Carny Couture

Best Friend Day June 8, 2011

2011-06-07T10:37:00.000-07:00

Here is my best girl friend Rebekah. I posted our photo with Kathie Lee and Hoda too! I invite you to do the same - just follow the link above to their FB page.

I have a FB page too and on it will update all my jewelry creations, flea market endeavors and upcoming teaching in Telluride.

You can visit me here: CarnyCouture for just the jewelry see my carnycouture.tumblr blog

Venturing Into New Old Territory

2011-06-01T12:09:00.000-07:00

This is my first booth at the local Melrose Trading Post flea market in many years. I have been sharing with various friends, but this time I took over a space for a friend that needed a little break. It turned out to be a very encouraging decision. Boy do I dream of having my very own shop one day!

I just can't seem to get enough natural burlap. I think it works great with my ambiguous faced ladies!

Melonie was my first customer and she snapped up two nature-inspired necklaces and one of my new scarf necklaces. She just "got" my aesthetic - it felt very good to be appreciated.

You have to look very close to make out the detail on these hand-painted buttons (on gray backings)- this is known as miniature art! I love to paint delicate, small pieces.

Trying out a new display for earrings - I've just begun doing the earrings and they are already a success. A new (for my line - it has been in business for years) store "Tobiano's" in Jacksonville, Oregon just ordered some.

I think I'm looking pretty pleased here because I was finally all set up! It took me nearly 3 hours. Mostly because it was so darn fun to arrange everything.

It was mostly artwork and jewelry, but I did have a couple vintage and wearable pieces as well - just so long as they fit the look I was going for.

Please disregard the hideous plastic container and my art bag - ugh, you'd think I could get one good picture with nothing ugly. Which reminds me, I'm lucky to have gotten any full booth photos as the market was packed with people over Memorial Weekend.

It was such a grand ol' time I'm going back on June 5th. Will I see you there?

May 2011 Scarf Necklaces

2011-05-10T20:56:00.001-07:00

Visit Me On Etsy!

2011-04-05T14:36:00.000-07:00

New listings at Etsy! Medallion pins $140 each special price.

2011-02-09T14:09:00.000-08:00

Carny Couture jewelry (& Brooke Ahana Bailey small paintings) will be featured at The Swanky Buckle in Mountain Village, Colorado this weekend!

I hope those of you in Telluride or the village can make it! Spread the word if you can - sorry this is short notice, I've been busy creating!

4-7 Friday (Telski members preview party)
4-7 Saturday

Swanky Buckle
567 Mountain Village Blvd. Unit 107
Mountain Village, Colorado
81435
(1st Floor of the Franz Klammer Fairmont Heritage Place)
http://www.swankybuckle.com/

Thank you!

Brooke Ahana Bailey
http://www.carnycouture.com/
http://www.brookeahana.com/

New Necklaces

2010-12-06T17:54:00.001-08:00

New Medallion Pins

2010-12-06T17:30:00.001-08:00

A new collection of kilty pin medallions.
Prices ranging from $240-$260.

Local West Hollywood Retailer Promotes Carny Couture

2010-10-13T14:02:00.000-07:00

One of the local stores to carry Carny couture did a blog post I just came across:

Live! On Sunset

the photo is courtesy of your truly!

I need to get in there with my new pieces - they are in the process of being photographed so I'll share them with you first.

Also, good news, I'll be heading to Houston, Texas for a trunk show in November so am busy building up inventory.

Sold Jewelry

2010-09-16T14:30:00.001-07:00

A new store in Mountain Village above Telluride is opening in November. They will be carrying my jewelry. Here is a look at the pieces they have ordered. Stay tuned for more information on TelSki!

UPDATE - Trunk Show Telluride and back to work in West Hollywood

2010-08-13T12:54:00.001-07:00

With Margaret at My Trunk Show in the Gallery where I showed my paintings. Telluride,Co. July 2010

It has been far too long.

As an update, the Telluride Experience was wonderful. My trunk show well attended and successful. Sold most all of the Carny Couture Medals of Honor and even did a nice little podcast to advertise these that you can visit here:
Brooke Ahana of Carny Couture on Telluride Inside

It's wonderful also to be back in West Hollywood getting back to business after a much needed sabbatical of two weeks. The work however is piling up and I have many plans for the next several months. Trunk shows to prepare for, jewelry to be made and more stores to find that are the right fit for Carny Couture. Not to mention sourcing more materials from local flea markets - my most favorite endeavor of all as you know.

I'll be back in the next few days with new pieces from the Carny Couture look book so stay in touch.

xoxo,

Brooke

Rachel, Kathleen and Lauren - the dear girls who work at The AhHaa School - checking out my jewelry.

One of my sweet students wearing a Brooke Ahana original hand painted lady necklace (and a bindi!)

Ophelia and I taking a day to source jewelry supplies.

Trunk Show Telluride

2010-07-20T07:31:00.000-07:00

Photos coming soon!

Recognized at the Flea

2010-05-20T12:57:00.000-07:00

This girl really made my day by complimenting my display at the Melrose Trading Post.

She featured a couple photos of my booth space last weekend.

Someday I'd really love to have a shop/studio space of my own here in West Hollywood so her comments went a long way to encouraging me. To see and support Laurie Brucker go to her blog: http://thelauriebstylefiles.blogspot.com/2010/05/adventures-in-vintage.html

Necklaces - Part 2 of 3

2010-03-22T14:04:00.000-07:00

The Victorian
185-

The Author
250-

The Protector

120-

The Aristocrat
220-

The Pistol Packer
380-

The Time Keeper
380-

Necklaces - Part 1 of 3

2010-03-11T14:57:00.000-08:00

Trinity
160-

Saint's Skull
180-

Lava Rock Icon
180-

Golden Skull
160-

Emerald Rosary
240-

Noble Faith
280-

Chain Protection
140-

Blue Rosary
360-

Blue Butterfly
360-

Black Rosary
280-

Sea Horse & Coral
280-

Mermaid
280-

Hong Kong
320-

Golden Sea Horse
280-

Vintage Tassel
320-

Rhinestone Cross
340-

Green Without Envy
160-

Arrow Up!

360-

New Medals of Honor

2010-03-11T14:24:00.000-08:00

These medals or badges of honor are a unique way to wear a story on a blazer, denim shirt/jacket or heavy sweater.

The newest pieces to grace the Carny Couture line are a culmination of nearly two decades worth of collecting the odd object, tattered scrap, lace and old chain.

These labors of love are available for private or wholesale. Be sure to click images for a more detailed look.

Brazen Beauty
240-

Gentle Poetess
240-

Maiden's Honor
240-

Keys of Class
240-

Treasure Hold
240-

Feminine Mystique
240-

Badge of Bounty
240-

Time For Victory
240-

Le Chic
240-

Paris Hilton Wears Carny Couture

2009-12-29T10:37:00.001-08:00

Last Minute Gift Ideas Jewelry !!!

2009-12-19T16:19:00.000-08:00

Winged Lady
320-

True Jezebel
280-

The Locksmith
240-

Highest Honor
340-

Arrow Ahead
160-

Hippie Holidays

2009-12-12T14:11:00.000-08:00

I wanted to at least say a hello and wish one and all a safe, happy and warm holiday. It is raining like crazy here in West Hollywood and I'm working feverishly on my website with a goal toward officially opening the end of January.

What are some of your traditions around the holidays? One of my favorites is to stick cloves in oranges, it's murder on the thumbs, but oh so worth it as it fills the home with such a wonderful seasonal spicy smell! The best traditions of course involve spending time with others.

We'll be off to Central Wisconsin to share the holidays with my husbands side of the family. Boy are they a fun bunch too - warm and loving. Plenty of merry to be had. We all draw names ahead of time. A few days before Christmas we have an adults only dinner out and then exchange gifts. There is an optional white elephant gift exchange too that is quite hilarious. Last year we got some erotic massage oils. Another year someone made an electric hammer - very funny.

I'm pretty excited to be taking our dog, Ophelia, with us to Wisconsin where she will be exposed to snow for the first time. I guess they just got over 8 inches the other day! It's like -10º there too - yikes.

Have a Hippie Holiday one and all!

Website coming soon...

2009-12-05T17:18:00.000-08:00

...featuring adornments for your body and environment.

Celebrating Sales!

2009-11-30T19:57:00.000-08:00

Two weeks ago at the Carny Mart (as I like to call it these days - coined by my fellow Carny Sister Nicola) my dear friends Izabela and Vee came by to say hi. She loved this piece - very understated elegance just like her. I think her dear fiance Vee bought it - how sweet. Above I am in front of my little booth with my neighbors adorable dog Terence Oliver - he's a regular Carny dog and we all just love him.

Izabela and Vee with their sweet dogs.

Storybook House - a Carny Girl's Dream

2009-11-29T18:31:00.001-08:00

As promised from over at brookeahanadaily here are some more images from the Storybook House I got the opportunity to photograph last week. It has been inspiring me a great deal with its attention to detail and nod to fairy tales from my childhood (Hansel and Gretel). In fact, I discovered that is another name for this house style as well, "Hansel and Gretel". To see more great Storybook Home images go here.

The Man With The Milkweed

2009-11-06T19:15:00.000-08:00

Here's the nicest man Nicola and I ran into down in San Pedro. He saw us admiring and photographing this weird plant on his property as he was driving away. He actually turned his vehicle around so he could come back and give us some little seedlings. He said it was a noxious weed! Well, regardless we sure love the look of it. The funny thing is that now we see this "noxious weed" known as Milkweed on all our adventures.

More Scenes From San Pedro

2009-11-04T11:37:00.001-08:00

We didn't eat here, but it looked cute and cozy!

Got coffee here - such a great and hip little place.

San Pedro, California One Sunny Day

2009-10-26T08:12:00.000-07:00

Above the beach where we collected shells.

A lovely Carny's abode.

Nicola teaching tricks to Ophie.

Great storage spaces.

Visiting an enchanting home with an amazing view of the sea.

A perfect little English garden.

We'll say goodbye for now and be back with more adventures in San Pedro.

Carny Makes a Friend

2009-10-23T23:30:00.000-07:00

This is my new friend Nicola.

She's a lovely Brit girl and we go on lots of adventures. Check back here for some of them or check me out over at my other blog Brooke Ahana Daily (it's not, "daily" that is - sorry).

You won't be disappointed. I certainly haven't and we've been out to one place or another every week. She's a suitable Carny too and does fantastic art work. When we're together the world is our oyster and the good vibes just flow and flow. I know you'll want to join us on our adventures to come - perhaps even our own shop where you can get our Carny Couture look for home and wardrobe?

A Carny and Her Family!

2009-07-04T18:35:00.000-07:00

Flea Market Wear

2009-06-30T11:24:00.001-07:00

Everything you see here was thrifted! Oh, except the hat which I got for a rock-bottom price at 4Ever21. This was my flea market look two weeks ago. True Carny style: comfort, layering and as always a touch bizarre!

How This Carny Lives

2009-06-23T17:35:00.001-07:00

Surrounded by my paintings!

Luckily, as soon as I hung them all up about a month ago, they began to sell.
How weird is that?
Some sort of cosmic thing, out of the brown paper and bubble wrap, they're breathing new life.

I am truly a Carny!

2009-06-10T13:59:00.001-07:00

Here I am with an outfit assembled at the Value Village in Portland, Oregon on my last road trip.

It is so hideous that I kind of love it. The only thing that actually went home with me was the Vera vintage scarf/ headkerchief - I wore it the rest of the afternoon too. The other pieces were just too much so soon in the shopping day and I had to resist.

So back to the racks went the knit sweater vest and the bikini skirt (though it had a real nice print I should have photographed for inspiration).

I think outfits like this one, assembled in the heat of the shopping moment, are very de rigueur for the "Carny Look". I only wish I could get these same oddly wonderful results from my own stuffed-to-the-gills closet.

Just You Wait...

2009-06-09T17:12:00.000-07:00

...coming soon. As if I can keep up with my other two blogs as it is.

Ah well, perhaps it is the naming of all things creative that I enjoy.

I raise a toast to my husband who nicknamed me a "carny" for my love of the flea market, swap meets and big rides (no, I'm not being dirty - just literal). Then to one-up himself he suggested (possibly in jest) the name "Carny Couture" for my personal look and the odds and ends I create.

We tossed that name around for a bit and by golly if it hasn't stuck.

This blog will feature weekly posts on the whatnots I create, wear, hoard, give or sell. It will be relaxed, but inspiring to others is my hope. It will not consist of new items and everything herein will be made from something found, scavenged, salvaged or picked up for a song! Fun yes?