Meet the Artists: Liz Frazier, Witch City Wicks

Liz Frazier

Salem, Massachusetts

Beautiful Brick Buildings and Cobblestone Streets where Liz lives and works

Zandra and Liz in her Salem studio

Great vintage building details

Liz preparing her exclusive order for Little Yellow Couch

We had the pleasure of visiting Liz Frazier in her studio last month.  Walking up the stairs, we could start to smell the bright, fresh, alluring scents emanating from her space. We spent the first part of our interview just going from jar to jar, opening each candle, delighted by the distinct memory or mood they provoked in us.  We had a great time talking with her about her life and work in historic Salem, MA.  

Little Yellow Couch:  How did you get from graphic design to candle making?

Liz Frazier:  For 10 years I did art direction for two different ad agencies.  When layoffs started, my whole department was axed.  I had recently had my first daughter and a few months later, found out I was pregnant again, so it seemed like a positive move to stop working full-time.  And then getting into candle making was sort of a whim.  We always burn a lot of candles, all year round, and I wondered if I could make them myself.  I started experimenting with pouring and then with essential oils and gave some away as gifts.  Friends started encouraging me to sell them and it’s grown from there.  Soon I realized that the candle holder was as important as the scent because you’re incorporating the jars into your home décor.  I wanted jars that were attractive and labels that you wouldn’t want to peel off.  So, with my background in graphic design, I started to create labels that reflected the aesthetic of the various lines I was producing.  I first started selling my candles at a goth night club and so I figured my black candle line and some of my goth labels would sell there and I was right!  

LYC:  We love your “Black” collection, both the complex scents and the black color of the candles.  

LF:  Yes, I’m really happy with them.  Soy wax is tough with color so it’s tricky to make the black ones.   They can do this thing called “frosting” where little bubbles coat the surface and make them discolored.  And they also don’t do well in the sun so you wouldn’t want to keep them in the windows.  They’re a little high maintenance…

LYC: Yes, but they’re so cool!  

LF:  Yeah!  And except for the black candles, I’m going completely dye free.  

LYC:   We really like just the white and black candles.  The white accentuates the all- natural composition of the candle.  Colors usually look a bit fake and it makes you wonder if the scent is going to smell fake…

LF:  Right.  I’ve gotten a lot of positive response from the dye-free.  It’s mostly the shop owners that want colors, I think because the color looks good on their shelves.  So I’m going to incorporate color into my labels and hopefully that will satisfy that need.  

LYC:  So, your business is called Witch City Wicks, in celebration of your adopted home town.  What brought you to Salem?

LF:  I’ve always wanted to be here.  From the first time I visited, I found it enchanting!  And my job was closer to here than where I was living in Boston.  So when my roommates all dispersed I thought I could try Salem and I fell in love with it, as I knew I would.  Eventually my boyfriend, who is now my husband, came around to the idea.  By the time he moved here he was totally on board.  And now, my children live in an amazing place where they’re surrounded by history and culture and magic!

LYC:  So do you live right in town?  

LF:  Yes, and we have a really old home, full of character.  It was built in 1817 and at various points it was an oyster house, a boarding house and a pub.  We still have a bit of the original bar.  One funny thing, though: our gas meters aren’t on our property, they’re around the corner in a shop.  Our building was part of a larger building that took up the whole block.  That took a little while to figure out.  Now the owner of a magic shop has to open up for us when we need to access it.  

LYC:  How is it being both an entrepreneur and a mom?

LF:  It’s been important to me that I give my daughters a rich and loving home and my priorities for them are to become good, kind people who aren’t doormats.  But my husband and I also have made sure we haven’t lost our personalities and interests since becoming parents.  We want our kids to know who we are, what we're passionate about, and to be role models of what living a happy, authentic life can be like.  I’m struggling this month [October} because it’s busier than ever. I’m selling every weekend b/c this is the busiest retail month in Salem but my online orders are also piling up and my kids definitely miss me.  My youngest daughter isn’t feeling well today and all she wants to do is fall asleep on my lap.  But I really have to be here in the studio.  So this weekend is my last big weekend and then I’m all theirs.  We have the whole week of Halloween off.  My husband is off and the kids are out of school.

LYC:  The whole week of Halloween is treated like a holiday?  

LF:  Yep.  It’s a Salem thing. 

LYC:  You’ve created a custom scent for us based on our theme this month, which is “Cozy.”   What do you do to be cozy?

LF:  Oh, we love cozy!  Our whole downstairs is brick and we have an enormous fireplace.  The hearth is big enough to sit on and when we have people over, they often choose to sit there with a drink.  We make autumn style, warm drinks, and fall is when we really put a lot of planning into our meals, making a day of it…cooking and sitting by the fire all day long.  The kids run around and then curl up with us on the couch.  That’s pretty much our activities for all of fall and winter!  

LYC:  Sounds perfect!  We’re looking forward to lighting one of your candles and curling up with a good book.  Thank you, Liz!

Meet the Artists: Diana Foree & Kristy Behrs, Ladylike Handmades

Diana Foree

Kristy Behrs

When did you two decide to start working together?  Did you need to lay out any ground rules for working with your mom/daughter?  And what’s it like to work together?

In 2009,  we started talking about the possibility of creating hair accessories.  Feathers in hair clips and jewelry were very popular and Kristy asked if I could create flowers with different color thread.   After many patterns, we chose a few and Kristy did all the feather work.  We offered them at a local venue and sold quite a few.  That first showing actually was the springboard to move into yarn headbands, cowls and ski wear and created Lady Like. 

We never really had set rules from the start. We agreed to discuss yarn purchases, color pallets, and patterns that best showcased our vintage-inspired style.  When one of us has a new idea, we respect each other’s opinions. Fresh ideas are important and inspiring to a small business like ours.

It’s been great to working as a mother and daughter team and loads of fun!   We bounce a lot of ideas off each other even though we live hundreds of miles apart.  I believe we each have our own strengths that keep Lady Like balanced.  

How do you divide the tasks of running the business and which parts are collaborative?

I (Diana) do all the design work, create new patterns, and manage our Etsy Shop.  Kristy photographs our products, consults on color pallets and product design, and designed the blog. One of the jewels of our business is Kristy’s beautiful photography -- it's amazing to see our creations through her camera lens worn on stunning models and in natural settings. It's important that our products' images come to life in a way that tells potential clients about the warmth and cozy feelings wearing Lady Like products gives them. It's all about the intangibles. 

The theme for Little Yellow Couch this month is “Let’s Be Civilized.”  What does “being civilized” mean to you?  How do you incorporate grace, kindness and sophistication into your daily life and/or work? 

As mentioned above, we collaborate on a lot of product ideas. We talk at least once every month to discuss new product ideas, color pallets that would work well for each season, and how we can make our products even better and more helpful to our clients. My mom (Diana) tends to have more new ideas and I (Kristy) tend to want to talk about how we can make what we already have even better. Both things are important to discuss, so we like to hear each other out and find a middle ground so we both see our ideas come to fruition in a way that complements the other. 

You talk on your Etsy site about the 1920s and 30s.  What is it about those eras that inspire you?

We love these 20s-40s eras because it was a very important time for women's style. After World War I, designers were pushing past limits and breaking molds. They were inventive and unique. We love how sparkly and girlie styles were at this time. We're a big fan of flapper style headbands because they are so feminine and crown-like, so many of our designs are intended to be worn across the forehead. 

Diana, we love that you use crochet to give a modern take on styles that remind us of a different era.   How did that come about?  When did it occur to you to use crochet for your vintage look?  

Right from the first concept of making flowers with feather accents, crocheting was my ideal choice.  I was more adept at creating designs with hooks than needles.  You have more flexibility  to design a new pattern with crochet and since it is an old art, it definitely has that vintage style. Clothes from the 20s and 30s have some incredibly gorgeous crocheted lace motifs so it was an obvious choice for Lady Like. 

Diana, you mentioned that you used to sew.  What made you start to crochet? 

When I mentioned that I used to sew,  I actually still do.  I love to quilt, sew tote bags, aprons, and each holiday season I try to sew something new for Christmas gifts. Last year I made 17 aprons for family and friends.  Sewing is my second love.   Crocheting has been a part of my life since I was a little girl, watching my grandmother make the most beautiful doilies and trim on Irish linen hankies.  She taught me the basics and I renewed my love for the art over the last 25 years.  I’ve made afghans, doilies, sweaters and most recently our headbands and cowls.  

Kristy, we love how your photos inspire our imagination.  We start giving each woman who is wearing a headband or cowl a backstory and that makes us want to borrow some of their lifestyle, including wearing your accessories!  (Some of our favorite photos are set in a vintage truck).  What are you trying to evoke in us when we look at your photos?  

I want women to see our product shots and feel like they could live cozily in our images. I want them to know that they'll feel feminine and warm at the same time -- that they don't have to trade femininity for function. 

Kristy, on your blog you describe yourself with some terrific adjectives.

• photographer & blog designer,
• vagabond & thrift shopper,
• music maker & enthusiast,
• passionista & libertarian,
• artist & writer,
• redhead, blonde, & brunette.

Could you elaborate on any of them that you feel are particularly important to you as an artist?  

Sure! Ironically, this little list has changed and some of the concepts and truths about me have shifted or molded into something new and slightly changed. I will always be a little vagabond at heart, but after 13 years of moving around the globe and living in fabulous cities and small towns, I landed in Bend, Oregon and I feel 100% at home. For the first time ever, I'm getting homesick when I'm out of town. This means a lot to me! I absolutely love thrift shopping for those special 1940s-1970s clothes, it gives me a high to run around looking for treasures, lost causes. These clothes make me feel feminine! Most clothing was simply made with higher quality materials and care back then! They knew the female shape and they knew what it took to make you look your best. I think we're getting back on track in that realm these days, but it's taken long time.

Meet the Artist: Julie Wray, Olivine Atelier

We love the story on your website about going into stores as a little girl and trying on all the perfumes.  Can you share that story with our readers and tell us when and how you knew being a perfumer was going to be your profession?

When I was a little girl I used to go to the gift shop in my neighborhood and spend my entire allowance on anything that smelled good...Soaps, perfumes, lotions, lip balms, anything from the beauty section!  My best friend would come home with a bag full of sweets, and I would have a bag full of old lady soaps!  When I was 18 I was traveling around Australia and found a book on aromatherapy, I was instantly smitten and there was no turning back from the land of perfume!

Can you walk us through the process of creating a new scent?

Every scent I have created comes about in a little different way.  Some of my perfumes were blended in my head while I was taking a walk or reading a book, and then I would rush home to make the blend and see if it smelled the same as in my mind.  She Belongs There was created in my head while taking a walk in a forest...It doesn't smell at all like a forest, but that's where the inspiration hit me!  Some of my other fragrances were more of a labor of love...Sitting down at the workbench and trying 100 different blends to get the right scent.  And others were made as a collaboration between myself and my dear friend Sarah Horowitz, perfumer extraordinaire!

You use the image of a feather on some of your packaging and we love the actual gold-dipped feathers you include with each bottle of perfume.  To us, they represent the beauty of the natural world mixed with a touch of glamour, which is where we draw inspiration for the aesthetic of Little Yellow Couch.  What do the feathers mean to you?

Feathers equal magic to me, and gold glitter represents total glamour with a huge drop of playfulness.  The feathers first became a part of my packaging because of a very sweet ritual that my son and I have together.  When he was about a year old we started finding feathers everywhere, I told him that each feather was a secret message from a bird that was left just for him.  I would read the note and he would smile.  He's almost 4 and he still loves it.  The notes usually sound a little like this, "Dear Johnny, I hope you have a wonderful time at the park.  Love, Birdie".

What are your future goals and dreams for Olivine? 

I am working on new wonderful products, but mostly I want to work on getting Olivine Atelier into the coolest boutiques all over the world!  I am also working on another online class that should be launching early next year.  I did an online course called A Lovely Venture about starting and running a business a couple years ago, and I am ready for a new class to teach!

Meet the Artist : Cara Taylor, Taylor Ceramics

Cara in her studio

We arrived at this welcoming door and Cara's pottery peeking out of the window

Secret Garden Entrance

Cara and Zandra in the Garden

Cara's Lovely Garden

Cara's Welcoming Sunlit Home

Cara's work blends seamlessly with her interior

LYC's vase ready to be packaged up

Little Yellow Couch:  You seem to us like the quintessential ceramicist.  Like you’ve always had clay under your fingernails.  Is that the case?

Cara Taylor:  I went to school for ceramics.  After I graduated I worked on the staff of  a pottery studio and I thought, “I don’t think I want to do this for the rest of my life.”  I went back to school to be an art teacher.  I moved out here for grad school and started teaching and I didn’t really think of ceramics again.  And then one day I saw an ad in Craigslist for a cooperative studio space.  And I was like, “huh.  That could be interesting.”  And I simply walked in, sat down and with no rules, and started right where I left off.   I thought about what I liked to do.  I like to roll out a slab of clay, I like to cut it up.  And then figure out what this flat form is going to become in a three dimensional space.  It just happened, literally, one day.  

LYC:  Talk a little bit about your methods.  We know you use the wheel and do some hand-building, but we don’t know what slipcasting is.  

CT:  What I do is I take this form you want to recreate over and over again.  My mugs, for example, they need to have a certain shape to be useful.  You make a mold of the form and pour liquid clay into that mold.  And it starts to dry out…you know that stuff , that ice cream topping, called Magic Shell?  It’s kind of like that! The plaster sucks the moisture out of the clay.  The longer you leave it, the thicker it gets. 

LYC:  What practice do you like the best?  

CT:  I like the hand-building the best.  It’s that part where you don’t know what it’s going to come out to be that I love.  I really like having a slab of clay, cutting it in a shape and folding it.    I have patterns for some things and I have a rough idea of what the clay is going to do.  But if I want something new or I’m feeling stuck, I can cut random shapes and get back into that creative place.  Also, when I roll out a slab, I cut out what I need based on my templates, like, three short vases, three tall vases….and then I look at the negative space, where the shapes were and I take what’s left over and see what I else I can do.  I hate wasting clay!  So it’s fun, it’s a challenge to see what else I can make.

LYC:  And what about the glaze?  You chose a colored glaze…what’s that all about?

CT:  I just like this glaze, it’s got just a slight hue….it’s traditional.  Celedon comes from old Chinese and Japanese pots.  Also, for me, I don’t paint or draw very much.  I’ve never been into decorating a pot in a painterly way.  So I just dip them in the glaze, and I like that slight blue-green hue that you can’t always see in every light.

LYC:  But you do do some lines, very minimalist…

CT:  Because that’s all I can do!  So I just do a simple line.

LYC:  What inspires the forms you come up with?

CT:  I’ve been thinking a lot about this.  I don’t necessarily look at something and recognize that I’m inspired by it.  I know what I like and there’s an element of surprise in the idea development stage.  I’m trying to build in a fresh canvas every now and again.  I’m really inspired by flowers, and this idea of collected objects.  I’m also inspired by book binding, knitting, crocheting and I think for the first time it’s coming together for me now.  

LYC:  Right, you’re staring to use stitches in your vases….

CT:  Yes, I’m really excited about the stitched aspect of my new work.

LYC:  A lot of pottery we see doesn’t imagine what the vase will look like with the flowers in it.  It just focuses on the vase itself.  But you seem to really care about what the vase will look like with something inside it.  For example, when we walked in, we saw that you were working on one of your pillow-form vase that had two holes instead of one.  And you said, “yes, it gives you a different way to arrange flowers,” and it’s so important that the vase supports the flowers in the ways that best shows them off!  

We also like how your vases lend themselves to a small bouquet or even just one stem.  Your vases are saying, “go find that one flower that would look really spectacular in this particular vase,”  so that both the vase and the flower are stunning.

CT:  That’s interesting that you see that.  I worked in a flower shop in Maryland for a short time.  And I think I got really lucky with this teeny, tiny shop…and the woman was so great, she was so choosy.  The arrangements had a flow and were draping…nothing was static.  I feel like I walked away understanding that the goal here wasn’t a dozen red roses.  Instead the beauty was in whatever was looking amazing in the shop that day.  She was always saying, “we have French tulips, have you EVER seen a French tulip…?” and she was so passionate.  And I know the time I spent there has had an influence on me.

LYC:  Would you describe your aesthetic as minimalist?  It’s certainly not stark or sterile or anything.  But, because your pieces are essentially white, we really focus on the shape. 

CT:  Yeah, when I think of modern….I don’t know if I’d describe my aesthetic as modern or sleek.  I always say that it’s organic….

LYC:  But “organic” can have this hippie connotation, which is not at all what your aesthetic is…there’s a very, well, “modern” quality to it.  

CT:  Part of my drive is that I don’t want to make anything that would be described as “pottery.”  Not just the glazes or colors, but even the forms, I don’t want to be seen as only classically trained…so in that way, I do think of myself as a modern ceramicist.

LYC:  Your process sort of reminds us of sewing.  Fabric has this malleability…and we love how you’ve done that with clay.  

What is the biggest challenge to you as an artist who is also making a living as an entrepreneur?  

CT:  Well, the lack of time for sure.  In terms of promoting myself, I feel like the hardest part with having an online identity is that I don’t want to tell and share everything all the time.  It just makes me nervous to put my whole self and life out there.  I’m just sort of getting over it, so I JUST put up my own photo online…

LYC:  Yes, we saw the photo of you on Etsy but not on your website….and it’s such a great photo we want to see it everywhere!  

CT:  I know!  I’m getting over my vulnerability around that but… I think the true challenge is that there’s a lot to do for one person.  Trying to keep up with the social media, but then keeping track of orders, the billing, the business end, and trying to find time to be creative, to fill orders…it’s a constant juggle.  But I’ve just switched to part-time teaching so I now have more time, and I’m going to sleep with exciting thoughts, and waking up with exciting thoughts…I’m so happy!  And I’m really looking forward to whatever it is that I might be working on next!

Heather Dutton - Hang Tight Studio

Heather Dutton

Heather's Studio

Heather's Studio

Heather's Studio

Heather's Studio

Design Process

Heather & Emma

Heather as a Child

Traveling Girls

We found the lovely surface designer, Heather Dutton, through one of this month's artists, Lucinda Snyder.  Heather and Lucinda have recently collaborated on a line of fabrics that will be used exclusively on Lucend's fall inventory.  When we first started working with Lucinda and batting around ideas on how to customize one of her clutches for Little Yellow Couch, she suggested we use one of her new fabrics but in a totally different colorway.  We loved the idea and so Lucinda brought Heather in on the project.  Heather is a very talented designer and, in keeping with our theme this month, we are very pleased to introduce you to her.  

How or why did you get started doing what you do?

Since I was about 12 years old I dreamt of being a fashion designer. I had sketchbooks filled with magazine clippings that I pasted into the pages, countless doodles of different designs that I’d created and an unwavering confidence that fashion design was going to be my career. When it came time to go to college I followed my dream, studied fashion design at the Savannah College of Art & Design and moved out to San Francisco after graduation to take on the design world. Ha! Ha! My time in the fashion industry was a wild ride filled with trips to corners of the world I never thought I’d see and invaluable insight into the production end of the business but at the end of the day I felt like something was missing. I was more excited about the fabrics & prints that I was working with than I was designing the actual clothes so I slowly started to shift the direction of my career. I was crazy lucky to land a job that allowed me to design clothes AND some of the prints that were used on them and that’s all it took… I was hooked! A few years later I took a huge leap of faith, left the regular working world and started my own surface design business (Hang Tight Studio). That was over 13 years ago and I can honestly say that I giggle & pinch myself that I get to draw & create every day!

What’s your favorite part of running your business?

I work with a really wide variety of clients designing everything from vintage inspired graphics to fun whimsical prints for kids… sometimes simultaneously. I think one of the coolest parts of my “job” is that diversity. I love it! I’m constantly being challenged creatively and every day brings something new.

Do you have other creative endeavors that aren’t part of your business? 

I might have left the world of fashion design as a career but I still love to sew! My technical skills definitely got a bit rusty over the years but that doesn’t stop me. I’m constantly whipping up creations for myself, my house and my friends & family. I love turning a flat piece of fabric into something you can use or wear and don’t even get me started on how cool it is to be able to make something out of fabric that I’ve designed!!! 

What’s your favorite object in your home?

Ooohh… that’s a toughie. I guess I’d have to say my treasured find is the vintage Wolf dress form I scored at an antique auction a few years ago. Since design school I’ve collected a funky mix of cool dress forms that I have scattered around my house but I’d been on the hunt for a Wolf for years. I actually squealed when I won the bid at the auction and knew that she was coming home with me.

What’s your favorite dish to serve your friends?

I love to cook and lately my brother & I have been on a shared quest to perfect the ultimate homemade pizza. We’re constantly sending each other new dough & sauce recipes or different tips we’ve read about for creating authentic Napoleon style pizza. A lot of my friends have a gluten free diet but whenever I get the chance to make a pizza for one of them I jump at the opportunity.

What’s the best music to listen to during a cocktail party?

Oooh… Anything retro, swing or bluesy… Like “Put a lid on it” by the Squirrel Nut Zippers, “Big Bad Handsome Man” by Imelda May, or  “Swannee River Rock” by Ray Charles. I was totally born in the wrong era! Ha!

What’s your favorite thing to wear that’s hanging in your closet?

I have this incredible vintage wool coat from the 40’s that makes me giddy. It’s part cape, part coat with a really high collar & pale pink lining. Swoon! I’m a pretty casual girl so I don’t get to wear it that often but when I do I’m grinning from ear to ear.

What’s your favorite piece of jewelry?

I’m a bit of a minimalist when it comes to jewelry but I’m a sucker for a nice chunky ring. Right now my favorite is a cool bright orange fused glass & silver ring by Coco Corral (lovinganvil.com) that I got for Christmas last year.

What’s your favorite vacation spot?

Do I have to pick just one? He! He! I love to travel and I’ve been lucky enough to go on some pretty amazing trips with my mom & my Aunt (“the travelin’ girls”). A few years ago we traveled around Spain & Portugal and I have to say one of the most memorable spots for me was the Algarve Coast (Portugal). The aquamarine waters & golden sculptural rock formations were mind blowing.

What’s your favorite city in the world?

There are so many cool cities around the world it’s tough to pick just one… but if you twisted my arm and made me choose I think I’d have to say Paris. I could eat myself into oblivion, get lost in all the fabulous streets & architecture and lose weeks visiting all of the museums. Ahh… Paris!

What’s your favorite era in history?

Without a doubt I’d have to say the Roaring Twenties!! The clothes were amazing, the music was to die for, the cars were insanely cool and I love all the slang terms from the era… like “she’s the bees knees” or “he’s the cat’s pajamas”. It’s brilliant! I’m convinced that I lived in that era in a past life. If the ability to time travel ever comes about I know where I’m going first.

What’s your favorite book or movie?

I’m a huge movie buff! It’s always hard to pick a favorite because my taste varies quite a bit based on my mood but one movie I never get tired of watching is the 1998 version of Great Expectations with Ethan Hawke, Gwyneth Paltrow & Anne Bancroft. It’s tragic, romantic and the entire movie is subtly filled with the color green… which happens to be my favorite color. If you haven’t seen it… add it to your netflix queue right away!

Do you have a tradition, ritual or yearly activity that you love?

Since I was a kid we always went out & cut down our own Christmas tree instead of buying a pre-cut one. I loved bundling up, walking through the woods of the tree farm hunting for just the right one & bringing it home to decorate. When I moved to San Francisco I was determined to continue the tradition and I miraculously found a cut-your-own tree farm down the coast in Half Moon Bay. I’d drive down the coast every winter with my best friends & we’d make a day out of cutting down our trees.  Now that I’m back in Maine there are a handful of incredible cut-your-own tree farms right by my house. Every December it’s a tradition to go hunt for the perfect tree, come home, pop in the old claymation Rudolph movie and decorate. I’m a sucker for the holidays!

When do you feel most connected to other people, your work, your life, etc?

Juggling all of the aspects of running your own business can be a bit manic sometimes… putting in long hours, working a lot of weekends and wearing a lot of hats. After I’ve had my morning coffee & checked my emails I step away from the studio for about an hour & I go for a walk on the beach with my sweet Sussex Spaniel Emma Jean. This is my favorite time of the day… just me & my fuzzy girl, some great music & an unbeatable view. All of the mania, deadlines & to do lists vanish. I feel completely connected to my life and am extremely grateful.

What are your visions for your business over the next several years?

My business has shifted and changed in ways I never would have predicted over the last 13 years. One of the new avenues I’ve dipped my toe into lately has been the world of licensing. I’ve been designing prints & graphics for clients for years but my name has never been attached to them. I’ve been the girl behind the curtain so to speak. It’s been really exciting to step out of the shadows and see my name next to my designs. It’s opened up a whole new world to me creatively and I can’t wait to explore it even further.

Meet the Artist: Susan Dwyer - Up in the Air Somewhere

Susan in her studio

Susan working in her studio

Gilding Process

Large Grey Water Tower

Susan in Rio

Papier-mâché bowls

Purchase Susan's papier-mâché bowl designed exclusively for Little Yellow Couch in our September Box!

How or why did you start doing what you do?

I graduated from the School of the Art Institute having focused in sculpture. At the time I had no interest in ceramics and I was making larger scale installation pieces. For the first few years after college I worked as a studio assistant to professional artists. I loved working in their studios and knew that I wanted to keep making things for a living.

In 2007 a few friends opened Etsy shops selling cards and jewelry, so inspired by them, I opened my own Etsy store. I had an idea for a ceramic water tower that I'd been wanting to make for a while. I decided to  take a ceramics class at a local studio just so I could make this small collection of pieces (water towers and silos).  Up in the Air Somewhere really grew from that first water tower. I began incorporating paper pieces as a way to make work with more control from start to finish (and so I could work on things at home). With ceramics you are really tied to the studio and a lot can happen in the kiln that is out of your control.  Now I really enjoy working with both mediums, though the end result can sometimes trick the eye. At shows people often can't tell the difference between the paper bowls and my small ceramic dishes.

What's your favorite part of running your business?

I love being able to connect directly with customers and hear their responses to my work. It's extremely gratifying to make an object that you personally love, but when you put it into the world and someone else sees it and loves it too, well, there's nothing better.

Do you have other creative endeavors that aren't part of running your business?

My background is in sculpture, so when I get the time I work on those pieces. Over the years I've been making cast plaster wall sculptures and I'm planning on making those available soon.

What's your favorite object in your home?

My husband, Ben, and I went to Bali for our honeymoon 2 years ago. While we were there we came across a painter working out of a small studio in a village with a beautiful view of the rice paddies. He was charming and his work was really the best we had seen. On our last day we hiked back up just to buy a small painting from him. Now it hangs in our living room and it reminds me of that amazing trip every time I see it.

What's your favorite thing to wear that's hanging in your closet?

One of my best friends, Marc Witmer,  both officiated my wedding and made my wedding dress. He recently launched his line (marcwitmernyc.com)  and I love how perfectly cut everything is. My favorite is a simple short sleeved white silk blouse. It's deceptively simple, but feels amazing on.

What's your favorite piece of jewelry?

This is a tough one! I love everything I have by Cursive Design (my dear friend and former studio mate), but for sentimentality I'd have to say my engagement ring and wedding band are my favorite pieces of jewelry. I refuse to wear any other rings on my fingers (but bring on the necklaces, please!)

What's your favorite restaurant in the world?

My favorite Chicago restaurant is Mana. It's vegetarian (my husband is vegetarian) but creative and every single menu item is delicious. It's our go-to celebration restaurant.

What's your favorite city in the world?

My favorite city in the world is Rio de Janeiro. My dad is from the city and most of his family still live there. It has breathtaking beaches, an urban rainforest, and a rich city life like no other place in the world. Ben and I spent a month there last year and I'm already itching to go back.

What are your vision for your business over the next several years?

When I started Up in the Air Somewhere I kept it very separate from what I considered my "real" artwork. But over the years that gap has shrunk and I'm feeling excited about adding one of a kind artwork to Up in the Air Somewhere. I'd like to move away from production work a bit and focus more on custom projects. We'll see!

Meet the Artists: Marlene Debeljak - La Bonne Vie Designs

We first met Marlene Debeljak at the Country Living Fair in Rhinebeck, NY. She sells her own, vintage inspired jewelry as well as vintage finds.  Karen snagged one of her stunning necklaces and I scored a fantastic vintage cookie sheet featuring an embossed advertisement.  It reads “Free 49cent Pan with your Initial Purchase of New PY-O-MY Pastry Mix.”  I love it and use it as a magnetic board in my office.  Marlene had a gorgeous booth that she had turned into the kind of treasure-filled boutique you’d expect to find in a quaint, historic neighborhood….in the South.  I don’t know why exactly, since Marlene lives in Ohio, but to me, she oozes southern charm and grace.  She’s warm and easy to talk with and is obviously filled with energy.  When she was a little girl, she was mesmerized by watching pageants on t.v.  Marlene didn’t want to be crowned the queen, she wanted to be the Queen Bee who designs the gowns. This is how she started sewing, first for her dolls then for her daughters and now for her clients.  Her jewelry reflects her personal history and aesthetic.  Her most cherished piece is a cameo inherited from her great-great grandmother, and every necklace she makes incorporates a vintage item, usually something that sparkles and alludes to the era of Hollywood Glam.  

Marlene gave us her family’s favorite recipe and Karen and I decided that reading it wasn’t enough…we had to have some for ourselves!  So Karen made Marlene’s “Chicken Bundles” and did a beautiful job!  Here are a few photos of us, sharing the meal with our husbands, accompanied by a watermelon and jicama salad, a bottle (or two) of wine and topped off with a quick version of peach cobbler for dessert.  Thanks, Marlene!  

xoxo Zandra

Hello, my name is Marlene Debeljak. I am the owner of La Bonne Vie Designs. I love to design and create. Like so many of us, I am extremely busy! I am often asked how I juggle so much and get it all done. Here's a secret, I don't always get it all done, but I do my best. I am always looking for time saving, delicious dinners for my family, so I thought I would share one of my family's favorite recipes.

Chicken Bundles Italian (from Food.com)

3 chicken breasts, skinned, deboned and chopped

1 cup of sliced green onions

1 Tbl. olive oil

1 cup low fat ricotta cheese

1 10 oz. package frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. lemon juice

3 Tbl. melted butter

1 pkg. egg roll wrappers

Brown chicken and green onions in olive oil until chicken is no longer pink. Set aside. In large bowl, combine all but butter and wrappers. Stir in chicken. Brush muffin tins with butter. Place one wrapper in each well; fill 3/4 full. Fold over wrapper to seal; brush with butter. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Enjoy!

Meet the Artist: Lucinda Snyder - Lucends

Lucinda at her home in upstate New York

Kea, Cyclades, Greece

Kea, Cyclades, Greece

Kea, Cyclades, Greece

Kea, Cyclades, Greece

We first saw Lucinda's work at the Country Living Fair in Rhinebeck, NY.  When we contacted her to see if she was interested in a collaboration she gave us the best response we could have imagined!  She said it was if she had been waiting for us to find her.  How lovely is that?  We have truly enjoyed getting to know Luc a little better. Below are the  questions we put to her to give you a peek into her life and inspirations.  Luc, thank you for sharing yourself with us this month!

xoxo, Zan (which is what I asked Luc to call me once I heard her nickname) 

Little Yellow Couch: How did your business come to be?

Lucinda Snyder:  I never in a million years thought that I would have a business that centered around fabric, stitches and a sewing machine. I was a knitter. I knew yarn, gauge and needle sizes.  I taught myself to sew 5 years ago when my son, Cooper, died after open heart surgery.  Knitting no longer quieted my mind or calmed the storm raging inside me.  I needed something more.  As a former knitting shop owner, color spoke to me, but it was no longer in the form of yarn.  Fabric was its replacement. I taught myself how to sew as a way to heal my heart, honor my son and keep living. The creative process saved me. As a result Lucends was born.

LYC: What’s exciting you about Lucends right now?

LS:  This past year I have had the opportunity to work with Heather Dutton of Hang Tight Studios, to create an exclusive fabric line for my new collection. This process has been so much fun and I am so proud of what we have created.

LYC: What’s your favorite object in your home?

LS:  My mom is a ceramic artist and has a large number of talented friends.  After Cooper died, many of them gave us amazing pieces related to birds.  But my favorite object is a photo of our son, Chace, when he was a newborn holding a knit bird, a member of Cooper's flock. These birds were knit by people all over the world and given to each pediatric cardiac patient the day of their surgery. In this photograph, my two children are captured together as brothers, made possible by a stranger using her hands to create a piece of love.

LYC: Do you have a yearly tradition that you love?

LS:  College football season!  I love, love, love college football and I look forward to the start of the season every year.  It means that change is coming, that we’re on the cusp of fall, and that cool, crisp days are right around the corner.  Every Sunday, my family, spread out from Alaska to South Carolina to New Mexico and New York, will rehash the previous day's games all afternoon.

LYC: This month we’re launching Little Yellow Couch and introducing our concept of living a connected life.  When do you feel most connected to other people, your work and your life?

LS:  I feel connected when I know that what I am doing matters to someone.  Whether it’s through a blog post, in a conversation at a show, or something I say to a friend...it is important for me to live from a place of honesty and authenticity.  When I do that I feel connected to the people and world around me.

Lucinda Snyder wrote this guest post for us entitled, “Home”.

i have lived a number
of different places over my life.
some of them were brief stops
on my journey, others beckoned
me to stay longer.

i have lived in upstate new york
for the longest span of time,
in my adult life anyway.

there are times when
it feels like home
and other times it
is the most foreign place on the planet.

it is the place where i live
with PH and Chace.
it is the place where
we have a home.
it is the place where i
have built a life,

but is it home?
is it the place that comes to
mind when i hear the word home?

yes it is. but.

home is also the smell on pinion
burning in santa fe.
the amazing number of stars
in the night sky out west.

home is also the feeling
i get when i step off the plane in texas.
it is a place that  knows the depths of my soul.
there is something familiar and comforting
about the lone star state.

home is also the smell of salt
air blowing off the Mediterranean sea,
stepping off the boat and feeling the
dna settle in my bones.
greece is the place of my ancestors
and i feel it every time i set foot on the island.

home is where i go when i need to feel settled.
home is where i go when i need comfort.
home is where i go when i feel restless in my current place.

where do you go for the feeling of home?
where is your home?