R-O-C-K in the USA

So literally I sat all day yesterday and made white jewelry for Elle Girl. Some pretty cute stuff came out of it I must say. I’ll keep you posted on what they shoot. I have to make some other stuff for Italian Elle and Knit 1 Magazine today. Thank God I think I have found a new assistant.

My night turned out to be pretty interesting. I usually go out and stay in one place all evening, but apparently when you go out with Cory Ryan this is not how the night goes. 5 places in 7 hours. Obviously this picture of us was not taken last night, but it's all I had.

DOCS MOTORWOKRS
Cory and I are trying to make an effort to go new places and this one was on our list. If you live here in Austin you have seen this new restaurant on the East side of Congress catty cornered to Black Mail. Big outside patio with lots of cute metal chairs. The girls said their food was good, I was still full from my lunch at Polvos so I just took advantage of their $2 Texas Beers on Tuesdays special. Service was not the best I have had, but Cory’s fish tacos were wee and that made me want to go back and have them. It’s like how somehow silver dollar pancakes are better than normal size ones, petite fish tacos looked really tantalizing.

THE CONTINENTAL CLUB
Well Erin went home and Cory knows the door guy at The Continental, guess I do too he is my neighbor so we cruised over there. Toni Price on Tuesday’s is apparently kind of legendary. We sat on a couch and sipped red stripe and watched the hippies dance. Some lady in a fringed leather jacket that I had in 8th grade when I thought Kip Winger was hot made a comment to us that we were sitting on “her couch”. That was amusing. On the walk back to the car I had an epiphany about my next tattoo. I am getting all these weird little animals from vintage kimono fabric and then it dawned on me to take in my favorite kimono for my tattoo guy to use as a background pattern. Genius!



FLIPNOTICS
I usually just go here for coffee. This is where the infamous story about the name of my record label was born “Has Anyone Ever Told You you look like Molly Rinwald?” the girl behind the counter asked me. I also sell jewelry in the store on the ground level. However, tonight we were there to see a string quartet called Tosca who I was dreading. There was also some guy playing Dick Dale style guitar on top of it named Erik Hokkanen. I actually LOVED it and thought it was really cool. I almost bought the CD. 2 more weird digressions about Flipnotics.

1)While taking a break out on the patio they were playing TV on the Radio “Staring at the Sun” which I love. The weird thing is earlier in the day I snagged a bunch of CDs from my sister to burn and there was an unmarked one and it was TV on the Radio and I was listening to that song thinking how good it was. Twice in a day with that tune.
2)Flipnotics has the TV aquarium I want really bad. I bought my self a big 50’s TV at Round top flea market this year I just need to find a place to make it into an aquarium for me.

CAROSUEL LOUNGE
So we got here with just 2 or 3 songs left for the Total Foxes which is who we were there to see, or Germ anyway. They are really cute and funny. There was some comedy troop afterwards and they made up songs on the spot about people’s stories. A lady in the audience told a story about her vegan thanksgiving and the band made up and sang a song called Tofurkey. At this point Tina came over to the bar to join us.

LONGBRANCH
The Carousel closes at midnight, so clearly there was still time to go out so the Longbranch is on the East side and on the way home. For whatever reason this place was kickin. Omari and Dave M were there so we all hung out. I love the bar in this place, I think it was originally in the Driskell Hotel and is big and wood. They had some DJs that fluctuated between sucking really hard and playing some pretty awesome car seat songs like 10cc “I’m not Alone”. The best part of the night was proving Omari wrong that no Steve Miller does not sing “R-O-C-K in the USA”, John Cougar Mellancamp does. Thanks Dave for settling that debate.

Figured it was time to come home after all that adventure.

On a side note, I am listening to Billy Brag "Accident Waiting to Happen" man is this a good song.

Holy Crap We Have a Lot of Food Now

So yesterday I spent the entire day adding new goodies to the website. NOUVEAU EARRINGS, NOUVEAU BROOCHES and mostly REVAMPED VINTAGE EARRINGS. When I came home from Thanksgiving Saturday night there was a package for me from my friend Grace in NYC. Grace does all my graphic designs for ads and the cards my jewelry comes on, apparently she also used to make jewelry because she sent me a huge box of awesome beads. Plus I had come home with a ton of cool beads I had bought at the flea market in Dallas. So needless to say when Chris went off to see some band play Saturday night, the Misguided Lemmings if memory serves, I stayed home and made a TON of one of a kind earrings. That’s how I like to party on a Saturday night.

So Sunday I spent the entire day cleaning out the garage. You can actually walk around in there it is pretty amazing. That night I decorated for Christmas and talked to some friends out in Los Angeles.

As I said, yesterday I added new goodies to the website. Chris and I went on one of those “holy crap we have a lot of food now” type grocery shopping trips. I went from having a slice of processed cheese for breakfast and lunch yesterday because there was nothing to now it could take me hours to decide between cereal, yogurt, cottage cheese or English muffins for breakfast. The best part was I suckered Chris into making and eating sloppy joes with me last night for dinner. They were so white trash and yummy. We also watched Ordinary People which was super depressing. I made Rock-n-Roll Charm School Necklaces for Naughty Secretary Club and for Fred Flare.

My friend Amy Barber got her new web site Sweet Tooth Bags up and running. It looks super duper cute I am so pumped for her.

In music news after serenading Chris the whole way home from the grocery store last night singing “Lick it Up” by Kiss I just realized that song is not on my ITUNES. I gotta fix that pronto.

Reform School Girls Soundtrack on vinyl at 9AM on a Monday

I woke up at 7 this morning with The Smiths “The Queen is Dead” in my head and could not get it out of there. About 7:30 for whatever reason the song in my head switched over to Wendy O Williams singing “It’s My Life”. Lucky for me I have the Reform School Girls soundtrack, on vinyl no less. Now of course I also have The Smiths The Queen is Dead on vinyl, but I hadn’t heard Wendy in a long time. Chris had to work from home a bit this morning so I decided not to play my record until he left. We ended up hitting the Bake House for breakfast first, so the minute I walked in the door I put my record on. I think that song might be a Kiss song. Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley wrote it that much I do know. Not long ago I got a call from one of my good friends in Dallas named Becky who was obviously at a bar having a drunken debate with someone about Wendy O. The person at the bar was trying to tell Becky that Wendy was dead and Becky was sure she was not and was calling me - her obscure music knowledge touchstone for confirmation. Hated to make Becky look bad, but Wendy did kill herself. It was maybe 1997ish. I graduated from college in 1998 and I remember I was sitting outside waiting for my feminist philosophy class to start appropriately enough when some dude started saying “Did you hear Wendy O Williams killed herself today”. Sucks. But let’s think about the good times, like the Plasmatics, pink hair and duets of “Stand by Your Man” with Lemmy.

Does it make me really old that this morning I woke up really excited about cleaning out the garage and digging out my Christmas decorations?

Well I am back from Dallas, McKinney Texas actually. Yup that’s where I am from. Turkey day was a whirlwind of running around.

Chris, the dog, the cat and I sat in traffic for over 6 hours to get home (usually likea 3.5 hour trip). Got their late Wednesday night and headed to Sicily’s, which is seriously the best Italian food I have ever had. They have this thing called chicken cappuccino that is so yummy. I am pumped they told me they have friends with a restaurant here off 35 towards Pflugerville called Barry’s that is just as good. I am going to have to try this. Hope and Kurt were home too so we all hung out and mom cooked me a pecan pie to take to my brother-in-laws.

Thursday my parents left early to see my relatives in Tyler, Hope and Kurt were headed back to Austin for a pot-luck at Karly and Whitney’s and Chris and I were off to Arlington to see his brother and the rest of his fam. Food was good, football sucked, I got us lost on the way back to McKinney.

Friday morning Chris and I walked to downtown McKinney to hit the antique malls. They were having some street festival thing with people in costumes. Went to several shops and all I got was this totally awesome stuffed cow. See picture, it is truly amazing. My mom had the vintage skunk and tiger already so she gave them to me so I could start a proper collection.

My parents got home later Friday and Chris went back to Arlington. My mom and I ventured to Ikea. I FINALLY got a dresser for my bedroom. Sucks it would not fit in the car so it is still at my parents house. I also bought these rad plastic patio chairs I am totally smitten on. Plus other odds and ends things that I don’t really need, but got anyway.

We left yesterday, but not before we went to Fair Park Flea Market in Downtown Dallas. Man was it a goodie. I got 4 pairs of 50’s sunglasses, a bag full of Bakelite and vintage buttons, gold charms for Cha-Cha Bracelets, a vinyl polka dotted elephant and more. It was like Christmas. I sat and made revamped earrings and decorated the casa until 2AM last night.

So does it make me really old that this morning I woke up really excited about cleaning out the garage and digging out my Christmas decorations? First of all I have quit doing resin so I can walk out into my garage without getting black lung. Second of all I am hosting Christmas this year at my house. I have been collecting 50’s Christmas decorations for a couple of years now and have not got to set them out yet. The real question is where to display my array of tinsel trees. I have silver, hot pink and teal. A top the TV or on the bar? I’ll keep you posted on the life decision I make.

STITCH in the Austin Chronicle

Mr. Stephen Moser of the Austin Chronicle was kind enough to run this blurb about STITCH and feature one of Hope and I's model's Lindsay Muse. Read it online or right here.

WITHOUT A STITCH A week ago Sunday was the third annual Stitch fashion show – each year I get closer and closer to actually attending. But once again, I disappointed them by not showing up. However, I did have the foresight to ask Neil to go for me and note some of the details, so I could no longer be accused of "ignoring Austin's largest fashion show …" (OK, it's not the largest show – that honor belongs to the UT spring show – though Stitch may be the largest fashion show/craft bazaar). Neil's picks from the craft bazaar included bath products from Feto Soaps, www.fetosoap.com; clubwear for dogs from 4T5 Dogs, www.4t5dogs.com; and Simple Southern Scents candles, www.simplesouthernscents.com. From the runway, Neil recommended Ramonster, www.ramonsterwear.com; Naughty Secretary Club (www.naughtysecretaryclub.com) with jewelry by Hot Pink Pistol (www.hotpinkpistol.com); Tokyo Valentine, who seem to try and rise above the typical indie infatuation for reconstructed clothes; and the truly charming clothing and accessories from Identity Crisis (www.identitycrisisclothing.com). The phrase "handmade" gets thrown around a lot in this show. Pop quiz: Who out there can tell me what the definition of handmade is? And what exactly is the difference between handmade and machine-made? I keep hearing that everything in Stitch is handmade. Homemade, yes, but handmade? As in: Every stitch is done by hand, as opposed to being done on a sewing machine? Hmmm…

What a thing to wake up to on Thanksgiving, Nick and Jessica are calling it quits

What a thing to wake up to on Thanksgiving, Nick and Jessica are calling it quits. I am such a sucker for celeb gossip.

So this isn't a real blog post, but it is what I posted on My Space yesterday for the Austin Craft Mafia. It's gonna have to do. I have to gather the pecan pie and cranberry sauce my mother made for me and scoot over to my brother-in-laws house.

There is so much exciting stuff going on with the Austin Craft Mafia Ladies, we just wanted to tell the world.

I guess you have heard that you can now get yer very own Austin Craft Mafia T-shirt. Did you know you can also get Stitch T-shirts.

If you pick up a magazine or newspaper this month it is hard not to see someone from the Austin Craft Mafia smiling back at you from the pages.

HOT PINK PISTOL: Hope has a hand painted Easy E dress in the current issue of Bust Magazine. Did you see Lil' Jon Goes Camping in last week's Austin Chronicle?

VICKIE HOWELL: Wanna know how to make some rad pillows? Vickie has a full page spread in Budget Living telling you how. Vickie also appears in the new book Celebrity Scarves teaching the world how to make their very own neck warmer. Last, but not least check out Vickie in Vogue’s Knit One magazine hanging out with Will Forte from SNL.

NAUGHTY SECRETARY CLUB: Speaking of Knit One Magazine, Jennifer has jewelry all over that bad boy. Did you know Jen not only crafts, but co-owns a record label with her husband? Read the article about Has Anyone Ever Told You? In the Daily Texan. Looking for the inside scoop on Jen Style Diary currently has an interview.

SPARKLE CRAFT: Did you see Tina in the December issue of Jane? Read about how Ms. Sparkles is changing the world.

IDENTITY CRISIS CLOTHING & AMET AND SASHA: These two lovely ladies were on News 8 Austin talking about Stitch recently.

Wow that is a lot of gossip. Be sure to check out everyone’s sites when you get ready to start your Christmas Shopping.

Xo,
The Austin Craft Mafia

Babies and old people, you should not hang out with them with the animated bugar man from TV with the thick accent is paying you a visit.

Man I feel ill. Have you seen those Mucinex commercials with the animated snot guy with the Brooklyn accent and his wife and they move into people’s lungs? I think they moved their extended family into mine. It’s like the bottom of my throat/top of my lungs have something going on. I also smacked my head on a pop out lock on a door in our house the other day. Lucy wanted out and kitty was making a mad dash for the great outdoors so I bent over to grab her in a hurry and smacked my head on the lock. There is a scrape and a bump. Poor pitiful me.

Since it is just 9:30 in the morning there is not much to talk about for today expect my health. Yesterday I worked on the website all day. I started with adding even more NOUVEAU NECKLACES. Then I thought what the heck I have all these cute vintage parts I’ll add a batch of NOSTALGIC NOTION NECKLACES. I could stop there, but why I have a stock pile of REVAMPED VINTAGE NECKLACES that have not made it to the site yet and I want to get those up on Naughty Secretary Club before Christmas. To top it off after dinner last night when Chris went to band practice and between me laying on the couch watching some Discovery Channel show on Sex Changes and feeling awful I added new POP PURSES to the site. So there is all kinds of new stuff to shop and look at.

Besides working on the web site I also drove Cory way the hell up north to get her car. She had been in a wreck and had to get some work done and her car was ready. On my way to get Cory I stopped at the mail box and my new Donna Soo OtterOtto Earrings were here! I was so excited I could spit. We were supposed to go see our friend’s Jeff and Cairn’s new baby Sophia last night, but Chris convinced me that I would give the baby the cooties. Babies and old people, you should not hang out with them with the animated bugar man from TV with the thick accent is paying you a visit.

So I think I might start writing reviews in my blog. My goal is to start going to a bunch of new places here in Austin and spreading the word about them. The review for today is of Cilantro’s.

Cilantros is a Mexican food restaurant nestled into a nasty little strip mall on 1025 W Stassney Lane. There is a Fast Freddy hair cut place on one side and a gas station on the other. I used to live in the neighborhood and there once was a doughnut place in Cilantros location. Well last night when I was looking on City Search for somewhere with good soup for my lungs this place pops up with “best warm salsa”. I do love me some warm salsa. The place had little to no ambiance, but who really cares. The salsa was in fact warm and quite yummy. We ordered white cheese queso and it also good. Much gooier and stringier than your normal orange cheese queso, we had to help each other break the long strings. Sadly I do not remember the names of what Chris and I had. Mine was recommended by some framed review on the wall (write up’s from Texas Monthly, The Chronicle and Statesmen). Mine was a slightly fried taco with a filling that was mashed up chicken, sour cream and verde sauce. Chris had some chicken in brown/red saucy soup that you shoveled into tortillas like a fajita. Dinner with queso and water to drink was a bit over $20. Quite yummy and I would definitely go back.

I am also looking for an assistant. You interested? Read on.

Have you gotten a copy of the Fred Flare Gifted Catalog? Super cute stuff. Especially that hot PING PONG BALL NECKLACE on page one by Naughty Secretary Club. You can also get Rock-n-Roll Charm School Necklaces through Fred Flare or through me. It’s funny I made the ping pong ball necklace and took it to the Renegade Craft Fair in New York thinking everyone was going to laugh at me. Apparently the Fred Flare guys saw the comedy in the necklace.

Speaking of necklaces I added some new NOUVEAU NECKLACES to Naughty Secretary Club. I am quite smitten on them. Some of the styles I got for the site were so popular my friends snagged them all before I could take pictures and get them for sale. Even my house keeper pulled out a stack for herself that she wants me to sit aside. Guess that means I picked good.

This is random but did you know you can get Craft Mafia T-shirts now? Yup and Stitch T-shirts. I am thinking of getting Naughty Secretary Club T-shirts. Would anyone besides me wear one?

Another random thing. Everyone be sure and check out my little sister Hope of Hot Pink Pistol fame in the current issue of Bust Magazine. She has an Easy-E dress in there that looks awesome. If you see the new Jane look out for a big full page picture of Tina Sparkles too. Apparently I got my sister the hook up with Playgirl Magazine and they are going to feature her T-shirts. I am going to have jewelry in the January and February issues. However, the funny thing is one of the pieces I am going to have in there is my scrabble bracelet that says “Weiner” however we have now learned that you spell “Wiener” I before E. So basically it is wrong in the magazine. I think I will just stick with weenie from here on out.

I am also looking for an assistant. You interested? Read on.

I need someone who knows how to make jewelry, nothing
fancy like soldering, but can make a mean pair of
earrings with some jump rings and ear hooks. I also
need someone who has some minimal computer skills and
can do a wee bit of updating on my website with Dream
Weaver, super easy for me to teach you. Someone who
is fairly organized because I am not and I need someone
to help me in that area.

I go out of town quite a bit, sometimes for up to 5
weeks at a time and need someone who can run Naughty
Secretary Club while I am away.

It would be a couple of days a week for a few hours,
maybe working up to more. Duties would include:
making jewelry, putting together orders, cropping
photographs for the website, running a few errands,
ect. Nothing really hard or terribly exciting.

Starting pay is $8 an hour and there will be a payroll
system with taxes and all of that good stuff.

Please email me at info@naughtysecretaryclub.com if
you are interested or please pass on my info if you
know someone who might be.

Austin music label comes out of the closet

So the Stylelicious shoot yesterday morning went fine and dandy hard candy Christmas. We ran all over town faux laughing and faux shopping.

From today's Daily Texan (The University of Texas Paper)...

Jennifer Perkins and Chris Boehk run a record label out of a jam-packed closet in their South Austin home. Has Anyone Ever Told You? records is the newlyweds' love child, conceived in 2000 when Chris and his friends wanted to make some music. The label, now 5 years old, bears a striking resemblance to its parents.

Jennifer, 31, looks a lot like Molly Ringwald, with red hair, pouty lips and big, heavy-lashed eyes.

Her style is vaguely '80s-throwback, her fingernails painted Minnie-Mouse-style red with white polka-dots and her right wrist clunking with a chunky, beaded bracelet she made for the Naughty Secretary Club - a jewelry business she runs.

She specializes in rescuing and reusing broken antique costume jewelry, designing what she calls "revamped vintage." It's a term that could describe much of the music Has Anyone Ever Told You? releases; a lot of music the label currently finances would probably be at home on "The Breakfast Club" soundtrack.

But it didn't start out that way.

Jennifer and her then-fiance Chris Boehk started the label in 2000 as a medium for Chris to produce his own music and the music of his friends - mostly indie-rock artists that needed a break.

Chris plays in four of the nine bands the label has financed. His most recent album, Beta Valentine's "The Proposition," was performed at End of an Ear on Friday. Openers included a dance team whose members Jennifer knows from the Naughty Secretary Club and a disc jockey who is friends with Chris.

"It's all pretty incestuous," Jennifer said, laughing.

The label receives tons of press kits, demo mixes and requests for funding, but Jennifer and Chris "haven't listened to a lot of it based on the packaging," Chris said.

The label owners decide which bands are worth backing financially. The couple is willing to put a couple grand on credit into a record, but usually only for people they know and trust.

"For you to come out of the blue, without any respect or allegiance, it would be very unlikely for us to say, 'Hey, let's put $5,000 into a record for you,'" Chris said. Strangers don't have much of a chance, Chris said, "unless you're strangers in a big band. Even then, we'd have to become friends first."

Has Anyone Ever Told You? did put out a 7" vinyl with The Deathray Davies, and in its early days, talked about making a record with Death Cab For Cutie, Jennifer said.

For the most part, the couple runs the label business casually. Some friends built their Web site for them, and Chris and Jennifer handle all the finances and relations with the bands themselves.

"I don't think we even have a contract written up," Chris said.

The band's logo, a Japanese lantern, was taken from a rubber stamp - part of a set Chris gave Jennifer the first year they were dating.

"There's no special significance to the lantern," Chris said. "Jennifer was into Asian-themed things at the time."

The label's name was also Jennifer's doing, though it was chosen almost by accident. In 2000, soon after they had decided to form a label, the couple went to Flipnotics to get a cup of coffee and choose a name. They were stumped until the woman behind the register handed them their change, looked at Jennifer and asked, "Has anyone ever told you you look like Molly Ringwald?"

They laughed, and then one of them suggested calling the label "Has Anyone Ever Told You?"

It was decided.

"No doubts about the name," Chris told SplendidEzine.com. "We knew it was perfect."

When they put out their first release, they made "MR-01" their catalog number, MR meaning Molly Ringwald.

Five years later, their catalog goes up to MR-15, and as Jennifer devoted more and more time to developing her jewelry business, the responsibility of running the label has fallen squarely in Chris' lap.

"If it had taken off the way my jewelry business had, I'd definitely be just as happy doing this as doing my jewelry business," Jennifer said.

But the Naughty Secretary Club grew, and the label didn't. The couple sleeps in the guest room because Jennifer runs her jewelry business out of the master bedroom. Has Anyone Ever Told You? now occupies a closet.

"Just because you haven't released an album in a couple of months doesn't mean you have to close the Web site or the label," Chris said. "You get tired of something, you put it on the back burner and come back to it. We're not the kind of people that sit around on the couch and watch TV," Chris said. "We have to make and do things."

And the couple expects to still be running the label do-it-yourself style five or 10 years from now.

"Unless something I don't expect happens, I can see it staying in the same place," Chris said.

The couple sometimes spends evenings outside on the porch of their South Austin home, listening to music on Jennifer's iPod. They argue over which Dinosaur Jr. album was the best or why the latest popular indie release is too dance-y for Chris's tastes.

Jennifer listens to a bit of everything, and Snoop Dogg will sometimes follow Death Cab on her playlist. Chris cites bands like Hüsker Dü, the Minutemen and Fugazi as his musical inspiration. But don't ask either of them to pick a favorite band, or a favorite album on their label, for that matter.

"It's like choosing a favorite child," Jennifer said.

Or you can go here to see the article.
Go here to visit Has Anyone Ever Told You?

Style Diary

Holy poop cakes am I tired. I woke up at 5:30AM today that is never good. Lot's of people arrived at my house at 6AM and then I had to run around in the cold and faux laugh until 3:00PM. Sure life could be a lot worse, but I am tired and cranky.

The night is not even over. In 40 minutes more people are coming to my house to whisk me off to a Thanksgiving potluck. Maybe I will snooze in a corner.

So hey lookie, here is an interview with moi, Jennifer Perkins, at Style Diary. They made Naughty Secretary Club look like a rock star company.

Join the Club
Naughty Secretary Club Designer Jennifer Perkins Talks Shop About Her Line, Fashion and Style

11/21/2005 6:26:06 AM
Naughty Secretary Club founder and designer Jennifer Perkins is one of the coolest you’ll ever meet. Nevermind that she’s been a regular fixture in some of the biggest media in the country or that she’s a driving force behind women’s business in her home town of Austin. Forget about the killer collection she creates and how it has captivated fashionistas from around the globe. All the success aside, this is one of the coolest girls you'll know.

Yet becoming a widely celebrated designer wasn’t exactly the plan Perkins had started out with. The graduate of South West Texas State University stepped out with her sights on a desk job and family life, but quickly returned to her childhood love for creating jewelry and the Naughty Secretary Club was born. She’s since become one of the most celebrated independent designers in modern fashion, known for her fun, funky reworked vintage pieces.

This past week, we caught up with Perkins to find out what’s new with her line, what’s hot in her collection and her top tips on fashion and style.

SD: You've got an incredibly creative line - where did you get the idea?
JP: I have always loved crazy big obnoxious jewelry, I like to make jewelry out of things that will surprise people and make them smile.I don't want to make baubles bats an eye at, I want my jewelry to make people do a double take.

SD: Tell us how you come up with your designs! what inspires you?
JP: I collect vintage costume jewelry and have since childhood so I get a lot of inspiration from that.All the colors, combinations and details I find something new every time I dig through my stash.

SD: What's your favorite piece from your collection?
JP: The Cha-Cha Bracelets!!!! I wear one almost everyday. The cha cha bracelets are slathered with tons of different vintage beads and charms. They are very bright and colorful and no two are alike.

SD: How would you describe your personal style? What's a typical outfit for you?
JP: Well since child hood I have been called names like Punky Brewster and Rainbow Brite and that pretty much still describes me today. I love Japanese street style and usually dress pretty bright and loud. I almost always wear at least something that is vintage. I have a thing about putting my hair in crazy up-do's as well.

SD: Who are your style icons and why?
JP: I love old pictures of Cyndi Lauper, I think Gwen Steffani has a great sense of style, I also read A LOT of fashion magazines and get smitten on different designers and people each month. I have always been drawn to people that stand out in a crowd.

SD: What's your biggest fashion pet peeve?
JP: I am slowly getting over my fear of navy and black together. Brown and black still really hurts my soul. Slimy stretchy mall dress fabric really bothers me. It clings in all the wrong places.

SD: What are your hottest sellers? What do people love the most about your jewelry collection?
JP: Earrings in general always seem to sell better than any other piece of jewelry. I myself tend to change out my earrings more than any other accessory so that makes total sense. Since most of my collection is either one of a kind of very limited addition due to the vintage pieces I think that is something that my customers really enjoy about the line.

SD: What is your top advice for women regarding style? What would you say is the most important thing they need to remember in terms of their wardrobe?
JP: That even if you are afraid to dress crazy head to toe you can always spice something up with an accessory. A plain black dress can go from snoozer to wowzer with just the right necklace or earrings.

SD: What's next for Naughty Secretary Club?
JP: In 2006 I will be co-hosting a program called Stylelicious and hosting another show called Craft Lab both for the DIY Network. I am working on a jewelry book. Plus I am always picking up new and exciting (and odd) jewelry bits to add to the collection.

SD: Where can we buy your collection?
JP: Well the flagship store if you will is www.naughtysecretaryclub.com. I sell in several boutiques across the country. Online you can also fine me at Fred Flare.

Naughty Secretary Club can be purchased Online at www.naughtysecretaryclub.com.

Young dudes, put the pomade down and slowly walk away.

Well it’s a miracle I made it through the 5th annual Scorpio party at Dave and Joe’s without making anyone mad at me, giving away my shoes to a complete stranger or waking up still at Dave and Joe’s house. Every year they have this crazy birthday party with my sister and every year it is pretty crazy. Last night I felt really old there were so many kids there I had never seen or met. I stood there drinking with my cousin who is 11 years younger than me. Also, when did young guys in their 20’s start putting so much product in their hair. Really, there was so much pomade at that party it was scary, everyone looked like an employee at Toni and Guy in the mall.

The beta Valentine CD release show was a huge success. Lot’s of people, fog machines, super sonic soul squad dancers you name it. I think the boys were super pleased. There is going to be an article on Has Anyone Ever Told You? In the Daily Texan Monday so there was a photographer there for that.

So today I have just rested. I made some rock-n-roll charm school necklaces for Fred Flare. I also met with Tina, Karly and Jesse and went over Stitch stuff. They are out to dinner, but I had to come home and clean and work. Chris is sleeping over at a friend’s house and Tina is staying the night here. We have to be up at 6AM tomorrow morning to reshoot the Stylelicious intro. Good lord. Tonight is the Fabrication Fashion Show. I feel really bad for not going, but between getting into bed at 4AM and having to wake up so early tomorrow I just can’t do it. I wish one of the other Stitch girls were going, but we are all in the same waking up early boat.

Lil Jon Goes Camping

I'm having one of those I wish I did not have to get out of my jammies all day types days. Nothing bad has happened or anything, just feel in that mood. It's cold out, my jammies are warm. However, duty calls. Today is Vickie's birthday and I am going to take her to lunch. Then tonight at 8 is Chris's CD release party at End of Ear and then after that is the 5th annual Scorpio party. No rest for the wicked.

Last night was Cory's film festival Flicker. There is something about going to the movies relatively late at night that puts me right to sleep. Yes I slept through the second half. Sitting in the dark does it to me every time. Especially at the Alamo draft house. You can drink beer there as you watch movie and that really knocks me out. Last night I am embarrassed to say I was only hitting the water hard and I still took a snoozer. I'm old lady what can I say.

I went to Flicker with Courtney. We had gone to dinner at Thai Tara before to sort out life issues. Courtney is getting ready to open up a dog bakery. You should go and sign up for her newsletter so you are in the ready position when doors open.

Wondering what that painting is? Well it is Lil Jon Goes Camping by Hope Perkins of course. If you live in Austin you prolly saw this masterpiece in the Chronicle this week. Be sure and go see the painting in real life this weekend on the East Austin Studio Tour. Hope, Whitney Lee and Matt Rodriguez will have pieces at Gallery DV8 (2300 E 16th) Sat and Sun 10-5. Good stuff.

My Schedule of Events...

There is such much cool stuff going on in the next few days you have absolutely no excuse for not coming out.
Thursday: FLICKER 9:45 PM at The Alamo Draft House Downtown. Come out and watch a bunch of fun short independent films at Austin’s best lil’ film festival run by the gorgeous super model Cory Ryan.

Friday: BETA VALENTINE CD RELEASE 8:00PM End of an Ear. Bands, DJ Big Face Spinning, Free Beer and The Super Sonic Squad (Karly, Tina, Jesse, Chia and more!) dancing away! Come out and snag the new CD “The Proposition” and listen to some good tunes. Come on my husband is the drummer so it’s gotta rawk. Oh and it is also Vickie Howell's Berfday give her some sugar.

Saturday: FABRICATION 9:00PM The Parrish. Fashion show by Elf Girl Designs and Jen Rea bands – what more could you ask for on a Saturday night? Well there is more BROTHERS AND SISTERS 10:00PM Emo’s. Run over and see Dave Morgan rock out with his new band.

Sunday: HOPE ANNA PERKINS BIRTHDAY! My older sister gets just a little bit older so write her a nice my space testimonial or something.

Man that is a lot of stuff.

It's almost too cold to bathe.

Man has it gotten cold. I am here in my flannel jammies that have deer all over them, wooly socks and a purring kitty in my lap and I am still chilly. I am sure the diet coke is not helping matters. I want to jump in the bath to warm up, but I am waiting on the house keeper and she will need to clean the tub. Quickie shower will have to do.

If I wasn’t meeting someone from The Daily Texan for an interview at lunch and I wouldn’t even bother getting wet. Alas, I gotta clean up to go out in public. The girlie is doing a story on Chris and I’s record label Has Anyone Ever Told You? Pretty cool. Perfect timing too because Chris’s band Beta Valentine has a CD release show this Friday at End of an Ear around 8. should be a lot of fun with the Super Sonic Soul Squad dancing and Bigface spinning records. Free beer too.

Speaking of press Knit One magazine came out yesterday. It is a new mag by Vogue. See the picture here, that is from the magazine. I have a ton of jewelry in there actually. Click here to see my press page. Be sure and look at all of Vickie Howell’s stuff too, T-shirts and an article with her friend from Saturday Night Live, pretty dang cool.

Let’ see any other exciting bits of news? Erin came over for a bit last night with her dog who was puking. Chris and I watched Dead Ringers on Monday which was just as creepy as a I remembered it. I took jewelry to a girlie yesterday for Study Breaks Magazine. I added some new hand made Barkcloth Stockings to Naughty Secretary Club.

In the future besides Friday with Chris there is also Flicker on Thursday at the Alamo at 9:45, Saturday is Fabrication at The Parrish, Sunday I have to be up and in full wardrobe and makeup at 7AM for a reshoot of the intro to Stylelicious. It is also Hope’s birthday and Courtney and Matt’s annual Thanksgiving Pot Luck.

Stitch the aftermath

Check out how hot my girls are. Naughty Secretary Club and Hot Pink Pistol rawked the runway!

STITCH was a total success. Saturday night we started with a small mixer for the designers and vendors at Club Deville where DJ Ian did some spinning. Here are some pictures. Got to meet some cool peeps like Adrienne from Tuff Betty Bags and my house guest for the weekend Karl Bot showed up from LA there.

Sunday started early setting up at Emo’s. We were there all day. There were a few snafus here and there, but overall everything was perfect. Rumor has it that Emo’s sold out, vendors were telling me they had their best sells nights ever, people were screaming for the runway, I couldn’t ask for anything more. Thanks to all my friends who came out and supported, all the people that reposted on my space, all the volunteers, all my friends (PJ, Joey, Dave M, James, Courtney and Chris) who ran around like crazy people trying to keep generators full of gas and models in line, the DJs who played some awesome music, our MC Matt Bearden who turned down opening for Dave Chapelle at the Frank Erwin Center so he wouldn’t let us down (you have permanently good karma for that now), my super hot models for staying at Emo's all day, my sister for letting me share the runway with her, the other STITCH girls for asking me to be a producer and my hubby Chris who is a fussy little bitch sometimes, but mighty helpful and I appreciate everything.

So here is my photo album.

Here are some pictures from the amazing Justin Cox of my models

and here are some Farrid.

Also here is our first review in the Daily Texan.

I am still all wound up from Stitch and can’t sleep it’s 4:51AM on Tuesday and I have been up since 3AM. I also went to bed at 9PM so that is part of my problem. I told Chris going to bed that early I would wake up crazy early and I was right. I had a hard time sleeping for like a week after I got home from Los Angeles filming the TV show because I was still all hyper. Guess I will eventually come down. Now that I have blogged what will I do to pass the insomnia time.

Few Drinks Later and I Gold Leaf My Face

One day and counting. Look at the cute picture Bee took. I woke up at 8 this Saturday morning with all this nervous energy thinking about stuff for tomorrow. I also woke up with gold leaf all over my face that I was afraid was never coming off. See I want our models to wear gold leaf and MAC makes some, but you can't get it anywhere in Austin. SO Hope and I thought why not use real gold leaf and fake eyelash glue to hold it on. It worked like a charm.

I have to go to Sam's today and pick up like 200 bottles of water and other snakies and drinkies for the models in bulk. I get a free thai dinner with Karly's parents which is awful sweet. Then we are having a mixer tonight at club Deville for the STITCH vendors and desginers. DJ Ian will be spinning. Karl who is staying with me this weekend will be meeting me there. Haven't seen that kid since Los Angeles.

I know I know, I am obsessed with STITCH. I am in charge of promotion though.

Are you so sick of hearing me talk about STITCH that you are just blue in the face? Seriously there is nothing else going on in my life right now this thing is all consming. Tina and I were on the radio last night, that was kind of odd. I had just never done radio before.

Ok I swear only a few morse posts to build up excitement and then I promise, real stuff. Maybe a bit of my gloating and basking in the after glory next week, but no more mass My Space type posts.

Consider this your formal invitation to STITCH. You’ve seen the flyers, read about it in newspapers and magazines, heard your friends whisper and now this Sunday Nov 13th STITCH is here.

Naughty Secretary Club is teaming up with Hot Pink Pistol for the second year in a row on the runway. We will have fabulous hand painted clothing with more gold bling than you can shake a stick at. Our lovely models this year include Emily Dowdy Bush, Julianna Gilchrist, Lei-Leen Choo, and Lindsay Muse.

WHAT: STITCH Fashion Show, Guerilla Craft Bazaar and more!
WHERE: Emo’s Austin (603 Red River)
WHEN: Sunday Nov 13th
TIME: Happy Hour Shopping starts at 7:00 runway show starts at 10:30 Music Immediately Following

There are 20 different independent designers hitting the runway from Austin and around the country. Fabulous and unique hand made clothing. 60+ craft fair booths will be inside and outside at Emo’s. Trust us, this ain’t your grandmas craft bazaar.

Music is a huge part of STITCH. Look out for…
DJ Mel (with accompanying Boom Chica Boom Girl Action)
Bigface (Javi of DJ Dojo)
DJ Jennifer (Koop Ear Candy)
DJ Mahealani
Prince Klassen

All this AND we have a band? Yup Belaire is also playing their poppy wondermous goodness. When they are done stick around for a booty shaking dance party until Emo’s closes.

There are prizes and gifts too! There are 200 STITCH swag bags to give out with goodies like CDs, Bust Magazine, Jewelry, chopsticks, and more! There is also an amazing raffle with the proceeds benefiting the SIMS foundation. Sims helps local Austin musicians and their families get mental health care.

Wanna laugh your ass off? Good thing because Super MC Matt Bearden is with us again for the second year in a row. You might know Matt he has been voted Austin’s funniest person and has been on comedy Central’s Premium Blend.

STITCH is brought to you by Tina Sparkles of Sparkle Craft, Jesse Kelly-Landes of Amet and Sasha, Jennifer Perkins of Naughty Secretary Club and Karly Hand of Identity Crisis Clothing. All four of us will have segments on the runway. You can also find our wares in the craft bazaar at the AUSTIN CRAFT MAFIA booth.

Last year over 800 people came out for the event, this year is expected to sell out. So you might wanna get your tickets in advance from
http://www.stitchaustin.com/tickets.html

See ya Sunday!

Thursday's Stitch Press

I woke up feeling all warm and squishy to 3 new mentions about STITCH in various Austin periodicals.

In the Austin Chronicle we got mentioned in not one but two sections! Style maven Stephen Moser had this to say in his coloum "After a Fashion"
AFTER A FASHION
GO OR DIE Sunday, Nov. 13, is the Stitch fashion show
at Emo's, showcasing 20 local designers and 70
crafters in a splashy show and craft fair. Shopping
from 7-9pm, show at 10:30pm. Tix are $8 at the door,
or at www.stitchaustin.com or www.emosaustin.com.

In Christopher Gray's hipster TCB section of the Chronicle you read this...
Naughty Bits
Turn to the Left: High fashion comes to Emo's Sunday
with the Stitch fashion show, where the handmade
creations of 20 designers from Austin and beyond head
down the runway, while a craft bazaar offers purses,
jewelry, candles, and lots more. Jennifer from KOOP's
Ear Candy, DJ Dojo's Bigface, DJ Mel with the Boom
Chica Boom girls, and Belaire provide the musical
ambience. Save some dough, though; next Saturday at
the Parish, the lovely ladies of Team Fabrication are
staging their own fashion show/dance party with Canoe,
the Arm, and Clap! Clap!

The Austin American Statesmen has a picture and this blurb...
The annual Stitch Fashion Show and Guerrilla Craft
Fair will take place Sunday night at Emo's, 603 Red
River St. This year the event will showcase 20
independent designers. In addition to edgy, original
fashion on the runway, there are DJs to entertain
while attendees shop among the 60 craft vendors.
Shopping and happy hour begin at 7 p.m.; the show will
begin at 10:30. Tickets are $8 at the door or in
advance at stitchaustin.com. Any questions? E-mail
stitchrunway@yahoo.com.

STITCH PRESS

If you are sitting at home tonight be sure and look for Karly and Jesse on News 8 Austin talking about STITCH. The segment is airing about once an hour.

If you are near a radio tomorrow (Thursday) around 6:30PM be sure to listen to Jen and Tina on 101X talking to Trina about STITCH.

Peep Jean Scheidnes column tomorrow in the Austin American Statesmen for more press about STITCH.

Did you read the article about STITCH in Curve Magazine?

You might have also seen STITCH mentioned in the current issues of Austin Woman, Rare, Austin Monthly, Elle Girl.com and Jewell.

Want a sneakie peakie of the runway music. Listen to our ITUNES mix.

STITCH SUNDAY NOV 13 @ EMO’S doors at 7 runway at 10:30

You are gonna know someone on the stage at Stitch.

A few more reason’s why you are going to STITCH this
Sunday Nov 13th at Emo’s. Because you are friends
with the designers, models, hair and makeup peeps.

Karly Hand of Identity Crisis Clothing
Models: Cory Ryan, Rachel Youns and Kyra Lancon

Jennifer and Perkins of Naughty Secretary Club & Hot Pink Pistol
Models: Emily Dowdy Bush, Lindsay Muse, Lei-Leen Choo, Julianna Gilchrist

Tina Sparkles & Sparkle Craft
Models: Annie Gunn, Scott Hillier, Erin Mikulenka, Niki Nash

Amet and Sasha by Jesse Kelly Landes
Models: Kim Mitchell, Jenna Kelly-Landes, Letitia Ames, Megan
Marshall

Talena Rasmussen and Lizelle Villapando of booyo/Parts and Labour
Models: Kana Harris, Savannah Welch, Stephanie Tsen, Anna Swanson

Susann Kohene of All Dressed Up & Shy
Models: TX Rollergirls

Annie Taylor Annie’s OMNIUM
Models: Rosmery Espinoza, Symphonia Martinez, Kristin Byers Hall, Carmen Ulrich

Chia Guillory and Donna Soo of Chia & OTTEROTTO Jewelry
Models: kelley Sullivan, cari jane grigsby-etter, deana soukim, elaine dove

Melinda Lawless of Lawless Revolution Wear
Models: Stephanie Villalobos, Heather Lawless, Allie Hopson, Vicki

Jenny Milne by Machine Ballerina
Models: devona Williams, liz tipps, courtney chavanell, heather Walton

Unrest Designs by Laura Wilson
Models: Mary Golden, Kelly Sharp, Allyson Mabry, Beka Thedford

Louise Black
Models: Llana Boren, Mimi Turpentine, Dawn, Leah

Shannon Mulkey of Revampe Designs
Models: Jorie Lodes, Deanna Marie, Jennifer McCormick, Archel

Ashley Ayers, Laurel St. Romain of Tokyo Valentine
Models: Devon Orr, Tammy Grumberg, Susannah Cooper, Leslie Jones

Mi Hija by Natalie Ford
Models: Christine Green, Rockie Gonzales, Robin Cuppel, Sara Lapham

Donna and Erica Barton of Slinky Whistle Bait
Models: Rachael Miller, Kelsey Wickliffe, Alianna Villareal, Allison
Hair & Make-up: Style Syndicate

HAIR & MAKE-UP TEAM INFO:

Fashionista: Lisa Brooks, Ginny

Style Syndicate: Buffy Thomas, Joey Miller, Lindsay
Sanders, Julia Czech, Crystal Renteria

Salon 707 - – Jennifer Curttright & Sarah Sallis

Orbit Salon - Kate Hicks & Rawny Stephenson

Get your tickets at Emo’s or Stitch.

Stitch

If you live in Austin you so better be there.

Last minute update: The Boom Chica Boom Dancers are now going to be shaking a tail feather.

Tonight Karly and I are going to speak to the UT Fashion Department about Stitch.

Tomorrow night listen for Tina and I on 101X with Trina around 6:30 talking about Stitch.

Thursday and Friday look for Jesse and Karly on News 8 Austin chatting about Stitch.

Pick up a copy of Austin Monthly, Jewell or Austin Woman lately? You can read about Stitch in there.

What am I going to wear?

Are you the Naughty Secretary?

Here are my life updates in bullet points.

• Went to Vickie’s book release party at the mayor of Austin’s house last night that was pretty awesome I must say. Wanna see pictures. Oh wait and here are some pictures that Cory took. Hope, Kurt, Kevin, Katherine and I went out after to Jackalope, Casino, Emo’s and Side Bar.

• Hope and I finally decided fer sure on our Stitch song “Rock the Parti” by Gold Chains. Dizzie Rascal “Stand Up Tall” was a close second. There was talk of a Le Tigre song, I originally had my heart set on the French Kicks and Jesse took the best Lady Sovereign song. In the end with our hip hop stud and gold bling theme we have made the right choice.

• Spent the entire day working on press for STITCH. Everyone already has Nov 13th marked on their calendars right?

• Don’t forget to sponsor me or anyone else in the Austin Craft Mafia for Sunday’s Race for the Cure.

• Had a cute girl from UNT named Amanda George come up and shadow me for a day. She wants to be a jewelry designer for a living so she had to spend the day with me to see what my life was like.

• Tomorrow is the Will there ever be a unicorn? art show. My sister Hope pained Lionel Richie with a horn. Other pals I am going to check out include: Tina Sparkles, Jenny Hart, Matt Rodriguez, Mike Combs and more. Saturday Nov 4 at Bolm Studios (5303 Bolm). Get there around 9 for pictures with Diego the unicorn Chihuahua and a unicorn puppet show.

• While walking down Red River I was stopped and asked “Are you the Naughty Secretary?” That makes me giggle.

Brian D. Smith

This is my friend Brian Smith.

Today is his birthday.

Brian was killed in Iraq 7/2/04.

There has been 2,228 coalition deaths so far in the war in Iraq.

Fico Scores, Vanguard Accounts, and Roth IRAs.

So I am listening to this book by Suze Orman called The Money Book for the Young, Broke and Fabulous and it is making my head spin a bit. I have a meeting with a financial advisor and new accountant next week so I need to get brushed up about things. I have scratchy pages of notes on things like Fico Scores, Vanguard Accounts, Roth IRAs and so fourth. This summer before I got the second TV hosting job I got into Jim Kramer. I spent a week in Illinois with my family because my grandmother was in the hospital. My father who fancies himself a day trader watches this annoying man incessantly and is particularly found of the lightening round. I found him abrasive and my poor grandmother would take her hearing aides out when his show came on. But I left thinking my next move was to get into day trading. I even ordered his book and started thumbing through it. Day trading takes a lot of work man. I think I am better off with an advisor and some mutual funds. God when did I get so old? I got to thinking Social Security will be nothing when I am old and since I am self employed its not like I have a 401 K. These are issues to worry about.

So anyway besides all this… Today I had a facial, went to the mall to return my stupid ITRIP, ran into Vickie at Nordstrom’s, Hope came over and we discussed Stitch (man does she have some cool clothes, brace yourself), I added new Bracelets, Necklaces and Earrings to Naughty Secretary Club and now I need to go get ready for a Stitch meeting this evening. So much planning so little time.