4 Ways To Make Your Down Time Count

For many of us, the only ME time we get on a daily basis is in the shower.  Okay, then - let's pledge to make that a sacred time.


How can we do this?  We all know how lovely scents enhance our mood.  So choose soaps and lotions that make you happy, and maybe even make you want to linger just a little longer in your sacred place!


It's also important to choose soaps and lotions with natural ingredients, to keep your skin healthy and moisturized.


I love great-smelling, great-feeling soaps and lotions.  I never receive enough of them as gifts, and because the really good ones are a little more expensive, I don't often treat myself.  Well, along with you, I'm pledging to change that right now.


I used to hang out at the soap shops in the U District and Pike Place Market when I was a college student.  It was a little indulgence I enjoyed very much.  I kept hoping such a shop would open in Edmonds, but it doesn't appear to be in Edmonds' future. 


So, I decided to take advantage of the numerous artisan soap and lotion makers right here at home, and create a Personal Spa section right in the gallery!  Check out the offerings from these four artisans, dedicated to making healthy, nourishing, delicious-smelling soaps and lotions for you!


1.  Beautiful Soap - made by Linda and Patrice.  These two made a batch of soap in their kitchen just for fun.  Their friends loved it so much, they moved it up a notch and started selling it in small amounts.  Friends of friends loved it too, and so it grew.  Their belief is, "We think that we create a beautiful product that everyone can enjoy. We truly love making our soap and conscientiously try to improve our soap with each new fragrance and color that we add to our shelves."

Offerings from Beautiful Soap

Beautiful soap is 100% glycerin, which attracts moisture from the air to your skin!  Plus, it's coconut base makes LOTS of bubbles.  Each curl is hand-carved, too.  Lots of care goes into each and every bar.  I have a cucumber-melon fragrance on the bathroom sink, and it is lasting much longer than I expected.  Plus, it makes the whole bathroom smell quite wonderful.


2.  Body Systems. This company invites you to "embrace natural skin care and transport yourself to a true tropical experience.  We source ingredients from all over the world to create the most beneficiel and natural products for our skin and the environment.  We never test on animals and use fair traded and organic ingredients whenever possible."

Group of Bath Gels from Body Systems

The soft, heavenly scents from Body Systems will transport you, and make your skin feel fantastic.  They are very pure, as well as concentrated.  In the Butter Lotion, notice that water isn't even one of the ingredients.  Check your lotions at home and it's first on the list!  That means these are very concentrated, and thus last a very long time.  It also means they are more expensive - but you're not just paying for scented water.


We currently have the Bath Gel, Butter Lotion, and a very fun Bath Confetti that makes for the most amazing bubble bath!


3. Pearl and Daisy. With a firm commitment to purity, Rebecca Taylor spends lots of time getting the right combination of ingredients together for the best possible product.  She says, "pure essential oils are blended to provide aromatherapy benefits and a glorious scent.  Minerals and organic botanicals are added to nourish the skin and provide natural color.  You won't find any synthetic fragrance, artificial color, phthalates, synthetic parabens, sodium laurel sulphate, or petrochemicals in any of our soaps or body care products.  Not even a little bit."

Offerings from Pearl & Daisy

We have the bar soap and bath salts available individually.  In the gift box, you'll also find their solid lotion, which is super intense and moisturizing for your hands.  I use it at night because it takes a while to soak in.  It's not greasy enough to make my sheets greasy, but by morning, my hands feel just great.  And that's pretty nice for someone nearing 50!


4. Good Earth Soap Company - by Tracy and Michael.  Tracy and Michael love nature and the goodness of the earth.  That's the inspiration behind their products, and here's their promise to you:  "Good Earth products are created with only the finest ingredients. Each batch is made with its own unique blend of aromatherapy grade essential oils and organic herbs. Handcrafted in small batches to refresh and invigorate your soul. The simplicity of the ingredients we use aids in their ability to heal and revitalize your skin. The reason our products are so good for you is because they are created from natural butters, oils and waxes. It is our hope you will find our products are of the highest quality, Made from the Goodness of the Earth."

Bar soaps by Good Earth

 We currently have the bar soaps, as well as the soy lotion and a fabulous lip balm!  A perfect gift is to get one of each for someone.


We have testers of the lotions, and you can smell the soaps for yourself.  Stop by to play and see which scent makes your heart soar.  That's the one for you!


And make this the gift you give all your best pals this year - because it's also the gift of Down Time for them!

Manya Vee

www.ManyaVeeSelects.com

Visit us today!

Manya Vee Selects

409 Main St

Edmonds, WA  98020

425-776-3778

Hours: Daily 11 - 6, Sunday & Tuesday noon - 4

Be The Best Gift-Giver On The Planet - Part 2

We talked about gifts for the home or office before.  Now it's time to turn our hand to personal gifts - gifts of jewelry, accessories or clothing.  

Here are three tips that can help you get outside your own personal taste and focus on the person receiving your gift.

1.  What is your friend's style?  Is she conservatively tailored?  A northwest jeans and fleece gal? A jeans with tops and jackets that enjoy drape and flow?  A bohemian style with lots of movement and color?  Knowing the answer to this question can also help narrow down the options drastically.

Simple T-shirt and khakis, small earrings,
no necklace, only a watch.
She's also wearing warm tones - brown and tan

2. what is your friend's favorite color(s)?  This question often stumps people, so start paying attention now.  If you're not sure, just close your eyes and see the person in your head.  What color clothing do you see most often on her?  When you think of her, do you see blue-purple-aqua?  Or brown-orange-moss?  One of those means she prefers cool colors, and the other warm.    Maybe she's an all-black-all-the-time person.  These important clues will help narrow down a gift choice in the jewelry or accessory category quickly.

Flowing clothes, a bit Bohemian.
Can't tell in this picture, but she loves colorful, long, fun earrings.
There's a big, wide bracelet too.
Also notice the colors - pinks and purples, so in the cool tones.

3. What pieces of jewelry and/or accessories have you seen her wear?  Not everyone enjoys necklaces, for example.  I have several customers who were given a necklace by their children, and it is the only necklace they will wear.  This rules out necklaces for this pal!  Alternatively, she may enjoy earrings.  Okay, what kind of earrings?  Short ones with bright colors?  Long dangly ones?  All silver?  If she wears bracelets, notice if she prefers the stiff, cuff type, or a more flexible chain or beaded type.  

A more tailored look on the right - button up shirt and jacket.
Hair pulled back and - oh no! - no earrings!
But and lovely, simple, feminine necklace looks perfect.
The pretty blue means she wears cool tones.

And of course, we must consider a scarf.  A scarf can turn a simple top and pants into an outfit with a simple twist of the wrist!  If you have seen her wear scarves at all, not only do we have a wide variety of scarves, but we also have an entire shelf devoted to scarf toys!  

And in the post just before this, there are three great ideas on how to wear your scarves more fashionably and with greater versatility.  There's even a video of me showing our favorite way to tie scarves!

And here's me, in my comfortable, drapey, sexy clothes.
Also I like jewelry to be pretty showy, too, so I've got on some big earrings, necklace and bracelet here.

These three simple tips will make your gift selection process so much more effective, and give you much more confidence in your choices.  It's all a simple matter of paying attention, which is rather fun anyway.  So take a few minutes to think about those with upcoming birthdays, or those on your holiday gift list, and make them very happy this year!

Manya Vee

www.ManyaVeeSelects.com

Visit us today!

Manya Vee Selects

409 Main St

Edmonds, WA  98020

425-776-3778

Hours: Daily 11 - 6, Sunday & Tuesday noon - 4

3 Scarf Ideas to Spiff Up Your Wardrobe

I bet each and every woman reading this post has several scarves stuck way back in a drawer somewhere that she never wears.  We seem particularly challenged in figuring out how to wear the darned things!

Learn this tying
technique by watching the
video below

If any of you have visited Paris, you know that every neck is adorned with a lovely scarf - no outfit is complete without one.


Let's try a few easy tricks with long narrow scarves in particular, and you'll be getting compliments on your new look in a jiffy!


First - stop wearing scarves like everyone else in the Northwest - doubled in half, then put around your neck and both ends through the loop.  It's ubiquitous.  That can translate to "boring."




Instead, try this nifty trick for an entirely new look that starts the same basic way.

Next, here are some simple and inexpensive tools to maximize your scarf potential.

The Grip

THE GRIP is the invention of Everett artist Dieter Moenig.  A simple plastic ring that looks suspiciously like a life saver, this $4 item comes in an array of colors, and totally transforms your scarf.

Wrap the scarf around your shoulders like a shawl.  Grab a little piece from each inside edge, at solar plexus level.  Make little pointy-dudes with the edges (yes, that's the technical jargon), and put them through the center of the grip.  Pull until it's nice and snug.


Wear it right in front, or pull it off to the side for an assymetrical look.

Scarf with Grip

Three notKnots

THE NOT-KNOT is another invention of Deiter's.  These stainless steel pieces are cut with a water jet, leaving the inside super smooth, thus avoiding any edges to catch and tear your scarf.  Available in two sizes and lots of shapes.  Small is $24, large is $28.  The small size works on light-weight, delicate scarves while the larger can handle thicker scarves.

Simply weave the scarf in and then out, and presto!  Your scarf is more like a piece of jewelry!

Those three notKnots in use

So get those scarves out of the drawer and start wearing them!  It's cheaper than a new outfit, and will have compliments coming your way all day long!  They are also an excellent gift idea for your pals who wear scarves frequently.  What a nice surprise for them.

Manya Vee

www.ManyaVeeSelects.com

Visit us today!

Manya Vee Selects

409 Main St

Edmonds, WA  98020

425-776-3778

Hours: Daily 11 - 6, Sunday & Tuesday noon - 4

Be The Best Gift-Giver On the Planet - part 1

Choosing gifts is an exercise in frustration for many of my customers.  They come in, wander around aimlessly, hoping that something will "pop out" and scream the name of the person they're hoping to find the perfect gift for.  Well, as you can imagine, that doesn't happen very often.


We've tested out some handy tips you can use to make your gift searches more fruitful, and have all your friends and family eagerly anticipating the next awesome gift you've found for them!


But first, make a choice.  Do you want to choose something she can (a) adorn herself with, or (b) something she can adorn her home or office with?  This is an important choice, and there are different tips for each. That's why this is "Part 1"!  And we're going to focus on adorning the home or office first.  Part 2 will focus on adorning the self.

An adorable, tiny vase for your gardener pal
by Livingston Pottery

1. What does your friend like to do with her spare time?  (i.e. hobbies, interests, activities, etc)


I can hear it now: (chuckle chuckle) "What spare time?"  While that can be true for most of us, I know we all have some way of feeding our souls, whether it's stealing 30 minutes to be in the garden, or cooking one unusual meal each week, or reading a gripping mystery before sleeping.  Maybe it's simply sitting quietly for a few minutes with a great glass of wine.

Beautiful candles by Edmonds' own Sagapo
for more enjoyable quiet times

If you don't know at least one answer to this question, it is time to start listening more carefully to your friend.  Or be bold and just ask it outright!  "How do you relax?"  "What inspires you?"  Both are great questions that friends should know about each other, and make for excellent conversations.


And the answer is a precious piece of info!  With it, you are armed for a plethora of gift options! 


Just a smattering of options is garden art or vases for the gardener; pottery or glass dishes for the cook; a unique wine glass or bottle stopper for the wine lover; and that's just the beginning!


2. How does your friend decorate her home?

Ultra-modern vase by
Barry McAlister

Take a closer look around next time you're visiting.  Note the living room style and colors.  Note the kitchen and bathroom style and colors.  This can be excellent for choosing the right candle, vase, tablecloth, or handmade soap - to name just a few options.


Knowing the colors and style can dramatically reduce your anxiety in choosing the right thing.  For example, you'd know you were way off if you chose a fancy, turquoise curli-cue decorative candle for a friend who decorates in sleek, straight-edged red and black.  And the best part?  All you have to do is NOTICE these things on your next visit.

Vibrant Mardi Gras design
for the bold - by Nancy Fiala

Knowing the colors and styles makes it super easy to know whether you should choose our vibrant, multi-colored hand-painted glass in the Mardi Gras design, or the understated and elegant copper and burgundy abstract colors.

Understated yet elegant hand-painted
glass by Nancy Fiala

With those two easy questions under your belt, you can save yourself a lot of worry and anxiety in your gift selections.  And we always love to offer suggestions, too.  You can be sure we'll ask you these same questions when you come in looking for a gift.  We'll then show the range of options we have available within the category, and let you choose the one you like best!  Easy as pie!


Give us a test next time you're on a gift hunt, and see how we fare!  We love to help make you the best gift-giver on the planet!

Manya Vee

www.ManyaVeeSelects.com

Visit us today!

Manya Vee Selects

409 Main St

Edmonds, WA  98020

425-776-3778

Hours: Daily 11 - 6, Sunday & Tuesday noon - 4

3 Wardrobe Staples You Can Count On

I have always been the kind of shopper who purchases clothes as separates.  I find complete outfits boring and lacking in creativity.  Rather, I like separates I can wear with many of the other separates I already have, adding to my style choices.  It's much more fun!  It tends to be less expensive, too, purchasing one item at a time.

I also prefer things that stand the test of time, rather than being trendy.  Of course it would naturally follow, then, that in choosing clothing to carry at Manya Vee Selects, I would also choose classical separates with exceptional style. 

Three items you can count on to expand your wardrobe possibilities are 1) the black jacket, 2) the black skirt, and 3) the colorful top.

1 - The Black Jacket

Here's me, in the bolero
jacket and skirt with a
coral cami and boots

Designed and made in Los Angeles, Testimony has two choices in a jacket.  One or the other work on just about everybody, and both styles work well on quite a few, too.  The first jacket is a shorter bolero style, falling about an inch above the wrist if your arm is hanging at your side.  The rayon fabric with spandex gives it a bit of weight which makes it drape just beautifully. 

Detail on the back of the
Bolero Jacket

There are many jackets out there like this, but none have the interesting gathered and riveted element in the back, which pulls it in at the waist, giving it some nice feminine shape. 

The second jacket works better on taller women, as it is longer.  Also drape-y, it is longer in the back, gently rising toward the front.  The detailing in the back gives this jacket the extra oomph you want.

Here's me in that longer jacket
with some awesome black mineral wash pants,
also by Testimony

Both jackets are great with jeans, slacks or skirts equally, making them exceptionally versatile.  I'm 5'4”, considered “average” height, and both jackets look good on me!

2 - The Black Skirt

Skirt and Jacket
with Sandals

Testimony also makes a terrific long skirt with exceptional drape and movement due to that same rayon/spandex fabric content.  This skirt features a raised segment which can be worn at any point - right in front, on the side, in the back, or over either leg.  It is terrific paired with either one of the above jackets, or some other jacket for your built-for-layers Northwest wardrobe.  One of the images above shows me wearing it with boots, and here it is with sandals.

3 - The plain, colorful, versatile top

Also designed and made in the USA, Luxe Junkie (isn't that a fun name for a company?) uses the most amazing, stretchy polyester fabric to make camis, tank tops, and long-sleeved tops.  The best part is they come in a huge array of colors, letting us add a power punch of pizzazz to our black skirt and jacket combination above.  In my own pictures above, I'm wearing the coral cami.

The simplicity of these tops also makes them excellent for multiple accessorizing options, which as you already know, we adore!

Plus, each and every one of these items:

• is machine washable and line dry
• is great for travel because they resist wrinkles, which hang out easily
• can be either casual or dressy, depending on how you accessorize
• work well in professional settings
• work well with many other items already in your wardrobe
• is great to wear on the airplane for style and comfort at the same time
• are perfect for a plethora of accessorizing options:
•           add a scarf
•           choose traditional or funky jewelry
•           wear it with flip-flops, strappy sandals, or boots in the winter
•           top it off with a great hat
• won't break your budget!  The bolero is $84, the long jacket is $128, the skirt is $110 and the camis and tops are $20 - $30.

Stop by to see these wonderful choices for yourself.  Or wear similar items from your existing wardrobe in to the gallery, and let us help you have fun accessorizing it for greatest effect and multi-purpose wearing! 

Next stop:  New Ideas for your Scarves!

How would you wear these three wardrobe basics?  Look in your closet to see if you have them already, then send us a picture!

Stylishly Yours,

Manya Vee

www.ManyaVeeSelects.com

Visit us today!

Manya Vee Selects

409 Main St

Edmonds, WA  98020

425-776-3778

Hours: Daily 11 - 6, Sunday & Tuesday noon - 4

Artists Don't Have to Starve

Fused glass by Kathy Hudson

It happened again today.  A young boy of about 12 came into the gallery with his grandmother.  He loves art glass and enjoyed learning about the various glass artists whose work we carry.  He had a little experience with glass fusing, and hoped to do more.

But then grandma had to make sure she weighed in with it.  "You better enjoy that now, sweetie, because you'll never make a living with it."

Glass Flower Bouquet
by Jade Glass

Of course, I can't help myself.  I point out that 8 of our 10 glass artists make a real living selling their glass to galleries and shops all over the US. The other two choose not to let glass be their sole living because they want to spend more time with their young children.  But it's their choice.

Do you think she cared?  Nope.  She was convinced I was making it up, or at the least, exaggerating the truth.  But you know what?  I wasn't.

At the start of each of my business classes for artists, I make them write the following in their notebooks, and promise to post it prominently in their studio:

THE ONLY STARVING ARTIST IS 

THE ONE WHO DOESN'T FOLLOW BUSINESS PRACTICES.

I know quite a few artists who are not only making a living selling their art, they are making a good living.  My favorite example is my fellow artist and sometimes teaching partner Pam Corwin of Paper Scissors Rock in Olympia, WA.  She's been making a living selling her art, in several formats and incarnations, for over 25 years now.  She owns her own home.  She employs a couple other people.  She owns a car.  She travels several times a year.  She has retirement socked away.  And she is single.  And by that I mean that she does all this completely on her own, without including the income of a spouse with a "real" full-time job.

Magnetic bookmarks by Pam Corwin

In fact, I'm eagerly awaiting the results of a new survey by www.CODAcraft.org.  In 2000, they did the first ever national survey of the economic impact of craft artists in the US.  Back in 2000, they surveyed more than 7000 craftspeople and found that craft sales generated nearly $14 billion in revenue for the US economy.  Yes, that's Billion with a "B"!  I can't wait to see what the 2011 survey shows!

But what does that really mean?  To compare, all the fruits and vegetables sold in the US amount to $15 billion.  Fuel oil and coal is less, clocking in at $13.2 billion.  Consider how much fruit and veggies you buy each year.  That's a lot!

That's exciting news for the many long-term unemployed people who have gotten pretty good at creating something while waiting for a job opportunity to come along.  And we all know, they might be waiting quite a bit longer, too.  My classes have been filling up due to the interest people have in learning how to turn their hobby into their new job, and join the ranks of the self-employed.

A one-day marketing workshop for artists is scheduled for September 24 in Edmonds.  It will be co-taught by my pal, Pam Corwin, and me.  It will cover things like Visualizing Your Business Identity, Creating Business Cards and Other Materials that Work, Building an Effective Website, and Web Marketing Tools.  The class is very interactive and lots of fun.

If you, or someone you know, fits the description I just talked about, let them know about this class!  If they sign up before August 15, it's cheaper too.  They can find out more and even register online.

Or, if they need to get in on some basics first, schedule a one-on-one consultation with me to get the ball rolling.  An hour and a half will catapult you on your way!

You, too, can join the ranks of those who are making a living selling their art.  I hope to see you there!

Manya Vee
www.ManyaVeeSelects.com

Emily Hickman's Timeless Hammered Silver Jewelry

Sometimes, an inclination toward something takes hold very early in life.  For Emily Hickman, jewelry was just such a thing.  Picture it if you will: little Emily, forming rings out of aluminum foil, and trying to figure out how to make them even shinier by adding rhinestones!  I bet you can just see a cute little blonde girl walking around, proudly holding out her hand for all to see her gorgeous "diamond" ring!

"Moondrops" bracelet from
new 2011 summer collection

Emily was lucky enough to have a metals program in her high school, where she took classes and got her first taste of using a torch and working with metals a little more precious than aluminum foil.

But as happens with so many, she believed the starving artist myth and felt she had to pursue a career with a stable paycheck.  Many dreary years later, and now in her 50s, she returned to her first love by taking jewelry-making classes at North Seattle Community College, and Danaca Designs in the U District.  As she describes it, "I had too many design ideas floating around in my head."  Apparently, they wouldn't be ignored!

Emily Hickman Designs

Emily took as many classes as possible, while maintaining a full-time job.  She wanted to get her skills down quickly so she could focus on making those designs floating around in her head become a reality.

And thus, Emily Hickman Designs was born!  Emily is inspired by her love of the water, as well as ancient hand-forged jewelry.  Simple yet classic shapes are the hallmark of her sterling silver jewelry.  What sets her work apart from the crowd is her use of various hammer tips to create different textures on the surface of the silver.

Earrings from 2011 collection

She also likes to use two different finishes.  One is a highly polished surface that glistens and dances in the light.  The other is a brushed finish that is very subtle and contemporary.  She created the tool she uses to make that brushed surface texture, so it is unlike others out there.  Whatever your personal style, Emily's classic designs is likely to have some choices for you.

Emily can't imagine leaving the house without some jewelry on.  She wanted her own jewelry to be the kind that a woman could wear with jeans, or feel confident wearing to a special event as well.  Her classic shapes with their wonderful textures achieve that goal brilliantly!

Very long necklace can be worn singly, doubly,
or even tripled

Please join us Thursday, July 21 from 5 - 8 pm when Emily will introduce her newest collection, which features open circles and coin-shaped silver elements in a variety of combinations, as seen in the pictures here.  You'll be the first to ever see them!  Wearing them is sure to elicit comments from your friends, and even complete strangers, giving you yet another opportunity to share a moment of beauty with the world.

Manya Vee
www.ManyaVeeSelects.com

The Almost Lost Art of Plique A Jour

Egyptian enameled jewelry

Enameled jewelry has been around a long time, going as far back as the ancient Egyptians.  But what is it exactly? It is taking powdered glass and heating it up until it melts and fuses onto a metal backing.  The powder melts, then flows, and finally hardens when the heat is reduced.  It is a wonderful way to add color to metal without using stones.

Ricky Frank
Pendant

Some contemporary American jewelers have brought new innovations and mastery to this technique, layering and layering various colors to achieve amazingly beautiful results that are so full of life.  One of my favorites is Ricky Frank.  He says "I create miniature worlds of light and color in enamel".

The traditional method of enameling has a metal backing behind the enamel, or powdered glass.  Another style is less common nowadays, but quite beautiful, resulting in a magical interaction with the metal and the glass.  There are very few artists working with enamel this way because it is quite technically challenging.  The technique is called Plique-a-Jour, which means "letting in daylight."  This goblet was made that way in about 1890 in Russia.

Russian Plique-a-Jour Goblet, ca 1890

Lalique Brooch

The plique-a-jour method still uses powdered glass, but instead of applying it on TOP of metal, the artist cuts out shapes within the metal, and puts the powdered glass in those open spaces.  Now when it's fired, and melts, and gets hard again, the glass doesn't have anything behind it.  The light can shine through, creating a sort of stained glass effect.  Famous art nouveau glass and jewelry designer Rene Lalique used this technique delicately and beautifully.

Dorner "Wave" earrings

A local artist, Diane Dorner, has enjoyed making earrings with this technique, resulting in some very fun and unusual earrings.  She uses fine silver (pure silver with no other components added) because it interacts more gracefully with the enamel.  She cuts out the outer shape using a jeweler's saw.  Then, she drills a tiny hole into the shape to create an open space inside it.  She inserts her tiny jeweler's saw to then create the shape she wants.  She repeats this technique numerous times to get the final look.

Then she chooses the color or colors of enamel she wants to use, and lays it out carefully.  It usually takes multiple firings and applications of the enamel to get a thick enough piece of glass that will be strong and stand the test of time.  It gets fired in a kiln that heats up to 1380 - 1560 degrees Fahrenheit.

Dorner "window" earrings

It might seem like the extensive labor involved would make these quite expensive, but they are not as crazy as you might think.  Diane's earrings sell for $90 - $140.  The more expensive ones have gemstones set into them as well.

Dorner "Lime Bubbles" earrings

Wearing a pair of these earrings is sure to elicit comments of wonder, as the light glows beautifully through the glass.  It has a sort of stained glass window effect.  It is so unusual that people will really want to know what it is!  So enjoy sharing a moment of beauty with complete strangers as you wear them.  What a respite from the depressing news we encounter every day!

I'm sure you know, dear readers, that this is my reason for being - to share a moment of beauty with you, as well as with all the people around us - friends and strangers alike.  I invite you to share your story of shared beauty with all of us right here in the comments!

Manya Vee
ManyaVeeSelects.com