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This Wednesday I was able to attend BadUnklSista’s Trunk Show. Located on 7th and Market, the once monthly show brings in new Designers and Jewelers. Seen were names I recognized from the Eternal Spring extravaganza. Nika Tang (who organized Eternal Spring), was there as well. My apologies to those names that weren’t mentioned (I need to bring a notepad and pen next time). Wine and munchies were also provided along with some very moody music. Featured mostly below are costumes made by Anastazia.I hope you find them just as amazing as I do. Anastazia started out making her own costumes for a stilt troop which was mandatory. Surprisingly, she hated it. They liked her ideas so much she then provided the costumes for the whole troop. Now other people, and myself, can enjoy her wonderful costumes and clothing. I guess you can’t ignore talent. Enjoy the pictures!

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This weekend I attended this great show that blended local artists, performers, and designers. A great taste of what San Francisco is about. If you have ever been to SomArts you know it is an enormous warehouse space. Located on 934 Brannan street next to Bed Bath and Beyond, the place was packed by the time I got there. With a “suggested donation” of $7 and cheap drinks it was well worth the money for a night out of entertainment. The event went from 2 -10pm with an afterparty until sunrise. I missed the various dance performers and bands but made it in time for the Fashion Show from 8-10pm.

Here are some pictures from some of the clothing designers. Just to list a few in the show were: Fati Beloved, SAA.Z Design, JewelryByRisto, Wild on the Inside, Wildlife Works, Little Red Sparrow, Antoniya Ivanovna and the last, but definitely the most memorable, BadUnklSista.

The feeling from a lot of the vendors were things you would see at Burning Man… a lot of fur, a lot of skin, and a lot of character.

Not included in the fashion show were other local designers and jewelers such as: Fluidance, Foxy Monster, Paper Organics, North Beach Taylor, Sequoia Emmanuelle and Pandora’s Trunk.

Check the Eternal Spring website for more information, and links to all the people involved, the list goes on and on.

I had a conversation the other day that sparked the topic of why people should buy locally. One of the topics we talked about was the price of gas/oil in just transporting goods from other states and countries.Shopping locally helps support the environment as well cut gas use, and keeps re-circulating money. You are putting money back into the place you live, versus putting it in let’s say…China.For a more extensive list of reasons, the site for San Francisco Locally Owned Merchants Association gives a top ten list of reasons why it’s better. This site is great so check it out and keep these thoughts in mind next time you want to go shopping.

Okay, I know this isn’t art related but it was a great event for a future Olympian. I give major kudos to Chris Horton who has been selected to try out for the 400, 800, and 1500 meter dash for this June’s try outs in Eugene, Oregon. He has to make it to the top 32 to qualify. Check out his site at www.chrishortononline.com.

Held at the Chardonnay Golf Course in Napa Valley, the benefit not only was for Chris but for the Hume Center, providing culturally sensitive and comprehensive behavioral health services. Here are some pictures; featured are some of the Oakland Raiderettes who fueled the football spirit. Many thanks to Fatemeh Bani-Taba who helped organize the event and kept things running smoothly.

Have you thought about starting your own business? Check out the Renaissance Center downtown at 25 Fifth Street (between Folsom and Howard), or go to their website: www.rencenter.org The Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center has on going workshops ranging from one day to 14 weeks. These classes range from step by step guidance to your business, marketing, how to use QuickBooks, finance, to helping with grants. They offer scholarships for those who qualify but be sure to enter in early, they fill up fast. They even have the ability to link possible buyers to the graduate’s websites of the program.Happy Searching!

This week we are featuring Kerstin of DAKA. I had the privilege of getting to know her at the SF Gallery 143 Opening Party in December. I decided her bags were just too cute to not have in our store.

As seen in this photo Kerstin picks some of the softest and creative pattern leathers out there, which are basically in the shape of the animal. The charge is by the square foot, ranging from $3 - $4 something per foot. These leathers are so soft I wanted it as a pillow.

Kerstin then hand draws her own creative designs, such as birds, trees, or dots; she then cuts out sections of the leather. For the current bag she is making the dots represent berries, so this retro pattern looks great for the variety of colors.

She uses grommets for the handles because the leather is soft, this protects it from being ripped.

The handles are usually made with a thick cotton fabric or leather. Even though these two bags as her most popular designs, she also does custom made bags, eye pillows, and coin purses. Kerstin is currently working on designs for wallets that could match the bags. My favorite aspect of her messenger bag is the picture window. You can slide a post card or picture in to change up the design of your choice.

Find these items in the future at SFGallery143 or visit her site at www.dakabag.com!

On Friday, January 18th, Ross Mirkarimi (Board of Supervisors for District 5) had his monthly art opening. The featured artist just happened to be Gregory Bartning of Belle Images. His work was featured at SF Gallery 143 in December.

His newest collaboration with Trapeze World was a hit. There was over 150 people that came through during the 2 1/2 hour show. Many people commented it was the best show yet. Go Gregory!! If you happen to be in San Francisco for the next month, be sure to stop by Room 282 at City Hall! Check out some photos below.

This week we are featuring LOL (Laugh Out Loud) Brands. Joe De Hoyos, the mastermind behind the brand, had a chance to tell me a little bit more about how he got started with one of his products. I thought this might be a good way for you to know what it is your buying and how a simple idea can become a cash flow.

Joe explained, it was last summer that he decided to recreate his bow ties before going and selling them on Ebay. That way he could always have one around.

“I basically did a lot of measuring and guessing what the seam allowance might be, I made some changes to the dimensions, and came up with my own pattern.

Once I tracked down the hardware for the hook and eye closure, I started to cut out pattern pieces from vintage velveteens that I had collected over the last 5 or 6 years. All my fabrics come from vintage clothing that I buy for the prints or weaves, which I then take apart and use for fabric.”

How do we as a customer know if the fabric is quality? Especially if it is vintage?

“I think you can tell when something feels synthetic or rough, but in my case since I am using vintage fabrics its more obvious, because only natural fibers felt natural in the past. Now they have been so perfected that its hard to tell sometimes.

When I sew, I try to duplicate the finish on each piece so they look manufactured, but they are all actually handmade. I don’t like when clothing has the look of a student project.”

What do you use to sew each one?

“I use a Bernina Digital sewing machine, a Juki serger and also needle and thread to finish each piece. Each bow tie takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes to from start to finish. ”

So what can we expect from LOL this year? Joe will be featuring his collection made from recycled linens and leather. Besides bow ties, LOL brands also makes Men’s T-shirts as well as jackets and jeans, which we displayed at SF Gallery 143 this past December. You can also visit his website at: www.LOLBrands.com

Well, SF Gallery 143 had a successful Grand Opening and first month. We were able to make back our expenses and a profit by the end of the first week, Yay!

The 10 SF artists, artisans and their mothers each sold a product. Thank you for all that came by to support us. Some of the designers, artists, and jewelers include: Belle Images, The Brown Banana, Eon On U, Candelas Designs, Cookie and the Dude, LOL Brands, Daka Bags, Aliaison, Yahzi Rose, and Tribal Stones.

We had two parties with wine and appetizers, thank you for those who helped us drink and eat it all! I am sad to see the little store close but we will be reopening our doors in the summer for another month. Look for future dates to be posted.

Meanwhile, Gregory is anxious to get his photo studio back and for good reason. If you are interested in family photos, engagements, weddings, pregnancy portraits, corporate work, websites, or head shots visit his website at http://www.belleimages.net

And congratulations to Gabriel Colaluca who was our best seller, hooray! See his website at http://www.thebrownbanana.com

I had the privilege to go backstage and to the VIP area at Ruby Skye to help photograph three acts from Trapeze World. The place was packed as usual, but what was more of a twist was the stage. Surrounding the DJ was a ring of TV screens, thus the performers were not over the stage but over the crowd and of course with no net or any padding to break their fall.Olga was on first with a net contraption, tumbling just in time to save herself from the floor on purpose of course. Second, Jamie soared through the air above with ease and last, Kate and Chloe put on a seductive hoop act that got everyone’s energy going. Here are a few pictures of the night.