Another Round, Please!

If you thought you missed out on the Nie Nie Benefit on Etsy, you have a second chance!

There will be one more sale today at 7PM PST.

See last weeks posts for more info.

Somethings brewing...

The type and graphics on these coffee sacks is too hard to resist! Not quite sure what they will become just yet, but working on it...

MAD on a rainy day

Although Improve Everywheres's MP3 event will be held rain or shine, if you want to avoid the rain drops altogether today you might head over to the Museum of Art and Design's grand public opening at their new location at 2 Columbus Circle.

The featured exhibit is Second Lives: Remixing the Ordinary opens today and runs through February 15, 2009.
(Pictured above:Tara Donovan, Bluffs, 2007, Buttons, glue, Photo: Kerry Ryan McFate)

Museum hours are 10-5 and admission is FREE for this weekend.
(The website actually says 10-6 in one place and 10-5 in another)

If you go, I would love to hear your thoughts and reactions to the space and exhibit.

Even closer to home is Dumbo's Art Under the Bridge

The Annual Art Under the Bridge Festival is the single largest urban forum for experimental art in the United States, transforming the distinctive waterfront neighborhood into a multi-sensory public art arena. The event involves the participation of approximately 1,500 artists from all disciplines of visual art and attracts over 150,000 visitors to the neighborhood of Dumbo each year.

So many choices, so little time!

MP3 Experiment #5 on Governor’s Island

Those crazy guys at Imrov Everywhere are at it again. This time with the MP3 Experiment #5 planned to take place this Sat 9/25 on Governor’s Island. Event details here.

Basically, you download an MP3 and listen to it at a designated time in a very public space . The MP3 instructs you to do all sorts of G rated things and on lookers are totally baffled. OK, so it's just plain goofy. But it's kinda funny, too. View past MP3 events here.

If you haven't been to Governor’s Island, it's a good excuse. If you're coming from Brooklyn try this route for added extra fun: Free Ikea shuttle from Borough Hall to the FREE Ikea Water Taxi to the FREE Governor’s Island Ferry.
( Pictured above: lower Manhattan from GI. Below: GI Ferry Terminal.)

Don't Blink!

If you stopped by the Nie Nie Benefit on Etsy that began yesterday, you saw it was on FIRE! Wow, I really have never seen items sell as fast as they were listed, until yesterday. And the views - there were so many shoppers! A real success.

Well, get ready: today is the final day and postings begin at 10:00 am PST. If you are interested in buying the Blue 8 Tote that I donated - get there at 10 sharp and don't blink!

More background and links on the benefit in yesterdays post.

ADDITION TO THE ORIGINAL POST:
1:02 EST: The Tote is listed here
1:05 EST: SOLD! Wow, thank you!!

Nie Nie Benefit Sale

Starting today at 10:00 am PST over on Etsy please visit the 2 day Nie Nie Benefit Sale. Keep an eye out for the Reiter8 Blue 8 Tote that I donated.

Stephanie Nielson and her husband, Christian were critically injured in a private plane crash in eastern Arizona in mid August. If you haven't already heard the story take some time to read this NYT article. Stephanie is a mom of 4, a blogger...you know - like you or me...or someone you know or have known.

Thank you Morgan Moore for your Herculean effort to organize and pull off this event.

Keep up to date on the Nielsons recovery here.
picture credit: Blue Lily Photography

Neighborly Fleas

A beautiful day at the Flea yesterday. Had great neighbors. Patty, the veteran dealer (17 years!) was a treat not only because she had a great collection but she is a wonderful character who has been there done that. Slightly jaded by shelping her bins (leaves her house at 5:30 am), she loves what she does and the people she meets by doing it. I observed a steady stream of friends pop in - those dealers are quite a close knit supportive group.

On my other side was a blast of color exploding from Martine's Dream's booth. Sadly no website or pictures to be found at this time, but she is a regular at the flea selling children's and women's clothing and accessories that pack a big punch of vibrant hues. Fun. Did I mention the color?

Across the way was Coral and Tusk. Really lovely embroidered goods: onsies, Ts, pillows etc. Mostly nautically inspired hand drawings that are redrawn in stitches for the embroidery machine to do it's magic. There's a nostalgic sweetness to Stephanie's aesthetic and attention to detail that doesn't quit. (see the laser cut business card pictured below.)

A little blip on their website explains the company name choice and philosophy:

Use of the words coral and tusk originates from the powers entrusted to these precious objects across cultures and over time as symbols of good health and fortune. More importantly we chose these words to evoke awareness and action toward the protection of the animals and the environments from which they come.

Nice.

Sea Sounds

Pia Jane Bijkerk has posted more lovely soundscapes from her recent travels to Sydney. This time with a water theme. If you are land locked or not able to get out for coastal clean up day, go to the edge of the water here (hear!) and enjoy.

For me, I am packing up for the Flea - see you there!

photo: Pia Jane Bijkerk

Park(ing) Day 2008

It's Park(ing) Day today!

National Park(ing) Day is an opportunity to celebrate parks in cities and promote the need for more parks by creating temporary public parks in public parking spaces.

More than 70% of most cities’ outdoor space is dedicated to the private vehicle while only a fraction of that land is allocated to open space for people.

Started in 2005 by the art collective REBAR in San Francisco, they have made available a light hearted How To Manual which states that

The manual covers it all - from reminders to bring change to feed the meter to advice for dealing with the authorities and curious by standers.

The Trust for Public Land has lots of info, too.

Locally, The Project for Public Spaces, an organization with global reach is dedicated to sustainable public spaces and the importance of these spaces in building communities, is participating in Park(ing) Day. Their Park(ing) spot will be on Great Jones and Broadway outside their offices. More info and map here.

For other NYC spots and info check here.

Coasting

If you get daily tips from Ideal Bite you saw this already. But it's so worthwhile that I thought I would post:

September 20th is International Coastal Clean Up Day. According to the The American Littoral Society (who knew!?): In 2007, 9,339 volunteers, coordinated by the American Littoral Society, cleaned and documented 142,243 pounds of debris along 677 miles of New York State's shoreline.

Find out more about NY state wide organized cleanups here.

(pictured is the beautiful Maine Coast)

The Reveal

If you've been following, you seen the process from sail to pieces and now the finished product:


And this:



I particularly like the fuzzy detail in the phone above:




I'll take these bags (and many more) with me to the Brooklyn Flea next Sunday (9/21). Hope to see you there!

Finish Line

The finish line is in sight! Most of the bags from this sail are finished. Still have yet to photograph and list on Etsy.
Will try to squeeze that in on a packed day.
Happy Friday!

The Numbers

Yes, I have a thing for numbers.

This window of a scale and cash register shop on the Bowery near Broome St stopped me in my tracks.

Every kind of scale and cash register know to man kind is probably stacked and packed inside. What a treasure trove - from the ornate old cash register (are they made from cast iron?), to the no nonsense sans serif accuracy of the numbers on the scales. And the metals - brass, chrome and the bright red painted scale in the front.

And a toaster thrown in on the lower right hand corner. Got to diversify, I guess.

A wonderful collection.

Clean Cut

This sail has been completely cut, scrubbed and washed.
Now on to the sewing production line...

For more on how Reiter8 makes things: check out this Etsy Video featured in the series This Handmade Life.

Green Links

Sadly no pictures of WIP as promised as I forgot the USB cord for the camera at home today.

Soooo - I would like to distract your attention to re-nest chuck full of green home design tips and treats, brought to you by the folks at Apartment Therapy.

If you are so inclined check out the once a month AT meet-up offline in NYC. I have been- nice group and an interesting line up of ever changing presenters.

Something Old, Something New

Received some new/old sails* earlier this week.
*Old sails that are new to me!
Love them.
Started cutting them today.
Pictured is one of them -a real beauty.
The bags are going to be great. I'll post the finished product next week.
'Til then, have a great weekend!

WIP - Eco Bridesmaids Gifts

The equation:
Nautical theme wedding + Eco conscious bride = X (Bridesmaids Gifts)

The solution:
X = Reiter8 Recycled Sail Striped Shorites!

Best Wishes Betsy!

More on eco friendly wedding ideas in this series by Etsy.