Book Review: Liberace Extravaganza!

Our latest addition to our bookshelf came about when we purchased thousands of vintage rhinestones from long time Las Vegas costumer Jan Jewett. She and Connie Furr Soloman wrote this book, Liberace Extravaganza! and Jan was kind enough to provide us with a signed copy.
 

Authorized by the Liberace Foundation, this book explores not only Liberace's life story, but the people and clothes that helped him craft his signature image. In fact, you might want to skip to the back of the book when you first get your hands on it. It is there you will find spectacular full page close ups of his costumes, organized by the decade during which the costume was created and worn. Thousands and thousands of rhinestones, sequins, glass and acrylic pearls, seed beads, mirrored cabochons, and crystal beads adorn everything from boots to lace cuffs.
 

Once you're done oohing and aahing, be sure to go back to the beginning of the book and read about the lives of the people who made it all happen.
 

Similar to when we visited Mary Wilson's Supremes costume exhibit, it is exciting to see some of the beautiful items we stock at Bumbershoot Supplies in action in these outlandishly marvelous clothes. This book is a phenomenal inspiration for anyone who loves costuming or beading or who just loves rhinestones, glitter and glam.

Book Review: The Quilts of Gee's Bend

The Quilts of Gee’s Bend is one book I turn to regularly, partly because my creative roots are in fiber, paper and fabric and those art forms still resonate for me, but also because I find it to be full of inspiration that translates to many forms of art and design.

When I look at the Gee’s Bend quilts, I learn about color. I learn about symmetry and asymmetry. I learn about looking to traditional design as a source of inspiration for creating something new. I learn about seeing pattern in the world around you and interpreting it in your art. I learn about how to create something beautiful and artistic with only the materials on hand. I learn about the impact of keeping it simple.

Recently I had a customer, a beginning jewelry artist and designer, ask how she could prevent tiny marks on the jump rings when she manipulated them. After providing a few tips, I also shared my belief that “…it is also OK to have some slight marks sometimes - it is a sign of the presence of you, the artist and designer, in the piece”. The prominence of the hand quilting in the design of many of the Gee’s Bend quilts allows me to see and feel the presence of the artists and continues to guide my approach to handmade jewelry design.

I was fortunate to see many of the Gees Bend quilts in person at the Tacoma Art Museum several years ago and I can say for sure that the experience of seeing these quilts in the flesh surpasses anything that can be presented in a 2 dimensional form. That said, the Quilts of Gee’s Bend is one book I turn to over and over again, as an endless source of design inspiration, and a touchstone to remind me of my path in handmade art and craft.

Book Review: Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat's Jewel Box

When serving the Clinton administration as Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright became known for her use of pins and brooches as a communication tool during her diplomatic duties.  This book, Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat's Jewel Box was written in 2009 to accompany a touring exhibit of her pins.  I read the Kindle version of the book on my iPod, probably not the best format for viewing the pins.  However, while there were some unique and interesting contemporary and vintage pieces, most interesting to me were the stories about how Albright came by her collection, and how she used her jewelry to communicate specific messages in a subtle but very public way, highlighting a creative and very female approach to diplomatic negotiations.  This is a light and easy read, with lots of pretty pictures.

Book Review: Miriam Haskell Jewelry

The bottom line on this book: Miriam Haskell Jewelry by Cathy Gordon and Sheila Pamfiloff is THE resource if you are interested in Miriam Haskell jewelry.  Gordon and Pamfiloff discuss the history of the Haskell company and include valuable information on identification and dating of Haskell jewelry pieces, such as how the jewelry was constructed, how it was (or was not) signed, the types of clasps that were used, and so on. The book then dedicates several chapters to examining the work of key Haskell designers, organized in chronological order so you can see the progression of the company’s designs over time. 

This book is an incredible resource for learning about Miriam Haskell designs, and is also a wonderful resource for jewelry design in general.  We turn to it all the time to learn more about the vintage Haskell metal components, beads, and vintage glass pearls we offer at Bumbershoot Supplies. Highly recommended!

Book Review: Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosphers

I recently read Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets &Philosophers by Leonard Koren, and I recommend this book to those of you who love and work with vintage materials because it articulates so clearly their appeal and beauty.

Because wabi sabi is a core concept of Japanese culture, there is much more in this book than design principles or ideas.  However, when Koren talks about the material characteristics of wabi sabi, it seems as if he could be talking about the vintage materials we source and use at Bumbershoot Designs and Bumbershoot Supplies. Vintage materials often show time-related wear. Wabi sabi recognizes that all things are imperfect, and “tarnish…peeling…signs of attrition are a testament to histories of use”. Further, “Things wabi-sabi have no need for the reassurance of status or the validation of market culture…it is best if the creator is of no distinction, invisible or anonymous.” This reminds me of the deep respect I have for the artisans who created the beautiful vintage glass we enjoy today.  Although not precious gems, these glass pieces are also precious, a result of collaboration between many skilled artisans at each of the several steps in their manufacture, artisans who are unknown to us today, unrecognized for the beautiful items they created.

This is a short and accessible book, with lots of white space throughout the text, and interspersed with black and white photographs that to the author’s mind illustrate the concept of wabi sabi.  Koren explains the genesis of wabi sabi in the tea culture of Japan, the meanings of “wabi” and “sabi”, design principles associated with this aesthetic and the larger philosophical underpinnings of wabi sabi, providing a good overview of this important component of Japanese culture.

Book Review: The New Kimono. From Vintage Style to Everyday Chic

I’m including this book, The New Kimono. From Vintage Style to Everyday Chic, in the list of design inspiration resources on the Bumbershoot Supplies webpage “On Our Bookshelf”, even though it does not specifically refer to jewelry or vintage costume jewelry materials because I LOVE this book!

This book is about wearing vintage kimonos with a modern sensibility and it is one of the most inspiring, creative and fun books I’ve enjoyed in a long time. It is a collection of magazine articles from Nanao Magazine, one of Japan's leading contemporary kimono publications. Translated into English and beautifully photographed, I find myself drooling over the gorgeous vintage kimono fabrics and inspired by how vintage patterns, fabrics and accessories are combined for a fresh contemporary look. Many jewelry designers who work with vintage materials share this goal of creating fresh pieces using vintage materials, and for this reason alone may find this book of interest.  Book details can be found on Amazon.com, here. For other books that may be of interest, see On Our Bookshelf on the Bumbershoot Supplies website.