Bow Ties for Guys - The Easy Tie Way

Bow Tie are so popular now. I just had to create some fun ties for the coolest guys. I know, the really cool guys know how to tie them, but who has the time? And those little bungee things make your ties all twisty and fall down and are a pain to adjust right?

My ties are on a super comfortable Grosgrain ribbon with velcro closure that is adjustable and so easy to wear. They are even comfortable enough to wear on a bare neck. Women can be styling too. The great thing about them (here comes some technical stuff) is that the ribbon is the same width as the knot, so no twisting and falling. I mean, unless your friends lift your collar for a closer inspection, there's no way they'll know it's not knotted.

Some ties are made from vintage fabrics, some are my own custom design that I have printed. I can make you, anything you want. This is just a sampling of the fun ties I carry in my shop. Stop by Poppy's Garden Gate for more.

Fauxtography - Punny Picks for Great Photo shoots

I've been working out new ways to do interesting photography for my items. Fortunately I am very handy at Photoshop. I just did (and am working on) a series of Fauxtos of my Bow Ties on Tuxes. Here is some of what I did.

I took some Tux images and creatively altered them in Photoshop to show off my ties better. I did the Jon Hamm just for fun, not to add to my listings. Not sure either he or the producers of Mad Men would like that, but I was having so much fun.

I'm not exactly sure just how legal using these images are, after all, I'm not crediting the photographer. If you photographed any of these, let me know and I'll give you shared credit. After all, these images are digital altered art collages done by me. Heck, a collaboration with me, could make you famous Jon Hamm.

Find these bow ties and many more at Poppy's Garden Gate.

Biz Buzz - Beware of What you Share

I just became aware of a HUGE controversy in the Arts community and I'm probably going to get hate email for this myself, just like Regretsy did. But I have to speak my mind too. If you haven't already heard, it's all about the "HOBO Wedding". Etsy featured it and you can see their post here Handmade Weddings: Depression-Era Hobo


This post was rife for ridicule. I read it and got quite a kick out of it myself. The hobo invitations and little Bandanna sack decorations, Beat up straw hats and overalls. Not the ideal wedding most of us have planned, but I know some Ren Faire workers that love their costuming and genre so much they Feast on Faux Boar and Mead for their nuptials. To each their own right?


So some found it more than just odd like April (Helen Killer) of Regretsy, who posted a snarky commentary of the wedding It’s called “poverty.” You’ve probably never heard of it.


I for one, am particularly fond of snark, so I thoroughly enjoyed her commentary, as that was just about what I was thinking. But apparently the Bride, Groom and the family didn't find it funny at all. So Regretsy, with second thoughts, made another post. Faux-Bos and Faux-Pas


April starts out saying she didn't realize how much her post would hurt and offend. I related to her Chastity/Chastity critisism, as I have been know to say to a gay, Where is the Straight Pride Parade? or to a person of color, What is this BTV nonsense? Not because I am prejudiced, but because I think the divisions are so unnecessary, because I personally think people are people and should all be embraced as part of the global community. I guess that it's the closed minded ones who are offended and hurt by what we say. 


I totally understand oppression, but at least you are part of a group.  What about people like April and me, who are oddball freaks that few understand? What group do we belong in?


The beginning of the "apology?" post read like Perez Hilton, when he finally realized that his snark was hurtful. Really Perez? How long did that take? Smack yourself on the head you dumb ass.


But it ended with the obvious. If you expose your ridiculous fantasies to the world, you expose yourself to ridicule. PLEASE Hobo Wedding Participants! If you seriously thought this would not get both negative as well as positive comments you are either naive or just plain stupid.


Lesson Learned: If you are putting yourself on the Internet, you are exposing yourself to a global community who may, or may not like what you are doing or saying and just deal with it. After all www does stand for World Wide Web if you didn't know.


I for one, think that marriage is a mistake no matter how you dress it up, but that is my OPINION. Now all you happily married people can send me hate mail and negative comments :)