Shibori Style

Silk Dupioni Shibori Wrap

silk dupioni / handwash or dry clean / made in the USA

This fantastic scarf/wrap combines the precision patterning of Shibori tying methods with gorgeous colors on silk dupioni. These were made by local Kansas City artist + designer Joscelyn Himes. Click here to shop or to see more great accessories.

Kansas City style blogger Jessie Artigue of The Concrete Catwalk shows us how to turn a simple wrap or scarf into a popular fashion trend: the turban.

Road Trip To Paducah!

I recently joined a organization called TAFA (The Textile and Fiber Art List is a worldwide membership organization of fiber artists and textile businesses on the web showcasing member portfolios through its website). My traveling, usually on a plane and out of the country was pleasantly interrupted this week with a last minute road trip to be one the vendors at the first TAFA Market held during the 27th Annual AQS Quilt Show in Paducah, Kentucky... An unlikely liaison for me... or so I thought.

I had a lovely home stay with a couple in the country and made fast friends with a few of the other vendors and Rachel Biel, the strong force behind organizing this event. Both artist and creative entrepreneur of Rayela Art she is relentless in trying to move this world wide organization to the next level.

One of the famous Paducah Murals...

My corner of the market...

Abdul & Rachel playing with a few of my textiles.

My wonderful host's home

The reluctant traveler was pleasantly surprised by the diversity and hospitality in this lovely southern town.

for your mothers

My mother traveled with me on my last buying trip to S.E. Asia. She is 83 going on 60! I spent a fair amount of time living in

S. E. Asia growing up with my family and my mother clearly had not forgotten her bargaining skills. Here she is at our lovely

Lanna-style hotel in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Some classic, elegant accessories for your one and only momma...

• WESTERN STONE NECKLACE gemstones with hand-wrapped copper and rawhide » $85
• BRONZE FLOWER PIN with freshwater pearls and tiger's eye » $55
• MOTHER OF PEARL SERVING TRAY inlaid mother of pearl and camel bone from India » $299
• BALI BASKET handpainted with Indian Mowar and Prodo designs » $85
• BLOCK PRINT BOHO SCARF  handwoven, block printed cotton scarf from Thailand » $34
• SUKHOTHAI 8" PLATE blue and white Thai ceramic plate with crackled celadon-like finish » $20

Affordable Art of the Month

 

Ganesha, The Remover of Obstacles

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$75 / 10"w x 11.5"H / unframed
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During the late nineteenth century, India established a printing industry

devoted to producing images of Hindu gods and goddesses.

These kitschy posters are all over India, but these three-dimensional

embellished gems are extra special. While in Jodphur, India with my daughter we were having our daily 4pm meltdown(sensory overload). We popped into this place to get a bit of quiet from the chaotic market under the clock tour. Hours later we emerged excited with our purchases and ready for more! Aah the marvels of India.

Click here to shop or to see more great art.

Affordable Art is a new monthly feature on the blog to highlight fun art for under $100.

Tribal Art From Vietnam

There are 53 ethnic minority groups in Vietnam. During my recent visit there I put together a special group of my favorite paper masks from the shamans, new prints from old wood blocks, textile patches from the back of Dao women's coats and handwritten and illustrated book pages from Taoist shaman. They are all rich examples of a few of the tribal groups in Vietnam, showing their traditions have changed little in a century (as documented by comparing photographs taken a century apart) and in most cases many centuries....Here is a favorite spot I go to find these disappearing gems.

Shaman paper masks

Pages from Taoist Shaman book

Contemporary print from a Shaman's Buddhist stamp

Textile patches from the back of Dao women's coats

A journey through time...

Sea Envy

This photo of graffiti was taken by my daughter while walking in Brooklyn today. I would love to have this as a framed piece on my wall. How great is it that anyone can see it though! 

As I have been photographing some of my new things and the weather warms I think of the sea and it's color palate: the blues and greens of the water and the beige and browns of the shells and sand. Living in the middle of the USA, a girl can get sea envy. 

Etching by Thai artist representing water...look for his work later this month 

Wonderful new colors and inspiring designs...Mexican Coverlets 

oh my... new boho bangles...soon

Not your typical day at the beach...India last year

Bragging Rights

Hard work and a little help from your friends!  Three years ago no one would have been able to convince me that owning my own business would be more challenging then being a single parent working full time. When I left my job in the wine business to launch The Loaded Trunk website, I had this pie in the sky idea that I had all the grit it would take to do this, no problem. Fast forward...The Loaded Trunk will be 2 years old in July and employing moi! I do have the grit, but when your freinds warn you how steep the mountain is you are about to climb, listen!

So it is with pride that I get to grin and blow on my knuckles and brush them against my chest in an old fashion "oh yeah" way: Here are what some of my peers are saying about The Loaded Trunk...

The favorite Crocodile stapler

Thai dishes recalling the Sukhothai period

Pretty + functional best selling Bali Baskets