to whom do you belong?

 rainbows
I have thought about sending photos to silly blogs like LOLCats,  or Awkward Family Photos...or other places on teh interwebz....but I never have and here's why.
when you send pix to these kind of websites, you most often give up all rights to the picture. If you don't understand elementary copyright laws, you could permanently lose your family picture! A corporation could make thousands of dollars off your silly picture, and there would be nothing you could do to stop it....or get any of that nice money !
But, you can make your own cards, your own tote bags...etc. Spoonflower, prints your fabric designs and never takes your copyright.....or ..... FabricOnDemand, doesn't take your copyright either.
I think, you should set up your own store, and market your own pictures with a company like Zazzle. Got a fantastic picture? A cute cat pic? A funny picture of you during your gawky phase? Why not make coffee mugs, tote bags, Tshirts, etc etc etc yourself? And make the money off your efforts!
Zazzle does not take your copyright from you....but it reserves the right to use it forever to promote Zazzle. 

 

That's what I do, and will be doing it even more in the future. Will I make any money? Maybe. maybe not. But here's what I do know. I Own My Pictures. I'm Not Giving Away Something Fantastic to someone else so they can make the money off my efforts because I am an Artist.

 I had a ball sponsoring fully illegal, I'm sure, private parties at my downtown store. I gave it away. It was fun. Everyone had a good time.....and since the City of Tacoma wasn't doing a damn thing to help any of the business downtown while the city tore up our whole neighborhood, destroying several small business and causing heartache and bitterness.........I decided to make something fun while my store was ruined....
Sell, or Give it Away.......This is the same issue as pirated movies and stolen music. This is a different issue from an artist or musicians like Grateful Dead that encouraged tapes of shows to be traded among fans....this is different from those artists that give away art like Beautiful Angle, or musicians and business that give away good stuff as a strategy....
If you know exactly what you are doing, you can give your efforts away....and I do give a lot away...but there is a lot I put out there for sale. As I have time in the future, I'll do free tutorials and turn you on to free public domain artwork...
When you take from an artist, or take "content" or "materials" from someone and don't fairly pay for it, you are starving the artist!
That's no different for paying for a carpenter to remodel your kitchen, no different from paying for a meal  at your favorite cafe.
Artists work too!
For instance, Awkward Family Photos takes your "content" or "materials" and keeps them forever and makes money off your picture for ever. For..Ever. And you lose your family picture. For..Ever. AWF doesn't say they take your copyright....it sure looks like it though. ...since they give you very damn little (a book or a calender they send you as "payment"), a court will most likely rule you gave it up. Forever. LOLcats (ICanHazCheezburger), says they don't keep your copyright, and neither do many other companies. Be sure to always read the tiny print.....
FOREVER.Here's the Terms from Awkward Family Photos "

Terms of Use Agreement

By uploading any photographs, videos, and/or written materials including, without limitation, captions and stories (collectively, “My Materials”), I certify and acknowledge that I wholly own My Materials or have the sole and exclusive right to permit Awkward Family, LLC and its parents, members, managers, directors, shareholders, partners, representatives, subsidiaries, affiliates, sponsors, successors, assigns, heirs and licensees (collectively, “you” or “your”) to use, edit, publish and otherwise exploit My Materials and my name in connection with My Materials without obligation or liability to me or any other party whatsoever.
I hereby grant to you the non-exclusive, irrevocable and unconditional right to describe, relate, publish and/or exploit My Materials in such manner as you shall elect, in whole or in part, on your websites and in print and electronic form or in any other media now or hereafter known or devised (including without limitation, books), and in related products and services in connection with any exploitation thereof (including but not limited to clothing, bumper stickers, mugs, toys, posters and other printed materials, and any related promotion and advertising of such items), throughout the universe in perpetuity, and in any advertising, promotion and publicity related thereto.  I agree that you shall have the right to edit, change, add to, take from, rearrange, vary, embellish, alter, modify, revise, translate, reformat and/or reprocess My Materials in any manner you may in your sole discretion determine and to use them as you in your sole discretion may determine and to make derivative works of the same, in whole or in part, without notifying me and without obligation to me; and I waive any right to inspect or approve the final display or other exploitation of My Materials now or in the future, whether that use is known to me or unknown, and I waive any right to royalties or any other compensation arising from or related to the use of My Materials."

What's that sticky stuff in my boots?

Now is the time to learn what to ask of an online seller.
If you buy vintage boots, pay special attention to the lining condition. Often the glue that was used in the 60s - 80s to attach the nylon, polyester or acetate knit to the inside can get sticky, flaky and break down. It's toxic. Sadly, toss those boots in the garbage. Period. Don't buy them....don't wear them....don't sell them.
If a vintage clothing seller tells you "Oh, you can just wear socks to protect your feet!", I say, run! No reputable vintage clothing seller would pass off severely damaged merchandise. The only possible time to offer goods that are very damaged, is in the case of very rare examples of fine vintage designer clothing or antiques than can and should be saved for museum or educational purposes, and then, price accordingly.

Even if you ignore for the moment, that the glue/fabric breakdown is toxic because of chemicals and/or minute particles breathed in to your lungs, just ask yourself....Why do you want to buy or sell something that is clearly damaged? Stickiness, flakiness and ooey-gooey isn't in the original condition when new...and it is damage that is in an entirely different class than a few minor scuffs or heel taps that can be replaced.


What's in the glue that is used in boots, and by the way, used to bond nylon knit to fabrics? (you see this in 60s acrylic plaids and tweeds, mostly).
Well, here's a list of what industrial glues can contain: volatile solvents like toluol,  hexane,  trichlorethylene,  acetone, toluene,  ethyl acetate,  methyl ethyl ketone,  trichlorochthane, isopropanol, methyl isobutyl ketone,  methyl cellosolve acetate, cyclohexanone, or other solvents,  or a combination which might be releasing toxic vapors.

It's a case of Buyer Beware, so ask a seller some questions before you hit that Buy button. So sad, but I'm still seeing sellers on etsy, ebay and around the interwebs that Should Know Better, but still have rotten boots for sale...without proper disclosure.

I see this sticky breakdown all the time with the brands Connie, Cobbies and Joyce.
This can happen with any brand that uses glues... but those 2-3 brands seem to be the most prone. Not every pair of Joyce, Cobbies or Connie, of course, and I have a pair of sticky-lined Zodiac tall cowboy boots with feathers that I'm gonna deconstruct and clean-up and install eyelets, so I can save them. ...with a dust mask on, and lots of hand-washing. I think a very good wipe-down with some kind of painter-type stuff like Goof Off will remove the sticky glue after I pull the lining off....

I love vintage...boots. Thank you Some Lady for shopping at Nordstrom or JCPenney's in the 70s and 80s and spending big bucks to buy boots, and thanks for getting bored or allowing your feet to grow, and deciding to sell them to Me !

The heel caps may be worn out and they can be replaced at a real cobbler shop, for around 15.00 a pair. Call around to ask about quality of the replacement caps and price. Ask them about a return policy too. I've had some replaced that fell apart the very same day I retrieved them from the cobbler....boy I was a mad little elf ! They got a piece of my mind, but none of my return business.

My faves to find and sell are either unlined, or lined and from Italy. Yugoslavia, Canada, and Brazil make a good boot, and like I said, there are plenty of other brands that do hold up over time.
Most boots made in the US are quality....most vintage cowboy boots are great....as are Tony Lama, Frye, Dingo, Dexter, 9West, Zodiac (most of the time), Aigner,....oooh there is nothing like a silky leather lined pair of Italian boots.

(an 2009 archive post, updated for your vintage pleasure)

New places Old vintage

I rearranged a bunch of stuff.....and I have a nice new photo spot...It. has. barnwood. I hope you like me better because I sure do. Moved the lights around it wow, such a difference. Spring cleaning! I needed a change...and now I'm very happy....the pictures are so much better and clearer too.
Lots more work to do...reorganizing my whole work space too...
After ---

BEFORE---

The other reason for moving/cleaning and organizing....is so Mark and I can revamp small furniture and get going on all the projects we THOUGHT we'd be able to do when we moved our shop to downtown Tacoma. ....but, fighting construction woes, building breakdowns, flooding, electricity blowing up, thieves, and general building-sharing fuckery, meant that I was continuously preoccupied with putting out fires instead of..... making things, and staying super-organized, which makes me happy!!!
2 things I learned from that 3 loooooooong years in Downtown Tacoma.
1. I'll NEVER open a shop in Tacoma, ever again.
2. I'll never share a space in a building EVER again.
So, it's good to learn lessons as one goes along....But why are the best lessons always so damn expensive???
oy vey.

random shots....still more organizing to come ...because....I'm going to increase my listings...and so organizing is very important or I will go crazy ...

2 of my favorite things

Horses. Beach.

and bonus....Robert Louis Stevenson.
"We consume the carcasses of creatures of like appetites, passions, and organs as our own,
and fill the slaughterhouses daily with screams of pain and fear."




  

from here....

last summer Mark and I went to the Greg Kucera Gallery, and this is part of what we saw....

It looks like driftwood, but many of the horse sculptures are really made of bronze and copper. Cast into metal, they were first made of wood. some were...Madrone.....  that tree is one of my favorites. It's a West Coast native...like me. Others were first made of tropical woods...then cast in metal.
 the artist: DEBORAH BUTTERFIELD
Seven Bronze Sculptures,was the show, and the artist.

It's New to You....

Quite a few vintage separates this week ...including a weird and wonderful fringe sweater jacket from the 70s....and quite a few vintage dresses....and oh my! sizes from XS to XL...

60s jacket with fabric roses....

with fringe and crochet balls....a 70s extreme textures thing going on....

Oooh shiny! 70s mini-trench in shiny black nylon....like a windbreaker, but with STYLE !

70s boho pink plaid top...

and Vintage Dresses! are you ready for Spring? Cause it's ready for you!

cutwork halter with BUTTERFLIES !

MOD. dress.

all of these are in the etsy shop, Right Now! well, you know, unless they are sold...wink.

Crazy metallic wild print dress....with rhinestones......cause it just needed a little bit more....

Malia Hawaiian dress........Bright and Happy !

70s calico peasant dress.......

Black silk party dress !!

Rockabilly 50s style Halter dress..........pretty pink flowers !

Handmade

gun totes, utility pouches, adjustable messenger bags.... anchor clutch bag, vintage stenciled bleach dyed, vintage denim, old lace, vintage buttons....Where can you get all this handmade goodness?
Here.
When I was designing these bags and pouches, it was really important that they be washable....so many I've looked at have to be dry cleaned ($$$) and toxic, and/or only spot cleaned! Hey, life can get messy....all my bags are washable. Gently, like you would wash a cashmere sweater. Yes, you can and should hand wash cashmere...use Woolite or shampoo. With one of my bags, regular laundry soap is fine, and then hang to dry. Easy Peasy!

Sailor Red Anchor stencil Tote pouch Bleach dyed vintage denim

Road map Lace and calico tote bag

Anchor Star Flag Tote Bag Commodore Boat yacht club

Stripe Tote Bag Cotton canvas rope tie Nautical Sailor

Old hand stencil Tote pouch Bleach dyed vintage denim

Nautical Anchor angel wing small Tote pouch Bleach dyed vintage denim

all at funkomavintage......

Who thought of that first?

who gives a shit! this  curatorscode....is being talked about in the blogosphere..... at  http://www.thingsmagazine.net/..

I first heard of this nonsense on NPR on Sunday..Sometimes I can point to the exact person/mood/light/food/blog post/magazine/book passage/snippet of poetry/ 3 martinis/ hangover.........but mostly, what we think...is a long brewing mish mash of life and death. I'm all for linking back to a blog or website if I can, and I do now always link to a pic source if I can at all.....
It is very important to protect copyright, and internet linking to a source should be practiced.

.....And really now...I've been alive a lot longer than the little girl that thought of this CC thing...and I'll tell you...most of the time I cannot pinpoint the exact thing that made me think something, make something, or write something.

for instance....Say you write a post about raising chickens in your city yard....Do you need to link to the first blogpost back in the 90s that talks about chickens? Do you need to reference all the city people back in the ancient times that raised chickens in the cities??
Do you have to link to all the hipster "urban pioneer" bloggers that talk about their chicken coops and egg recipes??
No. But you can share a link to blogpost someone did that was really cool....especially if you use their pictures, you better link the pic (don't steal. Share!)

Hey, you young kids you did not invent--- 1.   good food 2. good housekeeping 3. vintage !! 4. messy bun 5. sewing 6. knitting 7. art 8. craft 9. writing 10. sex 11. babies 12. getting married 13. writing books 14.decorating with used/junk/found 15. DIY  16.gardening 17.chickens 18. kale.......but you may have invented being self-satisfied and narcissistic....
and this is after I found a few shitty scraper blogs that stole hundreds of my posts and pics. Blogger has to pay them ad revenue, yet are not very helpful in shutting them down. I have to send 700 requests to Google with the DCMA violatons One At A Time ! meh. Only Disney will really benefit from the DCMA when they threaten a little suburban mom that makes Disney  Princess hair bows.

so, Mark and I are working on TONS of new projects....the goal is to make a dozen or 2 new handmade items....Yeah! In addition to the vintage we list every week........
Here's some pretty pictures on my workroom shelves......they are very inspirational to me, and maybe to you....

Who sewed the clothes you wear?

"And never meet the man whose name is on the label"

 

Triangle Shirtwaist Fire in New York City

 

American workers have turned their backs on Unions over the last 30 years, but work protections such as the 40 hour work week, the paid vacations, the sick days, the medical insurance many workers take for granted is because of the work and the deaths of people who fought for these workers rights.

 here

 Over the last 30 years, so many US workers have forgotten what the workplace used to look like. One of the most horrible workplace disasters was  the Triangle Shirtwaist Company factory fire on March 25, 1911.
 Located in Manhattan, the fire killed 145 workers. The owners of the factory, Max Blanck and Isaac Harris, had a history of suspicious fires in the Triangle. It was a fairly common practice to burn your business to collect insurance payments.

The Triangle was the classic sweatshop. It employed 600 young, often teenage women, in a very cramped space. They were mostly  immigrant workers, with little English. Does this sound familiar?
Blanck and Harris paid the women as little as possible, and worked them for 12 hours a day, 7 days a week. The women earned only  $15 a week, despite working 12 hours a day, every day, about 85 hours a week

When the International Ladies Garment Workers Union led a strike in 1909 demanding all things we now take for granted such as a livable wage, higher pay and work hours that are humane the Triangle owners hired police to beat the Union women, and to arrest them.

Much like today, Blanck and Harris paid off politicians to pretend the Union women were criminals, and that the working women were to blame for not getting out sooner when the fire struck.
Blanck and Harris were tried on manslaughter charges but went free.




What was the cost of living in the early 1900's?  The Wright Brothers had just flown the first plane, and William Howard Taft was the president.

shirtwaist and factory pics from here, here, here,

Millworker

written by James Taylor, for the play, Working, based on the book by Studs Terkel.
 ----------------------------------------
Now my grandfather was a sailor
He blew in off the water
My father was a farmer
And i, his only daughter
Took up with a no good millworking man
From massachusetts
Who died from too much whiskey
And leaves me these three faces to feed

Millwork ain’t easy
Millwork ain’t hard
Millwork it ain’t nothing
But an awful boring job
I’m waiting for a daydream
To take me through the morning
And put me in my coffee break
Where I can have a sandwich
And remember

Then it’s me and my machine
For the rest of the morning
For the rest of the afternoon
And the rest of my life

Now my mind begins to wander
To the days back on the farm
I can see my father smiling at me
Swinging on his arm
I can hear my granddad’s stories
Of the storms out on lake eerie
Where vessels and cargos and fortunes
And sailors’ lives were lost

Yes, but it’s my life has been wasted
And I have been the fool
To let this manufacturer
Use my body for a tool
I can ride home in the evening
Staring at my hands
Swearing by my sorrow that a young girl
Ought to stand a better chance

So may I work the mills just as long as I am able
And never meet the man whose name is on the label

It's me and my machine
For the rest of the morning
And the rest of the afternoon
Gone for the rest of my life

for all my salt, I am a hopeless romantic, and I hopelessly hope people will stop being dumb. I adore this artist in full bloom......the dreamy Bouguereau. Long long hair....I flirted with short bobs from time to time, but I always default to Mormon sister-wife long hair.

 another Bouguereau, Childhood Idyll, with a braided do, first with the top half of hair pulled back in a barrette or tie, and then the bottom half of hair.....braided. so pretty !

Braids...braids...and braids are in style ! so by default I might actually be in style (because I care!).
Here I am impersonating....Hunter Thompson

Here's how to style, an learn to do zillions kinds of braids.

The Hunger Games
 pic from.... Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen in the movie.....
 Linda D. Flowers is listed as Hair Designer, so she designed all the 'dos
....guess I gotta go see the movie and brave the teens.....Love the huntering...remind me to tell you about my brother the falconer, and the fact that I can only stand solitary sports, like Archery ...which I was quite good at in High School.....

Katniss in The Hunger Games....has the most sweet braided do's I've seen in moviedom for some time...well, since the last Historical chick-flick I saw....The Addams Family !!

the last time we got this excited over braids was the ones Wednesday Addams sported in all the incarnations of The Addams Family.

 summer camp, Addams Family Values

Alicia Keys


Native American braids  here  and here

a simple braid pulled to the back, and a small loose braid falling down the left side......so pretty.
and this one....2 tiny braids on the front sides.....since my hair has been parted in the middle all my life, I often braid like this, especially if I really wanna keep my hair out of my eyes without a barrette.
click the links for the pics and site.