Coolsisters

Where did we go?

2011-10-10T21:37:00.003-04:00

Wow - where did the time go? We got a bit sidetracked for a spell. BUT...the Coolsisters have not forgotten about you and we are currently in the craft room building new handcrafted one-of-a-kind adornments. Will be posting soon and blogging again very soon.

Bird's nest found

2011-03-26T11:37:00.001-04:00

Bird's nest found, a photo by curiouslee on Flickr.

Found

2011-03-26T11:18:00.001-04:00

Bird's nest found, a photo by curiouslee on Flickr.

Millfield, Ohio

2010-06-16T22:26:00.007-04:00

When we lived in our younger shells, we had a place in Millfield, Ohio, not far from Athens. We were kind of in college but kind of not. It was a slow life. On Saturday nights, we watched the Porter Wagonner show (with Dolly Parton before she was Dolly Parton and when Porter started sporting those Nudie jackets), played a lot of John Prine records, and drove a Corvair without a gas pedal (we just used a cord tied to the gas line under the car and tugged on it to go). We went back last weekend for a graduation and took and picture or two like this classic run-down building, which has been there a long time. We also drove down to the site of the 1930 Millfield Mine disaster when 80 men died one cold day at the Sunday mine. Millfield hasn't changed much but then neither have we. We could have move right back in and been very happy.

Coolsisters of the Month

2010-06-01T20:52:00.013-04:00

Let's talk about Britain's fabulous du Pre sisters (HIlary on top; Jacqueline on bottom). Jacqueline was born in 1945 and showed musical promise before her fifth birthday. By age 10, she was studying cello with the greats like William Pleeth and later Casals, Tortelier and Rostropovich. In 1965 she recorded the Elgar Concerto and the London Symphony Orchestra, a recording which established her stardom. Seriously, you should listen to this. In 1967 she married pianist Daniel Barenboim. Tragically she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1973 and began to to deteriorate, she taught but performed less and less. On October 19, 1987 she died at the age of forty-two. She left behind - among other things - incredible recordings, her two Stradivarius cellos and her sister, Hilary.

Hilary du Pre, Jacqueline's older sister also had a natural affinity for music - flute - at an early age, but was overshadowed by Jacqueline. Hilary married Christopher Finzi and lived with him in the country with the family they made. In 1997, Hilary wrote a A Genius in the Family, with her brother Piers, chronicling the complex relationship she had with her sister which included a love affair between Jacqueline and HIlary's husband. The memoir and subsequent movie were highly controversial with many close to Jacqueline disputing Hilary's version of the facts. Hilary stood her ground and in spite of their difficult relationship, felt she had been true to her sister, "When you love someone, you love the whole of them."

“A year of snow, a year of plenty.” French proverb

2010-02-10T10:46:00.011-05:00

Well, then, this should be some fantastic next 10 months! We are all hunkered down, just waiting it out, though c'mon it is not like we are the pioneers in North Dakota. That's our front walk, which was completely clear last night. We think this poem sums it up nicely.

images of snow - february 1996 by Rg Gregory

snow is a thousand flowers
the chinese probably said
hundreds and thousands this morning
drop their garlands on my head
last night the festoons started
long before we went to bed

snow is a white-furred rabbit
the chinese probably wrote
hedgerows and fields this morning
wear a similar fluffy coat
last night the winter danced back
with a white fur round its throat

snow is a treacherous fox-face
the chinese probably thought
it lurks in wait this morning
for the weak and overwrought
last night it laughed its head off
loving the fear it's brought

Coolsisters of the Month

2010-01-10T20:08:00.012-05:00

''Selfishness must always be forgiven you know, because there is no hope of a cure.'' Jane Austen

What (little) we know of Jane Austen’s private life is due to family letters – many written to her only sister, Cassandra Elizabeth (1773–1845), who like Jane, died unmarried. Jane (on the left) and Cassandra were schooled together and among Jane’s earliest work is her parody, The History of England, a manuscript of 34 pages accompanied by 13 water colour miniatures by Cassandra. Jane and Cassandra spent many years together at Chawton cottage where Jane published four novels, Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park and Emma. Cassandra and Jane frequently visited their brothers and their families, and other relatives, and wrote to each other when apart. Sadly,it is estimated that that only 160 out of Austen's 3,000 letters survive, as Cassandra burned "the greater part" of the ones she kept and censored those she did not destroy (others were destroyed by heirs). Happily, since 1833, when the first collected edition of Austen's works was published, her novels have been continuously in print.

Scents of the Coolsisters

2009-12-24T17:38:00.026-05:00

More powerful than a photograph, song or madeleine, scents are what triggers the memories of the Coolsisters. Take this bottle of Lactopine Afterbath, miraculously found on ebay. Smelling it now transports us to shopping at Pogues where we first bought it in the early 1970's when we were most definitely a lot more carefree than we are now. We've been devoted to Jean Nate (we still keep a bottle in fridge for a summer splash, and Canoe (our first taste of wearing a man's scent). We digress, but our husbro (that's husband/brother-in-law) once created a lovely lavender-colored wax egg dipped in Canoe as a courting gift. Our father's mother, much like us, had several scents on her mirrored tray: Cabochard, Ma Griffe, Jessica McClintock - she feels close by if we happen to catch the scent of one of those. One of C-sisters wears Chanel 5 during Christmas week so that every time we come across it, we remember wonderful holiday memories. Then there is the long-gone orange and cedar Bigarde, the one-and-only bottle of Shalimar (that came with 2 George Jensen champagne flutes, and a bottle of Pierre Jouet...probably another story), the Je Reviens worn working at the Florida shore, the heady Bal a Versailles during a magical California summer, the transporting Fracas, Tresor, worn during that time when our dad was so sick and can never be worn again, the Chanel Cristelle worn on that first trip to Paris, the Eau de Rochas we picked up there, the Chanel 19 that we'd prefer to drink, the Issey Miakye, the Guerlain Imperiale, and more recently the incredible Jo Malones. And so many more. We cannot wander by a perfume counter at any store - highbrow or low - without being intensely connected to our past. How cool.

Coolsisters of the Month

2009-12-20T07:51:00.008-05:00

Just in case you were thinking that style is something that looks best with youth, we offer you the always fabulous Sozzani sisters. Franca (right) is the editor of Vogue Italia (and has been since 1988) while Carla owns a photography and design gallery, a bookstore, and very well-known boutique for men's and women's clothing, accessories, and luxury goods. These women, well past the blushing stage, are what we all hope to be: smart, successful, stunning, and totally themselves. Our kind of cool.

Coolsisters of the Month

2009-09-11T20:10:00.012-04:00

THE PEDIGREE of honey
Does not concern the bee
A clover, any time, to him
Is aristocracy
___________

A WORD is dead
When it is said
Some say,
I say it just
Begins to live
That day

The only reason you know the poetry of Emily Dickinson (and you do know the poetry of Emily Dickinson - the above just being two little gems) is because she had a sister, Lavinia. Emily instructed Lavinia to destroy all of her letters and manuscripts after her death. Lavinia carried out her sister's wish until she came across a cache of more than 1,700 poems hidden in Emily’s home, only a very few of which had been published in Emily's lifetime. While Lavinia may have betrayed her sister, we like to think Emily would have forgiven her. Sometimes a sister knows best.

That's Emily, brother Austin, and Lavinia in the portrait.

Les Paul (1915 -2009) RIP

2009-08-16T10:59:00.015-04:00

In case you were wondering, Johnny A, Jan Akkerman, Duane Allman, Billie Joe Armstrong, Chet Atkins, Martin Barre, Jeff Beck, Chuck Berry, Dickey Betts, Marc Bolan, Mick Box, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Jack Bruce, Buckethead, Sam Bush, Larry Carlton, Charlie Christian ,John Cipollina, Eric Clapton, Dennis Coffey, Allen Collins, Stompin' Tom Connors, Sheryl Crow, Dave Davies, Reverend Gary Davis, Buck Dharma, Bob Dylan, Duane Eddy, Elliot Easton, The Edge, John Entwistle,The Everly Brothers, Tal Farlow, Don Felder, Robin Finck, John Fogerty, Peter Frampton, Ace Frehley, Hank Garland, Billy Gibbons, David Gilmour, Freddie Green, Grant Green, Peter Green, Dave Grohl, Arlo Guthrie, Woody Guthrie, Steve Hackett, Kirk Hammett, Emmylou Harris, George Harrison, Warren Haynes, Justin Hayward, Jimi Hendrix, James Hetfield, Steve Howe, Tony Iommi, Matthias Jabs, Joan Jett, Eric Johnson, Robert Johnson, Brian Jones, Mick Jones, Steve Jones, Arthur "Killer" Kane, Jorma Kaukonen, Barney Kessel, Albert King, B. B. King, Freddie King, Paul Kossoff, Lenny Kravitz, Robby Krieger, Albert Lee, Alvin Lee, Alex Lifeson, Lonnie Mack, Frank Marino, Bob Marley, Jeff Martin, Pat Martino, Daron Malakian, Tak Matsumoto, Paul McCartney, John McLaughlin, Ralph McTell, Bill Monroe, Gary Moore, Scotty Moore, Wes Montgomery, Jimmy Nolen, Ted Nugent, Mike Oldfield, Roy Orbison, Jimmy Page, Joe Pass, Les Paul, Joe Perry, Carl Perkins, Andy Powell John Prine, Mick Ralphs, Jimmy Raney, Randy Rhoads, Keith Richards, Lee Ritenour, Howard Roberts, Brian Robertson, Rich Robinson, Mick Ronson, Gary Rossington, Carlos Santana, Michael Schenker, Rudolph Schenker, Tom Scholz, Neal Schon, Gene Simmons, Earl Scruggs, Nikki Sixx ,Slash, Johnny Smith, Bill Spooner, Paul Stanley, Hubert Sumlin, John Sykes, Mick Taylor, George Thorogood, Johnny Thunders, Eddie Van Halen, Joe Walsh, Muddy Waters, Snowy White, Angus Young, Neil Young, Frank Zappa all play(ed) Les Paul guitars.

Summertime Blues

2009-06-15T21:20:00.010-04:00

We like to think the first time we heard this song was in the summer - just about this time of year, though we could easily be mistaken. But it was clearly our father who brought home an album (or EP) of Eddie and this song was on it (this happened shortly before or after our dad saw Chubby Checker at the Peppermint Twist Lounge in NYC - another story). At the time, this song sounded radical and subversive. The guitar, the beat, the pissed-off sounding lyrics. We were hooked. There have been lots of great covers but it's fun to see the original Eddie, thanks to YouTube. Our brother, an amateur thanatologist, visited Eddie's grave and took this snap for us. Oh, and in case you are wondering, there still ain't no cure.........

The Flood of 1937

2009-05-25T11:33:00.011-04:00

The Coolsisters had a GREAT weekend in Cincinnati just recently that included our cool brother. We spent a day visiting old favorites, including St. Rose's church located on the Ohio River. The markers on the left are in feet and those on the right show what year the river reached what height. Anybody who grew up near a big midwestern river knows about the flood of 1937 - the very worst (lots of great photos on Google). Having a hard time visualizing just how high the water got that year? The good folks at the church show it in this simple graphic. Look way at the top - the river crested at 80 feet. See more about St. Rose's church here.

Handwriting on the Wall

2009-04-23T22:19:00.006-04:00

The Coolsisters were having a little chat with office chums the other day, many of whom have young children, who informed us that no one learns handwriting any more in school. Instead they learn block printing. Well, it makes sense. Who needs penmanship when you have a keyboard that fills most every need? Surely we all have noticed that our own writing with a pen or pencil feels increasingly weird as if the brain and hand aren't connected, but put us in front of a keyboard and the words just pour out (don't get us started on the irony of refusing to learn to type in high school for fear of being stuck in a job typing). Still, we love looking at handwriting - like the example here of our grandfather's, circa 1909 or so. It's so personal and idiosyncratic, though a lot of it can be pretty indecipherable. We figure it won't be long before it is completely gone, though not entirely mourned.

Cherry Blossoms

2009-04-06T20:59:00.007-04:00

We went to see the cherry blossoms yesterday at a secret place (though getting far less secret than we like). Most people take a lot of photos of the blossoms on the trees, or photos of their loved ones near the trees. We do that too, but mostly we like snaps of the blossoms after they have left their branches and are starting to pile up on the sidewalks and gutters. For a day or two, they keep their pale pink color and flutter about in any appreciable breeze, but soon after they curl up, turn brown, and cherry blossom season is over, but spring has at long last, arrived.

2009-03-23T18:23:00.007-04:00

We don't get too starry-eyed about working in Washington, D.C. We've been once or twice around that block, as the saying goes, and we pretty much know what's on the next corner. Still, we are capable of seeing the nation's capital as we once did and as we like to recall it in our mind's eye when we are away: as something optimistic, full of good intentions, smart, hardworking, and more honest than not. These two photos, taken as we walked across the Mall on the way to meet a pal for a drink, allowed us to flirt with that feeling, as least until the sun settled and the night dropped in.

Indelible Impression

2009-03-12T23:40:00.006-04:00

Lots of photos stay with us forever. This iconic photograph was taken in the late 1960's by Irving Penn - the undisputed master of the single and group portrait (and many other photography styles, including a fabulous series of cigarette butts). The Coolsisters have a clear memory of seeing this photo for the first time, in Vogue, which Penn was closely associated with, and we had a feeling everything had changed. That's Big Brother and the Holding Company on the left and the Grateful Dead on the right. This wasn't the more cheerful kind of style popularized in the 1960's by the Brits or the usual Vogue glossy layout. This was a new kind of glamor, ambiguous, both more and less attainable at the same time. But very American, and very cool. We ran across it the other day after a long absence and kind of gasped.

Words not Needed

2009-03-08T13:27:00.001-04:00

Dust to Dust

2009-03-02T17:53:00.008-05:00

Finally, March, though we got a snowstorm last night and the temperature dove right back to the bottom again. As we hunkered down, we recalled a sunny day a few months ago when we stumbled upon an early 19th century graveyard on a back road in Ohio. There might have been 20 or so graves, clearly all from one family, enclosed behind a simple black wrought iron fence. As is often the case in old graveyards, many of the headstones were for very young children, having died at birth or of some childhood illness, or for young women who died giving birth. But something else is unusual too, many of the headstones not only mark the date of birth and death, but the age in years, months and days. The careful counting up, the chiseling into the stone; did they value each day more or were they simply more aware of the passing of time?

Coolsisters of the Month

2009-02-21T15:48:00.020-05:00

Sisters Estelle (on the right) and Veronica (Ronnie) Bennett (left) , and their cousin Nedra Talley (middle), were the Ronettes, a famous “girl” group in the 1960s. Like many groups, success was hardly overnight, with fits and starts until they met up with Phil Spector in 1963 and the rest is style and musical history. They had several mega-hits and toured with the Rolling Stones. Little know fact: the only Grammy Phil Spector (Mr. Wall of Sound himself) ever won for best sound effects was for the Ronettes hit “(Walking) In the Rain." Estelle attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan and helped create their signature look (you didn’t think Amy Winehouse invented that beehive and eyeliner, did you?). Ronnie eventually married (and divorced) Phil Spector and Estelle had a series of famous suitors, including Mick Jagger, George Harrison and Johnny Mathis (you go, girl!) but sadly, had a harder time as the group faded and re-tried for new success and all three lost out on royalties owed to them by Phil Spector. In 2007 the Ronettes were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (introduced by Keith Richards). Estelle died just a few weeks ago but we think cool never dies, and this YouTube clip proves it.

Brush up your Dickinson - Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T11:53:00.011-05:00

If you were coming in the fall,
I'd brush the summer by
With half a smile and half a spurn,
As housewives do a fly.

If I could see you in a year,
I'd wind the months in balls,
And put them each in separate drawers,
Until their time befalls.

If only centuries delayed,
I'd count them on my hand,
Subtracting till my fingers dropped
Into Van Diemen's hand.

If certain, when this life was out,
That yours and mine should be,
I'd toss it yonder like a rind,
And taste eternity.

But now, all ignorant of the length
Of time's uncertain wing,
It goads me, like the goblin bee,
That will not state its sting.

Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)

We Ken Tuck You In (old Billboard on I-75)

2009-02-08T21:33:00.010-05:00

We love Kentucky. Its one of those more forgotten States, not often in the news, not generating a lot of attention - either good or bad. Not really North, not South, not East, not West. A lot of old money, a lot of no money. Oh, there's the Derby (for tourists in our book - Keeneland is the place to go), and Abe, and Daniel B., and that famous blue moon they sing about. And a lot of jokes about hillbillies. Maybe it's the isolation, maybe it's the early settler spirit, but Kentucky has always seemed a bit wild and untamed, not like those big open places out west, but wild in a more constricted way, and you have to go in deep to feel it. You can touch Kentucky lightly if you drive along the Kentucky side of the Ohio River, as we did recently, and meander through the little river towns. We are pretty sure you could get lost without a lot of work.

Buddy Holly Keep Resting in Peace

2009-02-02T19:44:00.014-05:00

Let's take a break from all the bad economic news and remember, as many are doing today, Buddy Holly. A lot of the Gen Y and Xers we know blew us off when we mentioned it was the 50th anniversary of Buddy's death. In their mind, he was just some early rock and roller who nobody plays anymore. But of course it isn't just what you do while you're here, it's who you influence while you are doing it. So let's look at a few who hung on Buddy's guitar strap. Our source is Wikipedia.

Teenagers John Lennon and Paul McCartney did not attend a Holly concert, but they watched his TV appearance on "Sunday Night at the London Palladium"...Lennon and McCartney later cited Holly as a primary influence...Their band's name, The Beatles, was chosen partly in homage to Holly's Crickets… The Beatles did a cover version of "Words of Love" that was a close reproduction of Holly's version. McCartney owns the publishing rights to Holly's song catalogue...Keith Richards attended one of Holly’s gigs, where he heard "Not Fade Away" for the first time (one of The Rolling Stones early hits was a cover of "Not Fade Away)...A young Bob Dylan attended the 31 January 1959 show, two nights before Holly's death. Dylan referred to this in his 1998 Grammy acceptance speech for his 1997 Time out of Mind winning Album of the Year… Run-DMC's music video for the song "King of Rock" has an extended video on Buddy Holly performing on The Ed Sullivan Show...The 2008 Ukulele Recordings EP by Hellogoodbye includes a cover of the song "Everyday"... And then this kid on You Tube doing our fav: "Oh Boy"

The Train Kept A-Rolling All Night Long

2009-01-15T22:16:00.020-05:00

The Coolsisters were having a nice midwestern-style visit over the holidays and one of the cool kids had recently moved into an old bank - two huge, wide-open floors and he got to thinking that the old family train set just might find a perfect home on the second floor living/dining/work space/kitchen. And so it was. A few manly hours were spent setting the whole thing up and when the Coolsisters arrived we jumped right in. There is nothing quite like that old lever-operated transformer, that electric-sparky smell, and the quiet clack, clack, clack of the locomotive and freight cars going round and round and round and round.

Coolsisters of the Month (and Season)

2008-12-15T23:28:00.014-05:00

Well, you knew it was just a matter of time before we introduced fictional coolsisters. And what would be more fitting to start with - the endlessly entertaining Haynes sisters: Judy (Vera-Ellen)and Betty (Rosemary Clooney) from White Christmas. They could dance, sing, look terrific, and get their men (no comments from the peanut gallery on Danny Kaye and Bing Crosby: it was suppose to be Crosby and Astaire, if you can imagine). We love the corn, the technicolor, the goofy capers, the 50's clothes, the troops, the dancing (choreography by an uncredited Bob Fosse), and of course the big, big finale in the barn with the snow. You don't know what we are talking about??? Netflix, baby. Spoiler alert: Rosemary Clooney sings both parts in this number.

Go Ahead, Be Thankful

2008-11-26T22:15:00.015-05:00

The Coolsisters were coming home late the other night. It was cold and clear and no traffic anywhere in the 'hood save a lone truck from the local water authority that had stopped to open up a fire hydrant and let it rip. We drove a few blocks but quickly turned around, went back, lept out, and took a few snaps that illustrate an often repeat axiom - you can't drink from a fire hydrant. The overload will either drench you or knock you down or both. The world seems full of open fire hydrants lately but we are going to try and shut a few down, at least for one day, and savor our blessings, one glass at a time.

Coolsisters of the Month

2008-11-20T18:27:00.016-05:00

The Coolsisters love the fabulous Shelby Lynne (bottom pix) and Allison Moorer (top), sisters with simply too much talent, beauty and brains. If you want the facts, just Goggle them. If you want to to transport yourself, you'll need access to their CDs. Shelby's recent contribution to the culture is a collection of Dusty Springfield covers (sadly, some of you might need to look Dusty up, too) but her own songs are poetry in musical action - ballads to rockers - she simply hits the sweet spot most every time. Alison has a great musical pedigree too and recently released an album of covers of songs by female singer/songwriters including her sister. How cool is that?

Only in DC? A belated Holloween post

2008-11-10T22:08:00.008-05:00

The Coolsisters were thinking that only the citizens in Washington, D.C. would use Halloween to make a political statement - with goulish humor, of course. Our neighbor creates these very cool headstones as in here lies Truth and Justice; Stem Cella Healer, Poor Dafur (you can see more at our flickr site). We love it here - every day you can run into the most dedicated and committed people, working on really big issues. Way better than cool.

Scanning the past

2008-11-06T08:34:00.015-05:00

The Coolsisters have been scanning their big old pile of family photos so we can preserve, post, and play with them. It brings up a lot of memories. Not our memories exactly, as many predate the Coolsisters existence, but memories of presumably happy times (who takes family photos of bad times?) of those we loved and who loved us. These are our parents when they got married in 1948. We love their youth, the cutaway and dress, the simple cake, those long tapers, the lighting. It's too easy to weight the photo down with all that came after. We prefer to just stay in the moment with them: happy to be together, surrounded by family and friends.

Coolsisters of the Month

2008-10-24T17:59:00.013-04:00

Back before we were over and forced-fed on tatty celebrities there was Jean (l) and Chrissie Shrimpton (r), fabulous cool sisters and icons of the 1960s. They were models (though Jean was more famous) and muses and are cool not because (well not only because) of their swinging BFs (Terrance Stamp, Mick Jagger, respectively) but because these gals had loads of personal style and help define a decade. Plus, you never got enough of those images. Remember, this was back when you got your fashion old-school style via Vogue, (though published twice a month in large format!): there weren't dozens of blogs, mags, zines, etc. much less fashion/style TV choking you. So a little went a long, long way. That's cool. Here is a good set of snaps.

Rome falls but crafting continues

2008-10-19T18:44:00.014-04:00

Here's a whole bunch of brooches we've been working on while watching season 2 of ROME. Have you seen this series that ran a few years ago on HBO (we are going the Netflix route)? Its the modern day equivalent of those great sand and sandals movies of the 60s and 70s - Ben Hur, Greatest Story Ever Told, Spartacus. Lots of plots, drama, sex, violence and of course, costumes (incredible leather, folded fabric gowns, and hammered jewels to gawk at - a real feast for the eye). We think our color palette is getting darker and darker as the episodes progress and those Romans start getting really nasty.

Crashed Out

2008-10-13T10:53:00.008-04:00

What is it about old crashed-out trucks that is so appealingly? The colors? The design? Naw, clearly its the romance of a long ago life, the one not lived. Working hard outdoors by day, getting dusty and sun-baked and then spiffing up a bit for an evening jaunt with friends to see the stars with a six-pack cooling in the back.

End of Summer

2008-09-14T22:48:00.004-04:00

The garden is approaching exhaustion but still pumping out tomatoes, peppers, basil, and a few eggplant. We think the herbs like the cooler weather, so we are still getting lots of basil, tarragon, thyme, chives, and mint. But the summer crops will end soon and then it will be time to clean up the spent vines, compost the soil, and give the garden a much needed rest (save for a few fall vegetables) ....until next year.

Collecting

2008-07-12T15:32:00.012-04:00

The coolsisters have been thinking what about what we have collected over the years. For a time one of the coolsisters had a napkin collection, which was carefully maintained in a bound scrapbook. These were mostly paper cocktail napkins from the swank (for Cincinnati) places our father would visit for a drink, probably with a date, (but that's another story) and he would somehow remember to bring home a specimen for the collection. We liked that you could thumb through the pages and think about that icy martini we had yet to taste. We've also collected old yardsticks, Fiestaware, all white and all green Ohio pottery, white Rockwood animal figurines, made-in-Japan sugar Christmas houses, mercury glass, and vintage hose nozzles (the picture is the proof), just to name a few. Frankly though, none of them are quite as cool as that napkin collection.

Coolsisters of the Month

2008-06-01T21:55:00.009-04:00

Actually, these gals - the Pleiades - are pretty hot as they are a cluster of stars (very obvious to the naked eye) in the constellation Taurus, and prominent in the winter in the Northern Hemisphere and in the summer in the Southern Hemisphere. They have been known since antiquity to cultures all around the world. The nine brightest stars of the Pleiades are named for the 7 Sisters of Greek mythology: Sterope, Merope, Electra, Maia, Taygete, Calaeno, and Aycyone. We dressed them up a bit.

Everywhere it is Green

2008-05-18T18:13:00.004-04:00

Wow - where did the time go? The Coolsisters got way too busy at work and in the garden (between the torrents of rain) and neglected our blog. But, we have been getting a little time in the craft room working on this green charm necklace (inspired by all the herbs and veggies shooting up) and a few other things using green ultra-suede, which we will post soon.

Coolsisters of the Month

2008-04-16T22:45:00.018-04:00

Ah, the Lindström and Rosellini sisters. That's Ingrid, Isabella and Pia. Need we even explain what makes them cool? Pia is the first child of actress Ingrid Bergman (and Dr. Aron Petter Lindström.) Bergman became pregnant by the Italian director Roberto Rossellini (big, big scandal in the late 1950's and Bergman lost custody of Pia). Bergman then married Roberto and gave birth to twins Isabella and Isotta Ingrid. Each sister has been uniquely successful: Pia (Lindström) is a highly recognized journalist; Ingrid has a Ph.D in Italian literature (from Columbia) and currently teaches at NYU; Isabella is of course, most famous as an actress. Our kind of cool: history, beauty, and brains.
photo source: www.modaentertainment.com/casablanca/photos.htm

Experimental Neckware

2008-04-01T21:29:00.007-04:00

The Coolsisters are experimenting with different materials, so we worked up this necklace using pieces cut from a navy blue leather hide that has a unique texture embossed on it. We gold-leafed in between some of the ridges to add a little depth. We are finishing if off with our usual hardware for contrast. It wears like a bib - falling gently over the collar bones. We are doing one in fushia, too.

The Birds and the Beers

2008-03-29T20:05:00.026-04:00

The Coolsisters were in North Dakota a while back (we drove from DC - you should try this). We met a guy who loved to spend the day birding near a big lake (you know, observing the avian way of life). But he didn't like to be without a beer, nor did he want to lug around full 12 oz. cans. So, the day before his bird outing, he'd walk around the lake, hiding beers in the cold shallow water every mile or so. Next day he'd walk the lake again, this time fully focusing on the birds, knowing a frosty brew was not far away. Nothing like preparing for the future. That's cool.

Coolsisters of the Month

2008-03-27T21:14:00.013-04:00

The Cushing sisters, of course! Particularly cool when they are wearing our ribbon rosette brooches. That's Babe, Betsey and Minnie, all three daughters of a successful Cleveland surgeon. These gals raised the bar on social climbing back when marrying well was a career. Let's recap: Betsey (the eldest sister) married James Roosevelt (eldest son of FDR), and later American millionaire and U.S. Ambassador, John Hay Whitney. Minnie (middle sister) married Vincent Astor, the heir of a $200 million fortune; divorced him and married artist James Whitney Fosburgh. Babe (youngest sister) married Stanley Mortimer, Jr., heir to the tidy Standard Oil fortune; divorced him and married CBS founder Bill Paley. I am sure your husband is swell, but sister, the Cushing hook-ups make us all look pretty minor league.

Basement Do-Over

2008-03-26T22:15:00.012-04:00

The Coolsisters are having their hell-hole of a basement turned into a craft room and we can hardly wait for the fellas to finish up. Though the basement doesn't have the best natural light, we were running out of work area in the small upstairs bedroom and wanted to reclaim some guest-room space, so we bit the re-do bullet and called in the experts. New lights, plumbing (for the new W/D!), two (yes 2) work tables (one low, one high), shelves, and a peg board! All in under 280 square feet. Lucky Coosisters.

Jewelry needs a change of season, too.

2008-03-15T14:15:00.010-04:00

The coolsisters have been working on a series of airy, light-weight necklaces using charms, beads, and multiple chains. We think these would add a little polish to a simple tee shirt, jean, and jacket/sweater look. Not a major investment for sure but an economical way to stand out a bit and show a little individuality.

Winter be Gone

2008-02-28T22:23:00.007-05:00

Enough. Though we didn't have anywhere near this kind of snow this year, it is still time for winter to be moving on. But I must admit, once it is gone, I miss it and the crystal-clear starry nights (like tonight) that are all too rare in the hotter months. Still, the equinox calls; you can answer it on March 20 at 5:49 a.m.

Animal Attraction

2008-02-14T21:39:00.007-05:00

Happy Valentines Day to coolsisters everywhere.

Taking photos vexes us

2008-02-10T22:15:00.001-05:00

The Coolsisters are well aware that good (if not great) pictures really make all the difference in trying to sell stuff online - there is no way around it. Taking good pictures seems to be a combination of understanding your camera, lots of natural light, and a point of view. Sites/shops with good photos make it seem effortless, but we find it a real struggle. We like this one, though. Still, we need to improve.

Golden Cuffs

2008-02-09T20:26:00.001-05:00

My brother in law makes these very unique bangle bracelets. They are all custom lathed and hand-finished. He normally works on a much larger scale, as in furniture and cabinetry, but it is nice to see what he can do for a wrist. We made him an honorary coolsister.

The Sheer Bliss of Friday

2008-02-08T20:55:00.002-05:00

Workweek done (though work never is). Worked the body temple, and over an icy cold martini, planned my two days of feeding the muse. I think it is more pins this weekend and reading that camera manual to try and improve my snaps.

What we do when the weather is cold - FELT.

2008-02-07T22:51:00.001-05:00

The Coolsisters are probably over-stretched, but who isn't? Rare is the workday when you take a big chunk of the evening and just ignore all the things you should be doing and do what you want to do. Tonight, that was an Esty Treasury (I got lucky) and going through my photos, which produced this little gem. We love fun eye candy in a room and created these pillows to prove it. More on our Etsy site.

Our First Coolsisters

2008-02-06T20:02:00.004-05:00

Once upon a time, this was as cool as you could get - Joan Baez and her sister Mimi Farina. They were richly talented, muses to many, and seemingly well- loved by the most fabulous men. Joan is of course pretty famous, but that Mimi was one mighty fine coolsister. You could look it up.

Coolsisters love Super Tuesday

2008-02-05T23:17:00.001-05:00

Watching the primary returns coming in gives us hope for the future. Of course, life is so much more than politics -you gotta have some more creative outlets. Which brings us to our post today. This is one of our newer necklaces - we're going after that chunky, dramatic vibe. You can see more like it on our etsy site.