Nicki's Central West End Guide

CWEnder Maggie Pearson and her art

Maggie Pearson is a busy mom, wife, and occasional construction-crew supervisor (she and her husband are still tweaking the renovation of their stunning CWE home), but no matter what else happens during the course of a day, this talented artist carves out some time to draw.  Now that her second son Auggie has celebrated his first birthday (the elder, Jack, is almost 5), Maggie is ready to get back to her design business creating art for invitations, birth announcements, weddings, and corporate clients, etc.

Maggie's artistic talents can be traced to her grandfather and to her mother who strongly encouraged her three daughters in their creativity. Though Maggie wanted to become an urban planner after graduating from SLU with a degree in public policy, she found herself on a different bus after she and her husband Alex moved to San Francisco---in Maggie's words, "right after the bottom fell out in 2001" (I can't even remember that one, there have been so many since!). While working for Conde Nast in San Francisco she learned technical drawing and design, and lost her heart to illustration.

The couple returned to the CWE ten years ago when Alex took a job as Director of the Solution Center at Express Scripts. They lived in a condo on Laclede. Maggie worked for Alive and St. Louis Magazine and ran her design business on the side. They bought their 3-story house on a large lot a couple of years ago, just across the street from her sister Katie and her husband Tim O'Connor.

Front and center in the photo above is the imaginative holiday card Maggie designed for Circus Flora's FloraDora. Design work is squeezed into small bursts of time when Auggie is sleeping or after the children have gone to bed for the night. Her design services, which cover the whole process from beginning concept to finished product, are very reasonable, starting at $50 an hour. Maggie was eager to note that she sources local printers for her invitations and announcements, everything is done right here in St. Louis.

Maggie also enjoys writing and illustrating children's books, which are as yet unpublished. She describes her illustrations, above, as having a "spirit of Halloween" feeling, and finds inspiration from the late author and illustrator Edward Gorey and illustrator Gris Grimley whose drawings lean toward the dark side.

Give this clever woman a pen and paper and she will quickly sketch your home or business, see examples above, which would make a wonderful gift too. One of our favorite drawings from long ago is a sketch of our former Lenox Place home that an artist who lived on Pershing Place gave us.

To contact Maggie Pearson for more information about her design and illustration services, email her at maggiehpearson@gmail.com.

Graphic designer Diann Cage updates her focus & her environment

I hope you will find the following post about Diann Cage, "the divine Ms. D.," as much fun to read as it has been putting it together. It has taken me forever and a day to get this written, and for that I apologize to Diann. As she said to me yesterday, "you are putting way too much thought into it!"  

Hand-in-hand with plotting a new focus for her graphic design business based in the CWE, Diann Cage, above, has given her 350 s.f. studio at the Pierce Arrow Building a makeover too. Diann started her own business, Diann Cage Design Co., three years ago, and has worked with a variety of clients including the St. Louis Beacon, Central West End Association, and Magnificent Missouri, the organization formed to support Missouri's conservation groups. She also worked on a rebranding project for Stevens Institute of Business & Arts (formerly known as Patricia Stevens College), and has designed websites for small businesses and authors (William Adler & CWEnder Nick Reding).

While she will continue to work on these types of projects, she has also started connecting with companies in the home and leisure markets (sports, garden, recreation). Diann has recently completed a website and branding project for The Refined Room, a vintage and used furniture store located in Brentwood.

To me, one of the most exciting projects this talented graphic designer has picked up is an assignment from a Chicago publisher who is relaunching December, a literary magazine that flourished in the 60s & 70s. Diann is designing the new magazine from cover to cover. The first issue of the revamped December will be released in (you guessed it!) December, 2013. Diann forwarded covers from past issues of the magazine, which I've added to the post shown below.

A 1966 issue of December featured Marilyn Monroe on the cover, and contributors to a later issue included cartoonist R Crumb, below.

THE STUDIO:

Diann shares space with another CWEnder, Suzanne Miller, founder of Magellan Communications, a company that focuses on business communications strategy, particularly in international, cross-border communications and multi-market campaigns. Diann said she hasn't the foggiest idea what Suzanne is talking about when she is on the phone with her clients from around the world. I plan to figure it out and do a post about Suzanne sometime soon.

At some point Diann and Suzanne decided they wanted to redecorate the space, as creatively and inexpensively as possible. The pair picked furnishings from IKEA in Chicago and Target online. Carpet squares came from overstock.com.

The paper lantern, above, is from Ikea.

Diann is a Gossip Girl fan and said the paper butterflies she purchased on Etsy, right, remind her of art on the wall in a bedroom featured in the t.v. series.

The initials on the wall represent the four basic colors used for printing color images: cyan, magenta, yellow, & key, which is black. Framed art was purchased at Urban Outfitters.

Examples of some of Diann's work are displayed on a wall in the studio, above.

 

Diann's work for the St. Louis Beacon was recognized by the St. Louis Chapter of AIGA, the organization that recognizes great design.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Neighborhood residents may remember Diann's fabulous poster for last year's 4th of July Children's Parade, below.
We can thank Diann's husband Lance, the new marketing principal and senior vice president at HOK, for initially luring her to the CWE from Seattle. Her first job here was at Falk-Harrison Creative, which was located on West Pine. While planning her wedding, she decided she wanted to be a wedding planner and make pretty things like invitations. To that end she started a custom stationery business and, in her words, "failed miserably." Diann did, however, build a high-end photo album company and also did freelance work for Seattle-based Artefact working out of a 2 x 3' closet outfitted as an office in her CWE home. Five years ago when she was working as a graphic designer for a company based in Las Vegas, she took the leap and opened a studio right around the corner from her home. We're so glad she's here and that she has become such a strong presence in the neighborhood.

Diann Cage, Diann Cage Design Co., 4814 Washington, Suite 130, (314) 503-4001.

Earth Day Festival 2013 in Forest Park

The St. Louis Earth Day Festival, which was held this past weekend on the grounds of The Muny in Forest Park, is 24 years old and the third largest in the country. Read article in Thursday's article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

A "Stop the Drones" booth, above, sat next to one devoted to meditation.

There was a display of electric vehicles including a 1974 VW Beetle that had been converted from a gasoline engine to electric power at a cost of $6000.

 

Looking for love in all the right places

Photo courtesy of Suzanne Miller
Three-year-old Margot, with her signature bow, was photographed on her way home from the International School Playhouse with a bag full of Valentines.

Katharine Walker, age 4 1/2, made Valentines in her mother's jewelry studio at 449 N. Euclid, while
her mother, Jennifer Walker, made these lovely gold-filled heart-shaped earrings, $32 and $39 for the larger pair.

Thanks to Kelly Reding for sharing a photo of her son Will's Valentine cards he brought home from New City School this noon. I love looking at the pre-school printing and the paper bag Will decorated for the occasion.

Cassie has several heart-shaped wreaths in the window at 316 N. Euclid, $54 to $59.

And Bissinger's has a special on large milk or dark chocolate hearts, left (buy one for $10, get one free). The shop at 32 Maryland Plaza is open until 10 p.m. tonight.

I started the morning with a feeble attempt at making heart-shaped pancakes, above. 
And to end this February 14th post, here is a collection of some of my favorite Valentines.

Happy Valentine's Day!

A peek inside those holiday windows, Part II

Handlebars here and a few pedals there, led by a red-nose reindeer, fashion Mike's Bikes' witty entry in the 2012 Window Walk Contest.

The shop at 324  N. Euclid carries handsome bike baskets from the Nantucket Bike Basket Co., $35 to $45, and the latest in bikes for tykes, Striders, $95 to $100, for children 18 months to 5 years. As the tag on the pint-sized bike says, "if your child can walk, your child can ride." Looks like fun to me...
Mike's Bikes, (314) 875-0080.

Neighborhood shopowners without windows to decorate--Christiane Danna of Christiane's Handcrafted Jewelry and Jennifer Walker, Jennifer Walker Jewelry at 449 N. Euclid, have draped railings with greens and ribbons, and hung a whimsical Dr. Seuss kind-of-thing made out of paper lanterns and other gizmos, see night shot below.


A small selection of Christiane's lovely silver necklaces is pictured above, some with semi-precious stones. They range in price from $39 to $89.

Christiane's Handcrafted Jewelry, Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10 to 1, Saturday 1 to 4, 449 N. Euclid, (314) 398-0636.

The small sampling of Jennifer Walker's earrings and bracelets shown above are made of silver or gold plating, with stones or enamel, $30 to $110.

Jennifer Walker Jewelry, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 8 to 2:30 p.m., Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 9 to 5:30, 449 N. Euclid, (347) 528-3210.

Dawna Sturdivant, proprietor of Borough Vintage, and Jennifer Ingram, The Apparel Doctor, collaborated on decorations for the entry to their shops at 447 N. Euclid.

Dawna suggests dressing up a holiday package with a vintage button (example upper left), $10. Vintage hairpins and hounds-tooth-patterned earrings made from Borough Vintage's large selection of vintage buttons are $10 each. There are some great-looking glittery tops for the holidays at the shop too!

Borough Vintage, Thursday-Saturday 11 to 6, Sunday 12 to 5, 447 N. Euclid, (314) 884-8436.

Cassie's beautiful holiday windows at 316 N. Euclid, above and below.

Cassie's carries Crabtree & Evelyn products (hard-to-find with closing of Crabtree store in Galleria) including a gift package of six assorted hand therapy creams, $29. Customers are buying the set and dividing them up as stocking stuffers or gifts for friends. Pacifica soaps in scents such as Tibetan Gardenia and Lotus Garden are another popular stocking stuffer idea, $5 each.

Cassie's, Monday-Thursday 10:30 to 6, Friday & Saturday 10:30 to 8, Sunday 12 to 5, 316 N. Euclid, (314) 454-1010.

The Flower Shop at the Chase Park Plaza carries a large selection of handmade cardboard Christmas houses, $14 to $95. The smaller houses can be hung on the tree. To add to the seasonal charm, the backs accommodate a little lightbulb. Ornaments and holiday decor are 20% off too!

Hostess aprons are meant to wear, I am sure, only while adding a spring of parsley to your holiday platter, and pretty enough to wear over leggings (if you don't mind the exposure), $82.95. Fake fur aprons will add even more spice, $42.  

To preserve a holiday manicure how about a fancy pair of dishwashing gloves with rhinestone and fur, left, $29.99. Or better yet, wear the gloves and have someone else do the dishes!

You might also consider ordering your holiday centerpiece from senior designer Rod Nelson too!

The Flower Shop at The Chase Park Plaza, Tuesday-Saturday 10 to 6, by appt. Sunday & Monday, 212 N. Kingshighway, (314) 633-6910.   

Ed King, co-owner of Big Sleep Books with Helen Simpson, admitted they had adopted a "Charlie Brown kind of look" with their Christmas tree. Though it certainly isn't the most stunning entry in this year's Window Walk Contest (see contest info here), it's endearing, and sitting slightly askew against the backdrop of action posters at the entry...you just never know.

Three hot, hot titles Ed suggested I mention are best-selling author Michael Connelly's The Black Box, $21 to $22 (a guesstimate, too much trouble to do the math) after tax (Big Sleep offers 25% off hard covers). Another popular hit is Bruno, Chief of Police, $15, by Martin Walker. "The novel has wine, food, atmosphere and besides, it's a great mystery,"  Ed said.

Everyone seems to love Scandinavian author Jussi Adler-Olsen's The Keeper of Lost Causes, a Dept. Q Novel, $14.95. Ed has a source for British editions of Scandinavian novels and will be getting the sequel in paperback, long before those other shops do. Sounds mysterious.

Big Sleep Books, 239 N. Euclid, Monday-Thursday 11 to 6, Friday & Saturday 11 to 8, Sunday 12 to 6, (314) 361-6100.

8th Annual Holiday on the Plaza, Saturday, December 1

Amy Johnson creates "Skirts for Children"

CWEnder Amy Johnson (see post here and Where Magazine cover below), creator of the clothing line KayOss, has developed a pint-size version of her popular ruffled skirts. While she has sold these tiny skirts to the children of clients in the past, she has recently joined what is called a "social enterprise" (see definition here) to distribute Skirts for Children to girls who could benefit from some happiness in their lives.

Amy is rolling out her child-size skirts and T's in public tomorrow (Thursday) at the 20th Anniversary "Friends of Kids with Cancer" Fashion Show and Boutique at the Ritz Carlton. The young models, who are undergoing cancer treatment, will wear the donated clothing in the fashion show and then take the skirts and T's home afterwards.

Beyond tomorrow's event, Amy is offering the skirts to any little girl going through a tough time. On the Skirts for Children website there is information about how to nominate a special someone to receive one of these darling little skirts. What a wonderful gift from an entrepreneur who ends each email with the following quote:
"If you do what you love and follow your heart, you will find your calm within the chaos" - KayOss

The project is funded in part from a portion of all sales from the KayOss clothing line. Even though Amy is using remnant fabric for the skirts, she still hires local seamstresses to sew them  up. Anyone who wants to help can make a donation to Skirts for Children on the website, by email (aj@KayOssDesigns), or by dropping by her neighborhood studio. To make an appointment call (314) 398-9098.

Emma Hand & Anne Sommers launch Indie Mats

A friendship formed in the Central West End has developed into a brand-new business venture---"Indie Mats," frameless mats made right here in St. Louis, see wall above. The creators, Anne Sommers, left, and Emma Hand, right, are launching their product tonight at Pi's downtown location (610 Washington) from 5 to 8.

The friendship began in 2008 when Anne's future husband, Chris Sommers (co-owner of Pi), lived on the same block as Emma and Carter Hand. Anne wore several hats in her days working at Pi, most recently a baker's toque. She learned her craft under the tutelage of local pastry chef, Matthew Rice.

Both women said they can remember the day they started to think about doing something together--August 9, 2011--and from then on they met twice weekly to bring Emma's concept of frameless mats to fruition. 

It was Emma's love of working with photographs that led to the development of an earlier product, Snap Stories, clever do-it-yourself photo story books with titles such as "One Big Adventure" and "My Baby Face" (see earlier post here). With Emma's technical background and contacts from this first venture, and Anne's design sense and super-organization, the pair said they were on the same page 90% of the time. They came up with a color-coordinated set of mats they named Indie Mats, described by Anne as "independent free-spirited mats."

Anne and Emma would occasionally walk together in Forest Park when they felt overwhelmed by the process. It was during those walks that they came up with their best ideas, including naming the collection after Forest Park landmarks, i.e. Cabanne House, The Pavillion, and The Jewel Box.

When the design was finished, they first explored having the mats produced in China using Emma's contacts there. After months of delays and costs that were prohibitive, they tweaked the design and searched for local sources for production. The result is that four local companies are involved in the production of Indie Mats, including the packaging.

Each standard package of Indie Mats contains three color-coordinated frameless mats in sizes 16 x 20, 12 x 16, and 11 x 14, $39. There are also 9 sets of mini-mats (7" x 7"), $29. Each package of mini-mats contains 4 mats of the same pattern.

The tag line on the back of the box, "Indie Mats are made sustainably in small batches in St. Louis," is wonderful to see, isn't it?

Indie Mats are simple to use. Insert a photograph on the back and stick it to the wall using wall-safe mounting squares that are included in the package. There are also tabs on each frame should you wish to add a ribbon at the top. It's super easy to change the photograph and location of the mat, without worrying about patching holes in the wall.

The final photo, displayed in one of Indie Mats stylish frames, shows Anne and Chris Sommers at their wedding reception last October.

Meet Emma and Anne and get a closer look at Indie Mats tonight at the launch party at Pi, 610 Washington Avenue from 5 to 8. Or visit the imaginative website to order this product developed by young entrepreneurs right here in the CWE neighborhood.

P.S. - On a side note, Emma is a graduate of the neighborhood's Rosati-Kain, see Friday's post.

Bob Kramer's Marionnettes still going strong

One of the longest running on-site puppetry theaters in the country has been located at 4143 Laclede for the past thirty-five years. Bob Kramer's Marionnettes has been working its magic for so many years that people who attended performances when they were young are now bringing their own children to the theater.

Though it has been more than twenty-five years since I attended Bob Kramer's Marionnettes with my children, I was able to tag along when my nephew Shaun Donegan, an oncologist in North Carolina, his wife Melissa and their children were visiting his parents last week. I have to say, while it was a great experience when my children were young, Kramer's Marionnette Theater is even better now.

The entry to the theater is covered with photographs of Bob Kramer and his partner Dug Feltch with their puppets and celebrities such as Carol Channing. Bob got his start in show business 45 years ago on the Charlotte Peter's Show that aired on KSD and KTVI from 1947 to 1969.

The building on Laclede houses both the puppet-building workshop and the theater. Over the years Bob and Dug have designed more than 1000 hand-crafted marionnettes and puppets. A portion of each two-hour performance is devoted to the history of puppetry from the earliest masks to hand, shadow and rod puppets, and finally to marionnettes.

While tickets were being purchased, the children were allowed to play with the marionnettes in the gift store. That's Reagan Donegan, age 3, cozying up to the flamingo.

Her brother Preston, age 17 months, was not quite so sure what to make of it all.

Dug Feltch, above, is the emcee for the puppet demonstration before the performance. When I learned that the performance was two hours long, I imagined a lot of squirmy children---and adults---but Dug is an entertaining host who kept the children enthralled and the adults laughing.

As Dug showed masks from Africa one little boy piped up, "this is getting 'kwepier.'" That's when Dug said he had the best job in the world. Yes, it was all corny humor that went over the heads of the children, but it was fun to laugh at the silly double entendres.

Most of Summer Follies 2012 takes place at the circus with a tightrope walker, above, cowboy jugglers, and the Ziegfield girls. Another act showcased marine marionnettes and puppets performing under the sea. Watch the video showing marionnettes in action here, as found on the website.

At the end of the performance Bob Kramer, top right, and the rest of the crew brought the marionnettes out for a final song, a bow, and then an opportunity for the children to pose for pictures with the performers.

The last photo shows my nephew's oldest child, Abby, age 9, with one of the glamorous showgirls in the Summer Follies. It was fascinating to see the marionnettes up close after we had learned so much about what goes into making them. It takes about 1500 hours to create one character, from initial drawing to molding, carving, and costume design.

Bob Kramer's Marionnette Theater, 4143 Laclede, Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., Sun.: 2:15 p.m.,  tickets are $10 for children ages 1-12, children under a year are free, Adults are $12, reservations are necessary: (314) 531-3313. "Summer Follies 2012" runs until September 2. Check the website for future performances. Bob Kramer will take the marionnettes and puppets on the road for performances for all occasions and age groups.

Meet Meredith Tabscott, creator of Fiona Heavensbee

It's a given that one thing leads to another, and that's what happened at a neighborhood alley sale I was part of at the end of May. There I met Meredith Tabscott (above) as she was in the midst of convincing her husband Dave, a guidance counselor at Ladue High School, to squeeze a riding horse she had just purchased into their car. Dave wasn't convinced that their two children, Mimi, age 3, (above) and Nick, 7, needed anything more--especially a large horse--in their third floor playroom.

While the negotiation was going on (the horse did make its way to the third floor) I learned that Meredith, an English teacher at Granite City High School, had started a children's clothing business in her "spare time." Of course, I wanted to learn more about "Fiona Heavensbee," so on a recent Saturday morning I visited the Tabscotts in their charming townhouse not far from the Cathedral.

When they were first married, Dave gave Meredith a sewing machine. She took sewing classes where many of us learned to sew, at the now shuttered Eunice Farmer Fabrics in Ladue. In the evenings and on weekends over the past winter, Meredith started making children's clothing out of vintage pieces she had collected. While her children played down the hall, she cut the clothes apart, felted some of them, and refashioned the pieces into darling little dresses.

When she was considering what to call this endeavor, she decided not to use her own name, instead calling it "Fiona Heavensbee" which suggested whimsy and romance. The grey and white dress with flower above is $45 and will fit a 2 to 4 T.

Meredith embroiders as a hobby and was able to incorporate that skill into the pocket on the "I'm a hoot" dress, above, $30, that will also fit a 2 to 4T. She loves the work of artist Emily Martin whose embroidery patterns she finds on sublimestitching.com

Some of her students at Granite City High School are also into crafting and bring crocheting they are working on for her to see. Did you know that high schoolers call this "Granny Crafting"?

You've noticed that the first couple of dresses shown in this post are for cooler temperatures than we've been experiencing. This summer Meredith has been making tiered cafe aprons out of fabrics she's collected, many from spoonflower.com The beautifully-finished, lined cowgirl apron above, (and shown on Mimi in the first photo) is $35. The aprons, which come in many different fabric combinations, make great gifts and can be worn over tights, pants or skirts. Meredith's clothing and cotton headscarves can be found at her etsy.com shop, where they are modeled by Mimi and other neighborhood children. 

The Sunday morning after I visited, I was invited to the Tabscott's bake sale. There I was able to photograph friend Charlotte Wilson, front, and neighbors Audrey and Quinn Cage, looking pretty cute wearing Fiona Heavensbee cafe aprons. Nick Tabscott, above left, was minding the cupcakes. In the background you can spot the horse from the alley sale, which is where this whole post started. Meredith's scrumptious cupcakes were $1 each, pony rides were free. 

To learn more about Fiona Heavensbee check out etsy.com for Meredith's "adorably repurposed, upcycled & original clothing and wares."