week 44 | 45 - snowed in

if you are in chicago tonight, you are hopefully snowed in somewhere you are happy to be. we are in the midst of a colossal blizzard; one like chicago has never seen before, or so we are currently being told. perhaps i can use this blizzard as an excuse for missing our mesh blog two weeks in a row!? i am so sorry again to our avid readers, although i am hoping that you will enjoy this little mid-week snow day read.

last week took me to nyc for an afternoon of walking the extensive length of 5th avenue - or at least 37 blocks of it - to stop into every little shop i would not typically have time to check out. after visiting my old standbys surrounding rockafeller center, i made my way south, past the ny public library and bryant park, into 'beads on 5th', through the flatiron district,

around the corner onto 19th street, through chelsea to the meat packing district.

i loved this walk, not only because it lead me to buddakan for dinner, but also because it took me into our favorite bead shop in the country. we love 'beads on 5th', as they never disappoint with their ample stock of our beloved 30/40 faceted quartz. we have already started creating a slew of new spring necklaces, to utilize our latest and greatest 30/40 scaled vibrant stones. while it is difficult to think of mesh spring collections in this weather, the designing must go on!

okay...now that the lighting is mixing with the snow outside, it is time to wrap up the mesh blog for the week. stay safe and inside!

-melissa

on the table | cameras to document the storm of the decade!

week43 - tai kang lu

my trip to shanghai last week was filled with a lot of work and a bit of inspiration. it was a complete whirlwind of an excursion, although it opened my eyes to the city and its culture, beyond what i had experienced on my previous visit.

nici (my project teammate & mesh extraordinaire) and I looked forward to a few hours of down time all week. we finally got a chance to shop on tai kang lu before our 12.5 hour flight back to chicago. we heard earlier in the week that this was the place to find an eclectic assortment of artistic boutiques. we hailed a taxi to take us to the area and knew immediately that we had arrived, when we saw a cluster of anthro-esque store fronts. as we wandered along the adjacent alleys, beyond the main 'lu' (road), we came across multiple art galleries, original clothing boutiques, bikes of the masses, enough scarves to wrap the city, and personal laundry drying in every shape and size.

the texture, color, and unique quality filling these meandering streets was something you would find in a small european village. the creativity and inspiration was endless. each boutique had one of each item being sold, as the store owners

have everything made to fit...all of the way down to the shoes they sell. the cashmere capes and scarves varied in style to represent each boutique owners' creative vision. it was a truly artistic representation of fashion and art in the city.

while we were more than happy to get home unscathed from the stench of stinky tofu that hovers over the streets of shanghai; i am quite anxious to return and visit with the shop owners that have developed such unique identities on tai kang lu.

- melissa

on the table | notes for tomorrow's transition meeting with sherry, before she departs for india!

week 42 - first necklace of 2011

as we start another year we begin a whole new list of ‘firsts’ for 2011. a quick search will tell you that the first baby born in chicago for 2011 was a girl at 12:01am at loyola. the first couple to get married this year in chicago was on january 3^rd. so, it was the justice of the peace…it was legit.

i myself am celebrating my first anniversary next month! i’m also taking my first trip to india of the year in 9 days! i’m excited about both of those things…

the other big news of this year is the first mesh necklace made in 2011. whew! i officially introduce you to necklace #668. (yes, as in….we’ve made 668 necklaces to date!) we went to a bead buy back in december and i have been dying to use these chunky stones! they have been sitting on the folding table in the corner of my loft for weeks now…just taunting me! so, i did it. managed to get a couple hours in on sunday of bead making while melissa was 25,000 feet in the air flying to shang hai.

anyhow, these are my fabulous natural stones that I got from a vendor named may! they are my favorite. nothing but the classic mesh offset would do these justice. maybe you will snag it at the first mesh show of 2011. in the meantime, i’ll be sporting it until then….

-sherry

on the table | may's beads for 2011

week 40|41 - resolutions

we are back in action, after a one week holiday hiatus from our monday night blog. we hope you enjoyed your holiday season and all that came with it!

here we are in 2011, ready to concur some resolutions and goals in the new year! talking about resolutions...my goal for every new year is to travel as much as possible; and while 2010 took me on my first trip to shanghai, there was not much travel beyond that. this year, sherry and i are both starting out strong with international travel. i will be returning to shanghai next week for a design presentation, and sherry will be heading out to see her girls in india shortly after i get back. we are thrilled about these adventures around the world, and hope to run into amazing inspiration for our upcoming mesh 2011 product launch along the way!

as you all know, we are constantly searching for new inspiration to enhance our evolving creations...and these trips are prime examples of inspiration finding us (or us finding it, after a 14 hour flight, etc...). we can't wait to update you all on our finds and experiences on the other side of the world. stay tuned to our blogs and facebook posts over the next few weeks...much excitement to come!

as for your resolutions and goals for the new year...start strong, but don't lose your momentum in february. i will keep you posted on my travel resolution status as the months go by!

happy new year!

-melissa

on the table | empty suitcases ready to be packed with mesh souvenirs and treasures!

week 39 - small fans

so, this past weekend was actually christmas for my family! i know it’s early…but my husband and I are heading to south carolina for the 25^th. of course I took all the mesh goods down state with me! last minute christmas shopping from the dining table is the best way to go. turns out, my sister in law also has a new years eve wedding to attend…so she needed the glitz clutch that we have been dying for someone to own! i’m glad it’s gone to a good home.

my 3 year old niece tried on every piece of mesh goods on the table minus the earrings which she was very confused as to why she couldn’t try on. i told her she didn’t have holes in her ears…and she thought otherwise.

anyhow, the real excitement were the bangles. i know most of you have seen these already, but they were a hit with my four nieces, who thought they needed to wear every bangle at the exact same time.

last year, melissa and I worked with an artist in florida who hand paints one-of-a-kind bangles. her specialty is india mhendi. because i work with an organization that rescues and cares for vulnerable orphan children in india, we thought that hiring her to design this collection for mesh was a perfect fit!

a portion of the proceeds benefit the girl’s college fund in india. thank you to everyone who purchased a bangle this year. just tonight i wrote a check to the organization that supports these girls in support of their education! thank you for changing lives this christmas!

-sherry

on the table – 10 bangles left! $15 stocking stuffer sale!

week 38 - holiday traditions

with the holidays upon us, family traditions are in full effect...there is nothing better than listening to kenny rogers christmas carols with my parents or making the ever so famous mahoney irish creme with my husband's family.

as we all know, it is hard to find dull moment during the holiday season, which is what makes it the perfect time of year to be thankful for what we have surrounding us. it is so easy to get caught up in the logistics of gift buying for a handful of relatives that have everything they would ever need; cooking for a house full of people with different taste buds; or getting your christmas mailers out before you miss the USPS deadlines for delivery.

while this season maximizes potential for the inevitable family drama, it also creates extreme opportunities for memorable moments with the people you so rarely spend an entire day vegging out with. be thankful for all of the sensational gifts, food, and christmas cards you receive; and realize that everyone you have gifted, fed, and mailed to is thankful to have you as a part of their lives.

at the risk of getting too emotional for the monday night mesh blog, just remember to enjoy everything the holiday season brings!

-melissa

on the table | mesh packages to be shipped all over the country tomorrow!

week 37 - holiday party

so, all of us have holiday work parties to go to in the next few weeks. and so it begins…the hunt for the perfect outfit. it must impress. it must not break the bank. it must be memorable. it must not be questionable. personally, i’m going neutral with a classic sweater, but jazzing it up with a sensational necklace found from a vendor at this year’s bizarre bazaar. it is an asymmetrical floral number with a silk ribbon at the neck. it’s a one-of-a-kind show stopper.

i challenge us with just that. your holiday outfit is already in your closet. we all know the economy talk (blah blah blah) is all around us; challenging us to tighten our belts. doomsday!

well, here is what you should do about it! turn that frown upside down and accessorize! take something already in your closet and add some flair….(flair examples below!)

1. put feathers in your hair. classic outfit with an unpredictable feather plume. done.

2. the clutch. there are tons of metallic clutches out this season that will add a little sparkle to any outfit.

3. dangling earrings. they are mesmerizing. the longer the better.

4. glitz at the neck. wear your one-of-a-kind mesh piece that you bought at our show this year!

5. shoes. that’s all I’m saying there.

a BIG thank you again to everyone who came to our open houses this weekend! We had a great time and I’m glad you didn’t let the snow deter you!

-sherry

on the table | jewelry to be picked up from weekend orders