About a month ago I received a Facebook message from Michael J. Solender, a freelance writer for the Charlotte Observer. Apparently, the Observer asked him to write a feature article about the "button girl." "Crap," I thought, "Not another computer virus / Facebook spammer." To my surprise the man was legit. A week later I met with Michael, at a Starbucks, and told him the whole Not Made in China story. He was hilarious and great at making me feel at ease. Plus, he asked lots of good questions. Before we knew it, our hour was up and I headed into work recounting and over analyzing our entire conversation. 

The next day, the Observer called to arrange the shoot and asked if I'd be making buttons when the photographer came over. I said, "Sure, I can be making buttons." The woman repeated, "No, will you be making buttons? Is Monday night a night on which you normally make buttons." I said, "Like I said, I can be if you need me to." A tad frustrated, she explained, "You see, we can't tell you what to do when we take the photos. Does that make sense? So, let me ask again, will you be making buttons?" "Oooooooh, in that case, yes," I said.

A few days after that, Jeff Siner (a photographer with the Charlotte Observer) came out to my condo to take photos for the article (shown above). I had cleaned up shop (read: postage stamp sized sunporch) in preparation for the shoot, but when Jeff entered the room he said, "You cleaned!? Nooooo! I want buttons everywhere!" To which I replied, "Aw hell naw, the world can't see my mess!" My mom raised me right: shove everything into a box and hide it when company comes over. 

I thought about wearing my little "NMIC uniform" (hat with a button and NMIC logo tee), but my girlfriends protested,  "You need to look goooooood for the public, not like the silly button girl... errrrr... uhhhh... I mean, you know, dress how you normally dress." I tried not to take offense and finally agreed with their sentiment. 

Jeff took photos of several vignettes: buttons on display boards, buttons on the dress form, me with the button covered dress form and, of course, me making buttons (cough cough, like I do every Monday night). Jeff was also very good at making me feel at ease. I think it's because he's from Indiana. 

Then it was time to wait for the article to run. Originally I was told it would run as a cover feature in the Thursday paper's Style section. After the photoshoot, Michael told me it looked like it might run in the Sunday paper. Whoa!? Sunday paper cover feature?! Who'd my dad pay to make that happen? I was so anxious the night before the article ran that I hardly slept. It was like Christmas Eve and the night before major surgery all wrapped into one. 

When Sunday morning finally arrived, I ran out to my local Harris Teeter and bought 10 copies of the paper. The clerk asked if I worked at a hotel or something. When I explained that I was IN the paper, she held it high in the air and shouted, "Hey look everyone! She's in the paper!"... to all two customers. I blushed and strolled out of the automatic doors with a grin from ear to ear. 

I stopped in at my Starbucks, and as I waited for my iced, grande, nonfat, two Splenda, latte (don't judge me) I saw a man reading a paper with MY FACE ON IT! I quickly reached for my cellphone to get a photo of this surreal coincidence, then lost my nerve and decided to ask for permission to take the photo. "Excuse me, sir, I have a strange request," I said as he stared blankly back at me. "Uh, that's me in the paper you're reading, do you mind if I take a photo of you reading it?" I said sheepishly. "THAT'S YOU!?!?" he exclaimed. Dude, you didn't have to look that surprised. I wasn't wearing make up and had my hair in a ponytail - OKAY?!?! He gladly obliged and I got the picture.

I rushed home to devour the article and scrutinize every single photo in the paper. But you know what? There was nothing to criticize. It was a great article. Michael totally nailed it. His tongue in cheek humor was spot on. In the week since the article ran, I've received a ton of emails about the feature. They mostly go something like... great article, you should be proud... so nice to read some good news in the paper for once... I've got an event coming up, can you make us some buttons?! 

I really can't thank Michael, Jeff and the Charlotte Observer enough.

In case you missed it, read the article online here.

"When life gives you hands, make handmade" is making the rounds!  When I received a Google Alert for the tee shirt pictured above, I have to admit I was pretty flattered and shocked.

Since I coined the phrase last fall, it's been featured on various blogs, used as someone's blog subtitle, painted with watercolor as part of a 30 Days of Creativity initiative, shown on the keynote stage for the 2011 Compostmodern Conference in San Francisco, pinned and repinned on Pinterest, tweeted, Facebooked and everything in between. I'd have to say most entertaining was when I was contacted by a woman in Melbourne, Australia who wanted to use the design for their city's annual art festival!

It's amazing to see the impact and domino effects created when we put our ideas out into the universe... on second thought, maybe I should look into getting this puppy copyrighted :)

Our American Apparel unisex shirts are now available online at the Not Made in China Esty Shop. Chose from six different original designs: NoDa, Plaza Midwood, Dilworth, Pork Pulled, Shawlit Nocarralyna and Not Made in China.

Check it out, NMIC DNC Buttons and Magnets featured on Charlotte's WCNC local news station! Click to play.

Eco-licious, a vegan and earth friendly boutique, opens TODAY in Plaza Midwood! Get a first look at their new digs and say "hi" to their Not Made in China merch while you're at it. They've got a great location, right across from Petra's Piano Bar and The Penguin, on Commonwealth Ave.

What is a vegan boutique? Well, they're stocked with all kinds of green goods (reusable food packaging, eco-conscious cleaning products, innovative green goods, vegan snacks, etc.) and they've got a wide array of environmentally friendly gifts including work from fellow local makers Stitch Machine, Super Me and Monkey and Squirrel.

Owners Marley and Fiona are very knowledgeable and have tested a TON of products. So if you're new to the green scene, or have any questions, they're both great resources. Oh, and you don't want to miss out on their Grand Opening at the end of the month (July 30-31). The two-day celebration will include live music, vegan bakery delights from Fatty Dog Bake Shop and a vintage clothing trunk show by FROCK Shop. So come out and support Charlotte's latest step towards a greener future.

My fabric library is growing. Got some new patterns at a couple different antique shops in Charlotte and Knoxville. Interestingly, many of the fabrics were used as feed sacks in the 20s, 30s and 40s. New fabric pocket mirrors, and other accessories, coming soon!

For the first time, in about a year, my house isn't covered, smothered, peppered, scattered and chunked in buttons. I'm officially organized. Hallelujah.

It took me an ENTIRE weekend to transform my sun porch (which had sadly deteriorated into a storage closet) into my new corner office. I was able to purge quite a bit, but not before reminiscing over every old receipt, photo, paycheck stub, 3- hole punch (why do I have four 3-hole punches?) and 8 year old bottle of acrylic paint. Now I can't stop staring at my office.

Everyday, before I leave for work, I pop my head in and bask in its glory. Then, when I get home, I peek again... as if all the button makers and hole punches had a party while I was gone... just in case, I have to make sure they're all still in the exact right spot.

My favorite part of the room is probably the Jadite and milk glass cabinet. All my collectible wares together in one place. Whenever I attempt to buy a new piece of vintage glass, my boyfriend reminds me that not only do I not cook, I don't entertain or use anything besides Lean Cuisine trays on a regular basis. Alas, I have created a legitimate use for the antique glass: to be admired.

Next on my to-do list: blog, dammit.

I’ve been quite the jet setter these days! Just got back from the 2011 AIGA Leadership Retreat in Minneapolis, MN on Sunday. It was an absolute blast. In addition to the inspiring sessions at the retreat, I also got to tour a well-known local letterpress company called, Studio on Fire. Conference attendees were given the opportunity to choose from several reputable design shops around town and I was one of the lucky ones to snag a spot at the sold out letterpress studio tour.

What I found so unique about this letterpress studio was the extreme attention to detail and design. Many of SOF’s clients are also designers, so the caliber of work is elevated to a ho-notha-level. And since technique is king at SOF, they also divide the staff into pressmen and designers. Meaning, designers don’t touch the presses and pressmen don’t touch the design work. This allows for each role to be extremely specialized and adds a level of expertise that is very apparent in the quality of the pieces they produce. The employees are passionate about the tactile nature of the medium and strive to create something with rawness and refinement in every project.

When you enter SOF you are immediately bombarded with a barrage of letterpress portfolio examples and men with large beards. Their work adorns two giant walls of galvanized metal, and creates a collage-like gallery of paper, type, texture and color. I think my brain nearly exploded when I first entered the space. I wanted to touch everything.

As the tour progressed, we learned about the history of SOF (which started, btw, over 10 years ago in a basement of cats). We also learned a bit about how the studio operates. They are a modern letterpress studio, so instead of being confined to traditional metal type, they print with polymer plates (which are designed on the computer and then etched into the polymer using an exposure process). With seven letterpresses, and more on the way, they are able to produce a variety sizes, quantities, diecuts, effects and outcomes. There was work that looked like it was screenprinted, painted and even hand drawn. They push the limits of letterpress and their work is unlike any letterpress I’ve ever seen.

If you’re ever in the Minneapolis area, Studio on Fire is a must see.

PS - their vintage beer can collection was amazing too!

Hiiiiiyeeeeee! I've been SUPER busy since my little trip to Atlanta but I'm finally able to come up for breath of air and give yall the lowdown. Wedding Day Hooray was amazing.

I mean first of all, what a great concept. I've never been to a traditional bridal show, but I think I'll be severely disappointed after experiencing the wonderland of handmade wedding decor. There was everything from hand sewn gowns, to custom jewelry, to letterpress stationery, to homemade caterers and SO much more - all under one roof!

I couldn't have had better booth neighbors than Praxium Press and The Small Object. Praxium Press is an Atlanta based letterpress studio. They design gorgeous wedding invitations and other stationary the old fashioned way. And The Small Object creates custom wedding cake toppers. My favorite were the matching groom and groom.

Home.Made (catering from scratch) had a great display filled with delicious food samples. I just loved their clever food presentation. They had paper strawberry baskets filled with corn chips and black eyed pea salsa and used antique cooking utensils to adorn the table, giving it a vintage kitchen vibe. Add in some homemade pimento cheese straws and cayenne and black pepper cookies... well, they just put Costco to shame.

Foundling designs simple, yet personal, jewelry out of found objects. A perfect gift for any bridal party. Plus they're based out of Asheville, NC - not too far for all my Charlotte locals.

Olive featured 50s and 60s inspired wedding apparel that would make any girl swoon.

A Darling Day had one of my favorite booth displays. It's no wonder they specialize in event and invitation design.

The event also featured a table decorating contest. The bud vases and vintage china were some of my favorite clever touches.

Among all the great displays, I have to say the Are Gray Line Photography booth was my favorite. My main requirement for a photographer, is that they make you feel at ease. The cabinet filled with an abundance of frames, paired with the Ikea rug and chairs, made me feel right at home! Brilliant. And then there was Miss Wyolene who had some beautiful stationary and one of the sweetest vendors. I love the story behind her shop name too: "Miss Wyolene is my sweet Grandmother who, for most of my life, has taught me the importance of proper correspondence."

As a self proclaimed "Fabric Whore" the J. Carter Handmade display had me mesmerized. I snagged a little souvenir business card holder from their shop before the event even started!

Liddabits adorable custom banners are sure brighten any girl's big day. While Judith Lauren Designs will add a little romance and whimsy to your gown. I managed to take home a souvenir from her shop too :)

Want to add something especially unique to a wedding or event? How about some custom luminaries? Paper Acorn specializes in unique paper goods. AND they came all the way from Cincinnati, Ohio for the event!

Last, but not least, Christina Nicole had me drooling over her glamorous jewelry and adornments. Every girl needs something with a little sparkle - wedding day or not!

More on NMIC's set-up at Wedding Day Hooray coming soon!

The artwork for some of the new Not Made in China wedding series of buttons, save the dates and favors.