Two Thousand and Ten

...or twenty ten? you be the "decider".
one day when you write a memoir nostalgically, you'll call it out in full, but maybe i will go with twenty ten for now!

i want to wish all of you love, freedom, joy and health this new year, but i wish it for you and those i love everyday. be good to yourself, and be good to your human family. i want to grow seeds that i planted in 2009 this year, i really do. i feel like this is my year to shine...for all of us in our different movements and projects.

so, i have two shows booked for february and i will post them as soon as i just confirm travel plans for one.

all my love!

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

Fanciful Fobs and Circuses

Today I have two new creations in total contrast of one another. A minimalist, antique watch fob, hanging in all its gold filled Victorian glory, from a simple vintage brass chain, sprayed with faux pearls. Lovely no?
Next I have added to the shop a wild and eccentric mix of sordid sorts...a circus inspired charm fest, antique doll leg, antique secret society medal, chandelier prism, skeleton key, sterling clown, watch face!!
Very steampunk, very noir, very The Hand Of Fatima!

All Things Considered

All things considered...no, not Melissa Block and Michelle Norris, my life!
Wow, so alot is going on...so many political things in my other job, and in my first job as mother...some exciting new developments, Rami, at 10 and a half months walked!!! They want to make me work...hard.

So, spring is here, I have many a new additions to the line, and I have a secret stash that will be going up on my website by May 2009.

I've been focusing on a face lift of sorts, I am in the works for a new logo, a really exciting old piece of leather miniature from a special country came into my possession, and inspired me.

Also, the "mens" line, well what I meant to say was a line, marketed more towards men, but truly a, his, hers and them line. I am a feminist, so if I make something, it for a man, best believe it will also suit a woman...no pun intended. (suit...)

A new addition of head pieces will make there way to the website, fatimacouture.com.
Also, I have finally used those bones I've had. The line "Voodoo" is a take on the ever lasting drive for man/womankind to use other species for inspiration and mystical representation, along with the seedy diaspora of voodoo...sprinkle some mourning jewelery from the Victorian era, and voila!

I am sorry to all my vegans out there, but believe that these animals came from a professional taxidermist and were not killed for the bones, they were already dead, found or donated by an animal hospital.

I must say my vending over the holidays brought me in contact with some great new customers who offered great feedback. Many requested bones, and so many dudes were intrigued, which was a grand compliment.

Back to work!

Forgive Me!

I have been MIA!! I know, but you all have to understand, I have an entire secret life away from my jewelery inventing persona. LOL! Anyway, I have soooooooooooooo many new things coming to the shop, I also have been playing around with some things that are going to be a bit shocking...shhhh. More news when I actually bare fruit from the play. Hmmm. what else have we??
Good news and bad news: The oh so loved, "Bonded" human body casket tag bracelet will soon be discontinued. Unfortunately, well, you know what, I want to be diplomatic, let's just say I want designs that I choose (and actually can) to reproduce to be exclusive. So, good news, I am going to develop my mens line this month. I am so excited because at every show I do, I always have such enthusiastic fellows that would love stuff for themselves.

Happy belated New Year and Chinese New Year!!!
According to my girl Yin in Singapore, it's also the birthday of humanity today! Happy B-Day humanity!!!

Tags

I loooove adding tags to each design I produce. I always like to use something with a handmade look, the older the better. A nice application of decay always helps. I purchased some hand died tags back in September. They are dyed with coffee and also stamped with a vintage looking crown. They smell really nice too! I stamp the reverse with my business stamp, also, I add a vintage brass fleur de lys on it and tag my luxe line of products. Here's an example:
another:

Something New

I took some pics yesterday, some newbies that will be added to the Etsy shop this weekend...okay by Monday night. I have two kids, gimme some slack!!

Maine Trip Part II

Mary and Nabil took us to "downtown" Portland, Maine where Nabil had to make some deals on the docks for the lobster he would later bestow upon us. Sadly, I would partake in their demise...as a first time lobster killer, I was a bit sad and guilt ridden after hearing tales that you can sometimes hear the lobsters "scream" when thrown in a pot....
Anyway, forgive me if you can, Arian told me to remember that they are "sea roaches" and that will help me get over it...it did. I must say Portland is exactly what I thought New England would be, it's soooo cute and a drunkerd/college kid/beer lovers' dreamland chock full of BEER, breweries, bars and more places to buy beer. I don't drink, neither do Nabil and Mary, but Arian enjoys an occasional swig. "When in Maine, do as Mainers do." and so he got a taste of some Geary's ale along with his "lobstah", and I think it was safe to say he was getting his Maine on.
Portland is full of quaint, lovely shops and boutiques without the bougieness. One shop I just fell in love with, they had everything from shoes to babywear, but not saturated with any one thing...I don't recall the name, but I will always remember it.We snapped some pics on the docs in front of the "Bait Shack" and also near a park in the center of the shoppes, was a time piece store! Wait until you see the sign they have. I am a total steampunk nut, and this thing is so cool, I wanted to grab it and put in my living room. Another thing that was so interesting during the whole experience was that the mood was set by fog and overcast, and in the dampness, surrounded by the brew and boats, I imagined the days when this land was just cultivating, revolting and booming with industry...Look at how far we have come. I am a first generation born American, Nabil has arrived roughly 2 years ago from Rahbat, Arian second generation American on one side and descended from slaves on the other, Mary tracing her roots to this land for so many generations, and we were all their on those New England docks like the Americans we all are...I was moved, with the election results spinning in my head and my own visions of witches and hoop skirts.


Please do NOT forget to visit MothDesigns

Fall...

I love fall.
Fall brings many good memories to my being. A good New York fall that is brisk and crispy always tingles the senses in an awakening way. Fall is when my husband and I reached a very deep point in love before we were married, fall was when we first found out we would be parents, it was then the season that I learned the logistics of being a mother, and in general, I have so much childhood nostalgia of fall. I happen to ADORE Halloween, and I am dying to go to Mexico for Dia De Los Muertos. This fall I will be trying to deal with the crazy weather global warming has introduced to my hometown...to my mother earth as well, but I will really be in love with those brisk and crispy days because they are a treasure for certain!
I have so many new designs that I need to upload into the Etsy shop the problem is, now that the sun disappears so early I never make it in time to snap pictures. I know that it's possible to make a light box, but I really love the quality of natural light in my photos. I am no stellar photographer to begin with, so I need all the enhancement I can get.
I did a ridiculously exciting craft shoe in Washington DC called Crafty Bastards on September 28...it was just fabulous. The bad thing is...I designed a TON of new material and did not photograph it and now all the one of a kinds are out in the world with their rightful owners, but all I have is a memory...To any of the wonderful people I met in DC, if you have a picture of you in you The Hand Of Fatima wares, please feel free to send them this way!
xo

Here is a design of a newbie in the shop...and a little picture of Amir playing in the leaves..I hope he too has good memories of this season when he's older.