Lisa Jacobs, aka Sticker Club Girl, has always been attracted to functional art, so she says the transition from fashion design and crafting to her latest collection of custom jewelry was a no brainer. “You can put a painting on your wall and admire it,” she says. “But with jewelry, which is…
What are you wearing? Vintage silk top, Anthropologie skirt, Seychelles shoes, jewelry from local designer Ayofemi, bag by Pilcro & the Letterpress (from Anthropologie – which I maybe bought because I’m also a letterpress printer and loved the brand name)…
Valley resident Melissa Kaylor has a major yen for video games. If you didn’t get a chance to speak with her this past weekend at Devastation 2011 (or purchase her old school plastic pixel art), the 24-year-old devotes most of her free time to game-related projects under her online persona…
Each week Gem features one standout piece from a local shop. Whether it’s a jacket, necklace, or handbag, it’s on our have-to-have list. What: This handmade skull brooch is perfect for fall — particularly with Halloween and Dia de los Muertos a couple weeks away. With a wink toward Mexican folk art,…
NFL owners announced yesterday that the Super Bowl will return to Phoenix in 2015. Phoenix beat out Tampa for super game slot; it’ll be the third time we’ve hosted a slew of buffed-out ball players competing for the national title. So while we wait for the big day, we’ll toss in our…
Oops. We just drooled. Chow Bella & Roosevelt Row announced their second annual Pie Social to benefit Phoenix Union Bio-Science High School arts programs, and this year, they’re looking for a few creatives. In addition to the mass consumption of community and celebrity pies on November 12, the social will include a…
The messy garage outside of the North Phoenix home of Lance Greathouse is filled with creatures and fire-breathing monsters galore. Not the supernatural kind, mind you, but rather those he’s built from made from scrap metal and steel. The dental laser technician, gearhead, and self-described “mad scientist” spends his off…
Kayla Cuore’s daily life revolves around her kids, but that doesn’t mean that she has to dress like a mom. The 26-year-old blogs about her daily outfits, and gives her readers little peeks into her life on her blog, Freckles In April. “It can be so tempting to stay in…
If you made it out to Scottsdale and followed the “Fasionistas, This Way!” signs through the Talking Stick Resort and Casino and down the elevator, you probably found yourself at the glitzed out, seventh annual Phoenix Fashion Week(end).The three-day fashion celebration featured the work of 24 established designers, 10 emerging, and 106 accessory…
Taunts or testosterone were in abundance inside the Phoenix Convention Center this past weekend. Joystick jedi from throughout Arizona descended upon the downtown destination en masse to wage pixilated warfare during Devastation, the annual gaming competition and expo.Fueled by both adrenaline and energy drinks, gamers battled for supremacy (and cash prizes)…
Anya Melkozernova says she knew she would be involved in the fashion world since she was a kid growing up in Russia. “I’ve always been into creating art,” she says. “And I see fashion as an artistic expression.”When she was younger, that sentiment translated to making clothing for her Barbies. Today, Melkozernova…
Art walks are more often about people watching and shenanigans and less about the actual art. We’re here to guide you through both. Presenting our very own Field Guide — an evolving guide to art walks around town.From time to time, we’ll introduce some of our favorite spots and dish out some…
It’s that time of year when the weather cools down, the creative project lists get a little longer, and a little flier comes through the mail for one of our favorite events of the year. Frances and Smeeks announced the date and time of their sixth Crafeteria, an annual gathering of local…
We’re always game for a good scare — especially when we’re not the ones being spooked. It’s why we can’t stop looking at the official spook album of the Nightmares Fear Factory, the longest running and arguably the scariest haunted house in North America. The haunted house in Ontario keeps a steady…
Before Astrid Guri Olafsen began selling her handmade creations, she was a scientist with a degree in botany. For 16 years, she was doing research for the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix. Today, she sells handmade, reconstructed, and hand screened clothing at Downtown’s Indie Arthouse, and on her Etsy page.”This is…
Mesa native Ashley Nielson enjoys showing off her personal creativity with the clothes on her back. The 22-year-old works in retail and writes about her daily life and outfits on her blog, I Believe In Unicorns. Her colorful and quirky style was one of the first things that caught our…
Each week Gem features one standout piece from a local shop. Whether it’s a jacket, necklace, or handbag, it’s on our have-to-have list. What: These classically shaped black leather Kate Spade ballet flats mix sweet with flashy. Stones arranged as framed daisies give the skimmers personality without being obnoxious. A favorite of…
The Rainbows Festival and Street Fair filed Heritage Square Park in Downtown Phoenix with LGBT themed festivities and booths this weekend. Supporters of the LGBT community celebrated the event with calls for marriage equality and with more lighthearted options including karaoke, dunk tanks, and plenty of fabulous outfits. We noticed a few…
If you can manage to put down your hefty Best of Phoenix issue this weekend, here are your best bets for a good time out on the town. Scottsdale International Film Festival @ Harkins SheaThe film fest kicks off tonight with a screening of Like Crazy and a Q&A with…
Betsey Johnson’s fall collection, “He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not,” brought a fun dose of fashion to W Scottsdale. And before we brush on the awkward production or over-the-top fanfare, we will note: Yes. It’s Betsey Johnson. So, yes. It’s supposed to be quirky. Models strutted down the L-shaped catwalk, which…
Photos by Chelsea BrownWalking through the aisles of the Mesa Typewriter Exchange is a little surreal. Reports of the last typewriter factory closing down caused quite a drama, but Mesa’s Bill Wahl and his stockpile of machines and accessories aren’t going anywhere. The little shop on MacDonald in Mesa has been serving…
Phoenix transplant Ashley LeMieux is known not only for her sweet style, but also for her charitable efforts. The 24-year-old is self-employed and dedicates her days to working on her blog, The Shine Project, where she shares peeks into her daily life and outfits, as well as running her own handmade…
