RedLipstick

noreply@blogger.com (staceyjoy) — Sat, 17 May 2008 02:20:00 +0000

A new project: Favorite Dress of the Week/ RedLipstick. I'm going to post pictures of our favorite dress each Friday as a visual time capsule experiment, a record of a specific place, style-wise: Vanderbilt Avenue, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, New York May 16, 2008...until: Undecided

You can always click on the picture for close-up views.
CU CU

noreply@blogger.com (staceyjoy) — Thu, 15 May 2008 16:30:00 +0000

I spend a tremendous amount of time looking at new products from all over the world, but I've never seen anything as incredible as these shoes! Fab. Ok, maybe these. hehe

Wrapped presents from my shop get the "chuck roast" treatment:
CU

noreply@blogger.com (staceyjoy) — Wed, 14 May 2008 16:10:00 +0000

Green, cream and orange still life, with fur.
CU

noreply@blogger.com (staceyjoy) — Tue, 13 May 2008 18:10:00 +0000

Some catmilk, found in the supermarket {!} and a sour puss, currently unaware of the tiny instrument of terror that's coming to live with us in a few weeks.
CU

Taking care of bills, laundry, groceries, housecleaning, etc, these few days "off", nothing exciting going on here...snoozemare, believe me, yet must be done.

I posted an ad on Craigslist for a weekend shopgirl, and asked for a few paragraphs, and no resumes. The answers I received should go in a book! I did get a decent number of strong candidates, interviewing commences tomorrow and thursday, however, how over half of the respondents are ever going to get jobs, any job, is beyond me. I won't quote anyone directly for numerous reasons, but the high/low nature of the responses is scary, astounding and sometimes sad, all at once. Wow. Looking forward to training a new employee this weekend! I never thought things would get this far, but they have, and are continuing to grow. :-D

Now reading encouraging articles regarding delegating responsibility, my weak point. Must make progress in that area myself, no doubt about it.

noreply@blogger.com (staceyjoy) — Sat, 10 May 2008 21:22:00 +0000

The new girl in the shop, just arrived yesterday:
CU

noreply@blogger.com (staceyjoy) — Thu, 08 May 2008 21:13:00 +0000

hehe... Meatwater! Speaking of which, my shop is phasing out the all leather handbags..too heavy, and too expensive. We'll do a leather strap or trim, but that's it. Also, every style of shoe RedLipstick carries is "vegan".

I have not had a chance to rest or breathe...some exciting developments possibly coming down the pike in a few months. Endlessly convoluted, my life is...but I'm pretty happy right now, I have to say. Just not enough time in the day....

Visiting Brooklyn Designs in Dumbo tomorrow before opening the shop.

noreply@blogger.com (staceyjoy) — Mon, 05 May 2008 05:01:00 +0000

Disappearing down the trade show rabbit hole the next two days morning till night, topped off with another visit to the opera Tuesday night {thank you, J!!}. d.r.e.a.m.i.n.g.o.f.a.v.a.c.a.t.i.o.n.

noreply@blogger.com (staceyjoy) — Sun, 04 May 2008 18:16:00 +0000

Some more lil' kitty action: Tiny Sonia {or maybe Honeybee} hanging with her Aunt Lulu:

noreply@blogger.com (staceyjoy) — Fri, 02 May 2008 17:43:00 +0000

Uh oh...a tiny, female baby kitten found in Bensonhurst, rescued first by a college student, and currently being lovingly fostered by my friend Sonia, is slated to join my menagerie in about a month:

Hello Kitty! I'm naming her Sonia after my friend, who does wonderful animal rescue work, and is also the owner of the most famous tripod, Lulu. Murphy is going to thrilled to have a new kitty to play with, and I'm hoping Penny will love her too. Kitty, that'll take a bit of time.

noreply@blogger.com (staceyjoy) — Thu, 01 May 2008 22:34:00 +0000

A quick shot of some crocheted yoke tees in house this spring... Silk tape on a cotton tee:
CU

Unrelated: I read an excellent book yesterday "The Sociopath Next Door", recommended to me after a long conversation with one of my customers...this book helped me understand things that happened to me a number of years ago, when I had a "relationship" with what I believe is a sociopath, or person who literally has no conscious, and therefore does heinous things without feeling much of anything. Funnily, I remember saying to him many times "You are empty inside, aren't you?" Anyway...great book, a recommended read.

noreply@blogger.com (staceyjoy) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 20:47:00 +0000

We got the motherload of deliveries today...8 boxes of scarves, wicker purses, summer dresses, some colorful belts, jackets that need to be sent back {don't ask..PITA!}, some beautiful printed linen Dumpling bags and scarves from Flowie...and next week is market week, meaning I'm focused on buying for Fall already. sigh. Perhaps some pix later of todays booty...have to process clothing now. My assistant is having her college finals this week, so I have no help. I may hire a second person for back-up, my shop has progressed to the point of simply being too much for one person to wrangle. Recession, reschmession...carry what other people do not, and keep prices affordable, and you will not be complaining about the recession. There's some free advice for you. :-D

noreply@blogger.com (staceyjoy) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 21:43:00 +0000

Cleaning house and making fabric experiments in the studio these two rainy days off. Made a carrot cake this afternoon, with extra cinnamon, crushed pecans, double grated carrots, yogurt and soy milk, sea salt and a pinch of black pepper. mmm.
CU

Figuring out the best way to hang purses from these frames, and using my embroidery swatches up at the same time. The framed baby foot is finished. It's lined with marbled cotton flannel:
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Yellow velvet ribbon with stitching makes a flat bottom:
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Embroidered fleuron on the back:
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The next one is embroidered baby buzzards, red wool twill lining, with silver grey velvet casing:
CU

noreply@blogger.com (staceyjoy) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 23:32:00 +0000

Fooled around with a new shipment of purse frames this am, with this result:
CU

Machine embroidery on cotton canvas, silk taffeta lining, velvet ribbon casing.

noreply@blogger.com (staceyjoy) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:47:00 +0000

I spent some time with old pal Jane Diaz yesterday am in her studio, always an inspiration. I determined to only buy silver, as I'm getting tired of gold. When I saw these, it was true love:
CU
Matte silver number and symbol studs! o.m.g. I also have an X. I got tons of these for the shop, as well as other beautiful earrings. The numbers are sold one at a time, so you can make personal number combinations. If you must have these, email me: staceyatredlipstickdotnet, and I'll send some to you...they are $20 per ONE piece.

I did buy myself a working pair of tiny 1" rose gold scissors, now on a silver chain around my neck.

Jane is finally working on her own website, I'll post it here when she launches. Her work is both modern and classic at the same time, the only designer I wear every single day.

I've been slammed with work, and feel like I just came up for air. *big breath*

noreply@blogger.com (staceyjoy) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:23:00 +0000

Stupidly busy. Not much to report.

noreply@blogger.com (staceyjoy) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 17:09:00 +0000

stayed up late making some new colors for the shop page.

noreply@blogger.com (staceyjoy) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 18:29:00 +0000

Some beautiful crocheted and embroidered art from a fellow Brooklynian: Emily Barletta. Or how about sculptured lipstick art by Carmen Lozar! Wow!

I stayed off the foot {actually the ankle} yesterday, and it feels much better today. I think I just twisted it or pulled a muscle, or something. Onward!

I have an exciting new project in the works, we hope to work on it all summer, and launch in September. If you're one of the charming people who email me, wanting to shop in my store, but are not in Brooklyn, this should be a bunch of fun for you. The concept is just a bit more interesting, I hope, { and economical} than the average webshop. My current webshop will be used for knitting pattern sales, as it is already.

Practiced on the Passap yesterday, took a chance and worked with un-elastic cottons and linens, got many a dumped swatch. Madame Passap likes her tension JUST SO, or she will not co-operate.

I managed to actually finish a long Japanese cotton scarf:
CU

noreply@blogger.com (staceyjoy) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 17:21:00 +0000

On the way home from the Opera last night, I stepped into a hole in street getting into a cab, and hurt my foot somehow. It's not swollen this am, but I can't put too much pressure on it, or bend it sideways without pain. I can {limp}walk enough to walk the dogs or get around the apartment. DAMN IT! A planned trip to the garment district to get supplies today is off. Working in the studio today instead. My foot hurts! If it still hurts this bad in a few days, will have to go to the doctor for an x-ray. I hope I can ride my bike to work tomorrow. This is a major drag. Some shots from last night:

Pre-opera dinner at Ollies Noodles:
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Inside the Met, waiting for it to start:
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The large banner outside Lincoln Center:
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noreply@blogger.com (staceyjoy) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 16:50:00 +0000

Alot on my plate, all put there by myself, so no complaints. Today is a studio day, until tonight, when pal R and I go to the Metropolitan Opera see the 3.5 hour production of Satyagraha {by Philip Glass}. *Very*Excited*

And on craiglist, I found two of these babies:

Glass display tables. Picking them up Wednesday night, then painting the wood next week, and finally using them in the shop for jewelry display purposes. It'll be fun to fix these up, not sure what color they'll be painted yet, but it WON'T be electric lime green! Thinking gloss white, with degrade' turquoise legs. We'll see how ambitious I am next week. Would love to have more time to knit. A ridiculous situation, but there's all summer...

noreply@blogger.com (staceyjoy) — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 21:24:00 +0000

Clean sheets and a patch of sun make Puschy Galore very, very happy:
CU

noreply@blogger.com (staceyjoy) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 21:49:00 +0000

Since I became a vegetarian a few months ago, I was elected to "taste test" a new vegetarian option at Le Gamin next door. mmmm! Eggplant cream, homemade pickles and olives, lentils and tomatoes, and chickpea puree'. I could eat this every day, no problem.
CU

noreply@blogger.com (staceyjoy) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:08:00 +0000

Machine embroidering fleuron color tests for clothing and bag designs this Spring/Summer in my shop. Rayon thread and cotton canvas.
CU

noreply@blogger.com (staceyjoy) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 01:50:00 +0000

Our street got the asphalt scraped off it today, very nervewracking, smelly, noisy and incredibly dusty. I closed up shop after a few minutes of opening and went to the Brooklyn Museum to see the Murakami exhibit. Wonderful. I especially liked being in a giant room papered with extreme color and graphics. Everything about it was gorgeous.

I finally saw Judy Chicago's "Dinner Party", and was in awe. There was also an exhibit of large scale hand embroidered pictures by Ghada Amer that I loved, unexpectedly.

I reopened about 5, after the heavy machinery was gone. sigh. They're coming back tomorrow.

noreply@blogger.com (staceyjoy) — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 02:18:00 +0000

I took a few minimal shots of the shop today. Click them to see larger:

noreply@blogger.com (staceyjoy) — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 04:08:00 +0000

I got a tremendous amount done these past two days. Today I ran overdue errands and bought/planted a new rose bush in one of the planter at the studio building. I'll post pictures of the first blooms, right now the new rose is just pruned stems. While I was at the nursery, I also picked out a Norfolk Island Pine for Kittys plant collection:

CU

She so desperately wants to go outside and explore, but she is an apartment cat, there's no way...so I'm building her a small indoor garden. Poor thing makes jealous bird noises whenever I take the dogs out for a walk.