A dose of color for a grey day...

Its really dreary outside today...and cold...and the sky keeps spitting out snow/hail/rain type weather...icky. I thought it was the perfect time to share one of my new favorite photogs and give you a dose of brilliant color...meet Mrs. French, the talented lady behind Bliss and the taker of some fantastic photographs! My three current favs...




1. Tiny Moon
2. Tips of Light
3. Ginkgo

There is also a delightful blog full of wonderful colors and images...it's already on my blog roll and its worth perusing often!

Eeeek! A Necklace made with Pom Poms!

I spent last night playing around with making pom poms and ooooh, lookie what I made:



Bright green pom poms, purple vintage lucite beads and vintage brass chain...this pretty little ditty is one of a kind and more colors are coming!!!

The clock is ticking...

OK, the Pre Holiday Sale is underway, which means Manic Trout housecleaning is happening, don;t forget that if you enter CandyCorn at check out all week you receive 25% off your entire order! Now I just have to finish up the 1,001 new designs in various stages and get them online...they're coming though so don't you worry your pretty little head about it...want a sneak peek at my jewelry work space at the moment?


Hmmmmm...I see pink tulle, pom poms, big brass chain, colorful glass, whimsical lucite and sketches, sketches and more sketches!

Haunted Bloggy Carnival is Here!

Go Check out the Weird Stuff In My Desk Haunted Bloggy Carnival Spooktacular event! The carnival starts at 8:00 am Central time October 27th ALL WEEK and ends on November 2nd at 11:59 pm Pacific time.

There are oodles of prizes to win...including a $25 Manic Trout Gift Certificate!!!

I am a bibliophile...and this is my dream

I have a lot of books, thousands and thousands in fact. So many that when my ex husband and I split up amicably, he mentioned how glad he was to never have to move all of my books again, and in the past three years since then, I have only increased my collection. I do try to donate any books I no longer want, and I try to resist book gluttony...I also buy almost all of them used...(these little tidbits make me feel a little better about the bulging book shelves around my apartment)...although I am really lucky to have beautiful built in shelves in the living room, I still have 4 free standing ones taking up room.


While most people dream of gorgeous views, square footage and claw foot tubs, I have simple house dreams...a cottage by the ocean with built in book shelves in every room and a huge studio in a building of some sort a few feet from the cottage...which I would prefer to be covered in weathered shingles, but I can give on that, I also always loved old churches turned into homes, but I would really rather live in a cottage...ahhhh, one day it will be mine.



I also think I'll have to stay in the northeast, as much as I adore San Diego, I don't think I am able to deal with living any where other then the northeast, and I do love those seasons...ok I'm done daydreaming of waves and shelving, now back to work...

Weekend Plans...

Weekends are work days for me, and very busy ones at that, so I usually don't have much fun stuff planned for them, but I am really excited about this Sunday! Gilly is coming home and we (this could be a large collective) are going to the awesome Haunted House in Stanfordville, Frankensteins Fortress which is created by the talented Peter Wing...I am so excited for this, I look forward to it all year...and would be even more excited if a certain someone would be able to join me this year, as I usually have the most fun in the years that they have gone with me...anyway...I'll let you know how it goes!

On a side note, I really need to go clothes shopping, I am getting ready to head back to work and this is how I feel at the moment:


...but I cannot go to work like this, so I have to go scrounge up something to wear...

photo by Jonathan Leber

Getting all my eggs in a row...

I am really enjoying fall this year, I cleaned my home from top to bottom, including defrosting my freezer and flipping my mattress and therefore I am enjoying being in it when I get the chance. I am loving my new "day" job and although its the busy season there as well as with Manic Trout, I am so into both of them that I am pretty excited to be overwhelmed with work right now. The leaves are falling everywhere and as I live in New Yorks Hudson Valley, its gorgeous outside! I am even getting used to my new schedule and therefore able to exercise again...and one more thing...for the first time in YEARS I am cooking meals for myself again...crazy I know, but so good at the same time...tonight I had grilled chicken (the George Forman is the single gals best friend) with a Cajun rub, couscous and a tomato salad with balsamic...so yummy! Hmmm, I think I dare say that I am really happy right now.

Photo Courtesy of Mark Roper and shows some of my favorite simple pleasures right now...a clean house with a pristine white bed full of lots of layers and wellies to leaf kick in...

Halloween is so close and no costume ideas yet...

I will be working on Halloween this year, and I will be dressing up...I do every year anyway...I do love Halloween...however I have no idea what so ever I should be...

I did at one point go to a school dance in a green thing similar to the one above, with my face and hands pained green and antenna in my hair...I was an alien of coarse, albeit with out the Louboutin heels...and in the 8th grade with an amazing amount of courage when I think back on it...I'll need to be a bit more conservative this year...any ideas?

Pre Holiday Sale at ManicTrout.com

I was going through the website and studio inventory last night and I realized that if I am overwhelmed with the amount of jewelry that is available, then you must be too...so its time to really clean house (as I did yesterday in my apt...I even flipped my mattress!) and get ready for the holidays and all of the new goodies I am working on.

What does this mean? Huge deals for you! Take 25% off anything on Manic Trout.com by entering CandyCorn (my favorite Halloween candy) in the coupon/voucher box at check out!

There is also a Specials page right now where you will find discontinued pieces at 50% off (with the coupon you'll receive %75 off!!!!) as well as a section at the bottom letting you know which items there is only one left of!

So go crazy and shop your heart out for the next week...sale will end October 31st, so act fast!

This is today...

These photos sum up today...beautiful, grey, dreary, cold and stunning all at once...



Photos by DavidVasiljevic

Shipping Changes at Manic Trout!

I have redone the shipping and added more options...you may now select First Class, Priority or Express shipping for any US purchase...shipping is still free over $200!

I also have added an option for Canadian shoppers...you may now select either First Class or Global Priority.

Shipping costs in the US are as follows:

$3.00 for USPS First Class Mail
$6.00 for USPS Priority Mail
$18.00 for USPS Express Mail (overnight)

FREE for all orders over $200 (excluding paintings) via Priority Mail!

All US packages are shipped with delivery confirmation.

Shipping costs for Canada are as follows:

$3.50 for International First Class Mall
$12.00 for Global Priority Mail

International Orders:
$12.00 via Global Priority Mail

As always, this information is available on the FAQ's page!

Loving the Shapes in these...

I fell instantly head over heels for these photos from the November UK Vogue by Tom Craig...especially the usage of shapes...




...and how much do you wish you could jump on that princess and the pea pile of cushions????

Late night studio happenings...

So I had to share this, as Shanley and I thought it was funny enough to document, there's a chance its funny enough to share. So about two weeks ago after we returned from a night on the town...that parts funny enough on its own as our town is really small and yet happening enough that I think we made the rounds and visited a handful of bar & restaurants before we made our way back to my studio for girl talk/night summarizing and...dog grooming? Faye tends to get talons quickly and hates it when I cut her nails, so to remedy the dagger nail, I absentmindedly grabbed a file and was filing away while we gabbed...until Shanley realized what I was doing and snapped a photo...


...admittedly the best part is that Faye is sticking her tongue out...I don't think she appreciates being teased about her grooming needs...

Make Way for Fall Soundtrack

As my time in the studio is rather precious right now...I have to make sure that I stay productive when I'm in there...which usually means playing music that keeps me going, yet is not to crazy to irritate me when I am working...which brings me to the most recent compilation of music...

1. Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing - John Legend
2. Valerie - Mark Ronson featuring Amy Winehouse
3. Young Americans - David Bowie
4. Little Bit of Feel Good - Jamie Lidell
5. Trouble Man - Marvin Gaye
6. Slow Dance - John Legend
7. Rip Rip - David Holmes
8. Just Drums - Tapes 'n' Tapes
9. Paper Planes - M.I.A.
10. I Wanna Be Your Lover - Prince
11. Bruises - Chairlift
12. Expectations - Belle & Sebastian
13. Woman Trouble - Artful Dodger & Craig David
14. Hey Ladies - Beastie Boys
15. I Love To Move In Here - Moby
16. Watermelon Man - Mongo Santamaría
17. Sea of Love - Cat Power
18. Come Undone - Duran Duran
19. Let It Die - Feist

For those who want to be all web savvy and hear (most) of the playlist...you can go to my facebook page and hear them in the iLike window (you will have to be my "friend" to do this) ...and while you're there on facebook...please become a fan of Manic Trout so I feel all warm and fuzzy...xo

Manic Trout in Modish : Handmade Spaces today!!!

I was so excited to see the Manic Trout studio in the Modish: Handmade Spaces Column today...please check out the interview and photos and take a whirl around Modish! I have been a fan of Modish for a few years now and think Jena is the cat's pajamas and her blog rocks! I was so excited to be included in the ongoing tour of creative spaces, thank you Jena!

How to find the perfect necklace for you...

Check out the Necklace Guide at Manic Trout...it will show you all of the necklaces by length, where each length falls and what each length works well with...have fun!

If I could jump into a photo...

I would leap right into this one...


I am suddenly incredibly busy on a daily basis, and I love it...being busy also makes me cherish the snippets of down time and moments spent with my near and dears...and makes me want to hang out in this room with a good book for an hour to reward myself...and as it has been so long since I've tossed out a random fact...Reading (non work related) during the day is my guilty pleasure...and its basically what a good vacation consists of as well....

I am thinking big!

It all started with the silk scarves...I am really into big necklaces right now...I will keep you posted as they turn from designs on paper to reality...but I'll give you an idea of what size necklace has tickled my fancy recently....

I have been scouring for big vintage brass chain and funky finds to turn into statement necklaces...and they will be arriving shortly...

I might as well embarrass good friends on their birthdays...

So today happens to be the birthday of a few people I know...Miles and Sam B from high school, Sara from work, my cousin Gerry...and my dearest friend Shireen...so I wish all you lovies a very Happy Birthday and would like to share some photo booth pics of Shireen, Eliza and your truly when we were I believe Sophomores at Millbrook...which is even made more eerie as my littlest sister is currently a Sophomore there...we were that young....Love you Shireen...and now I have embarrassed you all over the Internet...

Flowers & Sunshine

I think I'm getting sick, ick. I am going to remain in denial of this however and focus on the fact that its gorgeous outside and its going to be almost 70 out today and as its October, that's especially awesome...hmm, it may be allergies...whatever.

ps...loving her eyebrows!

Fall frocks that rock my socks...yeah I'm in that kinda mood...

When I was a pre teen, my friends and I would dress up and take photos set in various indoor and outdoor scenes...it was a great way to spend the afternoon...any way...there was one in particular that these James Macari photos remind me a great deal of...I wonder if I would have the nerve to do that again now...

I am lusting for girlie shoes

Something about fall makes me want to wear stockings and really girly shoes...I rocked the perfect LBD last night out with the girls topped off with stockings, purple suede very high heels, my go to buttery soft cream colored leather coat and a long striped scarf...it felt like the perfect outfit...except now I want these shoes...


How great would it be to open your fridge to all of these pretties?!?



However, Carrie I am not, so for now I'll keep the shoes to the closet...

This is what it looks like here...

Fall is here in the Hudson Valley and this week I have been lucky enough to spend some time outside in it. I took a wonderful long walk with a great friend yesterday down a dirt road surrounded by leaves in bright bursting colors...it was a lovely way to spend the afternoon. I am trying to keep the balance of a life and work as my schedule gets fuller everyday now that I have returned to the restaurant world and am getting Manic Trout ready for the holidays, so far, life is good.

Autumn Sweet Light by Wendy Sisson

Amen to that sistah...

OK, this is one of the funniest cards I've read in a while...you can get your own copy over at Blue Barn House...I have been enjoying not being married much more then I enjoyed being married...although that may have been due more to who I was married to then the actual marriage part...

Holy Adorable Brit Girl!

So I was over perusing the ever fabulous Fug Girls and saw not one, but two absolutely adorable photos of a Miss Emma Watson whom you may know from the Harry Potter flicks. Well she is becoming quite the young lady and I am loving her style...



Wouldn't mind seeing her in some lovely Manic Trout creations...I think the Sweetest Thing Earrings or the Zsa Zsa Bling Rings would look simply divine on Emma!

You're pretty cool, Mr. Christopher Kane

The day I went through the images form London Fashion Week I stopped dead in my tracks when I flipped through the Christopher Kane show. Oh. My. God. Jaw dropping. Amazing. Love it. I'll just leave you a few images and you can see for yourself...