Day of the New

Well, I sat down at the sewing machine and Poof! I had an idea. So... here is the newest Superchica design.

This first headband took nearly an hour to create, but that's common for new designs. I should be able to do a little better next time. What do you think? It's a thin stretchy band with my "Floral Featurette" attached to the side. The base is pleated and sewn with an orange contrast thread. You'll see these in my Etsy shop soon and at the next show!!!!!


No more time to sew now... must head to my "real job". Today was so productive.
See you soon.

Building It By Hand

As the dogs whiz up and down the hall, chasing each other, I'm taking the time to share with you the latest in Superchica's design process.

It's clay time! Yes, yesterday I had a clay day. Which basically means I spend the whole day cutting, rolling, pounding, shaping and smoothing clay. It's a tough job, but it's also fun and I get to play around with lots of ideas. Right now, I'm working on new cuff buckles and XL buttons made from high-fire stoneware clay. They're really durable and kinda chunky when fired and I like that. I began sewing these XL accessories onto my fabric cuffs last month and I really like the way they've turned out. It's a nice mix of textures and I think they'll do well for Spring.

Today I'll give them one more smoothing over and then they're headed for the kiln. It will take all day and part of the night for this first fire. Tomorrow when they've cooled, I'll add the color and dip them in glaze before finally loading them up for their last go 'round in the kiln. I hope to have them done by Friday for a big photo shoot coming up this weekend.

In addition to making accessories, I've been working on my displays. In case you haven't noticed, displays that you buy from the store suppliers are really expensive and they're often poorly made. So, I've made most of mine from wood or a combination of found items. It's a little bit "home grown" but I think it adds more personality to my booth. :) Yesterday I made a totally bizarre display that I plan to use for my Etsy photos. It's an ear! Yes, I made an ear with a little hole in it for displaying my earrings. I can't decide if it's cool or creepy. I hoping for cool. Then I made a wrist form for my cuffs. It's pretty tall and will work well for photographs and as a show display.

Well, I'm about to enter the studio and work for at least 3 or 4 hours today. I got the coolest fabric this week that will soon become new cuffs and hair accessories. I might even make some little zipper bags. Hmmm.. But first, more clay.

What's with Dallas?

This blog is an answer to Amanda, who is struggling with the Dallas culture like so many of us are.

I know how you feel. Dallas is a strange city. There isn't really much to do with the exception of shopping and eating. We seem to have more than our share of chains and "cookie cutter" stores and shops. Everyone is content to shop at the Gap and eat at McDonalds 3 times week. It's not good.

Have hope. There is a struggling underground of people who want real culture like you and I do. This is why we live in East Dallas. Our neighborhood is almost exclusively older homes and there are so many trees and lots of little funky restaurants. I recommend you spend a day getting lost in East Dallas.

Places and things that make me feel like I'm not in Dallas anymore:


The Dairyette: It's a drive up burger/soda joint that only takes cash. Very quaint with good malts. Right down the street from my house. They often have vintage car shows. 9785 Ferguson Rd

Dr. Sketchy's Anti Art School: "Dr. Sketchy's is what happens when Cabaret meets Art School" You buy at ticket, show up with your drawing supplies and they supply a model. It's like a little party. http://www.myspace.com/dallassketchy

CD Source: Looking for a wide variety of Jazz and music that isn't top 40? Cd Source is a used record store that has a treasure trove of goodies. They're not he fanciest place and sometimes it smells funny but you're sure to find something you like. It's the closest thing to Cheapo records (my fav in Austin) that we have. 5500 Greenville Ave Ste 201


Genroku: Sushi in Chinatown. This place has great sushi at a good price and also makes killer chinese food. Not your usual sushi joint. Good beer selection and tasty miso soup. Some people may laugh at our little Chinatown in Richardson when you compare it to any other Chinatown but it's all we've got and it has a few gems worth seeking out. Stop by the new and improved Asian market or go across the way for Dim Sum on weekends. 400 N Greenville Ave

Bishop Arts: You may have already discovered it, but in case you haven't.... It's a small part of Oak Cliff that has a great selection of restaurants and shopping in a historic setting. Stop and eat at Veracruz. It's MesoAmerican, Mayan, Huasteco and Aztec Cuisine. It's kicks a$$!!!! 408 North Bishop, Suite 107 Then stop by Make and see a shop filled with 100% hand made items. My Superchica merch is there and you can also sign up for a sewing class. Walk the neighborhood and enjoy the ambiance.

The Majestic: What a wonderful building. They host so many shows and plays each year, there is sure to be several you are interested in. The Dallas Black Dance Theater performs this month and the AFI film festival is happening in April. 1925 Elm Street Dallas


Jimmy's Food Store: Step into Little Italy and fill your tummy with a fine sandwich or maybe a cannoli. Jimmy's has a full stock of Italian groceries, wine and desserts. Their deli makes fresh sandwiches and other goodies and you can buy fresh pasta too. A favorite with diners who "aren't from here". You can eat there or take it with you. 4901 Bryan St

Henk's European Deli and Bakery: We love this place. It makes me feel like I've left Dallas for just a bit. They have a full service restaurant that specializes in all types of sausage, krauts and other German dishes. They also offer a wide selection of European beers served in tall steins. It's not campy, it's authentic. Stop by their large bakery to get meringue cookies, napoleons and black & whites. They also have a small shop where you can buy European groceries. Check out the live music on the weekends. Sit at the bar or table and enjoy. 5811 Blackwell, behind the big Half Price Books

That's a small list of good things in Dallas, but there are many more. I realize that what we lack is a general vibe that supports the arts & culture and a reverence for history. Sadly, Dallas is full of beautiful historical buildings but many are crumbling and others are to be demolished. Check out Preservation Dallas to find out more about what's being done to preserve our history. http://www.preservationdallas.org

I need encouragement too. Especially after I've traveled somewhere else, but it's really up to us to be bold and make our mark in Dallas and hope that others will follow and that one day we can overcome the materialism. We need a revival!!!

Let's just say no to valet parking, chains, McMansions and trendy anything.

Giving. Helping. Changing.

This year let's make a difference by changing someone's world for the better. Here's a great way to get started. This is a wonderful and short video to lead the way.....

The Dark Side of Technology

Yarsh! You're probably wondering why my website hasn't been updated since last week. You may also we wondering why my Etsy page was empty the last time you visited. I promise you I'm working to remedy that and here's why.....

Last week our computer hard drive crashed. BIG TIME! We lost tons of pics and worst of all I lost my website files. So, I've got to redesign my site and the DCM site from scratch. Sounds awful? It is.

We sorta solved the problem by buying a new computer, BUT we found out that our old software doesn't work on the newer operating system. So, not only did we lose our data but we lost the ability to use Photoshop and our web applications. More Yarsh! I thought I'd be able to make updates and start my new site today, but now we've got to figure out what software we need to buy and how much it's going to cost.

Just in time for the holidays. yea. (sense the sarcasm)

It's not all bad. I love our new computer. It's so cute. We're running Leopard now and it's quite stylish. I also like that I now have the latest IPhoto and IMovie etc.

I just added a few new items to my Etsy page and I'll add more later tonight and tomorrow. So, you'll be able to shop again. Be sure to stop by Make and House of Dang to see what's in stock and I'm bringing new goodies to them this week.
If you want to place any custom orders, please do so before November 30th if you want them before Christmas. :)

Girlie Show 2008

What a fantastic weekend we had!!!! It really was perfect from beginning to end. Let me tell you all about it......


We left for OKC in the early day and really had an nice drive and enjoyed the weather and the music and especially the Carl's Jr. that we picked up along the way. I swear they have the best fast-food chicken sandwich. Yum. We arrived at the Public Farmers market building, which is a gorgeous, historic space with wood floors and high ceilings and giant windows. Our load-in was really pretty easy, because I wisely didn't bring the grids and I had no ceramic pieces with me. All of my mafia girls were there setting up and I was very happy with my space because it was well lit. :) The time flew by and before we knew it, it was time to get changed and ready for the people. Oh, the people!!!! There was a line that snaked around the block 3 times. It was crazy.



We proceeded to be swamped for the rest of the night until around 11:45 when it slowed and finally quieted down. I managed to make it through the whole night with heels on, but when the clock struck midnight I was back in my Chucks.

Sales were great and everyone had a swingin' time. We saw everything that night! There was a guy in full Liberty spikes and girls wearing ceramic corsets and we saw lots and lots of color in everyones hair. It's a see and be seen situation there and we were really diggin' it. I saw 4" heels and 5" heels and roller skates and multi-colored tights and tutus. The creativity was flowing all around. There were toddlers dressed like punks and women wearing feather eyelashes, it was incredible. They had so much great food and pink martinis and the DJ was rockin' it all night.


The next day was much more peaceful and the crowd was more subdued, but it was still a really fun day. They had live bands and Sara Sara Cupcake bakery was serving everyone the most delicious cupcakes. We handed out almost all of my biz cards and I was really happy to meet more people and get to chit-chat a bit. Kent stole away for part of the afternoon to shop for vintage records and get us checked into the hotel. We finished the day strong and then I finally had a minute to walk around and snap a few pics and say Hi to everyone.



When it was all said and done, we met with the mafia group and Pamela Michelle and Claudia's Burning Ink for sushi. We were laughing so hard by the end of the meal because Tara and Megan told the craziest stories. It was really fun. We said our goodbyes and headed for our crazy-cool hotel. We stayed at the Hyatt Place and were pleasantly surprised to find out it was the size of a small apartment and had a 50' flat screen tv with HD. Nice. We made cocoa and munched on Chex mix while watching The Incredible Hulk with Ed Norton. What could be better?

The next morning we slept late and then took our time checking out and having brunch. Our drive home was smooth and we were feeling very grateful for how wonderful the weekend had been. Sunday afternoon we caught up on our Stars games and ate BBQ. Monday morning we eagerly picked up our pups from the boarding house and after a very high-spirited reunion, we went home.

The Girlie Show is really a unique experience and I am so thankful to have been a part of it again. Thank you to all the Girlies and to everyone for their encouragement and help over the weekend. :)

Adios mi amiga.

Well, the news is grim. Cuquita's, a legendary Dallas eatery has given up it's original location. I having been eating at Cuquita's for nearly 20 years and I can remember when it was just a small house with 10 tables. My mother introduced me to their authentic Mexican cuisine and I have always associated Cuquita's with comfort and home. Like no other, Cuquita's created a menu rich with tradition and they stayed true to the old ways of Mexican cooking. Kent and I had our very first dates there and it had stayed a favorite for us both. At least once a month we went for lunch and almost always had our favorite dish Chilaquiles. I have yet to find a restaurant that served Chilaquiles like Cuquita's does. We are both convinced that they also have the very best salsa we've ever eaten.

Yes, there are other locations that have opened up over the years, but all my memories come from the Henderson restaurant. We knew something might be brewing when new development began in the area. First, the houses began disappearing and then small stores and soon the over-priced apartments popped up in their place. Jerry's supermarket was demolished to make way for trendy restaurants with valet parking. I thought Cuquita's would survive it. They were packed for breakfast, lunch and dinner but as the economy failed they became less busy. We were saddened to hear the news that they were calling it quits, but we have hope that a new location with open up somewhere near East Dallas very soon.


Many people wonder why I don't have much affection for Dallas. It seems that in Dallas appearances are what is most important, not history and not tradition. There is no respect for historical architecture or the memories of those that have come before us. Tear down the old to make way for the new. That's how it goes here. Time and time again we've seen the beautiful houses of the 20's, 30's and 40's demolished to be replaced by cookie-cutter McMansions. Lakewood is literally disappearing before our eyes. The problem is that new isn't always better. Whatever comes in place of Cuquita's will not be better, it couldn't be. I see Henderson being torn to bits and the community that once lived there has been scattered and driven away. When will it end?

Yesterday we treated ourselves. We drove up north to the Spring Valley Cuquita's and had a wonderful lunch. It was delicious and comforting and reminded us that all is not lost. I encourage you to try it for yourself someday.

Favorite items: Chilaquiles con Chorizo, Chicken Enchiladas con Mole, Gorditas, Carne Tampiquena, Caldo

This is an interesting and fun idea. I was inspired to do it by Martha and she was inspired by other bloggers. I changed the order up just a little bit, but it's the same concept. So here it goes...

Answer the questions below, do a Google Image search with your answer, take a picture from the first page of results, post it to your blog with little or no description added.

1. Age you'll be on your next birthday?


2. What is your favorite color combination?


3. Your favorite food?
Chicken in Mole Sauce


4. Your favorite place?
The Village in NY


5. The place you would most like to travel to?


6. The city you live in?


7. Your significant other?
Yes, when I google my husband's name his picture comes up!


8. Your favorite T.V. show?


9. Your favorite piece of clothing?


10. Your ideal pet?


11. Your worst habit?
Sleeping til' 11am.


12. Your worst fear?


13. Your first job?
Craft Store


14. Your dream job?


15. Something you want to do before you die?
Travel the world.

Bazaar musings.

Last weekend I was able to be a part of the Urban Street Bazaar that took place in Oak Cliff in the Bishop Arts District. The weather was just perfect and we had a huge turnout. Overall the day was really fantastic. Kent and I even brought our Scrabble game and managed to sneak in a match during the afternoon. I met lots of new people and had a wonderful reunion with an old friend. The day was full of good surprises. Thanks to Julie and the staff at Make for hosting!!!

Here are some of the highlights in pictures.....