Mason Porn

Antique Odd Fellows Masks by Tops Design
I find the whole fuckery of masons in the US interesting. These institutions, in which many were built on the foundation of patriarchy, classism, racism and marginalization, are absolutely fascinating. The symbology, so much of it taken from the Moorish, North Africa and "Middle East" is represented so often. I am obsessed with decoding and admiring these amazing adornments produced around these societies.

Antique Masonic Estate Pin by Hudson Estate
Within themselves the masons have a class system as well, it. to me is not apparent to many, but there was certainly a system of levels and portrayal to have the masses of working class think they too could participate in this system.
In my work I seek to deconstruct the negative patriarchy and create with the secret society miscellany a beautiful explosion for women especially, fashion and expression using those sacred ethnic symbols.

"Friendship Truth Love" by The Hand of Fatima

"We Never Sleep" by The Hand of Fatima

Daily Candy

Ooow! Hey are beloved retailer Kaight (83 Orchard Street) and our Brothel Token Necklaces were featured in Daily Candy's Valentine picks.

Grab your little, dirty American history on sale in the shoppe, through Valentine's Day...

Mouth Watering Swedish Auction House

My mouth is watering...not for Swedish Meatballs, but for this place.

Some Occupied Land

A Victorian calling card in European aesthetic from the early 1900's in...Arabic. Wow. The seller I bought this from described it as Chinese...man oh man. Since I know about ten things to write in Farsi...all I recognize here is "Allah" (God) and it's a blessing, just like the Easter cards of European/American origin at this time in this style. What a crazy find. Love it.

He was a poet

"...and he could not commit to me. At least that was his excuse for being unfaithful, that he was an artist, a true lover of all. He was so willing to give all of himself to get lost in another, all to wake up in a random bed and do it again. Empty fool, he was. I smashed his mother's harp on my way out the door and left on a morning train."

New nostalgia in the shoppe...

May The New Year...

...shine its blessings on you...or a chubby, white cherub in a hot air balloon. xo

Peace out 2010, I am ready to say farewell to you!

When All Else Is Fuckery...

...buy some stuff you've had an eye on to cheer you...right? Even if your funds are low from disastrous business decisions, or the holidaze...or fuckonomy, you can find a way...right? How worse can it be, right? In Dali's autobiography he said that when he and Gala were at their broke ass-est they would still tip the most and return to their Montmartre apartment that they could barely afford...
So here's what I snagged thus far:

You know that postcard is awesome!! Nothing like some creep sneaking up on you watching you sleep on a hammock to give you "Sweet Dreams".

This little lovely is one of my favorites to collect, an antique "calling card" lithograph or "die-cut". This one has a poem that reads; "Of all that is near, thou are the nearest. Of all that is dear, thou art the dearest."

This is an antique photo of a faceless dude and a horse...I effing love this! It's as if he is death or something coming to take the horse...or his pay? It reminds me of the guy who played the devil in Dr. Parnassus. It gives me the inspiration to create assemblage art again.These are some dope vintage horse medals or "ornaments for the harness of cart-horses were first made in the late 18th century; they became very popular in the 1850s, replacing an older style of adornment with ribbons, woolen fringes, and tooled leather. In some areas brasses were still in normal use in the 1920s, and can still be seen at horse-shows and parades." This is a little French lovely from the olden golden days, porcelain and I cannot wait to get my hands on it...and all my purchases as soon as possible.

Life's Circus

Antique cabinet photo from victorian age Gustavo Arcaris and Kate ...Knife Throwing in their circus act.

I don't know which direction things are going...as an artist I am in a pickle. I am trying to push through to the next level...how? I need marketing and blah and blah and blah. I feel circus-ish these days. When I was in London I got violently ill, I was hospitalized for three days, I was there told I needed emergency stomach surgery. I opted to return home to be near my boys for the surgery with my own doctors. The issue was that when the hospital gave me paperwork they told me to show American Airlines so I wouldn't be charged a fee for missing my plane...well instead they wouldn't let me board. I had to buy a completely new ticket on Virgin. It was a mess...a circus indeed.
I arrived back in the states where my husband picked me up from Newark and drove me straight to Columbia Presbyterian where I eventually had the operation. Through it all, I worried most about the little baby in my womb. In the end it all turned out fine...isn't that something? Fine. Whatever spirit guides us; science, greater being...whatever, the revolving door of the up and down cycle of life is guaranteed and the gift of having things be okay is a blessing of whatever proportion you make it. I wonder how circus performers felt about their "next level".
"Sideshow-freak" photograph by Edward Kelty. c.1920

Her Immigrant Mother

New piece in the shoppe featuring genuine tintypes. Something quite "forever" about a tintype, no? Even though the tintype is quite older than the buckles surrounding it, I am a lover of all things Art Deco...had to work with this assemblage piece.

Smut and Surprise

Back for the holidays and available for wholesale to brick and mortars...the brothel token series of vintage necklaces! Reclaim yo fame in your crew, they'll wild out over these coins of thunder! Buy online in the shop and you get one chosen randomly for you.

Eye See You....

There is something undeniably intriguing about conspiracy and the history of organizing around the theory of ruling the world. How's this image for you? This is from a few years ago, fashion photographer Emma Summerton took it, I love it. Who is watching? Why? If they are should we care? I guess if they are, we might as well look dam good, check it...get your Masonic on:

I'm Baaaaaa-aaaack

Creativity can be soooooooooooooooo scarce when a well deserved break is needed. I am amped up and ready to move one way...forward. Check out the fresh blood in the shop!

Something Blue

I feel blue...particularly because of our human family suffering in Haiti. I really am without expression. When I was about 20, and had been out on my own for some years already, a beautiful Hatian family took me into their family. Even if I never met a Hatian, I would mourn this situation, but it's particularly hurtful because I understand the intense love and giving that comes from the Hatian community, please find it in your heart to donate in any way you see fit to the Hatian cause. Many artists are selling art that proceeds will go to Haiti. In a few days I will have a link for you to buy handmade all natural shea butter lip balm created for this cause.

As for another something blue...I listed this in the shop tonight...


I also took some photos of new apothecary I have worked on and some new curios of mine...

Hows about a lil' nostalgia anyone?

Seriously...what do I do that does not involve it? It's strange how we can have a connection to things that we have no cultural relation to. I never lived in the Victorian era or Europe, did you?? Why do I love it, why am I inspired by the horrors of it, not just the ruffly beauty? Maybe my past life? Who knows!
I will say that when I was small in school, our teacher introduced us to Lenore by Edgar Allen Poe and it put a chill in me. I couldn't have been more than nine...maybe ten, and this story, poem, took me to a dark, mysterious place that shocked me, yet inspired me to continue. I don't know what it is other than the genuine sentiment of Poe, his utter darkness, that translated to me so strong. I actually could feel the temptation of being somewhere that I likely shouldn't, that I wasn't supposed to. It was amazing, I was there in the house...or was it the Raven?? lol. Where was the first dark place you went?

Sneak Peek II-Brooch Time...

A little somethin' somethin' of what I have conjured up with these new brooches to jazz up your lapel of wherever!

Sneak Peek I

From the Steam Secrets Collection.

New.New.New.Newness
It's almost ridiculous how many new things I have in the shop and coming! Feel free to tell me what you think of these new designs. I have about four brooches coming out, London is a total brooch town, so my visit there was the catalyst for the designs. So here are some pics of stuff that won't arrive to the shop until a bit later this week.

xo xo xo xo
From The Secret Society Trust Collection


From the Voodoo Collection

Grand Opening! Sunday Love- Brooklyn

Hey Everyone...I know, I know, no pictures from London yet...but I had to work like a maniac for that awesome show in D.C.-Crafty Bastards, which happened over the weekend and was exactly as expected...DOPE!!! We were put up by one of my fav girls, Katie of Catherinette, or as I like to call her..."McGiver Stewart", because she is what you would get if Martha Stewart and McGiver had a baby...she can do ANYTHING...sew you a jacket while painting a house....fix your car, while building a display...it's insane, shames me every time.
My neighbor was the ridiculously talented Margaux of The Black Spot Books...she book binds from antique leather, and even makes jewelry and raises a gorgeous, gorgeous baby called Søren, who will steal your heart away, and chase you with an antique hammer! I am amazed at not just the absolute beauty of this work, but the soul. I swear, each book has a soul, no joke. Here is a video of her studio and her process...which makes me go...."damn!" lol:


You can find her online here.
*Also, she has ghostly, unique photographs I really wish I had room for in my house, and her hubby Walter is a painter AND a woods craftsman with beautiful and SAFE toys for your girls and boys.

Now as for exciting, local news...Sunday Love is opening in Williamsburg, and the only jewelry featured in the shop is The Hand of Fatima!!!
I want to invite you! Come through for the grand opening 10-10-09 @6:30ish, food if you eat, drinks if you drink, and beauty everywhere, plus a DJ. You've gotta meat the super cool artists/owners Greer, Scott and Ned, who have made this beautiful place a new part of Williamsburg community.

Spook

I worked on an addition to my display this morning for a bit. I basically grabbed some ephemera I had laying around, an old suitcase I overpaid for, and made up this box.

What's strange is that that picture of the Victorian house, would not allow me to take a focused shot...it's a very ghostly picture to begin with...but it gave me chills.


Furthermore, in a new box of old photos I bought, there was another ghost, a man posing like a character from Gangs Of New York...the picture is marked by and, Feb. 1883 and was taken on Fifth Avenue and 22cnd. street, or at least developed there maybe? Another one that I could not focus the camera on.
I know to some...clearly the person I bought this from, this is all just junk, but I can't help but become overwhelmed with holding a piece of someone's life, and history in my hand.

Collection Preview

You'll see bits and pieces of a necklace called "The Great Depression" which features two vintage liquor tags in a tarnished sterling-plate, Bourbon and Scotch...three strands of vintage glass "pearl" beads in a smokey metallic finish hang below. Do you get it?? Who says you can't look like a million in an economic hell storm? I added at the top of the center rows two hand antiqued, vintage monogram tags for detail.

Also I have a new, c. 1908, fraternal Order of The Odd Fellows all seeing eye piece with an incorporated vintage rhinestone bead, very rare.
Another fraternal badge piece "Member" also turn of the 20th century, along with a Victorian key hanging below.
Finally, an Art Deco, filigree belt buckle (half), in steel with painted color and a French cut chandelier dropping below.
Oh...and yes, "The Most Worthy Auditress", two tiers of an antique fraternal badge, hanging Victorian 12k gold fill eye glasses, skeleton key and deco locket.