ASU Clay Club Pottery Sale and Exhibition

We don’t mean to stress you out, but it’s time we all accept the fact that the holidays are coming up. And that means it’s time to get our shop on.Since we feel a duty to inform you of every opportunity to buy local, unique goods (a.k.a. gifts that don’t…

Art Festival Etiquette: Three Simple Rules

We know, the holiday art festival season has arrived in all of its hand turkey, glitter bomb, public crafting table madness (just don’t start with the music), which means it’s time to brush up on a little “spirited” etiquette. We sat down with a local art festival and crafting table…

Smash a Plate for Scottsdale’s Festival of Greece

The Scottsdale Festival of Greece kicks off tomorrow and runs through this weekend, bringing along all the traditional food, folk-dancing, and music of Greece along with it. But before you go, it might be a good idea to brush up on the dos and don’ts of one of the country’s…

Thrifting with SeeSaw and Old Ladies in Underwear

www.etsy.com/shop/seesawvintagePillows sell like mad.​It’s no secret that we adore SeeSaw Designs. So it’s only natural that we also love SeeSaw Vintage Shoppe on Esty.com.The three women who run SeeSaw (a Phoenix design firm) frequently hit some of the best thrift stores in town to accumulate the vintage goods they sell.I…

Simple Pleasures: Making a Home a Lovely Place

Blogs that make us happy are also blogs that fulfill our voyeuristic tendencies.​They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.So it’s no wonder that Christine McHale (formerly Christine Burch — yes, she’s related to Beverly Burch) also has a blog that makes us happy.Simple Pleasures: Making a Home…

The Fashion Show Ultimate Collection‘s First Episode: Evacuate this Fashion Emergency

Bravo’s sad third attempt to compensate for losing Project Runway to Lifetime premiered tonight and made us want to puncture our eyes out with heels shortly thereafter. Iman and Isaac Mizrahi host The Fashion Show Ultimate Collection. Note to Bravo: A foreign supermodel married to famous musician and (former) Liz Claiborne creative director does not equal a runaway success. Iman ≠ Heidi Klum and Isaac Mizrahi ≠ Tim Gunn.

Build a Float for the Parade Of The Arts

There are a lot of things that can be done at the last minute — cramming for tests, writing articles, buying birthday presents, and building a float for this weekend’s 5th Phoenix Annual Parade Of The Arts in downtown Phoenix. While float-building on a large, fancy scale can take a…

Steve Strauss and His Eclectic Arcadia Abode

Steve Strauss and his Arcadia home can be described using the same adjectives — eclectic and passionate, yet relaxed. The part-owner of Wag N’ Wash (the pet supply and DIY washing station in Phoenix) and percussionist of the long-time local band Azz Izz has lived in the Orange Grove Heights…

First Friday in Phoenix: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

It’s not often that we take a look at the style of artists and art fans around town, but when First Friday in downtown Phoenix rolls around, an entire subculture emerges. Like we’ve said in our Field Guides, First Fridays are more often about people watching and shenanigans than actual…

Scottsdale Fashion Week: In Review

Crowds of fashion-conscious (and not-so-conscious) gathered on the Scottsdale asphalt this weekend to celebrate the leading names in local and national fashion.It was the fifth year of Scottsdale Fashion Week — an event that’s been held in the past at the Scottsdale Waterfront and SouthBridge. This year, the runways, bright…

Not Just Scraps of Paper

“This is kind of goofy,” wrote a coworker when hipping us to Not Just Scraps of Paper. True, but it’s pretty neat, too. The Blogspot forum gives it up to the art of bookmarks. Rather than any ol’ bus ticket or paper scrap (hence, the name), the blog pimps people’s…

LollyPOP Vintage Settles Into Newer, Bigger Space

LollyPOP Vintage in Phoenix opened its brand new doors this weekend after moving out of its home in Retro Ranch for a larger location, just down the street. “I wanted to expand and Retro Ranch didn’t have any more room,” owner Heather Powers explained. The new, larger store opened on…

Downtown’s First Friday (Nov. 5)

Art walks are more often about people watching and shenanigans and less about the actual art. We’re here to guide you through both. Presenting our very own Field Guide — an evolving guide to art walks around town. From time to time, we’ll introduce some of our favorite spots and…

The Paper Studio’s Parking Lot Sale This Saturday

Don’t you love Fall cleaning?The Paper Studio bruised our window-shopping hearts when they moved online, but they’ve announced a treat — a parking lot sale on Saturday that will be full of letterpress goodness including composing sticks, type drawers, metal and wood type and, of course, a ton a paper.Fair…

Community Night Kicks Off Scottsdale Fashion Week

Scottsdale Fashion Week kicked off Thursday night at Scottsdale Fashion Square with a local ode. In an evening deemed “Community Night,” local designers showcased their best work that ranged from sparkly accessories to fashionable clothing made from everything BUT fabric. Many of the small tents were vacant and tables empty…

Shine’s Our (and Your) Pocket Guide to Scottsdale

It’s all about glitz and glam as Scottsdale gears up for its Fashion Week, which runs tonight through Saturday. If you’re headed out for a few shows, or if you’re just looking for some pretty cool things to buy/see/eat/drink, we’ve got you covered.Introducing Shine. You’ll see the glittery pocket on…

Katharine Kidd’s Southern Aesthetic at Scottsdale Fashion Week

Katharine Kidd isn’t like many other national fashion designers. A southern belle and former school teacher, Kidd has always known her true passion fell more along the lines with luxurious fabrics and intricate designs. After relocating from Atlanta to Santa Barbara, Ca., Kidd began developing her signature style, and her…

CityScape: A Semi-Guided Tour of the City’s New Jungle

Downtown’s CityScape is hosting the grand opening of its first phase tonight with a State of Downtown Address from Phil Gordon. The real shenanigans continue through the weekend, as various stores and restaurants host their own opening parties, concerts, and happy hours. The million dollar, two-phase project, at 1 E…

Cut Your Own Bangs (in Three Easy Steps)

Whether you were 5 or 25, you’ve probably been the victim of bushwhacked bangs. “Never, never, never cut your own bangs,” says local all-around stylist and makeup artist, Shauna Thibault, “but if you absolutely have to …” she offers a few suggestions for creating fabulous fringe. 1) Wet it down…

Designer Rebecca Turley and More Local Talent at Scottsdale Fashion Week

Designers spend hours sketching designs, making patterns, and hunched at sewing machines preparing to show their looks to the world. This Thursday night, Valley designers will get their moment in the spotlight to reveal their hard work at Scottsdale Fashion Week’s community runway show. Plucked from the group of local designers…

Election Night 2010: Our Totally Unauthorized Drinking Guide

Yeah yeah, we know. All the best election night watering holes in this town are dust. Ancient history. We miss the Newsroom and Nixon’s, too. There’s plenty to be depressed about, from the state of the city’s bar scene to the state of the nation. But if you’re planning to cry…