My friend and I were strolling in the city yesterday and came across many wonderfully unique items - delicate handmade cards and unique one-of-a-kind dresses to unusual designs along the side of the weird or macabre.
One booth at a Noho flea market had several pieces of chicken claw jewelry - chicken claw brooch, belt, necklace and so on. You can see every groove of the claw. I was a bit repulsed yet, at the same time, very drawn to the jewelry. I lingered a the stall for quiet a long time. I asked the vendor if chicken claw, like rabbit’s foot, has any symbolic meanings. She said no, the designer just found chicken claws beautiful. Here’s a picture of a similar chicken claw necklace from paraphernalia.
We later came across Pamela Love Jewelry at Eva on Mulberry Street. With an unusual liking for cadavers, bones, teeth, bird’s heads and claws, Pamela came up with a jewelry line filled with wildlife references by combining her fascination with cadavers and her love for nature and science.
Here are pictures of Pamela Love’s Talon Cuff and Tooth Necklace as well as Chicken Feet Necklace by David and Martin:
It’s weird but the more I look at these jewelry designs the more I’m fascinated.
Popularity: 19% [?]
Filed under: Finds, Indie Designer, Shopping, Marisa, Tidbits on May 18th, 2008 | No Comments »
Rock Sugar Crystal Jewelry? Don’t these jewelry look amazing? Add a little coloring and you have all sort of rock sugar crystal jewelry. I wonder how they taste. Everybody is talking about going green, how we should conserve, consume less and be more environmentally friendly. This is certainly one way to go green. But what happens on a hot summer day when people sweat, would the sugar crystal melt? Would it get sticky? What happens if it rains? Designer Greetje Van helmond, MA RCA says that the product won’t last long, but long enough to stay new. They are sure pretty to look at.
Popularity: 19% [?]
Filed under: Fashion, Accessories, Green, Marisa, Tidbits on May 8th, 2008 | 1 Comment »
Mtidbits participated in a small neighborhood open market fair in Queens, NY this past Saturday. Due to the threat of rain and the chilly weather, the fair was moved indoors. We were there from 10am - 3pm.
Despite the space being cramped and less traffic as result of being moved indoors, we still did very well! There was a lot of interest in our jewelry and we sold a good number of pieces in the few hours we were there. We were the most profitable booth (yay!) and it was a great way to get our name out there.
Visit mtdbits for unique jewelry, accessories and gifts for every budget and occassions.
Popularity: 16% [?]
Filed under: Mtidbits News, Patricia on May 5th, 2008 | No Comments »
Gotta hand it to celebs like beyonce, Jlo, Jessica Biel, Halle Berry - they got all the right assets in the right places. To start, I am petite and along with the territory, have small boobs and no tush. I get on the stair master and do the squats but the life of me, my tush is just not as shapely as I want it to be. There are those spandex shapers that help shape your booty but they just won’t cut it during those hot summer days.
Susan Bloomstone, a former television producer for PBS, got into a business venture after reading an article in the newspaper about dramatic butt augmentation. Booty Pop Panties, the panties that make your booty pop, was launched in January 2008 and now it’s making headlines. Instantly enhancing the booty, these panties will do for the derriere what padded bras have done for the chest. They are slightly padded so that you can wear them with jeans, shorts, slacks, or dress pants. On top that, if you work in an office and sit as much as I do…they also give you cushion when you are sitting! Fun and trendy, Booty Pop Panties is available at $24.99 and come in an array of fun colors.
I love stories and ideas such as this. Of course, I always wish that I was the one to come up with these great ideas. <sigh> Now if anyone out there have any ideas and need a partner …please don’t hesitate to contact me. 
Popularity: 26% [?]
Filed under: Business Venture, Underwear, Lingerie, Fashion, Marisa, Shopping, Tidbits on May 4th, 2008 | No Comments »
Last Sunday my friend took me to the Go Green Expo that was held here in NY at the Hilton Hotel (1335 Ave of the Americas). It is the first eco-interactive trade show to take place in New York. It was a two day kick off, Saturday 4/26 and Sunday 4/27. Tickets were $10. Children under 12 were free. The show was unique and simply amazing. There were over 200 booths/exhibits with plenty of eco-friendly companies representing from every category - from cleaning to furniture. There was also an eco-fashion show, a green marketplace, film presentations and plenty of demonstrations & hands on activities.
There were many interesting products. Here are just a few…
Project Cool - started by 12 year old kid. Recyclable lunch bag that you can color, design and wash it off afterwards.
Cardboard Designs - amazing designs using cardboard that you can use around the house. They even have furniture made out of cardboard!
Driven Eco - I’m not sure if I will use this…but it’s an interesting concept. Could this just be a marketing strategy?
There are so many eco-friendly alternatives to everyday tasks and products that we, in New York and the rest of United States, can use to lessen our impact on the environment. One way European, South American and even Asian countries are making a difference is by not handing out shopping bags. In fact, people go grocery shopping with their own bags. Some places here in the United States already adopted the concept like in Whole Foods and Ikea but not yet widely promoted. There is so much more each of us can do. I know it’s hard to go green as it is unfortunately more expensive and not as convenient. We can each however do our part to make our planet greener one step at a time.
New York City started 2008 with a Green ball for the New Year Ball drop in Time Square and now it has hosted first Go Green Expo. It’s a start. GOooo Green! J
Popularity: 18% [?]
Filed under: Reviews, Green, Marisa, Tidbits on April 30th, 2008 | No Comments »
Check out this site my friend sent me - exboyfriendjewelry.com We all have our share of “ex-boyfriend” jewelry that’s just taking up space. Why not sell those little reminders in your jewelry box and make money?! Exboyfriendjewelry.com is currently offering free postings and it only takes a few minutes to post. I really have to give it to the person who created this site. What an awesome business idea!
Don’t let the name, “exboyfriend” fool you. According to the site, the name may be exboyfriendjewelry.com but all ex’s are welcome. Exboyfriendjewelry is about taking a potentially weird situation and turning it into a place to go that’s fun, positive and snarky. So even if you don’t have ex-boyfriend stuff to sell, there are plenty of stories that will keep you entertained anyway.
However, do take precaution if you intend to sell, buy and trade. Just like ebay, craiglist and other similar services - you have be sure to read the ad very carefully and be sure to keep some type of receipt trail such as email/payment confirmation/etc.
Popularity: 18% [?]
Filed under: Business Venture, Fun, Marisa, Tidbits on April 25th, 2008 | 1 Comment »
”A piece of art that conveys sentiment.” That’s the philosophy of A Heartfelt Expression, a mother / daughter operated company in breathtaking Colorado.
Committed to bringing you the very best in handmade greeting cards, A Heartfelt Expression offers greeting cards crafted with excellent craftsmanship, attention to details and original designs — the very best in handmade greetings.
Life is full of special occasions that deserve greeting cards that convey the giver’s sentiment. Why not show that special someone you really care with a card that’s creative, unique and handmade?
Mtidbits now carries select A Heartfelt Expression cards in our Gifts section.
Popularity: 19% [?]
Filed under: A Heartfelt Expression, Greeting Cards, Mtidbits News, Gift, Patricia on April 22nd, 2008 | No Comments »
Mother’s Day is just around the corner and what better way to show the special women in your life a token of your love and appreciation than by giving them gifts created with the finest natural ingredients?
Ciao Bella’s handmade products are created by combining the finest ingredients of natural botanicals, vitamins, minerals and essential oils that pamper your body and nourish your skin. Mtidbits now carries select Ciao Bella products in our Gifts and Baby sections.
Here are the reviews of the three items I tried.
After using the lavender scented Conditioning Vegetable Soap in my shower last night, my skin was soft and fragrant. The lingering smell of lavender was the first thing I noticed when I walked in to the bathroom this morning. Mmmm! Available is 16 scents, this soap has a rich lather and the scent is subtle and not overpowering.
Available in 16 different scents and specially designed with a blend of vitamins, natural botanical extracts, pure essential oils and shea butter, this non-greasy hand & body cream is just heavenly! After applying the vanilla scented Nourishing Hand & Body Cream, my skin had a soft sheen, was lightly scented and felt silky smooth.
Hand poured, All Natural Soy Wax Candle is available in 11 scents and made of biodegradable soy bean wax and the highest quality essential oils available. I tried the Orange-Eucalyptus scented candle and I simply loved it! The scent was soft and soothing and just perfect for relaxing with a book before bedtime.
Popularity: 22% [?]
Filed under: Ciao Bella, Mtidbits News, Bath & Body, Reviews, Gift, Holidays, Patricia on April 7th, 2008 | No Comments »
I am a fan of clean and classic style. After checking out the Kiki Hobo at a Coach store, I am even more convinced that this style is the way to go for me.
In trying to come up with a twist to their signature hobos, Coach came out with a hobo lined with fringes on the side and bottom seams. Braided strap and tassel zipper pull complete the look. While this hobo may be a bit retro and/or a bit rock-n-roll for some, it’s a bit country and a bit too frilly for me.
Available in White and Light Saddle colors for $598 at Coach.
Popularity: 19% [?]
Filed under: Review, Shopping, Bag, Patricia, Tidbits on April 1st, 2008 | 1 Comment »
As I was standing in front of the nail polish display at a nail salon yesterday, I couldn’t help but wonder how one is to find the right neutral polish with so many shades to choose frome. So many of these neutrals shades are nearly indisguishable to me. Even when I put a trial coat on a nail to see the color, it is still tough to choose as these trial coats look almost the same.
After trying on a few very similar looking polishes on my nails, I decided to go with Essie’s Pretty in Pink polish. The end result was OK but I wasn’t wowed by the polish. So how does one choose a neutral polish that will look good?
According to Real Simple magazine, your skin tone is the key. By looking at the veins on the inside of your wrist and combining that with your skin color (fair, medium, dark or very dark), you can find foolproof polishes. If the veins are green, your skin is considered warm. Cool skin for blue veins.
Armed with this tip, I flipped my right wrist over, eager to see what color are my veins. umm.. I think I need a second or third opinion! I think my veins look blue? No, green? Blue-green? I flip my left wrist over. Blue? ARGH!! I can’t decide if I have cool fair skin or warm fair skin. Sigh. Looks like it’s going to be trial and error for me until I find that right neutral polish.
Popularity: 15% [?]
Filed under: Nail Polish, Beauty, Patricia, Tidbits on March 23rd, 2008 | No Comments »
