Garden Party!

Just Thinkin'....you know....about STUFF

Thoughts below (left to right): Hello Kitty Bracelet, Cha Cha Ring, Cupcake Kitchen Gloves, Flower Photocuff, Green Flora Bag, Clutch Handbag

Thoughts below (left to right): Typewriter Key Bracelet, Americana Apron and Gloves, Purple Flowers Necklace, Cupcake Earrings, Heart Belt Buckle

Thoughts below (left to right): Fish Bracelet, Vintage My Little Pony Bracelet, Hand-painted Peppermill and Salt Shaker Set, Picnic Series Placemat, Charms Charms Charms!

Its not the temperature...its the TEMPO that's hot!

Friday Feature: Album Covers!

Welcome back! Its finally Friday, which is a day where we're all ready to take a long lunch, sneak out of the office a little early, and to wander the internet in search of time-killing fodder. Well, I assure you, this here Friday Album Covers (I gotta work on that title) will absolutely kill some time! It will murder it and drag it deep into the woods to be feasted on by woodland creatures, and eventually found by some unfortunate jogger...but alas...let us move on to some strange and wonderful albums of yesteryear.

Here's a fun bunch! I'm going to guess they're either in a strange and messy love (not triangle...not square...) pentagram? Yes, either a dark and wonderful love pentagram, or they're really as pure and good as they look. Perhaps siblings or cousins? I'm not touching the title of this album. Its just fine on its own. But I would like to know how many of those ties were later used to tie Francine's wrists to something after this photo shoot!


There's nothing like having friends over for a nice dinner party, am I right? Catch up on the news about the kids...the wedding plans, maybe vent about the neighbor's barking dog. And along with the good conversation, the holy trinity of a good dinner party: Good Food, Fine Wine and PSAs lightly playing in the background to sooth the soul


This is SO GOOD. Squirt Noes Its Thing. I'll say! And its thing is apparently semi-soft and ready for senior pictures -- or señor pictures! So...Tijuana style...does that mean its going to offer you free tequila and lure you into a dark restaurant with too many hallways...and then feed you questionable burritos while it sends children to your table to sell you ugly trinkets?! Well...sign me up! I hope I can also come away with a picture of me with a starving painted donkey!


Well, I've enjoyed myself today. I hope you have killed a little bit of your Friday afternoon and you're that much closer to happy hour with your friends Norm, Sam, Diane and Frazier...and the annoying mailman. Maybe I'll see you there...If I'm lucky I'll get a line in tonight's episode!

M Design Boutique

Peppermill In Action!

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere Kitty Kitty!

This wekend in Boston!

What: The Animal Rescue League of Boston kicks off cat adoption awareness month with an open house.

Why: Here, kitty, kitty.

When: Sun., 1-4 p.m.

Where: 10 Chandler St., South End (617-426-9170); 55 Anna’s Pl., at Pine St., Dedham (781-326-0729).

Pictured Below: Cowboy enjoys a snuggle with Cement Cat "Rocky" at my home in Los Angeles, where Rocky still resides. Cowboy was rescued in Los Angeles and now lives here in Boston.

Peppermills. Let the Pictures Speak!

(But let me just say: these are hand-painted by New England artist Pearle Northrop...who is fast becoming a local household name...one stunning functional piece at a time)

Northrop has painted a limited-edition of these gorgeous Peppermills (pictured above) exclusively for MDB.

M Design Boutique!

Look for this Ad in Magazines This Summer!

Become an "M" Designer!

M Design Boutique regularly seeks out new designers to add to the boutique. If you think your work belongs in M Design Boutique, contact info@mdesignboutique.com and send a blurb about you, your designs and a little bit of personal philosophy, if you so desire. Please also include ONE that is ONE SINGLE image of your work. I do not want my email box filled up with a zillion images!

Keep in mind that I'm looking for designers providing high-quality work. I prefer eco-friendly, unique "I've never seen it before" items, or incredibly innovative new versions of things.

Special consideration will be given to those of you who re-use, recover and recycle materials.

Please be familiar with what is already in M Design Boutique, and provide something different, even if it is a different version of what is in the boutique today.

Keep in mind that starting with a limited supply of consignment inventory helps me to add you more quickly, and I am willing to make a down-payment for said inventory and make payments as the inventory sells.

If you do not wish to sell on consignment, you will still be considered. It may, however, take more time for MDB to add your inventory.

Please provide all important details, but don't overload me with a ton of "noise" to shuffle through.

M Design Boutique designers understand their own product and marketing. Due to the nature of the outstanding quality of MDB products, professional photos will be required. Please provide website addresses and any other pertinent links.

Thanks, and I look forward to hearing from you!
xo.M

Chinese-Inspiration -- Mahjong Cha Cha Bracelet

Typewriter Keys -- Back for More!

Check out the Typewriter Key Charm Bracelet in M Design Boutique for just $50.

Who here remembers typewriters?!! I feel a little sorry for anyone out there who never typed a letter or a paper using something that doesn't plug into the wall. I still have a typewriter. Its rarely used because I can't find ribbons for it, but I'll always love it. If only I could blog this entry with my typewriter....

ROCK!

Far Out!

Click on the image to see it REEEEAL BIG!

Summertime Style -- Alter Ego and MDB Accessories At "Large"

Summer Style in M Design Boutique!

Here's an example of how to incorporate accessories from M Design Boutique's NEW SUMMER COLLECTION into a cute Summer outfit!

The Cha Cha Bracelet, Cha Cha Ring and Jade Pendant are all available now in MDB!

Friday Feature: Album Covers!

Due to the response from last week's Album Cover post, I've decided to make it a weekly feature here on this blog. It has nothing to do with M Design Boutique...(or does it?) ...but I must give you what you ask for:

Stars of the Bars...Did they really even need to put that in writing? I mean its clear to me that any three men in matching sky blue bell-bottom pants, embellished with pink panels, and topped with matching vests and bright yellow um, Blouses...are the Stars of the Bar. But then, maybe this just acts as a reminder to those of us who have trouble recognizing Stars. Right on BUFFALO. Keep it real.



I think this just about sums up a typical Friday night for most smokers. Bub Thomas (Mr. Entertainment) sits back, lights up his tobacco pipe (its tobacco, RIGHT?!)...and lets the tales roll off the tongue...till he's literally blue in the face. And if there's one thing I learned in college, its "Listen carefully to anyone smoking from a pipe, especially if they refer to themselves as Mr. Entertainment" All hail the school of Liberal Arts!

Oh, and I don't have enough words to get into that cloud of blue naked ladies. I'll let Bub tell you all about them...pull up a chair, and listen along to Smoker Stories. I'll go get you guys some munchies.



Its almost tempting to just let this one speak for itself...because if I accidentally say the wrong thing...I could end up pissing this guy off. Clearly I don't want to risk such a mis-step with a guy who 's such a manly logger that he's decided to venture into the obscure world of LOG MUSIC. I mean, we have to hand it to him for penning such gems as "Unemployment Compensation" and the harrowing tale of "Used Log Truck" -- so I guess instead of being a smart-ass I'll just set and learn from this Logger here....and just maybe I'll get invited to the "Loggers Annual Party".

Feel free to continue the discussions posed here-in in the comments section!

The Sweetest!

Tiny Armour's "Sweetly Rotten" joins the MDB Jewelry Collection for Summer '08! Cupcake Dog Tags, Earrings and Necklaces along with some other sugary sweetness just for you!

Its 4:10 am and I just finished uploading the Summer Collection!

I'm going to bed. When I wake up, I will surely be happy that I'm DONE with this upload!

Tomorrow in M Design Boutique!

Organic Reusable Grocery Bags...

M Design Boutique is proud to announce the addition of Organic Reusable Grocery Bags!

The organic bag is manufactured using viscose from bamboo, linen and a fine grade hemp. The bags come with their own little pouch for easy storage in a glove compartment or handbag.

The bags are printed with vegetable based inks and are all packaged a recycled cardboard box that has been printed with organic soy-based waterless inks. A great gift idea for just $25!

And for only $8.50, check out the new black and white designs we're adding this week!

And don't forget the original three "Flora" designs that M Design Boutique began offering in March '08 -- $8.50.

PLASTIC BAG FACTS - USA

• Approx. 380 billion plastic bags are used in the United States every year.
  
• Approx. 100 billion of the 380 billion are plastic shopping bags.
• An estimated 12 million barrels of oil is required to make that many plastic bags.
• Only 1 to 2% of plastic bags in the USA end up getting recycled.
• Plastic bags create pollution and kill wildlife in the USA every day of the year.
  
  

PLASTIC BAG FACTS - WORLDWIDE

• It is estimated that 500 billion plastic bags are used and discarded worldwide every year.
  
• 1 million plastic bags are used and discarded worldwide every minute of the day.
  
• Single use plastic bags made of HDPE remain in the environment for up to approx. 1,000 years.
• Over 100,000 birds, whales, seals and turtles worldwide are killed by plastic rubbish every year.

The Hobo Bags!

As promised, these and all of the recently-featured jewelry, handbags and, well lets just say TONS AND TONS of new stuff will be added to the boutique by the end of the week...Just in time to treat yourself for the Memorial Day Weekend Summertime Kick-off! Start the weekend with some "ME" time!

Watch this blog for the "BIG UPLOAD" announcement this Friday!

Thanks to Mike for Showing me this...Unreal!

MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

Why I love Tom Waits -- Told in A Single Quote:

"We are buried beneath the weight of information, which is being confused with knowledge"

-- Tom Waits

M Design Boutique -- We will ROCK you.

Here's to Ears!

Coming this week to M Design Boutique! Earrings, Earrings, Earrings, I say!

Below: High Heel Earrings in Pink, Silver and Gold!

Below: Multi-chain Dangles

Below: "O" Chain Dangles

Below: Big Double Chain Dangles

Cha Cha!

New for Summer! The Cha Cha Ring and Cha Cha Charm Bracelet!

Shown Below: Rainbow Lampwork Glass Ring and Charm Bracelet.

Eye Candy!

Summer Collection 08 -- M Design Boutique Originals!


Below: Reclaimed Vintage Patina Metal Kitty Necklace -- Bohemian Chic!
Below: Reclaimed Metal Flowers and Starfish + Charms Necklace -- Perfect with a sundress!

Below: Jade Bead Pendant on Double Chain with Flower Clasp

Below: Lampwork Glass and Stone Pendant on Double Chain with Flower Clasp

All new jewelry! Available in M Design Boutique as the week progresses!

Fashion of the FUTURE!!

Imagine!

So, Will They Make Scrapbooks About Making Scrapbooks?

As you may recall, Mike and I stayed for a weekend at The Mountain Top Inn a month or so ago. Its an awesome dog-friendly place in Vermont...we stayed in a cabin up the road from the Inn and had a stellar time hiking, playing with the dog (wearing him out) and relaxing!

The very weekend we randomly chose to make our reservation happened to be "The Scrapbooker's Retreat" Weekend at the Inn. If you don't know about scrapbooking...lets just say its a passion for lots and lots and lots of middle-aged, upper-middle class women (yes, I love you all, but I'm making a demographic point here)...with money to BURN!

The women ascended on the Inn with their SUVs packed to the gills with special tools, papers, cutters, adhesives, lights, ergo chairs, and many space-age rolling carriers ready to explode with compartments, packets, drawers, gears, and if the stuff wasn't so "CUTE" --it would have been something out of Mad Max...This particular post-apocalypse, however, was all about preserving the memories of kids, grandkids, weddings, graduations, trips to Disneyland, etc.

Mike and I were afraid.

The entire lobby of the Inn, along with any hallway, the conference rooms, the main dining hall, the tavern (yes, there are some Scrapbooking Lushes too!)...was filled with these ladies chatting it up about hubbies, in-laws, annoying neighbors...or whatever else they needed to bitch about...or to brag about...either way.

Noticeably these women seemed unaware that there were other guests staying in the hotel, having their laptops, lamps, surge-protectors, battery chargers and everything else plugged into all available outlets in the lobby. This seemed to be their right. To take over because they payed good American dollars to do so. And I suppose they did pay. Each one of them, I guestimate, had literally thousands of dollars worth of gadgets and specialty papers, glues, hole punches, and a million other embellishments at their stations.

Mike and I weren't able to eat in the Fancy Restaurant because it was reserved for this massive group of crafters. Oh well...this meant we were relegated to the Tavern (food was insanely good there anyway)...where we engaged in some hilarious conversations with the saltier "drinkers" of the Scrapbooking crew. We deemed them "The Scrappers" and hope to someday see a juicy documentary (or mockumentary) with the same name about the dark side of the world of Scrapbooking. Because...there is one.

It was hard not to notice that the entire staff of the Inn seemed like they had entered one of Dante's more tame levels of Hell...but Hell, nonetheless...with all of the special requests, large group needs to be met, and lets face it: Groups don't tip (I've worked in the food service and the hotel industries and I know this to be true). Well...at least this event only happens there once a year.

Now, I'm sure many of you are thinking "but they're crafters...and YOU'RE crafty...what's the difference?" -- Maybe there is none. But I'll say one thing, Scrapbookers are here and they're not going away. So I encourage you to Google "Scrapbooking" and check out the unreal amount of results. Arm yourself with information, people...this isn't going to be pretty (oh wait, it IS going to be pretty)...

And I won't lie...I use Scrapbooking tools for some of my projects. They're so CUTE!

...maybe that should be the name of the mockumentary..."Scrapbooking Tools" -- what do you think?

To all of you Scrapbookers reading this...keep on scrappin'!

Inspired by My Brother's Harlequin Great Dane, Jasper

This one goes out to Jasper.

Jasper is my brother's Harlequin Great Dane (pictured above...photo by my brother), and he's eleven years-old...which is quite amazing for his breed. Harlequin means he's white with black spots. I decided to make a necklace to pay homage to this beautiful boy. Its made from...well...spotted jasper and hematite. Click on the images to see either Spotted Jasper up close.

The necklace above will be available in M Design Boutique within the week, and each sale will yield a donation to The Pixie Project (http://www.pixieproject.org/)

The Pixie Project:

Adoption Center and Retail Store
opens August 27th, 2007 at

510 NE MLK Blvd
Portland OR 97232

For volunteer or pet foster opportunities
please call Amy at (503) 758-3165

Give up some love for Jasper...and you'll help some other furry friends while you're at it!