Originally said “Booty” instead of “Arggguh”.

You know it is really sad when you don’t even realize that you are on TV. I thought all the new episodes of Stylelicious were over and then last night Vickie and Jesse tell me that our episode, Spice it Up, was on yesterday. Actually that was the very first episode we filmed EVER. I was scared to death and then that crazy blazer I had to wear on top of that oh and I was not supposed to say panties. It was a lot of pressure for a girls first day on the job, but I think it all worked out and the episode came out cute. Hope you caught it. I make underwear sets that are a little more dolled up – including a pirate set that originally said “booty” instead of “Arggguh”. At the very end I also make this crazy spray painted blue jean jacket. Jesse reworks some Chinese Slippers and Vickie adds a touch of tulle to a denim skirt if I remember the line from her script correctly.

Today I have to seriously crack down and get to cleaning. I have my friends Lisa, Matt and Kate coming from Los Angles Sunday and the house is in shambles. What scares me more is that weather says it is supposed to start raining tomorrow and not stop until the end of next week. NO NOT A RAINY 4th OF JULY! The sun is out now so maybe I can will the rain away. Ok off to clean before the gym. I think Ginger might quit (and I would not blame her) if I don’t change the littler box in the studio this morning before she gets here.

Your friends beat up 96 Honda Civic.

If you love Pirate Ships, Holly Hobby and MLK you are gonna love the new REVAMPED VINTAGE and NOSTALGIC NOTIONS BRACELETS over at NAUGHTY SECRETARY CLUB.

Sorry for the ad, but again if I am going to post it on the My Space bulletin boards I might as well post it here too right. Plus you might wanna know about the latest jewelry added to Naughty Secretary Club. Ginger spent all day taking pictures today of new pieces I designed and the things I brought home from Renegade with me. There is enough new jewelry in the studio that it could take me all summer to get it all on the site!

Did you see Vickie on the Today Show this morning? She looked downright adorable and I don’t just mean her jewelry. If you didn’t catch it you can watch it on the web like I did. I slept late, which I really never do and when I got up the 700 Club was on and I was oh so confused.

It has been one of those days so far where I am still on my jammies and have not left the computer. For running a jewelry company I swear I spend more time writing emails than I ever do making jewelry. Sucks, but I will say that the emails were about some pretty exciting stuff in the near Naughty Secretary Club future.

Speaking of exciting stuff I guess you can see from all my posts about looking for guests that Craft Lab has been picked up for another 65 episodes. The show should begin airing this fall, maybe Novemberish. God knows I will keep you posted. Production on field pieces is already about to begin and we are hunting for cool crafty events to attend. I am pushing for Renegade Craft Fair Chicago. Looks like we will be shooting at Art Unraveled in Arizona and CHA in Chicago this summer. If I’m not there say hi to my crafty correspondent Cat Greenleaf.

Ok more emails to send, still need to hit the gym and Vickie needs a ride home from the airport. You’d think after the today show you get picked up by Limos not your friends beat up 96 Honda Civic.

Vickie Howell: Not Another Teen Knitting Book

Vickie Howell is the host of DIY’s Knitty Gritty, author of New Knits on the Block and the brand spankin new Not Another Teen Knitting Book, and also my good friend. Vickie and I are in the Austin Craft Mafia together, co-hosts of Stylelicious, practically neighbors and both red headed so who better to interview her on her book tour. Leave it to me to get to the bottom of such hot burning questions as “what was your hair spray of choice in High School for super stiff and big bangs”.

Not Another Teen Knitting Book is Vickie’s latest venture into the world of writing and the projects are cute enough to make me want to put down my jewelry making tools and pick up a pair of knitting needles (and I am nowhere near my teens!). Oh and actually if you didn’t think jewelry and knitting could be friends take a looksie at page 111 and the Year Book Staff bracelet that Vickie and I did together. There are adorable knitted Eiffel tower dresses, guitar straps and even fingerless gloves knitters of all ages are going to be pleased as punch as once again Vickie shows the world that knitting can indeed be edgy and hip.

JEN: You are always so awesome and supportive of your “familia” within the Austin Craft Mafia, even in Not Another Teen Knitting Book. As I mentioned you and I collaborated on the Wire Photo Bracelet, are there any other cameos in the book by ACM members?

VICKIE: Well, you know what they say, about a familia that crafts together! My ACM compadraes definitely collaborated on this project. Hope Perkinshelped me out with some of the make-up, Karly Hand did the photo styling for the interior of the book, and Susann Koheane lent us one of her shirts for the “Populars” shoot. I’m working on a new book now, Catwalk Crochet that Tina Sparkles is contributing too, so the family trend continues--I love my creative friends!

JEN: You have all the different high school cliques labeled in Not Another Teen Knitting Book: Granolas, Jocks, Exchange Students. If we were to go back in time to your high school what crowd would we find Vickie Howell running with? Where you actually knitting as a teen?

VICKIE: I was really crafty when I was a teen, but I wasn’t knitting then. I did some sewing, crocheting and a lot of card making. As far as groups go, hmmm…I guess most of my friends were cheerleaders and jocks but I also hung out with the drama and dance kids. I went to West High in Southern California, so there were also a lot of skaters/surfers that were my friends too. To be honest, I can’t bare to put a label on who I was back then. Ironic, eh?

JEN: In your high school picture shown in our project “Wire Photo Bracelet” I can see that you had large stiff bangs, like all the other teens of that era. What was your hairspray of choice? Any tricks to getting your bangs just right?

VICKIE: Aqua Net all the way! The key to the perfect high-bang is the curl-spray-dry combo. First you take a curling iron, pull it to the tip of your bangs and use it to hold your hair straight up while you hairspray the heck out of it. Then, still holding your bangs with the curling iron, simultaneously blow-dry the hairspray. Some singeing may occur but hey, it’s all in the name of big hair.

JEN: Not Another Teen Knitting Book is your second venture as an author. I know there is something in the pipeline for you, so go ahead and spill the beans to everyone about what you are currently working on in the realm of books? What other books could we find Vickie Howell projects in?

VICKIE: I’ve recently contributed to two cool books: Tease: 50 Inspired T-shirt Transformations by Superstars of Art, Craft, and Design (several other Austin Craft Mafia ladies also designed for that one) and Vogue Knitting’s Crochet Bags on the Go. I’m currently working on 3 more books of my own and am acting as a consultant on the Knitty Gritty book, which is due out in January.

JEN: In Not Another Teen Knitting Book you have a totally updated hip knitted Best Friend Wrist Band. Back in our days you went and got a pair of Be Fri and St Ends dangle rings. Who was your best friend in High School? Did you sign off on notes to each other with the salutation BFF 4/Ever or LYLAS (Love Ya Like A Sis)?

VICKIE: I didn’t really have one best friend in high school per se, but the person who was always in my life in one respect or another (and still is), was Sacha Bryant. I opted for the B/F/F 4Ever option.

JEN: You have gone from being a stay at home mom in California who learned to knit as a hobby to a rock star crafter and knit goddess with your own TV show, books and more. Did you ever think you would be knitting on the Today Show? Did you always have a master plan for world domination or are you totally surprised at your life?

VICKIE: Aww, thanks. I think that I’ve always had a plan for world domination of sorts, but not necessarily via knitting. I had always wanted my own craft show but always figured that I’d probably end up producing rather than hosting. It’s safe to say however, that it never even occurred to me that I’d be knitting on live television in front of a home audience of 10 million people. My life is silly sometimes, and I feel really lucky.

JEN: Flipping through Not Another Teen Knitting Book, I love all the adorable little illustrations. I know how you chose Dave Lowe to be your illustrator, but why don’t you let the rest of the world in on this little behind the scenes trivia.

VICKIE: This kind of goes hand in hand with your first question. Whenever possible, I like to work with my friends. I get a kick out of seeing a finished project printed with my name side-by-side people I know--it’s like creating little bits of “family” history. Dave is our set-designer extraordinaire for Knitty Gritty, Stylelicious and your new show, Craft Lab. I was thrilled when he agreed to illustrate for me!

JEN: What kind of car did you drive when you were a teen?

VICKIE: I wish that I could answer this by saying something cool like a Karmen Ghia or an old Mustang but really, I drove my dad’s old mazda sedan. I rode that car until it literally had to be towed away from over-use. When I graduated I got a cobalt blue Toyota pick-up, which I emblazoned with one lone “Hole” sticker.

JEN: Did you have a knitted steering wheel or seat belt cover like the project in Not Another Teen Knitting Book?

VICKIE: No! I don’t think I even knew they existed—I would’ve totally wanted one!

JEN: What heart throb adorned the walls of your bedroom in your teen years? Flipping through New Knits on the Blocks all the projects and even the book name is a play on an 80’s song title so I know there must have been some New Kids or Wham posters smiling down at you.

VICKIE: I didn’t really do the celeb poster thing—my mom was very anti putting celebrities on a pedestal—but I was really into Johnny Depp, Madonna and the members of Duran Duran and Depeche Mode. I also went through a brief Jon Bon Jovi stage, but I’d rather just pretend that never happened. Oh, and I totally had a crush on Andrew Wrigley from Wham. Where is he now?

JEN: When I was a teen the local Taco Bell was the awesome place to meet after school and hang out. Where did you go after school, and don’t say home to study because we will know you are lying.

VICKIE: I usually had some form of a practice after school and then had to go straight to work at one of my various jobs, so I didn’t get to go to any hang-outs very often. When I did though, we’d all meet up at this burger joint called Steve’s or down at 2nd Street in Hermosa Beach.

Thanks so much to Vickie for stopping by the Naughty Secretary Club blog on her tour. Here is a list of where she has been and where she will be this week on the rest of her whirlwind tour.
T 6/27 http://knit1.typepad.com/
W 6/28 http://www.naughtysecretaryclub.com/about/blog.shtml
Th 6/29 http://www.shelterrific.com/
F 6/30 http://elizabethlenhard.typepad.com/chickwithsticks/
Sa 7/1 http://www.pink-world.co.uk/blog/
Su 7/2 http://peptogirl.blogspot.com/

Also be sure and check out Vickie tomorrow morning on The Today Show. She is up in NYC as I type preparing to knit on live television in front of a bazillion people. We whipped up a fresh Wire Photo Bracelet just for her to take on the show. Try to pay attention to her knitting and not focus too much on the custom jewelry I made her to wear. Rumor has it she is wearing a pair of Naughty Secretary Club Revamped Vintage Earrings as well as a necklace I whipped up using one of a kind collage papers by Vickie and I’s friend the super talented Traci Bautista. So be sure and tune in tomorrow morning to cheer for Vickie, grab your copy of Not Another Teen Knitting Book and knit along!

CRAFT LAB - Come be a guest on TV with me!

As some of you know I am hosting a new TV show for the DIY Network called Craft Lab that will begin airing this fall. Some super star crafters that I have already filmed episodes with include Kathy Cano Murillo of Crafty Chica, Claudine Hellmuth, Traci Bautista and Jenny Harada. If you are crafty I would LOVE for you to come be a guest on the second season of Craft Lab with me. Trust me it is super fun you and I get to hang out and craft together, instead of at home we just so happen to be in a studio. I will hold your hand through the whole thing I promise!

Here is the email from Tony Federico about applying for the show. Please feel free to forward this on to ANYONE even slightly crafty that you know.

Hi all,

My name is Tony Federico. I'm a crafter and I work as a television producer by day and just so happen to be working on a DIY network show called Craft Lab. I'm looking for cool guests to come on our show. We're more Ready Made and Bust magazine than grandma's bazaar- we're geared for a younger audience. Unfortunately, since we have separate jewelry and sewing shows, we can only do craft related items.

Here’s some more info:

CRAFT LAB Season Two, is a fun, edgy and new take on the how-to crafting show. Come be a part of the new wave of the crafting revolution. We are looking for vivacious, interesting and engaging people to share their love of crafting on national television.

The host, Jennifer Perkins (DIY, Stylelicious), is an expert crafter and a member of the Austin Craft Mafia as well as the designer behind Naughty Secretary Club. Like the show, she’s fun, perky, and slightly irreverent. Our show allows us the opportunity to go deeply into specific crafting techniques and funky new ideas for every age and craft level.

This is a great platform for the right guest to share their skills with a growing audience. DIY is approaching 35 million homes and DIYNetwork.com averages 2 million unique visitors per month.

We are taping in the Los Angeles area in September and October of 2006. If you don't live in the area, no worries- we'll fly you in.

So get Crafty and show us what you’re working with now! If you think you’d be good for the show, please let me know.

Contact me at tfederico@sdetv.com We’re booking people soon, so the sooner the better. Feel free to post and forward this message.


Thanks-

Tony Federico & Jennifer Perkins

The Renegade Craft Fair Rundown

I am determined to not let my trip to NYC slip through the cracks. I had such great intentions about blogging about Chris and I’s trip to London and Berlin earlier this spring that just never happened. So onward…

WEDNESDAY: Chris and I flew into NYC. It just so happens in a weird twist of fate Chris had to go to NYC for business. The awesome part is that his company put us up in the Hotel Giraffe which was totally amazing and swanky. There was a roof top bar and the blinds in the room opened and closed with a switch next to the bed. The first night in town was pretty chill. We went out and found NYC pizza and a Kinkos because I had to make a copy of my press kit / look book. We ended the night at the roof top bar each having an $8 Red Stripe. No really.

THURSDAY: Chris had to go to work and I had to go and meet with the PR firm that is working with the DIY Network. The ladies I met with seemed super awesome and totally on the ball. They are who I brought the press kit for. We are going to let the world know about Craft Lab when it comes out this fall. After the meeting I took myself shopping. We don’t have H&M in Texas so it is like a total treat. I actually bought 3 pairs of shorts, which for those of you that know me is a miracle. Even my mother said she could not remember seeing me in shorts since I was a small child and she put me in them. Got lots of other cute things. I know if you live in NYC H&M is nothing special, like a Forever 21 to us here, but to me it is like a little slice of fashion heaven.

After H&M I wanted to hit Barneys and started walking down the street popping in and out of various stores I could never afford to shop at. Hunger overcame me so I called my good friend Leah who lives in NYC. I told her where I was and by dumb luck I was standing below her office building. Leah works for Lacoste. Leah came down and we had a quickie lunch and she sent me on my way because we were meeting for dinner later. Luckily Leah also took my gigantic H&M bag up to her office with her so I did not have to tote it around shopping.

When Leah got off work we decided to go back to the bar on top of the Hotel Giraffe when we realized the St. Mark’s bar she had planned for us was closed for a private party. We ran into Chris in the hotel room and he invited us out with his co-workers. We all ended up at some Irish pub down the street which was pretty non-descript. The only exciting thing was that there was a couple at the bar with a screaming baby that was slamming beers. So Leah had to catch a train out to Long Island and we were all getting hungry. In our party was a lovely lawyer named Kerryann who suggested a hamburger joint in the West village so we all piled in 2 cabs and headed that way. I can’t remember the name of the place but it was a yummy cheeseburger and fries. With drinks all around the total for 5 people was $30. That is good for even Texas.

After the restaurant we walked to a bar a block away called The Cubby Hole. I chatted with Chris’s super sweet co-workers Valerie and Thomas and eventually we all said our good byes. In the elevator on the way to our room we met some people who attended FIT and a guy who claimed to design for YSL and they invited us up for a drink. Networking how could I say no?

FRIDAY: This morning I wished I had in fact said no and just gone to bed. Oh well I can sleep when I am dead. Chris left for home this morning and kissed me goodbye and left me in bed. My parents and younger sister had gotten into NYC late the night before and I was meeting them. Made my way over to the Marriot where they were staying just in time for breakfast. Hope and my dad went to museums for the day and my mom and I went shopping. Thanks to everyone who recommended all the awesome bead, button and trim shops in NYC. I loaded up with tons and tons of cool stuff.

We had to get back to the hotel at a decent hour because Hope and I were invited to a BBQ in Brooklyn hosted by the lovely Amy and Heather Sperber, AKA 31 Corn Lane. The party was super fun drinkies and grilling in their backyard in Williamsburg. All the ACM ladies who were in town for the Renegade Craft Fair came by: susann, Tina, Vickie and Jenny. I also got to see my friends Keith and Chris who run Fred Flare. The picture is Jenny, Tina and Keith. Amy and I stayed up late chatting about world fashion domination then I hit the hay. The thing that makes me giggle about the Sperbers house is that they have like 4 chihuahuas.

SATURDAY: The first day of the Renegade Craft Fair, oh the excitement. It was a touch tricky getting our booth all set up since there were a lot of cooks in that kitchen, but we managed and the Austin Craft Mafia booth looked pretty spiffy if you are asking me. We of course managed to bring the Texas heat with us. Apparently it was lovely weather the week before, but this weekend was in the 90’s sitting in the park. The turn out was super good and all the other crafty booths there were amazing. I walked around and saw Jenny Harada who was a guest on Craft Lab and Kathy Cano Murillo from Crafty Chica was right across the aisle from us. The lovely Leah Kramer of Craftster stopped by the booth to say hello and gave me some awesome buttons that I wore proudly. Also right next to us was Portland Super Crafty who I had never met in person so it was awesome to get to see those guys. Right behind us was the Make Workshop who I hear nothing but wonderful things about. The big excitement was Karen Duffy (as in the MTV VJ Duff) stopped by our booth to film a segment for her new TV show. She bought one of Hope’s purses and was nice as could be.

After the fair we all went over to a little dive bar close to the park that has something to do with Turkeys in the name. I only know because the ladies room says Turkettes on the door. They also serve beer in Styrofoam cups with straws which is totally weird. This is Tina and I at the bar with our new matching Fred Flare sunglasses on.

We were starving and headed off to find dinner. We called Susann who had left with her friends Leslie (Rolleta Lynn) and Kim and asked if we could join them for dinner. Not sure of the name of the place but I had salad, soba noodles, sushi and tempura friend veggies and they were wonderful.

At this point I had decided against an air mattress at the Sperbers since my parents were in Manhattan at the Marriot with a big plush bed waiting for me. Hope and I stopped by to get my things and Amy loaded us up with an array of their awesome 31 Corn Lane Bags. I already have the red one that says Carry All and adore it. They gave me so many I gave some away and took Karly and Jesse bags at the Stitch meeting on Sunday. So after the total score in the purse department Hope and I made our way back to Manhattan.

SUNDAY: The only thing that sucks about Renegade is that each night you have to totally take your booth down and each morning set everything up again. Not the ladies fault at all, but I am spoiled with events like Austin City Limits where you just tarp up the booths and security guards are there all night. Even though we had a camera crew in the booth on Saturday, Sunday felt like the never ending day of camera crews. Keith and Chris from Fred Flare were floating around the fair filming people for their pod cast and wanted to get the Austin Craft Mafia ladies. My episode should run in august, I’ll keep you posted. There is a really amazing documentary in the works right now by Faithe Lavine (Flying Fish Designs) and Micaela O'herlihy called the Indie Craft Documentary. These awesome ladies stopped by the booth and filmed all of us for their film. I for one can’t wait to see everything when it is done. The underground punk rock craft movement is such an interesting phenomena it totally needs to be documented.

My parents also stopped by the booth today. Since it was so hot I was afraid they were going to pass out. This is a picture of all of us in the booth. I made my dad hold one of Vickie’s I Heart Crafty Chicks shirts since well we are all pretty crafty.

The rest of the fair was awesome and I am already looking forward to next year. I would go to the Chicago Renegade Craft Fair but it is always at the same time as Austin City Limits and we have an Austin Craft Mafia booth there. The highlight of the fair was a round house kick to the face. Not my face mind you. Our booth was right in front of the truck where you picked up and dropped off your rented tables, chairs and tents. Well after a long hard weekend the employees were restless and had begun yelling at each other. Next thing I know Hope says they are fighting and I look over in time to see one guy make an attempt at a round house kick to the other guy. Contact was not made, but it was hilarious. So much karate in one weekend. You see our sad little makeshift dressing room was a hula hoop, shower curtain and picnic umbrella. It looked exactly like Ralph Machios Halloween costume in the Karate kid when he is a shower at the dance.

After we closed down it was after all fathers day. Vickie came along with my fam and I for a nice Italian dinner at some place close to the hotel. I was so exhausted I don’t even remember what I ate.

So overall the Renegade Craft Fair was tons o’ fun. One of the highlights of my summer for two years in a row. If you live in Chicago be sure and stop by this September.

My collection of Deco glass picture frames and Enid Collins purses were mere minutes from death.

We are having a big sale and a total restock at NAUGHTY SECRETARY CLUB
All our Nouveau Necklaces are on sale, some baubles are only $8 (and that is with shipping included)! Nouveau Earrings like Bow Tie Lover pictured here are only $10! Of course tons of Nouveau Bracelets are also on sale. We are getting ready for the new website and the fewer items I have to move, the better!

3 different Nostalgic Notions Necklaces are back in stock! Pictured here is the Hot Lips necklace that was featured in Elle Girl. You can also once again get the Crochet Cherries Necklace and Lil’ Dutch Girl Necklace. For awhile now all you Sagittarians and Leos have been sad because you were not able to get your very own Zodiac Cuff. Well this is not longer a problem; all the signs of the Zodiac are back in stock!

Sorry pardon the advertisement. It is so much easier for me to write my My Space posts in blogger for the HTML code, so I figured why delete it.

Not much new here, I am still working on my Renegade Craft Fair Wrap Up post. That should be a doozy. In the meantime since I have been back life has been non-stop. This weekend was spent landscaping, scrubbing base boards with bleach, and trying to find a home for all my new beads. I think I might really have to convert the garage into a studio now. The big excitement is that Chris and I got a new mattress, pillow top even. The thing that scares me is my back is hurting. Is it just because I am not used to the mattress? Is it from being bent over scrubbing yesterday? Mattresses are awfully expensive to have one that is not perfect. I can return it and get another one so that part is not a big deal, however the delivery guys scared me as they were near inches from ramming the mattress into my shelves. My collection of Deco glass picture frames and Enid Collins purses were mere minutes from death. Oh and Chris and I moved up to a queen size bed, exciting indeed. I can’t tell that the bed feels much bigger than the full we have had for 8 years. All I know is we had to get all new sheets. Luckily I found an entire set at Ross from the Casa Christina collection on clearance for $18. Whoo-hoo!

Dare to Flair

Did you miss my sister Hope Perkins on Thursday’s episode of Stylelicious? Well never fear, Dare to Flair with Hope, Vickie and Susann will repeat again today at 3pm Central on the DIY Network. Hope shows how to add sequins to your shoes, which reminds me of an article she did for the Naughty Secretary Club zine once called “If Ain’t Broke, Spray Paint It".

Oh and check out an article I found from a Wisconsin Newspaper that mentions Stylelicious!

Indie Craft Documentary

I just got home from New York and The Renegade Craft Fair last night and am honestly to tired to blog about much of anything. Ginger sent me this little blurb about the fair from the amazing Faythe Levine & Micaela O'herlihy of the Indie Craft Documentary. They came by the Austin Craft Mafia booth and filmed us. You can read all about it and see pictures from the fair here.

Leaving A-Town today for the Big Apple via The Windy City.

Leaving A-Town today for the Big Apple via The Windy City. Ahhh stupid city nick names. All the last minute packing I can do is done. I came home after my Austin Craft Mafia meeting last night and finished making some jewelry. It’s worth coming to The Renegade Craft Fair just to see the earrings I made using vintage wrapping paper. I sat with friend Karl Party Bots who is staying with me and crafted and debated the fact that healthy Japanese mushroom tea really tastes like the smell of Easter egg dye. Tina Sparkles also slept over last night and just left my house this morning to drive to NYC and she said she had made 30 new frilly dresses to have at Renegade! WOW!

Which reminds me don’t forget to watch Tina tomorrow on Stylelicious – Dare to Flare!
The ladies of Stylelicious have a whole new definition of change of clothes with these projects that convert old garments into something completely new. Host Tina Sparkles turns old jeans into a pleated miniskirt. Host Karly Hand has a project that turns a man's business shirt into a ladies party top. Host Jesse Kelly-Landes makes a shrug out of an old sweater.

Naughty Secretary Club Summer Newsletter

Welcome to the Naughty Secretary Club Newsletter!

COME SHOP WITH ME IN NYC: Do you live anywhere even kind of close to Brooklyn? Do you like crafts? Are you interested in seeing more one of kind Naughty Secretary Club jewelry than you can shake a stick at? If you answered yes to any of these questions then you need to get to the RENEGADE CRAFT FAIR in Brooklyn this weekend!


WHAT: The Renegade Craft Fair

WHERE: McCarren Park Bedford Ave. & N. 12th st., Brooklyn, NY.

WHEN: June 17th-June 18th

TIME: 11:00AM – 6:00 PM

I am going to be there in the Austin Craft Mafia booth with the likes of Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching, Vickie Howell, Hope Perkins of Hot Pink Pistol and more. Please come out and say “Hi”. I have been making jewelry for a month now!

READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY: Sarah Sockit’s Tease: 50 Inspired T-shirt Transformations by Superstars of Art, Craft, and Design is my new favorite book. On page 23 you come across a Ping Pong Ball Necklace, designed by moi. I cut up one of my favorite T-shirts for this amazing book.

Not Another Teen Knitting Book by Vickie Howell is on shelves now! Vickie and I teamed up on page 111 for Yearbook Staff/Wire Photo Bracelet. This bauble is one of many awesome projects in her new book.

STYLELICIOUS: I hope you are all enjoying the new Austin Craft Mafia TV show on the DIY Network, Stylelicious. There are only a few more episodes left in the season. Check out the show every Thursday at 1:30 Central and again on Sundays at 3:00. Look for fresh episodes this fall as well as my own daily crafting show Craft Lab!

NOW ACCETING APPLICATIONS: Stitch, the largest independent craft fair and fashion show in Austin, co produced by myself is now accepting applications for the Nov 11th 2006 event. Last year saw over 1,000 people attending.

SHOP TILL YOU DROP: We are always sneaking new and exciting goodies in over at the web store. Take a peeksie at the S.S. Naughty Secretary Club Earrings, Carved Cutie Bracelet, Bubble Boy Purse and matching belt buckle.

IN STORES NOW: In Los Angles find NSC at Sweet Charity (3318 Sunset Blvd), In Ottawa Ontario at Victore Victore (126 Cambridge) and in Missoula Montana at Betty’s Divine (521 S. Higgins).

COMING SOON: A whole new web site design is coming this summer along with the return of the zine. Getting back to our roots with music reviews and crafting articles! Oh and in the next couple of weeks the brand spankin’ new Naughty Secretary Club T-shirts will be available!

xo,
Jen
www.naughtysecretaryclub.com

Babies and Tomatos

This seemed like a really long weekend, probably because Chris and I drove to Corpus in the middle of it. Saturday was Chris’s Aunt and Uncle’s 50th Wedding anniversary. It was a fine party and I got to meet distant cousins and friends of the family that in all of Chris and I’s 8 years together I have only heard about and never seen in person. His family hails from Ohio you see.

The best part about the party was that I got to meet my new niece, Savanna for the first time. She is A-dorable! She is in that super cute smiley baby phase. She is not super happy at this point in the picture, but she had been passed around quite a bit that evening. Plus I thought the picture was funny because it showed the one time all weekend when Chris held the baby and when he did how scared he looked “she is squirming, is she supposed to do that?”

Got back from our journey Sunday evening and Chris had a bumper crop of veggies in the garden (look at all the tomatos on the window ledge!). I like to refer to him as little Chrissy-Apple-Seed. I think it is all about the soaker hose. Plus we have decided that here in Austin jalapenos and cherry tomatoes are the easiest to grow. We have tons. So many in fact that when walked over to Hope and Kurt’s house late last night we brought Erin and Jug a bag full. Then when we came home I made Chris and I a Tuscan Bean pasta with fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden and we snuggled in and ate dinner and watched the Ratt Behind the Music on VH1.

New and exciting updates in the world of press.

Here is a picture of me in my swim suit wearing a Naughty Secretary Club Woodland Necklace. Ok not really, here is a lovely model in the June/July issue of Justine Magazine wearing one. The magazine also features a Tropical Breeze and Tree Rings Bracelet.

Thanks to my handy dandy Google alerts that I mentioned yesterday I was also notified that the awesome ladies over at Fashion Tribes blogged about our Bakelite Safari Necklace. You know with the Renegade Craft Fair Brooklyn coming up it reminds me of when that necklace was born. I made a necklace out of a wooden bird napkin ring that I had found and sold it there. The girl that bought the necklace must have really shown it off because throughout the rest of the event other people were coming to the booth and asking me if I had more. I even got emails when I got back to Texas. So months later when I was at the Round Top Flea Market and I stumbled upon a ton of vintage Bakelite Elephant Napkin rings I snagged them all up! The booth was actually called Dead People’s Stuff, I remember it clearly. So I will be packing some Bakelite Safari Necklaces to this years Renegade Brooklyn.

Over at GKFA.COM Naughty Secretary Club was recently featured in an article called Eclectic Earrings: From Nautical To Nuptial. My very favorite Nautical Earrings the S.S. Naughty Secretary Club were featured. Ruby Duby Earrings and the now infamous Ride Like the Wind Earrings also make appearances in the article.

That is all of the new and exciting updates in the world of press. Today I am taking a bunch of new goodies up to Flipnotics so if you are looking for some exclusive one of a kind designs, I am letting them dip into the Renegade Craft Fair stash to stock the store with. My T-shirts should be coming in today so I can get them over to the silk screener. That’s right kids, Naughty Secretary Club T-shirts are almost here. I might mention they are pretty cute too, I’ll add them to the website as soon as I can. Think I am the only person I know not going to the Shellac show tonight, but that is OK I can just make my jewelry that way!

Toothbrush Bracelet

I am signed up to get google alerts for things like Jennifer Perkins, Craft Lab and Stylelicious. The other day a little alert came into my inbox and it was about my friend Dave Lowe’s blog. Dave was the set designer on both of my shows for the DIY Network and I personally think he did a stellar job. He wrote a whole big blog about how he came up with the design, decided on colors, what got kicked to curb and why. Maybe it was only fascinating to me, but if you are interested you can read all about the set here.

Stylelicious is on today and as mentioned earlier this week it is a special episode because FREDDA is on! Whoo-hoo for my mom on TV! Fredda is a total natural and I think clearly should be given her own TV show since she basically taught Hope and I everything we know. On today’s episode I make a toothbrush into a bracelet with the help of some hot water.

Speaking of tooth brush bracelets it reminds me the lovely Leah Kramer was sweet enough to send me a copy of her amazing new book The Craftster Guide to Nifty, Thrifty and Kitschy Crafts – Fifty Fabulous Projects from the Fifties and Sixties. Is there really anything else you could ask for in the crafty world? On page 35 I see that great minds think alike and there is a project on a “Slip-on Toothbrush Bracelet”. Same concept as today’s Stylelicious episode. In another freaky coincidence Hope is on Stylelicious with me today making a glove into a purse and by golly there is a project for that too in the book. On page 26 there is the “Lovely Lady Coin Purse”. Little different than what Hope whips up on the show, but both are adorable.

The Craftster Guide to Nifty, Thrifty and Kitschy Crafts is awesome because it has clippings from old magazines and books where the original concept for these crafts came from. Leah has just tweaked the ideas and updated them and more importantly brought them back to our attention. I like how the article about the toothbrush bracelet recommend adding macaroni noodle letters to personalize your bauble. That makes me giggle. Speaking of noodles also in the book is a whole section on Macaroni Glamour Accessories that I am strangely drawn too. It is things like jewelry boxes and mirrors covered with different shapes and sizes of pasta and then spray painted gold. I keep thinking about these glimmering noodles and how I can work them into jewelry. Imagine a gold jumbo shell earring or necklace. It could be awesome.

Anyway the book is super cute and I am smitten on it. I highly recommend it for all you crafty peeps out there.

Beta Valentine TONIGHT at Flamingo Cantina

Who are these handsome devils? Well I’ll tell ya, it’s Beta Valentine. I am particularly partial to the one with the green floral Ramonster Wear shirt myself. Ok Ok, so I am married to the drummer of the band, but that does not cloud my judgment about them musically at all. It also has absolutely nothing to do with why I am going to see them play tonight at Flamingo Cantina in Austin around midnight. You should come out too!

The Lucy Report: We went to the vet this morning to get her stitches taken out and the doctor said she is healing wonderfully and we can even start taking her on 5 minute walks! Hooray! She is starting to use her leg now and there have been no more suspicious patches of green hair.

In jewelry news I snuck in several NOUVEAU BRACELETS, take a peekie. Got a call from Sweet Charity yesterday. This is an awesome new store in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles that is now carrying Naughty Secretary Club jewelry. Go by their Sunset Blvd location and do some shopping for a good cause – hence the name. Also, I bet Ginger and I sat and put prices on over 150 pieces of jewelry for The Renegade Craft Fair Brooklyn yesterday. I am going to have tons, and I mean tons of one of a kind things there you will never see on the web site so be sure and stop by The Austin Craft Mafia booth (157) on June 17th and 18th and say hello!

Happy Birthday Fredda, AKA Mom.

Today is not only the day the new Omen movie is being released; it is also my mother Fredda Perkins birthday. WHOO-HOO! As if this week was not exciting enough for her she is making her national TV debut on Stylelicious. That’s right kids you know how we have special guests each episode well this Thursday at 1:30 PM check out mom making the Record Bowl Bags she sells on Naughty Secretary Club. The brief segment was shot in my house and Chris wanted me to be sure and mention that the turntable you see pictured in the episode is his. It also happens to be one of the few episodes I shot with my sister Hope Perkins and Jen Arnston is also there! Look for Fredda on an episode of Craft Lab with me too making her Cigar Box Tissue Holders and a Resin covered table!

So I already mentioned all the things my mom makes and writes on Naughty Secretary Club during Mother’s Day, but you can really never talk about Fredda too much. She is a like a super mother of sorts. Here is a list of everywhere you can find her on the website.

SHOPPING
Barkcloth Purses
Record Bowl Bags
Fredda Perkins Necklaces
Barkcloth Baby Bags
Pop Purses
Barkcloth Pillows
Belt Buckles
Change Purses
Barkcloth Stockings
Tissue Box Covers
Barkcloth Journals

ARTICLES and HOW-TO’s
Discovering Tomorrow's Collectibles Today
Soccer Mom Knows All
Make Your Own Patio Table
Sour Cream Pound Cake Recipe
Chicken Sketti Recipe

New Belt Buckles & Applications for Stitch

You know that belt buckle you have asked Santa for every year since you were like 5? The one with the picture of the taxadermied deer head with hot pink antlers. Well at last it can be yours! Check out the 4 new belt buckle options over at Naughty Secretary Club all designs by Hope Perkins, AKA Hot Pink Pistol.

More exciting news about STITCH, we are now accepting applications for our guerilla craft bazaar and runway designers. Last year we had over 20 designers and 60 crafters come in from Los Angles, Atlanta, Miami and more. If you have always been looking for a good excuse to come to Austin anyway, Stitch this November is it. We’re accepting applications through August 15. Now while all applications will all be looked at as a group, priority will be given to early applicants. Spaces are limited on both the runway and craft booth areas.