We’d like you to consider us an oasis of tranquility, magic and surprise this Black Friday. We’ll be serving tea and STORM will give you a taste of his Award Winning Heroic Tarot.

Traditionally we close on Black Friday to Support the Buy Nothing Day Campaign, but we want to offer our supporters an alternative to the consumer craze.

Show your Holiday Guests a true San Francisco Treat. Escape the sofa and walk, bike, MUNI or CityCarShare yourself on over here for our special Black Friday Hours from 3-9pm.

And while you’re here, check out the amazing Edwardian Ball, Dickens Fair, and Holiday Party outfits for men and woman of all sizes!

Red Party Dress by Yabette with DAS Bolero and Corset by Darina Drapkin. Photo by Christine Donley.

We also have perfect gifts like these feather headbands by Eileen.

Peacock Feather Headband by Eileen. Photo by Christine Donley.

Or perhaps you’ll be the first to own a One-of-a-kind hand painted side table and vintage suitcase to enhance your home decor?

Hand Painted suitcase and side table by Yabette.

Everyone could use a magic potion called “Cloud of Protection”!!

Cloud of Protection by Nieves. Photo by Eartha L. Goodwin.

Gentlemen… Remember

Ladies Prefer Swankety Swank.

Make it easy on yourself and get them a gift certificate!

We’ll see you here this Friday!

These matching sturdy wood tables are part of furniture artist and Swankety Swank owner Yabette’s ongoing Steampunk Collection. They feature a hand-painted Victorian-inspired lock and key in detailed hues of brown on its newly refinished black surface. Both rustic and attractive, masculine or feminine, they have practical drawers and shelves with their original pulls. This signed art set would be a lovely addition to an eclectic modern, artfully traditional or bohemian decor.  Dimensions: 20″H x 15″W x 24″D

The above artwork references a very specific type of lock known as a “story padlock.”  These locks contain imagery relating to a theme or narrative, giving them a unique quality among other locks.  The antique Victorian padlock featured by Yabette is based on a 3-dimensional Werewolf lock manufactured in Trenton, New Jersey, circa 1880.

The matching nightstand features an ornate key to go with the padlock.

Keys symbolize, in both metaphorical and literal terms, the power of opening and closing.  They represent knowledge, mystery, initiation, and curiosity.  Both Saint Peter and the Roman god Janus are depicted with keys.  Saint Peter holds the key to heaven and Janus sometimes holds two keys, which release the seasonal times of winter and summer solstice.

Visit Swankety Swank today and view these nightstands in person!  Many more handpainted furniture art pieces by Yabette are also available!

November 15, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This holiday season, give the Bay Area the gift of a multimillion dollar economic stimulus by shopping local!

As we approach this holiday season, it is projected that shoppers will continue to spend less than in years past. But there IS a silver lining for the San Francisco Bay Area. When consumers shop local, more of their money will stay right here in the Bay Area, where we desperately need it. With a little planned spending, this year’s holiday dollars can lead to a more plentiful 2011.

Sexi Seaweed earrings made by local artist at Swankety Swank: $83. Product Photography by Eartha L. Goodwin.

Consider these numbers: When a consumer spends money at locally owned establishments, $25 more per $100 stays in the community than when spent at a non-local establishment. With that number, if each San Franciscan spends $200 on Holiday gifts and meals locally, $4,075,000 more will be circulating in our local economy come January 1st. If we spread that out to include the entire Bay Area, that number increases to $185,693,925 dollars!

One thing is certain, the Bay Area benefits financially by shopping locally because the greatest percentage of revenue stays in the community when they do. There is a powerful economic impact to infusing our local economy with that kind of cash flow because that money stays here, and will it be spent here, unlike money that leaves our cities when we spend at non-local businesses and major chains. Even further, if Bay Area residents shop local for their New Year festivities, that amount goes even higher.

Hand painted tree by Yabette: Corner Cabinet Commission

When local artist Yabette Alfaro opened Swankety Swank in 2007 in San Francisco, she wanted to create a place to bring hand-made, earth friendly goods made by talented, local artisans to her community. When deep economic troubles started in 2008, Yabette saw just how important her establishment is to the livelihood of the 20+ local artists she carries. By this time, Swankety Swank had moved to a beautiful ,airy space on Divisadero Street and transitioned to a collective of local working designers and artists. These changes, while positive, increased the pressure to succeed in a difficult financial environment. In researching ways to grow her business and better support her community, artists, and customers, she discovered resources that highlight the impressive financial gains to communities that embrace shopping local.  Since many people in the Bay Area are already committed to shopping local for some of their consumer needs, she felt it imperative to communicate this additional benefit in hopes of leveraging Holiday Shopping revenue into an unexpected financial boost for local communities.

By Nieves, local SF Weekly Award Winning Hand Made Organic Body Care available at Swankety Swank. Product Photography by Eartha L. Goodwin.

The Bay Area is the perfect place to exercise this civic action because so many people are already committed to shopping local. A consumer can maximize the economic impact of their purchases by shopping local establishments that are truly locally owned, and stocked with products that are made locally. Swankety Swank is one of the Bay Area’s premiere spots to shop an extensive selection of Bay Area artists and designers in one, convenient place. This action also creates more city tax revenue, supports local businesses that supply local crafts people, and has the potential to generate jobs as local small businesses grow.

Model Dex wears red satin dress with lace trim by Yabette, corset by Darin Drapkin, and bolero by DAS. Photo by Christine Donley

This holiday season, give the Bay Area the gift of a multimillion dollar economic stimulus by shopping local!

Red Flower Table

The seasons come and go, and yet creativity is always in full bloom at Swankety Swank!  In fact, flowers are bursting all over the store, as blossoms bring forth freshness and beauty to the amazing art furniture on which they have been painted.  Today Swankety Swank Showcase features three art furniture items adorned with floral patterns by Yabette!

Above, the Red Flower Table has been newly refinished in distressed rusty red with gold glaze shimmer on the edges. This sturdy, wood vintage table features a handpainted floral design in neutral shades of brown inspired by vintage fabric. This signed art piece would be a fantastic addition to an artfully traditional, colorful cottage or bohemian decor.

Dimensions: 22″W diameter x 27″H

Red Flower Table detail

Delightful flowers and vines spiral on the top of this enchanting art furniture piece.

Green Wood Flower Table

This sturdy wood coffee or side table also features a hand painted floral design inspired by vintage fabric in hues of brown on its newly refinished refreshing green top.  The carved design under the top is especially beautiful as are the lines along the legs.

Dimensions: 23″H x 27″W x 23″D

Green Wood Flower Table detail

A closer view of the Green Wood Flower Table reveals the delicate features of of the table and the artwork.  Notice the patterns of the wood grain and the double lines on the top.

Black Flower Chair with Sugar Skull Desk

When a buyer fell in love with the Sugar Skull Desk, she asked Yabette if there was a chair to go with it.  Yabette had a chair in her inventory that was ready for transformation.  She painted the color of the flower to match the desk and voila, a perfect chair and desk set was born!

Black Flower Chair detail

A closeup of the back of the Black Flower Chair features the graphic simplicity of the art, complete with balanced petals, winding vines and artist signature.  Note: This set has been sold.

Come into Swankety Swank today and enrich your life with floral fascination!  Many more handpainted furniture art pieces by Yabette are also available for your home decor!

He is an exceptional part of the foundation here at Swankety Swank. He’s the man who preps all the furniture for my makeover designs. He cleans each piece, making sure it is structurally intact, sands it, (he insists on doing this by hand to improve his arm muscles) and puts the base coats of paint on it. He is my coach, always putting a fire under me, saying, “OK, what’s next?”

He helps me transform pieces like this:

Ode to the Neverwas Buffet -Before Makeover!

Into This!

Ode to the Neverwas Haul Buffet- photo by Eartha Goodwin

He also works a full time job with Toolworks. This is a fantastic Non Profit organization that helps people with disabilities get fair wage work. Alex is hard of hearing and learned ASL after moving here to San Francisco’s Mission neighborhood at age 14 from El Salvador. He lost a large part of his hearing when a land mine went off too close to his 4 year old ears during the unfortunate El Salvadoran Civil War.

I always tell people to look at Alex and speak slower when they communicate, as he speaks English as a third language- after Spanish and ASL. He likes when people who know sign language have a conversation with him!

Alex "works" with our son on a camping trip!

We try to help other deaf people whenever we can and our goal is to develop a program to employ deaf folks in our sustainable work.

He is the guy who will deliver your dresser when you choose our delivery service. He keeps the light bulbs changed, the floors scrubbed and the windows clean! Our wheels at this place would be quite squeaky without his assistance, and his practical jokes keep us on our toes!

I love him.  -Yabette

The Gray Branch Chair

Swankety Swank Showcase presents the Gray Branch Chair! This sturdy, aged farmhouse style chair has a great wood structure. It has been newly refinished and clear coated in gray on its gorgeous wood frame. It features a hand painted white branch bringing a modern flair to this retro chair. This signed art piece would be a lovely addition to a colorful bohemian, artfully traditional, or modern pop decor. 

Detail of the Gray Branch Chair

The slender gentility of the tree branch contrasts with the blue and brings to the mind the beauty of an Ash Tree.  White trees often symbolize hope or new beginnings.  ”In J. R. R. Tolkien‘s fantasy universe of Middle-earth, the White Tree of Gondor stood as a symbol of Gondor in the Court of the Fountain in Minas Tirith. The White Tree also appears as a motif upon Gondor’s flag and throughout its heraldry combined with the seven stars of the House of Elendil and the crown of the King.”

Perspective of the Gray Branch Chair

This chair has been painted with calming coolness of gray and with a tree branch of hopeful new beginnings.  Visit Swankety Swank today, view this art chair in person and bring these elements into your home!  Many more handpainted furniture art pieces by Yabette are also available!

The Snake Cabinet

Swankety Swank Showcase presents the Snake Cabinet! This wood side table, nightstand or media cabinet has been recently refinished on the top with a slightly distressed, warm red color wash which allows the original wood grain to show. It features a hand painted snake with flowers in hues of gray, black and red over graphic color wash red stripes. The inside has 3 shelves with color washed wood knobs. This signed art piece would be a fantastic addition to an artfully traditional, colorful modern or bohemian decor.
Dimensions: 26″H x 41″W x 26″D 

Detail of Snake Cabinet

Snakes are featured in many creation myths throughout the world.  ”Many peoples in Africa and Australia had myths about a Rainbow Snake, which was either Mother Earth herself giving birth to all animals or a water-god whose writhings created rivers, creeks and oceans.  In ancient Indian myth, the drought-serpent Ahi or Vritra swallowed the primordial ocean and did not release all created beings until Indra split the serpent’s stomach with a thunderbolt.”

“In Chinese mythology, the woman-headed snake Nüwa made the first humans. She made humans one at the time with clay, but it took too much time and strength. To conserve her energy, she dipped a rope in clay and flicked it so blobs of clay landed everywhere; each blob of clay became an individual human.”

“Greek cosmological myths tell of how Ophion the snake incubated the primordial egg from which all created things were born.”

“In Egyptian myth, the state of existence before creation was symbolised as Amduat, a many-coiled serpent from which Ra the Sun and all of creation arose, returning each night and being reborn every morning.”

Inside Detail of Snake Cabinet

The Snake Cabinet has three deep shelves of storage space and can support immense weight with its sturdy construction.  Let it help you manifest the creative energies of your world.

Visit Swankety Swank today and view this cabinet in person!  Many more handpainted furniture art pieces by Yabette are also available!

The Twilight Tree Dresser

Swankety Swank Showcase presents the Twilight Tree Dresser!  This aged, sturdy wood dresser has been newly transformed with a hand painted tree in crackle cream with shimmery gold leaves. The top has been refinished in black on its rustic surface. It features dove-tailed drawers, original handles, protective clear coat on its aged mottled surface. This signed art piece would be a lovely addition to a eclectic modern, artfully traditional or bohemian decor.
Dimensions: 36″H x 39″W x 17″D

Twilight Tree Dresser Drawer Detail

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the tree of life, the Ygdrassil tree in Norse mythology are all examples of powerful symbolic tree associations.  Trees embody the majesty of life and growth as they simultaneously reach deep into the earth and up toward the heavens.  There is a deep sense of grounding and expansion from the energy of trees.  The phenomenon of twilight can refer to two times of day (both when the sun is below the horizon), either between daybreak to sunrise, or most commonly sunset to nightfall.  The light of the sun is diffused and casts a mysterious pall upon the world.  It is a magical time of in between states.  This dresser combines the solid power of trees with the gentle enchantment of twilight.

Perspective View of the Twilight Tree Dresser

Incorporating original drawer key holes into the tree’s trunk, while stretching branches “grow” in between curved handles, this tree brings pride and splendor to any room!

Visit Swankety Swank today and view this beautiful dresser in person!  Many more handpainted furniture art pieces by Yabette are also available!

photo by Christine Donley

Yabette’s newest completed project is now available for purchase at Swankety Swank! It is a combination of hand painted dresser and hutch.

It was inspired by Nieves, the creator of SF Weekly’s Best of the Bay Skincare Line 2010 called By Nieves! We carry her gorgeous hand made organic products that epitomize the Swankety Swank motto of “Honoring Beauty, Earth, and Age.” 

photo by Yabette

The dresser and hutch have been refinished with mossy green, leaving as much of the original maple wood as possible, still enhancing the aged beauty. The top crest and bottom doors feature detailed, hand painted Columbine flowers in hues of green and lavender. Nieves is like a Columbine- which although delicate, is a hardy flowering plant!

Nieves portrait by Eartha Goodwin

I love the beautiful, hand painted flower detail on the top section…..

photo by Christine Donley

As well as the larger flowers painted on each of the doors.

photo by Christine Donley

This piece comes in 2 parts for easy moving and placement. It measures 58″W x 74″H x 19″D and the dresser has 5 drawers with two cubby spaces with shelves behind the doors.

It is a beautiful wood specimen of art and function. This signed art piece will add cozy mountain country to your city loft bedroom, living room or dining room!