Paris through the eyes of the Artemisian

the beginning

 The beginning, the show at the center of this trip sets the framework for which I view the city, in the night and in the early morning. Thursday night after 10 hours of travel and little sleep I meet my sister and friend who have come to help with this dream of mine and although jet legged, with joy we mount the show.

the show

Franco

le sorelle

 After the first day of the show, as only the French can do, Champagne flowed on silver trays in Champagne flutes, all so very civilized! We enjoyed the company of designers by the hundreds and a dj that pumped out tunes that made us all gravitate to the tops of tables and dance together as one moving body.We stayed until our aching feet could hold us no longer and then hopped in a taxi, to enjoy a meal of escargot and lamb in the Latin Quarter...day one. 

Bella Giulia

after party

after after party

Day two....

The alarm failed and we ran, ran late like the white rabbit in Alice and Wonderland. Another full day at the show, people watching what a sight. The fashion world is a curious one, not unlike the fine artists world where one tries so desperately to be unique but as mirrors to our own culture ultimately reflect each other. I could watch for days, and I would.

outside the show on Rue Cambon

And so it was for four days and nights 

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 The Closing party themed "Japan" began in the Palais Tokyo with sake.

 And Bento boxes filled the most curious of things, a small plastic tube filled with a cilantro dressing which could be "injected" into the meat as you ate it!

sisters...

And in the end one day to meander...

 Walking down cobbled streets littered with Baroque and Medieval churches, small shops inhabiting once Patisseries and Pharmacies, shoe choices as individual as ones character each exhibiting the wearers unique sense of style, I have arrived in Paris. I am always visually nourished when I cross the Atlantic, steeped in history surrounded by the strong contrasts of archaic and moderne. Although globalization has homogenized much of our cultures, the architecture the framework within which these cultures move remains unique to each country and beautiful to behold. 

The Artemisian has begun a new chapter and we're excited to share. We were invited, as you know, to show in Paris for Spring 2014 Fashion week . We were received really well, it was our first European trade show we had no expectations for outcome but we have been humbled by the  buyers response to our repurposing mission. We wanted to briefly share our joy and expansion with you. As the shipments go out we will be letting you know the names and locations of all the new stores, stay tuned and have a look at what we saw while we were there. One boutique already has our pieces and when we dropped them off a customer bought one of our stone bands straight away ! Show her your Artemisian appreciation and like her on fb or instagram at  #birdyboutique. They are right in the heart of Paris near the Pompidou center.  It was a dream realized, after years spent collecting miniature Eiffel Towers, sending out into the universe that that was where I wanted to be next. An enormous thanks goes out to my mother, without whom none of this would have been possible her support and encouragement with her daughter's dreams amazing. My sister and dear friend Franco came along and helped put it all together. So very grateful to all who have supported my dreams and helped me to have the courage to realize them. What a ride! 

  

We're off to Paris!

the fairy dust band featured on lucky blogger Bianca deBardelaben's blog Avant Blargh! Read on...

AVANT BLARGH: Sparkle Sparkle: Remember when we were kids and we used to believe in magic and fairy tales? Well can I tell you a secret? Even though today marks my birth...

In love with Fall, the Sinister and the Divine

Wearing "fairydust time", "Marquis de Sade"and "St. John Neuman"

The Artemisian has created a very small capsule collection this fall of opulent rubies, faceted dripping garnets and each antique drawing inspiration from the Marquis de Sade. The collection is entitled "The Sinister and The Divine" Rich reds and gold encircle your neck tempting and inviting those around you to have a closer look.

"Fleur de Sel" 

"Lion"

"Maille"

SUMMER SAMPLE SALE

Pierced with enthusiasm

It's been a long and balmy summer, we've slowed our pace at the Artemisian and reflected upon our next collections. It's been a long ride using just antique pieces and we are excited to say we have been collaborating and learning new techniques to now incorporate our own cast pieces into the mix.
As a teaser we're giving you a little look at one of our pieces from one of our new collections. The new collections are as we are bordering between social commentary and fairytale.

"Freccia" the new collection incorporates cast gold or silver arrows into our chains in addition to antique charms. All of the new collections are available in sterling silver, gold fill or 14k gold.
We are bringing rings and altered victorian lockets into the next collections as well as an odd jointed doll. So check back with us periodically. Might be the heat getting to our heads but we are thrilled about this new evolution of merging old and new!

Freccia Apostille

HyLo carrying Artemisian capsule clothing line and jewelry in Old City

Come see us!!

242 N. 3rd St. 

Philadelphia, Pa 19106

by chance or by appointment

info@hyloboutiques.com

We are debuting a new way of purchasing the Artemisian capsule apparel line, in conjunction with HyLo boutiques in Philadelphia now you can try on and order from samples of this collection and we'll turn around custom fitted clothing for you in two weeks! Numbers of each fabrication are limited and Tina or one of her sales associates will be more than happy to spend the time with you to show you the multiple ways each piece works with the others in the collection to create the perfect summer getaway wardrobe. At one time bloggers looked for my advice on how I packed for an overseas trip without taking the kitchen sink. Have a read. 

Hip Hot Age Appropriate- summer packing advice from the Artemisian

strapless adjustable cinched top, large cargo pocket max skirt raw edge

harem pant and voile and mesh tank

The Artemisian does the Brooklyn Flea in Philly!

We have a few special pieces just for the flea!

Next time check out our steamer trunk exhibit

going going...almost gone!!

It was a long balmy day in the Piazza for Philly's first ever Brooklyn flea Market, over 1,000 visitors! After a while I really wanted to photograph people, it was such a curiously interesting phenomenon to watch trends in action over such a large crowd. Seemed every woman was wearing a version of an eighties print dress with various cut outs in the back and sweetheart necklines and all the men had a Mad Men's Don Draperesque pompadour,  with Ray Ban wayfarers and trimmed beard. The men really all looked cut from the same magazine, turned up stove pipes, button downs in various colors and laced up oxfords, crazy! 

New Roots

The beginning of spring....cleaning house inside and out. Purging has always been a very cathartic thing for me and although it starts with our house and our bodies in my family it ultimately cyclically always cleans out the cobwebs in my head creating space for new thoughts and ideas. I tick all year long checking in on facebook for my local yogini's daily words to think on, wishing I had the ability to pull forth all of these wise thoughts on my own but settling for checking in each day to find those of great philosophers to help with our human condition and working out what seems to happen winter after winter spring after spring summer after summer. Sometimes I wonder if we are not all just ants in an ant hill, bees working a hive and collecting pollen, we are all the same, no one special just cogs in a machine some. Not to say that each cog isn't unique just to say our own self importance may need to be adjusted slightly in this new culture where everyone can be a superstar and our culture creates the desire to do so. So here I am, not better, brighter, or closer to something than any of you, but instead, one of many. 

There it is. 

To help with these amazingly deep thoughts I've started drinking Dandy Blend. A fantastic way to clear out the system and fool yourself into believing you're actually drinking coffee. Astounding as it may seem my epicurean coffee taste buds seem not to disagree. Run, by some now, you won't regret it!

I make mine with hot water and steamed soy or almond milk and a little nutmeg on top, at least 3 times a day.

Next on the list, my new roots my new favorite blog has given me more to do with purifying grains and psyllium husks than I can imagine. Try the bread, I make it once a week, no flour, use it all week long as a substitute and one I thoroughly enjoy more than bread. That said, my chef husband has countered with a fabulous new homemade semolina seeded bread in our restaurant, truly not fair, just when I was happy to go flour less.

life changing bread

The Life-Changing Loaf of BreadMakes 1 loaf

Ingredients:
1 cup / 135g sunflower seeds
½ cup / 90g flax seeds
½ cup / 65g hazelnuts or almonds
1 ½ cups / 145g rolled oats
2 Tbsp. chia seeds
4 Tbsp. psyllium seed husks (3 Tbsp. if using psyllium husk powder)
1 tsp. fine grain sea salt (add ½ tsp. if using coarse salt)
1 Tbsp. maple syrup (for sugar-free diets, use a pinch of stevia)
3 Tbsp. melted coconut oil or ghee
1 ½ cups / 350ml water

Directions:
1. In a flexible, silicon loaf pan combine all dry ingredients, stirring well. Whisk maple syrup, oil and water together in a measuring cup. Add this to the dry ingredients and mix very well until everything is completely soaked and dough becomes very thick (if the dough is too thick to stir, add one or two teaspoons of water until the dough is manageable). Smooth out the top with the back of a spoon. Let sit out on the counter for at least 2 hours, or all day or overnight. To ensure the dough is ready, it should retain its shape even when you pull the sides of the loaf pan away from it it.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C.
3. Place loaf pan in the oven on the middle rack, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove bread from loaf pan, place it upside down directly on the rack and bake for another 30-40 minutes. Bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool completely before slicing (difficult, but important).
4. Store bread in a tightly sealed container for up to five days. Freezes well too – slice before freezing for quick and easy toast!

In the Press

My better half and I were written about together, really endearing. Thought I would share.

My husband and I at our restaurant Sapori

A local webzine called the Patch deemed us worthy of publicating our story for all to read after a private event for the Artemisian at our restaurant. If you're local, shameless plug, come and let my husband show you what he's good at! The article can be read here. 

New Collections

voyager and rabbithearted girl collections

voyager and rabbithearted girl collections 

time is now...voyager collection

lionhearted girl and bracciali collections

lionhearted girl



VOYAGER COLLECTION- All one of a kind, inspired by the ephemera of great sea voyages of the 1900's Victorian women's pressed powder compacts, men's wire rimmed spectacles turned into monocles, small mother of pearl switchblades carried delicately by men and women alike, watches that once kept time now keep German glass mirror shards. The series of fairy dust bands as I call them are re purposed Victorian watches where each of the movements have been manipulated to be visible through the glass crystal and then the entire chamber filled with German glass mirror shards. This simple piece for me represents a stilling of time. Each in this series of pieces are drawn from my wanderlust past of traveling Europe and my love of stories. Each piece imbued with a past, a unique journey from beginning to present, now re purposed, renewed, dusted off from idling in an Antique store case and given the opportunity to carry a new story.

LIONHEARTED GIRL- Inspired by the raw beauty of 70's and 80's disco scene using vintage Whiting and Davis chain maille and altering both form and color this collection is bold and geometric. In each of us lies both the lion heart and the rabbit heart, these names inspired by a Florence and the Machine song began my musings about that which lies within each of us.The lion heart, the brazen, independent, fierce and self confident. 
RABBITHEARTED GIRL- each of these small pieces are treasures found long ago, a small antique store, an unused portion of an antique to beautiful to melt down, the top to Victorian pencils, set with stones. This collection began with these transformed into miniature seals to be worn. As the collection took shape so to the discovery of other miniature pendants and so to it's rightful name. In each of us exists a rabbit heart, tender, sensitive, nurturing.

The ancient Chinese legend of the red thread tells that when children are born, invisible red threads connect them to the ones whom they are fated to be with. Over the years of their lives they come closer and eventually find each other, overcoming the distance between physical, cultural and social divides.It is said that this red thread can never be broken.

Lure Series is part of theRed Thread Legend Series, by Beili Liu

Many artists have exquisitely portrayed this legend and I have truly been inspired to create an adornment to be worn as symbol.
The addition to The Artemisian this Valentines day is Piccina.co a small line inspired by this proverb and the work of another jewelry artist I've been attracted to for her simplicity...I wanted to use her work as a departure point have begun with this.

piccina ovale

piccina ovale and gris

Piccina.co is it's own entity, the smaller fabric inspired end of the Artemisian it's aim is to reuse the Artemisian's unused pieces combined with various fabrics. This has ultimately leading to very different collection aesthetic. The above pieces are available online only at the moment and can be made as bracelets or necklaces that are to be tied on by the one who loves you.