We've been mentioned in The Current!

I was interviewed for UMSL's student paper about the fabulous Rock N Roll Craft Show!

You can read it here.

We're in the Time!

A very special selection of our jewelry will now be featured in The Time Boutique, in the heart of the bustling downtown St. Louis style district!

We've been spotlit!

The wonderful and talented Senora Muertos has graced us with an Artist Spotlight! Check it out here, and read hers below! http://senoramuertos.blogspot.com/2009/08/featured-artist-beqi-clothing.html

Meet the St. Louis Craft Mafia! Senora Muertos

Senora Muertos is a friend and fellow mafiosa in the St. Louis Craft Mafia. She's got two awesomely cool kids, a very funny husband, and a thriving Day of the Dead sculpture business. Being a rockabilly/punk rock girl (not unlike myself) her subjects differ from traditional Dia de los Muertos subjects because they're drawn from pop culture and music references. I have love for her art and mucho respect for her as a person. (and not just because she's like, 70 feet tall) But I'll let her tell it in her own words:

1. Tell us a little about yourself and your shop:
I am a married mother of two school age kids who are just as creative as their momma. I was raised Catholic with a strong Irish roots. My family is very superstitious and funerals were always a celebration. I think that is where I developed my love for the different ways death is viewed though out the world. It was almost natural for me to gravitate towards a holiday where death was looked at as a celebration of life.

2. What is your favorite item from your own shop?
Right now my favorite item is the Day of the Dead Elvis. (shown below)



3. Who or what gives you inspiration?
My kids, my family, my friends and the other talented artists inspire me daily. Around Halloween I get nostalgic and I get inspired over memories of Halloween's past. I also look to religious art throughout the ages and all of the Mexican folk artisans who never have received credit for their incredible work.



4. Explain your art- what exactly is it you do?
I do mostly papier mache' Day of the Dead figures. My main medium is papier mache'. It actually started with me making Halloween decorations for a Halloween party. I was trying to be frugal. I am still very frugal and use a lot of recyclable items to create the armature and bases for my pieces.

I love papier mache' because it is a multi-step process and it is so much fun
to watch a piece slowly come together. Plus again, I am a frugal artist and papier mache' is a very frugal art.

I also use polymer clay for my smaller pieces as it is easier to work with
on a smaller scale. I also make bottle cap jewelry and decorated bottle cap crosses. I try to use only bottle caps from smaller microbreweries or local, though I will use others when I run out. I don't really drink beer often so I have friends,
family, etc. save them for me.



5. What is your favorite project you've finished so far? I love my Day of
the Dead 50's style waitress.

6.Where can we find your work?
My etsy store is http://www.senoraalegremuertos.etsy.com, and
My blog is www.senoramuertos.blogspot.com

And of course look for my on facebook and fan me under Senora Muertos.

Senora Muertos, along with me and most of the STL Craft Mafia members, will be vending at this years' Strangefolk Festival in Fairview Heights, IL. Come check us out, chicas!

We've been mentioned on Lisa Freemont Street!

The lovely Ashley Westmoreland, who runs the Youtube channel Lisa Freemont Street, has mentioned us twice! Her specialty is teaching people how to replicate those oh-so-stylish retro hairstyles and she also gives fashion and makeup tips. We are honored to be included. *blush*

You can check it out HERE

and HERE.

I've been featured on A Handmade Revolution's Blog!

My Cherry Jelly Necklace is featured on their lovely blog! Check it out A Handmade Revolution!

Done and done.

It turned out beautifully! I screened the peacock in gold on a teal Devereaux Tee (dolman sleeved with a wide banded bottom) and it's divine. I'll be introducing it to the Fall Preview in one week!

Peacock Screenprint!

Just finished first screen of the new Peacock drawing! Gold on teal knit. Tee will be a banded dolman sleeved boatneck top when finished.

I loved it so much I modified it a bit and put it on my new tags.

ONLY 2 WEEKS TILL BIG ASS INDIE CRAFT!!!

Starting July 31st, Mad Art Gallery will be again hosting the annual Big Ass Indie Arts & Crafts Fair!

Performing at this year's event will be none other than the Queen of the Gem Sweaters herself, Leslie Hall!



Be there or forever rue the day!

Sample Sale up!

Just got the Spring 2009 Sample Sale posted!! Almost every single sample is 50% off! First come, first served. http://www.beqiclothing.com.

So excited about fall!

I know it's early, but you know we designers have to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to clothing, because Fall technically starts at the end of July for us. The upside to this is that I get to brainstorm all the things I want to make for the cooler months when we're still in the hot ones.

Anyone who knows me knows that while I'm all for temperatures above 72 degress when I'm sitting in a pool or a lake, I'm definitely NOT a hot weather gal. (I blame the German side of my heritage--great for streusel, not good for sunbathing!) So I daydream about the kinds of desperately chic layered looks I'll get to don when the mercury falls again.

I'm currently all about the animal prints again: leopard, cheetah, tiger, zebra, giraffe, snake, unicorn, what have you. And they don't have to be true to life, either. I'm loving some of the skin prints I've seen mixed up with shots of orange, blue, and purple.

Also, plaid is going to make a comeback, and in a BIG way. You've undoubtedly been seeing lots of buffalo plaid on the young hip things lately, and it's got me all inspired to make a ruffled minidress with a standup collar--kind of like a shirtdress, but without the horrible gapping that happens to us busty gals with traditional shirtdresses. I've even bought some green and black plaid taffeta for this very garment, and I'm waiting with bated breath for it to arrive.



I'm keeping with the pencil skirts and fitted sheath dresses I love so much on Mad Men, but updating the colours for fall: look for lots of teal, raspberry, purple, fuschia, kelly green, jade and charcoal grey come the turn of the season.

The last three things I've made have been clutch purses, so look for a few to make it into the line. Also, my love of scarves has been reawakened, with knit and chiffon and woven ones soon to be unveiled. The accessory item I've been using the most, though, is a super versatile black cinch belt. In fact, I love it so much I'll be selling it for summer, as well. It's perfect around dresses and longer tops.



And while I'm not as hot on the neon bandwagon as most seem to be (mainly because I went through it the first time and am still suffering from stress-induced seizures), I do think it's hella cute in smaller doses, so I'll be adding in neon-hued accessories from time to time.

Well, that's where I'm at! Hope this summer finds you happy, having fun, looking fabulous, and kicking ass; even if only metaphorically. :)

We've been featured on Girls Guide to the Galaxy!

Our Daytripper Dress has been posted on the Girls Guide to the Galaxy! Check it out at http://girlsguidetothegalaxy.com/2009/05/20/have-a-handmade-summer/#comments!

NEW at Beqi.etsy.com!

Last Call for Artists!

St. Louis's biggest collection of alternative art and crafts.
The Big Ass Indie Art and Craft Show showcases St. Louis's finest artists and crafters in a department store style show.
With locally made goods, great food and big ass entertainment!

Call for art/crafts runs until May20th. See www.bigindiecraft. com for more info.

Looking out the window

After the morning-and-afternoon-long deluge, it looks to be a beautiful day outside! Just perfect for the Tower Grove Farmer's Market Season Opening tomorrow! Hope to see you all there, it should be a blast!

Spit-shine and Polish

I'm redoing my table displays for all the upcoming craft fairs I'll be vending in, and I thought I'd let you have a peek. The colour scheme I'm going to be unveiling will be a rust/peach/pea green/grass green range of hues, and the trays are sporting a fresh coat of ivory paint with peach tiger stripes and leopard spots. I think this'll be the best looking table I've ever had!



Imagine these trays on pale peach tablecloths, with copper coloured easels holding rust coloured bulletin boards full of necklaces.



I've recycled a cast-iron wine rack into a bracelet holder, a birdcage planter and some very strong magnets into a brooch holder, and I'm currently repainting an old lazy susan to hold my glass head (affectionately named Gracie) for a hairpin display.



I prefer to use upcycled thrift store finds to display my goods, because they're cheap, plentiful, and you have the opportunity to be utterly creative envisioning that old metal trashcan upended and painted with roses to make a perfect earring holder. Plus, the fact that you're saving something from being thrown away helps us all in the long run.

I still have a lot of work to do before the big shows start in May, but when it's all done I'll be sure to let you see it!

New on Beqi Etsy!

Etsy Buy Handmade beqi

GWI!!

Well, Green with Indie went off without a hitch! If I'd remembered to bring my camera, I'd have lots of lovely pictures to show you, but as it is I'll just have to regale you with text. The weather was lovely (if windy) and so were the participants and clientele. We got to hear some lovely music, see a remade and recycled fashion show (Including a dress decorated with seed pods!), and mingle with St. Louis's like-minded sustainable living crowd.

I met a lot of awesome, stylish people, and spent most of the day with the uproariously funny Lauren B. (whose tattoo-inspired painted goods can be found at the Show Me Handmade store in Crestwood Court) and Kelly Hogan of Hoags Bags, who was made even funnier by the percocet she ingested to help her with her broken foot.

Thanks to the St. Louis Craft Mafia and Webster University for having the vision to put on this event, and remind us (gently) that everything we do to help the planet sustains us all in the end. Cheers to ya.

I Scream for Silkscreens!

Due to my lovely friends Deanne and Nancy (of EvilLittleGirls Fame) I will be able to add screened handmade tees to the line within this month! I made my first screen since starting this business in 2000 (I stopped selling them in 2003 to concentrate on the clothing) in January, and I now have a sample of my screen, which I've made into a bag.


Deanne will be screening this lovely Bouffant cutie onto knit fabric I've provided her, which I will then turn into fashion friendly scoop necked gathered sleeved tees. They should be available for ordering within the month, and will take no longer than the normal 2-3 week manufacturing time!


I have plans to make small batches of new designs throughout the seasons, and each screen will have a limited run so that the designs are always fresh. Look for a lovely peacock design to appear in April!

We're mentioned on the Metromix Website! Check it out at http://stlouis.metromix.com/style/photogallery/green-fashion/997827/content.

It includes a photo of my newest Dress, the Hera Dress, now available for sale.

Twitter!!

Follow us on Twitter! We're at http://twitter.com/beqiclothing, and we'd love to be your Tweet!

(The irony of using an Information Age technology to promote the fruits of a pre-Industrial Age one are not lost on me. Hee hee.)

New at Beqi.Etsy.com!

Etsy Buy Handmade beqi

Check out our item on Stl Handmade's blog!

Our Metis Necklace, which is available on our Etsy site, is featured in this week's STL Handmade first ever Saturday showcase!

Check it out at http://stlhandmade.com.

NEW at Beqi.etsy.com!

Etsy Buy Handmade beqi

Photo Op

Happy New Year, y'all!

I have sooooo much to show you when the new season comes out! I'm very excited by everything so far, I think you're gonna love it!

It's sunny and somewhat mild for this time of year today, so I'll be hauling my new jewelry out and photographing it all in one fell swoop. Be sure to check beqi.etsy.com in the coming weeks, because I plan to add at least 10 items a week!

I've been a busy, busy little bee, indeed. :)