Chain Me Up

I admit it: I've kind of fallen out of love with my etsy jewelry shop, Rose, red Rose. Schaufenster just seems to grow and grow, with funky vintage finds and my own photographs and art work with many more in progress as we speak. Still, this necklace is one that I have recently made and wear nearly everyday myself. The heavy, vintage brass chain feels delicious against the skin and it's simple yet elegant enough to wear for any occasion. Luckily I have one more length of chain to make a duplicate necklace or it would definitely never be offered for sale because I love it too much....To take a look at the brand spanking new listing, please click here

Rock On, Rockabilly Mom!

Until the fall of 2010 I will be getting "parent" money monthly from the German government. Because we don't want to pay taxes on the money (you can still work part-time if you want, but then your income and the "parent" money are both taxed)I will not be working until 2011. Except for some occasional under the table editing work and my various hobbies, some more serious than others, I am basically a housewife. So far I seem to be a natural born mother (I am not a patient person, but with my darling daughters I truly have nerves of steel)but, as a housewife, I am a failure: Dust makes me angry. Even the thought of ironing makes me go bonkers. When I cook, if I cook, I never want it to take any longer than 15 minutes. Luckily I have a cleaning lady who does the "deep" cleaning every two weeks and a very understanding husband.

Recently I've thought, why not embrace your housewifeness? I've found out that comparison shopping is (almost) fun and am toying with the idea of getting into cooking. One things that will be sure to help is a rocking, retro-inspired handmade aprons. I'm leaning towards one from Boojiboo, but in making the following list, I also fell in love with several of the others. There are also lots of great retro doodads and artwork that appeals to my inner (albeit very hidden) housewife. Why not go all out and get several aprons that so bring out my rockabilly leanings? If I never get any good at cooking and cleaning, at least I can work on my skills in shopping!

Mix it up, baby!

As anyone who has read this blog likely knows, I have a bit of a thing for graveyards. I've traced it back somewhat to my childhood in Arizona (they were one of the only places where there were trees and grass). As a teenager I was also a bit of a "light" goth, i.e. I didn't wear all the make-up and went easy on the black lace but I was into the music and wrote lots of depressing poetry (the first boy I got involved with wrote me a poem partially in his own blood which I found VERY romantic!) But the main reason for the graveyard love is that they are so beautiful here in my neighborhood, full of art deco and art nouveau ornaments and delightfully delipidated.

Still, I didn't really want to take all of my pictures for my shop in the graveyard. As someone who bores easily, it is necessary to mix it up. I made a funky necklace a while ago which I call Neukoelln Forever (rough neighborhood I lived in for a while, I wrote a blog entry about it earlier this month....) Anyway, I knew I wanted to take pictures in a more urban, gritty setting but I have no desire to actually go to Neukoelln right now because, with the baby buggy, steep stair and no elevator, the U-Bahn is too much of a pain in the ass and it takes too long to walk there (about 40 minutes)when the weather is so "wechselhaft" as it is these days: clouds and sprinkles and general crapiness.


Today, when walking toward Bergmannstrasse here in Kreuzberg with Baby Li, I ran across the playground on Solmsstrasse. Placed where a bombed building once stood that was never re-built, they went with an urban jungle graffitti art theme. Perfect for posing with my necklace. Here are some pics:








As usual, I had fun. Baby Li also found it ok, I assume since she continued peacefully sleeping. Afterwards we went together to Cafe Molinari for a delicious Italian hot chocolate. Yum! :)

33 Is Such A Wonderful Number

Thirty-three is such a wonderful number. 33 is they age Jesus was when he rose from the dead and how old Buddha was when he became enlightened. I heard that stastic years ago when my sister's boyfriend celebrated his 33rd birthday. At the time I was still in my early 20s and 33 sounded absolutely ancient. Now I'm 35 so I've already passed the marker....

Anyway, this post isn't about my age or Buddha's: In my jewelry shop Rose, red Rose I posted the 33rd item a few days ago. To celebrate I am having the 3 x 3 x3 sale. 3 items on sale for 3 days 3 weeks long. The items and price reductions I will choose on a lark, so stayed tuned! (I thought of reducing everything by 3 dollars, but decided this would be taking the theme too far....) They will be presented in the three pictures down below.

Hopefully this will change another number 3, namely, the number of sales I've had since I opened in February. ;)

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade roseredrose.etsy.com

Viva la Handmade!

Since I spent the first few years of my life living in an urban, Jesus Freak commune in Sacramento, I think part of my soul will forever remain hippie. I love that Michelle Obama is stressing the importance of homegrown food and putting an organic garden on the white house lawn (though I definitely do not have a green thumb!) It wasn't until I moved to Europe that I realized simple things like making your own salad dressing or a baking a cake from scratch really aren't that hard (and I am far from being a domestic goddess!) Something about being an American makes you think most food should come in a bottle, can or box....

I also truly am into the idea of the handmade revolution. I opened my first Etsy shop last year, but then took a break for about 8 months, taking it up again at the end of January. I love that everyone is doing their own thing there. Be it a housewife in Mobile, Alabama, a hipster in Madrid or an metal artisan in Sydney, people are gluing, sewing, sautering, etc. all over the world.

I did a shop local search today for stores located in France. Here are some of the highlights of what I found:


I spent two weeks last summer near Bordeaux, France and completely loved it. It's no wonder people are making such great things there. I am SO going to buy that skirt from Malam (vintage French newspaper cloth)one of these days!

Viva la Handmade France!

Why isn't it my birthday everyday?

One of the greatest things about having a shop on etsy is that you get to see all the great things other people are making. Of course, the temptation to shop constantly is always there....I'm on a pretty limited monthly budget. The German government pays Elterngeld (parent money, literally translated)to one parent for the first year if they stay home with the child. The amount of the money you get is 67% of your former monthly income with a cap (I think...)of about 2500 Euros. The money is tax free and a gift as long as you don't work (if you still want to work part-time, then you pay taxes on it.) Rock on German government!

My husband and I decided to split the money into two years which means that the monthly amount I get is enough to cover some bills, health insurance and groceries but, besides a tiny bit of spending money, that's about it. The money I earn from any sales at my etsy shops pretty much goes directly back into my shops because I spend it on supplies and occasionally onadvertising. But there are also so many lovely things to be had in etsy land. Here are but a few:



Other people have already benefitted from my desire to press that final sale button. My sister got some lovely pear and ginger soap covered in gold leaf in the mail just yesterday, a gift I spontaneously decided to have her sent. The shipping price to Europe would have been a bit high, but the soapmaker had covered the soap in GOLD LEAF. The soap just had to be bought. Rock on, gold leaf soap covering soap maker!

Still, I really should get myself a little something soon. I've been a good girl, really, I have. And besides any buying I would do would be supporting fellow creative folk. Hmm...My birthday may only be on February 16th but, as Alice learns, it is my un-birthday 364 days a year. Maybe it's time to do a little celebrating.....

Jewelry Madness

I got some fantastic new supplies in the mail the day before my birthday and since then it's been jewelry madness. I love making new pieces. Usually I start with an idea and try it out but the final outcome is often far from the original plan. Letting yourself be taken by surprise is one of the greatest pleasures in life!