieces that were readily available to me. When I told my go-to roomie about my predicament, who I ask for advice on everything, she suggested I try putting my spin on art deco instead of the other way around.

Simple as that might seem, that seemed to resusitate my frustrated beaten down brain. Admittedly, I'm still kinda stumped. It may be one of those things I have to put on the shelf for a few days and come back to. I really want to do a lot of whites, creams and pastels, but since fall's coming up (even though the Texas weather won't admit that til November) I feel obligated to do emerald greens, cobalt blues, plums, and deep reds. Another point of feeling torn. Oh well. I guess my mutual inspiration and cold comfort in all of this is Tarina Tarantino's been able to make a few art deco pieces that really work (see above, side), so maybe I can too?

Action Jackson out.

Austin Fashion Week Concludes! Now what?

2009-07-23T09:18:00.000-07:00

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!

Austin Fashion Week With Sweet Potato Island

2009-07-14T17:32:00.000-07:00

Action Jackson reporting here from the middle of Austin Fashion Week. It doesn't get much more exciting than this, folks! I was lucky enough to make it out for Cindy's (of Sweet Potato Island) Primping, Purses, and Pictures Party at the Thomas Saverio Salon and Spa. The moment I entered the door, I was hit with the warm cocktail hour ambiance of the salon and thought to myself, "If this is a preview for how this week's going to be, I'll be in heaven for the next few days". At the entrance, I was greeted by the super-talented Cindy who was beaming of excitement and busy playing hostess. And upon hearing that News 8 Austin had been by to cover the hot lil soiree, I can imagine why.

I started off my night by snagging one of the house cocktails, courtesy of Dripping Springs Vodka and Paula's Texas Orange. Absolutely delish. I then worked my way into the next room where the only thing that looked more delectable than the yummy h'or dourves were the Sweet Potato Island bags. I'm always impressed when I see the craftsmanship of these bags; you can tell at a glance that hours of hard work go into creating these beautiful yet sturdy clutches and handbags. And, of course, I have to mention that the display was absolutely chic and adorable and made you feel like you were in a Zen garden just looking at it.

After chatting with Cindy for a while, she'd asked if I had gotten my free manicure. At which my heart skipped a beat and I couldn't help but play back, "Free manicure?!" The rest of the night, the lovely ladies of the Thomas Saverio Salon as well as our fantastic Cindy helped to assure I had a great evening. Following my free mani, I had a free makeup session and hair consultation. And who doesn't that sound good to? There were a few raffles that were also going on in the midst of all this excitement. Sadly, I wasn't one of the lucky winners, but it didn't matter because I was having a blast anyway. If you haven't made your way out for one of the fabulous AFW events, especially those of our very own Etsy Austin members, I encourage you to do so and promise it will be time well spent. In the words of someone summing up the week, "think of it as a week-long free happy hour". Enjoy!

Action Jackson out.

Diamonds and Sweets Party...

2009-06-26T14:34:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I really am so excited about AFW that it should be illegal. I feel like a Ritalin-medicated kid that just ate twenty Pixie Stix (sans meds). Just finished meeting with the gals over at Urban Betty to plan our joint event for AFW. We mostly just came up with a pretty basic party scheme, so I'm kinda stewing on aesthetics and details ****SUGGESTIONS WELCOME!!**** There's no official event name yet, but Diamonds and Sweets Party (maybe it should be Sparkle and Sweets Party...does alliteration do anything for you guys?) is something we've been kickin around the office, and by the office, I mean my brain. The event will be at 8:30pm at the Urban Betty Salon on Saturday, July 18th.

We'll have a raffle that will combine a few of my pieces as well as some contributions from the salon. Logistics for drinks are still being figured out, but one way or another, we'll make sure we've got some. We'll also serve cupcakes, which is pretty perfect considering my setup is necklaces and earrings adorning cupcake stands and old school candy jars stuffed with lollipops. I think one of the gals that works there is going to have her DJ friend spin for us...I'd really like to have my two cents on that one, but I know how DJ's are. There may be some creative elbows bumping, but I don't want to set a bad mental precedent. The gals were sayin they'd probably play house music, which apparently is stuff like Air (when you look them up on iTunes, you'll recognize their top song is from 10 Things I Hate About You if you're like me), Phoenix, and I don't remember the other names. Convincing them to throw in some My Bloody Valentine, Smashing Pumpkins, Cure, Joy Division, and Hum shouldn't be too hard, right? Maybe some Mars Volta too? Anyway, for party aesthetics, I'm thinking lots of pink and probably a smidge of black. I'll be on the hunt for cute party cups and napkins...if I could find some crystal pink-colored classy plastic cups and matching napkins, that would be good. It would be awesome to have some pink plastic chandeliers, but I don't see that happening anytime soon. I feel like there might not be too much done about party setup without digging too deep into the pockets. What do you guys think?

Possible Playlist (to suggest to DJ):
-To Here Knows When by My Bloody Valentine (anything off Loveless works, really)
-Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division (any song would work, i.m.o.)
-The End of the World/Boys Don't Cry by the Cure
-Ava Adore by Smashing Pumpkins
-Mars by Hum

Action Jackson out.

You Like Me! You Really Like Me!

2009-06-25T09:18:00.000-07:00

Eat your heart out, Judy Garland (and perhaps also Jim Carrey in his "classy" impression of her Oscar Awards speech). In the world of DGAJ, I've recently been working really hard in getting my foot in the door for online promo stuff, as many of you know. To my roommate's dismay, I have started a Twitter account and will try to keep that as updated as possible. On Tuesday, I started up a Flickr account, which is great because I can use their slideshow feature to post pictures of pieces that have been sold and archive them. It's awesome! Today, I listed a few bags for Etsy showcases; I really wish it could be jewelry but that sector is really saturated and it's tough to get in! I've also put in some time writing entries for the Etsy Austin blog as well as researching other people's blogs to get ideas for new articles. It's definintely time consuming, but it's fun and I keep telling myself it will pay dividends for me in the long run (hopefully!).

So, now on to the really exciting news for this post. *Drum roll* I am proud to announce that I will be participating in Austin Fashion Week! This will be an event that is widespread throughout Austin and will involve countless boutiques, salons, local designers, photographers, stylists, and models. Between now (I believe it's now; launch787.com alludes to "Thursday" as being the starting day for voting) and July 18th, Austinites will be able to vote for their favorite designer participant in Austin Fashion Week. Launch787.com lists more details for how, where, when to vote as well as an extensive list of the particpants. Each designer is paired with a salon or boutique for which they will have a display set up from July 13-18 showcasing their best stuff. Each salon/boutique involved in Fashion Week will host a soiree cocktail event during the week to show off their place as well as the designers' work to the Austin public. The Sunday after fashion week, July 19th, there will be a hotsy totsy awards show at the Long Center (Dell Hall, 5:30-9:30pm) followed by a swanky after party at the Sky Lounge on Town Lake (9pm-12pm, almost exclusively for participants of AFW).

Here's a few more layers added to the cake. Shoppers who participate in AFW can purchase what is called a "Passport to Fashion" for $20 and receive a 10% discount at all the participating salons and boutiques during the week of July 13-18. When they make a purchase, they receive a stamp on their passport. Cute, huh? I wish I would have thought of that; puts so many clever ideas I've had to shame. The more stamps they receive on their passport, the more chances they have at winning a $5,000 shopping spree. If I wasn't participating and feeling semi-broke, I would be all over this like Louise II/Liza Minnelli on Buster Bluth (for all you Arrested Development fans paying attention). The other juicy tidbit is that the designer who is deemed best of the best by all voters will receive a prize (I'm assuming monetary, but it's not explicitly stated in the guidelines) from the sponsors of the event. The great part for you guys? You don't have to buy a passport to participate in voting and root for your favorite designer!

So, *phew!* I know that's all really long-winded, but I am beyond floored about being involved in this. I'll be meeting with a gal at Urban Betty tomorrow to hammer out details for our AFW event. I don't know any details except that it will be a nighttime event that will jointly promote Urban Betty and yours truly. More details soon! I will be sure to take pictures along the way for this exciting development, both for AFW and soiree alike. On a side note, though it's in no way a side note for me, one the of the Etsy Austin gals, Beth Albrect of Paired Hearts, drew up some new business cards for me! They look absolutely stellar and I'm so thrilled that I will have them in time for AFW as well as any wholesale/consignment opportunitites I pursue.

What does all this mean for DGAJ? I will be revvin things up so that I can really put out my very best for AFW. My most recent Facebook photo album is even aptly named, Diamonds and Guns: Bringin in the Big Guns. So, stay tuned and hopefully I will have nothing but exciting progressions for you all along the way.

Action Jackson out.

Are We Angry Yet?

2009-06-24T09:37:00.000-07:00

I love, sleep, and breathe fashion. If you know nothing or very little about me, know this. I used to be a rabid fashion binger and spend hours upon hours with my nose in every fashion magazine, my favorite designers' websites, and my favorite shops. And it showed (still shows in some ways). My friends would always rave about wanting to raid my closet, I'd always be voted "best dressed/best fashion sense" in whatever organizations I was actively involved with, and people would always have something to say about what I was wearing. So, that all said, I feel like I have an unquestionable authority when it comes to fashion. Sure, I don't have a degree in design and my sewing skills are novice at best, but I feel like "the people" have unanimously (albeit semi-silently) given me this fashion key to the city.

In addition to this, I'm a jewelry maker; I abstain from using the word designer (although that's what naturally rolls off my tongue, not out of conceit) because I know there's a negative/arrogant connotation associated with this. So, being a freelance/independent jewelry maker/designer, I feel I can relate to my fellow indie designers because no matter what our trade or craft, we're really all facing the same uphill battle when trying to get our businesses off the ground.

So, it was only natural that I was fuming from the ears when I read the article about the Design Piracy Prohibition Act on Fashion Incubator (http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/fashion-incubator-a-good-idea-while-it-lasted/), not to mention the Wiki article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_Piracy_Prohibition_Act). Essentially, the aim of this act is to cut down on counterfeit "designer" duds and protect the big names, but it undeniably hurts the small-time designers in the end. My interpretation of it is that it will give hotsy totsy brands the right to do something like start up a lawsuit against a freelancer because they both decided to use a bubble skirt and strapless cutout top for a dress pattern. Let me take a moment to point out the absurdity/obvious flaw of this and say what we're all thinking: fashion is repetitive, just like all other art forms. That's why and how trends exist. The same thing happens in music all the time, though I won't go as far as to say that the Vanilla Ice "Under Pressure" thing was okay. Assuming that the statement that fashion is repetitive is correct (and it is), there's no way you could begin to enforce the regulation of something like that, so why would you pass a bill trying to do so? I know that this development may be semi-old news to some of you, but when I read the FI article, it was brand new to me. I hadn't been that outraged at the design/government bureaucracy since I heard about the CPSIA. *Cue the government major/degree holder in me to come out*

Now I know that a lot of you might be weary of reading on because you might have an image of me standing on my coffee table, making crazy hand gestures and yelling about this. I'm not going to make this a soap box post though; I'll keep my point concise and compelling because (even though I could go on all day about this) I know not everyone's a politics person. After all, this is a crafter's blog, so it wouldn't be entirely relevant anyway.

I am a cynic at heart, but there's always a part of me that refuses to acquiesce to this 100% for whatever reason. Even if it is true that the convincing voice of the people can never match the ever-tempting lobbyist donations for our senators and representatives, I feel we should all take time to write our congressmen and women. I can't imagine with their boxy 80s suits that they wear way too often that they're all fashion experts themselves, so maybe some of them earnestly don't understand how this could hurt the little guys (and gals). And if there really are enough of the good ones out there in Congress who are young and/or haven't been corrupted by the system, maybe they'll listen to our claims and react. After all, isn't one of our branches of the government currently defined by idealism at its core?

If you are unsure of who your representatives are, visit this nifty little website and enter in your zip code (http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/). I especially encourage all to write Kay Bailey Hutchison as she was a proponent of the bill but all the same seems like a very reasonable woman.

Recap from Capital Punishment: Battle on the Brink II

2009-06-23T10:36:00.001-07:00

Where could you find some of your favorite Etsy Austin gals this past weekend? At the Capital Punishment Battle on the Brink II Roller Derby Tournament, of course! Kim of DevilgirlDesign, Jean of GothMartha, Jen of LucyBlueStudio, and yours truly of ActionJackson were all on the scene at the Austin Convention Center this past Saturday and Sunday. Teams from six states travelled to our humble little (awesome) city to compete in what could only be recounted as an epic derby battle. Personally, I would have loved to see our own Austin team win the title of the championship, especially with our star player, Dixie Sanchez, getting bruised up and needing to leave the tourney to go to the hospital. However, in the end, it was the San Diego Derby Dolls that came out on top for CPBotB. All scores and recaps from the tournament can be found at www.derbynewsnetwork.com.

This was definitely an event that would go down in every vendor's book as beyond memorable. What other event could you sell at where an execution chair was prominently displayed front and center and where the announcers boomed from a seemingly omnipotent court judge's stand? Where else could you see jedi knights, executioners, and peacocks amongst a ravenous and eagerly awaiting crowd? The eclectic vendors and artists that could be found at the tournament were a perfect fit for their audience of fierce derby warriors and fans alike. In addition to the wonderful Etsy Austin gals present to represent, the always rockin Legs Diamond, Bonnie Rue of Model Citizen, and fellow Etsy artist EStreetJewelry were all putting in the hours to sell in the tournament. In total, there were about twenty vendor booths, most of whom were roller derby-affiliated, and it was enough to make anyone selling or spectating want to join. Who wouldn't want to have their own glittery red helmet and matching roller skate wheels accessorized with cheetah print knee pads? Okay, I admit, I could very well be alone on this one.

If you think you've got what it takes to sell (or even watch for that matter) at a fierce future TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls match, check out www.txrd.com for more information.

Action Jackson out.

Hot Blog Part Deaux

2009-06-22T08:07:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, I vended at the Capital Punishment Banked Track Roller Derby Tournament (hopefully I'll get to that in more detail on another post), which in all honesty is probably the reason I decided to start up my blog again. I take any advice from more seasoned designers and vendors very seriously and don't second guess their judgment. So, when a gal who was there (Bonnie Rue of www.modelcitizen.etsy.com) suggested I give this another go, I thought, "eh. What the hell". If nothing else it will fulfill my ever-present youngest child (as well as blue in a red state) desire for people to pay attention to me. And hey, I've always said I wanted to make a living telling people what to think, though maybe that would play out better in a politically incorrect concept.

The hope of this blog, of course, is to spark the public's interest in my jewelry. Even though I really don't keep up with blogs aside from casually browsing Penny Arcade, I'd be kidding myself to think that it was not especially important in some way to maintain a website outside of my Etsy site (which is www.actionjackson.etsy.com in case you're wondering). After all it is the, oh yes, 21st century, so the internet is arguably the most relevant and important medium out there.

So what's next? I will be looking into selling consignment at a few stores around Austin over the next few days and snazzing up my biz cards. I really liked the design concept I had before, but it was slightly tacky and a little rough around the edges. I'll probably still keep the same diamond in the background and two crossed pistols in front with a banner reading, "Diamonds and Guns". The next time you see it, the card will most likely be classier.

That's all folks.
-Action Jackson