I am a photographer, a designer, and a collector.
I work as a freelance photographer. I design clothing, accessories, and furnishings. I collect and resell assorted vintage paraphernalia.
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Stash Studios loves to share new ideas for old things and we work hard to generate unique content. If you are interested in our work, just send us an email and please attribute to www.stashstudios.com.
We also feature the work of other artists and designers with their permission. As professional courtesy, we ask that you contact artisans directly prior to featuring their work.
Workstead = Stefanie Brechbuehler + Robert Highsmith
Amazing what a tight team can produce. Impressive resumes. Their work features recycled wood and steel. My favorite.
Okay, this is it. Really. No more posts. For the next few days or five minutes. Whichever. Have a happy whatever you care to celebrate this week.
We'd probably all agree that visioning and creating a bag or a painting or a photo or a piece of music constitutes creating art on some level. But I'm going to take it further and say that creating a shop can also be creating art. And maintaining that shop is like curating an ongoing, ever-changing exhibit.
Any type of shop that has a unique vibe, that strives to bring together a broad range of elements in a creative way, that makes me think of and desire objects in a new way and with a new appreciation is a well-curated shop.
Last week I gave some examples of unique menswear and denim shops: Liquor Store and Butcher of Blue. And this week I want to celebrate a few more shops that do more than shopkeep. Rather than simply sell loads of cheap manufactured crap, they are more selective, more innovative and therefore I consider them to be artisans.
Saffron and Genevieve is a shop curated by the lovely Colleen Hickey and based in Santa Cruz, California. And the sign shown at the top of the page was taken from her shop. (Love the sentiment Colleen).
Uncommon Objects is a shop in Austin, Texas curated largely by Steve Wiman and his staff of unique seekers including folks like Bruce and Julie Webb of Webb Gallery .
Stag is a menswear shop opening soon in Austin and curated by a group of talented guys including Steve Shuck (also known for his amazing shop - Mercury Design Studio), Bobby Johns, Joel Mozersky, Ted Allen, and Don Weir. Read more here.
Tumbleweed Boutique is a dress shop in Portland, Oregon curated by Kara Larson who got started by sewing dresses in her sister's garage. Kara designs a lovely line of dresses known as Kara-line which can be found at Tumbleweed along with a well-edited selection of jewlery, hand bags, slips, shoes, and items for home and garden.
There are many many more shops to list but these are a few favorites. The bottom line is this: these days its not about buying more but about buying more thoughtfully.
That's all for me today. Peace out,
Enjoy this new discovery - Mothology. So much vintage-inspired goodness. The science of style indeed. I've been looking for unique lights and these mercury pendants (above right) are brilliant and reasonably priced.
I have a thing about magnifying glasses so this one struck me as postworthy. And those bowls! Is it me or does that look like rusty nails to you. Very interesting!
Peace,
via Di @ designersblock.blogspot.com
Here is a bit of Americana for you. Art in the Age has brought back ROOT. A truly American liqueur. I am fascinated and looking to acquire some for a little tasting. I love the fact that they have taken something with deep American roots and revived it and maintained an organic base. Read more below.
“At 80 proof, ROOT is unlike anything else on the market today and is the first true American liqueur since the Pre-Prohibition Era.It is lively, and rose gold in color, this rustic spirit has a full, rich smoky flavor, inspired by an 18th century Pennsylvania folk recipe, which eventually evolved into Birch or Root Beer. The recipe stems from Root Tea, which goes back to the 1700s, when Native Americans taught the recipe to settlers. Over generations, Root Tea grew in potency, particularly in Pennsylvania, where the ingredients grew in abundance. During the Temperance Movement, a Philadelphia pharmacist removed the alcohol and ironically rechristened it Root Beer. This is our creation and interpretation of a genuine potent, Root Tea.
ROOT is a certified organic spirit made with North American herbs and pure cane sugar. All botanicals are painstakingly selected and tested for purity. Using all natural, organic ingredients, like anise, birch bark, cloves and cardamom, with hints of spearmint and citrus, the sugarcane based liquor is distilled in limited batches to ensure maximum quality.”
Love unique finishes and closures and details. Inspiring me today are these three found at Free People.
Zippers, studs, metal buttons, and corset sleeves. Oh my.
Off to find some scissors and thermals and zippers.
I don't do custom work. But occasionally a friend can persuade me to collaborate on a bag revision. The project started with the 84 patch Mr. Brown found at Warrenton. Then the tags and compass were added. The bag screamed for a new handle, so I outfitted with a red seatbelt strap. Even transferring the detail leather tag from the old handle to the new one. Voilà, the Refueled Bag.
The original bag was a cool messenger with a custom logo (shown below). But now, its a brand new bag.
It is a beautiful day in Texas. The humidity is low, the rain is gone, the sun is out. A day like this is perfect to hit Marburger Farm. Yes, we are still talking about Warrenton.
Many great dealers out there. Some of my favorites include Urban Country, Breck Armstrong, Cibilo Antiques, and Magnolia Pearl. For a better look at what you will find at Marburger, check out my flickr set.
Have a cool day,
Those who really know Warrenton, know Hector the Collector.
He is always located under the huge oak tree and big top tent between the Bar W field and Renck Hall adjacent to Tin Star Cafe. He also has an outpost at the Texas Rose Show with my friend Susi and Fundustrial (who is also carrying several of my Stash Couture bags).
Want to buy off the wall? You need to see Hector. I am always amazed at the range of industrial oddities this guy comes up with.
Hector is based in San Antonio and over the years I have seen him carry everything from amusement park ride parts, vintage toys, dishes, letters, great signage, lockers, religious relics, gumball machines, concrete statues, enormous bird cages, and unique ephemera.
