Hump day week in review!

What a week this has been so far! My 3 month old Dell laptop's C: drive crashed, so I've been relying on a backup laptop that I had to add new programs onto. It's been an experience. After so many years of using Dell computers, imagine my surprise! At least it was still under warranty...anyway...

The sample show on Friday went ok. I sold enough to cover my registration, then promptly spent some of it on a bag and dress. Damn sample sales! I don't know how anyone could pass up a $5 bag and a $10 dress though. I have no willpower! Some lessons learned 1) having a booth at a sample sale implies that you are selling samples, clothes in particular (which I also had brought, phew!) and 2) nobody will buy jewelry at full price, just stuff at cut rate prices. Not from you, not from anyone.

So I am thinking of other "real world" venues to show at where my one of a kind upcycled jewelry would be appreciated - any ideas?? There is a great Farmer's Market by me, would anyone be interested in hanging out on a Friday afternoon/evening in Monrovia? I could use the help! I'm serious, let me know!

So, other that all of that, I am very sad to see the US lose in the World Cup. Vuvuzelas be damned, I'm still watching. Love it! I get hooked every four years, it's like sports crack to me. And it sure doesn't hurt that the guys are eye candy!

Lastly, I just wanted to say thanks for your support! It's been a kinda rough last few days, so it has been really great to be able to go to my Facebook and see the nice sentiments there. Thank you!!

Show tomorrow!

So much to do, gotta get ready for my first Pop Culture Princess show tomorrow, Friday June 24! Oh my gosh, I haven't been this excited and nervous in a while. What will people I don't know think of my "stuff" in person? I guess I'll find out. Letting my baby loose in the wild, haha.

Here is a photo the hang tags I made. Am deconstructing a bunch of silk scarves for the "hang" part. Should be beautiful. Seems like everything around here is hand made these days!

What will I be showing? Well, the jewelry line, designer clothes that are new with tags, along with gorgeous pre-owned premium denim I have picked up. Have been out thrifting for my display, it is so fun!! Photos coming in the next couple of days...

The show is at FBI in the California Market Center. Addy is 110 E. 9th St, rm C786, Los Angeles, CA. It is running from 9a - 3p. It is the monthly California Market Center sample sale, and there will be lots of vendors - some very cool stuff. Come join me!

Father's Day Dress-up photo shoot!

We had the best time yesterday for Father's Day with mia famiglia! I had made arrangements for Nikki to model some of the jewelry, but was hoping that others would join in as well. Did they ever! Rosanna and Linda were also great models, and others went through the collection, oohing and aahing and giving ideas for where to show, and some lovely quotes that I will be using to update my Etsy page (Thanks Graye)!

Afterwards, we wished Grandpa and Ray a very happy Father's Day and ate. The meatballs, Italian sausage and amazing sauce were great, but the best was the Chile Relleno concoction Linda made. MMMMmmmmmmmmmm...

Then onto the second half - "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert"! I love that movie - the costumes are outrageous! Ro recently came home from a wonderful vacation to Australia, so we kept quizzing her "So, did you see that? How about that?" I can only hope someday to be able to make a giant high heeled sandal out of recycled CD's - think of how it would glitter!! Of course, cocktails were involved, as it should be for such a fun flick. Thank you Nikki for hosting!

Below are unretouched photos from the shoot. Hope you enjoy the pretty!

Meet Pop Culture Princess...and how it came about

In keeping with the Stars theme on the blog, this is one of the first bracelets I made, Stars and Circles. I love stars -- maybe because I think I am one! Delusional? An absolute possibility...

Hi. I'm Joan, my closest friends call me J, and I started Pop Culture Princess because of a ton of bad CD's. Seriously. My sister Nikki and I are partners in a music and fashion website (http:/www.bitememf.com) and we get so many CD's to review that we didn't know what to do with them when the used CD market dried up! So one night, lying awake sleepless, I had the idea that they could be upcycled somehow into jewelry.

The strange thing about this was that I had never made jewelry before. Sure, friendship bracelets in summer camp maybe, but not with metals, clasps, findings, etc. I have always looooved bright shiny things (and more than often, been distracted by them), but make them? No way. I can't even draw a circle! Martha Stewart I ain't.

After talking with Nikki about the idea, I decided to just go for it. I studied how to make jewelry, discovered all the issues there are working within the limitations of CD's and DVD's, hunted down beads to recycle, burned my hands, learned just how to use an electric drill, tried to set my house on fire, and now am navigating the wonders of Etsy (you can see my shop on my website: http://www.pop-culture-princess.com) and social networking. All because of a couple hundred CD's I couldn't bear to see in a landfill not decomposing.

Even stranger than never making jewelry before is this: I'm actually pretty good at it. Who knew??

I am constantly making and designing new items, whether for gifts, sale, or custom made. I do take custom orders, and am also looking for craft shows to display at. If you have any suggestions at all, I would appreciate any help I can get!

Cheers! -J