Champagne blackouts for all!

A Holiday Review

Holy balls – er, Christmas balls, that is. Shiny ones. Ornaments, you sick twisted bitches. Holiday cheer, indeed…

2010 has been the first “official” holiday season for Lad Named Felix. True, the Lad was around in 2009, but he was still in the beginning stages of this glittery and time-sucking game. I won’t lie to any of you…it’s been a journey just keeping up. Handmade Markets in October and November were wildly successful, and, more importantly, illustrated in the most vivid colors imaginable just how much WORK is involved in owning and designing a successful jewelry line. Those shows made my pockets overflow with $20’s, added more than 100 fans to the Facebook page, allowed me to meet some fabulous colleagues , and resulted in a ton of commissions…so understand I’m not complaining Just reflecting. I realize now I shot myself in the foot by “slowing down” after the second HMM and “enjoying” a little “time off”. While I “drank red wine by myself and cry-sang all the lyrics to Next to Normal” (I did some laundry, too, but that shit’s boring), LNF’s Etsy shop sat semi-empty. The virtual shelves were there, and they were sparse. I never actually unpacked my show mess – it still sits half-spilled on the floor of my loft.

Before I knew what happened, the holiday season hit me like a snowball full of rocks upside the back of my head. A dozen pieces were donated to various charities and giveaways. Thanksgiving slid up behind me, all lubed up with pancetta-sage gravy. Work at the day job exploded in my face (I work in wine, and you don’t want to know the fourth-quarter holiday fuckery here). Holiday shopping began, and so did all the comfy and drunken dinners and parties at various friends’ homes. Pieces kept selling, and I kept promising myself I’d get back up to work in the infernal disaster that is currently the studio portion of my Chicago loft. I created a few pieces in that time, true, but kept running out of time to photograph them. Then the commissions started - the beautiful, lucrative commissions. While I worked on those, the charity/giveaway pieces had to be shipped; same for the pieces that kept selling at Etsy. I single-handedly keep the post office in business (you’re welcome, you slow, idiot fuckers). Now, it’s a week or so until Christmas, and because I’ve left my DSLR at a friend’s home after a scary baby shower, I’m dead in the water (at least until it gets returned).

All things considered, LNF 2010 has been…mad crazy successful. Next year, we kick it into high gear by finding a designer to create an official website (goodbye, Etsy, you filthy skank), and possibly moving into a private studio devoted solely to this endeavour. I’m proud and humbled by how great 2010 has been in regards to this funny little dream I have, and I have my fans to thank. Your support makes this possible. Without it, I’m just some queen stringing beads, drunk, belting out showtunes and wearing my pieces around the house. You people rock. Thank you.

Here’s to 2010!

HOORS

The folks over at Banana Republic have been ripping me off for a long, long time. Their chunky, multi-media **mass produced** jewelry comes dangerously close to replications of the pieces I've been creating since LNF began. The fact that I hate Banana Republic just exacerbates the injury. Here's hoping they choke on their $200 cashmere sweater wraps, the yuppie scum.

Nomi, I Love Your Nails

Has it really been almost a month since I've posted here? Holy balls. Sorry about that, guys - the holidays are a huge time and energy suck. Let this piece herald my return.



Don't let this girl walk behind you when you're walking down a flight of stairs. The piece starts with a long strand of Italian marble cubes, sweeping below a rope of gorgeous and glittering smokey quartz chips. A polished few dozen black soapstone beads bring some clarity to the situation, while silver-plated oval link cross chain twists and binds everything together. A length of gunmetal chain, all perfect circles, adds some modernity and edge. Eyes will stop on the hand-wrapped silver wire sphere, positioned mischieviously at the top left portion of the necklace. Length is adjustable by way of a sturdy silver lobster claw clasp that fits comfortable over the supporting lengths of silver cross chain, so wear it long or close to the throat.

Like all Lad Named Felix™ pieces, this comes "signed" with LNF's hand-stamped sterling silver tag, ensuring your one-of-a-kind piece is an authentic LNF creation!

Components:
Italian marble cubes
Smokey quartz chips
Black soapstone round beads
Silver-plated oval link cross chain
Gunmetal circle chain
Hand-wrapped silver wire sphere
Silver lobster claw clasp

No Regrets

The Regretsy-sponsored Holiday Regrets shop has been up for a bit over an hour, I've drank a bottle of cheap red wine, and one of my pieces has already sold! Lincoln Park Sellout is currently featured at the TOP of the shop, which of course made me moist in the pants, and I've watched views of my shop's items absolutely skyrocket. It's all too exciting. I need more wine.

Humans Helping Humans

I'm an advocate of people helping people in whatever ways are available to them. We all have something to give, and I'm lucky enough to have a treasure trove full of original jewelry with which to do what I please. It's one of the fun parts of being an independent designer.

Miss Mary Max, that tidal force behind the blog of the same name, asked for my assistance in driving donations to the Blogging For Sofia campaign, which you'll remember I contributed to in an earlier post. We schmoozed, we collabo-ed, we decided on a piece, and now it will go to one lucky person with a little to give to Sofia's treatment and a huge heart. Wanna win? Click here above for details.

Asphalt Rodeo

For the boldest among us, two large faceted raven black Chinese crystals (1" x .75") hang dangerously by sterling silver jump rings from two surgical steel earring hooks. There's sexiness in simplicity, and complexity to be found in the sleek.

Components:
Raven hand-cut Chinese crystals (2)
Sterling silver jump rings (2)
Sterling silver headpins (2)
Surgical steel earring hooks

Dew Me

Two 16mm brilliantly faceted silver hand-cut Chinese crystals are the definition of bling, spinning along a sterling silver headpin and each dangling from two sterling silver cross chains. Each is encircled by a flat 2" steel hoop, and the whole affair hangs from a surgical steel earring hook.

Components:
Silver Chinese crystal - 16mm (2)
Sterling silver headpins (2)
Sterling silver cross chain
Steel jump rings (2)
Steel flat hoops - 2" (2)
Surgical steel earring hooks

I'm a Giver.

Lad Named Felix has donated three pieces to Regretsy's Holiday Regrets Shop (which will open November 8 at Etsy). All proceeds for the sales go to Regretsy's Alchemy fund, which hires artists to create items for various charities, and provides funds directly to artists in need. Below is a list of past recipients of funds from the Alchemy Fund:

The Hat Box Foundation
Donkey Rescue
Toys for Tots
Project Linus
Knitted Knockers
Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk for the Cure
Elayne Boosler’s Tails of Joy
Friends of Walter
Housing Works Bookstore
The Sewing Machine Fund
The American Cancer Society Relay for Life
Tiny Airplanes
Winchester Lambourne
Bowerbird Soaps
Braking the Cycle: HIV/AIDS Services of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center
Rainbow Darkness Studios
Ronnie’s Tender Heart
Aid for Aidan

Clicky the linky if you'd like to contribute!

And the winners are...

1st Place Winner - SARAHFINA MOORE! Sarahfina wins "Hermia", by Lad Named Felix!

‎2nd Place Winner - Mary Maxfield Brave! Mary wins a fabulous and shiny 25% off anything in LNF's Etsy Shop! Discount will be refunded at time of sale via PayPal!

3rd Place Winner - Sonnet Klipp! Sonnet wins a sparkly 15% anything in LNF's Etsy Shop! Discount will be refunded at time of sale via PayPal!

My thanks to all who entered! I had so much fun with this, and I have a feeling you all did, too. My love for my fans is epic.

I haiku, do you?

Many thanks to all the Lad's fans, who've submitted these haikus as entries in LNF's Haiku Contest, commemorating a milestone 200 Facebook fans! As I can't find a suitable "voting" application, I'll be randomly choosing three winners from a fur-lined aviator cap (cause I'm sexy like that). Winners will be announced later today (and your haikus will all probably be stolen shamelessly for my own devious purposes)!

drape yourself in art
eyes are drawn to gems unique
no clothing needed

Inspired of whimsy
Personality abounds.
You KNOW who you are!

You'd best respect this
Fierceness unprecedented
Alchemy unleashed.

Little Bitch Monkey
Shiny baubles and glass balls
crate wonderment

colorful, shiny,
blasting in your fucking face
Lad is that intense.

Back off my sparkles-
Cuz you can't handle the Lad!
You wish you were me!

I'm suffering from
Glamour Asphyxiation
A fab way to go

Yellows, oranges,
Reds, and sultry browns— the hue
of death in bloom.

Lad, you rock my world
with your crazy F' in pearls
just one strand won't do

Drips with elegance
Touched by divine wicked style
Bravo Lad Named Felix

hey, lad named felix
love your fancy pants style
make me spend money...

Beautiful dazzle
your designs one of a kind
you rock my socks lad

Those beautiful beads
Never seen on Regretsy
Too classy for that

pearls, the gem of queens
show me yours, i'll show you mine
I'll love you long time

Where did you get that?
Its one of a kind, thank you.
Lad Named Felix, Hoor.

Raging with glamour
Like a disco hurricane
Clearly it's the Lad. :)

Shimmer, whisper, gleam . . .
Am I hallucinating?
No! That was the Lad.

Designer Jewlery
Supporting Local Artists
Fabulous Felix =)

LNF Haiku Contest!

Haikus are easy. Can you count to 5, then 7, then 5 again? Okay, you’re in. It’s easy: write a few haikus about Lad Named Felix, and submit them by posting them to LNF’s Facebook wall. Pick any subject – NOTHING is off limits. Make them funny, make them sappy, make them so terrible that the world will love them. It works for AT&T, so why can’t it work for you?

A few examples:

How many gallons

Of cheap raspberry vodka

Would kill a monkey?

Yesterday it worked.

Today it is not working.

Windows is like that.

In deep sleep, hear sound:

Cat vomit, hairball, somewhere...

Will find in morning.

Voting takes place HERE, as a poll, the morning of November 1. Sneaky-peeks of the prize(s?) will be revealed whenever I damn well feel like. GO!

Disco Runaway

Love it big? Love it bold? Love it swinging, glittering, over-the-top? Seek no further. Each chandelier earring hangs a dramatic 3.75" from the lobe from a surgical steel hook (attached with delicate gunmetal chain), and features fifteen Tiffany blue Venetian glass cubes dangling from a 3" Tibetan silver bar, bent to a sexy curve to match your own. Sterling silver headpins and jump rings elevate these earrings to luxuriously outrageous.

Components:
Surgical steel hooks (2)
Gunmetal chain
Tibetan silver bars (2) - 3"
Tiffany blue Venetian glass cubes (30)
Sterling silver jump rings
Sterling silver headpins

Handmade Market Chicago

Handmade Market Chicago was a resounding success! Lad Named Felix schmoozed, comped Bloody Marys in hand, with hundreds of fabulous people, from our perch at table 13, near the rear of the venue on the DJ platform. The display turned out stunning in its bright whiteness, lit dramatically with adjustable LED lamps, and really stood out from the crowd. Around 78 pieces were showcased, and at the end of the day celebrated a whopping 28 SALES! I looked hot, too. Get over it, bitches. HUGE shout out to my assistant Heather, who worked her magic all day long and was a major contributor to the day’s success.

OHMYGODMYHANDSLOOKENORMOUS.

By the way, the stuff you hear about having a credit/debit purchasing method available is 100% correct. The majority of my sales were done by credit transactions, and those clients were very happy to see I had something in place to accommodate them. I used Intuit’s GoPayment (available here if you’d like to check it out) from a terminal app I downloaded to my Evo. Could not have been more effortless.

The highlight of the afternoon was being approached by a Chicago art gallery owner, and invited to start a dialogue about exhibiting my work in her Michigan Avenue gallery! Fans…I nearly hit the floor. What a flattering and exciting honor! More to come with this, I’m sure.

I was insanely busy the whole day, and the whirlwind prevented me from taking tons of pictures, but enjoy the ones I was able to snap! A large and very heartfelt thank you to everyone who showed up in support of my dream. I never forget that brand of loyalty. Next show is November 13^th, and I have a *lot* of work to do.

Too Much Baw in your Skants

Handmade Market Chicago. Tomorrow.

I'm ready.

Are you?

Calling all Good People in the World

“My name is Sofia Benbahmed and I am trying to do everything in my power to get the help I need. I am currently trying to raise money to get the treatment recommended for me for a disease I have had for 12 years - an eating disorder.”

~GiveForward.org

Through a close friend, Mary at Miss Mary Max (a fabulous, detailed, and highly cerebral blog discussing gender, social, health, and sexual issues) I became aware of Sofia’s plight. Like many people the world over, Sofia is struggling to gain ground over her illness, which could take her life. In 2008 Sofia’s insurance company ceased covering her treatments, just as she was beginning to improve and take control back from her debilitating and wasting disease. Eating disorder treatment is very expensive because of the aggressive and thorough approach that treatment requires - nursing, nutritional counseling, psychiatric/medication administration and monitoring, 24 hour a day counseling and monitoring, multiple group therapy sessions daily and several individual therapy sessions weekly. Sofia received three weeks of treatment, covered by her insurance company, United Behavioral Health (an oxymoron of a name, at best), and was forced to leave treatment. Her family is now embroiled in a legal battle to gain back the coverage that could save her life.

Her goal is to raise $15,000 to ensure her full six weeks of treatment, a staggering and sickening amount brought to you by the corporatization of America’s health care system and the view of many politicians and insurance company big-wigs who clearly must think that people like Sofia should just eat a sandwich and get over it. Sofia could really use $30,000. We won’t even talk about how outrageous that cost is for a single individual struggling in this country with any illness, much less a mental one.

If you can donate to Sofia’s fund, please click here. There is also an option to donate directly to Sofia’s treatment through Monte Nido, her treatment facility – just contact Sofia through her blog. If you’d like to write scathing letters to the fat cats at United Behavioral Health, click here for contact information. I urge you to also contact your state’s representatives about the crippling corruption in US insurance companies. Click here to find out how.

Put yourself or a loved one in Sofia’s place, a young girl, brave enough to seek help and ask for assistance from total strangers. Her path is not an easy one. Can you help her take another step in the right direction?

• 1 in 5 women struggle with an eating disorder or disordered eating (National Institute of Mental Health)
• Eating Disorders affect up to 24 million Americans and 70 million individuals worldwide (The Renfrew Center Foundation for Eating Disorders)
• 90 % of those who have eating disorders are women between the ages of 12 and 25 (SAMHSA)
• It is estimated that currently 11% of high school students have been diagnosed with an eating disorder (ANAD)
• While women are more commonly affected by eating disorders, more than a million men and boys battle the illness every day (www.nationaleatingdisorders.org)
• 91 % of women surveyed on a college campus had attempted to control their weight through dieting, 22% dieted “often” or “always” (Kurth, Krahn, Nairn, Drewnowski, 1995)
• Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness
• A young woman with anorexia is 12 times more likely to die than other women her age without proper treatment (American Journal of Psychiatry)
• Five to ten percent of anorexics die within ten years of onset, 18-20 percent die within twenty years of onset, and only 50 percent report ever being cured (American Psychiatric Association)
• 20% of people suffering from anorexia will prematurely die from complications related to their eating disorder, including suicide and heart problems (The Renfrew Center Foundation for Eating Disorders)

The Hunt

Can't. Stop. Polyvoring. Seriously, my productivity is crippled.

The Hunt by lad_named_felix featuring pouch jewelry

Aesop's Fable Necklace in Fox
$44 - modcloth.com
Pouch jewelry »

Fabulous Furs | Tipped Feather Fox Pull-Through Scarf
$49 - fabulousfurs.com
Fur scarves »

Ray-Ban Aviator Sunglasses
184 GBP - sunglasses-shop.co.uk
Ray ban shades »

velvet blazer
495 GBP - harveynichols.com

Slim Jim Skinny Jeans in Slow Dyed
$215 - tobi.com

Ralph Lauren Men's Barrott Riding Boot
$743 - endless.com

Men's Fingerless Driving Gloves
$150 - aspinaloflondon.com

DKNY Be Delicious Eau de Pafum, 50ml
37 GBP - johnlewis.com

AE Men's Plaid Shirt (Red)
$30 - ae.com

The French Bedroom Company :: Lighting - Chandeliers - Fight Me Antler...
frenchbedroomcompany.co.uk

Threadless T-Shirts - Larry The Fox Doesn't Feel So Clever Anymore. by...
threadless.com

West Hollywood Harvest Moon

Let the smog clear and the glitter shine. Two 10mm silver Chinese crystal rondelles are nestles among multiple lenghts of delicate gunmetal cross chain and sterling silver oval link chain. Gunmetal round links swirl mysteriously alongside 8mm snow white Swarvoski crystal pearls, each sent along sterling silver headpins. Gunmetal and cobalt blue crystal pearls peek out from behind, and 6mm Crystazzi smoke grey crystal pearls swoop dramatically across the throat. A few lengths of chain drop along the necklace's arc. The necklace closes with a silver lobster claw clasp and two sterling silver jump rings.

Like all Lad Named Felix™ pieces, this comes "signed" with LNF's hand-stamped sterling silver tag, ensuring your one-of-a-kind piece is an authentic LNF creation!

Components:
Silver Chinese crystal rondelles - 10mm (2)
Gunmetal cross chain
Sterling silver oval chain
Gunmetal round chain links
Sterling silver headpins
Smoke grey Crystazzi crystal pearls (6mm)
Snow white Swarovski crystal pearls (8mm)
Cobalt crystal pearls (4mm - 6mm)
Gunmetal crystal pearls (4mm - 6mm)
Sterling silver jump rings

(click the pic above to purchase with your Etsy account, or the button below to use PayPal!)

And the Snake Said Nom

So. Much. Mad. Decadence. This piece begins with an antique strand of champagne glass pearls, with the strand's original knotting. Woven around it is a vintage rhinestone opera necklace, with all original square-cut crystals. Bronze circle chain, silver ribbed cross chain, gold-plated ribbed cross chain, and silver figaro chain swirl and eddy, encircling the piece's entire length. Vintage curio beads, each distinct and unique, dangle randomly from the bottom of the piece, for that touch of madness. The necklace clasps at the outer left edge of the collection of strands with a vintage brass closure set along multiple lengths of gold plated and bronze chains. This necklace demands much of its wearer...consider yourself warned.

Components:
Antique glass champagne pearls
Vintage rhinestone opera necklace
Bronze figaro chain
Bronze cross chain
Bronze circle chain
Silver ribbed cross chain
Silver cross chain
Gold-plated ribbed cross chain
Gold-plated figaro chain
Vintage bugle beads, round beads, glass pearls
Vintage brass closure

(click the pic above to purchase with your Etsy account, or the button below to use PayPal!)

Showers Over Belmont

Inspired by the late afternoon light catching the fat drops of rain on the first day of fall. Doesn't matter that it's acidic. Thirteen vintage teardrop crystals, each faceted to within an inch of taste, gently cascade down the decollete from delicate sterling silver cross chain. A length of sterling silver chain winds round the neck, clasping at the nape with a silver lobster claw clasp and a sterling silver jump ring.

Like all Lad Named Felix™ pieces, this comes "signed" with LNF's hand-stamped sterling silver tag, ensuring your one-of-a-kind piece is an authentic LNF creation!

Components:
Acrylic faceted teardrop crystals (13)
Sterling silver cross chain
Sterling silver jump rings
Silver lobster clap clasp

(click the pic above to purchase with your Etsy account, or the button below to use PayPal!)

Forward Momentum

Etsy is full of fantastic and talented artists, so being included in a treasury alongside some of them is always a totally flattering pleasure. Another one from Elineof, of The High North, showing her gratitude and paying it forward to all us rag-tag Etsyians who've featured her work in September. Please make sure to click over to her shop and leave some kudos. It's well-deserved. Thank you Elineof (again!)!

V. to the I.P.

I have a lot of time to kill on Friday mornings. Consider it killed.

V. to the I.P. by lad_named_felix featuring a forzieri

Yellow & Black Plaid Printed Silk Self-tie Bowtie
$62 - forzieri.com
Forzieri »

Neil Barrett Wool Blend Blazer - Men - Clothing
$941 - farfetch.com

Billy Black Single Bootcut Jeans in Superfly
$187 - tobi.com

Ben Sherman Boxed Leather Belt
$34 - asos.com

Hamilton Crystal Chandelier | Gracious Home | Product
gracioushome.com

Toucan Collection CT27
$26 - lorisshoes.com

Ben Sherman Target Leather and Stainless Steel Bracelet
$54 - asos.com

Ben Sherman Stainless Steel Target Cufflinks
$30 - asos.com

admit one ticket edited by me
lolsmileyfacelol.ning.com

Silver sequin chuck taylors
fabsugar.com

Calm Down Bishes!

A lot of you have been asking why there haven't been any new items listed in the past week or so. The answer is: photography takes a long time. I've actually created four new pieces, three necklaces and a cuff, but with the show inching ever forward, I just run out of hours (and a bitch needs 10 hours of beauty sleep a night so he can maintain that sexy skin!). What's left to prepare for the show?

Finish new pieces

Finalize the display

Buy light bulbs

Buy tablecloth

Create signage and marketing materials

Put tags on all pieces

Get a receipt pad

...there's more, I'm sure, but thinking about all that work is dulling my skin. NOT HAVING IT! There will be new pieces to drool over soon, I promise. Stay with me, kids. We're about to reach a whole new level.

Everyone, Bring Your Barbies!

I refuse to be Ken and have to drive that goddamn pink RV! The high heels and halters never fit that bitch! Below is an exhaustive list of the other artists and artisans showcasing their creations alongside Lad Named Felix at Handmade Market Chicago, October 9th (that's 9 days away, hoors).

Auviana - handmade jewelry and accessories

Bead of a Different Drum - jewelry with sterling silver, glass and semi-precious stones

Bean & The Sprout - vintage fabrics and jewelry to create headbands, necklaces, and cuffs

Bliss Stones - semi-precious stone necklaces; known to bring positive energy, good luck and bliss

bobbi kahn design - jewelry

Cordinated - handmade guitar cables

Damsel in this Dress - cool stuff for women who don't need to be rescued. purses, totes, messenger bags, and more.

Darquestone - baby play mats, pillows, bags, etc.

Deelights Biscuits - organic dog treats

Do Bats Eat Cats - one-of-a-kind gothic, chainmaille and Victorian inspired jewelry

Frosted Creations - ceramic drink coasters, fun aprons for women and kids, letterpress cards and tags, and soaps

Fugudesigns - jewelry

Greenie Bean Recycle - recycled tote bags

Jewelry by Jennifer - jewelry styles using natural stones, shell, coral, crystal, opal, and sterling silver findings and chain

Kate O'Grady Jewelry - jewelry

Lad Named Felix - The sexiest bitch in the place (this text might differ from the text at Handmade Chicago's website)

Lost in the Maille - chainmaille, wire wrapped and some gemstone jewelry

LuDesigns - jewelry; natural materals such as gemstones, seashells, pearls

Milton and Margie's Soy Wax Candles - hand-poured, soy wax candles made in unique, reused/recycled jars

Mohawk Made - custom jewelry, hand designed and crafted from genuine stones, shells & sterling silver

Nerfect - original artwork, buttons, stickers, and t-shirts

Onlyn Pottery - pottery

Poetisa's Palette - soap, lotion, body butter, body scrubs, massage candles and lip balm

Previously - vintage reproduction women's accessories

Purpleandlime - accessories, jewelry, little pouches, and etc.

Ray Borchers - hand drawn, one of a kind T-shirts

Renescentia Designs - handcrafted creative bags and totes for the eccentric at heart

rj studio inc. - handmade jewelry, stationery, and accessories

Spinalfusion - jewelry

UnADORN - vintage inspired; sterling silver jewelry, flower hairclips and headbands

Urbex Archaeology - jewelry from recycled post-industrial found objects, mostly metals

Handmade Market Chicago, as you can see, offers so much variety and a plethora of points of view. I can't explain how excited I am to be counted amongst the exclusive ranks of these artists. I feel like we should all get decoder rings or something. The secret answer is "LNF Roolz the Skool!" Who'd have known!?

I'm hunkering down at Table 13, near the back left. You'll recognize my presence by the tasteful white displays and flattering lighting choices. A bitch can't look washed out, you know? Check out Handmade Market Chicago's website for the location details and a map. Leave a comment if you plan on being there - who knows...it may get you a discount. OH SNAP.