#1. First up is the collection of luxe headphones by Frends. I learned about them from a Refinery 29 email back in January proclaiming they were “The coolest headphones we’ve ever seen. Ever.” Indeed, I’ve never seen headphones look so good (like a premium handbag-turned-piece of jewelry for your head), but this was not the first time I’d heard of Frends. The brand was started in 2006 by a couple of pro snowboarders and over the years has grown into a whole crew of frends (there’s no I in friends). I remember their booth at Agenda (an action sports tradeshow) in Huntington Beach a few years ago, because I had stopped to chat with one of the frends, Scotty Lago, a rider from New Hampshire who I’d met a few times before at various industry events. Back then, the booth was filled with t-shirts (no headphones yet) and it’s nice to see how far they’ve come, from channeling their individual expressions of style in snowboarding to a covetable expression of style in fashion.

#2. I love these images of French artist Hubert Duprat’s fascinating work, although it might be more accurate to commend the work of the Caddis fly larvae, who are the true artists behind these gilded creations. The Caddis larvae live in fresh water and construct protective cases of found materials from their environment (usually things like pieces of wood, shells, sand, stones, etc.). Since the early 80s, Duprat has been collaborating with these specialized creatures by moving them to a home aquarium and replacing their natural building supplies with gold leaf, pearls, and semi precious stones. As Duprat describes, he “creates the conditions necessary for the Caddis to display their talents.” The resulting sculptures are so organic and unique, can you imagine wearing one as a piece of jewerly?

#3. Keeping with this theme of intricate metallic “objets d’art,” I’ve been kind of obsessed with Emil Stejnar’s pusteblume light fixtures ever since I wrote about them in a Misc. Six post from last year. Since then, my husband and I have procured two matching wall sconces and a large chandelier to hang in our bedroom. In fact, we’ve purchased additional fixtures that have been either stripped for spare parts or resold upon finding better options. While most of the current availability on the market are of similar ceiling pendants differentiated by size and condition, every once in a while a really unique piece from the collection pops up that surprises me. For example, I’ve never seen anything like this set of table lamps we found on eBay a couple weeks ago. They wouldn’t have gone well in our house and ended up selling for an unknown “best offer,” but it’s still fun to save the lovely imagery as part of my own digital collection of inspiring home décor.

#4. A friend sent me the link to Ana Ljubinkovic’s Showcase 2013 collection, knowing that I would be enamored by her imaginatively whimsical aesthetic. After pouring over her Spring and Fall lines from 2012, I was an instant fan – from her eclectic mix of colors, textures and shapes, her looks are all very girly-glam, while some elements seem edgy and even retro-inspired. Of course I love her intricate work with pearl encrusted surfaces, but was especially taken with her deer head shoes, which spoke directly to my personal affinity for anything with a kitschy Swiss ski-chalet vibe. In fact, these over-the-top shoes have already inspired a pair I have in the works for my upcoming baby shower, so stay tuned to see my own take on fantastical footwear!

#5. Here’s an unexpected collaboration that was fun to stumble upon. BlackMilk clothing, the Australian maker of all things printed spandex (mostly leggings), has teamed up with the powers of Middle Earth to offer a line of Hobbit and Lord of the Rings pieces so fan girls can “get your nerd on,” as designer James Lillis explains. I remember reading the Hobbit and subsequent trilogy some time around 5th grade after my dad had passed the set of books from his own childhood on to me. My favorite thing about the whole experience of exploring Middle Earth were the maps to be found on the endpapers of the books that were so artistically and authentically illustrated to compliment the stories. So while I’m afraid I would not be interested in wearing a dress featuring the likeness of one of the movie characters, when I saw the Hills of Gondor leggings, my inner nerd definitely paused to consider adding-to-cart.

#6. Just a couple of interesting coincidences on the catwalk. First is a love for creepy-crawlies; both Lanvin (above-left) and Tory Burch (above-right) centered much of their Fall 13 collections around various beetles and bugs. If you think about it, this motif makes a lot of sense what with iridescent finishes and lucite accents coming on strong in the last year, as well as Fall being the perfect time to find inspiration in darker, more gothic details. No sooner had I taken stock of Tory Burch’s clever execution of placing a custom piece of hardware (the dragonfly) up the back of the heel, but I stumbled upon some Spring 13 shoes from Viktor & Rolf (below-left) and Diane von Furstenberg (below-right), who’s chrome-ball hardware up the heel makes it look like the two brands were sitting at the same table during a design brainstorm session! Nevertheless, this trend in new hardware shapes is a statement I can’t get enough of.

This month I had the pleasure of creating a special pair of shoes for a very deserving bride. Ali, an admissions coordinator at a school for Autistic children, spends her days helping scared and uneasy parents get their children the services they need. Outside of work, her free time is filled with classes and long clinical rotations as she earns her nursing degree. On top of all this, Ali still finds time for charity work, organizing Mo-vember fundraisers and blood drives in memory of her father. As her future sister-in-law describes, “she is patient, kind, caring and selfless.” I’m not sure how she does it, but through all of this outpouring of support towards others, Ali always looks fantastic. She has a great sense of style and knows what she likes – a trait that, in the case of custom shoes, can lead to extraordinary results!

From her thoroughly completed Questionnaire, she painted me a clear picture of an urban chic wedding with a distinct color palette and definitive details. Ali’s plan is for a wedding that fuses modern and classic elements, but in my first concept drawing (shown above), the design turned out to be skewed too modern. I focused heavily on the stark clean lines of the floor to ceiling windows at her contemporary style venue, Boston’s State Room, and my plan to mix high contrast colors and materials came across a bit too strong. Ali explained these concerns and I went back to the drawing board to evolve the design in a way that also spoke to the more traditional, softer aspects of her wedding dress.

This opportunity for client collaboration and the search for the best solution is what custom shoes are all about! In Ali’s case, we both agree the resulting pair truly blends the modern and classic styling she was looking for: the knotted satin across the ankle strap and vamp area brings both softness and an eveningwear attitude to the shoes. Coupled with a trio of ivory pearls that elegantly elongates the foot, these classic details are set off by a bold imperial purple base that will coordinate with the chic purple orchids and other modern accents Ali has incorporated into the event.

Another aspect of the process that went into this purple pair, was the opportunity for a fitting of the shoes so that any necessary tweaks could be made before the big day. In most cases from my custom shoemaking experience, the shoes have not been able to be finished until right before the event or the client and I do not live close enough to meet in person. For this pair, because Ali’s tailor required the shoes to be finished prior to her dress fitting, much like the dress alterations themselves, this also allowed us time to make adjustments on the shoes. Happily, every part of the shoes fit perfectly except for the ankle strap, which was a bit large. So now it’s back to the studio for this last bit of fine-tuning as we work to ensure that Ali will walk down the aisle in shoes as auspicious as she is!

All photos by Katie and Adam Blauer

As Colombia’s national tourism website agrees, “Green is a color that identifies Colombia as much as the colors of its flag.” The country embodies this year’s color both symbolically through the green hues of its natural landscape as well as literally through the precious emeralds it has mined since antiquity. In fact, Colombia is the leading producer of the finest quality emeralds in the world. While in Cartagena, we visited the Museo de la Esmeralda and witnessed the history of this brilliant mineral as well as the its evolution, from formation in natural to the end consumer.

Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute further explains, “As it has throughout history, multifaceted Emerald continues to sparkle and fascinate. Symbolically, Emerald brings a sense of clarity, renewal and rejuvenation.” This vivid, verdant green is also widely known to represent new life, prosperity and unity – all the best wishes one would bestow upon the marriage of dear friends. This past weekend in Cartagena, surrounded by Pantone’s official color of the year, we were able to do just that.

Free People blouse, Anthropologie skirt, Martin Margiela shoes, Cole Haan clutch, David Yurman jewelry

I’ve always been known for treating my family to handmade cards and gifts for birthdays and various holidays. As early as middle school, I was on such a roll with the card making that I had taken to signing the back of each card with “Katie Kards Ink.,” my first company name. This year for Christmas, in the lull between wedding seasons and after the success of my first pair of handmade moccasins, I decided to create a pair of mocs for each of the women in my family. Making seven pairs at once turned out to be a much larger endeavor than I had initially imagined and I was working like a little elf to finish them up right up until Christmas Eve. Needless to say, the holiday moccasins were a big hit and now all the ladies in my family are sure to stay cozy in these chic little slippers through the winter months ahead.

Here are a few tips I learned along the way, as an addendum to my first DIY Moccasin post. The major takeaway is that you may want to consider adjusting your tools in order to help ease the process of making multiple pairs at once.

Hole punching. Each pair of moccasins requires approximately 300 holes punched. Instead of using a rotary hole punch tool, which would quickly result in a case of Carpal tunnel, try using a tube style punch set with a poly mallet on a poly cutting board. This technique will save your hands and protect your tools, while ensuring clean crisp holes every time.

Stitching. In addition to using a large blunt needle to help stitch with the waxed thread, when it’s time to lace up with leather laces, try using a Perma Lok Needle. This threaded tube holds tight to the tip of the lace and definitely facilitates the sometimes-tricky job of sliding a leather lace through a small leather hole.

Gluing.This traditional handmade moccasin pattern technically does not require any glue for assembly, but in order to add my preferred style of footbed and tassel decoration, I ended up using quite a bit of contact cement. Whenever using toxic adhesives in this kind of quantity, make sure to work in a room that is well ventilated and wear a respirator mask with organic compound filters.

Sizing. Two of the seven pairs were made in deerskin leather (tan and yellow), rather than cow suede or full grain leather. This made for larger-than-normal fitting moccasins due to the deerskin being so thin and stretchable. Also, you’ll notice this style of knotted tassel detail at the lace ends does not allow for any adjustability. Coupled with the fact that the moccasin pattern is only offered in combined whole sizes (4+5, 6+7, 8+9, etc.), expectations for a perfect fit should be relaxed. Remember that with any hand made gift, it’s more about the thought that counts!

Paint-by-number snow scene spotted at the Brimfield Antiques Fair, September, 2012.

There’s something about Thanksgiving and Christmas time that brings out our love for all things nostalgic, so I thought it would be seasonally appropriate to write about one of my favorite styles of art: paint-by-number. Maybe it’s because I get to spend all my holidays in the picturesque ski town of Stowe, Vermont, but I’ve always loved the unique retro vibe of a scenic paint-by-number landscape, and have no qualms with calling it art.

Paint-by-number was the hobby that swept the nation in the 1950s, thanks to Max Klein and Dan Robbins of the Palmer Paint Company, who’s $2.50 kits included brushes, a pre-drawn canvas, and a set of standard paint colors to coordinate with the muted shades of typical living room décor from that era. The controversy over whether this genre can be considered art lies between the idea that this pedantic technique exemplified the mind-numbing conformity of mid-century America and the more positive notion that with a paint-by-number kit, anyone could engage in creative activity and become an artist. In either case, paint-by-number has definitely carved out a little place in American art history and continues to influence many present-day artists and craftsmen.

To me, the smooth lines that result from a paint-by-number piece feel like a modern, stylized approach to capturing a rural vista, for example, and so in that way it holds up well with today’s reimagined vintage aesthetic. The creative folks at Etsy have a paint-by-number mural in the lounge at their headquarters, painted by Cabin Collective, and even the stylish Honestly…WTF recently blogged about a paint-by-number find! For more history, visit the Paint by Number Museum.

Up-cycled notebook from Just L Modern Antiques shop in Littleton, NH.

The Kimberly Bag by I Heart Norwegian Wood, as seen on Style Bubble and for sale on Etsy.

Living room mural by Scott and Cheryl White, as seen on DesignSponge.

Artwork by Trey Speegle, who’s paint-by-number inspired pieces have been translated into rugs for Anthropologie and spurred collaborations with Stella McCartney and Jonathan Adler, among others.

We’ve all been there – at a wedding, prom, or other celebratory occasion – when at some point you’ll look around and notice that most of the girls have taken off their shoes and are dancing the night away in their bare feet. By this time, you’ve either tossed your own shoes aside as well or you wish you had already done so because your feet are in so much pain from trying to endure the killer heels you’re still wearing. One night at a wedding, Norma Polcek experienced a similar scenario and while dancing with her husband, a magnate in the mens shoe industry, she noted all the women reduced to their stocking feet and asked him “Isn’t there a way to make high heels more comfortable?” Bruce Polcek replied, “If there was a better way, they’d already be doing it.”

To the enterprising Norma, this presented the challenge she has since dedicated the last 10 years of her life to solving. In 2003, she filed her first US patent for a high heel shoe cushion system where an increased amount of padding is added within an open midsole to the forepart area. This allows for a larger, softer cushioned area under the ball of your foot, which unnaturally becomes subject to the majority if your body weight when your foot is pitched up in high heels. In another patent, filed the next year, Norma included more detail about how the cushion insert is positioned within the open part of the insole and added a top layer of cushioning that spans the entire surface of the footbed.

Norma’s concept is a good one, but as with any labor of love, she has had to overcome many hurdles through the process of bringing her dream to life. She has struggled to find an avenue for effective prototyping where more precise engineering of her technology could be developed and she has been turned away by companies who could stand to benefit from a more comfortable high heel shoe, with the feedback that her system makes the shoes too heavy and too costly. Eventually, through the ever-buzzing network of footwear industry professionals, I was introduced to Norma as a possible solution to produce a new and improved sample that she could use as a selling tool in future meetings.

Much like Norma’s passion for problem solving, at Katie Blauer we never shy away from a challenge. After studying Norma’s patents, photos, and materials she supplied me with, I created a plan that would incorporate her technology into my own custom shoe components. A larger footwear company developing overseas would use blueprints and 3-D software to create perfect molds and dies for each part to interlock like puzzle pieces. In my world of making shoes by hand, these pieces had to be created from existing material and manually adapted to fit together. Nevertheless, my PVC platform part worked well for the stabilizing midsole perimeter piece and instead of the heavy rubber foam Norma was previously using, I switched to lightweight Poron urethane foam – a household name in footwear performance technology.

The snakeskin sandal was designed to show off the comfort features of the footbed and in the following photos you can see a rare before-and-after glimpse of all the parts that went into making this deceptively simple finished product. Are these shoes the most comfortable high heels ever? They may come close, but every girl’s body is different and every foot responds to high heels a bit differently. Unfortunately, at this time, it would be prohibitive for me to continuing incorporating Norma’s cushioning system into any future custom shoes, but with the experience earned while meeting this unique challenge, you can be sure that comfort will never be far from my mind here at Katie Blauer.

Click here to see more pictures of Norma’s comfortable snakeskin sandals in our Gallery!

These chunky platforms were from the Spring 2009 collection, which debuted in Milan to rave reviews. Sarah Mower, for style.com, explained that with this collection “Marni has reached that serene plateau of development and is reveling in undisputed ownership of print, color, and the magpie mix-up. That means never having to grasp nervously for an extraneous trend.”  I love this quote that echoes my earlier sentiment about how great it is to find a design that transcends the seasons because it represents a brand’s iconic aesthetic.

As you can see, the catwalk version of these shoes was a bit bolder than my more commercial black and brown colorway – which still holds true to Marni’s mashed-up point of view by pairing sleek patent leather with rustic brown suede. To that point, Mower further explains that Marni “flings it all together … yet still somehow manages to stop short of busy confusion. That simple/complicated knack is what keeps Marni lovers coming back for more.” Indeed! Coupled by exquisite craftsmanship, plenty of comfort, and colors that could compliment any outfit, I’m sure these shoes will be mixed and matched across my entire wardrobe for years to come.

Marni patent leather platform sandals (Spring 2009), worn with Alice + Olivia Cerra zig zag velvet burnout top (Fall 2011) and Pilcro Stet Slim Straight Geo Cords from Anthropologie (Fall 2012). Bonus: vintage ceramic black cat by Royal Haegar.

Photos by Garrett Nose Photography

At Katie Blauer, collaboration is key. The more specific information shared during the design process, the more personalized the custom shoes can become! This year I made two pairs of shoes for Rosalie, who was the definition of a model client and truly a pleasure to work with. Rosalie went beyond thoroughly completing the Katie Blauer Questionnaire by inviting me to her dress fitting at Barneys on Madison Avenue in Manhattan. There, I was able to see her wedding gown in person so that I could color-match the material and discuss alteration details with her tailor. We settled on a heel height for the shoes and confirmed that she’d be able to replace the simple fabric covered buttons that came on the dress with vintage style diamond encrusted buttons that Rosalie had picked out at a nearby shop. This presented the perfect opportunity to coordinate exact details between the dress and the shoes, so after her fitting we walked a few blocks to the quaint little shop, called Tender Buttons, and bought 2 more of the same style. I would later incorporate them into the shoes to fasten the ankle straps, and although it was a subtle tieback to the detail on Rosalie’s dress, I know this extra level of customization made her wedding day feel all the more special. Click for more shots of Rosalie’s wedding shoes in our Gallery.

Tender Buttons shop // Photo of Rosalie’s wedding shoes by Garrett Nose Photography

Because Rosalie married her Australian sweetheart in Hawaii, a local party was planned later in the summer so the newlyweds could celebrate with those who weren’t able to attend the destination wedding. For this reception, Rosalie’s sister, Abby, who is currently studying Fashion Design at Cornell University, was appointed to create her party dress. This was an exciting chance to work collaboratively with a fashion designer and be able to provide our client with a complete head-to-toe customized look! Throughout the process, Abby was generous enough to send photos from her own sketch stage and fitting sessions, as well as share the excess materials from the dress. Thanks to this great collaboration, Rosalie’s outfit was a huge success with tastefully coordinated details such as the V-shape overlays at the back of the heel echoing the dramatic V-line back of the dress, the mother-of-pearl buckle on the ankle strap matching back to the mother-of-pearl belt accent, and the same lurex linen material used across both the dress and the body of the shoe. Since Abby’s design was a girly vintage-inspired silhouette, I thought the bold oversized pom-pom would be a fun compliment to the retro swing skirt. Lastly, the metallic silver leather elements were made from the same leather as used on Rosalie’s wedding shoes, so that the two pairs would sit as a cohesive collection, commemorating this major milestone in Rosalie’s life. Click for more shots of Rosalie’s reception shoes in our Gallery.

Photos by Lynne Sarao Photography

The process of working with Rosalie and Abby really opened my eyes to the wonderful potential of client collaboration and I hope to push this concept even further in the future. One step in that direction will be rewriting the Katie Blauer information packet to include additional questions that could spark the incorporation of more personalized design details, as well as providing easier ways to share inspiration images back and forth. Although I’ll be the first to admit the tool of collaboration has become somewhat of an overused marketing ploy in the fashion and footwear industries these days, the type of collaboration I’m proposing is more about good communication and creative thinking, where only you stand to benefit when your big day finally arrives. If you’re a one-of-a-kind girl ready to collaborate with Katie Blauer, send us a note and let’s get started!

Rosalie wearing Abby Spatz dress and Katie Blauer shoes // Katie wearing Leifsdottir dress, Tory Burch shoes and Lauren Merkin clutch // Photo by Lynne Sarao Photography

Today I visited the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston for the first time. Although the ICA museum has been around since the 1940s, it’s fancy new home on the waterfront has only been open to the public since December 2006. The new architecture is as much of a draw as the art it houses and I must admit my pride for Boston grew as I explored this spectacular crown jewel of our developing seaport area. The progressive glass and metal building that cantilevers over the water is so striking, it comes across as a nod to the revolutionary Frank Lloyd Wright. I also love how the boardwalk element rises up from the waterfront and, like a ribbon, travels up the side of the building before folding back over itself. In fact, the wooden stairs were so inviting, I had to break the rules a little and climb to the highest point!

I was excited to be wearing this exquisite Matthew Williamson dress today – an early birthday treat from my husband – which felt right at home at the ICA, being that the dress itself is truly a work of modern art. The Tokyo Faze dress is an architectural marvel of silk draping accented by a unique digital print of the Tokyo skyline and dripping neon blossoms. When Matthew first debuted this print on the runway at Spring 12 London Fashion Week, its backdrop was the Tate Modern museum. Today, the dress was again surrounded by contemporary art, and it really came to life in the Founders Gallery – a floor to ceiling glass hallway room on the fourth floor which spans the entire width of the museum and showcases a beautiful view of the harbor. While the ICA will surely continue bringing amazing art to Boston, it was a fun experience to think I was bringing a little “art of fashion” to the ICA.

Tokyo Faze Washed Silk Asymmetric Dress by Matthew Williamson. Seychelles nubuck and neon shoes.

Suspended charcoal sculpture entitled Hanging Fire (Suspected Arson), 1999, by Cornelia Parker

In either case, the images I like to gather and share with you are not only just inspirational, but usually aspirational too. I love that through the process of archiving and bringing personal context to the beautiful things I’ve found online, I’m in effect saving them for posterity since the desired pieces are often quite unattainable. Which brings me to my #1, the silk-habotai dress from Carven Resort 2012. In keeping with the increasingly popular photo-real trend (see Black Milk clothing, for example), this beautiful mountain scene of Switzerland reminds me of my honeymoon and incorporates all my favorite colors. It’s been long since sold out online, but you can see the lovely (and lucky) Susie Bubble modeling the shirt and shorts set here. Another look from the same collection fully embodies the adorable Swiss-Miss persona that obviously inspired Carven’s designs this season (via vogue.com).

#2. is a set of matchstick bracelets by Nora Kogan (as spotted on highsnobette) which I find nostalgic of the long stem matches that sat like a bouquet on the fireplace mantle at our lake house. I love their simplicity of form and the great array of colors, but a stack of 9 cuffs, as shown, would set you back close to $3000! #3. Another simple idea that feels fresh and unique is Tiffany Lu’s ombré tights, which are all hand-dyed and made to order. Although summer is in full swing and it’s close to 90° outside, I am already dreaming of fall outfits that could incorporate these beauties.

#4. No Misc. Six post would be complete without a Matthew Williamson reference! Just as Matthew’s gorgeous gowns showcase his mastery of exuberant print and color on the body, I recently discovered that through his collaboration with The Rug Company, MW is able to do the same for the home! My favorite piece in his rug collection features his signature Peacock print, which I can envision being paired with this incredible vintage magenta Papa Bear chair by Hans Wegner (#5. via eBay) to create the ultimate “Mid-Century meets Hollywood Regency in Palm Springs” fashion oasis.

#6.  Last but not least, I was smitten by these peach cat-eye sunnies from Asos, as worn by San Francisco blogger, La Vagabond Dame. The subtle up-tick of the corners, like a cartoon eyelash, is so sweet and I immediately thought the deep round lens shape felt very Karen Walker. After a little digging, I wasn’t surprised to discover they’re virtual knock offs of the Karen Walker Harvest style, which I promptly added to my “I need this yesterday” list (in Tortoise Shell, of course). Luckily I’ve got a birthday coming up!