Morning Train to Beijing

Sometimes all it takes is some color and texture to stand out. Twenty jade rounds, each unique in color and striation, war around one side of the neck and descend to a stunning faceted hand-cut Chinese crystal in a gorgeous whiskey shade, all connected by way of pure copper headpins. As the piece ages, each headpin will gather a gorgeous and patina. From there, three long and luxurious vintage bronze chains drape in a trio of texture and strength. The chains have a slight patina, as well, so the texture is one of a kind and goes a bit further than standard antiqued bronze. The piece can be worn in a number of ways - asymetrically, as shown in the photos, or with the jade hanging in front, or be edgy and loop the long chains artfully around the neck to create a more tangled look. The piece has no clasp, and each chain is more than long enough to fit over the head.

Components:
Jade rounds - 6mm (20)
Hand-cut Chinese crystal (1)
Copper headpins (22)
Patinaed bronze flat link cross chain

30 DoP #19 - "C'mon Get Happy"

Happy Molecule Embroidered Wall Art

Things That Made Me Happy This Week:

1. Seeing the delicate butterfly wearing her Pajama Jeans at Starbuck's this morning. At first I thought it was two pigs struggling inside a denim bag, but no. Pajama Jeans.

2. Cinnamon toast.

3. Mixing Dayquil, Benadryl, ibuprofen, Vick's nasal spray, beer, and a multivitamin. I felt like this lady.

4. My cat sitting on the ledge of the bathtub, dipping as much of her tail into the water as possible, then spending 45 minutes chasing it loudly around the loft.

5. Scoring some free promo cards from Moo.com. Sure, they're branded with the Etsy logo which makes my teeth grind at the back of my head, but hell....they were free.

6. An evening of vice with the illustrious Bridgette Potter (nee Stephanie Howell), followed by a double-dose of My Strange Addiction ("I Eat Toilet Paper") and Toddlers and Tiaras, buffalo chicken pizza, cupcakes, and wine.

7. Finding this:


8. Seeing my art made into art. It was so meta, so postmodern.

9. Learning that Flava Flav is opening a chicken shack next to the KFC in the very (remote, tiny, rural) Iowa town where I worked as Head Costume Designer aboard the Clinton Area Showboat Theatre.

10. Pistachios.

What's 30 Days of Play?

A Magnanimus Declaration of Snark

Be seen AND heard. Rope of brushed steel cross chain are peppered with small industrial steel washers, cascading assertively down the decolletage. This bib isn't for babies, so quit crying. Each rope of altered chain hangs from another length of the same, reaching strongly around the throat and clasping at the nape of the neck with a steel lobster claw clasp. The length is adjustable, so be your own boss and make the executive decision yourself.

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

Components:
Brushed industrial steel cross chain
Industrial steel washers (30+)
Steel lobster claw clasp

30 DoP #18 - "I Love..."

Card Wallet - The Mondo

In the Time Before, I never had my insurance card; in the Time Before, my cash and business cards were hopelessly forgotten at home when I rushed out in a hurry. Each credit and debit card had a sensuous curve that matched perfectly the contour of my ass. I had nowhere to stash important fortune cookie slips. It all changed at Handmade Market (and I ascended into the Time After).

My table had the fortune of being placed next to Beth at Besu's table, and after a few hours of bloody marys with PBR chasers eyeballing her stock, I couldn't control myself anymore, and I purchased the very wallet pictured above.

Let's talk about me and wallets. I don't want my ass to look as if there's a tumor in the right cheek of which I am not yet aware. This rules out traditional leather wallets. Also, they're heavy and smelly and I lose stuff in the little pockets. I always knew I could do better, and my frustrated waiting (the Time Before) paid off.

First of all, it was a S-T-E-A-L at $6 (c'mon kids - handstitching complicated, folded pieces of fabric like this is not an easy or even fun task), and, hello, I'm a sucker for houndstooth. I carry this lovely everyday in the right rear pocket of my pants. It's thin, but fits all my credit cards/Lego VIP card (muy importante), unsolicited twink phone numbers cash, business cards, debit card, insurance cards, ID, and whatever else I want to shove into it and forget about. Like bar receipts. I don't really need to see how much a round of drinks costs me, because I'm ugly when I cry. When my Besu gets dirty, I handwash it, allow it to airdry and it bounces right back into perfect shape. The cotton is uber-flexible, which is important, cause you know my jeans need to be tight across 'dat ass.

I love Besu's work, and I know you will too. I've included a few more choice items below for your perusal. Happy shopping, hoors!

What's 30 Days of Play?

30 DoP #17 - "Extravagantly Extravagant"

Black Diamond Ring - Tension Setting

Scintillating and uber-modern. I love this ring. Black diamonds are so enormously striking, and finding them with the least amount of noticeable flaws is a task. Black diamonds are often pitted and marred with deposits that cause them to appear striated in some manner, which adds to their rareness. Should I ever get married (and though I believe very strongly that, politically, all human beings should have equal marriage rights, I just don't consider marriage a necessity in the modern world), this style of ring is what I'd want. I mean, seriously. Look at it. It's flawless. Don't I deserve that? God, I'm drooling. CLOSING THE WINDOW.

What's 30 Days of Play?

Flattery Works

Sako Tumi is an illustrator, photographer, and graphic designer stationed in the Washington DC area. She graduated from the Art Institute of Washington in 2006 with a Bachelor's in Graphic Design, and has 10 years of experience in the illustration industry. If Photoshop is her skin, and Illustrator her flesh, then InDesign is her bones. Also, she is part robot, and an octopus. Sako is currently engaged in 30-day blog project in which she creates visual art pieces that correspond with certain criteria. Yesterday's was "Something New", and the darling chose to center a piece around her newest LNF piece, A Cumulus Agglomeration. I'm flattered, and as always, staggered by Sako's talent.

SURPRISE

I like you people. You like me. You deserve a reward. Until MIDNIGHT tonight, January 18, magically take 15% off any purchase at LNF's Etsy shop! Refund happens via PayPal at checkout. HURRY BITCHES.

30 DoP #11 - "Green"

Devil Woman Stiletto Cactus Planter

It's an upcycled patent leather platform stiletto in which an evil cactus is planted. It's so fierce my fucking face hurts. Where has this been all my life? I could totally keep a cactus alive. Ladies and gentlemen, this is game changer. This item proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that upcycled crafts don't have to be sad, clunky pieces of trash. Nothing about it says, "I used to have an identity, but now I'm a stay at home mom". There's no stenciled swirly letters; no raffia. It doesn't have some ridiculous inspirational quote or your "family name" embroidered anywhere. From this point forward, I hereby decree that all "upcycled", "green", and "recycled" crafts be this dangerously amazing, or they will be required to include the words HIDEOUS CRAP in the listing tags.

God I love this.

What's 30 Days of Play?

30 DoP #10 - "All A-Flutter"

Necklush

Today's choice for the day of play is ruled by my loins. This model (and the little peekaboo nip) makes them go "a-flutter".

Get it? Okay MOVING ON.

It's not all awkward boners here, though. I own two Necklushes, and they're...amazing, numbering among my favorite accessories (of which there is no lack). Troy and Stephano not only conceptualized this necklace/scarf hybrid, but along with their team, design and print the unique patterns to each piece and create them in-house in their Brooklyn, NY studio. There's something distinctly sexy about a Necklush. It's androgynous, supple, stretchy, and the wearer has the pleasure of deciding how to wear one (there are myriad ways to knot, tie, loop, drape, and cinch). If that's not enough, Necklush is being touted as a revolution in design. Currently, Necklush is representing Etsy in the National Design Triennial at the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, in addition to the laurels they already proudly display for being sold at the Santa Monica Museum of Art, The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston and the Weisman Art Museum Minneapolis. These gorgeous accessories have been featured in LA Times Magazine, TimeOut NY, Lucky, Us Weekly, Refinery29, Kingdom of Style, and that's just the tip of the iceberg of hundreds of other print and online publications.

They're not just all handmade stretch cotton loops, smoking hot models, and androgyny. When you buy a Necklush you are also contributing to alternative, non-toxic treatment of disease. Necklush donates portions of our profit to The Gerson Institute - "Healing and preventing disease the natural way."

So you can be sexy AND humanitarian at the same time. Give these a serious look.

What's 30 Days of Play?

Underground Countess

She moves in mysterious ways. The most striking feature of this striking are two antique silver pectorals (circa 1933), worked in a scrolling art nouveau-style floral. Between the flanking pectorals drape eleven chains - delicate sterling silver cross, gunmetal circle link, brushed silver cross, silver figaro, silver curb, and polished silver cross - each hypnotic and sleek. The pectoral is held in place about the neck by way of a short length of silver curb chain, clasping at the nape of the neck with a hammered silver bar and toggle clasp.

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

Components:
Antique 1930's silver art nouveau-style pectorals
Silver curb chain
Sterling silver cross chain
Brushed silver cross chain
Gunmetal circle link chain
Polished silver cross chain
Silver figaro chain
Stainless steel jump rings
Hammered silver bar and toggle clasp

Bridget on a Bender

Striking and elegant, yet snarky. A series of large and small soldered silver circles link together, with a snake of pure white crystal pearls slithering in and out. A strand comprised of antique glass seed pearls studded with genuine moonstone teardrops winds its way through each silver circle. A length of hearty silver curb chain adds more shine, while a more delicate silver cross chain twists and knots everything together. The entire affair clasps at the nape of the neck with a hammered silver bar and toggle clasp.

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

Components:
Soldered silver circles
Crystazzi white crystal pearls
Antique glass seed pearls
Moonstone teardrop beads
Silver-plated curb chain
Silver-plated cross chain
Hammered silver bar and toggle clasp

30 DoP #5 - Raindrops, Raindrops

Woodland in a Raindrop

The simplest words in this 30 Days of Play thing are turning out to be the toughest. I could have chosen some gorgeous blue briolettes, a blurry hipstermatic photo of moisture on a windowpane, or maybe some vintage sapphires...but I try as hard as possible to not be a predictable bore. Imagine my delight when I happened upon this perfect little terrarium. Imagine me doing it while a double-dosage of Benadryl and red wine course violently through my veins. The box warns against mixing them, but if I can't breathe through my nose I may as well find a way to justify getting a killer OTC buzz dull the pain. I really want to buy this, but faeries can't live in my loft because this is an industrial brewery from the 1880's and therefore I'm sheathed in iron. All I have are goblins, which explains my complete lack of thimbles and odd bits of string.

Okay, no more cold medicine.

What's 30 Days of Play?

Unicorn Boy, Why Won't You Love Me?

Over three dozen ivory mother of pearl rounded shards parade around the throat and down the decolletage, held in place by five lengths of chain: gold-plated cross chain, silver-plated cross chain, gold curb chain, and large-link silver curb chain. Two stainless steel jump rings secure it all into place, and the whole conflagration clasps at the nape of the neck with a silver bar and toggle clasp. Now he has to love you.

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

Components:
Mother of pearl rounded shards (36+)
Gold-plated cross chain
Silver-plated cross chain
Gold curb chain
Large silver curb chain
Stainless steel jump rings
Accuflex
Silver bar and toggle clasp

30DoP #1 - "To Sir With Love"

Sir Odobenus Rosmarus - Altered Antique Plate

Try not to love this. TRY IT. Not only is Odobenus rosmarus the scientific name for your neighbor Ron the walrus, but it's cunningly steampunk, it's frilly enough to be considered "kitsch", AND it's a cheeky collector's plate that has been heat-fused so you can EAT OFF IT. Functional decor is where it's at, yo.

What's 30 Days of Play?

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

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

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.

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

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!)