Summer lovin……

San Francisco summer is in full effect…. just barely warm days,  brisk, chilly nights and lots of fog.  Every San Franciscan knows that layering is the way to get through this season gracefully. If you don’t know them already, we’d like to introduce you to our answer to the San Francisco summers:  the arm warmer.   The arm warmer is the perfect thing to slip into your bag in the morning  to wear later when the fog rolls in.  We have a diverse selection of materials:  knitwear, lace, cotton, velvet,  some stripped and so much more.   It is a good way to add some style to your ensemble, and add some coverage to bare arms when it gets chilly.  We also recommend the arm cuff.    These pretty little things keep the wrist and upper hand warm, all while making the wearer look super cute.  Swankety Swank carries arm warmers and cuffs for ladies and the fashion forward lad.

Modeling a selection of arm warmers and other items available at Swankety Swank are STORM and Anna, our summer love birds.  At least for this story…….

I met a boy, cute as can be. Anna in Zunique black lace arm warmers ($46) and Darina Drapkin lace shirt ($160)

I met a girl, crazy for me. STORM in Novy t-shirt ($24), Project Transaction belt and leather cuffs ($42-$56), Palas Key Necklace ($70) & Anna in Zunique ($46)

Summer lovin, happened so fast. STORM in Novy t-shirt ($24), Project Transaction belt and leather cuffs ($42-$56), Palas Key Necklace ($70) & Anna in Zunique black lace arm warmers ($46) and Darina Drapkin lace shirt ($160)

Summer lovin, let's use our flasks. DAS leather corset flasks ($48). Anna is gibbous hat ($60), Wysterium Wear cuffs ($22) and STORM in Novy shirt ($24), Zero Necklace ($80), and DAS top hat ($400)

Summer lovin, he's making a pass. DAS leather corset flasks ($48). Anna is gibbous hat ($60), Wysterium Wear cuffs ($22) and STORM in Novy t-shirt ($24), Zero Necklace ($80), and DAS top hat ($400)

Anna with DAS corset flask ($48) and Wysterium Wear cuffs ($22)

He got friendly, holding my hand. STORM in Novy t-shirt ($24), gibbous button arm warmers ($40), Hannah Ruskin Key necklace ($22) and Anna in Wayward Shiftys striped arm warmers and Eileen hairpin ($30)

Summer fling, don't mean a thing. Anna in Wysterium Wear cuffs ($22), Eileen hair pin ($50) and STORM in DAS top hat ($400) and Zunique arm warmers ($50)

I told her, when the summer ends, we'd still be friends. STORM in DAS top hat ($400), Novy t-shirt ($24), and DAS cuffs ($56) and Anna in Eileen hair clip ($50), Wysterium Wear cuffs, ($22)

Then we made, our true love vow.. STORM in DAS top hat ($400), Novy t-shirt ($24), and DAS cuffs ($56) and Anna in Eileen hair clip ($50), Wysterium Wear cuffs, ($22)

Oh, those summer nights. STORM in DAS top hat ($400), Novy t-shirt ($24), and DAS cuffs ($56) and Anna in Eileen hair clip ($50), Wysterium Wear cuffs, ($22)

And here’s a few solo shots with Anna solo showing more varieties of our selection of arm warmers.

Anna is Wysterium Wear cuffs, ($22)

Anna is Wysterium Wear cuffs, ($22)

Anna wears Zunique black lace gloves ($46) and Darina Drapkin lace top ($160)

Photographs and writing by Aurelie Sandrine

Swankety Updates: Trunk Sale wrap-up and new merchandise by Yabette, gibbous, and Rykovich.

As usual, it was an exciting week at The House of Swankety Swank.  A warm, mostly sunny afternoon brought lots of shoppers and artists to Saturday’s Trunk sale.    Old favorites and new guest artists provided a variety of unique, handmade products for our customers.   If you missed July’s trunk sale, fear not!   Just stop by Swankety Swank  Tuesday through Sunday to shop these artists and many more!  While you’re here, check out some beautiful new pieces from Yabette, Rykovich, and gibbous.   We’d love to see you, so come on by.

Trunk show street view with Kim of Krafty Kitten

Trunk Sale wrap-up

One of our longest working artists, Amy Barrios of ICJ designs, with us from the first year in our old shop on McAllister Street,  brought out some of her beautiful, classic jewelry.  Amy is a self-taught artist and former English teacher!  In fact, the name of her line is a play on words related to her past profession.  ”ICJ’s name (Independent Claws Jewelry) is an allusion to grammar because the strands are just like independent clauses – they work independently or with dependent clauses (the pendants and clasps.) The hooks on the ends of each strand are called lobster claws; hence the name.”  Using  high-quality materials and stones, Amy’s necklaces can also be worn as bracelets or seamlessly combined with other strands to create your own unique, beautiful combinations.   If you didn’t get a chance to see Amy’s work at the Trunk Sale, please stop by and check out her jewelry at Swankety Swank.

Amy Barrios of ICJ designs

Table detail Amy Barrios of ICJ designs

We also  had several talented guest artists participate. Katya Khan of  Urbanomad with twine jewelry and other accessories, and Tiana Saul of Sayuri Designs (below with feather hair clips) both brought more unique and beautiful accessories to Swankety Swank’s customers.

Trunk sale guest artist Katya Khan of Urbanomad

Pretty display by trunk show guest artist Tiana Saul of Sayuri Designs

Adrian of Salvaged and Stitched brought these super cute salvaged pillows in whimsical designs.   Salvaged and Stiched is a local family-run business.  His pillows “are made with upholstery remnants, and have either upholstery or apparel fabric  appliques. Vintage buttons are used for eyes, leather or suede for beaks and thick wool or mohair yarn for delightful long slender legs.”  You can now find his work everyday at Swankety Swank.

Adrian of Salvaged and Stitched now found in Swankety Swank.

Kim of Krafty Kitten, makes the cutest, sassiest,  bones and flowers hair accessories.  A recent graduate of Art Institute of CA-San Francisco, Kim has been making work as Krafty Kitten since 2007.  She calls her grandparents her inspiration since they fostered her passion and skill from a young age.   Her grandfather passed on sewing skills he learned as a young man in Mexico, so her work continues a line of family tradition.  Some other inspirations are rockabilly, cholabilly, psychobilly, pin up, punk and mexican culture.   You can find more of Kim’s Krafty Kitten work at Swankety Swank.

Kim of Krafty Kitten helps a customer

Krafty Kitten table

New furniture by Yabette, clothing and accessories from gibbous and Rykovich

Yabette recently finished a lovely new table.   Turquoise blue with a hand-painted, green leaf adorns the top.  This piece, like all Yabette’s work, is a well-built piece of furniture that was in need of some TLC and refurbishment to bring it back to life and ensure it’s use long into the future.

Yabette Blue table with hand-painted green leaf, $250

Yabette Blue table with hand-painted green leaf, $250

Artist Kurtis Rykovich’s pop-surrealist style fits perfectly at Swankety Swank.  Kurtis has participated as both fine artist and a designer, and now he has some beautiful one of a kind, hand painted summer blouses and t-shirts, each with a custom, removal broach.   His hand-painted t-shirts come in sizes from Small to 3X.

Rykovich embellished blue blouse, $98

Rykovich embellished blue blouse, detail removable pin, $98

Rykovich sandy giraffe tee, $75

Rykovich sandy giraffe tee, removable pin detail, $75

Rykovich orange silk blouse, $80

We had heard that the designers at gibbous were passing a summer cold between them, so we were extra surprised when they re-stocked the store with quite a few newly created pieces.  When design calls, nothing can keep the designers at gibbous from answering!  We hope y’all at gibbous will be getting back to %100 soon.

gibbous calls themselves “a miniature fashion house of hearts and hands” that collects cast-offs of the past to create your re-newed, favorite, how-did-I -live-without-this fashion pieces.  I should warn you; much like a tatoo, once you get your first gibbous piece, you’ll want more and more.  The collective of 4 designers re-uses a variety of materials, victorian clothes, stained silk slips, buttons, coins, keys, to re-fashion material menageries, sans patterns, into unique items you’ll never find in any department store.  like all of our designers, gibbous creates pieces you can wear with pride.  they strive to undermine disposable fashions manufactured in far-off sweat shops one stitch at a time.

gibbous hat, detail 1, $60

gibbous hat, detail 2, $60

gibbous Hannah Patch Skirt $180

gibbous white blouse with pink details, $60

And a final reminder, stop by to see the Team Valor show, curated by STORM, before it closes.  This is your opportunity to see some original artwork by some of the Bay Area’s best comic book artists.

Team Valor show opening

Photographs and writing by Aurelie Sandrine

Stars Collide at Swankety Swank

For Immediate Release

When: Saturday July 17th

Where:  Swankety Swank

On Saturday July 17th, 3 constellations of the San Francisco solar system will converge for a night of music, community, creativity, insight, and love.  San Francisco duo Heart of Orion will perform songs from their new CD, a beautiful collaboration between songstress Danielle Kerley and composer Ty Oz , at Swankety Swank.  The House of Swankety Swank’s tarot master STORM will be offering 3 card readings of his magical X-Men Tarot, for a special price during the event.

About Heart of Orion: Ty Oz is a classically trained composer and a degreed student of both world music and psychology. While Ty has devoted his life to composing and playing music, Danielle began her journey into music in 2006, when she found herself unable to ignore the song that was composing itself inside her mind in a church in Edinburgh.  A life-long cross-genre artist, she found a new and fulfilling expression in song writing, and has continued to write and sing in collaboration with Ty, creating melodic electronic music with political and social ideals inspiring their work.  There is another deep emotion at the heart of their music, and that is love.  What started as a professional collaboration developed into something more personal and tender, a lifelong partnership.  Music, love, creativity, the healing power of art and the importance of being part of a creative community unite this musical duo.  For the release of their first CD, they wanted a location that also embraces their ideals and values, and they found that in Swankety Swank.

Swankety Swank is an artist retail co-op that  represents over 20 local artists producing hand made items for your mind, body, spirit and home. Featuring art furniture, art shows, accessories and clothing from babies to Papas and Women sizes 2-24, Swankety Swank also believes in the healing power of art, and embraces the ideals of an inclusive community that celebrates beauty in all forms, shapes, and sizes.  Please join us on Saturday July 17th from 6-9pm for a magical night of celebration and enlightenment.  For a musical preview, check out their Myspace page.

STORM wears top hat by DAS with gibbous jacket, while Danielle looks lovely in pink dress by Zunique with skirt by Yabette; Ty dons a dapper waistcoat & ascot by DAS.
Photos and press release by Aurelie Sandrine, styling by Yabette Alfaro.

Father’s Day Finds at Swankety Swank

Still haven’t found the perfect gift for Dad for Father’s Day?   Swankety Swank has got you covered!  We carry some amazing hand-made art, fashion, and decor pieces that any dad will love and use for years to come.  Check out our gallery of great pieces any dad will be happy to receive.   And remember, shopping local supports not only artists, but the entire community.   The folks at the 3/50 Project have discovered that for every $100 spent in local establishments, $68 of  the money stays in the community, versus $43 spent at a national chain.  Another great reason to shop for Dad at Swankety Swank!

Photographs and writing by Aurelie Sandrine

Sidewalk Sale This Saturday!!

Saturday MAY 15, 2010 11AM TO 4PM

Join us as we changed the date for this to Saturday rather than Sunday this weekend.

As part of the city wide Support Small Business Week. We’ll have Rio DJing all afternoon as we showcase local artist work at accessible prices on our sunny sidewalks.

If you are an artist who wants to participate, contact us for info: swankety@gmail.com