RedLipstick

2009-03-06T02:09:00.001-05:00

A new blog will appear towards the end of April, peeps...in the meantime, please join me on Facebook for the lastest news about the shop..xxx, Staceyjoy

2009-01-29T02:11:00.005-05:00

4.09.2001: that's the date of the very first post of this blog, and today is the last. In it's current form, it is being retired today! It's been an incredible and highly varied learning experience, and I may start another one at some point in the future. Right now, I want to focus on creative projects. Then redesign this entire site this summer.

I will be posting photographs on Flickr regularly, and am on Ravelry as well... Thanks for the many kind, funny and intelligent comments and connections over the years!

2009-01-28T20:24:00.001-05:00

For those of you who sew, you're going LOVE this: Weekend Designer.

2009-01-28T12:20:00.004-05:00

The incredible Rahm Emanuel on Charlie Rose...this former ballet dancer is as close to perfection as a man as you can possibly get...sigh...dreamy!

2009-01-28T02:36:00.002-05:00

Very successful day, mellow even. I ordered a new line of hand printed on 100% cotton shorts, skirts and dresses made by ladies in South Africa, they're gorgeous and very affordable. Hand painted matryoshka {nesting dolls} from Russia...I had one when I was a little girl, loved it. Got about 9 different designs and sizes. Patchouli scent stick form Paris. Organic beeswax lip balm from Georgia, both tinted and non. Lots more. A good day. Ended it waiting for dol sot Bi Bim Bop on 32nd st:

2009-01-26T12:25:00.004-05:00

Looking forward to Chinese food tonight with friends, in honor of Year of the Ox. All day tomorrow at a huge trade show, buying interesting and sweet smelling things for the shop. A lovely way to spend two days off!

I've started digitally archiving Pulsallamas old press releases, before they turn to dust, and am joined in this effort so far by my former bandmates April and Min, and hopefully Jean soon. We started a fan page on Facebook here for all you interested in late 20th century all girl percussion bands. Not much up there yet, but we are working on it...

I have been a knitwear designer for a very, very long time, as evidenced by this shot from Paper magazine in 1985. This was a collaborative effort with artist Kenny Scharf. You can enlarge it on FLickr:
CU
I wonder what happened to those sweaters? I still have the punch card patterns, perhaps I should re-issue them..they were extremely labor intensive, though.

2009-01-25T17:44:00.003-05:00

A quick shot of the Esther Helmet, this will be the next RedLipstick Knitting Pattern released:
CU

There are three more shots on Flickr from different angles. Super-warm, and a fun knit.

2009-01-24T20:28:00.002-05:00

I've knit three chin-strapped helmets so far, they are basically cat hats without ears, put them in the window of the shop intending to shoot them tomorrow when there's daylight...and someone bought them within 15 minutes. I guess the pattern is a hit. :-D Working on number 4, but it's a variegated yarn, and the shaping work is not so visible. Hope to shoot one in daylight sometime soon. A light, solid color is next so I can shoot the stitches. It's colder than a witches tit again. Glad I rode in today on my bike. Not properly dressed for extreme biking cold. sigh.

2009-01-23T11:51:00.004-05:00

Well, due to some friends moving to Berlin soon that I want to stay in touch with, I gave in and joined Facebook. And now, dear old friends I lost touch with years ago are now finding me!!! Incredible.

UPDATE: I appreciate very much the kind notes I have received here in the comments {not published} wanting to friend me on Facebook. Please don't be offended, but I am only friending people I know or have known in "real" life, not internet friends. That's what Flickr is for. :-> thank you all very much. Feel free to link to me on Flickr, if you are so inclined. I update that more than this blog, usually, anyway. xxx, staceyjoy

2009-01-21T13:58:00.001-05:00

Kitty is actually curled up IN MY LAP, watching the inauguration. This is a new thing. Took her 8 years to figure out cuddling is nice. Penny is trying very hard to ignore the fact Kitty has the best seat in the house. Jealous! She won't look over at all. :-D
CU

2009-01-20T14:05:00.002-05:00

CU
I want the religion taken OUT of politics! That was like a church service. At least Obama mentioned the "nonbelievers" Thank you! There was a gargantuan, worldwide, mindset shift today. Very exciting.

Image made at:
obamiconme.pastemagazine.com/

I watched it on CSpan, which features a refreshing lack of dumb commentary. Anybody catch the complete and total dis of the Clintons by Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter? Wonder what that was about.

And I LOVED the Isabel Toledo yellow dress set on Mrs. Obama, with green leather gloves. Gorgeous.

2009-01-15T19:03:00.004-05:00

PLEASE NOTE: Our Brooklyn shop will be CLOSED Friday the 16th, it's just too damned cold! SO we're staying home in pajamas, playing with yarn and small animals and drinking lots of tea. We will open up again as usual Saturday at noon. Thanks!

An excellent article for the new year by Tim O'Reilly: Work on Stuff that Matters: First Principle.

*Super* interesting: Daily Routines.

Trying to figure out note locations, as far as I can tell, it's somewhat random. That's ok, because I'll remember where to get what I'm looking for anyway after a while. :-> Too much of in a rush to put the stand together, this is on the rug.

2009-01-15T11:10:00.002-05:00

A reluctant model today...despite a hot pink angora stomach-protector, Madame was appalled that she was expected to work in such cold conditions. She decided the photo session would end after she peed.
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Her new sweater in action:
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Finishing it last night:
CU

2009-01-14T16:44:00.006-05:00

Miss Pennys heart murmur is a 4 on a scale of 6. Not good news. We have to deal with that first, if anything can be done. God damn it! The vet says I am just unlucky to get two chihuahuas with heart issues, it's not common. She's apparently a bit older than we originally thought, too. my poor little sweetheart...

Lots of new things in the shop today, slowly transitioning into spring, despite the brutally cold weather this week! Camera is recharging today...maybe some pix soon. We got a hooded rain jacket, two different styles of gorgeous black cocktail dresses, perfect for weddings, lace knit knee highs and some burgundy textured stockings, all under $110, so no sales tax. :-D.

I have an incredibly beautiful and classic/modern new jewelry line coming in in 2-3 weeks, more info when it's in-house.

~~Also, I think something happened to stop the RSS feed...I'll take a look when I have time...may be a few days.~~ Seems some kind soul at Google fixed it for me...thank you!

2009-01-13T12:06:00.006-05:00

Unfortunately, Miss Penny is going to the vet later today...she has some type of rare fungus in her nasal canal, and with a heart murmur, it's somewhat tricky treating it, so we're going to a specialist. I decided to make her a pretty new soft sweater for the trip uptown:
CU

She's a Type A Egoista, and so accordingly, I decorated the sweater with a hot pink angora capital I, repeated. Little Missy approves. Otherwise, it's a pale blue suri alpaca mixed with a strand of hand dyed merino wool. Size 10 needle.

2009-01-12T12:20:00.007-05:00

A winter day off...hanging out with Puschy...
CU

I had a hankering for gingerbread last week, and got a box of mix at Trader Joe's...Today I am going to bake it, with some fresh pineapple slices in the bottom of the pan. I also got some fresh ginger to grate into it. This may turn out to be delicious, or really nasty! Experiment ~~results later on~~ here...
CU
Trader Joe's Molasses Gingerbread mix...
...with 1/2 cup fresh grated ginger, Vitasoy Plain soy milk instead of water. Butter. Big sprinkle of Cinnamon. 3 fat slices of fresh pineapple on the bottom of a buttered pan. Cooked an extra 5 minutes. This will be great with vanilla ice cream for breakfast. The fresh ginger really added to it. More cinnamon next time.

I love this time of year, lots of new ideas and things going on in my studio and life. Very happy in general...Getting up the nerve to turn the Dremel on. Not used to power tools.

2009-01-10T15:45:00.001-05:00

Until the end of January...

2009-01-09T12:18:00.002-05:00

Both my Dremel drill and xylophone came yesterday...I have alot of learning to do: how to wrangle both. The Dremel apparently can do hundreds of things, depending on which attachments you use. I had no idea...this opens up many new possibilities.

2009-01-08T15:45:00.003-05:00

An extremely funny email I received today from J***:

"I was interested in your Louche Cap Knitting Pattern based on the description but when I clicked into it I was completely turned off when I saw the the cigerette! Sorry, but it is probably going to prevent me from even viewing anything else on that website let alone purchase anything. I keep imagining how awful that yarn smells.

I realize not everyone thinks this way but maybe there are more than you think. Just my opinion."

OMG! We laughed till tears came. It's a free pattern, and you may knit it if you like, if not, that's also fine! You're a real delicate flower! Thanks, J***!

2009-01-08T11:26:00.001-05:00

Damn! 13 year old Sara from Japan:

2009-01-08T09:21:00.000-05:00

Playing with animated wireframes, knitting fine gauge undershirts.

2009-01-06T13:23:00.006-05:00

Karen D.'s "Beanie with a Bill" free knitting pattern. I've never gone down the stiffened bill road, as I have an aversion to knitting plus hard objects, but this is exactly the correct way to do it, if you're so inclined. Great pattern, Karen!

I had a tremendously positive day yesterday. Woke early, and hit the ground running...I covered four trade shows, mostly to see what's out there next season. I did manage to order some very beautiful and affordable things for the shop. Lots of organic clothing as well, finally organic clothing is approaching affordable price levels. Mostly, the new stuff is due in-store in February - March. It felt just great to walk for miles, after the shows I walked, actually shopped my way, from Javits Center over on the west side all the way down to Soho. The weather was almost balmy.

Retail-wise, in Manhattan, things appear mostly normal, not the drastic fire sale thing going on before xmas. I think stores were taking advantage of a fear-mongering press to get rid of old stock. :-> There are still some places going out, they most likely have unsustainable rents, and could not weather any slow-down. Who knows?

My own shop is a bit bare currently, although there still is some cold weather gear for you. We had a tremendous season, and look forward to a wonderful Spring! Thanks, everyone!

I am heading out today to get a dremel drill for making small holes. I found four styles of the most hilarious, extra gargantuan wooden earrings yesterday at one of my secret suppliers, and they are calling for some yarn embroidery, which entails drilling. Results in a few days.
CU

Waiting for my new 3 octave xylophone to arrive, so I can "design" music for abstract animation. Will be playing patterns, visual graphs that are inter-changable with numerous disciplines, the results should be....interesting!
CU

2009-01-04T17:08:00.007-05:00

Funny Red Meat.

Please note: The Brooklyn shop will be closed Monday, Jan. 5th through Thursday, Jan. 8th...we'll re-open Friday the 9th. I thought things would slow down after New Years, but of course they haven't. We will be deep cleaning and maybe rearranging the shop a bit, there's not much room in here, so we can't really do too much. I also want to go shopping myself, in some other stores! Shocking! My apartment looks like a clothing and yarn bomb went off in there, must clean it, and laundry, etc. Facial and massage. Oh boy. Lots to take care of.

Might knit a bit, too, uninterrupted. Thinking about Spring knits and embroidery.

Oh, also, RedLipstick is having our annual New Year sale, starting the 9th till the end of the month. Spring clothing has already started coming in!

2009-01-03T13:38:00.003-05:00

Oh this is a stunning piece of video and an incredible story:

Longer version, such crappy music though:

2008-12-26T14:02:00.020-05:00

Nice! My boutique got a mention and a picture in New York Metromix! Many thanks! BTW, the Cat Hat pattern is not available yet...soon, perhaps! {Click through to the last picture for text...}

I wish you all Happy New Year, People! I'm taking a blogging break till next year, it's likely that sometime in January, I'll be back.

Some amusements for you till I return:

Alarm Dance. Very funny.
Cloth Physics simulation. Well done!