La Femme Noir, f/ Static Steamworks

And I only wanted to seriously injure one person! Who shall, of course, remain unnamed. For obvious reasons.

Ah, so, here we are. Three shows in half a week, with drama, stress, monkey wrenches, and and godsends. So, without further ado…

Matt and I would like to thank the following:

• Producers Mac Goodwin, Mitra Chester, and Laura Lee Laroux
• Emcees Marie Slugtoinette, Dawn Baby, Ty Connor, Mac Goodwin, and Shawn Kahl
• DJs Charles Thump and Shawn Kahl
• Photographers Melissa Mankins, Claire Flint, Kenneth Lander, and Todd Cooper
• Videographer Chuck Griffin
• Bounce Gymnastics, Mood Area 52, Black Magdelene, and Aeon Now! for their wonderful performances.
• NOVO Salon, Ami de Paris, Rheanna Bowman, Marisa Shute, Karissa Yoakum, Alicia Jane Roxy Allen, Northwest College School of Beauty, Mothership Salon, and Blu Clark for the hair and makeup.
• Models Ashley Bryant, Ayuni Kelton, Anastasia Inkiriwang, Jessica Ingalls, Grace Carroll-Anderson, Tamara Fleck, Cat Dorris, Margot Delaittre, and Jen Duce for wearing our stuff.
• Brandon Biggs for being AWESOME Friday night.
• Fellow designers Annie Rupp (Shady Lady), Jeremy Covert (Man Shorts), Laura Lee Laroux (Revivall), Jennifer Brown (Under the Root), Leif Lorenzen and Stephanie King (Elemental Alchemy), Marcia Knee and Richard Quigley (Spandex Body and Quigley Art), Alli Ditson (ALLIHALLA), Kendra Brock (Kendra Grace Designs), Andrew Van Asselt (Coalition for Justice), Katie Liane, Cassie Ridgway (Mag Big), Julia Paige (Tuff Love Design), Anne Groundwater (Give ‘Em the Slip), Jeanette Moore, Rebecca Welton (Allied Workers), Autumn Baker (Autumn Alexander), Amanda Prussak, Laurel Pearcy (Form), Madison Pravel (Sassy Pants), Mitra Chester (Deluxe), Matt Bliss (It Came from the Pit), Kelly Erikson (3 Sardines), Jen Duce, Aniela Willman (Aniela Parys Designs), Marjorie and Amber Taylor (Taylor Made), Renne (Va Va Vie), Shantelle Brown (Pickpocket Designs), Marie Valle (Sparkle Glitter Glow), and RaQuel (Vedora).
• EFW sponsors Ami de Paris, NOVO, Ninkasi Brewery, Freudian Slip, Paper Moon Photo Studio, Indie Pop, BRING Recycling, Hard Times Distillery, Black Lotus Tattoo, Green Light Experience, Izakaya Meiji, Morning Glory Cafe, Bounce Gymnastics, Chuck Griffin, Crieger and Goodwin Real Estate, Parkside Apartments, Bare Body Waxing, Oneself Connect, Eugene Weekly, Eye Beam Event Services, Wandering Goat, Mothership Salon, Northwest College of Beauty, Greater Goods, Dawn Baby Salon, and Blu Clark Salon.
• The owners of the Broadway Commerce Center, and the City of Eugene.
• The crews at the Oak Street Speakeasy, Deluxe, Kitsch, and The Redoux Parlour.
• All of the people who worked so hard to do the set-up (and later, tear-down).
• Our fellow vendors.
• Anybody that we forgot and/or don’t have names for.
• And lastly, but most importantly, each other.

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This is the full schedule, complete with ticket info. We’ll be on the runway in bold events; vending in italicized. (via eugenefashionweek.com)

April 25th Lingerie/Bathing Suit Show

Oak Street Speakeasy

Doors at 8pm, Music by Taste and Eager Beavers

Show at 9pm *21 and over*
$8

*this show WILL SELL OUT so get there early

April 27th Ready to Wear/Evening Wear

Broadway Commerce Building- 44 West Broadway-5th floor

Doors and Vending at 6pm

Entertainment at 6:30 pm

Music by Mood Area 52, Entertainment and Ariel Silk performance by Bounce Gymnastics

Show at 8pm
$7 in advance/$10 at the door

April 28th All Ages Show

Broadway Commerce Building- 44 West Broadway-5th floor

Doors/Vending/Entertainment at 1:30pm

Show at 3 pm
$3 in advance/$5 at the door

April 28th Avant Garde/Costume Show

Broadway Commerce Building- 44 West Broadway-5th floor

Doors and Vending at 7pm

Entertainment at 7:30 pm

Music by Aeon Now! , Performance by Bounce Gymnastics

Show at 8:30 pm
$7 in advance/$10 at the door

$17 Passes available for Friday and Saturday Shows

Presale tickets will be available April 19th at the following locations:
Deluxe-1331 Willamette
The Redoux Parlour- 780 Blair Blvd
Oak Street Speakeasy- 915 Oak St.

Presale tickets are ONLY available for the Friday and Saturday shows. Tickets for the Wednesday night Lingerie and Bathing Suit Show will be sold at the door.

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From the Eugene Fashion Week Facebook page:
(The ones we are planning to participate in are in bold.)

Tickets will be for sale mid-April

April 25th (Wednesday) Lingerie & Swimwear show Oak Street Speakeasy (21 and over)
April 27th (Friday) Ready to Wear and Evening Wear- Broadway Commerce Center (44 W. Broadway)
April 28th (Saturday Daytime) All Ages Show- Broadway Commerce Center
April 28th (Saturday Evening) Avant Garde/Costume show- Broadway Commerce Center

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Not even three days out, and someone’s already fired up the rumor mill.

I got an IM from a friend that said they’d heard from another friend that they’d heard that we were asked to vacate our booth at Crafters’ Alley. I can assure you, we were not. When we signed the contract, it was for six months, starting in September. Our contract was scheduled to end, and we opted to not renew it. Why? We weren’t making any money. In fact, we were *losing* money. To renew our contract would have been fiscally irresponsible. We are on good terms with the owner, and would like to try again at a later date, when it won’t be a financial blow, and when we can better safeguard against theft.

I don’t know who’s saying that we were asked to leave. Quite frankly, I don’t care. In almost eleven years of living in the Eugene/Springfield area, I’ve found a way to piss plenty of people off. If you hear someone saying something different than what I just typed, ignore them. If it becomes an issue, I would be more than happy to scan and post the contract I signed in September. But I would prefer it if you didn’t feed the trolls on our behalf–it’s not worth the time or breath, and starving trolls eventually die.

Crafters’ Alley was an expensive risk, but business is all about taking risks. We learned a few lessons that we will apply towards future ventures. I won’t let the lackluster sales and thefts discourage me, and I won’t let the trolls win.

Enough of that, and back to working on EFW.

*j*

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I’m not going to be a jerk and flood your walls/feeds with fifty different listings.

Steam-y Strand

Amber Beaded Necklace

Chain Link Necklace

Crystal Chain Earrings

Steampunk Dangle Earrings

Pink Drop Earrings

Steampunk Link Earrings

Steampunk Heart Earrings

Romantic Goth Purple Earrings

Pink Pearl Earrings

Crystal Link Earrings

Steampunk Dangle Earrings

Blue Heart Earrings

Brassy Pearl Earrings

Steampunk Cluster Earrings

Peach Pearl Earrings

Champagne Link Earrings

Pink Fringe Earrings

Amber Cluster Earrings

Pink Dangle Earrings

Wire-Wrapped Earrings

Reflective Steampunk Earrings

Black and White Dangle Earrings

Pink Chain Earrings

Pink Cluster Earrings

Chinese Glass Earrings

Sapphire Pearl Earrings

Bronze Victorian Earrings

Teal Dangle Posts

Crystal Pentagram Earrings

Pink Ribbon Earrings

Teal Dangle Earrings

Chunky Pink Earrings

Brown Heart Earrings

Pink Dangle Earrings

Steampunk Lifesaver Earrings

Victorian Clasp Earrings

Purple Ankh Earrings

Steampunk Arrow Ring

Steampunk Cameo Cuff Links

Blue and Gray Bracelet

Wire-Wrapped Ring

Pearl Necklace with Shell Pendant

Beaded Necklace with Wire-Wrapped Pendant

Beaded Necklace with Wire-Wrapped Pendant

Chain Cameo Necklace

Steampunk Rosary

Steampunk Choker

Steampunk Choker

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Just a quick reminder that our contract ends with Crafters’ Alley at Springfield’s Gateway Mall on the 29th. I believe everything in the booth is still 50% off, but I think I may go put it to 75% later today. Whatever’s left will start being packed away to be brought home at around 8 pm on the 29th, and will be listed for the return of the eBay Blitz, set for the first few days of March. There may or may not be a Blitz for April–I haven’t decided yet.

Also, two weeks from tonight, I should know the schedule, location(s), and ticket prices for Eugene Fashion Week, as well as any pertinent information for potential models. If you would like to model for me, please email me soon(er rather than later). This will help me get an idea of what I need to work on, and will allow for you to partake in any model requirements (calls, fittings, etc.), which begin as soon as the 11th of March. My only requirements are that you’re clean and reliable. “Clean” also counts toward drug and alcohol use–nobody wants a model who is drunk or stoned out of his/her gourd on the runway. It’s sloppy, and it’s dangerous. Please keep this in mind.

Oh. While I will be doing a good wash of everything and putting them into sealed garment bags before the show, I do live with cats and a smoker. Until I do that load (or more) in the laundry, there WILL be cat hair and it WILL smell like smoke. If you are allergic to or bothered by either one, I need to know so special arrangements can be made.

Until next time.

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• It looks like we will be vending Wednesday, February 1, at Ghost House’s steampunk night. The event page on Facebook says start time is 9. (I put 10 on the FB pages–my baaaaad.)
• I have a meeting to attend at the beginning of March that will tell me all I need to know about dates/times/locations/model calls/etc. for Eugene Fashion Week. You’ll know when I know.

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To keep me from dwelling on if I just heard thunder here in sunny Springfield, Oregon, or if my upstairs neighbor is being a giant noisy jerk again (more likely), I’ve decided that I’m overdue on any updating.

• Eugene Fashion Week is coming up soon, and I plan on being on at least one of the runways. This means that I am on the hunt for models again. You don’t have to be what the world considers to be runway model “ideal”–in fact, I think the model stereotype is disgusting. I’m looking for REAL women: fat, skinny, pale, tan, body mods, Goth, hippy, hipster…I don’t care. If you want to start a career in modeling, or just looking to have fun, email me at lfnjewelry@gmail.com so I can add you to the list. I only ask that you be reliable.
• I re-opened the Etsy shop. Yes, I still have a problem with the admins blatantly allowing copyright infringement and reselling, as well as their forum censorship, but I guess there are people who are uncomfortable with eBay, and I don’t have the time to build an online shop from nothing. So, yeah…click here for the re-opened Etsy shop.
• Speaking of eBay, I’ll still be doing the blitzes, but they are currently on hiatus. I’ll more than likely resume them after EFW. In the meantime, I’m doing coupon codes for Facebook and Twitter followers, and I’ll toss in a couple of “sales” here and there (but you need to pay attention to get the codes).
• Both eBay and Etsy rely on having photos of what you’re offering. Well, a Windows update crashed my laptop, and I lost ALL of my pictures. Matt has been successful in recovering some of them, but I am currently working on rephotographing. This will take some time, because I have cats, a husband, housework, sewing, and a pregnant sister to contend with.
• I’ll be sticking some brand-new creations up on Etsy, but so far, I’m undecided on letting current listings expire, then relisting after EFW.
• After a particularly hairy situation with a now-former “client,” I have resolved that–while there were mistakes made on BOTH sides–I’ll be a little heavier when it comes to custom orders to prevent this situation from ever happening again. On another note, don’t tell me it looks fine, and then message me a week later to tell me how unhappy you are. That’s called a douchebag manuever, and certainly won’t earn you any points in my book. In fact, as it did with this person, you’ll just be ignored. Quite frankly, I was baffled and didn’t expect it, so I couldn’t even come up with a response. When I finally came up with one, I decided against sending it. Anyways, to get back on track, look for my custom order rules soon. This will save both ends a lot of time, and will result in a few less gray hairs on my end (god knows I have enough already thanks to genetics).
• I’ll be updating the Facebook page and this site soon to reflect upcoming events, policies, and the re-addition of Etsy.
• Currently, Static Steamworks is operating on a made-to-order basis (with some exceptions for upcoming events). This is due to Matt’s schedule, and the time/money it takes to gather the materials and put them together. Any requests for custom orders can be directed to lfnjewelry@gmail.com (another result of the above-mentioned fiasco).
• Our contract with Crafters’ Alley at Gateway Mall ends at the end of February. Until then, our entire inventory there is 50% off.

This is all I can think of for now (I really should take notes). Changes and improvements to come!

*~j~*

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I’m trying something out that won’t clog Facebook walls. If my views stay low, then I’ll post individually.

Pink Pearl Earrings

Steampunk Rosary

Steampunk Dangle Earrings

48″ Long Red Clay Chain Necklace

Lavender and Black Tube Dress

Pink Pearl Bracelet

Steampunk Choker

Green Pearl Ring

Wire-Wrapped Steampunk Bangle Bracelet

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First off, it appears that you people would rather I come out behind as opposed to ahead, so I’ll go back to the original idea for the eBay blitz this month. Never mind that I have mouths to feed, most of whom would probably kill me in my sleep…

Second off, I received a rather rude email, basically calling my models from Full Steam “fat.” Okay, whatever. My models ranged from size 8 to 14 (not counting myself). I don’t consider a single one of them to be “fat”–I consider them to be real women with real figures. I don’t like stick figure models. Hell, even Paris and Milan are banning the sticks from the runways. Why? Because it puts out an unrealistic view of what women should look like. If I recall correctly, Marilyn Monroe was a size 14, and despite that, still considered one of the most beautiful women of the twentieth century. I like women with meat on their bones–when I see a woman with visible bones, I want to hand her a McDonald’s gift card and tell her to eat! Point being, my models are not fat, and that person got quite the earful before I block their email address and deleted that gross email from existence.

Third–Don’t forget to go to our booth at Crafters’ Alley. I’m considering a Thanksgiving weekend sale for it, as well as a Christmas week sale. Please don’t steal anything. I will be getting a locking case for the jewelry soon, with instructions that the cashier take it to the register to await your checkout. I’m sorry, but Matt is still really upset about that necklace, and I’d like to avoid another theft.

Fourth–For those without access to eBay or Crafters’ Alley, I’m working on it. Stay tuned.

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